Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · March 3, 2008, 3:04pm

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Former Navy men’s basketball great David Robinson is one of three basketball nominations into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. Robinson joins women’s basketball player Teresa Edwards and the 1992 Dream Team - in which Robinson was a member of - as the sport’s nominees. Fans can vote at [-</a> U.S. Olympic Hall Of Fame -](<a href=“http://www.usolympichalloffame.com/]-”>http://www.usolympichalloffame.com/) and voting will end March 28.

Robinson is the USA’s only three-time male Olympic basketball player and one of only seven U.S. basketball athletes (Anne Donovan, Teresa Edwards, Lisa Leslie, Katrina McClain, Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes) to be named to at least three Olympic teams. He helped the USA win gold medals in 1992 as a member of the historic Dream Team and in 1996, as well as a bronze medal in 1988, and was a two-time USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (1986 and co-recipient as a member of the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team)

In addition to his three Olympic medals, Robinson aided the USA to gold medals in the 1986 FIBA World Championship and 1986 Goodwill Games, a silver medal at the 1987 Pan American Games and a gold medal at the 1992 Tournament of Americas.

During his professional playing days Robinson aided the San Antonio Spurs to a pair of NBA titles (1999, 2003) and earned the following honors: NBA MVP (1995); Defensive Player of the Year (1992); Rookie of the Year (1990); All-NBA First Team (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996); All-NBA Second Team (1994, 1998); All-NBA Third Team (1990, 1993, 2000, 2001); All-Defensive First Team (1991, 1992, 1995, 1996); All-Defensive Second Team (1990, 1993, 1994, 1998); 10-time NBA All-Star; NBA Sportsmanship Award (2001); One of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History (1996), and was the No. 1 pick in the 1987 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.

A 1987 U.S. Naval Academy graduate with a mathematics degree, Robinson, who took a leave of absence from the Navy to compete on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team, honored a commitment to serve two years in the Navy before joining the NBA. Defined by his actions off the court even more than on the court, in recognition of his outstanding efforts in 2003 the NBA renamed its award for outstanding charitable efforts after Robinson. The monthly NBA Community Assist Award winners now receive the David Robinson Plaque. Among his charitable achievements was a $9 million commitment toward the construction and operation of The Carver Academy, an independent school for San Antonio students from a culturally diverse community. Considered the single largest gift ever made by a professional athlete, the school benefits many low-income, at-risk students. The school offers elementary-age children a challenging academic program featuring small classes, leadership opportunities and a nurturing family-like environment.

Robinson owns virtually every scoring record at Navy, and finished his career with 2,669 points and 1,314 rebounds.

GreatAmerican · March 3, 2008, 3:10pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Monday, March 3, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Marryott Will Not Return Next Year as Womens Basketball Coach at Navy

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Tom Marryott announced Monday that he will not return as the head coach of the Navy womens basketball team after the conclusion of Navys 2008 postseason.

I have enjoyed my tenure at the Academy, especially my opportunity to work with the midshipmen student-athletes, said Marryott. I have determined that it is time for a new coaching direction and leadership for the program. Our staff has put in place a solid foundation and we are confident the new staff will realize success in the near future.

Tom has displayed unquestioned dedication, loyalty and leadership for a decade as a member of the Naval Academy family, said Navy director of athletics Chet Gladchuk. He has been one of the most respected professionals on our staff and his positive influence on many will be missed. We thank him and his staff for their many contributions towards the development of our midshipmen.

Marryott has been associated with Navy basketball for the last two decades, first serving as the athletic director and basketball coach at the Naval Academy Prep School for 10 years, followed by five seasons as an assistant with the Navy mens team before becoming head coach of the womens program in the spring of 2003.

Navy will face second-seeded Holy Cross Saturday at 5 p.m. in the quarterfinal round of the Patriot League Tournament being played at West Point, N.Y.

GreatAmerican · March 3, 2008, 5:31pm

**Saturday March 1st: Navy Criterium (Hospital Point)

Men’s C’s: 2st place Paul Lieztan (09’)
Men’s B’s: 5th place Kyle Englund-Krieger (10’)
Women’s A’s: 2nd place Erin Moss (10’)
Men’s A’s: 2nd place Ryan McFeely (08’)

**Sunday March 2nd: Navy Time Trial (Davidsonville)

Men’s C’s: 1st place Paul Lietzan (09’)
Women’s B’s: 1st place Dominique Bastine (10’)
Men’s B’s: 1st place Derek Oskutis (09’)
2nd place Kyle Englund-Krieger (10’)
3rd place Ben Storozum (08’)
Women’s A’s: 2nd place Erin Moss (10’)
Men’s A’s: 1st place Ryan McFeely (08’)
2nd place Andrew Christian (09’)

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 11:11am

Tuesday, March 4, 2008; Page E02

Navy’s Greg Sprink was named the Patriot League’s player of the year yesterday and Billy Lange won coaching honors after guiding the Midshipmen to their best finish in conference play in seven years.

Sprink, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, led the league in scoring with a 21.2-point average, was second in rebounding (6.3) and 10th in assists (2.8) as the Midshipmen (16-13, 9-5) won six of their last seven games to claim second place behind American. Navy will host seventh-seeded Bucknell in a quarterfinal tomorrow night at Alumni Hall.

Sprink shot 86.7 from the free throw line and averaged 23.5 points in league games, including 35 in two victories over AU.

Lange, 36, is in his fourth season at Navy and, before this year, his teams did not finish higher than sixth. In the preseason poll, the Midshipmen were picked for seventh place in the eight-team league.

Sprink was joined on the all-league first team by AU junior guard Garrison Carr, who averaged 18.1 points and set a Patriot record for three-pointers in a season (117), Army’s Jarell Brown, Holy Cross’s Tim Clifford and Bucknell’s John Griffin. Navy sophomore guard Chris Harris and AU junior guard Derrick Mercer made the second team. Midshipmen guard Romeo Garcia was chosen to the all-rookie team.

In other quarterfinals tomorrow, AU will host eighth-seeded Holy Cross, No. 3 Colgate will face No. 6 Lafayette and No. 5 Army will visit No. 4 Lehigh.

– Steven Goff

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 11:17am

(7) BUCKNELL (11-18 / 6-8) at (2) NAVY (16-13 / 9-5)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008 7:00 pm (ET)
Alumni Hall (5,710)
Annapolis, Md.
STREAMING VIDEO: Navy All-Access at [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com)
RADIO: WNAV (1430 AM), WFED (1050 AM)
TELEVISION: None

GAME PREVIEW
The Patriot League’s second season begins on Wednesday for second-seeded Navy as it will host postseason basketball for the first time in seven years as seventh-seeded Bucknell comes to Annapolis for a Patriot Legaue Tournament quarterfinals matchup. The Mids own a 16-13 record and went 9-5 during the Patriot League slate. Bucknell enters with an 11-18 record and were 6-8 during league play.
The game will be broadcast on the airwaves on WNAV (1430 AM - Annapolis) and WFED (1050 AM -Washington) with Bob Socci calling all the action, beginning with the Navy Basketball pregame show at 6:45 pm (ET). In addition, the game will be streamed online as part of the CSTV’s All-Access packages at navyysports.com and patriotleague.com.

NAVY PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT FACTS
When Navy takes the floor on Wednesday night against Bucknell, it will do so as one of the favorites to win the Patriot League Tournament – a position it hasn’t been in for seven years. Navy last appeared in the Patriot League Tournament finals in 2001, also the last time Navy won a postseason game.
Navy is one of two teams (Holy Cross) to win at least three Patriot League Tournaments. The Mids won tournament titles in 1994, 1997 and 1998.
The Mids have lost seven straight Patriot League Tournament games by an average margin of 12.6 points. The last six of those losses have come in the first round.
Navy is unbeaten at Alumni Hall during the Patriot League Tournament, boasting a 9-0 record. However, Navy last hosted a Patriot League Tournament game on March 4, 2001, an 88-64 win over Bucknell.
Navy is 3-1 all-time against Bucknell in the Patriot League Tournament, including last year’s 62-43 loss in the quarterfinals.
Navy owns just a 4-10 record in the quarterfinals, but is 13-13 overall in the Patriot League Tournament.

MIDSHIPMEN STORYLINES
Navy finished second in the Patriot League race after falling to Colgate on Saturday, 73-62. The Mids’ No. 2 seed is the highest for the program since the 2000-01 team was also the No. 2 seed.
Navy has been seeded No. 2 in the Patriot League Tournament four times. In the four times Navy was seeded No. 2, the Mids own a 5-3 record, winning the league title in 1998. Navy lost in the finals in 2001 and lost in the first round in 1996 and 1999.
Navy’s 16 wins are the most since 2000-01, as are the nine Patriot League wins. With three wins in the tournament, Navy would reach 19 wins for just the 11th time in school history.
Navy is guaranteed of a winning record for the first time since the 2000-01 season. Since the start of last year, Navy is above .500 with a 30-29 overall record.
The Mids have not lost two straight games since Dec. 3-17, 2007, against Mount St. Mary’s and San Diego State.
Navy is looking for its fourth straight home win on Wednesday night. Navy owns an 8-5 record at home and have won six of their last nine games in Alumni Hall.

MIDSHIPMEN-BISON QUICK FACTS
This will be the 55th meeting all-time between the two schools with Navy owning a 30-24 series advantage. It will mark the second straight year that the two teams will meet in the Patriot League Tournament quarterfinals.
Navy snapped a seven-game losing skid to Bucknell in the teams’ last meeting, a 78-72 decision over the Bison on Feb. 9, in Alumni Hall.
Even with the Navy victory, Bucknell has won 10 of the last 12 meetings, dating back to Feb. 14, 2003.
Navy is 15-5 all-time at Alumni Hall against Bucknell, with two of the losses coming in the last three years. In games played in Annapolis, Navy is 27-6.
During the Patriot League Tournament, Navy is 3-1 against Bucknell, including a 3-0 record in tournament games played in Annapolis (1997, 1998, 2001).

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 11:24am

By Kyle Whelliston
Special to ESPN.com

Championship Week games tip off on Tuesday with three conferences (Big South, Horizon and Ohio Valley). Kyle Whelliston takes a look at the whys, whos and whats of the early-week tournaments.

Atlantic Sun
Why to Watch: Can Belmont make it three straight? The Bruins are creating what amounts to an A-Sun dynasty, earning automatic bids in 2006 and 2007 and entering this year’s Nashville-based tourney as the No. 1 seed. Longtime coach Rick Byrd has been masterful at molding winners out of widely-varying personnel with differing approaches; last year’s squad was second in the nation in 3-point defense and allowed 59 points per game at home. This year’s version resembles the 2006 team with its up-tempo style and exemplary long-distance shooting.

Who to Watch: Ben Smith, Jacksonville – It’s the only A-Sun program with a notable hoops history (led by Artis “A-Train” Gilmore, JU made the 1970 Final Four), but the school may be on the cusp of returning to glory. Coach Cliff Warren has brought wave after wave of outstanding recruits to campus the past three years, and the most impressive this year has been the speedy Smith, a 5-10 sophomore point who leads the team in scoring (15.6 ppg), assists (4.9) and steals (1.7). Now he’ll try to steal the automatic bid from Belmont.

What to Watch: Should Belmont fall, the NCAA Tournament might be a chance to catch up with a team responsible for the league’s run of surprising early upsets. Remember when Mercer won at USC? It’s a dangerous low seed in this event. And don’t forget Gardner-Webb, which has battled up-and-down inconsistency all season but can beat anyone on any given night – even Kentucky.

Big South
Why to Watch: After a decade of Winthrop dominance, UNC Asheville broke out to a 7-0 league start, and claimed the regular-season championship on Saturday with a 63-50 win on Winthrop’s home floor. Either could certainly fall in a tourney that has been traditionally marked by upsets and close calls. For six straight seasons, a No. 6 seed or lower has advanced to the semifinals, and sixth-seeded VMI came within three points of upsetting eventual round-of-32 participant Winthrop in last year’s title game.

Who to Watch: Kenny George, UNC Asheville – At 7-foot-6, 360 pounds, the Chicago native is the largest player in Division I and is second in the nation in field-goal percentage at 71 percent. When the Bulldogs inbound from under the opponent’s basket, they position George on the low block, throw it in high to him for an automatic layup. His knees have bothered him all season, but if he can play 18-20 minutes a game during the tourney, UNCA might end up dwarfing the competition.

What to Watch: In Randy Peele’s first year at the helm since Gregg Marshall moved on to Wichita State, No. 2 seed Winthrop has achieved milestones not seen during its long run of titles. The 2007-08 Eagles have beaten two ACC teams (Miami and Georgia Tech) and set school standards in defense. At the start of the season, Peele challenged his squad to set a 60-point ceiling, and so far WU has responded, allowing opponents an average of only 59 points per game.

Horizon
Why to Watch: Nationally ranked Butler may have been BracketBusted last weekend at home against Drake, but these Bulldogs claimed the HL’s No. 1 seed on Thursday with a stirring 66-61 win over last year’s league champ, Wright State. Despite the Bulldogs’ run to the Sweet 16 in 2007, Wright beat Butler in two of three tries last season, stealing both the regular-season and tourney titles. But with a loaded lineup featuring senior guards Mike Green and A.J. Graves, as well as home-court advantage, Butler could enter the 2008 NCAAs as a double champion – not just as an at-large runner-up.

Who to Watch: Todd Brown, Wright State – As a freshman last season, the 6-5 Canton, Ohio, native spent a lot of time on the floor in a backcourt supporting role. He has blossomed into a major scoring threat in his second year. Brown (12.9 ppg) is an explosive jumper and the team’s primary 3-point threat with a 44 percent average. With Brown and fellow sophomore Vaughn Duggins (13.9ppg), the young Raiders have tough scoring and defense despite tender age.

What to Watch: A long-suffering Cleveland State program opened up a 7-0 start to take a surprise lead in the Horizon race, but lost five in a row when the league adjusted to its attack. But then, coach Gary Waters’ readjustments helped result in a stretch of five wins in six February games. Will the Vikings’ momentum carry through to the tournament, or will the rest of the league find a way to solve CSU again?

Missouri Valley
Why to Watch: The MVC has been a solid multibid league for the past decade, peaking with a record four bids (and a pair of Sweet 16 entrants) in 2006. A big reason for that is a “Valley Curse” that befalls regular-season champions once they reach Arch Madness – a lower seed has claimed the conference tourney every year since 1998. So don’t hand the double-championship over to Drake just yet. Illinois State, Bradley, Southern Illinois or Creighton could steal the title in St. Louis.

Who to Watch: Osiris Eldridge, Illinois State – The Redbirds’ 6-3 slashing sophomore has been sensational, leading the team in points (16.3 ppg). Recently, he dropped a career-high 34 on Indiana State on 12-for-18 shooting. A likely league MVP candidate, he’s helped ISU make the jump from perennial also-ran to high seed in former Kansas assistant Tim Jankovich’s first season in Normal.

What to Watch: Drake has been the Cinderella story of the season, rattling off 21 straight wins and clinching its first MVC regular-season championship in 37 years. But after a streak-breaking 65-62 loss at Southern Illinois, the Bulldogs lost three of their next five and have been outshot by seven consecutive Valley opponents. Are they wearing down at the wrong time, or can they snap the league’s string of title splits?

Northeast
Why to Watch: The NEC has perennially sent its champions to the slaughter – the league has the worst mark of any Division I conference (2-26) in the NCAA Tournament – and those two victories occurred in play-in rounds. But Robert Morris, a team that beat Boston College in early January, has home-court advantage in the campus-site tourney. With 25 overall victories, a 16-2 league record and 13 straight wins, the 2007-08 Colonials may be the best NCAA upset candidate the league has ever produced.

Who to Watch: DeMario Anderson, Quinnipiac – The Bobcats moved from NEC irrelevance to midtable this season, and increased production from their 6-3 senior sharpshooter is a major reason for the team’s ascension. Anderson leads the conference with 21.7 ppg, and he has built a reputation for single-handedly leading the team to victories. Last week, he hit a half-court buzzer-beater in overtime to defeat defending champion Central Connecticut State.

What to Watch: It was the most exciting league race in years. RMU, Wagner and Sacred Heart battled it out for the top seed until the final week, when RMU delivered blowout losses to the other two front-runners. But Sacred Heart managed a split with the Colonials during the season, and Wagner enters the tourney with loads of experience. Each of the five starting Seahawks has scored more than 700 points in his career.

Ohio Valley
Why to Watch: Austin Peay won the 2007 regular-season title but fell to Eastern Kentucky in the title game, 63-62, when backup guard Josh Young sailed in for a layup with 2.8 seconds remaining. Since that moment, the Governors have been singularly focused on making the 2008 NCAA Tournament. On Thursday, they clinched their second consecutive regular-season championship with a symbolic 65-59 win on EKU’s home floor. Intensity certainly won’t be an issue this week for the Govs, who will open with a home game against EKU as the top seed.

Who to Watch: Lester Hudson, Tennessee-Martin. One of the most dynamic, pure shooters slipped through the cracks last summer, all the way down to a program that had only one winning season in its history (15-14 in 2001-02). But the 6-3 juco transfer burst on the scene with a 35-point effort in a season-opening loss against Memphis on Nov. 5. Ever since, he has ripped apart OVC defenses to the tune of a 25.4 ppg average, currently fourth in the nation. The formerly sorry Skyhawks are streaking and soaring now, thanks to Hudson.

What to Watch: No. 2 seed Murray State underwent something of a rebuilding year in 2006-07, when Mick Cronin left for Cincinnati after leading the Racers to the 2006 OVC title. But second-year head coach Billy Kennedy and MSU split with Austin Peay during the 2007-08 regular season, and this year’s version featured the same efficient shooting and balanced scoring as the squad that took a 69-65 close-call loss to No. 3-seeded North Carolina two years ago. For a school with a thoroughbred for a mascot, Murray is the perfect OVC dark horse.

Patriot League
Why to Watch: The eight-team conference has two first-round NCAA wins to its credit over the past three years (courtesy of Bucknell), and no team other than Bucknell, Holy Cross or Lehigh has won the league this century. But there’s new blood at the top of the Patriot: No. 1 seed American (which has never made the Big Dance) and Navy (absent since 1998) fought it out for the top spot all season.

Who to Watch: Greg Sprink, Navy – The 6-5 senior Midshipman is one of the nation’s most prolific shooters – he’s taken more than 475 shots this season (and 225-plus 3-point attempts), and leads all Patriot League scorers with 21.2 ppg. He’s also one of the nation’s most streaky, and there’s usually a correlation between his shooting percentage and whether the Mids win. But with a 34-point performance in a home win against American on Thursday (on 11-for-24 shooting), Sprink all but wrapped up conference player of the year honors.

What to Watch: Don’t count out the perennial Patriot powers. Defending champion Holy Cross, for example, started strong with a 9-4 nonconference record but lost five in a row as the Crusaders struggled with injuries. They rebounded to win four of five during a February stretch, but will still open the campus-site tourney with a deep disadvantage as the No. 8 seed. And there’s No. 7 Bucknell, which has been getting steadily increasing returns from Darren Mastropaolo, the 6-8 senior who returned in January from a badly torn ACL.

Sun Belt
Why to Watch: “Sun Belt” and “two-bid” haven’t been in the same sentence since 1994, but this season the league has its best chance in more than a decade to send a pair of teams to the tourney. Western Kentucky and South Alabama have battled for first place in the SBC East division all year, both hitting the overall 20-win mark in mid-February. The teams offered fans two classic regular-season battles, both won by South Alabama in four-point decisions. South Alabama has the better nonconference r

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 12:52pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navys Consedine Receives Pair of Honors from the Patriot League

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Navy womens basketball freshman Cassie Consedine (Bartlesville, Okla.) garnered a pair of accolades from the Patriot League Tuesday as she was named Second-Team All-Patriot League and to the leagues all-rookie team. The announcement of the leagues postseason awards came as part of this mornings teleconference call with the leagues coaches to preview this weeks Patriot League Tournament.

Consedine is the first Mid to be named to the leagues all-rookie team since Kate Hobbs earned the distinction in 2004 and is the 12th Mid to receive the accolade in Navys 17 years as a member of the league.

She also joins Becky Dowling and Courtney Davidson as the lone Navy freshmen to attain all-league status. Both Dowling in 1995 and Davidson in 2001 were also named Second-Team All-Patriot League.

With her award, Navy players also have now totaled 11 second-team laurels in program history. The most recent Navy recipient of the honor was Lauren Skrel in 2006.

Consedine smashed both the Navy freshman class record (32) and overall single-season record (48) for blocked shots as she tallied 69 rejections this season, a mark which is already more than halfway to the Navy career record of 124. Additionally, she ranks second all time among Navy freshman in both scoring and rebounding with 380 points and 238 caroms, respectively, as well as fifth with 26 three-point field goals made.

The first freshman to lead Navy in both scoring (13.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg) in a season, Consedine ranks third in the Patriot League in scoring and leads the league in total rebounds and defensive rebounds (7.11 rpg). Her 12 double-doubles also leads the league, is a Navy freshman class record and is just two short of the school standard of 14.

Consedine is just the third player in league history to lead the Patriot League in rebounding as a freshman (Laurie Coffey, Navy, 1996; Anne Tierney, Lehigh, 2000).

One of the more consistent players in the league this year, Consedine has both scored in double figures and grabbed five or more rebounds in 20 consecutive games, with single-game highs of 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Joining her on the all-rookie team (open only to freshmen) were Americans Liz Leer, Armys Erin Anthony, Elizabeth Campbell from Holy Cross, Lafayettes LaKeisha Wright and Erica Prosser from Lehigh.

The announcement of the leagues individual major awards, including the rookie of the year, will be made Friday night at the Patriot League Tournament banquet in West Point, N.Y., site of Saturdays quarterfinal and Sundays semifinal round games.

Navy, the No. 7 seed in the tournament, will face second-seeded Holy Cross Saturday at 5 p.m. in the third quarterfinal game of the day. It will be aired live locally on WNAV-AM 1430, while Navy All-Access subscribers will be able to receive the video stream of the game through <a href=“http://www.navysports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.navysports.com(.)</a>

First Team
Liz Hayes, American; Alex McGuire, Army; Hope Foster, Bucknell; Briana McFadden, Holy Cross; Vanessa Van De Venter, Lafayette

Second Team
Stephanie N’Garsanet, American; Cara Enright, Army; Bethany O’Dell, Holy Cross; Alex Ross, Lehigh; Tricia Smith, Lehigh; Cassie Consedine, Navy

Rookie Team
Liz Leer, American; Erin Anthony, Army; Elizabeth Campbell, Holy Cross; LaKeisha Wright, Lafayette; Erica Prosser, Lehigh; Cassie Consedine, Navy

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 12:54pm

NAVY (3-3) VS. UMBC (1-2)
Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Stadium: Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium
Series: UMBC leads, 16-12
GameTracker: [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)

NAVY (3-3) VS. IONA (0-4)
Dates: Fri., March 7, 2008; Mon., March 10, 2008
Times: 2 p.m. (Fri.), 1 p.m. (Mon.)
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Stadium: Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium
Series: Navy leads, 3-0
GameTracker: [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)

NAVY (3-3) VS. RHODE ISLAND (3-4)
Date: Saturday, March 8, 2008
Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Stadium: Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium
Series: Navy leads, 1-0
GameTracker: [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)

NAVY (3-3) VS. CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE (0-4)
Date: Sunday, March 9, 2008
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Annapolis, Md.
Stadium: Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium
Series: Tied, 3-3
GameTracker: [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)

PREVIEWING THE ACTION AHEAD
The Navy baseball team will remain home this week to close out an eight-game homestand against four different teams. The Midshipmen will host local foe UMBC on Wednesday at 2 p.m., before welcoming Iona, Rhode Island and Central Connecticut State on Friday through Sunday for the Navy Baseball Round-Robin Tournament. The Midshipmen and the Gaels will square off in another contest on Monday, starting at 1 p.m.

UMBC … A CLOSER LOOK
The UMBC Retrievers took one of three games from Patriot League foe Army in Baltimore this past weekend to open their 2008 slate. The Retrievers, who finished the 2007 campaign with a 13-40 mark, won Saturdays contest by an 8-4 final. Will Delawter and Wink Nolan each had impressive weekends, hitting .583 and .545, respectively. However, the Retrievers pitching staff was touched for 31 runs and allowed the Black Knights hitter to bat at a .353 clip.

IONA … A CLOSER LOOK
Iona makes its second trip to Annapolis in as many seasons this weekend. The Gaels were swept by Duke in their season-opening series in Durham last weekend. Mike Walraven was the lone bright spot against the Blue Devils, as he hit .375 with a double and a stolen base. The Iona pitching staff allowed Duke to hit .369 and score 47 runs over the four-game set. Ionas head coach, Pat Carey, played with Navy assistant coach Scott Friedholm at Providence College from 1996-98.

RHODE ISLAND … A CLOSER LOOK
The Rhode Island Rams will head down to Annapolis sporting a 3-4 record on the year after winning all three games last weekend. The Rams took a pair of contests against UMES, while defeating Pittsburgh in Princess Anne, Md. Rhode Island has enjoyed solid performances by its pitching staff, which owns a 4.50 team ERA. Starters Brett Palanski and Nick Greenwood have combined for a miniscule 1.48 ERA over 24.1 innings in four starts this spring. Its head coach, Jim Foster, played under Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos at Providence and was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 1993.

CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE … A CLOSER LOOK
The Central Connecticut State Blue Devils will arrive in Annapolis looking for their first win of the year, as they dropped three to Virginia Tech and one to VMI last weekend. Central Connecticut States offense certainly did its part one week ago, hitting at a .289 clip and scoring 25 runs over the four games. Kyle Zarotney and Tommy Meade are both hitting .375 with a home run, while Sean Allaire owns a .353 average with two doubles and a home run. However, the Blue Devils pitching staff gave up 48 runs on 49 hits with 27 walks and 15 strikeouts over 32.0 innings of work. Central Connecticut State head coach Charlie Hickey took over the reigns at Providence after Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos left for the Maine job in 1996. Hickey also coached Navy assistant coach Scott Friedholm during his tenure at Providence.

NAVY AMIDST BEST STRETCH IN SCHOOL HISTORY
Navy won 67 games between the 2006 and 07 seasons, the highest win total over a two-year span in program history. The previous record stood at 60 wins between the 1982 and 83. The Midshipmen, who have won 70 games since the start of the 2006 season, are on pace to smash the three-year win total record this season. The 1981-83 Navy baseball squads totaled a program-best 84 victories.

NAVY AIMING FOR BACK-TO-BACK-TO-BACK 30-WIN SEASONS
The Navy baseball team is aiming for its third-consecutive 30-win season in 2008. The Midshipmen set a school record with 35 wins last year and recorded 32 victories in 2006. In fact, prior to the 2006 season, Navy had won only 30 games in a year on three occasions.

NAVYS SCHOOL-RECORD 35 WINS IN 2007
The Navy baseball team set a school record with 35 victories last season, topping the previous mark of 34 triumphs by the 1995 squad.

NAVY PRESEASON PATRIOT LEAGUE FAVORITE IN MANY CIRCLES
The Navy baseball team has been tabbed to win the Patriot League Championship and earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by a slew of preseason predictions. The Midshipmen were picked to finish first in the Patriot League by the leagues coaches and sports information contacts in the preseason poll. The Mids claimed 43 points and four first-place ballots to lead the way, while Lafayette came in a close second with 42 points and four first-place votes.
Navy has also been picked to win the Patriot League according to Baseball America, CollegeBaseballInsider.com and CSTV.com. In CSTV.coms preseason prediction, the Mids will advance to the NCAA Tournament and compete in the Columbia, S.C., regional against No. 8 national seed South Carolina.

HISTORY OF SUCCESS IN THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Navy baseball team has enjoyed significant success since joining the Patriot League in 1993. Over that span, Navy has gone 180-122 (.596) in league play and advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times. The Midshipmen have won the league postseason title five times, more than any other school in the league.

NAVY IMPRESSIVE IN NON-LEAGUE ACTION
The Midshipmen have won 50 non-Patriot League games since the start of the 2006 season. Navy won 23 non-league games last year and a program-record 24 contests in 2006. Prior to the start of Patriot League play, the Mids won 18 games last year and a school-record 19 ballgames in 2006.

KOSTACOPOULOS LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 600 THIS YEAR
Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos will aim for his 600th career victory in his 19th year as a head coach in 2008. The third-year Navy skipper needs just 26 more victories to reach the mark, as he owns a career record of 574-376-3 (.604). Kostacopoulos has won 30-plus games in each of his last-seven seasons and 11 times in his career.

KOSTACOPOULOS GOES FOR CAREER WIN NO. 100 WITH NAVY
Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos will go for another milestone mark in 2008, attempting to become the fourth Navy coach to earn 100 career victories with the Mids. Over his first-two-plus seasons in Annapolis, he owns a career mark of 70-44-1 (.613). Kostacopoulos would need to go an eye-popping 30-4 over the next 34 games to match the amount of games Max Bishop reached the 100-win mark, the fastest in school history. A strong 30-13 mark would tie him for second fastest to 100 wins with Joe Duff.

HOME SWEET HOME
Navy is scheduled to play 33 games on its home field, Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, this spring. The 33 home games would tie the school record for most in a season, as the Midshipmen went 22-11 in their 33 ballgames in Annapolis last season.
Since the installation of FieldTurf at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium before the start of the 2006 season, Navy has gone 39-24-1 (.617) in its 64 home games.

POWER OUTAGE IN ANNAPOLIS
While the Midshipmen have produced a stellar mark at home since 2006, they havent been doing so with the use of the long ball. Last season, Navy and its opposition combined to hit just six home runs in 33 games inside the pitcher-friendly confines of Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. Among those six long balls, only one came off the bat of a Navy hitter – a Mitch Harris opposite-field blast on Feb. 18, 2007, against Iona. Michael Speciale broke the 32-game drought with a three-run shot to right-center against Dartmouth on March 1.

THE YOUNG MIDS
Navys 2008 roster is comprised of a combined 31 freshmen and sophomores out of its 40 roster spots. The Midshipmen boast the youngest squad in the Patriot League with 15 freshmen and 16 sophomores, while Lehigh follows in a close second with its 13 freshmen and 12 sophomores.

KEY TO WINNING BASEBALL … PITCHING
Much of the success Navy has enjoyed over the past two-plus seasons has derived from the work of its starting pitchers. This spring, the starting work from Oliver Drake (So./Gardner, Mass.), Mark McCoy (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) and Yale Eckert (So./La Selva Beach, Calif.) have combined for an impressive 3.06 ERA in 35.1 innings with 10 walks and 40 strikeouts.
Last season, Navys starting pitching combined for a 3.50 ERA over 308.1 innings with 289 strikeouts and a .238 opposition batting average. In 2006, the Midshipmen starters produced a 3.87 ERA in 288.1 innings with 251 strikeouts.

FITTING WRIGHT IN
In just his first-six career games, Navys Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) has provided a spark at the top of the order. The 65 leftfielder leads the team with an impressive .536 (15-for-28) batting average with a double, seven RBIs and a stolen base.
He recorded back-to-back four-hit efforts against Dartmouth last weekend, a first by a Navy hitter this decade. Including his four-hit performance against Air Force, Wright has posted more four-hit games than any Navy hitter in a season since 2000.
For his efforts in the opening week of the year, Wright was recognized as the Patriot League Rookie of the Week.

THE JOE DUFF INDOOR HITTING & PITCHING FACILITY
The Navy baseball program will dedicate its new, state-of-the-art indoor hitting & pitching facility after longtime Navy skipper Joe Duff on Saturday, April 12, prior to the start of the 12 noon doubleheader against service academy foe Army.
Duff served as the head coach of the Navy baseball team from 1962-93 and won a school-record 595 games in the process. His teams combined to win six league titles and advanced to the NCAA Tournament on three occasions. Prior to becoming the head coach of the baseball program, he served as the plebe baseball coach and an assistant basketball coach for 10 years at Navy.
In spring 2007, the Midshipmen opened one of the finest indoor hitting & pitching facilities in the nation. A 5,000-square foot, heated indoor hitting facility was constructed, enabling the Midshipmen to work on their skills, rain or shine. The 50-foot wide, 100-foot long, 16-foot high indoor facility features two pitching mounds and a state-of-the-art hitting screen. The Pro Batter Professional PX2 Video Pitching Machine allows hitters to bat against a simulated pitcher with several different pitches and a wide range of velocities.
The roof of the hitting & pitching facility has been surfaced with railings surrounding its perimeter, serving as a hospitality venue that provides an outstanding view of the entire ballpark and the Naval Academy.

MIDS GETTING IT DONE IN THE CLASSROOM, TOO
Being a member of a league that prides itself on maintaining high academic standards while pursuing athletic success, Navy ranks among the Patriot Leagues top-three schools in the NCAAs Academic Progress Rates (APR) for baseball.
The Midshipmen earned a mark of 980, which also places them among the nations top-10th percentile in baseball. Navys athletic program also ranks among the premier institutions in each sport across the board. The Midshipmen boasted a mark higher than the Division I average in 22 of their 23 NCAA sports, including the nations highest score in seven sports (each with a perfect 1,000).
The APR is the fulcrum upon which the entire academic-reform structure rests. Developed as a more real-time assessment of teams academic performance than the six-year graduation-rate calculation provides, the APR awards two points each term to student-athletes who meet academic-eligibility standards and who remain with the institution. A teams APR is the total points earned by the term at a given time divided by the total points possible.

ACCELERATING THEIR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION
Each of Navys seven seniors on this years baseball team are going to serve their country in a variety of roles following commissioning in May. Graduates from the United States Naval Academy will begin their military careers as either an Ensign in the United States Navy or a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.
This year, each of Navys seniors will be commissioned as Ensigns in the United States Navy, entering the Surface Warfare, Aviation, Submarine (Nuclear) and Supply Corps communities.

MITCH HARRIS … 29TH BEST COLLEGE PROSPECT BY BASEBALL AMERICA
Navy baseball right-handed pitcher Mitch Harris has been tabbed as the nation’s 29th-best college prospect for the 2008 MLB First-Year Player Draft, it was announced by Baseball America. The rankings were compiled by Baseball America through discussions with scouts and represent overall future potential.
Harris ranks as the second-highest collegiate prospect among seniors in this year’s draft class. Only Georgia senior right-handed pitcher Joshua Fields placed ahead of Harris, coming in at 27th on the list.
In the 2007 MLB First-Year Player Draft last June, Harris was selected in the 24th round by the Atlanta Braves organization. This past summer, he played in the prestigious Cape Cod League with the Bourne Braves. Facing some of the nation’s best collegiate hitters, he started seven contests and boasted a 3.94 ERA in 29.2 innings with 25 strikeouts. With the help of the Navy right-hander, Bourne won the Western Division regular season title with a 25-17-2 record.
Harris was selected Second-Team All-Patriot League as both a starting pitcher and a designated hitter last May, becoming the first player in school history to earn all-league accolades at two different positions within the same year. One month later, he became the first player in school history to earn ABCA all-region accolades multiple times during his career, as he was first-team selection in 2006 and a second-team member in 2007.
Prior to the start of the 2008 season, Harris was selected as a candidate for the 2008 Brooks Wallace Award, which is awarded to the nation’s top-collegiate player. Last year’s Brooks Wallace award went to Vanderbilt pitcher, David Price. Price was the first overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft and is pitching in the Tampa Bay Rays organization. The 2006 winner was standout pitcher/designated hitter Brad Lincoln of Houston. Nebraska’s Alex Gordon, currently with the Kansas City Royals, took home the 2005 trophy. The inaugural award was given in 2004 to Kurt Suzuki of Cal State Fullerton, who is now catching for the Oakland A’s.

ARMY-NAVY SERIES NAMED TOP RIVALRY IN THE NORTH
With both teams participating in last years Patriot League Tournament and predicted to do so once again in 2008, the Army-Navy series has been billed as the No. 1 rivalry in the North Region by Baseball America. The two teams are slated to meet in Annapolis on April 12-13, with Navy owning a 100-84 advantage over Army in the all-time series. In each of the last-two years, the first game of the series has been televised nationally on CSTV.

NAVYS HOME SELECTED AS LEAGUES FAVORITE ROAD STADIUM
Navys home field, Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium, was voted as the favorite road stadium in the Patriot League, voted by the leagues coaches on CollegeBaseballInsider.com.
This does not particularly comes as a surprise, as the $2.5-million renovation process at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium commenced in October 2005 and featured a variety of upgrades that make the home of Navy baseball one of the finest facilities in the East to play and watch a game. The multi-million dollar baseball facility is named after the longtime baseball coach Max Bishop (1937-61) and the Terwilliger family for their generous support of the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Athletic Association.
The facilitys biggest improvement was the installation of a new playing surface, as the natural grass was dug up and 124,000-square feet of FieldTurf was put in January 2006. FieldTurf is the same surface used by Major League Baseball’s Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays, as well as Navy’s Jack Stephens Field at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Terwilliger Brothers Field became only the third field in college baseball to feature FieldTurf over the entire playing surface, with the exception of the pitcher’s mound and home plate.
In spring 2007, a 5,000-square foot, heated indoor hitting and pitching facility was constructed, enabling the Midshipmen to work on their skills, rain or shine. The 50-foot wide, 100-foot long, 16-foot high indoor facility features two pitching mounds and a state-of-the-art hitting screen. The Pro Batter Professional PX2 Video Pitching Machine allows hitters to bat against a simulated pitcher with several different pitches and a wide range of velocities.
The roof of the hitting and pitching facility has been surfaced with railings surrounding its perimeter, serving as a hospitality venue that provides an outstanding view of the entire ballpark and the Naval Academy.
Concurrent with the field transformation, 1,000 chair-back seats have been installed with brick archways surrounding the stadium. Behind the left field fence, one can find a state-of-the-art LED matrix scoreboard with a video screen. Additionally, a concession stand located on the concourse level behind home plate and a patio area help create an intimate surrounding to watch and enjoy a Navy baseball game.

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 3:34pm

He’ll direct team in Patriot League Tournament
By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published March 04, 2008

Navy announced the abrupt resignation of women’s basketball coach Tom Marryott yesterday. Marryott voluntarily stepped down following a difficult season that produced a record of 7-22 overall and 3-11 in the Patriot League.

Marryott, who will direct Navy in the Patriot League Tournament this weekend, compiled a 57-88 record in five years as head coach. The Midshipmen endured losing records in all five seasons of his tenure.

“I have enjoyed my tenure at the academy, especially the opportunity to work with the Midshipmen student-athletes,” Marryott said in a statement. “I have determined that it is time for a new coaching direction and leadership for the program. Our staff has put in place a solid foundation and we are confident the new staff will realize success in the future.”

Contacted last night by The Capital, Marryott insisted the decision to resign was entirely his own and did not come with a nudge from athletic director Chet Gladchuk.

“I sat down with Chet last week and we talked about the program. In reflecting on the big picture, I just felt it was time for a change, time for me to go,” Marryott said. “It was a difficult decision because of my tremendous love for the Naval Academy and my absolute dedication to this basketball program.”

Marryott has been associated with Navy basketball for the last two decades, initially serving as athletic director and men’s basketball coach at the Naval Academy Prep School for 10 years. He came to Annapolis to work as an assistant with the men’s basketball program under former head coach Don DeVoe for five seasons before transitioning to the women’s program in the spring of 2003.

Marryott succeeded Joe Sanchez as head coach and took over a program that had suffered losing records in three of the previous four seasons. Navy was a mid-level program in the Patriot League in four of five seasons under Marryott, finishing fourth in both 2006 and 2007.

“I think the league should be the measuring stick for the program, and in that regard we did some good things. We’ve always been right in the hunt with the exception of this year,” Marryott said. “Unfortunately, we’ve never quite been able to get the team over the hump.”

Marryott, whose original five-year contract was due to expire at season’s end, said he intends to remain in coaching in some capacity and already had a few opportunities to consider. Assistant coaches Matt Dempsey, Tiffany Coll and Katie Nelson will remain under contract until a new head coach is hired.

Marryott is a 1985 graduate of Castleton State, where he was a four-year letterman with the varsity men’s basketball team and set a school record for consecutive games started. He is the son of the late Rear Adm. Ron Marryott, who served as superintendent of the Naval Academy from 1986-88.

“Tom has displayed unquestioned dedication, loyalty and leadership for a decade as a member of the Naval Academy family,” Gladchuk said. “He has been one of the most respected professionals on our staff and his positive influence on many will be missed. We thank him and his staff for their many contributions towards the development of our midshipmen.”

Navy is seeded seventh and will face No. 2 Holy Cross in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament on Saturday (5 p.m.) at West Point, N.Y.

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 3:41pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published March 04, 2008

Billy Lange faced a major rebuilding effort when he took over the Navy men’s basketball program.

The Midshipmen had suffered three straight losing seasons, getting progressively worse along the away. Navy’s slide from perennial Patriot League contender to cellar dweller reached rock bottom in 2003-2004 with records of 5-20 overall and 2-12 in conference.

Navy has bounced back much faster than most observers would have expected, compiling a winning record and competing for the Patriot League championship in Lange’s fourth season at the helm.

Navy was rewarded for its turnaround season yesterday when Lange was named Patriot League Coach of the Year and senior swingman Greg Sprink was picked as Player of the Year. In addition, sophomore point guard was named second team All-Patriot League while freshman forward Romeo Garcia was named to the All-Rookie team.

“This is a nice feather in our cap considering where this program was four years ago. We have come a long way in a short period of time,” Lange said of sweeping the league’s top awards. “It’s a tribute to all the hard work put forth by the players and the coaching staff. Everyone involved with Navy basketball has been committed to turning this thing around.”

Lange made a somewhat radical move by installing an up-tempo playing style that emphasized forcing turnovers on the defensive end and converting them into easy points on the offensive end. The Midshipmen sought to play at a fast pace, pushing the ball up-court and launching jumpers early in the shot clock. Lange employed a four-guard lineup in an effort to maximize quickness and ball-handling.

There were some growing pains along the way, but Navy’s unique style paid dividends this season in the form of a 16-13 overall record that featured a 9-5 mark and runner-up finish in the Patriot League. Both win totals were the most for the Midshipmen since the 2000-2001 campaign.

“Navy should be very proud of what it accomplished this season. Billy has done a great job with that program. They have become a difficult team to play because what they do is so different,” Holy Cross head coach Ralph Willard said.

“What Navy has done is tremendous. Billy put the pieces together, found the right combinations and gave his players freedom to play, freedom to make shots,” Bucknell head coach Pat Flannery said. “They have been able to find an interesting playing style that works for them.”

Lange, one of the youngest coaches at the Division I level at age 36, was proud to have been voted Coach of the Year in a league that features such successful and experienced peers as Flannery, Willard, Army’s Jim Crews and Lafayette’s Fran O’Hanlon.

“It’s very flattering to win this award and extremely humbling because of the immense respect I have for the other coaches in this league,” Lange said. “I’ve been blown away by the quality of coaching in the Patriot League. These guys make you work very hard night-in and night-out and I learn something from them in every game.”

Sprink was the catalyst of this season’s resurgence, leading the Patriot League in scoring with 21.2 points per game and ranking second in rebounding with a 6.3 average. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound swingman is the first Player of the Year selection for Navy since the school joined the Patriot League in 1991.

“We needed Greg to step up and do a lot of things for us this season and he responded. The burden Greg had to shoulder for this team was tremendous,” Lange said. “What makes this honor so meaningful is that it shows the coaches in the league had great respect for the way Greg played the game.”

Sprink, a native of Cardiff by the Sea, Cal., was recruited by the staff of previous Navy head coach Don DeVoe and attended the prep school. He reconsidered attending the academy after Lange replaced DeVoe, but was convinced by his parents to give it a shot.

“Greg and I didn’t recruit each other, but we have been stuck together on the same mission. We’ve had a great experience growing together and working together to build this program.”

Sprink ranks third on Navy’s all-time scoring list with 1,748 career points and is the school record-holder in 3-point field goals with 232. He ranks second in Navy history with a career free throw shooting percentage of .846. Tom Sprink saw the press release announcing the Patriot League Player of the Year and was first to inform his son.

“My dad called me on my cell phone and gave me the news. I was very happy and excited because I understand what a great honor this is,” Sprink said. “There are a lot of great players in this league and that makes this accomplishment even more special.”

Sprink was surprised to learn he was the first Patriot League Player of the Year from Navy, which captured five regular season and/or tournament championships under DeVoe with such standouts as Hassan Booker, Michael Heary, Brian Walker and Sitapha Savane.

“There have been some outstanding basketball players come through this institution and it means an awful lot for me to be the first chosen for this award,” Sprink said. “When I was first recruited to Navy, the slogan was ‘Restoring the Glory.’ Hopefully, I’ve done my part to help make that happen and make all the great former players proud of Navy basketball again.”

Meanwhile, Lange follows in the footsteps of DeVoe, who was named Patriot League Coach of the Year on three occasions (1994, 1997, 2000). Navy was picked to finish seventh in the eight-team league this season and wound up placing second, just one game behind regular season champion American. Lange directed a six-game winning streak down the stretch that briefly vaulted the Midshipmen into first place.

Harris, who averaged 14.4 points per game and led the team in assists (102) and steals (55), was another key figure in the turnaround. Junior guard Kaleo Kina teamed with Sprink and Harris to give the Mids a dangerous three-pronged scoring attack with plebes Garcia and Mark Veazey providing defense, rebounding and passing.

Lange signed a five-year contract when he was hired at Navy in 2004, meaning he has one year remaining. Athletic director Chet Gladchuk said the coach’s future would be addressed after the season and praised Lange for his performance to date.

“I’m proud of the progress the men’s basketball program has made and it’s a credit to the hard work of Billy and his staff. I recognize the time and effort they have expended to lay a foundation for success,” Gladchuk said.

Garcia becomes the 16th player in program history to earn All-Rookie honors after averaging 5.2 points and 4.1 rebounds in Patriot League games. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound native of Cypress, Texas is only the second freshman in Navy history to have accumulated at least 100 points, 100 rebounds, 30 assists and 25 rebounds in a season.

GreatAmerican · March 4, 2008, 7:13pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Tennis Team Home Wednesday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – After a brief two-match trip to the Carolinas, the Navy tennis team will return home Wednesday when the Midshipmen play host to Delaware in a 2 p.m. match. If weather permits, the match will be played outdoors on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy. Should poor weather force the match indoors it will instead be contested at the nearby Tose Family Tennis Center.

“We are excited to be back at home this Wednesday,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “We should be back to full health for the Delaware match. We will need to be aggressive in our approach to the match and fight for every point.”

Navy enters the match on a three-match losing streak – with those losses coming to perennial Ivy League standout Yale, No. 42 Clemson and No. 30 North Carolina State – and with a 9-5 record on the year. Delaware, meanwhile has posted a 1-1 record on the season.

GreatAmerican · March 5, 2008, 5:30am

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy sophomore attack Mary Ruttum has been named the Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Week, the league office announced on Tuesday. Ruttum joins goalkeeper Natalie Blandon as weekly Patriot League award winners, as Blandon won the initial goalkeeper of the week accolade on Feb. 26.

Ruttum, an Annapolis native, led Navy to a 21-5 victory over Niagara last Saturday with six points (5 g, 1 a). She also scooped up three ground balls and had one draw control. Ruttum scored three of Navy’s first five goals to start the offensive onslaught, and had 10 points (9 g, 1 a) through the first two games for the Midshipmen.

In Tuesday’s win over St. Francis (Pa.), Ruttum scored four points (3 g, 1 a) with two ground balls and one draw control. Ruttum currently ranks third on the team with 14 points, and her 12 goals is second on the squad.

Meanwhile, freshman Meg Decker (Catonsville, Md.) was named to the Patriot League weekly honor roll. Decker scored six goals against Niagara, and after Tuesday’s two-point (1 g, 1 a) performance, ranks fourth on the team in scoring with 13 points and third in goals with 11.

The Mids will be back in action this weekend with a pair of games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Navy will host Cincinnati at noon on Saturday and Saint Mary’s (Calif.) at noon on Sunday.

GreatAmerican · March 5, 2008, 5:39am

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Six different players scored hat tricks, and the Navy defense held St. Francis (Pa.) without a shot in routing the Red Flash, 24-0. The Mids move to 3-0 with the victory and have outscored their three opponents, 66-15, in their first three games as an NCAA Division I member. St. Francis (Pa.) fell to 0-2.

“I’m proud of the team and the way we played today,” said Navy head coach Cindy Timchal. “We kept our level of intensity and focus for most of the game today and played a lot of players. Every game we play is preparation for Patriot League and teaches us a little more about our team. We’re just looking to keep getting better every game, and we took another step in the right direction today.”

The Mids scored early and often, netting their first goal just 22 seconds into the contest on a Kaylene Klingenstein tally. The Mids would push their lead to 3-0 three minutes into the game, then scored three goals in an 18-second span to blow the game open.

Navy would manage goals 11 seconds apart for an 8-0 lead with 23:37 to play, before scoring again just eight seconds apart for a 10-0 advantage with 22:15 to play.

The Mids led at halftime, 17-0, while outshooting the Red Flash, 26-0, in the opening 30 minutes.

Navy scored seven more times in the final half for a 24-0 victory, including a pair of tallies by Brittany Amerau and Sarah Bushong.

Meanwhile, the Navy defense dominated the contest, holding St. Francis without a shot, and holding the Red Flash to convert just 3-of-21 clears. Navy also won 18 draw controls and forced 33 Red Flash turnovers.

Navy, meanwhile, accumulated 38 shots, picked up 29 ground balls to St. Francis’ 15 and had just 20 turnovers. Navy won 18 draw controls, led by Rawlick’s six.

Amanda Towey led Navy with eight points (1 g, 7 a), while Erin Rawlick added six points (4 g, 2 a). Freshman Katrina Nietsch tallied five points (3 g, 2 a), and Amerau, Mary Ruttum, Bushong and Klingenstein each scored three goals each.

Several of Navy’s marks during the game rank high in the NCAA single-game recordbook.

– Navy’s 17 assists were the third most in a single-game in NCAA history.

– Navy’s 41 points (24 g, 17 a) were the third most in a single-game in NCAA history.

– The 24-goal differential is tied for the eighth-largest margin in a single-game in NCAA history.

– Towey’s seven assists are tied for the eighth most in a single-game in NCAA history.

– Kaylene Klingenstein’s goal just 22 seconds into the game tied for the ninth-fastest goal to start a game in NCAA history.

– Lastly, Navy scored the third-fastest (seven seconds apart; 25:55 - Mary Ruttum, and 25:48 - Katrina Nietsch) and the eighth-fastest (eight seconds apart; 22:23 - Erin Rawlick, and 22:15 - Nietsch) consecutive goals in NCAA history.

“It was a good opportunity for everyone to get in and get some game action,” said Towey, who leads the Mids with 18 points, including 15 assists. “The assists come because my teammates are getting open and making plays. I guess it comes from me playing point guard in basketball and looking to get others involved. I’m just looking to get everyone involved.”

The Mids have now scored at least 21 goals in all three games and have beat their three foes by an average of 17 goals per game (22.0 to 5.0).

“We have really eased into our schedule, and gives us a chance to run our offense, and find out where we stand,” added Towey. “It’s good to get everyone in the same mindset to run the plays and know them.”

Navy will play a pair of games this weekend, by hosting fellow Division I newcomer, Cincinnati at noon on Saturday, then will host Saint Mary’s (Calif.) at noon on Sunday. Admission is free to all home Navy women’s lacrosse games.

GreatAmerican · March 5, 2008, 7:58am

Senior looking to lead Mids to title and automatic NCAA berth

By Kent Baker | Special to The Sun
4:01 PM EST, March 4, 2008

From any perspective, Greg Sprink’s senior season has been a satisfying experience.

This week, he became the first Navy player ever chosen as the Patriot League’s Player of the Year. He led the conference in scoring with a 21.2 average, shot 87 percent from the free-throw line and rose to No. 1 all-time among three-point shooters at the academy. Just as importantly, he matured into the type of leader who fortified his team even when his shots weren’t falling.

Moreover, with Sprink at the helm, the Midshipmen finally developed into a legitimate contender in the league with only a 73-62 loss in the final game at Colgate preventing them from taking the regular-season championship.

But the season won’t be completely fulfilling to him unless the team can capture the Patriot tournament title for the first time in a decade and gain an automatic berth in the 65-team NCAA lineup.

“Exactly,” said the native of Cardiff by the Sea, Calif. “There’s no doubt one of my goals even before being recruited was that we were going to make the NCAAs while I was here. It’s been a long rebuilding process; it took a while to get all the pieces together.”

The opportunity starts tomorrow night for second-seeded Navy (16-13, 9-5 league) at Alumni Hall when seventh-seeded Bucknell (11-18, 6-8) visits for a quarterfinal game. They split during the regular season with each winning on the home court.

Sprink was not recruited by current coach Billy Lange’s staff and was at the Naval Academy Prep School when Lange, the Patriot Coach of the Year, succeeded Don DeVoe. But Sprink, who also averaged 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, has been a mainstay of Lange’s growing process almost from his arrival in Annapolis.

He ideally fit the Lange system – a big (6 feet 5) guard who could shoot from long range, drive and kick it out and move the ball quickly. There were frustrating moments for both along the way as Navy struggled to reach .500 and grow into the Patriot League force it once was. But Sprink persevered through determined work and this year has been an all-around influence on a team with only one other senior.

“I think the area where I’ve matured a lot as a person and player is if I’m not scoring points, I can do a lot of other things to help the team,” said the squad’s captain. “Get other people shots, get rebounds, draw defenders. I try to do other little things. I get doubled quite a bit and that makes it tough every night to score. Sometimes it’s pretty hard to find shots.”

Despite all the defensive attention, Sprink scored 616 points during the regular season, fifth highest in school history. Those kinds of numbers have been reserved primarily for the man they called “The Admiral,” David Robinson.

Sprink will leave the academy this spring and go to familiar territory. His assignment will be on a frigate in San Diego, just 30 minutes south of his home. For now, the business is to attempt to go to a big dance.

“We had a rude awakening at Colgate,” he said. “So, we’re pretty pumped up about the tournament because we think we have a pretty good chance to win it.”

GreatAmerican · March 5, 2008, 11:32am

by Ron Snyder, The Examiner

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Let the Madness begin.

Navy’s game at 7 tonight against Bucknell in the Patriot League quarterfinals marks the first contest in what could be an historic two weeks for Baltimore area college basketball. Navy, along with Morgan State, UMBC and Loyola, all have a legitimate chance of winning their conference tournaments and automatically qualifying for the 65-team NCAA Tournament. No Baltimore program has made the tournament since Navy in 1998 and there hasn’t been two local schools qualify since Loyola and Navy accomplished the feat in 1994.

Navy coach Billy Lange said he is trying to make sure his team just has fun tonight after the Midshipmen finished the regular season 16-13 and in second place in the Patriot League. The success follows seven straight losing seasons and after Navy was predicted to finish seventh in the Patriot League in the preseason.

“Anything we have done in the past record-wise doesn’t matter now because any one of the eight teams in our league has a chance of winning this tournament,” Lange said. “Still, whatever happens Wednesday or the rest of the season, I feel like our program is better for the long term for the pressure this team handled to get to this point.”

UMBC has a little more time as it prepares for the America East Tournament with hopes of making the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the school’s 40-year history. The Retrievers (21-8) are the top seed in their tournament and have secured at least a berth in the National Invitational Tournament. They will play the winner of Stony Brook and Maine at noon Saturday at Binghamton¹s Events Center in Vestal, N.Y.

UMBC lost 58-57 Sunday at Hartford in the regular season finale, but aren’t dwelling on the defeat. The week between games will be especially beneficia
to senior guard Brian Hodges (15 ppg), who missed five games with a sprained ankle.

“I’ve been through three straight losing seasons here before this, so this season has been even more special for me,” Hodges said.

Loyola (18-13) is also trying to bounce back from a loss after Marist handed the Greyhounds an 82-64 setback Sunday. That defeat sent Loyola from first to fourth place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. That league’s tournament runs from Friday through Monday at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. Loyola will face fifth-seeded Fairfield (14-15) at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.

Among the remaining area programs, Towson (12-17) is the ninth seed in the 12-team Colonial Athletic Association and will play Hofstra at noon Friday at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Va. Morgan State (19-9) has clinched the top seed in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Tournament, but still must close out the regular season Thursday at Coppin State (12-19).

“It’s weird,” Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos said. “You have to win each game but you have to plan for the weekend. Half of you wants to win the game and move on, but 25 percent has to say, ‘How do you win all three?’”

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

GreatAmerican · March 5, 2008, 11:35am

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published March 04, 2008

Billy Lange faced a major rebuilding effort when he took over the Navy men’s
basketball program.