AWS Website Banner 11/4 – 12/4
The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon
The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon
AWS Website Banner 11/4 – 12/4
The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon
Stories and content by Joe Katz

Subtraction may add up for men’s swimming

By Joe Katz / January 13, 2006
It was all over. Northe Saunders, one of the greatest to ever don the teardrop C swim cap, had hit the wall too late to move on to the Division III Championships final in the 100-yard freestyle. His collegiate career was at its end, and a new era in the history of Chicago men’s swimming...

Women’s hoops has mixed results in polls: Sports Shorts 1/13/06

By Joe Katz / January 13, 2006
The Maroons (11–1, 0–1) fell from 19th to 22nd in the D3hoops.com poll while climbing from 21st to 20th in the USA Today/ESPN standings in rankings released Wednesday. The shift in the D3hoops.com ranking came on the heels of the team’s first defeat of the year, a 78–58 road loss to rival Wash U. However,...

Distance stars, Carlson win UAA honors: Sports Shorts 1/3/06

By Joe Katz / January 13, 2006
Coming off appearances at the NCAAs, Chicago distance runners wasted no time in leaving their mark on the winter. Fourth-year distance maven Jessica Winter and third-year long man Emil Bojanov were named UAA Athletes of the Week for women’s and men’s track and field, respectively, after the Maroons’ first meet of the season, the league...

South African judge addresses gay marriage at Swift Hall

By Joe Katz / January 13, 2006
Justice Albie Sachs of the South African Constitutional Court tackled the issue of same-sex marriage Wednesday afternoon in Swift Hall during a lecture sponsored by the Human Rights Program. Sachs said that as he looked down from the bench of the Constitutional Court of South Africa at the crowds waiting to hear its decision in...

Liberals, have no fear that Alito is here

By Joe Katz / January 12, 2006
Barring a remarkable shift in the political landscape, Samuel Alito will succeed Sandra Day O’Connor as a justice of the United States Supreme Court. If, between this and the recent release of Chief Justice John Roberts’s first opinions, you’re examining Canadian real estate, I have a surprise for you. There is no persuasive evidence either...

Carlson, men’s swimming can’t overcome shallowness of diving squad

By Joe Katz / January 10, 2006
For the second year in a row, men’s swimming and diving opened the season on a scorched-earth run in dual meet action. Unfortunately, for the second year in a row the team couldn’t ride the wave all the way to the UAAs. In their first meet after the break, the Maroons (5–1–1) fell short in...

Battle with deep league begins now for men’s basketball

By Joe Katz / January 6, 2006
After a turbulent non-conference schedule marked by flashes of brilliance, spurts of inconsistency, and some mixing and matching in the starting lineup, men’s basketball will get the chance to show the rest of the UAA that they’re now on track. The Maroons (7–4) kick off their league season at rival Washington (8–3) tomorrow afternoon in...

Men’s basketball makes quick recovery after first defeat

By Joe Katz / November 29, 2005
They ended up taking their first lumps, but with some of their toughest non-league games just ahead, men’s basketball was able to sandwich a disappointing loss between a pair of extremely complete victories. The Maroons (4–1) responded well after failing to crawl all the way back in Saturday’s 70–67 loss to Carleton. The very next...

Conference taps 40 for All-UAA honors

By Joe Katz / November 29, 2005
With the 2005 fall season totally in the books, the UAA has completed the task of recognizing those Maroons who stood out from the crowd in conference competition. Unsurprisingly, the final list of Chicago league all-stars was a long one. The league-champion football team led the way with 22 All-UAA selections, part of a crew...

Four more Athletes of the Week for Maroons: Sports Shorts 11/29/05

By Joe Katz / November 29, 2005
As the autumn championship season winds down, the Maroons continue to rack up league honors. Three fall athletes took advantage of the postseason to collect UAA Athlete of the Week awards, as fourth-years forward Renee Neuner and defender Kay Saul were named for women’s soccer and fourth-year Jessica Winter was recognized for women’s cross country....

This Google Story is fun but far from definitive

By Joe Katz / November 29, 2005
It’s everywhere. It’s a research tool, it’s a shopping service, it’s a library, it’s the best way to check the cred of the hottie who just asked you out. It’s even a verb. How did we live life before Google? How is it possible that it’s only been around for seven years? More importantly, who...

Men’s basketball good so far after Midway Classic sweep

By Joe Katz / November 22, 2005
It wasn’t easy. But it was a vintage 2002 performance for men’s basketball. For the first time in three seasons, the Maroons got the season off on the right foot, sweeping their first two games to win the Midway Classic at Ratner. They locked down defensively in the last four minutes to turn a brawl...

Four Maroons honored by league

By Joe Katz / November 20, 2005
As the fall postseason enters full swing, the Maroons winter sports athletes are beginning to do some damage of their own. Men’s swimming’s first-year Shane Carlson became the first winter sport athlete to win UAA Athlete of the Week honors, the league announced Tuesday. Cross country’s fourth-year co-captain Jessica Winter, women’s soccer’s fourth-year forward Renee...

Defensive leader makes Team of the Week: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 20, 2005
Rob Tamillow may not have been the best defensive player in UAA football last weekend, but he managed to cap off his career in style. The fourth-year defensive tackle was named to the Division III Team of the Week for his performance for the Maroons, D3football.com announced Wednesday. It was the second time he had...

Men’s tennis ranked 25th in nation: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 20, 2005
A year after their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and coming off strong showings at two fall tourneys, men’s tennis has earned some respect. The Maroons are ranked 25th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s fall poll, released Tuesday. The team is ranked sixth in the Central Region, behind Gustavus Adolphus, Kalamazoo, DePauw, Wash U, and Carthage....

Performances of the Week: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 20, 2005
Giordano Palloni (men’s soccer): Scored equalizer with just 33 seconds remaining to send Chicago into overtime against St. John’s in 3–2 first round tournament win Saturday Matt Rinklin/Nich Schey (football): Duo combined for 448 total offensive yards with seven touchdowns in 55–7 victory over Eureka Jessica Winter (women’s cross country): Second-place finish at Midwest Regionals...

Four Maroons honored by league

By Joe Katz / November 18, 2005
As the fall postseason enters full swing, the Maroons winter sports athletes are beginning to do some damage of their own. Men’s swimming’s first-year Shane Carlson became the first winter sport athlete to win UAA Athlete of the Week honors, the league announced Tuesday. Cross country’s fourth-year co-captain Jessica Winter, women’s soccer’s fourth-year forward Renee...

Defensive leader makes Team of the Week: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 18, 2005
Rob Tamillow may not have been the best defensive player in UAA football last weekend, but he managed to cap off his career in style. The fourth-year defensive tackle was named to the Division III Team of the Week for his performance for the Maroons, D3football.com announced Wednesday. It was the second time he had...

Men’s tennis ranked 25th in nation: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 18, 2005
A year after their first-ever NCAA tournament appearance and coming off strong showings at two fall tourneys, men’s tennis has earned some respect. The Maroons are ranked 25th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s fall poll, released Tuesday. The team is ranked sixth in the Central Region, behind Gustavus Adolphus, Kalamazoo, DePauw, Wash U, and Carthage....

Performances of the Week: Sports Shorts 11/18/05

By Joe Katz / November 18, 2005
Giordano Palloni (men’s soccer): Scored equalizer with just 33 seconds remaining to send Chicago into overtime against St. John’s in 3–2 first round tournament win Saturday Matt Rinklin/Nich Schey (football): Duo combined for 448 total offensive yards with seven touchdowns in 55–7 victory over Eureka Jessica Winter (women’s cross country): Second-place finish at Midwest Regionals...

Wartburg shootout eliminates men’s soccer

By Joe Katz / November 15, 2005
The winds were high and the sky was dark. It was an appropriately foreboding setting for what was about to take place. After almost 1,900 minutes of hard-fought play, the men’s soccer team’s season was down to its last chance. Down 3–2 on penalty kicks after two overtimes failed to break a 1–1 tie against...

Women’s swimming records best-ever Maroon Invite finish

By Joe Katz / November 15, 2005
It wasn’t a win, but it was another step forward for women’s swimming. Coming off a gut-wrenching 114–113 loss to Illinois Wesleyan November 5, the Maroons bounced back to finish third at the Maroon Invite Friday and Saturday. The team’s 554 points put them well behind UW–Oshkosh (625) and Luther (593), but they were more...

Back on the field, Schey and Rinklin leading football

By Joe Katz / November 11, 2005
Going into its season finale against Eureka, it’s hard to imagine where the football team would stand without running back Nick Schey and quarterback Matt Rinklin. As it stands, the Maroons have posted a 4–4 mark on the year, including a 3–0 record against UAA teams, and have already won their first league championship since...

Performances of the Week: Sports Shorts 11/11/05

By Joe Katz / November 11, 2005
Colin Carrier (football): Three picks against Case set modern-era single-game, single season (10), and career (15) INTs records Stu Phelps (men’s soccer): Scored first two goals in 3–0 over Wash U for the Maroons; has collected four in last three games Jacqui de Leon (women’s soccer): Set up both Chicago goals off free kicks in...

League honors three Maroons: Sports Shorts 11/11/05

By Joe Katz / November 11, 2005
Three Maroons, including two football players, were named UAA Athletes of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. Fourth-year cornerback/wide receiver Colin Carrier was picked on the gridiron for defense, while teammate third-year running back Nick Schey was selected on offense. Second-year midfielder Stu Phelps was honored for men’s soccer. It was another banner day in...

Two make All-UAA squad for volleyball: Sports Shorts 11/11/05

By Joe Katz / November 11, 2005
At the end of a hard season, there were a few bright spots for volleyball. Fourth-year right side hitter Erica Pettke and second-year middle hitter Koryn Kendall were named to the All-UAA team as honorable mention picks, the league announced Thursday. It was the second appearance on the squad for Pettke, a co-captain for the...

Case closed: Football are UAA champs

By Joe Katz / November 8, 2005
For the first time in five years, the Maroons are outright UAA champs. Relying on outstanding defense and a season-best performance on the ground, Chicago (4–4, 3–0) pounded past Case Western (3–6, 0–3) 14–7 Saturday to complete an undefeated conference schedule and lock up the league title. Fourth-year cornerback/wide receiver and co-captain Colin Carrier was...

League honors athletes for classroom accomplishments: Sports Shorts 11/8/05

By Joe Katz / November 8, 2005
While the Maroons have been busy celebrating playoff berths and league championships on the field, they clearly have not been neglecting their studies. The league announced October 26 that Chicago had 68 athletes recognized on the UAA Fall All-Academic list out of 467 total selections. Football led the way with 18 players named, followed by...

Turow trades Grisham for grunt territory with Ordinary Heroes

By Joe Katz / November 8, 2005
It’s been two years since the literary world last heard from the popular, critically acclaimed crime fiction writer Scott Turow, and his new release, Ordinary Heroes, has been eagerly anticipated. Fortunately, it proved worth the wait. Long-time fans of Turow are likely to be thrown by the book-jacket description of his latest novel. At first...

Why aren’t we teaching about Africa

By Joe Katz / November 7, 2005
Looking through the history department’s course offerings the other day, my heart skipped a beat. There it was, innocuously slipped in between “Medieval Women’s Religious Writing” and “Who Were the Greeks,” HIST 20200: modern Africa. My excitement was quickly dampened when I read the description. It was the same course that had been offered in...

More than just slacker image to ultimate frisbee

By Joe Katz / November 4, 2005
At first glance, the Sunday morning practice seems to confirm all the clichés you’ve ever heard about ultimate frisbee. There’s plenty of long facial hair and dreadlocks, team members drift one by one for a full 15 minutes after the scheduled start, and it’s initially a little unclear who is actually in charge. As the...

Performances of the Week 11/4/05

By Joe Katz / November 4, 2005
Rob Tamillow (football): Recorded nine tackles, including six for loss and three sacks, to lead the defensive effort against Bethany (three points, 111 yards total offense) Teage O’Connor (men’s cross country): Placed seventh at UAA Championships to earn first-team all-league honors Renee Neuner (women’s soccer): Tallied twice against Brandeis in 5–0 win to set new...

Tamillow, Rinklin win weekly honors: Sports Shorts 11/4/05

By Joe Katz / November 4, 2005
Two Maroons football players were named UAA Athletes of the Week, the league announced Tuesday. Fourth-year defensive tackle Rob Tamillow was honored on defense, and third-year quarterback Matt Rinklin was selected on offense. Tamillow broke the Maroons’ modern era career record for tackles-for-loss in Saturday’s 42–3 win at Bethany, recording six to raise his lifetime...

Upset puts men’s soccer on brink

By Joe Katz / November 1, 2005
For just one game, men’s soccer let their concentration slip. That one game may cost them the postseason. Facing off against NYU at Hoboken on their final road trip of the season, the Maroons (12–5–0, 4–2–0) found themselves down two goals after 36 minutes and were unable to come back, dropping a stunning 4–1 decision to...

Crew finishes season at Head of the Elk: Sports Shorts 11/1/05

By Joe Katz / November 1, 2005
As the Midwest heads towards the depths of winter, rowing on open water becomes an increasingly unpleasant prospect. Chicago Crew made sure to take advantage of their last opportunity to race. The Maroons sent their largest team of the fall to the Head of the Elk at Elkhorn, Indiana Sunday to face off against a...

The Cheap Seats: Latino Legends worth more than just your vote

By Joe Katz / October 7, 2005
The herky-jerky motions. The high leg kick. The ball coming out of nowhere. The inning-ending strikeout. You’re probably thinking of Dontrelle Willis. You’re almost certainly not thinking of the man who first made quirky windups an art. It’s surely a shock to old-time baseball fans that Juan Marichal has quietly slipped out of the Holy...

Sports Shorts: Performances of the Week 10/7/05

By Joe Katz / October 7, 2005
Ryan Ehle (men’s soccer): tallied only goal of game in 1–0 win at Carnegie Mellon, scored twice in 7–1 laugher over Beloit Teage O’Connor (men’s cross country): helped lead team to 12th in standings with 58th-place effort at Loyola Lakefront Invite Renee Neuner (women’s soccer): recorded sixth career hat trick in 4–0 win over 19th-ranked...

Sports Shorts: Scrimmage good start for crew club

By Joe Katz / October 7, 2005
Even working short-handed didn’t hold back the Maroons. Competing without several of their best rowers, Chicago Crew held their own at their first scrimmage of the fall at Skokie Sunday. The men’s top four-man boat, crewed by postgrad Maris Goldmanis, second-year Matt Bruce, third-year Joel Avila and fourth-year team captain Danny Wasserman with second-year Liam...

Sports Shorts: Winter wins ninth career Athlete of the Week honor

By Joe Katz / October 7, 2005
Fourth-year Jessica Winter was named UAA Athlete of the Week for women’s cross country, the league announced Tuesday. The team captain refused to back down against a 274-runner field that included representatives from 18 Division I squads at the Loyola Lakefront Invite, running 18:10 over five kilometers to grab 15th place. She led the way...

Sports Shorts: Big day for Farrell, men’s tennis at Chicago State Invite

By Joe Katz / October 7, 2005
Competing against an array of local teams, men’s tennis held their own. In their first-ever appearance at the Chicago State Invite over the weekend, the Maroons posted a 7–12 mark in singles matches. First-year Connor Farrell grabbed two of the wins, holding off South Dakota State first-year Dusty Antoine 6–1, 6–4 and handling Ferris State...

Men’s soccer tears Tartans for UAA lead

By Joe Katz / October 4, 2005
Thanks to Ryan Ehle using his head, men’s soccer got the UAA season off on the right foot. The fourth-year forward headed in a cross from third-year defender Brian Kolva in the 79th minute to lift the Maroons to a 1-0 victory at Carnegie Mellon. The Sunday-afternoon squeaker was the third win in four games...

Men’s cross country stocking up miles, milestones

By Joe Katz / September 30, 2005
This fall, men’s cross country hopes to make history. Again. The team has already entered the record books, recording the program’s best NCAA ranking ever when they earned the eighth spot in last week’s poll. Last year’s squad had set the previous mark, rising as high as ninth on the year “Rankings are fun, and...

Women’s cross country pack picking up speed

By Joe Katz / September 30, 2005
The rest of Division III is now officially on notice: The Chicago women are a force to be reckoned with. The Maroons took a great leap forward last weekend, finishing just five points out of first in a strong field at the Brismann-Lundeen Invite Friday. The performance won them a spot in the national rankings,...

Red zone blackouts leave football in the dark

By Joe Katz / September 30, 2005
Three games in the books. Three halftime leads. Three excruciating losses. The first third of the season has not been kind to Chicago football. The Maroons fell to 0-3 after Illinois Wesleyan came back from a 13-0 deficit to steal a 20-13 squeaker at Bloomington Saturday. This was the biggest loss of the year for...

Winning streak ends for men’s cross country

By Joe Katz / September 30, 2005
Coming off two early season wins, men’s cross-country went into the Brismann-Lundeen Invite reaching for the skies. Little did they know the air quality was working against them. The 17th-ranked Maroons racked up 126 points to finish third in a field of 32 at Rock Island Friday, behind 10th-ranked Augustana (58) and 16th-ranked Wheaton (91)....

Women’s cross country rocks at Rock Island

By Joe Katz / September 30, 2005
Facing their toughest competition yet, women’s cross-country picked up their stride in a big way. The Maroons had a break-out day at the Brismann-Lundeen Invite Friday, finishing second out of the 27 teams that made the trip to Rock Island. Their total of 65 points was a mere five behind meet winner Olivet Nazarene, and...

UAA inks football scheduling deal with NCAC

By Joe Katz / September 13, 2005
It may not be the first controlled nuclear reaction, but in 2008, Maroons football will once again put Chicago in the history books. The University Athletic Association and the North Coast Athletic Conference will cross-schedule 38 football games between teams in their respective leagues in 2008 and 2009, league administrators announced July 29th. The interconference...

Tennis pair put team first

By Joe Katz / June 3, 2005
In an individual sport, two consummate team players leave Chicago having aided a team resurrection. Fourth-years Jacob Reckess (13-5, 10-5 doubles) and Christine Kim (12-6, 7-10 doubles) earned high praise for their efforts this season in helping push men’s and women’s tennis to winning records. Reckess (career 23-21, 16-22 doubles) repeatedly found himself fighting for...

Sailing club pushes for new members after year of firsts

By Joe Katz / June 3, 2005
Too often, people make the mistake of thinking that academics and sports are mutually exclusive. For members of Chicago’s sailing club, their team is living proof that mental and physical exercise can go hand in hand. “It’s like a chess game. You need to point the boat at the right place at the right time,...

All-Maroon Spring 2005 Honors

By Joe Katz / May 27, 2005
WOMEN • Hannah Roberts: A three-time All-American, the right-handed Roberts again schooled batters with her deceptive repertoire of pitches. Her 0.36 ERA was fifth-best in the nation, and her strikeout rate (10.5 K/7 IP) was ninth-best. Lost in her hurling dominance was her usual solid hitting: Roberts’s .304 batting average was third-best on the team....

After 30 years, U of C crew team coming of age

By Joe Katz / May 27, 2005
For Chicago crew, dealing with the physical toll of rowing is just part of the challenge. “Even the process of getting on and off of the water is fairly tremendous,” third-year club treasurer Judith Briant said. “It takes all the coaches, all the crewers, and a coxswain shouting directions to get the boats into the...

Bortz win clinches All-American status

By Joe Katz / May 24, 2005
The addition of third-year Wisconsin transfer Ward Bortz was one of the critical elements to the men’s tennis team’s 8.5-match improvement from 2003-2004. Heading into the biggest weekend in Division III tennis, he just might have been due for a karmic reward. Bortz (26-10 in singles matches) scored a first-round victory 7-5, 6-7(4), 6-0 over...

Sports Shorts: May 24, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 24, 2005
NFCA: Roberts rules For three straight years, third-year starter Hannah Roberts has been at the pinnacle of pitching in Division III softball. For the third year in a row, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association confirmed her place at the top of the heap. Roberts was named an All-American for the third time, the NFCA announced...

Wrestling days still ahead for Barnes

By Joe Katz / May 20, 2005
When it was officially announced that fourth-year heavyweight wrestler Sean Barnes had won the Amos Alonzo Stagg Medal, Barnes himself was surprised. The Stagg Medal, presented to the fourth-year male athlete with the best all-around record for athletics, scholarship, and character, is highly coveted among Maroons. His coaches couldn’t think of anyone more fitting. “The...

All-Maroons Nominees 2004-2005

By Joe Katz / May 20, 2005
We’ve named our teams; now YOU have the chance to name your All-Maroons. Copy and paste this ballot into an e-mail, mark one pick in each category with an X (or write-in), and send it with subject “All-Maroons” to [email protected]. Only one vote per person. Entry must be sent from uchicago.edu address. Balloting runs through...

Sports Shorts: May 20, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 20, 2005
Order of the “C” recognizes male athletes Chicago’s male student-athletes recognized the best among their own at the 102nd Annual Order of the “C” Banquet Tuesday. Fourth-year heavyweight wrestler Sean Barnes was honored with the coveted Amos Alonzo Stagg Medal, presented to the senior athlete with the best all-around record for athletics, scholarship, and character....

Performances of the Week: May 20, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 20, 2005
Dan Yeksigian (baseball): threw first no-hitter in at least 15 years for Chicago in 6-0 win against Rose-Hulman Saturday to clinch above-.500 record for team Pat Hogan (men’s track and field): led team with 10th-place effort in 10,000-meter run (31:39.52) at Dr. Keeler Dilshanie Perera (women’s track and field): crossed line in 37:57.09 to score...

Brown, Rajcevich starred at plate, 50-yard line

By Joe Katz / May 17, 2005
As the announcer honored the baseball team’s fourth-years on Senior Day by reading a synopsis of their career accomplishments, two players found themselves in the unique situation of only hearing half of what they had achieved athletically Chicago. Saturday marked the end of the line for two fourth-years who were teammates and key contributors in...

Sports Shorts: May 17, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 17, 2005
Four Maroons make softball All-Region Softball may not be in the national tournament, but they will be represented on the All-Region team. Four Maroons were named to the All-Great Lakes squad by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Friday, led by Academic All-District pick third-year pitcher Hannah Roberts. Roberts, Chicago’s all-time shutouts leader, is eligible for...

Fandemonium: NCAA’s borderline players left in dark

By Joe Katz / May 13, 2005
What do you do when your Faustian bargain doesn’t pan out? The NFL Draft is about the promise of the future, whether it be that of a franchise or an individual player. On Draft Day, all things are possible. Any team might find that missing piece they need to make it to the Super Bowl,...

Sports Shorts: May 13, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 13, 2005
WAA recognizes top female athletes For the 101st time in the organization’s history, Chicago’s female student-athletes came together to celebrate their accomplishments at the Women’s Athletics Association awards banquet. Fourth-year distance runner Erin Steiner received several prestigious honors, including the top award, the Gertrude Dudley Medal for leadership and skill in women’s athletics. She also...

The Air Force Academy’s extremism is hypocritical

By Joe Katz / May 12, 2005
Wartime tends to emphasize the extremes in human nature. Battles produce unspeakable barbarity and unimaginable courage. Similarly, the effects of war on society simultaneously highlight what is great and terrible about a combatant nation. Americans have given into appalling lapses of their national values in times of crisis. Case in point: the internment of the...

Snell-Hitchcock ties with Max for top Scav Hunt team

By Joe Katz / May 10, 2005
After four days of sleep deprivation, intellectual improvisation, wince-worthy stunts and promises of wedded bliss, Scav Hunt ’05 proved too close to call. For just the second time in the 19-year history of Scav Hunt, two teams tied for first place. Defending champion Snell-Hitchcock’s “Armadillo of Darkness” and Max Palevsky’s “Team Fluffy, Destroyer of Worlds”...

Baseball shoots down soaring Eagles

By Joe Katz / May 10, 2005
Edgewood won their first-ever conference title by living on the run. It took a doubleheader against the Maroons to teach them that speed can also kill. Chicago (16-16) held the home team Eagles (24-15) to one stolen base in three attempts and swept the doubleheader 5-1, 6-3 Saturday. Fourth-year starter Matt Altomare (4-3, 5.81) earned...

Fandemonium: Benefits to team do not excuse juicing

By Joe Katz / May 6, 2005
Has the steroids problem in baseball become old news? Recent allegations that former Mets and Phillies star Lenny Dykstra used steroids in the early 1990s have not raised nearly the same level of furor as previous accusations against stars. Dykstra, obviously, was not on the level of Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds. All the same,...

Sports Shorts: May 6, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 6, 2005
UAA honors Eichhorn Fourth-year field athlete Brian Eichhorn (pictured) was named UAA Athlete of the Week for men’s track and field Tuesday. Eichhorn scored two wins for the Maroons at the St. Joseph’s Invite, taking the pole vault with a 4.27-meter mark and throwing for 49.82 meters in the javelin. His 18 points helped push...

Performances of the Week: May 6, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 6, 2005
Brandon Halcott (men’s track and field): won 100-meter dash (11.39s) and 200-meter dash (23.17s) at St. Joseph’s Invite Dana Al-Meer (women’s track and field): 3.20-meter pole vault mark won event, set stadium record at St. Joseph’s Invite Frank Brown (baseball): went 7-for-15 with seven RBI, two runs scored, one home run, and two stolen bases...

Maroons double Eagles, back at .500

By Joe Katz / May 3, 2005
The Eagles knew that they would need tremendous pitching to cool off the Maroons. Yet even one of the Midwest’s best couldn’t compete in this arms race. The U of C’s Big Three combined to give up just five hits in 14 innings as baseball (14-14) swept Benedictine (15-20) 5-3, 5-0 at Lisle on Saturday....

Sports Shorts: May 3, 2005

By Joe Katz / May 3, 2005
Men’s tennis to face Carthage in NCAAs Men’s tennis is set to receive a pleasant surprise. The Maroons (18-9) will be seeded third in their regional grouping when NCAA tournament seeds are announced today, and will face second-seeded Carthage (19-5) in the first round Saturday. The winner of this meet will face off on May...

Sports Shorts: April 29, 2005

By Joe Katz / April 29, 2005
UAA honors Oyenuga as Athlete of the Week Fourth-year jumper Seyi Oyenuga, whose individual point score matched the team total of seventh-place NYU at last weekend’s UAAs, was recognized by the conference yesterday as the men’s Most Outstanding Performer in field events. Oyenuga earned five top-three finishes on the day, including three individual and two...

Liberal Catholics should give Ratzinger a second look

By Joe Katz / April 28, 2005
The death of Pope John Paul II provided liberal American Catholics with a brief moment of hope. Finally, the conflict between celebrating the ‘modernist’ papacy that helped fight a winning battle against communism, reached out to Judaism, Orthodox Christians, and Third World Catholics in unprecedented ways, and oversaw a period of spiritual renewal and condemning...

Home run flurry powers baseball to big sweep

By Joe Katz / April 25, 2005
On a blustery day in New Berlin, WI, the Maroons had the wind at their backs. That may have been all they needed to shake off the monkey that had been hanging there all season. Led by monster performances from fourth-years shortstop/reliever Steve Ruh and center fielder Frank Brown, and ably assisted by gutsy pitching...

Baseball relieved to get back to winning ways

By Joe Katz / April 22, 2005
For the second time in five days, Dan Yeksigian stopped a losing streak dead in its tracks. When Wheaton refused to go quietly on their home field, the third-year righty came in and provided an overpowering relief stint with two outs in the fifth, silencing the Thunder the rest of the way. Yeksigian gave up...

Performances of the Week: April 22, 2005

By Joe Katz / April 22, 2005
Dan Yeksigian (baseball): two wins in two appearances; recorded 19 strikeouts in 13.1 innings pitched Rachel Cohen (softball): went two-for-four with one run and two RBI in Thursday’s win; knocked in game-tying run to help break six-game losing streak against Aurora Jake Reckess (men’s tennis): comeback win against at fifth singles clinched third-place match against...

Despite offensive revival, baseball drops two of three

By Joe Katz / April 19, 2005
The Maroons aren’t out of the woods yet, but third-year starter Dan Yeksigian did his part to clear a path through the lumber. Yeksigian started the weekend off right, striking out 14 and giving up just two runs over the full distance to lead baseball (6-14) to a 7-2 win over North Central at home...

Fandemonium: After disheartening offseason, thank gods for baseball

By Joe Katz / April 15, 2005
Thank goodness that’s over. The last time we got to see an MLB game, we had just finished up one of the greatest postseasons in history with the triumphal coronation of one of the game’s great franchises. Sox fans were flooding into Kenmore Square to celebrate the end of the Curse, David Ortiz was pointing...

04-15-05 Sports Shorts

By Joe Katz / April 15, 2005
Roussell hired as women’s hoops coach After “sweating bullets for almost two months,” women’s basketball head coach Aaron Roussell finally got the interim dropped from his title. Roussell, who racked up the most wins ever by a first-year Chicago women’s hoops coach with a 16-9 record, received the news Wednesday morning and immediately took the...

04-15-05 Performances of the Week

By Joe Katz / April 15, 2005
T.J. Rajcevich (baseball): hit two three-run homers in double-header split against Concordia Saturday Dan Milroy (men’s track and field): won javelin throw with 50.65-meter mark at Chicagolands Jessica Winter (women’s track and field): ran 4:38.80 in 1,500-meter run at Chicagolands for third place finish, national championship provisional qualification Ward Bortz (men’s tennis): scored a 6-3,...

Hits, but miss as baseball drops two of three

By Joe Katz / April 12, 2005
It took a total turnaround at the plate to finally stem the bleeding for the Maroons. Baseball (5-12) sandwiched a 16-9 win over Concordia in the middle of three weekend games. Following a tight 6-5 loss to Illinois Tech (15-12) that extended the Maroons’ losing streak to eight, Chicago bounced back in the first game...

04-08-05 Performances of the Week

By Joe Katz / April 8, 2005
Ryan Denton (baseball): 5-for-11 with one RBI and four runs in four losses since the team’s return from Florida Hannah Roberts (softball): went 4-0 in first four starts of the quarter; gave up just 10 hits and one earned run and struck out 45 over that span Joseph Tchan (men’s tennis): came back after loss...

Baseball drops two to late Trinity comebacks

By Joe Katz / April 5, 2005
The hits still aren’t coming for Maroons baseball. Chicago (4-9) plated just five runs over 15 innings in a Saturday doubleheader sweep by Trinity Christian (8-6) at J. Kyle Anderson Field. The Trolls won the opener 5-3, overcoming an 11-strikeout performance by fourth-year righty Dan Harrington, and broke open the second game in the late...

Catch as catch can? Poor glove work hurts baseball on roadstand

By Joe Katz / April 3, 2005
Try as they might, the Maroons just can’t seem to shed the clouds following the team. Baseball fell 2-1 to Dominican in the team’s home opener Wednesday in a game called during the top of the ninth on account of lightning. Third-year right hander Dan Yeksigian took his second loss of the spring despite scattering...

Sports Shorts 04-01-05

By Joe Katz / April 3, 2005
Gutowski named to All-American squad Third-year women’s basketball forward Susie Gutowski was named to the Div. III All-American team on March 23. Gutowski averaged 14.4 points and 8.0 rebounds per game over the season and led the UAA in double-doubles to earn her selection as an honorable mention. She also was among the league leaders...

Kalamazoo, Aquinas stifle men’s tennis

By Joe Katz / March 4, 2005
As men’s tennis learned, much to its chagrin, all good things must come to an end. The team’s hot start hit a mild cold spot, as the Maroons (10-4) dropped a pair of 6-1 decisions to 16th-ranked Kalamazoo and 16th-ranked Div. II Aquinas Saturday. The team had not lost back-to-back meets this year, and had...

Multi-billionaire NCAA profits off Gomes, school loyalty myth

By Joe Katz / March 4, 2005
For college basketball fans, there’s a treasure trove of story lines in the Big East. Boston College is putting on the ultimate farewell tour, Georgetown and Villanova have returned to glory, the last two national champions are revving up for another run, and Pittsburgh simply refuses to die quietly. Oh, yeah. There’s also that thing...

Elder Barnes earns berth to nationals

By Joe Katz / February 25, 2005
For most of the wrestling team, Saturday’s regional meet capped the end of a succesful season. For fourth-year heavyweight Sean Barnes, there’s still one big weekend to go. Barnes went 4-0 to win his weight class and qualify for the national championship tournament as the Maroons finished 7th in a field of 15 teams at...

The undeniable importance of being Rashad

By Joe Katz / February 25, 2005
Chris Paul is younger than I am. So are Rajon Rondo, JamesOn Curry, and Sean Williams. My dad has been saying for years how strange it is to wake up one day in your 20s and realize that the athletes you follow on a day-to-day basis are your contemporaries. Four months after my 20th birthday,...

2-25-05 Performances of the Week

By Joe Katz / February 25, 2005
Jacob Reckess (men’s tennis): scored clinching point at fifth singles in 4-3 victory over eighth-ranked Coe Clay Carmody (men’s basketball): averaged 19 points per game, 4.5 rebounds per game in losses to Rochester and Carnegie Mellon Susie Gutowski (women’s basketball): scored 17 points in victory over Rochester, had 10th double-double of season in Carnegie Mellon...

Sports Shorts 2-25-05

By Joe Katz / February 25, 2005
Four win Athlete of the Week honors The UAA named four Maroons Athletes of the Week on Tuesday. Third-year Ward Bortz and first-year Sasha Deriy won for men’s tennis, first-year jumper Myra Collins was honored for women’s track and field, and fourth-year heavyweight Sean Barnes was recognized for wrestling. Bortz and Deriy won all three...

UAA title at stake in final home games for women’s basketball

By Joe Katz / February 18, 2005
With three games to go, women’s basketball hopes to cap its best season in four years with a little postseason action. The Maroons (14-8, 7-3) host Rochester (14-8, 6-5) on Friday and Carnegie Mellon (4-17, 0-10) on Sunday to finish their home schedule, and will close out the season at 10th-ranked Washington (18-4, 8-3) February...

Venkataraman leads men’s tennis to hot spring start

By Joe Katz / February 18, 2005
With second-year Vivek Venkataraman on a roll, men’s tennis is starting their spring season off right. He continued his hot streak this weekend, winning two of his three singles matches and combining with first-year Bharath Sithian to sweep three doubles showdowns in the team’s 2-1 weekend at Crawfordsville. The Maroons (7-2, 5-1 in 2005), ranked...

Sports Shorts 2-18-05

By Joe Katz / February 18, 2005
Pair of Maroons earn conference honors The UAA named two Maroons Athletes of the Week on Tuesday. First-year jumper Appie Hirve won the award for women’s track and field, and first-year Bharath Sithian was recognized for men’s tennis. Hirve provisionally qualified for the national championship in the triple jump at the Wisconsin-Whitewater Invite February 11....

Performances of the Week 2-18-05

By Joe Katz / February 18, 2005
Jerome Tharaud (men’s track): won 5,000 meters in 14:49.68 at Warhawk Invitational to provisionally qualify for nationals Aparna Hirve (women’s track): 11.29-meter mark won triple jump at Warhawk Invitational, provisionally qualified for nationals Jesse Meyer (men’s basketball): career-high 33 points led Maroons past Case Western Susie Gutowski (women’s basketball): averaged 16.5 points, 9.5 rebounds per...

Sports Shorts 2-15-05

By Joe Katz / February 15, 2005
Men’s hoops picks up first UAA road win With just three games left on the schedule, men’s basketball is still struggling to get consistent on the road. With the season entering its final stages, the Maroons split a pair of away games, whipping Case Western 102-71 Friday before tripping up in an 83-68 loss to...
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