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 |  |  |  | Northwestern Sweeps Volleyball Preseason Polls
Wednesday, August 27, 2008ST. PAUL (Aug. 27, 2008) – Northwestern College, who went one win shy of a Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) sweep in 2007 en route to becoming conference champions, was unanimously picked as the preseason favorite in the 2008 preseason coaches poll. The Eagles, winners of 12 straight conference matches last season, received 49 points and seven first place votes in the poll. Northwestern returns six of their seven starters from a year ago, all of whom were selected for first team or honorable mention all-conference accolades.
The College of St. Scholastica, who tied for second in the conference in 2007 (11-3 UMAC), was picked to finish second, accumulating 40 points and a first place vote in the coaches poll. The Saints return first team all-conference senior Shawna Varichak (Hibbing, Minn.), who boasted 3.97 kills per game last year.
Northland College, winner of the 2007 postseason tournament, was predicted to finish third in the UMAC, earning 37 points in the poll. The fourth-place LumberJills from 2007 return five of their starters from a year ago. Northland (9-5 UMAC in 2007) will rely on junior Melissa Anderson (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) for offense, as she led the team with 3.15 kills per game last season.
Coming in fourth in the coaches poll with 34 points was Bethany Lutheran College. The Vikings, who tied for second place in the conference last year (11-3 UMAC), will be without 2007 conference Player of the Year, Leslie Bremer due to graduation. Senior Eva Voss (North Mankato, Minn.), a UMAC First Team All-Conference player in 2007, and three other returning starters will do their best to carry the Vikings’ load in 2008.
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| | | | 2008 Women's Golf Season Preview
Friday, August 01, 2008Mankato, Minn.—The Bethany women’s golf team may be small in size, but is bursting with talent. The team returns two of the three players who received All-Conference honors during the 2007 season. Sophomore, Abbie Lecy (Echo, Minn./Yellow Medicine East) was named the UMAC Tournament medalist, while fellow sophomore Kelsey Schlicker (Lake City, Minn./Lincoln Junior Senior) led the team with three top five finishes last season. Also returning will be teammates Jackie Ausen of Alden, Minn. (Alden-Conger), and Jennifer Johnson of Waterville, Minn. (Waterville-Elysian-Morristown), both sophomores.
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| | | | 2008 Women's Soccer Season Preview
Friday, August 01, 2008Mankato, Minn.—The 2007 season for the Bethany women’s soccer team was one of transition, as former Viking men’s player Derick Lyngholm returned to the campus to take over head coaching duties. A few losses in late season conference matches prevented the Vikings from staking claim to an Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) post-season berth.
But the future appears very bright as this years team will feature a lot more stability, allowing them to build on the foundation of what was started last year and continue to improve. The team returns nine starters, 17 letter winners and a great deal of experience. On Offense, the Vikings will bring back sophomore Emmy Breuer (La Crescent, Minn./La Crescent) who was gone last year and returns lead the offensive attack. In 2006, Breuer led the Vikings with 18 goals. The midfield will be led by UMAC honorable mention winner Joelle Pipal (So., Mankato, Minn./Mankato West) and the defense returns completely intact anchored by seniors Lindsi McCutchin (Cottage Grove, Minn./ Monona Grove), Jessica Costello (Zimmerman, Minn./West Lutheran) and Leah Fehr (N. Sioux City, S.D./Dakota Valley).
The 2008 recruiting class will feature some familiar names. Anna Potz (White Bear Lake, Minn./Totino-Grace) and Kristin Renner (Victoria, Minn./Mayer Lutheran) will join their older sisters Denise Potz (White Bear Lake, Minn./White Bear Lake Area) and Katie Renner (Victoria, Minn./Mayer Lutheran) in Viking uniforms this fall. Forward Becky Neetz (Heritage) from Saginaw, Mich. could also see some important minutes with a great soccer resume to her credit. Add in Amy Anderson (Yelm, Wash.) and Rebekka Mantagne (McKenna, Wash.) both from Evergreen Lutheran high school, and Megan Nibbe (Apple Valley, Minn., Bethany Academy) and the Vikings will be well-equipped to face their 2008 competition.
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| | | | 2008 Men's Golf Season Preview
Friday, August 01, 2008Mankato, Minn.—With depth and experience paving the way, the 2007 Bethany men’s golf team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons. The team hopes to carry that success into the 2008 season bringing back three veteran players including junior, Joe Baer (Lewiston, Minn./Lewiston Altura) who was named UMAC All-Conference last season. Mitch Koepp of Arlington, Minn., (Sibley East) and Brandon Johnson of Waterville, Minn. (Waterville-Elysian-Morristown), both juniors, and senior, Paul Webber of Scottsdale, Ariz. (Michigan Lutheran Seminary) will join Baer in showing the ropes to freshman, Matthew Hiller of Mankato, Minn. Coach Rick Jeddeloh describes Hiller as one of the best players last year in the Valley Conference while playing for St. Clair. Also wearing red and white this year will be freshmen Andrew Swanson (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Sibley East) and Brett Oertli (Adrian, Minn./Adrian).The Vikings will play without both Jason Nelson and Ethan Wessel this year.
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| | | | UMAC announces 2008 winter and spring academic all-conference awards
Wednesday, July 30, 2008ST. PAUL (July 30, 2008) – The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) has released its winter and spring 2008 sports academic all-conference lists. The individual athletes selected must meet the following criteria:
1. Post a 3.50 or better semester grade point average based on a 4.0 scale
2. Complete two previous academic semesters at the nominating UMAC institution
3. Compete in the sport in which he or she is nominated in the season that corresponds with the selection
Northwestern College and the College of St. Scholastica tied with 37 academic all-conference awards. Martin Luther College came in third with 30 students receiving academic all-conference accolades.
Softball prevailed over all other sports with 35 academic all-conference selections. Women’s basketball came in second with 27 honorees while baseball and men’s track and field each had 24 selections. Women’s track and field followed with 23 awards. There were a grand total of 174 winter and spring academic all-confernce awards distributed.
Listed on the following pages are the 2008 UMAC team winter and spring academic all-conference award winners listed by school.
Bethany Lutheran College
Eva Voss, Women’s Basketball
Molly Erdman, Women’s Basketball
Laura Parochka, Women’s Basketball
Pete Harstad, Baseball
Michael Greibrok, Baseball
Travis Fluck, Baseball
Chase Rambow, Baseball
Trever Vaubel, Baseball
Amy Stevens, Softball
Britt Schlomer, Softball
Susan Hegstrom, Softball
Carolyn Frick, Softball
Paul Webber, Men’s Tennis
Ben Wiechmann, Men’s Tennis
Caitlyn Felthouse, Women’s Tennis
Elizabeth Kopacek, Women’s Tennis Full Story | | | | |
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