Smile Design Every Other Week
The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

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

Chicago Maroon
Smile Design Every Other Week
The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon
Stories and content by Tim Murphy

Sports Shorts 4/13/07: UAA honors Maroon trio

By Tim Murphy / April 13, 2007
After a weekend of standout performances, the UAA served up Chicago athletes their rightful dues. With a pair of NCAA provisional qualifications in the 10k and the decathlon, fourth-year Abby Sheldon and third-year Zach Rodgers took home weekly Athlete of the Week honors for their performances at the Chicagoland Championships, while first-year Marissa Lin earned...

At Chicagolands, track springs forward amid flurries

By Tim Murphy / April 9, 2007
Battling the cruel irony of Chicago’s topsy-turvy April meteorology, track had its share of elements to overcome: snow flurries, sub-freezing temperatures, a stiff wind, and even stiffer competition. Thanks to emerging athletes in new events, the Maroons turned up the heat to make the most of a frigid weekend. Taking on the best squads in...

An IM sport for Pot-heads

By Tim Murphy / April 6, 2007
They say you never really know yourself until you’re hurtling through the lower atmosphere on the seat of a standard household cleaning device. Since James and Lily’s only son first climbed aboard his Nimbus 2000 in The Sorcerer’s Stone, that idea has resonated in the hearts and minds of dreamy Muggles worldwide. Yet for all...

Sports Shorts 4/7/06: Baseball’s Zitek snares UAA honors

By Tim Murphy / April 6, 2007
His team’s brightest star in an up-and -down week, fourth-year second baseman Tony Zitek earned some much-deserved recognition for his hot bat and slick fielding. After racking up a .750 batting average over a three-game stretch against North Central (6–11) and MSOE (1–20), the squad’s captain took home UAA Athlete of the Week honors for...

Sports Shorts 4/6/07: Rain delays date with Thunder for women’s tennis

By Tim Murphy / April 6, 2007
With a second Punic war showdown looming with 25th-ranked Carthage Saturday, along with a number of other nationally ranked powerhouses on the weekend slate, 24th-ranked women’s tennis was hoping to use its Tuesday matchup at central region stronghold Wheaton as a tune-up for the trials ahead. Those plans took a slight detour thanks to some...

Weekend to forget for baseball at MSOE

By Tim Murphy / April 3, 2007
Looking to continue their hot hitting, baseball ran into turbulence from an unexpected source and then saw its home opener washed out in a weekend to forget. Taking on winless MSOE in a Saturday doubleheader in Milwaukee, the Maroons (5–8) handed the Raiders (1–20) their first victory, an 8–5 fiasco in the first game, before...

Florida trip mixed bag for women’s tennis

By Tim Murphy / March 30, 2007
Last season, women’s tennis entered its spring break training trip as a young team still uncertain of its full potential and left on a hot streak en route to the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA tournament. This year, with their credentials already solidified, the Maroons took advantage of some tough competition to prepare themselves...

Audacity of Hope: Men exit tourney

By Tim Murphy / March 6, 2007
As the clock approached midnight on men’s basketball’s abbreviated NCAA tournament run, the squad’s five fourth-years slowly walked off the court, heads down, listening to a standing ovation they never wanted to hear. It was one last encore for a group that brought the squad back from the depths of mediocrity and onto DIII’s biggest...

Fear the Purple Cow: Mascots bring tourney to life

By Tim Murphy / March 2, 2007
The NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament is a spectacle unlike any in American sports. It’s a once-a-year opportunity for skilled prognosticators everywhere to revert to the accuracy and grace of an embattled local weatherman and a chance to put untested amateurs on a pedestal and see whether they wilt. Ancient cultures would throw great...

Wallis, Bears clip men’s basketball for UAA title

By Tim Murphy / February 27, 2007
Going into Saturday’s showdown at Wash U, the stakes were clear for men’s basketball: Get a win and the Maroons will be outright league champions for the first time in six years with a good chance at playing host in the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament. Facing its archrival in a crowded, hostile...

Bleed Maroon: Students bring spirit in St. Louis

By Tim Murphy / February 27, 2007
A primary front in the Midwestern recruiting wars and a sensible rivalry within the skewed geography of the UAA, the Chicago–Wash U hate-fest has in the past been meaningful mostly to players and coaches. This weekend, with the stakes for all four basketball teams higher than ever before, all of that began to change. With...

Timeout with Pat Coleman

By Tim Murphy / February 23, 2007
For the past 12 years, fans of DIII basketball have turned to d3hoops.com for all their college basketball news, analysis, and rankings. Working in conjunction with partner sites d3football.com and d3baseball.com, Pat Coleman, a former USA Today and current MSNBC.com employee, is in his 10th season as editor and publisher of d3hoops.com. We talked with...

Sister act gets Mojidi on winning path

By Tim Murphy / February 23, 2007
Nofi Mojidi has never been one to back down from a challenge. For a women’s basketball squad with its back against the wall and its season hanging in the balance, that determination could be just what the team needs to jump off the bubble and into the NCAA tournament pool. With the Maroons (18–6, 7–6)...

Holy Cow! Romney honestly insincere

By Tim Murphy / February 20, 2007
Forget the widespread anti-Mormon prejudice, inexperience, and flip-flopping. Forget the Salt Lake City Olympics, health care plans, and an image so squeaky clean you can eat freedom toast off of it. Mitt Romney will not win the 2008 Presidential Election because he has made a career out of biting the hand that feeds him. Last...

Women snatch defeat from jaws of victory but rebound for split

By Tim Murphy / February 20, 2007
In its fall from grace over the second half of the season, the problem for women’s basketball has not been lack of talent, desire, or competitiveness. It’s been an issue of executing when it matters most. With multiple chances to tie in the final minute Friday, the young squad fell apart once again with critical...

Coach’s son, undersized forward lead men’s hoops revival

By Tim Murphy / February 16, 2007
Going into this season, men’s basketball knew it was going to get silky-smooth crossovers and pinpoint passes from fourth-year guard Brandon Woodhead. It could take it for granted that classmate Jesse Meyer would score a host of threes and provide solid rebounding. And the squad could count on third-year forward Nate Hainje to make his...

Among fourth-years, wrestling finds rookie gem in Carlson

By Tim Murphy / February 16, 2007
For wrestling, the league championships from two weekends ago marked an encouraging turnaround for a program that once dominated the competition. A year after losing the meet for the first time this century, the Maroons took back the title on the strength of a quartet of seniors who won individual titles. With a team of...

Dirty dozen: Men shatter records in the pool.

By Tim Murphy / February 13, 2007
In the nation’s toughest swimming conference, progress is rarely made by leaps and bounds. Men’s swimming took another huge step toward the upper echelon of the UAA with a record-shattering performance at the league championships. Competing Thursday through Saturday in Cleveland, five Maroons hit provisional national qualifying standards in five different events and 21st-ranked Chicago...

Sports Shorts 2/13/07: Track takes on top competition at invite

By Tim Murphy / February 13, 2007
With UAAs in the back of their minds, the men’s and women’s track and field teams entered this weekend’s meet seeking to get some seasoning against top competition. Going up against a field crowded with top-25 programs, the Maroons continued their postseason preparations and earned a surprising NCAA qualification. At the UW–Oshkosh Invite, the men’s...

A million little pieces: The legend of Barbaro

By Tim Murphy / February 2, 2007
On another day, the continued carnage and unabating violence in Iraq might have been the story that saturated the airwaves and drew our attention. But this week the ceaseless crisis in the Middle East will have to wait; Peyton Manning’s right arm and Tank Johnson’s electronic tracking bracelet will take a seat on the back...

Men’s basketball sweep, but injuries mount

By Tim Murphy / January 30, 2007
Just as everything seemed to be going right for men’s basketball, a pair of injuries to key players raised new issues about the squad’s already shallow benbch and marred an otherwise satisfying weekend. Battling a pair of league contenders at Ratner, the Maroons earned a hard-fought 62-–60 decision over 24th-ranked NYU (14–4, 3–4) Friday and...

Osama Obama: The missing link to 9/11

By Tim Murphy / January 26, 2007
Dear Constance, So there’s this guy who lives in my neighborhood. Actually, he lives right down the street from me. He’s nice enough, got a big toothy smile, warm and disarming voice, even has a couple of cute young kids. But a couple of years ago he started going away for days and even weeks...

W-Head discusses fine art of taunting U of C style

By Tim Murphy / January 26, 2007
Decked out in a hard hat with a giant wooden “W,” fourth-year John Saxton has riled opposing fans, coaches, fans, and referees in an effort to build student support for the men’s basketball team. We sat down with Saxton to talk about the art of heckling, tailgating on the quad, and the Wheaton Thunder. How...

Swimming to host invite

By Tim Murphy / January 12, 2007
Winter has traditionally been a difficult time of year for swimming. After easing into things in the fall, the Maroons crank up their training regimens over break and then dive headlong into a top-notch non-conference dual meet slate. All of this in preparation for the season-ending UAA meet—with three top ten teams, it is the...

Outside shots fall flat for men’s hoops in home loss

By Tim Murphy / January 9, 2007
Undersized and ice-cold from the floor, men’s basketball dug itself a hole too deep to climb out of against arch-rival Wash U. Taking on the 24th-ranked Bears in the UAA opener for both squads, the Maroons fell 70–59 in front of an evenly split, near-capacity crowd Saturday at Ratner. Playing without the services of third-year...

Kruzel, wrestling, show class at Cornell

By Tim Murphy / January 9, 2007
With a schedule full to the brim with ranked programs and perennial powers, wrestling was sure to take some lumps this season. After enduring some tough losses in the early going, the Maroons showed what they’re capable of with a strong weekend showing in Iowa. Taking on top competition from around the Midwest, the Maroons...

Fall All–Maroons

By Tim Murphy / November 28, 2006
Although teammates Farmer and Hall got more attention, Catalano helped keep the Maroons on the winning track with stellar play from the back. Scoring her first-ever collegiate goals with a hat-trick against NYU, she was one of the team’s most dangerous offensive weapons with her swerving set pieces and crosses. The Bay state native assisted...

Point–Counterpoint: Welcome to America, Matsuzaka

By Tim Murphy / November 28, 2006
Since pulling off the greatest comeback in sports history two years ago, the Boston Red Sox have undoubtedly taken too objective an approach in restructuring their organization. By allowing popular players to leave and bringing in mercenaries with no sense of the history and fortitude it takes to win in a city like Boston, the...

Swimming ends fall season unsinkable

By Tim Murphy / November 21, 2006
Going into Saturday’s home doubleheader, women’s swimming thought it would be lucky to break even. But a breakout performance coupled with another strong showing from the men’s squad helped the Maroons end their fall in late-season form. Taking on a pair of tough regional squads, Chicago earned a surprise sweep as both teams upped their...

If I reviewed O.J.’s book, here is how it would go

By Tim Murphy / November 17, 2006
For many Americans, O.J. Simpson is a living fossil from a bygone era when a famous athlete going to trial for double homicide was still a novelty and a white Ford Bronco was still an acceptable form of transportation. Fortunately for book reviewers everywhere, O.J. is not one of these people. Boldly going where no...

The Uncommon Interview: Tyjuan “Top 50” Edwards

By Tim Murphy / November 17, 2006
[img id=”80111″ align=”alignleft”] His real name is Tyjuan Edwards and he works at the Reg. To most U of C students though, he is “Top 50,” Maroons superfan extraordinaire. Top 50 has patrolled the sidelines for the past five years at sporting events, cheering the Maroons on with his endless enthusiasm and array of catchphrases....

Cross Country looks to make mark at NCAAs

By Tim Murphy / November 17, 2006
For cross country, this weekend’s NCAA championship meet is a fitting conclusion to a season of hard-earned accomplishments. Spurred on by a program-building coach, the Maroons will look to carry on their success of seasons past. Taking on the top runners in all of DIII, the Maroons will try to peak at the right time...

On Muir’s inane anti-Semitic Oriental Institute critique

By Tim Murphy / November 17, 2006
The other night, as I strolled down 58th Street on my way to Ida Noyes, I noticed a peculiar sight. Across the street from the Theological Seminary were three mujahideen with AK-47s slung over their shoulders and turbans on their heads, speaking in a peculiar tongue as they burnt an American flag on the sidewalk....

K-Fed can’t even fail well in pissed-off performance

By Tim Murphy / November 10, 2006
Kevin Federline owes me $27.50. Growing up, I always thought Shaquille O’Neill had set an untouchable standard for hip-hop futility. In his 1994 classic, Shaq Fu, he rhymed about such salient issues as Mr. Miyagi, Ivan Drago, and cream cheese on bagels while setting an unofficial record for the least original beats on a studio...

Men’s soccer readies for playoff joust with Knights

By Tim Murphy / November 10, 2006
There are any number of places to start if you’re looking for clues as to how men’s soccer made the postseason. There is the energetic and efficient new striking tandem. There is the revamped midfield and back four, given new life by an influx of first-years and position changes. But all of those efforts would...

The Inconvenient Truth about Middle Earth

By Tim Murphy / November 7, 2006
Two weeks ago it was suggested in these pages that Jimmy Carter should run for president a second time. The idea seemed laughable if only because, well, the man in question was Jimmy Carter, a man whose biggest success in office was to make the name “Jimmy” acceptable for persons over 15. The writer of...

Sports Shorts 11/7/06: Swimming dominates at invite

By Tim Murphy / November 7, 2006
Continuing their strong early-season starts, men’s and women’s swimming each earned a pair of convincing wins against regional foes Saturday at the Illinois Wesleyan invite. Taking on the hosts as well as Principia, the men 87–18 and 84–28, while the women won 76–36 and 84–29. Both squads remained undefeated on the season as they continued...

Murphy’s law: New Stagg: If you build it we will come

By Tim Murphy / November 7, 2006
We don’t have a 100,000-seat stadium. We don’t have Touchdown Jesus, Rock Chalk Jayhawk, or an insulting Native American Mascot. We don’t pay our athletes, idolize our coaches, or attend Friday night yell practices in anticipation for a Saturday afternoon game. And we never will. We are nerds. We show up to intramurals in jeans...

Football looks to halt skid on senior day

By Tim Murphy / November 3, 2006
For football, last weekend’s heartbreaking loss in Cleveland was only the tip of the iceberg in a season of close calls. With the season winding down, the Maroons look to reverse their fortunes against a first-time opponent. Taking on Northwestern College (7–2) Saturday at Stagg, the Maroons (2–4) will try to stop a four game...

Dear Kurt Warner: Shut up

By Tim Murphy / October 31, 2006
Dear Kurt Warner, I am writing to thank you for your input on the complicated issue of stem cell research. While it is a delicate topic on which plenty of well intentioned people disagree, you succeeded where everyone else had failed. You managed to bring an uncommon sense of clarity to the subject. In the...

Strikers have men’s soccer thinking big

By Tim Murphy / October 27, 2006
You wouldn’t know it if you watched them play now, but once upon a time, before they handed Dominican its only loss and buried Whitewater with a late surge, before they won 8 out of 11 and turned the season around, before a young head coach found a striking tandem that worked, men’s soccer had...

Draft K-Fed for Summer Breeze…Popozao!

By Tim Murphy / October 24, 2006
Picture a quiet May evening on the quad. Squirrels frolic in the freshly sodded grass, as squirrels are wont to do, and the harmonious din of crickets emanates from the botany pond. Maybe a lone student sits outside of Cobb, soaking in summer’s gentle promise while contemplating his Comp Sci lab. Now picture Kevin Federline....

Farmer, women’s soccer back on target at Stagg

By Tim Murphy / October 24, 2006
It had been a rough three weeks for Christine Farmer. As the third-year forward and team’s top scorer struggled to come back from a nagging knee injury, women’s soccer fell upon hard times, slipping out of the national polls and casting the squad’s postseason hopes in serious doubt. All that changed on Saturday.With a pair...

Patrick’s politics of hope give a breath of fresh air

By Tim Murphy / October 20, 2006
Rhetoric has the ability to incense and to befuddle, to cause people to flee to Canada, to build a fence around Mexico, or to decimate a foreign land out of fear. In rural Georgia, a congressional candidate finishes off his attack ads by mocking his opponent’s support of Spanish-speaking citizens: “Muchas gracias, Jim Marshall,” intones...

Football mauled as Bears get revenge

By Tim Murphy / October 17, 2006
Hosting its archrival Wash U in the UAA opener, football had a lot at stake Saturday. Costly turnovers and defensive lapses cost them once again and put their hopes of repeating as league champs in serious jeopardy. In front of a boisterous homecoming crowd, the Maroons (2–3) proved what a difference a year makes, falling...

Change in the air as women’s soccer splits

By Tim Murphy / October 17, 2006
In five years, women’s soccer hadn’t experienced anything like it. But after suffering their first losing streak in half a decade, the Maroons shook things up in a big way to awake from their UAA slumber. On the road for the second straight week, 22nd-ranked Chicago (9–3–1, 2–2 UAA) fell 2–1 to seventh-ranked Rochester (9–1–2,...

Volleyball set to host UAA

By Tim Murphy / October 13, 2006
A record-setting performance from third-year Erin O’Neil and some strong play in the middle was not enough to cure volleyball’s woes. Facing a tough non-conference opponent on the road in preparation for this weekend’s UAA round robin at Ratner, the Maroons (4–20) fell in five sets, 30–28, 21–30, 28–30, 30–27, 15–10, to Lake Forest (11–11)...

Special Olympics a hit in Midway debut

By Tim Murphy / October 10, 2006
There’s an old saying, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” The meaning has been worn to almost nothing over the years as commentators and coaches abuse it with increasing regularity. But every once in a while, it’s actually true. In an event made possible by the tireless contributions...

Sports Shorts 10/6/06: Hague earns top UAA honors

By Tim Murphy / October 6, 2006
There won’t be much second guessing for this decision. After a standout performance at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational Saturday, the UAA honored fourth-year runner Brian Hague as UAA athlete of the week Wednesday. It was the first such honor of his career. Asked to shoulder more of the burden on a young cross country team,...

Sports Shorts 10/6/06: Women’s tennis strong in debut

By Tim Murphy / October 6, 2006
When most teams take six months off from competition, they aren’t supposed to come back this sharp. In their first tournament of the fall season after a breakout performance last spring, though, women’s tennis picked up right where it left off. Competing at the ITA Central regional tournament in Springfield, OH, the Maroons sent two...

Sports Shorts 10/3/06: Volleyball drops two at UAA Round Robin

By Tim Murphy / October 3, 2006
Squaring off against some of the best opposition around, volleyball was impressive, but ultimately came up short. The Maroons went 1–2 against top competition at the UAA Round Robin in Atlanta as they began league play in the nation’s toughest conference. In its first taste of league action this season, Chicago (4–17, 1–2 UAA) fell...

Football can’t cage DePauw

By Tim Murphy / October 3, 2006
For football, this weekend’s matchup with DePauw was supposed to be a measuring stick for how much the team has improved in recent years. If the final score was any indication, the Maroons have a lot of work left to do. In its final tuneup before league play, Chicago (2–2) got mauled 31–6 by the...

Retooled men’s soccer hits stride with new coach

By Tim Murphy / October 1, 2006
It was a tumultuous offseason for men’s soccer. After leading the squad to a 14–5–1 finish in 2005, head coach John O’Connor announced his resignation in March to take over the same position at the University of Rhode Island, setting off a three-month long nationwide search that culminated finally in the hiring of Brown assistant...

Football faces toughest challenge of season as Tigers invade Stagg

By Tim Murphy / October 1, 2006
What a difference a year makes. At this point last fall, football was winless in three attempts and in danger of a third consecutive losing season. It’s now 12 months later, and the Maroons prepare to square off against an old nemesis hoping to do more than hold its own. The centerpiece of a packed...

Weber looks to ride wave of success

By Tim Murphy / September 14, 2006
At long last, the search is over. After three months of uncertainty about who would take over as the new head coach for men’s and women’s swimming and diving, athletic director Tom Weingartner promoted from within, naming men’s assistant Jason Weber to the newly consolidated position on June 8. Weber will also retain his duties...

Final kick wins O’Connor All-American track honors

By Tim Murphy / June 2, 2006
The more experience you gain as a distance runner, the better you become at picking your spots to surge. Putting 12 seasons of hard work to good use, Teage O’Connor relied on a finishing kick for the ages to earn All-American honors in his last college race. Buoyed by a spirited contingent of teammates and...

A modest proposal on immigration

By Tim Murphy / June 2, 2006
The Senate recently passed a bill making English the official language of the United States. The wording was changed some in order to ensure its passage, but that was certainly the intent. Some might view this as a shameful act of political posturing, catering to the xenophobic and racist sentiments that seem to permeate throughout...

With keeper’s experience, Wiercinski ready to win

By Tim Murphy / May 26, 2006
When John O’Connor, the winningest coach in the Maroons’ men’s soccer history, resigned March 3 to take the head coaching job at the University of Rhode Island, the program was swept into a swirling sea of uncertainty. Without a steady hand at the helm, the Maroons went through their spring season unsure of who would...

Tennis ace on ball at championships

By Tim Murphy / May 23, 2006
With a cool confidence belying her inexperience, women’s tennis first-year phenom Vindya Dayananda capped off a stellar debut season by earning the ultimate honor for any college athlete. Taking on the best at the NCAA singles championships, Dayananda split a pair of matches to earn the program’s first All-American certificate in six years and only...

Standout Schlaefer keyed soccer’s NCAA return

By Tim Murphy / May 23, 2006
From the first time he saw Peter Schlaefer between the lines, one thing was clear to former mens soccer head coach John O’Connor. His prized recruit, the tall defender with the velvet-soft touch, had game. “What I noticed first was he was very calm,” O’Connor said. “When the ball came to him he didn’t feel...

Football’s sack-king keyed late season surge

By Tim Murphy / May 19, 2006
Rob Tamillow’s final season with the Chicago football program started off a lot like his first three: badly. While the co-captain and his teammates played well at times, they repeatedly failed to execute at critical junctures, and the Maroons found themselves without a win through four games. And then a rivalry gave them the chance...

Clock strikes midnight for Cinderella softball at NCAAs

By Tim Murphy / May 16, 2006
For a little while at least, “Team Disney” seemed destined for a fairy-tale ending. But after an opening-round upset at the Great Lakes regional, softball received a cold, harsh dose of reality. Needing four wins to advance to the national finals in Raleigh, Chicago (20–15) fought valiantly but came up short, falling to seventh-seeded Hope...

Underdog softball on to second round

By Tim Murphy / May 12, 2006
“One game at a time” was the mantra head coach Ruth Kmak adopted for softball before the NCAA tournament. If the Maroons can continue to play like they did Thursday, those games might just start to add up. Spurred on by aggressive baserunning, golden glovework, and another free pitching clinic from fourth-year Petra Wade, sixth-seeded...

Suprising softball set for NCAAs

By Tim Murphy / May 9, 2006
A week ago, it hardly seemed possible. But despite ending the regular season with a whimper, softball is back in the NCAA tournament for the first time in three years. Riding a strong schedule and benefiting from the expansion of the tourney field from 42 to 59 teams, the sixth-seeded Maroons (19–13) scraped their way...

NCAAs next up in rookie’s journey

By Tim Murphy / May 5, 2006
Sometimes help can come from the least likely places. Riding the smooth swing of UAA Rookie of the Year Vindya Dayananda, 15th-ranked women’s tennis (15–8) will look to make history when they make their Division III NCAA tournament debut today with a rematch against 13th-ranked Wheaton (18–2). If the Maroons are to emerge from the...

Young women’s tennis bound for NCAAs: Sports Shorts 5/2/06

By Tim Murphy / May 2, 2006
For women’s tennis, it’s the beginning of a new era. After years of mediocrity, the Maroons are taking their game to the big stage. Boosted by a strong run over the second-half of the season, 15th-ranked Chicago (15–8) makes its Division III NCAA tournament debut Friday against 13th-ranked Wheaton (17–2) in St. Peters, Minnesota. The...

Velo sets sights on national glory

By Tim Murphy / April 28, 2006
In a year that has already seen three Maroons squads qualify for NCAA championship play, the most successful athletic program on campus might just be one you know absolutely nothing about. Defying South Side tradition with their non-standard yellow jerseys and European moniker, the Velo Club of the University of Chicago has quietly established itself...

Three’s company for track in Cleveland

By Tim Murphy / April 25, 2006
Entering the conference meet, track and field head coach Chris Hall declared that he was “very excited” to see how his squads would do. More than 20 top-three finishes later, that enthusiasm seems prophetic. “I think our team performed very well. Our goal for the men was third and we got that,” Hall said. “We...

Baseball’s winning streak comes to crashing halt: Sports Shorts 4/25/06

By Tim Murphy / April 25, 2006
Baseball entered the weekend playing its best ball of the season. After 13 errors and one walkoff free pass, the Maroons were left wondering how to recapture that magic. With their hopes for a winning season hanging by a thread heading towards the final stretch, Chicago (11–15) dropped two of three in a critical weekend....

Wade fells Foresters as softball splits

By Tim Murphy / April 21, 2006
It wasn’t the sweep that they were hoping for. But behind a pair of lights-out performances from Petra Wade, softball showed signs of breaking out of its recent funk. Riding the bat and arm of their fourth-year ace along with some timely defense and hitting, the Maroons (14–10) earned a tough home split with Lake...

Mojidi’s run to daylight paces track at Wheaton

By Tim Murphy / April 18, 2006
A sunny day and spikes on her feet were all Nofi Mojidi needed to make history. In less time than most people take to finish a Pop-Tart, the second-year sprinted her way into the school record books. Again. Behind the two-sport star’s national-qualifying finish in the 200-meter dash, the Maroons submitted a strong showing at...

Men’s tennis rides doubles into Luther clash

By Tim Murphy / April 14, 2006
Doubles play is often overlooked in the shadow of the more-alluring singles contests. But when the day is done, it’s nearly impossible to win without it. For men’s tennis, the success of the pairs tandems just might be the key to this season. Looking to get back to their winning ways, the Maroons will take...

Dayananda, O’Connor nab UAA honors: Sports Shorts 4/14/06

By Tim Murphy / April 14, 2006
The way these two have been performing, it was only a matter of time. A pair of Maroons, first-year women’s tennis player Vindya Dayananda and fourth-year men’s track runner Teage O’Connor, were named UAA Athletes of the Week, the league announced Wednesday. Tennis’ first-year phenom tore through the competition at last weekend’s Midwest Invite, posting...

Curve your enthusiasm: Softball drops four at IWU

By Tim Murphy / April 11, 2006
Heading into the weekend, softball had hoped that the new year would offer them the opportunity to exorcise some old demons. They proved not to have a ghost of a chance as their bats fell eerily silent. After an impressive start to the season, Chicago (11–7) lost their momentum and four straight games at the...

Upperclassmen help women’s tennis climb to new heights

By Tim Murphy / April 7, 2006
Women’s tennis has proved this season that it can play with anyone. After tearing through the dual-match season, the Maroons will get a shot against the region’s best. Looking to continue their regular season success, the 19th-ranked Maroons (12–4) will take on 20th-ranked UW–La Crosse (15–2) in the opening round of the Midwest Invite in...

Streak ends after big wins for softball

By Tim Murphy / April 4, 2006
After tearing through their early-season schedule in Florida, softball hoped to stay hot upon their return to Hyde Park. They got their wish, as the Maroons held their own against a tough regional foe to continue their impressive start. Chicago (11–3) split a doubleheader with North Central (12–4) Friday, taking the first game 4–1 before...

Harry and the Potters demonstrate their rock wizardry at Ida Noyes

By Tim Murphy / April 4, 2006
With stage antics that would put Iggy Pop to shame, Harry and the Potters rocked Ida Noyes Wednesday night in front of a near-capacity crowd. Norwood, Massachusetts–based brothers and “Wizard rock,” genre pioneers Joe and Paul DeGeorge delivered an hour-plus set of songs inspired by the bestselling books. The third floor of Ida Noyes may...

Outlook bright for baseball behind strong defense

By Tim Murphy / March 31, 2006
Offense wins games, defense wins championships. It’s a cliché that’s been abused over the years, but with a young club built around slick fielding and an ace at the front of the rotation, baseball hopes the old adage will hold true this season. “Our defense has improved significantly,” head coach Brian Baldea said. “Our infield...

Curling Fever: “Chess on ice” ready to sweep the states: Clean sweep

By Tim Murphy / March 3, 2006
Do you believe in miracles? If you missed the Winter Olympics, and according to the ratings you probably did, then maybe you haven’t heard the news. There is a new second runner-up in the men’s competitive curling world. The U.S. men’s team threw off the chains of colonial oppression once more to down Great Britain...

Neuner awarded postgraduate scholarship: Sports Shorts 3/3/06

By Tim Murphy / March 3, 2006
After an illustrious career on the soccer pitch, fourth-year striker Renee Neuner can add one more honor to her long list of accolades. The 2003 NCAA player of the year was named as a recipient of the NCAA postgraduate scholarship Thursday. The $7,500 award, given annually to student-athletes from each of the NCAA’s three divisions,...

Former tournament foe upends men’s tennis

By Tim Murphy / February 28, 2006
For men’s tennis, a familiar foe yielded a familiar result. With regional supremacy on the line, the Maroons fell hard at home. Looking to avenge last season’s first-round NCAA tournament exit at the hands of Carthage, Chicago instead found itself on the losing end once more against its old nemesis. The 25th-ranked Maroons (5–3) dropped...

Men’s hoops seeks to wash away rivals’ title dreams

By Tim Murphy / February 24, 2006
Men’s basketball has been eliminated from the UAA title race, but that doesn’t mean they won’t have a say in who wins. After splitting a pair of must-win games last weekend, the Maroons will look to play the spoiler role against a bitter rival. Chicago (14–10, 7–6) takes on Wash U (17–7, 9–4) Saturday at...

Five Maroons win Athlete of Week recognition: Sports Shorts 2/24/06

By Tim Murphy / February 24, 2006
After a stellar weekend, Chicago’s athletes raked in the accolades. Five Maroons from two sports were honored as UAA Athletes of the Week, the league announced Wednesday. Women’s tennis’s first-year sensation Vindya Dayananda joined women’s track fourth-year Jessica Winter and third-years Jackie Kroop, Nellie Movtchan, and Alexandra Robertson as honorees. Dayananda earned the recognition for...

Last chance ahead for Carlson, men’s swimmers

By Tim Murphy / February 17, 2006
With a season of milestones almost over, men’s swimming is hoping to maintain its momentum against the region’s best. After succesfully matching last season’s sixth-place finish at the UAA Championships at Emory, the Maroons will look to continue their run Friday and Saturday as they host the last-chance Midwest Invitational. Facing many of the region’s...

Men’s hoops rebounds with solid sweep

By Tim Murphy / February 14, 2006
It wasn’t pretty, but with their postseason hopes hanging by a thread, men’s basketball kept the dream alive. The Maroons (13–9, 6–5) handled league doormats Emory (9–13, 2–9) 69–58 Friday at Ratner, and Case (10–12, 2–9) 52–49 in the Sunday matinee to keep pace in the UAA race. Led by a pair of clutch performances...

Men’s tennis rolls in Hawkeye-state swing: Sports Shorts 2/7/06

By Tim Murphy / February 7, 2006
For men’s tennis, it was just like the good old days. The Maroons conquered a familiar foe to pass their first true test of the season with flying colors. After edging past Coe 4–3 last season in Cedar Rapids for a key victory in the team’s run to the NCAA regionals, 25th-ranked Chicago (3–0) returned...

Men’s hockey works late shift for love of the game

By Tim Murphy / February 3, 2006
Hockey has never been an activity for the faint of heart. Just ask the GSB club ice hockey team. In a sport like hockey, often defined by bone-crushing checks, a relentless tempo of play, and smiles that resemble jack-o-lanterns, participation requires a true enthusiasm and passion for the game. It’s only fitting that when the...

Women’s swimmers lose pre-UAA tuneup: Sports Shorts 1/31/06

By Tim Murphy / January 31, 2006
With the regular season at an end, women’s swimming eschewed team scoring for individual improvement in its final dual meet before the postseason. The Maroons (2–7) fell to 12th-ranked DePauw (7–3) 175–117 Saturday in Greencastle, Indiana. The loss brought an end to a rocky regular season for a young Chicago team, which dropped its final...

Men’s road-trip progress negated by second-half woes: Life’s a beach as hoops squads swept in Ratner stands

By Tim Murphy / January 24, 2006
So much for momentum. One weekend after winning a pair of tough road games against league rivals, men’s basketball dropped two winnable games on their home court. The Maroons (9–7, 2–3) dropped a 72–60 decision Friday to league bottom-dwellers Brandeis (8–7, 1–4) and fell 67–58 to 24th-ranked NYU (14–2, 3–2) Sunday. Before a raucous “Beach...

Dominant big-man play helps men’s basketball to sweep

By Tim Murphy / January 17, 2006
After a heartbreaking loss, men’s basketball bounced back in a big way. The Maroons, responding to a heartbreaking UAA opener, posted a pair of convincing wins against tough league foes to move into a tie for second place. The Maroons (9–5, 2–1 UAA) cruised past Case (9–5, 1–2) Friday in Cleveland 67–58, and handled Emory...

Steller makes his mark in wrestling massacre

By Tim Murphy / January 13, 2006
A shorthanded Wheaton squad was no match for wrestling’s stellar subs. Buoyed by a pair of clutch performances, the Maroons crushed the Thunder in their final home dual meet of the season Tuesday. In their largest margin of victory of the season, Chicago won by forfeit in 3 of their 10 matches and dropped only...

Tamillow ends D-III career at Aztec Bowl: Sports Shorts 1/6/06

By Tim Murphy / January 6, 2006
It was the perfect ending to a remarkable career. After becoming the school’s all-time sack leader and helping carry the Maroons to a long-awaited UAA title, fourth-year defensive tackle Rob Tamillow was selected to play for Team USA in the Aztec Bowl December 17. The United States squad easily handled their rivals from south of...

Wrestling preview: Wrestlers hope taking on best will pay dividends

By Tim Murphy / November 29, 2005
In search of a sixth consecutive UAA title, wrestling hopes that a grueling non-conference schedule will translate into success on the regional and national levels. This year’s schedule includes dual matches with Division I powerhouse Northwestern and nationally ranked Division III programs North Central and Elmhurst. In addition, the Maroons may face eight to ten...

Men’s swimming extends unbeaten streak against Pioneers

By Tim Murphy / November 22, 2005
Battling illness and injury, men’s swimming trounced Grinnell to remain undefeated. In their final meet before winter break, the host Maroons (5–0–1) received strong performances from second-years Andrew Kent and Jason Azares to beat the Pioneers (1–1–0) by a score of 136–93. The victory brought to an end a successful fall campaign that saw Chicago...
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