Throughout the spring semester, student-athletes have shown grit, resilience and determination, and they used that to deliver a season of success and make history across multiple sports, including track, baseball, softball, tennis, stunt and lacrosse. Whether it was jumping over hurdles, stealing bases or even hitting an ace, athletes have risen to the occasion this spring, showing that all the hard work at practices and 6 a.m. lifts really does pay off.
Men’s Track and Field
The men’s track and field team has had a successful season so far, and it’s not over yet, as the track team is getting ready to go to the MAC Championships. Multiple players on the team have set school records this season, such as freshman Lorenzo Andrade, who ran a 54.28 in the 400-meter hurdles at York Twilight, senior Brayden Brown, who set the shot put record at 15.36 meters at York Twilight and the discus record at 43.88 meters at the Misericordia Invite, and Jacob Hunter, with a 49.07 in the 400 meters at the AARTFC Championship, alongside a couple of others. The team had four players make the All-MAC team, with freshman Logan Richard and Brayden Brown making the second team and Lorenzo Andrade and Jacob Hunter making the third team. The MAC Championship begins April 30.
“The track season overall has gone very well and has been successful. The season is not quite over yet, but there are a lot of us that are doing well and have a lot to look forward to in the next few weeks,” said Dylan Blackwell, player and graduate physical therapy student.
Women’s Track and Field
The women’s track and field season is also a season filled with success, and members are also getting ready to battle in the MAC Championships on April 30. Two-time first-team All-American senior Alex Snyder became the sixth-ranked javelin thrower in all of Division III with a 42.44-meter throw this season, and sophomore Emily Krevey became fifth all-time in Misericordia’s 200 meters with a time of 26.51.
“I have really enjoyed seeing my teammates reach and surpass goals they set for themselves. It’s a great group of people to be around and we all have built a tight bond this season,” said Abigail Conti, player and junior in occupational therapy.
Baseball
The baseball team has a current record of 26-12, is 14-5 in the MAC conference, and has two more games left against Arcadia before the playoffs. Freshman Shane Patten leads the team in hits with 52, freshman Gavin Dillard leads the team with 45 runs, and junior Bryan Henry leads the team in pitching with a 2.78 ERA and a 6-2 record.
“Little by little, every game counts. I’d say this season is successful so far, but we have a bigger goal in mind, we want to get back to winning a national championship,” said Alex Palumbo, player and sophomore in secondary education.
Softball
The softball team has a current record of 23-11, is 10-2 in the MAC conference, and has two more games left against Arcadia right before the playoffs. Senior Casey Funseti leads the team in hits with 48, senior Bridget Doherty leads the team in runs with 44, and sophomore Gabby Cruz has the most wins on the team as a pitcher with a record of 13-3 and an ERA of 2.20.
“To sum up the softball season, I would say it was a success. One of our goals for the season was to make it to the playoffs and we ended up clinching. We put in a lot of work this season and it paid off,” said Rylie Nassio, player and sophomore in occupational therapy.
Women’s Lacrosse
The women’s lacrosse team is 9-7 with a conference record of 4-3. They clinched a playoff birth a victory over Lebanon Valley College on April 25, a feat accomplished without having a permanent coaching staff. With the cards stacked against them, the record is impressive. Freshman Kristen Travaglini leads the team in points with 46. They begin their MAC Championships run April 25 against Stevens.
“Overall, I think we learned a lot about this season, especially with being the majority underclassmen. I think with a more permanent coaching staff it could’ve been more successful, but we did the best we could with the cards we were dealt,” said Jordyn Jarrett, player and junior mass communications and design major.
Men’s Lacrosse
The men’s lacrosse team finished the season 9-6 with a conference record of 3-3. Freshman Jack Simone lead the team in points with 76.
Stunt
The women’s stunt team finished the season of 9-9, while dominating conference play with a 6-0 record. They finished fourth in the STUNT College National Championships in Nashville, Tennessee.
Men’s Tennis
The men’s tennis team got its first conference win in the last 10 years, beating King’s for the first time ever. They defeated DeSales on April 26 to clinch their first playoff birth in 16 years. Their record is 2-8 and 2-3 in the MAC conference. Dominic Brower leads the team in singles wins with three. Their MAC Championships campaign begins April 29 against Stevens.
“I want this, the team wants this, we want to continue making history,” said captain Dalton Alexander, player and senior in sports management.
Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team is 7-4 with a conference record of 4-2, and they begin their MAC Championships April 28 against Lebanon Valeey College. The most notable singles win was Erin Cridge winning in a third-set tiebreaker over Lebanon Valley.
“I would say this season was a success, the girls fought hard through every match. On and off the court we came together as a team and made good memories we will have forever,” said Emily Holtzapple, player and freshman in medical humanities.