Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · February 21, 2008, 11:34pm

Naval Academy boxing coach Jim McNally announced the lineup of bouts for tomorrow’s 67th annual Brigade Boxing Championships. The 14-bout card is scheduled for an 8 p.m. start at Halsey Field House. The evening opens with two women’s bouts, followed by a full card of 12 men’s fights. Admission is free.

BRIGADE BOXING FINALS

132 - Roby Wegele vs. Alexandra Causey

156 - Elaine Cassity vs. Jillian Dingess

112 - Mikoto Yoshida vs. Logan Hershman

119 - Zachary Maldanado vs. Huy Tureng

125 - Erich DeHart vs. Garth Thomas

132 - Trae Miller vs. Paul Hollwedel

139 - Casey Sehldon vs. Antone Aku

147 - Ruben Zweiban vs. Fabian Pleasant

156 - Chris Bertucci vs. Jorge Hernandez

165 - Victory Colen vs. Carl Governala

175 - Mike Steadman vs. Dmitry Shvets

185 - Tyler Bahn vs. Josh Fernandez

195 - Rick Weigert vs. Jeremiah Olver

HWT - Jeff Lapola vs. Mark Calvanico

GreatAmerican · February 21, 2008, 11:35pm

By DAVE BROUGHTON, Staff Writer
Published February 21, 2008

Navy’s best pitcher really needs to work on his home run trot. Senior right-hander Mitch Harris, a two-time All-American, will miss the first few weeks of the baseball season with an injury to his right pitching shoulder, Mids coach Paul Kostacopoulos confirmed yesterday.

Kostacopoulos termed the injury a “slight separation” or “jammed shoulder,” and said Harris would be ready to pitch in "two to three weeks.

“Mitch is going to be fine… it’s not serious at all,” Kostacopoulos said. “This is nothing that will inhibit him in any way. We’re just being cautious.”

According to Kostacopoulos, Harris suffered the injury during a recent intra-squad scrimmage, when he stumbled rounding third base after hitting an out-of-the-park home run.

'He was literally jogging when it happened," Kostacopoulos said.

The 6-foot-4 Harris went 8-5 last season with a 2.14 ERA. In 881/3 innings, he struck out 119 batters.

In his first three seasons at Navy, Harris is 18-11 with a 2.32 ERA with 254 strikeouts in 1861/3 innings.

A native of Mount Holly, N.C., Harris was drafted last spring in the 24th round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft by the Atlanta Braves, the team he grew up rooting for.

Harris is also one of Navy’s top hitters and is expected to see time in the outfield or at first base when he’s not pitching. Last season, Harris batted .293 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs.

Navy opens its season this weekend at the Service Academy Spring Classic in Millington, Tenn. The Mids are scheduled to play Air Force tomorrow and Saturday, with a single game against Arkansas State set for Sunday.

With Harris out, sophomore right-hander Oliver Drake will start the season opener against Air Force.

GreatAmerican · February 21, 2008, 11:36pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The Navy women’s lacrosse team will be featured on WJZ-TV (Channel 13 in Baltimore) and on Comcast SportsNet tomorrow (Friday) night. The segment on WJZ will air at approximately 6:45 p.m., while the Comcast SportsNet piece will be shown at approximately 10:30 p.m. following the Washington Wizards-Cleveland Cavaliers game.

<pre><code>Navy plays its first-ever Division I game on Saturday at 1 p.m. against Longwood at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Admission is free.
</code></pre>

GreatAmerican · February 21, 2008, 11:37pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Teams in First Place After Day One of League Swimming Championship

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men’s and women’s swimming and diving programs both ended day one of the 2008 Patriot League Championship atop their respective standings. The two programs combined to win six of the 11 events completed on the first day of the three-day meet being held at Navy’s Lejeune Hall.

The Navy women’s team totaled 223.50 points to lead second-place Bucknell by 20 points and third-place Colgate by 34.50 points. Meanwhile, the Navy men’s team has a 34-point lead over second-place Bucknell and a 63-point advantage over third-place Army.

“Traditionally we have used the opening day to build up for our efforts on the second and third day of the meet,” said Navy women’s swimming head coach John Morrison. “Today, we really stepped up right from the start and made it a point to have success today. We raced well this morning, but we raced even better this evening.”

“Every championship meet is different in how you earn your points,” said Navy men’s swimming head coach Bill Roberts. “This year, on the first day at least, we had a very balanced attack. Everyone dropped time from this morning to this evening, which is also a great sign.”

200 Freestyle Relay
Navy Women – First, 1:34.63 (Allison Ranzau, Kelly Zahalka, Rachel Gray, Thuy-Mi Dinh

Colgate led for most of the race and held a one-half of a second advantage as the anchor swimmers – Thuy-Mi Dinh for Navy and Beverly Walker for Colgate – hit the water. Dinh had pulled even by the time the duo made the turn for home, then Dinh had a great finishing kick to give Navy a nearly six-tenths of a second victory. Dinh posted a time of 22.47 over her 50 yards, while Walker recorded a time of 23.57. The Mids as a team won the event with an overall time of 1:34.63 to edge the Colgate clocking of 1:35.20.

“I saw we were trailing as Rachel Gray came up to the blocks,” said Dinh. “I didn’t feel as good as I did this morning, but I still felt I could catch up if I had a good swim.”

Navy Men - First, 1:22.44 (Joe Unruh, Nathan Durham, Alex Buck, Alex Oldenkamp)

Navy and Bucknell were virtually tied at the halfway point in the race, with the Mids holding a slim lead going into the anchor swimmers. Alex Oldenkamp quickly expanded the Navy lead and was clocked in a time of 19.65 over his 50 yards, while Bucknell’s Grant Steadman posted a time of 20.49 over his effort. The Mids won the race in a time of 1:22.44 with the Bison placing second with a clocking of 1:23.42.

“I felt I needed to get under 20 seconds in order for us to win,” said Oldenkamp. “It was great to be able to help us get on the scoreboard first.”

500 Freestyle
Navy Women - A Final - Tara Chapmon, first, 4:46.70 (Navy, Patriot League, Patriot League Meet record); Allison Ranzau, second, 4:49.74; B Final - Heather Klein, sixth/14th, 5:12.47

Tara Chapmon broke her own school record by over three seconds during the morning trial heats with a time of 4:49.42. She would quickly take control of the final in the event and posted a new Navy, Patriot League and league meet record time of 4:46.70 to win the event by over three seconds. That second-place finisher was teammate Allison Ranzau who completed the event in a time of 4:49.74 and outdistanced the third-place swimmer by nearly three seconds. Both clockings for the Navy duo were NCAA B cut qualifying times.

“I wasn’t sure if I could go faster tonight than I did this morning,” said Chapmon. “I think Allison and I looked at splits for about 30 minutes this afternoon to try and find a way for us to finish first and second. It helped being right next to Allison because I know how she swims.”

“We didn’t expect to win the first relay,” said Morrison. “But that was a huge lift for us and it carried through to a great effort by both Tara and Allison. They were a great 1-2 punch in the event.”

Navy Men - A Final - J.J. Helms, fourth, 4:34.75; Andrew Hetzner, sixth, 4:39.11; David Guthmann, seventh, 4:41.02; B Final - Dan Warner, second/10th, 4:38.45

The Mids placed a trio of swimmers into the championship final with J.J. Helms leading the way for Navy with a fourth-place finish and a time of 4:34.75.

“I’m not as happy as I could have been,” said Helms. “I wanted to go 4:32. I took it out a little faster than I should have this evening and couldn’t hold it together.”

200 Individual Medley
Navy Women - A Final - Kelly Zahalka, second, 2:03.38; Tessa Snow, tie fourth, 2:08.40; B Final - Allison Aichele, sixth/14th, 2:12.37

The raced of the night took place in the championship final of the 200 IM as it was a dual between Navy’s Kelly Zahalka and Colgate’s Erin McGaw. Zahalka started fast and held a three-tenths of a second lead after the opening 50 yards, the butterfly, but McGraw took a 1.45 seconds lead at the halfway point of the race when the duo had completed the backstroke. Zahalka had a great third leg, the breaststroke, and her time of 35.78 allowed her to pull to within 11 hundredths of a second of McGraw. Despite Zahalka posting a time of 28.75 over the 50 yard freestyle leg, McGraw’s clocking of 28.78 allowed her to hold off Zahalka. McGraw won the event with an overall time of 2:03.30, with Zahalka placing second with a time of 2:03.38.

“I knew I needed to be on Erin’s hip going into the breaststroke,” said Zahalka. “I was a little farther back than I was hoping and I made the sprint harder. I am disappointed to finish second, but it still was the best time I have ever had in the event so it is hard to be too disappointed.”

Navy Men - A Final - Billy Vey, second, 1:52.34; Nathan LeRoy, fifth, 1:54.20; B Final - Kyle Aber, first/ninth, 1:55.10; Tedd Torgesen, fourth/12th, 1:55.94; Danny Mizelle, seventh/15th, 1:57.39; Andrew Utama, eighth/16th, 1:57.58

Navy’s Billy Vey, the defending league champion in the event, held a slim lead of five-hundredths of a second over Army’s Jake Mentele as the duo began the freestyle portion of the race. Mentele would better Vey by four tenths of a second over the final leg to the win with an overall time of 1:51.87. Vey would place second with a time of 1:52.23, while teammate Nathan LeRoy placed fifth in the championship final with a time of 1:54.20.

“I am pleased with where I am at in my training and development,” said Vey. “You never like to lose, but I was very happy to lead a great Navy group of IM swimmers in scoring. Our depth in the event was key for us tonight.”

50 Freestyle
Navy Women - A Final - Thuy-Mi Dinh, first, 22.37; B Final - Rachel Gray, second/10th, 24.57; Kristin Lowd, eighth/16th, 24.87

After making Navy and league history during the morning trial heats, Thuy-Mi Dinh rewrote her own standards at night. She was the top finisher in the trial heats of the 50 freestyle with a Navy, Patriot League, Patriot League Meet and Lejeune Hall record time of 22.57. Additionally, her time was an NCAA A cut mark, the first recorded by a Navy women’s swimmer during the program’s 17 seasons of competition on the Division I level. That made her the favorite going into the final and Dinh did not disappoint as she posted a time of 22.37 to better all of her marks from the morning session and win the event by a commanding 1.59 seconds.

“I was hoping to be able to drop more time tonight,” said Dinh. "I knew I could make the turn better than I did this morning and I was able to do so this evening.

“I am ecstatic to be able to qualify for the NCAA Championship Meet. I am hoping to be able to go even faster there than I did tonight.”

“Thuy-Mi took our program to a new level tonight,” said Morrison. “We have been fortunate to have had some great swimmers in our program over the years and they all set new standards during their time here that others wanted to emulate and surpass. Now, future swimmers will look to follow in Thuy-Mi’s footsteps, but with two more years left she has the potential to leave very big footsteps behind.”

Navy Men - A Final - Alex Oldenkamp, first, 20.35; Alex Buck, fourth, 21.12; Nathan Durham, sixth, 21.22; B Final - Joe Unruh, second/10th, 21.29

Like Dinh, Oldenkamp posted the top time during the morning trial heats of the 50 free with a clocking of 20.39. He would go on to win his first Patriot League title by five-tenths of a second with an overall time of 20.35. Additional Mids to advance to the 50 free final were Alex Buck, who placed fourth, and Nathan Durham, who placed sixth.

“I was a little disappointed in my time,” said Oldenkamp. “As in my earlier relay, I wanted to go around 19 (seconds). I hit my turn much better tonight then I did in the trials and that made the difference.”

Three-Meter Diving
Navy Women - Final - Katie Griffin, first, 300.75; Desiree’ Robison, third, 246.90; Brooke Besche, 17th, 149.10

Katie Griffin won both boards last year and was undefeated during this year’s regular season to enter the championship as one of the favorites in the event. She would total 300.75 points tonight to win the event, the third league event crown of her career. Additionally for Navy, Desiree’ Robison had a great night as she totaled 246.90 points to finish in third place, just 13.30 points out of second place.

“It was a night of mixed emotions,” said Griffin. "I was nervous, but I also knew that this was my last time to compete at the Patriot League Championship, so I tried to soak it all in and enjoy myself.

“I was just focusing on my dives and what I needed to do rather than get caught up in what the other talented divers were doing.”

400 Medley Relay
Navy Women - Second, 3:51.99 (Thuy-Mi Dinh, Kelly Zahalka, Allison Ranzau, Tara Chapmon)

Colgate swimmers built an early lead that the Mids were unable to cut into as the race progressed. The Raiders won the race with a time of 3:49.50, with Navy placing second with an overall time of 3:51.99. The Mids placed second by 2.05 seconds over third-place Bucknell.

Navy Men - Second, 3:23.42 (Billy Vey, Andrew Utama, Andrew Hetzner, Alex Oldenkamp)

The midpoint of the race saw Bucknell in first place with a time of 1:46.74, Army in second with a time of 1:46.99 and Navy in third with a time of 1:49.01, and the Black Knights still held a one-second advantage over the Mids after the third leg of the race. Alex Oldenkamp then hit the water for Navy and brought his team to within 0.17 seconds of Army after 50 yards, then posted the fastest final 50-yard time of the race - 44.20 - to allow the Mids to finish in second place, 0.44 seconds in front of third-place Army. Bucknell would win the race with an overall clocking of 3:21.98.

Women’s Team Scores

Navy, 223.50 points
Bucknell, 23.50
Colgate, 189
Army, 123
Lafayette, 116
Lehigh, 95
American, 86
Holy Cross, 56

Men’s Team Scores

Navy, 224 points
Bucknell, 190
Army, 161
Colgate, 93
American, 92
Lehigh, 57
Holy Cross, 48
Lafayette 28

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:12pm

by Ron Snyder, The Examiner

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - As hard as Navy¹s men¹s basketball players try to spin their game against Army as just another one on the Patriot League schedule, it¹s the furthest thing from the truth.

Navy (14-12, 7-4) is in contention for the conference’s regular season title, as the Midshipmen are just 1 1/2 games behind American (17-10, 9-3) for first place following a 72-66 win over Holy Cross on Wednesday. But Navy also is playing for something else against the Black Knights (11-14, 4-7) on Saturday afternoon at 2 in front of a national television audience on CBS: a star. The game is the 108th meeting in the rivalry, but it’s the one in which the winners receive a star to wear on their letter jackets to signify victory.

“We know what the environment is, we know what this game means to our institution,” Navy coach Billy Lange said. “I just don’t want our emotions to get in the way of our execution which has helped us in this stretch. We’re going to play hard and whatever we’ve got to do, we’ve got to do.”

Navy heads to the U.S. Military Academy with more momentum than it has had at this point in a season in nearly a decade. The Midshipmen have won four straight league games for the first time in seven years. They also are coming off their first sweep of Holy Cross since 2000. The last time Navy qualified for the NCAA Tournament was 1998, when it won its last Patriot League title.

The winner of the Patriot League regular season title is guaranteed a berth in the National Invitation Tournament if it doesn’t win the conference tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s hard to understand how to be a champion without having been a champion,” Lange said. “I thought we have always played with great intensity, but this year we are becoming more poised and focused. We’re now playing with some older guys, we got more experience and it is just part of the maturation process of the program.”

Army enters Saturday’s game having lost three straight, including 49-40 defeat at American on Wednesday. The Black Knights are in last place in the Patriot League, but defeated Navy, 69-67, in Annapolis on Jan. 27 when Chris Harris missed a three-pointer in the final seconds. Senior guard Jarell Brown averages 19 points per game to lead Army, which has lost 24 of the last 27 Star games.

“We’re always struggling with making sure we¹re not looking ahead and taking it one game at a time,” Navy senior guard Greg Sprink said. “That’s all I try to preach to the team. It’s just another league game.”

<a href="mailto:rsnyder@baltimoreexaminer.com">rsnyder@baltimoreexaminer.com</a>

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:15pm

Friday, February 22, 2008

Basketball being what it is, a game of runs, American and Navy are sprinting for the postseason and an automatic berth in the NCAA tournament, the Patriot League’s Super Bowl.

The first-place American Eagles (9-3), behind guards Garrison Carr and Derrick Mercer, are on an absolute tear following Wednesday night’s victory in a defensive struggle with Army. They have won six in a row and clinched no worse than the No. 2 seed in the league tournament, which begins with the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 5. Games will be played at the home sites of the top four seeds.

Navy (7-4), holding down second place, is every bit as hot with Greg Sprink making a strong case for selection as player of the year. The Midshipmen downed defending champion and preseason favorite Holy Cross on Wednesday for their fourth win in a row and 11th in the last 15 games. The talented Sprink has taken the Mids on his shoulders as the league’s leading scorer (21.3) and No. 2 rebounder (6.2) at 6-foot-5.

But it says here that Holy Cross (5-7), tied in sixth place with Colgate and mired in the basement for much of the season, is a team to be reckoned with and could still wind up winning the NCAA bid. The Crusaders had won three in a row and four of the last five before losing at Navy, their second this season to the Midshipmen.

“We haven’t been in a hole,” coach Ralph Willard told the Worcester Telegram & Gazette of his team’s plight, “we’ve been in the Grand Canyon.”

A season that began with so much promise for Willard and the Crusaders suddenly went south as injuries thinned the squad. They had won their first six games and seven of the first eight, including a 71-66 triumph at Saint Joseph’s. They dressed only 10 players for a Jan. 8 game at Maryland, a 73-48 loss that triggered a five-game losing streak and the struggle that ensued.

Eric Meister, a 6-foot-8 sophomore, missed 11 games between Dec. 22 and Jan. 30. Guard Pat Doherty and 6-9 Alex Vander Baan both missed most of January. Doherty, a junior from Scranton Prep, has had an injury-plagued career after being named the league’s rookie of the year in 2005.

“Starting with Meister’s loss,” Willard notes in his blog, “team confidence has been in a downhill slide.”

Holy Cross even started losing at home, in the Hart Center, where they began the season with an 18-game win streak. The Crusaders lost not once or twice, but four times, including defeats to Army and Navy. The Crusaders had won 16 straight games with Navy and 13 over Army. The Cadets ended a 23-game win streak at the Hart Center.

Holy Cross has been carried to this point by 6-11 Tim Clifford, the preseason player of the year. Clifford (17.3 ppg, 5.5 rpg) earlier this season became his school’s career (195) and single-game shot-blocking leader, swatting away seven against Lehigh on Feb. 2. He is coming off a career-best 34-point game in the loss at Navy.

While the Crusaders are the league standard-setters in defense (60.7 ppg), they can struggle offensively and are particularly woeful from the 3-point line. Kyle Cruze and Colin Cunningham each have made 23 treys – well below the league leaders.

Despite the parity and jammed-up standings for much of the season, it’s unlikely erratic Lehigh or slumping Lafayette will get it done. The Leopards, with five seniors in the mix, are in the midst of a mysterious five-game swoon. Bucknell and Army won’t do it this year, but Colgate has an outside chance.

Which leaves American, Navy and Holy Cross the Crusaders with no margin for error in their quest for a home game in the quarterfinals. As Willard told the Worcester newspaper: “If we can get even one home game, then you go on the road for one game and have a week to prepare for the final. It doesn’t
make any difference where the final is. It does make a difference if you have to play three straight on the road.”

Holy Cross hasn’t seen March Madness since going three years in a row – in 2001, '02 and '03. The Crusaders seem healthy again and ready to ride Clifford, superior rebounding and a stifling defense to make their run.

AU and Navy be damned, the team picked in November to win it all still has time to get it done.

Ed Laubach, retired executive sports editor, can be reached at <a href="mailto:sports@express-times.com">sports@express-times.com</a>.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:17pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, Feb. 22, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Tennis Team Home for Two Matches This Weekend

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy tennis team will close out a six-match homestand this weekend when the Midshipmen play host to Lafayette on Saturday and Yale on Sunday. Both matches are slated to begin at 12 Noon at the Tose Family Tennis Center.

Navy improved its record to 8-2 on this season with a pair of 7-0 victories over St. Joseph’s and George Mason last weekend. The Mids lost a combined 10 games in winning the six doubles matches and dropped just two sets in the 12 singles matches played over the two contests.

Lafayette enters the weekend having dropped its lone two matches of the spring season to Boston College and Quinnipiac. The Leopards, who were the sixth-seeded team at last year’s Patriot League Tournament, did not face the Mids last year.

Yale will take a 1-2 record on the season into a Saturday night match at Georgetown, a team Navy posted a 6-1 victory over nearly one month ago. The Bulldogs recorded a 7-0 victory over Navy when the two teams met last year in Connecticut. Yale dropped just one set in winning the one doubles and five singles matches against Navy.

The Bulldogs are ranked seventh as a team in the Northeast Region this year and have the region’s 12th ranked doubles team in Jeff Dawson and Josh Lederman. For the Mids, Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary’s, Ga.) is ranked 24th in singles in the Northeast Region.

Following this weekend’s matches, Navy will take to the road for five of its next six contests. The three-week stretch begins Feb. 29 with a match at Clemson and a March 1 contest at North Carolina State.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:21pm

The first day of the 2008 Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship is in the books, and all eight schools are off to the races. Navy’s Lejeune Hall was bursting at the seams with anticipation for what promised to be one of the most exciting championship meets in recent memory. The United States Naval Academy band started the evening with an always poignant rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, as the teams were set to begin the three-day event.

In the first event of the evening session, the women’s 200yd Free Relay kicked things off. The race was highly contested throughout, and provided a thrilling finish as the team from Navy edged the team from Colgate by less than one second. Swimming for Navy was Allison Ranzau, Kelly Zahalka, Rachel Gray and Thuy-Mi Dinh, who recorded a time of 1:34.63. Colgate finished the race in a time of 1:35.20.

The men followed the women with the 200yd Free Relay, and an interesting race ensued. Lehigh got off to a great start and led for most of the race, holding the lead until the final lap. It was Navy’s Alex Oldenkamp who came through for the home team, catching up to and ultimately swimming by Lehigh for the win. The Navy team consisting of Joe Unruh, Nathan Durham, Alex Buck and Oldenkamp combined to finish the race in a time of 1:22.44. Bucknell finished second in a time of 1:23.42, while Colgate earned third-place points in a time of 1:24.53. Lehigh was disqualified in the event.

The second set of finals were in the men’s and women’s 500yd Free. It was a one-two finish for Navy on the women’s side, as sophomore Tara Chapmon earned the first individual title of the '08 championship meet with a time of 4:46.70. That time was a new Patriot League and Patriot League Championship meet record. Teammate Allison Ranzau provided the Mids with a boost by coming in just behind Chapmon in a time of 4:49.74 to gain crucial second-place points. Coming in third place was American senior Meghan Thiel, who swam the race in a time of 4:52.04.

In the men’s 500yd Free, Bucknell sophomore Luke Trafton earned the victory a year after finishing second in the event by just 0.27 seconds. Trafton, the 2007 Outstanding Rookie of the Meet, swam this year’s race in a time of 4:28.97, exactly three seconds ahead of Kyle Newman of Army, who finished in second. Army’s Jeff Tolbert edged out Navy’s J.J. Helms to gain third place in the event.

After four events, Navy had the lead on the men’s side (87 points) and the women’s side (80 points). Army trailed on the men’s side by just four points, while Bucknell trailed by 13 on the women’s side.

Event number five for the evening session was the women’s 200yd Individual Medley. Colgate’s Erin McGraw, the top seed in the event, won one of the closest races of the day as she edged Navy’s Kelly Zahalka, the 2007 champion in the event, by less than one second. McGraw pulled ahead slightly during the final half of the backstroke portion (second of four strokes), but Zahalka caught up during the breaststroke. The two were neck and neck as they made the turn for home, and it was McGraw who just barely out kicked Zahalka down the stretch. McGraw finished in a time of 2:03.30, while Zahalka came in with a time of 2:03.38. Bucknell’s Lauren Russell earned a third-place finish with a time of 2:07.87.

The men’s 200yd Individual Medley final was next, and it was just as thrilling as the women’s race that preceded it. Army senior Jake Mentele, who entered the 2008 championship as the career leader in Patriot League championship meet points, won the race in a time of 1:51.87. Navy’s Billy Vey, the 2007 champion in the event, finished as the runner-up in a time of 1:52.23, while American’s Dan Nagelberg notched a third-place finish in a time of 1:53.11.

After six events, Navy had extended their lead over Army on the men’s side, as the teams tallied 135 and 123 points, respectively. Bucknell managed to trim Navy’s lead on the women’s side following the 200 IM event, and after six events it was Navy 125 and Bucknell 116. The Bucknell men (113 points) and Colgate women (103 points) each found themselves in third place after six events.

The women’s 50yd Freestyle race featured Navy’s Thuy Mi-Dinh, who earlier in the day in the prelim race set what at the time was a Patriot League Championship meet record in the event with a time of 22.57 seconds. That wasn’t enough for the sophomore, however, as Dinh swam an impressive 22.37 second race to win the event in the evening session. The time is a new Patriot League Championship meet record and was an NCAA `A’ Cut mark as well. Finishing second in the race was American’s Dorothy Isaacs in a time of 23.96, while Lafayette’s Marcella Nehrbass and Katie Kaczka finished third and fourth, respectively.

In the men’s 50yd Freestyle race, it was top-seeded Alex Oldenkamp of Navy who hit the wall first, winning the race in a time of 20.35 seconds. Each of the eight finalists finished within one second of one another, providing for a thrilling conclusion to the race. Lehigh’s Dan Johnson took second-place honors in a time of 20.91, while Bucknell’s J.B. Peterman finished third in a time of 21.11 seconds.

Through eight events, the Navy men held the top spot with 190 points, while Bucknell moved into second (150) and Army dropped back to third (129). The Navy women had seen their early lead all but disappear, as they led Colgate by a slight edge of 153.5 to 149. Bucknell continued to hold the third spot with 129.5 points.

The swimmers took a break for the ninth event of the evening, as the women’s 3m diving competition took center stage. Navy’s Katie Griffin (281.70 points) led after the afternoon’s prelims, and she was followed by Army’s Lindsey Adao (248.50) and Bucknell’s Rebecca Bersani (244.80). In the evening’s final, Griffin bettered her score in the prelims by recording a total of 300.75 points, which earned her the victory. Finishing in second place was Adao, who recorded a score of 259.90 in the finals, while Navy’s Desiree Robison tallied 246.90 points to take third place.

The final two events of the evening were the exhilarating men’s and women’s 400yd Medley Relay races. In the women’s race, it was Colgate who swam away with the victory in a time of 3:49.50. Navy and Colgate were virtually tied throughout the first two strokes in the four-stroke race, but it was Erin McGraw’s fantastic performance in the third leg of the race (Butterfly) that blew the race open for the Raiders. The Midshipmen recorded a time of 3:51.99 to finish in second place, while Bucknell secured third place in a time of 3:54.04.

In the nightcap, all of the participants lined the pool deck for the thrilling men’s 400yd Medley Relay race. It was Bucknell, who held off a late charge from Navy, who secured a first-place finish in a time of 3:21.98. Bucknell held a slight advantage heading into the third-leg of the relay, but similarly to the women’s race, it was Grant Steadman’s performance in the Butterfly that gave the Bison the edge that they needed. J.B. Peterman swam a solid final leg to hold off a late charge from Navy’s Alex Oldenkamp in the Freestyle portion. Navy finished second in a time of 3:23.42, just beating Army, who finished with a time of 3:23.42.

Men

Navy 224
Bucknell 190
Army 161
Colgate 93
American 92
Lehigh 57
Holy Cross 48
Lafayette 28

Women

Navy 223.5
Bucknell 203.5
Colgate 189
Army 123
Lafayette 116
Lehigh 95
American 86
Holy Cross 56

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:22pm

Navy Looks For Fifth Straight Win on Saturday Against Army

WEST POINT, N.Y. – One of the nation’s top rivalries again takes center stage for the 108th time on Saturday as Navy will pay Army a visit at West Point’s Christl Arena for a 2:00 pm tip-off. The Mids are 14-12 overall and 7-4 in the Patriot League, while Army is 11-14 overall and 4-7 in the Patriot League. Navy is currently sporting a four-game winning streak, while the Black Knights are on a three-game slide.
Saturday’s Star Game will be aired by CBS for the 13th straight year with Gus Johnson and Don Bonner calling all the action. Over the airwaves, Bob Socci will handle the Navy radio call on WNAV (1430 AM), beginning at 1:45 pm with the Navy Basketball pregame show. Yearly Navy All-Access subscribers will be able to watch the game online at [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com), but monthly subscribers will not be able to view it.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:23pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, February 22, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy’s Chapmon Again Sets New Record at League Swimming Meet

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – One day after establishing new standards in the 500 freestyle, Navy’s Tara Chapmon (So., Virginia Beach, Va.) again broke multiple records in the 200 free Friday during the trial heat session of the Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship. This is the second-day of the three-day event being contested in Navy’s Lejeune Hall.

Both Navy programs enter tonight’s session in first place in their respective standings. The Navy women’s team holds a 20-point lead over second-place Bucknell and a 34.5-point advantage over third-place Colgate. The Navy men’s team has a 34-point cushion over second-place Bucknell and a 63-point buffer over third-place Army.

Chapmon set a new Navy, Patriot League and Patriot League Meet record in winning the 500 freestyle title Thursday night. She returned to the pool Friday morning and posted a time of 1:49.33 in the 200 free to post new school, league and league meet records in the event, all of which were her own time of 1:50.19.

The runner-up to Chapmon in the 500 free final was teammate Allison Ranzau (Fr., Alpharetta, Ga.), and the freshman put together another great effort Friday morning in the 200 free to head into the final as the No. 2 swimmer in the event with a trials time of 1:50.22.

The deepest event for the Navy women’s team tonight will be in the 400 individual medley where Kelly Zahalka (Jr., Richmond, Va.) posted the second-fastest qualifying time this morning (4:30.67). Zahalka will be one of three Mids to compete in the event’s championship final tonight, with an additional Mid slated to compete in tonight’s B final.

Navy will also have multiple swimmers taking part in the 100 backstroke this evening. Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.), who last night won the 50 free with a Navy record and NCAA A cut qualifying time, was the top Mid in the trial heat of the first of the two backstroke events to be contested this weekend. Dinh’s time of 58.65 was the fifth-best trial heat clocking in the event.

The Mids did not qualify any swimmers for either 100 breaststroke final and placed only one athlete into the B final of the 100 butterfly.

On the men’s side, the depth of the Navy team was again evident in the results from Friday morning. The squad advanced 13 swimmers into championship finals tonight while another four swimmers qualified for consolation finals.

As with the Navy women’s team, the two top events for the men’s program Friday morning was the 400 IM and the 200 free as a total of eight Mids will compete in the two events this evening. Navy’s Nathan Durham (Jr., Greensboro, N.C.), Alex Buck (Fr., Lisle, Ill.) and J.J. Helms (Fr., Conroe, Texas) were the top three finishers in the 200 free Friday morning with times of 1:41.01, 1:41.40 and 1:41.52, respectively. The 400 IM, meanwhile, saw Dan Warner (Jr., Ann Arbor, Mich.) post the second-best time in the trial heats with a clocking of 4:02.11. Teammates Billy Vey (Jr., Huntersville, N.C.) and David Guthmann (Jr., Waxhaw, N.C.) will join Warner in the A final of the event this evening.

Andrew Hetzner (So., Riverside, Calif.) matched Warner’s placing as he recorded a time of 50.39 in the 100 butterfly, while Andrew Utama (So., Walnut, Calif.) and Ryan Ward (Fr., Prospect, Ky.) were the top Navy swimmers in the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly, respectively. Utama placed fourth in the 100 breast with a time of 57.69, with Ward also placing fourth in the 100 fly with a clocking of 52.16.

Navy’s Friday Night Finalists
400 Individual Medley
Women – A Final - Kelly Zahalka, second, 4:30.67; Tessa Snow, sixth, 4:35.89; Natalie Albertson, eighth, 4:36.75. B Final - Clare McKenna, 13th, 4:41.66.
Men – A Final - Dan Warner, second, 4:02.11; Billy Vey, seventh, 4:07.95; David Guthmann, eighth, 4:08.19. B Final - Danny Mizelle, ninth, 4:08.52; Tedd Torgesen, 11th, 4:10.01.

100 Butterfly
Women – B Final - Cate Sheerin, 13th, 59.50.
Men – A Final - Andrew Hetzner, second, 50.39. B Final - Wren Dupre, ninth, 51.62; Joe Unruh, 11th, 51.85.

200 Freestyle
Women – A Final - Tara Chapmon, first, 1:49.33 (Navy, Patriot League, Patriot League Meet record); Allison Ranzau, second, 1:50.22; Rachel Gray, seventh, 1:53.96. B Final - Kristin Lowd, 10th, 1:54.29
Men – A Final - Nathan Durham, first, 1:41.01; Alex Buck, second, 1:41.40; J.J. Helms, third, 1:41.52.

100 Breaststroke
Women – None
Men – A Final - Andrew Utama, fourth, 57.69; Nathan LeRoy, sixth, 57.89; Pete Donahue, seventh, 58.61; Alex Oldenkamp, eighth, 58.70

100 Backstroke
Women – A Final - Thuy-Mi Dinh, fifth, 58.65; Jamie Call, eighth, 1:00.14. B Final - Jennie Spencer, 11th, 1:00.62.
Men – A Final - Ryan Ward, fourth, 52.16; Kyle Abner, fifth, 52.31.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:25pm

Navy Womens Lacrosse Kicks Off Inaugural Campaign on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. After more than a year in the works, the Navy womens lacrosse team will play its first NCAA Division I game in school history, when it hosts Longwood on Saturday, at 1:00 pm at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The Mids may just be beginning their season, but Longwood already owns a 0-2 record after falling to No. 20-ranked Richmond, 21-11, and William & Mary, 22-16. The Lancers are led by Kesley Dean with seven goals and eight points, while Dee Warehime has scored five goals and six points. In goal, Jennifer Holiday has made just seven saves for a save percentage of .163 and a goals against average of 24.00.

Navy is coming off a strong performance against Atlantic 10 member La Salle in an exhibition game last weekend. The Mids defeated the Explorers, thanks to a pair of freshmen offensively. Both Meg Decker and Katrina Nietsch scored six goals each to lead Navy to a 20-13 decision.

Decker and Nietsch will team with seniors Amanda Towey and Kaylene Klingenstein and sophomores Erin Rawlick and Mary Ruttum to pose a very formidable offensive threat for head coach Cindy Timchal.

Towey scored 128 points in Navys 23-game club season last year, while Rawlick added 127 points. Ruttum and Klingenstein added 95 and 45 points, respectively. Klingenstein missed about half of the season with a knee injury, but is 100 percent as the season starts on Saturday.

The first 200 fans to the game will receive Inaugural Season pins and fans are encouraged to Meet the Mids after the game.

Admission to all Navy womens lacrosse games are free of charge and all 11 home games will be played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:31pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published February 22, 2008

Navy fielded one of the top programs in women’s club lacrosse for the last decade. The Midshipmen made seven straight appearances in the US Lacrosse Women’s Division Intercollegiate Associates National Tournament, advancing to the finals in 2001 and 2007. Will that success at the club level make for a smooth transition to the Division I ranks for the Midshipmen? Head coach Cindy Timchal thinks the foundation that was created will serve Navy well, but realizes there is a significant jump in competitive level.

“Navy had developed a very serious, very organized club team and that has certainly provided a strong base from which to build,” Timchal said. “At the same time, Division I is a big step up from club. We know there are many challenges ahead and we just hope to grow and develop with each game.”

Nearly two years of preparation will come to a head tomorrow afternoon when Navy plays its inaugural game as an NCAA Division I varsity member. The Midshipmen will make their debut against visiting Longwood at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

Navy compiled an impressive 18-5 record last season while playing primarily a club schedule with a handful of games against NCAA members sprinkled in. The Midshipmen went 1-3 against Division I opponents, allowing an average of 15.5 goals in those games.

Navy lost to Anne Arundel Community College by a 16-14 count while its lone win over an NCAA opponent came 14-13 over a Howard contingent that finished 2-9. The Mids went undefeated against club competition before losing to perennial powerhouse Cal-Poly in the USL/WDIA national championship.

“I think it helps that we have a large number of players who were part of the club program and gained a lot of playing experience,” said Timchal, who was named head coach at Navy in August, 2006 and oversaw the team’s final non-varsity campaign last spring.

Perhaps the most notable of those veterans is team captain Amanda Towey, who was named a first team All-American and Midfielder of the Year within the USL/WDIA. Towey, a senior from Smithtown, N.Y., led the team in scoring last season with 128 points on 71 goals and 57 assists.

Towey, who was a four-year letter winner at Smithtown High and received numerous accolades, has waited four years to be able to represent the Naval Academy as a varsity athlete.

“For those of us who have been part of the team for a few years, this is like a dream come true,” Towey said. “The different between club and varsity is like night and day. There is high level of commitment from the administration and now that we are full-fledged varsity athletes we have more privileges in the (Bancroft) Hall.”

Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk showed how serious he was about fielding a quality women’s lacrosse program when he hired Timchal away from Maryland. Timchal is the second-winningest head coach in Division I history with a 336-86 career record over 25 years. She built a dynasty in College Park by leading Maryland to seven straight national championships and eight overall.

Timchal will be assisted by former Loyola College All-American and ex-Ohio University head coach Allison Valentino along with former University of Maryland All-American Kelly Coppedge, an Annapolis native and St. Mary’s High graduate.

Sophomores and freshmen account for 23 of the 34 players on Navy’s roster and many of those younger players came to the Naval Academy with the knowledge women’s lacrosse would be going varsity. Many, such as Severn School product Maggie Morton and St. Mary’s High graduate Mary Ruttum, were standout players in high school.

“We are fortunate to have a number of players in the program with solid experience at the high school level, including several who could have played college lacrosse elsewhere,” said Timchal, noting that only three of 13 freshmen were actually recruited by the coaching staff.

Navy was picked to finish fifth in the eight-team Patriot League in a preseason vote of coaches. Holy Cross is the two-time defending champion of the league while Colgate captured back-to-back crowns in 2004 and 2005. American is another perennially strong program within the league.

“Our goal is to compete well within the league and hopefully have a shot at being one of the four teams that makes the postseason tournament,” Timchal said. “You can’t win the Patriot League unless you get into the tournament first.”

Timchal thinks Navy will be able to put points on the board since most of the team’s top talent is stacked on the offensive side of the field. Senior Kaylene Klingenstein (Eleanor Roosevelt High) fired in 34 goals in 12 games last season before being sidelined by a knee injury. She has fully recovered from surgery and should provide a consistent goal-scoring threat.

Ruttum, an Annapolis resident, enjoyed an outstanding freshman season with 95 points on 65 goals and 30 assists. The 5-foot-9 left-hander and former basketball player has the ability to see over the defense and set up teammates.

Towey and sophomore Erin Rawlick will anchor a deep midfield that should be the team’s strength this season. Towey scored six or more points in 14 different games a year ago and is a real leader on the field, Timchal said.

Rawlick, who played at perennial prep powerhouse C. Milton Wright, was a
second team All-American selection by the USL/WDIA after ringing up 127
points on 91 goals and 36 assists.

Timchal’s three recruits are all midfielders in plebes Meg Decker (Mount de Sales), Caitlin Mandrin Hill (St. Mary’s) and Katrina Nietsch (New Canaan, Conn.).

Timchal’s greatest concerns involve the defense, which struggled mightily against Division I opponents last season. Juniors Jessie Rosa and Margaret Gardner along with sophomores Morton and Brittany Winters saw the most extensive action a year ago and will be asked to step up their performance.

“We’ve had a tough time clearing the ball in preseason and until that gets fixed we will have a hard time stopping people,” Timchal said.

Senior Natalie Blandon is the returning starter in goal after stopping 175 shots and posting a .526 save percentage in 2007. She registered 14 saves in a loss to Bucknell last season.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:35pm

By DAVE BROUGHTON, Staff Writer
Published February 22, 2008

Despite his team being the preseason favorite to win the Patriot League, Navy baseball coach Paul Kostacopoulos didn’t exactly give the Mids a ringing endorsement heading into today’s scheduled season opener. Navy, coming off a school-record 35 wins last year, was tabbed to win the Patriot League by the league’s coaches and sports information directors. The Mids return 16 letterwinners, including the entire weekend starting rotation.

“You’re always optimistic this time of year, as far as what the team is capable of doing, when you have returners and depth at pitching,” said Kostacopoulos, entering his third season at Navy. "But that’s where it ends.

“A lot of the same guys need to get better offensively… we can’t repeat last year and be better. We struggled offensively in all the basics. Things like handling the bat and getting runners in from third with less than two outs, we’re awful at it.”

The Mids will begin the season this weekend in Millington, Tenn., at the 17th annual Service Academy Spring Classic. Navy is schedule to play Air Force today and tomorrow before concluding the weekend with a game against Arkansas State on Sunday. The Mids first home game will be Tuesday against Georgetown.

Navy has won 67 games since Kostacopoulos arrived three years ago following a successful nine-year run at the University of Maine. Strong pitching has carried the Mids the last two seasons, and figures to be strong again this season, but Kostacopoulos knows a meager offensive attack leaves his team little margin for error.

“You can be misled by winning games 2-1 and 3-2; that doesn’t make everything all right,” Kostacopoulos said. “Being successful is going out there and executing and doing things you need to do on a regular basis. You can’t hide over a 54-game schedule.”

Navy strength is its starting rotation of seniors Mitch Harris (8-5, 2.14 ERA) and Mark McCoy (8-4, 4.35), and sophomores Oliver Drake (3-3, 3.22) and Yale Eckert (4-2, 4.07). Alec Thomas (2.57 ERA) will also draw some starts, with Kyle Millerd also capable of starting.

Harris, a two-time All-American, will miss the first few weeks of the season with a shoulder injury, but Kostacopoulos said his ace pitcher will not be hindered upon his return.

“Our starting pitching obviously is the key to our season,” Kostacopoulos said. “They’ve proven that they are very consistent in what they do. They do it a little differently, but they each have command of three pitches that they can throw for strikes.”

The bullpen is also strong, led by sophomore closer J.D. Melton. A right-hander, Melton went 3-2 with nine saves and a 2.45 ERA last season while earning Second-Team All-Patriot League honors. Senior left-hander Kevin Heasley is the top setup man.

The Navy infield will have senior team captain Thomas Hamilton at first base, Matthew Curley at second, Nick Driscoll at shortstop, and Kendall Bolt at third.

Hamilton is coming a terrific junior season in which he hit .345 with 31 RBIs while being named to the league’s first team, Hamilton batted .408 against Patriot League opponents.

Driscoll is a freshman, while sophomores Curley (.160 batting average) and Bolt (.213) are known more for their defense.

Kostacopoulos has been impressed by freshman Mike Guadagnini, who could see playing time at both second or third base.

Behind the plate, sophomore Steven Soares is solid defensively, while impressive freshman Jeff Bland will challenge Joshua Martinez for playing time.

The outfield is a team strength led by senior center fielder Renaldo Hollins. Hollins, while covering a lot of ground, did not commit an error in 118 chances last year. He also batted .277 with 20 stolen bases.

Sophomore Michael Specialie (.274) and Mike Hoosier (.220) will see time at the corner outfield positions, with freshman Jonathan Wright making an early impression on Kostacopoulos.

Harris, when he’s healthy, is also expected to see time in the outfield in order to keep his bat in the lineup. Last year, Harris hit .293 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs.

Navy, 35-20 last year, garnered four first-place votes en route to leading the patriot League with 43 points in the preseason poll, edging defending champion Lafayette, which received 42 points. Army was picked third.

Navy will host Army for a weekend series April 12-13 at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:36pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, February 22, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Defeats Air Force in Season Opener, 6-5

MILLINGTON, Tenn. Navy right-handed pitcher Oliver Drake (So./Gardner, Mass.) fired six innings of four-hit baseball to lead the Midshipmen to a season-opening 6-5 victory over Air Force at the Service Academy Spring Classic in Millington, Tenn., on Friday.

Navy has won each of its last four season openers and five-straight ballgames against service academy foe Air Force, spanning back to the 2005 season.

We were really just fair overall today, stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos, who improved to 6-1 in his first-three seasons with Navy at the Service Academy Spring Classic. We had opportunities to extend leads but were never able to do so, but at least came away with the win. We had good starting pitching and good relief work from our closer, but we did a lot of average things. A lot of situations came up today, which is good early on and we have things to work on.

Drake struck out five and walked three while yielding three runs over his six-plus innings of work to earn the victory on Friday. The sophomore right-hander recorded his fifth-career quality start and recorded 10-consecutive outs between the first and fourth innings.

Oliver had trouble getting ahead, but threw well and really battled, said Kostacopoulos. He just ran out of gas in the seventh inning, but really got us where we to be six inning of positive work.

Navy opened up a 6-0 lead for Drake after six innings before Air Force closed it to a one-run affair in the seventh. However, Navy relievers Kyle Millerd (So./La Quinta, Calif.) and JD Melton (So./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) would come up big in clutch situations to preserve the Midshipmen advantage.

After Air Forces K.J. Randhawa hit a two-run double to pull the Falcons within one at 6-5 with one out in the seventh, Millerd was summoned from the bullpen and proceeded to strike out the next two batters to quell the threat. One inning later, Millerd allowed a one-out single and walk before Melton came in for the Mids. Melton, Navys closer, induced back-to-back groundouts to get out of the jam and went on to retire the Falcons 1-2-3 in the ninth to earn his 10th career save, just one shy of tying the program record.

JD really pitched and took command of the game, Kostacopoulos said. He was able to work ahead and get some big outs for us. Kyle also did a decent job for us.

At the plate, Navy was led by Michael Speciales (So./Pearland, Texas) 3-for-4 performance with a double, two runs scored, one RBI and a stolen base. The three base-knocks matched Speciales career high.

Michael was a huge lift for us, offensively, Kostacopoulos stated. He did a solid job at the plate and gave us what we have needed.

In his first-collegiate game, leadoff hitter Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Team captain Thomas Hamilton (Sr./Houston, Texas) knocked in a pair of runs, while catcher Steven Soares (So./Coral Springs, Fla.) scored twice and centerfielder Renaldo Hollins (Sr./Virginia Beach, Va.) reached base safely three times, stole a base and touched home once. Soares also gunned down two base runners and did a solid job of blocking balls throughout the contest.

Navy struck first in the bottom of the third when Hamilton delivered a two-out, two-run single down the right-field line to plate Nick Driscoll (Fr./Riverview, Fla.) and Hollins. One inning later, the Midshipmen again came through with two outs to score twice. Steven Soares (So./Coral Springs, Fla.) touched home on a wild pitch before Wright knocked in Speciale with a double down the line in right field.

Navy extended its cushion in the sixth inning and chased Air Force starter Jake Petro. Speciale smacked a RBI-double down the left field line before scoring on a Wright single up the middle to make the score 6-0.

The Midshipmen will aim for their second sweep of Air Force in as many seasons tomorrow, when the two teams meet again at USA Stadium tomorrow, starting at 11 a.m. EST (10 a.m. CST). Navy right-hander Mark McCoy (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) and Air Force right-hander David Miller are expected to start for both squads.

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:37pm

Navy def. Army, 22-12

For Immediate Release
Friday, Feb. 22, 2008
Wrestling Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Navy Wrestling Claims Eighth Straight Win Over Army

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - A pin by rookie 149-pounder Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.) in the fifth match of the evening gave the Midshipmen a lead they would not relinquish, as the Navy wrestling team captured the program’s eighth-straight win over arch rival Army, 22-12, Friday night at Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Md.

The Midshipmen now hold a commanding 42-5-5 advantage, including a 24-1-3 record in matches wrestled in Annapolis. Meanwhile, for the third-consecutive year, the win by Navy’s wrestling team clinched the annual Star Series for the Midshipmen, as Navy claims bragging rights for the 12th-consecutive year. The Midshipmen own a 13-6 record against the Black Knights this season in all competitions, including a 12-3 advantage in Star Games with seven remaining events (men’s and women’s basketball, men’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s outdoor track, tennis and baseball).

“I’m really proud of our guys, the ones who won and lost,” said Navy head coach Bruce Burnett, who owns an 8-0 record against Army. “It was a close match throughout and both teams were fighting. We really came out and wrestled aggressively. Allan (Stein) and Joey (Breen) both put forth solid efforts, while our seniors did a nice job of leading the way. And Bryce Saddoris, did he come up big for us or what?”

Before the match even began, Navy was dealt a blow when two of its starters, 125-pounder Joey Boone and 141-pounder Glenn Shober, were unable to make weight.

“I’ve never had that happened in all my years as a coach,” said an astounded Burnett. “We’ve had to face our share of adversity this year and this was a prime example. You often wonder how something like that happens, but you can’t let your mind wander too far. Instead you have to refocus on the task. I told the guys before the match that you can’t worry about the things that are not in your control and we needed to go in a take care of business on the mat.”

Following a prematch ceremony honoring Navy’s seniors and their families, senior heavyweight Ed Prendergast (St. Louis, Mo.) opened the match by facing an unfamiliar foe in junior Michael Sprigg. After a scoreless opening period, third-ranked Prendergast scored the first point by escaping to begin the second and never looked back as he gave the Mids the early lead behind a 6-3 victory. For Prendergast, it was his 30th win of the season, marking the second straight season in which he has reached the 30-win plateau. Additionally, it pushed his winning streak to 20 in a row.

Army knotted the match when senior Fernando Martinez earned an 8-3 victory over Navy freshman Allan Stein (Portland, Maine) at 125 pounds. Martinez took down Stein at the 1:56 mark in the opening period and held the lead throughout the match. Stein did give Martinez a scare when he came within one to open the second period, however, Stein was hit with a second stall warning to give Martinez the wiggle room.

In one of several All-Academy Championship rematches, Navy junior Joe Baker (Poway, Calif.)matched up against the Black Knights’ Whitt Dunning. Baker earned a takedown at the edge of the mat to open the match, but a minute later, Dunning was able to get out of Baker’s grasp. With 45 seconds left in the opening period, Baker snapped his elbows and in doing so slipped and was called for an illegal move after accidentally head-butting Dunning. With the match tied at two apiece, Dunning deferred to open the second, giving Baker the opportunity to escape and then close out the second period with a takedown for a 5-2 lead. Baker went on to win the match 10-5 with riding time and improve to 6-0 all-time against Army competitors.

Army’s lone nationally-ranked wrestler, 141-pounder Matt Kyler found his match against Navy rookie Joey Breen (Pasadena, Md.) more competitive than he had anticipated. At the end of one period, Breen found himself down by three, 4-1, but worked his way back into the match in the second period. Breen closed within one with an escape, but Kyler earned a single-leg takedown to take a 6-2 lead with just over a minute to go in the second. Breen, though escaped and followed up with a takedown of his own with 56 seconds to go in the period. Kyler escape to end the seconds and reversed Breen late in the third to earn a hard-fought 10-5 victory.

With the match once again tied up (6-6), it would be a pair of freshmen battling it out at 149. Saddoris and Army’s Casey Thome met just three weeks ago at the All-Academy Championship with Saddoris taking the title with a 6-3 win. After studying his foe both on the mat and on film, Saddoris felt comfortable heading into the match. So comfortable, in fact, it took him less than the first period to pin Thome. Saddoris shot hard at Thome’s legs, knocking him off balance and earning the takedown at 2:29. Just eight seconds later, Thome’s shoulders were pinned to the mat and Navy took a six-point (12-6) advantage, a lead Navy would never relinquish.

“It clearly turned the momentum in our favor,” said Burnett in regards to Saddoris’ fall. “It got the crowd on their feet and we really focused in.”

“Coach Burnett prepared us well,” said Saddoris, whose win Friday night gave him 30 for the year, becoming only the third Navy wrestler to win 30 or more matches in his freshman year. “I knew what to expect heading into the match. It felt great to get that win. I think it really stopped any momentum they may have built.”

Following Saddoris’ win, the Midshipmen earned three straight victories by members of the senior class. Chattanooga, Tenn., native Spencer Manley faced Christian Snook for the second time in 2008 at 157 pounds. Snook took a 1-0 lead in the second after a scoreless opening period. Manley, though, took a 2-1 advantage with 52 seconds remaining in the second by taking Snook down. The third period began with Manley choosing the neutral position. In doing so, he set himself up for a second takedown at 1:31 in the final stanza to take a 4-1 lead. Snook was able to escape with over a minute to go, but Manley would go on to earn a 5-2 win with riding time.

For senior Justin Jacobs (LeRoy, Mich.), it was his first look at Army’s Chris Grill. Jacobs did not wrestle at the All-Academy Classic and entered Friday’s dual match having lost both previous matches against his arch rival. Jacobs earned an early 2-0 advantage through one and had pushed his lead to five, 6-1, by the end of two periods. Despite three escapes and a takedown, Grill was unable to get any closer than four and Jacobs earned his first win over an Army foe, 11-6, with riding time.

While Saddoris’ pin helped push the momentum in Navy’s direction, it was senior captain Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) who clinched the win for the Midshipmen. Stolpinski pinned Army sophomore Ryan Mergen at the All-Academy Championship to claim the title and he had every intention of duplicating that result. The two wrestlers took swats at one another, but it wasn’t until 15 seconds remaining in the first period that Stolpinski was finally able to take a 2-0 lead. The 2008 EIWA 174-pound champion and All-American earned a pair of three-point nearfalls in the final 43 seconds of the second period to own a commanding 8-0 lead. After starting the final period in the neutral position, Stolpinski took Mergen down to the mat and was then awarded a two-point nearfall with 15 seconds remaining. Stolpinski earned a 13-0 major decision en route to picking up a team-best 34th win of 2007-08. The win gave the Midshipmen a 22-6 advantage with two matches to go and put the matc!
h out of reach for Army.

The Black Knights went on to win the final two matches of the night. Senior Scott Ferguson outlasted Navy junior Casey Caldwell (Liberty, Ind.), 5-3, while second-year standout Richard Starks held off Navy senior Matt Parsons (Dunkirk, Md.) for a 6-2 victory.

The Midshipmen will use the next two weeks to prepare for the EIWA Championship held March 8-9 at Franklin & Marshall.

Feb. 22, 2008 Annapolis, Md. Alumni Hall 1218 attendance
Navy def. Army, 22-12

HWT - #3 Ed Prendergast (N) dec. Michael Sprigg (A) 6-3 Navy 3-0
125 - Fernando Martinez (A) dec. Allan Stein (N) 8-3 Tied 3-3
133 - Joe Baker (N) dec. Whitt Dunning (A) 10-5 (RT) Navy 6-3
141 - #19 Matt Kyler (A) dec. Joey Breen (N) 10-5 (RT) Tied 6-6
149 - Bryce Saddoris (N) pin Casey Thome (A) 2:21 Navy 12-6
157 - Spencer Manley (N) dec. Christian Snook (A) 5-2 (RT) Navy 15-6
165 - Justin Jacobs (N) dec. Chris Grill (A) 11-6 (RT) Navy 18-6
174 - #7 Matt Stolpinski (N) major dec Ryan Mergen (A) 13-0 (RT) Navy 22-6
184 - Scott Ferguson (A) dec. Casey Caldwell (N) 5-3 Navy 22-9
197 - Richard Starks (A) dec. Matt Parsons (N) 6-2 (RT) Navy22-12
Records: Navy 6-4, 5-1 EIWA; Army 12-5, 7-2 EIWA

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:39pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, February 22, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Men in First, Women Second at League Swim Meet

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy men’s swimming and diving team strengthened its hold on first place at the Patriot League Championship Friday, with the women’s program standing in second place by just 44.5 points with one day remaining. The three-day meet will conclude Saturday at Navy’s Lejeune Hall.

The Navy men’s team entered Friday night’s session of finals holding a 20-point lead over second-place Bucknell. The Mids tallied 341 points on the day to bring its two-day total to 565 points and increase its margin over the still second-place Bison to 121 points.

“I am very happy for the guys today,” said Navy men’s swimming head coach Bill Roberts. “We received a lot of good swims from everyone on the team. They really set up the possibility of a great night with their performances during the trials this morning. We feel we are in great position heading into day three.”

The Navy women’s team began Friday night in first place with a slim 20-point cushion over Bucknell and a 34.5-point advantage over third-place Colgate. The Mids ended the day in second place with 444.50 points, while the Raiders took over first place with a total of 489 points. The Bison fell to third place in the standings with a total of 412.50 points.

“I am very pleased with our efforts tonight,” said Navy women’s swimming head coach John Morrison. “Everyone dug deep and because of that we were able to score some points that we were not expecting. We need some big swims from the entire team Saturday, but we are capable of it.”

Navy champions on the day included Kelly Zahalka (400 individual medley), Billy Vey (400 individual medley), Tara Chapmon (200 freestyle), Jon Galinski (one-meter diving) and both 800 freestyle relay teams.

Navy Event Summary

200 Medley Relay
Navy Women - Third - 1:46.77 (Jamie Call, Kelly Zahalka, Tessa Snow, Thuy-Mi Dinh)

Colgate held the lead throughout the race, with Bucknell and Navy battling it out for second. The Bison were in second after the opening leg by 1.6 seconds, with the Mids cutting their deficit in half by the midpoint of the race. Bucknell took its lead back to nearly two seconds after 150 yards and despite Thuy-Mi Dinh bettering the Bucknell anchor swimmer by one second, the Mids still placed third overall by eight-tenths of a second. Colgate won the race in a time of 1:45.20, Bucknell placed second with a time of 1:45.89 and Navy finished in third place with a clocking of 1:46.77.

Navy Men - Second - 1:32.63 (Andrew Hetzner, Andrew Utama, Wren Dupre, Alex Oldenkamp)

The Bison held a one-half second lead over Navy after the first leg and gradually extended their advantage in each of the next two ensuing legs before Alex Oldenkamp sliced into the deficit by one-half of second during his anchor swim for Navy. Bucknell won the race with a time of 1:31.18, with the Mids finishing 1.4 seconds behind the Bison for second place.

<hr>

400 Individual Medley
Navy Women - A Final - Kelly Zahalka, first, 4:23.92; Natalie Albertson, fourth, 4:34.26; Tessa Snow, fifth, 4:34.69. B Final - Clare McKenna, fifth/13th, 4:40.96.

Navy junior Kelly Zahalka won this event at the league meet as both a freshman and sophomore and holds the school and league record in the event. However, she was the No. 2 qualifier in Friday morning’s trial heats behind Colgate’s Caren Guyett.

In the final, Guyett held a one-tenth of a second lead after 50 yards and expanded that advantage to one-half a second at the end of the butterfly portion of the event. A great opening 50 yards of the backstroke put Zahalka into the lead by one-half a second, a margin she continued to hold at the midpoint of the race. By the time the duo had finished the breaststroke, Zahalka’s advantage had increased to 1.3 seconds and she bettered Guyett on each of leg of the freestyle stroke to record a winning time of 4:23.92 – the second-fastest time in Navy history – and a margin of victory of 2.1 seconds.

Zahalka’s win makes her just the second swimmer in league history to win the 400 IM in three-consecutive years. The only other person to accomplish this feat is Navy’s Heidi Fearon, who won three-straight titles from 1994-96.

“There is so much to think about in this race, I was just trying to keep everything straight in my mind before it started,” said Zahalka. “I wanted to stay relaxed and swim my own race without worrying about what anyone else was doing.”

“This was a great effort by Kelly to win her third-straight title in the event,” said Morrison. “She was a little nervous coming into tonight, but she put that behind her and had a great last half of the race to pick up the win.”

Navy Men - A Final - Billy Vey, first, 3:59.53; Dan Warner, fourth, 4:03.08; David Guthmann, seventh, 4:07.76. B Final - Danny Mizelle, second/10th, 4:07.98; Tedd Torgesen, fourth/12th, 4:10.40.

Billy Vey was seeded seventh after the morning trial heats, but led the final from start to finish to win the event by just under two seconds with an overall time of 3:59.53, the sixth-fastest time in Navy history. Additionally, Dan Warner placed fourth and David Guthmann finished in seventh place in the race.

“I was a little high strung at the beginning of the race this morning, so I wanted to make sure I got off to a good start tonight,” said Vey. “My best strokes are at the beginning, so I wanted to go off as fast as I could and then try and hang on.”

Vey and Zahalka are in the same company within the Naval Academy’s Brigade of Midshipmen.

“Kelly and I were both second in our events last night, so when she won her race tonight she told me I had to win mine, as well,” said Vey.

<hr>

100 Butterfly
Navy Women - B Final - Cate Sheerin, seventh/15th, 59.98

Navy’s lone finalist in the 100 fly was Cate Sheerin who placed seventh in the consolation final with a time of 59.98. Her previous best time in the event this season was a clocking of 1:01.37.

Navy Men - A Final - Andrew Hetzner, second, 50.71. B Final - Wren Dupre, first/ninth, 51.29; Joe Unruh, second/10th, 52.09.

The championship final quickly turned into a dual between Navy’s Andrew Hetzner and Colgate’s Zack Whitman. Whitman led by one-quarter of a second at the turn and Hetzner could only slice into his deficit by 17-hundredths of a second over the final 25 yards. Hetzner posted a time of 50.71 to finish as the runner-up to Whitman’s winning time of 50.63.

“I was disappointed in my time,” said Hetzner, who recorded a career-best time of 50.39 in Friday morning’s trial heats of the event. “I had a pretty good swim, but my finish was going to be in between two strokes so I had to glide into the pad at the very end.”

<hr>

200 Freestyle
Navy Women - A Final - Tara Chapmon, first, 1:48.92 (Navy, Patriot League, Patriot League Meet record); Allison Ranzau, second, 1:49.50; Rachel Gray, eighth, 1:54.13. B Final - Kristin Lowd, first/ninth, 1:53.86.

Tara Chapmon set Navy, Patriot League and Patriot League Meet records in winning the 500 freestyle Thursday day, while teammate Allison Ranzau finished second. Friday morning, Chapmon set those same standards in the trials of the 200 free as her time of 1:49.33 broke her own three marks of 1:50.19. Right behind her again was Ranzau, who placed second in the heats with a time of 1:50.22.

As the final of the event began, the duo quickly separated themselves from the rest of the field. Chapmon would break all of her own records again with a time of 1:48.92, with Ranzau placing second in a time of 1:49.50. Finishing in third place was Colgate’s Lisa Marchi, who completed the race in a time of 1:52.09. Rachel Gray also competed in the championship final of the event and placed eighth with a time of 1:54.13.

“A lot of our success in the final was due to a great swim by Kristin Lowd in the consolation final,” said Morrison. "Her winning the race was a great lift for our three swimmers in the championship final and our entire team.

“It was another pair of great swims by Tara and Allison tonight, as well as by Rachel. They all fed off of each other.”

“My goal coming into today was to go under 1:50, and I did that this morning,” said Chapmon. “I was very happy to go even faster tonight.”

“Tara beats me in practice every day, so I am very happy to have finished second to her in our two events at the meet,” said Ranzau. “We just wanted to make sure we were first and second. With how we swam last night, we knew we had a great opportunity to do so again tonight.”

“Finishing first and second last night was unexpected,” said Chapmon. “We were both very nervous going into the final of the 500. We gained a lot of confidence with our finishes last night.”

Navy Men - A Final - Nathan Durham, second, 1:40.46; Alex Buck, third, 1:41.34; J.J. Helms, eighth, 1:43.67.

The Navy men placed a trio of swimmers into the championship final of the 200 freestyle. Navy’s Nathan Durham was the fastest qualifier in the morning trial heats with a time of 1:41.01, with teammate Alex Buck the second-fastest swimmer thanks to his clocking of 1:41.40. Lehigh’s Daniel Johnson placed third in the trial heats, but quickly took a nearly seven-tenths of a second lead at the midpoint of the race over Durham and made that advantage stand up to win the race. His winning time was 1:39.69, with Durham placing second in a time of 1:40.46. Buck would place third in the final with a time of 1:41.34.

“I felt my first 50 was a little too strong this morning, so I paced myself better this evening,” said Durham. “It didn’t work out in terms of my place, but this was the fastest time I have ever had in this event so it is hard to feel too disappointed. I am just so happy with how far I have come this year.”

<hr>

100 Breaststroke
Navy Women - None

Navy Men - A Final - Andrew Utama, fifth, 57.73; Nathan LeRoy, sixth, 57.82; Pete Donahue, seventh, 58.92; Alex Oldenkamp, eighth, 59.22.

Andrew Utama was the No. 4 seed entering tonight’s 100 breaststroke final and his time of 57.73 in the event Friday night was just four hundredths of a second in back of his morning time, but it dropped him one place to fifth in the final. After winning the title as a freshman, Army’s Jake Mentele was able to bookend his career with a victory in tonight’s final as a senior by posting a winning time of 55.89.

“I was trying to go around 56 seconds tonight, so it didn’t work out how I wanted it to,” said Utama. “I am very excited about my chances Saturday in the 200 breaststroke, though.”

<hr>

100 Backstroke
Navy Women - A Final - Thuy-Mi Dinh, third, 58.36; Jamie Call, seventh, 1:00.06. B Final - Jennie Spencer, first/ninth, 59.95.

The Mids placed a pair of swimmers into the championship final of the 100 backstroke. Thuy-Mi Dinh posted the fourth-best time in the field during the trial heats, while Jamie Call was seeded eighth. Both swimmers improved upon their seeding by one spot tonight as Dinh placed third in a time of 58.36 – a new career-best clocking and the No. 10 time in Navy history – and Call placed seventh with a time of 1:00.06. Additionally, Jennie Spencer won the consolation final of the event.

Bucknell’s Courtney Warren won the race in a time of 57.07, with Colgate’s Beverly Walker finishing in second place with a clocking of 57.31.

“I felt to win the race I had to go in the 56 second range,” said Dinh. “I was trying for it but couldn’t make it happen.”

Navy Men - A Final - Ryan Ward, third, 51.88; Kyle Abner, seventh, 52.27.

Navy’s Ryan Ward and Kyle Abner both qualified for the championship final of the 100 backstroke. Ward was in fourth place at the turn, but put together a time of 51.88 to place third behind Bucknell’s Mark Kawczenski’s winning time of 49.99 and the second-place time of 51.27 recorded by American’s Mark Pelletier. Abner, meanwhile, finished seventh with a time of 52.27.

“My time was faster than I was hoping for,” said Ward. “My time this morning was the fastest I have ever gone and I wasn’t sure if I could go faster tonight, but I did. I have never gone below 53 seconds before so I am very excited with my times on the day.”

<hr>

One Meter Diving
Navy Men - Final - Jon Galinski, first, 326.55; Olaf Olson, second, 304.75; Adam Niekras, third, 282.65.

Jon Galinski overcame struggles on his opening two dives to total 326.55 points and win the event over teammates Olaf Olson (304.75) and Adam Niekras (282.65).

“I thought I was finished after my initial two dives, so I relaxed a bit and figured ‘what do I have to lose,’” said Galinski. “Olaf and Adam really helped me after my second dive. I knew they had my back.”

“Jon made a great recovery after his opening dives,” said Navy diving coach Joe Suriano. “He received scores of eight on his last three dives.”

<hr>

800 Freestyle Relay
Navy Women - first, 7:26.69 (Navy, Patriot League, Patriot League Meet record), (Allison Ranzau, Kristin Lowd, Kelly Zahalka, Tara Chapmon)

The Navy women ended the day by setting a new Navy, Patriot League and Patriot League Meet record of 7:26.69 in winning the 800 freestyle relay by over four seconds. Ranzau put the Mids into great position after her opening 200, handing off a lead of nearly five seconds to Lowd. The advantage was still 1.3 seconds when Zahalka hit the water to start Navy’s third leg of the race. Zahalka gave up even more of the margin to Colgate’s Caren Guyett, who Zahalka had edged for the 400 IM title a short while earlier, but she still gave 200 free champion Chapmon a one-half second lead to start the final 200 yards of the race. Chapmon recorded the fastest 650, 700, 750 and 800 yard splits in the race to give the Mids a winning time of 7:26.69 and a 4.03 second margin of victory.

Their clocking broke the previous trio of records of 7:27.85 set last year.

“We are racing to win, but being able to set a record in the process is icing on the cake,” said Morrison. “It was a great way for us to end day two of the meet and send us into the final day with a lot of confidence and momentum.”

“We really stuck together as a relay unit,” said Lowd. “Seeing what everyone had done tonight really inspired us to get the win and the record.”

“Kristin has always been a great teammate and leader, but she really stepped it up this year when she assumed the role of team captain,” said Morrison. “She has a tremendous work ethic and knows how to lead a team.”

Navy Men - first, 6:43.82 (Nathan Durham, J.J. Helms, Alex Buck, Andrew Hetzner)

The Navy men’s team also closed the second day of the meet by picking up a victory in the 800 freestyle relay. It is Navy’s third title in the event in its five years as a member of the league.

Each of the four Navy swimmers posted the fastest time among their counterparts in the race, with none of the four going slower than 1:42. Collectively, the foursome recorded a time of 6:43.82 to win the event by nearly four seconds over second-place Army (6:47.62).

“The start by Nate was huge for us,” said Roberts of the 1.75 second advantage recorded by Durham during the opening leg of the race. “The guys saw the lead they were given and it really sparked them to great things.”

“It always feels good to have a good start and be able to hand off a lead to the rest of the guys. I just had the start of the race; the other guys were the ones who carried us through. I am really proud to be one of them.”

Women’s Standings

Colgate, 489
Navy, 444.50
Bucknell, 412.50
Lafayette, 254
Lehigh, 223
Army, 205
American, 196
Holy Cross, 115

Men’s Standings

Navy, 565
Bucknell, 444
Army, 391
4T. Lehigh, 227
4T. Colgate, 227
American, 203
Lafayette, 140
Holy Cross, 98

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:41pm

By BOB HOUGH, For The Capital
Published February 23, 2008

There are plenty of traditions at the Naval Academy, and one of the long-standing ones was on display last night in front of about 2,500 fans at Halsey Field House.

As if the day-to-day physical requirements of academy life aren’t challenging enough, all Midshipmen are required to participate in boxing as part of the Academy’s physical education program. For those who choose to take the sport a step further, Navy offerw boxing as a club sport. Last night’s 67th Annual Brigade Boxing Championships offered those enthusiasts their night to shine.

Twenty-eight of the best boxers Navy has to offer participated in the event, which featured 14 three-round fights.

Winners from last night’s fights move on to regional competition in order to qualify for the National Collegiate boxing championship in the spring.

Boxing may be a requirement at the academy, but it is taken very seriously by those participating in the championships.

In his final year at Navy, Mikoto Yoshida hadn’t won any bouts at the Brigade Boxing Championships other than walk-overs, but his win last night over Logan Hershman at 112 was worth the long wait.

“This is the culmination of a lot of people’s hard work. Every single day, regardless of rain or snow, we have boxing indoors,” he said. “It’s really one of the best things I’ve ever done. Win or lose - and I’ve lost the last three years - it’s a good feeling just to be out here.”

On the other side is Antone Aku, who had won his fights the last two years. He won by decision at 139 over Casey Sheldon last night to become the only member from the Class of '09 who will have a shot at a fourth weight-class title next year.

“It’s motivating, but I have to keep it up. It’s a heavy weight on my shoulders,” he said.

For any other student or athlete at Navy, a normal day is hard. Boxers, however, have it that much tougher.

Up at 5:30 a.m. to run a few miles, then they’re off to class, then some practicing in the afternoon in addition to the normal rigors of academy life. All in preparation for an event like last night’s.

"It really hasn’t hit me yet. But, when I graduate and come back and see my name on the plaque, it’s really going to hit hard, " Aku said. “Right now, it’s my sport. Boxing is a huge stress-reliever and I love it.”

All bouts except for one went the distance last night, including a pair of women’s fights to begin the evening.

Alexandra Causey won by decision at 132 and Elaine Cassity prevailed at 156 in the fifth straight year women have participated in the event.

Navy head boxing coach Jim McNally, in his 22nd year, chose not to work in either corner last night. Instead, he sat at ringside along ring announcer Pat O’Malley so as to not show favoritism toward either boxer.

“There have been some well-known alumni who have been boxers in this, so it means a lot to these guys to be part of that Navy history,” he said.

McNally, who has also been a referee for 27 years, is on a short list to be a referee at this year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

“That’s the pinnacle. To be picked as one to represent the U.S. is the ultimate honor,” he said.

“That’s the crowning moment as an official, but right now I’d rather win a national championship.”

Female

132: Alexandra Causey d. Robyn Wegele, decision

156: Elaine Cassity d. Jillian Dingess, split decision

Male

112: Mikoto Yoshida d. Logan Hershman, decision

119: Huy Truong d. Zachary Maldonado, referee stopped bout at 1:42 of 1st
round

125: Erich DeHart d. Garth Thomas, decision

132: Paul Hollwedel d. Trae Miller, decision

139: Antone Aku d. Casey Sheldon, decision

147: Ruben Zweiban d. Fabian Pleasant, decision

156: Chris Bertucci d. Jorge Hernandez, decision

165: Victor Colon d. Carl Governale, decision

175: Mike Steadman d. Dmitry Shvets, split decision

185: Tyler Bahn d. Josh Fernandez, split decision

195: Jeremiah Olver d. Rick Weigert, decision

HWT: Jeff Laupola d. Mark Calvanico, decision

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:45pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published February 23, 2008

Navy is the hottest team in the Patriot League, having won four straight to take over sole possession of second place. Meanwhile, Army is struggling, having lost three in a row to fall into last place in the eight-team conference.

None of that will matter this afternoon when the two service academy rivals meet at West Point in the annual Star game. Army knocked off Navy 69-67 earlier this season in Annapolis, but this game carries a little more weight since players from the winning team get to pin a star on their lettermen’s sweaters.

“This game means so much to our players, so much to our programs and so much to our institutions,” Lange said. “It’s going to be a wild environment with a ton of emotion, but I don’t want our players to get so hyped up they lose focus. Execution has been the key to our success recently and that requires concentration.”

Navy, led by the perimeter trio of Greg Sprink, Chris Harris and Kaleo Kina, leads the Patriot League in scoring with 76.4 points per game. Army, meanwhile, ranks last with an average of 58.6 points. While Lange is hopeful the Midshipmen can create an up-tempo affair, he recognizes how good the Black Knights have become at forcing half-court grinders.

“Army is a great defensive team that plays a very rough, physical style. They do a superb job of disrupting your offensive sets,” Lange said. “Every team in the league has struggled to score against Army. I would like to will our tempo, but we can’t force our tempo. We need to be prepared to win a game in the 40s or 50s.”

Navy’s offense has been operating at a much higher level than it was during the first meeting with Army. Sprink, a difficult matchup because of his ability to drive post up or shoot 3-pointers, leads the Patriot League in scoring with 21.3 points per game. Harris has reached double figures in 13 straight games and averages 14.6 points while Kina completes the high-scoring triumvirate with a 14-point average.

Army is more of a one-man show on offense with senior guard Jarell Brown scoring 19 points per game and no other member of the team averaging in double digits. Brown was spectacular in the first meeting with Navy, pouring in a career-high 35 points on 13-for-26 shooting. The 6-foot-2 wing scored 16 of his points in the final 10 minutes, including the game-winner on a driving layup with 13.2 seconds remaining.

“I would say maybe 10 of those 35 points could have been prevented had we played better help-side defense when Brown drove or switched on a pick instead of allowing him an opener jumper,” Lange said.

Army boasts one of the league’s best big men in 6-foot-7 Doug Williams, who is averaging 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds. Williams is an outstanding shot blocker and his ability to control the lane could be a major factor against a Navy squad that likes to penetrate.

Navy is three games above .500 in the Patriot League for the first time since the close of the 2001 campaign and is trying to win five straight conference games for the first time since February, 2000.

Navy has won five consecutive Star games and 24 of the last 27. The Midshipmen and Black Knights have alternated victories over the last nine games. The visiting Mids must win this afternoon in raucous Christl Arena to keep that odd streak intact.

“It has always been a very rowdy crowd, a crazy atmosphere whenever we’ve played the Star game in West Point,” Lange said. “We need to play a heady, poised basketball game in order to get out of there with a win.”

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:48pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published February 23, 2008

It was a special night for the seniors on the Navy wrestling team. However, it was a freshman who turned the most important match of the season in the Mids’ favor.

Talented plebe Bryce Saddoris posted a first-period pin at 149 pounds to break open a tight match and lead Navy to a convincing 22-12 victory over archrival Army before 1,218 last night at Alumni Hall.

Saddoris used a high crotch hold to get Army freshman Casey Thome in trouble then stuck him at the 2:21 mark, transforming a 6-6 tie in the team score into a 12-6 Navy advantage. Saddoris’ inspiring pin, which brought the crowd to its feet, started a run of four straight victories for the Midshipmen.

“That was huge,” Navy head coach Bruce Burnett said of the six-point win by Saddoris. “Bryce may be a freshman, but he wrestles like a senior. He’s talented, confident and wrestles at the same speed at all times. He always goes hard and aggressive.”

Senior standout Matt Stolpinski finished that stretch with a major decision at 174 pounds to give Navy a commanding 22-6 lead. Stolpinski scored three near-falls in whipping Ryan Mergen, 13-0.

Navy’s 11 seniors were honored in a special ceremony before the match with most taking the mat alongside their parents. Four of those seniors then went out and earned victories with Spencer Manley, Justin Jacobs and Ed Prendergast joining Stolpinski.

“The seniors are the ones who have the most invested in this program, so naturally this particular match means an awful lot to them,” Burnett said.

Competition began at heavyweight and Prendergast (30-4), ranked third in the nation, was unable to score the big points the Mids might have expected. Army junior Michael Sprigg was clearly determined to avoid a major decision or a fall and Prendergast had to be satisfied with a 6-3 decision that was his 20th straight victory.

No Navy wrestler had ever failed to make weight during Burnett’s eight-year tenure, but two suffered that fate last night. One of those that tipped the scales too far was starting 141-pounder Glenn Shober. He was replaced in the lineup by freshman Joey Breen, a Pasadena resident.

Breen wrestled tough, but sustained a 10-5 loss to 19th-ranked Matt Kyler, whose decision brought Army into a 6-6 tie after four bouts. Saddoris, who now boasts a 30-9 record, quickly put Navy back ahead to stay with his sixth pin of the season.

“That was really important because it stopped Army’s momentum,” Saddoris said of his fall. “I had studied a lot of film so I knew what (Thome) was going to do. After I hit the high crotch, he went for my ankle and that enabled me to get into better pinning position.”

Manley followed with a hard-fought 5-2 decision over Christian Snook at 157, scoring a third-period escape and earning a point for riding time to pull away. Classmate Justin Jacobs then used three takedowns and two reversals to defeat Chris Grill 11-6 at 165 and the Mids were well on their way.

“At Navy, the team is so strong that you often work your whole career just to start as a senior,” Manley said. “The younger guys on the team look up to the seniors and it’s our job to lead, especially in big matches such as this.”

Army sophomore Ryan Mergen tried hard to run away from seventh-ranked Stolpinski (34-6) to no avail and was put on his back three times in suffering a shutout that sealed the visitors’ fate. Navy now owns a remarkable 42-5-5 lead in the all-time series with Army. The Midshipmen have won the last eight matches by a combined 100 points, 182-82.

Burnett was at a loss to explain Navy’s dominance, which includes a stunning 40-1-5 mark in the last 46 matches. “I just hope it doesn’t end on my watch,” he said.

Both Manley and Saddoris credited Burnett for the way he prepares the team for the annual service academy showdown. The Midshipmen spent two weeks training specifically for the Black Knights and each wrestler watched extensive videotape of his potential opponent.

“Coach Burnett does an awesome job of preparing us and knows just how to get each individual wrestler ready to go,” Manley said. “When you see how much time and effort the coach puts in, you don’t want to let him down.”

Navy 22, Army 12

125 - F. Martinez (A) d. A. Stein, 8-3

133 - J. Baker (N) d. W. Dunning, 9-3

141 - M. Kyler (A) d. J. Breen, 10-5

149 - B. Saddoris (N) p. C. Thome, 2:21

157 - S. Manley (N) d. C. Snook, 5-2

165 - J. Jacobs (N) d. C. Grill, 11-6

174 - M. Stolpinski (N) mj. R. Mergen, 13-0

184 - S. Ferguson (A) d. C. Caldwell, 5-3

197 - R. Starks (A) d. M. Parsons, 6-2

Hwt - E. Prendergast (N) d. M. Sprigg, 6-3

GreatAmerican · February 23, 2008, 9:49pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, February 23, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy’s Dinh Sets Record in Last Swimming Trials Session

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy swimming and diving programs advanced a combined 17 swimmers into championship finals and 30 swimmers in all into the evening session of the Patriot League Swimming and Diving Championship, Saturday morning at Navy’s Lejeune Hall. Tonight’s session of finals begins at 6 p.m. and will conclude the three-day event.

The Navy men’s team enters tonight holding a 121-point advantage over the rest of the field, while the Navy women’s squad is in second place, 44.5 points behind meet-leader Colgate and 32 points in front of third-place Bucknell.

Allison Ranzau, who has been the runner-up in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events at the championship, posted the fastest time in Saturday morning’s 200 backstroke trial heats. Her career-best time, and the number seven time in Navy history, of 2:05.04 was the top time in the prelims by six-hundredth of a second over Bucknell’s Abby Atkinson. Ranzau will be joined in the championship final by teammate Jennie Spencer, the school record holder in the event, who posted the fifth-best time Saturday morning.

The Navy men’s team placed a trio of Mids into the championship final of tonight’s 200 backstroke. Danny Mizelle placed second in the trial heats with a time of 1:52.02, while Ryan Ward, who placed third in Friday’s 100 backstroke final, posted the fourth-best time in the 200 back Saturday. Rounding out the Navy efforts in the event was 400 individual medley champion Billy Vey who finished sixth.

Thuy-Mi Dinh made Navy history Thursday night as her winning time in the 50 freestyle was a Navy, Patriot League and Patriot League Meet record, as well as the first NCAA Championship A cut performance in school history. She continued her successful meet Saturday morning by breaking the school, league and league meet records in the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.02. Her clocking broke the previous Navy standard of 51.06 and the prior league marks of 50.96.

Dinh was the top qualifier in the trial heats of the 100 free Saturday, with teammates Rachel Gray and Kristin Lowd also advancing to the consolation final tonight.

Three of the top eight finishers in trials of the men’s 100 freestyle represent the Naval Academy, with 50 freestyle champion Alex Oldenkamp’s career-best time of 45.25 leading the way. Teammate Alex Buck placed second to Oldenkamp in the trial heats with a time of 45.98, while Nathan Durham finished in eighth place with a time of 46.48.

The lone Navy women’s swimmer to advance to this evening’s session of finals in the 200 breaststroke was Allison Aichele, who placed 10th in the prelims with a season-best time of 2:28.04.

As with the 200 back, the Navy men qualified three swimmers for the championship final of the 200 breaststroke. Pacing the Mids was Nathan LeRoy, who recorded a time of 2:04.29 to finish third in the trial heats. Teammates Andrew Utama (fifth) and Pete Donahue (seventh) will also compete in the A final this evening.

Navy’s Kelly Zahalka will have the opportunity to defend her crown in the 200 butterfly tonight as she advanced out of the trial heats and into the championship final with a time of 2:05.96. Her clocking placed Zahalka third this morning and left her behind a pair of Colgate swimmers in Erin McGraw (2:03.93) and Caren Guyett (2:05.27). Joining Zahalka in the final for Navy will be Tessa Snow, who posted the fifth-best time this morning, and Annika Thomas, the No. 8 qualifier in the event.

The last event of the morning saw Navy’s Andrew Hetzner record the fastest time of the trial heats in the men’s 200 fly with a clocking of 1:51.88. Also advancing to the championship final for Navy was Tedd Torgesen, who placed seventh in the morning session.

Navy’s Saturday Night Finalists
200 Backstroke
Women - A Final - Allison Ranzau, first, 2:05.04; Jennie Spencer, fifth, 2:06.83. B Final - Natalie Albertson, 13th, 2:09.92, Jamie Call, 2:10.02.

Men - A Final - Danny Mizelle, second, 1:52.02; Ryan Ward, fourth, 1:52.22; Billy Vey, sixth, 1:53.05. B Final - Kyle Abner, 12th, 1:54.91; David Guthmann, 15th, 1:55.65.

100 Freestyle
Women - A Final - Thuy-Mi Dinh, first, 50.02. B Final - Rachel Gray, 11th, 53.38; Kristin Lowd, 12th, 53.47.

Men - A Final - Alex Oldenkamp, first, 45.25; Alex Buck, second, 45.98; Nathan Durham, eighth, 46.48. B Final - Joe Unruh, 10th, 46.99; Wren Dupre, 13th, 47.29.

200 Breaststroke
Women - B Final - Allison Aichele, 10th, 2:28.04.

Men - A Final - Nathan LeRoy, third, 2:04.29; Andrew Utama, fifth, 2:06.42; Pete Donahue, seventh, 2:09.05.

200 Butterfly
Women - A Final - Kelly Zahalka, third, 2:05.96; Tessa Snow, fifth, 2:08.80; Annika Thomas, eighth, 2:10.81. B Final - Cate Sheerin, 16th, 2:13.28.

Men - A Final - Andrew Hetzner, first, 1:51.88; Tedd Torgesen, seventh, 1:55.87. B Final - Ryan Ward, 16th, 2:01.75.

Navy Sports

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