Navy Sports

GreatAmerican · March 23, 2007, 7:06pm

For Immediate Release
Friday, March 23, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Rallies to Defeat Yale, 4-3

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy baseball team rallied from a one-run deficit in the eighth inning to defeat Yale, 4-3, in the first of a three-game set between the two teams on Friday afternoon at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis. The win improved Navy’s record to 16-8 on the year, while Yale dropped to 5-11 on the campaign.

“We had great pitching out of Mark (McCoy) and JD (Melton) today, which has pretty much been the case for much of the year,” stated Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “They did a solid job against a very good hitting team in Yale. For those two to strike out 13 batters, right there is a huge plus, as nearly half of the outs came on strikeouts.”

Trailing 3-2 going into the bottom half of the eighth inning, junior right fielder Mitch Harris (Mt. Holly, N.C.) led off with a single to left and moved to second on freshman left fielder Michael Speciale’s (Pearland, Texas) single up the middle. After two failed bunt attempts made the count 0-2, junior designated hitter Thomas Hamilton (Houston, Texas) ripped a RBI-single to the gap in right center, scoring Harris and advancing Speciale to third. Navy would take the lead on the next play, as Speciale crossed home on freshman first baseman Jonathan Berkowitz’s (Parkland, Fla.) fielder’s choice to shortstop.

Navy freshman reliever JD Melton (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) earned his first-career victory with the Midshipmen, as he fired three innings of scoreless work to close out the game. Melton scattered two hits with two walks and five strikeouts to improve to 1-0 on the campaign. His five strikeouts were a career high, breaking his previous personal best of four punch-outs with Wofford last season.

“Sometimes you can pick up momentum defensively, which is exactly what JD did today,” said Kostacopoulos. “He came in and gave us the lift we needed in the seventh when he struck out the side.”

The Mids jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning, capitalizing on a defensive miscue and an opportune break. Berkowitz reached on a one-out throwing error, followed by back-to-back singles by freshman shortstop Kendall Bolt (Stockton, Calif.) and freshman catcher Steven Soares (Coral Springs, Fla.) to load the bases. Yale starting pitcher Steve Gilman induced what appeared to be an inning-ending double play ball to short, but the shortstop fell running over to the second base bag and was only able to get one out, allowing Berkowitz to score on the play from third.

After the Bulldogs came back to tie the ballgame at one in the top half of the third, Navy immediately grabbed the lead back in the bottom half of the stanza. Senior second baseman Michael Garcia (Kailua, Hawai’i) and Harris drew back-to-back leadoff walks and each moved up 90 feet on Speciale’s sacrifice bunt. Garcia would come home on the next play, a RBI-groundout to short off the bat of Hamilton.

Yale took its first lead of the game, 3-2, with a two-run sixth inning. Charles Bush delivered a RBI single to tie the contest and would take the lead on a two-out fielding error.

The Bulldogs had an opportunity to extend their lead in the eighth inning, as Ryan Lavarnway led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. However, Melton settled in to strike out the next batter, and after a walk, fan the final batter of the inning to avoid any damage.

Navy junior starter Mark McCoy (Parkland, Fla.) delivered a solid performance for the Midshipmen, going six innings with five hits and two earned runs allowed. McCoy struck out a season-high eight batters and walked only one, but did not factor in the decision.

“It means so much in so many different facets of the game when you have a pitcher like Mark who can bounce back from a bad outing,” commented Kostacopoulos. “For a ballplayer to have the ability to shake off the previous game and come back in his next appearance, that’s huge.”

Speciale extended his hitting streak to seven games with his single during the eighth-inning rally. Harris reached base safely in three of his four plate appearances, going 1-for-2 with a run scored and two walks on the afternoon.

The two teams will meet again in the second contest of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. Live stats will be available via GameTracker on <a href="http://www.navysports.com%5B/url%5D">www.navysports.com</a> (.)

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 9:38am

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Venue Change for Saturday's Navy-Colgate Tennis Match

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Poor weather has forced a site change for Saturday's Colgate at Navy tennis match. The match will now be played indoors at the Severn Valley Tennis & Fitness Club starting at 12 Noon.

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 11:23am

Buck Harvey: Not about style: Oden won't be Robinson

Web Posted: 03/23/2007 11:19 PM CDT

San Antonio Express-News

Greg Oden has said he wants to "emulate" David Robinson, but that will take some doing.

For starters, Oden needs to shrink, wear braces and sign up for a hitch in the Navy.

He will also need to gamble millions of dollars on his health, as well as ignore the NBA economics that weren't around when Robinson was a collegian. Ultimately he will have to be such a unique person that sleeping on a sub will be more attractive than lacing up Nike money.

And that's why Oden won't be the next Robinson.

No one will be.

Oden can still come close, and he was Friday afternoon in an Alamodome interview room. Then, relaxed and friendly, the Ohio State freshman conducted himself the way, well, Robinson once did in the same building.

He described his dorm room (messy) and his dorm food (he prefers to order out and get a large Philly cheesesteak without onions). He was respectful of Memphis' Joey Dorsey (who wasn't of him), and he dismissed a question about "what most people think" about whether he should stay at Ohio State or go pro.

"What most people think," Oden said, "is not going to affect my decision."

Oden sure sounded like Robinson. And at the end of the interview Oden said, as he has before, that Robinson is the one NBA player he has always respected the most. Oden said what San Antonio knows, that Robinson is a "good person," and he thinks his style of play "most resembles" Robinson.

NBA scouts aren't so sure. Most think Oden will be bigger, and few think Oden will ever walk across a basketball court on his hands.

But Oden believes in this connection, which is why he was startled Thursday night. Then he looked around the Alamodome (foul trouble gave him the luxury) until he locked in on someone sitting in section 102, row 6, seat 1.

The one sitting in that seat looked back at Oden, too. "He weighs 100 pounds more than I did at the same age!" Robinson said in awe.

Scouts are in awe, too. One says Oden is "destined to be an elite guy" because of this early maturity. "Go back and look at Hakeem (Olajuwon) as a freshman, David as a freshman. Oden will add weight and keep his agility."

That's not the only difference between these 7-footers. Doesn't Robinson, still without a hint of fat at age 41, look younger than the 19-year-old Oden?

The real contrast is how they got to their current size. When Oden was in the sixth grade, he was about the same height (6-foot-6) as Robinson when he was a freshman at Navy. So while the world began to look up at Oden early, Robinson was just another gangly geek who took advanced computer courses in local colleges when he was 14.

That, and reshuffled NBA economics, produced two different men. One is being herded to a pro roster because the money demands it, and the other treated basketball as if it were a game.

Still, money was around when Robinson was a Naval nerd. Players such as Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas had already left school early for the pros, and there was reason for Robinson to think that way, too.

He'd grown from the skinny freshman to averaging 23.6 points and 11.6 rebounds his sophomore year, leading Navy to its first NCAA tournament in a quarter of a century. An upset of LSU followed, as did a wave of scouts.

He instead turned away from the NBA as no one could imagine today: Robinson, with the option after his sophomore year to transfer and avoid all military duty, re-upped.

Coming back for a sophomore season is now considered a commitment. Robinson, by signing on the dotted line, had put off the NBA for at least another four years.

It all worked out. The next season Robinson played in the same Elite Eight game that Oden is in this afternoon. When Duke eliminated Navy to head to Dallas for the Final Four, the Duke student section held up a banner in Robinson's honor: "Our seniors don't have to serve after Dallas."

Then, before his senior year, Robinson served again. He led the U.S. to the gold medal in the World Championships in Spain, outscoring the Soviet Union's Arvydas Sabonis in the title game.

A team of U.S. pros, now, can't emulate that.

Robinson would then serve two years before joining the Spurs, again unheard of. But so was his rookie season. Tested and 24 years old, he led the Spurs to what was then the biggest turnaround in NBA history.

It won't happen again.

But is the difference the eras? Or Robinson?

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 6:06pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Lightweight Varsity Crew Falls in Season Opener

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Princeton jumped out to a slim lead at the start of the race and held onto it throughout the remainder of the course to post a 2.2 second victory over Navy in the varsity race between the two lightweight crew teams, Saturday on Lake Carnegie in Princeton, N.J. It was the first race of the season for both teams.

"Princeton started the race very well and took an early lead on us," said Navy head coach Rob Friedrich. "They looked a little faster than us today. It was a disappointing result, but I feel we put together a good first race of the season."

The defeat snaps a three-year winning streak by the Mids over the Tigers in the varsity race.

Navy recorded victories in three of the remaining four races contested on the day, winning the second varsity race by nearly four seconds, the third varsity race by three seconds and the second freshman race by 39 seconds.

"We were the boat to take an early lead and hold onto it in the junior varsity race," said Friedrich. "Our third varsity boat trailed by about a boat length with 500 meters left on the course, but still came back to win by a couple of seconds. Our second freshman boat had a fast start and won by a commanding margin."

Princeton's additional victory was a six-second triumph in the first freshman race.

"Our freshman boat lost to a very seasoned-looking Princeton crew," said Friedrich. "I am pleased, however, because I feel we can gain a lot of speed from this boat as the season goes on."

Navy will return to Lake Carnegie for its next race, a March 31 dual against Yale.

First Varsity
Princeton, 6:07.7; Navy, 6:09.9
Second Varsity
Navy, 6:11.0; Princeton, 6:14.8
Third Varsity
Navy, 6:19.2; Princeton, 6:22.3
First Freshman
Princeton, 6:15.7; Navy, 6:21.4
Second Freshman
Navy, 6:40.9; Princeton, 7:19.1

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 6:07pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Chris Forman – (410) 293-8774

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Freshman Erin Rawlick scored nine points (6 g, 3 a) to lead Navy to a 19-10 victory over Catonsville Community College on Saturday afternoon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The Mids improved to 6-3 on the year and snapped a two-game losing streak in the process. The Mids have now scored at least 14 goals in all but two games this year.

“I was proud of the way we bounced back after Monday’s loss (16-14 to Anne Arundel CC),” said Navy head coach Cindy Timchal. “We were excited to prove that we were a better team than we showed on Monday. We had a good week of practice and carried it over to the field today.”

The Mids, which played Monday’s game without Rawlick, started slow on Saturday, leading 5-4 just seven minutes into the game. However, the Mids embarked on a 7-0 run over the next 15 minutes to grab a 12-4 lead with just 8:28 to play in the first half. Leading the Navy offensive attack in the first half was junior Kaylene Klingenstein. Klingenstein recorded assists on four of Navy’s first five goals, then scored three goals in a six-and-a-half-minute span to give her seven points in the first half.

Navy ended any Catonsville comeback hopes early in the second half as it scored the half’s first three goals to take a 16-6 advantage with 24:09 to play. After Catonsville CC narrowed the gap to 16-8 with 21:28 to play, the Mids tallied three goals in a row in a span of 2:24 for a 19-8 margin. The Cardinals scored the last two goals of the contest to make the final margin, 19-10.

Rawlick scored five points in the first half and four more in the second half to give her a Navy-season high of nine points. She also took the majority of the draw controls for Timchal.

“I am excited for Erin and her potential,” said Timchal. “She has a lot of responsibility for a freshman in running the midfield, taking the draw controls and then her duties on the offensive end. She finished her chances today and really gave us a spark offensively.”

Navy outshot the Cardinals, 47-21, and grabbed 45 ground balls to Catonsville’s 37. The Mids also forced the Cardinals into 27 turnovers. Two Navy goalies, Natalie Blandon and Ellyn Creasey, combined for seven saves.

“We did a lot better today on our draws and really got after it offensively. We did a good job going hard to the goal and were more poised on the offensive end,” said Timchal. “We still need to work on our settled defense, but it will get better with time. It was a good overall performance.”

Amanda Towey continued her strong season with six points (3 g, 3 a), while Elise Chapdelaine scored four points (4 g). Mary Ruttum tallied three points (1 g, 2 a), while grabbing a career-high 12 ground balls. Valerie Cappelaere rounded out the scoring with one goal.

Navy will be in action next weekend in the Annapolis Navy Shootout. The Mids host Villanova and Boston College next Saturday at 1:00 and 5:00 pm, respectively. Navy will then battle Pittsburgh at noon on Sunday. Admission is free next weekend.

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 6:08pm

Navy 4, Colgate 3

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Tennis Edges Colgate

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Nate Nelms (So., St. Mary's Ga.) won a pair of matches at No. 1 singles and doubles to help the Navy tennis team record a 4-3 victory over Colgate, Saturday afternoon at the Severn Valley Tennis & Fitness Club.

The victory in its opening match of the Patriot League season improves Navy's overall record on the year to 7-10, while Colgate fell to 4-9 on the season and 0-2 in league play with the loss.

"Today was a good, solid win to start our league season," said Navy head coach John Officer.

Navy won the doubles point with victories at Nos. 1 and 3 doubles. Nelms and Johnny Waters (So., Papillion, Neb.), who had never been paired together as a doubles team before today, combined to record an 8-5 victory over Chris Innes and Marshall Wheeler at No. 1 doubles.

"Nate and John put together a nice match, especially for forming a new team," said Officer. "They were down a break of serve but came back to win."

The additional Navy doubles triumph came from the team of Alex James (Jr., Visalia, Calif.) and Ramsey Lemaich (Fr., Danville, Calif.), who posted an 8-4 victory over the duo of Michael Shea and John Nogueras.

Nelms then would go on to record the clinching point of the singles matches as he tallied a 6-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory over Innes at No. 1 singles.

"Nate broke serve early in the third set, then held his serve over the remainder of the match while recording another break for the victory," said Officer. "He had lost to Innes last year, so this was a nice victory for Nate."

Also winning a pair of matches on the day for Navy was Lemaich. In addition to his win at No. 3 doubles, he also posted a 7-6, 6-1 win over Michael Yassky at No. 6 singles.

Rounding out the list of Navy victories on the day was Stanley Kahl (Sr., Richland, Pa.), who won a 6-2, 6-1 decision over Tyler Deck at No. 4 singles.

The Mids almost picked up a fifth point on the day from James at No. 5 singles. He held a match point in the third set of his match against Nogueras, but lost the point and went on to drop the match by a score of 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.

Navy will be back in action Sunday when the Mids play host to Bucknell at 12 Noon. Weather permitting, the match will be played outdoors at the Naval Academy.

Navy (7-10, 1-0 Patriot League) def. Colgate (4-9, 0-2 Patriot League), 4-3

Doubles (Navy wins the double point)
1 - Nelms/Waters (N) def. Innes/Wheeler, 8-5
2 - Deck/MacIntyre (C) def. Kahl/Lai, 9-8 (7-3)
3 - James/Lemaich (N) def. Nogueras/Michael Shea, 8-4

Singles
1 - Nate Nelms (N) def. Chris Innes, 6-7 (7-2), 6-2, 6-3
2 - Martin MacIntyre (C) def. Johnny Waters, 6-0, 6-3
3 - Marshall Wheeler (C) def. Adrian Lai, 6-3, 6-4
4 - Stanley Kahl (N) def. Tyler Deck, 6-2, 6-1
5 - John Nogueras (C) def. Alex James, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5
6 - Ramsey Lemaich (N) def. Michael Yassky, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 6:10pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Edged by Yale, 2-1

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy junior right-handed pitcher struck out nine batters and scattered four hits over six innings, but proved to not be enough as Yale clipped the Midshipmen, 2-1, in a Saturday pitcher’s duel at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis. The Mids fell to 16-9 with the loss, while the Bulldogs improved to 6-11 on the year.

“We really couldn’t muster a couple of hits clustered together to push the tying or go-ahead run across today,” said Navy head coach Paul Kostacopoulos. “Once again this year, Mitch was great for us on the mound. Ironically, this was probably his best performance of his career in regards to his command. He really hit his spots.”

Harris was the tough-luck loser for the Mids, despite striking out more batters than innings pitched for the seventh time in as many starts in 2007. The Navy right-hander held the hosts hitless over the first-four innings and issued only one free pass during his 84-pitch outing, 59 of which were strikes. His record dropped to 5-2 on the year.

Yale tallied its first hit of the game with a Ryan Lavarnway solo home run over the left field fence to open the fifth inning.

Navy answered right back in the bottom half of the fifth to tie the game at one. With two outs and runners on first and second, junior center fielder Renaldo Hollins (Virginia Beach, Va.) singled through the left side to plate senior second baseman B.J. Bickel (Benson, N.C.)

The Bulldogs took the lead for good in the seventh, as Lavarnway singled home Marc Sawyer, who led off the inning with a double, to give the guests a 2-1 advantage.

Navy senior reliever James Lee (Asheville, N.C.) did not allow Yale to extend its lead with a strong three innings of work. He did not allow a hit or a walk and faced only one over the minimum with a strikeout. The right-hander needed only 27 pitches to registered the final-nine outs for the Mids.

The Midshipmen would make a rally attempt in both the eighth and ninth innings. Hollins drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a groundout. After Harris walked, Yale reliever Brian Irving induced a groundball to third to get out of the jam.

In the ninth, freshman catcher Steven Soares (Coral Springs, Fla.) was hit by the first pitch and freshman Matthew Curley (Boston, Mass.) came in to pinch-run. Following a sacrifice that allowed Curley to move into scoring position, Irving was able to get a fly out and a groundout to end the ballgame.

Hollins led Navy’s offense at the top of the order, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a RBI on the afternoon. Harris and Soares each produced a hit and reached base safely twice for the Mids, as they out-hit the Bulldogs, 6-4.

“Renaldo did his job as the leadoff hitter,” commented Kostacopoulos. “He has been more consistent as the season has gone on, getting on base and making things happen.”

Brandon Josselyn earned the win for Yale, as he allowed six hits and one run with one walk and five strikeouts in a 7.2-inning outing. He improved to 1-1 on the year.

The Midshipmen and the Bulldogs will play the rubber game of the three-game set tomorrow at 12 noon. Navy won the first game of the series in comeback fashion, plating two runs in the eighth, for a 4-3 win on Friday. Live stats for Sunday’s action will be available via GameTracker on <a href="http://www.navysports.com%5B/url%5D">www.navysports.com</a> (.)

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 6:11pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Heavyweights Retain Maxwell Stevenson Trophy

PRINCETON, N.J. -- Navy's heavyweight varsity boat recorded a victory of nearly five-seconds over Columbia Saturday afternoon on Lake Carnegie in Princeton, N.J., to maintain possession of the Maxwell Stevenson Trophy for the sixth-straight season.

The Mids completed the course in a time of 5:56.7 to finish ahead of the Lions, who were clocked in a time of 6:01.4.

"It was a very, very close start between us and Columbia," said Navy head coach Rick Clothier. "We had about a two-seat advantage by 500 meters, but I think Columbia held a slight lead at 1000 meters. We gave it a little push to take the lead back, then really rowed well over the final 500 meters to win by open water."

Additionally in the varsity race, George Washington placed third with a time of 6:10.9.

Navy boats won three of the remaining four races on the day, with its second varsity boat recording a time close to that of the varsity crew. The junior varsity crew for the Mids posted a time of 6:00.2 to win their race by over 13 seconds.

Also winning on the day were Navy's third varsity boat and second freshman crew. The lone defeat for the Mids on the opening day of the spring racing season was in the first freshman contest.

Navy will return to Lake Carnegie March 31 for a dual race against Princeton.

First Varsity
Navy, 5:56.7; Columbia, 6:01.4; George Washington, 6:10.9
Second Varsity
Navy, 6:00.2; Columbia, 6:13.6; George Washington, 6:18.7
Third Varsity
Navy-A, 7:04.5; Navy-B, 7:08.7; Columbia, 7:12.9
First Freshman
Columbia, 6:06.9; Navy, 6:15.5; George Washington, 6:17.6
Second Freshman
Navy, 6:30.8; George Washington, 7:00.0

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 7:20pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Cruises to Tri-Meet Victory on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy men’s track & field team won 14-of-19 events in defeating American and Maryland in a tri-meet at Ingram Field on Saturday in Annapolis.

The Midshipmen scored 203 points to win the meet by 143 points, as Maryland came in second with 60 points and American tallied 40 points for third place. The two wins improve Navy’s record to 4-0 on the young outdoor season.

For the second-consecutive week, Navy won all of the four throwing events, including three first- and second-place tosses. Junior Darryl Hunter (Des Moines, Iowa) won the shot put with an IC4A-qualifying mark for the second-straight week, registering a toss of 52’3-1/4” (15.93 meters). Classmate Bo Lawson (Fredon, N.J.) won the javelin throw with a 187’5” (57.13 meters) effort one week after qualifying for the NCAA regional championship. Junior Andre Barber (Carrollton, Texas) topped the field in the discus throw with a 147’8” (45.00 meters) showing, while senior Nate Stein (Sandusky, Ohio) led the way in the hammer throw with a 155’3” (47.32 meters) toss.

The Midshipmen also performed well in the jumps and pole vault, winning three of the four events on the day. Junior Ron Belany (Haiku, Hawai’i) won with a 22’7” (6.88 meters) distance in the long jump, a career-best outdoor mark. Junior Kraegen Bramer (Auburn, Calif.) cleared 14’3-1/4” (4.35 meters) in the pole vault, while senior Stephen White (Marietta, Ga.) surpassed the 6’6-1/4” (1.99 meters) bar in the high jump.

Five different Navy runners won an event on the track, while another qualified for the IC4A Championship. Junior John Olsen (Staten Island, N.Y.) crossed the finish line first in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a 9:16.4, followed by junior William Ricks’ (Sussex, Va.) 48.7-second showing in the 400-meter dash and sophomore Andrew Grant’s (Athens, Ga.) first-place time of 14:51.1 in the 5,000-meter run. Junior Craig Meekins (Baldwin, N.Y.) finished second in the 800-meter run with an IC4A-qualifying mark of 1:51.9.

Freshman Matthew Hanley (Rapid City, S.D.) posted a winning time of 14.7 seconds in the 110-meter high hurdles, just missing the IC4A-qualifying mark. Senior Michael Levinson (Willingboro, N.J.) won the 400-meter hurdles with a 57.3-second clocking.

In addition to the individual track titles, Navy also claimed first-place honors in both relay events. The 4x100-meter relay team crossed the finish line in 43.4 seconds and the 4x400-meter relay unit close out the afternoon with a 3:20.9 showing.

The Midshipmen will remain home next Saturday to host Penn, Princeton and Rutgers in a quad-meet at Ingram Field in Annapolis.

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 7:58pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Mids Post a 4-0 Record in Season Opener on Saturday

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Navy women’s track & field team won 16 events to defeat all four visiting schools during its outdoor season-opening meet on Saturday afternoon at Ingram Field in Annapolis.

Navy topped each team by more than 100 points in going 4-0 to start the 2007 outdoor slate. Navy defeated Maryland (299-165), Colgate (320-142), George Mason (334-72) and American (332-30) on Saturday.

“I am quite pleased with how we started the outdoor season today,” stated Navy head coach Carla Criste. “With several ECAC qualifiers, this is one of the best season openers in our program’s history. We are really looking forward to the Service Academy Championship next weekend.”

Navy senior Kirsten Andrews (New Holland, Pa.) enjoyed a spectacular afternoon, winning three events and assisting a first-place relay team. Andrews qualified for the ECAC Championship with a 14.38-second showing in the 100-meter hurdles and an 11’11-3/4” (3.65 meters) clearance in the pole vault. During the pole vault event, she won the long jump with a distance of 18’1/2” (5.50 meters). In addition to her individual exploits, Andrews teamed up with seniors Priscilla Lewis (St. Andrews, Jamaica), Loni Forsythe (Chattanooga, Tenn.) and Danielle Still (Lawnside, N.J.) for a 4x100-meter relay that posted an ECAC-qualifying, first-place time of 47.91 seconds, which ranks as the 11th-fastest time in school history.

Forsythe also had a memorable start to the outdoor campaign, posting the second-fastest time in school history during two events. She began her day with an 11.88-second showing to win the 100-meter hurdles, qualifying her for the ECAc Championship. The time was only 0.14-second off her personal record against Army in 2005 and 0.13-second away from NCAA regional qualification. Less than an hour later, the Navy sprinter placed second in the 200-meter dash with an ECAC mark of 24.70 seconds, tying her for second all-time with Chantelle Nagby in 2000.

Senior distance runner Allison Barlow (Orange Park, Fla.) registered sixth ECAC-qualifying mark on Saturday, winning the 10,000-meter run with a time of 36:47.61. The Midshipmen also won three other distance events, as senior Erin Demchko (Pearl River, N.Y.) crossed the finish line in 4:43.84 during the 1,500-meter run, freshman Jenny Rubin (Papillion, Neb.) registered an 18:08.77 showing in the 5,000-meter event and sophomore Maureen Dooley (Durham, Conn.) posted a 7:24.59 clocking in the 2,000-meter steeplechase.

Navy’s 4x400-meter relay team of juniors Taren Burkett (Virginia Beach, Va.), Lauren Burmeister (Brownsdale, Minn.), Michelle Bostic (Rockwall, Texas) and Jessica Orr (New Holland, Pa.) recorded a first-place time of 4:01.49. Earlier in the day, Bostic won the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 1:03.05.

Two other Midshipmen registered victories in the jumping events on Saturday. Junior Elizabeth Wrona (Fairfax Station, Va.) cleared 5’3” (1.60 meters) in the high jump, while senior Jessica Goetz (Collegeville, Pa.) soared 36’1-1/4” (11.00 meters) in the triple jump.

Navy’s throwers also did their part, winning three of the four events. Still uncorked a throw of 130’5” (39.75 meters) in the javelin to win the event and finished second in the shot put with a toss of 40’10-1/2” (12.46 meters). Sophomore Meg Joyce (West Kingston, R.I.) out-distanced the field in the hammer throw with a 148’5” (45.23 meters) effort, while freshman Ashlee Smith (Seligman, Ariz.) won the discus throw with a mark of 112’3” (34.22 meters) during her first-collegiate outdoor meet.

The Midshipmen will return to action next Saturday when they head to the Service Academy Championship in Lexington, Va.

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 9:45pm

For Immediate Release
Sent Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Justin Kischefsky (410) 293-8772

Navy Women's Crew Team Places Second at Murphy Cup

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Navy women's crew team saw its two varsity eight boats place second in their respective final at the Murphy Cup, held Saturday on a very fast-moving Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.

Saturday marked the first day of racing on the season for the Navy program.

Both Navy crews won their respective heats, but each would find themselves edged by Bucknell boats in the final. The varsity boat placed second to the Bison by 1.7 seconds, while the second varsity boat finished 1.23 seconds in back of Bucknell.

"Both of the varsity eight races were very close from the start of the race until the finish line," said Navy head coach Mike Hughes. "The lead changed hands many times during the race. Bucknell was able to come up with a last push to hold us off in the end.

"It was disappointing to not win, but now we have a better idea of where we stand and what we need to work on. There is more speed to found in our boat and we feel we will find it."

Additionally at the regatta, Navy crews won the varsity four final and placed both first and third in the novice eight final.

With rain falling in Philadelphia, the water level and the speed of the current was changing throughout the day. Instead of a standard, fixed starting line, a floating start was used which, for some races, decreased the length of the course as the boats continually moved downstream until they were all lined up at the same point to begin the race.

Navy will continue its season March 31 when the Mids take part in the Playfair Cup on the Cooper River in Camden, N.J.

First Varsity Eight
Heat -- 6:08.68 -- 1st of 5 boats
Final -- 6:01.09 -- 2nd of 6 boats
Second Varsity Eight
Heat -- 6:19.90 -- 1st of 5 boats
Final -- 6:01.86 -- 2nd of 5 boats
Varsity Four A
Heat -- 6:22.83 -- 3rd of 6 boats
Final -- DNC
Varsity Four B
Heat -- 6:41.40 -- 1st of 6 boats
Final -- 6:46.90 -- 1st of 4 boats
Novice Eight A
Heat -- 6:18.98 -- 1st of 5 boats
Final -- 6:19.39 -- 1st of 4 boats
Novice Eight B
Heat -- 5:45.63 -- 1st of 6 boats
Final -- 6:31.38 -- 3rd of 4 boats

GreatAmerican · March 24, 2007, 9:46pm

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Finishes Second at USAG Collegiate Championship

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Navy junior gymnast Christopher Tam (Draper, Utah) finished second in the all-around to lead the Midshipmen to a second-place performance out of six varsity teams at the USAG Collegiate National Championship on Saturday afternoon at William & Mary’s Kaplan Arena.

The Midshipmen repeated their second-place finish from a season before with a team score of 198.0 points, their second-highest output on the year. Host William & Mary claimed its seventh-consecutive USAG Collegiate Championship title with a team tally of 199.85 points. Air Force came in third place with 191.3 points, followed by Springfield’s 179.75 points, MIT’s 176.85 points and James Madison’s 160.45 points.

The annual collegiate division championship is sponsored by USA Gymnastics, the national governing body of the sport. In addition to the six varsity programs, club teams from Arizona State, Texas and Washington partook in the event.

Tam earned USAG collegiate division All-America status for his 48.85-point performance in the all-around on Saturday and will compete in four disciplines during the individual event finals tomorrow. Tam scored an 8.7 in the floor exercise, an 8.35 on the still rings, an 8.35 on the high bar and a 7.8 on the pommel horse to advance in each of the events. The Navy junior also registered an 8.25-point performance on the parallel bars.

Sophomore Joseph Atzenbeck (Broomfield, Colo.) topped the field of competitors on the pommel horse, qualifying for tomorrow’s action with a season-best 8.5 from the judges. He has scored an 8.25 or higher during each of his last-four performances on the apparatus.

Junior Brandon Cook (Longmont, Colo.) produced a solid afternoon for the Midshipmen, joining Tam as a multiple-event qualifier for the event finals. Cook placed second in the floor exercise with a season-best score of 9.15 and stuck his landing on the vault for an 8.35. Classmate Jon-Michael Chombeau (Beaverton, Ore.) also stuck his landing on the vault, earning an 8.2 from the judges to make it through to Saturday’s competition.

Two Midshipmen that have been working their way back from time missed during the season also advanced to Saturday’s finals. Junior Isaac Olson (Spokane, Wash.) came in second on the high bar with an impressive 9.0 routine, while senior team captain Sean Blackman (Fayetteville, Ga.) posted a season-best 8.9 on the still rings to place third.

Sophomores Adam Stanton (Centennial, Colo.) and James Godfrey (Columbia, S.C.) scored higher than an 8.0 on the parallel bars to earn the right to compete for the event title on Saturday. Stanton finished second with an 8.45-point routine and Godfrey produced a fourth-place performance of 8.3 points.

As a team, the Midshipmen set a season high on the high bar (33.8 points) and posted their second-best score of the year in both the floor exercise (34.25 points) and parallel bars (32.75 points).

The individual event finals are slated for a 2 p.m. start tomorrow in Kaplan Arena.

GreatAmerican · March 25, 2007, 8:20am

For Immediate Release
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Contact: Jonathan Maggart (410) 293-8771

Navy Edged by Yale, 2-1

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Navy junior right-handed pitcher Mitch Harris (Mt. Holly, N.C.) struck out nine batters and scattered four hits over six innings, but proved to not be enough as Yale clipped the Midshipmen, 2-1, in a Saturday pitcher’s duel at Terwilliger Brothers Field at Max Bishop Stadium in Annapolis. The Mids fell to 16-9 with the loss, while the Bulldogs improved to 6-11 on the year.