Sports Update

CONGRATULATIONS TO WOMEN’S SOCCER, MEN’S SOCCER, AND WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY FOR BRINGING HOME WVIAC CROWNS

It was a banner fall sports season for Wesleyan as they brought home three WVIAC Championships in women’s soccer, men’s soccer, and women’s cross country.

WOMEN’S SOCCER
Head coach Glenn Francis and his Lady Bobcat just concluded a season to remember for Wesleyan sports fans. The Lady Bobcats won their first West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title since 2003 and advanced to the NCAA Regional Tournament for the first time since 1998. The NCAA Tournament trip was the third in program history for Wesleyan.          

The Lady Bobcats pieced together a 16-5-2 record including an eight-game winning streak near the end of the season which culminated a thrilling 2-1 victory over Wheeling Jesuit for the WVIAC title.

Opening the season with nine straight road contests with a very young team including six upperclassman, Francis was worried that his young team could have a rough start, but praised them for their handling of the situation. In fact, he credits those first nine road games with the success they had this year.

“Being on the road like that, the girls had no choice but come together with one another,” he stated. “We played some very tough teams with little chance or opportunity of winning, but we survived. We went 6-2-1 on the road setting the tone for our season. Those road trips made us stronger as a team.”

Their amazing run came to an end with a tough 2-0 loss to Drury University in the Great Lakes Regional opener, but from the looks of what Francis has assembled in Lady Bobcat country, this is just the beginning of a long road of success.

MEN’S SOCCER
The Bobcats of head coach Gavin Donaldson won their title with a 2-1 thrilling victory over Davis and Elkins. It was the 20th WVIAC title in school history. The ‘Cats and Senators played evenly throughout the match when there was a penalty midway through the second half that resulted in a penalty kick for D & E. Mark Wood took the PK and scored when he kicked the ball away from Andrew Baldasare for the score. Brandon Chagnard got the equalizer six minutes later when a hard foul was called inside the box that led to a Bobcat PK. It marked his sixth score of the season.

In the overtime period, Dylan Boyd delivered a free kick into the box. Once again, Anthony Peters jumped and headed the ball into the right-side of the net for the game winner. The goal signified the second consecutive game-winner for Peters.

Baldasare collected 10 saves on 11 shots as the Wesleyan offense accumulated 11 shots, including seven on goal.

The championship concluded Wesleyan’s season as they finished 11-9-2, 6-2-1 in the WVIAC. It marked the 11th WVIAC tournament championship for Coach Donaldson in his 17 years as head coach.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Wesleyan's women had three finishers in the top six at the WVIAC Championships as they finished ahead of Wheeling Jesuit 37-61 for their 12th title in the last 13 years. Junior Allison Teter finished second in the race with a time of 24:06. Erin Price placed fifth and freshman Jenna Brock placed sixth for the Lady Bobcats. Tenth place Heidi Webb and 14th place Hanna Robinson rounded out the scoring for WVWC. The Wesleyan women provided head coach Jesse Skiles with his 40th overall conference title. Skiles was once again named WVIAC Coach of the Year. The Lady Bobcats closed out their year with a 10th place finish in the regional meet.

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
Wesleyan finished with runner-up honors in the WVIAC Championship. Eric Cooper defended his individual title with a 26:08 time on the 8K course. Senior Woody Snoberger (12th, 28:13) and junior Zach Williams (13th, 28:24) also finished in the field’s top 15 runners.  Cooper has placed first in four of five races this season. The only race in which he failed to do so was at the – Iona College’s Meet of Champions – featuring a predominantly Division I field. Cooper’s 26th place finish was the highest for a non-Division I runner.

VOLLEYBALL
The Lady ‘Cats dominated the first and second rounds of the WVIAC volleyball tournament, defeating Bluefield State and Fairmont State before falling to the University of Charleston in straight sets.

It was the first defeat for coach April DeCoste and their team since 10/17 at Seton Hill University. Despite the loss, the team had a very successful season. Notable successes include their overall record—25-11 and a second place finish in the WVIAC during the regular season with a 16-2 league mark.

TENNIS
Wesleyan finished sixth in the league with a 3-5 league mark and a 6-8 overall record. Senior Mary Theibert was named Wesleyan's lone representative on the WVIAC squad. Theibert finished the 2007 fall season with a 6-5 singles record, playing all her matches in the second singles slot. Theibert and fellow senior Erin Carr also collected six wins at first doubles. Theibert and freshman Lianna Yamamoto tied for Wesleyan's best singles record this season.

FOOTBALL
The football team ended the season with a disappointing loss to West Virginia State on a last-second field goal. The Bobcats ended the year with a 3-8 record, but that is a bit misleading as three of their final four losses were by only a combined 13 points. Wide receiver Alex Puente was the lone Bobcat to garner first team WVIAC honors. The 6-4 senior hauled in a team-high of 49 passes for 802 yards and six touchdowns.

GOLF

Wesleyan Inducts Members into Athletic Hall of Fame

Three former student athletes and one team were inducted into the Weseyan's Hall of Fame during Homecoming Weekend. The newest members of the distinguished athletic group are basketball player, John Bates ’81, track and cross country star, Lisa Calef Boring ’94, soccer standout, Mario Garcia ’87, and the 1997 women’s soccer team.

After brief remarks by Athletic Director Dr. George Klebez '65, the alumni gave their acceptance speeches. John Bates was introduced by his former head coach Gary Hess '60.

Bates, a Norristown, PA, native and dominant forward was named the 1979 West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year and earned All-American honors. During his time here, he averaged 17 points, over 10 rebounds and three assists per game. He was a four-time All-Conference selection and is second in rebounding and third in scoring on Wesleyan’s all-time list. The Bobcats posted a 73-43 record during Bates’ four years, compiling an impressive 24-8 record during the 1978-79 season. He is the only NAIA player to participate on the USA Olympic team. In 1980, he was a draft pick of the Indiana Pacers.

Calef Boring was introduced by her former coach and current Wesleyan Director of Counseling and Wellness, Mike Kuba. Calef Boring was the first woman from Wesleyan to be selected All-Conference four times in cross country and was named Runner of the Year in 1990. She also earned NAIA Academic All-American honors in cross country. Calef Boring was named to the All-WVIAC track and field team three times and qualified for the nationals in track in 1993, and in cross country in 1990-93.

Garcia was introduced by his former head coach, Thomas Martin. Garcia was a starting midfielder on the 1984 and 1985 NAIA championship teams. He was a three-time NSCAA/NAIA All-American, two-time All-Region team, and WVIAC first team member. He was named to the 1985 NAIA All-Tournament Team. Garcia was also part of three WVIAC championship teams and was named the WVIAC Player of the Year in 1986. He finished his career with 48 goals and 21 assists and is ranked seventh on the all-time goals list, seventh in points, and tied for 14th in assists. After graduation, Garcia served later as an assistant coach in 1987 and 1988.

The 1997 women’s soccer team was introduced by assistant professor of physical education and health, Rae Emrick and assistant professor of communication, Peter Galarneau. The women’s soccer team may have been one of the best athletic teams in school history. Ranked second in the nation, they advanced to the NCAA National Division II Finals in Southern California under head coach Linda Bauer-John ’95. The Lady ‘Cats defeated Lynn University by a 1-0 score in the national semi-finals before dropping a 3-0 decision to Franklin Pierce in the title game. The team posted 14 shutouts as they compiled a 22-2-1 record. Bauer-John was named the NCAA Division II Women’s Soccer Coach of the Year while senior Jenny Newkirk was named to the All-American first team and Juli Hanrath was honored on the All-American second team. Wesleyan had five players make the All-Region team and nine members selected on either the first or second All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Team.