With warm weather approaching, the end to an overall strong winter season for Stevenson University’s winter sports teams draws near.
Stevenson’s men’s ice hockey team finished their first season along with both men and women’s basketball, swimming, and indoor track and field made great strides this winter season.
Men’s ice hockey finished its inaugural season 10-14-2 (3-9-1 in the ECAC West conference). The team finished the season with an ECAC West Quarterfinals loss to Hobart College. The young Stevenson team was led by junior Mike Davis, who scored 11 goals on the season.
The women’s ice hockey team finished 14-10-1 overall and 7-4-1 in the Colonial Hockey Conference (CHC). The Mustangs beat Johnson and Wales 2-1 in the tournament’s quarterfinals and will face Endicott College on March 4 in the CHC finals. Junior Chelsea Blackburn was named the Colonial Hockey Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, and she also received All-Conference First Team honors along with juniors Monica Pozuc and Natalie Rosendahl who were named to the All-Conference Second Team.
Men’s basketball finished with a record of 4-21 (2-14 in the MAC conference). Although the team did not have a winning season, they will lose only two seniors and look to come back as a stronger unit next season. Mustang freshman Cameron Hayes was named the 2017 MAC Commonwealth Men’s Basketball Rookie of the Year.
Postseason play is becoming a regular thing for the women’s basketball team as they advance to their fourth-straight appearance after being selected for the 2017 ECAC Division III women’s basketball tournament. The team finished 17-9 (12-4 in the MAC conference) on the year, ending their regular season with a loss in the MAC Commonwealth semifinals to Messiah College. In the loss, senior Sara Talbert set an NCAA Division III record with 27 straight double-doubles with 21 points and 15 rebounds.
For fans of aquatics, men’s swimming finished 11th overall at the MAC swimming championship, held at Graham Aquatic Center. Junior Zachery Cather set a school record for the 200-yard butterfly at the championship meet, with an official time of 1:58.81. The Mustangs also set a new school record in the 400 freestyle relay, by freshman Jaq De Leon, Cather, and freshmen Stephan Kratzner and Matthew Miloszar with a time of 3:23.90. The team has no seniors and hope to come back stronger next season.
Women’s swimming placed fourth overall at the 2017 MAC swimming championships. The Mustangs finished the championship meet with a school-record nine medals (two gold, five silver, two bronze). Head coach John Stuhltrager was also named the 2017 MAC Coach of the Year.
Men’s indoor track and field finished fourth overall at the MAC indoor championships, hosted at Lehigh University. Senior sprinter Devonte Williams was also named MAC Track Athlete of the Year at the meet. The Mustangs are set to compete next at the ECAC Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships, March 3-4.
Women’s indoor track and field freshman Danika Ani was named the 2017 MAC Rookie of the Year at the MAC indoor championships. The track and field team finished fourth overall in the MAC, the best finish in school history. The team will compete next at the ECAC indoor track and field championships, hosted by Ithaca College, March 3-4.