Sophomore Sarah Corbitt sunk a three-pointer to clinch the 13-11 win for her team, which also featured junior Muguna Siameja and senior Todd Zimmerman.

Their opponents were Principia basketball legend Laura Saucedo-Williams (who now works in Human Resources), junior Stanley Beal, and Upper School senior Matt Jones.

In the semifinals, Corbitt’s team beat out the trio of junior Sam Douglas, junior Dani Corbitt, and freshman Zach Becker, while Saucedo’s team defeated basketball coach Sarah Jarvis, senior Stuart Waller, and junior Spencer Brown.

Waller, Brown and alum Christina Speer (C’09) won the competition last year, and though Saucedo came out of a brief hiatus from basketball, she demonstrated energy and passion for the game.

Students play at the second annual Chain Net Classic. - photo // Stuart Waller

The cost of the tournament was minimal: just $6.95 to replace the chain nets. Philosophy professor Chris Young came up with the idea after seeing a similar one at Fort Lewis College in southwestern Colorado during his undergraduate years.

“It was fun and relaxed, yet a competitive way of bringing students and staff together,” Young said, “and I thought it would be a good idea to replicate here.”

Siameja, an ardent supporter of the Los Angeles Lakers who sported a dreadlock hairdo just for the tournament, said he was excited, and his teammate Corbitt agreed. “You just notice the various skill levels,” Siameja said, “and it is a good way of bringing people together.”

Despite falling on a busy social weekend when there were activities galore at Principia, the event was still highly attended. Prinstock, various sports matches, and the spring production of Robin Hood competed for campus attention.

The large number of students, family, and staff who turned up at the courts despite the sweltering heat indicates that the tournament can only expand in popularity.

The relaxed outdoor atmosphere intentionally provided a different atmosphere from the controlled room temperature of indoor basketball courts. Varsity basketball players had to adjust to the hoops and hot sunshine. “It is very hard to shoot at the hoops with the chain nets,” said Young. “You have to be very close.”

There are plans to make the competition more attractive. According to Young, introducing prizes could raise the profile of the competition. “We could have T-shirts and something better than a handshake at the end of the competition to reward the players, although we still want this to be a fun event,” Young said.

The modified rules kept only the scoring system of a regular basketball game intact. However, the stringent rules only added fun and did not dilute the competitiveness. Teams of three took turns using only half of the basketball court so that two games could go on at one time. Each match lasted 15 minutes, and the teams kept their own score. Players also called the fouls, which effectively eliminated the need for officials.

For fairness, each team was required to have one female member. Varsity basketball players were widely distributed, because each team could only have one player from a varsity basketball team.

Coming after a busy athletic season, teams had players from basketball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, volleyball, baseball, and softball, among others. Some of the participants had not played basketball before, but had the necessary skills.

Even though some players came from other matches, they were still able to give it their all. “Some of the players showed fatigue after playing rugby and soccer,” observed sophomore Colin Angle, one of the competition’s organizers, “but their input and passion was invaluable. [Junior] Matt Bowman, who would rather be playing baseball, has a good touch.”

Waller said that the competition was a good way to identify skilled basketball players, observing that there were some whose raw talent could be nurtured. Waller, a varsity baseball player, added there were quality players who opted for other varsity sports but would be an asset in basketball.

Angle said he sees a bright future for the two-year-old tournament. Falling on a visiting weekend, some of the teams had high school players who blended right in, and it was difficult to distinguish them from their college teammates, even though they had not practiced together.

Sophomore Drew Clark and freshman Jacob Meier were warming up for their next races, which were only two minutes away, when an announcement came over the public address system that because of a tornado warning, everybody should proceed to their vehicles. “It was scary because we did not even reach our cars before we were diverted to a concrete building which looked like a storage room with athletic equipment. It actually looked like a garage,” Clark explained. The rest of the races were cancelled.

Throughout the season, individual performances set the track and field ablaze, and many runners and throwers recorded personal bests.

Clark and Meier spoke about what it takes to be a top track athlete. Besides the metaphysical and physical preparations, top athletes must eat a balanced diet and keep up with the demanding schoolwork.

Because they do two different races, the training is slightly different. Meier and Clark ran for 40-50 minutes daily during the season. In a week, Meier covered 40-45 miles while Clark ran 60-70 miles. But both do a mandatory daily schedule of 40-50 minutes of strength and endurance training under the watchful eyes of coach Philip Green. Clark said nothing beats the feeling of finishing a tough work out and warming down. “Preparation for my next race begins immediately after the end of my last race in a meet. That is when I review my performance and set new targets,” Clark explained.

Meier has recorded tremendous improvement in his specialty, the 800-meter. His eyes are set on bettering his personal best of 1:57.66. Clark made concerted efforts to qualify into the NCAA Division III National Championship by racing in the 3,000 steeplechase in Indiana at the Bill Hayes Invitational.

Runners compete in the steeple chase primaries at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. photo // Sarah Jarvis

There is an air of friendship among the athletes, who treat each other like brothers and sisters. Four women on the track team deserve a special mention. They are senior Stacey Bird, sophomore Mackenzie Olson, senior Kateland Oakes, and sophomore Ana Liuzzi. Their fellow athletes characterized them as amazing and courageous ladies. At Illinois College’s mid-week Quad Invitational in April, Liuzzi and Olson paired up in the 5-kilometer and scooped the top two positions at 20:58.77 and 20:58.83 respectively. Bird was second in the 1500-meter run with 5:26.41. For the first time since 1991, Principia College women’s track and field team made it to Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville for the SLIAC Conference Invitational, which was held on April 24.

Although the athletes admit that there is great team effort, individual brilliance has been the order of the day. Two sprinters, junior Oyintari Aboro and sophomore Daniel Osae, recorded very fast times. Aboro’s best time in the 100-meter was 11.21 seconds, which put him among the top 10 list in the collegiate competition, and he also had fun in the triple jump, leaping to 12.37 meters. Osae ran a 24:58 for a personal outdoor best in the 200-meter, joined by Aboro at 23:97. Sophomore Dana Gaubatz was fastest at 22:93.

In the field events, senior Grant Grieshaber was consistent in the throws. As the most active participant on the men’s team, Grieshaber competed in three or four events at each meet. His best throw was 37.24 meters at the discus, 37.36 meters in the hammer, 12.2 meters in the shotput and a personal best in the javelin with 42.80 meters.
Coaching by Geoff Hinchman, the assistant coach for throws, largely contributed to Grieshaber’s stunning performance during the season. At the SIU-Edwardsville competition, Grieshaber’s throws raked in 34 points for Principia College.

Freshmen Philip Riley and Nick Larsen exerted pressure on senior Justin Sinichko in the 1500-meter category. A devastating kick by Sinichko at Lincoln College earned him a time of 4:16.67 and a first place finish. Riley and Larsen, who have a bright future, recorded 4:57.78 and 5:00.18.
It is time to take stock for the season. The athletes still engage in light training but nothing near as intensive as during the season.

Awards are a culmination of hard work and they do not come easily. Freshman Sarah Corbitt came from the basketball court to the tennis court, and was named Player of the Year at the St Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SLIAC) women’s tennis individual tournament, held at Dwight Tennis Center in Forest Park.

As if this was not enough, Corbitt also took the award for the SLIAC Newcomer of the Year as voted by the league coaches. To complete the hat trick, Corbitt and her partner, sophomore Marianna Hronek were named the top doubles team in the conference. Principia also received the 2010 SLIAC Women’s Tennis Sportsmanship Award.

Corbitt believes that a good environment has made it possible to excel. “This season has been great and we have had very good results because of working very hard at practice,” she said. Besides having a strong tennis background, Corbitt, who has played in many United States Tennis Association-sanctioned tournaments, believes that there is more to come.

She has a powerful forehand and is quite agile on the court. To complete these qualities, Corbitt is a fighter for every point. Corbitt’s achievements are examples of the performance by the tennis team’s resilience. Junior Jasmine Carcieri, who has just returned from the Hawaii field program with sophomore Courtney Banko, acknowledges Corbitt’s mental toughness. “She is just amazing and very focused whenever on court,” Carcieri admits.

Carcieri’s biggest assets are her strong serves and top spins. She chases every point and although ranked fifth and sixth in the league, Carcieri often plays in the upper rungs.

One player who has steadily climbed up the ladder is Heather Libbe, a junior who is a great inspiration to the team on and off the courts. She is a natural leader and also has a passion for cross-country.  Carcieri rates Libbe as one who has limitless potential.

Senior Katie Sydness returned to the team this season after taking a two-year break to captain the women’s lacrosse team. “It is refreshing to play with such an amazing team,” she says.

In some of this season’s memorable matches, Principia overwhelmed Eureka 9-0 and edged out Greenville College 5-4. Greenville College posted the same results against Westminster College.

The men’s team has had mixed results. Junior Christian Hagenlocher, who plays alongside his younger brother Kevin, a freshman, summarized the mood as vibrant. “This season has gone on well and there is a good blend of teamwork and individual brilliance,” he said. Kevin plays at number two in the singles, with junior Clayton Delaney at the top. According to Christian, the confidence level has been good which has resulted in some big wins, especially against Fontbonne, another 9-0.

The men’s team shared the podium with Greenville College for the 2010 SLIAC Men’s Tennis Sportsmanship Award as the tennis season ended. Junior Cameron Huber and sophomore Ben Black finished as the third-ranked doubles team in the SLIAC. Christian Hagenlocher attributes this to the high discipline and individual leadership roles among the players. “It is the other coaches who vote for the best team and this shows the amount of respect the coaches accord Principia,” Hagenlocher added.

The men’s tennis team has more fluidity this year than in the past. Just before finishing the season SLIAC Team Championship at Forest Park, which was later moved to Principia because of rain, Principia defeated Concordia Seminary 8-1, losing only at the number one doubles position. Another spirited performance came from number one singles player DeLaney, who pushed Tony Stevenson from Westminster to three sets at the Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park on April 16 and 17. Stevenson had not lost a set in the conference matches for the 2010 season.

Junior Ben Black is a fighter who relishes stiff competition and gets satisfaction from hitting a perfect shot. Black is a doubles specialist from California, where he and his high school partner won the California Interscholastic Federation high school championships in Los Angeles in 2007. He has a natural attacking style with a strong forehand and excellent net game. Sophomore Brian Wold combines good humor with good work ethic on the courts. His quick reaction allows him to pick up balls that most people couldn’t return. Another of his strengths is his net-play.

The teams have been supportive of one another, and Carcieri puts into perspective the reason behind this: “This season, the men’s and women’s teams are much closer. We support one another and it is a great family atmosphere,” she observes. This is the kind of atmosphere the team will need to break into the next level of competitiveness.

The two coaches, Casey Reynolds and Jessica Campbell, have the final word. They believe that dedication to training by the individual players and team discipline have attributed to Principia’s resilience against much stronger teams. “The only way is up,” they conclude.

Women’s Team: sophomore Courtney Banko, junior Jasmine Carcieri, freshman Sarah Corbitt, sophomore Marianna Hronek, sophomore Caroline Korthals, junior Heather Libbe and senior Katie Sydness.

Men’s  Team: sophomore Ben Black, junior Clayton DeLaney, junior Christian Hagenlocher, freshman Kevin Hagenlocher, junior Cameron Huber, sophomore Brian Wold, senior Todd Zimmerman.

Newsflash: you attend Principia College, a beautiful campus with some of the most ideal running terrain in the Midwest.

Whether you are looking to get in shape, have great talks with friends, have alone time with God, or simply go on exciting nature hikes, you will enjoy the adventures, calm, and beauty that these trails will open up to you.

Several cross-country runners shared adventures that happened on their favorite runs.

(L-R) Senior Justin Sinichko, Assistant Cross-Country Coach Sarah Jarvis, and sophomore Drew Clark run in Wasson ravine on Monday, April 26. There are many trails scattered within the woods and along the bluffs of the campus. photos / Benjamin Chernivsky

Sophomore Austin Kingsbery said that one of the best feelings is when you take the bluff trail on a sunny morning. He said that you get an amazing sensation as you come out of the canopy of trees and run up the hill to the first meadow. Kingsbery said, “It just opens up and it is so quiet; you really get to listen to nature.”

Senior Justin Sinichko said, “It’s hard to beat the bluff trail just before sunset, which is a great 50-minute run on a trail.”

To get to the bluff trail, run to Eliestoun, and take the gravel road to the left right before you get to the stone pillars. Follow this road around to where a dirt path veers off to the right, and continue on this path as it veers left. For a six-mile run, follow the path as it loops around after the second meadow and brings you back to the original path.

Junior Heather Libbe told a bluff trail story: “[Senior] Jon Nacewicz and I ran it once and, because of the spiderwebs, he insisted on carrying a de-spider-webbing stick, which was successful for him because he was holding it out in front of him, but not so much for me – I think I was eating spiderwebs for a week.”

Senior Kateland Oakes said, “One time when I was running [the] bluff trail, there was a giant rattlesnake coiled up with its rattle tail rattling away. I was a freshman and pretty freaked out. But my favorite reaction was the guys running in front of me. One guy screamed and leaped to the side of the trail. I saw them freak out and then skirted the snake by a large margin. Later, the guys turned around to see if us girls in the back needed help. So funny!”

Many hidden trails around the college campus offer a softer running ground, scenic views, and a variety of hills. - photo / Benjamin Chernivsky

Senior Nathan Sharp said his favorite run is the Fessler Loop. Sharp said it takes you out the front gate and to the right. Turn left at Fessler and bear right when the road forks, and it will take you up a rather large incline. Make a left when you get to Highway 3. Travel along Highway 3 and turn left on Cemetery Road to return to Elsah and the gatehouse hill.

Sinichko mentioned several of his favorite runs: “A 20-minute Eliestoun on a rainy day with friends is incredible.” Senior Jeff added that he loves the eight-mile web of trails to Chautauqua from Elsah.

Sinichko continued, “For a morning run, doing a BV loop that peaks Suicide Hill is a rarely appreciated splendor. From up there, when the fog moves in, and the ‘cloud-esque’ features roll around the taller trees like water around islands, it’s hard to remember why getting out of bed was so hard in the first place.” Sinichko added that following the Wasson trail at the far end of the new parking lot behind the Science Center down into Elsah provides “some really fun downhill single-track.”

Principians have also found a myriad of places off-campus to run. Most notably, several Principians trained and ran in the St. Louis half and full Go! marathon on Sunday, April 11. A few of these people include senior Kate Wells, junior Jeff Strickland, sophomores Ana Liuzzi and Drew Clark, Admissions Counselor Julia Frank, Sylvester Resident Counselor Connie Crandell, and coaches Mary Ann Sprague and Sarah Jarvis, who took 5^th place.

On Saturday, May 29 at 8 a.m. ­– rain or shine – students, faculty, and people from off campus will compete in the Principia “Escape to the Bluffs” triathlon. This fun and beautiful challenge will have both sprints (400M/28K/5K) and Olympic distances (400M/40K/10K) that will take participants around the campus and surrounding areas.

Triathlon Director Patrick McCreary said, “This triathlon is part of the administration’s commitment to open the campus to the public.” Rumor has it that the prizes are hand-crafted by local artisans, so you will have to see for yourself on race day. For registration and further information about the Principia triathlon, visit the Principia website under “Athletics” and go to “Multisport,” which will link you to the triathlon page.

Honestly, I knew nothing about the game until two close friends insisted I should watch. The objective of the game is to use the lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball in an effort to score by shooting the ball into an opponent’s goal. Defensively, the objective is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact or positioning. Also, the only protective equipment worn for the women’s lacrosse are mouth guards, face guards and sometimes thin gloves.

Senior Chelsea Kendrick runs through a line of opponents. - photo / Katie Duntley

Stick to stick contact – when in the right body position – is allowed. Players are able to hit the opponent’s stick to try and obtain possession of the ball in what is called checking. Players are able to lightly push the player if their stick is a certain angle on the opposition’s body. Women’s lacrosse also differs from men’s because of the field it is played on. Although it is the same overall size, the lines of the playing field are different, which help to structure the different rules of the games, such as how many players can go over the “restraining line” to play attack or defense at one end of the field.

There are some similarities between lacrosse, ice hockey and handball. The three have small goals with a goalkeeper. There are 12 players – three on offense, three on defense, five on midfield, and one goalie. Up to seven players can play on offense. Of the three defenders, one can join the offense. Also of the two attacking wingers, one can fall back and defend.

Watching the players go through their drills left no doubt that this is an energy-sapping sport that requires fitness (for the shuttle runs), agility, an eye for the ball and space, patience, good passing technique and teamwork. “Take a mistake as a challenge,” was the constant message by one of the coaches, sophomore Tommy Heninger.

One of the captains, senior Chelsea Kendrick, traces the formation of Principia women’s lacrosse team to recent alumni Jacqueline Pappas and Kelsie Brook (C’09), who planted the seeds that are slowly beginning to germinate. “They were everything from coaches to mentors and role models,” adds senior captain Katie Sydness.  Having three captains, including sophomore Randi Slusher, is good for continuity. “We do not want a situation where there is a vacuum,” explains Sydness.

The momentum continued when Heninger and sophomore Collin Wolfe stepped in as coaches. Wolfe said: “This is a great team. The players are dedicated and enthusiastic. We have a very young team and have no illusions of beating some of the big guns. The improvement has been phenomenal and we have a firm base because most of the players are either freshmen or sophomores.”

Sophomore Angela Smelker makes a move during practice on Tuesday, April 13. photos / Benjamin Chernivsky

Two weeks ago when the lacrosse team played a home match, there was great support from the Principia community, some of whom have no clue about this sport. “It was amazing to have a big number turn out for the game and cheer. It is a unique and fun game to watch also,” adds Kendrick.

The lacrosse team members came to the sport from a variety of backgrounds. Freshmen Shelby Lemons and Jewelle Matheny are cross-country runners who find lacrosse good for endurance. Freshman Brie Mayer, a soccer player, stumbled into lacrosse in the winter: “I promised never to play this game, but here I am among the best friends in this college. Lacrosse is the best club,” she says. Junior Darline Ambugo already played the game in Surrey, England before joining the Principia team. “Lacrosse was big in Surrey,” acknowledged Ambugo, whose background in athletics has come in handy.

Amy Sylvester, the goalie, has been nicknamed “brick wall” by the two coaches. Kendrick says, “She is incredible between the posts.” For a player who admitted having lots of butterflies before the first match against Kansas University, Sylvester has been outstanding since the lacrosse season started. “I have a whole view of the field and help in making sure that the players are in position,” she says.

She adds that the defenders do a good job. “I was scared for the first two minutes of our first match against Kansas University, but things have improved and the players have a lot of confidence,” she says.

The two coaches have an easier job because of the good chemistry between the players who support one another metaphysically. “They are much better than [when] they started and it is only a matter of time before we start winning matches,” explains Heninger. In fact, just within the last week the team won their first match against Nebraska.

The players and coaches know that there is a potential of lacrosse growing big. They have two more years before graduating which is enough time to recruit new players and build on what is already started. Lacrosse at Principia can only become better.

The Panthers kicked off their season by splitting games with the Grace College Lancers. The first game they lost 9-3, but won the second 8-4. Sophomore Nate Gotch started the game strong on the mound with a wicked fastball and splitfinger, and sophomore Alan Cheatham threw out two runners attempting to steal a base in his first game as catcher. Unfortunately, the Lancers picked up six unearned runs in the fourth, which gave them the victory. The second game went much better with strong pitching from sophomores Samuel Thomas and Robbie Nickell. Junior Jeff Strickland earned Player of the Game for his three doubles and amazing outfield play.

Swimming and Diving

The season ended on a high note at Liberal Arts, which was hosted in the Crafton pool. On the men’s side, a new school record was set. The 200-meter freestyle relay team, consisting of juniors Will Crowley and Colin Clark and freshmen Andy Furbush and Tyler Loechner, swam a 1:29.05, which now puts them on top of the record boards. The women nabbed eighth place and had a strong showing at the meet. Senior Jenny Bailey swam season best times in her races and finished a solid Principia career.

Track and Field

The indoor season ended well for the men, with several team members chasing school records. Junior Oyintari Aboro was three-hundreths of a second off the school’s 55-meter dash record, and freshman Jake Meier finished the 800-meter run with a 2:00.27 and is looking to set a new record in the near future. On the women’s side, senior Stacey Bird and sophomore Mackenzie Olson have made huge strides in their distance running, and can expect great results in the spring.

Tennis

The men hosted their first invitational last weekend. Sophomore Paul Sanderude and junior Clayton DeLaney walked away as winners of the number one and two singles slots. At the women’s first invitational, junior Heather Libbe grabbed fifth place in the Flight A group and freshman Zandrea Kaye-Duchesneau took fifth place in Flight C.

Basketball

In the final men’s game of the season, the team played Westminster in an epic fight to the final buzzer with a score of 111-105. Seniors Sam Douglas, Isaac Swiderski and Stuart Waller all had an exceptional game and contributed to the memorable evening. Together, Douglas and his best friend and co-captain, junior Todd Zimmerman, scored over half the team’s points. Douglas scored a career high 33 points, putting him three away from the 1000-point mark, and Zimmerman had 24 points, an incredible number considering Westminster put their best defender on him full court for most of the game. The women struggled a little at the beginning of their game against Westminster’s energy because it was their senior night. However, the second half was an all-new ball game. The ladies shot 44 percent from the field, played stellar defense and held Westminster scoreless for the last five minutes of the game.

Marina Whitney practices her swing in Crafton - photo / Benjamin Chernivsky

The team’s practices have been held at Crafton Center, while the softball field undergoes renovation. The field is near completion, but like the saying that Rome was not built in a day, it will be some time before the field is completed with the necessary equipment, such as floodlights for evening training. The field has undergone a near complete renovation, including a new backdrop, dugouts, infield, warning track and outfield fence.

At Leavoy’s disposal are nine enthusiastic players who share his passion. He calls the team a unique group: The team has a dancer, soccer and basketball players, and some first-time softball players. Freshman Jocelyn Shoemake, for example, barely has time to rest after a busy basketball season. The smaller number of players on the team has ensured special attention to the needs of the individual players. Although some 18 players signed up when it was announced that softball would be back on the Principia sports menu, Leavoy said that even 14 would be “a good number.” Leavoy notes that there have been obstacles: “We have a disparity in skills, and creating drills that are challenging to the team is not easy at times because they respond differently.”

Despite the eleven-year lull and low player availability, Leavoy remains realistic in setting goals for the first game. “We will control what we can control,” he says. “Nobody should outwork us. We will not yield to discouragement. We expect to win every game. We will also make sure we win in character,” he adds.

Metaphysically, the coach is excited about the players who apply the principles of Mrs. Morgan: “We should see that reflected in our game. My main aim is that the players will be better metaphysicians. We will do the humanly possible things,” the coach says.

Principia’s entrance into SLIAC softball represents a collaborative effort on the part of the Principia College and School athletic directors to share personnel and resources. NCAA and MSHSAA guidelines support the concept, and the plan works because the softball programs at the School and College are played in opposite seasons. By combining personnel and resources and sharing the associated costs, the economies of operation allow for an expanded program at the College, greater flexibility in utilizing personnel on both campuses, and an effective embrace of Education at the Principia’s Policy 15 – working as one institution to improve the quality of education at Principia.

Ken Leavoy speaks with the team before practice on Wednesday, March 3rd. - photo / Benjamin Chernivsky

College Athletic Director Lee Ellis says, “I am thrilled that we are able to keep such a terrific coach at the School while at the same time tapping Ken’s immense talents to lead the reinstatement of softball at the College.” The players are equally excited to lay a foundation. Sophomore Marina Whitney, a pitcher, knows that only hard work will bear fruit: “We have worked hard and encouraged one another and are ready for the season,” she comments. Karlin Krishnaswami maintains there is a silver lining for the Panthers. “The coach has been very encouraging,” she said.
Leavoy has coached the Principia School softball program for the past nine years, winning Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) Conference and Class 2 District 3 championships the past two years. His extensive background includes coaching and serving as an advance international scout for the Canadian women’s Olympic and national softball teams during the past eight years.

He has also coached men’s professional teams in Canada, leading his team to a world ranking of fifth prior to the 1996 ISC World Tournament. Many of the players on that team were members of the 1992 World Champion Canadian National Team. Ken is a Level 3 NCCP certified (National Coaching Certification Program of Canada) coach and a NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) member.

Some of the players to look out for are junior Andie Raffles (pitcher), Whitney (catcher), sophomore Lucia Rooker, sophomore Jessica Dunlap, freshman Marianna Distel, and Shoemake, many of whom have extensive softball backgrounds.

Roll: Priscilla Alarcon, Bekah Charlston, Marianna Distel, Jessica Dunlap, Tavia Patterson, Andie Raffles, Lucia Rooker, Jocelyn Shoemake, Maggie Sweeney, Marina Whitney, and Karlin Krishnaswami.

As the season comes to an end, captains Jenny Bailey and Robert Cleveland — both seniors — are convinced that the upward trend will continue long after they graduate in June.   This team has defied all odds to earn respect from their opponents.

Principia swimmers take a break during practice at the Crafton natatorium - Photo / Amber Dahlin

The astounding performance did not come on a silver platter. The only way to measure the success of a team is by posting good results. According to Bailey, good results have been achieved through hard training sessions that required sacrifice. Swimmers devoted part of the winter break to a two-week swim camp on campus, during which they practiced twice a day.

“We spent some time before the Winter Break to get in shape and bond, which has paid off handsomely,” Bailey recalls.

Discipline, which is a key factor for success in any team, has played a big role this season. “I have been impressed by the freshmen who have broken into the top ten through hard work. They have been eager to put in extra work because we did not put any limits on them,” Cleveland adds.

Both captains speak of the potential after several freshmen joined the team. Bailey picks out class performance by freshmen Jenna Mehlenbacher, Laura Perry, Catherine Joyner and Christina Schaule.

Bailey measured the team’s success by looking back at the times the swimmers have posted in several meets, and Cleveland spoke of a new work ethic among the swimmers who aimed higher than their personal best times.

During the 2009-2010 season, over ten records have been broken and many swimmers have considerably improved their times. Bailey is convinced that it is only a matter of time until the men’s relay team posts a new record before the season ends. “This has been a good season,” Bailey beams.

The Panthers have scored some big wins, although not against traditional rival Washington University. In one home meet, the Panthers put up a sterling performance before losing 76-134 to the Washington University Bears.

In that meet, freshman Tyler Loechner swam to third place in the 200 freestyle, with junior Colin Clark placing fifth.

The relay team of Clark, Loechner, freshman Andy Furbush and junior Will Crowley has been outstanding. They pushed Wash U to the boards, clocking 3:20.70 against their opponent’s 3:19.75. Loechner posted his fastest time of 49.99 in the relay. Equally impressive were sophomore Josh Curry, freshman Chip Jackson, junior Matt Poulos and sophomore Zach Harmon.

The Liberal Arts Championships officially ended one of the most successful seasons for the swimming team. The two captains had the last word saying a foundation had been laid, and that the only way was up.

“This team has a great chemistry and harmony. It is a family atmosphere which is very competitive,” Cleveland explained.

Swimming and Diving
Both men’s and women’s swimming and diving have been resting in preparation for their main end-of-season meet. Liberal Arts, which will be hosted by Principia this weekend, February 18-20, is the largest meet of the season, and the fastest swimmers will advance to nationals.  On the men’s side, junior Will Crowley and freshman Andy Furbush have been swimming exceptionally well, and in their last meet swam their fastest relays of the season. For the women, senior Jenny Bailey is once again the top swimmer and is expected to make a very strong showing at Liberal Arts.

Basketball
The season is winding down for men’s and women’s basketball with only two games remaining for each. In last Saturday’s game against Greenville, junior Todd Zimmerman hit the 1,000-point mark and is looking to break the school record by the end of his senior year.  Unfortunately, the men were unable to pull out a win.  Once again, on Tuesday night Zimmerman asserted his dominance on the court by scoring a career high 31 points in the men’s loss to Webster University. The women played Greenville Saturday in a heartbreakingly close loss. Freshman Sarah Corbitt contributed with her quick drives and three-pointers on the offensive end and managed to get 22 touches on the defensive end.  Sophomore Lindsay Sydness continued to rack up the blocks.  She is currently the number one shot blocker in the country at the Division III level.  On Tuesday, the women suffered another tough loss against highly ranked Webster.  Both teams will play their final home game on Saturday, February 20 against Fontbonne.

The men’s and women’s track teams have been busy training and competing at indoor meets this quarter.  On the men’s side, sophomore Drew Clark won the 3000-meter with a career personal record of 8:47.28.  For the women, sophomore Mackenzie Olson looks to be an asset on the track.  In her last race, she was able to drop her time in the 3000-meter by 12 seconds to 12:12.90.  The team is scheduled to compete tomorrow, Feb. 6, at Illinois College.

Swimming and Diving

Principia hosted the Panther Invitational on Jan. 30, at which the men’s team took first place.  The day was filled with season bests for the men.  Senior captain Bob Cleveland swam a season best 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:15.25.  Freshman Chip Jackson secured a season best in the 1650-meter with a time of 19:48.09.  Freshman Tyler Loechner swam 57.65 in the 100-meter backstroke for a season best.  Junior diver Nick Trapp took first place on both the 1-meter and 3-meter boards.  The weekend before the Panther Invitational, the women swam against Washington University and had several season bests. Senior captain Jenny Bailey had two season bests and individual wins in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 25.31 and a time of 55.84 in the 100-meter freestyle. Freshman Jenna Mehlenbacher swam the 200-IM and the 100-meter fly, and earned season bests in both with a time of 2:22.32 for the IM and 1.07.36 in the 100-meter.  Finally, junior Lexi Meidell had two season bests in the 200-IM with a time of 2:49.25, and swam a 1:22.21in the 100 breaststroke.  Both teams will compete again at home on Feb. 6 at 1 p.m. against Lindenwood University and Illinois College.