Category Archives: wrestling

Weekend Preview – November 1, 2014

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weekend previewThe first day of the 11th month brings the start of fall championship season, the last day of the regular season for four playoff-bound teams and the beginning of the winter season.

Women’s Soccer vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 1:00)

Playoff positioning is on the line for both teams in this game. The Mules (11-4-2, 6-3) have already clinched a playoff berth and can secure a first-round bye with a win or a Dickinson loss at Franklin & Marshall. A tie and a Dickinson win makes the Mules the fourth seed and gives them a home playoff game on Wednesday, while a loss could drop them to the fifth seed.

Ursinus (8-6-2, 5-2-2) gets in the playoffs with a win. The Bears can also claim a berth with a tie and help.

Muhlenberg, ranked ninth in the region by the NCAA, has won five of its last six, while Ursinus has rebounded from a 5-0 loss at Swarthmore to win its last three.

women's soccer seniorsThe Mules, who will honor seniors Colleen Touhey, Krissy Fioretti, Leah Messler, Anna Martens and Audrey Zamichow, lead the all-time series, 14-7, but Ursinus has won three of the last four meetings.

Live stats | Live video

Men’s Soccer vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 6:00)

Muhlenberg has already nailed down a spot in the CC semifinals and a rematch with Dickinson next Saturday. The 11th-ranked Mules (11-1-2, 6-1-1) will try to stay sharp against an Ursinus (6-7-3, 3-4-1) squad that needs a win and some help to earn its first-ever CC playoff berth.

The Bears are a tough team to figure out. They are in contention for a spot despite being second from the bottom in goals allowed in CC play (17). They led first-place Franklin & Marshall 1-0 at the half before falling 2-1 but they also lost 4-1 to a Gettysburg team that has only one other CC win.

The Mules are undefeated (9-0-1) at Varsity Field this season and will try to send off seniors Travis Wantchekon, Lance Dotzman, Oliver Katz, Joe Adams, Danny Pinto, Joey Roberts, Colin Maehler and Bryan Attanasio with another home win.

men's soccer seniorsMuhlenberg holds a commanding 48-10-5 series lead, including a 20-0-1 mark since the start of CC play in 1993. The tie came in 2006, and Ursinus’ last series win was in 1984. Oddly, the teams have not played in Allentown since 2009. They were scheduled to in 2011 but the game was moved to the Bears’ turf field after the “Snow-tober” storm.

Live stats | Live video

Cross Country at Centennial Conference Championships (Saturday, 11:00)

The Muhlenberg teams travel to Haverford to compete in the 22nd CC meet. The CC is typically highly competitive in cross country, and this year should be no different. The top three men’s teams in the regional rankings are all from the CC, and on the women’s side, four of the top five teams in the region are CC squads.

Both Mule teams finished fifth at the CC meet last year.

Meet site

Field Hockey at Ursinus (Saturday, 12:00)

Both teams are locked into their CC playoff spots: Ursinus, ranked sixth in Division III, is the top seed and host for the tournament, while Muhlenberg is the third seed and will face Franklin & Marshall in a semifinal game.

Both teams are ranked in the South Region – Ursinus second and Muhlenberg fourth – and can use this game to strengthen their chances for one of the few available at-large bids should they fail to win the championship.

The Bears (13-3, 9-0) are third in Division III in scoring, averaging 5.13 goals per game, while the Mules (12-3, 7-2) are 11th nationally in goals-against average (0.98).

Muhlenberg defeated Ursinus for the first time since 1980 last year, overcoming a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win.

Live stats | Live video

Football at Dickinson (Saturday, 1:00)

Muhlenberg (6-1, 5-1) goes for its fourth win in a row in a game that features the top two running backs in the CC. Dickinson junior Cedric Madden averages 108.3 yards per game, while Mule freshman Max Cepeda is at 98.3 and has rushed for 100 yards or more in five of his six starts.

Defensively, the Red Devils (3-4, 3-3) give up over 400 yards per game. The Mule defense, on the other hand, is 12th in Division III against the run. This game caps a three-week stretch in which the Mules have faced a quarterback who ranks in the top 10 in the CC in carries. They held the first two to a combined 4 yards on 29 carries, forcing both teams to pass.

Muhlenberg did not force any turnovers in last week’s 42-13 win against Juniata and will try to grab some loose balls against Dickinson, which is a CC-worst minus-8 in turnover margin.

Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 42-25-2, and has won the last four meetings, the last two by a combined scored of 103-24.

Live stats/video

Volleyball at Stevenson (Saturday, 12:00); vs. Lynchburg (Saturday, 2:00)

While its playoff fate will be determined by the Swarthmore-Haverford and Gettysburg-Johns Hopkins matches, Muhlenberg (24-5) travels to Maryland for a pair of non-CC contests.

Stevenson (25-5) is ranked fourth in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Lynchburg is 16-11.

Live stats/video (both matches)

Wrestling at King’s Monarch Invitational (Saturday, 9:00)

Muhlenberg opens up its season at a 16-team tournament.

Results page

A Thai in Wrestling

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There are plenty of students like Che Chengsupanimit at Muhlenberg College. Generally, the sophomore wrestler lives a typical collegiate life, balancing the demands of academics and athletics while enjoying a rewarding social life.

In many ways, though, there aren’t any students like Che Chengsupanimit at Muhlenberg.

Bangkok to AllentownNearly 9,000 miles from his native Thailand, Chengsupanimit is about as far from home as one could be. He came to the United States at age 12, spending his middle school years at a boarding school in Massachusetts before attending high school in Connecticut. He spends three months of every year – the summer – back in Thailand. The rest of the time, at least these days, Chengsupanimit spends worrying about his family back in Bangkok, where anti-government riots have turned violent in recent weeks. Unlike most of his classmates, he feels the very real weight of the goings-on a world away.

“Riots have been pretty common, but the most recent ones have been a lot more serious,” Chengsupanimit said of his homeland, where demonstrators are making a bid to thwart this month’s elections and overthrow its democratically elected prime minster. “Whenever I hear about people getting shot or dying, the first thing I do is make sure it’s not anyone in my family. I send an e-mail back asking them if everything is okay. They have been pretty smart about staying out of the most dangerous areas.

“My mom has been great about being careful and making sure I stay updated with the family. She tells me everything that’s going on with the country as well. It makes it easier to stay in touch.”

Che ChengsupanimitHelping to alleviate those worries in his original home, Chengsupanimit has made himself a second one at Muhlenberg, with plenty of help from his classmates and the school’s administration. He credits both for making his transition – and his experience as an international student – that much smoother.

“I’m definitely a noticeable minority, but it hasn’t bothered me much,” he said. “People seem genuinely interested in my story, so that’s been a great part of my Muhlenberg experience. It’s showed me that our students are really interested in learning about people. The less they have in common with someone, the more curious they are, and they don’t shut anyone out.”

Chengsupanimit is one of an increasing number of international students who have found a second home at Muhlenberg. Fourteen foreign countries are represented in the student body, everywhere from Afghanistan to Thailand to China to Bangladesh to Jordan. A student from Rwanda is scheduled to attend this fall.

“Students have offered me places to stay over Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the admissions office has done that too. They’re always inviting me places and it’s been really flattering. I’ve had a bunch of fun experiences like that,” Chengsupanimit said.

Chengsupanimit has also found a nice niche on the wrestling team. He first took up the sport in middle school, and has gradually adapted to the American style since then. This season, the sophomore has nine victories under his belt at 149 pounds, showing consistent improvement over the course of the season, which wraps up Sunday at the NCAA East Regional at King’s. When he goes back home for the summer, he trains with Thailand’s national team, working to master a sport that remains uncommon there.

“Wrestling is not a huge sport there,” Chengsupanimit said. “It’s not very popular, but the top guys usually stay there because there isn’t a lot of depth in the country. It’s a noticeably different style, but being able to practice with them is priceless.”

Che ChengsupanimitAs his second collegiate campaign winds down, Chengsupanimit finds himself observing his wrestling career through a new paradigm.

“The biggest issue has not been finding opportunities to improve; it has been keeping a positive attitude,” he said. “Especially transitioning from high school to college, because it’s a whole different playing field.

“I’m slowly shifting from being outcome oriented – winning and losing, or my place at a tournament – to more of the process. It’s about getting better and giving everything I have to give.”

Chengsupanimit has also given much of himself to the school. In addition to his athletic and academic endeavors, he works in the admissions office and stays in frequent contact with Muhlenberg’s Office of Multicultural Life. As a senior in high school, Chengsupanimit visited Muhlenberg with a teammate, and the rest is history.

“I just fell in love with campus when I was here,” he said. “My interview was great, and everyone was just really nice. I wanted that in a college, so I figured why not? It was already high on my list, but that experience sealed the deal.”

Che ChengsupanimitThe past two months, Chengsupanimit (at left with head coach Jake Calhoun) and his fellow Muhlenberg students have experienced record amount of snowfalls. And even though Chengsupanimit is no stranger to snow, having lived in the Northeast for the last seven years, it’s a far cry from Bangkok, where temperatures are in the 90s.

“It is really cold, but there are times where I’ll look out the window and think, wow, I never would have seen this in Thailand,” he said. “It looks really pretty, but then I walk outside and the cold kicks in.”

As far away from home as he is, Chengsupanimit is far from alone. He has an older brother, who came to America at the same time he did, living and working in Florida. And he still visits his host family – with whom he lived during his high school years and considers a second family – for at least a week before returning to Thailand in the summer. His brother has already expressed a desire to attend Che’s graduation, and even though his mother and family likely won’t be able to make the journey to Allentown, Chengsupanimit makes certain they get to see as much of his new world as possible.

“My mom is hoping someone will film my graduation for her,” Chengsupanimit said. “She doesn’t mind so much, as long as there are pictures to share when I get back! She’s been very level-headed about me being away, and I like to share as many things as I can with her.”

Weekend Preview – February 22-23, 2014

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weekend previewMelting snow and the ping of the aluminum bat are two sure signs that spring is starting to break through after the long winter. Baseball, lacrosse and women’s tennis all are scheduled to compete on a weekend highlighted by one winter team competing at the Centennial Conference Championships and the other four gearing up for them.

Men’s Lacrosse vs. York (Pa.) (Saturday, 12:00)

Field conditions permitting, the Mules will make their home debut against a York squad coming off an overtime loss to defending national champion Stevenson. Muhlenberg opened its season with an 11-7 loss at Montclair State. The Spartans, who set a school record with 13 wins last year, are part of a grueling schedule for the Mules: their 14 opponents combined for a .607 winning percentage in 2013. York won last year’s meeting, 15-10.

live stats

Women’s Basketball vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 2:00)

The Mules closed out their regular season looking to take some momentum into the playoffs. For a change, they already know who and where they’ll play in the postseason: Muhlenberg (15-9, 11-6) is the fourth seed and will host fifth-seeded Gettysburg on Wednesday.

Ursinus (11-12, 8-9) won five in a row to put itself in contention for a playoff spot before getting eliminated with a 73-36 loss to Haverford on Wednesday.

The Mules have won 11 straight meetings against the Bears, including a convincing 67-43 victory in Collegeville last month, part of their current stretch of nine wins in 11 games.

live stats | live video

Men’s Basketball vs. Ursinus (Saturday, 4:00)

Muhlenberg (15-9, 10-7) has clinched a playoff berth and is locked into the 4-5 game. The Mules need a win and a Johns Hopkins loss at Washington to host the game; otherwise they will travel to Franklin & Marshall, McDaniel or Johns Hopkins for their first-round clash.

Winless through their first 10 games of the Centennial Conference season, Ursinus (6-18, 4-13) has caught fire of late, winning four of its last seven. The Bears come into Memorial Hall on a three-game winning streak, which includes a 61-56 defeat of F&M.

Muhlenberg won 82-66 when the teams met a month ago for its fourth straight series win. Last year, the Mules swept the Bears in a season series for the first time since 1999-2000.

live stats | live video

Wrestling at Centennial Conference Championships (Saturday, 10:00)

Two Muhlenberg wrestlers are expected to travel to Ursinus to compete at the conference meet. Freshman Jaryd Flank was 4-4 in the CC in a tough 125-pound field that includes two of the top-ranked wrestlers in the country. Sophomore Che Chengsupanimit was 2-6 at 149.

tournament site

Indoor Track & Field at Haverford’s Keogh Invitational (Saturday, 11:00)

After losing a meet to the weather last weekend, the Mules teams have their final tuneup for next weekend’s Centennial Conference Championships.

live results

Women’s Tennis at Vassar (Saturday, 12:00)

The Mules open their spring season against a Vassar team that was ranked 10th in the Northeast Region in the ITA preseason poll.

Baseball at Gallaudet (Sunday, 12:00 doubleheader)

Muhlenberg will get in the second half of its scheduled opening weekend four-game trip (Saturday’s twinbill at Shenandoah was rescheduled as a single game for Sunday, March 23). The forecast calls for weather in the mid-50s in Washington on Sunday – not bad at all. The Mules were 20-20 in 2013; Gallaudet, coached by former Major Leaguer Curtis Pride, went 20-21 and opened its 2014 campaign with a 14-4 win against Marymount on Wednesday.

The Mules opened their last three seasons with doubleheader sweeps of the Bison, winning last year’s games 8-4 and 4-3.

Weekend Preview – February 15, 2014

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weekend previewThe weekend schedule was abbreviated when the track and field teams’ trip to the Armory in New York was cancelled due to the snow. It was to have been the Mules’ last big meet before the Centennial Conference Championships. The three remaining events involve Muhlenberg teams looking ahead to the postseason.

Women’s Basketball at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 1:00)

With a week to go in the regular season, Muhlenberg (13-9, 9-6) is tied for fourth place in the CC with Gettysburg. Swarthmore and Ursinus are both two games back and need big finishes and lots of help to break into the top five and earn a playoff berth.

If the Mules play like they did the first time against their remaining opponents, the two playoff hopefuls won’t get any help from them. Muhlenberg beat Franklin & Marshall by 17, Dickinson by 13 and Ursinus by 24.

A win at Franklin & Marshall combined with losses by Swarthmore (at McDaniel) and Ursinus (home vs. Washington) clinches the Mules’ 20th postseason berth in the 21 years of the CC.

The Diplomats (3-19, 1-14) are a dangerous opponent: Losers of 14 straight, two of their last three losses were one-point setbacks at Johns Hopkins and Ursinus, and it will be their Senior Day.

live stats/video

Men’s Basketball at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 3:00)

The standings say it all about the importance of this game:

  • Dickinson 13-2
  • McDaniel 11-4
  • Muhlenberg 10-5
  • Franklin & Marshall 10-5
  • Johns Hopkins 10-5
  • Gettysburg 8-7

The winner could move into sole possession of third place, as Johns Hopkins has to face Dickinson. A Gettysburg loss at home to Haverford clinches a playoff berth for the Mules, win or lose.

Muhlenberg has won four of its last five, including defeats of playoff contenders McDaniel, Dickinson and Gettysburg (the latter two on the road). The Diplomats have lost three of their last five, including a stunning collapse on Wednesday at last-place Ursinus. F&M led 24-1 at one point in that game and was up 35-16 at halftime.

The Mules have lost five straight to F&M, including a 76-64 setback earlier this season and playoff losses each of the last two years, and have not defeated the Diplomats at the Mayser Center since the 2001 CC playoffs.

live stats/video

Wrestling vs. Washington and Lee/Ursinus (Saturday, 12:00)

These are the final matches for the Mules before next Saturday’s CC Championships. The bout to watch is at 125 against Ursinus, where Muhlenberg freshman Jaryd Flank could face Christopher Donaldson, who is ranked No. 1 in Division III.

live video

Weekend Preview – February 8, 2014

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weekend previewWith the Centennial Conference Championships just two weeks away in wrestling and three weeks off in basketball and track, this weekend’s contests offer potential postseason previews.

Women’s Basketball at Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)

Here are the Centennial Conference standings heading into Saturday’s games:

  • Haverford 11-2
  • Johns Hopkins 12-3
  • McDaniel 9-4
  • Muhlenberg 9-5
  • Gettysburg 8-5
  • Swarthmore 7-8
  • Ursinus/Washington 5-8

If the order doesn’t change, Muhlenberg and Gettysburg will face each other in the first round of the CC playoffs. But both teams, who have combined to win the last three CC championships (the Mules in 2011 and 2012 and the Bullets last year) are looking to move up in the standings and avoid the 4-5 game.

Win or lose, Muhlenberg is in great position for making the playoffs. The Mules close out the CC regular season against Franklin & Marshall (1-12), Dickinson (1-13) and Ursinus, while Swarthmore, the team with the most reasonable chance of breaking into the top five, still has to play McDaniel and Haverford.

Gettysburg is the hottest team in the CC, coming into the game on a four-game winning streak, and is 7-1 at home this season. The Bullets are holding opponents to a CC-low 32.5-percent shooting in league games; Muhlenberg is third in that category at 33.7.

The Mules won the first meeting this season, 62-57, and have taken five of the last seven series meetings at Gettysburg.

live stats/video

Men’s Basketball at Gettysburg (Saturday, 3:00)

The men’s standings show the importance of this game:

  • Dickinson 11-2
  • McDaniel 10-3
  • Franklin & Marshall 9-4
  • Johns Hopkins 9-4
  • Muhlenberg 8-5
  • Gettysburg 7-6
  • Washington 4-9

Six teams are battling for the five playoff spots, and these two are fifth and sixth. If the Mules win, they will have a two-game lead for the last spot with four to play. A Gettysburg win throws the playoff race into a mad scramble the last two weeks of the season. Muhlenberg still has games left against Franklin & Marshall (away) and Dickinson, while the Bullets finish the regular season with tough road games against F&M and McDaniel.

Both teams are trying to rebound from losses. Gettysburg had a three-game winning streak (which included a 54-38 defeat of F&M) snapped with a 67-55 loss at Dickinson on Wednesday. Muhlenberg fell at Haverford on Wednesday but has not dropped back-to-back CC games all season.

The Mules closed the game on a 10-2 run to win the first meeting this season, 77-69. Muhlenberg has lost its last three games at Gettysburg, last year in overtime.

live stats/video

Indoor Track & Field at Frank Colden Invitational (Saturday, 9:00)

The Muhlenberg teams return to Ursinus for the first time since competing in the CC Championships there last February. One of the events to watch is the women’s 60-meter hurdles, where Ursinus’ Victoria Goodenough and Muhlenberg’s Stephanie Carnevale rank 1-2, respectively in the CC this season. At last year’s championship meet, Carnevale edged Goodenough by seven hundredths of a second to win gold en route to becoming an All-American.

Wrestling at Merchant Marine with Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 5:00)

Muhlenberg freshman Jaryd Flank will be put to the test against two of the best 125-pounders in the CC. Defending CC champion Paul Bewak of Johns Hopkins is 26-1 this season, currently ranked third in Division III. Merchant Marine’s Mike Mui is 16-4.

 

 

Weekend Preview – February 1, 2014

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weekend previewFour teams that are likely to make the Centennial Conference playoffs will be at Memorial Hall for a huge basketball doubleheader that highlights the first weekend of February.

Women’s Basketball vs. McDaniel (Saturday, 2:00)

It will be just like old times for these two teams. From 2004, when the Centennial Conference went to one division, to 2010, a McDaniel-Muhlenberg matchup in February usually had great playoff implications. Both teams qualified for the CC playoffs in six of those seven years, and they met in the playoffs four times.

The Green Terror (14-4, 9-3) finished under .500 in the CC in each of the last three years, but now it is back in a big way, tied in the loss column for second place. The Mules (11-7, 8-4) are just a game back, and as the playoff teams start to separate themselves out, games like this one are huge.

McDaniel comes in with a six-game winning streak that includes back-to-back 70-41 blowouts of Johns Hopkins and Washington. Muhlenberg has won six of seven since suffering a 52-45 loss at McDaniel in early January.

It could be another low-scoring game. McDaniel is second in the CC in scoring defense (51.7 points per game) and leads the league in steals per game, turnover margin and three-point field-goal defense. Muhlenberg, meanwhile, has allowed opponents to shoot just 30.8 percent from the field (24.5 percent from three-point range) and average only51.1 points over its last eight games.

wbbteam14pinkFollowing the game, one player on each team will receive the Aril Bryant Award in memory of a Mule player who lost her life to breast cancer last summer. Please visit the Muhlenberg team page to contribute to the Kay Yow Foundation, which supports those fighting breast cancer.

live stats | live video

Men’s Basketball vs. McDaniel (Saturday, 4:00)

Four days after defeating first-place Dickinson, Muhlenberg returns home to face another first-place team in McDaniel. The Mules’ first home game in two weeks matches the hottest team in the Centennial Conference against the hottest scorer in the CC and the league’s top defense against its second-best offense.

The Green Terror (14-4, 9-2) is tied for first place in the CC and has won seven straight games. It entered the week ranked ninth in Division III in scoring defense, allowing only 60.2 points per game. The Mules (12-6, 7-4) are tied for fourth place with Johns Hopkins.

Defense won out when the two teams met in Maryland in early January. The Mules scored 30 points in the first 13:34 in opening up a 15-point lead but managed only 20 points the rest of the way as the Green Terror came back for a 57-50 win. Muhlenberg has won 14 of the last 16 series meetings in Memorial Hall.

Junior guard Malique Killing scored 38, 33 and 35 points in the Mules’ three road games, becoming only the second player in CC history to record three straight 30-point games. The seventh-leading scorer in Division III at the start of the week, he needs just 26 more points to set the CC record for points scored in the freshman, sophomore and junior years.

live stats | live video

Indoor Track & Field at Lehigh’s John Covert Classic (Saturday, 10:00)

The indoor season is moving allowing rapidly for the Mule teams: this is only their third meet of the season, yet they’re just one month away from the CC Championships. They will get to compete against Division I athletes for the first time this season at Lehigh.

Wrestling at Gettysburg with New York University (Saturday, 1:00)

The shorthanded Mules wrestling team travels to Gettysburg to compete in its second straight CC trimatch.

live stats | live video

 

Weekend Preview – January 24-25, 2014

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weekend previewThe home openers for track and wrestling and an important basketball doubleheader in Baltimore make for a big weekend.

Indoor Track & Field hosts Muhlenberg Invitational (Friday, 3:00)

Muhlenberg welcomes DeSales, Goucher, Neumann and Wesley for its only home indoor meet of the season. Last year, Muhlenberg athletes won 12 of the 26 events. Field events begin at 3:00, running events at 6:00.

Wrestling vs. McDaniel and Stevens (Saturday, 12:00)

Muhlenberg opens its Centennial Conference dual meet season with the first of its two scheduled home tri-matches. The Mules take on McDaniel in the first match and Stevens in the third. Both McDaniel (at 133) and Stevens (at 149) bring in nationally ranked wrestlers. Coming off his impressive win at Ursinus’ Will Abele Invitational last weekend, Mule freshman Jaryd Flank will make his home debut – although since McDaniel does not have anyone at 125, his first appearance probably will be a brief one to get his hand raised.

live video

Men’s Basketball at Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 1:00)

Two teams that were defeated in the Centennial Conference semifinals last year meet for the second time this season, with Muhlenberg looking to complete its fourth season sweep of Johns Hopkins in the last six years.

In the first meeting this season, the Mules saw their 16-point halftime lead pared to three but shot 60 percent in the second half to hold on for a 91-75 win.

Muhlenberg (11-5, 6-3) and Johns Hopkins (9-7, 6-3) are currently tied for fourth place in the CC, a game behind second-place McDaniel and Franklin & Marshall and two in front of sixth-place Gettysburg. The Mules have won three of their last four following a three-game losing streak, while the Blue Jays have rebounded from a four-game skid by winning five of their last six.

A win would push Muhlenberg to 7-3 in the CC for just the second time in the last 12 years.

live stats | live video

Women’s Basketball vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 3:00)

The two most successful programs in CC history meet for the second time this season, with the Mules (9-7, 6-4) looking to continue their hot streak against the first-place Blue Jays (12-3, 10-0).

Muhlenberg has won four of its last five, including Wednesday’s decisive 67-43 win at Ursinus. Hopkins had a much tougher time at Ursinus last Saturday, needing a late rally to win 71-67. Dating back to last season, the Blue Jays have won 21 of their last 23 CC regular-season games.

Hopkins scored 14 of the game’s first 17 points and nine of the last 12 to edge the Mules, 65-58, in a back-and-forth battle in the first meeting this season.

The Blue Jays hold a 24-18 all-time lead in a series that includes 11 postseason meetings. Muhlenberg has won a game in Baltimore in each of the last three seasons, last year in the regular season and in the 2011 and 2012 CC championship games.

live stats | live video

 

Athletes of the Week – January 13-19, 2014

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Leanna TallamyFemale Athlete of the Week – Leanna Tallamy, Basketball

Tallamy averaged 19.0 points on 58.3 percent shooting to take over the Centennial Conference scoring lead and help the Mules to two wins in three games. Tallamy scored 18 points in only 18 minutes in a win against Franklin & Marshall and led all scorers with 24 points – a career high for a CC game – in a loss at Swarthmore. She finished the week with a 15-point, 6-rebound effort vs. Washington.

Jaryd FlankMale Athlete of the Week – Jaryd Flank, Wrestling

Flank won a loaded 125-pound bracket at Ursinus’ Will Abele Invitational. The bracket included three past national qualifiers, including the top-ranked wrestler in Division III. In the final, Flank posted a dramatic win against a Washington & Jefferson wrestler who received honorable mention in the latest d3wrestle.com rankings, scoring a pin with just 16 seconds left.

Athletes of the Week

 

 

Weekend Preview – December 6-7, 2013

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weekend previewThe last two home events of 2013 are a pair of intriguing basketball games featuring four teams whose seasons all ended in the semifinals of the Centennial Conference playoffs last year. Plus, wrestling hits the mats for the first time in three weeks.

Wrestling at Messiah Petrofes Invitational (Friday and Saturday)

This will be the 27th consecutive year for Muhlenberg competing in this tournament, which was formerly hosted by Lebanon Valley. The Mules are sending six wrestlers to what usually is a very competitive field.

Women’s Basketball vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 12:00)

Johns Hopkins vs. Muhlenberg is a rivalry unlike any other in Centennial Conference women’s basketball. Games between the two teams are frequently memorable and almost always important, since the programs are by far the top two in the league’s history. Since the formation of the CC in 1993, Hopkins has a 265-67 (.798) record in league games, and Muhlenberg is 255-84 (.752). No other team has more than 209 wins or a winning percentage higher than .633.

Hopkins (6-2, 5-0) has jumped to the early lead in the CC race (along with undefeated Haverford), while Muhlenberg (4-2, 2-1) has lost two straight close games to teams receiving votes in the D3hoops.com poll.

Expect some points to be put on the board. Muhlenberg and Johns Hopkins are first and second, respectively, in the CC in points scored per game and last and third-from-last, respectively, in points allowed per game. The average score (rounded) of the eight CC games involving one of these two teams is 74-65. The average score of the other 11 CC games this year? 55-46.

The Blue Jays hold a 23-18 all-time lead in a series that includes 11 postseason meetings. Last year the teams split, with the visitor prevailing each time.

live stats | live video

Men’s Basketball vs. Johns Hopkins (Saturday, 2:00)

Johns Hopkins has been a thorn in Muhlenberg’s side ever since the formation of the CC in 1993. The Mules are 9-25 against the Blue Jays in CC regular-season and playoff games, and only three of those nine wins have come at home. Hopkins leads the all-time series, 35-15, and swept last year’s meetings, 76-74 and 63-59.

Muhlenberg (5-1, 2-1) and Hopkins (4-4, 2-1) were picked third and fourth, respectively, in the CC preseason poll, and one will keep pace with Dickinson, the only 3-0 team, heading into the holiday break.

The Blue Jays are coming off a home loss to Gettysburg, while the Mules won at Swarthmore, 64-48, in their first post-Thanksgiving game. It was the 16th time Muhlenberg held an opponent under 50 points in a CC regular-season game, and it was another fine defensive effort for the Mules, who are holding their opponents to 36.4-percent shooting (33.6 percent in their five wins). Those percentages drop to .263 and .190 for three-pointers; Hopkins has made more three-pointers (57) than any other CC team.

A win would give the Mules their second 6-1 start in three years; before 2011 they hadn’t been 6-1 since 1988.

live stats | live video

Weekend Preview – November 15-17, 2013

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Not much going on in Muhlenberg athletics this weekend – except for an eight-team basketball tournament, a rivalry football game, an NCAA cross country meet, a postseason soccer tournament and four wrestling matches. It’s one of the biggest weekends of the year!

Basketball hosts Scotty Wood Tournament (Friday and Saturday, 1, 3, 6, and 8)

Scotty Wood TournamentThe Scotty Wood Tournament tips off the Muhlenberg basketball season for the 32nd year. The Mule women open up against Rowan on Friday at 6:00, followed by the men against Bryn Athyn. Both Muhlenberg teams are trying to recapture the titles they won in 2011 after falling in the championship games last year.

preview | live stats for Mule women’s games | live stats for Mule men’s games | live video

Cross Country hosts NCAA Mideast Regional (Saturday, women at 11:00, men at 12:30)

NCAA cross countryNearly 1,000 runners from 60 schools are scheduled to line up on Lehigh’s Goodman Campus in one of eight qualifier meets for the NCAA Championships (slated for next Saturday at Hanover, Ind.). Haverford has won the men’s meet the last three years, while Johns Hopkins brings in a streak of five straight regional championships.

The top two teams in each race automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, and there are also 16 at-large berths available to fill out the 32-team national field. After the team bids have been determined, the top seven individuals in each region not on a qualifying team are selected to run in the national meet.

Muhlenberg, which is hosting the regional meet for the fourth time since 2001, has sent at least one runner to the NCAA Championships for the last eight seasons. Senior Nicki Cronin, who earned all-region honors by placing in the top 35 in both 2011 and 2012 and narrowly missed an NCAA berth last year, is the top candidate to continue that streak.

meet central

Football vs. Moravian (Saturday, 1:00)

football trophyIn addition to all the reasons Moravian and Muhlenberg football players have anticipated this rivalry game for more than 50 years – local bragging rights, one last win for the seniors, etc. – there is now something else: A gleaming new trophy, donated by Sodexo, will go to the winner.

The Mules (7-2, 6-2) come in on a historic roll, having beaten five straight opponents by at least 20 points for the first time in program history. The Greyhounds (2-7, 2-6) are on a surge of their own, with two wins in their last three games following on 0-6 start.

Moravian has topped the 40-point mark three times in its last five games and boasts the top freshman runner and top rushing quarterback in the Centennial Conference. Muhlenberg has allowed only one offensive touchdown at home this season and ranks in the top 30 in Division III in scoring defense (20th), pass efficiency defense (24th), total defense (26th) and rushing defense (28th). The Mules have given up only three offensive touchdowns in their five-game winning streak.

Two Mule milestones are possible: Nick Palladino needs 141 yards to break the CC mark for passing yards by a freshman, and Cody Geyer needs 88 receiving yards to record the fourth 1,000-yard season in program history.

Moravian leads the all-time series, 33-26-2, but Muhlenberg has won eight of the last 11 meetings. The Mules have not allowed an offensive touchdown in taking the last two meetings.

live stats | live video

Men’s Soccer at Swarthmore (Saturday, 7:00)

ECAC logoThe Mules (10-7-1) look to extend their season with an ECAC South semifinal game against CC rival Swarthmore (10-5-4). The winner faces the winners of the other semi between Frostburg State and Lebanon Valley in Sunday’s championship match.

Muhlenberg hasn’t beaten Swarthmore since 2007, but all the meetings since have been close: a scoreless tie, two 1-0 games and four 2-1 games. The last time the teams faced each other in the postseason was the 2010 CC championship game, a thriller that the Garnet won in double overtime.

The Mules went on to advance to the NCAA “Sweet 16” that year, which was the last time they won two postseason games in a season. Muhlenberg reached the ECAC championship game in both 1999 and 2000; its last ECAC title came in 1988.

live stats | live video

Wrestling at Penn Tech with Lafayette (Saturday, 12:00); at Scranton with Yeshiva (Sunday, 11:00)

After winning a dual meet at Mount St. Vincent last weekend, the Mules will try to pick up some more wins. Muhlenberg outscored Scranton in contested bouts, 25-3, the last two years, but lost the matches due to forfeits. The Mules defeated Yeshiva, 24-15, when the teams last met in 2011.