Category Archives: men’s basketball

Playoff Walkoff

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“Wow, did that really happen?” quipped senior CJ Graetzer as the elated Muhlenberg women’s soccer team filed onto the bus following its shootout win against McDaniel in the first round of the Centennial Conference playoffs on Tuesday.

Yes, it did happen. And it, or something like it, has happened before – about 17 times in the last 27 years.

Following is a list of Muhlenberg “Playoff Walkoffs” – postseason contests that were decided on the last play and enabled a Mule team to advance or win a championship. (We stretched the definition of “last play” slightly for the two basketball games.)

women's soccer 2013Women’s Soccer vs. McDaniel, 2013

After a scoreless tie, the Mules won the penalty kick shootout, 4-3, to advance to the Centennial Conference semifinals. Amanda Wong stopped a Green Terror PK on the final play of the game.

video: http://youtu.be/XMlR0oslttI

Men’s Basketball vs. Gettysburg, 2013

Malique Killing hit a jumper from the top of the key with seven-tenths of a second remaining for a 45-43 win in a CC first-round game.

video: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/wmv/main/athletics/killing_gw_gettysburg.wmv

Alexandra ChiliWomen’s Basketball vs. Williams, 2011

Alexandra Chili’s step-back three from the corner with one second left lifted the Mules to a 64-63 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Muhlenberg went on to defeat Rochester the next day to advance to the “Sweet 16.”

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOMzz2DKlzU

Men’s Soccer vs. Stevens, 2010

Stevens was ranked 13th in Division III, owned a 34-match home unbeaten streak and had not lost in the NCAA Tournament (except on penalty kicks) since 2005 – until Josh Luginbuhl scored a “Golden Goal” with 3:21 left in double overtime to send Muhlenberg to the “Sweet 16” with a 2-1 win.

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCm-E6eEAyo

Softball vs. Gettysburg, 2009

Muhlenberg trailed 5-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh of this CC first-round playoff game. Four singles cut the deficit to one run, and then Samantha Crist hit a walkoff grand slam for an 8-5 win. It wound up winning the championship for the Mules, who were awarded the title as the highest remaining seed when the tournament was rained out the next day.

Jonathan KliewerMen’s Soccer vs. Franklin & Marshall, 2004

The Mules were 0-3 in overtime games for the season before Jonathan Kliewer, playing near his hometown of Ephrata, Pa., scored a “Golden Goal” 1:21 into extra time for a 1-0 win in the first round of the CC playoffs.

Men’s Soccer vs. Gordon, 2003

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Evan Smallwood converted a PK with five minutes left in regulation to tie the game at 2-2. After two scoreless overtime periods, Smallwood ended the shootout with another successful penalty.

Softball vs. Merchant Marine, 2003

Tied 5-5 after four innings, the Mules and Mariners battled through seven scoreless innings in this NCAA Tournament elimination game. Kristen Best finally ended the marathon game with a walkoff single in the bottom of the 12th.

women's soccer 1999Women’s Soccer vs. Johns Hopkins, 1999

Maybe the best career postseason walkoff in Muhlenberg history: Hilary Moses (No. 4 in the picture), a senior whose playing time had been limited by injuries, made the winning penalty kick in the ECAC championship game on the final play of her Mule career.

Men’s Soccer vs. Messiah, 1995

The latest into the postseason for a Muhlenberg walkoff; Todd Ervin’s “Golden Goal” in the 126th minute (overtimes were 15 minutes then, and teams played as many as four before going into PKs) on a frigid night gave the 10th-ranked Mules a 1-0 win against the third-ranked Falcons in an NCAA regional final. Muhlenberg defeated Ithaca the following weekend to advance to the “Final Four.”

Men’s Soccer vs. Carnegie Mellon, 1994

In an NCAA Tournament first-round game hosted by Muhlenberg, regulation play and overtime went on without a goal. Thomas Auchenbach made the 10th and final penalty kick to give the Mules a 3-2 win in the shootout and send them to the second round for the first time in program history.

video: men’s soccer 1994

(This game also serves as proof that 20-year-old VHS tapes still work.)

softball 1991Softball, 1989-92

The softball team made a habit of going to the postseason in the late ’80s and early ’90s, and they also made a habit of winning games in dramatic fashion. The Mules posted walkoff wins against Wilkes in the 1989 NCAA Tournament (on an RBI single by Laura Williams), Mount Union twice in the 1990 NCAA Tournament (RBI single by Val Verenna and three-run triple/error by Kim Lapple) and Franklin & Marshall in the 1991 MAC playoffs (RBI grounder by Karen Brown). The pick of the group, however, was a walkoff single by freshman Tara Molloy in the bottom of the eighth for a 4-3 win against Elizabethtown in the 1992 MAC championship game.

Men’s Soccer vs. Johns Hopkins, 1987

Six years away from becoming fierce Centennial Conference rivals, Muhlenberg and Hopkins played a wild MAC South championship game. The Mules took leads of 2-1 and 3-2 in the first two overtime periods (which were not sudden death at the time), only to have the Blue Jays tie the score both times. Off to a shootout the match went. With the entire Muhlenberg football team (which was practicing on the adjacent field) looking on, Bert Mukkulainen completed a perfect Mule run through the round of five PKs by converting the winning shot after the fourth Hopkins shooter missed high.

The Year in … Senior Profiles, Part 2

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Profiles of senior Muhlenberg athletes are published in game programs in the sports of field hockey, football, soccer, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, baseball, softball, lacrosse and tennis, usually on that sport’s Senior Day.

As part of the Year in Review, here are some of the best responses in the Q&A profiles from the winter and spring athletes.

Matt O’Hara, Men’s Basketball

If you could trade places with anyone for a day, who would it be? Truthfully, in a completely non-weird way, I’d love to be on the girls’ basketball team. They have the best team chemistry at this school and some of my best friends are on that team: Julie Kelly, Alita Zabrecky and Kate Clawson, plus the whole sophomore class. They are a great team with great girls who have a ton of fun together.

Ryan Lagomarsino, Men’s Basketball

What was it like student teaching this past fall semester? Student teaching and playing basketball was an enjoyable hell. I would wake up every morning at six and hang out with a bunch of little prepubescent eighth graders. It was great because they would actually get my jokes and appreciate me acting like an idiot for their entertainment. After I was done yelling at those little whirling dervishes, and maybe teaching them a thing or two about the Mayan Empire, I would drive back to school, shove food down my throat and then get yelled at during practice. In the midst of all of this chaos, I would somehow do homework and sleep (sometimes during practice…) and I eventually became a master of the chaos. The worst part about all of this running around was that I loved every second of my time being Mr. Lags.

Alita Zabrecky, Women’s Basketball

What’s the most memorable game of your Muhlenberg career? My most memorable game was, by far, my freshman year at Gettysburg. For some reason Coach had both Kate Clawson and I on the floor late in the game, down by one, with just seconds to go. We had the ball on the sideline out of bounds and our play was designed to get either Kelly [McKeon] or Alex [Chili] the ball so they could shoot, but they were not able to get open so by default, they had to pass to me. I started dribbling toward the basket and the next thing I know I am dribbling the ball off of my foot, thankfully right in the direction of Kate who snatched it up off of the floor. Once Kate had secured the ball I figured my best bet was just to stay out of the way and run to the basket to grab a rebound if someone missed a shot. After almost turning the ball over, I figured I probably should not be taking the last shot of the game. Kate now throws the ball into Sheila Cook in the post, and as I am making my way to the basket, Sheila throws the ball to me, assuming I am making a cut and that I wanted the ball (which I did not). It bounced off my chest, and I caught it and laid it in for the game-winning bucket. This play was by far the most dysfunctional game-winning play I have ever been a part of. I am just thankful that I made the layup given my track record of missed layups.

Ted Albanese, Men’s Lacrosse

How did you get started playing lacrosse? I started playing lacrosse when I was 10 years old and in fourth grade. My career conveniently started when my baseball career ended (I didn’t make the travel team). It’s a funny story actually. The night I found out I didn’t make the baseball team, I also found out my pet hermit crab died, so that was a rough night.

Michael Carpetto, Men’s Lacrosse

What was it like playing with your brother at Muhlenberg? Since I was born, my brother was always right there at my side … By the time I was a senior in high school, … the only one I had in mind was Muhlenberg so I could play with my brother. When spring of my freshman year finally came, it felt like Christmas came early. As the team hit the field for the first time, I just saw my brother and I walking out to the backyard to have a catch. When lined up to guard him in practice, he’ll say he got the best of my every time, but he doesn’t want to admit his little brother came in as a freshman and put him on an island day in and day out. It was one thing to practice together, but to play in the games with each other made it even more special. Hearing, “Carpetto brothers you’re next on defense” was something that gave me chills every game.

Jack Reilly, Men’s Lacrosse

What’s one possession you couldn’t live without? The possession I can’t live without is the bond and relationships I have developed with my teammates. This outweighs any material possession I own and is something that will last a lifetime.

Angie Sisco, Softball

What’s one thing on your bucket list? To go to the Everglades and finally see and/or wrestle an alligator … I’d be okay with either.

Elizabeth Sullivan, Softball

Describe Coach DeStasio in one word. I would describe Coach DeStasio as a “non-hugger.” This year we divided our team into “huggers” and the “touch me and die” group, otherwise known as “non-huggers.” Having grown up with the president of the “huggers,” Angie Sisco, I am definitely part of the “non-hugging” group and it’s great to have a coach that shares my views on this matter.

Jessica Klein, Women’s Tennis

What off-the-court accomplishment are you most proud of? One off-the-court accomplishment I am proud of is getting into Muhlenberg. I worked hard to get here, and it has been a remarkable journey that I am so privileged to have had.

Amanda von Taube, Women’s Tennis

This is your second year as team captain. What has been the most rewarding part of leading the team for two years? The most rewarding part of being captain is being able to see all of my fellow teammates grow not only as tennis players, but as people – on and off the court. On the court especially, I have seen so many of my fellow teammates get more and more confident in their games and play some truly amazing tennis. Every one of them motivates me to be a better tennis player and even though I am captain, I think I look up to them for all that they do and their tennis skills. We spend so much time together during the season and I feel really lucky to have met such a smart, fun, loving group of girls … I am so honored to hold this position for my team.

Alexandra Franck, Women’s Lacrosse

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions? My teammates will call me the most superstitious person on the team, and I’d have to agree. I’ve been wearing the same bow in my hair for game day throughout my four years here. I have two main rituals – one is taking a shower before every game. I started doing this my freshman year and when I started having success on the field, I knew I had to keep it. It’s a way of thinking about the game and what I want to accomplish. The second ritual also started my freshman year – a senior at the time (Alyssa Bascelli) told me about her pregame ritual of eating a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream the night before every game. She informed us that someone had to do it with her so that when she graduated, it would get passed down. I was the willing (and maybe not so intelligent) freshman who said, “Sure!” and proceeded to eat a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream the night before every game. I have for all four years and now that I am graduating, I have passed the ritual down to freshmen Rachel Pedersen and Casey Armstrong. You guys better not disappoint me!

Ali Gabriele, Women’s Lacrosse

Your middle name, Zoe, is pretty unique. Were you named after someone? I am named after my Greek grandmother (my Yiayia) whose name was Bessie Zoe Athanasiou. Zoe means “life” in Greek and was the perfect portrayal of my Yiayia who is sadly no longer with us. We also both had only one dimple on our left cheeks. This was something we shared and something she always loved about the two of us. I am honored to be named after my Yiayia, and her spirit lives on and will continue to live on through me as I share her name.  

Molly Davin, Women’s Lacrosse

What’s it like having six siblings? Are you the youngest, oldest or in the middle? I am the third oldest of seven. My brother, Joey, is the oldest, then I have one older sister, Kelly, and four younger sisters, Erin, Mary Kate, Maggie and Tara. People generally feel sorry for my brother for being the only boy, but they shouldn’t because he is treated like a king (and acts like it). The biggest issue with having six siblings, and especially five sisters, is that you cannot leave any personal items unattended, especially clothing, because you will never get it back.

Ryan Rechten, Baseball

Do you have any pregame rituals or superstitions? I have way too many superstitions and rituals to even name them all – from the way I put on my cleats to the made-up gibberish language our catcher Brett Rosen and I use to communicate before I pitch. The most meaningful and consistent ritual I have revolves around the word “trust.” The importance of this word was instilled in me by my high school coach. Before the inning begins he would tell me to clear off the mound and envision the word trust printed on the rubber. This year I printed it on the brim of my hat. It has served as my anchor, allowing me to take all the emotion out of the situation and focus on doing my job for our team.

Tim Velys, Baseball

How is it being teammates with Ryan Rechten? As a player, Ryan is one of the more loose and goofy kids on the team – he always has something ridiculous to say. The best part about this is that it makes everyone around him relaxed and reminds us that baseball is just a game and that we must treat it that way if we want to be successful. What I commend him for is his ability to joke around and have fun in the bullpen for six innings of the game and then turn it on right around the sixth knowing that it is his job to come in late and shut the door against the opposing team. I couldn’t think of a better person to have in this role as I have all the confidence in the world that he will come in and get outs in a hurry.

Rob Shannon, Baseball

What’s it like having nine older siblings? Having nine older siblings is the most incredible thing in my life. It is something that I truly treasure. I am so blessed to have them because they have truly made me into the person I am today. They mean more to me than words can capture. I wear the number nine to represent them.

Robert Appleby, Baseball

How did you get started playing baseball and what’s your first memory of playing?I’m not really sure how I got started but when I did start playing at the age of 4, I was instantly obsessed. My first memory of actually playing baseball was my first year of tee ball. The league rules were that there were no outs and each team got to hit through the lineup every inning. I remember being at shortstop when this kid hit a line drive to me, which I caught and doubled off the runner at first base. Even though I made the play, he still got to stay on base. I remember how excited I was when I was old enough to play in the league where you could actually get people out. As a hitter now, I take back ever thinking that.

Special Swishes

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Members of the Muhlenberg men’s and women’s basketball teams stepped onto the court last Wednesday as they have hundreds of times in their careers. This time, however, it wasn’t with the goal of defeating an opponent – it was to run a practice for Kate Clawsontheir favorite sport with Special Olympics athletes from the Lehigh Valley.

This is the second year in a row that the team has participated in the event, which is held at Trexler Middle School.

“The Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) wanted to do more stuff with the Special Olympics this year,” said senior Kate Clawson, who is a committee member. “We helped them organize the Lehigh Valley Polar Bear Plunge and wanted to continue our involvement with the organization.”

The Polar Bear Plunge, held in January, benefitted Special Olympics Pennsylvania, and many of the organization’s members participated in it.

Clawson, who interned for Special Olympics in her home state of Connecticut last summer, helped plan the basketball practice, and at the same time, got to be an active participant.

The players started off by leading the Special Olympics athletes through a series of Austin Currywarmups. Once they were ready to go, the athletes participated in a defensive stance drill where they had to smack the floor and get into position before shuffling left and right.

Fullcourt layups (righty and lefty!) were next, followed by three different work stations.

At one station, Clawson, juniors Austin Curry and Kevin Hargrove and sophomore Special OlympicsHannah Rush instructed the athletes on how to defend the dribble. At another, sophomores Abby Stenger and Malique Killing and freshmen Nick Melosky and Ryan Marchetti ran the athletes through series of ballhandling and dribbling drills. At the third station, senior Julie Kelly, sophomores Nicole Pepe and Jesse Lerner and freshman Alec Stavetski helped the players shoot from different spots on the floor.

At the end of the evening, men’s assistant coach Marqus Hunter gave away Muhlenberg bracelets to the athletes who correctly answered various basketball trivia questions. But they didn’t just have to answer the questions correctly, they had to make a shot before receiving their prize!

“The best part is just getting to come hang out with these athletes” added Clawson. “It’s so nice to work with them – they’re just so happy doing the little things. It really makes you appreciate your life and what you have.Special Olympics

“We’re Division III basketball teams so it’s not like we are heroes to everyone, but it’s so cool that they all look up to us so much.”

Comeback of a Lifetime

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Asked about his team’s approach at the start of the second half of last night’s Centennial Conference playoff game, Muhlenberg men’s basketball standout Malique Killing replied, “We were going to continue to do what we’d been doing.”

Maybe he should have said, “We were going to do what Gettysburg had just done.”

The Mules’ dramatic 45-43 win consisted of two similar halves: In the first half, Gettysburg scored 31 points and held Muhlenberg to 20.7-percent shooting. In the second half, Muhlenberg scored 31 points and held Gettysburg to 20.8-percent shooting.

Muhlenberg’s second-half defense enabled it to come back from a 17-point deficit at the break to win. And while big comebacks are nothing new for the Mules – they overcame 16-point deficits to beat both Ursinus and McDaniel this season – two things were unique about this one.

It’s one thing to erase a big deficit in a high-scoring game; the scores of the Ursinus and McDaniel games were 75-73 and 83-82, respectively. But to do so in a game with limited possessions is much more difficult. The Bullets were successful in shortening the game by taking time off the clock on every trip down the floor, but Muhlenberg still had just enough time to complete the comeback.

And the game marked the first time the Mules trailed by 17 at halftime and came back to win since Feb. 6, 1991, when they trailed Lebanon Valley 41-24 at the break and pulled out a 71-65 victory.

That was before the Centennial Conference was born, and also before Malique Killing was born.

Other than the comeback and Killing’s game-winning shot with seven-tenths of a second remaining, the game stood out for its historically low score. The lowest-scoring CC playoff game ever was the Mules’ lowest-scoring postseason game since a 45-41 win against La Salle in the 1947 MAC championship game.

The 14 points the Mules scored in the first half were their fewest in a half since netting only 12 in the second half of a 48-43 loss to Dickinson in 1983.

The 12 points the Mules allowed in the second half were the second-fewest in team history in the shot-clock era, surpassed (if that’s the right word) only by a 10-point effort in a 67-40 win against McDaniel three years ago.

And while it may not have been the most artistic basketball game ever played, the Mules – who have lost CC playoff games by scores of 87-79, 85-79 and 86-77 – will gladly take the win into tomorrow night’s semifinal game at Franklin & Marshall, knowing that at this time of year, you play whatever style of game is required to get to the next day.

Athletes of the Month

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Proof that it takes all sizes in sports, Muhlenberg’s top athletes for January 2013 are separated by about a foot-and-a-half in height.

Female Athlete of the Month – Stephanie Carnevale, Track & Field

Carnevale set one school record and neared another one in three January meets. She shattered an eight-year-old record in the 55-meter hurdles while finishing first at the Muhlenberg Invitational and came within six hundredths of a second of the mark in the 55 meters. Her hurdles time was the 10th-fastest in Division III at the end of the month. Carnevale also finished fifth in the 55 hurdles at the season-opening Kutztown Invitational

Male Athlete of the Month – Kevin Hargrove, Basketball

Hargrove averaged 13.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.1 blocked shots while shooting 59.8 percent from the field in nine games, helping the Mules go 5-3 in the Centennial Conference (5-4 overall). He started the month by recording a triple-double (12 points, 13 rebounds, 10 blocks) against McDaniel, and in the second-to-last game of January, he became Muhlenberg’s all-time leader in blocked shots. Hargrove also scored a career-high 24 points in an overtime loss at Gettysburg.

 

Writer’s Blocks

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The last three Centennial Conference players of the year are in Kevin Hargrove’s book. So are a Division I player and a set of brothers.

The 6-10 junior center became the Muhlenberg men’s basketball team’s all-time leader in blocked shots on Saturday. With 171 blocks and more than a full season left to play, Hargrove is in position to put plenty of distance between himself and Mark Lesko ’02 (a former CC player of the year). He also can move up the all-time CC list, on which he is currently in sixth place, just two away from moving into the top five.

Currently the fifth-leading shot-blocker in Division III, Hargrove has amassed his 171 blocks against 107 different players on 25 teams. More important than the shots he blocks, however, are those he influences, either by causing a shooter to change his motion or by making opponents think twice about coming near him. It’s no coincidence that when Hargrove’s been at his shot-blocking best, his freshman year and this season, opponents are shooting .395 and .394, respectively, against the Mules. Last year, opponents shot .421.

But they don’t keep stats on shots influenced, just shots blocked. So here’s a breakdown of Hargrove’s first 171 blocked shots:

by site

  • home – 94 in 33 games (2.85 average)
  • away – 57 in 27 games (2.11 average)
  • neutral – 20 in 7 games (2.86 average)

by game type

  • Centennial Conference regular season – 109 in 45 games (2.42 average)
  • Centennial Conference playoff – 7 in 2 games (3.50 average)
  • Scotty Wood Tournament -12 in 6 games (2.00 average)
  • other – 43 in 14 games (3.07 average)

by game result

  • Muhlenberg wins – 94 in 39 (2.41 average)
  • Muhlenberg losses – 77 in 28 (2.75 average)

by Muhlenberg record

  • 0 blocks – 0-5
  • 1 block – 18-5
  • 2 blocks – 7-4
  • 3 blocks – 6-6
  • 4 blocks – 5-1
  • 5 blocks – 1-4
  • 6 blocks – 0-2
  • 7 blocks – n/a
  • 8 blocks – n/a
  • 9 blocks – 1-0
  • 10 blocks – 1-1

by result of blocked shot

  • defensive rebound – 100 (58.5 percent)
  •    by Hargrove himself – 42
  •    by Muhlenberg teammate – 54
  •    off opponent out of bounds – 4
  • offensive rebound – 71 (41.5 percent)
  •    blocked out of bounds – 35
  •    live rebound by opponent – 36

by time into game (5 fastest)

  • 12 seconds vs. Haverford, Jan. 27, 2011
  • 16 seconds vs. Franklin & Marshall Feb. 6, 2011
  • 51 seconds vs. Haverford, Feb. 16, 2011
  • 1:13 vs. Immaculata, Nov. 19, 2011
  • 1:14 vs. Johns Hopkins, Jan. 29, 2011

by opponent (top 10)

  • McDaniel – 19 (5 games)
  • Franklin & Marshall – 16 (5 games)
  • Swarthmore – 16 (4 games)
  • Dickinson – 14 (5 games)
  • Johns Hopkins – 14 (6 games)
  • DeSales – 13 (2 games)
  • Washington – 12 (6 games)
  • Moravian – 10 (2 games)   
  • Gettysburg – 9 (6 games)
  • Haverford – 9 (5 games)

by opposing player (4 or more)

  • Will Gates, Swarthmore – 6
  • Georgio Milligan, Franklin & Marshall – 5
  • George Bugarinovic, Johns Hopkins – 4
  • Jordan Federer, Swarthmore – 4
  • Matt Harte, Wentworth Tech – 4 (all in one game)
  • Brian Hunter, DeSales – 4 (all in one game)
  • Jay Kober, Swarthmore – 4
  • Jon Ward, Ursinus – 4

note: In addition to Milligan, Hargrove recorded blocked shots against CC players of the year James McNally of F&M (1) and Andrew Powers of Gettysburg (3).

miscellaneous

  • Hargrove has had two blocks on the same possession four times (once against the same player)
  • Twice (vs. Franklin & Marshall as a freshman and vs. McDaniel this season), Hargrove blocked shots on three straight possessions. In the McDaniel game, the three blocks came 36 seconds apart.
  • Hargrove’s first career block came against Moravian’s Chris Cullen. He recorded two blocks against his younger brother Cameron Cullen, also of Moravian, last month.

 

Athletes of the Month

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It wasn’t hard to pick the sport for the Muhlenberg’s athletes of the month: The basketball teams were the only ones to compete in December! But picking the athletes was more challenging, as both teams had good records for the month (the women 5-1 and the men 4-2) and plenty of good performances.

Female Athlete of the Month – Alita Zabrecky, Basketball

Zabrecky averaged 13.7 points in six games – exactly what she needed to reach the 1,000-point milestone. She became the ninth Mule in the 1,000-point club by hitting a three-pointer in the first half of a 52-point win at Misericordia. Zabrecky also averaged 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the month and will head into Saturday’s home game against McDaniel as the only player in the Centennial Conference who ranks in the top 10 in scoring, rebounding and assists.

Male Athlete of the Month – Malique Killing, Basketball

Killing scored 38 points in the final game of November but increased his scoring average in December, averaging 20.8 points in six games. He shot .452 from the field and .786 from the foul line while averaging 3.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Killing hit the game-winning shot (a three-pointer with 27.4 seconds left) in a key win at Dickinson and notched his third career 30-point game at Johns Hopkins. He is in the top 10 in the CC in scoring (second), steals (third) and assists (sixth).

We’re Honored

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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

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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!

 

Senior Profiles – Men’s Basketball

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As college basketball prepares for the last few games of the 2011-12 season, here are some final thoughts from the two seniors in the Muhlenberg men’s basketball program, taken from their Senior Day profiles.

Spencer Liddic

What’s your secret to grabbing so many rebounds? My real secret to grabbing so many rebounds is simply to miss a layup and grab the offensive rebound.

How have you changed as a player during your career? I have continually tried to extend my game away from strictly layups and become a better outside shooter. I believe I have also become a better leader, and I strive to make everyone on our young team better every day. Lastly, as coach can attest, I have become a pretty tenacious defender. I regularly match up against our opponent’s fifth-best scorer.

What did it mean to you to be just the third first-team Academic All-American in school history?

It is an enormous honor to represent Muhlenberg College both academically and athletically at the national level. It is also a tremendous tribute to my teammates, coaches and professors; I would never have been able to achieve such an award without their help.

What’s the most memorable moment from your Mule career? Besides all the friendships that I have made during my four years at Muhlenberg, my most memorable moments are definitely the two home wins over nationally ranked Franklin & Marshall teams. Those are two wins that I will remember for the rest of my life.

Your great-grandmother was Gertrude Hawk of candy fame. How much chocolate did you eat growing up? Let’s just say I have had my fair share of Smidgens over the years.

What are your future plans? I have already accepted a job with JPMorgan Chase in Newark, Delaware. I also hope to one day open my own business.

What has Max Saidman meant to the team as a student assistant? Max brings a lot of basketball knowledge to the program. He does an immense amount of behind-the-scenes work and has poured his heart and soul into the program over the past four years. Max recently scouted and successfully put together a winning game plan against the No. 8 team in the country, F&M. The program will greatly miss Max when he graduates in May.

Max Saidman

What made you decide to become a student assistant? Coach Madeira told me he didn’t need any more sub-six-foot slow guys and decided to cut me. So I stayed around pretty much for the free gear. 

What do your duties entail? What do you like doing best? My duties entail everything that Coach Finch doesn’t want to do. The thing I like to do the best is set the “Swag Standard” for the squad.

What’s the most memorable basketball moment from your time at Muhlenberg? When we toured Ireland the summer before my sophomore year. This year, it was definitely beating F&M at home. That game and atmosphere were awesome.

What are your future plans? Continue to work with a team or company that is basketball related. I’m a free agent, and I’m looking for the first place to step up with a six-figure signing bonus.

What’s it been like spending four years with Spencer Liddic? Spencer this, Spencer that. All-America this, All-America that. 4.0 GPA this, 4.0 GPA that. Spencer, Spencer, Spencer … That’s all we ever hear!! But actually, believe it or not, Spencer is even better than all the hype. He never lets it get to his head and is always putting the team first. He’s a great player, but an even better guy off the court.