Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · November 22, 2007, 1:35pm

Mids Take On Seton Hall Friday At The Palestra

Game Specifics
Date and Tip Time Nov. 23, 2007 at 7:00 pm EST 
Location Philadelphia, Pa. | The Palestra 
Tickets 215-898-6151
Television CN8
Video Streaming None
Radio WNAV (1430 AM) | WFED (1050 AM)
SIRIUS Channel 130 
Webcast [1430</a> WNAV Your Hometown Station Annapolis, Maryland](<a href=“http://www.wnav.com%5D1430”>http://www.wnav.com)
[FederalNewsRadio</a> - WFED: Home Page](<a href=“http://www.federalnewsradio.com%5DFederalNewsRadio”>http://www.federalnewsradio.com) 
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ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men’s basketball team (2-3) heads to the historic Palestra on Friday for a pair of games in the final round of the Philly Hoop Group Classic. The Mids will battle Big East Conference member Seton Hall (3-0) on Friday night at 7:00 pm, then will take on either Penn or 23rd-ranked Virginia on Saturday night at 7 or 9:00 pm. Both Navy games will be aired by CN8 along the East Coast.

About The Philly Hoop Group Classic
Navy travels to Philadelphia to face Seton Hall and then either Virginia or Penn on Saturday night in the finals of the inaugural Philly Hoop Group Classic.

As a multiple-team event, the entire slate of games will only count as two games towards each team’s NCAA-imposed limit of 29. Each team will play a total of four games. The first two preliminary games were played at campus sites, with the final two Championship Round games being held at The Palestra on November 23rd and November 24th. The preliminary games do not influence the Championship Round’s seeding, which has been set. Navy dropped a pair of decisions in the preliminary round to Drexel (86-70) and Robert Morris (93-77)

The Hoop Group is a comprehensive basketball company dedicated to fulfilling dreams by providing student athletes, parents and coaches the best instruction, competition and exposure. It is one of the largest basketball instruction organizations in the world with fifteen separate entities that encompass over 28,000 student-athletes and 3,000 high school, collegiate, AAU and youth league coaches. The Hoop Group is committed to help make each individual player realize their full potential and develop a lifelong love of the game. The Hoop Group’s alumni list reads as a “Who’s Who” of the basketball world, including Moses Malone, Julius “Doctor J” Erving, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, Bob Knight, Chuck Daly, Billy Donovan and many more. As a family owned and operated business for over four decades, The Hoop Group staff works tirelessly to insure that each event participant, coach and sponsor receives the personal attention they desire.

Series History
Navy leads the all-time series with the Pirates, 1-0, after defeating Seton Hall, 68-58, on Jan. 20, 1968, in Annapolis. Paul Semko led Navy, which was 24-of-50 from the field, with 17 points. Navy outrebounded the Pirates, 36-27, and held Seton Hall to 40.9 percent shooting from the field.

About Seton Hall
Seton Hall enters Friday’s contest flying high with a 3-0 overall mark, averaging a whopping 98.0 points per game. The Pirates have scored at least 89 in all three games, including a 94-80 win over Loyola (Md.) on Tuesday and a 111-107 overtime triumph against Robert Morris on Nov. 18.

The Pirates are led by dynamic sophomore Eugene Harvey, who is averaging 23.3 ppg and 5.3 apg. Harvey, a 6-0, 165-pound guard, has attempted just four three-pointers on the season, showing his effectiveness in getting to the hoop. In all, five Pirates are averaging in double figures. Harvey is followed by Brian Laing, who contributes 19.3 ppg and 8.7 rpg.

As a team, Seton Hall is shooting 44.6 percent from the field and 35.4 percent from the three-point line. Defensively, it is allowing 89.3 ppg and foes are connecting on 51.3 percent of their shots. The Pirates are forcing 20.7 turnovers per game.

Seton Hall’s Projected Starters (2007-08 Stats)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Year Stats / Notes

F 14 Brian Laing 6-5 215 Sr. 19.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg

C 25 Augustin Okusun 6-11 240 Jr.
1.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg

G 2 Jamar Nutter 6-2 205 Sr. 13.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg

G 15 Eugene Harvey 6-0 165 So. 23.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 5.3 apg

G 35 Larry Davis 6-4 185 So. 9.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.7 apg

Navy Projected Starters (2007-08 Stats)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Year Stats / Notes 
F 3 Greg Sprink 6-5 220 Sr. 18.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.2 apg 
F 22 Brian Richards 6-9 235 Jr. 11.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg
C 54 Ben Biles 6-10 255 Sr. 2.6 ppg, 3.0 rpg 
G 5 Chris Harris 6-2 175 So. 8.0 ppg, 0.6 rpg, 2.0 apg

G 15 Romeo Garcia 6-4 202 Fr. 1.7 ppg, 2.0 rpg

Navy Against The Garden State
Saturday’s contest marks the 67th contest against a team from New Jersey, as the Mids are 32-34 overall. Seton Hall will be the first of two teams from New Jersey that Navy will play in 2007-08, as NJIT visits Annapolis on Jan. 2.
Head coach Billy Lange is 1-0 while at Navy against New Jersey teams, as the Mids defeated NJIT on Jan. 2, last year, 52-50, in overtime.
Princeton and Rutgers have accounted for 61 of the 66 games against the state of New Jersey.

Navy Against the Big East
Navy owns a 93-62 all-time record against the Big East, but has lost five games in a row against the conference, dating back to a 60-49 win over Pittsburgh on Nov. 26, 1996. Navy lost three Big East games a year ago, falling to St. John’s, Villanova and Georgetown.

Navy has lost 16 games in a row against teams from power conferences, dating back to the win over Pittsburgh.

Canisius Recap
Greg Sprink finished with 17 points to lead Navy to a 71-60 win over Canisius Tuesday night. Sprink, the Mids’ high-scorer for the season, scored 13 of his points over the game’s final seven minutes as Navy broke a 49-49 tie with an 8-0 run. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for Navy (2-3) and kept the Golden Griffs winless (0-3) for the season.

In his first career start, junior Brian Richards had a career-high 15 points and six rebounds. Kaleo Kina added 10 points. Adam Teague had eight rebounds for Navy, which controlled the glass, 42-36.

Frank Turner led Canisius with 19 points. Elton Frazier added 11 points and Javon Robinson 10 points for the Griffs. Canisius committed 30 turnovers in the game and shot just 35.7 percent in the second half.

Canisius shot 72 percent over the first 10 minutes of the game to open an early lead, but failed to score over the final four minutes of the half. Chris Harris’ jumper with 32 seconds left ended a 7-0 Navy run and put the Mids up 33-32 at the half.

The Mids led by 44-38 with 11:55 to play, but the Griffs rallied to tie the score at 49 on Javon Robinson’s 3-pointer. Navy countered with an 8-0 run, Sprink hitting a free throw then adding a basket off a steal and layup. Kina added a score and Sprink’s three free throws with 5:03 to play to put Navy ahead to stay at 57-49.
Navy forced 30 turnovers against a Division I foe for the first time since Bucknell committed 36 turnovers against Navy on Jan. 12, 2002.
With a 42-36 rebounding edge, Navy outrebounded Division I foes in back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 11-14, 2006.
Brian Richards scored in double-figures for the first time in his career with a 15-point, six-rebound effort against the Griffs. He was 7-of-11 from the field.
Navy’s four inside players of Richards, Ben Biles, Mark Veazey and Jeremy Wilson combined for 25 points and 17 rebounds in 59 minutes.

Lange Reaches Milestone Win
Navy head coach Billy Lange won his 75th career game in the win over Canisius, 36 of which have come at Navy.

Game Number 2,100 On The Horizon
In its 101st year, Navy has played 2,095 collegiate basketball games, posting a 1,238-857 record so far. Navy’s 2,100th all-time basketball game will come on Dec. 3, 2007, at home against Mount St. Mary’s.

Picking Up The Pace
Although the season is only five games old, Navy’s slowdown offense of last year has gone out the window.

So far this year, the Mids are averaging 74.6 ppg, which is on pace for the most since the 2000-01 team averaged 75.4 ppg. That year’s team ranks ninth on the single-season scoring average list.

Richards Plays Well in First Start
One of the most-improved players on the team, junior Brian Richards performed extremely well in his first career start, scoring 15 points and grabbing six rebounds, including five on the offensive end.

Richards entered the year with 13 career points in 12 games, but has already scored 22 points in just two games this year. He missed the first three games after recovering from a stress fracture in his left foot.

Bench Production
Navy’s bench has been a strong point early on and if head coach Billy Lange can continue to get strong production from his reserves, it will keep the starters’ legs fresh as the season wears on.

So far this year, the group is averaging 32.2 ppg, while shooting 48.1 percent (62-129) from the field in 89.4 minutes per game. The Mids scored a season-high 38 bench points against Texas-San Antonio (Colbert 14, Richards 7, Veazey 6, Garcia 5, Biles 4, Teague 2).

Center Spot Has Been Early Surprise
A big question mark in the preseason was how senior Ben Biles and freshmen Mark Veazey and Jeremy Wilson would hold up at the center spot. After five games, the trio has played very well.

The threesome have combined to score 54 points (10.8 ppg) on 23-of-41 (.561) from the field. They have grabbed 46 rebounds (9.2 rpg) and blocked seven of Navy’s nine blocked shots this year. One downfall is that the trio The duo has turned the ball over 19 times this year, including six miscues by Veazey against Robert Morris. The trio has combined to play 181 minutes (36.2 mpg), meaning that when prorated to 40 minutes, the threesome is averaging 11.9 ppg and 10.2 rpg.

Inside Game Giving Navy A Boost
The trademark of Billy Lange-coached teams at Navy has been its perimeter shooting. However, that idea may be changing to a more powerful game in year four.

The Mids have dominated the interior in the last two contests, outscoring UTSA and Canisius in the paint by a combined 72-48 advantage. Navy has scored 33 second-chance points to opponents’ 10 in those two games.

Navy’s 31 offensive rebounds in the last two games is the most in a two-game span since grabbing 35 against Lafayette and Lehigh on Feb. 8-11, 2006. The Mids have outrebounded Division I foes in two straight games for the first time since Jan. 11-14, 2006.

Lastly, Navy scored over 50.0 percent of its points (42-of-71) in the paint against Canisius. The last time Navy scored over 50.0 percent of its points in the paint came on Feb. 23, 2006, against American.

Where Is The Three-Ball?
Navy’s perimeter-oriented offense has taken a hiatus during the last two games agianst UTSA and Canisius. Navy has made just 9-of-24 three-point attempts in the last two games, taking just 12 three-point shots in both contests. The last time Navy took that few three-point attempts in back-to-back games came on Dec. 31, 2004 to Jan. 3, 2005, against The Citadel (6-18) and Air Force (1-6).

Navy enters the Seton Hall contest having connected on at least one three-pointer in 129 consecutive games. The last time Navy did not make a trey came in the Jan. 26, 2003, contest against Colgate. Navy has made at least three three-pointers in 79 straight games and in 90-of-91 games under head coach Billy Lange. The Mids have had at least eight three-pointers in 42-of-91 games under Lange.

In the last three-plus years, Navy has made at least 10 treys 20 different times, posting a 12-8 record in those games.

Live By The Three, Die By The Three
For only the fifth time since the start of last season, Navy attempted 19 or fewer three-pointers in the contest against Canisius. Navy’s 12 three-pointers against UTSA were the fewest since Feb. 23, 2006, when Navy attempted 11 against American.

Navy has made a living of relying on the three-point shot under Lange. In games that Navy shoots better than 45.0 percent from beyond the arc under Lange, the Mids are 12-2 (.857) all-time. When under 45.0 percent, Navy is just 24-53 (.312).

When Navy shoots under 30.0 percent from three-point distance, the Mids are just 5-24 under Lange.

When making 0-5 three-pointers in a game under Lange, Navy is just 4-21 (.160). When making 6-10 threes in a game, Navy is 23-31 (.426). When making 11 or more three-pointers under Lange, Navy is 8-4 (.667).

Lots of Games In November
Navy will play nine games during the month of November. It is the most games ever played during the month.

Balancing Act
Navy has shown a balanced attack as nine different players have scored at least 10 points in a game this year, and eight players are averaging at least 5.6 ppg. Last year, just seven players reached double figures in 30 games and just five players averaged 5.6 ppg.

Last year, in games that Sprink struggled, Navy would have no answer simply because the team rode Sprink all year long. A year ago, Sprink was the only Mid to average double figures (16.9 ppg), accounting for 27.3 percent of Navy’s scoring.

This year, three players are in double figures (Sprink, Kaleo Kina and Brian Richards). Sprink’s point percentage has dipped to 24.1 percent.

GreatAmerican · November 24, 2007, 5:51am

Seton Hall Rallies To Top Midshipmen, 79-75

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Navy jumped out to a 16-point first half lead, but Seton Hall rallied in the second half to defeat the Mids, 79-75, in the Philly Hoop Group Classic on Friday night. The loss drops Navy to 2-4 overall, while Seton Hall improved to 4-0.

Navy led for the majority of the game, but Seton Hall 10-0 run over 2:42 of the second half to take a 65-58 lead with 8:16 to play. However, Seton Hall big man John Garcia, who grabbed 19 rebounds, picked up his fourth foul with 7:24 to play, and Navy took advantage. The Mids reponded with a 13-4 run to cut the lead to 69-68 on a Kaleo Kina (Phoenix, Ariz.) jumper. The Mids then had four shots to take the lead with under four minutes to play and couldn’t convert. The Mids also hurt themselves with a pair of turnovers around the two-minute mark that hurt their chances.

Seton Hall would go on a quick 8-1 run over 1:20 to essentially put the game away at 77-69. However, Chris Harris (Mechanicsville, Va.) and Adam Teague (Hickory, N.C.) connected on a pair of three-pointers to cut the margin to 78-75 with six seconds to play. Larry Davis then made the second of two free throw attempts for the final margin.

“It’s a game we could have won, but we have got to get better at the end,” said Navy head coach Billy Lange. “We were playing not to lose, instead of to win. Our upperclassmen have got to step up in that situation. We have to get better in certain areas and have to have the belief that we can win and beat these good teams. We will get better at it, we just need to learn how to win.”

The Mids started strong both offensively and defensively in the first half, jumping out to a double-digit lead 10 minutes into the contest, before Seton Hall finished the half on an 18-6 run to cut the margin to 43-39 at halftime.

“I think it was a bit of an aberration,” said Lange. “We shot the ball great in the first half and capitalized on their pressure to get some open looks. They tightened it up as the half went on and things got a little tougher for us.”

Lange credits the middle part of the second half as the difference in the game.

“From about the 14-minute mark to the six-minute mark, we tried to do too much one-on-one.” said Lange. “That is not our game. Our game is working the ball around and getting open looks. That is where the majority of our turnovers were and they took advantage.”

The Mids were led by Greg Sprink (Cardiff-by-the-Sea, Calif.) with 23 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists. However, Sprink struggled for the second straight game from the field, connecting on just 7-of-21 field goal attempts. During the last two games, Sprink is 12-of-42 (.286) from the field. Teague came off the bench to score 18 points (6-of-10 from three) and Harris added 11 points and a career-high six assists. Brian Richards (Stevensville, Md.) led Navy with nine rebounds.

Brian Laing led the Pirates with 27 points, while Paul Gause added 13 points and Eugene Harvey scored 11. Harvey entered the game averaging 23.3 ppg, but was held to 11 points and forced into seven turnovers.

As a team, Navy shot 37.9 percent (25-of-66) from the field and 35.1 percent (13-of-37) from three-point range. Seton Hall shot 40.6 percent (26-of-64) from the field and 17.4 percent (4-of-23) from beyond the arc. Seton Hall went 23-of-40 from the free throw line, while Navy was 12-of-19.

The Pirates outrebounded Navy, 50-40, and Navy committed 22 turnovers to Seton Hall’s 19.

Navy will battle the loser of Penn / Virginia on Saturday night at The Palestra. Action gets underway at 7:00 pm, and the game will be televised by CN8.

GreatAmerican · November 24, 2007, 5:53am

Colorado State 59, Navy 53

For Immediate Release
Sent Friday, Nov. 23, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Rams Hold Off Mids in Women’s Basketball

FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State’s Juanise Cornell broke open a tied game with baskets on three-straight possessions to spark the Rams to a 59-53 victory over the Navy women’s basketball team, Friday night at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo. The game concluded the opening night of the two-day Rocky Mountain Invitational.

“I thought we played pretty well against a good team from a major conference in their building,” said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. “Offensively, we attacked the basket throughout the game. We made some mistakes early, though, and they came back to haunt us.”

Colorado State opened up an 18-8 lead nine minutes into the game, but the Mids went on an 11-2 run to pull to within one point at 20-19 with just over five minutes remaining before halftime. The teams would eventually go into the locker rooms at intermission with the Rams holding a 29-22 lead thanks to shooting 50 percent from the field and the Mids connecting on just 30 percent of their field goal attempts.

The Rams quickly opened up nine point leads over the Mids at both 31-22 and 33-24 early in the second half. Navy slowly chipped away at the deficit and when Kelly Altschul (So., Highland Village, Texas) dropped in a basket she tied the game at 42-42 with just over seven minutes remaining in the game. It was Altschul’s third-straight field goal for the Mids.

The Rams were unable to get a shot off on their next possession until Cornell made a short turnaround jumper in the paint just before the shot clock expired to allow CSU to take a 44-42 lead. Cassie Consedine (Fr., Bartlesville, Okla.) missed a three-point attempt on Navy’s next possession, then Cornell sank another jumper to increase the margin to four points. After the Mids turned the ball over, Cornell made her third consecutive bucket to make the score 48-42 in favor of the Rams with a little more than five minutes showing on the clock.

Angela Myers (Fr., San Antonio, Texas) was fouled on Navy’s next possession and after making the first attempt she also converted her second, but the point was wiped out when she was called for a lane violation. Britney Minor promptly made a driving jumper for the Rams while being fouled, with her free throw with 4:35 left to play capping a 9-1 run that gave Colorado State a 51-43 lead.

The Mids were only able to close to within five points over the remainder of the game.

After shooting 50 percent from the field in the first half, the Rams cooled down somewhat to only a 41-percent effort in the second half. Conversely, the Mids shot 42 percent from the floor after intermission.

Navy held a 36-25 advantage in rebounds and forced the Rams into 16 turnovers while in turn committing 15 turnovers.

Individually, Consedine tallied 15 points, seven rebounds and a pair of blocks for Navy, K.C. Gordon (So., Vienna, Va.) added 12 points in just 26 minutes of playing time and Myers contributed 11 points and seven boards to the Navy effort.

Cornell’s 14 points paced the Rams in the game.

Navy (2-5) will now play Kent State Saturday at 7 p.m. EST in the consolation game of the tournament, while Colorado State (1-4) will play Creighton in the championship game at 9 p.m. EST.

GreatAmerican · November 24, 2007, 11:37am

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GreatAmerican · November 24, 2007, 11:38am

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GreatAmerican · November 25, 2007, 7:46am

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, Nov. 24, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Kent State Tops Navy

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The Navy women’s basketball team committed 26 turnovers and converted only 2-of-15 attempts from behind the three-point line in a 53-47 loss to Kent State, Saturday evening in the consolation game of the Rocky Mountain Invitational at Moby Arena in Fort Collins, Colo.

“Turnovers and foul trouble were a problem for us, but regardless of that we need to start knocking down shots from the outside,” said Navy head coach Tom Marryott.

After Kent State held a slim lead during most of the first half, the Golden Flashes closed the half on a 5-0 run to take a 27-20 lead at intermission. The margin grew to as many as nine points several times during the early portion of the second half, including at 40-31 with 9:28 remaining in the game, but the Mids were able to close to within four points at 40-36 with 7:55 left on the clock.

Kelly Altschul (So., San Antonio, Texas) converted 1-of-2 free throw attempts to start the rally, Cassie Consedine (Fr., Bartlesville, Okla.) followed by sinking a pair of shots from the foul line and Whitney Davidson (Jr., New Oxford, Pa.) made a layup following a K.C. Gordon (So., Vienna, Va.) steal.

The two teams traded baskets on their respective ensuing possessions, then Kent State went on another 5-0 run to take a 47-38 lead with 5:56 left in the game. From there, Navy could only close to within six points over the remainder of the game.

Kent State scored 23 of its 53 points following Navy turnovers, while the Mids scored 10 points off of Kent State’s 17 turnovers.

Neither team shot the ball particularly well in the game. The Mids converted 37.2 percent of their shots from the field and 13-of-20 shots from the charity stripe, while Kent State made 34 percent of its shots from the floor, including a 4-of-16 effort from behind the three-points stripe, and just 13-of-24 attempts from the foul line.

Gordon scored 13 points to pace the Navy offense, while Kent State’s Anna Kowalska scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to lead all players.

“I need to be patient with this team,” said Marryott. “We have a number of inexperienced players who are receiving a lot of minutes against good players from veteran teams. We need to improve at decision making to limit our errors, but that is part of the learning process we are going through.”

The Mids fell to 2-6 on the year with the loss, while the Golden Flashes improved to 1-4 with the win.

Navy will next be in action Nov. 29 when the Mids play at Radford.

GreatAmerican · November 26, 2007, 8:19am

[Penn</a> slips past Navy - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)](<a href=“Real Estate – Capital Gazette”>Real Estate – Capital Gazette)

GreatAmerican · November 26, 2007, 9:09am

[Navy</a> makes Penn earn win hard way | Philadelphia Inquirer | 11/25/2007](<a href=“http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/11801022.html]Navy”>http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/11801022.html)

GreatAmerican · November 26, 2007, 11:06am

Navy team captain named Academic All-American

For Immediate Release
Monday, Nov. 26, 2007
Women’s Soccer Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Soccer Standout Kari Weniger Named Academic All-American

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Navy women’s soccer captain Kari Weniger (St. Petersburg, Fla.) has been named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Women’s Soccer Academic All-America First Team it was announced recently by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Weniger, one of three Navy players who appeared on the national ballot, joins 32 other student-athletes who together make up three teams that honor academic and athletic achievements from institutions across the country.

Carrying a 3.97 GPA in ocean engineering, Weniger is phenomenal example of a well-rounded midshipman at the Naval Academy. In September, she was one of 20 seniors nationwide to be named a candidate for the 2007 Lowe’s Senior Class Award for women’s soccer, recognizing outstanding achievements in athletics, academics and community service. A 2006 Second-Team Academic All-American, Weniger is ranked 20th in the Class of 2008 (1,085 students) and has achieved a 4.00 in six of her seven semesters at the Academy. She has appeared on the Commandant’s and Superintendent’s Lists five times each. A respected role model and teammate, she was elected team captain this year by a vote of her teammates.

Weniger, who played in all 23 games and made 20 starting appearances this fall, led the Midshipmen to their second-consecutive Patriot League Tournament crown, as well as the program’s second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. She concluded the season as the team’s second-leading scorer with 13 points on three goals and a team-high seven assists.

In addition to Weniger, Navy’s Lizzie Barnes (New Orleans, La.) and Lauren Bresnahan (Weston, Fla.) were part of the national ballot after all three players were named to the All-District II First Team earlier in the month.

Weniger is the second player in program history to be named an Academic All-American twice. Former standout defender Nicole Aunapu was twice named an Academic All-American in 1997 and '98.

2007 ESPN The Magazine Women’s Soccer Academic All-America Team (University Div.)

Academic All-American of the Year: Rachel Buehler, Stanford

First Team: Joanna Haig, Louisville, GK; Lindsey Ozimek, Charlotte, M; Ashley
Jones, Notre Dame, M; Shauna Stapleton, Purdue, M; Rachel Buehler, Stanford, D; Kate Murphy, Memphis, D; Kyleyn Felts, Arizona State, D; Sue Weber, Hofstra, D; Brittany Bisnott, Niagara, F; Kari Weniger, Navy, F; Ashley Banks, West Virginia, F.

Second Team: Anna Rodenbough, North Carolina, GK; Sarah Goss, Army, M; Ashleigh Gunning, Coastal Carolina, M; Yael Averbuch, North Carolina, M; Allison Harris, Arkansas, D; Amanda Perry, Long Beach State, D; Jenn Johnson, Auburn, D; Niccole Grimaldi, Oklahoma State, D; Aurey AdenBuie, Penn State, F; Keri Zwikker, Jacksonville, F; Elisabeth Jones, Texas A&M, F.

Third Team: Laura Boyer, Marquette, GK; Jenna Billingsley, Denver, M; Kailey Corken, Alabama, M; Zoe Bouchelle, Penn State, M; Meghan Ryon, Eastern Illinois, D; Jenae Gibbeens, Cal State Fullerton, D; Kaelyn Caldwell, Massachusetts, D; Jackie Thomas, Valparaiso, D; Erin Sullivan, South Carolina, F; Brittany Bock, Notre Dame, F; Kelsey Carpenter, Texas, F.

GreatAmerican · November 26, 2007, 5:50pm

Game Specifics
Date and Tip Time Nov. 27, 2007 at 7:00 pm EST 
Location Washington, D.C. | Burr Gymnasium (2,700) 
Tickets 202-397-SEAT
Game Notes Navy | Howard 
Television None
Video Streaming None 
Radio WNAV (1430 AM) | WFED (1050 AM) 
Webcast WNAV | WFED 
Gametracker None

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Navy men’s basketball hits the road for its third straight game with a 7:00 pm Tuesday contest at Howard. The Mids are 2-5 overall after dropping a pair of heartbreakers in the Philly Hoop Group Classic over the weekend. Howard enters the contest with a 2-4 overall mark.

SERIES HISTORY
Navy leads the all-time series with the Bison, 2-0, defeating Howard in each of the last two years. Navy topped Howard a year ago in Annapolis, 79-75 in two overtimes, while winning in 2005-06, 82-73, as part of the BB&T Classic at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

LAST YEAR’S MEETING
Navy escaped Howard, 79-75, in two overtimes on Dec. 4, 2006. The Mids went 24-of-32 from the free throw line, including 18-of-24 in the two overtime sessions to defeat the Bison. Kaleo Kina led five Navy players in double figures with 20 points and Greg Sprink added 15 points and nine rebounds. Howard’s Darryl Hudson scored 26 points with 13 rebounds in a losing effort.

ABOUT HOWARD
Howard enters the contest with a 2-4 overall mark after falling to Robert Morris, 72-53, on Saturday. The Bison are averaging 62.0 ppg and are giving up 82.3. Howard’s opponents are shooting 48.3 percent against them and the Bison have been outrebounded by 11.8 per game.

Eugune Myatt leads the Bison, who have been decimated by injuries, at 20.0 ppg, including a 36-point performance against Penn. Kyle Riley, who is questionable for the game, is averaging 10.0 ppg. Adam Walker leads the squad in rebounds (5.3 rpg), while Curtis White paces the team with 15 (2.5 apg) assists.

Howard’s Projected Starters (2007-08 Stats)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Year Stats / Notes

F 1 Kandi Mukole 6-8 215 So. 8.3 ppg, 4.7 rpg 
F 5 Adam Walker 6-8 205 Fr. 6.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg

G 0 Curtis White 6-4 195 So. 5.5 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 2.5 apg 
G 22 Jeron Smith 6-5 205 Sr. 8.7 ppg, 3.3 rpg 
G 33 Eugene Myatt 6-5 210 Jr. 20.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg

Navy Projected Starters (2007-08 Stats)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Year Stats / Notes 
F 3 Greg Sprink 6-5 220 Sr. 19.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 2.4 apg 
F 22 Brian Richards 6-9 235 Jr. 7.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg
C 54 Ben Biles 6-10 255 Sr. 2.3 ppg, 2.7 rpg 
G 5 Chris Harris 6-2 175 So. 8.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 2.6 apg 
G 15 Romeo Garcia 6-4 202 Fr. 2.0 ppg, 2.4 rpg

ON THIS DATE
Navy is 6-3 all-time on November 27.
2005 – Air Force 64, Navy 55
2002 – Davidson 69, Navy 61
2000 – Navy 71, Coast Guard 56
1999 – Navy 93, Air Force 78
1993 – Navy 77, Air Force 63
1984 – Navy 87, Gettysburg 53
1981 – Navy 63, Virginia Military 37
1977 – Georgetown 71, Navy 56
1976 – Navy 50, Dartmouth 43

NAVY AGAINST THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Tuesday’s contest marks the 162nd meeting against a team from the District of Columbia. Navy has played American 65 times, Georgetown 55 times, George Washington 39 times and Howard twice.
Head coach Billy Lange is 3-8 while at Navy against District of Columbia teams. He is 1-6 against American, 0-2 against Georgetown and 2-0 against Howard.

NAVY AGAINST THE MEAC
Navy owns a 7-1 all-time record against teams from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Navy is 2-0 against Howard, 2-0 against Morgan State and 3-1 against Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Navy has defeated the league six straight times, dating back to a 82-71 loss to Md.-Eastern Shore on Dec. 11, 1993.
Head coach Billy Lange is 5-0 while at Navy against the MEAC, winning by an average of 14.4 ppg.

PENN RECAP
For the second straight game against a high-profile opponent, Navy couldn’t hold a second-half lead, falling to Penn, 71-67 in the Philly Hoop Group Classic held at the historic Palestra on Saturday night.

The two teams played with very little energy early on after playing power-conference teams on Friday night. The Mids would open up an eight-point lead (21-13) with 4:23 to play in the first half, but the Quakers closed the half on a 10-5 run to cut the Navy halftime lead to 26-23. The two teams combined to make just 17-of-58 (.293) shots, including just 1-of-16 (.063) three-point tries in the opening 20 minutes.

Penn then continued its run, outscoring the Mids, 14-2, over the first five minutes of the second half to grab its largest lead at 37-28. Navy, however, didn’t fold and went on a 12-0 run of its own to take a 47-42 advantage with 8:01 to play.

The lead see-sawed back and forth until Penn took the lead for good thanks to a quick 6-0 run over 29 seconds that gave the Quakers a 60-55 advantage. Penn would then connect on 9-of-12 free throws down the stretch for the 71-67 victory.

Greg Sprink led Navy with 22 points on a dismal night shooting (6-of-24). Kaleo Kina and Chris Harris added 12 and 11, respectively. Navy shot just 30.6 percent (22-of-72) from the field and committed 18 turnovers in the loss. Penn was 19-of-46 from the field and 30-of-42 from the stripe.

NAVY-PENN POST-GAME NOTES
After recording 13 straight wins when leading at halftime, Navy lost both of its games over the weekend after leading at halftime. Navy led Seton Hall, 43-39, at the break, before losing 79-75. Navy led Penn, 26-23, at halftime, before falling 71-67.
Navy’s opponents feasted on the charity stripe over the weekend, attempting 82 free throws, connecting on 53 of them. The Mids were 30-of-42 from the free throw line. Navy committed 57 fouls during the two games, while foes were whistled just 38 times.
Including an 86-73 loss to Penn at the Palestra on Dec. 2, 2005, Navy’s last three opponents (Penn twice and Seton Hall once) at the arena went 92-of-137 from the free throw line, averaging 45.7 free throw attempts a game.
Greg Sprink scored 20 or more points for the second straight game, with a 22-point effort against Penn. With the performance, he now has 22 career 20-point games.
As a team, Navy recorded season highs in field goal attempts (72), offensive rebounds (16), total rebounds (44), personal fouls (32) and blocked shots (4). Navy recorded season lows in points (67), field goals made (22), field goal percentage (.306), three-point percentage (.179) and assists (8).
Career-high set against Penn:
– Greg Sprink: 24 field goal attempts
– Greg Sprink: 12 three-point attempts
– Chris Harris: 3 steals
– Scott Brooks: 1 blocked shot
– Jeremy Wilson: 2 rebounds
– Mark Veazey: 3 blocked shots

GreatAmerican · November 27, 2007, 8:36am

[North</a> County Times - College Sports - Navy scores with addition of Carlsbad grad Mulvey](<a href=“North County”>North County)

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 6:39am

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Howard closed the game on a 14-4 run over the last 1:27 of the game to deal the Mids their third straight loss, 75-65, on Tuesday night. The loss drops Navy’s record to 2-6 overall, heading into Thursday’s battle with Towson at Alumni Hall.

“We have played three games in a row that followed the exact same scenario,” said Navy head coach Billy Lange, referring to losses to Seton Hall, Penn and now Howard. “We just have to learn how to win and get through this. We made three huge technical mistakes down the stretch that really hurt us. We are giving the effort, just not making the plays in the end.”

Navy was playing from behind essentially for the majority of the game. Howard jumped out to an 11-7 lead, before Adam Teague (Hickory, N.C.) fueled a 10-2 Navy run to grab a 17-13 advantage with 10:44 to play. However, Howard answered with an 11-2 spurt to grab a 24-19 lead with 5:32 to play in the first half.

With leading scorer Greg Sprink (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.) on the bench with two fouls, Navy ended the first 20 minutes with a 12-6 run to take a 31-30 halftime advantage.

However, Howard again started strong in the second half, using a 17-6 run to take its largest lead of the game at 47-37 with 12:16 to play.

But Navy didn’t fold and embarked on a methodical 22-12 run to tie the game at 59-59 with 3:01 to play on a three-pointer by Teague.

But Howard ended the game of runs with a 16-6 spurt of its own for the victory. The Bison withstood one final Navy charge after grabbing a 68-62 advantage. Teague hit his fourth three-pointer of the game to trim the margin to 68-65. Freshman Mark Veazey (Lilburn, Ga.) then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and dished to Kaleo Kina (Phoenix, Ariz.), whose three-point attempt rimmed in and out. Jeron Smith grabbed the rebound and went coast-to-coast for a traditional three-point play to put the game out of reach. Kandi Mukole then hit four free throws in the last 20 seconds to preserve the 75-65 victory.

“We got in some foul trouble early in the second half, and that caused us to lose some of our aggressiveness, which caused our bad start in the second half,” said Lange. “Winning and losing becomes such a fine line down the stretch and it all goes back to the first five minutes of the second half. We just haven’t come out with the commitment and focus needed during the first part of the second half.”

Sprink led the Mids with 18 points, including 16 in the second half. Teague came off the bench to score 16 points with five rebounds and four steals. The Mids shot an icy 34.4 percent from the field, including just 27.8 percent in the second half. The Mids were guilty of 11 turnovers.

Howard placed five players in double figures, and shot 49.1 percent from the field. The Bison outrebounded Navy, 46-30, but were guilty of 20 turnovers.

Navy hosts Towson on Thursday night at Alumni Hall. For ticket information, call 1-800-US4-NAVY.

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 7:16am

[url=<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/27/AR2007112702657.html]washingtonpost.com[/url”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/27/AR2007112702657.html]washingtonpost.com[/url</a>]

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 1:48pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy swimming and diving programs will play host to Army Thursday evening in Lejeune Hall in the annual Star Meet between the two service academies. The women’s meet begins at 3:45 p.m., with the men’s meet slated to follow at 7:15 p.m.

A link to live results from both meets will be available on [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com) through the Gametracker/Broadcast section found on the home page of the site.

The Navy women’s team, 10-0 on the season, holds a 22-4 advantage in the series with Army and enters Thursday’s meet having won the last 18 duals with the Black Knights. The Midshipmen won all 16 events contested during last year’s meet at Army to post a 215-85 victory over the Black Knights. The seven Navy athletes who combined to win the 14 individual events last year all return for the Mids this season.

Mallory Dietrich (So., Pittsburgh, Pa.) won a trio of races last year against Army, with Tara Chapmon (So., Virginia Beach, Va.), Jennie Spencer (Jr., Smithburg, W. Va.), Kelly Zahalka (Jr., Richmond, Va.), Thuy-Mi Dinh (So., Anaheim, Calif.) and Katie Griffin (Sr., Ellicott City, Md.) all winning a pair of events. Additionally, Sarah Dorenkott (So., Hudson, Ohio) won the 200 free for the Mids.

“This is always a big meet for our team,” said Navy women’s head coach John Morrison. “We know what is on the line. Army will be well prepared to do whatever it takes to win. We need to be on the top of our game and execute well to give ourselves the opportunity to be successful. It will be a fast and fun meet.”

Navy’s men’s team, also 10-0 this year, recorded a 196-104 victory over Army last season to defeat the Black Knights for the 16th-consecutive year and take a 40-29 lead in the all-time series. The Mids posted wins in 11 of the 16 events last year in West Point, but only return four athletes who won an individual event during the meet. Kevin Kysiak (Sr., Western Springs, Ill.) won the 100 breaststroke for the Mids, with teammates Alex Oldenkamp (Jr., Coppell, Texas) winning the 50 freestyle, Preston Mihalko (Jr., Chesapeake, Va.) winning the 100 free and Adam Meyer (So., Bethesda, Md.) winning the 200 individual medley.

Among its four individual event winners from last year’s meet, only Jacob Mentele returns for Army this year. Mentele, who has already been tabbed as the Patriot League Swimmer of the Week three times this season, won the 200 breaststroke against the Mids a year ago.

“It’s Army vs. Navy! We are excited for many reasons and are looking forward to the opportunity to swim and dive Thursday night,” said Navy men’s swimming head coach Bill Roberts.

Following the conclusion of the Army-Navy meet, multiple members of both Navy programs will travel to Atlanta to take part in this weekend’s USA Swimming Short Course National Championship. The meet will be contested in short course yards (25-yard length pool) at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, the swimming venue for the 1996 Olympic Games. The field will feature many of the top national and collegiate level swimmers from across the country, including Olympians Michael Phelps, Gary Hall Jr., Natalie Coughlin and Katie Hoff.

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 3:34pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy senior outside hitter Rachel Dougherty (Derwood, Md.) garnered another postseason accolade Wednesday as she was named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Volleyball Academic All-America Second Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

A total of 18 student-athletes from across the country were selected as Academic All-Americans, with six placed onto each of the three teams. The recipients represent such programs as Nebraska, Ohio State, Florida, Stanford, Texas and Penn State.

Dougherty, who recently became the first Mid to be tabbed as the Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the sport of volleyball, is the first player from the Navy program to earn Academic All-America status. Additionally, she is just the fourth volleyball player in league history to garner the honor.

“To be considered one of the top-12 student-athletes for her sport is a tremendous honor for Rachel,” said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. “She continually demonstrated her drive to excel in both academics and athletics throughout her career. There were many challenges along the way for her to do so, but she overcame those and it is great for her to have received the recognition she has for her efforts in the classroom and on the volleyball court.”

A physics major at Navy, Dougherty has posted a 4.00 grade-point average in four of her six completed semesters and carries a 3.89 cumulative GPA. She previously was named as one of 15 Bowman Scholars at Navy for the 2007-08 academic year. This award provides her with the opportunity to attend the Naval Postgraduate School next year and allowed her to receive early admission into the Navy’s nuclear surface warfare community. One of the requirements for the program is her completion of an independent study project this year, the title and subject of which is Isotopic Information from Proton Induced Gamma Ray Emission Measurements.

During one weekend during the 2007 season, Dougherty recorded 16 kills on a Friday night, took the GRE exam Saturday morning and tallied 22 kills during a Saturday afternoon match against Colgate. For her efforts she garnered the first of her back-to-back Baden Patriot League Player-of-the-Week honors.

A First-Team All-Patriot League performer this season, Dougherty set Navy records with 500 kills and a 4.50 kills-per-game average this year. Her latter average currently ranks 53rd in the NCAA this season, while she also stands 8th nationally with an average of 0.54 service aces per game.

Towards the end of the 2007 season, Dougherty knocked down a career-high 30 kills during a five-game match against UMBC. It was the third-highest kill total posted by a Mid in school history and was just two shy of tying the Navy single match standard.

One of five players during Navy’s 17-year Division I era to amass 1,000 career kills, Dougherty ended her playing days ranked fifth in school history with 1,137 kills and tied for fourth place with 274 career blocks.

Dougherty was placed onto the national Academic All-America ballot by virtue of earning first-team all-district honors for the second consecutive year. To be eligible for the initial district award, all nominees must have been of at least sophomore standing in the classroom, carry a minimum GPA of 3.20 and have been a starter or key reserve for their team.

2007 Academic All-American of the Year – Sarah Pavan, Nebraska

2007 First-Team Academic All-Americans
Sarah Pavan, Nebraska, Sr., 4.00 cumulative GPA, Biochemistry major; Christina Houghtelling, Nebraska, Sr., 3.91, Elementary Education; Danielle Meyer, Ohio State, Sr., 3.98, Textiles & Clothing; Tracy Stalls, Nebraska, Sr., 3.95, Individualized Program of Studies; Abbey Breit, Jacksonville State, Sr., 3.89, Chemistry; Rachel Shanks, Auburn, Sr., 4.00, Pharmacy.

2007 Second-Team Academic All-Americans
Sarah Kirkwood, Virginia, Sr., 3.88, Biology; Rachel Dougherty, Navy, 3.89, Physics; Amber McCray, Florida, Gr., 3.79/4.00 (undergrad/grad), Sport Management; Ali Hausfeld, Duke, Sr., 3.40, Biology; Cynthia Barboza, Stanford, Jr., 3.35, Science, Technology & Society; Dianna Thomas, Appalachian State, Sr., 4.00, Exercise Science.

2007 Third-Team Academic All-Americans
Tara Geegan, Wright State, Sr., 4.00, Early Childhood Education; Alicia Ostmeyer, Texas Tech, Sr., 4.00 Speech Language Hearing; Michelle Moriarty, Texas, Sr., 3.70, Sport Management; Christa Harmotto, Penn State, Jr., 3.34, Elementary Education; Tara West, Washington State, Sr., 4.00, Biological Sciences; Jordan Bostic, New Mexico State, Sr., 4.00, Journalism.

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 3:47pm

Howard surges by Midshipmen

[Mids</a> fade at finish - Navy Sports - (HometownAnnapolis.com)](<a href=“http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/11_28-12/NAS]Mids”>http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/11_28-12/NAS)

GreatAmerican · November 28, 2007, 10:22pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Regional foes Navy and Towson renew their rivalry after an 11-year hiatus on Thursday night at Alumni Hall, beginning at 7:00 pm (ET). The contest will air on WNAV (Annapolis; 1430 AM), WFED (Washington, D.C.; 1050 AM), WBAL (Baltimore; 1090 AM) and SIRIUS Channel 181. The game will also be streamed online as part of Navy All-Access at [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.navysports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.navysports.com). Fans are reminded to bring a hat to donate to the Johns Hopkins Children Center and receive a general admission ticket for just $3.

NAVY UPDATE
Losers of three straight and six of its last seven games, the Navy men’s basketball team hopes that some home cooking does the trick on Thursday night against Towson. Navy has suffered three straight heartbreaking defeats after leading all three games at halftime. The Mids led Seton Hall (Nov. 23), 43-39, at halftime before falling , 79-75. One night later, Navy held a 26-23 advantage at the break, before a late Penn run edged the Mids, 71-67. And on Tuesday night, Navy and Howard were tied at 61 with 1:30 to play, before a 14-4 Bison run deflated Navy, 75-65.

Navy continued to struggle from the field in the loss to Howard, shooting just 21-of-61 (.344), including 8-of-28 (.286) from beyond the arc. The starting five of Greg Sprink, Brian Richards, Ben Biles, Romeo Garcia and Chris Harris managed to shoot just 7-of-26 (.269) from the field for 26 points. If you throw out Sprink’s 18 points, the rest of the starting cast tallied just eight points. However, Navy’s bench, as it has done all year, picked up the slack, scoring a season-best 39 points on 14-of-35 (.400) shooting. The bench also grabbed 16 of Navy’s 30 rebounds and had eight of Navy’s 10 assists. Adam Teague was the main contributor for Navy off the bench, tallying 16 points, including four three-point bombs.

Sprink continues to rank among the league leaders in scoring at 19.1 ppg, despite shooting just 45-of-136 (.331) from the field. Kaleo Kina, Teague and Harris are contributing 9.5, 8.8 and 8.3 ppg, respectively. Sprink and freshman Mark Veazey pace the squad in rebounding at 5.1 rpg and Kina leads the team in assists, averaging 3.0 apg. As a team, Navy is shooting just 39.2 percent from the field, 31.5 percent from beyond the arc and 69.6 percent from the free throw line. The Mids are getting outrebounded by over five boards a game, but have committed 19 less turnovers than their foes.

HOWARD LEFTOVERS
Navy shot under 40.0 percent for the fourth straight game and sixth time in the last seven games. The lone time the Mids shot over 40.0 percent in that span came in a loss to Texas-San Antonio, in which Navy turned the ball over 27 times. Navy scored a season low 65 points against the Bison, and after scoring at least 70 points in the first three games of the year, Navy has reached 70 points just twice in the last five outings.
Greg Sprink moved past Kylor Whitaker (1983-86) into 12th place on the career scoring list with 1,285 points. He now also ranks 33rd on the Patriot League scoring chart. Sprink has scored in double figures in all eight games.
Adam Teague tallied 16 points, a team-best five rebounds and a career-high four steals off the bench in the loss to Howard. In the last three games, Teague is averaging 13.7 ppg while shooting 11-of-20 (.550) from three-point range.
In Navy’s six games away from Alumni Hall this year, the Mids have committed 155 fouls (25.8 per game), resulting in 199 free throw attempts (31.2 per game) for the opponents. On the flipside, Navy has shot just 109 free throw attempts (18.2 per game) away from Alumni Hall.
The loss to Howard ended a six-game winning streak against MEAC teams, dating back to December 1993. Billy Lange was 5-0 against the MEAC before the loss, winning by an average of 14.4 ppg.
Navy recorded a season-low 11 turnovers against the Bison. It was the fewest turnovers for the Mids since recording 10 against Bucknell on Feb. 2, 2007, a span of 15 games.

PREVIEWING TOWSON
Despite being picked last in the competitive Colonial Athletic Association, Towson has shown early on that it could contend for an upper-division finish. The Tigers enter the game with a 3-2 record, including a 74-52 win over North Carolina Central on Tuesday night at the Towson Center. The Tigers have alternated wins and losses in their five games this year and own an impressive win over Loyola (Md.) in their season opener, 83-69. Following a 71-57 home loss to Bucknell on Nov. 14, Towson responded with a 73-66 win at Samford, which was followed by a 59-57 loss at Vermont on Nov. 24. The Tigers are averaging 68.8 ppg, while allowing 63.4 ppg and are outrebounding foes by over three per game. The Tigers are shooting 41.3 percent from the floor and average just 11.0 turnovers per game.

Head coach Pat Kennedy has started the same lineup for all five games this year, comprising one sophomore, three juniors and one senior. Junior forward Junior Hairston paces the team in both points (16.4) and rebounds (12.8) and tallied 26 points and 21 rebounds against Loyola (Md.). Hairston is shooting 51.5 percent from the field and has blocked 13 shots. Sophomore guard Rodney Spruill follows at 13.2 ppg and 5.0 rpg, while junior guard Rocky Coleman chips in at 9.6 ppg. The remainder of the starting five will likely be junior Tony Durant (8.0 ppg, 5.2 rpg) and senior guard C.C. Williams (3.2 ppg, 3.8 apg). Durant is the older brother of Seattle Supersonics rookie and 2007 AP National Player of the Year and former Texas standout, Kevin Durant.

Kennedy is in his fourth year at Towson and has the exact same record at Towson that Navy head coach Billy Lange (also in his fourth year) has at Navy. Both are 36-58 at their respective schools. Kennedy, who had success at Florida State before coming to Towson, is 452-369 in his 28th year overall.

SERIES WITH THE TIGERS
Navy is just 1-6 all-time against the Tigers, but the two teams haven’t met since a 76-68 Towson victory on Nov. 24, 1996. Michael Heary led Navy with 17 points, while Hassan Booker added 15 points and 10 rebounds in the last meeting. Towson’s Ralph Biggs led five Tigers in double figures with 19 points. Towson shot 50.9 percent for the contest, while Navy shot just 36.8 percent. Towson outscored Navy, 38-30, in the second half to break open a tie game (38-38) at halftime.

The Tigers have won three games in a row in the series, with Navy’s lone win coming in a 102-88 decision on Dec. 5, 1990, in Towson. The two teams have played in Alumni Hall just once, a 74-60 Towson victory on Nov. 29, 1995.

LANGE AGAINST THE CAA
Towson will be the second CAA team that Navy will play this year, falling at Drexel, 86-70, on Nov. 11. Navy has played just two CAA teams under head coach Billy Lange, defeating William & Mary last year, 78-63. Once a member of the CAA from 1986-91, Navy is 105-82 all-time against the league.

NAVY’S DEFENSE STARTING TO TURN IT ON
Navy’s defense struggled early on, but has shown signs of improvement as the year has gone on. The Mids allowed foes to average 82.0 ppg during the first four games of the year, but during the last four contests, foes are averaging 71.2 ppg, an improvement of 10.8 points per outing.
Navy has limited second-chance points during the same span. In the first four games, foes averaged 14.5 second-chance points compared to 9.2 second-chance points during the last four games.
Opponents grabbed 55 offensive rebounds during the first four games, but only 46 over the last four outings.
Foes averaged 19.2 turnovers per game during the first four games, but in the last four games, foes are committing 22.8 turnovers per contest.

BENCH PRODUCTION
Navy’s bench has been a strong point early on and if head coach Billy Lange can continue to get strong production from his reserves, it will keep the starters’ legs fresh as the season wears on.

So far this year, the group is averaging 32.2 ppg, led by Adam Teague’s 8.8 ppg. Kaleo Kina, a starter in the first four games, is averaging 9.0 ppg during his four games off the bench. The group is shooting a combined 98-of-219 (.447) from the field and is averaging 90.1 minutes per game. Navy’s bench has outscored its starting five in games against UTSA and Howard.

ATTACKING THE GLASS
Navy has outrebounded three of its last five opponents after being outrebounded in the first three games of the year. Over the last five games, Navy holds a 72-62 advantage on the offensive glass, but is getting outrebounded overall, 208-191. Navy outrebounded just five Division I opponents all of last year.

GreatAmerican · November 29, 2007, 1:48pm

This Week In Navy Sports Sponsored By Navy Federal Credit Union

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Overall Navy Sports Record: 126-48-6 (.717)

Men’s Basketball (2-6)

Last Week: Defeated Canisius, 71-60; lost to Seton Hall, 79-75; lost to Penn, 71-67; lost to Howard, 75-65

This Week: Towson (Thursday, 7 p.m., Annapolis, Md., 1430 WNAV)

Women’s Basketball (2-6)

Last Week: Lost to Georgetown, 81-56; lost to Colorado State, 59-53; lost to Kent State, 53-47

This Week: at Radford (Friday, 7 p.m., Radford, Va., 1430 WNAV)

Football (7-4)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: Army (Saturday, 12 noon, Baltimore, Md., CBS-TV, Navy Radio Network)

Rifle (3-0)

Last Week: Finished second out of four teams at the President’s Trophy

This Week: Idle

Squash (8-2)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: at Williams (Friday, 5 p.m., Williamstown, Mass.)

Men’s Swimming & Diving (10-0)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: Army (Thursday, 7:15 p.m., Annapolis, Md.); at the American Short Course Swimming Championship (Saturday-Sunday, all day, Atlanta, Ga.)

Women’s Swimming & Diving (10-0)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: Army (Thursday, 3:45 p.m., Annapolis, Md.); at the American Short Course Swimming Championship (Saturday-Sunday, all day, Atlanta, Ga.)

Water Polo (29-5, 8-0 in the CWPA, ranked 10th in the country)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: vs. Cal at the NCAA Championship (Saturday, 4:45 p.m., Palo Alto, Calif.); vs. USC or Loyola Marymount (Sunday, TBA, Palo Alto, Calif.)

Wrestling (0-0)

Last Week: Idle

This Week: at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m., Las Vegas, Nev.)

GreatAmerican · November 29, 2007, 4:24pm

Navy heads to Las Vegas for Cliff Keen Invitational

For Immediate Release
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007
Wrestling Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The 20th-ranked Navy wrestling team returns to action on Friday when it travels to Nevada to take part in the 26th Annual Cliff Keen Las Vegas Collegiate Wrestling Invitational. The two-day, 49-team tournament will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center with pigtails beginning at 9:00 am Pacific Standard Time on Friday. The third round of consolations will kick things off on Saturday at 9:00 am PST.

Navy has had two prior appearances at the Cliff Keen Invitational, including a 26th-place finish (out of 47 teams) in their last trip to Vegas in 1999. The Mids first competed at the Cliff Keen Invitational in 1994, when they produced a top-10 finish, placing ninth out of 26 teams.

This year’s Cliff Keen Invitational features 13 of the top 25 ranked teams in the country, as well as two who received votes in this week’s poll. Additionally, eight of the top 10 teams from last year’s event will return, including defending title winner Missouri, who is tied with Central Michigan for seventh in the USA Today/NWCA/InterMat Poll. Half of last year’s individual winners return with four of the five currently ranked among the nation’s top three in their respective weight classes.

Five No. 1-ranked wrestlers will be in action this weekend - 125 - Paul Donahoe, Nebraska; 133 Lou Ruggirello, Hofstra; 157 - Gregor Gillespie, Edinboro; 165 - Eric Tannenbaum, Michigan; 174 - Keith Gavin, Pitt. Meanwhile, the top three wrestlers at 157 pounds and 174 pounds will also be on hand to battle for the title.

One wrestler from each weight class will represent the Academy in this weekend’s tournament, including team captain Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) who is ranked No. 2 in the country at 174 pounds. Stolpinski, who has amassed a 107-36 career record, has jumped out to an 8-1 start this year, winning the Navy Classic title, while dropping the title bout in the season-opener at Eastern Michigan. Stolpinski will look to avenge his 8-4 loss to top-ranked Keith Gavin at the NWCA All-Star Classic in Eugene, Ore. on Nov. 19.

Navy will be without the services of 184-pound Matt Parsons (Dunkirk, Md.) and heavyweight Scott Steele (Baltimore, Md.) this weekend. Parsons, who owns a 7-2 record, is nursing an injury, while the 9-0 Steele has been under the weather. Both Parsons and Steele won titles at the Navy Classic, while Steele has defeated teammate Ed Prendergast (St. Louis, Mo.) in both the Eastern Michigan Open and the Navy Classic to claim the championship crown.

Prendergast, who owns a 7-2 record, will replace Steele in the lineup. The 2007 NCAA qualifier has lost only to his teammate, while he is 1-0 against ranked competition this season with a 3-1 victory over Bloomsburg’s Mike Spaid (No. 6) in the semis of the Navy Classic.

Meanwhile, Joe Baker (Poway, Calif.) and Joel Ahern (Herkimer, N.Y.) are coming off second-place marks at the Navy Classic two weeks ago. Baker, one of three Navy wrestlers who qualified for the NCAA Tournament a year ago, owns a 3-1 record this season at 133 pounds, while Ahern bounced back after suffering an injury in the Mids’ Blue-Gold Challenge Matches at the end of the October. Ahern also owns a 3-1 record and has moved up a weight class to 157 pounds.

The Midshipmen will also be represented by two members of the freshman class - 125-pounder Joey Boone (Poway, Calif.) and at 149 pounds Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.). Boone opened his collegiate career at the Eastern Michigan Open where he produced a 3-2 record. Meanwhile, Saddoris has made the transition from the high school level to the Div. I collegiate level look easy. Boasting a 10-2 record, he has captured third-place honors in both of the tournaments he has competed in this season.

GreatAmerican · November 29, 2007, 4:50pm

MIDS BATTLE SECOND-RANKED CAL IN NCAA TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS
The Navy Water Polo team begins its quest for its first national championship on Saturday afternoon with a national semifinals matchup against second-ranked California, beginning at approximately 4:45 pm (EST) in Palo Alto, Calif. The third-seeded Mids enter the tournament with a 29-5 record, while California owns a 26-4 record. The other semifinal pits top-seeded and top-ranked USC (18-2) against fourth-seeded and No. 10-ranked Loyola Marymount (13-15), at 3:00 pm (EST).

NAVY LOOKS TO REVERSE LUCK IN NCAA TOURNAMENT
The ninth-ranked Midshipmen are looking to become the first Eastern team to win an NCAA Tournament game since 2002 when Queens defeated UC San Diego, 6-5, in the third-place game. Since the field was reduced to four teams in 1995, no Eastern team has won a semifinal game, and no Eastern team has ever appeared in the national championship game. Navy enters tournament play with a 5-28 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament and is making its 13th appearance in the tournament, the sixth most appearances all-time. California and USC have combined for 15 of the 38 NCAA Water Polo National Championships.

MIDS MAKING RETURN TRIP
Navy earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight year after winning its eighth Eastern Championship two weeks ago. The Midshipmen are making their second straight appearance in the tournament for the first time since the 1993 and 1994 teams advanced to the NCAA Tournaments.

Navy is hoping for better luck this time around in its second consecutive bid. Last year saw the Mids get overwhelmed by the top-ranked USC attack, 20-3, in the semifinals, before falling to UC San Diego, 12-8, in the third-place game. With nearly everyone back from that experience a year ago, Navy hopes to be more competitive this time around.

HAVE WE MET BEFORE?
Navy will face some familiar foes during this weekend’s NCAA Tournament. The Mids lost to second-ranked California, 12-7, during the season-opening Labor Day Open on Sept. 2, in Annapolis. During that contest, Bram Arnold and Mike Mulvey scored two goals each, while George Naughton recorded eight saves in goal. California leads the all-time series, 13-0, winning by an average margin of 9.0 goals per game.

Meanwhile, Navy is 2-3 all-time against Loyola Marymount and 0-10 against USC.

MIDS FIND EAST COAST SUCCESS
Navy won its 11th CWPA Southern Division Championship and its eighth CWPA Eastern Championship earlier this year, but that should come as no surprise. Navy went 25-1 against teams from the East Coast this year, and combined with last year’s 19-1 record, Navy is 44-2 against East Coast teams since the start of last year, with the lone losses coming to St. Francis (N.Y.). However, Navy is just 10-10 against California teams in the same span.

MIDS ON A HISTORIC RUN
Navy enters this weekend’s NCAA Tournament as probably the hottest team in the nation. Navy is currently entertaining a 19-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest in school history. During the 19 games, Navy has outscored its foes, 209-119 (11.0 - 6.3 gpg).

THIS YEAR’S TEAM SETTING THE STANDARD
Besides tying the school record for most wins in a row, this year’s squad has set the school record for wins (29) and will tie the school record for most games played (36 - also set in 1986 and 2000). The 29 wins surpass the previous record of 28, set in 1986.

HONORS FLOOD IN FOR SEVERAL PLAYERS
The CWPA All-South teams were announced two weeks ago, and four players were recognized on the two teams. Seniors Aaron Recko and George Naughton and junior Mike Mulvey were selected to the first team, while senior Tyler Hill was recognized as a second-team selection. Mulvey was voted as the Player of the Year. The CWPA All-East teams were then released on Sunday afternoon with Mulvey and Recko earning first-team recognition and Hill and Naughton being named to the second team. Recko was the Eastern Tournament MVP for the second straight season and head coach Mike Schofield was named Coach of the Year.

NAVY IN THE NATIONAL POLL
Navy has spent the entire season ranked in the nation’s top 12, peaking at No. 9 for the last three weeks. Navy finished last year ranked 12 in the country.

NAVY’S SENIOR CLASS DEFINES SUCCESS
Navy’s senior class has been the strength, not only during this year’s record-breaking campaign, but for the last four years. Over the last four years, the Mids have produced a 94-31 record (.752), including two Eastern titles, two NCAA Tournament appearances and three Southern Division titles. The 94 wins are the third most for a senior class in school history, behind the Class of 1987 (99) and the Class of 1989 (96). However, the Class of 1987 won just one Eastern title. The Class of 1989 was part of three Eastern Championships.

HILL, SHIPLEY FACE BUSY WEEKEND
Navy senior Tyler Hill and freshman Ryan Shipley will face busy weekends as the Mids look to win their first national championship. Hill and Shipley will compete in the Army-Navy swim meet on Thursday in Annapolis, before catching an early flight out west in time for practice on Friday. Hill has been a three-year starter for head coach Mike Schofield, while Shipley will not see any action this weekend. Navy has beaten Army 16 straight times in swimming & diving.

Hill has had the same success swimming within the ropes that he has had without the ropes. He is a three-time first-team All-Patriot League honoree and won the 2006 Butterfly at the league championships. He also owns the fifth best 100-meter butterfly time in school history at 49.42. Lastly, in 2006, he broke his own school record in winning the 200-meter butterfly in 1:50.04 at the Patriot League championships.

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