Senior Jill Brandt scored a career-high 29 points to lead the No. 6 women’s basketball team to an 83-54 win over Carthage College at the WU Field House Nov. 30, capturing the Eighth Annual McWilliams Classic championship.
For her performance, Brandt was named the McWilliams Classic MVP. Joining Brandt on the all-tournament team was senior forward Jaimie McFarlin and sophomore forward Kathryn Berger. Senior Shanna-Lei Dacanay broke the McWilliams Classic single-game and tournament assist records with a career-high 10 assists against Carthage and 14 assists for the tournament.
WUSTL advanced to the championship game with a 96-73 win over Whittier College Nov. 29. The team (4-1) returns to action Friday, Dec. 5, when it takes on Whitworth University in Spokane, Wash.
Men’s basketball wins fifth straight on road
Junior Aaron Thompson scored a game-high 20 points and was named the tournament MVP as the No. 1-ranked Bears overcame a seven-point halftime deficit to post a 70-68 victory over Anderson University in the championship game of the Anderson Invitational Nov. 29 in Anderson, Ind.
Junior Zach Kelly was named to the all-tournament team along with Thompson as Kelly averaged 15.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
WUSTL (5-0) hosts the 25th Annual Lopata Classic this weekend at the WU Field House. The Bears take on Hamilton College (3-0) Friday, Dec. 5, at 8 p.m. in the tournament opener and then host No. 18 Illinois Wesleyan University 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
Cross country 12th at championship meet
The women’s cross country team finished 12th at the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships held Nov. 22 in Hanover, Ind.
Sophomore Taryn Surtees was the top finisher for the Bears, placing 30th and completing the 6K course in 21:36.03. With her 30th-place finish, Surtees earned U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors for the first time in her career.
The Bears tallied 371 points as a team, placing ahead of two other University Athletic Association competitors, Case Western Reserve University (16th place) and Emory University (24th place).
Women’s soccer falls in NCAA tournament
The women’s soccer team ended its first season under head coach Jim Conlon after losing to Wheaton College 3-0 Nov. 21 in the NCAA Division III Sectional Semifinal.
The Bears finished at 15-4-2 and won their third straight and sixth overall University Athletic Association title.
Swimming and diving at WU Invitational
The women’s swim team placed first and the men’s squad was second at the WU Thanksgiving Invitational held Nov. 22-23 at the Millstone Pool in St. Louis.
The WUSTL women won six total events at the meet, while the men won three, and the two squads combined to meet three NCAA provisional qualifying times.
Junior Alex Beyer grabbed two first-place finishes and met the NCAA “B” cut time in a pair of events. He won the 500-yard freestyle and was runner-up in the 1,650-yard freestyle. Senior Kelly Kono met the third NCAA provisional time, winning the 500-yard freestyle. Both teams return to action Friday, Dec. 5, when they compete in the two-day Wheaton Invitational in Wheaton, Ill.