Author Archives: sportsinfo

Senior Profiles: Women’s Tennis

Posted on by

With the spring sports season just about wrapped up, we will be taking a closer look at Muhlenberg’s senior student-athletes.

In the coming days, the MuhlBox will feature some of the highlights from the traditional senior question and answer profiles that run with the programs for Senior Day.

We start with women’s tennis, which beat Ursinus, 8-1, in its Senior Day match. Seniors Emily Robbins and Lauren Wink were honored before the match.

Emily Robbins

What’s the most memorable moment from your time with the tennis team? One of my favorite memories is a bus ride last year with the four seniors. They knew how to keep us all laughing, but get us ready for the match at the same time. I also enjoy our team dinners (especially at Wegmans) before important matches. 🙂

Who’s your favorite pro player? I love watching Roger Federer play because of how hard he works and his strategy in matches. I have seen him live a few times, and he is incredible.

How have you been able to balance your time to make the Dean’s List the past two semesters? I really focus on my schoolwork and make that a priority. I enjoy spending time with my friends and family, which is also motivation for me to get my work done.

What made you choose psychology as your major? I took Intro to Psychology with Dr. Rudski and was very intrigued by the information we were learning. I ended up finishing my major in three semesters because I enjoyed my psychology classes that much.

What are your future plans? I intend to use the next year to do research and apply to graduate school in 2013 in neuropsychology to do concussion research.

What kind of person is Lauren Wink? She works hard, but also knows how to have fun. She is a great friend and truly enjoys spending time with the team. Even though she’s student teaching this semester, she joins us at practice whenever she can, which shows her dedication.

 

Lauren Wink

What made you decide to join the team as a junior? My parents always told me to live my dreams. With their motivation and encouragement, I was able to work hard and join the team as a junior. I always played tennis with my family, but never competitively. I was an avid soccer player growing up, and unfortunately soccer and tennis were the same season in high school. The summer after I had back surgery, I shied away from competing in physical contact sports and increased my time spent playing tennis. It was at that time that I decided to take lessons and try out for the team at Muhlenberg. I thought it would be a good opportunity to become part of a team, which was a huge part of sports that I missed from playing varsity soccer and lacrosse in high school.

What’s your most memorable off-the-court moment or accomplishment from your time at Muhlenberg? I participated in the career center’s Senior Year Experience. As part of the three-day event, we were given a short cooking demonstration (because we all have to be prepared to cook in the real world!). Then at night we had a “Top Chef” competition. I was captain of my team; we were assigned the theme “mother-in-law is coming for dinner.” Two-and-a-half hours, a salad, a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread and an elegant brownie dessert (with homemade whipped cream from Jordyn) later, we were selected as the “Top Chef” winners (shout out to Team Five!!!). It was a very fun event; they actually had chefs from local restaurants come in to judge all of the food! I am excited to see my name on the “Top Chef Winners” plaque hanging in the Wood Dining Commons!

What made you decide to major in business administration while pursuing your elementary education certification? People always say, “So you want to teach business to kindergarteners?” I always knew I wanted to receive my certification in education, but after enjoying my economics class in high school, I decided to take one at Muhlenberg. I decided that a major in business would give me many options. I have enjoyed taking the diverse classes from my marketing concentration to my certification in elementary education. I’m still trying to brainstorm ways I can combine the two – maybe by being an administrator in a school in the future.

What are your future plans? I plan on attending New York University in the fall to receive my master’s degree in literacy. After interning in New York last summer, I am very excited to have the opportunity to be there next year.

What kind of person is Emily Robbins? Emily actually moved into my hallway in the middle of sophomore year, but it was not until the summer before junior year that we actually spoke! When I was deciding to try out for the tennis team, I sent Emily an e-mail asking her what it was like being on the team. She gave me the rundown, and told me she loved the team and loved being able to play tennis every day. It is because of her that I decided to try out! She has been a very supportive teammate!

 

Athletes of the Week

Posted on by

for contests between April 30 and May 6

Female Athlete of the Week – Tara Keegan, Track & Field

Keegan won a pair of bronze medals at the Centennial Conference Championships. In the heptathlon, she scored 3,866 points, topping her previous personal best by more than 180 points. Keegan threw the javelin 118-4, beating her old personal best by more than three feet. She also ran the first leg of the 4×400 relay team that came in eighth.

Male Athlete of the Week – Peter Rice, Track & Field

Rice won three golds and a silver at the Centennial Conference Championships, wrapping up his incredible career with 28 CC medals, including 16 golds. He anchored the 4×100 and 4×400 relay teams that took first place, setting school records in the process. Rice also won the 400 meters and finished second in the 200.

Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?

Posted on by

Over the last 24 games of the 2012 season, Muhlenberg second baseman Chris Manfredonia hit .320, raising his average from .260 to .299.

A solid end to a promising first season of collegiate baseball, especially for someone who missed most of his senior season in high school due to a back injury, but nothing extraordinary.

Except for the fact that Manfredonia had at least one hit in each of those 24 games.

Manfredonia broke a 25-year-old school record for longest hitting streak. But the streak was so inconspicuous that it flew under even his own radar until he surpassed the previous mark of 17 games in the second game of the Gettysburg doubleheader.

“After the Gettysburg game a couple of guys came up to me and told me that I broke the record for longest hitting streak,” said Manfredonia. “I thought they were joking.”

Manfredonia had exactly one hit in 18 of the 24 games. In 15 of the 24 games, his first hit came in the sixth inning or later – including the record-breaking single against Gettysburg, which came on a two-strike pitch in the ninth. That was one of five ninth-inning streak-extenders.

True to form, Manfredonia made sure his streak would carry over into 2013 by going 1-for-6 in each game of Sunday’s season-ending twinbill vs. Johns Hopkins. He beat out a slow roller to third with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of the opener and went opposite field for his only double of the season in the sixth inning of Game 2.

By comparison, Kelly Kline of the Muhlenberg softball team had a school-record 25-game hitting streak this season in which she batted .512. Joe DiMaggio hit .406 in his Major League Baseball-record 56-game streak in 1941.

This wasn’t so much “Joltin’ Joe” as it was “Consistent Chris.”

“I just try to not get too low, stay on an even keel and play the game with a consistent approach,” said Manfredonia.

Of course, you can’t get hits without putting the ball in play, and Manfredonia did plenty of that. He struck out 10 times in his 50 pre-streak at-bats but whiffed only 11 times in 97 at-bats during the streak.

“I was striking out a little more early in the year than I would have liked,” he said. “So I tried to get fastballs early in the count, make hard contact and put the ball in play.”

A big Yankees fan, Manfredonia gained a new appreciation for DiMaggio’s streak, which would take almost another full year for him to approach.

“In the Major Leagues you play every single day; here you play only four days a week,” he said. “It’s hard to stay healthy to be able to hit in 56 straight games, and you have to get lucky once in a while. I can’t even imagine doing that.”

One of the ironies of Manfredonia’s record streak is that before it got going, he was on his way to a different school record. He had six sacrifices, one short of the record, halfway through the season, but as the hits kept coming and he moved up in the order, the bunt sign stopped coming. Another unfortunate irony is that most of his streak coincided with a team losing streak that turned the program’s best start in 84 years into a 19-21 final record.

So would Manfredonia, the would-be king of sacrifices turned king of hitting streaks, be willing to sacrifice his streak for a few more wins next year?

“Any day!” he said.

Waiting for The Call

Posted on by

When she traveled to Italy with the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team during the summer of 2010, Alexandra Chili fell in love with the culture and European way of life (especially the croissants and cappuccino).

Now, she wants to make another trek across the pond. But this time she hopes the trip will be primarily about business.

After completing one of the most accomplished careers in both Muhlenberg and Centennial Conference history, the two-time All-American was invited to the 2012 Women’s Final Four Combine held in late March in Denver.

Alexandra ChiliThere, Chili took the next step in a journey she hopes will end in a place not normally associated with Division III athletes: professional basketball.

Chili was part of a group of about 80 players from all NCAA divisions, as well as former college players, who took part in a series of drills and games played in front of scouts from the WNBA and several European professional leagues.

And just like she had during her time in a Mule uniform, Chili stood out from the rest, thanks in large part to her lethal jump shot.

The school and conference career three-point leader for men or women, Chili knocked down 21 of her 25 attempts from beyond the arc, more than any other player at the combine. Then when teams were picked for the games, she found herself alongside players from conferences like the Big Ten and Pac 12.

And after taking a short while to get used to the thin air in the Mile High City, she felt that she more than held her own despite being one of just a handful of Division III players invited to the event.

“You could really notice the elevation difference,” she said. “But I feel like I played pretty well. I was a little nervous at first, but once we got going I didn’t really think about that.”

Chili played so well, in fact, that she’s already garnered interest from teams in Israel and Italy. Although there have not been any official offers yet, she received positive feedback from the combine’s director, who told her she had the ability to play professionally.

Now comes the hardest part for Chili, who made a habit of scoring points quickly: waiting. She’s done all she could to leave a positive lasting impression for the scouts, and as she gets ready for finals week, she’s anxiously hoping for the phone call that could come as early as today, or not until August or September.

But as she was during her entire career, Chili is prepared. After she dons her cap and gown and graduates in two-and-a-half weeks, she will continue working to improve her game. She has a summer job lined up in case she doesn’t hear back soon, but she’s also put her long-term plans temporarily on hold so she can chase her dream.

It’s not every day that an athlete is given the opportunity to make a living playing the sport they love. Then again, considering she’s the only player in conference history, male or female, to score 2,000 career points, Chili has shown she’s not like every other player.

Now she’s ready for the opportunity to take her game to the next level. All that she needs is a call.

“I had never really thought about playing professionally until this season,” she said. “But when I looked into it, I thought it might be pretty cool. It would be a great to get to live in Europe and experience the culture. I’ll probably never have a chance like this again, so I want to make the most of it.”

“Hopefully I’ll get a call soon; between that and graduation, it would really be time to celebrate.”

Athletes of the Week

Posted on by

for contests between April 23 and April 29

Female Athlete of the Week – Kelsey Jones, Softball

Jones went 2-0 with a save in a 4-0 week for the Mules. She allowed only two earned runs in 16 1/3 innings for a 0.86 ERA while striking out 15, walking none and holding opponents to a .194 batting average. In Muhlenberg’s final Centennial Conference doubleheader, she pitched a five-hit shutout in the first game and earned a save in the second. The15 strikeouts gave her 91 for the season, a school record for freshmen.

Male Athlete of the Week – Nick Rispoli, Lacrosse

Rispoli finished his career with an incredible performance in the Mules’ 14-11 loss to Haverford. He was 21-for-26 on faceoffs, breaking the school records for faceoffs won and ground balls (19) in a game, and assisted on two goals. Rispoli also became Muhlenberg’s all-time career leader with 240 career faceoffs won. He finished fourth on the all-time list for ground balls (156).

We’re Honored

Posted on by

Muhlenberg held its annual Honors Convocation on Sunday, and the honorees included a good number of student-athletes, who won awards in a wide array of fields.

Here’s a list of the Mules and their impressive honors:

Michael Baer, Track & Field

The Leslie R. Anders Memorial Prize – Awarded to the senior chemistry or biochemistry major who has the highest academic average in chemistry or biochemistry after seven semesters.

The Class of 1969 Graduate Study Award – Awarded to a regularly matriculated senior who is entering a graduate or professional school in any area.

Devon Barber, Field Hockey, Softball

The Carol Emhardt Kuntzleman Memorial Award – Awarded to a sophomore or junior young woman who exhibits zeal for excellence and a high level of participation that characterized the academic work and extracurricular activities of Carol Emhardt Kuntzleman.

Alexandra Chili, Basketball 

Phi Beta Kappa

The Senior Female Scholar Athlete of the Year Award – Awarded to an outstanding senior female athlete who has achieved high athletic as well as academic standards.

Nate Crossette, Cross Country, Track & Field

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship – Awarded through national competition to outstanding sophomores or juniors intending to pursue graduate education in science or mathematics.

The Robert W. and Edythe M. Mull Award for Excellence in Mathematics – Awarded to a junior most outstanding in mathematics.

The Novartis Endowed Science Scholars Program Award – Awarded to a junior or senior science major who has achieved a 3.5 or higher grade point average in the major field of study and who has clearly indicated the intention to pursue post-baccalaureate work in the sciences leading to an advanced degree.

Phi Beta Kappa

Jon Flint, Track & Field

The Harry A. Benfer Memorial Scholarship – Awarded to a rising senior in good academic standing who promotes goodwill and who has an appreciation for all phases of college life, those being the characteristics most evident in the life of Harry A. Benfer

Amanda Heiberger, Golf

The Greek Leader of the Year Award – Awarded to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding leadership within both the College community and the Greek system.

Andrew Henry, Cross Country, Track & Field

The Ralph A. and Mary A. Lichtenwalner Memorial Prize – Awarded to a senior with the highest major average in biology.

Tara Keegan, Track & Field

The Russell Fulford Award – Awarded to a junior with the highest average in economics.

The President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement and Promise for Postgraduate Work by a Junior – Awarded to juniors who have written excellent proposals and interviewed successfully, the first steps toward competition for nationally and internationally prestigious postgraduate awards such as the National Science Foundation or Fulbright.

Spencer Liddic, Basketball

The Senior Male Scholar Athlete of the Year Award – Awarded to an outstanding senior female athlete who has achieved high athletic as well as academic standards.

Mark Mounayar, Football

The Wesley S. Mitman Mathematical Prize – Awarded to a senior most outstanding in mathematics.

Shelby Smith, Softball

The Caroline Willis Richardson Award – Awarded in memory of Caroline Willis Richardson to the senior softball player with the highest cumulative grade point average.

Nate Squire, Soccer

The Todd L. Romig Memorial Prize – Awarded to a junior who most exemplifies the true characteristics of the scholar-athlete.

Abigail Stryker, Track & Field

The Student Advisor of the Year Award – Awarded to the student advisor who best exemplifies and demonstrates leadership, commitment and academic initiative in the advising program for first-year students.

Jamie Weiss, Soccer

Phi Beta Kappa

Kimberlee Yalango, Cross Country, Track & Field 

Phi Beta Kappa

Basketball Special Teams

Posted on by

NCAA Division III is engaged in a partnership with Special Olympics this year. According to the NCAA Website, the purpose of the partnership is to improve the lives of Special Olympics athletes through their involvement with Division III student-athletes and to foster a mutual learning experience between Division III student-athletes and Special Olympics athletes.

Last month, we had an article on four Muhlenberg athletes participating in a Special Olympics bowling event. Recently, the Mule basketball teams got to help out at a Special Olympics practice session. Junior Kate Clawson (who also participated in the bowling event) and sophomore Leeann Lanza wrote the following reports:

Kate Clawson

I was so excited to go to the Special Olympics basketball practice because I knew there would be many familiar faces, having just gone to a bowling event a few weeks prior. But I was just as excited to meet new athletes.

Just as I had expected, one of the friends I made there, Tarre, was super excited to see me and catch up. All of the other athletes were so happy to have us there, and you could tell on all of our faces that we were more than happy to be there too. We started off by stretching with them, then split the group into four lines and had relay races with dribbling. This was really fun for everyone because some of the Muhlenberg athletes also got to participate.

Next we split up into stations, for dribbling, passing, shooting and games. My group, which included junior Hunter Forsman and freshman AJ Dean, did passing. It was funny because some of the athletes thought passing was too easy, because some are very skilled, but we explained to them that even college athletes warm up and practice our passing.

Each group had so much fun, and the shooting group with the enthusiastic Austin Curry and Ryan Lagomarsino was definitely the loudest. It was great seeing all the athletes and teammates having fun together.

We continued this by playing 3v3 games. This was my favorite part because I got to see the athletes really in their element. Their effort, teamwork and enthusiasm were so tremendous to see. Each time one of the athletes scored, the biggest smile came across their face, and high fives were a must. I loved watching my teammate Caitlyn excel. It seemed like she couldn’t miss!

At the end we huddled together in the middle, and just like after a practice at Muhlenberg, said MULES! on the count of 3. I think it was important to bring everyone together and have that sense of community, because not only did the Special Olympics athlete learn things from us that night, but we also learned about the heart, joy and courage that the Special Olympics athletes take pride in.

Hopefully we will be a part of this experience a few more times before the semester ends!

Leeann Lanza

Our trip to help out with the Lehigh Valley Special Olympics team at Trexler Elementary School was one I will never forget. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted with excitement and enthusiasm by a few players who just could not wait to start playing. Both the men’s and women’s Muhlenberg basketball teams were there and ready to share everything we know about the game with players of all ages.

When we split into different stations, a few of my teammates and I, along with some of the men, taught the players some tricks about defense. Getting to help different groups of the players with defense and rebounding was so much fun because it turned into a one-on-one competition between all of us!

After our first practice with players of all ages, I had the opportunity to stay with our men’s team and scrimmage with the Special Olympics competitive men’s team (who will play in a tournament at Kutztown for the regional championship in May). This was a really fun experience for me getting to hang out with our men’s team and also getting to make some new friends. The Special Olympics organization allows these players to participate in high levels of competition while still conveying the importance of having FUN with the game!

I know that I speak for all of the Mules who got the opportunity to take part in this practice when I say that we really enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot from this experience. I think a new appreciation for basketball can be gained when playing with or even just watching some of these players. Their spirit and positive attitudes are just the motivation we need to get excited for our own season next winter. Hopefully we will all be able to get together again soon so we can cheer each other on!

 

Athletes of the Week

Posted on by

for contests between April 16 and April 22

Female Athlete of the Week – Kelsey Elmer, Lacrosse

Elmer ended her career with a blast, scoring a career-high four goals at Dickinson on Wednesday and topping that with five vs. Ursinus on Saturday. She scored two go-ahead goals in overtime at Dickinson and netted two in a 6-0 run vs. Ursinus that turned a 12-6 deficit into a tie. Elmer scored her nine goals on only 11 shots.

Male Athlete of the Week – Brian Beck, Baseball

Beck hit .455 with five runs scored and four RBI in a pair of games against Dickinson. He was 3-for-6 with a two-run single and a double in the first game, and he belted a two-run homer, his third of the season, in the second. Beck had an .818 slugging percentage during the week and raised his season average from .326 to .351.

Athletes of the Week

Posted on by

for contests between April 9 and April 14

Female Athlete of the Week – Samantha Mayden, Track & Field

Mayden ran the 5,000 meters in 17:13.55 at the Bucknell Distance Night, breaking the previous school record by seven seconds. She finished ninth in a field of 81, trailing only a non-collegiate runner and competitors from Division I and Division II. Her time is the ninth-fastest in Division III this season

 

Male Athlete of the Week – Christopher Lucarelli, Golf

Lucarelli shot a 74-74–148 to finish second at the Penn State Harrisburg Spring Classic, leading the Mules to a second-place finish. It was only the second time in the last 20 years that a Muhlenberg golfer shot below 75 in both rounds of a two-day tournament.

Weekend Preview

Posted on by

It’s the middle of April – taxes are due, the Titanic has been down for 100 years, and even though softball and men’s lacrosse have the weekend off, there’s plenty of Muhlenberg sports action.

Women’s Tennis vs. Washington (Friday, 3:30)

Two teams that made the Centennial Conference playoffs last year are in a scramble to get back. Washington (5-3) and Muhlenberg (3-3) are in the middle of a five-team pack that includes Haverford (6-2), Dickinson (5-2) and Gettysburg (4-3). Those five teams are likely competing for three playoff spots, with Johns Hopkins and Swarthmore setting the pace at 6-0.

The Shorewomen are ranked eighth in the Atlantic South Region but have struggled since losing two of their top four players to injuries. Muhlenberg is coming off its most decisive win of the season, 8-1 against Ursinus.

Washington has won the last four meetings, including one in the 2009 CC playoffs. Last year’s 7-2 match featured many close sets.

Tennis vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 1:00); at McDaniel (Sunday, 12:00)

A busy weekend of tennis for the Mules includes teams at opposite ends of the CC standings. For the women, Johns Hopkins is 6-0 in the CC and ranked eighth in Division III; McDaniel is 0-8 in the CC. For the men, 16th-ranked Hopkins is 6-0 and McDaniel is 0-5. The Muhlenberg men have not lost to McDaniel since 1982.

Baseball vs. Swarthmore (Friday, 3:30); at Gettysburg (Saturday, 12:30 doubleheader)

The Mules will try to halt their five-game skid at home against Swarthmore. Muhlenberg has not lost at home to the Garnet since 1995, extending the streak last year on a walkoff home run. The Mules then travel to Gettysburg, whom they swept last year.

Live stats (Swarthmore): http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/baselive/xlive.htm

Live video (Swarthmore): http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Live stats/audio (Gettysburg): http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/gettysburg.portal#

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Bryn Mawr (Saturday, 1:00)

After three straight one-goal losses, the Mules are looking to take out their frustrations against a Bryn Mawr team that has not won a CC game since 2000.

Live stats: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/wlaxlive/xlive.htm

Live video: http://www.livestream.com/muhlenberg

Track & Field at Kutztown Multi (Friday); at Coach P Open (Saturday); at Bucknell Distance Night (Saturday)

The Mules are sending three athletes to Kutztown, six to Bucknell and the rest of the team to Moravian in a busy weekend.

Live results (Coach P): http://moraviansports.com/sports/mtrack/coachP/index

Live results (Bucknell): http://www.bucknellbison.com/livestats/c-track/12results/

Men’s Golf at Penn State Harrisburg Spring Classic (Friday-Saturday); at Lafayette Invitational (Sunday-Monday)

In preparation for the three-day CC Championships coming up in two weeks, the Mules will test their stamina by playing on four straight days.