Delivering American University's news and views since 1925 | Thursday, November 30, 2023
The AU Men's Basketball team might be the hottest team in the Patriot League entering this weekend's opening rounds of the conference tournament in Upper Marlboro, Md. In the last two weekends, the Eagles (16-12, 10-4) have won four straight games to secure a share of a regular season PL title that looked well out of reach in mid-February.
Sports editor Laura Randisi asks, "Ever notice how the endings always seem so bittersweet? How people romanticize the wonderfulness of their job and relate how the rough spots made them better people?"
Everything was in place Tuesday afternoon at Reeves Field for a positive beginning to the Women's Lacrosse season. The air was a spring-like 68 degrees and few clouds dotted the sky as AU took a two-goal lead over Towson into halftime. The only thing that didn't end up in the Eagles' favor was the outcome, as the Tigers outscored them 5-1 in the final 21 minutes en route to a 16-13 win.
Brief on the Lady Eagles' weekend at Lafayette
Sports columnist Elliot Smilowitz on WrestleMania, the next big event sports fans have to look forward to.
The AU Men's Basketball team closed the regular season by pushing its unbeaten streak to four games, sweeping a two-game Patriot League road trip to Army and Lafayette on Thursday and Saturday. The win at Lafayette secures the second seed for the Eagles (16-12, 10-4) in next weekend's PL tournament, with Bucknell (13-14, 9-5) losing 60-57 at Colgate on Sunday afternoon.
It was a season of milestones last year for Women's Lacrosse. The Eagles' record, 11-8 overall, 5-1 in Patriot League play, gave them the most wins in school history. Offensively they weren't bad either, scoring 227 goals and accumulating 96 assists. These factors led to another first - a conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, although that ended abruptly with a 19-3 drubbing at Virginia, the third-largest defeat in tournament history.
Senior Matt Seymour won both the men's 3,000- and 5,000-meter runs at the Patriot League Indoor Track and Field Championships at Bucknell last weekend, and was named the male athlete of the meet. Also, sophomore Keira Carlstrom set a school and personal record while winning the women's 3,000 meters.
Ethan Bassett looks to be one of the bright spots for the AU Men's Swimming and Diving team as the Patriot League Championships begin today in Annapolis, Md. The two-time All-PL swimmer has come a long way since he graduated from high school with hopes that a swimming scholarship could make paying for school a little bit easier.
Sports Columnist Jesse Epstein reflects on the 12-0 record of New Jersey Nets head coach Lawrence Frank.
With the acquisition of Alex Rodriguez, Kevin Brown, Gary Sheffield and others, the New York Yankees have all but assured themselves of a World Series championship this year. Let's be honest, a gay couple in Boston has a better chance of getting rings than the Red Sox.
There hasn't been a better night for Shann Hart's team in her four years running AU's program. The Eagles played flawless basketball for much of the game, defeating the Holy Cross Crusaders 81-65 at Bender Arena Friday night. AU went down 4-0 and then reeled off a 14-0 run to take a 10-point lead with 16 minutes left in the first half.
The AU Men's Basketball team entered its final home weekend of Patriot League season play hoping to find the home-court advantage that has evaded them for much of the year. The Eagles, who lost just once at Bender Arena last season, have surrendered four home losses this season.
Sports news from around campus this weekend: track, wrestling finishing up seasons.
Ryan Sherwin of the Eagle Sports Desk bids farewell at the loss of key players in the basketball program.
Sports columnist Jesse Epstein urges the student body to give support for an AU victory over Holy Cross
In high-level tennis, hit a forehand straight at your opponent, and the next thing you know, he swats it back down the line for a winner. Drive a backhand too close to the line, it misses wide, and you lose the point. Only your most precise shots will turn into winners. Such is the challenge for the 2004 AU Men's Tennis team. After winning two Patriot League team titles in the last two springs, the Eagles want more than an NCAA Tournament berth.
The AU Sports Desk counts down the types of fans expected at Phil Bender
As AU Women's Tennis gears up for the spring season, head coach Carol Daniels feels very good about her team's chances in the Patriot League. "I have a lot of confidence in our chances of winning the league," she said. "It's most likely going to come down to Army, Colgate and us," she said of the PL.
Despite winning four of the eight contested matches, AU Wrestling fell to George Mason on Monday night, 30-15. Once again, forfeits in the 157-lb. and 174-lb. weight classes cost the Eagles valuable points. Leading the Eagles was senior Matt Pelligrino, who defeated Ed Tan by technical fall, winning 17-2 on points.
