Fall Sports Wrap
The men’s golf team finished the 2010 season by taking sixth place in the WHAC. Freshman Patrick O’Brien was named Honorable Mention All-WHAC for his efforts during the season. O’Brien carded a 78.8 average and captured two top ten performances in six rounds. Alex Smith led the Saints with a 78.0 average, including meet medalist honors at the fourth WHAC Jamboree. Smith posted a two over par (74) to claim the top spot at the Tecumseh Country Club.
Andrew Kish, Junior
Athletics
Men’s Golf
42 Athletics | Spring 2011 | aquinas.edu/athletics
Women’s Cross Country
The women’s cross country team repeated as WHAC Champions for the 2010 season. With their dominate victory at the conference meet contested at Riverside Park, the Saints received an automatic bid to the National Championships in Fort Vancouver, Wash. The Saints were led by WHAC Conference Runner of the Year, Rachael Steil. The freshman led the Saints in every meet and placed sixth at the National Championships to claim All-American honors. Katy Cramer, Samantha Rinkus and Alina Dhaseleer were rewarded with All-WHAC honors for their performance at the WHAC Championships. The team finished in 13th place at the NAIA National Championships, the highest finish ever at Nationals for the women’s cross country program. The squad ran five of the top ten team times of all-time, including the school record performance from the WHAC Championships (Steil – 18:07, Cramer – 18:31, Rinkus – 18:47, Dhaseleer – 18:50 and Boynton – 19:00). The women’s program continues to improve and show signs of being a legitimate threat at both the conference and national levels for years to come.
Women’s Golf
The women’s golf team claimed a third-place finish in the WHAC this past fall. The team was once again led by Abigail Hagan, who was named to the All-WHAC first team for the second time in her career. Hagan (83.3 avg.) finished in the top ten in five of her six matches. Kristen Pike (87.6 avg.) and Kristina Raiz (88.2 avg.) were named to the All-WHAC Honorable Mention team for their efforts this past season. Coach Dan Pupel ’58 returns his top five ladies for next season as the Saints look to unseat Madonna and Indiana Tech at the top of the WHAC standings.
Abby Hagan, Sophomore
The men’s cross country team qualified for their 11th straight trip to the NAIA National Championships this fall. The Saints were led by All-WHAC performers Dustin Heiler and Devin Lea, who paced Aquinas to a secondplace finish at the WHAC Championships. The Saints placed 16th at the National Championships, which were contested in Fort Vancouver, Wash., for the second straight year. The Saints posted the fourth fastest team time in school history as they ran very well at the annual NAIA Great Lakes Challenge (Heiler – 24:52, Gravelyn – 25:00, Lea – 25:17, Poirier – 25:41 and Stickney – d an or ni Ju , ey Kolin Stickn 25:49) hosted by Aquinas e or om ph So r, Kevin Maha College at Riverside Park in late October. Overall, it was a disappointing conclusion to the season for the men’s cross country team, who will look to right the ship and get back to basics of what it takes to win championships. The good news is that the stable is loaded with plenty of talented and determined student-athletes willing and excited to get the job done.
Katy Cramer, Senior
Men’s Cross Country