Gene's Blog: UST slogan for 2011-12: I'll Have Another

May 23, 2012

"I'll Have Another" is a remarkable race horse.

"I'll have another (championship)" is also an appropriate slogan for St. Thomas athletics in 2011-12. Last weekend's regional baseball title last week continued a year marked by exceptional conference, regional and national success at Cretin and Summit Avenues.

Here's a salute to Tommie student-athletes for their contributions to a memorable sports year.

Members of the St. Thomas Class of 2012 who received their diplomas last Saturday left their mark in many areas, especially in athletics.

The current seniors have played a huge role in the continuing success for certain programs, as well as breakthroughs for a few other teams.

The graduating seniors helped St. Thomas sweep the MIAC all-sport crowns for men and women in each of the last four years and rank among the top 25 teams in Division III for across-the-board team success. Several of these seniors have made the transitions to new head coaches. Many endured facilities challenges during the construction of the AARC.  

Volleyball seniors won or shared all four MIAC titles in their era and reached the national tournament in fall 2010 and 2011. The last four seasons have a produced a 117-23 overall record.

Football seniors were the first recruiting class for Coach Glenn Caruso. On the heels of a 2-8 finish in 2007, St. Thomas went 43-7 in the seniors’ era, with three NCAA playoff runs to the quarterfinals or semifinals, plus back-to-back MIAC championships.

Men’s basketball won or shared all four MIAC regular-season titles and also had three conference playoff titles in the seniors' era. UST reached the pinnacle as it won the national title in March 2011, and St. Thomas has the most Division III men's hoops victories over the last four years (105).

Baseball won or shared all four conference titles, made four NCAA playoff trips and is making its second trip to the College World Series in four seasons. The Toms go to Appleton with a 142-48 record over the last four years.

Softball won three of four MIAC regular-season titles and all four MIAC playoff crowns. The Toms compiled a 159-29 record in the current seniors’ era.

Women’s track and field went 8-for-8 in MIAC outdoor team titles indoors and outdoors. The Tommie won all four indoor team championships and three of the four outdoors. UST track and field/CC athletes have won three relays and two individual events at nationals over the last four years.

Men’s swimming and diving won two conference team championships in the seniors’ era -- a dramatic turnaround for a program which hadn’t previously won the MIAC since 1954. 

Men's hockey made two NCAA playoff runs in the last three years and won the MIAC last winter.

 

Unsung Heroes

Successful track and field seasons are like a construction project. It takes good leadership, work ethic and materials to get a first-class finished product. Nice weather never hurts. Coaches Joe Sweeney and Steve Mathre had many hands contributing as they won conference outdoor team titles May 11-12 in Moorhead.

The Tommie women made it eight consecutive championships as they received points from 19 different athletes and scored in 19 of 22 events. The UST men scored in 20 of 22 events and got points from 23 athletes.

Here are some Tommie track and field athletes who exceeded their pre-meet rankings with clutch performances in Moorhead:

Men

--4x100 relay: Seeded third at 42.42, placed second in season-best 42.17

--4x400 relay: Seeded second at 3:21.82, placed first in season-best 3:16.39

--100: Cody Jerabek seeded third at 10.94, placed first in season-best 10.83

--200: Jeff Rada seeded ninth at 22.66, placed second in season-best 22.10; Jerabek seeded second at 22.14, placed first in season-best 21.74

--Steeplechase: Tyler Iverson was seeded seventh in 9:43.17, placed fourth in a season-best 9:30.15      

--Javelin: Blake Bordson was seeded 13th at 148-0, placed fourth in a season-best 158-8    

--Shot Put: Bryan Thell was seeded third at 48-4 3-4, placed second in 51-1 1-2

--High Jump: Eyo Ekpo won in a career-best 6-10 3-4, 2 1-2 inches better than his previous season high 

Women

--100: Christina Rozeske was seeded fifth in 12.54, placed third in a season-best (and school-record tying) 12.00

--400: Emily Van Heel was seeded seventh in 59.54, placed first in season-best 57.40

--1500: Taylor Berg was seeded second in 1,500 in 4:34.32, placed first in season-best 4:34.14

--Steeplechase: Sarah McNamara was seeded fifth in 11:56.66, placed first in 11:31.27

--100 Hurdles: Katie Ryan was seeded fourth in 15.40, placed second in 14.95

--4x100 relay: Seeded first at 47.32, placed first in season-best and school-record 47.05

--Long Jump: Rozeske was seeded 12th in 16-10 1-2, placed sixth in a season-best 17-5 1-4

--Triple Jump: Van Heel was seeded fifth in 36-6 3-4, placed first in season-best 38-8 1-4

--Discus: Hannah Volkman was seeded fourth in 133-7, placed second in a season-best 138-8

--Javelin: Alyssa Hewes was seeded 12th in 102-11, placed fifth in season-best 112-10

 

Club Powerhouse

 

The Tommies’ extraordinary success in 2011-12 athletics has expanded beyond its 22 varsity sports.

Congrats to members of the national champion St. Thomas club men’s lacrosse team, who scored a 9-8 comeback win over Grand Valley (Mich.) State last Saturday in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) title game.

St. Thomas (16-1) went 4-0 at the national tournament in Greenville, S.C. The Tommies opened with a 11-6 win over Western Oregon; topped North Dakota State 10-7; edged Dayton 14-13; then needed to come back from a three-goal deficit to edge Grand Valley, which came in with a 18-1 record.

In the title game, UST goalie Ryan Zeilinger made 11 saves, Matt Kleven scored three first-half goals, and Joe Palermo scored what proved to be the winning goal with 2:40 remaining.

Under Coach Pete Moosbrugger, the Toms became the first three-time national champion in the eight-year history of the Division II MCLA. St. Thomas’ lone defeat came in mid-April, 7-6 at St. John’s, but it got revenge two weeks later with a 10-8 win on a neutral field in St. Paul.

More than 200 men’s club teams compete in the MCLA’s Division I and II. St. Thomas has built an impressive 110-10 overall record in the last seven seasons.

LAX Magazine -- Click here to see tourney preview story:

http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/club/2011-12/news/050712_mcla_ii_bracket_breakdown_still_tommie_time

Click to see semifinals story:

http://laxmagazine.com/college_men/club/2011-12/news/051712_carbonneau_saves_st_thomas_thwarts_dayton

Click to see finals story:

http://www.laxmagazine.com/college_men/club/2011-12/news/051912_st_thomas_clinches_dynasty_rallies_past_gvsu