Joseph Vanden Acker

Author: Joseph Vanden Acker

Five Vikings earn Academic All-NCHA honors

APPLETON, Wis. — Five Lawrence University hockey players earned a place on the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Team.

Forward Ryan Eardley, forward Renato Engler, defenseman Felix Henriksson, forward Jake Roeper and goaltender Mattias Soderqvist all made the academic all-conference team. To be selected for the team, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore and have a miniumum 3.3 grade point average.

Juniors Henriksson (Helsinki, Finland/Salpausselan Iukio) and Soderqvist (Stockholm, Sweden/Carlforsska Gymnasium) were both selected for the second consecutive year. Both Henriksson and Soderqvist are majoring in economics.

Eardley (Ile Bizard, Quebec/Gilmour Academy) is a junior majoring in economics, Engler (Davos, Switzerland/Sportgymnasium Davos) is a senior majoring in economics and Roeper (Thiensville, Wis./Mequon Homestead) is a sophomore majoring in economics and geology. All three were all chosen for the first time.

Lawrence finished third in the NCHA’s North Division and qualified for the league playoffs for the 10th consecutive season under head coach Mike Szkodzinski.

Booming bats lead Vikings to sweep of Rockford

ROCKFORD, Ill. — The Lawrence University softball team pounded out 26 hits Tuesday and rolled to a nonconference doubleheader sweep of Rockford University at Smith Athletic Field.

Lawrence won the opener 10-3 and took the nightcap 12-3 in five innings. Meg Krautsch had a huge day for the Vikings as she went 6-for-8 with two doubles, a triple, four runs scored and eight runs batted in.

In the first game, Krautsch went 2-for-3 with a triple, scored two runs and drove in five to pace the Vikings (7-6-1). Savanna Marsicek and Kori Looker both had two hits for Lawrence, and Marsicek picked up a triple.

Maddie MacLean went the distance for the Vikings and allowed six hits while striking out four and walking three.

The Vikings led 1-0 when they scored three times in the third, which started with Marsicek’s triple. Lawrence led 4-3 before adding three more in the fifth as MacLean and Taylor Dodson both smacked run-scoring doubles.

Lawrence put the game away with three runs in the sixth as Krautsch belted a bases-clearing, three-run triple for a 10-3 lead.

In the second game, Lawrence pounded out 16 hits and Krautsch powered the Vikings by going 4-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs.

Tierney Duffy went 3-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs for Lawrence, and Looker, Jessica Demski and Anna Wawiorka all had a pair of hits.

Demski went the distance and limited Rockford (1-15) to seven hits while striking out two and walking two.

Lawrence jumped on the Regents with five runs in the first as Duffy picked up a two-run double and Krautsch added a run-scoring double.

The Vikings pushed the lead to 11-1 with six runs in the third with the big blow coming on Krautsch’s two-run double.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Perfect week earns DeCorte MWC Player of the Week honors

Brian DeCorte
Brian DeCorte

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University men’s tennis standout Brian DeCorte posted a perfect week and earned Midwest Conference Player of the Week honors.

DeCorte (Southampton, Pa./William Tennet), a senior, was chosen after he posted a 2-0 record at No. 2 singles and a 2-0 record at No. 1 doubles. During the week, Lawrence picked up an 8-1 Midwest Conference victory over St. Norbert College and pitched a 9-0 nonconference shutout against Marian University.

In the win over St. Norbert, DeCorte teamed with David Jumes (Appleton, Wis./Xavier) for an 8-4 victory at No. 1 doubles. DeCorte then routed Alex Vandenberg 6-0, 6-2 at No. 2 singles.

In the shutout at Marian, DeCorte and Jumes were 8-2 winners in doubles, and DeCorte routed Danny Roe 6-0, 6-0 in singles.

DeCorte, who was chosen as the MWC Player of the Week for the first time, improved to 10-3 in singles and 7-4 in doubles.

The Vikings return to action this weekend with matches at Monmouth College, Illinois College and Knox College.

SAAC plans pair of events for NCAA D3 Week

DIIIWeek-Logo-DarkAPPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is sponsoring a pair of events in conjunction with NCAA Division III Week, which runs April 4-10.

Members of Lawrence’s athletics teams will head to Richmond Elementary School near Alexander Gymnasium to read to students on Tuesday (April 5). In support of National Reading Month, Lawrence student-athletes also will be donating books to organizations including Richmond Elementary and the Boys and Girls Club.

Lawrence student-athletes, who have been mentoring students at Richmond Elementary for more than a decade, are also supporting the Midwest Conference SAAC Reads Initiative. Lawrence President Mark Burstein has donated to the cause, and his donation has been matched by the Midwest Conference.

Lawrence’s SAAC also is sponsoring motivational speaker Mark Speckman, who will talk Thursday (April 7) in the Lawrence Memorial Chapel at 8:30 p.m. The talk is free and open to the public.

Speckman, who joined the Lawrence football staff as the offensive coordinator in 2015, is a sought-after football theory and motivational speaker. Speckman drew media attention as a player decades ago. Born without hands, Speckman played linebacker at Menlo College and later at Azusa Pacific University and was a NAIA All-American. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Azusa Pacific in 1977 and picked up a master’s degree in health and human services from Columbia Pacific University in 1994.

Speckman, along with W. Jason Niedermeyer, authored the book, Figure It Out: How I Learned To Live In A Digital World Without Digits. His talk on Thursday will focus on figuring out how to balance life while playing sports, despite the challenges that life may present.

Lawrence football offensive coordinator will speak at the Memorial Chapel on Thursday.
Lawrence football offensive coordinator Mark Speckman (right) will speak at the Memorial Chapel on Thursday.

Speckman was a head coach at the collegiate level for 15 seasons, including 14 at Willamette University. Speckman coached Willamette 1998-2011 and compiled a record of 83-59. The Bearcats won the Northwest Conference in 1999 and 2008 and made appearances in the NCAA Division III playoffs in 1999, 2004 and 2008.

Speckman’s 2008 team finished with an 11-1 record and was ranked as high as fourth nationally. Speckman was a finalist for the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year and was named American Football Coaches Association West Region Coach of the Year in 2008.

Speckman, who has been named a conference Coach of the Year 10 times, also served as the head coach at Menlo College in 2012 before going to the Canadian Football League. He spent two seasons as the running backs and tight ends coach of the Montreal Alouettes before coming to Lawrence.

One of the game’s experts on the “Fly” offense, Speckman has served as a consultant to high-powered college football programs like Wisconsin, Oregon and Stanford and also has worked with the staffs of the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

The NCAA Division III Week is part of the Division III Identity Initiative, which was introduced in 2010 to sharpen the division’s identity and to enable schools and conferences to more effectively explain why they prefer to compete in Division III. The initiative has been guided by a strategic-positioning platform, describing Division III as a place where student-athletes can “follow your passions and develop your potential,” within an approach that combines rigorous academics, competitive sports and an opportunity to pursue other interests.

Lawrence blanks Sabres

FOND DU LAC, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis team rolled to a 9-0 drubbing of Marian University on Friday at Centre Court.

The Vikings (8-6) got off to a dominating start by dropping just two games total in the three doubles matches. Bill Schuman-Kline and David Brooker at No. 2 and Adam Busch and Izaya Turenne at No. 3 both won 8-0.

David Jumes at No. 1, Brian DeCorte at No. 2 and Turenne at No. 6 all won their singles matches 6-0, 6-0. The Vikings lost just 10 games total in the six singles matches. Schuman-Kline (No. 3), Mitch Kasprzyk (No. 4) and Busch (No. 5) also were singles winners for the Vikings.

Lawrence University 9, Marian University 0

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Patrick Schwoerer (MU) 6-0, 6-0
2. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Danny Roe (MU) 6-0, 6-0
3. Bill Schuman-Kline (LU) def. Jose Valencia (MU) 6-0, 6-1
4. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) def. Spencer Braswell (MU) 6-4, 6-3
5. Adam Busch (LU) def. Zac Bandrup (MU) 6-0, 6-2
6. Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Jacob Ryd (MU) 6-0, 6-0

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Patrick Schwoerer/Danny Roe (MU) 8-2
2. Bill Schuman-Kline/David Brooker (LU) def. Jose Valencia/Zac Bandrup (MU) 8-0
3. Adam Busch/Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Zach Stanczyk/Brandon Ruis (MU) 8-0

Vikings roll past St. Norbert

APPLETON, Wis. — The Lawrence University men’s tennis rolled to an 8-1 Midwest Conference victory over St. Norbert College on Wednesday night at Fox Cities Racquet Club.

The Vikings (7-6, 2-0 MWC) swept the doubles matches and took five of the six singles contests.

In the doubles, Lawrence’s No. 1 team of David Jumes and Brian DeCorte and the No. 3 squad of Adam Busch and Izaya Turenne both won 8-4. The No. 2 match went to a tiebreaker with Bill Schuman-Kline and David Brooker taking the tiebreaker 9-7.

In the singles matches, Jumes at No. 1, DeCorte at No. 2, Schuman-Kline at No. 3, Busch at No. 5 and Ethan Perushek at No. 6 all won in straight sets. Jumes, DeCorte and Busch lost a total of just two games in each of their singles matches.

This is Lawrence’s fourth win in the last five seasons against the Green Knights (3-4, 0-1).

Lawrence University 8, St. Norbert College 1

Singles competition
1. David Jumes (LU) def. Ben Vande Zande (SNC) 6-2, 6-0
2. Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Alex Vandenberg (SNC) 6-0, 6-2
3. Bill Schuman-Kline (LU) def. Kyle Battle (SNC) 7-5, 7-5
4. Zach Simonet (SNC) def. Mitch Kasprzyk (LU) 6-2, 6-4
5. Adam Busch (LU) def. Kahlo Vue (SNC) 6-0, 6-2
6. Ethan Perushek (LU) def. Joe Oleniczak (SNC) 6-2, 2-6, 1-0 (10-5)

Doubles competition
1. David Jumes/Brian DeCorte (LU) def. Ben Vande Zande/Alex Vandenberg (SNC) 8-4
2. Bill Schuman-Kline/David Brooker (LU) def. Kyle Battle/Zach Simonet (SNC) 9-8 (9-7)
3. Adam Busch/Izaya Turenne (LU) def. Kahlo Vue/Joe Oleniczak (SNC) 8-4

Holliday picks up MWC Player of the Week honor

Matt Holliday was named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week after batting .600 in the latter half of Lawrence's spring break trip to Florida.
Matt Holliday was named the Midwest Conference Player of the Week after batting .600 in the latter half of Lawrence’s spring break trip to Florida.

APPLETON, Wis. — Lawrence University baseball standout Matt Holliday has been chosen as the Midwest Conference Player of the Week following the Vikings’ spring break trip to Florida.

Holliday (Hong Kong/International), a sophomore infielder/pitcher, led the Vikings to a 5-0 record during the second half of Lawrence’s spring break trip. Holliday batted .600 by going 9-for-15 with two doubles, a homer and seven runs batted in.

Holliday compiled a .739 on-base percentage and .933 slugging percentage. He had three hits in a 9-2 win over St. Olaf College and had another three-hit game with a pair of doubles in a 14-6 win over Keuka College. Holliday homered in Lawrence’s 5-3 win over Keuka in the opening game of that doubleheader.

Holliday also went 2-0 in his two pitching starts in Florida. Holliday had a 4.91 earned run average over 11 innings of work against St. Olaf and Crown College.

In a 9-2 win over St. Olaf, Holliday allowed seven hits, struck out two and walked one over six innings. In a 10-6 win over Crown, Holliday allowed six hits over five innings while striking out five and walking two.

On the season, Holliday is batting .475 with five doubles, one triple, one homer and 11 RBIs.

The Vikings are 6-6 this season and return to action on Saturday when they host UW-Platteville in a nonconference doubleheader at Whiting Field.

Schlesinger competes at NCAA Championships

WALTHAM, Mass. — Lawrence University fencer Nathan Schlesinger finished 24th in foil on Sunday at the NCAA Championships at Brandeis University.

Scheslinger, a freshman from Austin, Texas, posted one victory in his 23 bouts over the course of two days. Schlesinger scored 26 touches and had 114 touches received.

Maximilien Chastanet of Ohio State University was the foil champion.

Schlesinger is the first Lawrence fencer to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Jeff Peyton made his fourth trip to the national meet in 2001.

Results

Vikings sweep doubleheader from Crown

AUBURNDALE, Fla. — The Lawrence University baseball team completed its spring break trip with a nonconference doubleheader sweep of Crown College on Saturday.

Lawrence won the opener 10-5 and took the nightcap 10-6. The Vikings (6-6) finished with a 5-3 record on their trip to Florida.

In the opener, Matt Holliday paced the Lawrence offense by going 3-for-4 with two doubles, three runs batted in and two runs scored. Anthony Ortiz and Kyle Duex both went 2-for-4 for Lawrence, and Dan Rothbauer reached base in all five of his plate appearances with three runs scored and two RBIs.

Lawrence broke on top with four runs in the top of the second. The Vikings loaded the bases, and Zach Rabideau followed with a run-scoring single. Rothbauer smacked a two-run single, and Holliday followed with an RBI single for a 4-0 lead.

Crown (4-4) cut the lead in half with a pair of runs in the third, but the Vikings got those back in the fourth on Holliday’s RBI double and Andrew Lauber’s run-scoring groundout.

The Storm trimmed the lead to 6-5 with three more runs in the bottom half of the inning, but that was it for Crown. Lawrence added two insurance runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to seal the win. Lauber had a run-scoring single in the sixth, and Holliday smacked an RBI double in the seventh.

In the nightcap, Lawrence rallied from a 4-0 deficit for the victory. Crown scored four times in the top of the first, but the Vikings took the lead for good in the third.

Lawrence benefited from nine walks and five hit batsmen by the Crown pitching staff.

The Vikings loaded the bases on two hit batsmen and a walk, and Travis Weber and Lauber both drew bases-loaded walks to cut the lead to 4-2. Duex was hit by a pitch to force in another run, and Dante Reese followed with a two-run single to give Lawrence a 5-4 lead.

Lawrence added five more runs in the fourth to take command. Two hit batsmen and a walk loaded the bases again, and Weber was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Lauber then drilled a two-run double to put the Vikings up 8-4. Duex followed with a run-scoring single, and Reese had an RBI groundout for a 10-4 lead.

Crown added two runs in the seventh to complete the scoring.

Game one box score

Game two box score

Lawrence edged by Terriers

CLERMONT, Fla. — Thomas College scored the tiebreaking run in the top of the sixth inning Saturday and held on for a 2-1 nonconference victory over Lawrence University.

Lawrence threatened in both the bottom of the sixth and the seventh but couldn’t plate the tying run.

Sonja Morse allowed just four hits over seven innings to get the win for Thomas (4-5). She struck out five and walked four. Maddie MacLean went the distance for Lawrence (5-6-1), allowing 10 hits and striking out one without a walk.

The Terriers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth when Cassie Contigiani doubled and scored on Lexi Colpack’s single.

Lawrence tied it in the bottom half of the inning after loading the bases on a walk, hit batsman and bunt single. Tierney Duffy hit into a fielder’s choice that forced a runner out at the plate, but an error later on the play allowed Kori Looker to score and tie the game at 1-1.

Thomas took the lead back in the top of the sixth on Molly Carroll’s run-scoring single. Lawrence had runners at second and third in the bottom of the sixth but a strikeout ended the inning.

The Vikings also had Anna Wawiorka at second with two outs in the seventh, but Savanna Marsicek lined out to third to end the game.

Box score