It's been quite a long road trip for the University of Virginia baseball team, but the Cavaliers are hoping to keep their bags packed for Omaha after this weekend's NCAA Super Regional series at Mississippi.

Despite seven of the Cavaliers' position starters being freshmen or sophomores, the team has made an incredible run over the last few weeks.

Virginia captured its first Atlantic Coast Conference Championship since 1996, defeating Florida State in the tournament finale, and then moved on to NCAA Regional play at UC Irvine. The Cavaliers topped the nation's No. 1 pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg in a 5-1 win over San Diego State in the regional opener, and went on to defeat top-ranked UC Irvine twice to earn the school's first-ever NCAA Super Regional berth.

The roster features just four seniors with only pitchers Andrew Carraway and Robert Poultier seeing significant playing time this season. Carraway commends the younger players for sparking the Cavaliers' stellar year.

"I've been on some talented teams, but there's something special about this one," said Carraway. "Poultier and I wish we could say it's senior leadership, but it's the young guys. They just bring some kind of special energy to the field every day. We can go down three runs in the first and the guys on the bench are acting like we're ahead. We're never out of a game. We'd almost rather be on the road because we want to be the underdogs."

Two Virginia freshmen – Danny Hultzen and Stephen Proscia – were recently named to the Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America Team. Hultzen, the first ACC Freshman of the Year in school history, posted a 9-1 record and 2.01 ERA as a pitcher, along with a .335 average at the plate. Proscia, a third baseman, is batting .325 with nine home runs and 56 RBI.

The Cavaliers, nationally-ranked for most of the season, were seeded seventh entering this year's ultra-competitive ACC Tournament, but started clicking at the right time.

"There were times in the season where our pitching would perform really well and our hitting would struggle and vice versa," said Poultier. "We've always had confidence in our abilities and confidence that we can win. Once we got to the ACC Tournament, we kicked into gear and played well and ended up coming out on top. I think we carried that confidence into last weekend."

The boost of winning the ACC Tournament definitely helped propel the Cavaliers through a tough road regional.

"Being able to be on the field with those guys after winning the ACC Championship -- it was something I'd never been a part of-- and I didn't realize what kind of confidence that gives you," said Carraway. 'Getting on that bus and saying that it wasn't the end of the season -- we still had the big fish to fry."

Virginia also traveled across the country to an NCAA Regional last season, but this year the momentum of winning the league championship, and arriving in California a day earlier gave the Cavaliers an advantage.

"Flying out to the West Coast can be difficult," said Poultier. "I think one of the big differences this year is that Coach O'Conner got us out there on Tuesday whereas last year we went out there on a Wednesday."

Poutlier, who returned for a fifth year after suffering back problems last season, is thrilled to have returned to the team for this experience.

"It's been unbelievable," said Poultier. "I expected us to be battling for a championship, and at the point we are, but you never really know the feeling until you're there. Just to win the first ACC Championship at UVa since 1996, and getting past the regionals for the first time in school history -- I couldn't ask for anything more."

Virginia travels to Oxford to face Mississippi in an NCAA Super Regional beginning June 5 at 2 p.m. The second contest will be held Saturday at noon. Both will be broadcast live on ESPN2. If necessary, a third game in the series will be held on Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It may have been a slow start for the Florida State baseball team this season, but the Seminoles steadily picked up the pace as the youthful squad came developed into one of the best in the nation this year.

FSU began the season with 22 freshmen and sophomores on its 32-man roster after losing its entire starting rotation and star players like Buster Posey and Jack Rye. The Seminoles turned in a 9-7 record to start the year, and during one stretch suffered three consecutive losses (Auburn, Jacksonville, North Florida) for the first time since 2006.

"I think we were trying to find ourselves and what our team was all about this year because obviously we lost some key players,” said freshman lefthander Sean Gilmartin. "Being one of the freshmen coming in I just wanted to help out in whatever way possible. In the beginning of the year, I think we were finding the identity of the team.”

Gilmartin, along with fellow freshman lefthander Brian Busch, make up two-thirds of the Seminoles' starting rotation, and have stepped up to the challenge of taking the team to its ninth NCAA Super Regional since 1999. The pair has combined for an 18-5 mark this season, while Gilmartin garnered First Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for his 12-3 record and 3.48 ERA.

"I came here with the intention of going to the postseason because that's what every baseball player wants – to get the opportunity to go to Omaha,” said Gilmartin. "Florida State is always right there in contention in the postseason.”

Busch, who made his debut as a starter on March 17, said the toughest part of transition from high school to college learning how to pitch inside and outside.

"I didn't foresee myself coming in and playing the role I am now,” said Busch. "I was just hoping to come in and contribute game by game – an inning or two out of the bullpen – but wasn't planning on coming in and starting right off the bat.

"In high school, it's much different. If you make a mistake pitch kids miss it, but in college anybody has the ability to take you over the fence or hit a pitch hard. You have to be able to manage your game.”

Gilmartin agrees that the level of play was the most difficult adjustment when becoming a starter for the annual national contender.

"The biggest thing for me as a freshman was adjusting to the level of intensity and competition in college baseball,” said Gilmartin. "It's a lot different compared to high school. The game is quicker and guys are bigger and stronger, so that was biggest thing to adapt to that.”

The freshmen do have a large group of teammates that were key contributors when the Seminoles advanced to the College World Series last year, and look to that example.

"Guys like Tyler Holt and Mike McGee, Stuart Tapley -- all of those guys were in the same position as we were last year,” said Gilmartin. "They have the experience and know what it's about. They've been helping us younger guys out with how to handle ourselves.”

Florida State will host Arkansas in a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional beginning June 5. The Seminoles and Razorbacks will face each other since meeting in Super Regional play in Fayetteville in 2004. Arkansas won the series 2-0 to advance to the CWS.

All three games are slated for 12 p.m. starts. The first will be broadcast live on ESPN, and the second on ESPN2. If necessary, the third contest will be shown on ESPN.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No. 1 national seed Texas had its chances to fall victim of an early ousting in the Longhorns’ NCAA Regional last weekend, but there was something powerful would not let them lose.

The Longhorns first survived an NCAA record 25-inning marathon game against Boston College, sparked by a stellar relief performance from Austin Wood, who entered the contest in the seventh inning and tossed 12.1 frames before surrendering a hit. Wood pitched 13.0 scoreless innings, scattering two hits and four walks while striking out a career-high 14 batters in Texas’ 3-2 win.

UT’s penchant for the dramatic did not stop there. The Longhorns needed a ninth-inning walk-off grand slam from Preston Clark to claim a 14-10 victory over fourth-seeded Army in the championship game of the NCAA Austin Regional.

Head coach Augie Garrido called it a magical experience, and one that will certainly help propel the Longhorns as they seek their first College World Series berth since 2005, when the program won its last national title.

"There's something spiritual about baseball like Mother Nature,” said Garrido. "You don't mess with it. I think before a player can really believe in it, he has to experience it. We've experienced it two times in a row. Did one lead to the other? I don't know.

"But is this the kind of experience that gives players more confidence, gives them trust in themselves and helps them reach that level of invincibility that allows them to win a national championship? The answer is yes. It happened to Fresno State. It happened to Oregon State. We have a long way to go, but it's a great step forward. If we can hold on to the confidence that can come from this, and the players deserve to have that confidence, then all things are obtainable.”

TCU, the Longhorns’ Super Regional opponent, will be working off a little magic of their own. The Horned Frogs got a ninth-inning, game-winning hit for the 5-4 victory over Oregon State on May 31 as they captured their first-ever regional championship.

Texas and TCU tangled earlier this season with the Longhorns getting a 6-0 win on April 7. The two squads begin the best-of-three series on June 6 at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.

ANOTHER WEEKEND, ANOTHER TITLE: Winning never gets old -- just ask this year’s LSU baseball team. The Tigers are fresh off winning their 18th NCAA Regional title after taking the Southeastern Conference regular season crown and the SEC Tournament championship during the previous two weeks.

"This makes three weekends in a row that we’ve won a championship,” said head coach Paul Mainieri. "I don’t think winning championships ever gets old; it’s always a lot of fun. This championship is a unique one because there are no trophies given for this championship – we have to win next weekend to get another trophy.”

The No. 3 nationally-seeded Tigers will enter NCAA Super Regional play against Rice on an eight-game winning streak. The Tigers and Owls begin action on June 5 at 6 p.m. CT.

HELLO, AGAIN: The last time Cal State Fullerton’s Dave Serrano and Louisville’s Dan McDonnell crossed paths was when they were both making their first appearances in Omaha as head coaches at the 2007 College World Series.

Serrano was the head coach at UC Irvine in 2007 before taking the helm at Fullerton last year, and led the Anteaters to their only CWS appearance. At the same time, McDonnell guided Louisville to its’ first-ever College World Series berth. The two head coaches never met in Omaha, but will face each other in this weekend’s NCAA Super Regional in Fullerton beginning June 5.

McConnell has helped the Cardinals to a school-record 47 victories, while Serrano is taking the Titans to the Super Regional round for the second consecutive season. Serrano also picked up his 200th career victory in Fullerton’s 16-3 NCAA Regional championship game win on May 31.

NOTABLE: The Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference make up half of the Super Regional field with four teams each. Florida State, North Carolina, Virginia and Clemson will represent the ACC, while LSU, Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas will be waving the SEC flag. The two leagues will face off in two of the series with FSU hosting Arkansas and Virginia traveling to Mississippi. Conference USA follows with three squads – Rice, East Carolina and Southern Miss ... Virginia and Southern Miss are making their first appearances in NCAA Super Regional play.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mississippi claimed its first Southeastern Conference West regular season title since the 1977 season after notching its third league series sweep against then-No. 16 Arkansas last weekend. The Rebels have won a school-record SEC games with 20.

Senior catcher Kyle Henson sparked the Rebels offensively, batting .500 with a .971 slugging percentage and .571 on-base percentage in the series. The native of Conroe, Texas, collected eight RBI and six runs scored along with a home run and a double against the Razorbacks to earn SEC Player of the Week honors.

Henson's weekend was highlighted by a three-run double that propelled the Rebels to a 9-3 victory on May 16 that clinched the series win. He leads the team with eight homers, and ranks third on the squad with a .347 batting average.

The Rebels moved up to No. 7 in the latest Baseball America Top 25, and will play Georgia in the first round of the SEC Tournament on May 20.

PATRIOT ACT: George Mason set the school record for victories in a season as the Patriots picked up their 40th win of the year with a 16-6 win over James Madison on May 15.

The Patriots, who earned the top seed in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament by compiling a 19-5 league mark, own the best winning percentage in the nation at .800 (40-10). George Mason will be vying for its first CAA Championship since 1992 when it takes on Delaware to start the six-team double-elimination on May 20.

PIRATE POWER: East Carolina sophomore right-hander Seth Maness improved his season record to 9-0 with a victory over Memphis on May 15 as he helped the Pirates to a series sweep of the Tigers last weekend and their first-ever out-right Conference USA regular season title.

The native of Pinehurst, N.C., surrendered just one run on six hits while striking out nine batters without a walk in the seven-inning appearance. Maness has won seven straight starts, including six consecutive outings against C-USA opponents. He ranks second only to teammate Chris Heston in the league with 76 strikeouts, and has given up just 14 walks on the year.

Maness, the 2008 C-USA Freshman of the Year, was named the league's Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season for his performance.

East Carolina, ranked No. 15 in the latest Baseball America Top 25, tangles with UCF in the first round of the C-USA Championship on May 20.

HITTING HIS MARKS: Louisville junior left-hander Justin Marks garnered BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week for his efforts in a 2-1 victory against then-first-place South Florida last weekend as the Cardinals swept the Bulls to take the league's regular season title.

The native of Owesboro, Ky., fanned 12 batters without a walk as he tossed 7.2 scoreless innings in his best performance of the season. Marks improved to 9-2 on the year, and added to his own school records for career wins (27), strikeouts (282) and earned run average (2.82).

The top-seeded Cardinals face Cincinnati in the first round of the BIG EAST Championship on May 19.

THREE'S THE CHARM: Arizona State continued its run of Pac-10 titles with its third straight as the Sun Devils swept Oregon last weekend. It is the program's ninth championship since joining the Pac-10 in 1979.

The third-ranked Sun Devils can capture the outright championship, and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament, with any combination of an ASU league win or Washington State league loss.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 04:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

UCLA junior Megan Langenfeld got it done at the plate and in the circle as she propelled the Bruins to a 3-0 record against No. 7 Arizona and No. 5 Arizona State in Pac-10 action last week.

Langenfeld batted .600 with two home runs and three RBI, while posting a 3-0 mark and 1.65 ERA for the week to garner Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I National Player of the Week honors. She began the week with eight strikeouts in a complete-game four-hitter against the Wildcats. The next day, Langenfeld sparked the offense with a two-run homer before completing the five-inning 9-1 victory in the circle against the Sun Devils.

The native of Bakersfield, Calif., capped off the weekend with a win in relief against ASU, while reaching base in all five appearances at the plate. Langenfeld once again got the offense rolling with a home run in the first inning, and added two more hits in the victory.

The Bruins retained their No. 2 spot in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25, and moved into a tie for second place in the Pac-10 standings with the weekend sweep.

POWER AID: Florida State pulled within one game of first-place Georgia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings after notching a three-game sweep of Virginia last weekend.

Senior catcher Kaleigh Rafter played a key role in the No. 17 Seminoles' success, highlighted by a grand slam in a 12-4 victory against the Cavaliers on April 25. She knocked in seven runs and collected three hits, including a home run and a double, in the series to earn ACC Player of the Week honors.

Rafter ranks fifth in the league with 10 home runs, and sixth in the ACC with 40 RBI. She moved up to fourth on the school's all-time home run list over the weekend.

DUNNE IT AGAIN: Alabama sophomore Kelsi Dunne picked up her second Southeastern Conference Pitcher of the Week award after a stellar week in the circle as the Crimson Tide turned in a perfect 5-0 record.

The native of Port Orange, Fla., was credited with four of the Tide's five victories, which included a no-hitter against Auburn in the series finale. Dunne notched a season-high 14 strikeouts in her fourth career no-hitter.

For the week, Dunne fanned 32 battings in 19 scoreless innings, while posting a .109 opponent batting average. She began the week with seven strikeouts in an 8-0 victory over nationally-ranked Georgia Tech, and came back in the Auburn series opener with 11 strikeouts.

BACK ON TOP: DePaul's Becca Heteniak tossed a trio of complete-game victories as she helped the Blue Demons regain sole possession of first place in the BIG EAST standings last week.

The junior from Simi Valley, Calif., compiled a 1.11 ERA and a .164 opponent batting average, allowing just three runs and striking out 18 batters in 19 innings pitched. Heteniak hurled a one-hit shutout for a 4-0 victory against Syracuse on April 25 as she improved to 12-2 against league opponents this season. Heteniak was tabbed BIG EAST Pitcher of the Week for her efforts.

The Blue Demons moved up one spot to No. 19 in the latest USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 after taking three of four games from conference foes last week.
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Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

University of Central Florida junior second baseman Shane Brown was a familiar face on the base paths last week as he tied an NCAA record by reaching base 18 consecutive times as the Golden Knights posted a 3-1 mark.

Brown's streak started with a double in the seventh inning of a 13-12 victory versus Stetson on April 21, and concluded with three hits in his first three at bats against UAB on Sunday. He homered, doubled and singled before flying out in his fourth at bat to end the run.

The native of Winter Park, Fla., compiled a .722 batting average and 1.333 slugging percentage for the week along with 10 runs scored, five doubles and two home runs. Brown was selected Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, as well as Conference USA Hitter of the Week for his outstanding performances.

PATTON PENDING: Kent State climbed up two spots to No. 23 in the latest Baseball America Top 25 after turning in a 4-1 record with the help of an offensive explosion by senior outfielder Jason Patton last week.

The native of Massillon, Ohio, batted .500 with four home runs, including his first collegiate grand slam against Ohio. Patton's week was highlighted by career-highs of five hits and six runs scored against the in a 28-16 victory against Ohio on April 25, marking the first time since 1992 a KSU player scored six times in one game.

Patton was named a Collegiate Baseball/Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for his performance.

BOUNCING BACK: After suffering a sweep at Texas two weekends ago and getting knocked out of first place in the Big 12 standings, Oklahoma showed its resiliency by winning three straight at No. 9 Baylor last week.

It was the first time since 2006 the Sooners swept a conference foe, and it was only the third time since 1998 that the Bears went winless on a weekend. The successful series allowed the Sooners to climb from fourth to second place in the league standings, and propelled them four spots to No. 9 in the latest Baseball America Top 25.

Junior shortstop Bryant Hernandez garnered Big 12 Player of the Week honors after hitting .353 with two home runs, five runs scored and five RBI. He paces the Sooners with 48 RBI on the year.

GO-TO GUY: LSU freshman Matty Ott notched a win and three saves in four appearances last week to help the Tigers to a flawless 5-0 week, including a sweep of Southeastern Conference foe Auburn.

The native of Metairie, La., struck out four batters and allowed just three hits in 5.2 scoreless innings, earning SEC Pitcher of the Week for his efforts. Ott collected two saves against Auburn, and sandwiched a 7-6 victory between them after tossing two shutout innings without giving up a hit.

With the sweep of Auburn, the Tigers moved into a tie for first place with Georgia in the overall SEC standings.

GAME BREAKER: Cal State Fullerton's Gary Brown delivered three game-winning or tie-breaking hits, along with a .476 batting average, as the Titans tore through five games last week.

The sophomore from Diamond Bar, Calif., ripped game-winning home runs in the final two games of a three-game series versus UC Davis. Brown was selected Big West Player of the Week for his contributions.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Notre Dame senior Jillian Byers set a BIG EAST record with 12 points in the Irish's convincing 20-5 victory over Connecticut on April 18 to secure the No. 3 seed in the upcoming league tournament.

The senior from Northport, N.Y., netted seven goals and dished out five assists in the victory win against the Huskies, and with four goals in a mid-week loss to Vanderbilt, she compiled 16 points and 11 goals for the week. Byers, who was named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this year, paces the league in scoring with 64 goals and ranks second in the nation with 4.00 goals per game.

Byers is Notre Dame's all-time leader in goals (243), points (307) and draw controls (145). Her 243 career goals make her the leading active Division I goal scorer in the nation and put her 11th on the NCAA's all-time goal list. She is the 22nd player in NCAA history to reach 300 points in her career and is currently 19th on the NCAA all-time point list.

Ninth-ranked Notre Dame will face No. 8 Syracuse in the semifinals of the BIG EAST Championship on April 24 in Washington, D.C.

HOLDING 'EM OFF: North Carolina junior goaltender Logan Ripley sparked the Tar Heels to a 9-7 win over sixth-ranked Duke last week, holding the Blue Devils to a season-low goal total.

The native of Earlysville, Va., notched 13 saves and four ground balls versus Duke, and also recorded nine saves and three ground balls in a 13-10 defeat of Duke. Ripley garnered Atlantic Coast Conference and WomensLax.com Player of the Week honors for her performances.

The win over the Blue Devils secured the No. 2 seed in the ACC Championship for the Tar Heels. UNC received a first round bye and will face the winner of Duke and Boston College in the semifinals on April 24.

ROOKIE REWARDED: University of Pennsylvania freshman Erin Brennan sparked the Quakers to their third straight Ivy League title as she collected five goals and four assists in two wins last week. The Quakers sealed up the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament with the victories.

The midfielder from Garden City, N.Y., registered a hat trick and two goals to down No. 7 Princeton, and then followed with two goals and two assists versus Brown as the Quakers posted their third consecutive unbeaten season in Ivy play.

Brennan was selected Ivy League Player of the Week and WomensLax.com Rookie of the Week for her contributions in the Quakers' flawless 13-0 season. She is the team's third-leading scorer with 30 points.

The Quakers look to remain perfect against defending NCAA champion and top-ranked Northwestern in a regular season finale against the Wildcats on April 25. Penn handed Northwestern its only loss of 2008 a year ago last April. Northwestern, Penn and Maryland are currently the only undefeated teams left in Division I women's lacrosse.

MOUNTAINOUS FEATS: Lehigh's Lauren Dykstra topped the Mountain Hawks in scoring in two victories last week as they clinched the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Patriot League Tournament, capped off by a 15-11 victory over defending league champion Colgate.

The sophomore from Mendham, N.J., collected 10 goals on the week, including six against the Raiders on April 18 as the Mountain Hawks won their 11th game of the season – the most since winning 14 games in 1996.

Dykstra earned her fourth Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week award this season for her efforts. She enters the league tournament as the second-leading goal scorer in the nation with 4.00 per game.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cornell University clinched a share of its seventh straight Ivy League title with help of two-time All-American John Glynn's contributions in the Big Red's 10-7 upset of then-No. 1 Princeton last weekend.

The senior midfielder was successful of 13-of-18 face offs (72.2 percent), while picking up a career-best 11 ground balls. He also tallied an assist in the contest, earning his second Ivy League Player of the Week award of the season.

Glynn, a native of Lindenhurst, N.Y., now has 208 career ground balls, the first Cornell player to achieve the feat since 2003. He ranks third in the nation with a .631 face-off percentage and sixth in Division I with 6.8 ground balls per game.

Cornell, which jumped to No. 2 in the latest USILA Division I poll, can claim the Ivy League outright with a victory against Brown on April 25.

TOP BILLING: Bucknell made history last week with the Bison's first-ever Patriot League regular season title by downing then-No. 13 Colgate, 19-11, on April 17.

Freshman midfielder Charlie Streep netted five goals in the win against the Raiders as Bucknell completed the Patriot League season with a 6-0 record and earned the top seed and hosting rights for the conference tournament that begins April 24.

Streep, a native of New Canaan, Conn., notched three of his career-high goal total in the first quarter, and was named the league's Rookie of the Week for the fifth time for his efforts. He increased his season total to 23 goals, which ranks second on the squad and is the most among Patriot League freshmen.

The Bison will play fourth-seeded Army in the tournament semifinals, while Colgate and Navy will tangle in the other match-up. Navy, Bucknell and Colgate are all nationally-ranked at No. 11, No. 15 and No. 17, respectively.

BREAKING THROUGH: The University of Hartford ended a 26-game losing streak last week beginning with a 14-5 victory over Presbyterian, and kept on winning with a shocker against then-No. 6 UMBC over the weekend.

The Hawks, who had not won a game since 2007, were led by freshman goalkeeper Scott Bement's career-high 19 saves against the Retrievers. UMBC had entered the game as the nation's fifth most potent offense. Bement, a native of Canandaigua, N.Y., also stop 10 shots against Presbyterian, and was selected as the America East Player of the Week for his efforts.

Hartford will conclude the regular season at Binghamton on April 25. A win over the Bearcats, coupled with a Vermont loss to UMBC, would earn the Hawks their first America East Championship berth since 2003.

NOTABLE: Notre Dame is now the only unbeaten team in Division I men's lacrosse after defeating St. John's, 12-2, on April 19. The Irish are a perfect 12-0 after stretching their nation's longest home field winning streak to 25 games. Junior Grant Krebs tallied three goals and an assist to extend his team-leading point scoring streak to 28 games. UND looks to improve on its program-record winning streak at Ohio State on April 25 in the regular season finale of Great Western Lacrosse League action ... North Carolina's Shane Walterhoefer was named Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Week after collecting a game-high 10 ground balls and winning 17-of-25 face-offs in a 13-8 upset of then-No. 6 Hofstra last week. The senior from Ellicott City, Md., is now fourth on the all-time NCAA Division I list for face-off wins, and seventh on the ground balls. He was 7-for-7 on face-offs in the third quarter as the Tar Heels outscored the Pride 5-1 to comeback from a halftime deficit.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Texas continued to roll with a flawless 5-0 week, including a sweep of then-No. 10 Oklahoma in Big 12 action, with the help of senior reliever Austin Wood.

The native of Kingwood, Texas, tossed 6.0 scoring innings in four appearances last week, striking out nine batters and surrendering just two hits and two walks during the stretch. Wood pitched in all three games against the Sooners, including both ends of a doubleheader on April 18 to earn Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week honors for the fourth time of his career.

The Longhorns have won 10 straight games, moving up four spots to No. 5 in the latest Baseball America Top 25. Texas has reeled off seven straight victories in Big 12 play, and currently holds a 1.5 game lead in the league standings. The Longhorns have won 15 of its last 17 contests since a three-game road sweep at Kansas on March 20-22. Texas looks extend its streak when it hosts No. 2 Rice on April 21.

EATER NATION: UC Irvine claimed its first No. 1 ranking in its Division I history after posting its third straight sweep of a Big West opponent as the Anteaters down UC Riverside last weekend.

The Anteaters, voted the top-ranked team by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball, top the league with an 11-1 record, and have won seven of their last eight games after recording a 4-1 mark last week. UCI will now move out of conference this week, hosting Oregon on April 20-21, and then taking a road trip to Utah on April 23-25.

GOLDEN BOY: Minnesota's Derek McCallum turned in a spectacular week at the plate, blasting six home runs and knocking in 20 runs in five games for the Golden Gophers last week.

The junior second baseman batted .636, raising his season average 43 points to a Big Ten-leading mark of .404, while posting a 1.636 slugging percentage. McCallum became the first Golden Gopher to hit a homer in three straight games since 2004, and now paces the league with 52 RBI on the season.

The native of Shoreview, Minn., was selected Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week and Big Ten Player of the Week for his outstanding play.

ONE-HIT WONDERS: A trio of pitchers -- North Carolina's Alex White, UCLA's Trevor Bauer and Arkansas' Brett Eibner -- garnered recognition as Louisville Slugger/Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week after throwing one-hitters over the weekend.

White held then-No. 13 Miami to one hit in a 3-0 victory as he fanned a season-high 10 batters in his first career complete-game shutout as the Tar Heels swept the Hurricanes last weekend. Bauer, a freshman from Valencia, Calif., struck out a career-best nine batters in his first career complete game as the Bruins downed Washington, 13-0.

Eibner led the Razorbacks to a 2-0 win over No. 8 Georgia on April 19 as the Bulldogs were held to a one-hit shutout for the first time since 1994. The sophomore fanned 12 batters and did not walk a batter in the contest. It was the first complete-game shutout by a Razorback since 2007.

NOTABLE: Cal Poly senior centerfielder Ryan Lee stretched his hitting streak to 26 games in a three-game sweep of UC Davis, setting a new school record, while freshman second baseman Matt Jensen extended his hitting streak to 23 games for the third-longest in the program's Division I history. The Aggies have won 17 straight home games and moved into second place in the Big West standings with the sweep.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

MASTER PERFORMANCE: Florida State sophomore Drew Kittleson will live out a dream beginning April 9 as he plays in the first round of the 2009 Masters at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.

The native of Scottsdale, Ariz., qualified for a spot in the Masters and the 2009 U.S. Open after finishing second at the 2008 U.S. Amateur Tournament at Pinehurst No. 2 last August.

"It's really a dream come true," Kittleson said. "It's something you work for as a golfer and it's the highest level, so it's something I'm really looking forward to."

Kittleson will become the youngest player in FSU history to compete at the Masters, and is paired with 1987 Masters Champion Larry Mize and PGA Tour golfer John Merrick, who is also playing in his first Masters.

TIGER RALLY: Clemson pulled off a team victory at the United States Collegiate Championship victory on April 7, rallying from a 13-shot deficit entering the final round at the Lakeside Course at the Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, Ga.

Phillip Mollica nailed a three-under par 69, while Luke Hopkins and Kyle Stanley tallied identical scores of 71 as the Tigers finished as the only school in the 15-team field with a four-under-par score of 284. Both Mollica and Hopkins improved the rounds by 12 shots over the previous day. Stanley was the team’s top finisher in ninth place for his fifth top 10 finish of the season.

The field was tough as the top 11 teams in the latest Golf World Coaches poll competed over the weekend. Clemson’s comeback was its largest in school history by five shots.

FIT TO BE TIED: UCLA senior Erik Flores and Alabama freshman Bud Cauley tied for medalist honors at the U.S. Collegiate Championship, winning their second and first collegiate tournaments of their respective careers.

Both Flores and Cauley carded final round one-over-par scores of 73 to finish with four-under 212 in the tournament -- two strokes ahead of Stanford’s David Chung.

Cauley entered the week ranked 13th in the Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index, while Flores was 34th.

COWBOY UP: Oklahoma State’s Morgan Hoffmann was selected Big 12 Golfer of the Month for March for his efforts in helping the Cowboys to runner-up finishes at the Southern Highlands Collegiate and the Linger Longer Invitational, and then claimed his first collegiate victory at the Morris Williams Intercollegiate.

The native of Saddle Brook, N.J., recorded a school-record 62 in the second round of the Southern Highlands Golf Club, notching a 10-under par score en route a runner-up finish at Southern Highlands.

In his latest appearance, Hoffman tied for 17th place at the U.S. Collegiate Championships.

KNIGHT LIFE: UCF’s Blayne Barber garnered Conference USA Men’s Golfer of the Week honors after tying for third place at the Adminstaff Augusta State Invitational for his fourth straight top 10 finish last week.

The native of Lake City, Fla., tallied an 8-under par 208 against a tournament field that included seven of the top 50 ranked teams in the country.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last week, my father and I were having a conversation about college sports and the subject veered to the Men's Frozen Four. My dad is an avid college sports fan, although not particularly knowledgeable about ice hockey.

For fun, I asked him to guess which teams were in this year's field. Minnesota? Wisconsin? Boston College? Michigan? No, no, no, and no, I answered. I told him he would never guess, and well, he never did.

Of the four teams that remain in the NCAA Division I Championship, two -- Bemidji State and Miami University -- are making their first appearance at the Men's Frozen Four, while Vermont and Boston University -- the only top seed left standing -- have not been there in awhile.

The Catamounts landed only their second berth in program history, and first since 1996 when current NHL stars and former All-Americans Martin St. Louis and Tim Thomas were on the roster. The top-ranked Terriers, who have claimed four NCAA titles in school history, have not advanced to the national semifinals since 1997.

"It's great for hockey," said Bemidji State head coach Tom Serratore. "It's boring to have the same teams all the time. This is good for the game because everyone out there who plays college hockey can realize it can be them someday. We can do this a lot in this sport, because there a lot of mid-major schools playing and there is a lot of parity in college hockey."

The two first-timers -- Bemidji State and Miami (Ohio) -- will face each other on Thurs., April 9 at 5 p.m., at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., with an opportunity to play for the NCAA title on the line.

Both teams are coached by former players, Serratore and Enrico Blasi from Miami, and have a special kind of passion coaching at their alma maters.

"(Serratore) does an unbelievable job in recruiting," said Blasi. "(Bemidji is) a team that plays very similar to his personality. They are very passionate and get after it. It's great for college hockey to have Bemidji State and Miami in the Frozen Four, and we're looking forward to it. It's going to be a heck of a game."

Although BSU's run to the Frozen Four may seem a bit more unlikely as a No. 4 seed coming out of a small conference as the College Hockey America champion, the Beavers have a long-standing winning tradition in the sport. BSU has won 942 games, 13 national championships and over 20 conference championships in its history, and with national championships at the NAIA, NCAA Division II and III levels, the Beavers could become the first program to ever win national titles at each level of college hockey.

"We believe in ourselves," said Serratore. "Unless you've ever worn a Beaver jersey or been in a Beaver locker room, it's hard to understand or fathom what we're talking about. We talk about championships and about how special it is to play for this program, and how many times we've won games when people didn't think we could. I think the media to a certain degree looks at this as David vs. Goliath or a Cinderella story, but we believe in ourselves so much that it wasn't a surprise to us (to win the Midwest Regional)."

Bemidji State dominated top-seeded Notre Dame, 5-1, and then followed it up with a 4-1 victory over Cornell.

"They beat the No. 2 team in the country and a pretty darn good Cornell team," said Blasi. "I don't know if there's an underdog or a favorite going into a national semifinal. I think both teams are pretty equal and it should be a fun game."

Blasi, who became the youngest head coach in Division I college hockey when he took over the RedHawks' program in 1999, has built Miami into a national contender during his tenure. The RedHawks have earned four consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, and have advanced to the postseason in five of the last six years, but this is their first trip to the Men's Frozen Four. They topped two Western Collegiate Hockey Association foes -- Denver and Minnesota-Duluth -- to get to the school's first national semifinal appearance in any sport.

"It's a special feeling on campus right now," said Blasi. "The student body, the community -- everyone currently associated with the program and everyone in the past. There's a sense of pride that they were the building blocks of Miami hockey."

Both coaches are savoring the new experience, and hope to make an impression on college hockey fans when they have the national spotlight this weekend.

"It is going to be great to get national recognition," said Serratore. "It's good for hockey. People are going to know where Bemidji is and get excited about it. There's going to a lot of people who want us to win. It's good exposure and gives our community and university a little notoriety and anytime you have that, I don't think you can put a price tag on that. It is a special time for us, and being on this stage will let as many people as possible learn about Bemidji State."

Boston University and Vermont will battle in the second NCAA semifinal on April 9 at 8:30 p.m. ET. The winners of both games will meet on April 11 7 p.m. ET. The semifinal contests will be broadcast live on ESPN2, while ESPN will carry the national championship game.

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Arizona State took over the top spot in the latest Baseball America Top 25 after knocking off previously No. 1-ranked Cal State Fullerton in a midweek series, and then sweeping Washington in a Pac-10 Conference series last weekend.

Junior left-hander Josh Spence struck out two batters in two scoreless innings of work against the Titans to pick up a save in the 3-1 victory. The native of Victoria, Australia, went on improve his season record to 6-0 in a win versus the Huskies on April 4. Spence fanned a career-high 14 batters in eight innings without surrendering an earned run.

Spence, who paces the Pac-10 with a 1.17 ERA and 72 strikeouts, was named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week for his contributions.

The Sun Devils fell to Arkansas, ranked No. 1 in the Collegiate Baseball national poll, 7-3, on April 7, and finish up the midweek series in Fayetteville on April 8 in the battle between the two No. 1 teams.

BEST OUT WEST: UC Irvine continued its success in Big West play as the Anteaters notched a series victory, sparked by Danial Bibona’s eight scoreless innings in the their opening win against the Titans.

The native of Lake Forest, Calif., held the Titans hitless until the fourth inning, and struck out five batters in the career-long eight-inning outing. The left-hander improved his season record to 5-1, while extending his shutout streak to 14 innings.

Bibona, who leads the league with 52 strikeouts and tops the Anteaters with a 2.30 ERA, was named Big West Pitcher of the Week for his outstanding performance.

PATRIOT POWER: George Mason turned in a flawless 5-0 record last week as the Patriots stretched their nation’s longest active home winning streak to 20 games, which is also a school record. The Patriots swept UNC Wilmington for the first time in 10 years, propelling them to first place in the Colonial Athletic Association standings with a 7-2 mark.

Senior left-hander Mike Modica played a key role in the Patriots’ success against UNCW, limiting them to one run on five hits in seven innings pitched while striking out six in the outing. The native of Sewell, N.J., who tied a school record with his 40th career start against UNCW, was named CAA Pitcher of the Week for his efforts.

George Mason earned its first-ever national ranking as the Patriots climbed into the No. 25 spot of the Collegiate Baseball poll. The Patriots then proved deserving of their new ranking with a 17-5 defeat of George Washington on April 7. They improved to 25-5 on the year – the best record in school history.

PANTHERS POUNCE: The Ohio Valley Conference named Eastern Illinois senior outfielder Brett Nommensen as the league’s Player of the Week for the fourth straight week after reaching base safely in 14 of 17 plate appearances for the Panthers.

Nommensen also contributed three home runs, two doubles, nine RBI and seven runs scored, and went 4-for-4 with runners in scoring position during wins against Saint Louis and Murray State. The native of Fox River Grove, Ill., leads the OVC with a .516 batting average, 11 home runs, and a 1.022 slugging percentage. During the Panthers’ 11-game winning, Nommensen is hitting .606 with 13 RBI and 17 runs scored.

The Panthers are ranked No. 27 in the latest Collegiate Baseball national poll – the program’s first national ranking since becoming a Division I school in 1982. EIU is perfect in league play with a 7-0 record and has won 15 of its last 16 games.

Continue reading "Div. I Baseball - New at the Top" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Season-ending injuries are always a test of an athlete's perseverance and determination, but for Cornell University wrestler Troy Nickerson (Photo credit: Lindsey Mechalik) it has been a learning experience that may offer an interesting perspective on his future career choice.

Nickerson began his collegiate career as a highly-touted recruit after becoming the first-ever five-time New York state champion as a student at Chanango Forks H.S. The 125-pounder immediately backed up his reputation with All-American showings at NCAA Championships in 2006 and 2007, and entered last season ready to contend for a national title. His junior campaign, however, stopped before it started after he suffered a shoulder injury at practice only days before the Big Red's first match.

"I tried wrestling through the pain," said Nickerson. "A few days before the competition, I finally decided the pain was too much. Between me, my coach and my trainer, we decided I should probably get an MRI."

Doctors found a torn labrum in Nickerson's shoulder, and recommended surgery, immediately ending his season.

Continue reading "Fighting Through the Pain - Div. I Wrestling" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

TOP 'CATS: Northwestern remained the top team in Division I women's lacrosse with a pair of convincing victories over Hofstra and Rutgers last week, sparked by the stellar play of senior attacker Hannah Nielsen.

The native of Adelaide, Australia, combined for six goals and 11 assists in a 20-6 defeat of the Pride and 24-1 victory over the Scarlet Knights. Nielsen, who was named American Lacrosse Conference Offensive Player of the Week for her efforts, became only the second Northwestern player to collect 300 career points during the week.

Nielsen registered eight assists against Rutgers -- the second-highest total of her career -- and needs just seven assists to surpass Jen Adams as the NCAA's all-time assist leader. She leads the nation with 55 points, 6.88 points per game and 31 assists.

The four-time defending NCAA champion Wildcats will look to maintain their flawless record when they host No. 4 Syracuse on March 22. The game is a rematch of last year's NCAA semifinal that Northwestern won 16-8.

Continue reading "Top 'Cats - Div. I Women's Lacrosse" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rice University's Ryan Berry became the first player Conference USA history to claim Pitcher of the Week honors in three straight weeks after the junior right-hander notched a 4-1 win over then-No. 20 San Diego on March 13.

Berry, who also garnered Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week honors, tossed a complete-game, one-hitter against USD for his third consecutive victory. The native of Humble, Texas, carried a perfect game into the seventh inning and no-hitter into the eighth.

Despite allowing a run against the Toreros, Berry extended his streak to 28.2 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run, while striking out eight batters without a walk. In four starts this season, Berry has posted a 1.42 ERA and .088 batting average.

Continue reading "Berry Good - Div. I Baseball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Northeastern University remained on top of the Hockey East standings with the help of freshman forward Mike McLaughlin, who netted game-winning goals in each victory in the sweep of UMass Lowell over the weekend.

McLaughlin, a native of Seaforth, Ontario, also tallied an assist against UML to earn the league's Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week award.

The Huskies' 22 wins this season are the second-most in program history. They have clinched home ice for the league's best-of-three quarterfinal series on March 13-15 – the first time NU will host a playoff series since 1997-98.

Goaltender Brad Thiessen has played a crucial role in the Huskies' success this season, and the school recently launched www.Thiessen39.com to promote the native of Aldergrove, British Columbia, for Hockey East Player of the Year, All-America and the Hobey Baker Award. He leads the nation in minutes played in goal, and carries a 2.10 goals against average and .932 save percentage.

Northeastern looks to claim the Hockey East regular season title when it faces Boston College in a home-and-home series beginning March 6.

Continue reading "In Control - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Atlantic Hockey Association race for the regular season title will be decided this weekend when the two first place teams -- Air Force and RIT -- will meet for their second series of the season on Feb. 27-28.

The two squads are tied with 40 points each in the standings. The teams split the two-game series earlier this season at Air Force as the Falcons won the first night, 2-0, and RIT won the second night, 3-2 in overtime.

Air Force has posted a school-record with 22 Division I victories, and has recorded back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. Jacques Lamoureux netted his 26th goal of the year against Holy Cross on Feb. 20 as he improved on his Division I-leading total. His 21 goals in AHA play are the second-most in league history.

RIT enters the series on a five-game unbeaten streak after a 1-0-1 weekend at Army. The Tigers have turned in a 15-1-1 mark over the last 17 games. RIT is tied for second in Division I scoring average with 3.72 goals per game. The Tigers need just one win to tie the Division I team record of 21 victories.

Continue reading "Showdown - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yale University remained atop the ECAC Hockey standings after posting its' first season sweep of Dartmouth and Harvard in 57 years as they downed both squads last weekend. The Bulldogs are now in sole possession of first place in the conference, and earned at least a share of the Ivy League title with an 8-0 mark against league members this season.

The Bulldogs rolled to a 5-1 win over Harvard to start the weekend, outshooting the Crimson 50-15 in the contest. Yale followed it up with a 3-1 victory against Dartmouth to extend its winning streak to six games and unbeaten stretch to seven.

Senior goaltender Alec Richards tallied 50 saves on the weekend as he improved his season goals against average to 2.19, which ranks 15th in Division I, while bettering his winning percentage to .857 (12-2-0, tied for 2nd in NCAA).

No. 10 Yale is one of three ECAC Hockey squads to be ranked in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Network Division I poll. Second-place Cornell is ranked No. 6, while third-place Princeton is in the No. 9 spot.

Continue reading "Ivy Ice Kings - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

SHOW-STOPPING SAINTS: St. Lawrence cracked the most recent USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Network Division I poll at No. 20 after the Saints handed in their first four-point weekend in league play this season, highlighted by a stunning 8-1 victory over then-No. 4 Cornell on Jan. 30.

Cornell entered the contest against the Saints with nation's best scoring defense, having allowed just 12 goals in 12 previous league games.

Junior goaltender Alex Petizian posted 34 saves against the Big Red, following it up with 14 stops in a 4-2 win over Colgate to stretch his unbeaten streak to five games. Senior forward Kevin DeVergilio (pictured right)combined for five points over the weekend, scoring a goal and notching two assists against Cornell, and then recording two assists versus Colgate. The native of Sterling Heights, Mich., was named ECAC Hockey Player of the Week for his efforts.

The Saints have lost just one time in the last eight games, a 7-6 overtime setback to Rensselaer on Jan. 23.

Continue reading "Show-Stopping Saints - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After struggling through an eight-game losing streak, Providence College has returned from holiday break to reel off a five-game unbeaten stretch, including a 2-0-1 record last week.

Freshman Alex Beaudry's play sparked the Friars as the native of Cumberland, Ontario, compiled 121 saves and a .938 save percentage in three games. He stopped 39 shots in a 4-2 upset of No. 2 Boston University for Providence's first win over BU since Nov. 17, 2006. Beaudry followed it up with a career-best 42 saves in a 5-4 win at UMass, and then registered 40 stops as the Friars tied Maine, 2-2, in overtime.

Beaudry was selected Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week for his contributions. He has started four games since committing to the school before the second semester began. Beaudry's save percentage of .933 would rank amongst the best in the nation if he met qualifications for minutes played.

Continue reading "Turning It Around - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 08:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top-ranked Minnesota cruised to a sweep of Bemidji State by a combined score of 16-2 as twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux accounted for nine of the Golden Gophers' goals over the weekend.

Jocelyne Lamoureaux registered one goal and two assists, while her sister Monique netted the Gophers' first two scores of a 5-1 win on Jan. 16. The duo from Grand Forks, N.D., followed it up with three goals and three assists each in an 11-1 victory the following day.

Since the beginning of the second half of the season, Minnesota has outscored foes 50-8 in six contests. Each Lamoureux sister has compiled 17 points during the stretch. Monique Lamoureux leads the Gophers with 24 goals and 47 points, while Jocelyne follows with a team-leading 26 assists and 41 points.

Minnesota has now posted 12 straight 20-win seasons. The Golden Gophers top the nation with the longest active winning streak with 16 games.

Continue reading "Sister Act - Div. I Women's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cornell's Rebecca Johnston (pictured right)picked up her third ECAC Hockey Player of the Week award of the season after helping the Big Red to three points in a pair of league games last week.

The sophomore forward from Sudbury, Ontario, tallied an assist in a 3-2 win at Clarkson on Dec. 5, and added her first career hat trick plus an assist in a 4-4 tie against third-ranked St. Lawrence the next day. The tie ended a 19-game losing streak for Cornell against the Saints, giving the Big Red three points after a St. Lawrence/Clarkson weekend for the first time in program history. Johnston paces the nation with 2.30 points per game, and ranks second in Division I with 1.20 goals per game.

The Big Red will return to the ice on Jan. 4 against Providence.

Continue reading "Red Hot - Div. I Women's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you are a college wrestling fan, Iowa City was the place to be on Dec. 6 as in-state rivals Iowa and Iowa State battled it out in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 match-up. The top-ranked Hawkeyes came away with a 20-15 victory, extending their dual match winning streak to 23 while improving to 9-0 on the year.

The match drew 19,955 fans to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, establishing a national collegiate dual meet attendance record. The previous record of 15,646 was set Feb. 1, 2002 when Minnesota hosted Iowa at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Senior Charlie Falck, the nation's second-ranked wrestler at 125 pounds, started the match with a 4-2 victory as he handed fifth-ranked Tyler Clark of Iowa State his first loss of the season. Falck was one of six winners in the match for Iowa, who all remained undefeated on the season.

The top two teams in the nation will most likely meet again this season at Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill., and the Cliff Keen/NWCA Duals on Jan. 10-11.

Continue reading "The Place to Be - Div. I Wrestling" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 02:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Northeastern University topped Maine 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 5 in the Huskies' lone game of the month and will head into the holiday break leading the Hockey East with an 8-2-1 conference record.

Senior defensemen Louis Liotti netted two goals, including the game-winner against the Black Bears, earning Hockey East Reebok Player of the Week for the first time of his career. He scored the game-winning goal with 2:31 remaining in overtime, and tallied his first goal during a power-play in the second period.

The native of Westbury, N.Y., now has four career goals. It has been almost a year since he chipped in his last one against Bowling Green on Dec. 28, 2007, but he been a key component in the Huskies' defense, playing 122 games in the last four years.

The Huskies moved up to No. 5 in the latest USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Network Division I poll, and will enjoy a lengthy hiatus before returning to the ice at the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minneapolis on Jan. 2.

Continue reading "Top Dogs - Division I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 01:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After sitting out the previous two contests with a shoulder injury, Northeastern's Julia Marty returned to the ice ready to play against Maine on Nov. 9.

The sophomore transfer from the University of New Hampshire tallied her first career hat trick in Sunday's game, including the game-winning goal in the second period against the Black Bears. Marty, a native of Nussbaumen, Switzerland, has compiled 10 points on three goals and seven assists in seven games this season, already matching her totals with UNH last year. Marty was named Hockey East Player of the Week for her contributions.

Northeastern held on to its No. 10 ranking in the USCHO.com Division I poll with a win in the Huskies' only contest of the week. The Huskies have lost just one game this year, a 5-0 setback to then-No. 4 Boston College on Nov. 1.

Continue reading "Back and Better - Div. I Women's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After claiming Hockey East Rookie of the Year honors last year, Boston University's Colin Wilson looks to have avoided the dreaded sophomore slump.

The native of Winnipeg, Manchester, had been a solid force in the Terriers' climb to No. 1 in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I rankings for the first time since March 2006. Wilson tallied a career-best four points in a 6-4 come-from-behind victory over UMass Lowell on Nov. 7, dishing out the game-tying assist and notching the game-winning goal with 14.5 seconds left in regulation. He garnered CCM/RBK Hockey East Player of the Week for his contributions.

Wilson is tied with teammate Nick Bonino with 12 points for the Hockey East scoring lead, while the two forwards are tied for third in the nation with 1.71 points per game.

The top-ranked Terriers are back on the ice at No. 20 Massachusetts on Nov. 14. It is the first time since 1998 that BU has been No. 1 during the regular season.

Continue reading "Sophomore Star - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stanford University moved into sole possession of first place in the Pac-10 standings as the Cardinal swept through Arizona and Arizona State last weekend. The second-ranked Cardinal is the only team in the Pac-10 Conference that controls its own fate, and must win three of their final five regular season matches for a share of the title.

Senior middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo once again played a key role in the Cardinal's success, hitting .634 with 4.67 kills and 5.42 points per set in the two victories. She knocked down 12 kills against ASU, and followed it up with a team-high 16 kills against the Wildcats, while combining for eight blocks on the weekend.

Akinradewo collected her fifth career Pac-10 Player of the Week award for her contributions. As her four-year career winds down, Akinradewo looks to set the NCAA Division I all-time hitting percentage mark. She currently boasts a .446 clip, besting the previous record of .423 by Virag Domokos of George Mason in 1996.

Stanford meets second-place Cal on Nov. 14 before concluding the regular season against USC and UCLA on Nov. 21-22. Eight Pac-10 teams are currently over .500 and battling for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Continue reading "Hitting Away - Div. I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a long time since Weber State has won a Big Sky Conference title as they did on Nov. 8 with a 59-27 drubbing of Idaho State, but the Wildcats probably had more than celebrating on their minds on Saturday night, namely the health of head coach Ron McBride.

McBride was carted off the sidelines during the second half with shortness breath and lightheadedness, according to news reports, and spent the night in a Pocatello hospital. The entire Weber State team visited McBride at the hospital following the game to bring him the Big Sky trophy. The 69-year-old coach was said to have been released and traveled home to Utah on Sunday, and expects to be at practice sometime this week.

With McBride's health issues under control, the Wildcats can relish their first automatic big to the Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs since 1991 after improving to 7-0 against Big Sky opponents. The eighth-ranked Wildcats clinched at least a share of their first league title since 1968 as running back Trevy Smith became the school's all-time leading rusher with 3,616 yards in 33 games (109.60 per game) following a 143-yard performance.

Both McBride and Weber State will get some rest before closing the regular season against Eastern Washington on Nov. 22.

Continue reading "A Lot to Celebrate - Div. I FCS Football" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top-ranked Wisconsin, fresh off a critical early-season series against No. 2 Minnesota, is set for another weekend against one of the best teams in the nation. The Badgers posted a 1-0-1 record against the Golden Gophers last week, and now move on to face defending national champion Minnesota Duluth in a rematch of the NCAA Women's Frozen Four title game in a series beginning Oct. 31.

Senior goaltender Jessie Vetter (pictured right) will look to play a key role in the Badgers' success again this weekend after fending off 60 shots for a .968 save percentage against Minnesota to earn Western Collegiate Hockey Association Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The native of Cottage Grove, Wis., ranks second in the nation with a 0.71 goals against average and has helped the Badgers post the second-best scoring defense (0.90 GAA) in the nation. Vetter enters the series with UMD as the WCHA record-holder with 29 shutouts.

Continue reading "Badger Battles - Div. I Women's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Northeastern University is off to its second-best start in school history with a 5-0-1 record following a sweep of Maine in Hockey East action last weekend. The Huskies' 4-0-0 start in Hockey East play is their best since the league began in 1984-85.

Freshman Alex Tuckerman (pictured right)garnered Hockey East Pro Ambitions Rookie of the Week after posting his first collegiate goal and an assist during the weekend. After netting his first career score in a 5-0 win on Friday, Tuckerman followed with an assist on the game-tying goal the next night.

The Huskies shot up five spots to No. 9 in the latest USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Division I Poll, and will test their new ranking in a home-and-home series agianst sixth-ranked New Hampshire on Oct. 31-Nov. 1.

Continue reading "Starting Strong - Div. I Men's Ice Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

No. 3 University of Portland extended its winning streak to 14 games with a pair of shutouts over West Coast Conference foes thanks to help from the outstanding play of sophomore striker Sophie Schmidt.

The member of the Canadian National Team netted three goals, including both game-winners, in victories over San Francisco and Saint Mary's, earning a plethora of awards, including WCC Player of the Week. Schmidt was also named to the Top Drawer Soccer, Soccer America and Soccer Buzz National Teams of the Week for her contributions.

Schmidt has recorded seven goals in the last seven games, and ranks second on the team with eight goals and 19 points this season.

The Pilots will conclude the regular season against Santa Clara in a nationally-televised league match-up on ESPNU on Nov. 2.

Continue reading "It's Unanimous - Div. I Women's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The University of South Florida set a single-season school record for shutout victories last week as the Bulls clinched a spot in the upcoming BIG EAST Championship.

Senior Yohance Marshall sparked a stingy USF defense, beginning with a 3-0 win over Florida Atlantic and wrapping up the week with a 1-0 league victory versus Villanova. The native of Trinidad claimed BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for his contributions.

The No. 11 Bulls are currently in second place in the conference's Red Division behind fourth-ranked St. John's, and will look to secure a bye in the league tournament with a win against Cincinnati on Oct. 28.

Continue reading "Getting Defensive - Div. I Men's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stanford climbed back into first place in the Pac-10 standings last weekend as senior Cynthia Barboza sparked the Cardinal to a pair of road victories in Los Angeles.

The outside hitter from Long Beach, Calif., posted a pair of double-doubles with 3.88 kills and 4.88 digs per set in wins over USC and UCLA. Barboza knocked down 11 kills and a season-high 17 digs against the Lady Trojans, and followed it up with a season-best 20 kills and career-high 22 digs while hitting .405 against the Bruins. She was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for her contributions. Barboza currently ranks sixth in the league with 3.34 kills per game.

The Cardinal remained steady at No. 5 in the latest AVCA Division I Coaches Top 25, and is tied with fourth-ranked California at 8-1 in Pac-10 play. Both squads visit No. 6 Washington and Washington in conference action this weekend.

Continue reading "Back on Top - Div. I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 07:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Duke's Elisabeth Redmond netted her league-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season as the Blue Devils topped Wake Forest, 3-1, in a battle between two nationally-ranked Atlantic Coast Conference foes on Oct. 9.

Redmond contributed two goals against the then-No. 15 Demon Deacons as she increased her team-leading goal total to 10 on the year. The native of Morristown, N.J., got off five shots in the Blue Devils' 1-0 win at Maryland -- Duke's first win in College Park since 2000. She was named ACC Player of the Week for her performance. The junior midfielder ranks third in the league with 1.71 points per game, and is tied for second with 0.71 goals per game.

The Blue Devils moved up to No. 9 in the most recent NSCAA/adidas Division I Top 25 with the two victories. Their only losses on the season have come against No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 North Carolina.

Continue reading "The Gamer - Div. I Women's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Duke's Elisabeth Redmond netted her league-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season as the Blue Devils topped Wake Forest, 3-1, in a battle between two nationally-ranked Atlantic Coast Conference foes on Oct. 9.

Redmond contributed two goals against the then-No. 15 Demon Deacons as she increased her team-leading goal total to 10 on the year. The native of Morristown, N.J., got off five shots in the Blue Devils' 1-0 win at Maryland -- Duke's first win in College Park since 2000. She was named ACC Player of the Week for her performance. The junior midfielder ranks third in the league with 1.71 points per game, and is tied for second with 0.71 goals per game.

The Blue Devils moved up to No. 9 in the most recent NSCAA/adidas Division I Top 25 with the two victories. Their only losses on the season have come against No. 1 Notre Dame and No. 2 North Carolina.

Continue reading "The Gamer - Div. I Women's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 02:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

University of Akron senior goalkeeper Evan Bush became the Mid-American Conference all-time leader in shutouts last week as he notched a 2-0 win at Bowling Green on Oct. 11. Bush now has 43 shutouts in his career, also the best mark in school history.

The native of Concord, Ohio, followed it up with 2-1 win over Oakland the next day as he added to his school record of 54 career victories and the No. 5 Zips opened league play with a 2-0 mark. Bush was received MAC Player of the Week honors for his accomplishments, and was also named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.

Bush has allowed only four goals on the year, and ranks third in Division I with a 0.316 goals against average and 10th in the nation with an .879 save percentage.

Continue reading "Zipping Up - Div. I Men's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sophomore middle hitter Arielle Wilson dominated net play as she led top-ranked Penn State to a pair of road sweeps against Big Ten opponents last weekend.

The native of Broadview, Ill., averaged 2.8 kills and 2.0 blocks per set while hitting .556 over the two matches as the Nittany Lions downed Iowa and then-No. 12 Minnesota in league action. Wilson knocked down 10 kills with a .692 hitting percentage against the Golden Gophers in front of over 10,000 fans at Williams Arena.

Wilson garnered her third career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award as Penn State remained perfect on the season at 18-0.

Continue reading "Lions Still Roaring - Div. I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sophomore middle hitter Arielle Wilson dominated net play as she led top-ranked Penn State to a pair of road sweeps against Big Ten opponents last weekend.

The native of Broadview, Ill., averaged 2.8 kills and 2.0 blocks per set while hitting .556 over the two matches as the Nittany Lions downed Iowa and then-No. 12 Minnesota in league action. Wilson knocked down 10 kills with a .692 hitting percentage against the Golden Gophers in front of over 10,000 fans at Williams Arena.

Wilson garnered her third career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award as Penn State remained perfect on the season at 18-0.

Continue reading "Lions Still Roaring - Div. I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Syracuse University remained the lone unbeaten team in Division I field hockey last week as the Orange knocked off Yale and Albany to tie a school-record 12-game winning streak previously set by the 1991 squad.

Senior midfielder Shannon Taylor registered seven points in the two matches to earn BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors. She paces the Orange with 39 points, which ranks third on the school's single-season list, while her team-best 15 goal total is tied for fifth.

The second-ranked Orange looks to keep their perfect record intact against winless Georgetown in a league tilt which will be played at the neutral site of College Park, Md.

Continue reading "Orange Crush - Div. I Field Hockey" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Top-ranked Notre Dame remained the lone unbeaten and untied Division I women's soccer team in the nation as the Irish cruised to a pair of BIG EAST victories last week.

Senior forward Kerri Hanks continued her offensive production as she collected six points and extended her goal scoring streak to four games. The native of Allen, Texas, netted two goals in a 4-1 win over Louisville, and added a score in a 6-0 victory at Cincinnati two days later. Hanks earned her fifth career BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week award for her contributions.

The three-time All-American is now ranked 17th in NCAA Division I history with 208 points, and is one of only four players to record at least 70 goals and 60 assists. Hanks, the winner of the 2006 Hermann Trophy, leads the BIG EAST with 10 goals and 22 points this season.

The Irish look to continue their perfect season as they host South Florida and Marquette for a pair of conference contests on Oct. 3 and 5.

Continue reading "Unconquered - Div. I Women's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Northwestern's Misha Rosenthal stingy play in front of the net continued as he led Wildcats to a 1-0 victory over then-No. 16 Ohio State in a Big Ten season opener on Sept. 27.

The shutout was Rosenthal's eighth of the season, making him NU's single-season record holder in the category. The junior goalkeeper also owns the career mark with 18. Rosenthal made three saves against the Buckeyes and as the Wildcats notched their third straight Big Ten opener. The native of Miami, Fla., was tabbed Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week for his performance.

Rosenthal has allowed just one goal in 830 minutes of play in nine games this season, and ranks third in the nation with a 0.108 goals against average and a .947 save percentage.

The Wildcats jumped four spots to No. 3 in the latest NSCAA/adidas Division I Top 25 following the program's best start in school history (8-0-1).

Continue reading "Putting Up a Wall - Div. I Men's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Michigan State continued its hot streak with a pair of Big Ten victories last weekend, including an upset of then-No. 21 Michigan, behind the outstanding play of junior middle blocker Vanessa King.

The native of Spring Lake, Mich., posted a career-high 18 kills against the Wolverines, while hitting .584 as the Spartans handed Michigan its first defeat. King also contributed 13 kills and a team-high .364 hitting percentage in a victory over Ohio State as the Spartans got off to their first 2-0 start in Big Ten play since 1996. She picked up her second Big Ten Player of the Week award for her efforts, and is hitting .475 with 108 kills and 49 total blocks in the last nine matches.

Michigan State has won 10 straight matches -- the program's longest streak since 1996 when it reeled off 17 consecutive victories. The Spartans look to extend the stretch on the road against Indiana and top-ranked Penn State this weekend.

Continue reading "King for a Week - Div. I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 09:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

St. Johns University if off to its longest unbeaten streak (5-0-1) since 2001 behind the stingy play of senior goalkeeper Neal Kitson, who has posted five shutouts this season.

Kitson and the Red Storm blanked Boston University and then-No. 22 Virginia Tech last weekend, moving up six spots to No. 5 in the latest NSCAA/adidas Division I Top 25.

The native of Little Neck, N.Y., has not allowed a goal in 509:46, a streak that dates back to last season. Kitson boasts a 0.00 goals against average and 1.000 save percentage, and was recently named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this season.

As a team, St. John's owns a 0.16 GAA, giving up just one goal in a double-overtime tie with Boston College. The Red Storm looks to keep their streak intact at third-ranked Notre Dame on Sept. 19 in their BIG EAST opening contest.

Continue reading "Storm Surge -- Division I Men's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

If you happen to stop by the University of Notre Dame campus this week, you may catch a glimpse of an eight-foot flag bearing the numeral one outside the school's athletic department offices.

It's been a tradition since the 1970s to fly the flag every time one of the Irish teams rises to No. 1 in the national polls, and with a 6-0-0 record the UND women's soccer squad has earned that acclaim.

Notre Dame boasts the top ranking after downing SMU, 5-0, while previous No. 1 UCLA tied Brown, 0-0, over the weekend. The Irish entered the SMU contest following three consecutive victories over Top 25 opponents – the first time the program has accomplished the feat in eight years.

The Irish have been strong both offensively and defensively, outscoring foes 22-1. UND is fourth in the nation with a 0.17 goals against average, and fifth in Division I with 3.67 goals per game. Notre Dame is one of 12 unbeaten and untied teams remaining in Division I after three weeks of the regular season. The Irish will try to keep that record intact when they visit DePaul on Sept. 19.

Continue reading "Flying the Flag - Division I Women's Soccer" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 01:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Colorado State vaulted six spots up the latest CBS College Sports Network/AVCA Division I Top 25 after the Rams swept the competition at the Coors Rocky Mountain Challenge last weekend, which included an upset of then-No. 8 Florida.

Opposite hitter Katelyn Steffan starred in the tournament, highlighted by a .500 hitting percentage, 11 kills, four blocks and three services aces against the Gators. The redshirt freshman from Dickinson, N.D., earned her first career Mountain West Conference Player of the Week award for her outstanding play.

Steffan averaged 3.00 kills, 1.20 blocks and 0.70 service aces and 4.35 points per set, while compiling a .362 hitting percentage on the week.

The win over Florida was the Rams' 19th straight at home as they improved to 8-1 and moved up to No. 15 in the national rankings

Continue reading "Stepping up to the Challenge - Division I Women's Volleyball" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Stanford freshman midfielder Teresa Noyola must like playing in front of the home crowd, because the Palo Alto native has been tremendous in her first three games as a member of the Cardinal squad.

Noyola combined for three goals last weekend, including the game-winner against Navy, as the Cardinal improved to 3-0-0 on the season. She was named Pac-10 Player of the Week for her efforts.

Of the Cardinal's 11 goals on the year, Noloya and fellow freshman Lindsay Taylor have scored five. Taylor, who hails locally from Los Altos, Calif., is third on the team with five points. The last time Stanford has scored that many goals in the first two weekends was 1998 when the Cardinal had 12 in three contests.

No. 7 Stanford travels across the country to face Auburn and No. 22 Georgia in Athens, Ga., this weekend.

Continue reading "Hometown Girl" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 03:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the first week of Division I men's soccer action in the books, just about the only team that held its position in the NSCAA/adidas Division I Top 25 was top-ranked Wake Forest with a 2-0 start.

California was one of several squads to make jumps in the polls, but the Golden Bears' was meteoric, rising to No. 11 after entering the season unranked. The Bears opened the year with a 3-1 victory over UC Riverside, and then upended No. 4 Maryland, 1-0, for a flawless start.

Sophomore forward Andrew Wiedeman (pictured right) combined for five points in the two contests, including the game-winning goal against UC Riverside. The native of San Ramon, Calif., also assisted on the Bears' lone goal versus the Terrapins, receiving the second Pac-10 Player of the Week award of his career.

The Bears return home to host the 12th annual Cal Legacy Classic, first taking on Cornell on Sept. 5, and then trying to make waves with another upset against No. 7 SMU on Sept. 7.

Continue reading "The Rising" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 02:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a look at Division I field hockey happenings from around the nation.

There's not a much tougher way to start the season than facing the defending NCAA champion North Carolina and perennial national power Wake Forest in the same weekend, but the University of Iowa rose to the occasion at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

No. 5 Iowa narrowly fell to third-ranked Wake Forest, 3-2, but rallied the next day for a stunning 3-2 victory over the top-ranked Tar Heels. The win snapped UNC's 25-game winning streak.

Senior forward Caitlin McCurdy played a major role in both contests netting her first goal of the season in the loss to the Demon Deacons, and then posting a pair of scores, including the game-winner against the Tar Heels. The native of Mountain Top, Pa., garnered Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her contributions to the Hawkeyes' 1-1 weekend.

"Caitlin had a very solid weekend for us," said head coach Tracey Griesbaum. "She worked hard to get open against the Wake Forest and North Carolina defenses. She finished with goals when we needed them."

Iowa's schedule does not get much easier as the Hawkeyes host No. 15 American and No. 12 Duke this weekend, and then face six more preseason ranked opponents during the remainder of the regular season. The Haweyes need just one victory to record the program's 500th all-time win.

Continue reading "Tough Start" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a look at news and notes from around the Division I Football Championship Subdivision this week.

North Dakota State senior wide receiver Kole Heckendorf opened the 2008 season with a career-best performance as he extended his streak with at least one reception to 26 games in the Bison's 41-6 victory over Austin Peay on Aug. 28.

Heckendorf, a native of Mosinee, Wis., pulled in eight passes for 179 yards and three scores from quarterback Nick Mertens, who was making his first collegiate start. He has caught a pass in 33 of 34 career games, and ranks second on the NDSU all-time list with 145 receptions. Heckendorf was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week and shared The Sports Network National Player of the Week honor.

Continue reading "What's the catch?" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 12:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Right: Appalachian State quarterback Armanti Edwards. (ASU SID photo)

One of the most impressive memories of last year's collegiate football season was Appalachian State -- the perennial power in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision -- upending Michigan, which was ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll to open 2007. With the victory, the Mountaineers become the first Division I FCS squad to defeat a nationally-ranked Division I Bowl Subdivision team.

Six Division I FCS teams will have a chance to join the 2007 Appalachian State squad in football history, including this year's ASU team, as they face Division I FBS Top 25 squads to open the season.

Continue reading "Who's up for a challenge?" »

Posted by Amy Farnum Novin at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)