The No. 8 women’s basketball team will host first- and second-round action of the 2009 NCAA Division III tournament on Friday and Saturday, March 6 and 7. Washington University (21-4) will face Capital University (22-5) in the first round Friday, March 6, at 7 p.m.
The winner of that contest takes on the winner of the Transylvania University/Howard Payne University matchup Saturday, March 7, at 7 p.m.
WUSTL is riding a 10-game winning streak, thanks to a 70-55 win over University Athletic Association-rival University of Chicago in the last regular-season game Feb. 28.
WUSTL had three players score in double figures in the win. Senior Jaimie McFarlin narrowly missed her fifth double-double of the year with 14 points and nine rebounds; senior Jill Brandt tallied 14 points; and junior Janice Evans scored 14 points, pulled down nine rebounds, recorded a blocked shot and had two steals.
Before the game, WUSTL honored six seniors who were playing their final regular-season game: Brandt, Rovina Broomfield, Shanna-Lei Dacanay, Tiina Luning, McFarlin and Halsey Ward.
Men travel to Elmhurst for first-round game
The defending national champion men’s basketball team is headed to Elmhurst, Ill., for the first and second rounds of the 2009 NCAA Division III tournament.
No. 2 WUSTL and No. 25 Lawrence University will square off in first-round action Friday, March 6. The winner of that game plays the winner of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater/Elmhurst College first-round matchup.
The team closed out its regular season Feb. 28 with a 72-49 victory over the University of Chicago, the 500th victory for coach Mark Edwards. Before the game, WUSTL honored seniors Tyler Nading and Sean Wallis, who played in their final regular-season game at the WU Field House. The duo has helped lead the Bears to a 91-20 (.820) record in their four seasons.
With the start on Saturday, Nading became the Bears’ all-time leader in games played with 110 in his four-year career.
The 23rd victory of the year for WUSTL is the third-most in school history, and the Bears won their 79th-straight game when holding an opponent under 60 points.
As the 2009 University Athletic Association champions, WUSTL will make its 14th appearance in the NCAA tournament as a member of Division III, and 17th overall.
Baseball opens season with sweep
The baseball team braved icy temperatures to open its 2009 campaign with a doubleheader home sweep of Coe College March 1 at Kelly Field.
WUSTL won the first game, 3-1, behind a strong pitching performance from senior Brian Williams and took the second game, 2-1, in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Williams lasted seven innings in the first victory, striking out six batters and scattering seven hits. The Bears picked up all three of their runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, tallying four hits and leaving no runners on base.
In the second game, senior Gregg Kennedy scored the game-winning run on a pass ball in the bottom of the eighth to break a 1-1 tie.
Junior Jeremy Rogoff got the start, pitching 6 innings and allowing four hits and striking out six. Sophomore Bryce Hrovat relieved Rogoff and picked up the win, his first in a WUSTL uniform. Hrovat retired five of the six batters he faced in 1 innings of action.