Six teams competed for CAA Championships this weekend with women’s track and field taking the only title. Additionally, the men’s gymnastics squad competed at NCAA championships in Minneapolis, Minn.
Men’s Track and Field
Venue: Towson, Md.
Result: 2nd place
Sophomore Jon Grey was named CAA Track Athlete of the Meet at the CAA Championships for leading the College to second place with the strength of his first place finishes in the 5,000-m and 10,000-m races. Senior high jumper Cam Shriver also placed first with a height of 6’8.75” which qualified him for the ECAC Championships. “I was pleased with our overall performance. It can be tough in a championship that consists of 20 separate events to be spot-on, but the guys did a great job with their opportunities,” Head Coach Alex Gibby said.
Women’s Track and Field
Venue: Towson, Md.
Result: 2nd place
The Tribe took home its ninth CAA title in the past 11 seasons, as junior Emily Anderson was named Most Outstanding Performer of the meet after winning both the 1,500-m and the 5,000-m. Anderson and four fellow Tribe athletes took home golds. Sophomore Katie Guevel finished first in the Heptathlon for the second straight season. Junior Ashley Williams earned ECAC and NCAA berths in the shot put with a distance of 44’7”. She will join junior Nicole Kazuba after Kazuba qualified in the pole vault with a height of 13’1.5”. Sophomore Betsy Graney rounded out the winners with a victory in the 3,000-m steeplechase.
Men’s Tennis
Venue: Norfolk, Va.
Result: Semifinal 4-3 loss to VCU
Despite earning a hotly contested doubles point, the Tribe fell to VCU 4-3 in the CAA tournament’s semifinal round. Senior Keziel Juneau and sophomore Sebastien Vidal collected singles victories for the College. In doubles, Juneau and Vidal defeated the Rams’ 60th-ranked team 8-4, before senior Dominic Pagon and sophomore Varun Pandit registered an 8-5 victory in the seconds doubles slot. The Rams proved too strong for the College, as VCU was able to chalk up four singles wins to advance to the championship.
Women’s Tennis
Venue: Norfolk, Va
Result: Semifinal 4-1 loss to VCU
Junior Carmen Pop registered the lone point for the College during the Tribe’s 4-1 loss to VCU in the semifinal round of the CAA tournament. The loss caused the Tribe to miss the tournament’s championship round for the first time in the league’s 24-year history. The no. 43 pair of senior Katarina Zoricic and junior Ragini Acharya combined for a fast 8-4 doubles victory, but the Rams managed to secure the other two matches to take the point.
Men’s Golf
Venue: Pine Mountain, Ga.
Result: 3rd place
Sophomore Brandon Parker tied for 10th alongside teammate red-shirt freshman Scott Saal. Parker and Saal each recorded 54-hole scores of 222 (+6) after carding identical scores of 74 (+2) in the final rounds. Senior all-CAA first-team performer Brett Paladino tied for 13th place with a score of 224 (+8), ending his career at the College by carding a score of 72 (E) in the final round. Senior Doug Hurson tied for 27th after finishing the last two rounds with identical scores of 73 (+1).
Women’s Golf
Venue: Pine Mountain, Ga.
Result: 5th place
Sophomore Sarah Whitney was named to the CAA all-tournament team after she tied for fifth, shooting a 54-hole total of 225 (+15) to lead the College of William and Mary to a fifth-place finish at the CAA Conference Tournament. Freshman Caroline Sweet finished tied for 15th in her first-ever conference tournament, carding a three-day total of 233(+25). Junior Morgan Stepanek tied for 18th with a score of 234(+24).
Men’s Gymnastics
The Tribe sent eight gymnasts to the NCAA championship last week in Minneapolis, Minn. While none of the College’s gymnasts made it past the first day of competition, several impressive performances were turned in.
“It was great to see the four seniors on our team qualify for the NCAA championships,” Head Coach Cliff Gauthier said. “All of them competed quite well in the meet on their routines. To get the opportunity and to do well with that opportunity was rewarding to see.”
Junior Josh Fried turned in one of the top routines for the College registering a 14.90 on floor exercise. The junior finished fourth in his group, one spot out of qualifying for day two.
“Josh tumbled as well in this event as he has tumbled all year,” Gauthier said. “It was just a few small errors that held him out of the second day.”