Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 10:09am

Team faces defending champ Holy Cross; UNC has Maryland feel

By Katherine Dunn | Sun reporter
March 13, 2008

Navy’s women’s lacrosse team has sailed through the first five games of its inaugural Division I season, but the competition cranks up this weekend when the Midshipmen open their Patriot League schedule.

The team has been winning by an average of 15 goals, but that scoring margin is unlikely to continue as two-time defending league champion Holy Cross comes to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis on Saturday.

“Obviously, our goal is to be as successful as possible in the Patriot League, but there are some good teams in there,” said Navy coach Cindy Timchal.

“Holy Cross has been to the NCAAs the last couple years. American, last year we lost to American badly in a scrimmage. There’s a new coaching staff at Colgate. We have to be ready to play at that Division I competitive level every time we step out on the field.”

The Midshipmen are averaging 20.4 goals per game while allowing just 5.4. Senior midfielder Amanda Towey leads Division I in assists with 18.

Sophomore midfielder Erin Rawlick (C. Milton Wright) was Patriot League Player of the Week after scoring 18 points. Caitlin Mandrin Hill (St. Mary’s), a freshman, earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after leading the team in ground balls (16) and caused turnovers (nine).

Things haven’t been going that well for Holy Cross, which is coming off an 11-8 loss to Colgate on Saturday in its Patriot League opener. The Crusaders have yet to win a game, but that doesn’t mean they will be an easy foe.

“Even though you’d think [any team] might underestimate us, in many respects they want to come here and do well against the Naval Academy. Nobody wants to lose to the first-year program,” Timchal said.

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 12:01pm

The Navy women’s lacrosse team looks to extend its season-opening winning streak to six games on Saturday as Holy Cross comes calling to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium for a 12:00 pm start … Navy enters the contest with a 5-0 record, while Holy Cross is 0-5 overall … the contest will be the first Patriot League game in school history for the Midshipmen … it will also be the final contest of a season-long six-game homestand.
Navy is riding a five-game winning streak after opening the season with five straight routs … Navy has won its first five games by an average of 15.0 goals per game, and have scored at least 18 goals in all five games … the Navy defense has also been stout, holding four of its five opponents to six or fewer goals.
As of Thursday morning (March 13), the Mids are one of eight teams nationally to be undefeated and just two other teams (Northwestern and Georgetown) have an undefeated record of 5-0 or better … the Mids are the lone Patriot League unbeaten.
In addition, Navy’s five-game winning streak is tied for the third-longest nationally (with Georgetown), behind just Northwestern (26) and Oregon (6).
Holy Cross, the 2006 and 2007 Patriot League champion, has stumbled out of the gates so far this year, posting an 0-5 record, and being outscored, 69-35 (13.80 - 7.00 per game) … the Crusaders dropped their league opener to Colgate on Saturday, 11-8 … Holy Cross has also lost to Massachusetts (9-5), Harvard (19-2), New Hampshire (16-7) and UC Davis (14-13) … all five of Holy Cross’ games have been on the road … Meg O’Leary leads the Crusaders with eight points (6 g, 2 a) … Kristine Corkum has six points (6 g) on the season … five different players have dished out two assists … Amy Martin has played all 300 minutes in goal, posting a 13.80 GAA and a .461 save percentage.

ON THE NCAA CHARTS
The Navy women’s lacrosse team is well-represented on the NCAA’s initial leaderboard, released on March 11 … the Mids are tops in the country in points scored (147), goals per game (20.40), goals allowed per game (5.40), scoring margin (+15.00) and win percentage (1.000 / tied with seven other teams) … in addition, the Mids are second in the country in draw controls won per game (17.40) and sixth in ground balls per game (23.6) … individually, several Mids rank in the top 50 of several categories.

MIDS IN ELITE COMPANY
Playing in its first season in school history, not many people knew what to expect of the Navy women’s lacrosse team. However, if the first five games are any indication, a special year could be in the making … through Tuesday, March 11, the Mids are just one of eight undefeated teams (Northwestern, Georgetown, Navy, Old Dominion, Princeton, Cornell, Towson and Harvard) … Navy’s five wins are tied for the most with Northwestern and Georgetown as the most wins nationally for any team that is undefeated … lastly, the Mids’ five-game winning streak is tied for the third longest nationally behind Northwestern (26) and Oregon (6).

HOME SWEET HOME
Playing in what is perhaps the finest facility in the nation, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the Mids are enjoying a definite home-field advantage … all five of Navy’s games so far this year have been played in Annapolis, and Navy has won all five by an average margin of 15.0 goals per game … coupled with the men’s team success at home, this year’s two Navy lacrosse teams are 8-0 at home … that bodes well for the Midshipmen women’s program, which will host 11 of their 16 games at the facility.

THE LAST TIME OUT
Playing its second game in two days and third in eight days, the Navy women’s lacrosse team showed no signs of rust, defeating Saint Mary’s (Calif.), 18-6, on a blustery afternoon on March 9 … the win pushed Navy’s record to 5-0 … Navy fell behind for just the second time all season, as the Gaels scored the game’s first goal … however, the Mids rattled off 12 straight goals and led at halftime, 12-2 … Saint Mary’s would get no closer than eight (13-5) the rest of the way … Erin Rawlick and Amanda Towey combined for 10 points (5 g, 5 a), while freshman Katrina Nietsch scored four goals.

FAST FACTS
Navy has held four of its five opponents to single-digit goals.
The Mids have won all five games by at least 11 goals.
Navy has led at halftime in every game by at least five goals … Navy’s average margin of lead at halftime has been 10.8 goals per game.
Seven different players have produced hat tricks this year, led by Erin Rawlick (4), Meg Decker and Katrina Nietsch (4).
Navy has scored goals within 30 seconds of each other 12 different times this year.
Amanda Towey’s seven assists against St. Francis (Pa.) were the ninth most in a single-game in NCAA history.
The Mids scored goals seven seconds apart and eight seconds apart against St. Francis, the fourth- and ninth-fastest consecutive goals by one team in NCAA history.
Navy’s 17 assists and 41 points against St. Francis were the third most in a game in NCAA history, respectively.
Lastly, Navy’s 20 draw controls against Longwood were the ninth most in a game in NCAA history.

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 12:04pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy rifle team begins its quest for its first NCAA title this weekend as the Mids will be one of eight teams vying for the title this weekend at West Point. Competition will begin on Friday with the smallbore discipline and will conclude on Saturday with the air rifle competition. A total of 48 shooters will be competing in individual and team matches in smallbore (.22 caliber) three-position and air rifle events. Competitors will fire 60 shots in the smallbore three-position event and 60 shots in the air rifle event. Navy will be joined by Army, Alaska, West Virginia, Kentucky, Nebraska, Nevada and TCU.

Navy, which is appearing in its 17th straight NCAA Championship and its 23rd overall appearance since 1980, have finished in the top three three times, including second in 1990 and 1999. The Mids will enter the championship with the fourth-highest average of the eight teams competing.

“This is what we strive for every year and I am proud of the team for the way they battled to get to where they are entering this weekend,” said Navy head coach Bill Kelley. “We are going to leave it all on the line and see what we can do. Everyone has a clean slate and it doesn’t really matter how you shot during the course of the season. We have had strong practices and I am confident that will carry over into the weekend.”

The Mids will open competition with the smallbore discipline on Friday. Navy, which has struggled at times in smallbore, needs a good start on Friday to give it a shot for the national title on Saturday (air rifle). Navy has posted a 2309 in the smallbore discipline this year, but shot just a 2267 two weeks ago in the MAC Championships against Akron. The Mids will be led by last year’s NCAA smallbore champion, Josh Albright, as well as senior Monica Amagna and freshman Chris Burleson. Albright averages a 577.5 in the discipline this year, while Burleson and Amagna average 568.5 and 568.1, respectively. Freshman Alison Lankes (569.0) will likely round out the Navy roster for smallbore.

“We have to get off to a good start and perform well in smallbore on Friday,” said Kelley. “We just can’t dig ourselves a deep hole and hope to rally in air rifle. Our air rifle has been as good as anyone in the country, so we need a good smallbore performance to give us a shot on Saturday. There are a lot of good teams in the field and digging ourselves a hole on Friday could really cost us. If we are within striking distance entering Saturday, I feel good about our chances.”

Navy’s air rifle, however, has carried the team all season long. Navy boasts a 2329.4 team average into the event, ranking among the NCAA leaders all season long. Leading the charge is junior Lisa Kunzelman. The Constantia, N.Y., native is considered one of the favorites for the NCAA title, owning a stellar 589.5 air rifle average, which at its current pace, would set the new school record, surpassing Matt Albright’s average of 588.9 in 2004-05. Kunzelman owns seven of Navy’s top eight scores in the discipline, including five scores of 590 or better and a season-high 594 against Army on Feb. 9. She has recorded three of the top seven air rifle scores in school history.

Kunzelman will be aided by Alrbight (581.0), Burleson (580.7) and Amagna (579.1) in the air rifle discipline.

In addition to the team and individual titles, the National Rifle Association will announce its annual selection of All-American awards during the competition. Albright and Kunzelman are both two-time All-Americans.

Live scoring of the entire championship can be found at [GoArmySports.comThe</a> Official Web site of Army Athletics](<a href=“http://www.goarmysports.com%5DGoArmySports.com%C2%97The”>http://www.goarmysports.com), by clicking on the rifle page and then the 2008 NCAA Rifle Championship box on the right side of the page.

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 12:06pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, March 13, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Divers to Compete at NCAA Zone ‘A’ Meet

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Members of the Navy diving teams will travel to Buffalo, N.Y., this weekend to compete in the NCAA Zone ‘A’ Diving Championship. The three-day meet that runs Friday through Sunday is one of five sites across the country that will determine the field of divers for the upcoming NCAA National Championship Meets.

Competing for Navy this weekend at the University at Buffalo Natatorium will be Katie Griffin (Sr., Ellicott City, Md.), Jon Galinski (Jr., Phoenix, Md.), Olaf Olson (Fr., Bainbridge Island, Wash.) and Adam Niekras (Sr., Liverpool, N.Y.), all of whom are vying for their first trip to the national championship.

“We’re going to have to dive really well, but I think all four of our divers will be in the mix for a berth to the NCAA Championship,” said Navy diving coach Joe Suriano.

Griffin finished the 2007-08 regular season with an undefeated record and won both boards at the Patriot League Championship for the second-straight year to earn the second of her back-to-back female diver-of-the-meet accolades. Galinski matched Griffin’s performance at the Patriot League Meet and was named as the event’s male diver of the meet, while Olson shared diver-of-the-meet honors at last week’s Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championship. Niekras, meanwhile, finished among the top-four divers on both boards at the Patriot League Championship and among the top-12 competitors in each event at the EISL Championship.

Competition begins Friday (1 p.m.) with the women’s one meter and the men’s three meter events, Saturday’s session (1 p.m.) features the men’s one meter and the women’s three meter, while the men’s and women’s 10-meter platform event is slated for Sunday (11 a.m.).

A total of five men and five women will advance out of Zone ‘A’ to the national meet. The women’s championship will be held March 20-22 in Columbus, Ohio, with the men’s meet taking place March 27-29 in Federal Way, Wash.

Already qualified for the women’s meet is Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.), who posted the first ‘A’ cut qualifying time in both Navy and Patriot League history with her clocking of 22.37 in the 50 freestyle. That performance places her 14th in the event, while her time of 49.91 in the 100 freestyle places her 56th in the field.

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 12:07pm

Navy Sports Magazine Show Airs Tonight On 1430 WNAV With Navy Head Football Coach Ken Niumatalolo

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The Navy Sports Magazine Show, presented by Comcast, will air tonight at 6:30 p.m. on 1430 WNAV in Annapolis. The weekly 30-minute show is hosted by Bob Socci and will feature interviews with Navy student-athletes and coaches. This week’s guest is Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo.

The Navy Sports Magazine Show will also air on 1050 WFED ([FederalNewsRadio</a> - WFED: Home Page](<a href=“http://www.federalnewsradio.com%5DFederalNewsRadio”>http://www.federalnewsradio.com)) in Washington, D.C. at 12 noon on Saturday. Navy All-Access will also archive the show and it will be available for subscribers every Friday ([NavySports.com</a> - Default - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://navysports.cstv.com/)%5DNavySports.com”>http://navysports.cstv.com/)).

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 1:17pm

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Navy senior water polo player Eric Gardiner is one of 58 student-athletes nationally and just one of two collegiate male water polo players to be awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the NCAA announced recently. The scholarships are awarded to student-athletes who excel academically and athletically and who are in their final year of intercollegiate athletics competition. The Association awards up to 174 postgraduate scholarships annually, 87 for men and 87 for women.

“It is an honor to represent both Navy Water Polo and the Naval Academy in being named a recipient for a scholarship like this,” said Gardiner. “Every student-athlete works very hard, trying to balance school and athletics, especially when they are traveling and in season. I was lucky enough to have a team and coaches that supported my academic endeavors as well as my athletic ones. I am very appreciative of that.”

Gardiner, a senior utility player from Upland, Calif., appeared in 31 games with eight starts for the Midshipmen this past fall. He finished the season with 19 points (10 g, 9 a) and ended his career with 41 points (27 g, 14 a). However, it is his contributions out of the pool that are perhaps most impressive.

He owns a 4.00 cumulative GPA in comparative politics and has received an “A” in every course he has taken, while being on the Superintendent’s and Commandant’s List each semester while at Navy. Following the fall semester, he ranked first in the senior class on the Academic Order of Merit and fourth on the Military Order of Merit. He received a prestigious Marshall Scholarship for graduate study in the United Kingdom for two years. Starting in September, he will be studying at Queen’s University in Belfast, pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Terrorism, Violence and Security. Following a year at Queen’s, Gardiner plans to study a second year at either Cambridge or Oxford, pursuing a degree in international relations. Gardiner received a Special Warfare (SEALs) service selection, and after his graduate education in the United Kingdom, will head to Coronado, Calif., to go through BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition School) training.

“Eric is perhaps the best student the water polo program has ever produced here at Navy, and probably one of the top two or three students here right now,” said Navy head coach Mike Schofield. “We are extremely proud of what he has accomplished and looking forward to what he will accomplish in the future.”

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association’s most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. For more information about the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, go to the Diversity and Inclusion link under the About the NCAA tab at [NCAA</a> - National Collegiate Athletic Association](<a href=“http://www.ncaa.org%5DNCAA”>http://www.ncaa.org).

GreatAmerican · March 13, 2008, 3:19pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Eight home games, including a pair against well-established professional club teams, dot the 2008 Navy men’s soccer spring schedule. The Mids will open its spring campaign with a contest against Crystal Palace FC on March 26, and will conclude with their annual Alumni Weekend on April 19. All home games will be played at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis.

After opening with a 6:00 pm tilt against Crystal Palace on March 26, the Mids will host a pair of games on March 29. At 10:00 am, Navy will battle George Washington, following by a 1:00 pm kickoff against James Madison. The Colonials went 9-8-2 last year, including a 3-4-2 mark in the competitive Atlantic 10. Meanwhile, James Madison went 7-9-3 overall a year ago, and 6-5-0 in the Colonial Athletic Association.

The next weekend (April 5), Navy hosts traditional powers Georgetown and Penn State at 11:30 am and 3:00 pm. Georgetown was 7-11-1 a year ago with a 5-5-1 Big East record. Penn State went 7-8-4 in 2007 with a 2-2-2 Big 10 record.

Navy will hit the road the next weekend (April 12) for games in the Richmond area. At 10:00 am, Navy takes on William & Mary in Williamsburg, Va., while heading to the University of Richmond on the same day for a 2:00 pm kickoff.

Navy’s spring campaign will conclude with a pair of games for its annual Alumni Weekend on April 19. At 10:00 am, the Mids will take on Delaware and will be followed with the Danny Humphreys Alumni Game at noon. Navy will then close out its spring season with a contest against Aegean FC at 2:30 pm. Men’s soccer alumni interested in playing in the Alumni Game should call Patrick Kennedy at 410-293-5542 for more information.

The Mids posted a 7-8-2 record last year that featured a 1-0 win at No. 20-ranked West Virginia on Oct. 16. Head coach Rich Miranda will welcome back six letterwinners for next year’s squad.

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 5:52am

Navy def. Bethune-Cookman, 7-0

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, March 13, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Posts 7-0 Win in Tennis

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Navy tennis team closed its series of matches on its spring break trip to Florida by posting a 7-0 victory over Bethune-Cookman Thursday at the City Island Tennis Complex in Daytona Beach. Previously on their trip, the Mids posted a 4-3 win over Appalachian State and lost a 7-0 decision to ninth-ranked North Carolina.

“We played very well today,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “We have played great in doubles all season and today was no exception. The top half of our singles lineup also had a strong day.”

Navy (12-6) lost only three games in quickly winning the three doubles matches from Bethune-Cookman. Navy’s No. 3 team of Nick Birger (Fr., Belleville, Ill.) and Jason Hill (Jr., Marietta, Ga.) did not lose a game in its win over Kristofer Martin and Jerome Ward, while Navy’s No. 1 team of Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary’s, Ga.) and Johnny Waters (Jr., Papillion, Neb.) posted an 8-1 win over Stefan James and Emil Vassilev to run its winning streak to four matches.

In singles, the top three players in Navy’s lineup lost a combined 10 games in recording straight-set victories at each flight. Nelms, who posted a combined record of 5-1 on the trip, recorded a 6-2, 6-0 win over Vassilev at No. 1 singles, Waters tallied a 6-3, 6-3 win over Christian Cruz at No. 2 singles and Hill posted a 6-0, 6-2 win over James at No. 3 singles.

Also picking up singles victories for Navy on the day were Ramsey Lemaich (So., Danville, Calif.) at No. 4, team captain Alex James (Sr., Visalia, Calif.) at No. 5 and Owen Bullard (Fr., Concord, N.C.) at No. 6. Lemaich and James both won their respective matches in straight sets, while Bullard posted a 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (13-11) win over Martin.

Navy will now return home for a pair of matches next week against Penn (Wed., March 19) and Richmond (Sat., March 22). Weather permitting, both matches will be contested outdoors at the U.S. Naval Academy.

“We are very eager for the opportunity to face a talented team in Penn,” said Officer. “We will have to play extremely hard and concentrate well to have success against them.”

Navy (12-6) def. Bethune-Cookman (2-8), 7-0
Doubles – Navy wins the doubles point (match finish order: 3-1-2)
1 - Nelms / Waters (N) def. James / Vassilev, 8-1
2 - James / Lemaich (N) def. Cruz / Jackson, 8-2
3 - Nick Birger / Hill (N) def. Martin / Ward, 8-0
Singles (match finish order: 1-3-5-4-2-6)
1 - Nate Nelms (N) def. Emil Vassilev, 6-2, 6-0
2 - Johnny Waters (N) def. Christian Cruz, 6-3, 6-3
3 - Jason Hill (N) def. Stefan James, 6-0, 6-2
4 - Ramsey Lemaich (N) def. Yannick Jackson, 6-2, 6-4
5 - Alex James (N) def. Jerome Ward, 7-5, 6-1
6 - Owen Bullard (N) def. Kristofer Martin, 6-3, 3-6, 1-0 (13-11)

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 5:53am

For Immediate Release
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Powers Past UMES, 20-6

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. The Navy baseball team slugged 10 extra-base hits and 24 base knocks on the day to defeat Maryland-Eastern Shore, 20-6, on Thursday afternoon at Hawks Stadium. The Midshipmen jumped back above the .500 mark with a 7-6 mark, while the Hawks dropped to 0-14.

The 20 runs scored are the most by the Midshipmen since March 22, 2003, when they plated 24 runs against Hartford. The 24 base hits are the most since they tallied 24 hits against Bucknell in the 2003 Patriot League Tournament.

Our overall offensive production was good today, stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. We were able to work our way into good hitting counts. Early in the game when we were down, the offense was able to come up with some big two-out hits.

Navys offensive outburst came despite having traveled during the night to the Eastern Shore on Wednesday after playing 16th-ranked Virginia yesterday in Charlottesville, Va.

We did a real good job of handling the travel over the last-two days, said Kostacopoulos. Playing in two different venues, I think we handled both very well. The teams focus has been good in both games.

Maryland-Eastern Shore jumped out to 3-0 lead after one inning of play before the Midshipmen took the lead for good in the second en route to 13 unanswered runs.

In the second, Jeff Bland (Fr./Basking Ridge, N.J.) belted a towering solo shot to left to put the Mids on the board. With two outs and runners on first and second, Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) smacked a RBI-double down the right-field line. One batter later, Navy took a 4-3 lead with a Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) two-run single to right-center.

The Midshipmen exploded for nine runs on eight hits with 14 batters coming to the plate to put the game out of reach in the third inning. Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) smashed a 410-foot shot over the centerfield fence to spark the big inning. Kendall Bolt (So./Stockton, Calif.) followed with a triple to the gap in left-center and would later score on a single. All told, eight different Navy hitters scored a run in the inning, with Bolt coming around again later in the inning on another RBI-single from Mike Guadagnini (Fr./Virginia Beach, Va.).

One frame later, Wright smacked his second double of the game before Speciale pounded a two-run blast over the fence in left-center. Speciales third round-tripper of the year extended Navys lead to 15-4.

In the sixth, Speciale tripled to left-center and would cross home plate on a Thomas Hamilton (Sr./Houston, Texas) run-scoring single. Hamilton would eventually score on a Bolt single to center. The Midshipmen brought home two more runs in the seventh and one in the ninth to account for their 20-run afternoon.

Each Navy starter recorded a run and a hit on the day as 11 different Mids scored a run, 11 posted a base hit and 10 drove in a run.

Guadagnini became the second Navy freshman to record a four-hit performance this year, as he finished 4-for-6 with three runs scored, two RBIs and a walk. Wright, Speciale, Hamilton and Bland each had three hits on Thursday afternoon. Speciale came just a double shy of hitting for the cycle, while Bland needed a triple to achieve the rare feat.

Making his first-collegiate start, Chip Tengler (Fr./Alamo, Calif.) allowed six runs, four of which were earned, and six hits over five innings with one walk and four strikeouts to earn his first-career win. Jonathan Berkowitz (So./Parkland, Fla.) fired two scoreless innings of relief, followed by Ridge Alkoniss (So./Claremont, Calif.) two innings of shutout baseball with two strikeouts.

Chip really settled in after the first to give us five innings, which is all we needed him to do in a game like today, stated Kostacopoulos. This was the best Jonathan has thrown all year he had good velocity. Ridge struggled with his control a little bit but settled in and did a good job.

The Midshipmen head back to Annapolis tonight to host their second round-robin tournament in as many weekends. Navy will open its home weekend against Monmouth tomorrow at 3 p.m. Live stats for all of Navys home games will be available via GameTracker on <a href=“http://www.NavySports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.NavySports.com(.)</a>

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 10:58am

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, March 14, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Picked Second in League Rowing Poll

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Two-time defending champion Bucknell placed first and back-to-back runner-up Navy finished in second place in the Patriot League’s 2008 women’s rowing preseason poll of the league’s coaches and sports information offices, the league announced this week.

Bucknell, winners of the team championship in both 2006 and '07, tallied 32 points and eight first-place votes to head the list of the five league teams. Navy, the winner of the league’s inaugural team title in 2005, garnered the remaining two first-place nods and totaled 25 points in the voting to finish in second place. Colgate, the third-place team at last year’s championship, was picked to repeat its position from a year ago with 19 points, Lehigh was tabbed to finish in fourth place this spring after accruing 14 points in the poll and Holy Cross was picked for fifth place with its total of 10 points. The Mountain Hawks and the Crusaders tied for fourth place at the 2007 championship.

The Midshipmen finished second to the Bison in each of the three racing flights and in the overall team points competition at last year’s championship. Navy returns seven of the nine members of its varsity boat that took to the water in the league’s regatta last year, but only a combined total of four members from last year’s second varsity (2 of 9) and varsity four (2 of 5) crews return for the Mids this year.

The 2008 championship will be held April 27 on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J.

2008 Preseason Poll

Bucknell, 32 pts. (8 first-place votes)
Navy, 25 (2)
Colgate, 19
Lehigh, 14
Holy Cross, 10

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 11:01am

For: Immediate Release
Sent: March 14, 2008
Contact: Robb Dunn (410) 293-8776

Army-Navy Rugby Match On April 5 Moved To 6 p.m.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.–The Navy Men’s Rugby match against Army on Saturday, April 5 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium has been moved to 6 p.m. Tickets will be on sale on the day of the game only at stadium box office, which is located in the North End Zone of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for youth under 18, and midshipmen and cadets will be admitted free to the game. There is also a $5 charge for parking at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 7:44pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, March 14, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Mids Finish Opening Day of Zone Diving Meet

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Three Mids placed among the top-10 divers in their respective event Friday at the NCAA Zone ‘A’ Diving Championship held at the University at Buffalo Natatorium in Buffalo, N.Y. The event is one of five sites across the country that will determine the field of divers for the upcoming NCAA Championship.

Navy’s Katie Griffin (Sr., Ellicott City, Md.) placed 10th on the women’s one meter Friday, while Olaf Olson (Fr., Bainbridge Island, Wash.) and Jon Galinski (Jr., Phoenix, Md.) placed fourth and sixth, respectively, on the men’s three meter. Additionally, Adam Niekras (Sr., Liverpool, N.Y.) finished in 17th place on the men’s three meter.

“Jon was right in the mix after completing his first list of dives, but he missed a couple on his second list that took him out of the running,” said Navy diving coach Joe Suriano. “Olaf also dove really well. Katie is a better diver on both the three meter and the platform, so her more competitive days are ahead of her.”

Pitt’s Alex Volovetski won the men’s three-meter event with an overall score of 771.55 points. Olson totaled 652.80 points, Galinski tallied 611.80 points and Niekras accrued 486.20 points.

Drexel’s Katie Hynes was the top finisher on the women’s one meter Friday with a total score of 599.05 points. Griffin tallied 467.50 points in her 10th-place showing.

Saturday’s competition will feature the men’s one meter and the women’s three meter, with the 10-meter platform event for both men and women slated to take place Sunday. A total of five men and five women will advance out of Zone ‘A’ to the national championship.

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 10:00pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, March 14, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Harris Homers Twice, Mids Defeat Monmouth, 6-3

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Navy designated hitter Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) belted two home runs to lift the Midshipmen to a 6-3 baseball victory over Monmouth on Friday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen improved to 8-6 on the year, while the Hawks saw their mark fall to 2-7.

Harris became the first Navy player since Tony Mauro against Lafayette on April 3, 1999, to hit two home runs in the same game in Annapolis. Harris hit his first home run of the year yesterday in a 20-6 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore. Todays two-longball performance moved him into sole possession of seventh place on the career home runs list with 13.

Mitch has a presence in the lineup that we needed and have enjoyed since he came back, stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. He may not have had the ball fall right away for him, but he was certainly making good contact. Today, he gave us a big effort in leading us to a win.

Navy jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as Harris sent a Brent Brach offering onto the hill over the left field fence. The Midshipmen pushed the lead to 4-0 in the third on a Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) RBI-double and a Kendall Bolt (So./Stockton, Calif.) sacrifice fly.

The Hawks chipped away at the Midshipmen lead, plating two runs and one in the fifth against Navy starter Oliver Drake (So./Gardner, Mass.). However, the one-run margin would be the closest Monmouth could get, as the relief work of Chris Murray (So./Navarre, Fla.) and JD Melton (So./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) fired five innings of scoreless work.

Murray earned the win to improve to 2-0 on the year, as he scattered three hits and one walk with three strikeouts over four innings. Murray has not allowed a run in five appearances this spring, a total of 14.1 innings with 15 strikeouts. Melton came on with one runner on in the ninth and got the final-three outs to pick up his second save of the year. Fridays save pushed Meltons career total at Navy to 11, tying him for the program record with former closer Ryan Hefner (2003-06).

Chris settled the game down for us when Monmouth started stringing some things together, said Kostacopoulos. He did a great job in the fifth inning and got us out of a huge jam by almost exactly how you draw it up. He has given us great relief work all season. I have been real impressed by him.

Drake struggled with his command on Friday, as he walked four and gave up eight hits over four innings with four strikeouts. However, the Navy sophomore came up with the key pitch in several spots early in the contest, as he allowed only three runs and stranded eight runners on base over the first-four frames. Monmouth left 13 runners on base in the game, while Navy only had three runners left on.

You really have to point to the left-on-base total for the game, stated Kostacopoulos. That was truly the difference to our pitchers credit, they got the big outs when we needed it.

Harris provided some insurance in the eighth inning, as he smashed a two-run shot just to the right of the 397-foot sign in straightaway centerfield.

Harriss performance in the cleanup spot highlighted a day in which Navys 2-3-4 hitters combined to go 6-for-11 with five runs scored. Speciale went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in the No. 2 spot, followed by Thomas Hamiltons (Sr./Houston, Texas) 2-for-4 effort at the plate.

Things are starting to get better for us offensively, said Kostacopoulos. We have a better feel for our lineup than during our first-10 games of the year.

The Midshipmen will play their fourth game in as many days when they host Maine (5-9) tomorrow in a 2:30 p.m. tilt. Live stats for all of Navys home games are available via GameTracker on <a href=“http://www.NavySports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.NavySports.com(.)</a>

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 10:01pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, March 14, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Golf Team Ties Cal State Monterey Bay

SALINAS, Calif. – The Navy golf team concluded its spring break trip to Northern California by tying Cal State Monterey Bay in a match play contest between the two teams Friday at the Corral de Tierra Country Club on California’s Monterey Peninsula. Both teams won four matches.

Recording wins on the day for Navy were Ben Hayes (Fr., Carmichael, Calif.), Josh Ziske (Fr., Camarillo, Calif.), John Montemayor (Jr., Montclair, Va.) and Erich Schoen (Sr., Sylvania, Ohio).

The Mids will continue their spring season when Navy takes part in the George Washington Invitational March 21-22 at Bethany Beach, Del.

Navy 4, CSUMB 4 (match scores currently unavailable)
Ben Hayes (N) def. Luke Rayfield
Billy Moon (MB) def. Mike Harrigan
Josh Ziske (N) def. Bobby Campbell
David Staszko (MB) def. Robert Merkert
Scott Yeakel (MB) def. Ryan Sload
John Montemayor (N) def. Martin Hardenberger
Ricky Stockton (MB) def. David Miller
Erich Schoen (N) def. John Jackson

GreatAmerican · March 14, 2008, 10:02pm

WEST POINT, N.Y. The Navy rifle team scored a 2268 on the first day of the NCAA Championships during Fridays smallbore discipline to finish seventh out of eight teams after day one. Army leads the two-day event after shooting a 2318, and four other teams are within 13 points of the front-running Black Knights.

While we were seventh, we shot about our season averages, said Navy head coach Bill Kelley. But this is the NCAA Championships and you have to shoot well to compete and show some improvement. We werent able to do that today and it cost us in the team race. We just had a very average day.

Senior Josh Albright, last years NCAA smallbore champion, fired a 577 to lead Navy. Senior Monica Amagna scored a 570, while freshmen Chris Burleson and Alison Lankes totaled a 566 and a 555, respectively.

TCU and Alaska are tied for second with a 2312, while Nebraska and West Virginia are close behind with a 2308 and 2305, respectively. Kentucky totaled a 2298 for sixth place and Nevada rounded out the team scoring with a 2257.

Armys Chris Abalo cruised to the individual title, by firing a 588, then adding a 99.6 in the finals to win the title by over five points.

The Mids will compete in the air rifle competition tomorrow.

Air rifle has been our strength, so hopefully we can put up a good score and move up in the standings, said Kelley.

GreatAmerican · March 15, 2008, 5:48pm

For: Immediate Release
Sent: March 15, 2008
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Mandrin Hills Goal Lifts Navy Over Holy Cross, 12-11

ANNAPOLIS, Md.Freshman defender Caitlin Mandrin Hills (Annapolis, Md.) goal with 2:57 left in the game gave Navy (6-0, 1-0) a 12-11 victory over two-time defending Patriot League Champion Holy Cross (0-6, 0-2) Saturday afternoon in the Patriot League debut for the Midshipmen.

Holy Cross had several chances to tie the game in the final minutes, including a free-position opportunity by freshman midfielder Meg OLeary that the Crusaders chose to run a play out of instead of shooting. The Navy defense was able to pressure the Crusaders into a turnover with 20 seconds left and the ground ball was picked up by Mandin Hill to secure the victory for the Midshipmen.

This was a very special win for our program, said Navy head coach Cindy Timchal. We showed a great deal of toughness when the game was on the line. We let the lead slip away from us, but we showed signs of a champion by responding to their challenge.

The Midshipmen dominated the game for the first 30 minutes, taking an 11-6 lead with 18:10 left in the contest on a rocket shot from freshman midfielder Katrina Nietsch (New Canaan, Conn.) from the right wing. The Nietsch goal capped a 5-1 run by the Mids and it looked like Navy would cruise to their sixth-consecutive victory.

Holy Cross, however, had other ideas and showed the heart of a champion by responding with five-consecutive goals over the next 13 minutes to tie the game at 11 on a free-position goal by Katie Gardner with 5:13 left.

Holy Cross showed why they are the defending champions, said Timchal. They never quit. They were very motivated to come in here and beat us.

Holy Cross won the draw control after Gardners goal and it appeared, with all the momentum on their side, that the Crusaders would take their first lead of the game.

The Navy defense was able to rise to the challenge and forced an errant pass that was picked up by senior midfielder Amanda Towey (Smithtown, N.Y.). Towey threw a beautiful pass that sailed nearly across the entire width of the field to Mandrin Hill, who caught the ball at midfield, split two Holy Cross defenders and took the ball all the way to the goal where she leaped over two defenders and fired a shot past goalie Amy Martin to give Navy the win.

I saw an opening and I just went for it, said Mandrin Hill. Today was our first real challenge and we made a lot of mistakes, but it was a good learning experience and the only thing that matters is we were able to win the game.

Sophomore midfielder Erin Rawlick (Forest Hill, Md.) continues to be a scoring machine for the Midshipmen, tallying four goals on just six shots to increase her team-high total to 24. Freshman midfielder Meg Decker (Catonsville, Md.) scored three goals and dished out Navys only assist of the day, while Nietsch and Mandrin Hill scored two goals each.

I thought that everybody stepped up and contributed today, said Rawlick. We were able to dig down deep and stop their run when we really had too. It was the first time this team has been challenged and it was good to see us rise to the occasion.

Eight of Holy Cross 17 turnovers were forced by the Midshipmen, with Mandrin Hill causing three and Decker two. Nietsch, Mandrin Hill and sophomore attack Mary Ruttum (Annapolis, Md.) picked up three ground balls apiece, while Decker won four of Navys 11 draw controls.

Senior Natalie Blandon (Rockville, Md.) was sensational in goal for the Midshipmen, coming up with nine saves, several of them from point blank range. Blandon held Holy Cross to just 4-7 shooting on free-position shots.

This win will give us some credibility, said Blandon. People know that Holy Cross is a good team and to be on their level in our first year says some amazing things about this program.

Navy will go on the road for the first time all year next Saturday afternoon when the Mids travel to Hamilton, N.Y. to take on the Colgate Red Raiders in a 1 p.m. contest. Colgate defeated Holy Cross last week, 11-8. Navy is one of just five Division I teams still unbeaten joining Northwestern, Old Dominion, Princeton and Cornell on the exclusive list.

Scoring by Period
1 2 F
Holy Cross 4 7 11
Navy 6 6 12

Holy Cross Goals: Bolduc-3, Corkum-2, Boylan-2, Gardner-2, Archambault-1, OLeary-1
Holy Cross Assists: Bolduc-1, Scanlon-1

Navy Goals: Rawlick-4, Decker-3, Nietsch-2, Mandrin Hill-2, Towey-1
Navy Assists: Decker-1

Shots
Holy Cross-24
Navy-30

Ground Balls
Holy Cross-15
Navy-17

Draw Controls
Holy Cross-14
Navy-11

Clears
Holy Cross-9/14
Navy-15/15

Free Position
Holy Cross-4/7
Navy-2/4

Saves
Holy Cross-8
Navy-9

Fouls
Holy Cross-34
Navy-30

Turnovers
Holy Cross-17
Navy-15

GreatAmerican · March 15, 2008, 9:35pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Harris Homers in Third-Straight Game, Navy Defeats Maine, 5-4

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Navy designated hitter Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) homered for the third-straight game and belted a go-ahead triple in the seventh to help the Midshipmen to a 5-4 victory over Maine on Saturday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Midshipmen won their third-straight contest to improve to 9-6 on the year, while the Black Bears lost their fourth-consecutive game to dip to 5-10.

Today was a great college baseball game and it was good to come out on the positive side, stated third-year Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos, who coached Maine to two NCAA Tournament appearances in his nine years in Orono before taking over in Annapolis. I still have a ton of friends over there (at Maine). It was nice to play a good game against them.

Harris became the first player in program history to record a home run in three-straight games twice during his career. The Navy cleanup hitter belted his first home run of the year at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Thursday before hitting a pair on Friday against Monmouth and one against Maine on Saturday. Harris smashed a home run in three-consecutive games last year during a series sweep of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. The only other player in school history to go deep in three-straight contests is Mark Zematis, who achieved the feat against East Carolina in 2000.

Mitch is an exceptional athlete that does some things that sometimes doesnt show up in the box score, stated Kostacopoulos. Hes always fighting out there you need a guy like that. He just means that much to us and has been all over the baseball since his return to the lineup.

Navy fell into a 2-0 hole after two and a half innings, but avoided further damage with some clutch pitching. After Maine had runners on the corners and nobody out with its second run of the game already scored, Navy starter Mark McCoy (Sr./Parkland, Fla.) worked his way out of the tenuous spot unscathed with a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts.

The Midshipmen carried that momentum into the bottom half of the frame, taking a 3-2 lead. Renaldo Hollins (Sr./Virginia Beach, Va.) tripled down the line and came home to score on a Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) single through the left side. Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) followed with a single on a hit-and-run before Thomas Hamilton (Sr./Houston, Texas) plated Wright on a single to center. Speciale would give Navy its first lead of the game when he crossed home plate on a Jeff Bland (Fr./Basking Ridge, N.J.) single through the left side.

Navy extended its lead to 4-2 in the fifth, when Harris smashed a 2-0 offering from Maine starter Joe Miller over the fence in deep centerfield, approximately 410 feet.

Maine would not go quietly, as it rallied to tie the game at four in the seventh and chase McCoy out of the contest with one out in the inning and a runner on first. However, Navy closer JD Melton (So./Myrtle Beach, S.C.) induced an inning ending double play to keep the game tied.

Once again, Navy carried that energy from the half-inning before to take the lead, this time for good. Hamilton drew a one-out walk before Harris delivered a triple to the gap in right-center on a 0-2 count to give the Mids a 5-4 advantage.

Melton got into some trouble in the eighth inning, as the Black Bears produced back-to-back one-out singles to put runners on first and second. However, Maines lead runner was gunned down by Bland at third base on an attempted double-steal for the second out of the inning. The Navy reliever followed with a groundout to end the eighth and three-straight groundouts in the ninth to preserve the victory.

Melton was credited for the win on Saturday, as he did not allow a run or a walk in 2.2 innings on the hill to improve his record to 1-1. The right-hander threw only 26 pitches and saw his ERA drop to 1.08 on the year following his performance against the Black Bears.

JD has had better command this year, stated Kostacopoulos. Hes been able to bring the ball into left-handed hitters more this season. We havent used him too much this year, but we have really needed him in each of the last-two days.

McCoy did not factor in the decision, but was solid for the Midshipmen. He lasted 6.1 innings and scattered nine hits and four runs with no walks and four strikeouts over a 97-pitch afternoon.

Mark did a great job he did what we wanted to see out of him, said Kostacopoulos. He really got better as the game went along. The critical point came in the sixth inning with a fast runner (Billy Cather) on first and a good hitter (Myckie Lugbauer) at the plate. He battled for 12 pitches and threw over to first quite a bit before getting a groundball double play to short.

Harris finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate, while Mike Guadagnini (Fr./Virginia Beach, Va.) went 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Over his last-three games, Guadagnini has hit at a .571 (8-for-14) clip. Hamilton also extended his hitting streak to 10 games, as he went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks on Saturday.

The Midshipmen will close out the weekend looking for their fourth-straight win when they host Duquesne (2-10) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. Live stats for all of Navys home games will be available via GameTracker on <a href=“http://www.NavySports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.NavySports.com(.)</a>

GreatAmerican · March 15, 2008, 9:36pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Posts Season-High Score to Defeat Temple, 343.95-339.35

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy gymnastics team recorded season-best marks in two events to produce its highest score of the year to defeat Temple, 343.95-339.35, on Saturday afternoon in Macdonough Hall. The 13th-ranked Midshipmen improved to 9-6 on the year, while the 12th-ranked Owls saw their record dip to 10-4.

Navys 343.95-point output on Saturday was 3.15 points than its previous season-best performance against William & Mary two weeks ago in Annapolis. The Midshipmen smashed season highs on the pommel horse (56.55 points) and high bar (57.75 points) to guide their way to victory over the higher-ranked Owls.

The biggest advantage of the day came on the pommel horse, where it out-scored its guests, 56.55-52.2, and owned the four-highest individual marks on the day. Adam Stanton (Jr./Centennial, Colo.) won the event with a score of 14.5, followed by Joe Atzenbecks (Jr./Broomfield, Colo.) 14.4, Christopher Tams (Sr./Draper, Utah) 13.95 and Trey Jamess (Jr./Matthews, N.C.) 13.7. Stanton would also finish second on the still rings with a season-high 14.3-point routine to lead the Mids to a 56.6-56.1 victory on the apparatus.

Navy defeated Temple on the high bar, 57.75-57.45, with the help of four of the days six-best scores. Tam led all Midshipmen gymnasts with a season-high score of 14.85 from the judges.

The other event victory for the Midshipmen came on the vault, where they owned a 60.05-59.3 advantage. Brandon Cook (Sr./Longmont, Colo.) led all competitors on Saturday with an impressive score of 15.55. Cook would also boast the highest score on the floor exercise with a 15.15-point showing.

All-around gymnasts Dylan Parrott (Fr./Rockwell, N.C.) and Tam each produced season-high totals in placing second and third, respectively, on Saturday. Parrott scored higher than a 14.0 in five of the six disciplines to rack up 85.65 points, while Tam earned a 14.25 or higher in three events to accumulate 85.15 points.

The Midshipmen will close out their regular season on Friday, when they head to the William & Mary Invitational in Williamsburg, Va. The meet is slated for a 7 p.m. start.

GreatAmerican · March 15, 2008, 9:39pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 15, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Divers Struggle at Zone Meet

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Day two of the NCAA Zone ‘A’ Diving Championship was very similar to Friday’s opening day as Pittsburgh’s Alex Volovetski and Drexel Katie Hynes captured the men’s and women’s events, respectively, for the second time in as many days. After winning the men’s three meter Friday at the University at Buffalo Natatorium in Buffalo, N.Y., Volovetski won the one-meter event Saturday. Hynes, meanwhile, added Saturday’s one-meter crown to the three-meter title she claimed Friday.

Saturday was a tough day for the Navy contingent competing at the championship. Katie Griffin (Sr., Ellicott City, Md.) placed 11th on the three meter Saturday (479.40 points) after finishing in 10th place on the one meter the day before. In the men’s competition Saturday, Olaf Olson (Fr., Bainbridge Island, Wash.) was the top Navy diver with his 11thplace showing on the one meter (539.40), while Jon Galinski (Jr., Phoenix, Md.) and Adam Niekras (Sr., Liverpool, N.Y.) finished in 17th (524.95) and 22nd place (237.90), respectively, Saturday afternoon.

Friday saw Olson place fourth, Galinski sixth and Niekras 17th on the three meter.

“We missed some dives today and you can’t do that against a field as talented and deep as we are going up against this weekend,” said Navy diving coach Joe Suriano. “We hope to have a better day Sunday.”

The Zone ‘A’ meet, which is one of five zone meets across the country that will determine the field of divers for the upcoming NCAA Championship, will conclude Sunday with the men’s and women’s 10-meter platform event.

A total of five divers will advance from the Zone ‘A’ meet to the men’s and women’s national championship.

GreatAmerican · March 15, 2008, 9:43pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 15, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Places Second in Air Rifle, Seventh Overall at NCAA Championship

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Navy rifle team posted the second-best air rifle score at the NCAA Championship Saturday and finished in seventh place as a team at the two-day event held in the Tronsrue Marksmanship Center at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. It marks the second-consecutive year in which the Midshipmen placed seventh at the national championship.

Navy’s team score of 2342 points in Saturday’s air rifle was second only to the 2350 points scored by Alaska-Fairbanks. It also was a much improved performance for the Mids than the 2268 points the squad accrued in Friday’s smallbore event. That latter tally placed Navy in seventh place at the end of the opening day of the championship and, despite Saturday’s scoring barrage, the Mids were unable to move up any positions by the end of the day.

Alaska-Fairbanks won its third-straight national championship by totaling 4662 points over the two-day meet. Tournament-host and opening-day leader Army finished in second place with 4652 points, while TCU placed third in the field of eight teams with an overall score of 4627 points.

“We dug a hole for ourselves Friday that we couldn’t dig out of, but we did a lot of digging today,” said Navy head coach Bill Kelley. “Our team showed a remarkable amount of perseverance today. They made up their minds that they wanted to win the air rifle, and they came very close to doing just that.”

Lisa Kunzelman (Jr., Constantia, N.Y.) led Navy in the air rifle event with 592 points, which tied her for the second-highest score recorded by an individual on the day. Teammate Josh Albright (Sr., Shelton, Conn.) finished one point in back of Kunzelman with a career-best score of 591 points, Monica Amagna (Sr., Tulsa, Okla.) was Navy’s No. 3 shooter with a score of 583 points, and Chris Burleson (Fr., St. Augustine, Fla.) rounded out the Navy efforts with 576 points.

Additionally, Navy’s Alison Lankes (Fr., Clarence, N.Y.) totaled 583 points while competing as an individual at the championship.

The scores posted by Kunzelman and Albright advanced the duo to the individual event finals for air rifle. Albright, the 2007 NCAA champion in smallbore, would post the second-best score of anyone in the finals – 102.9 points – to place second overall with 693.9 points. Kunzelman, meanwhile, scored 101.3 points in the finals to finish in fourth place with 693.3 points.

Alaska-Fairbanks’ Patrick Sartz totaled 696.4 points to win the individual air rifle title, while teammate Christofer Olofsson was edged by Albright for second place by one-tenth of a point and topped Kunzelman for third place by one-half of a point with his score of 693.8 points.

For their efforts at the championship, Albright (smallbore) and Kunzelman (air rifle) both garnered First-Team All-American accolades.

Two-Day Aggregate Team Scores (smallbore / air rifle)

4662, Alaska-Fairbanks (2312 / 2350)
4652, Army (2318 / 2334)
4627, TCU (2312 / 2315)
4625, Nebraska (2308 / 2317)
4623, Kentucky (2298 / 2325)
4616, West Virginia (2305 / 2311)
4610, Navy (2268 / 2342)
4591, Nevada (2257 / 2334)

Air Rifle Team Scores

2350, Alaska-Fairbanks
2342, Navy
T-3. 2334, Army
T-3. 2334, Nevada
2325, Kentucky
2317, Nebraska
2315, TCU
2311, West Virginia

Navy’s Air Rifle Individual Scores

592, Lisa Kunzelman
591, Josh Albright
583, Monica Amagna
576, Chris Burleson
** 583, Alison Lankes (competing as an individual)

Air Rifle Individual Finals (team / finals)

696.4, Patrik Sartz, Alaska-Fairbanks (594 / 102.4)
693.9, Josh Albright, Navy (591 / 102.9)
693.8, Christofer Olofsson, Alaska-Fairbanks (592 / 101.8)
693.3, Lisa Kunzelman, Navy (592 / 101.3)
690.2, Stephen Scherer, Army (587 / 103.2)
688.3, Cody Rutter, Alaska-Fairbanks (586 / 102.3)
686.5, Sarah Smith, Nevada (587 / 99.5)
686.4, Andrew Hickey, Nevada (586 / 100.4)

Navy Sports

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