BEST WOMEN’S TEAM: BASKETBALL
The women notched their third consecutive 20-win season, going 20-4 on the season, including a 6-3 record in the highly competitive NESCAC. After another impressive year, the Cardinals earned an at large bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in team history. Hannah Stubbs ’06, our pick for Best Female Athlete, led the Cardinals in scoring and rebounds per game. Ashley Mastrangelo ’06 was second, averaging 12.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Captain Nora Bowman ’05 led the team with 97 assists and 43 steals, and captain Sue Frost ’05 nailed 46 three-pointers on the year. Highlights of the regular season included an overtime victory over Williams and two wins over the Amherst Lord Jeffs.
BEST MEN’S TEAM: WRESTLING
The wrestling team finished 10-5 in dual match records and placed tenth at the NECCWA Championships. Adam Jonas ’04 led the team with an overall record of 29-4. Camilo Rincon-Camacho finished with a 25-8 record, Dan de Lalla ’07 was 18-6, and Dave Bartlett ’06 was 26-10 for the Cardinals. One of the season’s many highlights was a big come-from-behind win against Coast Guard, winning 24-23 after being down 23-10 to the nationally ranked Bears.
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE: HANNAH STUBBS, BASKETBALL
Leading the way for the NCAA Division III Tournament bound Wesleyan women was Hannah Stubbs ’06, the top scorer, with an average of 16.4 points per game on 62 percent shooting. The junior forward also grabbed a team high 8.3 rebounds per game, dished out 36 assists, grabbed 36 steals, and blocked opponents 17 times. A 2003-2004 First Team All-NESCAC selection, Stubbs’ play in 2005 puts her in position to receive a second All-League vote.
BEST MALE ROOKIE: MIKE DORSEY, HOCKEY
Mike Dorsey ’08 was a bright spot on a hockey squad that struggled all season. The freshman was ranked third on the team in points, scoring seven goals and assisting on another five. Dorsey scored six of his seven goals in the final thee weeks of the season, notching two two-goal games and one three-point game. Dorsey hopes to help the team climb higher in the NESCAC during the next three seasons.
BEST FEMALE ROOKIE: AMANDA SHAPIRO, SWIMMING
Amanda Shapiro ’08 broke five Wesleyan records in her freshman season. Shapiro completely rewrote the record books, as she is now the top Cardinal of all-time in four individual events and a relay. Shapiro now holds the records in the 200 individual medley, the 50, 100, and 200 breaststroke, and the 200 medley relay. She will look to break her own records and set a few more, bringing the swimming Cardinals to high places in years to come.
BEST MALE ATHLETE: BEN BYERS, SWIMMING
In competition against nine league opponents over the course of the dual-meet season, Ben Byers ’07 went a perfect 16 for 16 in distance freestyle events, finishing first at the 500, 1000, and 1650 yard distances every time they were featured. Byers finished out his NESCAC season in league championship competition this weekend, taking his first second place finish on the year in the 500 free, only to go on and shatter team records in the 1000 and 1650 free and take decisive victories in both races. Byers’ time in the 1650 earned him an automatic qualification for NCAA competition, while his second place finish in the 500 was still good enough for the NCAA “B” cut qualification. This will be Byers’ second straight NCAA appearance. In 2004, he finished 11th nationally and was selected as an Honorable Mention All-American. The NCAA Finals will take place over the weekend of March 12 in Holland, Michigan.