Joseph Vanden Acker

Author: Joseph Vanden Acker

Garrett inks deal to play hockey in Finland

Former Lawrence University defenseman Corey Garrett has signed to play professional hockey in Finland, Hockey Coach and Director of Athletics Mike Szkodzinski announced today.

Garrett (Wausau, Wis./West) will play for Lämärit in the Finnish third division. Garrett was a four-year standout for the Vikings and served as the assistant captain for the 2010-11 season.

“We are proud of Corey, and the opportunity he has earned,” Szkodzinski said. “We wish him well and hope that we can continue to move our young men on to the professional ranks after they graduate from Lawrence.”

Garrett, who earned a degree in biology at Lawrence, scored six goals and had 35 assists for 41 points during his career with the Vikings. He played in 108 games for the Vikings, and helped Lawrence compile 50 wins over the past four seasons.

Garrett helped the Vikings to the 2009 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Northern Division championship, and the Vikings again reached the semifinals of the MCHA Harris Cup in the 2010-11 season.

Garrett joins Jon Sheridan (Knoxville Ice Bears), Josh Peterson (Flint Generals), Nick Jennette (Huntsville Havoc) and Billy Siers (Elmira Jackals) as Lawrence players to have played professionally in recent seasons.

Lawrence women’s soccer tabbed for fourth place in conference

The Lawrence University women’s soccer team has been picked to finish fourth in the Midwest Conference in a vote of league coaches.

Lawrence, the defending MWC Tournament champions, was one of four teams to receive a first-place vote in the poll. Carroll was picked to finish first, followed by Lake Forest and St. Norbert. Lawrence received 55 points, one point behind third-place St. Norbert.

The Vikings finished 6-2-1 and took third place in the conference last season. Lawrence then defeated Lake Forest 4-3 in the MWC Tournament semifinals before beating Carroll 2-1 in the championship game. Lawrence finished 9-9-1 overall a season ago.

Midwest Conference preseason poll

Men’s soccer picked for fifth in MWC

The Lawrence University men’s soccer team has been picked to finish fifth in the Midwest Conference in a vote of league coaches.

The Vikings finished fourth a season ago with a 6-3-0 record and finished 9-7-2 overall. Lawrence qualified for the MWC Tournament and took eventual champion Ripon College to a shootout before falling to the Red Hawks in the tournament semifinals.

Midwest Conference Preseason Poll

Volleyball team picked for fifth in MWC

The Lawrence University volleyball team was picked to finish fifth in the Midwest Conference in a preseason poll of league coaches.

Lawrence, which tied for sixth in the MWC a season ago, returns garnered a total of 44 points in the poll. Monmouth College was picked to win the league and had 73 points. The Scots were followed by St. Norbert College (70), Lake Forest College (65) and Beloit College (61).

Lawrence returns a talented group of players, led by all-conference hitter Clare Bohrer. The Vikings finished 13-16 a season ago, and that included a 4-5 record in conference play. One of the highlights of the 2010 conference season for the Vikings was a win over Monmouth, which had been unbeaten in league play.

Lawrence opens play on Sept. 2 at the UW-Eau Claire Invitational.

Track squads earn All-Academic Team awards

The Lawrence University track and field teams were both named All-Academic Teams by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

This marks the second consecutive year that both Lawrence teams received this award. To be eligible for the award, a team must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.10.

The Lawrence women had a team GPA of 3.42 and were among 111 teams from across the country that were honored. The Lawrence men had a 3.40 GPA and were among 64 teams from around the country that received the award.

In addition to the team awards, sophomore Rose Tepper (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) was chosen for the All-Academic Team. Lawrence also had 13 individuals (seven men, six women) who were chosen for the Academic All-Midwest Conference team after the spring season.

women 3.42

Coach Girard teams up to win Michigan-Wisconsin Open doubles title

Lawrence University tennis coach Kevin Girard teamed with his brother to win the Class A doubles championship at the 64th Annual Michigan-Wisconsin Open this past weekend.

Girard and his brother, Brett, beat Rick Halverson and Anders Sandholm 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, to win the championship in Escanaba, Mich.

The Girard brothers, both former standout players at Michigan Tech, beat a team made up of the Michigan Tech assistant coach and one of the Huskies’ current players. The team of Halverson and Sandholm took the opening game of the third set, but the Girards picked up a service break to go up 2-1 and went on to take the decisive final set.

It was the second title of the weekend for Brett Girard, who beat Mark Stinski of Oshkosh, Wis., 7-6, 6-2, in the Class A singles final.

Coach Girard is set to begin his fifth year as Lawrence men’s and women’s coach. Girard’s Vikings have won a combined three Midwest Conference North Division championships. Girard also has coached players to both the men’s and women’s No. 1 singles titles in the conference.

Track standout Tepper named to All-Academic team

Lawrence University standout Rose Tepper has been named to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic team.

Tepper (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon), a sophomore, is a psychology major and sports a 3.66 grade point average. Tepper also earned Academic All-Midwest Conference honors.

To qualify for the team, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 and have met a NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying mark. Tepper qualified for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in 2011.

Tepper earned her berth in the NCAA Championships when she broke the Lawrence indoor record with a leap of 5 feet, 5.75 inches this past season. Tepper was the 2010 Midwest Conference championship in the high jump as she won the title outdoors at Illinois College.

Sheridan signs deal with Knoxville Ice Bears

Former Lawrence University hockey star Jon Sheridan has signed with the Knoxville Ice Bears.

Sheridan, a defenseman from Midland, Mich., has signed a tryout agreement with the Southern Professional Hockey League team. It marks the fourth consecutive year a Lawrence player has signed to play professional hockey.

“Jonathon is the perfect example of what we believe a Lawrence hockey player should be,” Lawrence coach Mike Szkodzinski said. “His work ethic and determination have earned him a special opportunity to compete at the professional level.  We will be pulling for him.”

Sheridan, a native of Midland, Mich., was the Vikings’ captain and led the team to the 2009 Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Northern Division championship. A pre-medicine major and Academic All-Midwest Conference pick, Sheridan led Lawrence to more wins during his three seasons than in any other three-year stretch in school history.

During this past season, Sheridan led the Vikings to the semifinals of the MCHA Harris Cup and was named to the all-tournament team.

Sheridan joins Josh Peterson (Flint Generals), Nick Jennette (Huntsville Havoc) and Billy Siers (Elmira Jackals) as Lawrence players to have played professionally in recent seasons.

Vikings add trio to volleyball squad

The Lawrence University volleyball team will add three new faces when it takes to the court in September, Vikings coach Matt Schoultz announced today.

Appleton native Presley Neuman, Elizabeth (Betsy) Sorensen of Northfield, Minn., and Kayla Storm of Hickman, Neb., are new to the team.

“The 2011 class has talent and experience,” Schoultz said. “This class will help us offensively and defensively at the net. I am extremely excited about this group of players and how they fit into our team.”

Presley Neuman, Appleton, Wis./Menasha St. Mary Central High School, 5-11, middle hitter

Neuman was a three-year varsity player and three-year letter winner for St. Mary Central. A team captain as a senior, Neuman led her team in blocks, kills and aces in her final prep season. A two-time All-Olympian Conference selection, Neuman was a second-team pick as a senior and earned honorable mention as a junior. She also was selected as the team’s Most Valuable Player. Neuman also played one year of varsity basketball and earned four letters playing soccer.  Named St. Mary Central Female Athlete of the Year, Neuman also has been named to the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and received High Honors. Neuman has played club volleyball for Fox Valley Thunder Volleyball Club, and is the daughter of Michael, a Lawrence alumnus, and Nicole Neuman. She plans to major in biology (pre-medicine).

Elizabeth (Betsy) Sorensen, Faribault, Minn./Northfield High School, 6-0, middle/outside hitter

Sorensen was a three-year varsity player and three-year letter winner for Northfield. Sorensen also has been a manager for the track team and assisted with athletic training at Northfield. Sorensen excelled in the classroom, earning a spot on the “A” honor roll every year and an academic letter award. Sorensen has played club volleyball for Northern Lights Volleyball Club, Northfield JO’s and Hammerhead Volleyball Club.  The daughter of Troy and Jennifer Sorensen, she plans to major in Spanish and biology (pre-medicine).

Kayla Storm, Hickman, Neb./Norris High School, 5-8, outside hitter/defensive specialist

Storm was a two-year varsity player and two-year letter winner for Norris, where she served as team captain as a senior. Storm led her team in kills her junior year and in digs this past season. Storm was voted her team’s best defensive player and earned All-Eastern Midlands Conference honors. Storm was named to the Academic All-State team, is a member of National Honor Society and a recipient the President’s Award. Storm has played club volleyball for Lincoln Magic Volleyball Club and High Flyers Volleyball Club. The daughter of Jeremy Marteney, she plans to major in anthropology.

Lawrence opens its season Sept. 2 when the Vikings travel to compete in the UW-Eau Claire Tournament.