Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · September 9, 2007, 9:08pm

NC State wins Navy Fall Golf Invitational, Mids second

For Immediate Release
Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007
Men’s Golf Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Mids Finish Second at Home Invitational, NC State Claims Team Title

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy Blue squad shot the low round of the day, a 2-over par 286, to place second at the 2007 Navy Fall Golf Invitational on Sunday at the Naval Academy Golf Course in Annapolis. NC State became the 11th different winner in the 14 years the tournament has been played thanks to its 2-under par 566, the second-lowest team score in tournament history.

Second-place Navy (303-286-589) edged Delaware (296-294-590) by a stroke, while Maryland (301-294-595) and Seton Hall (297-301-598) rounded out the top five in the team standings.

N.C. State sophomore Hertzog Landman shot a 2-under par 69 on the final day to earn a 3-stroke win over teammates Adam Hogue (68-72-140), Andrew Byrd (67-73-140) and Delaware’s Jason Bernstein (69-71-140). Landman, however, played as an individual and his score did not count toward’s NC State’s team total. Wolfpack players accounted for six of the top nine finishers, two of which competed as individuals (Matt Hill 74-67-141 was the other).

Though the Navy Blue team started the day in sixth place, the Midshipmen were just seven strokes behind Delaware who was in second place. And while the entire squad stepped it up, senior Erich Schoen (Sylvania, Ohio) and junior Chip Hardie (Arnold, Md.) each shot a 2-under 69 to help push Navy ahead. Schoen leapt from 25th to a seventh-place finish, while Hardie moved up from 33rd to tie for 10th. Junior David Miller place 17th with a fairly even tournament, shooting a first-round 75 and 74 on the final day (149).

Navy’s Gold squad also moved up a spot in the tournament where it tied North Dakota State for sixth with a 33-over par 601. Ryan Sload (Lancaster, Pa.), one of three seniors on the team, capped off a solid weekend on the links with a 4-over par 146 and a tie for 10th place. Team captain Chris Renninger (Darnestown, Md.) improved his score by five strokes, hitting 1-over par in the final round to tie for 17th with a 7-over par 149.

Also gaining one position in the final standings was the Navy White squad who placed 12th with a 47-over par 615. Four of the five players on the team improved or equalled their score, including junior John Montemayor, who paced the team with a 9-over par 151. Freshman Steve ‘Beau’ Guidry (Durham, N.C.) shaved 10 strokes off his score on the final day, while fellow newcomer Marcus Heyland (Fort Madison, Iowa) improved by 11 strokes.

Finally, the Navy Gray team moved up from 16th to 14th with a 59-over par 627. Like the Navy White squad, the grays vastly improved their scores from the first to final round. Second-year standout Michael Harrigan (Moorestown, N.J.) shot a 5-over par 76 on Sunday to finish 39th, while classmate Joshua Howell (New Bern, N.C.) was 2-over par on the final day to also tie for 39th with a 12-over par 154.

“Overall, I was really pleased with how well we played this weekend,” said 17th-year Navy head coach Pat Owen. "We shot the low round of the day, but NC State’s lead was just too big for anyone to overcome.

“I think our players were more comfortable out there today,” continue Owen. “We’ve only had eight practice sessions to date, so we are still working on our game and continuing to improve. I like to start the year out at home to build some confidence and especially with today’s performance, I think this was a good experience and result for us as we move forward.”

The Midshipmen will have the next two weeks to prepare for the Sea Trail Intercollegiate slated for Sept. 21-23 at the Sea Trail Golf Resort in Sunset Beach, N.C.

GreatAmerican · September 9, 2007, 9:09pm

Navy def. Towson, 1-0

For Immediate Release
Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007
Women’s Soccer Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Fox Leads Navy to 1-0 Win Over Towson

NNAPOLIS, Md. - Forward Brigitte Fox’s (La Mesa, Calif.) goal in the 52nd minute led the undefeated Navy women’s soccer team (3-0-2) to a 1-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Towson Tigers (3-1) Sunday afternoon at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility in Annapolis. Fox, who has produced a point in all five games this fall, has now scored two of Navy’s three game-winners.

Navy has now won five in a row against Towson who last faced the Midshipmen on Sept. 5, 2003. Navy owns a 5-1 series advantage, dropping the series opener, 3-2, in 1994. Meanwhile, Navy is the first Towson opponent in 2007 to hold the Tigers without a goal. Heading into the contest, Towson had outscored its opponents, 14-1.

“I loved our intensity and mentality this afternoon,” said head coach Carin Gabarra, who recorded her 175th victory at the Academy. “We’ve been working on trying to put all the pieces together and I think we are headed in the right direction. We played 90 minutes full throttle and that’s what we are asking out of the players every game.”

The first half saw Navy control the tempo and the offense, as the Mids took six shots to Towson’s one. Twenty minutes into the contest, Fox drove a hard shot at the goal from five yards out, but Towson keeper Brandi Daniels made a diving save to keep the game scoreless. With just over 12 minutes remaining in the opening half, Daniels made another fine save, this time snatching a Sam Schroth (Chester Springs, Pa.) header out of the air.

While Navy’s offense saw its fair share of shots, the defense held Towson without a shot until 16 minutes left in the first stanza.

Though Towson took three more shots than the Mids in the second half, Navy capitalized when it needed to. The veteran play of Fox, one of five seniors on the team, made the difference, as junior Kristen Laraway (Long Valley, N.J.) sent her a ball from the right sideline and Fox ran past her defender to poke the ball in the back of the net for her third goal this season.

Navy will be back in action next weekend when it takes part in the VCU/Ewing Sports Invitational in Richmond, Va. The Mids will battle 2006 NCAA Tournament foe William & Mary on Friday beginning at 4:00 pm and on Sunday, Navy faces the host Rams at 12:00 pm.

GreatAmerican · September 10, 2007, 8:54pm

For Immediate Release
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Mids Cruise to 47-8 Win at Frostburg State JV

FROSTBURG, Md. Navy sprint football quarterback D.J. Green (Jr./Indianapolis, Ind.) threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more as the Midshipmen opened the 2007 season with a dominating 47-8 win at Frostburg State JV on Sunday night.

Green, who played only into the early part of the third quarter, completed 14-of-20 passes for 225 yards and also rushed for 37 yards on nine carries.

D.J. was very solid tonight, stated Navy head coach Maj. Jake Jenkins, USMC, who earned a victory in his first game at the helm of the program. He had a lot of poise and good command. He really displayed leadership on the field.

While the offense churned out 466 yards of total offense, Navys defense held the Bobcats offense to just 36 yards of offense, 45 of which came on the first play of the game.

I was really happy with the hustle our defense showed, said Jenkins. They really went after the ball on every play.

Our offensive line was impressive the whole game. They really pushed the line of scrimmage forward and opened up some huge holes against guys that were sometimes twice their weight.

Navy took a 6-0 lead with 10:45 remaining in the first quarter when running back Richard Engel (Sr./Medford, N.J.) took a pitch and scored from eight yards out. However, Frostburg State JV grabbed the lead late in the first quarter on a 74-yard interception return and converted on its two-point pass to take an 8-6 advantage.

However, Navy responded with touchdowns on each of its next-five possessions, four of which came in the second quarter, to establish a commanding 41-8 cushion. Green rushed for back-to-back touchdowns before Engel found the endzone from one yard out and Green delivered scoring strikes from eight and 13 yards to wide receiver Todd Barriger (Sr./Prescott, Mich.).

Navy kicker David Reifenberg (So./Ft. Wayne, Ind.) connected on field goals from 45 yards, a career long, and 36 yards in the fourth stanza to make the score 47-8.

Barriger finished the game with seven receptions for 122 yards, including a 48-yard grab in the first quarter. Wide receiver Tommy Tellson (Jr./Bedford, Texas) also hauled in three passes for 47 yards on the evening. As a whole, the passing game threw for 282 yards in the victory.

Navy finished the contest with 184 yards rushing, with running back Enrique Harris (Jr./Crawfordville, Fla.) leading the way with 66 yards on 14 carries.

In his first collegiate game, linebacker Alex Segler (Fr./Plano, Texas) led the defense with eight tackles and assisted on one for a loss. Fellow linebackers Emery Persinger (Fr./Cheswick, Pa.) and Brian Smith (Jr./Gainesville, Fla.) also chipped in with five stops apiece. Defensive lineman Galen Landis (Jr./Hershey, Pa.) posted one and a half sacks and two and a half tackles for a loss, while linebacker Chris Combellick (Jr./Carmel, Ind.) registered one and a half sacks.

Navys defense registered 10 tackles in the backfield for a loss of 77 yards, broke up three passes, recovered a fumble and picked off a pass.

With Sunday nights victory, the Mids improved to 59-2-1 (.960) in season openers and 22-1 (.957) against non-CSFL teams.

The Midshipmen (1-0) will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 22, when they travel to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to take on Army in the third-annual Allegiance Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 noon.

GreatAmerican · September 10, 2007, 9:05pm

Overall Navy Sports Record: 23-5-3 (.790)

Men’s Cross Country (0-0)
Last Week: Finished third out of 22 teams at the Fordham Invitational
This Week: Navy Invitational (Saturday, 10 a.m., Annapolis, Md.)

Women’s Cross Country (3-0)
Last Week: Defeated Keene State, 25-36; defeated Dartmouth, 20-37; defeated UMass, 20-43
This Week: Salty Seadog Invitational (Saturday, 11:30 a.m., Annapolis, Md.)

Football (1-1)
Last Week: Lost to Rutgers, 41-24
This Week: Ball State (Saturday, 5 p.m., Annapolis, Md., Navy Radio Network, CSTV)

Sprint Football (1-0)
Last Week: Defeated Frostburg State JV, 47-8
This Week: Idle

Golf (0-0)
Last Week: Finished second out of 17 teams at the Navy Fall Classic
This Week: Idle

Intercollegiate Sailing (0-0)
Last Week: No results reported from any of the regattas
This Week: Hatch Brown Trophy (Saturday-Sunday, Cambridge, Mass.); Nevins Trophy (Saturday-Sunday, Kings Point, N.Y.); Central Fall #1
(Saturday-Sunday, Toms River, N.J.); New York Maritime Fall Open
(Saturday-Sunday, Throggs Neck, N.Y.)

Offshore Sailing (0-0)
Last Week: Finished first and third in the Hospice Cup Regatta
This Week: Shields Trophy Regatta (Saturday, Annapolis, Md.); NASS Race to Oxford (Saturday, Oxford, Md.)

Men’s Soccer (2-1-1)
Last week: Defeated Iona, 2-1 (2 OT); lost to St. Francis (N.Y.), 3-1
This week: Idle

Women’s Soccer (3-0-2)
Last Week: Defeated Saint Peter’s, 4-0; tied Rider, 1-1; defeated Towson, 1-0
This Week: vs. William & Mary (Friday, 4 p.m., Richmond, Va.); at VCU (Sunday, 12 noon, Richmond, Va.)

Tennis (0-0)
Last Week: Idle
This Week: Arkansas/Oklahoma (Friday, 2 p.m., Annapolis, Md.); Maryland/Princeton (Saturday, 9 a.m., Annapolis, Md.); St. Joseph’s (Sunday, 2 p.m., Annapolis, Md.)

Women’s Volleyball (6-2)
Last Week: Defeated Wagner, 3-0; defeated New Jersey Institute of Technology, 3-0; defeated Marist, 3-2; lost to Central Connecticut State, 3-0
This Week: at St. Francis of Pa. (Tuesday, 6 p.m., Loretto, Pa.); vs.
Cornell (Friday, 1:30 p.m., Washington, D.C.); vs. Columbia (Friday, 7 p.m., Washington, D.C.); vs. Penn (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., Washington, D.C.); vs. TBA (Saturday, 4 p.m. or 7 p.m., Washington, D.C.)

Water Polo (6-1, ranked 10th in the country)
Last Week: Defeated Gannon, 19-1; defeated No. 17 Santa Clara, 11-5; defeated Fordham, 11-4
This Week: at No. 4 Stanford (Friday, 7 p.m. PDT, Palo Alto, Calif.); NorCal Tournament (Saturday-Sunday, TBA)

GreatAmerican · September 10, 2007, 9:08pm

Courtesy: Army Athletic Communications

Release: 09/10/2007

September 4, 2007

West Point, N.Y. - With the 2007-2008 athletic season just underway the Army “A” Club is proud to announce the establishment of the BEAT NAVY! BEAT AIR FORCE! Campaign. The fundraising initiative is focused on helping our cadet-athletes defeat service academy rivals Navy and Air Force.

“It is our top priority to defeat Navy and Air Force in all athletic competitions” stated, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Kevin Anderson. “This is an objective shared by all cadets, parents, alumni and Army fans. This campaign will not only provide additional resources to our athletic program for recruiting and team travel, but will also provide our supporters with a unique and interactive way to follow Army Athletics.”

The campaign asks Army alumni, parents, and fans to make a pledge per victory over Navy and Air Force throughout the 2007-2008 athletic season. Once the athletic season is complete, pledge reminders will be sent. Please review the BEAT NAVY! BEAT AIR FORCE! brochure above for further details.

If you would like to make a pledge to the BEAT NAVY! BEAT AIR FORCE! Campaign you can do so by clicking here or print out a brochure and mail in the pledge form to the Army “A” Club 639 Howard Road West Point, NY 10996. To learn more about the campaign please contact Assistant Athletic Director for Development, Doug Fillis at 845-938-2322 or by email <a href=“mailto:Douglas.fillis@usma.edu”>Douglas.fillis@usma.edu</a>.

GreatAmerican · September 10, 2007, 9:28pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Monday, September 10, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Volleyball Plays Tuesday at Saint Francis (Pa.)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy volleyball team will look to start a new winning streak Tuesday night when the Midshipmen travel to Loretto, Pa., to play at Saint Francis in a 6 p.m. match.

Navy’s five-match winning streak was snapped Saturday night when the Mids lost in three games to Central Connecticut State in the title match of the Trident Classic. The setback dropped Navy’s record to a still-impressive 6-2 on the season.

Errors on their own side of the net were a problem for the Mids in the loss to the Blue Devils. CCSU totaled 90 points in the match to Navy’s 76, but the Mids gave the Blue Devils 29 points on serving, receiving, blocking and ball-handling errors. Conversely, CCSU committed 19 such infractions on their side of the court.

“One of the improvements we are focusing on is cleaning up our side of the net,” said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. “We had done a pretty good job of eliminating those types of errors during our winning streak, but being sloppy cost us Saturday night.”

The Mids and the Red Flash, 1-6 during the 2007 season, have faced each other six times over the previous seven seasons with Navy winning four of those contests. Most recently, Saint Francis defeated Navy in four games last year in Annapolis and the Mids recorded a five-game victory over the Red Flash on their last trip to Loretto in 2005.

Last year’s contest saw Navy post an opening-game victory (30-28), but Saint Francis won the next three games by scores of 30-26, 30-22, 30-24 to win the match. Navy lost the match despite totaling 68 kills on the night to just 54 for the Red Flash. Serving was one of the main ways Saint Francis made up for the difference in kills during the match. Navy tallied six service aces and 14 service errors on the night (-8), while the Red Flash finished with 10 aces against just six errors (+4).

Four Mids reached double figures in kills last season against the Red Flash, with Rachel Dougherty’s (Sr., Derwood, Md.) 15 pacing the Navy offense. Defensively, Jessie Sims (Jr., Derwood, Md.) hauled in a match-high 20 digs for the Mids.

Saint Francis was led a year ago by then-senior Anne Roosevelt who finished with 22 kills, a .395 hitting percentage and 11 digs. Kristin Butler is the top returning offensive player for the Red Flash from last year’s match against Navy. She posted 11 kills against the Mids in Macdonough Hall.

Trident Classic All-Tournament Team Announced
Dougherty and Marissa Watson (Jr., Redondo Beach, Calif.) were Navy’s representatives on the Trident Classic All-Tournament team. Dougherty averaged 4.17 kills and 0.92 blocks per game over the three matches. She set a career high for kills in a four-game match with 19 Friday night against NJIT and then tallied a career best for kills in a five-game match with 22 Saturday afternoon against Marist. Dougherty also recorded five blocks in the matches against the Red Foxes and Central Connecticut State.

Watson, meanwhile, averaged 11.25 assists and 2.58 digs per game on the weekend, while also leading the squad with eight service aces.

Tournament-champion CCSU placed Amanda Bayer, Katie Karkow and Kaitlin Petrella on the all-tournament squad, with Bayer tabbed as the MVP. Rounding out the lost of honorees was Erica Schultz from NJIT and Alexandra Schultze from Marist.

GreatAmerican · September 11, 2007, 10:04pm

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Olsen Named Patriot League Runner of the Week

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. - For his fifth-place finish out of 233 competitors last Saturday at the Fordham Invitational, Navy men’s cross country runner John Olsen (Sr./Staten Island, N.Y.) has been honored as the Patriot League Runner of the Week, it was announced on Tuesday afternoon.

This marks the second time in Olsen’s career that he has been tabbed the league’s runner of the week, as his other weekly accolade came following a third-place performance at last year’s Fordham Invitational.

Olsen completed the 8k Van Cortlandt Park course in 26:36 to record the team’s fastest time for third time in his career. His effort on Saturday marked the seventh occasion in which he landed among the top-10 overall runners, three of which have taken place at the Fordham Invitational.

The product of Staten Island, N.Y., headed a group of five Navy runners among the top 20, as the Midshipmen finished third out of 22 teams last Saturday. Navy has placed among the top-three squads in each of its five Fordham Invitational races in program history.

The Midshipmen will host their lone home meet of the year, the Navy Invitational, this Saturday at the USNA Cross Country Course. The junior varsity race will start at 10:30 a.m., followed by the varsity race at 11 a.m. Fans are recommended to arrive early this Saturday, as parking will be limited along the sides of Greenbury Point Road.

GreatAmerican · September 11, 2007, 10:16pm

Navy def. Saint Francis (Pa.), 3-0, 30-25, 30-19, 30-23)

For Immediate Release
Sent Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Volleyball Sweeps Saint Francis

LORETTO, Pa. - Rachel Dougherty (Sr., Derwood, Md.) and Jessie Sims (Jr., Etowah, N.C.) both recorded 13 kills and hit over .400 to help lead the Navy volleyball team to a three-game victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) Tuesday night in Loretto, Pa. The Mids improved to 7-2 on the season with the 30-25, 30-19, 30-23 victory over the Red Flash.

“We accomplished many of the things we had hoped to prior to the match,” said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. “At the top of the list was limiting our unforced errors. With only three receiving errors, no blocking errors and three ball-handling errors, we played a much cleaner match than we have recently.”

Game one was close throughout, but the Mids broke open a 22-20 lead with a 5-1 run. Dougherty recorded a block to start the run, then Sims followed with a kill. After a sideout for the Red Flash, Abbie Merkl (So., Upper Marlboro, Md.) tallied kills on two of the next three plays, with an attack error for Saint Francis in between her kills, to give the Mids a 27-21 lead.

Navy jumped out on the now 1-7 Red Flash at the start of game two, quickly building a 14-4 advantage and holding a double-digit lead for most of the remainder of the game.

Game three was very similar to game one in that the Mids were not able to separate themselves from the Red Flash until late in the game. The difference, however, was that while offense was the key to its run at the end of the opening game, the Navy defense was the spark in game three.

Navy held a 22-21 lead when Sims knocked down a kill to open a 7-0 Navy run. Three of the remaining six points came on Saint Francis attack errors, while a Merkl service ace and a pair of Alexa Gibbs (Jr., Springfield, Ill.) rounded out the Navy scoring.

Strong serving also helped Navy’s offense in the match. The Mids dropped in eight service aces while committing an acceptable total of 13 service errors. Saint Francis, meanwhile recorded three aces and seven service errors. Additionally, Navy outhit Saint Francis .298-.076 in the match, while recording eight blocks to just two for the Red Flash.

While Dougherty and Sims paced the Navy offense, Marissa Watson (Jr., Redondo Beach, Calif.) grabbed 11 digs, Merkl and Aimee’ Burns (Sr., Dallas, Texas) both hauled in 10 digs and Krista Eschelman (So., Germantown, Md.) tallied four blocks.

The Mids will next play a pair of matches both Friday and Saturday at the American Volleyball Tournament in Washington, D.C.

GreatAmerican · September 12, 2007, 7:38pm

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Landis and Reifenberg Earn CSFL Weekly Honors

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy sprint football defensive lineman Galen Landis (Jr./Hershey, Pa.) and kicker David Reifenberg (So./Ft. Wayne, Ind.) have been named the CSFL Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively, it was announced by the league office on Wednesday morning.

This week’s honors are the first for both Landis and Reifenberg in their careers.

Landis helped on a defense that allowed only 36 yards of total offense in Navy’s 47-8 season-opening win at Frostburg State JV on Sunday night. Individually, the product of Hershey, Pa., recorded one and a half sacks, two and a half tackles for a loss of 16 yards and totaled four tackles in just over one half of play.

Reifenberg accounted for 11 points in Sunday evening’s win, as he connected on 2-of-3 field goal attempts and 5-of-6 point-after attempts. The kicker from Ft. Wayne, Ind., booted field goals from 45 yards, a career long, and 36 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Midshipmen (1-0) will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 22, when they travel to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to take on Army (1-0) in the third-annual Allegiance Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 12 noon.

GreatAmerican · September 12, 2007, 7:45pm

Last weekend was the Intercollegiate Sailing Team’s first weekend of ICSA competitions, competing in six events that included two laser events, one radial event, two double-handed events and one sloop event. The Navy Laser Open was hosted at the Academy, as Royce Weber finished fourth at this event, qualifying to participate in the district’s qualifier for Men’s Single Handed Nationals, the Carl Van Duyne Trophy, on September 29- 30 at the Naval Academy.

The team traveled to Old Dominion University with three female radial sailors in preparation for their single-handed national qualifier, the Faye Bennett Trophy, also to be held at USNA on September 29-30. The team of Tim Murphy, Maggie Boyle, Andrew Hotchkiss and Emily Taynor finished the event in fourth place out of 16 teams.

Members of the sloop team, Rob Ramirez, Ian Gill and Kevin McGill competed in the J 22 East Coast Championship. This was a competitive event hosted by Eastport Yacht Club in Annapolis. The team finished 11th out of 22 teams.

With 19 sailors competing up and down the East Coast, the team opened the season with a strong showing. The team will compete in four double-handed events next weekend.

Also, three members, Charlotte Hill, Andrew Vann and Martin Sterling were selected to compete in a team race against the British University Sailing Association (BUSA team) at St. Mary’s College (Md.) on Tuesday, September 11. This is a major honor for our sailors to be selected to compete in this competition.

GreatAmerican · September 12, 2007, 7:50pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – In preparation of its first season competing in the Patriot League, head coach Cindy Timchal and the Navy women’s lacrosse team has announced its 2007 fall schedule. The Mids will play a total of six games, plus a tournament at George Mason to cap off the fall portion of the schedule. The Mids opened last weekend at Rutgers with a pair of strong performances against both Rutgers and Lehigh.

“We played very well over the weekend. It was an encouraging sign to see where we stood and what we need to work on. All in all, it was good for us to get up there against compete against two strong teams,” said Timchal. “Some of our freshmen, including Meg Decker, Katrina Nietsch and Caitlin Hill, made a huge impact for us. It was good to see everyone on the same page, and it was a great opportunity to play those teams this past weekend.”

Navy will open the home portion of its fall schedule on Sept. 28, 2007, with a matchup against Germany’s Hamburg Warriors, the two-time German National Champions. The game will be played on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy, beginning at 4:30 pm. The Mids will also play a select team from Japan on Oct. 5, at 3:45 pm.

Following the contests against international competition, Navy will battle American and Mount St. Mary’s on Oct. 6, in Annapolis, beginning at noon. Navy will close out its fall portion at the George Mason Tournament on Oct. 9, in Fairfax, Va. Last year’s George Mason Tournament featured 16 teams comprised in brackets of four teams. The teams are slated to tentatively play at least four games during the day.

“It’s a little bit different approach to the fall season, in that it is important for us to be competitive,” said Timchal. “It does matter how we do, because we need to figure out where we stand entering our first season in DIvision I. We are playing some very solid teams that handled us pretty good last year, and it will be interesting to see how far we have come and how far we need to go.”

Navy’s 2008 spring schedule will be released at a later date.

GreatAmerican · September 12, 2007, 7:52pm

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Mids to Host Navy Invitational on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy mens cross country will host its lone home meet of the 2007 campaign, the Navy Invitational, this Saturday at the USNA Cross Country Course. The junior varsity race will take place at 10:30 a.m., followed by the varsity race at 11 a.m.

With a large crowd expected on Saturday, fans are encouraged to arrive early due to parking limitations at the USNA Cross Country Course and along Greenbury Point Road.

This years invitational field of 12 teams, a total of 107 runners, is the fourth largest in course history, only behind the 2002 Navy Invitational (15 teams), 1989 Navy Invitational (17 teams) and 1989 NCAA Championships (22 teams).

The Midshipmen will take on a nationally ranked team for the second-consecutive week, as 15th-ranked Louisville is one of 11 other teams descending upon Annapolis. Joining the Cardinals will be Patriot League preseason favorite American, Christopher Newport, George Mason, George Washington, La Salle, Loyola, Maryland, Richmond, Maryland-Baltimore County and Virginia Commonwealth.

In last years Navy Invitational, the Midshipmen posted five of the 11-fastest times in finishing second with 37 points, 17 more than team champion Americans 20 points. Since the 2000 season, Navy has posted four team titles and three second-place performances in its home invitational.

The Mids come into Saturdays action fresh off a third-place performance out of 22 schools at the Fordham Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, N.Y. Navy was only topped by Penns 42 points and 27th-ranked Princetons 50 points.

Patriot League Runner of the Week John Olsen (Jr./Staten Island, N.Y.) led the way for the Midshipmen with a 26:36 clocking to place fifth out of 233 runners last Saturday. Navy posted five of the 20-quickest times in the meet, recording a 39-second spread among its five scoring runners.

Following this Saturdays race, Navy will head back to Bronx, N.Y., to partake in the Iona Meet of Champions on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 10:15 a.m.

GreatAmerican · September 12, 2007, 7:53pm

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy to Host Salty Seadog Invitational on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy womens cross country will host its lone home meet of the 2007 campaign, the Salty Seadog Invitational, this Saturday at the USNA Cross Country Course. Race time is slated for 11:30 a.m.

With a large crowd expected on Saturday, fans are encouraged to arrive early due to parking limitations at the USNA Cross Country Course and along Greenbury Point Road.

This years invitational consists of a field of nine teams, a total of 131 runners. Joining the Midshipmen in Annapolis on Sunday are American Christopher Newport, La Salle, Louisville, Loyola, Maryland, Richmond and Maryland-Baltimore County.

During last seasons Salty Seadog Invitational, Navy finished in second place despite not running two of its three top runners. The Midshipmen totaled 53 points, 29 more than team champion Richmond. Since the start of the 2001 season, the Mids have recorded four team titles and two second-place efforts in their home invitational.

This Saturdays race will be the first of the season ran at 6,000 meters, as the season-opening Covered Bridge Open and last weeks Dartmouth Invitational were marked for 3.2 and 3.3 miles, respectively. The Midshipmen finished only behind 13th-ranked Georgia and 12th-ranked Florida State two weeks ago and posted three dual-scoring victories in Hanover, N.H., last Saturday.

The Midshipmen have relied upon the same five runners to score in both meets this year, as Erica Ziel (So./Saginaw, Mich.) and Arwyn Becker (Vail, Colo.) each have boasted the teams top time on one occasion. Team captain Kyleigh Millhouse (Sr./Boiling Springs, Pa.), Katie Rentz (Fr./San Diego, Calif.) and Maureen Dooley (Jr./Durham, Conn.) all have scored in the teams two races in 2007.

Following the race on Saturdays race, Navy (3-0) will head to the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa., on Sept. 28, at 2:45 p.m.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 12:26pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Tennis Team to Begin Fall Season Friday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy tennis team will open its fall season this weekend when the Midshipmen play host to the annual Navy Invitational. Partial teams from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Maryland and Princeton, as well as the entire squad from St. Joseph’s will take part in the event that runs Friday through Sunday.

Weather permitting, all matches will be played outdoors at the U.S. Naval
Academy. Should poor weather force the matches indoors, the Severn Valley
Tennis & Fitness Club in Gambrills will serve as the venue.

Navy will play the combined team of Arkansas and Oklahoma Friday at 2 p.m.,
followed by a 9 a.m. match Saturday against players from Maryland and Princeton. The Mids will close the three-day tournament Sunday at 2 p.m. against St. Joseph’s.

The tournament format will consist of a flighted round-robin competition between the individuals on the respective teams.

The last time the Mids competed in a match at the Naval Academy they won the program’s first Patriot League Championship in eight years with a 4-0 victory over Army in the title match of the 2007 league tournament. The Mids return eight players from last year’s title-winning squad, including five of the seven players who were in the lineup during Navy’s NCAA Tournament match against Texas.

This year’s Navy Invitational consists of one of the event’s most talented
fields. Arkansas, Maryland, Oklahoma and Princeton all spent at least part of
the 2007 season in the national rankings, the Mids, the Sooners and the
Terrapins each advanced to the 2007 NCAA Tournament, and all of the teams but St. Joseph’s ended last spring with a regional ranking.

The Mids were ranked 13th in last year’s final Northeast Region ranking as
compiled by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.

“We are excited about to opportunity to play four nationally-ranked teams this weekend,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “Our practices have been going very well. Our returning players have really been setting the tone.”

The non-Navy matches at the tournament include Maryland/Princeton vs. St.
Joseph’s Friday at 10 a.m., Arkansas/Oklahoma vs. St. Joseph’s Saturday at 2 p.m., and Arkansas/Oklahoma vs. Maryland/Princeton Sunday at 8 a.m.

The tournament will be Navy’s only home competition of the fall season.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 12:30pm

<a href=“http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1189657893181980.xml&coll=1[/url]”>http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1189657893181980.xml&coll=1</a>

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 12:33pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Mids Prepare to Face Ivy League Opponents

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy volleyball team will be one of four Patriot League teams and one of eight teams overall taking part in the American Volleyball Tournament this weekend in Washington, D.C.

The event features two days of matches pitting the Patriot League schools
against teams from the Ivy League. In addition to the Midshipmen and the
tournament-host Eagles, Army and Lafayette will round out the field of Patriot League teams at the event. Representing the Ivy League will be Columbia, Cornell, Harvard and Penn.

Each team will play four matches over the two days, with opponents for the first three matches pre-determined. The fourth and final match will be determined by the standings of the individual leagues, but it too will feature a Patriot League-Ivy League contest.

“It’s an exciting concept for a tournament,” said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. “The mission of both leagues are very similar, and as a result so too are the individual schools and teams. It will be an interesting weekend of volleyball.”

Navy will open the tournament Friday at 1:30 p.m. when the Mids take on Cornell, then will play Columbia at 7 p.m. Friday night. Saturday, the Mids will face Penn at 12:30 p.m. before awaiting their playoff opponent. If the Mids have the best record amongst Patriot League teams they play the top-seeded team in the Ivy League at 4 p.m. If the Mids place second, third or fourth, they will play their counterpart from the Ivy League at 7 p.m.

Cornell posted an 18-9 record last season and won the program’s third Ivy League crown in as many years with a 12-2 record against league opponents. The Big Red has compiled a record of 2-1 this season, with their wins coming over Bucknell and Niagara and their lone loss being to the hands of Siena.

Cornell has won two of the three previous meetings against Navy, with the last match coming during the 1997 season.

Columbia opened its 2007 season last weekend by participating in the Loyola
Marymount Tournament in Los Angeles. The Lions went winless on the weekend against the host school, 10th ranked Wisconsin and Tulane. Columbia is coming off of a 7-17 campaign last year, one that saw the Lions place eighth in the Ivy League with a 1-13 record.

The Mids and the Lions have split the four previous meetings between the two schools. Columbia won the most recent contest between the two teams five years ago in New York.

Penn also is winless through their opening weekend of the 2007 campaign. The Quakers lost in five games to Stony Brook and in four games to both Seton Hall and Fairfield. Penn compiled an 11-14 record last season and tied for fourth place in the Ivy League with a 6-8 record.

The Quakers hold a 9-3 advantage in the series with Navy, though Saturday will mark the first meeting between the programs since the 1998 season.

Harvard is 2-1 this season after compiling an overall record of 11-14 and
placing sixth in the Ivy League with a 5-9 record last year. The Crimson has
defeated Wofford and Delaware State and lost in four games to Michigan State this season.

Harvard won the only previous match played between the Crimson and the Mids, which took place during the 1997 season.

Navy enters the weekend with an overall record of 7-2 and following a three-game victory over Saint Francis (Pa.) Tuesday night. Rachel Dougherty (Sr., Derwood, Md.) and Jessie Sims (Jr., Etowah, N.C.) both knocked down 13 kills to lead the Navy offense, while Marissa Watson (Jr., Redondo Beach, Calif.), Abbie Merkl (So., Upper Marlboro, Md.) and Aimee’ Burns (Sr., Dallas, Texas) combined for 31 of Navy’s 49 digs in the match to pace the defense.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 9:14pm

Navy faces William & Mary, VCU at VCU/Ewing Sports Invitational

For Immediate Release
Thursday, Sept. 13, 2007
Women’s Soccer Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Unbeaten Midshipmen Travel to Richmond to Face William & Mary and VCU

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy women’s soccer team will look to keep its unbeaten streak alive when it travels to Richmond, Va. this weekend to take part in the VCU/Ewing Sports Invitational. The Midshipmen open play on Friday at 4:00 pm against a familiar foe, William & Mary, whom they defeated in a battle of penalty kicks in the opening round of the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Navy closes out the tournament on Sunday at 12:00 pm against the host VCU Rams.

After playing five games in the first 10 days of the season, the Mids got a bit of a rest without a mid-week game this week. Instead, Navy was able to turn its focus on improving upon the fundamentals that have led to a solid start to the year. Navy, however, will face what might be its most talented opponent of the year in the likes of William & Mary, who has received votes on a national level, while being highly-ranked among the Middle Atlantic.

“We are excited to play against William & Mary, a talented team who has received national recognition over the last several seasons,” said Navy head coach Carin Gabarra. “I think having played them in the NCAA Tournament last year and the way the game ended brings an added excitement from both sides.”

The Mids enter the weekend with a 3-0-2 record, featuring wins over IUPUI, Saint Peter’s and Towson. Seven different players have scored Navy’s 10 goals this fall with senior forward Brigitte Fox (La Mesa, Calif.) sticking in three for the Mids, including a pair of game-winners. Navy has generated its fair share of scoring opportunities, launching 96 shots with 53 put on goal. Meanwhile, the Mids’ defense has been stout, giving up just two goals in five games and holding its opponents to 29 shots, 12 of which have been in scoring range.

“We continue to defend solidly, improve as a team and create valid scoring chances each game,” added Gabarra. “Our speed of play and possession is excellent for this time of the year. It’s important for us to be able to maintain it for 90 minutes to compete with the quality teams we are facing this weekend.”

William & Mary has had a mixed bag of results this fall with a 2-2 record. The Tribe dropped their opener to UNC Greensboro, 2-0, before shutting down NC State in an impressive 3-0 victory. However, the celebration was short-lived as Oklahoma edged William & Mary last Friday, 2-1. The Tribe bounced back by defeating Maine in overtime, 1-0. Senior Emily Kittleson is pacing the team with four points on a pair of goals, both against NC State including the game-winner. Meanwhile, 2006 CAA Player of the Year Claire Zimmeck scored her first goal of the season in dramatic fashion, taking a breakaway opportunity to stick the ball in the net and lead the Tribe to victory in the 106th minute against Maine last Sunday. Keeper Meghan Walker is giving up nearly a goal per game (0.96), while making stops on 71.4 percent of the shots she has faced.

Meeting for only the second time, the Navy and William & Mary will be vying for the first win in the series after last year’s contest was decided by penalty kicks.

VCU, who will face the defending National Champions and second-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels on Friday night, owns a 1-2-1 record. The Rams have played a difficult schedule, dropping games to regionally-ranked Villanova and Seton Hall, and tying regionally-ranked Oklahoma. Despite owning a 47-33 shot advantage over its opponents this fall, VCU has found the back of the net just twice with both goals scored in its 2-0 win over Maine. Second-year forward June Hartman scored the team’s first goal of the year, while junior midfielder Stephanie Power added an insurance goal against the Black Bears. Veteran goalkeeper Emily Niman has given up seven goals in four games and owns a 61.1 save percentage.

Navy owns a 3-1 series advantage over the Rams, winning three in a row, while outscoring them, 13-2. The two teams, however, last met in 2000 when Navy pitched a 4-0 shutout in Annapolis over VCU.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 9:16pm

For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Chris Campbell Added to Navy Men’s Track & Field Coaching Staff

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men’s track & field coaching staff has announced the hiring of Chris Campbell as assistant coach to work with the throwers, pole vaulters, and combined event athletes.

“It is a pleasure to have Chris back as a coach with our track & field staff,” stated Navy head coach Stephen Cooksey. “He is extremely knowledgeable, energetic and has several years of experience in the coaching field at several universities. He will be a tremendous asset to our program.”

“After a decade of honing my recruiting and coaching skills, I am excited about the opportunity to return to Navy and consider it an honor to work alongside my own college mentors,” said Campbell. “At this prestigious institution, our mission is clear, the facilities are first-class and the midshipmen are motivated. I look forward to developing the boys into high-caliber athletes and instilling the character qualities expected of future naval officers and gentlemen.”

A 1989 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Campbell was a four-year letterwinner on the Midshipmen track & field team. A javelin thrower and former school record holder, he was elected team captain his senior year. Upon graduation, Campbell was assigned to the San Diego-based naval warship, USS COPELAND, which completed CARAT operations during Desert Storm and counter-narcotic operations off the coast of Central America in 1993. Campbell completed his military obligation as Operations Officer at Naval Station Annapolis and achieved the rank of Lieutenant before he resigned from the Navy in 1995. While completing his military obligation, Campbell served as a volunteer coach at Navy and completed an M.S. in Education at the Johns Hopkins University.

Campbell’s second stop in coaching was at Ball State University, where he served as field events coach for the Cardinals track & field program from 1996 to 1999. During his tenure at Ball State, Campbell directed student-athletes to qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships in the hammer and high jump, four school records, and a Mid-American Conference championship in the hammer throw. The 1998 Ball State women’s squad won both the Indoor and Outdoor MAC team championships.

Following his three-year stint at Ball State, Campbell spent six seasons at Fresno State, including the last two as associate head coach. As a member of the Bulldogs’ coaching staff, he mentored All-Americans in the decathlon, javelin and shot put. The Fresno State women’s team won the 2005 California-Nevada Coaches Association Team Championship, while the men’s team won the same title in 2000. The women’s squad also captured the Western Athletic Conference title in 2002, its first conference championship in 10 years.

Campbell served as the recruiting coordinator at Fresno State, inking several top 25 national athletes, including the top-ranked high school javelin thrower in the country in 2003. In addition to his coaching and recruiting duties, Campbell served as Vice President of the California-Nevada Coaches Association and as Men’s and Women’s Development Chairperson for the Central Valley Chapter of USA Track and Field. He completed a M.A. in Kinesiology at Fresno State in 2003.

For the past two years, Campbell served as assistant coach for the combined men’s and women’s track & field program at Michigan State University. Working primarily with the throwers and multi-event athletes, Campbell tutored nine Spartan athletes to 16 scoring positions at the Big Ten Championships, four NCAA regional qualifying marks, a pair of NCAA provisional marks in the women’s pentathlon and heptathlon, and four school records. In addition to his coaching duties, Campbell served as assistant meet director for the 2006 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships and directed the 30-team Spartan Invitational Track and Field Meet for the past two years.

During his coaching career, Campbell has coached a total of three NCAA All-Americans, seven junior national All-Americans, 27 NCAA regional and championships qualifiers, five conference champions, and four Olympic Trials participants. Campbell has also completed USATF Coaching Education Schools through Level III and has been a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist since 1996.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 9:17pm

Taunting is wrong, no matter who the opponent is; Rutgers, be nice (Home News Tribune)

Taunting is wrong, no matter who the opponent is; Rutgers, be nice
Home News Tribune Online 09/13/07

One year after the Rutgers football program was the feel-great story of the
autumn, the behavior of some Rutgers’ football fans was so frightful Friday
that the story was featured on the Drudge Report. That can’t be good.

The story was that a few students taunted the visitors from Navy with
obscene chants. I wouldn’t know. Our seats are in a section where grizzled
fans remain puzzled why Lehigh and Colgate are no longer on the schedule,
and still can’t get used to this thing called the two-point conversion.

What made it so bad, the story goes, was because the opponent was Navy, and
don’t you know someday soon Navy’s linebackers will be fighting in Iraq and
Afghanistan. I’m figuring the Navy players are somewhat offended not by
the chants, but the suggestion they’re feelings somehow matter more than
players from West Virginia and Syracuse.

According to this way of thinking, it’s bad to bad-mouth sailors headed for
the Persian Gulf, but not quite as bad to taunt West Virginia’s
student-athletes who someday will be selling Remingtons at Bass Pro Shops or
Syracuse grads who hope to manage the night shift at Panera’s.

If Navy’s players can’t take it now, how are they going to react when the
enemy is not lobbing obscene taunts, but heat-seeking missiles? You know
what they’ll call the Rutgers-Navy game in 2007? The good old days.

People, it’s wrong and crude, no matter who the opponent. It’s also another
signal that our culture especially our youth culture is so crude. The
kids get some of their cues, by the way, from adults making movies and
sitcoms who greenlight crude programming. Have you listened to the kids’
music, lately?

Rutgers was properly embarrassed by the behavior, with university President
Richard L. McCormick writing a letter of apology to his equivalent at the
Naval Academy, Vice Admiral Jeffrey L. Fowler.

But it’s not just Rutgers. In a story in the Rutgers Daily Targum, one
student explained, “My dad’s a professor at Bates College in Maine, and the
same stuff happens there, I mean, it’s college.”

The gold standard of creative behavior at sporting events is the work of the
Cameron Crazies at Duke University basketball games. Apparently the
university is so pleased with their behavior they give the students the best
seats, bumping big donors to the rear of Cameron Indoor Stadium, as if
students are more important than big donors.

ESPN.com listed 10 great Crazies’ moments.

No. 5. The game after North Carolina’s Steve Hale suffered a punctured lung,
the compassionate cry was “In-Hale, Ex-Hale.” Rumor has it that even Hale
couldn’t resist smiling.

No. 1. The ultimate in catnip over the years has been the unfortunate
visitor fresh off a confrontation with the legal system. Former Duke player,
now an ESPN personality, Jay Bilas, recalled how Adrian Branch of Maryland
had some problem off court. Bilas recalled, "As he was getting ready to
shoot a free throw, Duke students behind the basket all stood up and yelled,
“Freeze! Police!’ Even the other guys on his team had to laugh.”

The least original taunt is any use of the F-word.

You’re better than that, Rutgers.

Rick Malwitz’s column appears Sundays and Thursdays. His Tuesday Musings
blog appears at <a href=“http://www.thnt.com%5B/url%5D”>www.thnt.com</a>. <a href="mailto:Rmalwitz@thnt.com">Rmalwitz@thnt.com</a>, (732) 565-7291.

GreatAmerican · September 13, 2007, 9:19pm

Navy Water Polo Heads to California to Face Top Foes

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 10-ranked Navy water polo team heads to California this weekend to play five games against the nation’s top teams, beginning on Friday night with a tilt against No. 4-ranked Stanford. The Mids, owners of a 6-1 record with the lone loss coming to No. 2-ranked California (12-7), will also compete in the Northern California Tournament, hosted by the University of California, beginning Saturday morning and running through Sunday.

“We are definitely looking forward to the trip. This is always a highlight of the year and you can’t beat the competition that we are going to see out there,” said Navy head coach Mike Schofield. “We are going to get five very tough games this weekend. Stanford has traditionally been a top-four program every year, so that contest on Friday will really prepare us for the weekend.”

Beginning with the fourth-ranked Cardinal on Friday night, the Mids hope to show signs of improvement this weekend. The Mids went 3-0 at last weekend’s Princeton Invitational after opening the year with a 3-1 mark at the Navy Labor Day Open. During the season-opening tournament, Navy won a pair of games in overtime against ranked foes and lost a tough contest with California, 12-7. Schofield saw a lot of improvement during the weekend, citing the team’s 13-3 loss to California in the 2006 Navy Labor Day Open.

“We are just going to go out there and concentrate on the task at hand and see how much we can improve this weekend,” said Schofield. “We would love to finish in the top eight, which means we would have to win one game on Saturday to have that chance.”

The Mids will be in a four-team pool consisting of No. 4-ranked Stanford, No. 5-ranked UC Irvine and and No. 16-ranked Pacific. The Mids defeated Pacific, 13-12, in overtime during the Navy Labor Day Open two weeks ago. Navy will open with UC Irvine at noon (PDT) at the Bill Brown Aquatics Center on the campus of the University of California on Saturday. A Navy win would match it against the winner of Stanford-Pacific at 5:20 pm, while a loss will give them a 4:00 pm contest against the loser of Stanford-Pacific. The Mids will then play two games on Sunday as well.

Navy finished 10th in last year’s tournament that included 14 ranked squads among the field of 16 teams. The Mids knocked off UC Irvine, 14-9, in last year’s NorCal Tournament en route to the 10th-place finish. Against the other three teams in its bracket, Navy is 5-17 all-time, and has defeated UC Irvine once in five tries and hasn’t defeated Stanford in nine previous attempts. Navy is the only team from the East Coast competing in the tournament, and just one other team, Air Force, hails from outside of California.

The tournament has 14 of the top 17 teams in the country competing, including the nation’s top 11 teams, led by No. 1 USC.

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