Great sports teams generally are not the first thing to come to mind when someone mentions Wesleyan University, but two of our fall teams this year are making history and commanding respect on a national level. The men’s cross-country team advanced to the first NCAA Division III Championship in team history, and the men’s soccer team lost in overtime to the defending national champions in the second round of the first NCAA Division III Tournament in their team’s history. Both teams beat Little Three rival Williams along the way for the first time this millennium. The soccer team won the NESCAC tournament and defeated Muhlenberg in the first round of the NCAA tournament before losing to undefeated Messiah 2-1 in overtime on Saturday. The cross-country team placed second out of 43 teams at the Division III New England Regional meet on Saturday, advancing to Nationals while losing only to Tufts.
Soccer Coach Geoff Wheeler was named NESCAC Coach of the Year, and Coach John Crooke was named co-Men’s NESCAC Coach of the Year for his work with the cross-country team. In addition, Owen Kiely ’06 won the individual New England Division III title, beating out a favored Williams runner, and Matt Nevin ’09 earned the NESCAC Rookie of the Year award after a stellar season. Four members of the men’s cross-country team, as well as one member of the women’s team, earned All-New England honors, and three members of the soccer team were named to the All-NESCAC team.
The troubled football team had its worst ever season in 2005, finishing 0-8 for the first winless season since the 0-5 campaign of 1894. But it is encouraging to see tireless recruiting efforts and top-notch coaching in other sports finally being recognized and rewarded in a big way. Very few people expected any Cardinal team to get as far as the men’s cross-country and soccer teams got this year. These sports achievements add another positive aspect to a school already known for its high academic standing, commitment to diversity, and respected faculty. In the men’s cross-country and soccer programs, the University now has national powerhouses.
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