Wittenberg University

The highlight of the meet for the Tigers was the tremendous performance of sophomore Abi Gerstle (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont), who crossed the finish line in 19:06. That put her in eighth place in the entire field and qualified her for the NCAA Division III National Championship Meet in Spokane, Wash. this weekend.

Following Gerstle in the pack was junior Sarah Weide (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead), who finished in 20:51, freshman Becky Barnes (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall), who ran the course in a time of 21:39, and Melanie Ziarko (Hiram, Ohio/Crestwood), who wound up with a time of 21:41.

On the mens side, sophomore Nick DeWald (Mansfield, Ohio/Senior) completed a solid campaign with a 40th-place finish in a time of 27:18. He was followed by junior Dave Hyde (Naperville, Ind./Naperville Central), who crossed the line in 27:55 and 78th place.

Next: 11/18 @ NCAA Division III National Championship Meet (Spokane, Wash.)

Volleyball (32-9, 8-0 NCAC first place)
Coach: Connie Surowicz (seventh season)

The Wittenberg University volleyball team dropped just a single game in eight regular season North Coast Athletic Conference matches, won two in-season tournaments (Alma and Colorado College) and then swept three straight matches in the NCAC tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

The Tigers drew the No. 3 seed in the North regional bracket of the year-end tourney and traveled to Cincinnati for last weekends matches at Mt. St. Joseph. In the opener, Wittenberg defeated the sixth-seeded U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 3-0 (15-7, 15-4, 15-7). The Tigers leaped out to big early leads in each game and were only challenged in the third game by the Mariners, the Skyline Conference champions who completed the season with a 27-9 overall record.

Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Baume (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and sophomore outside hitter and NCAC tournament MVP Teresa Murphy (Blacklick, Ohio/Newark Catholic) paced the team with 16 and 15 kills respectively. Sophomore setter and the nations leader in assists Shelli Habegger (Curtice, Ohio/Oregon Clay) contributed 34 assists and freshman middle hitter Sarah Muzi (Canton, Ohio/GlenOak) showed her versatility with a team-high eight digs.

On Saturday, the Tigers stunned the second-seeded Ohio Northern Polar Bears, 3-2 (7-15, 15-10, 18-16, 11-15, 19-17), in an epic, 2-hour, 45-minute match to advance to the regional final for the first time ever. Ohio Northern, which was ranked No. 8 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, finished 27-9 on the season.

Again, it was the quartet of sophomores leading the charge. Baume pounded 30 kills, Murphy hammered 29 kills and picked up 31 digs, Habegger had 69 assists and 28 digs, and outside hitter Tiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw) had 14 kills in 23 attempts.

The Wittenberg Tigers finally ran out of steam in the regional championship match, dropping a 3-0 decision to the top-seeded and host Mt. St. Joseph Mountie Lions.

Keller showed the way offensively for the Tigers with 13 kills in 28 attempts. Baume chipped in with 11 kills, Habegger finished with 32 assists, and senior Melodi Mann (Anna, Ohio/Jackson Center) completed her career with an 18-dig performance.

The Tigers wind up the season with a 32-9 overall record. Four of their nine losses this season came to Mt. St. Joseph. All-conference and region teams will be announced in the next week. Watch for details.

Football (10-0, 7-0 NCAC first place)
Coach: Joe Fincham (fifth season)

The Wittenberg University Tigers, ranked No. 4 in the nation by the American Football Coaches Association, completed a third consecutive perfect 10-0 season with a 37-14 victory over Earlham on Nov. 4. The win clinched a third consecutive outright North Coast Athletic Conference championship and automatic NCAA Division III Tournament bid.

Last Sunday, Wittenberg learned its playoff fate. The Tigers were handed the No. 2 seed in the North Region bracket of the NCAA tournament and drew Aurora University, champions of the Illini-Badger Conference, at home in a first-round match-up slated for this weekend. The Spartans head into the second postseason tourney in their history with a 7-3 overall record and underdog status as the seventh seed in the North Region.

The rest of the North Region bracket includes top-ranked Mount Union, which received a first-round bye and will play the winner of the Ohio Northern (No. 4)-Millikin (No. 5) contest on Saturday. Rounding things out is a first-round match-up between Hanover (No. 6) and Hope (No. 3), with the winner of that game playing the survivor of the Wittenberg-Aurora contest.

The Tigers, who now have won 31 straight regular season games and a record-tying 22 consecutive NCAC contests, are led into the postseason for a third consecutive year by the winningest senior class in Wittenberg history. The current group completed a 39-1 regular season run with the win over Earlham and has tallied 41 overall wins in the last four years. Guiding them, as always, is Head Coach Joe Fincham (Ohio 88), who won became the first Tiger coach to reach 50 career wins in less than 60 games, accomplishing the feat in just 54.

Next: 11/18 vs. Aurora University, NCAA Division III Tournament First Round

Field Hockey (15-4, 10-2 NCAC - first place)
Coach: Marianne Beshara (first season)

The Wittenberg University Tigers worked their way back onto the national field hockey map this fall, and it showed in the respect individual players and coaches received in postseason awards balloting.

Heading the long list of award-winners is Head Coach Marianne Beshara (Ohio 99), who led the Tigers to a 15-win season, an NCAC regular season co-championship and a regional title won at the KIT/NCAC tournament in Memphis, Tenn. late last month. Wittenberg was the winningest team in the country to miss out on the NCAA Division III national tournament, losing the NCACs automatic bid to co-champ Denison based on a tiebreaker.

Tiger making first-team all-conference were senior midfielder Kelly McMullen (East Amherst, NY/The Nichols School) and sophomore backfield player Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart). McMullen was the teams leading scorer, while Russ was the heart and soul of a strong defensive unit.

Making the second team in the NCAC were freshman forward Barb Keselman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron), sophomore forward Emily Duh (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley), sophomore backfield player Heather House (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) and senior backfield player Kati Robbins (Collegeville, Pa./Methacton). Honorable mention honors were distributed to junior goaltender Georgina Klinzing (Gasport, NY/Royalton Hartland).

McMullen and Russ were also named to the All-Great Lakes Region teams earlier this week. Earning second-team all-region honors were Keselman, Duh, House and Klinzing.

Finally, in the national balloting, McMullen became the latest in a long line of Tiger players to earn All-American honors. She was named to the third team for her play this year.

Womens Soccer (10-7, 4-4 NCAC - fourth)
Coach: Fran Kulas (second year)

The Wittenberg womens soccer team enjoyed one the best season in its history, posting double-digit wins for the first time since 1995 and qualifying for the first-ever NCAC postseason tournament after finishing in a three-way tie for fourth place in the conference.

To no ones surprise, Tiger freshman phenom Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) was named Newcomer of the Year for her record-setting performance. She tied the school record for goals in a season with 18 and came within one point of the schools mark for points in a season with 43.

Joining Woessner on the NCAC first team was senior defensive back Shana Ryan (London, Ohio/London), who had another great season. She was named to all-conference teams after each of her four seasons.

Making the second team was senior midfielder Natalie Estep (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn), who was the teams second-leading scorer with 26 points this season. Finally, making honorable mention were freshman forward Jill Rekers (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) and sophomore midfielder Emily Gersbach (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin).

Mens Soccer (10-7-1, 4-5 NCAC - sixth)
Coach: Steve Dawson (18th season)
The Wittenberg University Tigers were very competitive all year, but they never quite found the offensive range. Hence, the Wittenberg selections to all-conference teams were mostly players who helped the Tigers stay in so many close games.

Making the first team was sophomore defensive back Josh Curtis (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman). Tiger Coach Steve Dawson considered Curtis to be invaluable in spearheading a defensive unit that recorded three shutouts.

Earning honorable mention status were freshman forward Steve Doring (Dayton, Ohio/Huber Heights Wayne), junior midfielder Steve Cassiere (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) and junior goalkeeper Danny Carman (Louisville, Ky./Male).

Mens Basketball (1-0, 0-0 NCAC)
Coach: Bill Brown (eighth year)
The Wittenberg Univeristy mens basketball team is expected to challenge for the North Coast Athletic Conference championship as usual in the 2000-2001 season, at least according to both the media representatives and coaches in attendance at Wednesdays media day festivities in Dublin, Ohio.

In each preseason poll, the Tigers were selected to finish second behind nationally ranked College of Wooster. In each case, Earlham was chosen third and Allegheny was fourth.

The Tigers opened the season on Friday against Rose-Hulman in the first round of the Albion Tip-Off Tourney in Albion, Mich. and recorded a surprisingly easy 81-55 victory. Wittenberg shot 54 percent from the field, led by senior Ryan Taylor (Waynesfield, Ohio/Goshen) and his 15 points. He is now just nine points away from 1,000 in his illustrious career.

Wittenberg takes on the host Britons in the championship game at 8 p.m. tonight. Albion crushed Case Western Reserve in the other first-round match-up Friday night.

Womens Basketball (0-0)
Coach: Pam Smith (15th season)

The Wittenberg University womens basketball team is also expected to assume its customary position at or near the top of the NCAC in 2000-2001. The Tigers were chosen second by the media and third by the coaches during the media day festivities on Wednesday. Perennial power Ohio Wesleyan was projected to top the conference in both polls, while Denison was tabbed to finish second in the coaches poll.

The Tigers open the season Saturday in Greensboro, N.C. for a Tip-Off Tournament. Wittenberg will take on the host school in the first round at 2 p.m. on Saturday, while Virginia Wesleyan and Western Maryland will square off in the other game. The winners and losers of the first-round games will play on Sunday at 2 and 4 p.m. respectively.

Wittenbergs home opener is scheduled for Tuesday against nationally ranked Capital. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Mens & Womens Swimming & Diving
Coach: Bob Rueppel (fifth season)

The Wittenberg University swimming teams are off to tremendous starts to the long, grueling 2000-2001 season. The mens team, led by a number of experienced swimmers, including senior returning All-American Aaron Edsall (Circleville, Ohio/Circleville), is off to a 5-1 start in dual meets and finished fifth in the recent NCAC relays at Kenyon.

Similarly, the womens team is 5-1 and finished fifth in the NCAC relays at Kenyon. The team was led to a pair of huge victories last weekend by junior Rachel Juergens (Springfield, Ohio/Central Catholic), who recorded four first-place finishes in wins over Wilmington and Ohio Wesleyan.

The Tigers are back in the water today at Oberlin at 1 p.m.

Upcoming Tiger Sports Action: For the weekend of Nov. 17-19

Friday, Nov. 17
Mens Basketball vs. Rose-Hulman at Albion Tournament, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 18
Football vs. Aurora, NCAA Division III National Tournament, First Round, Noon

Womens Cross Country
at NCAA Division III National Meet, Spokane, Wash.

Mens & Womens Swimming & Diving
at Oberlin, 1 p.m.

Womens Basketball
vs. Greensboro College (NC), 2 p.m.

Mens Basketball
vs. TBA at Albion Tournament, 6/8 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 19
Womens Basketball vs. TBA, Greensboro College (NC) Tournament, 2/4 p.m.