CHICAGO MAROON | ORIENTATION | September 16, 2011
Varsity Sports The fastest way to meet who competes they might not get the same attention as the recruited, they will have many more cracks at competing than if they were at a D-I institution. So if you played a sport in high school and thought you weren’t good enough to play in college, think again; many of Chicago’s greatest athletes are the ones who came unheralded out of high school. Alumnus Chris Peverada (A.B. ’09) was a five-minute-miler when he joined the cross country team his first year, but left with the fifth fastest time in school history. But let’s say competing isn’t your thing. That’s cool, too. Going to games and rooting for the team is often just as exciting as being on the field. Although our football stadium might not be the towering stone behemoth it once was, it’s still fun to go out and pack the stands, especially when our team wins in dramatic fashion against our Wash U rivals for the Founder’s Cup. Chicago is part of the University Athletic Association, one of the most competitive conferences across all sports, and our opponents hail from all across the country, from Rochester, New York, to Atlanta, Georgia. The UAA also has a policy where
home games are balanced amongst members, so there’s guaranteed to be at least one crucial home game each season. For example, a home game against Wash U. determines whether or not the women’s basketball team will win the conference outright and earn an automatic NCAA championship berth (yeah, we won that game too). There’s a common misconception around campus that our teams aren’t very good, and this conception feeds into a cycle of people not paying attention to the very strong sports teams we have here. Don’t fall into this trap. Get excited about our football team, our basketball team, our volleyball team. Even if you don’t have the time or desire to come out to games, the athletes still really appreciate it when you know how they’re doing. Even if you don’t play a sport, we’re all still just students at the U of C, and the athletes that you see on the playing field are the same students you’ll see in your classes and at the C-shop on Wednesday getting a shake (cookies and creme, please). So bust out your maroon—we’ll see you at the game. – By Mahmoud Bahrani
Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Soccer
Men’s Cross Country
Record: 9-0 National Rank: 18th
Record: 4-1-0 National Rank: 24th
Regional Rank: 7th National Rank: 21st
The women started the season on a tear, ripping off nine straight wins. The team returns several seniors, including fourth-year All Region outside hitter Isis Smalls. A strong freshman class has given the Maroons a deeper roster than ever, which has made for intense practices. Second-year Washington and Lee transfer Nikki DelZenero has been a crucial addition to the team, and loves her new squad. “The team has been like family,” said DelZenero.
Women’s soccer is one of the perennially powerful teams at Chicago, and this year is no exception. The girls only loss this year came to another ranked squad, #23 St. Thomas. The girls are coming off a ten day trip in Italy, a team bonding experience which has proven all the more relevant in the wake of a summer injury to second-year center back Liz Doman. “We’re reworking our entire defensive system,” said second year defender Kelsey Ryan. The girls will have to adjust quickly, as UAA competition is just around the corner.
It took two races for the Maroons to gain national recognition. After coming into the season unranked, strong performances at the Elmhurst Invitational and Aurora Invitationals put the Maroons on the map. After a strong track season, third-year Bill Whitmore has picked up right where he left off, taking third at Elmhurst and winning the Aurora Invite outright in a course record-setting time. The team hopes to do something they haven’t done since 2005: qualify for the NCAA’s.
Men’s Soccer
Football
Women’s Cross Country
Record: 3-1-1 National Rank: Unranked
Record: 1-1 National Rank: Unranked
Regional Rank: 5th National Rank: Receiving Votes
Chicago has bounced back strong after falling in their first game to Dominican. A scoreless tie against one of the strongest teams in the country, Wheaton, could be a harbinger of good things to come. First-year goalkeeper Elek Lane has been seemingly impervious to first year nerves and hasn’t allowed a goal in four games. The strength of the Maroon’s bench will be key as they progress through the season. “This is the most depth we’ve had [since 2008],” said fourth-year defender Ryan McPherson.
Last year was a heartbreaker for the Maroons. After finishing the season with the Founder’s Cup in hand and an 8-2 record to boot, the Maroons were the last team out of post season play. The graduation of quarterback Marshall Oium has also created a quarterback controversy between third-year Kevin Shelton and second-year Vincent Cortina. The Maroons will have to find their rhythm, and quickly, because the next portion of their season against strong opponents is crucial to keep their post-season chances alive. “These will be our toughest games,” said four-year wide receiver Keigan Cisneros.
Liz Lawton. Last year, she took sixth in the country, and won or nearly won every meet. While having a strong front runner like Lawton undoubtedly helped, the Maroons are confident that they can still be a strong team now that she and others have graduated. “Our returners have put in solid summers,” said fourth year and captain Sonia Khan. “Everyone is improved and our depth is incredible this year.” The national rankers don’t seem to have the same confidence, as Chicago is currently unranked. That doesn’t bother the Maroons though. “I’d rather be the underdogs,” said Khan.
Ah, varsity athletics. With our letterman jackets, blankets adorned with stars, and a sporting history so long and distinguished it makes Harvard look young, the University of Chicago is positively steeped in tradition. From the Heisman trophy that stands like a beacon of past dominance in the Ratner foyer, to the massive book that contains the signatures of every male varsity athlete in the school’s history (included Jay Berwanger and Edwin Hubble), student-athletes are representing a lot more than just their school when they put on uniforms with the Maroon ‘C’ emblazoned across the front. Chicago is a D-III institution, which differentiates it from D-I schools in that we don’t grant athletic scholarships. At D-I schools, athletic scholarships contractually bind the sports stars to follow a multitude of rules, like mandatory study times and rigorous practice schedules. Although being a varsity athlete at a D-III school may not have the same glamour, athletes here have a lot more room to explore other interests. It also means that athletes don’t have to be recruited to participate. Many coaches allow walk-ons to compete, and even though
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