As another semester comes to an end, Seton Hill University (SHU) can now reflect back on great seasons in Griffin sports. From the beginning of the semester until now, with some teams still competing, the Griffin teams keep surprising their fans and continue to positively reflect the SHU community.
By Chelsea Oliver
Sports Editor
As another semester comes to an end, Seton Hill University (SHU) can now reflect back on great seasons in Griffin sports. From the beginning of the semester until now, with some teams still competing, the Griffin teams keep surprising their fans and continue to positively reflect the SHU community.
At the start of the semester, the men’s and women’s basketball teams showed what they were made of as they headed to the play-offs. Each team also had members inducted into the All-WVIAC Teams. Senior Jordan Thomas and junior Katie Lintner were able to reach their 1,000 career point mark by mid-season. The women’s team was also honored when their graduate assistant coach, Clarisse Garcia was named the Women’s Sports Foundation/WBCA Graduate Assistant of the year.
Also creating head-lines this season were the men’s and women’s track and field teams. For the men’s team, sophomore, Nate Janusey set a new school record in the javelin in the Coastal Carolina Invitational while the entire team finished second in Division 2 at the Western PA Championships and ranked fifth highest in the Atlantic Region. Janusey and Josh Wilks, a sophomore, also placed provisionally in the NCAA National Championship, with Janusey in the javelin and ranked 12th in NCAA Division II and Wilks in the 800m and ranked 17th on the NCAA Division II list.
All while their female counterparts are having a record-making season as well. Amanda Ponsonby, a freshman, was the first SHU track and field member to qualify for the NCAA Indoor National Championship Track and Field Meet for pole vault. The women set four new school records at Kent State, with Ponsonby on the pole vault, Dianna Griffin, a junior in the 400m, Julia Whidden, a sophomore in the high jump, and Whidden, Griffin, Tiffany Bankosh and Stephanie Issacco, sophomores, in the 4x400m relay. The women set three school records at the Marietta Open with Griffin in the long jump, Erin Beattie, a sophomore in the shot put and Whidden bettering her own record in the high jump.
Furthering the Griffins name in the spring season was the men’s lacrosse team. This season, the team ranked 10th in the USILA Division II Coaches Poll for the first time in school history and held their ranking of ninth in the LAXNews Poll for two weeks. The men finished their season on April 29 at Wheeling Jesuit.
Boosting SHU spirit this spring season is the men’s baseball team. This season Matt McCartney, a senior and pitcher for the Griffins was named the WVIAC Pitcher of the Week, March 31 and the team ranks sixth in the NCBWA Regional Poll and as of April 15 they ranked third in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Poll.
The women’s softball team is making news from the diamond. The lady Griffins had two players recognized as the WVIAC Softball Player of the Week, with sophomore Kayla Badini given the title over spring break while in Myrtle Beach and sophomore Louanne Wiegand, named WVIAC Player of the Week on April 14. The women currently rank second in the WVIAC.
The men’s and women’s golf teams are positively spreading the Griffin name on the green. The men’s team placed 14th in the WVIAC Northern Regional and 11th in the St. Vincent Invitational. As for the women, Juliana Cox, a sophomore, placed fifth at the Ohio Valley Invitational and the Southpoint Invitational and tied for fourth in the St. Vincent College Lady Bearcat Invitational, while her teammates, senior Jenna Petrini and freshman Jessie Krehilk placed 12th and 19th, respectively. The women’s team also hosted the first Sally Carroll Open this year, where Cox tied for first and Petrini and Krehilk both shot their personal best.
The women’s equestrian team competed in four shows during the spring season. The first show, at the University of Buffalo, earned Erin Albert, a junior, the title of High Point Rider of the University of Buffalo Horse Show and Adriana Cano, a senior, earned enough points to qualify for Regionals. The third show the women competed in was hosted at home and two members, senior Mary Clark and sophomore Amanda Garlitz, earned enough points to qualify for Regionals. At their last show, Clark and senior, Julie Cyr both qualified for IHSA Zone 3 Finals by winning their division classes. If Clark and/or Cyr win in the Zones finals they will have the chance to advance to Nationals. The team finished third this season, out of 16 teams.
Overall, the spring sports teams have shown their dedication to not only their specific sport or team, but also to their school by making SHU known on the field for excellence. As some teams finish their seasons, they can still look back on a job well done so far in Griffin sports history.