Category: Sports

By Graham Lucas
Transcript Correspondent

After coming off a spring break tour in Maryland where they lost three straight games, men’s lacrosse has rebounded with a four game winning streak, remaining undefeated in the NCAC.

During their spring break tour, two of the three losses came from nationally ranked Salisbury University and Washington College. The team was 4-1 before the losses tarnished their record.

The Battling Bishops are 3-0 in North Coast Athletic Conference matchups with four conference contests left on their schedule. The team’s main rival, Denison University, is also 3-0 and ranked 13th nationally for Division III lacrosse.

Junior Casey Helms leads the NCAC in points. He said the team will have to “play to the best of (its) ability” to win the last four conference games, which are crucial to getting to the postseason.

“In order to win our last four NCAC games, we are going to have to play to the best of our ability,” he said. “As of right now, we are 3-0 in conference and have tough games ahead of us. Every team wants to knock off the undefeated team, so all of our opponents will, without a doubt, show up to play.”

“When we play to our capability and everyone is on the same page, we can run with any team in the country. We are a dangerous team that makes smart decisions and plays tough. As long as we do this, we will be successful.”

The Bishops have played a total of 12 games, accumulating 163 goals and 99 assists, both best in the conference. Sophomore attacker John Umbach has scored 13 goals in the team’s last four wins despite having only five goals in the first eight games. Umbach said his job gets easier when the offense runs smoothly

“In general, we want to create scoring opportunities by dodging the defense and moving the ball,” he said. “The offense has been doing a great job creating opportunities and stretching the defense out which allows me to get open inside. We do whatever it takes to score.”

The Bishops will have extra support in their last four conference games with the return of sophomore attacker Tommy Minkler who tore his ACL, MCL and part of his meniscus during fall practice. As a freshman last season, Minkler tallied 24 goals and 22 assist in 16 starts. Minkler said he is willing to do anything to help his team win.

“It definitely feels good to be able to help out the team on the field again” he said. “It will take me a little while to get back to one hundred percent, so right now my role is to push the starters to get better. These next four games are crucial for us, and at this point I just want to do whatever I can to help us win the NCAC championship and make a run in the NCAA tournament.”

As the Bishops close in on their last four potentially conference-winning games, Helms said the team’s only goal is to win a national championship.

“We have a great group of guys, all of which bring something to the table,” he said. “We all have roles on the team that we are aware of and this is what makes us so close on and off of the field. Everybody holds themselves accountable day-in-and-day-out because we all play for each other.”

By Hugh Kerins
Transcript Correspondent

During this past week the Battling Bishops baseball team held strong at home, pulling out two victories in non-conference play.

On April 3, the Bishops hosted non-conference opponent Otterbein College.

Otterbein came into the game with a 16-4 record, but that did not faze the Bishops.

While Ohio Wesleyan had only played 11 games, the team still knew it had the tools to win.

“We knew coming into this game it wasn’t going to be easy, especially seeing who all Otterbein had beaten so far this season,” senior Greg Hock said. “But when it came time to play we knew we had the right materials to give them a run for their money.”

Otterbein jumped out to an early 3-0 lead that carried all the way through the eighth inning, but that’s when the Bishops came alive.

In the eighth inning the Bishops tied the game when by junior Sean Vollenweider stole home. Senior first baseman James Toland then broke the tie with a two-run double and lifted Ohio Wesleyan over Otterbein for good.

“Our team was able to come back by not giving up,” Toland said.

“We came together as a team stayed focused, and we played the game as it should be played. We got people on base and got them in.”

“It was a great battle and a great cross town rival win, and I am very excited what is in the future for this team as conference play starts up this weekend.”

Freshman right-hander Daniel Kasian came in as closer and retired the Cardinals in order in the top of the ninth to collect his first collegiate save, ending the game with a final score of 5-3.

With momentum on their side, the Bishops hosted Ohio Northern at Littick Field the following day, April 4, at to continue non-conference play before starting their conference schedule.

“I believe that we are beginning to learn what it takes to win ballgames,” senior Ben Steele said.
“We are a young team, so we are learning from our mistakes while playing hard.”

Unlike their last game, the Bishops didn’t wait until the end to make a dramatic finish—instead they came out of the gates running.

They scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back, increasing their lead up to 10-3 by the end of the fifth inning.

Vollenweider continued doing well, going 3-5 from the plate and driving in three runs to help the Bishops to back-to-back victories.

Other contributors to the 14-5 victory were senior Zach Bott, who went 2-4 from the plate with a double and one run batted in, and freshman Taylor Hutchinson, who collected three hits and had a double and a triple during his at-bats.

By Hugh Kerins
Transcript Correspondent

The Bishops baseball team has gotten off to a decent start this season with a 6-5 record overall, but they look to improve quickly.

The team was supposed to have three preseason games before traveling to Port Charlotte, Fla., but the weather did not permit it. While in Port Charlotte, the Bishops posted a 4-3 record, with one win each over Baldwin-Wallace and Wheaton and two wins against Mount St. Joseph in a double-header. But the team suffered losses at the hands of Marietta, Montclair State and Mount St. Joseph, who avenged their earlier losses.

After coming back to Ohio, the team had to cancel or postpone five different games.
Senior shortstop, Zach Bott, said the team tries to stay positive when their games are cancelled, but it is difficult.

“It gets frustrating,” Bott said. “We put in all this work over the course of the week, and then comes game day and we can’t play because of the weather.”

But in the four games that the Bishops have been able to play, they have gone 2-2 at home. Sophomore pitcher Paul Priddy said the team is still learning and growing.

“We are getting our legs under us,” Priddy said. “We have had a decent start. As a young team we have a lot of potential and I think are really going to do great things as the year progresses.”

On March 29 the Battling Bishops hosted Case-Western Reserve for a double-header at Littick Field. During the first game, junior outfielder Sean Vollenweider drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth; senior first baseman Ben Steele had already hit a two-run home run to give the Bishops the lead. OWU won the first game 6 to 5.

The second game of the non-conference double header was a different story for the Bishops. Even with Steele crushing a three-run homer and Vollenweider collecting three hits, the Bishops failed to match Case Western’s outstanding fourth inning, in which they scored eight runs.

Case Western’s 10-5 win left a split day, with one win for each team.

“They were a really good team,” Steele said. “Their pitchers were phenomenal. And at the end of the day we got the best of them one game and they got us the next time.”

The Battling Bishops will be back in action on Wednesday, April 3, against Otterbein at Littick Field at 4 p.m.

By Graham Lucas
Transcript Correspondent

Ohio Wesleyan men’s tennis has accumulated a 4-9 record, but still stands second in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) East division with two more conference divisional matches left in the season.

The Battling Bishops are 1-1 in NCAC East matches. The team has divisional matches against Allegheny on April 9 and Kenyon on April 21.

The Battling Bishops were predicted to finish eighth in the conference in the NCAC coaches’ preseason poll. Seven of eight NCAC men’s tennis teams have a better total record than the Battling Bishops. Senior Matt Swaim said the team’s road to the NCAC tournament is just beginning.

“The first step was beating Wooster on Wednesday,” Swaim said. “Now we need to look to get as high of a seeding in the NCAC tournament as possible by winning a few games in the next couple weeks and then putting together our best tennis at Oberlin in the tournament.”

The team lost four out of their five scheduled matches over spring break in Hilton Head, S.C. All of those losses also came from non-conference opponents.

Senior William Thieman said tennis is a rigorous sport.

“Tennis is difficult in many ways,” Thieman said. “First, you never take a break. There isn’t a halftime or stoppage points, so it can be a very demanding sport. Second, it can be difficult because you are all alone on the court, and you have to figure out what to change if you’re losing, and what to do differently to get back on track.”

Junior Richie Karban is currently the NCAC men’s tennis Player of the Week. Karban earned the distinction following a number-three singles victory at Cedarville University, along with wins in number-two singles and doubles, and number-one doubles team against Wooster last week.

Sophomore Conor Breen, together with Thieman, has won two matches in number-three doubles. Thieman said good chemistry is vital between doubles partners.

“Just like in any sport, you have to know where your teammate is going to be in a certain situation or if he’s going to take a certain shot,” Thieman said. “Also, if the chemistry is there, you’re going to play that much harder for you partner.”

The Battling Bishops face off against Allegheny on Saturday in an NCAC East competition that will determine divisional rankings and post-season implications.

By Heather Kuch and Jacob Beach
Sports Editor and Transcript Reporter

Last week the Ohio Wesleyan softball team was finally able to get back out on the diamond after having four games postponed due to inclement weather.

The team began their season over spring break in Florida, where they posted a 7-3 record against non-conference competition. However, after they returned, Ohio weather kept them from getting onto the field.

On Wednesday, March 27, the team was able to compete in a double-header against Muskingum University. The Bishops were defeated in both games by the Muskies 4-5 and 0-12.

Junior Danielle Haley said the team still had a few things to work on heading into the Muskingum game.

“Being as it is one of the early matches in the season, there are always kinks to get worked out in team dynamics, including freshmen learning the system and getting everyone working as a gelled unit,” she said.

Senior Morgan Hall, who recorded two hits in the games against Muskingum, said the Bishops worked hard during their preseason play in Florida to prepare for their regular season competition.

“From Florida to now, I’d say that our intensity and adjustments during the games have definitely improved,” she said. “You can learn how new teammates play and how people play when they are out of position or trying a new position in practice, but it shines through in games.”

The Bishops were able to recover from their losses and defeat North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Wittenberg, 5-0 and 5-3, in a double-header contest on Saturday. These wins made the Bishops 2-0 in the conference. Senior Erika Reese, who struck out six Tiger batters in the second game against Wittenberg, said the work the Bishops put in over spring break is what helped them to be successful.

“Our preseason training really helped us with our endurance,” she said. “Playing back-to-back games every time can be exhausting, but we’re always able to maintain our level of play thanks to our training.”

Hall agreed with Reese and said while the team was in Florida, they created a specific attitude to play by that they plan to stick with for the rest of the season.

“In Florida, we talked a lot about playing ‘OWU Softball,’ what it means to us and how upbeat and intense we continue to play,” Hall said. “That is exactly what showed Saturday against Wittenberg.”

Haley, who pitched a five-hit shutout in the first game against the Tigers, said the main reason for their victory over the Tigers was their ability to score in the early innings of the match.

“It makes a statement and sets a tone for the entire game,” she said. “We just came prepared to win.”

Freshman Lilly Gresh said the team’s training in the fall and their unity as a team is what led to their success.

“I think our preseason training helped us to be successful in both games against Wittenberg because we focused intensely on our fundamentals so that when it came to actually playing in games, we had the utmost confidence in each other,” she said. “We plan on learning from those games of what we executed and could work on. Since we are a very close team, we help each other out a lot and are always learning from everyone to become better as a whole. We plan on continuing our success throughout the whole season.”

Reese agreed with Gresh and said the team has big plans for their conference season.
“We hope to continue playing to the best of our abilities at all games especially in the NCAC,” she said. “Our conference is tough and any team can best another team so we stay focused on the next game and break down each game into the next out and next pitch, taking care of the small things so the big ones take care of themselves.”
Hall said the beginning of their season shows where they are headed, and she expects a lot from this year’s team.

“For us, this season has started out differently,” she said. “I have watched a lot of these girls put in so much extra work to better themselves and it’s awesome to see. We have such high hopes as a team and I am excited to see where this season takes us.”

By Graham Lucas
Transcript Correspondent

For most students, spring break was an opportunity to see relatives or live out an absurd MTV born fantasy in Cabo, but OWU softball spent their break accumulating a 7-3 record and a third place ranking in the NCAC.

Softball’s season began in both Fort Meyers and Cape Coral, FL where they played their first ten games. The 7-3 start is their best since 2011. Senior Amanda Barker said their trip to Florida “boosted the team’s confidence and helped realize what they are capable of.”

Barker, along with junior Danielle Haley, were large contributors to the team’s success in Florida. Barker, a pitcher, is currently 5-0 with a 1.05 earned run average, while Haley has a 1.20 ERA giving the Lady Bishops the lowest ERA in the conference. Barker’s efforts in Florida earned her NCAC pitcher of the week. Haley said she and Barker work in conjunction, not in competition.

“Amanda (Barker) and I feed off of each other’s confidence and work very well together,” Haley said. “If I’m doing something wrong she is the one to help me with my pitching and I do the same for her. Most people compete to play over each other but we encourage each other and want the one another to be successful.”

Senior Brooke Nethers is batting a team best .469 with 15 hits on 32 plate appearances. Nethers’ batting average has also earned her fourth place in the statistic in the NCAC. Nethers said she owes her achievements to her teammates.

“My batting average is where it is because of the hard work my teammates and I have put in during the indoor portion of our season,” Nethers said. “Our offensive practices are very focused and intense, and without these and the help of my teammates my batting average would not be as high as it is now.”

A young contributor to softball’s start is freshman Sarah Flint. Flint, a Westerville, OH native, has accumulated a team-high 11 runs batted in. She said her RBI’s can be attributed to her place in battling line-up and her teammates.

“I believe my spot in the batting line-up definitely improves my chances for RBI’s,” Flint said. “Because of my teammates’ success at the plate they are almost always on base when I come up to bat. They have worked hard to get on, so I want that hard work to pay off.”

The team went 14-22 in last year’s campaign, “a tough season” that they are looking to grow from, said Haley. They were also bounced by Allegheny in the first round of the NCAC tournament. Nethers said in order for them to be more successful than last year, the seniors need to lead.

“Senior leadership is the kind of thing that sets the stage for the whole team’s attitude towards every aspect of the game,” Nethers said. “This year our senior class is full of a bunch of diverse individuals who all bring something great to the team. I think that this is a major reason as to why we are successful thus far and will continue to be in the future.”

The Lady Bishops have yet to play a game since spring break due to lingering winter weather. They begin conference play at Wittenberg Saturday, March 30. Nethers said with the team hitting on all cylinders, anything is possible.

“Our potential this season is limitless,” Nethers said. “Our hitting is only going to get better as we see more and more live pitching. All of our pitchers are phenomenal and only continue to grow. We hope to end up playing in the national tournament and if things continue going the way they are, that is completely possible.”

By Marilyn Baer
Transcript Reporter

Freshman swimmer Jessica Ward received 13th place and honorable mention All-America status last weekend at the NCAA swimming and diving national championship in Shenandoah, Texas.

This is the first time since 1994 that a Bishops women’s swimmer has earned multiple All-America honors at a single championship meet.

Ward competed in the 100-yard backstroke, the 200-yard backstroke and the 200-yard individual medley.

“I was super nervous for each event, especially the 100 back because that is my event,” Ward said.

Her nerves were relieved by her fellow teammates, however.

“The whole time I was at nationals all my teammates were texting me and wishing me good luck and they were cheering for me,” Ward said. “Knowing that they were there supporting me the whole time helped take away a lot of the nerves because I didn’t feel like I was doing this alone.”

In the 100 backstroke preliminary, Ward beat her previous school record with a time of :55.58 and advanced to the finals where she won fifth place and All-American status, with a time of :55.87.

Ward placed fifth in the 200-backstroke consolation final finishing in 2:02.80, which was within :00.5 of her best time.

In the 200 Individual Medleys her time of 2:09.00 eclipsed the school record of 2:10.93 set in 1992 which she said is a “personal best.”

However her time in the Individual Medleys did not qualify her for the event finals.

Head coach Richard Hawes believes Ward’s performance at the meet was “excellent.”

“As a freshman, she showed great poise, staying composed and performing at her very best at such a highly competitive event,” Hawes said. “I am very proud of her.”

Ward has been swimming since she was eight years old and said she has a vigorous training schedule.

“Over the year I practiced Monday through Thursday in the morning and then every day during our normal practice,” Ward said. “The morning practices were only 2,000-3,000 yards while our regular practices are normally double that.”

Ward said 20 minutes before each race she warms up and then waits. While waiting she mentally prepares by listening to music.

“I like to listen to the song One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks) by One Direction,” Ward said. “When I swim backstroke I have a certain rhythm and this song has the same rhythm, so it helps me get the right tempo.”

Ward said she left the NCAA Championship meet with no regrets.

“I had two goals going into the season, one, go a :55 in my 100 back and two, go to nationals,” Ward said. “I met both my goals, so I would not have done anything differently.”

Ward said that this season’s victories couldn’t have been achieved alone.

“I do want to add though that a huge part of how this season went is due to the fact that Richard Hawes is an amazing coach and that I have such a great team,” Ward said.

She attributes hard work, positivity and confidence to her early successes as swimmer.

“I believe in myself,” Ward said. “I try and avoid negative thoughts and I try to not think things like I’m not fast enough etc. because I am fast enough and it’s those kinds of negative thoughts that keep people from reaching their goals. You just have to be confident in yourself. Being confident is not being cocky or stuck up its knowing who you are and what you’re capable of. I know who I am, I know what I’m capable of and I know I have to work hard to reach my full potential.”

By Heather Kuch
Sports Editor

Although the Ohio Wesleyan men’s basketball season ended two weeks ago, senior point guard Andy Winters continues to receive honors for his play this season.

Winters was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-America first team, was named Great Lakes District Player of the Year and was a first-team All-Great Lakes District selection by the NABC.

Additionally, he was a first-team All-Great Lakes Region selection, a Great Lakes Region Player of the Year, a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) first-team selection, and was named NCAC Player of the Year.

Winters said he felt honored to receive these awards and said his teammates and coaching staff played a key role in his achievements.

“I know the amount of talent in the Great Lakes Region and I can’t thank Coach DeWitt enough because he made it possible for me to prove myself,” he said. “Going into the games I had so much confidence in my team that I knew if I just went out and played as hard as I could each game, good things would happen not only for me, but for our team.”

Senior Greg White, a member of the men’s basketball team, said he was proud of his teammate’s achievements this season.

“Andy receiving these awards really shows how far this program has come,” he said. “He is the epitome of what an OWU basketball player is. I couldn’t be more proud to have had the opportunity to play alongside him and share in his accomplishments.”

As a point guard, Winters led the NCAC and ranks fifth in the nation in assists with an average of 7.0 per game, and his assist/turnover ratio of 2.62/1 led the NCAC and ranked him 14th nationally.

Winters’s average of 14.1 points per game ranks him ninth in the conference in scoring. The NCAC also ranked him third in steals (1.6/game), 12th in field goal percentage (.473) and 13th in free throw percentage (.731).
Winters said he felt “humbled and privileged” when he received the conference awards for his performance this season.

“The NCAC is a great league and I’m happy I could represent Ohio Wesleyan,” he said. “My great coaching staff and teammates contributed to me winning this award. I feel satisfied because of the hard work I put in over the past four years.”

Senior Marshall Morris, a member of the men’s basketball team, said it was “hard work” over the past four years that has made Winters into the basketball player he is today.

“I started playing with Andy as a freshman,” he said. “I remember the first game that we both started our freshman year…that was the first indication that he was there to work hard and get better…(U)ltimately, he was awarded for that hard work over the course of four years.”

Winters’s most recent award was his selection to play in the Reese’s Division III All-Star game, which took place on March 23 at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va., prior to the NCAA Division III semifinal contests. Two senior athletes were selected from each of the eight regions in Division III by a panel of coaches in the NABC, and two additional senior athletes were selected by online voting from D3Hoops.com.

Winters’s participation in the All-Star game marks the second straight season in which OWU has been represented in the contest; Tim Brady ’12 played for the West team last year. Winters also played for the West squad under the leadership of Albion coach Mike Turner.

Head men’s basketball coach Mike DeWitt said the effort Winters put in during his career is what led to his accomplishments this season.

“I am extremely happy for and proud of Andy for all of the post-season awards and honors he is receiving,” DeWitt said. “It is especially gratifying knowing how hard he has worked during his time here at Ohio Wesleyan, and he is certainly deserving of the recognition he is getting.”

The Bishops finished the season with a 23-6 record, ranked second in the conference with an 11-5 record and claimed the NCAC tournament title. The team also advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament.

Morris said the team’s accomplishments this season reflect the work ethic of the senior class.

“I think it’s a true testament of how committed our group of seniors have been,” he said. “It’s rare to retain all of the seniors you start with…it was a true team effort for what we accomplished.”

White agreed with Morris and said the seniors wanted to leave behind a legacy.

“I think the past four years, we have all worked really hard to bring OWU back to a nationally ranked program,” he said. “We took pride and set the foundation for years to come.”

Winters said it is not only the work that the seniors put in on the court that led to a successful season, but rather the bonds that they formed with the entire team.

“My most memorable moment was the countless times our team spent together off the court and the friendships we will have forever,” he said. “I want to tell the returning players that hard work will pay off if you put everything you can into it.”