Women’s basketball headed to Final Four
The women’s basketball team clinched its NCAA Division III record ninth trip to the Final Four and avenged its 2009 national championship loss to George Fox University in the process, upending the Bruins, 59-52, Saturday, March 13, at the Washington University Field House. For the complete story and information on tickets to the upcoming Final Four in Bloomington, Ill.,, visit news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/20428.aspx.
Track competes at 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships
The men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams had six student-athletes in action at the 2010 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships, held March 12-13, in Greencastle, Ind.
The Bears had one All-America performance as sophomore Dan Davis became the first men’s student-athlete in school history to earn All-America accolades in the 55-hurdles with a fifth-place finish and a time of 7.54. Also for the men’s team, junior Ben Harmon competed in the pentathlon, where he finished in ninth place, missing out on becoming a two-time All-American in the event by just 43 points.
On the women’s side, junior Sangeeta Hardy, junior Kelli Blake, sophomore Erica Jackey and sophomore Liz Phillips placed 11th in the distance medley relay. The Bears were aiming for a third-straight All-America finish in the DMR, but Hardey had the baton knocked out of her hand 20-meters into the race, derailing those hopes.
Softball finishes second at UAA Championship Tournament
The No. 5-ranked softball team posted a 7-3 victory over the University of Rochester in the final game of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Tournament Championship March 14 in Altamonte Springs, Fla.
WUSTL, which began the tournament losing two of its first three games, won four of its last five to finish in a tie for second place with Brandeis University with a 5-3 record. Emory University halted WUSTL’s streak of six-consecutive championships, winning the league championship with a 6-2 overall mark.
The Bears (11-3) host the Marriott West Tournament on Saturday and Sunday, March 20-21, at the Washington University Softball Field. WUSTL takes on No. 20-ranked Central College (Iowa) at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 20, followed at 11 a.m. by No. 8 Augustana College (Ill.)
Men’s tennis ends spring break trip on a roll
The No. 2-ranked men’s tennis team completed its spring break trip to Hilton Head, S.C., by winning three of its last four matches.
The Bears upended Methodist University (8-1) and Baldwin-Wallace College (9-0) on March 8, and then dropped a 9-0 decision to Division II No. 1-ranked and two-time defending national champion Armstrong Atlantic State University March 9.
The Bears posted their fourth win over a ranked team by defeating No. 6 Kenyon College, 5-4, on March 10. Junior Isaac Stein moved one victory away from 100 for his career as he defeated No. 7 Tomas Piskacek, 1-6, 6-1, 6-1, at second singles.
After nine days off, WUSTL hosts NAIA No. 9 Graceland University at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20.
Women’s tennis posts 3-1 record during spring break
The No. 14 women’s tennis team went 2-2 during its spring break trek from St. Louis to the Atlantic coast.
The Bears defeated the University of the South March 6, in Sewanee, Tenn., before heading to Hilton Head, S.C., and Savannah, Ga.
WUSTL beat Baldwin-Wallace College, 7-1, on March 8, before falling to NCAA Division II No. 1- ranked Armstrong Atlantic, 8-1, on March 9. The Bears headed back to Hilton Head to pick up an 8-1 win over Kenyon College March 10, before heading back to St. Louis.
WUSTL (4-3) returns to action at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20, when it hosts Graceland University at the Tao Tennis Center.
Baseball posts 1-4 record at high-scoring tournament
The baseball team finished the 2010 University Athletic Association Championship with a 1-4 record last week in Sanford, Fla.
Originally scheduled for six games at the conference tournament, heavy rain forced a cancellation of a full day of action.
The Bears lost their first four games of the tournament before rallying for a 16-14 win over the University of Rochester March 13. Sophomore Brandon Rogalski and senior Nick Vom Brack each recorded four hits in the win over Rochester, with Rogalski knocking in three RBIs.
Finding offense was not the Bears’ problem at the tournament; the issues came on the defensive end. Vom Brack finished the five games hitting .560 with an .880 slugging percentage, nine RBI and 12 runs scored, while Rogalski hit .481, slugged .889 and knocked in a team-high 13 RBIs.
The Bears however, allowed 15.6 runs per game with a team earned-run average of 10.60. WUSTL returns to action at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 16, when it hosts Dominican University on Kelly Field in a doubleheader.
Women’s golf 13th at Peggy Kirk Invitational
The No. 5-ranked women’s golf team placed 13th in the star-studded field at the 35th Annual Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational held at the Alaqua Country Club in Longwood, Fla.
WUSTL shot a 54-hole score of 1,149 (383-384-382) during the two-day event, which consisted of eight teams ranked in the Division II top-25 poll, two top-five junior colleges and No. 1-ranked Division III Methodist College.
Freshman Hannah Buck was the top finisher for the Bears, firing a 54-hole score of 260 (87-86-87). Buck finished 57th out of the 77 golfers in the field.
The women’s golf team returns to action Sunday and Monday, March 21 and 22, at the Maryville Spring Invitational in Eureka, Mo.