Inside LU Athletics

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Inside LU Athletics: Volleyball set for big road trip

Matt Schoultz has come to this fork in the road before, but this time the Lawrence University volleyball coach would like to take the other route.

The Vikings were in this same position back in 2009. Off to a 3-0 start in Midwest Conference play and facing a weekend road trip to Monmouth and Illinois College. The Vikings lost both of those matches in five sets and didn’t win another league match the rest of the season.

“We don’t want a repeat of that,” Schoultz said. “We have to focus even more and bring our best game.”

This team is vastly different than the 2009 squad, which was dominated by underclassmen. The Vikings are older, battle-tested and more talented from top to bottom.

“We’re playing more consistent, and I feel like we’ve gotten better each time we step into the gym. That’s been our goal since day one,” Schoultz said. “Hopefully, we’re peaking at the right time.”

After beating Carroll to open the conference season, the Vikings took care of business at home last weekend with a 3-1 victory over Grinnell and a 3-0 drubbing of Knox.

“The Grinnell match was close and the women fought through some tough points,” Schoultz said. “Again, our non-conference schedule really helped us prepare for some of the situations we were in.”

The Vikings have a difficult task this weekend because Monmouth is unbeaten (4-0) and atop the league with a half-game lead over Lawrence. Illinois College is holding down fourth place with a 3-2 league record. Factor in close to 15 hours on a bus this weekend with the road trip to southern Illinois and back, and sweeping a pair of matches becomes infinitely more problematic.

“That’s definitely our goal. If we can come home 5-0, we’re sitting pretty well to be in the (four-team) conference tournament. To be 5-0, that’s huge at that point,” Schoultz said.

“Monmouth is going to have it our for us. We ruined their undefeated season last year. They were 6-0 coming in last year and we took that away from them.”

To keep that conference record unblemished, the Vikings will need their stars to continue their impressive play.

Senior middle hitter Clare Bohrer, a three-time all-conference selection, and junior outside hitter Shannon McLain form Lawrence’s 1-2 punch. Bohrer leads the team with 167 kills (2.74 per set), and McLain is next with 166 (2.44 per set).

“Shannon has had a tremendous couple of weeks here. She’s been a huge offensive threat for us in the front row,” Schoultz said.  “And Clare is playing as well has she’s played in her four years here.”

Directing the offense is sophomore setter Diane McLeod, who leads the conference at 9.12 assists per set.

“She runs our team,” Schoultz said. “We definitely would be a different team without her.”

Lawrence also is playing some of its best defense in recent memory. The Vikings are third in the league in blocks and fourth in digs. Teams are hitting only .157 against Lawrence. Libero Kathleen Rowland ranks third in the conference at 5.66 digs per set.

“Kathleen’s play in the back row has been tremendous,” Schoultz said. “She’s aggressive and fast and her defensive is unbelievable at times. We can force some teams into doing what they don’t want to do by playing good defense.”

Harriers at home

The Lawrence cross country teams are at home for the only time this season when they compete at the Gene Davis Invitational on Saturday at Reid Golf Course.

Lawrence is the defending team champion on the women’s side, and Vikings senior Emily Muhs also is the defending individual champion. On the men’s side, Lawrence sophomore Curran Carlile is the defending champion, and Carthage is back to defend its team title.

The first race begins at 10 a.m.

Passing fancy

The Lawrence football team put up some impressive passing numbers in its loss to Illinois College last Saturday.

Quarterback Luke Barthelmess passed for 443 yards, the third-highest game total in Lawrence history. Wide receiver Dominique Dirden caught three touchdown passes and became only the second freshman in Lawrence history to accomplish that feat. Appleton native Zach Michael did it first in 2000.

Burke wins again

Lawrence women’s soccer standout Cassie Burke has been named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

The junior goalkeeper made 13 saves in Lawrence’s scoreless double-overtime tie at Carroll last Saturday. It was Burke’s second shutout of the season and the sixth for her career.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Seven to join Lawrence Hall of Fame

The Lawrence University Intercollegiate Athletic Hall of Fame will grow by seven during the induction ceremony set for Oct. 14 at the Warch Campus Center.

The inductees are Ross Mueller ’01, Mindy Rueden ’00, Toby Kinsler ’98, Steve Skelcy ’96, Susan Beckwith ’87, Lance Alwin ’71 and Al “Obbie” Novakofski ’39.

Reservations for the Hall of Fame banquet can be made by calling the Alumni Relations office at 920-832-6549.

Ross Mueller 2001

Ross Mueller broke new ground for Lawrence wrestling and stands as one of the pillars of the greatest teams in school history.

A native of Richfield, Wis., Mueller was the first two-time All-American in Lawrence wrestling history. Wrestling at 174 pounds, Mueller became only the second wrestler in school history to eclipse the 100-win plateau. Mueller finished with a record of 105-23 and ranked second in school history in victories when he graduated.

Mueller ranks fifth in Lawrence history with an .820 winning percentage and is third with 27 pins.

Wrestling during Lawrence’s time as an independent, Mueller qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships in both 2000 and 2001. In 2000, Mueller placed third and earned All-America honors for the first time. Mueller defeated Rob Murray of Loras College 9-1 in the third-place match. Mueller came back in 2001 to become an All-American again. He rallied to beat Justin Dix of Cornell College 9-3 in the third-place match. With Mueller and Andy Kazik ’02 both placing third, Lawrence posted its best finish, 10th place, at any NCAA Championship.

As a senior in 2000-01, Mueller posted the best record of his career at 37-4, and that ranks as the fourth-highest season win total in school history.

A biology major, Mueller was named a Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Mueller continued to work with the Lawrence wrestling program and served as an assistant coach from 2001-09.

Mueller works as a spinal implant consultant with Synthes Spine. He and his wife, Lindsay, live in Neenah and have a daughter, Ella.

Mindy Rueden 2000

Mindy Rueden starred on both the hardwood and diamond for the Vikings, and led her teams to championships in both sports.

An Appleton native, Rueden earned All-Midwest Conference honors in both sports. Rueden was a three-time all-conference selection in softball and was the 2000 MWC North Division Player of the Year.

The team’s centerfielder and lead-off hitter, Rueden hit .309 with 94 runs scored, 17 doubles, one triple, two homers, 44 runs batted in and 57 stolen bases. She ranked second in Lawrence history in runs, hits, total bases and stolen bases when she graduated.

A team captain, Rueden led the Vikings to MWC championships in 1997, 1998 and 1999. The Vikings played in the NCAA Division III Tournament in both 1998 and 1999 and Lawrence put together a record of 101-37 during Rueden’s four seasons.

Rueden also was a team captain for the basketball squad and was a first-team all-conference selection as senior in 1999-2000. A versatile performer and all-around player, Rueden was a four-year starter for the Vikings and averaged 6.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists for her career.

Rueden helped the Vikings to a 17-8 record in 1998-99, when Lawrence won the Midwest Conference championship and made its lone appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Rueden earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies at Lawrence and a Master’s degree in counseling at Lakeland College. She works as the executive director of the Brother David Darst Center in Chicago, Ill.

Toby Kinsler 1999

In the short history of Lawrence hockey, Toby Kinsler emerged as the program’s first great player.

A talented forward from Monona, Wis., Kinsler piled up an amazing 91 goals, 62 assists and 153 points during his career. Playing in the first decade of hockey as a varsity sport at Lawrence. Kinsler was the Vikings’ first prolific scorer and led the team in scoring all four seasons.

Kinsler earned All-Great Lakes Collegiate Hockey Association first-team honors both years he played in the league. The first two season of Kinsler’s career Lawrence played as an independent.

Kinsler enjoyed his finest season as a senior when he scored 33 goals and added 23 assists for 56 points in just 21 games. He led Lawrence to a 12-8-1 record for that 1997-98 season, and the 12 wins was the second-highest season total in school history.

Kinsler was named the 1997-98 Most Valuable Player of the GLCHA, which soon thereafter became the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association. Kinsler remains the only player in Lawrence history to be named the league’s MVP.

A four-year team captain, Kinsler also earned first-team All-GLCHA honors for the 1996-97 season. Kinsler was easily the team’s leading scorer again that season with 18 goals and 18 assists for 36 points.

Kinsler started his career with a bang, scoring 21 goals and picking up nine assists for 30 points in just 19 games as a freshman in 1994-95. He led Lawrence to a 9-9-1 record that season. Kinsler followed that with 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in just 22 games as a sophomore in 1995-96.

Kinsler earned a bachelor’s degrees in English and secondary education at Lawrence and went on to receive a Master’s degree in comparative literature from Middlebury College. He also earned a Murray Fellowship to the University of Oxford.

Kinsler owns the Huntington Learning Center in Monona, Wis., serves as a corporate consultant and is in his first year of law school at Marquette University.

Kinsler and his wife, Jennell, live in Madison. The Kinslers have three children, Jackson, Easton and Hudson.

Steve Skelcy 1996

Steve Skelcy was a dominant swimmer during his time at Lawrence and helped propel the Vikings to the top of the Midwest Conference.

Skelcy won nine Midwest Conference championships, including four straight in the 1,650-yard freestyle, and led the Vikings to the 1996 team title.

During Skelcy’s four seasons, the Vikings became a contender for the conference title, and it was Skelcy who helped deliver the team’s first league crown since 1968.

The native of Saginaw, Mich., won three individual titles at the 1996 MWC Championships and was named Swimmer of the Year as Lawrence took the team title. Skelcy took titles in the 200 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle and 500 freestyle, setting a pool record in the latter. Skelcy also swam on the winning 800 freestyle relay team.

Skelcy, who set school records in the 500 freestyle, 1,000 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle during his career, won a pair of league titles at the 1995 MWC Championships. Skelcy swam to victory in both the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle to help Lawrence to a third-place finish.

Skelcy also won a pair of titles at the MWC Championships as a freshman in 1993. He swam to victory in both the 500 freestyle and 1,650 freestyle as Lawrence took third place. Skelcy also won the 1,650 freestyle at the 1994 MWC Championships.

Skelcy also was a key figure for the Vikings at the Wisconsin Private College Championships. He helped Lawrence to team titles in both 1994 and 1996 and was a five-time champion at the Private College meet.

Skelcy earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Lawrence and is a science teacher at Arthur Hill High School in Saginaw, Mich., where he also resides. Skelcy, who has a Master’s degree in administration from Central Michigan University, also coaches the boys’ and girls’ swimming teams at Arthur Hill.

Susan Beckwith 1987

Susan Beckwith was at the forefront of the dawn of Lawrence fastpitch softball and became the program’s first great player.

The native of Bethesda, Md., Beckwith was a three-time All-Midwest Conference selection and set numerous school records. Beckwith started with a fledgling program in just its second year of existence and carved out a career record of 31-29.

Beckwith ended her career as the school’s leader in victories (31), earned run average (3.36), strikeouts (233), complete games (51), shutouts (5), one-hitters (5) and innings pitched (365.0).

A team captain and the team’s Most Valuable Player all four years of her career, Beckwith also was chosen for the All-Wisconsin Independent College-Women’s Athletic Conference team in 1987. Beckwith led the Vikings to the WIC-WAC Tournament title that season.

Beckwith enjoyed a great season in 1987 when she finished with a 15-5 record and a 2.90 earned run average on her way to earning All-MWC honors. She set school season records for wins (15), strikeouts (76) and shutouts (3) that season. She also set the school record with 13 strikeouts in a game against Marian College. Beckwith also tossed a pair of one-hitters that season.

Led by Beckwith’s stellar pitching, Lawrence posted the first winning record in school history with a 15-5 mark.

Beckwith was chosen for the All-MWC squad in 1985 and compiled an overall record of 7-10 with a 4.68 earned run average. Beckwith also earned All-MWC accolades in 1986 after posting a 7-6 record with a 3.26 earned run average.

Beckwith majored in biology at Lawrence and went on to earn her doctorate in biology from Purdue University. She is currently a science consultant and lives in North Potomac, Md. Beckwith and her husband, Peter Darpa, have four children, Monica, Chris, Carl and Alyssa.

Lance Alwin 1971

Lance Alwin proved to be a stellar performer on both sides of the ball for the Lawrence football team and star track and field athlete during his time with the Vikings.

Because freshmen were not eligible during this time, the Fort Atkinson, Wis., native joined the varsity for the 1968 season at linebacker. All he did was lead the team in tackles and earn first-team All-Midwest Conference honors.

Asked by coach Ron Roberts to switch to offense, Alwin moved to running back for the 1969 season. Alwin ran for 957 yards and averaged 106.3 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry. Alwin earned first-team all-conference honors for the second straight year.

Alwin enjoyed an even better season as a senior in 1970 when he ran for 1,204 yards. He averaged 4.4 yards per carry and 133.8 yards per game and again earned first-team all-conference honors.

A team captain, Alwin finished with 2,161 yards for his career and averaged a stellar 120 yards per game and 5.0 yards per carry. Alwin finished as Lawrence’s season and career rushing leader and also held the records for season rushing attempts, yards per carry and yards per game.

Alwin threw the shot and discus for the track team and piled up numerous victories in both events in meets during the 1969 and 1970 seasons. A team captain, Alwin won the shot put (47 feet, 5 inches) and discus (138-8¾) at the 1969 Midwest Conference Championships and won the shot put (47-9½) in 1970 and took second in discus.

Alwin missed the 1971 track season when he signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers. Alwin attended a rookie camp in late spring and then worked alongside Packers legends like Bart Starr and Ray Nitschke during training camp before being released.

A psychology major at Lawrence, Alwin has a Master’s degree in counseling from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a Specialist degree from the University of Wisconsin. He also has a PhD in educational leadership and policy analysis from UW.

Alwin is retired after a life dedicated to service to children in a variety of different capacities, most recently as a school district administrator. Alwin married Nancy Harter-Alwin when he was a senior at Lawrence. The Alwins live in Baraboos, Wis., have three children, Zak, Sunshine and Skye, and 11 grandchildren (with another on the way).

Al “Obbie” Novakofski 1939

Al “Obbie” Novakofski was a star on both sides of the ball and ushered in the Bernie Heselton era by leading Lawrence to a Midwest Conference championship.

A native of nearby Menasha, Novakofski was a star running back and defensive back for the Vikings. The Midwest Conference began selecting all-conference teams in 1937, and Novakofski was a first-team selection on each of the first two squads chosen by the league. He was the first multiple all-conference honoree for Lawrence.

Playing the key position of left halfback in the single wing, Novakofski was a threat both running and throwing the football. A team captain for the 1938 squad in Heselton’s inaugural season, Novakofski led the Vikings to the conference championship.

Novakofski scored the winning touchdown on a 49-yard run in a 14-13 victory at Ripon College in 1938. He also had a 72-yard touchdown run that propelled Lawrence to a 19-8 victory over Monmouth College that season. Novakofski opened that season with three touchdowns in a 39-0 victory over Northwestern College.

Novakofski also played three seasons of basketball for the Vikings.

After his time at Lawrence, Novakofski played professional football. He played for the Kenosha Coopers and the Milwaukee Chiefs of the American Professional Football League. Novakofski was an all-league selection and led the league in scoring. Novakofski also spent time on the roster of the Green Bay Packers.

Novakofski, who earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior, was an educator until his retirement in 1971. He taught history at Woodruff High School and physical education at Lakeland Union High School and also coached football, wrestling and track and field.

Novakofski and his wife, Dorothea, had three children, Lynn, Todd and Jan. Novakofski died in April 1986.

Great at Griak

The Lawrence men’s cross country team put in a great showing the prestigious Roy Griak Invitational at the University of Minnesota last Saturday.

Lawrence was the top finisher among the Midwest Conference schools taking part and Sam Stevens ran to 17th place. Stevens was the top finisher among the conference runners as well. Lawrence’s finish put it 61 points ahead of Grinnell, which has won the last 14 league championships.

It is believed this is the first time Grinnell has lost to a league opponent since 1996.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Track team looks to move up at MWC Championships

Thunderstorms and showers are the forecast for this weekend’s Midwest Conference Championships at Monmouth College, and that’s just another typical day for Lawrence University track and field coach Jason Fast and his Vikings.

In fact, it’s better than most days for the Vikings this spring.

“I’ve been telling our team the whole week that there shouldn’t be a set of weather conditions that will surprise us. We’ve seen it all,” Fast said with a laugh. “The only thing that would be surprising is if it’s a nice day.”

The Vikings head into this weekend’s championships looking to improve on last year’s ninth-place finishes.

“Going into it, everyone is really excited,” Fast said. “Last year at this time, there wasn’t a whole lot we could do. We’re looking at the men and women finishing higher up in the conference.”

The men are paced by a local athlete, sophomore Sam Stevens, who hails from nearby Suamico. Stevens ranks second in the conference in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, third in the 1,500 and eighth in the 800. Stevens also will run a leg on the 1,600 relay team.

“I expect him to score in all of those events,” Fast said of Stevens. “A large portion of our success will be determined on how well he can do because he could be scoring half to three-quarters of our team points. We need him to do well.”

Fast said he didn’t put that type of pressure on Stevens in 2010 because he was worn down after a year of competition. Fast didn’t hesitate in relying on Stevens this spring.

“Last year I didn’t wanted to put that on him because he was beaten down,” Fast said.

“This year it wasn’t even a question. He wanted to do all these events.

I was thinking the exact same thing, and it’s always nice when the coach and athlete are on the same page.”

Stevens’ running mate in the steeplechase will be senior David Zane. He ranks in the top eight in both the steeplechase and the 10,000. The Vikings also are looking for a strong performance in the 800 from freshman Dan Thoresen, who has been nipping at Stevens’ heels in that event.

“I’m hoping David ends his senior year on a positive note,” Fast said.

The 400 relay team got a recent boost with the additions of Tyler Mazur and Dyllan Eichhorst. They join Jon Bruehl and Sam Wagner to take a run at placing in some fast company.

“We’re looking for them to sneak in there and get us a couple of points,” Fast said.

Rose Tepper leads the women’s contingent and is looking to keep her season going beyond the conference championships. The sophomore from Mount Vernon, Iowa, is the defending champion in the high jump and led a 1-2 Lawrence sweep in that event in 2010.

Tepper missed the indoor championships because of a knee injury.

“It will help the team a lot to have Rose in there. She’s our leader and our leading point scorer,” Fast said. “The women’s high jump is the first event the first day. I expect her to start us off strong.”

Despite the knee injury during the indoor season, Tepper qualified for the NCAA Championships. She missed the meet after coming down with a case of food poisoning the day before she was scheduled to compete. Needless to say, Tepper would like to get back to nationals.

“With the rehab Rose had to do for her knee, it’s caused her to pick up some bad habits in her jumping technique. She has been working to iron those things out,” Fast said. “It seems like she has a lot of that taken care of.

Tepper’s best jump this spring is 5 feet, 4.25 inches, and Monmouth’s Emily Tysma is tops in the league at 5-5, which has her provisionally qualified for the NCAA meet.

“Rose’s first goal is to win,” Fast said. “There’s also another good jumper in our conference so she may have to qualify for nationals to win.”

The Vikings also have a pair of distance runners, Anne Sullivan and Anna Ratliff, who are looking to place in the 10,000. Freshman Erica Schmidt also has a shot to place in the discus.

Perish earns academic honor

Softball star Emily Perish has been chosen for the Capital One Academic All-District 5 team. Perish, a junior, was a third-team selection.

A pitcher/infielder, Perish has a 3.79 grade point average and is majoring in religious studies and government. Also an Academic All-Midwest Conference selection, Perish hit .354 on the season and posted a 6-6 record on the mound with a 4.17 earned run average.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Vikings set for MWC Championships

This is uncharted territory for the Lawrence University men’s tennis team.

All but the freshmen on this team are used to playing three days at the Midwest Conference Championships, set for Nielsen Tennis Stadium in Madison this weekend. For the first time since 2007, the Vikings failed to qualify for the four-team tournament that determines the top two finishers in the league.

That doesn’t mean that the Vikings don’t have a whole lot to play for when the singles and doubles are contested on Saturday and Sunday.

“We can still get third place in the conference,” Lawrence coach Kevin Girard said. “We can still end up in front of Carroll and St. Norbert so that keeps the guys pretty motivated.”

Lawrence finished third a season ago, and this was going to be a bit of rebuilding year after losing three starters, including top singles player and former league champion Ryan Dunn to graduation.

Dunn has been replaced by his younger brother, Jason, who moved up to No. 1 singles after playing No. 3 a season ago. Dunn put together a 9-9 singles record this season and is just starting to play his best tennis.

“Anytime you play No. 1 singles, you don’t ever get a day off,” Girard said. “Jay has been playing very well, very focused. He can beat anybody. He’s got tons of talent, and he’s starting to realize that as well.”

Girard said the key for Dunn will be his ground strokes if he wants to get a shot at Grinnell’s Juan Carlos Perez, the league’s defending champion.

“Jay’s return of service is probably the best in the conference,” Girard said. “If he’s hitting the ball well from the baseline, his opponent is in trouble. That’s what he’s been working on all season.”

The Vikings are also looking for big things from Caleb Ray, who won the consolation title at No. 2 singles last season. The sophomore from Austin, Texas, is 11-8 this season and is riding a five-match winning streak.

“This is the best I’ve seen Caleb play. Mentally, you’re not going to find anyone tougher on the court,” Girard said. “He’s super scrappy and super gritty. He pretty much ticks you off. He’s not fun to play against.”

Sophomore Max Zlevor moved from No. 5 singles to No. 3 this season and has managed only three wins, but Girard has a lot of confidence in the Racine native.

“Max has a ton of talent. He just has to get over that hump,” Girard said. “He has a ton of weapons and a ton of firepower. He just needs to string it together.”

Dunn wins POW

Dunn was named the MWC Player of the Week after going unbeaten in singles and doubles this past week. Dunn posted a 6-0 record, going 3-0 at No. 1 singles and 3-0 with Zlevor at No. 1 doubles. It was the first time in his career that he earned the weekly conference award.

Routing Ripon

The men’s tennis team beat Ripon 9-0 last Saturday, and that marked the third consecutive season the Vikings had shut out the Red Hawks. It’s also the first time in Lawrence history that the Vikings beat Ripon 9-0 three consecutive times.

Pechan takes second

Freshman golfer John Pechan finished second at the MWC Championships at Aldeen Golf Club this past weekend. Pechan carded rounds of 82, 75 and 78 on the par-72 layout to finish second by three shots. It was the highest finish for  Lawrence golfer since Appleton native Joe Loehnis tied for first in 2006 and lost a playoff for the title.

Fast company

The men’s 400-meter relay team took first place at the UW-Whitewater Invitational this past Saturday, marking the first time in recent memory that Lawrence has won that event at a large invitational. The time of 46.84 seconds was posted by Sam Wagner, Jon Bruehl, Cam Blegen and Jesse Peterson.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Gurholt continues to power Vikings

After Lawrence University shortstop Carli Gurholt blasted a foul ball out of the park last Sunday at the University of Chicago, Maroons coach Ruth Kmak breathed a noticeable sigh of relief.

The relief didn’t last long.

Two pitches later, Gurholt hit a grand slam that broke Lawrence’s career home run record. A native of tiny Scandinavia in central Wisconsin, Gurholt has battled through injury the past two seasons but the senior has become one of the most prolific hitters in Lawrence history.

“She threw me an off-speed inside pitch and I cranked it foul,” said Gurholt, who now has 22 career homers and 106 runs batted in.

“It was an 0-2 count. I was protecting the plate. I consider myself more of an aggressive hitter. If they screw up and pitch it to me, I’ll hit it.”

Gurholt, who has been hampered by an injury to her non-throwing arm, is leading the team with a .453 batting average to go along with 11 doubles, one triple, three homers and 23 RBI.

“I was going into the season thinking I was going to be a defensive player,” said Gurholt, who was hurt initially last season and decided to play through the pain this year.

“I didn’t have any offensive expectations of myself. It’s a huge surprise that I can play and hit.”

Lawrence coach Kim Tatro said she was concerned at how limited the 2009 Midwest Conference North Division Player of the Year was going to be this season.

“Am I surprised? Yes, but I’m thrilled. She’s far exceeded what we thought she was going to be able to do this year,” Tatro said.

“Early in the season, we went in with the mindset she wouldn’t hit at all.”

Tatro said the coaching staff has tried to be smart in how much Gurholt practices and even limiting her game time here and there. That’s tough for a player like Gurholt, who thrives on taking the field every day.

“Carli is a perfectionist and is the type of kid who loves practice and loves repetitions,” Tatro said.

“She doesn’t have a 75 percent switch. When she takes the field she goes all out. She’s going to dive for a ball in practice, and I can’t stop her from doing that.”

A career .392 hitter, Gurholt has learned from this experience that she can rely on all the work she has put in through the years.

“It makes me feel better if I practice and practice my swing. I just have to trust myself.  Those thousands of swings I’ve taken off the tee, I have to trust that,” Gurholt said.

“This injury has taught me to be more selective. I haven’t been able to see the ball quite this well before. I’ve been more disciplined. I think I’m using that to my benefit.”

“I’m really confident with her ability to have a quality at-bat,” Tatro said. “That’s plus for us and led to her success. It’s what makes her great.

She kind of thinks like a coach, and I’ve told her this before. She has a keen sense of awareness in many phases of the game that most college players don’t have.”

Gurholt has been pretty selective, drawing a team-high 15 walks in 23 games and has a sparkling .586 on-base percentage.

Gurholt knows patience, both for her and this pretty young Vikings team, will be a key as they drive toward a spot in the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament. She believes the team’s continued offensive improvement will be a key in the final weeks of the regular season.

“If we can focus on hitting good pitches and go up there ready to hit the ball, then we have a chance,” Gurholt said.

Wind knocks down Stevens

Sophomore Sam Stevens was on pace to post a provisional qualifying time for the NCAA Division III Championships in the 800 meters this past Sunday at the Wisconsin Lutheran Relays, and then he turned for home. Right into the teeth of a 25 mile per hour wind.

Stevens won the event but finished in 1:58.78, but needs to shave a little more than six seconds off that time to be a provisional qualifier.

Tepper tops the list

Sophomore Rose Tepper also won at the Wisconsin Lutheran Relays, taking first in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 4.25 inches. That is the best jump in the conference thus far this season.

Tepper, a NCAA Championships qualifier during the indoor season, needs a jump of 5-5 to provisionally qualify for the outdoor meet.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Pechan striving to be the best

The average golfer would look at scores of 69 and 72 on the weekend and drop to his knees to praise the golf gods, but John Pechan is not your average player.

The Lawrence University freshman has quickly established himself as one of the Midwest Conference’s best golfers and really wasn’t pleased with his third-place finish at Ripon College Invitational on the Links Course at Lawsonia last weekend.

“I want to say I (played well) but I didn’t,” Pechan said. “I’m still not at the level I feel like I should be, but I’m progressing.”

If you think Pechan is being hard on himself, you’re right, but that’s only because he has some lofty aspirations for the remainder of the season.

“Winning the Midwest Conference is my biggest goal for the spring,” said Pechan, a native of the Seattle area. “That way I can get to nationals and take it from there.”

Pechan would like to join recent Lawrence players Jeff Henderson (2002) and All-American and Appleton native Joe Loehnis (2003) as individual conference champions.

Pechan also wants a trip to the NCAA Division III Championships, which has never happened for a Lawrence player. The last Lawrence golfers to play in the NCAA Championships were local legend Don Strutz, Carl Laumann and Dick Flicker, but that was back in 1949, well before the advent of Division III.

“John is such a great competitor,” Lawrence coach Kalle Larsson said. “You would want every Lawrence athlete to have that sort of competitive nature. His play on the course is a direct result of his work ethic and desire to be the best.”

Pechan’s achievements thus far this year are impressive. He won two of three events he played during the fall season, posting victories at the Ripon Fall Invitational at Mascoutin Golf Club and the Wisconsin Lutheran Invitational at Washington County Golf Course.

Pechan carded a Lawrence record score of 64 on the second day of the Wisconsin Lutheran Invitational, and it is believed that is the lowest score posted by a Division III player this season.

A good spring season, possibly coupled with a win at the MWC Championships, could mean a trip to the NCAAs. Before that happens, Pechan knows there is work to be done. He admits his strong suits are his accuracy and length off the tee, but he continues to work hard on his putting.

“I’m putting a lot of five-foot to 10-foot putts and being positive over the ball. If you don’t have confidence, you are not going to make the putt,” Pechan said. “That’s kind of what happened this weekend. Those are the times I do win tournaments, when my putting is on and I’m stroking it from that range.”

Friends of Jaclyn Day

The Lawrence softball team will take part in a Friends of Jaclyn Day when they play at the University of Chicago on Saturday.

The Vikings have “adopted” Emma Broeniman, a grade-schooler from Appleton who has a NF-1, a genetic disorder that causes brain tumors. Friends of Jaclyn is the organization that facilitated the relationship between Emma and the Vikings.

The University of Chicago also has adopted a child through Friends of Jaclyn, and the teams will raise some funds for the organization on Saturday. The teams played in 2010 in Appleton and had a Friends of Jaclyn Day at Whiting Field.

Taking on the big boys

The Lawrence baseball team faces its stiffest challenge of the season when it travels to Division I Butler University this weekend.

The Vikings are scheduled to play three games this weekend at Butler. It is the first meeting between the schools, and the first time Lawrence has played a NCAA Division I opponent since sweeping a doubleheader from Wisconsin in 1981.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Versatile Vikings look for winning combination

You don’t want to bet on what the lineup for the Lawrence University softball team is going to be from day to day because the odds of picking the right one are slightly better than winning the Powerball.

The Vikings have used 10 different lineups in their 14 games this season, a product of the versatility of the players and a search for a winning combination.

“If you sit and study the box scores, the lineups have changed quite a bit. We knew that was going to be the case going into the season,” Lawrence coach Kim Tatro said.

“We’re trying to figure out which lineup makes us most effective. As crazy as this may sound, because of the youth of the team and the versatility of the players, it may fluctuate as we go through the season.”

No player has batted in the same spot in the lineup in every game this season. To point out just how much things vary from game to game, the Vikings have had seven different players hit in the seventh spot in the lineup.

“I don’t know that we’ll develop the continuity we’ve had in previous years where it was here’s the lineup and you know what it is,” Tatro said. “I hope we can settle on something and run with it.”

The 13 players have seen action this season with a minimum of five games played but only six players have started all 14 games.

While Lawrence knew it had young but talented players returning, the Vikings have also received solid contributions from a number of freshmen. Former Manitowoc Roncalli star Cory Paquette, Alissa Geipel, Alex Chiodo and Brielle Bartes have all had key moments in games thus far this season. That means Tatro has options, and the Vikings take on a different look each time they take the field.

“We have people waiting in the wings to get opportunities and they deserve the opportunity if the people in those positions aren’t performing,” Tatro said.

Senior shortstop Carli Gurholt, a former star at Amherst High School, has been powering the offense with a team-high .452 batting average to go along with seven doubles, one triple, one home run and 14 runs batted in.

“Carli is hitting the ball a ton right now and we need her to do that,” Tatro said.

Sophomore Shannon Murray is hitting .409 with a team-high 15 RBI and has a team-high three victories on the mound. Junior Emily Perish has been Murray’s counterpart on the mound and is hitting .351 with 11 RBI.

Sophomore and Sturgeon Bay native Cathy Kaye also broke through on Monday at Alverno College, where she went 6-for-9 in the doubleheader with two doubles, two homers and five RBI. She raised her average 77 points on Monday to .333.

“Emily and Cathy have stepped it up a little bit and we need that. We need balanced production,” Tatro said. “Everyone needs to pull their weight offensively.”

The Vikings are hitting .288 as a team heading into this weekend’s Midwest Conference Classic in Janesville. Lawrence will face the five South Division teams over the course of two days, and the Vikings need a solid showing after dropping a pair of games to Beloit College to open conference play.

“You can throw the records out the window,” Tatro said of playing in the MWC  Classic. “I think everybody has played a different schedule so it’s about who you’re going to match up with. Will it be their No. 1 against your No. 3 or whatever.

“It’s a game of momentum. If you open up and hit well and you get on a roll, that can carry over. Conversely, the other thing can happen if you struggle in the opening game.”

Streak snapped

Freshman Luke Barthelmess had his 14-game hit streak snapped when he went 0-for-4 in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader with Monmouth College. Barthlemess is hitting .321 on the season with a homer and four RBI.

Sophomore Davide Harris has an eight-game hit streak currently after picking up three hits in the doubleheader against Monmouth.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Winter weather playing havoc with spring sports

It was like taking away the toys from the kids on Christmas morning.

Lawrence University track and field coach Jason Fast was all set to have his team do its first workout on newly renovated Whiting Field last week when the sleet and snow buried the blue track with a blanket of white.

“It was a pretty rough blow, not just to myself but to the whole team,” Fast said. “Everyone was pining to get out on the brand new track and run on it.”

The snowstorm that hit the Fox Valley last week has made the past few days difficult for the Lawrence track, baseball and softball teams. The Vikings have been forced to go back indoors to work out and schedules have been shuffled in an effort to get some games completed.

“It’s not the first time in my career that we’ve come back up north and haven’t been able to play,” said Lawrence baseball coach Jason Anderson, whose Vikings played eight games in Florida during spring break.

“Baseball is a game designed to play every day so you have to get playing. With Midwest Conference play coming up, we needed to get some games in.”

The Lawrence baseball team had been scheduled to play North Central (Minn.) University at Whiting Field on March 26 but those games were pushed back to Friday and Saturday. With the field still covered with snow, Anderson is taking his Vikings on the road to play some “home” games.

The Vikings are headed to Anderson’s hometown of Grinnell, Iowa, to play three games with North Central this weekend before heading to the University of Chicago for a doubleheader on Sunday.

Fast and softball coach Kim Tatro will not have to go quite that far to get some game competition.

The track team was scheduled to compete at the UW-Oshkosh Invitational on Saturday, but snow at Titan Stadium has moved that meet to Carroll University.

To prepare for that first outdoor competition, the Vikings got to work on Whiting Field. Track team members shoveled off 200 meters worth of three lanes and the high jump area on Monday and planned to clear the other 200 meters on Wednesday.

“The biggest thing was preparing for the outdoor season and keeping everyone on task. Whether we have a bunch of snow or not, the outdoor season is going to happen so we need to be ready,” Fast said.

“Seeing that devotion (shoveling the track) from the team shows we are ready to go outdoors and excited to get competing.”

The softball team has seen one doubleheader pushed back and will attempt to play at Marian University on Thursday. Lawrence is headed south to Beloit College, where there is virtually no snow, to play on Saturday. The Vikings are scheduled to play their home opener on April 6 against St. Norbert College.

The baseball team also used shovels to clear off as much of the Whiting Field infield as possible.

“The biggest issue we have on our field is the wind is crazy so we have a lot of drifting,” said Anderson, noting that there are drifts several feet high near the backstop. “That’s too much for us to move and it takes a lot longer to melt.”

Anderson’s goal is to play his first home game on April 10 when the Vikings open conference play with Beloit.

“The goal is to be able to play our conference home opener next weekend,” Anderson said. “If we get in four games this weekend of the five we have scheduled, I’ll be happy.”

Perfect start

Senior center fielder Robert Rashid picked up right where he left off last season. Rashid, one of the nation’s leaders in stolen bases in 2010, was 7-for-7 on steals in Lawrence’s first eight games. Rashid, who led the team with a .393 batting average during the spring break trip, stole a school season record 32 bases last season.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Lawrence skaters tackle Adrian in Harris Cup semifinals

The Lawrence University hockey team has been knocking on the door. Actually, it’s more like pounding on the door.

They will find out Saturday afternoon if they can finally break that door down at the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association Harris Cup semifinals at Adrian College.

Lawrence faces three-time defending league champion Adrian in the semifinals. The Vikings and Bulldogs have played three very tight games over the last year, including the 2010 Harris Cup semifinals, but Adrian has come out on top each time.

“From every game we take positives and negatives,” Lawrence coach Mike Szkodzinski said. “The positive is that we did compete with Adrian the last three times we played them. The negative is that we didn’t beat them. We know it’s going to take a tremendous effort to make that happen on Saturday.”

Adrian (21-3-1), ranked fifth in this week’s United States College Hockey Online poll, held Lawrence (14-12-1) off for a 3-2 victory in last season’s semifinals. Marian University (18-7-0) takes on ninth-ranked MSOE (21-5-1) in the other semifinal.

“At this point in the year you get a feel for the team, how everyone is feeling, how they are playing, and if they have the right mindset,” said senior captain and defenseman Jon Sheridan. “Honestly, I feel that we are all on board and believe that we are going to win on Saturday. Adrian is a good team, they have proven that for the past couple of years, but we are a good team as well.”

Adrian, which sports the nation’s current longest unbeaten streak at 14 games (13-0-1), is the top scoring team in the nation at 4.88 goals per game. Leading that prolific offense is senior forward Shawn Skelly, who has 36 points this season and 217 for his career.

Szkodzinski knows his team must improve from last weekend’s quarterfinal playoff series sweep of Northland College if it wants the opportunity to upset Adrian.

“We have to do a better job protecting the puck,” Szkodzinski said. “We turned the puck over way too many times (last weekend), it cost us a number of odd-man opportunities.”

Lawrence also has to stay out of the penalty box. The Vikings are third in the nation in penalty minutes, and Adrian is fourth. The Bulldogs ranks third in the nation on the power play and are converting at a 29.9 percent clip.

The last line of defense for the Vikings will again be senior goaltender Evan Johnson, who is coming off a solid showing against Northland. He stopped 52 of 54 shots last weekend and improved his numbers on the season to a .910 save percentage and 2.90 goals against average.

Szkodzinski said he has been buoyed by the play of his seven seniors and noted last weekend’s efforts of Johnson and forward Josh DeSmit, who had both game-winning goals against Northland.

“We’re pleased with the play of our upperclassmen,” Szkodzinski said. “It tells us our upper class has a strong desire to make something happen this year.”

The semifinal winners meet on Sunday in the Harris Cup championship game, and the winner gets an automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. While that goal of playing in the NCAA Tournament is within reach, the Vikings are pushing it to the back of their minds.

“I think everyone at some point dreams the dream about winning this weekend and then moving onto the national tournament,” Sheridan said. “That’s a big part of why we all play hockey, but to be successful you have to focus on the moment and the task at hand. It’s not always easy to do that, and there is a time and place to have those dreams. When it becomes crunch time, you just focus on the moment.”

The only moment Szkodzinski is planning for is when they drop the puck against Adrian.

“Our sole focus right now is on the Adrian Bulldogs,” Szkodzinski said. “From a personal standpoint, it would be a special event (to coach a team in the NCAA Tournament). From a human standpoint, it would be natural to think what might be. We have a special group of kids here, but I wouldn’t be doing the team any justice to let my mind wander.”

Record falls again

Junior Nick Kerkman broke his own record in the weight throw at the Midwest Conference Championships last weekend. Kerkman took fifth place in the event with a throw of 48 feet, 11.5 inches. That broke his own mark of 48-8, which he set on Feb. 19.

The ‘shoe’ must go on

Freshman Curran Carlile finished fourth in the 5,000 meters at the MWC Championships last weekend. You’re thinking, OK, that’s pretty good.

Carlile’s race gets a whole lot better when you learn he ran most of the event with only one shoe.

Carlile was running neck-and-neck with another competitor for first place when they both swung into the second and third lanes to lap a slower runner. When Carlile cut back in from lane three to take the lead, the other runner stepped on his heel, and he lost his shoe.

Despite running several thousand meters with only one shoe, he finished less than 16 seconds behind the winner.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.

Inside LU Athletics: Lawrence skaters prepare for playoffs

Mike Szkodzinski knows great things are possible.

The Lawrence University hockey coach has seen him team post some impressive wins during the campaign. As Szkodzinski prepares his team for the opening of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs this weekend, he knows the Vikings can’t just show up and expect to win.

“We have a team that is capable of achieving some special things, but we’re also a team that needs to bring it’s A game the rest of the way in order to achieve the goals we’ve set for ourselves,” Szkodzinski said.

Lawrence hosts a MCHA quarterfinal playoff series with Northland College on Friday night and Saturday afternoon at the Appleton Family Ice Center. The winner advances to the Harris Cup Four at Adrian College on March 5-6.

The Vikings need to play well to defeat Northland, which has put together its best season in school history with a 9-14-2 record. Lawrence has beaten Northland in three of four meetings this year, but the Lumberjacks are coming off a weekend split against highly regarded Marian University.

“We’re going up against one of the hottest teams in the league,” Szkodzinski said.

The Vikings (12-12-1) wrapped up the regular season with a split against Finlandia University last weekend and clinched home ice with a win in the series opener. Finlandia, which scored 11 goals in the two games, then defeated Lawrence in the series finale.

“One of the staples of our program has been solid team defense, and that was definitely not the case against Finlandia. We were really disappointed with the way we treated the final game as if it didn’t matter,” Szkodzinski said.

“It’s nearly impossible to turn a switch on an off so we has coaches need to pay attention to every little detail. Attention to detail is the most important thing at the moment.”

On the flip side, Lawrence’s offense scored 10 goals last weekend. The Vikings also converted four of their nine power-play chances against Finlandia, and special teams loom as a key in the playoffs.

“We put up 10 goals this weekend and only one player had more than one. Scoring by committee was a goal this season so hopefully that’s a good omen heading into the playoffs,” Szkodzinski said.

“(Power play and penalty kill) are two things that can make or break a game at this time of the year. Everybody knows everybody so special teams are going to be a focus of the coaches.”

The Vikings also get sophomore forward Brad Scurfield, one of the team’s top scorers, back. Scurfield hasn’t played since being injured against MSOE back on Jan. 28.

“We’ve had some key injures over the past three months, and it looks like we’re going to be a little healthier going into Friday night,” Szkodzinski said.

Another key the Vikings bring to this weekend is playoff success. Lawrence has reached the Harris Cup Four semifinals in three of the past four seasons so this group of seniors understands what it takes to win in the postseason.

“At this time of the year, we always seem to see special play from our upperclassmen,” said Szkodzinski, citing seniors Evan Johnson, Jon Sheridan, Corey Garrett and Josh DeSmit. “Those guys are ready to leave a lasting impression on this program.”

Track headed to MWC meet

The Lawrence track team is headed to the Midwest Conference Championships this weekend at Grinnell College.

The Vikings are looking to improve on last year’s eighth-place finishes, and Lawrence sends an improved team on the men’s side. The Vikings have the defending men’s champion in the mile in sophomore Sam Stevens, who also placed fourth in the 800 meters a season ago.

The women’s team was dealt a huge blow this week when Rose Tepper, a NCAA Division III Championships qualifier in the high jump, was injured in practice. She will not compete this weekend but hopes to return for the NCAA meet on March 12.

Kerkman set throw record

Lawrence track standout Nick Kerkman was named the Midwest Conference Field Performer of the Week after breaking a school record.

Kerkman (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) set the Lawrence record in the 35-pound weight throw at the UW-Stevens Point Eastbay Invitational this past Saturday. Kerkman recorded a throw of 48 feet, 8 inches, to break the record of 45-7.75, which was set by Mike Pierquet in 2008.

Kerkman now holds a pair of Lawrence track records. He set the mark in the hammer throw of 145-1 during the 2010 outdoor season.

Editor’s Note: Inside LU Athletics is a weekly notes package written by Lawrence University Sports Information Director Joe Vanden Acker. It will feature teams and individual players, recap weekly awards or highlights and take a look at what’s ahead for the Vikings.