Pitching keeps baseball safe at home

By Kate Fratar / April 9, 2007

For any baseball team working on the fundamentals of the game, it’s hard to get past solid pitching and defense as the foundation for a successful baseball squad. Fortunately for the South Siders, they seem to have a strong hold on both while they wait for their bats to heat up. After taking to the...

Duo adds missing element for track

By Kate Fratar / April 6, 2007

Since 2001, men’s track has seen the emergence of two NCAA individual champions, 19 All-Americans, and 34 conference champions, to go with four team finishes among the nation’s top 25 and a league title for the indoor season in 2002. Yet in this almost overnight transition into one of the top programs in DIII, the...

Pigtailed ace touches base on success

By Kate Fratar / April 6, 2007

Last season, Petra Wade tossed 192.0 innings and posted a 19–9 record with a 1.46 ERA, leading the Maroons into NCAAs in her newly assumed role as the squad’s ace. Now a fourth-year, Wade talks about her work on the mound, the creation of the pigtail mullet, and the 19th-ranked Maroons’ ongoing battle with laundry....

Wheaton dances past softball for sweep

By Kate Fratar / March 30, 2007

The temperatures may be dropping again, but there’s no denying that softball is in full swing and ready for another busy spring. After opening the season with an 8–2 record from their week in the Sunshine State, the Maroons (10–4) returned to the Midwest with a bulked-up offense that took center stage in this week’s...

Winter All-Maroons

By Kate Fratar / March 6, 2007

Top Team: Men’s Basketball The squad beat the odds of competing as an undersized team in the rough-and-tumble UAA to finish at 20–6 with a share in the conference title. Led by conference coach of the year Mike McGrath, the squad turned up the heat after winter break to surprise the league and the division,...

Women’s tennis finishes what Rome started

By Kate Fratar / March 6, 2007

It may be a young squad, but there’s no question after this winter’s strong start that women’s tennis is ready to pick up where it left off last spring. With their latest weekend sweep, the 14th-ranked Maroons lifted their record to 5–2 and extended their winning streak to four matches. Chicago’s recent domination on the...

Sports Shorts 3/6/07: Men’s swimming’s Stabell misses cut

By Kate Fratar / March 6, 2007

After a three-week wait for news on his NCAA qualification, second-year Alex Stabell finally got the word he’d feared on Friday: painfully close but no cigar. When men’s swimming kicked off the season, there had been a couple of NCAA hopefuls on the roster. By the end of the year, only Stabell had a shot...

Sports Shorts 3/2/07: Track’s Weijer takes home weekly award

By Kate Fratar / March 2, 2007

Last weekend, in its final preparation for the UAAs, track showed it was on pace to bring its top game against the rest of the league. The conference will have to keep an extra eye out for fourth-year thrower Neil Weijer who took home the first UAA Athlete of the Week honors of his career...

Sports Shorts 3/2/07: Points: Brandon Woodhead, 15.8 ppg

By Kate Fratar / March 2, 2007

In the latest development in a season that just seems to keep getting better, men’s basketball placed five players on the All-UAA team and earned Coaching Staff of the Year honors to cap off a remarkable regular season before heading to NCAAs for the first time in five years. Finishing at the front of the...

Unsung guard leads squad into NCAAs

By Kate Fratar / March 2, 2007

A lot has changed for Derek Brannon in his final season with the Maroons. After riding the bench for most of his career, the fourth-year guard has significantly increased his playing time this year and become one of the NCCA-bound squad’s more critical substitutes. One thing about Brannon hasn’t changed, though. He’s still the epitome...

Maroon Invite sends track to UAAs on high note

By Kate Fratar / February 27, 2007

With men’s and women’s basketball’s rollercoaster seasons and swimming’s continued rise from the depths of the UAA, the always competitive track teams have slipped under the radar this winter. The two nationally ranked squads will be a little harder to ignore this weekend, though, as they look to carry over momentum from the Maroon Invite...

Sports Shorts 2/27/07: O’Neill misses out on NCAA cut

By Kate Fratar / February 27, 2007

After propelling women’s swimming through the regular season and to new heights in the UAAs with the program’s best-ever sixth-place finish, first-year Cassie O’Neill will have to put off her NCAAs hopes until next year. Two weeks ago at the league championships in Cleveland, O’Neill posted provisional qualifying times in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke...

Outright UAA title on line for men’s hoops in St. Louis

By Kate Fratar / February 23, 2007

A scripted version of the men’s basketball season could not have set up a more fitting end to its regular season. As the Maroons seek sole ownership of the UAA title and a home court advantage in the first- round NCAAs, they will have to do it in their archrival’s house in a rematch of...

Sports Shorts 2/23/07: Brinker nets first UAA weekly honor

By Kate Fratar / February 23, 2007

After helping pave the way for men’s tennis’ sweeps of Wooster and Wabash last Saturday, first-year Garret Brinker earned the first UAA Athlete of the Week honors of his young career Tuesday. With the squad delivering 8–1 and 9–0 poundings over Wooster (1–1) and Wabash (3–3), the rookie went undefeated playing at the top of...

Sports Shorts: 2/20/07 Men’s tennis takes Little Giants down another size

By Kate Fratar / February 20, 2007

Led by a fresh crop of rookies, men’s tennis came out in full force Saturday to overpowered two regionally-ranked foes. The sweep in Crawfordsville, IN evened the Maroons’ record at 3–3 and marked the end of a three-match losing skid. The squad dropped a pair of tight matches last weekend against two nationally-ranked programs. Starting...

Sports Shorts 2/20/07: Swimming takes last dive of breakthrough season

By Kate Fratar / February 20, 2007

After smashing school records and shaking up the league’s hierarchy at UAAs, swimming returned to Myers-McLoraine over the weekend to close out the regular season with the Midwest Invite. While the meet marked the end of a groundbreaking year for most of the Maroons, a few South Siders are still holding out for NCAA bids...

In stacked UAA, women’s basketball rookies learn fast

By Kate Fratar / February 16, 2007

Most rookies in top programs see limited playing time, getting a sense of the new level of competition from the bench and on the practice court as their more seasoned teammates get most of the action. When women’s basketball lost a chunk of its roster and three starters to last year’s graduating class, the need...

Latest loss has women in freefall

By Kate Fratar / February 13, 2007

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Unless women’s basketball can find a way out of its current tailspin, they may land with quite a thud at season’s end. Two weeks ago, the Maroons (17–5, 6–5) suffered their first loss of the year; the 75–66 decision to then 12th-ranked NYU ended a 16-game winning...

Sports Shorts 2/6/07:Women’s tennis makes spring debut

By Kate Fratar / February 6, 2007

After taking a big knock to start the season, 14th-ranked women’s tennis rebounded with a convincing victory to split its opening weekend. Taking on a big challenge for the first match of the year, the 14th-ranked Maroons hosted DI program Northern Illinois and were slapped with a 7–0 shutout as a delay in the start...

Sports Shorts 2/6/07: Men’s tennis splits season opener

By Kate Fratar / February 6, 2007

Starting off the season with freezing temperatures outside, men’s tennis hosted a pair of opponents indoors this weekend and walked away with an even record. Opening the year against UI–Springfield (3–2), the Maroons (1–1) notched a 6–3 win over the Prairie Stars thanks to a sweep at doubles. Third-year Joseph Tchan and second-year Alex Winney...

Loaded women’s tennis seek deep NCAA run

By Kate Fratar / February 2, 2007

Riding the boost from a fresh wave of talented rookies and the sweet swing of then-first-year Vindya Dayananda, women’s tennis rose to new heights last year. This season will test whether the returning players and entering first-year class can repeat the magic from the 2006 campaign and take the team to the next level. After...

Loss of Bortz leaves void at top for men’s tennis

By Kate Fratar / February 2, 2007

While there are still some questions left unanswered about men’s tennis this season, the squad has all the raw materials it needs to rebound from last spring’s slump and post a successful year. Last season ended with a bit of a letdown for the Maroons after the team made great strides in 2005 to go...

Wrestling rises to ranked challenges in tune-up

By Kate Fratar / January 30, 2007

After taking a number of early hits, wrestling is beginning to realize its potential at just the right time. Paired off against some heavy-duty opponents in the rigorous Wheaton Invite last weekend, the Maroons showed signs of being ready to take on the prime competition promised by UAAs and the NCAA regionals. Led by fourth-years...

Maroons continue to rise in polls

By Kate Fratar / January 26, 2007

With four weeks to go in the regular season, some of the toughest league match-ups still lie ahead for women’s basketball. But if the early returns are any indication, the Maroons are shaping up as a force to be reckoned with in 2007 on both the league and national fronts. Three weeks ago, the fourth-ranked...

Without vets, swimming treads water at Carthage

By Kate Fratar / January 23, 2007

At the beginning of the season, swimming had a statement to make to the rest of the UAA: The cellar-dwelling days of seasons past were over. While the final score from Saturday’s dual meet didn’t reflect the dominance Chicago showed in the fall, the shorthanded Maroons continued to improve against the region’s best. Taking on...

After loss, men’s hoops eyes road wins

By Kate Fratar / January 12, 2007

With only eight teams in the league and matchups scheduled twice a year, there aren’t very many well kept secrets or surprises left in the UAA. This weekend will be all about how well and how quickly men’s basketball can make adjustments as they face off against two squads with opposite game plans that know...

Winter teams take UAA by storm

By Kate Fratar / January 9, 2007

It’s January in Chicago, and although Old Man Winter hasn’t hit the Windy City with his usual fury quite yet, the Maroons are in full swing as teams get ready to suit up after long breaks, build on the success from vacation, and kick the conference season into full gear. With three ranked teams so...

Women’s basketball takes two on road

By Kate Fratar / November 28, 2006

While it may be a bit early in the season to place bets on women’s basketball’s chances at the playoffs, a pair of road wins this weekend continued the team’s solid start and showed off the strong guards’ play and defense that will carry Chicago in conference play. Advancing to a perfect 4–0, the Maroons...

Soggy course can’t stop XC’s Abraham

By Kate Fratar / November 21, 2006

In a sport where there is often one peak performance in a season, times posted at nationals typically represent the high point of months’ worth of training. An incredibly muddy course prevented many runners from hitting their top form Saturday, but the elements and the tough competition weren’t enough to slow down cross country at...

Sports Short 11/17/06: Maroons rack up all-league selections

By Kate Fratar / November 17, 2006

As the winter sports season gets underway, a slew of Maroons from three different squads put a cap on a solid fall season with selections to All–UAA teams. After helping carry men’s soccer to the first round of NCAA play, six key players made the league’s cut. Putting the icing on a sweet senior season,...

Sports Short 11/17/06: Chicago trio earns weekly UAA honors

By Kate Fratar / November 17, 2006

It was hard to ignore Chicago athletes this past weekend, as three Maroons turned heads in the league to capture UAA athlete of the week honors in their sports. In his final effort wearing the maroon and white, fourth-year quarterback Matt Rinklin threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for two more in Chicago’s...

Optimism abounds as swimming stays on pace

By Kate Fratar / November 14, 2006

It’s still a little early in the season to be making playoff predictions for Chicago swimming, but with the early returns in, all signs point to a promising year as both sides continue to match and improve on their peak forms from 2005. Hosting 11 teams at the Maroon Invite this weekend, the home squads...

Men’s swimming looks to stay the course

By Kate Fratar / November 10, 2006

For men’s swimming, this season’s task is a simple but challenging one: Keep the program on the rise. Thanks in large part to the opening of the Myers-McLoraine Pool in 2003 and expanded recruitment efforts, the Maroons have continued their slow but steady climb from the deep end of their conference over the past three...

For women’s swimming, fate rests on first-years

By Kate Fratar / November 10, 2006

The Maroons will lean on the support of a crop of rookies while they adjust to their new head coach and train alongside male teammates after a three-year separation of the two squads. So far, the big experiment has reaped big results for the young squad, with the Maroons going undefeated this season, posting a...

Women’s soccer readies for Wash U

By Kate Fratar / November 3, 2006

In a year that has seen lots of new faces on the field rise to the challenge of remaking the starting lineup, women’s soccer has saved its best for last. Traveling to St. Louis to close out the regular season against archrival Wash U, the Maroons will need to hold back one of the strongest...

UAA serves volleyball hardest battle yet

By Kate Fratar / November 3, 2006

Taking on the UAA for the final time this season, women’s volleyball will need some strong play from its middle hitters to end the season on a high note. After nine regular season showdowns with nationally-ranked opponents, the Maroons (4–26) will be no strangers to the level of competition served up on Carnegie Mellon’s courts...

Weekend of must-wins looms for women’s soccer

By Kate Fratar / October 27, 2006

It’s crunch time for women’s soccer. With the minutes ticking down to the NCAA selections, the squad has just three games remaining on the regular season schedule that could either solidify or loosen its hold on an at-large bid to the playoffs. Closing out their regular season home slate at Stagg this weekend, Chicago (10–4–1,...

Football’s title defense ends quietly at Carnegie

By Kate Fratar / October 24, 2006

Sometimes the faster they rise, the harder they fall. After blitzing through the UAA last season to claim the league title, the Maroons’ hold on the championship trophy came to an end this fall, as injuries and a pair of big losses kept them out of title contention. Losing for the fourth time in five...

Slumping women’s soccer off the mark at Calvin

By Kate Fratar / October 20, 2006

With the end of the regular season approaching in a hurry and a postseason bid hanging in the balance, it’s crunch time for women’s soccer. After a crushing loss on the road to the top team in the region, time is running out for the Maroons. Following their 1–0 loss on the road to third-ranked...

Despite collapse, A’s fans rest in peace

By Kate Fratar / October 20, 2006

Two weeks ago it was suggested to the Maroon sports staff that someone should write an obituary to the A’s season. The team had just grabbed the Western Division title, and people expected it to continue to crumble early in the postseason and fall to the Twins in the first round. After the Tigers completed...

Volleyball takes step back with winless weekend

By Kate Fratar / October 17, 2006

This was supposed to be the year when volleyball could put up a fight against formidable foes. After a winless weekend, it seems like the Maroons and the rest of the UAA are still in separate leagues. Hosting the second UAA Round Robin of the season at Ratner, the Maroons (4–24, 1–6) went down quietly...

Joffrey Ballet trades glass slippers for pointe shoes

By Kate Fratar / October 13, 2006

Last year the Joffrey captured the tragedy and romance of two famous star-crossed lovers when it staged Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Chicago’s premiere ballet company continues the two-year celebration of its 50-year anniversary with a much happier love story—the full-length premiere of Cinderella. With a story as old as this classic rags-to-riches fairytale, it’s difficult...

Volleyball no match for Titans

By Kate Fratar / October 10, 2006

It was different opponents but the same old story for volleyball. Matching up once more against tough competition, the Maroons’ mental errors overshadowed otherwise strong performances and handed victory over to the other side of the net. In the latest chapter of the squad’s grueling regular season slate, Chicago (4–19) faced their eighth nationally ranked...

Men’s soccer looks to clip high-flying Eagles

By Kate Fratar / October 6, 2006

Only one game into the UAA season, is a stretch to say that men’s soccer’s next match is a must-win. But on the road trip to meet a national power, the Maroons will need to bring their A-game if they wish to remain in contention. Squaring off against 17th-ranked Emory (9–1–0, 1–0–0 UAA) is a...

Stakes high for men’s new front runners

By Kate Fratar / October 3, 2006

Last season’s record finish raised the bar for men’s cross country. With the loss of its top two runners, the squad has its work cut out for it if it hopes to repeat last season’s success. Improving upon their 16th-place national ranking in 2004, the Maroons finished last year ranked ninth in Division III, the...

Revamped women begin life after Winter

By Kate Fratar / October 3, 2006

Some teams take on a new season with all the right parts to work with. From there, it’s just a matter of figuring out how to piece them together. For the talent-deep women’s cross-country squad, the greatest obstacle on the course this fall has been the reshuffling of runners into new roles following the departure...

Team on the rise: Volleyball sets sights on NCAAs

By Kate Fratar / October 1, 2006

Good things take time. That’s the lesson that volleyball has taken to heart this season as it nears the end of a grueling regular season schedule. The Maroons (2–12) have gone back to building on the basics in 2006, knowing that once they master the small stuff, the number in the win column will eventually...

Sports Shorts 9/29/06: Trio of Maroons earn UAA honors

By Kate Fratar / October 1, 2006

When it rains, it pours at Stagg Field. With three Maroons garnering Athlete of the Week Awards, Chicago put on quite a show of defensive and offensive prowess over the past seven days of play. Fourth-year quarterback Matt Rinklin earned recognition as the top offensive performer while goalkeepers fourth-year Keith Crum and second-year Polly Cline...

Maroons set to kick off fall

By Kate Fratar / September 14, 2006

No doubt students make their way to the South Side of Chicago in pursuit of the life of the mind. But what about moving into Hyde Park for the intellectual challenges and then staying for the sports? Admittedly, it does sounds like a ridiculous sales pitch for the university that once sacrificed the use of...

Eight named to Athletics Hall of Fame: Sports Shorts 6/2/06

By Kate Fratar / June 2, 2006

Since the University of Chicago’s Athletics Hall of Fame was established in 2003, each year has seen the addition of past greats and recent heroes to its ranks. The Class of 2006 seems set to continue that trend. With summer just around the corner, the Athletics Department officially announced eight Chicago graduates as this year’s...

O’Connor earns UAA weekly honors: Sports Shorts 6/2/06

By Kate Fratar / June 2, 2006

It may pale beside some other of his recent honors, but the conference put the cherry on a sundae of a season for fourth-year Teage O’Connor. The newly minted All-American was rewarded with UAA Athlete of the Week status, the league announced Wednesday. After missing out on the action at NCAAs last season while he...

Spring All-Maroons

By Kate Fratar / May 26, 2006

Top Team: Women’s Tennis Although the squad fell short in the first round of play at nationals, it still walked away from the St. Peter, Minnesota court with a place in University of Chicago athletics history. The 2006 team marked the first one to earn NCAA postseason berth in the program’s history. With a strong...

Track set to take off at NCAAs

By Kate Fratar / May 26, 2006

Long after all other Chicago teams hung up their maroon jerseys and began waiting for next year, men’s and women’s track and field still face their last and biggest hurdle of the season. Brimming with confidence and high expectations, three Maroons will toe the line at the four-day national meet at Benedictine looking to close...

No new bids for track at last invite

By Kate Fratar / May 23, 2006

With some athletes gunning for spots on the line at nationals and others just striving to end the season on a high note, men’s and women’s track made sure to take advantage of their last guaranteed chance to burn rubber. Competing in their final scheduled meet before NCAAs, the Maroons took their terminal shots at...

Order of the C highlights Tamillow, Hogan: Sports Shorts 5/19/06

By Kate Fratar / May 19, 2006

Tradition is alive and well in Hyde Park as the Order of the C hosted its 103rd annual banquet at the International House Tuesday. Fourteen Maroons stood out among the dozens of honorees at the nation’s longest-running collegiate men’s organization event with awards for their athletic and academic achievements. Capping off a season chock full...

Vote now for the 2005–2006 All Maroons

By Kate Fratar / May 19, 2006

Individual MVP Emil Bojanov, Cross Country/Track—Third-year was UAA champion in mile indoor and 800-meter outdoor, earned a provisional NCAA qualifying time in the 1,500 Ward Bortz, Men’s Tennis—Fourth-year racked up a 16–8 record at first singles, will play for his second-straight All-American bid at NCAAs Shane Carlson, Men’s Swimming—First-year holds four individual school records and...

Forward-thinking Gutowski leads hoops resurgence

By Kate Fratar / May 16, 2006

During the 2004–2005 season, women’s basketball took the league by storm under its new head coach Aaron Roussell. That same year, then third-year Susie Gutowski burst onto the court in full force to help spark the turnaround after giving Chicago a preview of her potential the previous season. When Roussell took over the reigns of...

Weather brings baseball’s season to end: Sports Shorts 5/16/06

By Kate Fratar / May 16, 2006

After a season characterized more than anything by its ups and downs, baseball’s year ended on a particularly anticlimactic note. The Maroons’ finale came a bit sooner than planned, as the scheduled road doubleheader at Rose-Hulman (25–15) Saturday was rained out more than a full day in advance. Having been robbed of a chance to...

Cardinal sins sink baseball; Winning season on line after road loss

By Kate Fratar / May 12, 2006

After pulling out wins in game after game in recent weeks, a break-even season looked like a fait accompli for baseball. Instead, it’s going down to the wire for the second year in a row. Everything will culminate against Rose-Hulman (25–15) yet again after the Maroons (17–17) fell back to .500 with a 6–1 loss...

Neuner leads way among WAA honorees: Sports Shorts 5/12/06

By Kate Fratar / May 12, 2006

At 102 years old and counting, the Women’s Athletic Association is the longest-running collegiate women’s athletic organization in the country. Its membership gathered at the International House Tuesday to honor 12 Maroons at its annual awards banquet. Fourth-year soccer player Renee Neuner earned the Gertrude Dudley Medal as the outstanding senior athlete for leadership and...

Winter earns 15th athlete of the week award: Sports Shorts 5/12/06

By Kate Fratar / May 12, 2006

The UAA selected fourth-year Jessica Winter as athlete of the week for women’s track and field, the league announced Tuesday. The veteran All-American tore the tape in the 1,500-meter run at the Butler University Twilight Saturday with a NCAA automatic-qualifying time of 4:32.37 to earn the honor. That time was the fifth-best in Division III...

Thunderstruck women’s tennis ends remarkable run in regionals

By Kate Fratar / May 9, 2006

When rookies make up almost half of a team’s roster, it’s usually a rebuilding year. Women’s tennis spent the 2005–2006 season bucking that stereotype. “We were so young that we really didn’t have any expectations,” head coach Marty Perry said. “I knew that we would be improved, but I didn’t know how much we would...

Bortz gets second shot at NCAAs: Sports Shorts 5/9/06

By Kate Fratar / May 9, 2006

After another stellar season, men’s tennis ace is seeking to go out in style. Returning to the NCAA Division III Championship singles competition for the second straight season, fourth-year Ward Bortz will have an opportunity to end his final season in Hyde Park the same way he ended his first: as an All-American. Posting a...

Searching for a new altar

By Kate Fratar / May 5, 2006

I believe in the Church of Baseball. I like other sports too, but nothing captures my attention the way our national pastime does. The long nine innings make watching a game an easygoing way to pass a summer afternoon, but there’s also the feeling that at any moment a line drive single could spark a...

Dayananda earns NCAA singles berth: Sports Shorts 5/5/06

By Kate Fratar / May 5, 2006

The accolades keep pouring in for first-year Vindya Dayananda, proving that the sky is the limit for the tennis sensation as the team heads into the first postseason appearance of the program’s history. On May 1, the UAA named Dayananda the 2006 Rookie of the Year after she notched a 2–1 mark at the league...

Leading by example, Pettke sets volleyball in right direction

By Kate Fratar / May 2, 2006

It’s one thing to experience playing sports at the collegiate level. It’s quite another accomplishment to help define the goals and expectations of a program. As one of three fourth-years on the 2005 volleyball squad, right-side hitter Erica Pettke was part of a core that helped shape the Maroons volleyball program. Pettke leaves Hyde Park...

League names ten Maroons to the All-UAA squad: Sport Shorts 5/2/06

By Kate Fratar / May 2, 2006

The men’s and women’s tennis squads may not have captured first place at the league championships hosted by Emory April 21–23, but plenty of Maroons stood out in the tournament to earn selection to the All–UAA team. The pairing of fourth-year Ward Bortz and third-year Vivek Venkataraman (9–3) and the tandem of second-year Sasha Deriy...

Weather spoils plans for final homestand: Sport Shorts 5/2/06

By Kate Fratar / May 2, 2006

Softball planned to wrap up its season this weekend, but the weather intervened to push the final showdowns into May. The Maroons (18-–10) travel today to face off against UW–Whitewater (23–13) at 3 p.m. to make up for Sunday’s rainout. The squad’s matchup against the Warhawks was originally scheduled to be Chicago’s season finale at...

Four track relays set to tear it up at Drake

By Kate Fratar / April 28, 2006

With nothing at stake and no pressure to perform, a few Maroons can just run for fun as they go up against the best of the best in track and field. Hosted by Drake University, the Drake Relays attract thousands of fans every year with an all-star roster of Olympic-bound athletes pacing some of the...

Men’s tennis fifth at UAAs after Carnegie upset

By Kate Fratar / April 25, 2006

It was a fitting end to an unpredictable spring. After a regular season that could only be described as inconsistent, men’s tennis may have experienced its latest pendulum swing. With their slim NCAA chances hanging in the balance, the 29th-ranked Maroons (12–10) suffered a first-round upset at the UAA championships en route to a fifth-place...

Women’s tennis has league in crosshairs

By Kate Fratar / April 21, 2006

They may be young, but women’s tennis knows how to play. And win. With five first-years on the squad, almost half of the 19th-ranked Maroons’ roster got its first taste of collegiate-level tennis this season. Over the course of the season, these rookies have combined to post a 65–28 mark in singles play. Breakout performances...

Softball leaves bats behind in road split

By Kate Fratar / April 18, 2006

Earlier in the spring, softball’s lineup hit with power up and down the order, scoring runs in bunches and pounding the ball to all fields. Lately, it’s been all quiet on the offensive front for softball. After a dismal showing at the Illinois Wesleyan Invite, the Maroons (13–9) split a pair of road doubleheaders this...

Baseball busts out bats in home rats

By Kate Fratar / April 14, 2006

They say that a hitting slump is like the common cold: It will last two weeks no matter what a batter does. Against Wheaton, the Maroons showed signs of recovery way ahead of schedule. Returning to J. Kyle for a Tuesday night showdown, Chicago (7-–13) hammered Wheaton (9–12) 17–4. After a weekend characterized by agonizing...

Top teams put women’s tennis to the test at invite

By Kate Fratar / April 11, 2006

With the season drawing to a close, it’s crunch time for women’s tennis. Getting a taste of the level of competition they will face at UAAs, the 19th-ranked Maroons (14–6) earned a weekend split against four nationally-ranked squads to come home with a fourth-place finish at the Midwest Invite. Chicago took down 20th-ranked University of...

After stellar careers, batterymates leave program

By Kate Fratar / April 7, 2006

The life of a student-athlete is a demanding one. But time after time, a love for the game leads the men and women in maroon and grey to make the sacrifices necessary to take the field. They grab every opportunity to play because they know that the time will inevitably come when those opportunities will...

Performances of the Week: Sports Shorts 4/7/06

By Kate Fratar / April 7, 2006

Cynthia Lin (women’s track and field): Earned victory in triple long jump (10.69m) and captured second-place in 200-meter dash (27.56) at Elmhurst Invitational Saturday Alice Williams (women’s tennis): Recorded 2–0 mark in singles play against Coe Saturday and Wash U Sunday to extend winning streak to 11 matches Ade Omodele-Lucien (women’s tennis): Singles win, pair...

Women’s tennis aces road test, drops Bears

By Kate Fratar / April 4, 2006

Sometimes all the pieces just come together and wins seem to come effortlessly. Women’s tennis continued its hot streak with a pair of impressive wins. After dropping their first three matches of the season, the now 19th-ranked Maroons (12–4) have gone on a 10–3 tear in February and March, including four shutouts last month. With...

Hot bats put softball on road to victory

By Kate Fratar / March 31, 2006

For the past three years, softball has lived and died with good pitching. This season, personnel changes will force some tweaking to that approach. With fourth-year battery mates pitcher Hannah Roberts and catcher Randi Leppla absent from this year’s roster, top-of-the-rotation strength may no longer be a touchstone for the Maroons. The crafty three-time All-American...

Baseball falls again in agonizing battle: Sports Shorts 3/31/06

By Kate Fratar / March 31, 2006

In the first game back from the spring break trip, baseball (2–8) stumbled early and were unable to complete a comeback bid in an eight inning 13–11 loss at Dominican (5–9) Wednesday. Third-year Jeffrey Thorson recorded the win with six hits and six runs, four earned over 5.2 innings. Fourth-year Brian Olson took the loss,...

Rodak follows long, winding road to continue wrestling career

By Kate Fratar / March 7, 2006

He’s a lawyer and army officer, but University of Chicago graduate Neal Rodak made his first career wrestling. Torn between an unwillingness to say goodbye to the sport he loves and the excitement to pursue other goals, Rodak has shown devotion and toughness throughout his career, one which has again found its way to the...

Warhawks ride sixth singles tiebreakers to win over men’s tennis

By Kate Fratar / February 21, 2006

After coming close to breaking out the broomsticks last weekend, men’s tennis let another one slip through the cracks at the very last minute. The 25th-ranked Maroons (5–2) fell 4–3 to visiting UW-Whitewater (8–2) Saturday after a 2–1 effort last week, with a 1–1 mark against nationally ranked teams. 21st-ranked fourth-year Ward Bortz gave a...

Buzzer beater busts women’s hoops weekend

By Kate Fratar / February 14, 2006

Women’s basketball may have split a pair of games last weekend, but there was little cause for celebration. The team’s turnover woes continued and new injuries will add to their tribulations as they struggle for a strong finish to the season. The Maroons (16–6, 5–6) had another up-and-down weekend. A 54–36 victory over Emory on...

Turnovers trouble struggling women in weekend split

By Kate Fratar / February 7, 2006

This time last year women’s basketball was playing the role of spoiler. Now, the squad will be focusing on finishing like the team of old and avoiding having its own season spoiled. Hopes for postseason play grew even dimmer after this weekend’s road trip. It was déjà vu all over again for Chicago (15–5, 4–5)...

Passing, post woes still puzzling women’s basketball

By Kate Fratar / January 31, 2006

Women’s basketball may have been perfect in the non-conference schedule, but with the offensive chemistry lacking, the now unranked Maroons find themselves halfway through the UAA schedule and looking up at four strong teams. Women’s basketball (14–4, 3–4) rallied Friday night for a 65–61 comeback win against Carnegie Mellon (5–13, 0–7) but lacked the spark...

No divers, no mercy for women’s swimmers at Wheaton Triangular

By Kate Fratar / January 24, 2006

There was no rest for the weary as women’s swimming ploughed through its last week of demanding training and a competitive meet in the final preparations for the UAA championship. The Maroons (2–6) faced some of their strongest opposition in the pool to date, falling to the sixth-ranked host Thunder 147–57 and Carthage 131–73 at...

Hungry teams provide unexpected challenge for women’s hoops

By Kate Fratar / January 17, 2006

Women’s basketball faced some unexpected battles on the road this weekend, but they pulled through and returned to Chicago with two more marks in the win column. After falling three spots to 22nd as the result of a crushing loss to Wash U, women’s basketball (13–1, 2–1) got right back on the winning track this...

Women’s undefeated streak ends as battle of top-25 teams devolves into blowout

By Kate Fratar / January 10, 2006

All good things must come to an end. After a perfect start to the season, women’s basketball tallied their first loss Saturday. In the first UAA matchup of the year, third-ranked Wash U (11–1, 1–0) dominated 19th-ranked Chicago (10–1, 0–1) in an 83–59 victory that snapped the Maroons’ 10-game winning streak, the longest run in...

Fall athletes haul in two All-American certificates, eight All-Region nods: Sports Shorts 1/6/06

By Kate Fratar / January 6, 2006

Winter sports are warming up, and they have an impressive fall season to live up to. Two Maroons hung up their Chicago cleats with All-American selections, capping off an 18-3-2 season and a postseason run that lasted to the national semifinals Over break the National Soccer Coaches Association of America named fourth-year midfielder Jacqui De...

Women’s basketball rides offensive firestorm to two easy wins

By Kate Fratar / November 29, 2005

Last year, offense powered women’s basketball’s breakout season. This year, the depth and talent on the bench is revealing a team chemistry that could lift the Maroons even higher. The Maroons extended their perfect start to the season to 4–0 with victories over Blackburn (0–2) 77–51 November 22 and Concordia (0–4) 80–68 Saturday. Second-year guard...

Women’s basketball preview: Roussell’s first full year holds great promise

By Kate Fratar / November 20, 2005

Returning to the courts with last year’s core intact and a host of new talent, women’s basketball stands ready to meet and exceed great expectations. After three seasons of sub-.500 ball, Chicago broke out last season, recording their most successful season in over a decade with an overall 16–9 mark and a 9–5 fourth-place finish...

Women’s basketball preview: Roussell’s first full year holds great promise

By Kate Fratar / November 18, 2005

Returning to the courts with last year’s core intact and a host of new talent, women’s basketball stands ready to meet and exceed great expectations. After three seasons of sub-.500 ball, Chicago broke out last season, recording their most successful season in over a decade with an overall 16–9 mark and a 9–5 fourth-place finish...

Women earn home games with triumph: Wins over Wash U send soccer teams to tourney

By Kate Fratar / November 8, 2005

The end is just the beginning for women’s soccer. Games rarely bring stakes as big as the ones Chicago faced in the match-up Saturday, especially with 13 fourth-years finishing their final regular season at Stagg. Not only were the Maroons hosting archrival Washington University, the outcome would determine placement in the postseason. “We were playing...

Men’s swimming wins two, ties D-I Western Illinois squad: Sports Shorts 11/1/05

By Kate Fratar / November 1, 2005

Heading towards the heart of the season, the Maroons turned in stellar performances across the board against some unusually talented competition. Chicago continued their solid opening run by blowing the competition out of the water Saturday at the Monmouth Quadrangular. The Maroons (3–0–1) obliterated Monmouth 165–32 and Rose-Hulman 156–48, and finished neck-and-neck with Division I...

Top teams spike past volleyball

By Kate Fratar / October 4, 2005

Injuries and poor offense followed the Maroons to Cleveland. Chicago (7-14) continued to struggle on the volleyball courts after an 0-3 showing at the first UAA round robin weekend of the year. With their first two matches scheduled against third-ranked Emory and top-ranked Washington, the Maroons had their work cut out for them. “It was...

Disappointing showing for volleyball

By Kate Fratar / September 30, 2005

Unfortunately for volleyball, momentum doesn’t always travel well. Coming off a 3-2 homestand, the Maroons (7-11) took a step back at last weekend’s Wheaton College Invitational, going 1-3 over two days for a seventh-place finish. The team walked onto the courts Friday with high hopes, having solidly beaten both of their scheduled opponents over the...