AT H L E T I C S
A SEASON OF RECORDS, TITLES, AND TOURNAMENT BERTHS FOR LAWRENCE ATHLETES The Lawrence baseball team’s run to the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 1979 was the latest success story in a series of success stories for Lawrence student-athletes during the 2021–22 academic year. Multiple school records have been set along the way, and no fewer than six Lawrence teams ended lengthy conference tournament droughts. As women’s soccer coach Joe Sagar said on a weekend in the fall when four Lawrence teams rose to new heights—“It’s a great day to be a Viking.” We couldn’t agree more. So, today we highlight these seven amazing moments from Lawrence student-athletes. There were others, of course, but these rose to the top.
Lawrence Baseball Team
WOMEN’S TENNIS EARNS FIRST CONFERENCE BERTH IN 11 YEARS
WOMEN’S AND MEN’S CROSS-COUNTRY TEAMS WIN TITLES
WOMEN’S AND MEN’S SOCCER EARN CONFERENCE TOURNEY BERTHS
A dominating performance at Ripon secured the Vikings a berth in the Midwest Conference Tournament for the first time since 2011. The Vikings were led by three all-conference players—Lizzy Angemi reached the title match at No. 6 singles at the conference tournament, as did Emma Koppa and Margot Connor at No. 1 doubles.
Both cross country teams won their Midwest Conference Championships at Tuscumbia Country Club in Green Lake, the first time both have been crowned champs in the same year in Lawrence history. Sophomore Cristyn Oliver won the women’s individual championship, a first for Lawrence since 1998. For the women, it was the first conference team title since 2001, and for the men, the first since 2011.
The women and men qualified for the Midwest Conference Tournament on the same day, both for the first time since 2011. The women did so in a thrilling double overtime win over Monmouth College at the Banta Bowl. The men, meanwhile, put themselves in position leading up to the final day. A loss by Lake Forest secured their spot in the tournament.
“If someone would have told me at this time last year that I was going to nationals, I would have said you’re crazy,” Oliver said.
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“Being on the field and sharing an emotional moment like that with my team and coaches, and with our parents watching in the stands, is something I’ll never forget,” said sophomore Emma Vasconez, who scored the winning goal.
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