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, fourth-year Keith Crum, a three-year starter and the school’s all-time shutout leader, earned second-team honors. With five blank sheets in 2006, Crum pushed his career total to 22, surpassing the previous mark of 20 by David Collars (A.B. ’99), while holding opponents to a 0.76 GAA for the season.
Joining Crum among the best in the league were fourth-year Eric Kirkenmeier, third-year Andrew Hamilton, and first-year Alex Takakuwa, all of whom were second-team selections. Anchoring the squad as team captain from his central midfield position, Kirkenmeier notched three goals and one assist. The co-captain could always be counted on to win possession for the Maroons on any 50–50 header and pass the ball up to strikers Hamilton and Takakuwa. With seven goals in a breakout campaign—including five in UAA action—Hamilton led Chicago in scoring while Takakuwa paced the team in assists with six.
Fourth-year midfield Joe Frontczak and third-year central defender Jon Cartwright rounded out the Maroons’ selections with honorable mention recognitions.
On the women’s side, four members from the league’s third-ranked team earned UAA recognition. Despite missing some of the season with a nagging MCL, third-year striker Christine Farmer put up crooked numbers that catapulted her up the ranks in Chicago’s record books. With 14 goals on the year, she powered the Maroons up front, pushing her career total to 23, and now stands sixth in the category.
Feeding the ball to Farmer were second-year midfielders Siggy Nachtergaele (first-team) and honorable mention Olivia Ndyabagye. With three assists between them and two goals apiece, Nachtergaele and Ndyabagye helped keep the Maroons’ offense afloat during Farmer’s absence from the pitch. On the defensive end, fourth-year Sally Hall (first team) and second-year Anne Scherer (honorable mention) earned league honors as the backbone of a new back five that held opponents to 14 goals in 18 contests.
Chicago’s final nods went to members from an often overlooked squad competing against the nation’s top teams. Three players on volleyball who helped boost the Maroons to fifth in the league to match their best finish since 2001, third-year Koryn Kendall, first-year Diandra Bucciarelli, and first-year Liz Sugden, ranked among the UAA’s finest.
Leading the South Siders and the rest of the league in two categories, outside hitter Bucciarelli averaged 2.32 kills and 0.48 serving aces per game on the season. Also providing a strong punch at net, middle hitter and tri-captain Kendall posted 2.15 kills and 0.96 per game in 12 league matches. Taking care of Chicago’s side of the court, libero Sugden averaged 3.09 digs per game and recorded 142 against UAA foes.
