Navy Sports

Colleges & Universities United States Naval Academy (USNA)
2241

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

<p>Navy Tops Field at Point Loma Invitational</p>

<p>POINT LOMA, Calif. – Sparked by 10 IC4A-qualifying marks in its outdoor season opener, the Navy men’s track & field team finished first among three teams at the Point Loma Invitational on Saturday afternoon.</p>

<p>Navy won 11 events to rack up 151. 5 points, followed by host Point Loma Nazarene’s 108.5 points and Hamline’s 90 points.</p>

<p>The corps of Midshipmen throwers took the spotlight on Saturday, owning the top-two marks in all-four events with six Mids combined for eight IC4A-qualifying distances. Darryl Hunter (Sr./Des Moines, Iowa) uncorked a career-best toss of 57’7-3/4” (17.47 meters) to win the shot put and placed second in the discus throw with a 161’6” (49.23 meters) effort. Andre Barber (Sr./Carrollton, Texas) won the discus throw with a distance of 162’7” (49.56 meters) and landed second in the shot put with a mark of 51’11” (15.82 meters). Tyrell Arment (So./Wamblee, S.D.) placed third in the discus throw with a 157’7” (48.03 meters) effort.</p>

<p>Patrick Norwood (Fr./Houston, Texas) won the hammer throw with a distance of 194’11” (59.42 meters) in his first-collegiate outdoor meet, followed by Mark Van Orden’s (So./Morris Plains, N.J.) second-place 175’6” (53.50 meters) performance. Bo Lawson (Sr./Fredon, N.J.) topped the field in the javelin throw with a toss of 206’9” (63.02 meters), while Devan Clark (Fr./Lorton, Va.) landed second with his 183’7” (55.95 meters) effort.</p>

<p>The Midshipmen owned the top-two marks in three other events on Saturday. Ron Belany (Sr./Haiku, Hawai’i) won the 110-meter hurdles with an IC4A time of 14.52 seconds, followed by Matthew Hanley’s (So./Rapid City, S.D.) second-place, IC4A effort of 14.81 seconds. Belany would also top the field in the long jump with a distance of 22’11-1/4” (6.99 meters), while Bill Stillman (So./Norfolk, Mass.) came in second with his 21’5-1/2” (6.54 meters) performance. David Ash (Fr./Williamston, Mich.) paced all runners in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:55.87, followed by Sam Brinson’s (So./Madison, N.C.) second-place 1:57.37 showing.</p>

<p>Craig Meekins (Sr./Baldwin, N.Y.) produced a career-best time of 48.62 seconds in the 400-meter dash to win the event. Lucas Burke (Sr./Bakersfield, Calif.) led all runners across the finish line in the 1,500-meter run with a 3:59.89 clocking and Tyler Morrison (So./Okemos, Mich.) earned first-place points in the 3,000-meter steeplechase by virtue of his 10:03.70 showing. The Navy 4x100-meter relay team also teamed up to best the field with a 42.59-second effort.</p>

<p>The Midshipmen will return to the East Coast to host American, George Mason, Lehigh and Maryland at Ingram Field on Saturday, March 22, starting at 12 noon.</p>

2242

<p>Friday, Mar 14, 2008 - 12:07 AM</p>

<p>By FRED JETER
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER</p>

<p>There is no anchor holding Chris Harris back anymore. He’s one happy sailor who would seem to have the wind at his back and smooth waters ahead.</p>

<p>Coming out of Benedictine High, an undersized Harris hardly drew a smidgen of basketball recruiting interest, and none from the Division I ranks.</p>

<p>Now, he’s a sculpted 6-2, 175-pound fixture in the Naval Academy lineup.</p>

<p>“I’m proud of what I’ve done, but I don’t forget where I’ve been,” the Navy sophomore said. “It’s very humbling. I’ve been at the bottom, so I’m happy with anything that comes my way.”</p>

<p>As coach Billy Lange’s starting point guard, Harris was second-team all-Patriot League selection on the strength of stout numbers in various categories.</p>

<p>“It took me three or four times seeing him before I was convinced Chris could play for us,” Lange said. “He just grew on me. He’s got an incredible will to prove he belongs on this level . . . which he certainly does.”</p>

<p>In navigating the Middies’ attack, Harris averaged 14.5 points and 32.3 minutes per contest.</p>

<p>He set an Annapolis record for 3-pointers (91 for 218), led the Patriot in steals (58), hit 80 percent from the foul line (65 for 81) and had 110 assists to 88 turnovers.</p>

<p>He scored double-figures on 23 occasions, including six games over 20.</p>

<p>Making waves all over the floor, Harris helped Navy to a 16-14 record and second-place (9-5) in the Patriot. The Middies’ NCAA chances ended with an 87-86 triple overtime quarterfinal loss to Bucknell in the conference playoffs.</p>

<p>John Griffin’s banked, 40-foot heave at the buzzer sank Navy.</p>

<p>“Every time I turned on [ESPN] SportsCenter, it seemed, I had to see that shot again,” Harris said.</p>

<p>Size change: Harris was 5-5 as a Benedictine sophomore, the same year he got his driver’s license.</p>

<p>“I’ve had it renewed, but all the information is the same,” he said. “On my license, I’m still 5-5, and the picture makes me look like I’m about 8.”</p>

<p>He grew to about 5-11 as a senior, then put on another spurt in a rewarding postgraduate season at Fork Union Military Academy.</p>

<p>“Fork Union meant everything to me,” he said. "Gave me a chance to get bigger, improve my game . . . start getting some looks.</p>

<p>“Coach [Fletcher] Arritt has so many connections, and he knows the game so well.”</p>

<p>Lange spotted Harris playing for FUMA against the Navy JV team in Annapolis.</p>

<p>AAU star: As a 12-year-old, Harris played on a standout Team Richmond AAU team.</p>

<p>In winning the state title, Harris’ teammates included Tyrese Rice (Boston College), Marcus Ginyard (North Carolina), Reid Augst (UNC Asheville) and Ryan Butler (Richmond).</p>

<p>Full speed ahead: After two more years at Navy, the political science major faces a five-year military commitment.</p>

<p>“I’ll probably be placed on a surface warship,” he said.</p>

<p>A blessing: Harris believes his late-blooming physical stature worked to his advantage. As the smallest player on the floor, he learned all the ins and outs of survival.</p>

<p>“It was all about perseverance . . . figuring out a way,” said Harris. “It’s funny now. I’m one of the tallest point guards in the league.”</p>

2243

<p>By DAVE BROUGHTON, Staff Writer
Published March 16, 2008</p>

<p>Eventually, Mitch Harris will resume his role as ace starting pitcher for the Navy baseball team.</p>

<p>Until then, Harris is just happy to be contributing with his bat, which he did again yesterday in leading the Mids to a 5-4 victory over Maine at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium.</p>

<p>Harris missed Navy’s first nine games with a shoulder injury which is still preventing him from pitching. However, the junior from Mount Holly, N.C., is doing lots of damage at the plate. Yesterday, he homered for the third straight game, becoming the first Navy player to do so twice in his career. But it was his RBI triple in the seventh inning that broke a 4-4 tie and paved the way to victory for Navy.</p>

<p>“With me not being able to pitch, it’s been killing me to sit here, so I got in the cage and worked on some things,” said Harris, who hit two homers during a 6-3 victory over Monmouth on Friday. “Some things clicked over the past couple of days, so I’m feeling good, I’m seeing the ball great, and I’m hoping it stays with me.”</p>

<p>Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos said having Harris back in the lineup has been critical for the Mids, and that his .261 batting average doesn’t tell the whole story.</p>

<p>“He’s an exceptional athlete, and he does things for our team that don’t always show up in the box score,” Kostacopoulos said. “Sometimes, when you have 27 freshmen and sophomores on your team, you need a guy like him, and we were sorely missing him.”</p>

<p>Senior right-hander Mark McCoy gave the Mids a solid effort, pitching into the seventh inning. McCoy scattered nine hits over 61/3 innings, and did not walk a batter. The Black Bears touched him for two runs in the seventh to tie the game at 4-4, but reliever JD Melton prevented any further damage in the inning.</p>

<p>“He really did a heck of a job,” Kostacopoulos said of McCoy. “He got better as the game went on, which you like to see in players.”</p>

<p>In the bottom of the inning, Navy’s Thomas Hamilton drew a one-out walk and came around to score when Harris lined an 0-2 pitch from Maine’s Joe Miller into the gap in right-center field.</p>

<p>From there, Melton was able to close the deal, earning the victory to improve to 1-1. Melton allowed two hits over 22/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.08.</p>

<p>“That’s my role … I love the pressure situations,” said the side-arming right-hander from Myrtle Beach, S.C. “When the pressure’s on and I have to get a guy out, I thrive on that. That makes baseball fun for me.”</p>

<p>Freshmen second baseman Mike Guadagnini went 3-for-4 for Navy, raising his batting average to .333. Hamilton went 1-for-2, including an RBI single in a three-run third inning. Freshman catcher Jeff Bland struck out three times, but capped the three-run third with a run-scoring single. He also gunned down Maine’s Billy Cather string to steal third in the eighth inning.</p>

<p>The victory upped Navy’s record to 9-6, and came against the school Kostacopoulos coached for nine years before coming to Navy.</p>

<p>“You know, every game to me has the same twinge to it,” Kostacopoulos said.
“Obviously, I still have a ton of friends back there, so It’s always nice to
play well that day and I think we did play pretty well. This was a great
college game; it had 22 hits, nine runs, and no errors, and you don’t see
that all the time.”</p>

<p>Cather went 3-for-4 for Maine (5-10) , while Curt Smith and Joe Mercurio had
two hits each. Miller went the full eight innings, allowing 11 hits and five
walks. He threw 126 pitches.</p>

<p>Navy is back in action today, hosting Duquesne at 2:30. Maine will play
Monmouth at 11 a.m.</p>

2244

<p>By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published March 16, 2008</p>

<p>There were questions surrounding the impressive start authored by the fledgling Navy women’s lacrosse program. Was the team’s unbeaten record and 15-goal average margin of victory built on the backs of Division I weaklings or were the Midshipmen just surprisingly strong for a first-year varsity program?</p>

<p>Navy received its first true test yesterday and passed with flying colors.</p>

<p>Standout freshman midfielder Caitlin Mandrin Hill scored the game-winning goal on a determined individual drive with 2:57 remaining to lift Navy to a thrilling 12-11 victory over two-time defending Patriot League champion Holy Cross yesterday.</p>

<p>A crowd of 470 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium saw the Midshipmen (6-0) capture their Patriot League debut and remain one of five unbeaten teams in Division I.</p>

<p>It didn’t come easy as Holy Cross (0-6, 0-2) showed the heart of a champion by erasing a five-goal deficit and tying the game at 11 on a free position shot by Katie Gardner with 5:13 to go.</p>

<p>However, Navy kept its composure and Mandrin Hill answered just over two minutes later by driving hard past two defenders, forcing her way to the front of the net and firing an 8-yard shot past the hip of Holy Cross goalie Amy Martin.</p>

<p>“I saw an opening and I just went. It was now or never,” said Mandrin Hill, a St. Mary’s High graduate. “It was an intense moment and I had to pull through for my team.”</p>

<p>Holy Cross had a golden opportunity to retie the contest after gaining a free position with just under two minutes left, but Megan O’Leary chose not to shoot. The Crusaders tried to run a play, but committed a turnover and Mandrin Hill gobbled up the ground ball and cleared into the home end of the field so the Midshipmen could run out the clock.</p>

<p>“This was a very special win for our program,” Navy head coach Cindy Timchal said.“We showed a great deal of toughness when the game was on the line. We let the lead slip away from us, but we responded to the challenge and that’s the sign of a champion.”</p>

<p>Sophomore midfielder Erin Rawlick scored four goals while freshman midfielder Meg Decker totaled three goals and an assist for Navy, which led 11-6 with 18:10 remaining in the second half.</p>

<p>“Holy Cross proved why they are the defending Patriot League champions. They came in here highly motivated to beat us and never quit,” Timchal said. “A win like this in a close game is even sweeter than a lopsided one.”</p>

<p>Mandrin Hill and fellow freshman mid Katrina Nietsch scored two goals apiece for Navy, which came in averaging 20.4 goals per game and giving up just 5.4. Senior goalkeeper Natalie Blandon was under pressure for the first time all season and responded by equaling a season-high with nine saves.</p>

<p>“I think this win will give us some credibility. Holy Cross is a strong program and to be on their level, to be able to match them goal-for-goal, says amazing things about this Navy program.”</p>

<p>Navy was picked fifth out of seven teams in the Patriot League preseason poll. However, the Mids now appear quite capable of challenging for the league title after taking out the Crusaders, who were picked second. Preseason favorite American narrowly defeated a Longwood team that Navy routed 21-10.</p>

<p>“It’s too early to tell anything right now. All I know is we’re going up to Colgate next week to play a team that beat Holy Cross decisively,” Timchal said. “We have a lot of lacrosse ahead of us.”</p>

<p>Navy showed once again yesterday that it is well-coached, executes and makes few mistakes. The Midshipmen were 15-for-15 on clear attempts and committed just 15 turnovers.</p>

<p>However, fouls proved costly for Navy as Holy Cross scored four goals on free position shots. The Mids were also beaten on draws (14-11).</p>

<p>“This was our first real challenge, especially on defense. We made a lot of mistakes, but it was a great learning experience,” Mandrin Hill said.</p>

<p>Holy Cross (0-6, 0-2) 4 7 - 11</p>

<p>Navy (6-0, 1-0) 6 6 - 12</p>

<p>GOALS: HC - Bolduc 3, Corkum 2, Boylan 2, Gardner 2, Archambault, O’Leary. N

  • Rawlick 4, Decker 3, Nietsch 2, Mandrin Hill 2, Towey. ASSISTS: HC - Bolduc, Scanlon. N - Decker. SHOTS: HC - 24. N - 30. SAVES: HC - Martin 8. N
  • Blandon 9. DRAWS: HC - 14. N - 11. FOULS: HC - 34. N - 30.</p>
2245

<p>For Immediate Release
Sent Sunday, March 16, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772</p>

<p>Navy Divers Place Third at Zone Meet</p>

<p>BUFFALO, N.Y. – Navy’s Jon Galinski (Jr., Phoenix, Md.) and Katie Griffin (Sr., Ellicott City, Md.) placed third on the men’s and women’s 10-meter platform diving event Sunday at the NCAA Zone ‘A’ Diving Championship held at the University at Buffalo Natatorium in Buffalo, N.Y.</p>

<p>Galinski totaled 532.30 points on the day to finish in third place and just miss qualifying for the men’s NCAA National Championship Meet in two weeks. Princeton’s Stuart Malcolm won the event with a total score of 674.20 points, while Buffalo’s Michael McDowell placed second with 550.10 points. Malcolm and McDowell both advanced to the national championship by virtue of their performances Sunday.</p>

<p>In the women’s competition, only Buffalo’s Meili Carpenter advanced out of Zone ‘A’ Sunday to this week’s national championship. Carpenter totaled 413.90 points to win the event, with Lisa Faulkner of George Mason finishing in second place with 384.60. Griffin ends her career by placing third with 347.80 points.</p>

<p>“Jon got out of one of his dives early and that cost him,” said Navy head coach Joe Suriano. "Katie also lost points when she did a triple instead of a three-and-a-half on one of her dives.</p>

<p>“I couldn’t have asked for anything more out of Katie during her career. She is a great person with a great personality and I am really going to miss working with her.”</p>

2246

<p>For Immediate Release
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771</p>

<p>Navy Drops Weekend Finale to Duquesne, 11-4</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team had its three-game winning streak snapped on Sunday afternoon, as Duquesne handed the Midshipmen an 11-4 setback at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium. The Mids, playing in their ninth game in as many days, fell to 9-7 on the year, while the Dukes upped their mark to 3-10.</p>

<p>“As a general statement, I would say that were pretty flat all game – offensively and defensively,” stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “Duquesne’s starter (Paul Bugajski) did a nice job against us today. But we couldn’t make two routine plays that led to two big innings in the second and the ninth. We can’t afford to play like that.”</p>

<p>Duquesne took a 3-0 lead in the second frame with a bases loaded, two-out triple from Andrew Heck. The Dukes made the score 4-0 one inning later with an Aaron Janusey triple followed by a wild pitch.</p>

<p>After being held off the board for five innings, Navy trimmed the deficit to two at 4-2 in the sixth. Matthew Curley (So./Boston, Mass.) drew a leadoff walk and Thomas Hamilton (Sr./Houston, Texas) was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Following a flyout that advanced Curley to third, Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) laced a double to right that scored Curley and put Hamilton on third, who would eventually score on a Steven Soares (So./Coral Springs, Fla.) RBI-groundout.</p>

<p>However, Duquesne immediately answered with two runs in the seventh and chased Navy starter Yale Eckert (So./La Selva Beach, Calif.), who picked up the loss to fall to 1-2 on the year. The Dukes would put the game out of reach with a five-run ninth.</p>

<p>The Midshipmen closed out the scoring in the bottom half of the ninth inning, as Jonathan Berkowitz (So./Parkland, Fla.) blasted a two-run, pinch-hit home run over the right-centerfield fence.</p>

<p>Duquesne out-hit Navy, 10-4, on Sunday afternoon. The Midshipmen pitching staff walked seven batters and hit two more, while the Dukes issued six bases on balls and one hit by pitch.</p>

<p>Eckert gave up six runs on six hits over six-plus innings with four walks and five strikeouts. Drew Carlson (So./Boca Raton, Fla.) fired two scoreless innings in relief of Eckert between the seventh and eighth to maintain his unblemished 0.00 ERA over 9.1 innings in four appearances this spring.</p>

<p>“Two weeks ago, we weren’t quite certain what we had in Drew,” said Kostacopoulos. “His performances this year have been rock solid. Today, he came in a tight spot and gave us six ground balls.”</p>

<p>The Midshipmen will play the fourth game of their nine-game homestand on Wednesday when they host Belmont Abbey in a 3:30 p.m. contest. Live stats for all of Navy’s home games will be available via GameTracker on <a href=“http://www.NavySports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.NavySports.com(.)</a></p>

2247

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy head men’s basketball coach Billy Lange will be a guest on the Mark Viviano show on Thursday, live from Dave and Busters at the Arundel Mills Mall. The show will be a “March Madness” radio show that will run from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, with Lange appearing to analyze the NCAA Tournament from 11:00 am to noon. The show will air on Baltimore’s ESPN Radio (1300 AM).</p>

<p>The 2007-08 Patriot League Coach of the Year, Lange led Navy to a 16-14 this past winter and a second-place finish in the Patriot League standings with a 9-5 mark. The Mids, who were picked seventh in the preseason poll, had two players earn All-Patriot League honors, including senior Greg Sprink, who was named Patriot League Player of the Year. Navy will return four starters for the 2008-09 season. </p>

<p>Lange recently just signed a contract extension at Navy through the 2012-13 season.</p>

2248

<p>For Immediate Release
Monday, March 17, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771</p>

<p>Harris Named Patriot League Player of the Week</p>

<p>CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – In hitting a home run in three-straight games last week, Navy designated hitter Mitch Harris (Sr./Mt. Holly, N.C.) has been recognized as the Patriot League Player of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.</p>

<p>This marks the second time in his career that Harris has been named the Patriot League Player of the Week. The two-time All-American has also been distinguished as the league’s pitcher of the week six times during his career.</p>

<p>Harris became the first player in school history to go deep in three-consecutive games twice in his career. The Navy senior first homered in back-to-back-to-back contests during a series sweep of Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., last season. He would earn league player-of-the-week kudos for his efforts in that week. The only other player to achieve the feat in program history is Mark Zematis, who did so against East Carolina in 2000.</p>

<p>The Navy designated hitter made his return to the lineup on Monday and began the home run barrage with a towering blast over the centerfield fence, approximately 410 feet, in a 20-6 win at Maryland-Eastern Shore on Thursday. One day later, Harris belted two long balls in a 6-3 win over Monmouth. Harris became the first Navy player to go deep twice in the same game at home since Tony Mauro against Lafayette on April 3, 1999. On the following day against Maine, Harris smashed a home run over the fence in deep centerfield, again approximately 410 feet, and broke a 4-4 tie with a go-ahead triple in the seventh on a 0-2 count.</p>

<p>The four home runs last week pushed Harris’s career total to 14, tying him for fifth place in school history with Luke Braham (1997-00) and Ron Kinn (1985-88). One more round-tripper would move Harris into a tie for fourth place on the all-time list with Craig Candeto (2001-04).</p>

<p>With the help of Harris, Navy posted a 5-2 record on a week in which it played on every day except last Tuesday, traveled to No. 16 Virginia, trekked to Maryland-Eastern Shore before hosting a round-robin tournament.</p>

<p>Harris and the Midshipmen (9-7) will continue their nine-game homestand on Wednesday, when they host Belmont Abbey at 3:30 p.m. Live stats for all of Navy’s home games will be available via GameTracker on <a href=“http://www.NavySports.com(%5B/url%5D.)”>www.NavySports.com(.)</a></p>

2249

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A pair of Navy freshmen women’s lacrosse players have earned Patriot League weekly honors for their roles in Navy’s 12-11 win over Holy Cross on Saturday. Midfielder Meg Decker was named the league’s Rookie of the Week, while midfielder / defenseman Caitlin Mandrin Hill was selected as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week. The Mids earned their first Patriot League win in school history with the victory and are one of four teams nationally to be undefeated, boasting a 6-0 record.</p>

<p>Decker, who hails from nearby Catonsville, Md., has had a stellar season for head coach Cindy Timchal, ranking second on the team in goals (20), points (27), draw controls (19) and caused turnovers (7) and third on the team with seven assists. She scored four points (3 g, 1 a) in the victory over Holy Cross with four draw controls, two caused turnovers and one ground ball. Two of her goals came early in the second half after Holy Cross had trimmed the lead to 6-5. She currently ranks fourth in the league in points per game (4.50), third in goals per game (3.33), fifth in draw controls per game (3.17) and third in free-position goals per game (0.83). </p>

<p>Meanwhile, freshman Caitlin Mandrin Hill was named Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week. The midfielder / defenseman from Annapolis scored two goals with three caused turnovers, one draw control and three ground balls in helping Navy to the 12-11 victory. Her final goal of the game came with 2:57 to play, breaking an 11-11 tie for the game-winning tally. Her first goal came via a free-position shot in the first half to give Navy a 4-1 advantage. She currently ranks seventh on the team in scoring with eight points, but paces the squad with 12 caused turnovers and 19 ground balls. She ranks third in the Patriot League in caused turnovers per game (2.00) and is first among league players in ground balls per game (3.17).</p>

<p>Navy players have now won six awards in the four weeks the league has dealt out the weekly honors.</p>

<p>The Mids will take to the road for the first time on Saturday, when they travel to Colgate for a Patriot League tilt, beginning at 1:00 pm, in Hamilton, N.Y.</p>

2250

<p>By DOUG ZALESKI
<a href="mailto:dzaleski@muncie.gannett.com">dzaleski@muncie.gannett.com</a></p>

<p>MUNCIE – Ball State fell behind early during its International Bowl football game in January against Rutgers and ended up losing by 22 points. But the performance of the Cardinals’ offense in that game resulted in a television bonanza for the program during the 2008 season.</p>

<p>An ESPN executive watched Ball State play Rutgers and identified the Cardinals as a team that would draw a television audience. He liked quarterback Nate Davis and the offense so much that Ball State will play four times next fall on ESPN’s channels.</p>

<p>“It really starts with Nate Davis,” said Dave Brown, vice president of programming for ESPN. “I saw him against Rutgers in the International Bowl. You really had to be impressed with him the way he threw the ball. He was really accurate, and looks like a great quarterback.” Ball State’s 2008 football schedule was announced last week, and ESPN jumped on the Cardinals in a big way.</p>

<p>They will play at home Sept. 5 against Navy on ESPN, at home Nov. 5 against Northern Illinois on ESPN2 or ESPNU, at Miami on Nov. 11 on ESPN2 and at Central Michigan on Nov. 19 on ESPN2.</p>

<p>Ball State will appear in a league-high four of the Mid-American Conference’s 15 appearances on an ESPN channel. Central Michigan, which won the MAC title the past two seasons, is featured on two telecasts.</p>

<p>ESPN moved Ball State’s game against Navy up one day to a Friday night.</p>

<p>“Our Friday night games rate a 1.4 or 1.5 (about 1.5 million homes tuning in), which is great programming for us,” Brown said.</p>

<p>Brown equated Davis’ television drawing power to that of former Mid-American Conference star quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Leftwich and Chad Pennington.</p>

<p>“Those are always the guys we focus on,” Brown said. “They’re great players … and they give us a great offensive show.”</p>

<p>Davis delivered last year in two appearances on ESPN2. He passed for 265 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-20 win against Toledo. Davis threw for 291 yards and three touchdowns in the 52-30 loss to Rutgers.</p>

<p>MAC commissioner Rick Chryst said two Ball State performances were especially effective in grabbing the attention of ESPN. The first was in 2006, when the Cardinals were competitive in a 34-26 loss at Michigan. The other was last year’s 41-40 last-second loss at Nebraska.</p>

<p>Chryst said the national perception of Ball State football is good.</p>

<p>“A lot of people are aware, not only of Nate Davis, but of the team’s competitiveness,” Chryst said. "It’s been building. I think people noticed the game against Michigan, and the same with Nebraska.</p>

<p>“You look for competitiveness, storylines, the bowl exposure helped. That was all part of building it.”</p>

<p>Ball State’s final game of the season, Nov. 25 at home against Western Michigan, is not scheduled for TV right now, but that could change if the game has significant meaning.</p>

<p>“I would expect some kind of television on that game,” Chryst said. “ESPN right now doesn’t have a confirmed window for us, but there certainly are regional sports networks that we’ve been on, and there may be other platforms as well.”</p>

<p>If ESPN wants the Ball State-Western Michigan game, Chryst said there is a possibility the date could be moved so the sports network could televise the game.</p>

<p>That happened in 2003 when the Toledo-Bowling Green moved one day so it could be shown on ESPN.</p>

2251

<p>By Joe Lyons
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH</p>

<p>Ed Prendergast is coming home. This time, he is on a mission.</p>

<p>A 2004 DeSmet graduate and a senior at the U.S. Naval Academy, Prendergast is one of 330 wrestlers headed to St. Louis for the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which will be held Thursday through Saturday at Scottrade Center.</p>

<p>“I feel like I can wrestle with anyone in the country; my goal is to compete for a national championship,” said Prendergast, who’s 31-2 and ranked among the top heavyweights in the nation. "The heavyweight class is pretty wide open. If I go out and wrestle to my potential, I can be right there.‘’</p>

<p>Prendergast, 22, stands 6-feet-4 and weighs 275 pounds. He recently defended his Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association heavyweight championship to earn a return trip to nationals. Seeded sixth a year ago, Prendergast won his first match before suffering a knee injury in round two.</p>

<p>"He ended up 2-2, wrestling two more matches with a torn meniscus,‘’ Navy coach Bruce Burnett explained. "That gives you some idea of Ed’s mental toughness. Ed is truly a good, big wrestler. He’s one of the strongest heavyweights in the nation, but he’s also a solid wrestler.</p>

<p>“He’s seen some excellent competition ‹ we wrestled 28 of the top 30 teams in the nation ‹ and he’s ready to go. At this level, it all comes down to limiting mistakes. You have to wrestle to your strengths and, just as importantly, find ways to protect your weak areas.”</p>

<p>Prendergast underwent surgery last spring and spent the summer rehabbing. After a slow start to this season, he has been gaining momentum.</p>

<p>"The knee’s fine, and I’m really looking forward to getting a chance to finish out my career in front of my family and friends in St. Louis,‘’ said Prendergast, who starred in football, wrestling and track at DeSmet. A three-time state medalist in wrestling, he capped a 46-0 senior season with a state title. His 37 pins that season still rank second in Missouri. He also has 37 collegiate pins, putting him second on the career list at Navy.</p>

<p>Throughout his wrestling career, Prendergast has followed in the footsteps of his older brother Jim, an NCAA wrestling All-American who placed sixth at 158 pounds in 1993 while competing for Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State). The Bears’ only Division I wrestling All-American, Jim also qualified for nationals in 1994, the final season of collegiate wrestling in Springfield.</p>

<p>"Jim’s the reason I started wrestling in the first place,‘’ Ed said.</p>

<p>Ed’s parents, John and Mary Lou of south St. Louis, expect about 35 family members and friends in the stands to support Ed. That group will include Jim, Ed’s twin sister, Meghan, who is also in the Navy, and younger brother Alec, 20, a Marine who is scheduled to leave for Iraq in September.</p>

<p>"Four of our six kids have served in the military,‘’ Mary Lou said. "It’s something you worry about, sure, but they knew what they were getting into when they signed up.‘’</p>

<p>Ed will graduate in May with a degree in economics. He will then begin his five-year military commitment as a U.S. naval officer on the USS Gonzalez.</p>

<p>"It’s not easy, trying to balance wrestling with the academic and military obligations at Annapolis, but I wouldn’t change a thing,‘’ he said. "I want to finish strong this weekend. After that, I’m ready to fulfill my commitment and to hopefully be successful beyond wrestling.‘’</p>

<p>Burnett, the Navy coach, added, "At this institution, you’re taught to deal with pressure. Ed’s worked hard to prepare himself for this tournament and for his future. Someday soon, he’ll be driving a ship.‘’</p>

2252

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Annual “Danny Humphreys” Navy Soccer Alumni Game will be held on Saturday, April 19th at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on the grounds of the US Naval Academy. All Alumni, former players and Friends of Navy Soccer are welcome to participate in the annual soccer match being held at noon.</p>

<p>On Friday, April 18th Navy Soccer alumni are invited to meet current players of the team at an icebreaker / social which will take place from 5:00 - 6:30 pm at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in the Rotunda. Come show your support and share stories with the current players. This will be a great chance to interact with current players and former alumni. Please RSVP to Coach Patrick Kennedy if you plan on attending (<a href=“mailto:pkennedy@usna.edu”>pkennedy@usna.edu</a>). On Saturday April 19th, the varsity team will host a doubleheader, beginning with Delaware at 10:00 am, followed by a tilt with UMBC at 2:30 pm.</p>

<p>At noon, the annual “Danny Humphreys” Navy Soccer Alumni Game, featuring the odd years vs. the even years, will take place. The Navy Soccer Alumni Game was established by former soccer players who wanted to formalize the alumni soccer weekend and honor the traditional Danny Humphreys Alumni Game by recognizing the camaraderie and sacrifices of those who have gone before us, but are not forgotten. The annual soccer match is what unites former players with current team members. The alumni game was established by former Navy Head Coach Greg “Doc” Myers in honor of his former player, Danny Humphreys. Please plan on attending!</p>

<p>Following the alumni game, a traditional BBQ will be held at the game field prior to Navy’s contest with UMBC, which starts at 2:30 pm. The cost for the all-you-can eat BBQ is $30 per person, and includes a Navy Soccer T-shirt.</p>

<p>For more information and or RSVP for all of the above events, please call Navy assistant coach Patrick Kennedy at 410-293-5542 or send an email for to <a href=“mailto:pkennedy@usna.edu”>pkennedy@usna.edu</a>.</p>

<p>In addition if you would like to receive email updates on the Navy Men’s Soccer Team including team updates and team news articles, you may view on the website at [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com) or subscribe to <a href=“mailto:NAAA-MEN-SOCCER@lists.usna.edu”>NAAA-MEN-SOCCER@lists.usna.edu</a> for email updates.</p>

2253

<p>For Immediate Release
Sent Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772</p>

<p>Navy Tennis Team Home for Two Matches this Week</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A challenging pair of matches lies ahead of the Navy tennis team this week as the Midshipmen are slated to play host to Penn and Richmond in Annapolis. Wednesday’s match against the Quakers will begin at 2:30 p.m., with Saturday’s match against the Spiders scheduled to start at 12 Noon. </p>

<p>Weather permitting, both matches will be contested outdoors on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy. Should poor weather force the matches indoors they will instead be played at the Tose Family Tennis Center.</p>

<p>Navy has won three of its last four matches and will take a 12-6 record on the season into the match against Penn. All but one of Navy’s six losses this year have come to teams who appear in this week’s national rankings – North Carolina (#13), East Tennessee State (#46), Maryland (#53), North Carolina State (#54) and Clemson (#61).</p>

<p>One constant for the Mids this season has been the play of its doubles teams. Navy has won the lone available doubles point in 13 of its 18 matches this season and boasts a 12-1 record in matches when winning the doubles point. Overall this spring, Navy’s doubles teams have compiled a 36-14 record, with the No. 1 team of Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary’s, Ga.) and Johnny Waters (Jr., Papillion, Neb.) leading the way with an 11-3 record.</p>

<p>In singles, Owen Bullard (Fr., Concord, N.C.) leads Navy in victories with a record of 11-4. Bullard has posted a 7-3 record at No. 6 singles this year, but has also played at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 in the lineup.</p>

<p>Penn, the co-champion in the Ivy League in both 2006 and '07, has posted a 7-7 record this season. Five of the squad’s losses have been to teams that currently hold a national ranking – Michigan (#14), Louisville (#39), California (#40), Maryland (#53) and St. Mary’s (#75). Among the victories the Quakers have posted this year are wins over Delaware, Georgetown and Villanova, programs Navy also has defeated this season.</p>

<p>Individually for Penn, Jason Pinsky competed in singles at the 2007 NCAA Championship and currently is ranked ninth in the Northeast Region in singles. He and teammate Joseph Lok have been ranked as high as 57th nationally in doubles this year.</p>

<p>Penn posted a 7-0 victory over Navy last year in Philadelphia. The Quakers lost a combined eight games in sweeping the three doubles matches from the Mids before winning five of the six singles matches in straight sets.</p>

<p>“Penn has won two Ivy League titles in the past two years,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “Jason Pinsky is very tough at number one singles and their top doubles team is nationally ranked. We will have to play our best match of the year to beat Penn.”</p>

<p>Richmond enters a week that will see the Spiders face Georgetown Thursday and George Washington Friday before Saturday’s match against the Mids with a 3-10 record. The Spiders, who have won four of the last six Atlantic 10 Conference titles, return four of the six players who took to the courts for the team in a 5-2 loss to Navy last year in Richmond.</p>

<p>“Richmond has won several Atlantic Ten titles in the past ten years,” said Officer. “We have always had competitive matches with them and this year should be no exception.”</p>

2254

<p>This Week In Navy Sports Sponsored By Navy Federal Credit Union</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.navyfederal.org/jump/x/navysports_email.html[/url]”>www.navyfederal.org/jump/x/navysports_email.html</a></p>

<p>Overall Navy Sports Record: 236-113-6 (.673)</p>

<p>Baseball (9-7, 0-0 in the Patriot League)
Last Week: Lost to No. 16 Virginia, 11-5; defeated Maryland-Eastern Shore, 20-6; defeated Monmouth, 6-3; defeated Maine, 5-4; lost to Duquesne, 11-4
This Week: Belmont Abbey (Wednesday, 3:30 p.m., Annapolis, Md., GameTracker on navysports.com); Princeton (Friday, 3:30 p.m., Annapolis, Md., GameTracker on navysports.com); Princeton-DH (Saturday, 12 noon, Annapolis, Md., GameTracker on navysports.com); Princeton (Sunday, 12 noon, Annapolis, Md., GameTracker on navysports.com)</p>

<p>Men’s Golf (1-0-1)
Last Week: Tied Cal State Monterey Bay, 4-4
This Week: at the George Washington Invitational (Friday-Saturday, all day, Bethany Beach, Del.)</p>

<p>Men’s Gymnastics (9-6)
Last Week: Defeated Temple, 343.95-339.35
This Week: at William & Mary Invitational (Friday, 7 p.m., Williamsburg, Va.)</p>

<p>No. 8 Men’s Lacrosse (6-1, 3-0 in the Patriot League)
Last Week: Defeated Lehigh, 14-3; defeated Holy Cross, 16-3
This Week: No. 12 Bucknell (Wednesday, 4 p.m., Annapolis, Md., Navy All-Access (video and audio), GameTracker on navysports.com); at Colgate (Sunday, 12 noon, Hamilton, N.Y., CSTV, 1430 WNAV, 1050 WFED)</p>

<p>Women’s Lacrosse (6-0)
Last Week: Defeated Holy Cross, 12-11
This Week: at Colgate (Saturday, 1 p.m., Hamilton, N.Y.)</p>

<h1>4 Rifle (9-2)</h1>

<p>Last Week: Finished seventh at the NCAA Championship
This Week: season concluded</p>

<p>Intercollegiate Sailing
Last Week: No results reported
This Week: SuperStud Team Race (Saturday-Sunday, all day)</p>

<p>Men’s Swimming & Diving (15-2, 6-2 in the EISL)
Last Week: Competed as individuals at the NCAA Zone “A” Diving Championship
This Week: Season concluded</p>

<p>Women’s Swimming & Diving (13-1)
Last Week: Competed as individuals at the NCAA Zone “A” Diving Championship
This Week: at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship (Thursday-Saturday, all day, Columbus, Ohio)</p>

<p>Tennis (12-6, 1-0 in the Patriot League)
Last Week: Defeated Appalachian State, 4-3; lost to North Carolina, 7-0; defeated Bethune-Cookman, 7-0
This Week: Penn (Wednesday, 2:30 p.m., Annapolis, Md.); Richmond (Saturday, 12 noon, Annapolis, Md.)</p>

<p>Men’s Outdoor Track & Field (2-0)
Last Week: Defeated Point Loma Nazarene, 151.5-108.5; defeated Hamline, 151.5-80
This Week: American, George Mason, Lehigh, Maryland (Saturday, 12 noon, Annapolis, Md.)</p>

<p>Women’s Outdoor Track & Field (0-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: American, Colgate, Delaware, George Mason, Maryland (Saturday, 2 p.m., Annapolis, Md.)</p>

<p>Wrestling (6-4, 4-1 in the EIWA)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: at the NCAA Championship (Thursday-Saturday, all day, St. Louis, Mo.)</p>

2255

<p>Boxing:<br>
Last Week: Idle
This Week * Idle</p>

<p>Cycling *
Last Week:<br>
This Week: @ Appalachian State (Sat. & Sun., Boone, NC)</p>

<p>Hockey * (20-18-1)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Karate * (0-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Pistol * (7-0)
Last Week: @ Pistol Collegiate National Championships: Navy won EVERY event!
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Lacrosse * (2-0 )
Last Week: Idle<br>
This Week: defeated Morgan State 15-1</p>

<p>Marathon * (2-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Powerlifting *
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Rugby (M)<br>
Last Week: Idle
This Week: C Side vs William & Mary (Sat., 12:00pm, Hospital Pt)</p>

<p>Rugby (W) * A Side 20-2-1 / B Side 11-2-2
Last Week:
This Week * vs MARFU (Princeton) (Sat., 11:00am, Hospital Pt)</p>

<p>Soccer *
Last Week: Idle
This Week: @ UMBC (Sat., 11:00am, Baltimore, MD)</p>

<p>Softball *
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Tennis * (3-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week : Idle</p>

<p>Triathlon * (0-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

<p>Volleyball * (11-8)
Last Week: Idle
This Week * Idle</p>

<p>Field Hockey *(0-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Idle</p>

2256

<p>Scores:
Free Pistol
USNA 2008 GOLD
MIT 2000 SILVER
OSU 1991 BRONZE
USMA 1982
USMMA 1909
Tx A&M 1896
MO State 1889
USCGA 1806
Citadel 1711</p>

<p>STANDARD PISTOL
USNA 2121 GOLD (Won Tie-Breaker)
USMA 2121 SILVER
OSU 2114 BRONZE
MIT 2053
Citadel 2021
MO State 2017
Tx A&M 2009
USMMA 1990
USCGA 1986
NGC 1724</p>

<p>AIR PISTOL
USNA 2200 GOLD (Won Tie-Breaker)
MIT 2200 SILVER
OSU 2197 BRONZE
USMA 2189
USMMA 2159
Citadel 2136
Tx A&M 2127
MO State 2117
USCGA 2059
NGC 2038</p>

<p>OPEN (MEN) TEAM AGGREGATE
USNA 6329 GOLD
OSU 6302 SILVER
USMA 6292 BRONZE
MIT 6253
USMMA 6058
Texas A&M 6032
Missouri State University 6023
The Citadel 5868
USCGA 5851</p>

<p>WOMEN’S AIR PISTOL
OSU 1072 GOLD
USMA 1070 SILVER
USNA 1063 BRONZE
MIT 1059 </p>

<p>WOMEN’S SPORT PISTOL
USMA 1633 GOLD
USNA 1631 SILVER
OSU 1612 BRONZE
MIT 1548</p>

<p>WOMEN’S TOTALS
USMA 2703
USNA 2694
OSU 2684
MIT 2607</p>

<p>ALL-AMERICANS:
STANDARD PISTOL AIR PISTOL
Andrew Bock First Team Andrew Bock First Team
Tucker Stachitas First Team Tucker Stachitas First Team
Wesley Huber Second Team Mark Roncoroni Second Team
Mark Roncoroni Second Team Ashley Asdal Honorable Mention
Jeremiah Smith Honorable Mention</p>

<p>FREE PISTOL
Tucker Stachitas First Team
Andrew Bock Second Team
Mark Roncoroni Second Team</p>

<p>SPORT PISTOL<br>
Rachel Florea Second Team
Ashley Asdal Honorable Mention
Lindsey Asdal Honorable Mention</p>

<p>Individual Accomplishments:
Tucker Stachitas: Silver Medal in Free Pistol, Third in the Overall Aggregate
Mark Roncoroni: Bronze Medal in Standard Pistol
Rachel Florea: Bronze Medal in Women’s Sport</p>

2257

<p>Navy Sports Magazine Show Airs Tonight On 1430 WNAV And Saturday On 1050 WFED</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The Navy Sports Magazine Show, presented by Comcast, will air tonight at 6 p.m. on 1430 WNAV in Annapolis and on Saturday at 12 noon 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. The weekly 30-minute show is hosted by Pete Medhurst and will feature interviews with Navy student-athletes and coaches. This week’s show will feature Patrick Moran of the men’s lacrosse team, Mitch Harris of the baseball team and Erin Rawlick of the women’s lacrosse team.</p>

<p>The show will be available to Navy All-Access 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/)).</p>

2258

<p>For Immediate Release
Sent Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772</p>

<p>Navy’s Dinh Travels to NCAA Swimming Championship</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. – For the first time in 11 years and just the second time in school history, a Navy women’s swimmer will take part in the NCAA Division I Championship for the sport when Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.) competes in the 50 and 100 freestyle events at this week’s national meet. The three-day event begins Thursday runs and through Saturday at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion on the Ohio State campus in Columbus, Ohio.</p>

<p>The morning trial heats are slated to start daily at 11 a.m., with the top-16 swimmers in each event advancing to the evening session of finals beginning each night at 7 p.m. The top eight swimmers in the morning trial heats will compete in the championship final in each event, with the Nos. 9-16 swimmers in the preliminary round of racing returning to the pool to take part in the event’s consolation final.</p>

<p>The 50 freestyle will be held Thursday and the 100 free will be contested Saturday.</p>

<p>“This is an exciting week for Thuy-Mi and the entire Navy swimming program,” said Navy head coach John Morrison. “She has worked hard to get to the national championship and we all are looking forward to seeing her compete against the best swimmers in the country. Now that her goal of getting to this meet has been accomplished, she really wants to have great swims and make all of her efforts pay off.”</p>

<p>Dinh automatically qualified for the championship by posting an NCAA ‘A’ cut time of 22.37 in the 50 free, a clocking recorded during her victorious effort in the event at the Patriot League Championship. She is the first Navy and Patriot League women’s swimmer to attain an NCAA ‘A’ cut time in any event. By virtue of her ‘A’ cut mark, Dinh will also be able to compete in the 100-yard free thanks to her ‘B’ cut time of 49.91. That mark was posted during her victory in the 100 free finals at the league championship.</p>

<p>In addition to posting NCAA qualifying times, both of her marks also set new Navy and Patriot League records.</p>

<p>Dinh’s 50 free time ties her for 14th place in the field at the championship. The top qualifying time of 22.00 was posted by Kentucky’s Jennifer Bradford, while the No. 8 clocking of 22.24 was recorded by Kentucky’s Heather Bradford.</p>

<p>Dinh is seeded 56th in the 100 freestyle behind the top time of 47.80 set by Julia Wilkinson of Texas A&M. The No. 8 time in the 100 free was 48.49 (Kara Denby, Auburn), while the No. 16 time was 48.89 (Stacy Busack, Minnesota).</p>

<p>The lone previous Navy swimmer to qualify for the NCAA Division I Championship (Navy has been competing on the Division I level since the 1991-92 season) was Julia Mason, who placed 30th in the 100 breaststroke at the 1997 championship. Besides Dinh and Mason, the only additional swimmer from a Patriot League school to compete at the meet was American’s Meghan Thiel, who placed 34th in the 1650 free and 39th in the 500 free at the 2006 event.</p>

<p>While Dinh and Mason are the only Navy swimmers to qualify for the championship, Navy divers Stacia Johnson (1992) and Darcy Stuart (1994, '96) have previously advanced to the meet.</p>

2259

<p>For Immediate Release
Sent Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772</p>

<p>Today’s Tennis Match Moved Indoors</p>

<p>ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Due to the threat of rain, Wednesday’s tennis match between Navy and Penn has been moved indoors to the nearby Tose Family Tennis Center. The match, originally slated to be played outdoors at the Naval Academy, will still start at 2:30 p.m.</p>

2260

<p>The Road to the 78th NCAA Wrestling Championship
• Five members of the Navy wrestling team will begin their journeys for an NCAA title on Thursday morning at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo. Session 1 of the tournament is set to begin at 11:00 a.m. CDT.
• Representing Navy are three-time qualifiers Matt Stolpinski (174, team captain) and Joe Baker (133) and two-time qualifier Ed Prendergast (HWT), while making their first appearance are senior Spencer Manley (157) and rookie Bryce Saddoris (149).
• For the fourth-consecutive year, Navy has at least five wrestlers advancing to the championship.
• The Mids are looking to build off of last year’s 18th-place finish, their best since 1989-90 when Navy finished 13th.
• The program’s best finish in NCAA Tournament action was a fourth-place finish in 1954.
• Meanwhile, after becoming Navy’s first All-American since 2003, team captain Matt Stolpinski is looking to be crowned a two-time All-American … should he accomplish the feat, he would be only the 18th wrestler in program history to claim All-America recognition multiple times … he would be Navy’s first two-time All-American since Mark Conley earned the honor in 2001 and again in ‘02.
• With three of the five wrestlers seeded, including two in the top 10 (Ed Prendergast 3, Matt Stolpinski 7), the Mids have a solid chance of having two stand atop the championship platform … the last time two Navy wrestlers garnered All-America recognition was in 1989-90 when Scott Schleicher (HWT) and Brett Bourne (158) finished 2nd and 5th, respectively.
• Navy has won three national titles, by two men - Pete Blair won the 191-pound title in 1954 and ‘55, while Dan Muthler earned the crown in 1973 at 142 pounds.
• At least one Navy wrestler has participated in the NCAA Championship in each of the last 12 years, including all eight under head coach Bruce Burnett.
• This is Navy’s 60th NCAA Tournament appearance … in addition to winning three individual titles, 55 wrestlers have garnered All-America recognition, including four under Bruce Burnett’s direction.</p>

<p>Streaks
• Heavyweight Ed Prendergast owns Navy’s longest winning streak with 24-consecutive victories dating back to Dec. 18 … 10 of the 24 wins in the streak have come by fall … Prendergast’s last loss was against Missouri’s Mark Ellis at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational on Dec. 1.
• Senior team captain Matt Stolpinski has put together a solid string of wins, as well … he has won 16 in a row dating back to his 3-2 decision over Oklahoma’s Jeff James at the Lone Star Duals on Jan. 5 … his last loss was in the third-place match at the Southern Scuffle in which Cornell’s Steve Anceravage defeated Stolpinski, 5-3 … ironically, Stolpinski beat Anceravage in the title match at the 2008 EIWA Championship two weeks ago.
• Joe Baker is riding an eight-match winning streak that featured a 3-0 mark at the EIWA Championship where he won his first EIWA crown.
• Both Spencer Manley and Bryce Saddoris had their winning streaks interrupted at the EIWA Championship, however both came back to place third … Manley has won nine of his last 10, while Saddoris has claimed wins in 10 of his last 11, including four in a row.</p>

<p>Quick Hits
• Prendergast’s 14 pins this year are tied as the sixth most in program history … it’s the second consecutive year he has recorded double-digit falls.
• His 37 career falls are the most since record-setter John Reich turned in 63 pins between 1979 and ‘83.
• Joe Baker (133), Bryce Saddoris (149) and Matt Stolpinski (174) are among the top five in their respective weight classes for wins in a season … with 35 wins, Saddoris broke the record set by John Cox in 2005-06 by winning his third-place match over Anthony Constantino of Columbia at the EIWA Championship … Baker stands second with 25 wins, four short of Sam Gray’s mark set in 2004-05 … meanwhile Stolpinski holds four of the top five wins marks at 174 pounds … he is six wins shy of the school-record tying 44 he set a year ago.
• Senior heavyweight Ed Prendergast is just outside of the top five with 34 wins … the record is 43 set by Tanner Garrett in 2005-06, however, he is one win away from tying the fourth-place mark of 35 set by Steve Kovach (2001-02) and Tanner Garrett (2004-05).
• Bryce Saddoris’ pin over Army’s Casey Thome in the Star Match on Feb. 22 gave him his 30th win of the season … he is only the third rookie to reach the 30-win milestone in program history … he heads into the NCAA Championship second on Navy’s all-time freshman wins list with 35, needing two to tie Tyrone Neal’s 37 from the 1998-99 campaign.
• After posting a 4-0 mark at the EIWA Championship, Matt Stolpinski set the record for most wins in any two consecutive seasons with 82 … the previous record of 78 was set by Mark Conley (2001-02) and Tanner Garrett (2005-06).</p>

<p>Rewriting the Record Books
• Navy senior Matt Stolpinski’s career has been nothing short of sensational.
• He is a three-time NCAA qualifier and is the reigning two-time EIWA Champion at 174 pounds.
• Stolpinski set the school record for wins on Jan. 26 when NC State forfeited its match against the All-American, giving him his 128th victory and making him the school’s all-time winningest wrestler.
• Though he dropped his third-place match against Cornell’s Steve Anceravage on Dec. 30 at the Southern Scuffle, Stolpinski set another record - matches wrestled … shattering the record, he has wrestled 17 more matches than previous record holder Mark Conley who battled 161 foes over the span of four seasons (1998-02).
• He is also Navy’s single-season wins record holder, sharing that distinction with Conley (2001-02) … Stolpinski won 44 matches last season en route to his fourth-place finish at the National Championship.
• He is one of only four men in program history to reach 30 wins in three of his four seasons, joining John Reich (‘83), Greg Gingeleskie (‘99) and Mark Conley (‘02).</p>

<p>30 Wins and Counting
• With his 17-0 tech fall over Coast Guard’s Kevin Robinson in the opening round of the All-Academy Championship, senior Matt Stolpinski (174 pounds) claimed his 30th win of the season.
• Stolpinski has reached the 30-win plateau in three of his four seasons, posting 25 wins during his freshman year.
• Stolpinski owns four of the top five win totals in school history at the 174-pound weight class … last year he tied the school record and set the weight record with 44 wins.
• Senior heavyweight Ed Prendergast claimed his 30th win of the season on Feb. 15 by pinning Karim Mahmoud of Rutgers at 6:23 … Prendergast, who claimed his 100th collegiate victory in the semifinals of the EIWA Championship against Army’s Nathan Thobaben, turned in a personal-best 37 victories a year ago en route to qualifying for the NCAA Championship.
• Meanwhile, rookie 149-pounder Bryce Saddoris earned his place in the 30-win club by pinning Army’s Casey Thome in the annual Star Match on Feb. 22 … he is only the third rookie to reach the 30-win milestone in program history … John Reich was the first to achieve the feat in 1979-80 and Tyrone Neal set the plebe wins record with 37 in 1998-99.</p>