Versatility gave Meyer second shot

By Ben Jervis / May 23, 2008

If you've got the right combination of talent and determination, bad luck is the only thing that can get in your way. When fate hoped to disrupt fourth-year designated hitter Dominik Meyer's plans for success, fate learned a painful lesson.

Hitting gives baseball much needed win

By Ben Jervis / May 9, 2008

[img id=”80592″ align=”alignleft”] With chances for a .500 season long gone, baseball’s top priority of late has been finding a way to supplement solid hitting with crisper fieldwork and more consistent pitching. After going 1–3 over the weekend across a pair of rough doubleheaders, the Maroons sorely needed a decisive victory to get their heads...

Fanning the flames

By Ben Jervis / May 8, 2008

In its trek across the six continents, the 2008 Beijing Olympic torch has been engulfed by a series of political and ideological battles and subjected to criticism (and occasionally capture) from journalists, human-rights groups, Free Tibet advocates, and other parties dissatisfied with the Chinese government’s human rights record. If the story of the torch relay...

Softball stuck in seesaw season

By Ben Jervis / April 25, 2008

Softball’s rocky 2008 campaign can be best described so far as a tale of two seasons, marked by bursts of dominance followed by dry spells. Looking to establish some sort of consistency on the field and at the plate with their schedule approaching its end, the Maroons came out of their final set of games...

Maroons pitcher earns extra innings in Italy

By Ben Jervis / September 19, 2007

It may be known as America’s pastime, but baseball still holds some international appeal. Just ask one former Maroon pitcher, whose devotion to the game sent him on an adventure 5,000 miles away with nothing other than a strong arm and an open mind. Righty Dan Cozzi (A .B. ’07) closed the book on his...

Latecomer Zitek found niche with Maroons after leaving DI

By Ben Jervis / June 1, 2007

A change of scenery bringing new styles of competition can appear daunting to even the most skilled athletes and can often hinder their progress. But by maintaining patience and persistence in the face of any unexpected challenge or trial, all that matters in the end is talent and determination. Having emerged as a wise and...

Last day had it all for baseball, seniors

By Ben Jervis / May 11, 2007

After an up-and-down spring of trials and tribulations, baseball finished just short of a winning season. Practically having the cat in the bag a week before the campaign’s end, the Maroons couldn’t stay the course to close things out above .500. While they fell short of their ultimate goal, they needed to ensure that they...

Baseball walking off in style with sweep

By Ben Jervis / May 4, 2007

With the season’s work almost at an end, it was time for baseball to step up as a whole and come through with all-around effort. After a year of consistent, solid pitching, but with some up-and-downs at the plate, everything seemed to fall into place this week as Chicago finally fired on all cylinders. Reaching...

King of the mat Kruzel made most of big switch

By Ben Jervis / April 27, 2007

Talent alone can’t always propel an athlete to victory. But fused with patience and determination, it can make any competitor a force to be reckoned with. In a manner befitting his patient yet forceful demeanor on the mat, fourth-year Phil Kruzel culminated his sparkling U of C wrestling career this past March by winning All-American...

Cozzi gem sends baseball past Wheaton

By Ben Jervis / April 13, 2007

Getting a win streak started is a respectable task for any baseball team with a tough schedule. When a club gets it done on two straight lights-out pitching shows, chances are it’s going to keep on winning. Riding a dazzling performance on the mound by fourth-year right-hander Dan Cozzi (2–1, 4.62), the Maroons (7–8) notched...

Ice cold in Arizona, baseball finds bats in Midwest

By Ben Jervis / March 30, 2007

Starting out their season by going 3–7 in the Arizona heat, baseball came home knowing they were not living up to their own standards. A hit parade was just what the doctor ordered to get the squad back on its feet. In their first Midwest game of 2007, Chicago batters pummeled North Central (5–7) for...

Football set for repeat behind high-octane offense

By Ben Jervis / October 1, 2006

Last fall, football season was a tale of two halves. The Maroons stumbled out of the gate with an 0_4 start before winning their last five en route to a UAA title. Having smoothly adapted to major changes on their roster over the off-season, the Maroons have put themselves in a position to make it...

Baseball odyssey ends for Yeksigian

By Ben Jervis / September 14, 2006

Blown off course: Yeksigian’s pro baseball odyssey ends—for now In the movie Field of Dreams, baseball-player-turned-doctor Archibald “Moonlight” Graham embodies the frailty of childhood aspirations, coming face-to-face with his dreams only to see them “brush past…like a stranger in a crowd.” More than talent or will, sometimes luck alone can determine our lot in life....

Miller overcame chaotic beginning to lead squad

By Ben Jervis / June 2, 2006

Tennis isn’t usually thought of as a team sport, but one departing star proved how critical the support of coaches and teammates can be to the development of individual potential. After a wild up-and-down career, fourth-year Annie Miller will graduate next week, leaving behind a 50–18 singles record across all six singles positions and a...

Corners felt right at home with Maroons at Stagg

By Ben Jervis / May 26, 2006

After taking their team to the playoffs once again last month, two fourth-year infielders prepare to leave a program that has meant so much more than lining a base hit and making the big plays. Four years with the thrill and excitement of teamwork have contributed greatly to the two students’ overall athletic experiences. It’s...

Opening loss drops Bortz at championships: Sports Shorts 5/23/06

By Ben Jervis / May 23, 2006

With an eye towards finishing up a top-notch tennis career with two All-American certificates to his credit, first-round playoff elimination was not what fourth-year first singles Ward Bortz had in mind. Facing a tough West Coast opponent at the outset, Bortz fell 6–2, 7–6 to University of California–Santa Cruz fifth-ranked third-year Shane Templeman in his...

Anchors aweigh in Evanston: Sports Shorts 5/19/06

By Ben Jervis / May 19, 2006

With the wind buoying them on, sailing made all the right moves as they closed their season on a high note. In their last race of the year, the University of Chicago Sailing Team tied with the Northwestern I squad at 112 points for fourth place out of 12 overall at the “Wet Your Willie”...

Softball ends solid season on down note

By Ben Jervis / May 5, 2006

With its regular season coming to an end, the softball team has plenty of reasons to feel good about itself. While their bats fell silent down the stretch, the Maroons exceeded expectations and showed that any feat is within their reach. After falling 1–0 and 2–1 at the hands of UW–Whitewater Tuesday, Chicago (19–13) split...

Baseball eager to host old foes

By Ben Jervis / April 28, 2006

Defensive lapses and big innings have kept baseball from converting their potential into wins all season long. With some once-familiar faces coming to town, the Maroons must keep on their toes if they want to stay on track toward a winning season. With a chance to make progress on the road towards .500, Chicago (11–15)...

Deja vu all over again as baseball rides hit parade

By Ben Jervis / April 21, 2006

With history on its side, baseball is firing on all cylinders as it speeds towards .500. In their first errorless contest since mid-March, the Maroons (10–13) crushed North Park (10–18) 13–3 at J. Kyle Tuesday afternoon. Second-year southpaw Nate Ginsberg (2–2, 5.57) went the distance, scattering only three earned runs on six hits, and was...

With UAAs near, men’s tennis nails weak Luther

By Ben Jervis / April 18, 2006

The postseason is just around the corner, and a lights-out victory was just what men’s tennis needed to get things going. Looking to rebound from a couple of tough losses, the 19th-ranked Maroons (10–8) swept regionally 15th-ranked Luther (13–11) 7–0 at the Stagg Courts Friday afternoon. Fourth-year ace Ward Bortz and third-year captain Vivek Venkataraman...

Hands of stone yield baseball struggles in road doubleheader

By Ben Jervis / April 11, 2006

With patience at the plate and quality glovework in its first game of the weekend, baseball seemed like it was in for a strong road trip. Things didn’t quite go as planned, as a few innings that just wouldn’t end sealed their fate. After showing improvements in their previous six games, the Maroons (6–13) went...

Softball looking to get offensive at IWU Invite

By Ben Jervis / April 7, 2006

This season, softball has stayed true to their traditional winning formula, dominating on the mound to shut out nearly half of their opponents. This weekend, faced with a dose of their own medicine, the Maroons will have to back their pitchers with equally strong hitting and defense. With an array of dominant hard-throwing hurlers awaiting...

With fresh confidence, men’s tennis turning heads

By Ben Jervis / April 4, 2006

After losing the first two meets of their spring break trip, men’s tennis seemed in danger of having their season slip away. But sparked by a new relaxed attitude, Chicago got back on track. The 19th-ranked Maroons (8–6) rebounded to win their final three matches, learning to trust their abilities and each other as they...

Youth and experience give new fire to women’s tennis

By Ben Jervis / March 31, 2006

A commitment to teamwork led women’s tennis on the path to success. Now they have a chance to make history. With the regular season down to its final weeks, the 19th-ranked Maroons (10–4) boosted their chances of going to the NCAA tournament with a stellar spring break performance at Hilton Head, South Carolina. Chicago posted...

Women’s tennis keeps streak alive, rolls to weekend sweep

By Ben Jervis / March 7, 2006

Four weeks ago, women’s tennis was struggling to make a name for itself. Now, with a number of quality wins under its belt, the determined team is cruising ahead at full speed. Riding a four-game win streak going into the weekend’s contests, the Maroons (6–3), ranked ninth in the Central region, crushed two regional opponents...

Youth serves as women’s tennis sacks Carthage

By Ben Jervis / February 28, 2006

This time around, women’s tennis means business. Heading into competition against one of the fiercest squads in the region, the underdog Maroons (4–3, ninth regionally) manhandled 28th-ranked Carthage (8–5, seventh regionally) for a 7–2 victory Saturday at Evergreen. Playing their first home meet of the season, the determined squad notched five singles wins and two...

Five wrestlers place, but none advance at regionals

By Ben Jervis / February 21, 2006

With a rollercoaster season at its end, wrestling was hoping to send its annual qualifiers to nationals. Unfortunately, in the face of the most fiercely competitive tourney field ever, they couldn’t get it done. Facing off against the division’s toughest grapplers, the Maroons placed five at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Saturday at Ratner. Chicago...

Tough field set to challenge wrestlers

By Ben Jervis / February 17, 2006

With the postseason at hand, it’s do-or-die time for the Maroons. For the first time in eight years, Chicago wrestling will play host Saturday to the annual Great Lakes Regional tournament, in which the best wrestlers of the Midwest will compete to determine who moves on to NCAAs. Ten champions from as many weight classes,...

Women’s tennis rusty after long layoff: Sports Shorts 2/14/06

By Ben Jervis / February 14, 2006

After competing sporadically throughout the fall and winter, women’s tennis was looking to start their season in earnest this weekend. Unfortunately, things didn’t go quite as well as they had hoped for. The Maroons (1–3) lost two of three dual meet competitions at Kenyon College this weekend, falling to fourth-regionally ranked Carnegie Mellon (5–0) 5–4...

Bishof, Nero lead scuffling wrestlers at Wheaton Invite

By Ben Jervis / February 7, 2006

After their five-year reign as UAA champs came to an end last weekend, wrestling was looking to stay focused and jump right back into tough tourney action. While they made some important strides, the team couldn’t help being swallowed up in a tough field. The Maroons (3–7) scored 30.5 points to tie for 17th place...

“Bad luck” catches up with wrestling to end long reign atop league

By Ben Jervis / January 31, 2006

It’s a fact of life: Dynasties don’t last forever. While that may be reassuring to underdogs, it’s not what an ambitious wrestling squad wanted to hear over the weekend. The Maroons’ (3–7) five-year reign as UAA conference champions came to a sudden end in Cleveland Saturday, as they dropped a tough pair of dual meets,...

Third-year wrestlers get it done at Invite

By Ben Jervis / January 24, 2006

For a wrestling squad looking ahead to late-season big meets, a morale booster was required to shake off last week’s disappointing loss at Elmhurst. With focus and help from a trio of third-year stars, they seemed more prepared than ever for next week’s conference finals. The Maroons tallied 104.5 points for a resounding third-place finish...

Veteran wrestlers turn corner, dominate tough meet

By Ben Jervis / January 17, 2006

Before his season-ending injury two weeks ago, third-year Ben Barnes had established himself as the star of the wrestling team. This weekend two of his classmates shined brightly and led their team to new frontiers. On the backs of third-years Andrew Bribriesco and Phil Kruzel, the Maroons scored 76 points to finish fifth overall at...

Hard loss, tough wins for wrestling

By Ben Jervis / January 10, 2006

It hasn’t been smooth sailing for a wrestling team that has had to face some of the toughest schools in the nation over the past several weeks. But after some tough news Thursday night, the team clearly signalled that they’re not willing to give up on this season quite yet. Three wrestlers placed for the...

Wrestling holds own against best of the Midwest

By Ben Jervis / January 6, 2006

Heading into break four weeks ago, wrestling was looking to stand firm in the face of a number of tough Division I and II opponents. When it was all over, they didn’t look at all like your average Division III school. The Maroons split two dual meets at Northwestern on December 15, beating Indianapolis 31–11...

Three place in strong field for wrestling at Concordia

By Ben Jervis / November 22, 2005

Wrestling headed into Saturday’s Concordia tourney ready to get on track for the winter. After a valiant fight, the Maroons didn’t quite make the splash they were hoping for. The Maroons placed three wrestlers into the semifinals of the tough Concordia University Tournament on Saturday. Third-year 197-pounder Drew Marriott finished fifth in his draw, while...

Wrestlers taken down in opener

By Ben Jervis / November 20, 2005

Wrestling had hoped to start the 2006 campaign out on the right foot. Despite major contributions from the team’s newest additions, the squad did not prove up to the task. In their season opener, UW–Whitewater held off Chicago 22–12 at the Maroons’ season opener in Whitewater, winning just three of ten matches. First-year 174-pounder Lance...

Wrestlers taken down in opener

By Ben Jervis / November 18, 2005

Wrestling had hoped to start the 2006 campaign out on the right foot. Despite major contributions from the team’s newest additions, the squad did not prove up to the task. In their season opener, UW–Whitewater held off Chicago 22–12 at the Maroons’ season opener in Whitewater, winning just three of ten matches. First-year 174-pounder Lance...

Carlson sets two school records as men’s swimming rocks Maroon Invite

By Ben Jervis / November 15, 2005

If one meet could epitomize the success of men’s swimming so far this season, this weekend’s showdown was it. Chicago emerged with a resounding victory at the third annual Maroon Invitational, held at the Myers-McLoraine Pool Friday and Saturday. The team took in 848.5 points at the 20-event meet, easily outdistancing Luther College’s 752 points...

Men’s swimming wins home opener: Sports Shorts 11/8/05

By Ben Jervis / November 8, 2005

After starting the season by dominating two away meets, a triumphant home opener showed fans exactly what they had been missing. In yet another strong performance in their season-opener winning streak, the men’s swimming and diving team soared to a 120–83 victory over Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday in their first meet at the Myers-McLoraine Pool...