Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:27pm

By
Ivan Maisel

Some rule changes are taken in stride by the coaches who must comply with them. The NCAA’s decision to adopt the NFL’s rule of 40 seconds between plays is not one of those changes.

“That’s really gotten people’s attention,” West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said. “We’ve called around, some of our buddies, and found out, hey, you better practice.”

Under the old rule, an offense had 25 seconds to snap the ball after the referee pronounced it ready to play; that is, after the teams unpiled and the referee blew his whistle.

“The 40-second rule just provides for a better flow, game to game, conference to conference,” said Terry McAulay, the NFL official recently named coordinator of officiating for the Big East.

McAulay is the third NFL official to be put in charge of a conference’s officials. The Big 12 hired Walt Anderson in 2006 and Conference USA hired Gerald Austin, who retired this year as an NFL referee, in 2001.

The clock will put pressure on everyone, starting with the playcallers in the press box. Mountaineers offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen has to deal with not only the pressure of calling plays for the first time, but with the new clock, too.

“You always have a couple of plays,” Mullen said. “If you try to change a call, it’s gone. You like one, that clock is done. It goes fast. You’ve got to think a few calls ahead and you’ve got to believe in them.”

Ivan Maisel is a senior writer for ESPN.com. Send your questions and comments to Ivan at <a href="mailto:ivan.maisel@espn3.com">ivan.maisel@espn3.com</a>.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:28pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy men’s basketball coach Billy Lange was named by Basketball Times as one of the top 30 coaches in mid career, the publication announced in its April issue. Lange was one of 13 mid-major coaches on the chart and was ranked 30th among all mid-career, behind such names as Baylor’s Scott Drew, LSU’s Trent Johnson, Nebraska’s Doc Sadler and Iowa’s Todd Lickliter. Lange was the only Patriot Leage head coach named on one of three lists (the top 50 coaches, top 30 coaches in mid-career and top 25 up-and-coming coaches).

Lange has resurrected the Navy basketball program in his four years in charge, leading the Mids to a 16-14 overall record and a 9-5 finish in the Patriot League this past year. Navy finished second in the Patriot League regular-season standings after being picked seventh in the Patriot League preseason poll. He was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year by his peers, as well as by the website, [CollegeInsider.com:</a> College Basketball Mid-Major Top 25 poll, NCAA basketball coach columns, Fashion Power Index and more.](<a href=“http://www.collegeinsider.com%5DCollegeInsider.com:”>http://www.collegeinsider.com). Lange owns an 89-85 career record in six season as a head coach and is 50-66 in four years at Navy.

Entering next season, Lange will welcome back nine of the top 10 scorers from last year’s team.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:30pm

Navy, Buckeyes agree to '09, '14 football dates
By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published April 23, 2008

Navy already plays one of the country’s most fabled college football programs in Notre Dame. The Midshipmen are going to add another big-time opponent two years from now when Ohio State headlines the schedule. Naval Academy athletic director Chet Gladchuk and Ohio State counterpart Gene Smith jointly announced this morning a two-year agreement between the schools. Under the home-and-home arrangement, Navy and Ohio State will meet in the season openers of 2009 and 2014.

The Midshipmen will travel to Columbus to face the perennially powerful Buckeyes on Sept. 5, 2009 at Ohio Stadium, one of the most recognizable landmarks in collegiate athletics. Nicknamed “The Horseshoe,” it is the fourth-largest, on-campus facility in the nation with a seating capacity of 102,329.

What makes this contract rather unique is the fact Ohio State has agreed to play Navy on Aug. 30, 2014 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium or at a neutral site in the Baltimore-Washington area.

“It’s going to be a great challenge. Ohio State has always fielded one of the finest football programs in the country,” Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo said when contacted this morning about the new series.

“Ohio State’s record speaks for itself. You’re talking about a team that has been in the Bowl Championship Series every year since its inception and played in several national championship games. It will be a daunting task to say the least.”

Ohio State, a longtime member of the Big Ten Conference, has captured seven national championships during its 116-year history. The Buckeyes have produced six Heisman Trophy winners, 128 first team All-Americans and 66 first round National Football League draft choices.

Ohio State boasts a gaudy record of 73-16 with a consensus national title (2002-2003) under the direction of sixth-year head coach Jim Tressel. The Buckeyes have played in the BCS National Championship game each of the past two seasons.

Gladchuk said Ohio State initiated discussions about a possible football contract and he initially turned down the idea.

“I told the Ohio State folks that Navy was not interested, but they were extremely persistent,” Gladchuk said. “I spoke to the coaching staff and some of the players about the possibility and there was a high level of enthusiasm, no reluctance whatsoever. As a result, when Ohio State called back and asked me to reconsider, I was willing to do so.”

Gladchuk declined to discuss financial terms, but admitted this would be the most lucrative home-and-home contract in the history of Navy football. Sources said the deal has the potential to earn the Naval Academy as much as $2 million for each game.

“There is a significant financial benefit and certainly that was a consideration,” Gladchuk said. “However, the opportunity for the Navy football program to play an historic opponent on a national stage is equally important.”

Navy will play 13 games in 2009, having received an exemption from the NCAA for an extra game since it is scheduled to play at Hawaii. Gladchuk said the 2009 schedule is still being solidified and thus could not say what opponent Ohio State is replacing.

Meanwhile, the 2014 schedule is under construction with Ohio State kicking off the season in style. Gladchuk did not rule out playing the contest in the intimate confines of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, which has a capacity of about 37,000-plus. However, the contest could also be held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore or FedEx Field in Landover.

“It is quite rare for Ohio State to go on the road for a non-conference game against a non-BCS opponent,” Gladchuk said. “I think that shows the level of commitment the Ohio State administration has made to this series and their respect for Navy football.”

Gladchuk said Ohio State intends to make the 2009 season opener a special event filled with pageantry. That is why Smith, the athletic director, sought out the Naval Academy.

“It was clear to me that Ohio State, as an institution, has a strong appreciation for Navy as well as the military dimension and patriotism that is associated with a service academy,” he said.

This will be the fourth meeting between the Midshipmen and Buckeyes, who last met in the 1981 Liberty Bowl. That was an exciting contest with Ohio State holding on for a 31-28 victory. The 2009 season opener will mark the first time Navy has played a school from the Big 10 since September 21, 2002. Navy is 23-31-2 all-time against schools currently in the Big 10.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:32pm

For: Immediate Release
Sent: April 23, 2008
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Navy Football DVD¹s Now Available

ANNAPOLIS, Md.The 2008 Navy Football Highlight DVD and a DVD of the Navy-Notre Dame game is now available at navysports.com (click buy tickets now on the front page and then click on football) or by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY. The cost is $20 per DVD or you can buy both DVD¹s for $30. Please note the Navy-Notre Dame DVD is NOT the NBC copy, but it is the complete game with the Navy radio broadcast crew of Bob Socci and Omar Nelson calling the action.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:33pm

Thursday, April 24, 2008; Page E02

Navy and Ohio State have agreed to a home-and-home series in football that will start in 2009, the schools announced yesterday. Navy will play in Columbus on Sept. 5, 2009, in the season opener for both teams. The teams will play in Maryland in 2014.

Ohio State contacted Navy around six weeks ago, Navy Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk said. He initially decided against playing the Buckeyes.

“But two or three weeks ago, they had kept calling and were encouraging us to consider it,” Gladchuk said. “So I took it to the coaches and asked their opinion. And they asked a few players, and they all decided it was something they were excited to do.”

Gladchuk did not reveal how much Navy would make from the series; his only comment was that it was “a very lucrative” deal.

“It’s a little departure from our normal scheduling philosophy,” Gladchuk said. "But it’s something we got excited about after we gave it some thought. They’re going to pay tribute to the troops and military when we play there. Playing Ohio State is obviously a very significant challenge.

“But the experience of playing at Ohio State is one the players will always remember.”

– Christian Swezey

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:35pm

By Bill Free | Sun reporter
April 24, 2008

The Navy football team will meet Big Ten power Ohio State for the first time in 28 years, opening the 2009 season on Sept. 5 in Columbus in the first of two games that will conclude in 2014 with a meeting that could take place in Baltimore.

The second game, according to Naval Academy director of athletics Chet Gladchuk, is set for Aug. 30, 2014, and could be played at M&T Bank Stadium or in Landover or Annapolis.

“It could be Baltimore, it could be FedEx Field, it could be whatever’s available, to be honest with you,” Gladchuk said last night. “It’s so far down the road. It’s all wide open. We’ll start thinking about that and working on that when the time is right.”

Gladchuk said one of the interesting angles to the agreement with Ohio State is “their enthusiasm to play us. They’ve even suggested that we play in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. They’re very receptive to whatever we think is best.”

Gladchuk said a game of that magnitude belongs in a much larger stadium than Navy-Marine Corps Stadium, which holds 38,000.

This will be the fourth meeting between Navy and Ohio State and the first since the 1981 Liberty Bowl. The Buckeyes won that game, 31-28.

<a href="mailto:bfree7066■■■■■■■■■■■■">bfree7066■■■■■■■■■■■■</a>

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:37pm

Navy Battles American in First Patriot League Tournament Game in School History

PATRIOT LEAGUE TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
(4) Navy (13-3) at (1) American (7-9)
Friday, April 25, 2008 1:00 pm (ET)
Jacobs Recreational Complex
Washington, D.C.

GAME PREVIEW
The Navy women’s lacrosse team looks to continue its historic run on Friday as it will compete in its first Patriot League Tournament game in school history … the Mids (13-3 / 4-2) will battle top-seeded American (7-9 / 5-1 PL) in Washington, D.C., beginning at 1:00 pm … the Mids tuned up for the tournament with a 19-8 victory at Villanova on Tuesday night … American has been off since earning the top seed and the right to host with a 13-10 victory over Colgate last Saturday … the other semifinals pits second-seeded Colgate against third-seeded Lehigh, beginning at 3:30 pm … the two semifinal winners will battle on Sunday at 1:00 pm for the Patriot League Tournament title … the Patriot League winner will host an NCAA Play-In Game on May 3.

ABOUT AMERICAN
Top-seeded American, the preseason selection in a poll done by coaches and sports information directors at the start of the year, enters the tournament with a 7-9 overall record and a 5-1 mark in the Patriot League … Navy was the lone Patriot League team to beat American, as the Mids defeated the Eagles, 13-12, on April 1 … the Eagles are on a modest two-game winning streak that was preceded by a five-game losing streak … Jackie Lane, a first-team All-Patriot League selection, led American with 36 goals, 17 assists and 53 points … Lauren Askionoff added 39 points (37 g, 12 a) and three other players have scored at least 20 points … Kristine Vida, the Patriot League goalie of the Year, owns an 11.66 GAA and a .497 save percentage in goal … American has been outscored by its opponents, 185-171, this year and is getting outshot by almost five shots a game.

RACKING UP THE HONORS
It didn’t take long for the Navy women’s lacrosse team to be recognized among the Patriot League’s best … sophomore Erin Rawlick and freshman Meg Decker were named to the All-Patriot League first team, while freshman Katrina Nietsch earned second-team accolades … there were 10 freshmen or sophomores on the all-league teams, with three of them coming from Navy … in addition, there were five freshmen on the all-league teams, with two of them coming from Navy.

RACKING UP THE HONORS, II
In addition to the all-league honors, Navy was well-represented on the weekly award list … six different players won nine different weekly awards, trailing just Lehigh’s 10 weekly awards … Meg Decker led the way with three citations while classmate Caitlin Mandrin Hill won defensive player of the week accolades in back-to-back weeks … other Mids to win weekly awards were Erin Rawlick (POW), Mary Ruttum (POW), Natalie Blandon (GOW) and Katrina Nietsch (ROW).

HOME SWEET HOME
Playing in what is perhaps the finest facility in the nation, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, the Mids enjoyed a definite home-field advantage … Navy posted an 11-0 record at home, winning the 11 games by a combined 104 goals (9.5 per game) … Navy’s 11-game home winning streak is the fourth-longest active streak in the country.

RAWLICK SETS THE PACE
Sophomore Erin Rawlick has been a key part of Navy’s transition to Division I lacrosse, and she has shown her importance all season long … through Tuesday’s game, Rawlick leads the country in goals (64) and is second in the nation in scoring with 87 points … the 64 goals are tied for the sixth most in Patriot League history, needing just four more to move into a tie for third … her 87 points are the fourth most in Patriot League history and she needs just two points to move into a tie for third on that list as well … all of this is coming after a year in which she scored 127 points in Navy’s final club season … Rawlick has scored at least two goals in every game this year and has 35 points (24 g, 11 a) in the last six games … over the last two games, Rawlick has 13 points (12 g, 1 a).

DECKER IS A HIGH-FLYING FRESHMAN
Freshman Meg Decker has been a pleasant surprise to the Navy offensive attack, ranking second on the team with 57 goals and 70 points … Decker has recorded a hat trick in 13 straight games … ranks third nationally among freshmen in scoring (70) and points (57) … was a three-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week and is one of two freshmen to be named to the All-Patriot League first team.

FAST FACTS
Navy set an NCAA record for wins by a first-year program with 13, surpassing the 1996 North Carolina team (12).
Navy is 12-1 when winning the draw control battle, with the lone loss coming to Davidson … when opponents have more draw controls, the Mids are 1-2.
Meg Decker leads the team with 15 hat tricks, including 13 straight.
Navy is 11-0 when scoring at least 15 goals in a games.
Navy is 13-0 when holding opponents to 0-14 goals.
Navy is 9-1 when Erin Rawlick scores at least five points in a game … in games when Rawlick is held to 0-4 points, the Mids are 4-2.
Navy is 12-0 when Katrina Nietsch scores two or more goals in a game.
Meg Decker, Erin Rawlick and Amanda Towey have scored in all 16 games this year … Decker and Rawlick have scored a goal in every game.
When Mary Ruttum dishes out two or more assists in a game, the Mids are 5-0.
Navy is 11-1 when leading at halftime … the lone loss was a 15-12 setback to Lehigh, in which Navy led 9-4 at the halftime break.
Navy is 6-0 when Kaylene Kingenstein scores two or more points in a game.
The Mids are 12-1 when Amanda Towey scores two or more points in a game.
Navy has shattered the previous record (2007 Holy Cross; 240) of goals scored in a season with 268 … Navy is averaging 16.8 goals per game, which would set a new NCAA single-season record … Navy needs 20 more goals to move into 15th place on the all-time NCAA single-season goals scored list.
The Mids are averaging 23.4 points per game, the fourth-highest single-season average in NCAA history.
Lastly, Navy is averaging 17.0 draw controls per game, the second-best average in NCAA history.
On the single-game list, Navy’s 24-goal victory over St. Francis (Pa.) is the eighth-largest margin of victory in NCAA history … the Mids’ 41 points (24 g, 17 a) against St. Francis was the third-most points in a game in NCAA history, as were the 17 assists.
Navy won 21 draw controls against Villanova, the sixth-most draw controls won in a game in NCAA history … the Mids also record the 10th most (20) three different times (Longwood, Canisius and Lafayette).
Navy’s goals against St. Francis that were seven and eight seconds apart were the fourth and ninth-quickest consecutive goals in NCAA history.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:38pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Multiple Trophies at Stake this Weekend for Navy Crew Programs

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A pair of historic trophies are at stake for both of the Navy men’s rowing teams on Saturday, while the women’s program will compete Sunday at the Patriot League Championship.

The Navy lightweight team will play host to Harvard and Georgetown Saturday morning on the Severn River, with the first race starting at 6:30 a.m. The winner of the varsity race between the Mids and the Crimson will receive the Haines Trophy, which was first presented in 1958. Though the Crimson hold a 40-7 advantage in the overall series, Navy has won the hardware in four of the last six years and has won three-straight meetings held in Annapolis.

Navy’s varsity boat enters Saturday’s race ranked third in this week’s U.S. Rowing poll, Harvard is ranked sixth and Georgetown is ranked 11th.

Last year’s race, held on the Charles River in Boston, saw the Crimson edge the Mids for the trophy by six-tenths of a second. Harvard completed the 2,000-meter course in a time of 6:04.5, while Navy followed with a clocking of 6:05.1.

“Over the past few years, both Harvard and Navy have stepped it up for this rivalry and that has resulted in some tight finishes,” said Navy lightweight head coach Rob Friedrich. “This weekend should be no different. Having Georgetown as a guest in this duel race only magnifies its importance.”

Navy’s heavyweight team will race against Penn and Harvard Saturday on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. The winner of the varsity race between the three programs will earn possession of the Adams Cup, which was first awarded in 1933. Harvard has won the last seven races to increase its victory total in the series to 44, Penn last won the trophy in 1999 and has tallied 14 cup victories, while Navy, the second-place boat in each of the last five years, won its 13th and most recent trophy in 1996.

Harvard is ranked fourth in this week’s U.S. Rowing poll, Navy is ranked 12th and Penn is unranked.

The Crimson posted a winning time in the varsity race of 6:07.0 last year on the Charles River, with the Mids finishing in second place eight seconds later and the Quakers following an additional eight seconds later.

“The Adams Cup is one of the oldest cup races in rowing, so we are always very excited when it comes around,” said Navy heavyweight head coach Rick Clothier. “It is always a hard-fought race and I expect the same from all of the crews on Saturday.”

Navy’s women’s team also will be racing for a trophy of its own Sunday when the Mids vie for the Patriot League Championship on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, N.J. The overall team title is determined by the number of points accrued by the teams in the first varsity eight, the second varsity eight and the varsity four races.

After sweeping the three individual boat titles and winning the team title at the inaugural league championship in 2005, the Mids have placed second in the varsity race and in the overall team points tally in each of the last two years.

Bucknell picked up its second-straight league team crown last year when the Bison won each of the three individual boat titles – all by a minimum of five seconds – at the championship.

“I feel we have been improving weekly since the start of the season,” said Navy women’s head coach Mike Hughes. “Each week has been a little bit better, so we are looking for that trend to continue this weekend. We will need to be at our best in order to be successful.”

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:39pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Tennis Team Chases League Title this Weekend

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Fresh off of recording its third-straight Star Match victory over Army last week, the Navy tennis team will attempt to win its second Patriot League Tournament title in as many years this weekend when the Mids take part in the league championship being held in Hamilton, N.Y.

The Mids garnered the top seed in the seven-team field by posting a 5-0 record against league opponents during the regular season. With the top seed comes a quarterfinal round bye for the Mids, so Navy’s first match will be in the semifinal round against the winner of Friday’s quarterfinal match between #4 Colgate and #5 Lafayette. That semifinal match will be held Saturday (10 a.m.), with the championship match slated for Sunday (1 p.m.).

Weather permitting, all matches will be contested outdoors at the J.W. Abrahamson Memorial Courts on the Colgate campus. Should poor weather force the matches indoors, they will instead by played at the Eastside Racquet Club Fitness in Manlius, N.Y. If the matches do have to be played indoors, Navy’s semifinal match will be played at 4:30 p.m. and the title tilt will take place at 3 p.m.

“We are excited to compete in the Patriot League Championship,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “We know we will have to be ready to play our best tennis in order to bring home a championship. The team is doing a good job of preparing this week.”

Tournament-host Colgate posted a 2-3 record against the league this year. One of its losses was a 6-1 setback to Navy one month ago in Hamilton. Lafayette, meanwhile, compiled a 2-4 record in the Patriot League this season, with the Mids handing the Leopards a 7-0 loss in late February in Annapolis.

The other half of the bracket features #2 Army (5-1) facing #7 Holy Cross (0-3) and #3 Bucknell (3-2), taking on #6 Lehigh (1-5). Navy recorded a 4-3 win over Army last week in Annapolis, a 4-1 victory over Bucknell in Lewisburg and a 7-0 win over Lehigh in Annapolis. The Mids did not face the Crusaders during the regular season.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:41pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published April 24, 2008

Erin Rawlick came to the Naval Academy with the intention of playing women’s soccer. She switched to women’s lacrosse as a plebe and is now the nation’s leading goal scorer at the Division I level.

It is due largely to the outstanding performance of non-recruited players such as Rawlick that Navy has enjoyed so much success in its inaugural varsity season. The Midshipmen (13-3) have established an NCAA record for wins by a first-year program.

Rawlick is one of 21 holdovers from Navy’s club program, which went 18-5 and was runner-up in the US Lacrosse/Women’s Division Intercollegiate Associates national tournament.

“We took the mindset that this is a Division I program now and it will take more dedication and commitment to be successful,” Rawlick said. “Fortunately, we have a phenomenal coaching staff that has shown us what it takes and done so much to help us improve.”

Navy made an impressive debut in the Patriot League, placing fourth out of seven schools with a 4-2 record. The Midshipmen hope to continue their magical campaign by capturing the Patriot League Tournament, being held tomorrow and Sunday at American University. Winner advances to an NCAA Tournament play-in game against the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference champion.

“I think this team is still hungry to make a statement, to prove how tough we can be,” Navy head coach Cindy Timchal said. “We’re playing solid lacrosse right now. What I want more than anything is for the players to put it all out there and play as well as possible.”

Navy meets top-seeded American in tomorrow’s opening semifinal while second-seeded Colgate faces No. 3 Lehigh in the nightcap. Navy nipped American 13-12 during the regular season, but was beaten 19-10 by Colgate and 15-12 by Lehigh.

“We are pumped and ready to go. All four teams are capable so it’s going to be a matter of which shows up the strongest,” Rawlick said. “We know it will take two tough wins, but we are going in confident.”

Rawlick played soccer and lacrosse at C. Milton Wright in Harford County and was a member of Class 3A state championship squads in both sports. While she grew up playing high-level club soccer, the daughter of a career Army officer did not pick up a lacrosse stick until moving to Forest Hill.

“I didn’t know anything about lacrosse until my freshman year at C.M. Wright. I was one of four girls that made varsity soccer as a freshman and the lacrosse coach recruited us because he was looking for athletes,” said Rawlick, who lived in Germany and Virginia for most of her youth.

C. Milton Wright is a perennial powerhouse in girls lacrosse and Rawlick was forced to develop strong stick skills while playing alongside such future Division I recruits as Kadie Stamper (Johns Hopkins), Amanda Barnes (North Carolina) and Katie McHugh (Loyola).

However, Rawlick always saw herself as a soccer player and planned to pursue that sport at the collegiate level. Lt. Col. Steve Rawlick is a 1976 graduate of West Point and convinced his daughter to consider a service academy. Erin Rawlick was excited about being accepted to the Naval Academy due largely to the strength of the women’s soccer program.

Things didn’t work out with soccer, so instead of trying to prevent goals as a sweeper, Rawlick is scoring them as an offensive midfielder.

“I heard Navy was going varsity and that Coach Timchal was coming in to build the program, so I thought it would be fun to get back into lacrosse,” said Rawlick, who was named a USL/WDIA All-American after piling up 127 points (91 goals, 36 assists) as a plebe in 2007.

Of course, the big question was whether Rawlick and Navy’s other club players would enjoy similar success at the Division I level. Apparently, the transition hasn’t been that difficult since Rawlick leads the country with 64 goals and ranks second with 87 points. The 5-foot-8 sophomore was named first team All-Patriot League yesterday.

“I thought Erin was an exceptional player and that her skills would transfer from club to varsity competition,” Timchal said. “That said, Erin has worked extremely hard every day in practice to become a better player. She has great presence in the midfield, is very dynamic with the ball in her stick and is a true finisher on offense.”

Rawlick, who scored seven goals against both Canisius and Villanova, also ranks among the national leaders in draw controls (56). Her point total is the fourth-highest in Patriot League history.

“This season has been so rewarding on so many levels. I’m happy that I could contribute to getting this program off to a good start,” Rawlick said. “I think a lot of people are surprised with how well Navy lacrosse has done in its first season. However, the feeling among the players and coaches is that we still have a lot more potential, a lot more room to grow.”

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 2:43pm

Navy set to play in Patriot League Championship this weekend

For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Men’s Golf Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Navy Sets Its Sight on 2008 Patriot League Golf Championship

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy golf team makes a return visit to the Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania this weekend where it will look to capture its fifth Patriot League Championship. The last time the Patriot League Championship was played at the Saucon Valley Country Club, tournament MVP Brian Crum won the individual title and led the Midshipmen to the 2003 Patriot League Championship crown. Action kicks off on Saturday at 8:00 am from the black tees on the Grace Course with 36 holes of play, followed by the final round on Sunday starting at 8:00 am. The winner of the two-day, 54-hole tournament will receive an automatic bid into one of the three NCAA regional tournaments.

Lehigh will serve as the host school, while the Saucon Valley Country Club will play host to the Patriot League Championship for the third time. In 1996, Lehigh turned in a 10-stroke advantage over the Midshipmen to claim the league title on its home course. As previously mentioned, Navy claimed a 31-stroke decision over Lehigh to take the crown in 2003.

Bucknell has claimed the Patriot League Championship in each of the last two years and both times by just a handful of strokes. In 2006, the Bison clipped Army by just two strokes, while last year Navy fell short of the tournament win by just three strokes. Nine of the 11 All-Patriot League performers are back on the links, including Holy Cross senior Matt Czarnecki who will try to become the second golfer to win back-to-back individual titles. Bucknell’s Charlie Waddell is the only golfer to achieve the feat, winning in 2005 and again in '06.

Though Navy turned in a second-place finish in last spring’s league championship, the Mids have claimed the tournament title four times in the last nine years, including back-to-back-to-back titles in 1998, 2000 and 2001. In addition, five different Midshipmen have won the individual title, including two in the last five years. Last spring, Navy’s Chris Renninger (Darnestown, Md.) nearly became the sixth player to claim the individual crown, but fell short of Czarnecki by just a stroke.

Just two of the six players who represented Navy at last year’s Patriot League Championship will compete in this year’s tournament. Renninger, who garnered All-Patriot League kudos for a second straight year, paced the Mids with his 3-over par 213. Holy Cross’ Matt Czarnecki and Renninger were deadlocked heading into the final round of action, as both carded a 1-over par 141. Czarnecki held off Renninger by posting a 1-over par 71 to Renninger’s 2-over par 72. on Sunday to claim individual medalist honors. Renninger, meanwhile, was just a stroke behind, finishing the tournament in second place with a 3-over par 213 and garnered All-Patriot League recognition for the second-straight year.

Junior Ryan Wielgus (Bethesda, Md.), who returned to the Mids’ lineup a week ago after missing most of the spring with a hand injury, placed 26th last spring with a 20-over par 230. In 2006, he was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Year after tying for eighth with a 16-over par 229, the highest placing rookie in the field. Wielgus is coming off a 14th-place showing at the Navy Spring Invitational where he turned in a 5-over par 147.

Though senior Erich Schoen (Sylvania, Ohio) did not compete in last year’s league tournament, he is no stranger to the postseason tournament. Schoen placed 21st with a 17-over par 227 in the 2005 Patriot League Championship and followed up in 24th (+24, 237) in 2006. Schoen owns the low average on the team this season with a 75.4 average over 21.5 rounds. He has four top 20 performances, including three top-10 marks.

Meanwhile, David Miller (Chillicothe, Ohio) is also back in the lineup after missing the '07 league tournament. As a freshman, Miller finished just outside of the top with his 20-over par 233 to place 12th alongside classmate Eric Stinson (Spotsylvania, Pa.). Miller has played in two of Navy’s three tournaments this spring and heads into the weekend with a 78.3 stroke average over 15.5 rounds this year.

Rounding out Navy’s six-man lineup will be freshmen Ben Hayes (Carmichael, Calif.) and Josh Ziska (Camarillo, Calif.). Hayes is coming off a phenomenal performance at the Navy Spring Invitational a week ago where he won his first collegiate tournament with a 3-under par 139. Additionally, he tied the tournament record for lowest 36-hole score, as well as the lowest 36-hole scores to par. Hayes has seen action in four events this season and over the 9.5 rounds, he has produced a 75.7 stroke average. In addition to his fine performance last weekend, he opened the spring season by placing 22nd at the George Washington Invitational at the Bear Trap Dunes in Delaware with an 11-over par 191.

Ziska, meanwhile, has competed in five tournaments in his first season with the Mids where he has produced a 77.7 stroke average over 11.5 rounds. He has been successful for head coach Pat Owen in the past, including helping lead Navy to a 6.5 - 4.5 come-from-behind win over arch rival Army in the annual Star Match. After teaming up with Schoen to win the 4-ball match against Joey Cave and Minou Pak, Ziska earned a 4&3 win over Army freshman Matt Krembel the following day in what was the first of five singles wins for the Mids. It marked the first time in series history (10 matches in this format) that a team has come back to win the match after trailing following the 4-ball matches.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 3:00pm

For: Immediate Release
Sent: April 24, 2008
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Naval Academy Ranks at the Top in NCAA APR Report

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The Naval Academy had 12 athletic teams publicly recognized by the NCAA for a high academic progress report according to NCAA data released this afternoon. Navy’s 12 teams tied with Duke for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision (former IA). Notre Dame was third with 11 teams.

The NCAA is honoring sports teams with public recognition awards for their latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate scores. These teams posted multi-year APR scores in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports. The public recognition awards are part of the broad Division I academic reform effort.

The APR provides a real-time look at a team’s academic success each semester by tracking the academic progress of each student-athlete. The APR includes eligibility, retention, and graduation in the calculation and provides a clear picture of the academic culture in each sport. High-performing teams receiving awards posted APR scores ranging from 965 to a perfect 1,000.

Multi-year APR scores for all 6,110 Division I sports teams, including the teams receiving public recognition awards, will be announced May 6. The announcement also will include immediate and historical penalties for low-performing teams.

Naval Academy athletic teams recognized by the NCAA include: baseball, men’s basketball, football, men’s gymnastics, men’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, men’s indoor track & field, men’s outdoor track & field, wrestling, rifle, women’s basketball and women’s crew.

For the full report by sport and by institution go to: [NCAA</a> - National Collegiate Athletic Association](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/3q3ksg]NCAA”>http://■■■■■■■.com/3q3ksg)

[NCAA</a> - National Collegiate Athletic Association](<a href=“http://■■■■■■■.com/53wjpc]NCAA”>http://■■■■■■■.com/53wjpc)

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 3:01pm

For: Immediate Release
Sent: April 24, 2008
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Navy Football Media Guide Ranked Sixth Best In The Country

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The Naval Academy Football media guide, produced by the Navy Sports Information Office, was ranked No. 6 in the country by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Associate Athletic Director Scott Strasemeier served as writer and editor of the publication, Kelli Sheesley handled the layout and design and Phil Hoffmann was the photographer. Associate Sports Information Director Stacie Michaud and Assistant SID’s Justin Kischefsky, Chris Forman and Jonathan Maggart were all contributors.

Top Division I-A Football Media Guides

Notre Dame
UCLA
Florida State
Memphis
Virginia Tech
Navy

Best Cover: Oklahoma State

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 3:06pm

For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Cruises Past Coppin State, 13-3

HANOVER, Md. Navy third baseman Kendall Bolt (So./Stockton, Calif.) went 3-for-6 with a double, home run and five RBIs to lead the Midshipmen to a 13-3 win over Coppin State at Joe Cannon Stadium on Thursday afternoon. The Mids improved to 25-20 overall, while the Eagles dropped to 3-42.

Bolt also scored twice and set a career high in RBIs to lead a Navy offense that tallied 17 base hits and drew nine walks.

Kendall was certainly the key for our offense, as he came up with five of our first-eight RBIs of the game, stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. He really delivered in the clutch and set the tone for the game. He has had a much better approach at the plate over the last couple of weeks and has began to see more results.

Nick Driscoll (Fr./Riverview, Fla.) finished 3-for-5 with two RBIs, a run scored and a walk. Thomas Hamilton (Sr./Houston, Texas) crossed home plate three times in going 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk, while Bill Maugeri (Sr./Edgewater, Md.), Jeff Bland (Fr./Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Mike Hoosier (So./Pomona, N.Y.) each collected two base knocks for the Mids.

In his first-career start, Navy southpaw Sam Long (Fr./Newnan, Ga.) did not allow an earned run over five innings of four-hit baseball with two walks and five strikeouts to pick up his first-career win. Reliever Luke Roberts (Fr./Midland, N.C.) fired two hitless, shutout innings with three strikeouts to close out the ballgame.

This is the second-straight good start by a freshman for us, said Kostacopoulos. With Wes Olsons performance on Tuesday, on freshmen starters have not allowed an earned run over 10-consecutive innings. Its good to see them performing well at the end of the year, which they can use to springboard into next season.

Navy jumped out to a 9-0 lead after four innings and never looked back. Bolt delivered a two-run single in the first, before blasting a two-run home run over the right-field fence. The long ball was Bolts fourth of the season and the 31st for Navy as a team, breaking the previous school record of 30 held by the 1998 Midshipmen.

In the fourth, Michael Speciale (So./Pearland, Texas) and Bolt each had RBI singles, followed by a two-run single off the bat of Bland and a run-scoring single by Driscoll.

Coppin State trimmed the Navy advantage to eight with an unearned run in the fourth, but that would be as close as it would get for the remainder of the contest.

The Midshipmen pushed their cushion to double digits with a four-run seventh. Maugeri smashed a 400-foot home run over the fence in left-center, the first of his career, to start the frame. Driscoll produced a RBI single to right, proceeded by bases-loaded walks by Jonathan Wright (Fr./Arden, N.C.) and Speciale that made the score 13-1.

Navy will return to action this weekend, when it closes out Patriot League regular season play with first-place Holy Cross in Annapolis. The two teams, separated by two games in the standings, are slated to play 12 noon doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday. Live statistics 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 · April 27, 2008, 3:08pm

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. April 24, 2008 – Jacksonville University will add men’s and women’s lacrosse as announced by JU president Dr. Kerry Romesburg and director of athletics Alan Verlander at a press conference, increasing the number of varsity sports sponsored by the school to 20.

“We are excited about the addition of two new sports that are emerging in our region,” said JU president Dr. Kerry Romesburg. “Lacrosse is a growing sport and we look forward to being a part of its expansion in the southeast. We believe that this will generate interest in our institution and help bring awareness of JU to a wider audience.”

The first lacrosse teams to don the green and gold will take the field in the spring of 2010 for their first regular season games.

“Lacrosse is a wonderful opportunity for Jacksonville University,” said JU director of athletics Alan Verlander. “All of our athletic programs are building success and I believe lacrosse will be no different. Starting two programs from the infancy will be a fun challenge and I believe we have the right leadership in place to build success.”

Taking over the reins of these new programs will be Mindy McCord, who will serve as the women’s head coach and the director of lacrosse until a men’s coach is hired.

“Mindy’s passion for lacrosse and the experience she has in building start-up programs in Florida were quite important in our screening process,” said JU director of athletics Alan Verlander. “She has a lot of connections in the lacrosse community and everyone that we talked to during the interview process had nothing but respect for her and what she has accomplished.”

McCord brings a wealth of experience in building lacrosse programs from the ground up. She is the head women’s lacrosse coach at Nease High School, having built the program from an informal club team to a perennial powerhouse. She is also the co- founder of Lax Maniax Premier Girl’s Lacrosse Organization, which has helped educate, encourage and promote the growth of women’s lacrosse in Florida.

JU will be third head coaching stop for McCord, but her first at the Division I level. She started her head coaching career at Oberlin College, earning North Coast Athletic Conference “Coach of the Year” twice while leading the school to two conference championships in her four seasons.

She then took over as the head coach at McDaniel College, transforming a stagnant program into a contender and a 10-win team in three seasons.

“I can’t thank JU enough for the opportunity to build these programs from the ground up,” McCord said. "The visionary leadership will pay tremendous dividends to the school and to the thousands of youth and high school lacrosse players in Florida and the southeast.

“JU lacrosse will be rooted in the south and the campus will become a hub of activity for lacrosse in our region. Jacksonville’s strong commitment to the individual student and the focus on facilities and ‘building’ is in line with my philosophy of lacrosse and my outlook for the future.”

McCord’s family is also heavily involved in the sport of lacrosse, with her daughter being ranked as one of the top up-and-coming prospects in the Southeast.

“Lacrosse is a family passion for us. We have all benefited from our enjoyment of the game, from the strong community and excitement that the game brings. This is what makes lacrosse the fastest growing sport on the college, high school and youth levels today. Merging the lacrosse community with Jacksonville University is going to create a very special place to get an education.”

JU will be the only Division I school in the state of Florida to sponsor men’s lacrosse and will join the University of Florida as the only schools to offer women’s lacrosse at the Division I level.

Of the 84 Division I schools that offered women’s lacrosse for the 2008 season, 75 are in the southern or eastern United States. In 2008, 55 schools offered men’s lacrosse as a sport and JU will be the southernmost school to offer the sport.

With the addition of two new sports, the Dolphins will seek an affiliate membership in a league based on the east coast since the Atlantic Sun Conference does not offer a men’s or women’s lacrosse championship.

Currently, lacrosse is the 12th most popular sport among Division I women’s programs. The NCAA has sponsored a national championship (one champion for all divisions) for women’s lacrosse since 1982. 2001 was the first year for the Division I NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship.

In the state of Florida, 62 high schools offered the sport during this season and Florida is sponsoring a state championship for the first time. Nationally, there are 477 college varsity and club teams in women’s lacrosse, with more than 1,400 high schools teams sponsoring the sport.

GreatAmerican · April 27, 2008, 3:11pm