Feb. 24, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Horizon League Network will take a different approach than usual when it enters the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center for the 2009 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championship. Instead of the usual live video coverage, HLN will be covering the event live via a blog and will then be posting the races for on-demand viewing shortly after their completion.

"The championship experience is something the Horizon League Network is always trying to enhance," said Horizon League Director of New Media & Technology Nate Flannery. "It is vital for us to deliver our content in the most user-friendly manner and for that reason we chose the combination of the live blog and on-demand videos. By using the on-demand model, viewers will be able to watch a specific race rather than having to watch an entire night of competition."

HLN reporter Damon Lewis will be running the live blog during the event from poolside. The blog will include student-athlete and coaches video interviews along with commentary, user questions/comments and much more. It can be viewed at HLSwimDive.BlogSpot.com.

"We are really excited about the success of our blogging during basketball season and want to offer the same opportunity to our swimming and diving audience," Lewis said. "Fans will be able to ask questions, comment on videos and stay up-to-speed on everything going on at and around the championship."

The Swimming and Diving Championship takes place at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center at the Rite-Hite Family YMCA in Brown Deer, Wis., Feb. 25-28. For more information on the championship, visit the Horizon League's website at www.HorizonLeague.org.

Horizon League Network
Originally launched in October 2006, the Horizon League Network is a conference-wide video streaming platform designed to provide coverage of the League's member institutions' athletic programs. The network features more than 400 quality live game webcasts each year in addition to compelling on-demand programming. For free access to all of HLN's offerings, visit www.HorizonLeagueNetwork.tv.

HLN Schedule
February 25 - 7:00p CST
   Finals - Women's 3-Meter, 200 Free Relay, 1000 Free, 200 Medley Relay
February 26 - 6:30p CST
   Finals - Men's 1-Meter, 500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free, 400 Medley Relay
February 27 - 6:30p CST
   Finals - Women's 1-Meter, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 800 Free Relay
February 28 - 6:30p CST
   Finals - Men's 3-Meter, 1650 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 400 Free Relay

Feb. 23, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

Feb. 23, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS -- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay sophomore Kayla Tetschlag has been named Horizon League Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the period of Feb. 16-22. The selection marks Tetschlag's first career weekly honor from the League office.

A native of Sheboygan, Wis., Tetschlag averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 steals and 3.5 rebounds in two Horizon League games last week. The forward made a sizzling 16-of-20 (.800) from the floor, 2-of-4 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw stripe.

Tetschlag helped the Phoenix to a 73-52 win over the University of Illinois at Chicago on Thursday and 88-44 victory over Loyola University Chicago on Saturday.

Green Bay improved to 23-3 overall and 15-0 in Horizon League action with its 15th straight win. The Phoenix has not lost since Dec. 29, 2008, and has not fallen in a regular-season League affair since Jan, 19, 2008.

Green Bay has already recorded a 32nd consecutive winning season, which ranks third in the nation. The Phoenix has also clinched at least a share the League's regular-season title for a record 11th straight campaign.

Tetschlag raised her season averages to 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last week. She recorded a career-high 22 points against Loyola and career-best seven steals vs. UIC.

Green Bay travels to Valparaiso University (14-11, 8-6) on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. ET and Butler University (16-9, 11-3) on Saturday at 4 p.m. Green Bay can secure the Horizon League Championship's No. 1 seed with a win or Butler loss on Thursday.

Feb. 23, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS -- Cleveland State University senior Josh Hungerman and University of Illinois at Chicago senior Adam Worthington have been named Horizon League Baseball Players of the Week for the period of Feb. 16-22.

A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Hungerman picks up Batter of the Week accolades after hitting .368 with three homers, four runs and nine RBI in four games. He also recorded a .895 slugging percentage, .400 on-base percentage and 17 total bases in Cleveland State's series at Georgia State University.

The Vikings suffered a setback in three of four contests at Georgia State, but posted a 6-5 victory in game two of the set on Saturday.

A native of Gurnee, Ill., Worthington notches Pitcher of the Week honors after allowing just one run over 7.2 innings at the University of Texas on Sunday. He scattered six hits and walked just two while striking out two in his first career start after 92 relief appearances.

UIC dropped all four of its games at #4 Texas. The Flames were one of four Horizon League schools facing a nationally-ranked opponent in the season's first weekend.

Cleveland State returns to action this weekend with three contests in Clarksville, Tenn. The Vikings will face Austin Peay State University on Friday (3:30 p.m. ET), Ball State University on Saturday (Noon) and Indiana University on Sunday (Noon).

UIC travels to the University of Alabama for a four-game weekend set. The Flames and Crimson Tide will play one game on Friday (7:30 p.m.), a doubleheader on Saturday (2 p.m.) and the series finale on Sunday (2 p.m.).

Feb. 20, 2009

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INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler University runner Andy Baker and Valparaiso University runner Alyssa Bradford have been named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week for the week ending Feb. 15, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Friday (Feb. 20).

Baker (Minehead, United Kingdom/West Somerset C.C.), a graduate student, broke Butler's indoor 5,000-meter record with a time of 14:00.51 Feb. 14 at the prestigious Husky Classic in Seattle. His time also topped the Division I qualifying standard for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

In the classroom, Baker carries a 3.818 grade-point average in his studies for a master's in business administration. He has twice been named to Butler's Athletic Director's Honor Roll and BU's 4.0 Honor Roll for the 2008 fall semester.

Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago), a junior, helped Valparaiso to a seventhplace team fi nish out of 19 teams at the Chicagoland Championships Feb. 13 in Romeoville, Ill. She fi nished second of 36 runners in the mile with a career-best time of 5:16.02 and placed third of 57 in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 2:24.93.

An exercise science major, Bradford owns a 3.98 grade-point average at Valparaiso. She has been named to the Horizon League's Academic Honor Roll each of Valpo's three semesters in the League and posted a 4.0 grade-point average during the recent fall semester.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a studentathlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MEN'S NOMINEES:
Robo Kreps, UIC (basketball, sophomore, 3.25, exercise and fi tness)
Kyle Stump, Valparaiso (tennis, sophomore, 3.73, mechanical engineering)
Vytas Sulskis, Youngstown State (basketball, sophomore, 3.61, accounting
Aric Van Weelden, Loyola (basketball, junior, 3.98, exercise science)

OTHER WOMEN'S NOMINEES:
Pam Staton, Loyola (indoor track and fi eld, senior, 3.63, psychology)

###

Feb. 20, 2009

Complete Release in PDF Format

INDIANAPOLIS -- Butler University runner Andy Baker and Valparaiso University runner Alyssa Bradford have been named U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week for the week ending Feb. 15, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Friday (Feb. 20).

Baker (Minehead, United Kingdom/West Somerset C.C.), a graduate student, broke Butler's indoor 5,000-meter record with a time of 14:00.51 Feb. 14 at the prestigious Husky Classic in Seattle. His time also topped the Division I qualifying standard for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.

In the classroom, Baker carries a 3.818 grade-point average in his studies for a master's in business administration. He has twice been named to Butler's Athletic Director's Honor Roll and BU's 4.0 Honor Roll for the 2008 fall semester.

Bradford (Mukwonago, Wis./Mukwonago), a junior, helped Valparaiso to a seventhplace team fi nish out of 19 teams at the Chicagoland Championships Feb. 13 in Romeoville, Ill. She fi nished second of 36 runners in the mile with a career-best time of 5:16.02 and placed third of 57 in the 800 meters with a season-best time of 2:24.93.

An exercise science major, Bradford owns a 3.98 grade-point average at Valparaiso. She has been named to the Horizon League's Academic Honor Roll each of Valpo's three semesters in the League and posted a 4.0 grade-point average during the recent fall semester.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a studentathlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution, passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MEN'S NOMINEES:
Robo Kreps, UIC (basketball, sophomore, 3.25, exercise and fi tness)
Kyle Stump, Valparaiso (tennis, sophomore, 3.73, mechanical engineering)
Vytas Sulskis, Youngstown State (basketball, sophomore, 3.61, accounting
Aric Van Weelden, Loyola (basketball, junior, 3.98, exercise science)

OTHER WOMEN'S NOMINEES:
Pam Staton, Loyola (indoor track and fi eld, senior, 3.63, psychology)

###

Feb. 20, 2009

Valparaiso University is adding three sports to its intercollegiate athletics program beginning next fall. At a news conference held on campus on Feb. 19, Director of Athletics Mark LaBarbera announced that men's and women's golf and women's bowling will be added to the lineup of NCAA-affiliated programs.

LaBarbera said that all three teams would be eligible for competition in NCAA championships and the men's and women's golf teams would begin competition in the Horizon League beginning next spring.

The golf teams will compete in NCAA Division I. Women's bowling, which has crowned an NCAA national champion since 2004, is offered in a single division. All three sports will offer scholarships within NCAA guidelines.

Home course for the golf teams will be The Course at Aberdeen and home for the bowling team will be Inman's Recreation Center, both in Valparaiso.

"The decision to add these three teams to our intercollegiate athletics program was driven largely by student interest," LaBarbera said. "I regularly receive inquiries from prospective student-athletes about golf and bowling, and interest has been expressed by students currently enrolled as well."

Mike Higdon, director of golf at Aberdeen, will head the golf program and Stephen Anthony, associate director of athletics for business services, will coach the women's bowling team.

Two of the sports actually are being revived after an absence of many years. Men's golf was an intercollegiate sport from 1934 through 1992 and there was a men's bowling team that competed in intercollegiate events from 1948 to 1963.

The men's golf team previously competed in the Indiana Collegiate Conference and the Heartland College Conference, winning conference championships in 1951, 1953 and 1982. The Crusaders were a founding member of the Midwest Intercollegiate Bowling Conference and won conference titles in 1953 and 1956.

Although Valpo has not previously fielded a women's golf team Patti Shook Boice, a 1965 graduate, won the individual title at the women's National Collegiate Golf Tournament in 1964. Regarded for several years as one of the top women amateurs in the nation, she played in 10 United States amateur championships.

When LaBarbera told Boice of plans to field a women's team on campus, she said she looks forward to following the team. "I'm thrilled that fellow talented golfers will be able to follow their sport to Valparaiso and join the Valpo family--a community founded on Christian principles that we all hold dear to our heart," said the Spring Lake, Mich., resident.

LaBarbera said he expects the Crusaders to field competitive teams in all three sports in their first seasons.

"There are many outstanding young golfers in the Valparaiso region and throughout the Midwest who are interested in competing in golf on the college level," he said. "Women's bowling is rapidly growing in popularity and we have some of the best high school bowlers in Indiana right in our backyard, so we should be an attractive option for many of them as they consider their college choices."

LaBarbera said the decision to add three sports to the athletics program was made easier by the cooperation of officials at the Course at Aberdeen and Inman's.

"We are thrilled to be hosting the golf teams at The Course at Aberdeen," said Barb Young, president of the 18-hole links-style public course. "I think golf is a perfect fit for a school like Valpo. We are proud to have Mike Higdon, our director of golf, running the program and we look forward to celebrating Valparaiso's first Horizon League golf championship."

"Within the past decade, Inman's has assisted in developing local high school bowling programs," said Mike Peuquet, President of Inman's. "Since then, the high school program has accumulated enough interest to become a recognized statewide club sport. Inman's is proud to be working with Valparaiso University in developing its NCAA women's bowling program and proud to have the Crusaders bowling in our facility and to help support the program. This is a great opportunity for the local bowling club members to further their academics and passion for the sport of bowling."

-- story courtesy of Valparaiso Athletic Media Relations

Feb. 20, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS -

Complete Release in PDF Format

Psych Sheet in PDF Format

Horizon League Records in PDF Format

Swimming & Diving Program in PDF Format

2009 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is set to host the 2009 Horizon League Swimming and Diving Championships at Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center/YMCA, starting Wednesday, Feb. 25. The competition continues through Saturday, Feb. 28, when the League champions will be crowned.

On the men's side, last year's Co-Athletes of the Year, Jakub Dobies of Cleveland State and Nathan Demchuk of Wright State, return. Dobies currently leads the League in the 100-yard breaststroke (55.92) while Demchuk has the fastest time this season in the 200-yard individual medley (1:53.00). Alex Hill of Green Bay also returns, after being named Co-Swimmer of the Meet in 2008 along with Demchuk. Other top athletes who lead the League in multiple events include diver Caleb Nettleton of Wright State, and newcomer Mark deSwardt and senior Todd Winchell, both of Cleveland State.

The Green Bay women aim for their fifth-straight League championship with a talented roster of experienced swimmers, including senior Danielle DeGrand, junior Renee Reindl, who leads the League in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.13), and junior Ashley Warzon who has the top time in the 100-yard butterfly (57.30) Returning event winners from last season include 2008's Newcomer of the Year Krystyna Wieczerzak of Wright State, Horizon League record holder Danielle Wenger of Milwaukee (1,000-yard freestyle), and 2008 Diver of the Meet Lauren McGraw of Green Bay.

This year, on-demand videos of the final heats can be seen on the Horizon League Network shortly after they occur each evening. Access to the events and highlights can be viewed by logging onto the Horizon League Network. HLN will also live blog throughout the event. The live blog will include student-athlete and coach interviews in addition to live commentary and much more! Daily results can also be found on the Horizon League website and Milwaukee's website.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS (all times CST)

Wednesday, February 25
1:30 p.m. Prelims: Women's 3-Meter
7:00 p.m. Finals: Women's 3-Meter, 200 Free Relay, 1000 Free, 200 Medley Relay

Thursday, February 26
10:30 a.m. Prelims: 500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free
1:30 p.m. Prelims: Men's 1-Meter
6:30 p.m. Finals: Men's 1-Meter, 500 Free, 200 IM, 50 Free, 400 Medley Relay

Friday, February 27
10:30 a.m. Prelims: 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back
1:30 p.m. Prelims: Women's 1-Meter
6:30 p.m. Finals: Women's 1-Meter, 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, 100 Breast, 100 Back, 800 Free Relay

Saturday, February 28
10:30 a.m. Prelims: 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly
1:30 p.m. Prelims: Men's 3-Meter
6:30 p.m. Finals: Men's 3-Meter, 1650 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, 200 Fly, 400 Free Relay

Feb. 19, 2009

Composite schedule in PDF format

Preseason poll release in PDF format

Six of the Horizon League's seven baseball programs open the 2009 campaign this weekend (Feb. 20-22). The slate includes 22 games in three days -- five on Friday, 11 on Saturday and six on Sunday.

Fifteen of the Horizon League's 22 season-opening contests will be against nationally-ranked foes. Wright State challenges #1 Texas A&M (four-game series), UIC squares off with #4 Texas (four games), Milwaukee faces #13 Arizona State (four games) and Youngstown State battles #14 Georgia (three games). The full schedule follows:

Friday, Feb. 20
UIC at Texas, 4:30 p.m.
Youngstown State at Georgia, 5 p.m.
Cleveland State at Georgia State, 5 p.m.
Wright State at Texas A&M, 7:35 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona State, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 21
Cleveland State at Georgia State (DH), 12 p.m.
UIC at Texas (DH), 1 p.m.
Valparaiso at Morehead State (DH), 1 p.m.
Youngstown State at Georgia, 2 p.m.
Wright State at Texas A&M (DH), 2:05 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona State (DH), 3 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 22
Cleveland State at Georgia State, 12 p.m.
Valparaiso at Morehead State, 1 p.m.
Wright State at Texas A&M, 1:05 p.m.
Milwaukee at Arizona State, 2 p.m.
UIC at Texas, 2 p.m.
Youngstown State at Georgia, 2 p.m.

All times Eastern (ET)

Visit the baseball home page of each Horizon League school for more information on the beginning of the 2009 season.

Butler

Cleveland State

Milwaukee

UIC

Valparaiso

Wright State

Youngstown State

Feb. 18, 2009

INDIANAPOLIS -

Complete Release in PDF Format

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Dustin Goldenberg
Detroit
Freshman
West Bloomfield, Mich.

Goldenberg had a perfect week, winning a pair of No. 2 singles matches in addition to the two No. 1 doubles matches he won alongside teammate Pjotrs Necajevs at the top spot. The duo defeated Chicago State 8-5 and Wayne State 8-2 before Goldenberg triumphed in both of his singles matches. He downed Chicago State 6-3, 6-3 and then snagged a gutsy 7-6(6), 7-5 victory over his Wayne State opponent.

Mariya Kovaleva
UIC
Freshman
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Kovaleva was victorious at both No. 2 singles (6-1, 6-4) and No. 1 doubles with partner Kristen McPhillips (8-3) to help UIC secure a 4-3 win over Toledo last weekend.

Other Men's Top Performers

Ben Raynauld
Butler
Junior, Montreal, Quebec
Raynauld scored a 6-4, 6-1 decision at the No. 1 singles position over his Dayton opponent after teaming with Chris Herron to defeat the No. 2 doubles duo 8-6.

Phil Orno
Cleveland State
Junior, Snekkersten, Denmark
After two wins at No. 1 singles against Duquesne (6-0, 6-3) and Indiana State (6-0, 6-4), Orno dropped his first match of the season against Toledo (6-0, 6-2). He teamed up with Ryan Hamning to stay perfect at No. 1 doubles with victories in all three matches.

Paul Swanson
Green Bay
Freshman, Coon Rapids, Minn.
Swanson improved to 3-3 on the season with a 1-6, 6-1, 10-2 victory over SMU. It was his fifth match to go to three sets this season as Swanson won the super tiebreaker for the third time.

Sebastian Lystad
UIC
Junior, Oslo, Norway
Lystad was victorious in multiple tiebreakers last weekend, posting wins at No. 1 singles (7-6(5), 7-6(8)) and No. 1 doubles with George Hudson (9-8(7)) against Bradley.

Kyle Stump
Valparaiso
Sophomore, Plymouth, Ind.
Stump rallied from down a set to win the decisive point at No. 5 singles (5-7, 6-2, 6-3) against IUPUI as Valpo won its first match of the season, 4-3.

Landon Neuman
Wright State
Sophomore, Lima, Ohio
Neuman posted a 4-0 record last weekend with victories against Georgetown College and Eastern Kentucky. He played at No. 2 singles and won against GC (7-6(5), 7-6(5)) and EKU (7-5, 7-5), while also winning at No. 3 doubles in both matches.

Other Women's Top Performers

Becky Jenkins
Butler
Junior, Elmhurst, Ill.
Jenkins picked up two wins against Murray State on Sunday, registering a 6-0, 6-1 sweep at No. 3 singles after pairing with Molly Casperson for an 8-4 decision at No. 2 doubles.

Myra Pepino
Cleveland State
Sophomore, Hilliard, Ohio
Pepino won both her singles and doubles matches against Akron last weekend, sweeping her No. 5 singles opponent 6-2, 6-4 after teaming with Sanda Bjelan to win at No. 3 doubles, 8-3.

Erin Weldon
Detroit
Sophomore, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Weldon posted a 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 victory at No. 5 singles against Chicago State before coming back to win 7-5, 6-3 in the No. 6 spot at Akron.

Morgan Weuve
Green Bay
Freshman, Green Bay, Wis.
Weuve was the only Phoenix player to win her singles match last week, defeating her Northern Iowa opponent, 6-1, 6-1 at the No. 4 spot.

Kelly Drvaric
Milwaukee
Junior, Waukesha, Wis.
Drvaric claimed a win at No. 1 singles against Illinois State (7-5, 6-4) after teaming with Kari Kastenholz in a 9-8 loss at No. 1 doubles.

Tanisha Welch
Youngstown State
Junior, Cleveland, Ohio
Welch was 2-0 at No. 4 singles last week, posting a 6-3, 6-4 victory against California (Pa.) and downing her IUPUI opponent 6-0, 6-0. She joined teammate Lauren Hankle to with at No. 2 doubles in both matches.