Kalamazoo Men's Swimming in third place after first day at NCAA III Championships
The Kalamazoo College men's swimming and diving team is in third place after the first of four days of competition at the 2010 NCAA III Championships in Minneapolis. The Hornets have 62 team points, just one point ahead of Denison. Kalamazoo trails Emory (70.5) for second place while Kenyon leads the event with 173 points. The Hornets' 200 Medley Relay (Ellis, Espinosa, Mueller, Bazzell) capped off the evening by finishing second with a school-record time of 1:29.59. The Hornets had the fastest time in prelims, but were beat out in the finals by Kenyon's NCAA record-setting finish (1:27.74). Craig Fleming and Brian Bazzell both earned All-American honors in the 50 freestyle. Fleming finished third with a school-record time of :20.30. Bazzell finished seventh with a time of :20.58. Earlier in the day in prelims, Chris Manning finished 21st in the 200 IM with a time of 1:53.70. Competition resumes Thursday with prelims at 10 a.m. followed by finals at 6 p.m. Championship Web Site - Live Results

Kalamazoo swimmers head to NCAA III Championships
Nine members of the Kalamazoo College men's and women's swimming and diving teams are heading to the 2010 NCAA III Championships at the University of Minnesota. The participants are leaving Kalamazoo Monday evening and begin competition on Wednesday, March 17. The Kalamazoo men are positioned for a strong championship meet, and are featured prominently in a preview article on CollegeSwimming.com. There is also a championship preview in Tuesday's edition of the Kalamazoo Gazette and a feature on Paul Ellis in the Oakland Press.

Jillian McLaughlin earns USTFCCCA All-Academic award
Kalamazoo College's Jillian McLaughlin was awarded a USTFCCCA (United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association) All-Academic Award. The USTFCCCA All-Academic award honors those student-athletes who have succeeded both academically and athletically. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average and must finish in the top 35 among the field at their respective NCAA regional meet.

Katy Knoechel qualifies for NCAA III Championships
Kalamazoo College senior Katy Knoechel has qualified for the 2010 NCAA III Swimming/Diving Championships to be held March 17-20 in Minneapolis. Knoechel will compete in the 100 butterfly. At last year's NCAA III Championships, Knoechel earned honorable mention All-American honors with a 10th place finish in the 100 butterfly. She also finished 31st in the 200 butterfly and 49th in the 200 individual medley. Championships Web Site

Kalamazoo to send eight Men's Swimmers to NCAA III Championships
The Kalamazoo College men's swimming and diving team will send eight swimmers to the 2010 NCAA III Championships March 17-20 in Minneapolis. All five of Kalamazoo's relay teams will compete in the event, and all five are seeded in the top four, with the 400 Medley Relay entering as the top seed. Eight individuals will also compete, highlighted by Craig Fleming's top seed in the 100 freestyle and Paul Ellis' two seed in the 100 backstroke. Other participants include: Alex Armstrong, Brian Bazzell, Tyler Benmark, Alfonso Espinosa, Chris Manning and Barret Mueller. Kalamazoo College finished 12th at the 2009 NCAA III Championships. The Hornets have finished sixth four times. Championships Web Site

Women's Tennis falls at #8 DePauw
The women's tennis team lost 9-0 at #8 DePauw on Sunday, March 7. The host Tigers improved to 9-1 on the season by sweeping the doubles points and winning all six singles matches in straight sets. Beau Wangtrakuldee and Kari Larson fell 8-1 at one doubles. Wangtrakuldee lost 6-2, 6-3 at one singles. The Hornets are now off until March 21 when they head to Orlando for their spring trip. Results

Men's Tennis wins 7-2 at #11 DePauw
The Kalamazoo College men's tennis team, currently ranked #16 nationally, earned a 7-2 win at #11 DePauw on Sunday, March 7. Kalamazoo took two of the three doubles points with wins at one and two doubles before winning five of the six singles matches. Pat Boyd and Cyrus Jadun won 8-3 at one doubles. Nate Eddy won 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(2) at one singles. Jadun won 6-3, 6-4 at two singles. Boyd won 6-4, 6-3 at four singles. The Hornets are now off until March 21 when they begin their spring trip at the College of New Jersey. Results

Men's Tennis ranked #16 in latest NCAA III poll
The Kalamazoo College men's tennis team moved up to #16 in the nation in the latest NCAA Division III poll released Tuesday, March 2nd by the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association). The Hornets were ranked #21 in the preseason poll, and have moved up in the rankings following a 4-1 start. Kalamazoo travels to #11 DePauw on Sunday, March 7 at 10 a.m. Current Rankings

Joe Prepolec and Ryan Clark earn All-MIAA honors
Joe Prepolec and Ryan Clark earned All-MIAA Men's Basketball honors as selected by the league coaches on Monday, March 1. Joe Prepolec, a sophomore from Bloomfield Hills (Andover HS), was selected to the All-MIAA First Team after averaging 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds overall this season. In league play, Prepolec ranked fifth with 15.1 points per game and second with 8.9 rebounds per game. He led the league with 33 blocks (2.4/game) and ranked fifth in field goal percentage (.500). Prepolec recorded five double-doubles in league play and posted career-highs in points (27) and rebounds (14) against Albion on January 13. Ryan Clark, a junior from Leslie (Leslie HS), was selected to the All-MIAA Second Team after averaging 13.8 points and 5.2 rebounds overall this season. In league play, Clark ranked fourth in scoring with 15.5 points per game. Clark ranked fourth in free throw percentage (.805), fifth in three-pointers made (1.9/game), sixth in field goal percentage (.414), ninth in three-point percentage (.329) and 10th in rebounding (5.5/game). Clark posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds against Trine on Feb. 17, and scored 28 points in a game against both Calvin and Alma this season.

Men's Tennis wins a pair of Sunday matches
The men's tennis team won a pair of home matches on Sunday, Feb. 28. Kalamazoo began the day with a 7-2 win over NCAA I foe Bradley University. The Hornets followed that up with a 7-2 win over NCAA III regional opponent Case Western Reserve. Against Bradley, Kalamazoo swept the doubles points before winning at three-thru-six singles. Pat Boyd and Cyrus Jadun won 8-3 at one doubles. Boyd also won at four singles. Against Case Western, Kalamazoo again swept the doubles points before winning at two-thru-five singles. Boyd and Jadun won 8-5 at one doubles. Jadun also won at two singles while Boyd won at four singles. The Hornets return to action on Sunday, March 7 at DePauw. Bradley Results - Case Western Results

Women's Tennis drops home opener to Grand Valley
The women's tennis team lost its home opener 8-1 to Grand Valley State University on Friday, Feb. 26. The visiting Lakers are currently ranked #34 in NCAA Division II and are 13-5 overall while the Hornets fell to 1-2 on the season. Beau Wangtrakuldee and Kari Larson teamed up for an 8-5 win at one doubles for the Hornets' only team point. Wangtrakuldee battled at one singles, but fell 7-5, 7-6. Kalamazoo returns to action at DePauw on Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. Results

Men's Basketball falls at Adrian in MIAA Tournament
The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team bowed out of the 2010 MIAA Tournament with a 71-49 loss at Adrian on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Kalamazoo took an early lead, but Adrian took over the lead with 17:00 left in the first half and increased to a 15-point lead (36-21) at halftime. The host Bulldogs increased their lead to 21 early in the second half. Kalamazoo cut the deficit to 14 (47-33) with 13:00 left, but the Hornets were unable to get any closer in defeat. Kalamazoo shot 36.7 percent overall while Adrian shot 49 percent. Kalamazoo made just 9-of-16 free throws while Adrian sank 18-of-25 at the line. Adrian held a 36-30 advantage in rebounding and took advantage of 15 Kalamazoo turnovers while turning the ball over just eight times. Ryan Clark led Kalamazoo with 12 points and five rebounds. Tyler Stewart added 10 points while Eric Fishman finished with eight. Box Score

Men's Tennis defeats #16 Chicago, 7-2
The Kalamazoo College men's tennis team, ranked 21st in the NCAA III preseason poll, defeated #16 University of Chicago at home on Sunday, Feb. 21. Kalamazoo took two of the three doubles points with wins at one and two doubles. The Hornets followed that up with wins at two-through-six singles. Pat Boyd and Cyrus Jadun won 8-3 at one doubles. Jadun also won 6-4, 6-2 at two singles. Kalamazoo returns to action next Saturday, Feb. 27 at 9 a.m. against Case Western Reserve in the Markin Center. Results

Men's Basketball heading to Adrian for MIAA Tournament First Round
As the number six seed in the 2010 MIAA Men's Basketball Tournament, the Kalamazoo College men's basketball team will travel to third-seeded Adrian College for a first round matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7:30 p.m. The two teams split the regular season series with Kalamazoo winning 65-61 at home and falling 59-50 at Adrian.

Women's Tennis wins 7-2 over Carthage
The women's tennis team improved to 1-1 with a 7-2 win over Carthage College on Saturday, Feb. 20 in Holland. Carthage entered the match with an 8-5 record and was ranked 14th in the Central Region in the preseason poll. Kalamazoo swept the three doubles points and won at one, three, five and six singles. Beau Wangtrakuldee and Kari Larson won 8-5 at one doubles. Wangtrakuldee won 7-5, 6-4 at one singles. Larson won 6-4, 6-2 at three singles. Kalamazoo hosts Grand Valley State University on Friday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. Results

Men's Basketball loses regular season finale at Olivet
The men's basketball team lost 85-55 at Olivet in the regular season finale on Saturday, Feb. 20. Kalamazoo led during most of the first eight minutes of the game, but Olivet took a 17-16 lead with 12:10 left in the first half and built that into a 37-30 lead at halftime. Olivet extended the lead early in the second half on its way to an 85-55 win. The host Comets shot 54.1 percent overall and made 14-of-19 free throws. Kalamazoo shot 39.3 percent overall and made 8-of-14 at the line. Olivet held a 40-26 advantage in rebounding and outscored Kalamazoo 42-24 in the paint. Alex Lapka led the Hornets in scoring with 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Jeff Hollenbeck scored eight points with five rebounds while Tyler Stewart added seven points. Kalamazoo finished sixth in the MIAA and should travel to Adrian in the first round of the MIAA Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 24. Box Score

Second half lead slips away in Women's Basketball loss to Trine
The women's basketball team saw a second half lead disappear in a 73-52 home loss to Trine in the Hornets' season finale on Saturday, Feb. 20. The Hornets jumped out to an early 11-2 lead and led 20-12 with 8:47 left in the first half. Kalamazoo led the entire first half and took a 27-24 lead into halftime. Kalamazoo extended its lead to 14 (47-33) with 13:00 left in the game, but Trine used a 15-0 run over the next three minutes to take its first lead of the game (48-47) with 10:14 left to play. A bucket by Kalamazoo put the Hornets back on top (49-48), but Trine would outscore Kalamazoo 25-3 over the final eight minutes to take the 73-52 win.

After shooting just 30.4 percent in the first half, Trine shot 63 percent (17-of-27) in the second half to finish at 48 percent overall. The visiting Thunder also made 18-of-25 free throws. Kalamazoo shot 34.5 percent overall and went 9-for-15 at the line. Kalamazoo held a 45-28 advantage in rebounds, but the Hornets turned the ball over 29 times compared to 14 turnovers for the Thunder.

Kalamazoo's Nyemade Cooper led all scorers with 20 points and 11 rebounds, finishing her career with 1,104 points and 686 rebounds. Cooper ranks eighth in school history in scoring and second in rebounding. Briana Hendrix scored nine points with five assists and three steals. Lauren Rosenthal and Kelsey Johnson each finished with seven points. Box Score

Men's Tennis defeats UW-Whitewater, 7-2
The men's tennis team defeated UW-Whitewater 7-2 at home on Saturday, Feb. 20. The Hornets won at two and three doubles before winning five-of-six singles matches. Nate Eddy won 6-3, 6-3 at one singles. Eddy and Jason Brown teamed up for an 8-6 win at two doubles. Brown also won 6-1, 6-3 at three singles. Kalamazoo returns to action against #16 University of Chicago at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21 in the Markin Center. Results

Women's Tennis falls to #20 Wheaton in season opener
The women's tennis team lost 8-1 to #20 Wheaton in the Hornets' season opener on Friday, Feb. 19 in Holland. Beau Wangtrakuldee and Kari Larson earned the Hornets only point with an 8-5 win at one doubles. Wangtrakuldee fell 7-5, 6-4 at one singles, and Kelsey Hassevoort lost in a tiebreak at two singles. The Hornets return to action against Carthage College on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Holland. Results

Four players score in double figures in Men's Basketball win over Trine
The Kalamazoo College men's basketball team closed out the home portion of the 2009-10 season with a 69-54 win over Trine on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The Hornets jumped out to an early 12-2 advantage, but quickly saw the lead drop to two points (16-14) with 7:14 left in the first half. The Hornets never trailed, however, and closed out the half with a 22-3 run to take a 38-17 lead into halftime. Kalamazoo extended its lead to 23 points three times in the second half. A late surge by the Thunder made it an 11-point game (63-52) with 1:18 left to play, but the Hornets sank their free throws in the final minute to take the 69-54 victory. Kalamazoo shot 44 percent from the field and made 20-of-29 free throws. Trine shot 37.5 percent overall with just 4-of-15 three-pointers and 8-of-17 free throws. Kalamazoo held a 41-33 advantage in rebounding. Joe Prepolec led Kalamazoo with his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Ryan Clark also posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Eric Fishman made three three-pointers and finished with 16 points. Tyler Stewart added 12 points for the Hornets. Kalamazoo wraps up the regular season on Saturday at Olivet. Box Score

Two Women's Swimmers earn All-MIAA honors
Two members of the Kalamazoo College women's swimming and diving team, Katy Knoechel and Taryn Edsall, received All-MIAA honors on Wednesday, Feb. 17. Katy Knoechel, a senior from Kalamazoo (Kalamazoo Central HS), earned All-MIAA honors for the third time in her career. Knoechel captured MIAA championships in the 100 butterfly and the 200 butterfly this season. Taryn Edsall, a freshman from Kentwood (Kelloggsville HS), earned All-MIAA honors after finishing third and setting a school record in the 50 freestyle at the MIAA Championships. Both swimmers were members of relay teams that finished second in the 400 Medley and third in the 400 Free, and both relay times were new school records. The Kalamazoo College women's swimming and diving team finished third at the 2010 MIAA Championships.

Five Men's Swimmers earn All-MIAA honors
Five members of the Kalamazoo College men's swimming and diving teams received All-MIAA honors on Wednesday, Feb. 17: Brian Bazzell, Paul Ellis, Alfonso Espinosa, Craig Fleming, and Chris Manning. Brian Bazzell, a junior from Berkley (Berkley HS), earned All-MIAA honors for the second consecutive year. At the MIAA championships he finished second in both the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle and third in the 100 freestyle. Bazzell was also a member of four MIAA championship relay teams. Paul Ellis, a senior from Bloomfield Hills (Lahser), earned All-MIAA honors for the fourth consecutive year and was named league MVP for the second straight year. Ellis captured MIAA championships in the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, and was also a member of four championship relay teams. Alfonso Espinosa, a senior from the Dominican Republic (Colegio Santa Teresa), earned All-MIAA honors for thie third time. Espinosa was a member of two MIAA championship relay teams. Craig Fleming, a junior from Clinton Township (Warren DeLaSalle HS), earned All-MIAA honors for the third consecutive year. Fleming won MIAA championships in the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, and was also a member of four MIAA championship relay teams. Chris Manning, a sophomore from York, Pa. (York Suburban HS), earned All-MIAA honors for the second consecutive year. Manning won MIAA championships in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 200 IM, and was also a member of two MIAA championship relay teams. The Kalamazoo College men's swimming and diving team finished second at the 2010 MIAA championships, just 25 points out of first place.

Paul Ellis named MIAA Men's Most Valuable Swimmer
Paul Ellis, a senior from Bloomfield Hills (Lahser HS), was selected as the MIAA Men's Most Valuable Swimmer on Saturday, Feb. 13. Ellis was named league MVP for the second consecutive year. Ellis won three individual events (100 Fly, 100 Back, 200 Back) and was a member of four championship relay teams (200 Medley, 400 Medley, 200 Free, 400 Free) at this year's MIAA Championships. Over his career, Ellis has been a member of 11 MIAA championship relay teams while winning seven individual events.

Men finish second, Women third at MIAA Swimming/Diving Championships
Saturday: Men win four events; Katy Knoechel wins 200 Butterfly
The men's swimming and diving team fell just 25 points short of an MIAA championship, finishing second with 853 points while Hope won the event with 878 points. On the women's side, Kalamazoo finished third with 442 points. On Saturday, Kalamazoo claimed three individual championships on the men's side: Paul Ellis (200 Backstroke), Craig Fleming (100 Freestyle), and Chris Manning (200 Breaststroke). The Men's 400 Free Relay (Bazzell, Ellis, Manning, Fleming) also won the title, giving Kalamazoo championships in all five relay events. Ellis, Fleming and Manning finished with three individual championships each. Bazzell also finished third in the 100 Freestyle on Saturday. On the women's side, Katy Knoechel won the 200 Butterfly on Saturday, giving her league championships in two events. Katie Grue finished second. The 400 Free Relay (Weber, Knoechel, Edsall, Grue) finished third. The teams will now begin preparations for the NCAA III Championships March 17-20 in Minneapolis, Minn. Results

Women's Basketball wins 73-68 at Adrian
The women's basketball team won 73-68 at Adrian on Saturday, Feb. 13. Kalamazoo jumped out to an early 12-7 lead, but after several lead changes Adrian took a 26-24 lead into halftime. The two teams exchanged leads numerous times in the second half before going even at 50-50. Adrian took a 60-52 with 7:15 left to play, but the Hornets used an 11-0 run over the next two minutes to take a 63-60 lead. The score was tied 68-68 with 2:48 left, but the Hornets scored the final five points to take the 73-68 win. Kalamazoo shot 45.5 percent overall and made 7-of-17 three-pointers. Adrian was held to 35.6 percent and made 5-of-18 three-pointers. Nyemade Cooper scored 16 points with five rebounds. Katrina Carlsen scored a career-high 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. Lauren Rosenthal added nine points with nine rebounds. The Hornets are off on Wednesday, but return to action at home next Saturday, Feb. 20 against Trine at 3 p.m. Box Score

Clark scores 22 in Men's Basketball loss at Calvin
The men's basketball team fell 86-59 at Calvin on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Hornets fell behind 11-2 early and trailed by seven (33-26) with 4:54 left in the first half. Calvin closed out the half with a 10-4 run to take a 43-30 lead into the break. Kalamazoo cut the deficit to 12 early in the second half, but Calvin held on and extended the lead en route to the 86-59 win. The host Knights shot 45.2 percent overall and made 22-of-27 free throws. Kalamazoo shot a season-low 24.7 percent overall while making just 4-of-23 three-pointers. Calvin held a 50-42 advantage in rebounding. Ryan Clark led the Hornets with 22 points and nine rebounds. Joe Prepolec scored nine points with eight rebounds. Eric Fishman finished with eight points and five rebounds. Kalamazoo returns home to face Trine on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 7:30 p.m. Box Score

Second Day of MIAA Swimming/Diving Championships
Men's Swimmers win six events; Katy Knoechel wins 100 Butterfly
The The men's swimming and diving team won six events on the second day of competition at the 2010 MIAA Championships hosted by Calvin. The Hornets won two more relays on Friday, making it 4-for-4 overall. Kalamazoo won the 200 Medley (Ellis, Espinosa, Greiner, Bazzell) and the 800 Free (Bazzell, Benmark, Manning, Fleming) on Friday. Paul Ellis won two events, the 100 Butterfly and the 100 Backstroke. Chris Manning won the championship in the 100 Breaststroke. Craig Fleming won the title in the 200 Freestyle as the Hornets went 1-2-3 in the event (Brian Bazzell was second, Tyler Benmark, third). Kevin Lodewyk finished third in the 400 IM. The Hornets remain in second place with 562 points, but are now just 37 behind the leader, Hope. The Kalamazoo women's team remains in third place overall. Katy Knoechel captured a league championship in the 100 Butterfly while Loren Weber finished third. The 800 Free Relay team also finished third (Bresnahan, Bair, Lewis, Grue). The championship meet wraps up Saturday evening. Friday's Results

Opening Day of MIAA Swimming/Diving Championships
Men's Swimmers win four events; Women break two school records
The men's swimming and diving team won four events on the opening day of the 2010 MIAA Championships hosted by Calvin. Kalamazoo won both relays, the 200 Free (Bazzell, Ellis, Armstrong, Fleming) and the 400 Medley (Ellis, Espinosa, Mueller, Fleming). The Hornets also took first place in the 200 IM (Chris Manning) and the 50 Freestyle (Craig Fleming). Brian Bazzell finished second in the 50 Freestyle. The men's team is currently in second place with 254 points, 51 behind Hope. The Kalamazoo women's team is currently in third place with 132 points. Both Kalamazoo relays finished second, the 200 Free (Weber, Baumann, Grue, Edsall) and the 400 Medley (Weeks, Edsall, Knoechel, Weber). The 400 Medley team broke the school record, and Weeks' opening 100 backstroke also set a school record. Taryn Edsall broke the school record in the 50 Freestyle and finished third. Thursday's Results

Bryan Goyings named full time Women's Soccer coach
Kalamazoo College named Bryan Goyings its first full-time head women’s soccer coach on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010. In addition to his duties as head coach, Goyings will serve the department as recruiting coordinator.

After serving as the part-time head coach the past two seasons, Goyings emerged as the top candidate in the nationwide search to fill the new full-time position.

“The way Bryan rose to the top of the candidate pool is a testament to his accomplishments and abilities,” said Kristen Smith, director of athletics. “Bryan has been a tireless worker on behalf of the women’s soccer program as well as the entire athletic department and College as a whole.

“Bryan is a proven recruiter who has overseen the continued improvement of the women’s soccer program. He is an excellent teammate and ambassador for the College, and he has high expectations to lead the program back to national prominence.”

A 2004 graduate of Kalamazoo College, Goyings joined the women’s soccer coaching staff in 2006 as an assistant coach and helped lead the team to a third-place finish in the MIAA in 2007. He took over as part-time head coach in April of 2008 and has guided the team the past two seasons. After finishing seventh in the MIAA in 2008, Goyings led the Hornets to a third-place finish this past season (5-2-1 record). The Hornets advanced to the championship game of the MIAA Tournament before bowing out as a result of a shootout.

“It is truly a privilege to be named the first full-time head coach in the history of the women’s soccer program at Kalamazoo,” Goyings said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue rebuilding the Kalamazoo College women’s soccer program to compete on the national level. We have been able to lay that foundation in a limited role, but the opportunity to be on campus full time gives me the chance to focus entirely on our goals of building championship-quality teams while ensuring that our student-athletes have the best experiences on and off the field.

“The team is moving in the right direction, but there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done to establish and maintain the standard which I envision for both the program and our players.” More>>