Fall Weekly Release #1
FOOTBALL
Head Coach: John Snell
FINAL 2003
RECORDS: 10-2 overall
8-1 OAC (second)
NCAA: "Sweet 16"
On September 4 at Allegheny -- The football team opens the 2004 season in Meadville, Pennsylvania on Saturday versus Allegheny (Pa.) College. Both teams advanced to the 2003 NCAA Division III National Playoffs. BW leads the all-time series between the two schools, 2-0, including a 45-26 win a year ago at The George Finnie Stadium in Berea.
LAST YEAR -- The Yellow Jackets had their first 10-win season since 1991, advanced to the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the first time since '91 and won a game for the first time since 1978 and had their 38th straight winning season.
BW was 10-2 overall and finished second in the Ohio Athletic Conference.
The Playoffs -- BW's appearance in the playoffs was its first since 1991. Its win against Hanover (Ind.), 54-32, in the first round was its first since 1978.
Wide Receiver Dave Ehrman Continues Consecutive Streak - Senior wide receiver Dave Ehrman (Strongsville) has caught a pass in all 32 career games. He had a freshman record 32 in 2001 and 83 career grabs for 1,160 yards and 10 TD.
The Yellow Jacket Seasonal Winning Streak - Baldwin Wallace University has a seasonal winning streak of 37 years. The streak is third longest in all of college football as well as NCAA Division III. BW has not had a losing season since 1966.
Final Yellow Jacket Statistics for 2003 -- Dan Larlham completed 143 of 246 passes for 1,906 yards and 23 TD with 10 interceptions. Larlham was also second in rushing with 908 yards in 152 attempts (6.0 average per carry) with 11 TD. Mark Anders topped rushing game with 1,392 yards in 206 attempts with a single-season record 20 TD. Randale Richmond was third with 365 yards in 67 attempts with three TD. Dave Ehrman topped all receivers with 30 catches for 409 yards and five TD. Anders was second with 27 catches for 263 yards and three TD. Senior flanker Gary Kopchak (Brook Park/ Midpark) was third with 23 grabs for 341 yards and two TD. Senior All-American tight end Nate Wilder (Youngstown Cardinal Mooney) and junior WR Dave Peterson (Cuyahoga Falls/ Walsh Jesuit) were tied for fourth with 20 catches each. Wilder had 20 grabs for 294 yards and a team-high six TD. Peterson caught 20 for 274 yards with two TD.
The defense was led by Greg Koch, junior outside linebacker Justin Princehorn (Massillon Washington) and junior inside linebacker Joe George (Massillon Perry), Tom DeLuca and Nate Mitchell.
Koch led the team in tackles with 109 total tackles and 62 solo stops. Princehorn was second with 104 stops, including 58 solo tackles. George ranked third with 102 stops. Mitchell was fifth in tackles with 75, including a team-leading 26 for lost yardage (91 total yards) and a single-season school-record 13 QB sacks (for minus 80 yards). Jeff Fox was fourth in tackles with 88 and first with five interceptions.
2004 OAC Preseason Poll -- BW tabbed to finish third in both the OAC Preseason Coaches Poll and in the Media Poll. OAC Media Day was only July 28 in Columbus.
BW Ranked -- BW was ranked 10th by Lindy's Football Annuals, 17th by Street & Smith's College Football Preview and 23rd by The Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette.
Wilder Tabbed as a Preseason All-American -- Nate Wilder was named by Lindy's, d3football.com, Petersen's and The Football Gazette as a preseason All-American.
MEN'S SOCCER
Head Coach: Reid Ayers
FINAL 2003
RECORDS: 12-7 overall
3-6 OAC (seventh)
NEXT WEEK -- The men's soccer team opens the 2004 season in Portsmouth on Wednesday (September 1) versus Shawnee State. The Yellow Jackets will then travel to Erie, Pennsylvania for the two-day Penn State-Behrend Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. BW will begin the tournament against Hiram College on Saturday. The championship/consolaton matches on Sunday.
Last Year -- The Yellow Jackets finished the 2003 season with a 12-7 overall and 3-6 OAC record. BW fell one win shy of tying the school single-season record for wins with 13 and were the first team in school history to be nationally ranked by the National Soccer Coaches Athletic Association. The team was ranked as high as 17th in Division III and second in the Great Lakes Region.
This Year -- With 12 returning lettermen and seven starters returning, Head Coach Reid Ayers is hoping his team can challenge for an OAC Tournament spot and title. In addition, Ayers has another outstanding recruiting class on campus. Look for junior goalie Nate Christian (North Ridgeville) and senior Ryan Golden (North Olmsted) and sophomore Tom Ehrenfelt (Strongsville) to be the leaders on defense. Sophomore All-OAC mid-fielders Louie Rolko (Hudson) and Alex Williams-Witzky (Marysville) the top returning offensive players.
Christian Returns as One of the Top Goalies in OAC -- Nate Christian returns as one of the top goalies in the OAC. Christian started 18 of the 19 games and allowed just 23 goals in 1,575 minutes of action for a 1.31 goals-allowed-average. He also recorded 71 saves and tied a school single-season record with eight shutouts. For his efforts, Christian was an Academic All-Ohio and CoSIDA Academic All-District IV selection.
2003 FINAL Statisical Leaders -- In 19 games, Adam McMahan led the team in scoring with 16 points. He had a team-high seven goals and two assists and tied for third in total shots with 32. David Mustar was second in scoring wth 15 points on four goals and a team-leading seven assists. Mustar was also first in shots taken with 45 and second in shots on-goal with 18. Rolko was third in scoring with 13 points on five goals and three assists and tied McMahan for third in shots with 32. Geoff Andrews was fourth in scoring with 12 points on five goals and two assists and was second in total shots with 44 and first in shots on-goal with 23. In goal, Christian started and played in 18 games (1575 of 1710 team minutes). He allowed 23 goals for 1.31 goals per game with 71 saves.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Head Coach: Reid Ayers
FINAL 2003
RECORDS: 7-10-2 overall
3-5-1 OAC (sixth)
NEXT WEEK -- The women's soccer team opens the 2004 season in Portsmouth on Wednesday versus Shawnee State University at 3:00 p.m. The Yellow Jackets will then travel to Erie, Pa. for the two-day Penn State-Behrend Tournament on Saturday and Sunday. BW will begin the tournament against Hiram College on Saturday. The championship/consolaton matches on Sunday.
Last Year -- The Yellow Jackets finished with a 7-10-2 overall and 3-5-1 OAC record. Highlighting the season were seven shutouts and advancing to the championship match of the Penn State-Behrend Tournament.
This Year -- Third-year Head Coach Reid Ayers returns 10 lettermen and seven starters and hopes are high that BW will battle for an OAC Tournament berth.
Returning to lead the offense are junior All-OAC forward Jenny Miller (North Ridgeville), sophomores Emily Roll (Dover) and Ashley Belardo (North Royalton) and junior Katie Demby (Westlake). On defense, sophomores Ann Burnsworth (Perrysburg/ Rossford) and Melissa Herd (Stow) are back. The key will be finding a goalie.
2003 Final Statistical Leaders -- In 19 games, Jenny Miller led the team with 15 points and topped the team in goals scored with seven and in both shots taken with 48 and shots on-goal with 29. Lindsey Shilling was second with 14 points on six goals and two assists. She was tied for fourth in shots taken with 26. Ashley Belardo had the most assists with four and was fourth in scoring with eight points. Emily Roll was third in scoring with 11 points and second in shots with 32. Lauren Clark was fifth with seven points. In goal, Amanda Avram played in all 19 games, allowed 24 goals in 1,577 minutes for 1.27 goals allowed per game. She also made 117 saves. Backing up Avram was current sophomore Emily Leonard (Stow). Leonard played in four games, totalling 188 minutes and gave up four goals. She had 12 saves.
Three Women's Soccer Players Earn All-OAC Honors in 2003 -- Graduated senior Amanda Avram, Jenny Miller and graduated defender Lisa Przepyszny were all named as All-OAC players in 2003. Avram was tabbed to the first-team for the third straight time, Miller was a second-team pick and Przepyszny was an honorable mention choice. Przepyszny also earned second-team accolades a year ago.
VOLLEYBALL
Head Coach: Vicki Brault
FINAL 2003
RECORDS: 18-16 overall
8-1 OAC (T-First)
OAC Tourney: Semifinalists
On September 3-4 at Kalamazoo -- The BW volleyball team opens the 2004 season in Kalamazoo (Mich.) for the two-day Hornet Invitational on Friday, Sept. 3 - Saturday, Sept. 4. The Yellow Jackets will begin the tournament against Millikin (Ill.) and then play Adrian (Mich.).
Last Year -- The Yellow Jackets finished the 2003 season 18-16 overall and 8-1 in the OAC to tie for the OAC regular season title. BW also played 17 nationally-ranked teams a year ago and was both regionally and nationally-ranked during its season.
This Year -- Veteran Head Coach Vicki Brault's main objective will be replacing four outstanding senior standouts who were lost to graduation. BW will look to senior All-OAC middle hitter Laura Leach (Norwalk) and defensive specialist Kari Kuhn (Amherst/ Marion Steele) to lead the squad. Other top players returning include sophomore libero Kim Stoll (Norwalk/ St. Paul), sophomore setter Kristin Habegger (Oregon Clay) and junior outside hitter Emily Albanese (Mentor). Stoll set the single-season school record for digs in a season with 754 last year.
BW Ties for OAC Regular Season Title in 2003 -- The Yellow Jackets tied for the OAC regular season title for the second time in three years. BW also won an OAC Tournament title four years ago (2000-2001).
2003 Rankings -- BW was ranked as high as 21st in the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) national poll last year. The Yellow Jackets ended the season 29th.
Yellow Jacket Picked Third in 2004 Ohio Athletic Conference Preseason Poll -- The Yellow Jackets have been selected to finish third in the 2004 Ohio Athletic Conference preseason poll.
2003 FINAL Stat Leaders -- In 34 matches, graduated senior Cassie Palmer topped the Yellow Jackets with a single-season school-record 636 kills and had a .292 attack percentage. She also led the team in total blocks with 139 (54 solo and 85 assisted) and service aces with 50. Graduated senior Emily Bowen was second in kills with 447, second in digs with 505and second in blocks with 80. Laura Leach, who was lost for the season with an injury at the Wittenberg Tournament two-thirds of the way into the year, was third in kills with 234, third in blocks with 62 and third with 26 servce aces. Angie Elser was first in set assists with 920 (7.24 per game) and fourth in digs with 327. Kim Stoll had a team-leading and school single-season record 754 digs. Kari Kuhn was second with 37 service aces and third with 421 digs.
MEN'S GOLF
Head Coach: Chris Kibler
2003 OAC
TOURNAMENT: second of nine teams
On Septenber 3-4 at Olivet -- The BW men's golf team begins the fall campaign in Olivet, Michigan on September 3-4 for the two-day Olivet Invitational.
Last Year -- The Yellow Jacket men had another outstanding season in 2003-2004, culminating with its second straight second place finish at the OAC Tournament.
This Year -- Second-year Head Coach Chris Kibler returns most of his spring roster plus two key first-year players. Senior Mark Speaks (Apple Creek/ Waynedale) and junior Bobby Santerre (Cincinnati/ LaSalle) both return as All-OAC players.
2004 Spring Season -- The Yellow Jackets ended a strong season in 2004 by finishng in the Top-10 in five of six tournaments, including winning the John Carroll Tournament. BW also posted a second place finish at the 2004 OAC Tornament. Bobby Santerre finished fifth individually at the OAC tourney with a two-day total of 155 strokes (rounds of 82 and 73). Current sophomore Ryan Petretti (Strongsville/ Cleveland St. Ignatius) had the low stroke average at 78.13 strokes per 18 holes.
2003 Fall Season -- BW finished in the Top-Five in three of five tournaments. Steve Weir led the team in stroke average at 75.20 strokes.
Final 2003 Fall Leaders -- In five tournaments and 10 rounds of 18 holes, Steve Weir topped the team and set a Yellow Jacket single-season stroke average record at 75.20. The mark broke the record of 75.23 which was set by Kory Oslie '03 in the spring of 2001. Following Weir in stroke average were current junior Joe Tornabene (Canton/ Jackson) at 76.83, Bobby Santerre at 78.6 and current junior Gary Petit at 79.3. Ryan Petretti and Luke Sondej tied for fifth at 80.33.
Final Spring Leaders - Petretti topped the team in the spring at 78.12 strokes for six total tournaments and 11.5 rounds. Santerre was second at 78.43, Sondej third at 79.83, Tornabene fourth at 80.0, Petit fifth at 80.52 and current junior Steve Porter (Massillon Perry) at 80.66.
All-OAC -- By virtue of his fifth place individual finish at the OAC Tournament, Bobby Santerre earned All-OAC accolades.
CROSS COUNTRY
Head Coach: Dr. William Taraschke
2003 OAC CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Men: Sixth
Women: Fourth
On September 4 at the CWRU Invitational -- On September 4, the men's and women's cross country teams open the 2004 season at the Case Western Reserve Invitational .
TWO YEARS AGO -- The Yellow Jackets have not competed in the Case Western Reserve Invitational since the 2002 season. The men finished fourth of 14 teams and women were first of 14 teams.
2004 PREVIEW -- Both the women’s and men’s cross country teams will look to contend for an OAC title in 2004. The women are coming off a year in which they finished fourth in the OAC and fifth at the NCAA Regional Cross Country Championships. The men will look to improve upon last year’s sixth place finish at the OAC meet and 15th at the regional meet.
For the women, this will be the first year that the team does not return a runner who earned All-OAC honors the year before. However, the women’s team returns a solid and experienced core group of runners, lead by senior Lisa Bartkiewicz (Berea), who finished 13th at last year’s OAC Championship Meet. Also look for senior Jaime Luketic (Rootstown) to be another top returning veteran.
The men’s team is young, but experienced. The squad will be anchored by sophomore Chris Buhoveckey (Brunswick/ Parma Padua), who was the team’s number one runner last season and finished 19th at last year’s OAC Championship Meet and 34th at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional meet. Also look for senior Brian Dotson (Painesville/ Harvey) to add veteran leadership.
Women Win Three and Men One -- The women won three meet titles last fall: the Division III title at the BGSU Mel Brodt Invitational, at Ohio University and at the University of Rochester. The Yellow Jacket men won a meet title when they tied for first at BGSU.
Barkiewicz and Buchovecky named All-Region in 2003 -- Senior Lisa Bartkiewicz and sophomore Chris Buhoveckey return will no doubt be the anchors for the Yellow Jacket men's and women's cross country teams and were awarded last season for their peformances at the 2003 Great Lakes Regional Meet. Both student-athletes finished in the Top-35 individually to earn All-Great Lakes Region honors.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Head Coach: Jim Meyer
2003 OAC
TOURNAMENT: Third of eight teams
On September 11-12 at Anderson (Ind.) -- The women's golf team is idle until it opens its season on September 11-12 at the Anderson (Ind.) Invitational Tournament at the Killbuck Golf Course.
Golf Has a Split Season -- The collegiate golf season is a split season. The women will play in four fall events and six spring events in 2004-2005. The season culminates at the 2005 OAC Championship Tournament in late April. Twice (see more later in the Weekly Release) the season has been extended as BW received NCAA Division III National Tournament invitations.
This Year --Four veteran players from a year ago return, including All-OAC players in juniors Lauren Buckner (Westlake) and Emily Scheetz (Canton/ Perry) and sophomore Sarah Hacker (New Albany, Ind./ Our Lady of Providence). This fall, Emily Scheetz will play in the first tournament but then will miss the remainder of the season as she will study overseas.
Last Spring -- The Yellow Jackets ended one of the best seasons in school history for women's golf in 2004. BW posted five Top-Five finishes in six tournaments played, including two first-place finishes (at the Mount Union Invitational and the Yellow Jacket Invitational). Of the players returning this fall, Sarah Hacker had the low stroke average at 94.20 with a low round of 87.
Last Fall -- BW finished in the top five in six of seven tournaments, including three tournament wins. Sophomore Sarah Hacker had the top average of the players returning this fall. Her stroke average of 89.0 included a low round of 85.
2003 Final Fall Women's Stroke Averages -- In seven tournaments and 10 rounds of 18 holes, Tara Wetherelt topped the team in stroke average at 85.10. Sarah Hacker was second at 89.0, Kylee Ehinger was third at 92.4, junior All-OAC player Emily Scheetz (Massillon/ Perry) was fourth at 93.63 and sophomore Kelly Gallaway (Ashland Senior) was fifth at 93.88
The Yellow Jackets Have Had National Success -- In the last four years, the Yellow Jacket women have captured 11 invitational tournament championship titles, including two Ohio Athletic Conference crowns and placed in the Top 10 at the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Division III National Championship tournaments.
BW Has Also Had OAC Tourney Success -- Since the inception of the OAC Tournament in 2000, BW has finished first twice (2000 and 2001), second twice and third once.