Men’s basketball moves into first place
The No. 3 ranked men’s basketball team gained sole possession of first place in the University Athletic Association (UAA) with a 65-56 win over Emory University Jan. 31 in Atlanta.
Graduate student Sean Wallis scored a game-high 16 points, while senior Aaron Thompson add 13 points. Sophomore Dylan Richter also finished the game in double figures scoring for 11 points. The Bears also played stellar defense against the Eagles, limiting Emory to just 35.6 percent shooting. Emory had won six-straight games heading into Sunday’s showdown.
The Bears (16-2, 6-1 UAA) return home for the 2,000th game in school history at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, to host the University of Rochester at the WU Field House.
Women’s Basketball Splits Final Two Games of Road Trip
The No. 3 women’s basketball team split a pair of UAA road games last week but still came away from the weekend in sole possession of first place in the conference standings.
WUSTL had its 13-game winning streak snapped Jan. 29 in a 63-51 lost to the University of Rochester Jan. 29. The Bears responded with a 70-60 victory at Emory University Jan. 31. Senior Zoe Unruh recorded her first double-double of the season with a career-high 25 points to go along with 10 rebounds in the Bears’ win at Emory.
By virtue of the University of Chicago’s overtime loss to Rochester Jan. 31, WUSTL holds a one-game lead over Chicago and Rochester in the UAA standings. The Bears (16-2, 6-1 UAA) return to action at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, hosting the University of Rochester.
Track and Field Competes at Rose-Hulman Engineer Invitational
The men’s indoor track and field team finished second and the women placed third at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Engineer Invitational Jan. 30, in Terre Haute, Ind.
Sophomore Dan Davis continued his bid to qualify for the NCAA Division III Championships in the 55-meter hurdles, placing first in the event with a time of 7.73, but his preliminary mark of 7.70 stands as his season-best NCAA provisional qualifying mark, and currently ranks seventh in NCAA Division III.
On the women’s side, freshman Anne Diaz-Arrastia won the triple jump with a distance of 10.74 meters.
Overall, the men captured first in six of the 16 events, while the women’s team boasted five top-three finishes.
Both teams will be back in action Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5 and 6, for the Illinois Wesleyan University Bob Keck Invitational in Bloomington, Ill.
Celebration of champions
The 2009 NCAA Division III national champion volleyball team will be honored with a Celebration of Champions at 3 p.m. Feb. 7 in the WU Field House. The ceremony will begin promptly following the conclusion of the men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader against Emory University.
As a part of the celebration festivities, WUSTL will honor its 2009 NCAA Division III national runner-up women’s soccer team, which advanced to the NCAA championship game for the first time in program history.
The event will include remarks from Washington University coaches, administrators and student-athletes, a presentation of championship rings to the 2009 volleyball team, and the unveiling of the 2009 national championship banner.
Free national championship posters will be available to all fans in attendance, and a limited number of championship t-shirts will be available to WU students and faculty with an ID. The Bears will hold an autograph session immediately following the event.
The Washington University volleyball team captured its NCAA record 10th national championship with a 3-1 victory over rival Juniata College Nov. 21, 2009, in University Heights, Ohio. It marked the third national championship for WU head coach Rich Luenemann and the team’s first since 2007.
The Bears boasted three American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America selections last season, with freshman libero Kelly Pang garnering National Freshman of the Year and first-team All-America honors, while senior middle hitter Erin Albers and freshman setter Marilee Fisher were named second-team All-Americans.
Luenemann was named the AVCA Division III National Coach of the Year for the third time in his career.
The women’s soccer team fell to No. 1 and defending national champion Messiah College, 1-0, in the national championship game Dec. 5, 2009, in San Antonio.
The Bears tied a school record with a 17-4-3 overall record, and won their fourth-straight University Athletic Association Championship.
Seniors Libby Held and Caryn Rosoff garnered National Collegiate Soccer Coaches Association of America All-America honors.