Posted April 12 2001, 03:18 pm
Posted by: Ryan Maurer
 | Following a Sweet 16 appearance in men's basketball and top-30 finishes by the men's and women's swimming teams, Wittenberg University has moved into 25th place in the Sears Directors' Cup standings recently released by the National Assocation of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). Points were also earned by Tiger teams in volleyball and football as the spikers advanced to the Sweet 16, the gridders were finally taken down in the national quarterfinals by eventual national champion Mt. Union College. |
The Sears Director's Cup honors institutions maintaining broad-based athletic programs that achieve high levels of success in many sports, both men's and women's. The program was introduced in 1993 at the Division I level and expanded in 1995 to include Division II, III and NAIA. Each institution is awarded points in a pre-determined number of sports. The winner receives a Waterford crystal trophy from Sears.
Wittenberg has not finished in the top 50 in the NCAA Division III standings since 1996, when the Tigers rode strong performances by the track, volleyball and men's basketball teams to a 35th-place finish. The Tigers have not amassed enough points in any of the last four years to qualify for the top-50.
The College of New Jersey leads the way in Division III currently with
597.5 points, followed by defending champion Williams (Mass.) with 583.5.
Wittenberg is the only school from the state of Ohio or the North Coast
Athletic Conference to rank among the national leaders.
Wittenberg has 269 points to tie Hobart/William Smith (N.Y.) for 25th.
Spring sports teams continue their winning ways as conference action heats up
Baseball
(13-7-1, 2-0 NCAC West)
Coach: Jay Lewis (fifth season)
Jeremy Emch | 
Nick Allen | The Tigers went 3-3 last week, with a win over Cedarville and a doubleheader
sweep of Ohio Northern. The losses included a 9-8 decision to neighboring
Division I rival Dayton and a pair of losses at perennial North Coast Athletic
Conference powerhouse Wooster, which is nationally ranked this year.
Senior outfielder Ryan Peters (London, Ohio/London) continues his hot hitting. He leads the North Coast Athletic Conference with 11 home runs and ranks among the conference leaders in both batting (.455) and runs batted in (34). Wittenberg also continues to get strong pitching from its top three starters: senior Jeremy Emch (Toledo, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales), |
The Tigers lead the NCAC west division with a 2-0 record heading into an important stretch of conference action over the next week (the doubleheader against Wooster did not count in the standings). The Tigers host Earlham in a three-game series on Thursday and Saturday.
Next: at Mt. St. Joseph (April 11)
vs. Earlham (April 12)
vs. Earlham (April 14) DH
vs. Wabash (April 16)
Softball
(12-8, 2-0 NCAC)
Coach: Becky Hall (third season)
Carmen Montgomery | Wittenberg got defense of its North Coast Athletic Conference championship
off to a good start with a doubleheader sweep at Allegheny on Sunday by
scores of 5-4 and 4-0. The wins capped off the team's best week of the
2001 season, in which the Tigers captured a pair at Thomas More and split
with Mt. St. Joseph.
Sophomore infielder Stephanie Campbell (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) was named the NCAC Player of the Week after batting .538 (7-of-13) in four games with one double, five runs batted in and four stolen bases. She has committed just one error in the last six games and is 7-of-7 on stolen base attempts for the season. |
The Tigers' leading hitter is senior first baseman Carisa Clagg (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern), who is third in the NCAC in batting average at .469. Also ranking among the conference leaders is senior outfielder Kristin Kallendorf (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) is second in the conference in runs scored (18) and third in hits (23).
Wittenberg was led on the mound last week, as it has been all season, by freshman pitcher Carmen Montgomery (Springfield, Ohio/Southeastern), who has a 10-2 record and 1.93 earned run average in 15 appearances. She was named NCAC Pitcher of the Week after tossing two complete game wins at Allegheny.
Next: at Ohio Wesleyan (April 10) DH
vs. Oberlin (April 14) DH
Men's
and Women's
Track & Field
Coach: Steve Shutt (second season)
Josh Guerrieri | Wittenberg University's men's track and field team won the Mountain
Laurel Invitational hosted by University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn.
over the weekend. The Tigers won just one event, but had four second-place
finishes and four third-place finishes to score 97 points for the win.
The Tigers lone winner was freshman Mike Klotz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain), who recorded a throw of 162 feet, four inches in the javelin. Wittenberg's four second-place finishes included freshman Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Amanda-Clearcreek) in the javelin (152-10), sophomore Joel Drake (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) in the discus (132-10), junior Brian Gehle (Huntsville, Ohio/Indian Lake) in the pole vault (12-6) and the 1600 relay (4:10.23). |
The third-place finishers included junior Tony Pellettierre (Gurnee,
Ill./Warren Township) in the 1,500 meter run (4:09.05), senior Josh
Guerrieri (Avon, Ohio/Avon) in the 110 meter high hurdles (15.69).
Wittenberg's 400 (43.20) and 3,200 relay (8:23.30) teams also finished
third.
The Tiger women's team finished fourth with 59 points. Freshman Andi Warner (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) won the javelin with a throw of 117 feet, six inches and was named the NCAC Field Events Performer of the Week. Wittenberg also claimed a first in the 1600 relay (4:10.23).
The Tigers took seconds in the 400 (52.13) and 800 (1:51.60) relays. Freshman Kristen Mumper (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) was also second in the long jump at 16-5 3/4 inches.
Wittenberg will host a quad meet on Thursday include both men's and women's teams from Findlay and Wilmington along with the men's team from Hillsdale (Mich.) and the women's team from Midway (Ill.).
Next: Wittenberg Quad (April 12)
Men's
Tennis (7-3, 0-0 NCAC West)
Women's
Tennis (8-6, 3-1 NCAC)
Coach: Dave Engle (fourth/fifth season)
Ben Hodgkiss-Lilly | 
Deana Nowakowski | Wittenberg's men's tennis team improved its record to 7-3 with wins
over Hiram and Allegheny last week and are scheduled to face Ohio Wesleyan
and Earlham this week in matches that will count in the NCAC's west division
standings.
Two Tiger players have the conference's best records at their flights. Senior Bryan Heft (Gahanna, Ohio/Lincoln) is 10-2 at No. 1 singles, while sophomore Ben Hodgkiss-Lilly (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) is 5-1 at No. 6 singles. |
Wittenberg's women's team is fourth in the NCAC at 3-1, just one-half game out of first place, and have been doing it with balance and depth. The Tigers' No. 3 doubles team of freshmen Deana Nowakowski (Uniontown, Ohio/Lake) and Molly Zigovits (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) has a 5-5 record, which ranks third in the NCAC at that flight.
Next: Men at Ohio Wesleyan (April 10)
Women at Cedarville (April 10 )
Women at Otterbein (April 11)
Men vs. Cedarville (April 12)
Women's
Lacrosse (5-3, 2-1 NCAC)
Coach: Nancy Beck (14th season)
Kati Robbins | The Tigers stand in third place in the NCAC and face an important game
at second-place Dension on Wednesday. Wittenberg continues to be led by
its Collegeville, Pa. duo of senior Kati Robbins (Methacton High School)
and sophomore Cara Romanowski (Perkominen Valley).
Robbins leads the NCAC in scoring at 6.13 points per game and assists (27/3.38) while ranking fifth in goals (22/2.75). Romanowski is tied for sixth in scoring (3.0) and second in goals (23/2.88). Last week, the Tigers defeated Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday in a tight home match, 7-6. Wittenberg held the lead throughout and managed to stave off a hard charge near the end of regulation to claim the win. Then on Thursday, the Tigers were beaten at home by Kenyon, 19-10, after taking an early lead. Finally, on Sunday, Wittenberg rallied to defeat visiting Whittier (Calif.) 15-6. For the week, Robbins hammered home 11 goals and also had 10 assists, while Romanowski had 10 goals. |
Next: at Denison (April 11)
Men's
Lacrosse (3-3, 1-1 NCAC)
Coach: Vinnie Lang (first season)
Mario Cassani | The Tigers improved to .500 with a pair of wins last week, defeating
Wheeling Jesuit, 18-5, in non-league action on Wednesday and then thumping
Oberlin 23-8 in NCAC play on Sunday.
Senior attacker Mario Cassani (Chesterfield, Mo./DeSmet) had 10 goals in the two games last week and is second in the NCAC in scoring (19 goals, five assists) with a 4.0 point per game average. Cassani's goal average of 3.17 is the best in the conference. The Tigers play a pair of conference games this week, including one against Kenyon, which is averaging better than 16 goals a game, on Wednesday. |
Next: vs. Kenyon (April 11)
vs. Wooster (April 14)
Golf
Coach: J.J. Searls (first season)
Adam Knowlton | 
Jonathan Orr | Wittenberg finished 11th out of 15 teams at the Kenyon Invitational
last weekend.
Freshman Adam Knowlton (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) had the Tigers best first round (80) and 36-hole (161) scores. Sophomore Jonathan Orr (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) had Wittenberg's best score of the tournament with a second-round 78. |
Next: at Denison Invitational (April 13-14)
Three Wittenberg athletes win NCAC Player of the Week honors
Three Wittenberg athletes were honored by the North Coast Athletic Conference with Player of the Week honors.
Leading the charge is freshman righthanded pitcher Carmen Montgomery (Springfield, Ohio/Southeastern), who is almost single-handedly keeping the Tigers in softball games this year and was named NCAC Pitcher of the Week as a result. Montgomery has ably replaced pitcher Carey Oakes, one of the finest players in Wittenberg history who led the team to its first NCAC championship in 2000 and a berth in the NCAA tournament. Montgomery has a 10-2 record and 1.93 earned run average in 15 appearances already this season, including a pair of complete-game victories at Allegheny on Sunday as the Tigers embarked on defense of their conference title.
Next up is sophomore infielder Stephanie Campbell (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern), who has come on strong after a slow start to the 2001 season. Coming off an Honorable Mention All-NCAC season in women's basketball, Campbell has committed just one error in her last six games while shuttling between shortstop and second base. Offensively, Campbell batted .538 last week and extended her perfect stealing mark this season to 7-of-7.
Finally, freshman Andi Warner (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) has shown her athletic versatility by joining the women's track & field team this spring and winning the javelin at last weekend's Mountain Laurel Invitational at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. Warner posted a throw of 117 feet, six inches and was named the NCAC Field Events Performer of the Week. Wittenberg also claimed a first in the 1600 relay (4:10.23).
Upcoming Tiger Sports Action:
For the week of April 11-17
Wednesday, April 11
Women's Tennis @ Otterbein, 3:30 p.m.
Men's Lacrosse vs. Kenyon, 4 p.m.
Women's Lacrosse @ Denison, 4:30 p.m.
Baseball vs. Mt. St. Joseph, 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 12
Men's Tennis vs. Cedarville, 3 p.m.
Baseball vs. Earlham, 3:30 p.m.
Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Wittenberg Track Meet,
3 p.m.
Friday, April 13
Men's Golf @ Denison Invitational, All Day
Saturday, April 14
Men's Golf @ Denison Invitational, All Day
Men's Tennis vs. Earlham 10 a.m.
Women's Tennis vs. Earlham, 10 a.m.
Softball vs. Oberlin, 1 p.m.
Baseball vs. Earlham (DH), 1 p.m.
Men's Tennis vs. Oberlin, 4 p.m.
Women's Tennis vs. Oberlin, 4 p.m.
Monday, April 16
Men's Tennis @ Otterbein, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 17
Baseball vs. Thomas More, 4:30 p.m.
* All softball games are doubleheaders.