Mount Hood

Graduating senior athletes

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the spring season for athletes across the country to be canceled — a lot of these athletes being seniors and ready to graduate. Below is a list honoring the senior Wolves here at Western. A huge congratulations and recognition of your hard work is in order. Note: some athletes listed below may come back for an eligible season.

Men’s Baseball: Mitchell Hulse, Hunter Johnson, Blayze Arcano, Tyler Brandenburg, Alan Vasquez, Cam Nowack, Connor McCord, Cole Carder, Logan Hatley, Nathan Bonck, Justin Dolezal and Joshua Mcintyre.

Women’s Softball: Chandler Bishop, Nicole Miller and Kennedy Coy.

Men’s Basketball: Jaylyn Richardson, Dalven Brushier, Riley Hamilton and Jaquan Horne.

Women’s Basketball: Shariah Green.

Men’s Cross Country and Track and Field: Justin Crosswhite, Stephen Fey, Sawyer Heckard, Derek Holdsworth, Zach Kanelis, Hunter Mosman, Max Carmona, Adam Alnazer, Dominic Giordano, Austin Goldstein, Curt Knott, Mitchell Kruse, Nick Sieber and Chris Steffey.

Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field: Rachel Bayly, Danel Camacho, Grace Knapp, Cassie McKinney, Grayson Burke, Olivia Jimenez and Kendra Zimmerdahl.

Men’s Football: Braelen Evans, Tyler Reid, Nico Jackson, Ty Currie, Joey Roos, Derek Parnell, Nate Proctor, Aaron Turner, Joseph Gonzalez, Anthony Kennison, Court Hammond and Tyrell Cummings. 

Women’s Soccer: Alex Qualls, Kaili Brundage, Kaitlin Poe, Jacky Beristain, Isabelle Creighton and Selene Konyn.

Women’s Volleyball: Allie Spear and Sianna DeCarli.

Contact the author at hgreen18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

2020 Summer Olympics canceled due to COVID-19

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

Every four years, the most elite athletes come together to compete, to represent their countries and, most of all, to win gold. This summer, July 23 through Aug. 8, 2020, would have been the 29th Summer Olympics, having started in 1880. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the Olympics have been postponed for the first time ever. The Olympic Games will now be held on July 23, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan — Asia’s fourth time holding the games.

Because of COVID-19 and the rescheduling of the Olympics, the competitors have been put in an odd position. It has especially put a strain on the mental preparation of the athletes, as well as their training schedule and goals to peak at certain times. On another side, this postponement has given these athletes extra time to prepare — allowing for more improvement, focus and honing in on specific areas to be able to compete in 2021 at their highest performance. 

Although fear dominates these uncertain and harsh times, the teams from around the world have continued to stay positive and use their platforms to help keep their fans positive and patient. 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Online Wolves’ Athletics auction to support athletes

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

This year marks the 34th annual Western Oregon University Athletic Auction. This event was created and implemented to benefit the current and future athletes and athletics of Western Oregon University. The goal for this year is to raise $100,000, and as of May 26, almost $34,000 has been raised. On May 30 at 7 p.m. (PST), a live event will be held where viewers can watch the live auction. 

Every item sold and donated through the auction will go directly to and support the athletics here at Western. Through their site, https://wolvesauction2020.asimobile.net/#/index, supporters are able to create an account to bid during the auction or watch the live event for free, scroll through and view the items available to auction, purchase raffle tickets and virtual tickets, register for regular updates and even “Raise the Paddle for Student-Athletes” — money pledges from $100 to $5,000.

The items being auctioned range from signed jerseys to signed footballs, from a brand new Traeger Pro 22 smoker to a tour at the Rogue Hop Farms. 

After a year cut short for Western Athletes, this auction delivers an excellent way for fans to support their hometown heroes and help propel them and future stars into their upcoming seasons.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Online workouts for Western students and community

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

With the recreational department closed, along with all other athletic facilities, working out and staying in shape is a little more difficult — luckily Western offers options for students and the Western community to work out at home. These classes are available through the Health and Wellness Center, giving full-time enrolled Western students free membership. For Western community members, a free trial period is offered with the options between a daily pass or a term membership which costs $108 per term and $105 for the summer term.

Registering is quite easy and risk free; by emailing hammerlez@wou.edu “Add Me,” your information is then verified and an email confirmation is sent with instructions on how to register for a fitness class.

Campus Recreation Assistant Director, Zachary Hammerle, is the creator and initiator behind having online fitness classes for Western, giving students and the community the option to continue to workout from the safety of their own home. 

For the rest of spring term, classes will be offered until May 29 with an unknown schedule for the summer term. Currently, multiple class options are there to choose from like yoga, meditation, zumba, spin and more.

There are many other free options out there for students and community members to join to stay active and interactive, while keeping a safe distance. Instagram offers a safe way to workout, giving users access to Instagram Live, where followers can join a profile’s live stream — this has also worked with live music events and gaming. Orangetheory, a popular workout studio, offers free 30-minute daily workout routines that are available to anyone. Youtube, another great source for free at home workouts, offers endless videos of workouts that people are able to view and follow easily.

Most free at-home workouts take into consideration that not everyone has access to a lot of workout machines, making the workouts focused on bodyweight training — strength training workouts using one’s own bodyweight — and resistance-type exercises. 

And now, with the capabilities of Zoom, FaceTime, Instagram Live and more, working out together is easier than ever.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

Esports available through Campus Recreation

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

Due to COVID-19, not only were Spring Varsity and Club sports put to a halt, but the recreation department had to stop all Intramural Leagues as well — resulting in the creation of the Esports League. 

“We researched and talked about an expansion into Esports for a while. We wanted to make sure we knew how to effectively run an Esports league, and if Esports fit into the Campus Recreation mission and values. You could say we fast tracked the implementation when the pandemic arrived, but I’m happy to say they have gone well,” stated Andy Main, the Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Intramural and Club Sports, on the decision to proceed with Esports leagues. 

As of right now, there are multiple leagues offered for both Xbox and Playstation 4 including FIFA 20, NBK 2K20 and Madden 20. 

“We’ve tried to stick to games that at least one of our Intramural Supervisors had experience playing,” said Main on the decision of which games and leagues to have — this way they could be confident in what they were doing.

Currently there are five people working on the leagues to ensure quality and capability, including Main and four Intramural Supervisors: Shariff Youngblood, Noah Jones, Jonny Watt and Sarah Texter. Each Intramural Supervisor works on the league from the start to the finish, actively managing each aspect — GroupMe conversations have been started to keep all participants up to date and to make sure everyone follows the rules and how the matches are set up. GroupMe has also helped the Intramural Supervisors by giving feedback, allowing for improvements to newer leagues. 

“Some of the difficulties we’ve had at WOU with the leagues is being able to get more people to sign up, it’s a small school and sometimes people don’t know we offer some things,” stated Shariff Youngblood, an Intramural Supervisor, on the subject of helping create the Esports leagues.

Right now through May 24, students are able to join the leagues for Madden 20 on PS4 and Xbox, which can be done through IMLeagues. For more information and regular updates, follow the Intramural Sports page on Instagram, wou_imsports.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Andy Main

UFC, first professional sport to air during pandemic

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

COVID-19 put a temporary end to all athletics; NBA, soccer, baseball and more. On May 9 the Ultimate Fighting Championship 249 was held in the VyStars Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida — the first sport to come back during the pandemic. 

Many changes had to be made to ensure COVID-19 would not intervene with the event, including testing the fighters and their corner team before allowing them to travel and fight; no mingling of any sort was allowed and daily temperature readings and symptoms checks were also imposed. The fight was televised so fans were able to view it, but physical presentation was not allowed, making a different atmosphere for the fighters to have to compete in — especially for athletes who feed off of the crowds reactions. 

To start the card was Ryan Spann versus Sam Alvey in the Light Heavyweight bout, followed by Bryce Mitchell versus Charles Rosa in the Featherweight bout. In the Welterweight standoff between Vincente Luque and Niko Price, Luque took home the win with a TKO — a technical knockout where the referee has to step in due to a fighter not protecting themselves. Following the Welterweight came the women’s Strawweight bout where Carla Esparza fought Michelle Waterson, with Esparza winning by decision. Four more fights took place after the women’s match before the final three events — Aleksei Oleinik versus Fabricio Werdum, Anthony Pettis versus Donald Cerrone, Greg Hardy versus Yorgan de Castro, and Jeremy Stephens versus Calvin Kattar. The next match, Heavyweight, where Francis Ngannou knocked out Jairzihno Rozenstruik in the first twenty seconds of round one. Afterwards the Bantamweight Title was on the line, where Henry Cejudo took the title with a TKO against Dominick Cruz during the second round. For the final match of the card and fight of the night, Tony Ferguson fought Justin Gaethje for the Lightweight Interim title — temporary — due to Khabib Nurmagomedov, the current Lightweight title holder, being stuck in Russia. During the fifth round Gaethje finished Tony Ferguson by TKO, winning the main event of the night. Although Gaethje defeated Furguson to win the Interim title he will now face Nurmagomedov for the Lightweight supremacy. 

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of John Raoux Photography

Club Sports Coaches of the year; Arias and Sato

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

“A coach is someone who can give correction without resentment,” – Coach John Wooden

This year, along with our Rookies and Players of the Year, The Western Howl presents the Club Sports Coaches of the Year. 

 

Male Coach of the Year

Jorge Arias

As a volunteer coach, Arias not only invested his time, but also his passion for the sport. Arias was able to bring the team together and create a solidified unit — leading the team to the All Conference Title. This was Arias’ first year coaching a University Club Sports team ever, adapting each day and always putting forth his dedication. 

“We would love for this coach to be recognized for all the hard work he has done for our soccer community here (at Western),” said the President of the Men’s Club Soccer team, Juan Perez.

 

Female Coach of the Year

Jennifer Sato

Sato stepped onto the pitch ready to educate and get the team to the championships. Sato has shown her commitment to the team and each individual player, motivating and encouraging the team to always improve, while also pushing them to reach new heights. Due to the COVID-19 virus, the Women’s Rugby team was unable to compete in this year’s championships; however, this only drives the team’s determination for next year, ready to do what Coach Sato directs. “Sato has done an excellent job as a coach and I look forward to seeing the impact she will have on next year’s team,” said President of the Women’s Rugby team, Nelly Blancas.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of George Arias

Photo by Hannah Greene

Leading by example, Club Sports Players of the Year

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

Following the Rookies of the Year, The Western Howl presents the Club Players of the Year — voted on by you, the fans, teammates, coaches, the Assistant Club Sports Director and the Club Sports Supervisor. Though there are many great and recognizable athletes among us, these two earned every part of this acknowledgement. Below are the two Club Sports Players of the Year.

 

Men’s Rugby

Trever Kahunahana 

Junior

3rd year on the team

Kahunahana was the team captain and led by example — always putting in the extra hours whether at the gym or on the field on off days. He continued to push his teammates alongside him. As a team captain, he represented the core values of Men’s Rugby and made an impact in every second he played. Kahunahana, even injured, was a force to be reckoned with — proving that size truly does not matter.

Kahunahana was dedicated, with a solid work ethic that showed on the pitch, never allowing anything or anyone to get in his way. Along with his dedication, he also showed commitment to his teammates, creating a stronghold that was unbreakable 

Kahunahana was not only recognized as captain and a strong component on the team, but he also received the 1st team all-conference Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference, NCRC.

 

Women’s Soccer

Kawehi Taniguchi

Senior

2nd year on the team

Taniguchi brought her A-game every second — being one of the most consistent players on the team. Her creativity, passing accuracy and shooting ability made her a dominant figure, not only in the midfield, but also as a starting player in every lineup. Taniguchi is a highly technical player with the ability to do the unexpected. Her first touch and dribbling ability created more possession and drive for the team — which in turn produced opportunities for herself and teammates to shoot on goal. Taniguchi has a high soccer IQ on and off the field, as well as versatility — proving she can play any position. Her spirit and intensity were a driving force behind the numerous wins that the Women’s Club Soccer team were able to attain.

Taniguchi is a hard worker with great determination, displayed during practices and games. She is a natural leader that supported her teammates and pushed them every step of the match.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo by Hannah Greene

Photo courtesy of Matthew Texter

And the Club Sports Rookie of the Year goes to…

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

With the 2020 season put to an end, the time for Club Sports awards and recognition has come. Below are the Rookies of the Year, voted unanimously by the fans, — students, teammates, coaches — Assistant Club Sports Director and Club Sports Supervisor. Each athlete selected deserves this recognition not only for their participation in the club, but for their work ethic on and off the pitches.

 

Men’s Rookie of the Year

Player – Jorge Trujillo from Men’s Club Soccer

Year – Sophomore

Achievement – Trujillo led the team in points and scored important goals throughout the playoffs to help the team win the Men’s CCSL Second Division Championship. 

Work Ethic – Trujillo always showed his enthusiasm to contribute to the club by working hard at practice and delivering goals in the games. Trujillo was one of the most involved players in the team when it came to activities off the field. 

Noteworthy – Trujillo has volunteered in the Salem-Keizer school district, where he has gone into PE classes to share his knowledge about being a student-athlete and a soccer player. 

 

Women’s Rookie of the Year

Player – Jeydawn Coates from the Dance Team

Year – Junior

Achievement – Coates performed with the biggest smile on her face whenever she had the opportunity and showed up to every practice ready to learn. 

Work Ethic – Always had great energy and a great work ethic, even if she wasn’t in the performance for that week. Coates made all her teammates laugh and feel good.

Noteworthy – Works at Dutch Bros with a great attitude, does great in school. 

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Emily Prall

Photo courtesy of Jasmine Morrow

The final finish for Coach Johnson

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

Coach Mike Johnson of the cross country and track and field programs has retired after coaching for 16 years at Western Oregon University. Johnson has helped both the cross country and track and field teams win championships, as well as taken them to Nationals — almost every year since he started.
Before joining the Wolves, Johnson was able to make a name for himself coaching at quite a few distinguished schools, including Highline Community College, Eastern Washington University, University of Portland, University of Washington and Boise State University — while also being an assistant coach here at Western for three seasons before taking on the role as head coach in 2004. 

Not only does Johnson have titles at Western amongst the cross country and track and field teams: but also he coached the teams at Washington that won two Pac-10 cross country championships. Johnson was able to help Portland’s cross country team win seven consecutive West Coast Conference titles. Johnson’s feats do not end there — while a Pilot, Johnson founded the women’s program and earned himself a spot in the Portland Hall of Fame. 

The titles and honors do not end, with Johnson earning Pac-10 Coach of the Year three times, NCAA West Regional Cross Country Coach of the Year four times and earned NAIA National Coach of the Year. 

For 16 years, Johnson has made an impact in multiple student-athlete’s lives and an impact on Western’s campus. Johnson will be greatly missed, but his titles and influence will carry on.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Demolished chances worldwide, how the Wolves “competed” in Nationals

Hannah Greene |  Sports Editor

Western Oregon’s Track and Field team is known for their success, having top finishers every season and sending multiple athletes to Nationals every year. This indoor season saw some top marks and finishes with promising futures for the spring season — particularly the Men’s Distance Medley Relay. The first leg saw Derek Holdsworth running the 1200; second leg, Gabe Arce-Torres running the 400; third leg, Max Carmona running the 800; and the final leg, Justin Crosswhite running the 1600. 

The Wolves’ DMR crossed into the top 25 rankings of 2020 NCAA DII Men’s Indoor Track and Field, giving them the opportunity of a lifetime — to compete in Alabama against the top-ranked schools in the country. As the Wolves traveled to Birmingham, Alabama on March 11, COVID-19 was starting to creep into everyone’s lives. The Wolves arrived, were welcomed with southern hospitality and continued their training for the big race. Though COVID-19 began to pick up, the NCAA DII Indoor Championships was still “on” — making changes to the meet, not allowing spectators, but still giving the athletes a chance to compete. However, on Thursday, March 12, the Wolves’ season came to an abrupt end with the NCAA stating there would be no meet due to the increasing effects of COVID-19 — disbelief filled the Wolves, to say the least. 

“The virus tore my final indoor meet apart,” said Holdsworth on the decision from the NCAA, “that (meet) could have led to more looks — instead it shows I’m just another 800 guy who’s run a respectable, but not world class, time, it’s extremely frustrating.”

Not only did the decision affect those who would have competed in the Indoor Championship, but it ended the upcoming spring season for all athletes, ripping away many “senior seasons.” 

“When I found out that the Indoor Championships got cancelled, I was really bummed for the guys and all the other GNAC athletes,” stated Grayson Burke, a senior on the Track and Field team. “But it never crossed my mind that the entire rest of the season would get cancelled.” The Wolves’ Track and Field team qualifies runners to the Nationals almost every year. Having the season taken away also ripped away the chances for multiple seniors. Due to COVID-19, all spring sports were cancelled, at every level, in every state. The NCAA granted eligibility to seniors, but that doesn’t mean chances weren’t lost. 

“I feel the NCAA did the right thing by granting full eligibility to all national qualifiers,” said Carmona, “but sadly I feel like this is just a minor Band-Aid over a massive wound — this may have been the last opportunity to compete on a national level, but I will no longer be at Western and therefore cannot compete.”

Yes, athletes were offered the chance to compete again, but this does not solve the issue for those who were on scholarships, partial scholarships, grants or even federal aid — those wanting to use the eligibility will still have to go to school and pay for that schooling, which not everyone is able to do. Some student athletes feel that the NCAA has a lot to improve on. “We were put in harm’s way simply for the meet to be cancelled the day before,” said Carmona about having to travel through major international airports to get to the National Championships. 

COVID-19 continues to affect athletes nationally and globally, leaving sports up in the air to the unknown. 

“The hardest part of all this is that being done was not my choice,” stated Burke after hearing the Spring season was cancelled. 

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Illustration by Rachel Hetzel

Q&A: How COVID-19 impacted athletics

Caity Healy |  Managing Editor

 

Christina Carney, Women’s Rugby

Senior, Early Childhood Studies

 

When and how did you find out your season was coming to an abrupt end?

I kind of figured our season was coming to an end once the governor announced that no more than 250 people can gather together, and it just started going down from there. I am also friends with one of the OSU rugby girls, and she informed me that the rest of their season was cancelled, so I kenw Western would be soon. Then, my coach officially confirmed that championships was cancelled, and that’s when I told myself, “Wow! My college rugby career is over.” I had hoped that championships would at least happen because my team and I were preparing for it and excited for this last game with the seniors.

 

What was your reaction? How did your team react?

My first reaction was that I was shocked. I could not believe that my last college rugby game would be taken from me. For my team, I could tell that they were sad, as well. On championship day, a teammate even said, “today would have been a lot better if we were playing rugby,” and it made me tear. But, as captain, I reminded them that we had an awesome season and I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my senior year playing rugby with any other team.

 

How do you think this will impact your team for next year?

I think my team will be impacted in the sense that they need to play every game like it’s their last. No one expected this abrupt end, so I believe they will want to play every game to their fullest with no regrets in the coming years.

 

How do you feel about your season overall?

Overall, this season was awesome. I had the best teammates, the best positivity, the best bonds and lots of champions. Everyone did so amazing and stepped up during practices and games. There was so much support and I am so proud of all of us.

 

Anything you’d like to add?

If my teammates are reading, and other athletes, I would like them to know that they should play every game like it’s their last, because you never know if that is your last game. Also, for people wanting to join a sport, rugby is the sport. I promise, you will never be on a team so welcoming. So many students had joined rugby and just absolutely loved it. Loved the community, the welcome, the team, and ends up falling in love with rugby. Go Wolves!

 

Kennedy Coy, Softball

Senior, Community Health Major 

 

When and how did you find out your season was coming to an abrupt end?

We found out on March 12. We had a home game schedule that day against MSUB. We had won our first game, and we were feeling really good for the second. During our break in between games is when our coach told us. Sarge said that this next game was gong to be our last one for a while.

 

What was your reaction? How did your team react?

I was in shock at first. It took me a few minutes to process what was happening. When I realized that the next game was very well going to b e my last, there was a lot of tears. I hugged my teammates and as a whole we took some time to gather our thoughts. We tried to keep the mentality of, “Hey, we have one more game. We aren’t done, so let’s finish strong.” It was a really emotional game, but we played well and ended up winning. During the second game, someone thought to go get flowers for us seniors, and at the end, we had a short, make-shift senior night. It was a really hard day because none of us knew what was going to happen.

 

How do you think this will impact your team for next year?

I think that the next year is going to be something really special. Not just for our program, but for teams across the country. We all had something that we love, something that we worked really hard for, ripped away from us without warning. I think that next year, no one will take a single day for granted. We are going to have to work hard, but I know that people will be happy they get the chance to!

 

How do you feel about your season overall?

It’s hard to judge our season overall because we had so little of it. In our preseason, we learned a lot and we were headed in the right direction! We had to overcome a lot of injuries and other obstacles in the preseason, but as a group we were just getting started. I’m really proud of this team, we had to work with smaller numbers this year, but people were stepping up to fill spots and get the job done! Even though our  season was short, we have a lot to be proud of.

 

Anything you’d like to add?

If I were to add anything, it would be a huge thank you to our coaches, trainers, and the rest of the athletic department. WOU athletes are blessed with an incredible support system. This is scary right now, but I can’t wait to see what’s in store for WOU.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu 

Photo courtesy of Christina Carney 

Photo courtesy of Brian Kortz 

Campus Voices

Cora McClain  | Editor-in-Chief

Yasmine Saleem, First-year Chemistry major ; Soccer, because of the physical competitiveness and I just like kicking things.

 

Em Preuss, Junior ASL/English Interpreting major ; Color Guard, because I’m a member of Color Guard. It’s fancy, but also very physical and it just looks cool. We use flags and rifles and we dance.

 

Trenton Viloria, First-year Kinesiology major ; Football, because of the action and the different concepts that come with it, offensive concepts and passing plays makes the game exciting.

 

Contact the author at howleditor@wou.edu

Photos by Cora McClain

Track and field start outdoor season on the right foot

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

As the Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships approaches, the Wolves got an early start to their outdoor season. Two meets were held last weekend, March 6 to 7, at Willamette University and Linfield College.

Both meets met the expectations of the Wolves with multiple runners making the top 10 across several events. To start, Sawyer Heckard, a senior, ran a new personal best in the Men’s 10k with a time of 32:20.83 — placing ninth overall at Linfield. Another feat included Dominic Giordano, a senior, who won the Men’s 3k steeplechase with a time of 9:28.49, followed by senior Hunter Mosman with a time of 9:37.94.

In the Men’s Shot Put, the Wolves were able to take first and second, as well as fifth through seventh — Nick Sieber, a senior, led the pack with a throw of 47-5 feet. 

The Men’s 800 placed well and consisted of mainly Western Oregon runners as Trey Reed, a junior, and Bryce Mefford, a first year, took first and second place with times of 2:00.59 and 2:01.90.

First-year, Jillian Greene stole the Women’s 800 and 1500 meter runs with times of 2:22.71 and 4:54.92. Another robber of two races included Bethanie Altamirano, a sophomore, who ran a time of 27.20 in the Women’s 200 meter race and a 59.89 in the Women’s 400 meter race — not far behind Altamirano was senior Grayson Burke with a time of 1:00.57.

The Wolves have officially sparked the match and outdoor season has begun. 

Next up, March 13 through 14, four Wolves head to Birmingham, Alabama, for the NCAA DII Indoor Championships where senior Derek Holdsworth, senior Max Carmona, sophomore Gabe Arce-Torres and senior Justin Crosswhite will compete in the men’s distance medley relay.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Racking points for seniors during Women’s Rugby match

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

The gridiron was full of spirit, the seniors were ready for their game and their teammates ready to battle for them.

Saturday, Feb.29, the Women’s Rugby team held a home game against the Willamette University Wildcats for their Seniors graduating this upcoming spring term. 

The Wolves’ Seniors included Nelly Blancas, the captain and team president, Leslie Carrasco, Alexis Osborn, Christina Carney, Gha Ming Ng and D-Dré Wright who was unable to attend. 

This game represented the closeness the teammates have with each other and showed the power that women have.

This was a meaningful game for Women’s Rugby being that it was the last time a lot of these players would get to see each other on the field. 

“I’ve enjoyed my time as the president and as a player. The club is amazing! I have learned so much through the years. It’s always great seeing new players grow. And I hope the team (has) the best of luck for next year!” said Blancas about her Senior game with the Women’s Rugby squad. The enthusiasm that the club president has for this club is shared among the players, having brought home a cake of a win, beating the Wildcats 42-5.

Coming up the team will play Willamette University again on Sunday, March 8, International Women’s Day. They will also play University of Puget Sound on March 15, which will be their final and championship match, hosted on the turf field at Western.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Emily Prall

Western player spotlight: Gha Ming Ng

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Highlighted this week is Gha Ming Ng, a Western Women’s Club Soccer player and newly Western Women’s Rugby player. Ming was part of the team that flew to Texas to participate in Nationals for club soccer and part of the rugby team that continues to dominate its opponents.

Ming “is a force to be reckoned with,” said D-Dré Wright, a teammate on both soccer and rugby. Though short, Ming makes up for size with her speed and aggression against any opponent, along with her undying passion to help her team succeed. Ming has been playing soccer for most her life and went from, “thinking that I would never play soccer out of high school, to being a part of a new club team,” said Ming about her excitement over being able to play soccer longer.

Currently, Ming is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Health. She was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where her main sport was soccer. Ming decided to go out for Women’s Rugby this Winter Term and has been killing it since. Ming is also a supervisor in the Valsetz Dining Hall and a WOU Ambassador. 

Ming creates a positive atmosphere, both on and off the field, and is able to bring any heated player to an even tempo. She plays each second with tenacity and drive, proving every practice that she belongs on the field during game play. As a senior, graduating this term, she has shown her natural leadership skills and her ability to be a role model to underclassmen. 

Through injury, Ming keeps pushing and never lets anything hold her back. 

“Ming is an endless source of energy on the field, whether it’s for soccer or rugby. Her perseverance on and off the field is incomparable,” said Wright, acknowledging her teammate’s power and recognizing Ming for her ability to step out of her comfort zone and join the Women’s Rugby team, “I wish I had joined earlier,” Ming said about her growing love for rugby.

“I am grateful that WOU has the options of intramurals as well as club sports where students can compete at different levels and overall just have fun,” said Ming about her time as an athlete at Western — getting the chance to continue her love and passion in soccer and now rugby.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Emily Prall

From the Sports Desk: You win or you lose, no inbetween

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Currently, we are raising our children to have unrealistic expectations in life, that in turn, do not help our society grow or prosper. 

Growing up, trophies or ribbons were never given to anybody who got lower than third. Each team had to earn every part of that first place trophy, and if you failed you went to practice and worked harder than before to get there next year. Though sad, it taught me about failure, an experience and feeling we should all experience at some point in our lives, multiple times. In soccer, I learned that there will always be someone better, faster and stronger — but to never lose sight of what I was capable of or what I brought to the team. This allowed me to continue to grow as a player and realize where I belonged on the team — while also giving me hands on experience that I could translate into the “real world.”

My dad was very humbling. When I started track and field, ribbons were given out to every place up to eighth. Anytime I got one that was below third place with no personal best time, my dad would throw it away. I understood what this meant and it only enhanced the idea that I had to work for and earn that first place ribbon.

When we watch the Olympics, there is no fourth — if you didn’t get gold, silver or bronze, you didn’t do good enough. In the World Cup, there is no second place, there is only one World Cup trophy, for first place. 

By giving multiple trophies out we are teaching our future generations that they do not have to work hard or put in the time for something great — that they are deserving of something just because they wanted it and participated in it. We are teaching a behavior to children that will not get them far in life — a behavior that society accepted when they were children, but won’t when they are young adults. So why do we give out unnecessary nonsense? To make everyone feel included, like they have achieved something. In many eyes of parents this is a good thing, something that should be done everywhere. And thanks to these parents, it is everywhere. 

But, according to Dan Gould, a sports psychologist, “For rewards to work, they need to be earned” not handed out like a free-for-all. In life we will experience loss, watch someone else get what we wanted and know failure — and if we don’t when we’re young then we will be incapable of overcoming defeat in our futures.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Men’s Baseball win two of their four home games

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Sunday, March 1, marked for a day of Western Baseball. From Feb. 29 through March 1, the Baseball team played against the Montana State University Billings Yellowjackets, a 4-game series. Saturday showed for a win-loss day, both the Wolves and Yellowjackets got a bite out of each other. 

The following day wasn’t much different; the first game going to the paws of the Wolves and the second and final game went to the stingers of the Yellowjackets. 

Each team showed great battles and entertained the spectators, with multiple runs and hits to bases. The Wolves were able to hold the Yellowjackets off in two of the games due to innings being shutout and runs being made. 

This weekend showed that the Wolves were able to hold their own and have the ability to have a strong season, but also gave them the insight they needed on what to work harder on and improve upon. 

Coming up, the Wolves head to Central Washington University in Ellensburg for two games on March 7 and 8. Their next home games are March 14 and 15 against Concordia University, with George Fox University coming to Monmouth on March 18.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos by Kay Bruley

Track and field take 6th and 7th at GNAC Championships

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Over the last weekend, Feb. 21 and 22, the Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams got on the bus to head to Boise, Idaho, for the GNAC Indoor Championships — a preview of what to expect for the NCAA Division II Championships.

The Wolves proved to be the powerhouse among the other competitors in this meet, finishing in the top-three in multiple races and events. Derek Holdsworth, a transfer senior, blew the competition out of the water in the Men’s 800-meter run and claimed the GNAC title, placing first in the final with a time of 1:54.20 — and not far behind was Max Carmona, a transfer sophomore from Ventura College, placing second with a time of 1:55.25. The Wolves were able to finish four runners in the top-five, with sophomore Adam Alnazer in fourth and junior Trey Reed in fifth — not leaving any space for the other opponents.

Along with Holdsworth, Boise saw Dominique Loggins, a first-year on the track team, steal the Men’s 60-meter run title with a time of 6.86 — this only being Loggins’ second indoor meet. If Loggins is able to bring his time down to a 6.72 he will qualify for the NCAA Division II Championships. 

First-year and standout, Maya Hopwood, had a plate full with the Women’s 60-meter and 200-meter dash — placing second in the 60 with a time of 7.64 and seventh in the 200 with a time of 25.25, just .01 seconds away from the next runner.

Kalulusno Ngaida, a junior jumper, jumped a new season best in the triple jump with a mark of 38-7.5 and came in second. Ngaida has proved to be a dominant jumper among the Wolves claiming sixth place in the high jump with a mark of 5-3.75.

Last week’s star, senior Justin Crosswhite, just barely missed the top-three in the mile, taking fourth with a time of 4:16.73. Along with this, Jillian Greene, a first-year, ran a new season best in the mile with a time of 5:10.69 — and moved herself into ninth on the all-time WOU record book.

The GNAC Championships made for a sweet, high-scoring trip — with the Men’s team placing sixth overall and the Women’s team placing seventh overall. 

Next up, the Wolves head to Seattle, Washington, to run their best time in the SPU Last Chance Qualifier. There will also be two meets closer to home on March 6 at Linfield College in McMinnville and at Willamette University on March 7.

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

Photos Courtesy of Rick Edelman

Varsity and Club Sports March calendar

Hannah Greene  | Sports Editor

Local Games Only

Varsity Men’s Baseball:

    March 1 @ 12 p.m. vs. Montana State University Billings

    March 14/15@ 1 p.m. vs. Concordia (tentative)

    March 18 @ 2 p.m. vs. George Fox University

    March 27/28 @ 1 p.m. vs. Northwest Nazarene University (tentative)

Varsity Men’s Basketball:

    All away

Varsity Women’s Basketball:

    Feb. 27 @ 5:15 p.m. vs. University of Alaska Anchorage

    Feb. 29 @ 2 p.m. vs. University of Alaska

Varsity Women’s Softball:

    March 13 @ 1 p.m. vs. Montana State University Billings

    March 14 @ 10 a.m. vs. Montana State University Billings

Varsity Track and Field:

    March 7 @ Willamette University, Salem, OR

    March 14 @ Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR

    March 21 @ Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR

    March 26 @ Lane Community College, Eugene, OR

    March 28 @ Willamette University, Salem, OR

Club

Men’s Lacrosse

    March 1 @ 12 p.m. vs. Pacific Lutheran University

    March 14 @ 1 p.m. vs. Humboldt State University

 

Contact the author at hgreene18@wou.edu

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