Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 8:50pm

Lehigh def. Navy, 55-53

For Immediate Release
Sent Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Mids Fall Short in Road Loss

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A late rally fell just short for the Navy women’s basketball team as the Mids dropped a 55-53 decision to Lehigh Wednesday night at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.

Both teams had extensive scoring droughts in the first half. Lehigh misfired on 14 of its first 15 shots from the field as Navy took an early 10-5 lead with 11:30 left to play in the first half. Immediately following that, however, the Mids went over five minutes without scoring a point as the Mountain Hawks jumped in front by the score of 16-10. The Lehigh advantage would soon reach 19-12 before Navy rallied to tie the game at 21-21 on a three-point field goal from Cassie Consedine with just over four minutes remaining in the half.

The Mountain Hawks would take a 28-26 lead into the locker rooms at halftime when Kaela Pearce scored at the buzzer after grabbing an offensive board.

Lehigh quickly scored the first six and eight of the first 10 points of the second half to take a 36-28 lead, but Navy slowly climbed back and made it a one possession game multiple times in the second half, including at 47-45 (7:40 left) and 50-47 (6:50). A bucket by Kelly Altschul then pulled the Mids to within 50-49 with just over four minutes remaining.

The two teams failed on several opportunities to score on their ensuing possessions, then Lehigh’s Erica Prosser gave the Mountain Hawks a 52-49 lead on a running jumper just before the shot clock expired. Navy pulled to within one point again when Consedine made a pair of free throws with 2:04 remaining. Both teams missed attempts again, then Prosser drilled a three-pointer with 1:05 left to give Lehigh a 55-51 lead.

Angela Myers drove the lane and scored for Navy to cut the margin in half with 43 seconds left on the clock. The Mids then forced Lehigh into a shot clock violation with 13 seconds remaining. Navy rushed the ball down the court and Whitney Davidson missed a jumper from just inside of the three-point line, but Kristen Bowen grabbed the offensive rebound with four seconds to play and was fouled with exactly two seconds remaining to send her to the free throw line with the chance to tie the game. She missed the first shot then, her intentional miss on the second shot bounced around before hitting the floor as time expired.

“We had a number of players who were competing in their first road league game, and they performed well, especially against a team who is on a roll right now,” said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. “We kept fighting back throughout the second half and gave ourselves opportunities on both ends of the floor. If we are able to play as hard as we did tonight and clean things up a little bit, we will be okay as the season progresses.”

Consedine led Navy with 15 points, six rebounds and four blocks. She was joined in double figures by 12 points from Morgan Hill

Navy as a team shot 31.1 percent from the field to Lehigh’s 33.9 percent. The Mids held a slim 42-41 advantage in rebounds, but turned the ball over 17
times to Lehigh’s 15.

The Mids, who fell to 4-13 on the year and 0-2 in the league with the loss, will return to the Lehigh Valley Saturday to play at Lafayette (1 p.m.). Lehigh improved to 10-7 on the season and 2-0 in the Patriot League with the win.

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 8:51pm

No. 10 Navy def. No. 20 George Washington, 9-0

For Immediate Release
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008
Squash Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

10th-Ranked Navy Squash Sweeps No. 20 George Washington Annapolis, Md. - All nine Navy squash players claimed 3-0 wins, as the 10th-ranked Midshipmen earned a 9-0 victory over No. 20 George Washington Wednesday evening at the Halsey Field House International Squash Courts in Annapolis. As Navy improves to 9-4 on the year, all nine wins for the Midshipmen have been by a 9-0 count.

The Mids were led off by top-seeded player Tucker George (West Hartford, Conn.) who remained unbeaten after defeating senior Jarryd Commerford, 9-2, 9-3, 9-2. George, who owns an impressive 55-25 career record, is now 10-0 this season as the No. 1 player on Navy’s roster.

Meanwhile, senior captain Jeff Sawin (Haverford, Pa.) turned in a true sweep of GW senior Alex Funk at the No. 3 position, as Sawin recorded a 9-0, 9-0, 9-0 victory. Rookie Allan Lutz (McLean, Va.) earned his 10th win of the season by way of a 9-0, 9-0, 9-5 victory over Colonial freshman Nick Gross at No. 4, while the Mids’ other Allen, Allen Harley (Charleston, W.Va.), a junior, collected a 9-0, 9-2, 9-0 triumph over GW rookie Mike Bower at the No. 8 spot.

Midshipmen senior Matt Wiggins (Sour Lake, Texas) worked his way back in the top nine of the ladder and improved to 6-0 this season with a 9-1, 9-4, 9-5 victory over newcomer Peter Creech. Playing in just his second match back after an injury held him out of fall competition, senior Brian Hamilton (Lake Forest, Ill.) earned a 9-3, 9-3, 9-6 win over freshman Matt Nelson-Teutsch at the No. 7 position.

The Midshipmen return to action this weekend when they face four foes in a three-day span at the Yale Round Robin in New Haven, Conn. Navy will battle Bowdoin on Friday (5:00 pm), MIT (10:00 am) and Bates (4:00 pm) on Saturday and Colby (9:00 am) on Sunday.

Navy 9, George Washington 0
Jan. 16, 2008 Annapolis, Md.
1 Tucker George (N) def. Jarryd Commerford (GW) 3-0 9-2, 9-3, 9-1
2 Nils Mattsson (N) def. Matt Grossman (GW) 3-0 9-6, 9-1, 9-2
3 Jeff Sawin (N) def. Alex Funk (GW) 3-0 9-0, 9-0, 9-0
4 Allan Lutz (N) def. Nick Gross (GW) 3-0 9-0, 9-0, 9-5
5 Ben Mantica (N) def. Stefan Georg (GW) 3-0 9-3, 9-3, 9-6
6 Christopher Zipf (N) def. Max Collins (GW) 3-0 9-6, 9-1, 9-3
7 Brian Hamilton (N) def. Matt Nelson-Teutsch (GW) 3-0 9-7, 9-1, 9-1
8 Allen Hartley (N) def. Mike Bower (GW) 3-0 9-0, 9-2, 9-0
9 Matt Wiggins (N) def. Peter Creech (GW) 3-0 9-1, 9-4, 9-5

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 8:52pm

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy ended the game on a 26-10 run, rallying from a six-point deficit with eight minutes to play to defeat Lehigh, 79-69, in front of 2,135 fans at Alumni Hall on Wednesday night. The win moves Navy’s overall record to 8-9, while evening its Patriot League mark at 1-1. Lehigh falls to 7-9 overall and 0-2.

Navy’s 1-1 start in Patriot League play is the first for the Navy program since 2001-02.

“I was very impressed with our attitude during the game. The team was determined to not start 0-2 in league play,” said Navy head coach Billy Lange. "I was very pleased with the way we responded after a tough loss and I thought Greg (Sprink) provided us with great leadership. He made a ton of hustle plays, was diving for loose balls and had great defensive intensity. The upperclassmen played like upperclassmen.

“I thought Adam Teague, Clif Colbert and Romeo Garcia really played well tonight as well,” said Lange. “They played for Navy tonight.”

The two teams traded leads in the first half. Lehigh led 15-8 five minutes into the contest, but the Mids responded with a 13-5 run for a 21-20 advantage with 8:58 to play. After Lehigh answered with a 7-0 run of its own, the Mids pulled even at halftime, 33-33.

Navy came out of halftime with an 8-0 run, but Lehigh would answer with a 26-12 run over nine minutes to take a 59-53 lead with 8:44 to play. After a Navy timeout and inserting Clif Colbert (Grand Prairie, Texas) into the lineup, the Mids ended the contest on a 26-10 run over the final eight minutes to grab their first league win of the year.

Colbert finished the contest with nine points, seven rebounds and three steals in just 15 minutes, with seven points and five of the rebounds coming in the final eight minutes.

“He is all about the team and will do whatever it takes to help the team win,” said Lange. “We knew it would be a big loss to the team when he was out with his injury and I couldn’t feel better for him now that he is back. He is a big spark to this team and can do a lot of things well.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team and hopefully spark the team whenever I get the chance,” said Colbert. “I just try to play hard every day and hope the team knows what they can expect of me.”

Colbert missed almost two months with a broken wrist suffered against Texas-San Antonion on Nov. 17.

“It just feels good to get back out there and contribute,” added Colbert. “We just need to take it game-by-game.”

Navy was also aided in the run by sophomore Chris Harris (Mechanicsville, Va.). Harris connected on four three-pointers in the final 7:30 of the contest. He connected on three straight threes that turned a four-point deficit into a three-point lead, then nailed his fourth trey of the half with 1:40 left to push the Navy lead from four to seven at 72-65.

“He is on a tear right now and it looks like every shot he is shooting is going in,” said Lange. “The good thing about the shots he made is that they came in the rhythm of the offense. Sprink made some good plays by driving and kicking. They were good plays all the way around.”

Harris finished the game 5-of-7 from long distance and is now 29-of-52 (.558) in the last eight games.

Sprink led the Mids with his seventh career double-double and second in three games with 26 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. Sprink went over 500 career rebounds in the game, making him the fourth player in school history (Vernon Butler, Kevin Sinnett and Hank Kuzma) with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists.

Harris added 17 points and three assists, while Kaleo Kina contributed 15 points and four rebounds.

Marquis Hall led Lehigh with 20 points and six assists and Zahir Carrington added 14 points and four rebounds. Bryan White recorded a doubld-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Navy shot 40.4 percent (23-of-57) from the field, including 37.9 percent (11-of-29) from long distance. The Mids went 22-of-27 from the free throw line and were guilty of 16 turnovers. Lehigh shot 42.9 percent (24-of-56) and shot 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from long distance. Lehigh, which was averaging just 12.7 turnovers per game, were guilty of 19 turnovers.

Navy outrebounded the Mountain Hawks, 40-33, and held Lehigh to just four offensive rebounds and five second-chance points.

“A big key tonight was forcing turnovers and keeping them off the glass,” said Lange. “They typically do a great job of attacking the glass and taking care of the ball, and to hold them to four offensive rebounds and force 19 turnovers takes a great effort.”

Navy will host league-leader Lafayette (11-6, 2-0 PL) in a key early-season battle on Saturday night, beginning at 7:00 pm in Alumni Hall. The annual Alumni Basketball game will take place at 4:00 pm and is open to the public. For ticket information, call 1-800-US4-NAVY.

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 8:54pm

For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy to Begin 2008 Slate at West Point Open

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy gymnastics team will kick off its 2008 season this weekend when it heads to the Holleder Center for the West Point Open. The team and all-around competition will be held on Friday night at 7 p.m., with the top-eight performers in each discipline advancing to the individual event finals on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

In addition to Navy and host Army, the West Point Open will feature Temple, Springfield, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Arizona State (club) and select Eastern club teams. Navy comes into the meet ranked among the top-15 schools nationally, alongside Temple and Army.

Following this weekends action, the Midshipmen will head back to Annapolis to host William & Mary, Springfield and several junior teams in the Navy Open on Saturday, Jan. 26, in Macdonough Hall.

2008 SEASON PREVIEW

When taking a glance back at the 2007 Navy gymnastics campaign, dont be fooled by its record. Despite finishing the year with a 9-11 record in the regular season, the Midshipmen turned it on at the right time.

The Mids placed second at the USAG Collegiate Division Championship and followed with a fourth-place showing in the ECAC Championship. Eight Navy gymnasts earned a total of 12 USAG Collegiate Division All-America honors and four Mids captured a medal at the ECAC Championship. Two weeks later at the NCAA Qualifying Meet, Navy sent seven of its own and nearly advanced to the NCAA Championship.

Building off that momentum at the end of the year, the Midshipmen return nearly their entire squad from a season ago and welcome in seven qualified gymnasts to help create depth and competition at each event that has developed with a successful training regimen this past fall.

Elected by his peers to serve as team captain for this year is senior Jon-Michael Chombeau. The native of Beaverton, Ore., emerged with a strong showing one season ago, earning USAG Collegiate Division All-America kudos on the vault and advanced to the NCAA Qualifying Meet on that apparatus. The First-Team CGA Academic All-American scored an 8.0 or higher eight times on the vault and has shown flashes of superb effort on the pommel horse and parallel bars.

Jon-Michael broke into the lineup last year and has become a very competitive vaulter, stated 17-year Navy head coach Sho ***ushima. Improvements on the basics and increased difficulty may find him contributing on the pommel horse and parallel bars.

In addition to Chombeau, Navy will have the luxury of many other senior gymnasts that have delivered in each of their first-three years in Annapolis. Christopher Tam has been a USAG Collegiate Division All-American in the all-around from 2005-07 and has earned the kudos in the floor exercise, pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar at least once during his career. In addition, he finished the year ranked 17th nationally in the all-around and was among the countrys top-20 competitors on the high bar and vault during the 2007 slate. The product of Draper, Utah, won an event nine times last season and finished among the top-three gymnasts on 24 occasions.

Christopher has maintained steadiness in the all-around, commented ***ushima. He has also developed more difficult skills on each event to make his routines even more competitive.

In the floor exercise and the vault, the Midshipmen have greatly relied upon the services of Brandon Cook. The Longmont, Colo., native has been a USAG Collegiate Division All-American on the floor exercise and vault every year in which he has donned the Navy blue and gold. He moved on to the NCAA Qualifying Meet in both events, where he finished 19th in the floor exercise and 20th on the vault. Cook began the year ranked as the top vaulter in the country and wound up earning a medal at the ECAC Championship in the discipline.

Brandon is quite strong in the floor exercise and the vault, said ***ushima. He has made marked improvement on each event during the preseason. Hes also looking to compete on the high bar.

On the high bar, Navy has received significant contribution from the efforts of senior Isaac Olson. Hailing from Spokane, Wash., Olson teamed with Tam to pace the Midshipmen on one of their most successful events. Olson is a two-time USAG Collegiate Division All-American and earned a medal at the ECAC Championship last winter, scoring a 9.0 in both meets.

The physical strength and skill development through the preseason should bring Isaac to the forefront on the still rings and high bar, ***ushima stated. He may also see some action on the parallel bars.

Senior Ty Fritz was a steady contributor in both the floor exercise and vault last fall and will be counted on to step up once again in 2008. The 2007 CGA First-Team Academic All-American and nearby Easton, Md., native scored an 8.0 or higher seven times in the floor exercise and twice on the vault one season ago. David Ferris competed in four meets last winter, while Rich Mehlmann partook in 10 meets, primarily focusing on the still rings.

Ty maintains consistency in the floor exercise and vault, ***ushima said. David has worked hard for three years developing creative routines that fit his ability, which may land him a spot in the lineup for floor exercise or high bar. Rich is a rings specialist that has been dealing with shoulder injuries.

While Navys senior class has racked up significant honors, the juniors have followed suit and are primed to make their mark in 2008. Joseph Atzenbeck claimed victory in three different events (pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar) and competed in those disciplines at the NCAA Qualifying Meet. The product of Broomfield, Colo., won the pommel horse at the USAG Collegiate Division Championship and placed third on the same apparatus one week later in the ECAC Championship.

Coming off a shoulder injury, Joseph should make a strong contribution on the pommel horse and parallel bars, stated ***ushima. With steady improvements in the floor exercise, he should make his way into the lineup.

However, he has competition as not only one of the best gymnasts on the team and the junior class, but also in his home state, as Centennial, Colo., native Adam Stanton has been a key performer in his first-two years on the Yard. Stanton came away victorious on the pommel horse at the ECAC Championship last March and also earned USAG Collegiate Division All-America distinction on the parallel bars. For his efforts all season in those events, he advanced to the NCAA Qualifying Meet alongside Atzenbeck on both apparatuses.

A great technician on the pommel horse, Adam continues to develop more difficult routines, ***ushima said. He has also shown improvement, which could pay off on the still rings and parallel bars.

Four other Navy juniors are expected to compete for a spot in the rotation this winter. James Godfrey placed among the top-six gymnasts on the parallel bars last year to earn USAG Collegiate Division All-America honors. Godfrey also posted marks of 8.0 or higher several times in both the floor exercise and the parallel bars in 2007. Trey James surpassed an 8.0 from the judges on the pommel horse, parallel bars and high bar last year, while Ken Lee did the same in the floor exercise, still rings, vault and high bar. Bobby Ryerson also saw action on the still rings twice one season ago and will work for a spot in the lineup in multiple events.

Superior execution will bring James to the forefront, ***ushima stated. Treys hard work this preseason should produce dividends and we expect strong performances on the pommel horse. Ken is the most dynamic vaulter of the group and has developed many skills during the preseason. Bobby is working his way back from shoulder surgery.

Navys freshman class will have quality leadership to help in their first collegiate gymnastics season. However, the Midshipmen Class of 2011 will also battle for several spots in the rotation and make an immediate impact. Andrew Faulk, Joseph Kramer, Dylan Parrott, Brian Quinn and Grant Waldron all competed at the Junior Olympic Nationals prior to their arrival in Annapolis. Faulk and Kramer each were members of their regional team and could immediately produce for the Mids this winter.

Andrew was a highly recruited gymnast that has great potential, said ***ushima. Dylan is an exciting plebe and with improved strength and structure could be one of our top performers. Brian is still developing, but has shown promise on the still rings and parallel bars. As his difficult builds, Grant should work his way into the lineup and maybe able to contribute on the still rings and vault.

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 8:58pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2008

Clif Colbert missed nearly two months with a broken right wrist. The junior forward returned to the Navy basketball team last Friday night and showed some obvious rust.

Head coach Billy Lange admitted Colbert’s “timing was off,” but said the versatile Texan would eventually round back into shape and “add something” to the team.

Colbert became a difference-maker a lot sooner than expected, sparking the Midshipmen to their first Patriot League win of the season last night.

Colbert was a stat sheet stuffer - totaling nine points, seven rebounds and three steals in just 15 minutes of action - to propel Navy to a 79-69 victory over Lehigh before 2,135 at Alumni Hall.

“I love Clif. He’s Mr. Navy basketball. It’s all about the team, not about him. He cares about his teammates,” Lange said. “You couldn’t feel better about a kid coming back from an injury and having a good game than you could about Clif Colbert.”

Junior swingman Greg Sprink notched a double-double with 26 points and 11 rebounds for Navy, which improved to 8-9 overall and 1-1 in the Patriot League. Sophomore point guard Chris Harris drained five 3-pointers in scoring 17 points for the Mids, who beat the Mountain Hawks in Annapolis for the first time since 2002.

“Our attitude and confidence throughout that game was very impressive. The team was determined to not start 0-2 in league play,” Lange said. “To come here and have the leadership Greg Sprink and the rest of the upperclassmen provided, to fight through some pockets when we didn’t play well and beat a good team in Lehigh that shows the progression of our program.”

Junior guard Kaleo Kina scored 15 points for Navy, which closed the game on a 26-10 run. Colbert was in the middle of that decisive stretch, coming off the bench and giving Navy a lift with his hustle and energy. The

Midshipmen trailed by six points (59-53) with 8:44 remaining when Colbert entered the game and immediately began making plays.

The rugged 6-foot-4, 211-pounder grabbed a strong rebound on the defensive end then snared an offensive rebound and scored on a put-back to jump-start the Mids. He hit four free throws, made a beautiful backdoor cut for a layup, grabbed another rebound and came up with a steal during a five-minute stretch that saw Navy outscore Lehigh 16-4 to take a 69-63 lead with 3:30 remaining.

“I’ll do whatever it takes to help this team and hopefully spark the team whenever I get the chance. I’m looking to impose my physical will whenever I’m on the court,” said Colbert, who broke his wrist on Nov. 17 and underwent surgery. “I just try to play hard every day and hope the team knows what they can expect of me.”

Harris calmly swished three consecutive 3-pointers in a 2 12-minute span during the rally. On each occasion, Sprink penetrated the lane and kicked the ball out to Harris, who did not hesitate in firing from the right wing.

“Give credit to Navy for being able to convert in crucial situations. Harris stepped up and hit some big threes during that one critical stretch,” Lehigh head coach Brett Reed said. “Sprink set up Harris by breaking down our defense. He drove into the heart of our defense and forced us to collapse.”

Harris, who finished the game 5-for-7 from beyond the arc, is averaging nearly 16 points over the last eight games. He has made 29-of-52 attempts from 3-point range during that stretch.

“Chris is on a tear right now and it looks like every shot he is shooting is going in,” Lange said. “The good thing about the shots he made is that they came in the rhythm of the offense. Sprink made some good plays by driving and kicking. They were good plays all the way around.”

Navy, which was coming off a tough loss at Bucknell in its Patriot League opener, got solid contributions from junior forwards Adam Teague and Brian Richards, who combined for eight rebounds and provided tough interior defense.

“I like the way we responded to a tough conference loss on the road. Our upperclassmen played like upperclassmen,” Lange said. “Ultimately, to get better as a program, you need to have juniors and seniors who play for their institution. I thought those guys played for Navy tonight.”

Navy came into the game with the goal of preventing Lehigh from pounding the offensive boards. The Midshipmen out-rebounded the visitors 40-33 and succeeded in neutralizing the impact of athletic forwards Bryan White and Zahir Carrington. The Mountain Hawks managed only four offensive rebounds and five second-chance points.

Navy’s defense also harassed Lehigh into 19 turnovers - seven more than its Patriot League-leading average.

“A big key tonight was forcing turnovers and keeping them off the glass,” Lange said. “They typically do a great job of attacking the glass and taking care of the ball, and to hold them to four offensive rebounds and force 19 turnovers takes a great effort.”

Sophomore guard Marquis Hall scored 20 points and dished off six assists for Lehigh (7-9), which opened league play 0-2 for the first time since 1998-99. Carrington scored 14 points while White had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Mountain Hawks, who have won just one game on the road this season.

Lehigh had owned Navy in recent years, winning three of the nine of the last 11 meetings on the court. One of those wins was given back to the Midshipmen via forfeit when it was learned the Mountain Hawks used an ineligible player.

MID BITS: Sprink became only the fourth player in Navy history to surpass 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists last night. He had needed just two boards to join Vernon Butler, Kevin Sinnett and Hank Kuzma in that elite category.

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 9:01pm

Zerbin Sngleton To Be Guest Speaker At Walt Disney World This Weekend (Annapolis Capital)

Student wins trip to Disney

By EARL KELLY, Staff Writer
Published January 17, 2008

Annapolis High School student Monique Davis is going to Disney World today - and she’s going in style.

Monique, 14, is one of 100 students picked nationwide to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to hear inspirational speakers, talk with high school colleagues from around the country, and enjoy Epcot Center, the Magic Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Also, she will get to meet comedian Steve Harvey, who worked with Walt Disney World Resort to organize the event, “Disney’s Dreamers Academy.”

“I was shocked; I always expect the worst and I didn’t expect to be selected,” Monique said yesterday. Monique said she was a ball of nerves.

On the one hand, she said, “I am so scared - I am afraid of heights, and just getting on the plane …”

But then there’s the other hand: “There are 99 other people, and I want to meet them all.”

Monique said she wants to be a lawyer when she grows up because she likes working with people.

“People say I talk a lot, and that I could be a great lawyer,” she said. "And I like watching ‘Law & Order.’ "

One of the speakers Monique will hear will be Naval Academy Midshipman 1st Class Zerbin Singleton, a football star who has overcome a string of hardships to rank this semester as commander of the 4,400-member Brigade of Midshipmen.

“The adversity I’ve been through shows that your goals and dreams, anything, is possible,” Midshipman Singleton said yesterday.

Midshipman Singleton was the child of a single mom, and when he was 10 and living with her in Alaska, she was arrested on various charges, including drug possession.

He went to live with older cousins in Decatur, Ga., who raised him. At age 15, he met his biological father for the first time, and they started becoming close.

Midshipman Singleton was senior class president and his school’s National Honor Society president.

He was accepted at the Naval Academy but, a week before high school graduation, a drunken driver hit him head-on. He wasn’t able to recover from the injuries in time to start Plebe Summer.

He enrolled at Georgia Tech University on an academic scholarship and attended for a year, but still wanted to attend the Naval Academy, the single greatest source of astronauts in the nation’s space program.

He received a second congressional appointment and enrolled, but his tragedies were not over - his father committed suicide during his freshman year.

Now an aerospace engineering major with a 3.1 GPA, Midshipman Singleton is on the road to becoming a Marine Corps pilot after commissioning in May.

He is a slot back on Navy’s football team and has overcome so many hardships to get to where he is, that sports writers sometimes call him “Seabiscuit,” after the puny Depression Era thoroughbred that proved to have so much heart, he beat the invincible War Admiral.

Midshipman Singleton was a football star even though he stands only 5-feet, 8-inches tall and competed against men who outweighed him by nearly 100 pounds.

His player bio describes him as having “a motor that never stops.”

“It was all by the grace of God,” said Midshipman Singleton, who is scheduled to speak during the Dreamers’ Academy commencement celebration on Sunday morning.

Mr. Harvey, a comedian and radio personality, along with a team of judges, selected the 100 high school students who will be attending the Dreamers’ Academy during the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

Friends, parents, guardians and church members nominated the students.

In Monique’s case, the nomination was made by her mom, Ramona Brown, a single mom living in Annapolis who heard Mr. Harvey on WHUR radio.

“Last year, Monique started having seizures in April,” Ms. Brown said, and was diagnosed with epilepsy. Also, Ms. Brown said “Monique’s father is not in her life, but she was close to her grandfather.”

Then, her grandfather died in August.

“I felt like we needed something,” Ms. Brown said. “Monique’s a good student, but she’s a teenager - she likes to talk on the phone and listen to loud music, and spends lots of time on the computer.”

Monique - the would-be lawyer - turned the tables on her mom: “Mom’s the one that’s really, really excited; she’s excited with an exclamation point, because she’s going to get to meet Steve Harvey.”

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 9:02pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Spring Season Begins Saturday for Navy Tennis Team

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy tennis team will open its 2008 spring season this weekend when the Midshipmen take part in the annual Virginia Commonwealth University 4+1 Invitational in Richmond, Va. Navy will face Campbell at 2 p.m. and East Tennessee State at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Thalhimer Tennis Center.

The format for the tournament consists of teams competing against each other in one doubles and four singles matches.

“We have been practicing well in preparation for this weekend,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “We will have to play good, sound tennis in order to be successful. Campbell is very talented and East Tennessee was nationally ranked and won its league championship last spring.”

Campbell returns five of its seven starters from last year’s team that posted a 13-10 record. The Camels ended the 2007 regular season in third place in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

East Tennessee State compiled a 23-5 record last season and won the first Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament title in program history. The Buccaneers were ranked 51st in the country last year and dropped a 4-2 decision to No. 17 Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. With six of the eight players who took to the court during the '07 NCAA Tournament returning, ETSU is currently ranked 49th in the national ranking. Individually, Enrique Olivares is ranked 49th in the country in singles and teams with Sebastian Serrano to form the 33rd-ranked doubles tandem in the NCAA.

Saturday will mark the first the meeting between the Mids and the Camels, while Navy won the lone previous match contested against East Tennessee State. The Mids posted a 3-2 win over the Bucs during the 2000 VCU 4+1 Invitational.

Navy’s Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary’s, Ga.) earned a No. 24 singles ranking in the Northeast Region this past fall.

2008 Navy Season Preview
Overall Outlook
After finding itself with a 6-10 record midway through the 2007 season, the Navy tennis team went on a nine-match winning streak that culminated with the Mids winning the program’s first Patriot League Tournament title in eight years and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1999.

Five starters return from last year’s squad and the quintet has been anything but complacent in their efforts to win a second-straight league crown.

“This team returns a solid core of players from last year,” said Navy head coach John Officer. "They are by no means resting on their laurels. The work ethic they have in all areas of their lives is impressive.

“Our captain, Alex James, has provided excellent leadership for us. He is a very hard worker who is constantly looking to improve, which makes him a strong role model for the rest of our team.”

Returning Players
Included among the returning players for Navy is Nate Nelms, the 2007 Patriot League Player of the Year and recipient of the MVP award at the league tournament.

“Nate returns for us at No. 1 singles this year,” said Officer. “He showed improvement in every aspect of his game during the fall as he posted a 6-4 record during the season. He is an aggressive baseliner who can also close out points at the net. We look for Nate to have another great season for us.”

Also returning to his position in the lineup is Johnny Waters at No. 2 singles. A Second-Team All-Patriot League performer last year, Waters has compiled career records of 7-3 in singles and 10-1 in doubles against league opponents.

“John is one of the hardest workers on the team who never settles for anything but his best in each area,” said Officer. “He is at his best when he utilizes an all-court game.”

Jason Hill was leading the team in singles and doubles victories last spring when injuries curtailed his season. Now healthy, he posted a 3-1 record at the fall regional championship and won the No. 3 singles title at the Navy Invitational.

“Jason plays predominantly from the baseline, but he has worked hard this fall on becoming more of an attacking player,” said Officer. We expect him to have a balanced game this spring."

Ramsey Lemaich, the 2007 Patriot League Rookie of the Year, picked up where he left off at the end of the 2007 spring season by posting a 7-5 singles record this past fall. Included among his wins was the ‘B’ flight title at the Old Dominion Invitational.

He is expected to move up in the lineup from No. 6 to No. 4 singles.

“Ramsey will be counted on to have a great year,” said Officer. “He plays up in the court and looks to attack when possible.”

James posted a 17-9 record last year at No. 5 singles and he is expected to play the position again this year. He recorded straight sets wins at Army during the Star Match and against Bucknell in the semifinal round of the league tournament, then rallied after dropping the first set of his match against the Black Knights in the finals of the tournament to hold a 5-2 third-set lead when the Mids clinched the title.

“Alex looks to improve every day in practice,” said Officer, who plans to move him up to No. 2 doubles. “He plays with an all-court game and has one of the best serves on the team.”

Jarrad Smoke enters the spring as one of the leading candidates to play No. 6 singles for the Mids. He played only four singles matches during Navy’s drive to the 2007 league title, but one of his wins was a three-set victory over North Carolina State’s Daniel Schinke. The Wolf Pack as a team would advance to the quarterfinal round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament.

“Jarrad showed a great deal of promise last spring,” said Officer. “He is very fluid and plays an instinctive game. He will be counted on to step-up into a starting role this spring.”

Two additional players return for the Mids this season in Luke Albi and Kyle Jones.

“Luke is one of the better athletes on the team,” said Officer. "Once he masters some mechanical issues with his strokes, he will be a more consistent contributor to the team.

“Kyle has improved his game during each of his four years. He has a solid all-court game to go along with a penetrating forehand.”

New Players
Among the five new players to dot the Navy roster this fall, Nick Birger posted an 8-3 singles record and Owen Bullard completed the fall season with a mark of 7-3.

“Owen is an excellent athlete who has adopted to our system very quickly,” said Officer. "There is a flow to his game that is hard to teach.

“Nick shows great intensity through his play and had good success in both singles and doubles this fall. We look for him to play No. 3 doubles with Jason this spring.”

The other new player to the team who saw extensive action this fall is Joseph Wiggins, who split his four singles matches and posted a 4-1 record in doubles.

“Joe was ranked among the top-35 players in the Southern Section as a junior and has a lot of potential,” said Officer.

Navy’s roster is completed with Jeremy New and Mike Eisenberg. New played in only one match this fall due to a hand injury, while Eisenberg did not take to the courts for a match at all.

“Jeremy has excellent topspin groundstrokes and is working to improve his ability to finish points,” said Officer. “Mike is committed to becoming a better player. He has an all-court game and an excellent forehand.”

Schedule
Navy’s 2008 non-conference schedule will be challenging as always. The Mids will face five teams who ended the 2007 season with a national ranking (North Carolina, #13; North Carolina State, #19; Clemson, #23; East Tennessee State, #51, Maryland, #70) as well as four additional teams who earned a regional ranking last spring (Penn, #4; Yale, #7; Georgetown, #12; Army, #15).

“Our philosophy is that the season is a learning process,” said Officer. “By competing against the top teams we challenge ourselves to be at our very best.”

Four of Navy’s final six matches this spring will be against Patriot League opponents, with the season-ending contest being the annual Star Match against Army. The No. 1 seed and a bye in the first round of the league tournament – to be hosted by Colgate – could be at stake when the Mids play host to the Black Knights.

“We are motivated to bring another title back to Annapolis,” said Officer. “Everyone on the program made contributions to our title run last year and we expect to see that out of the entire squad again this year. The Patriot League is always improving and we will need to be at our very best in order to be successful in each match and reach the goals we have set for ourselves.”

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 9:03pm

No. 23 Navy makes Pennsylvania swing this weekend

For Immediate Release
Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008
Wrestling Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

No. 23 Navy Wrestlers to Battle Pair of EIWA Foes Friday and Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The 23rd-ranked Navy wrestling team will look to pick up a pair of road wins this weekend then it makes a swing through the state of Pennsylvania to battle East Stroudsburg (Koehler Fieldhouse) Friday and Lehigh (Leeman-Turner Arena in Grace Hall) on Saturday. Both matches are slated to begin at 7:00 pm.

Heading into Friday’s EIWA matchup against East Stroudsburg, the Mids tote with them a 2-3 dual meet record and are coming off a split in last week’s action. Navy’s home-opener last Wednesday went down to the wire, but No. 21 Maryland edged the Mids, 21-18, snapping Navy’s 11-match winning streak over the Terps. Navy, though, rebounded by putting together an impressive 31-16 victory over American in Washington, D.C. last Saturday to improve to 2-0 in EIWA competition.

All eyes this weekend will be on Navy senior captain Matt Stolpinski (Westfield, Mass.) who will have the opportunity to become the school’s all-time wins leader. Stolpinski, who is ranked eighth at 174 pounds and has put together a 27-6 record this season, is just one win shy of tying record holder Greg Gingeleskie who amassed 127 wins between 1996-99. Stolpinski is tied for second with two-time All-American Mark Conley, who turned in 126 wins between 1999-02. Stolpinski owns a 34-13 career dual meet record and is 5-0 this season.

Senior heavyweight Ed Prendergast (St. Louis, Mo.) is ranked third for a second week in a row and heads into this weekend’s duals having won 12 in a row. Four of the 12 have been via fall, while another two by major decision. In last week’s dual against Maryland, Prendergast needed just 14 seconds to put Patrick Gilmore on his back for what was Prendergast’s 31st-career pin, a mark that is tied for fourth on the Mids’ all-time chart.

Juniors Casey Caldwell (Liberty, Ind.) and Joel Ahern (Herkimer, N.Y.) have stepped up their production as of late at 184 and 157 pounds, respectively. Caldwell pinned American’s Andy Semple last Saturday and improved to 13-9 this season, while Ahern owns a 10-5 mark after posting a 5-2 decision over the Eagles’ Christopher Stout.

Bryce Saddoris (Spring Creek, Nev.) continues to be impressive in his rookie campaign. With a 25-7 record at 149 pounds, he is tied with Stolpinski as having the fourth-most wins by a freshman in Navy history. Tyrone Neal set the record in 1998-99 by winning 37 matches and only two plebes have achieved 30 or more wins in program history. Saddoris owns a 2-0 mark in dual action this winter.

Navy’s first match of the weekend will be against the 1-7 East Stroudsburg Warriors who have never beaten the Midshipmen in 11 previous matches. Last year, Navy won nine of the 10 bouts to roll to a 40-6 victory over the Warriors in Annapolis. The Mids’ lone loss of the match was when 133-pounder Joe Baker (Poway, Calif.) was knocked unconscious in his match against John Stout.

The Warriors dropped their first six matches before turning in a 36-12 victory over Princeton on the road. ESU, however, is coming off a tough 24-12 loss at Rutgers last Thursday night in a match the Warriors forfeited a match, giving up six points. Though the Warriors have wrestled in eight dual competitions, only one has been wrestled on their home mat, a Dec. 5 loss to Army (30-6).

Leading the way for the Warriors is sophomore heavyweight Chris Birchler, who owns an 18-4 record record, including a 6-1 advantage in dual action. Posting a 16-6 record this season is veteran 141-pounder Sean Carr, while redshirt junior Matt Swallow owns a 15-7 record overall and a 5-3 mark in dual competition.

Lehigh and Navy will meet for the 88th time in program history when the two square off Saturday at Leeman-Turner Arena. Navy holds a 46-41 series advantage and is coming off a 16-12 victory over the Mountain Hawks a year ago in Annapolis. The Navy win snapped a 10-match losing skid to Lehigh and was the Mids’ first win over the Mountain Hawks in Annapolis since 1996. Navy has lost five in a row to Lehigh in Bethlehem, last beating the Mountain Hawks in the Lehigh Valley on Jan. 28, 1995 (22-9).

The Mountain Hawks are well versed in dual action this season having already wrestling 18 duals. Lehigh owns a 7-11 record and is coming off a 2-2 performance at the Virginia Duals a week ago. Though Lehigh has made 18 dual meet appearances, only four have been on its home mat. Owning a 2-2 mark at home, the Mountain Hawks’ last home event featured a 21-16 victory over Stanford. Like Navy, Lehigh split its matches against Maryland (L, 25-9) and American (W, 27-15).

Half of the Mountain Hawks’ lineup has turned in double-figure wins this season, including junior 149-pounder Trevor Chinn who has produced a team-best 17-7 record, including a 13-5 mark in dual action. Seventeen of his 24 matches have been decided by seven or fewer points. Meanwhile heavyweight Justin Allen has turned in a 14-11 record, including a dual mark of 12-8.

GreatAmerican · January 17, 2008, 9:05pm

For: Immediate Release
Sent: January 17, 2007
Contact: Scott Strasemeier (410) 293-8775

Rosters Set For Annual Alumni Basketball Game

ANNAPOLIS, Md.-The rosters have been set for the annual Navy Men’s Basketball Alumni Game, which will take place Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. in Alumni Hall. Admission is free. Twenty-two players representing classes from 1965-2006 will be represented.

Former assistant coach Jimmy Leary (1980-82), who owns a career record of 0-3 in alumni games, will coach the Gold team. Leary has added Paul Evans, who went 119-60 as a head coach at Navy from 1981-86, to his coaching staff in hopes of getting that elusive first career win.

Leary’s squad will be led by Skip Victor ('99), who was a great player for the Midshipmen in the late 1990s. Victor led Navy to two NCAA tournament appearances (1997 and 1998) in his career and ranks fifth all-time at Navy in career steals (139).

Victor will get plenty of help in the backcourt from Victor Mickel ('94), who as a senior led Navy to the NCAA Tournament. Mickel, a former assistant coach at Navy for Don DeVoe ranks seventh all-time in career assists and 10th in career steals (117).

The Gold should have plenty of young legs to run up and down the court with versatile scoring guards John Williams (¹01) and David Hooper (¹06) and athletic forwards Quintrell McCreary (¹03) and Leonard Green (¹06) balancing out the roster.

The Blue squad will be coached by former Navy basketball player Dave Bethel (¹79), who has a 1-0 career record in alumni games after defeating Leary in last year¹s contest.

The Blue will be led by point guard Brian Walker ('97), who ranks second all-time in career steals (193) and career assists (531) and led Navy to two NCAA Tournaments (1994 and 1997).

Walker should be able to chalk up a lot of assists in Saturday¹s game by throwing the ball to Kevin Sinnett ('79), who is one of five Navy players to have his jersey retired and is Navy’s third all-time leading scorer with 1,687 points. Sinnett was more than just a scorer in his career as he also ranks fourth (797) on Navy’s career rebounding list.

The Blue will have good size inside with athletic big men Larry Green (¹95) and George O¹Garro (¹05) and the heady Matt Sladky (¹98). Guards Demond Shepard (¹02) and Jason Fernandez (¹05) will be dangerous marksmen for Bethel¹s squad.

Navy Alumni Game Rosters

Blue
Brian Walker-¹97
Larry Green-¹95
George O¹Garro-¹05
Matt Sladky-¹98
Demond Shepard-¹02
Jason Fernandez-¹05
Kevin Sinnett-¹79
Mike Wall-¹99
Sly Mata-¹85
Jerry Liscomb-¹76
Jim Savard-¹65

Head Coach-Dave Bethel 79

Gold
Skip Victor-¹99
Victor Mickel-¹94
Quintrell McCreary-¹03
John Williams-¹01
Leonard Green-¹06
David Hooper-¹06
Cecil Fletcher-¹99
Kelvin Boatner-¹06
Victor Smith-¹80
Roy Ledesma-¹87
Leo Latonick-77

Head Coach: Jimmy Leary (1980-82)
Assistant Coach: Paul Evans (1981-86)

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 6:52pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, January 18, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Home For Second-Straight Meet This Weekend

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy mens track & field team will host its second-consecutive four-team meet when Mount St. Marys, UNC-Wilmington and William & Mary descend upon Halsey Field House this weekend. The competition will begin the first portion of the heptathlon on Friday, with all the remaining track & field events commencing on Saturday.

The Midshipmen come into this weekends action with a 3-1 record on the year after defeating American, Penn and VCU last Saturday in Annapolis. Navy won 10 of the 17 events and produced a total of six IC4A marks. For the year, Navy owns a total of 13 IC4A Championship entries in 10 different events.

Highlighting the performances on Saturday was Patriot League Track Athlete of the Week Paul Harris (Sr./Fairburn, Ga.), who provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championship in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:51.05. The clocking currently ranks as the second-fastest time in the nation, only behind Alex McClarys 1:49.28 showing from Arkansas on a banked track last Friday. Harriss performance last week also was the ninth-fastest time in school history and he now owns seven of the programs ten-best all-time efforts in the indoor event.

Not to be overshadowed by Harriss excellence on the track, Darryl Hunter (Sr./Des Moines, Iowa) delivered an impressive performance in the shot put to earn Patriot League Field Athlete-of-the-Week kudos for the second-straight week. He won the event with an indoor career-best distance of 559 (16.99 meters), more than four feet better than the IC4A Championship qualifying standard and less than three feet away from the NCAA Championship provisional qualifying mark.

Distance runner John Olsen (Sr./Staten Island, N.Y.) qualified for the IC4A Championship in a second event last Saturday after winning the mile run with a time of 4:12.15. One week prior to that effort, he paced the field in the 3,000-meter run with a blistering 8:21.06 showing to earn Patriot League Track Athlete-of-the-Week honors.

Christopher Bordino (Jr./Gastonia, N.C.) matched his personal record set two weeks ago in the weight throw last Saturday with a toss of 561-1/4 (17.10 meters). Teammate Mark Van Order (So./Morris Plains, N.J.) just missed the IC4A Championship standard by one-half inch with his second-place, career-best distance of 551 (16.79 meters) on Saturday.

Two other Mids captured spots in the IC4A Championship last Saturday. Dante Marshall (Sr./Hermitage, Pa.) soared 4611-1/2 (14.31 meters) in the triple jump, while Matthew Hanleys (So./Rapid City, S.D.) 7.71-second showing in the 55-meter hurdles finals qualified him for postseason action.

Mount St. Marys comes into this weekends action having delivered four top-four finishes at Bucknells Gulden Relays last Saturday. William & Mary will be competing for the first time in more than a month, while UNC-Wilmington will make its indoor season debut in Annapolis this weekend.

After this weeks action, the Midshipmen will head to the Ashenfelter Multi-Sport Facility for the Penn State National Open on Jan. 25-26, before hosting Army for the annual Star Meet in the last mens track & field competition in Halsey Field House on Feb. 2.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 6:53pm

Game Specifics
Date and Tip Time Jan. 19, 2008 at 7:00 pm EST
Location Annapolis, Md. | Alumni Hall (5,710)
Tickets 1-800-US4-NAVY
Promotions Alumni Day
Kids Eat For Free
Junior ROTC Night
Television None
Video Streaming Navy All-Access / [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)
Radio WNAV (Annapolis; 1430 AM)
WFED (Washington; 1050 AM)
Radio talent Joe Miller
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)
Gametracker [NavySports.com</a> - Official Athletic Site for Navy Athletics](<a href=“http://www.NavySports.com%5DNavySports.com”>http://www.NavySports.com)

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The resurgent Navy men’s basketball team looks for its fourth straight home win on Saturday night as Patriot League-leader Lafayette pays a visit to Alumni Hall. The Mids are 8-9 overall (1-1 PL), while Lafayette is 11-6 overall (2-0 PL). Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm, and will be preceded by the annual Navy Alumni Basketball game. Twenty-six former players ranging from 1964-2006 will show off their skills, beginning at 4:00 pm.

The contest will be broadcast on the airwaves by WNAV (Annapolis, 1430 AM) and WFED (Washington, 1050 AM), and will be streamed online as part of the Navy All-Access and Patriot League All-Access packages at <a href=“http://www.navysports%5B/url%5D”>www.navysports</a>. Joe Miller will call all the action, beginning with the Navy pregame show at 6:45 pm.

The Top Two Scoring Offenses in the Patriot League Clash on Saturday Night
Navy is off to a 1-1 start in Patriot League play following Wednesday night’s 79-69 win over Lehigh at Alumni Hall, in front of a season-high 2,135 fans. Navy’s 1-1 start is its first since the 2001-02 season, and puts Navy in a third-place tie in the league standings, one week into conference play.

The Mids own a 5-1 record in the last six games, mostly thanks to a relentless offensive attack. Navy is averaging 80.5 points a game, while giving up just 68.0 points per contest during that span. The Mids have shot 45.0 percent from the field, including 40.5 percent from long distance. The Mids have also increased their production from the free throw line, outscoring their foes, 101-84, from the stripe over the same span.

Leading the resurgence is a trio of Navy guards, spearheaded by senior Greg Sprink. A fantastic scorer, he is averaging 23.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 3.0 apg during the six games. He has double-doubles in two of the last three games, following a 21-point, 11-rebound showing against Longwood (Jan. 5) and a 26-point, 11-rebound performance against Lehigh (Jan. 16). Over the last three games, Sprink is at 24.3 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 3.0 apg.

Kaleo Kina has scored in double-figures in nine straight games, averaging 18.6 ppg and 5.4 rpg in that span. Lastly, Chris Harris is chipping in at 14.7 ppg and 3.9 apg in the last nine games, while shooting 29-of-55 (.527) from three-point range.

Despite its 8-9 record, Navy ranks first in the league in scoring margin (+2.5 ppg), turnover margin (+1.12), steals per game (8.88 spg) and three-point percentage defense (.309). Navy is second in scoring offense and three-pointers made per game and third in free throw percentage.

About Lafayette
Lafayette has been the surprise of the Patriot League, posting an 11-6 record and a 2-0 start in league play. The Leopards, who were picked eighth in the preseason poll, won their league opener last Saturday with a 60-52 victory over preseason league favorite, Holy Cross. Lafayette then turned around and claimed a 69-68 overtime decision at Colgate on Wednesday. Lafayette is 6-4 on the road, and recently wrapped up a eight-game road trip with a 4-4 record.

Head coach Fran O’Hanlon boasts a balanced lineup, as seven players average at least five points a game. Andrew Brown paces the team with a 15.8 ppg average, while Bilal Abdullah chips in at 13.9 ppg. Matt Betley averages 9.8 ppg and 6.2 rpg.

As a team, the Leopards shoot 44.4 percent from the field, including 41.2 percent from long distance. Lafayette is getting outrebounded by 3.6 boards per game, but overcome that by making a league-best 10.5 three-pointers a game, a total that ranks fourth nationally. Lafayette also boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio of 0.90, and has recorded an assist on 60.7 percent of made baskets.

Series History
Navy leads the all-time series with Lafayette, 38-21, and has won the last three meetings by an average margin of 14.3 ppg. Navy has won three consecutive meetings in Alumni Hall and are 12-5 against the Leopards all-time in the facility. Beginning with the 1993-94 season, the two teams won or shared six of the next seven regular-season Patriot League titles, and represented the league in five NCAA Tournaments from 1994-2000.

Last Year’s Meetings
Navy swept the season series a year ago, posting wins of 60-44 (Jan. 13, 2007, in Annapolis) and 70-63 (Feb. 10, 2007 in Easton). It marked the first time since the 1996-97 season that Navy swept the Leopards.

In the first meeting, the Mids held Lafayette to just 30.8 percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers en route to the victory. Navy led 28-16 at halftime and won the contest despite shooting just 34.0 percent itself. Sprink led Navy with 23 points and eight rebounds and Adam Teague added 10 points, six rebounds and three steals.

In the second meeting, Sprink connected on 9-of-16 field goals en route to 29 points. The Mids overcame a slow start and used their defense to pull ahead midway through the first half. Navy forced 19 turnovers and held Lafayette to just 8-of-29 three-point attempts, in earning the 70-63 victory.

Navy Wins Patriot League Home Opener Against Lehigh, 79-69
Greg Sprink led Navy with 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Mids downed Patriot League rival Lehigh 79-69 Wednesday night.

Navy had been dominated by the Mountain Hawks in recent years, losing eight of the last 11 to them (one win coming by forfeit) and not beating them at home since the 2002 season.

Sprink was just 5 for 19 from the floor and 2 of 11 from beyond the arc, but made 14 of 15 free throws and had five assists.

Navy’s hottest hand was Chris Harris, who had four second-half three-pointers and three during a decisive 11-0 run that gave the Mids the lead for good, 64-59, with 4:49 left.

Harris finished 6 of 9 from the field, making 5 of 7 three-pointers. Kaleo Kina finished with 15 points, scoring 12 in the first half.

Clif Colbert provided a spark off the bench with 9 points and 7 rebounds.

Lehigh, which lost its first two conference games for the first time since the 1998-1999 season, was led by Marquis Hall with 20 points and six assists.

Zahir Carrington added 14 points and Rob Keefer had 11 points. Bryan White also contributed 10 points and 11 rebounds for Lehigh.

The teams were tied at halftime, 33-33, after a seesaw first half that saw both teams go on scoring spurts, only to have the other team come back.

The pattern continued into the second half. Navy opened with an 8-0 run for a 41-33 lead, but Lehigh came back with nine unanswered points in 88 seconds to go ahead 42-41. The teams were tied at 51 when Lehigh took the lead at 59-53 before Navy came back. Colbert hit a basket to start the 11-0 run and ended it with a pair of free throws for a 64-59 lead.

In between, Harris hit back-to-back-to-back threes.

Lehigh Post-Game Notes
Navy snapped a 20-game losing streak when trailing with 10 minutes left with its 79-69 win over Lehigh. The Mids trailed 56-51, but outscored the Mountain Hawks, 28-13, the rest of the way for the victory.

Greg Sprink’s 15 free throw attempts were the most for a Navy player since Matt Fannin attempted 15 against Morgan State on Dec. 8, 2005. Sprink’s 14 made free throws tied for the 10th most all-time in a single game at Navy.

The Mids’ 1-1 start in the Patriot League is the first since 2001-02. For the last five years, Navy had started league play 0-2.

The win was Navy’s fourth in a row over the Lehigh Valley schools (Lehigh and Lafayette) and the first over Lehigh in Annapolis (not awarded by forfeit) since Jan. 16, 2002 (92-85 in double overtime).

Adam Teague saw his 45-game scoring streak end against Lehigh, when he went scoreless. He attempted zero shots while playing 16 minutes.

Kaleo Kina went over the 800-point barrier on Wednesday night, and now has 810 career points.

Navy forced Lehigh into 19 turnovers, resulting 19 points off turnovers for Navy. The Mountain Hawks entered the game averaging just 12.7 turnovers per game.

Navy allowed just four offensive rebounds. It was the lowest total allowed by a Division I opponent since Lehigh had just two on Feb. 7, 2004. The Mountain Hawks shot 60.5 percent in LU’s 66-38 win on that date.

Navy’s +8 rebound margin was its highest against a Patriot League foe, since outrebounding Lafayette, 39-28, on Feb. 11, 2006.

Greg Sprink went over two milestones in the win. He went over the 500-rebound plateau in the first half, then grabbed his 100th steal during the second half.

Mids Crank Up The Heat
A big reason for Navy’s turnaround in the last nine games has been as a result of its defensive intensity. Navy is forcing 19.1 turnovers per game on the season, a total that ranks 11th in the country. Navy is leading the Patriot League in turnover margin at +1.22, despite turning the ball over a league-high 18.0 times per game.

Home Sweet Home
After losing two of its first three games at Alumni Hall, the Navy men’s basketball team has righted the ship at home, winning its last three games.

Over the last three home games, Navy has outscored its opponents by an average of 19.0 ppg and has won all three games by double digits. The Mids defeated NJIT (84-55), Longwood (73-55) and Lehigh (79-69) during that span.

During the three games, Navy is averaging 78.7 ppg while giving up just 59.7. Navy is holding foes to just 35.8 percent shooting during the streak and are outrebounding foes by almost eight boards a game. In addition, Navy has made more free throws (59) than opponents have shot (56) and has forced 19.7 turnovers per game.

Navy is 5-2 at home so far this year.

Navy Trio Continues to Shine
The Navy trio of Greg Sprink, Kaleo Kina and Chris Harris continue to post remarkable numbers, leading the Mids on their turnaround.

Each member has been in double figures in each of the last four games. Over the last four games, they are averaging a combined 59.0 ppg, 16.0 rpg and 9.0 apg. In the last four contests, they have made 35 of Navy’s 41 three-pointers. Sprink leads the way averaging 23.0 ppg, Kina averages 20.0 ppg and Harris is at 16.0 ppg.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 6:55pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, January 18, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Mids to Host Six-Team Meet on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. The Navy womens track & field team will compete in Annapolis for the first time in a month and a half when it hosts James Madison, Mount St. Marys, UNC-Wilmington, VCU and William & Mary on Saturday afternoon. The weight throw kicks off the competition at 2 p.m. at Ingram Field, followed by the rest of the action starting at 2:45 p.m. in Halsey Field House.

Navy (2-0) has not been defeated in a scored meet since the 2004-05 indoor season, a span of 47-consecutive victories. In Halsey Field House, the Midshipmen have not suffered a setback since the 1999-00 campaign, a stretch of 63-straight indoor triumphs.

The Mids last competed two weeks ago in both the UMES Coach O Invitational and the 18th annual National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev. Navy totaled 15 top-three marks at the UMES Invitational, while Jacqui Charnigo (Sr./Medina, Ohio) and Jessica Schlaegel (So./Nashport, Ohio) both saw action alongside some of the nations elite pole vaulters.

For their efforts at the UMES Invitational, Navy swept all three of the Patriot League weekly awards. Kyleigh Millhouse (Sr./Boiling Springs, Pa.) won the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:28.84, 43.60 seconds better than the next-fastest non-Navy runner, to earn Patriot League Track Athlete-of-the Week honors.

Mia Blundetto (So./Apple Valley, Minn.) claimed victory in the weight throw with a career-best distance of 415-3/4 (12.64 meters) to capture Patriot League Field Athlete-of-the-Week kudos. Joy Nameth (Fr./Walden, Colo.) bettered her season-opening mark in the shot put by more than three feet with a toss of 413-1/4 (12.58 meters) to place second overall and bring home Patriot League Rookie-of-the-Week recognition.

James Madison produced three ECAC-qualifying marks in the Virginia Tech Invitational last weekend. Mount St. Marys delivered eight top-five finishes at Bucknells Gulden Relays one week ago. VCU and William & Mary will be making their 2008 debut this Saturday, as they has not competed since the Christopher Newport Holiday Open on Dec. 8. While the Rams and Tribe have not competed in the new calendar year, UNC-Wilmington will kick off its indoor season in Annapolis this Saturday.

Following this Saturdays competition, the Midshipmen will make the short drive to Fairfax, Va., to compete at George Masons Recreation Sports Complex for the Patriot Games on Saturday, Jan. 26.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:15pm

No. 23 Navy def. East Stroudsburg, 39-3

For Immediate Release
Friday, Jan. 18, 2008
Wrestling Contact: Stacie Michaud (410) 293-8773

Navy Grapplers Pick Up Lop-Sided 39-3 Victory Over East Stroudsburg

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Led by senior captain Matt Stolpinski’s (Westfield, Mass.) record-tying victory at 174 pounds, the 23rd-ranked Navy wrestling team cruised to a 39-3 victory over East Stroudsburg (1-8) Friday evening at Koehler Fieldhouse in Pennsylvania. Eighth-ranked Stolpinski earned a 15-0 technical fall over Shane Mallory to move into a tie with Greg Gingeleskie (1996-99) as Navy’s all-time wins leader with 127.

Navy, who evened up its dual meet record this season at 3-3, earned wins in nine of the 10 weight classes, including a pair of forfeits at 184 and 197 pounds. Additionally, three Mids earned extra-point victories, including Stolpinski whose record stands at 28-6 this winter, including an undefeated 6-0 mark in dual competition. Stolpinski will have the opportunity to set a new Navy record for wins when he likely faces Alex Caruso (13-9) from Lehigh Saturday night in Bethlehem.

Navy opened the match with back-to-back wins by its lightweights. Freshman Allan Stein (Portland, Maine) picked up his first collegiate dual meet win by earning an 8-1 victory over Matthew Benedetti at 125 pounds, while second-year 133-pounder Matt Pagan (Carteret, N.J.) squeaked by the Warriors’ Matt Swallow with a 7-6 win in the second tie breaker.

“We had some strong performances tonight, in particular I was pleased with Matt Pagan,” said eighth-year Navy head coach Bruce Burnett. "Matt stepped in for Joe Baker and had to reach down to pull out a double overtime win. I was pleased with how well he competed and pushed to get the win.

“Our freshman 125-pounder Allan Stein came through with a big win. He’s been competing hard throughout the season, just hasn’t been able to turn that corner, so I’m excited for him to get a win tonight.”

The Mids’ lone hiccup of the match was a 4-2 decision against Glenn Shober (Reading, Pa.) at 141 pounds. Navy went on to outscore East Stroudsburg 33-0 over the final seven matches.

After subbing in for an injured Joel Ahern (Herkimer, N.Y.) a week ago against Maryland at 157 pounds, senior Spencer Manley (Chattanooga, Tenn.) returned to the mat at 149 pounds where he turned in a 16-3 major decision over rookie Jesse Dunn. Ahern, meanwhile, picked up his second straight dual win by shutting out 157-pound redshirt sophomore Kyle Heselpoth, 2-0.

Making his first appearance since the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29, senior Justin Jacobs (LeRoy, Mich.) earned a 3-0 win over East Stroudsburg junior Joe Schick at 165 pounds to give Navy a 16-3 advantage.

Junior Casey Caldwell (Liberty, Ind.) and senior Matt Parsons (Dunkirk, Md.) both received wins after East Stroudsburg forfeited its matches at 184 and 197 pounds.

Pushing his winning streak to 13 in a row, third-ranked Ed Prendergast (St. Louis, Mo.) pinned the Warriors’ Chris Birchler at 4:46. It was Prendergast’s ninth win this season by way of a fall and 32nd in his career. He is ranked fourth all-time in pins and is just one of five wrestlers in program history to win 30 or more matches via a pin.

The Midshipmen will be back in action Saturday evening when they travel to Bethlehem, Pa. to battle long-time rival Lehigh. Action is set for 7:00 pm at Leeman-Turner Arena in Grace Hall.

“Tonight’s match against East Stroudsburg provided us with a good opportunity to get ready for Lehigh tomorrow night,” Burnett added. “It’s a big match and we are looking forward to getting out on the mat and competing.”

Navy 39, ESU 3
125 - Allan Stein (N) dec. Matthew Benedetti, 8-1 (N3, ES 0)
133 - Matt Pagan (N) dec. Matt Swallow, 7-6 tb2 (N6, ES 0)
141 - Sean Carr (ESU) dec. Glenn Shober, 4-2 (N6, ES3)
149 - Spencer Manley (N) maj. dec. Jesse Dunn, 16-3 (N10, ES3)
157 - Joel Ahern (N) dec. Kyle Heselpoth, 2-0 (N13, ES3)
165 - Justin Jacobs (N) dec. Joe Schick, 3-0 (N16, ES3)
174 - No. 8 Matt Stolpinski (N) tech. fall Shane Mallory, 15-0 (N21, ES3)
184 - Casey Caldwell (N), forfeit (N27, ES3)
197 - Matt Parsons (N), forfeit (N33, ES3)
285 - No. 3 Ed Prendergast (N) pinned Chris Birchler, 4:46 (N39, ES3)

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:16pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, January 18, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Places Second at West Point Open

WEST POINT, N.Y. The Navy mens gymnastics team kicked off its 2008 slate in fine fashion on Friday night, finishing second out of the five collegiate teams at the 17th-annual West Point Open.

Fridays action marked Navys first competition under the new NCAA scoring system that no longer is based on the 10.0 scale.

Team Gattaca, a club team comprised of several former NCAA Championship gymnasts, topped the field with a team score of 347.10. Temple, who came in ranked 11th nationally, led all collegiate squads with a 339.55-point team tally. The 15th-ranked Midshipmen racked up 332.25 points to finish ahead of 12th-ranked Armys 330.10 points. Springfield came in fifth place with a team score of 321.4 points, followed by Arizona States (club team) 313.9 points and Massachusetts Institute of Technologys 306.5 points.

In addition to the solid team showing on Friday night, the Midshipmen had six of their own qualify in four different disciplines for the individual event finals that will be held tomorrow at 7 p.m.

Navy concluded the night in fine fashion on the pommel horse, as three of its gymnasts finished among the top six. Adam Stanton (Jr./Centennial, Colo.) placed fourth with a 14.0, followed by Joseph Atzenbecks (Jr./Broomfield, Colo.) fifth-place 13.95 and Trey Jamess (Jr./Matthews, N.C.) sixth-place 13.9. Stanton also finished among the top-eight gymnasts on the parallel bars, earning a 14.05 from the judges to place sixth and advance to Saturdays competition.

The Midshipmen had two gymnasts qualify on Friday for the high bar finals. Isaac Olson (Sr./Bristol, R.I.) came in sixth place with a 14.4, while Christopher Tam (Sr./Draper, Utah) finished eighth with his 14.25-point showing. Tam, Navys lone competitor in the all-around, accumulated 81.15 points among the six events to land 15th overall.

To round out the advancing contingent for Navy, Brandon Cook (Sr./Longmont, Colo.) delivered a third-place performance of 15.6 on the vault.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:19pm

By BILL WAGNER, Staff Writer
Published January 19, 2008

After some experimenting, Navy coach settles on starting lineup All 15 players on the Navy men’s basketball roster have seen significant action at some point this season. Head coach Billy Lange has started nine different players.

For most of the non-conference portion of the season, there was no set starting lineup and the substitution pattern was difficult to gauge.

However, Lange has used the same starting lineup for the past seven games and the Midshipmen have developed a relatively firm eight-man rotation. Not surprisingly, Navy has played quite well during that stretch, winning five of the seven games while playing tough in losses to San Diego State and Bucknell.

“This group of players is working well together. Guys are beginning to understand and accept their roles,” Lange said. “A rotation sort of defines itself. Certain players click with one another and that tends to become obvious by this point in the season.”

Lange rolled out the current starting lineup at San Diego State and Navy nearly pulled off a stunning upset. He has stuck with the unit, which consists of point guard Chris Harris, off guard Kaleo Kina, forwards Greg Sprink and Romeo Garcia and center Mark Veazey.

For the most part, the Midshipmen have used four or five reserves with forwards Adam Teague and Brian Richards receiving the most consistent time off the bench. Clif Colbert, who missed nearly two months with a broken wrist, rejoined the team for the start of conference play and has assumed a spot in what is basically an eight-man rotation.

However, Lange said he will not hesitate to insert any of the remaining seven players on the roster at any time.

“I have confidence in every player on our team and I’m not afraid to put any of them into the game at any point,” Lange said. “Everybody needs to be ready because you never know what might happen in a particular game or what a certain situation will dictate.”

For instance, Lange used freshman swingman Greg Brown for seven minutes against Bucknell. However, the 6-foot-4, 180-pound product of St. Mary’s-Ryken did not play versus Lehigh.

Power forward T.J. Topercer, who has seen very limited action most of this season, was called on to provide 10 valuable minutes against St. Francis and performed admirably in Lange’s opinion.

“It’s important for players to buy into the notion of being part of something bigger than themselves. One of the keys to building a successful team is for players to understand that it’s about the sum of the parts,” Lange said.

Lange was more than fair in giving all 15 team members an opportunity to prove they deserved playing time. Senior center Ben Biles started nine of the first 10 games with mixed results. The 6-foot-10, 255-pounder has now shown he can run the floor well enough to play in Navy’s up-tempo system and has averaged 1.4 minutes over the past five games.

Freshman center Jeremy Wilson started one game, but clearly needs to improve his strength and skills in order to earn regular minutes. Sophomore forward Scott Brooks started the initial four games of the season, but did not put up the type of numbers that would warrant remaining in the lineup.

Sophomore guard Derek Young was playing double-digit minutes before drawing a five-game suspension for a violation of team rules. Junior guard Bryce Brigham, who was a key member of the rotation last season, drew a two-game suspension for violating team rules.

While the rotation is beginning to define itself, Lange said injuries or poor play could alter the current makeup at any point. That is why it’s important for the players not currently receiving significant action to continue working hard in practice.

“Roles can change. Guys can do things in practice to convince me to play them in games,” Lange said. “I believe our guys all have the right attitude. Our practices have been unbelievably competitive and intense. Everybody is putting forth maximum effort, which is very encouraging for a coach to see.”

Lange said he may need to go deeper on the bench tonight against Lafayette, which likes to play at a fast pace and is averaging 75.2 points per game. Junior guard Andrew Brown is the catalyst for the Leopards, leading the team in scoring (15.8 points per game) and assists (48).

Lafayette (11-6) has been the surprise of the Patriot League this season, turning in some impressive non-conference performances, then knocking off defending tournament champion Holy Cross in the opener. The Leopards then nipped Colgate 69-68 in overtime and are one of only two unbeaten teams (2-0) in the league.

Senior swingman Bilal Abdullah is averaging nearly 14 points and 5.2 rebounds while senior forward Matt Betley is contributing nearly 10 points and 6.2 boards for Lafayette.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:20pm

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA (Friday, January 18, 2008) * Navy¹s ice hockey team played well for one period, but #2 nationally ranked Penn State eventually pulled away and remained unbeaten in the Eastern States Collegiate Hockey League (ESCHL), overwhelming the visiting Midshipmen, 10-0, Friday night at the Penn State Ice Pavilion.

With the loss, the Mids saw their win-loss record drop to 9-15-0 overall and 4-13-0 in the ESCHL. The Nittany Lion Icers, meanwhile, improved their overall record to 23-1-4 and their league record to 13-0-0.

Navy and Penn State will meet again tomorrow (Saturday) at 3:30 p.m., also at the Penn State Ice Pavilion in University Park, PA.

Sophomore goaltender Eric Anderson took the lopsided loss for the Mids, while Nittany Lion netminder Nick Signet earned the shutout victory for PSU. Penn State outshot Navy by a 50-15 margin.

SCORING SUMMARY

NAVY 0 0 0 - 0

Penn State 2 5 3 - 10

IMPORTANT GAME CHANGE NOTE: Navy¹s January 26th game with Maryland, originally scheduled to be played at the McMullen Hockey Arena in Annapolis, will now be played at the Gardens Ice House in Laurel, MD.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:22pm

Lafayette def. Navy, 60-44

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Lafayette’s Defense Sparks Leopards to Win

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette held Navy to one field goal over the final 12 minutes of the game and to 12 second-half points to post a 60-44 victory over the Mids Saturday afternoon at the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, Pa.

Navy (4-14, 0-3 Patriot League) led by as many as eight points (25-17) midway through the first half and went into halftime holding a 32-28 advantage. Pacing Navy in the first half was Kristin Bowen (So., Monroesville, N.J.) with 15 points and Cassie Consedine (Fr., Bartlesville, Okla.) with nine points.

After the teams traded baskets to start the second half, Lafayette went on an 8-0 run to take a 40-36 lead with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. The Mids responded with Consedine sinking a pair of free throws and a three-point basket to give Navy a 41-40 lead with just under 13 minutes left on the clock.

Lafayette (10-8, 2-1) scored the next six points before Navy’s Kalen Kropa made a jumper with 8:42 left to play to cut the margin down to 46-43 with 8:42 to play, but that would be Navy’s last field goal of the contest as the Leopards outscored the Mids 14-1 over the remainder of the game.

“We were two completely different teams in the two halves,” said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "Lafayette controlled us defensively in the second half. Our inability to put the ball in the basket in the second half was the difference.

Navy made only 4-of-21 field goals in the second half (19.0%) and was outscored 32-12 over the final 20 minutes of the game. Lafayette, meanwhile, made 10-fo-26 shots from the field (38.5%) and sank 11-of-12 free throws (91.7%) after halftime. The Mids also turned the ball over 12 times in the second half while forcing Lafayette into only four turnovers after intermission.

After nearly matching her career total for points to date (19) with 15 in the first half, Bowen was held scoreless in the second half. Consedine led Navy with five second-half points to tally her eighth double-double of the second with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Lafayette had four players reach double figures in points, with Vanessa Van De Venter’s 17 leading the team.

Navy will rteturn home to open up a three-game homestand starting Wednesday night when the Mids play host to Holy Cross at 7 p.m. in Alumni Hall.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:23pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Finishes First in Four-Team Meet

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Navy mens track & field middle distance runner produced the fifth-fastest 500-meter run time in program history to lead the Midshipmen to a first-place team score against Mount St. Marys, UNC-Wilmington and William & Mary on Saturday in Halsey Field House.

The Mids (6-1) overcame sickness that struck many on the team to win 10 of the 17 scored events in totaling 207 points, while UNC-Wilmington placed second with 176 points, William & Mary came in third with 98 points and Mount St. Marys finished fourth with 79 points.

Today was not a bad day considering the sickness we had going around. I was really concerned and had to make some adjustments, stated Navy head coach Stephen Cooksey. We came through with some decent performances and now we have to get healthy. We could not get too emotional and just did our job, step by step.

Harris, who was hit by the sickness bug earlier in the week, delivered a first-place, IC4A time of 1:01.80 in the 500-meter run on Saturday. Not only was his time the fifth-best in school history, it was the second-fastest time by a Navy runner in Halsey Field House history. The clocking was 0.96-second off the program-benchmark set by Michael Greene, who holds the top-four all-time times, in 1987. Harriss performance was also 1.28 seconds better than his performance two weeks ago at Princeton.

Harris also ran in the first-place 4x400-meter relay with Jake Palmer (Fr./Plymouth, Ind.), Craig Meekins (Sr./Baldwin, N.Y.) and James Stratton (Fr./Lancaster, Pa.). The quartet produced a time of 3:20.02.

Paul was out for a couple of days this week because he was sick. So, we had to adjust to have him in the 500-meter run instead of the 800-meter run, said Cooksey. He ran a smooth and smart race. Hes a very talented runner.

Also earning a spot in the IC4A Championship on the track Saturday was rookie Andrew Hanko (Fr./Montville, N.J.). Hanko ran an impressive 8:26.06 in the 3,000-meter run to win the event by 12.07 seconds. His performance was just 5.00 seconds off the teams season-best time set by John Olsen at Princeton.

Two Navy throwers produced IC4A distances for the third-consecutive week to win their events. Christopher Bordino (Jr./Gastonia, N.C.) uncorked a career-best mark of 5610 (17.32 meters) in the weight throw during the morning. Darryl Hunter (Sr./Des Moines, Iowa) shattered his indoor shot put personal record for the second-straight week with a toss of 5511 (17.04 meters).

The Midshipmen also claimed victories in five other track events. Vince Carpentier (So./Branchburg, N.J.) paced the field in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.28 seconds, prior to which Meekins won the 800-meter run with a 1:54.59 showing. Gavin MacGarva (Jr./Bellevue, Wash.) led all runners in the mile with his 4:17.16 clocking, followed by Matlack Gillins (So./Oreland, Pa.) first-place time of 2:34.70 in the 1,000-meter run.

Navys distance medley relay finished first to conclude the track portion of the scored meet. The youthful group of Tyler Morrison (So./Okemos, Mich.), David Ash (Fr./Williamston, Mich.), James Adair (Fr./Birmingham, Ala.) and Aaron Foote (Fr./Niagara Falls, N.Y.) combined for a 10:27.16 clocking.

In the non-team scored heptathlon, Ron Belany (Sr./Haiku, Hawaii) best his own school record with an IC4A-qualifying total of 5,218 points. Belany bested the competition in four of the seven events, scoring higher than 800 points in the 55-meter hurdles (7.81 seconds, 900 points), pole vault (155, 819 points) and long jump (230, 816 points). His performance was just 82 points of earning NCAA Championship provisional-qualifying status.

The Midshipmen will head on the road next weekend to compete in the Penn State National Open on Jan. 25-26, at the Ashenfelter Multi-Sport Facility.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:24pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Tops Field of Five Teams on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. Navy pole vaulter Jacqui Charnigo (Sr./Medina, Ohio) produced an ECAC qualifying mark on Saturday to lead the womens track & field squad to a first-place team score over James Madison, Mount St. Marys, UNC-Wilmington and William & Mary in Halsey Field House.

The Midshipmen (6-0) tallied 184.5 points to edge second-place James Madisons 170 points and third place UNC-Wilmingtons 168 points. William & Mary came in fourth place with 140.5 points and Mount St. Marys rounded out the field with 92 points.

With Navys first-place performance, it extended its unbeaten streak in regular season scored meets to 51, dating to the 2004-05 season. The Midshipmen have not lost on their home turf during indoor action since the 1999-00 season, a stretch of 67-straight victories.

Overall, I think we had a pretty solid performance, stated Navy head coach Carla Criste. We have a lot of work to do and look forward to the challenge. I was truly impressed with the younger throwers and distance runners today.

Charnigo closed out Saturdays action with a height of 123-1/2 (3.75 meters) in the pole vault to top the field. She then attempted to clear the NCAA Championship provisional qualifying mark of 1211-1/2 (3.95 meters), but could not successfully get over the bar in her three tries. Her performance matched her season-best clearance set in the season-opener last month.

Navy opened the meet in fine fashion, owning the top-two marks in both the weight throw and 5,000-meter run events. Meg Joyce (Jr./West Kingston, R.I.) won the weight throw with a distance of 446 (13.56 meters), followed by teammate Mia Blundettos (So./Apple Valley, Minn.) second-place toss of 420 (12.80 meters). Amy Watson (So./Hampstead, Md.) paced all runners in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 18:12.29, only 1.40 seconds ahead of second-place runner Erica Ziel (So./Saginaw, Mich.).

The Midshipmen also finished second and third in two events. Vicki Moore (Sr./Burke, Va.) placed second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:18.14 and Abby Gesecki (So./Nanticoke, Pa.) finished third with a 2:23.17 showing. Kyleigh Millhouse (Sr./Boiling Springs, Pa.) came in second in the 3,000-meter run with a 10:30.50 showing, soon followed by Jenny Rubins (So./Papillion, Neb.) third-place 10:32.85 clocking.

Navys distance medley relay of Katie Rentz (Fr./San Diego, Calif.), Gesecki, Erin Neumann (Fr./Wray, Colo.) and Moore combined for a second-place time of 12:44.25 to close out the track portion of the meet.

The Midshipmen return to action next Saturday when they head to the Patriot Games at George Masons Recreation Sports Complex.

GreatAmerican · January 20, 2008, 9:25pm

Navy def. Campbell, 3-1

<h1>49 East Tennessee State def. Navy, 3-0</h1>

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, Jan. 19, 2008
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Mids Split Matches on Open Day of Tennis Season

RICHMOND, Va. – The Navy tennis team concluded the first day of its 2008 spring season with a 1-1 record after posting a 3-1 victory over Campbell and dropping a 3-0 decision to 49th-ranked East Tennessee State Saturday at the VCU 4+1 Invitational in Richmond, Va.

In the Campbell match, Nate Nelms (Jr., St. Mary’s, Ga.) recorded a straight set victory at No. 1 singles for Navy, posting a 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over Davy Sun. Owen Bullard (Fr., Concord, N.C.) stepped into the No. 4 spot in the lineup for the Mids and rallied after dropping the opening set to tally a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Loukas Wallaart. Navy’s additional victory came in the lone contested doubles match as the duo of Nick Birger (Fr., Belleville, Ill.) and team captain Alex James (Sr., Visalia, Calif.) posted a 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 triumph over the team of Marc Sifre and Sebastian Thesleff.

“I was very pleased with how our first match of the day went,” said Navy head coach John Officer. “We fought hard in every match and we handled adversity well. When the scores became tight we managed the pressure of the situation very well. Individually, Owen won a great three-set match for us.”

The Mids then played a number of close singles matches against the nationally ranked and defending Atlantic Sun Conference champion Buccaneers. Nelms dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to 49th-ranked Enrique Olivares at No. 1 singles and Johnny Waters (Jr., Papillion, Neb.) lost a 6-3, 6-4 decision to Sebastian Serrano at No. 2 singles. The two singles matches that were left unfinished due to ETSU clinching the match with its doubles victory saw Predrag Burmazovic holding a 6-3, 5-6 lead over Hill and Oscar Posada leading Navy’s Joseph Wiggins (Fr., Acworth, Ga.) 6-4, 6-5.

“Joseph did a very nice job for us by coming in and playing number four singles,” said Officer. “He played a very competitive match, as did Jason at number three.”

Navy will return home this coming weekend to play its first official matches in the newly-opened Brigade Sports Complex Saturday at 12 Noon against Georgetown and at 5 p.m. against Mount St. Mary’s.

Navy (1-0) def. Campbell (1-1), 3-1
Singles
1 - Nate Nelms (N) def. Davy Sum, 7-6 (3), 6-3
2 - Gabriel Delarue (C) def. Johnny Waters, 7-6, 7-5
3 - Jason Hill (N) led Larbi Lamzouri, 6-4, 3-6, 3-0, DNF
4 - Owen Bullard (N) def. Loukas Wallaart, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4
Doubles
1 - Nick Birger / Alex James (N) def. Marc Sifre / Sebastian Thesleff, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3

<h1>49 East Tennessee State (2-0) def. Navy (1-1), 3-0</h1>

Singles
1 - #49 Enrique Olivares (ET) def. Nate Nelms, 7-5, 6-2
2 - Sebastian Serrano (ET) def. Johnny Waters, 6-3, 6-4
3 - Predrag Burmazovic (ET) led Jason Hill, 6-3, 5-6, DNF
4 - Oscar Posada (ET) led Joseph Wiggins, 6-4, 6-5, DNF
Doubles
1 - Daniel Isaza / Lisandro Picardo (ET) def. Alex James / Jarrad Smoke, 6-2, 6-0

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