The play-by-play
Ohio's new AD shares an insider’s view of university athletics teams

By Kirby Hocutt

Volleyball:  The Ohio volleyball program reached new heights this season, winning its third-straight Mid-American Conference title and advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats finished 14th in the nation, the highest finish in program history, and led the nation with 33 wins. Julia Winkfield was the catalyst behind the Bobcat attack, receiving MAC Player of the Year and All-Mideast Region honors. And the future continues to look bright: Junior setter Savanah Parra received All-Region honorable mention while compiling school records in assists and assists per game, sophomore Stephanie Blackburn earned first-team all-conference honors, and Amanda Anderson was named MAC Freshman of the Year.

Football:  The football team recently wrapped up itss pring season with the annual Green & White Game. It was a great day thanks in large part to the partnership with Sports Administration and Facility Management program, which coordinated the first-ever Bobcat Blitz, a full schedule of events surrounding the game. There is plenty of experience returning on the field, as Coach Frank Solich welcomes back 17 starters and 50 letter winners from last season, including first-team All-MAC picks Matt Muncy and Kalvin McRae. The Peden Tower Renovation Project is scheduled for completion this summer with the fifth-floor coaches' offices and recruiting space getting a face-lift, along with some modest improvements to our locker room and weight room. It should be an exciting season as we work toward our goal of a Mid-American Conference championship.

Cross Country:  In Coach Clay Calkins' third year at the helm, the Bobcat cross country squad had one of its most successful years on the field and in the classroom. Picked to finish eighth, the women's team, led by first-team All-MAC performer Carime Reinhart and second-team All-MAC selection Andrea Maas, placed fourth at the MAC Championships. The top five runners will be returning, and Reinhart will look to get her first berth to the NCAA Championships after missing out this past year by 1.7 seconds. Jason Linton, who earned second-team all-MAC honors as a senior, led the men to victory in the Central Collegiate Championships and to third place in the MAC Championships. The two squads also had a total of five athletes selected to the Academic All-MAC squad.

Soccer:  A rash of injuries and unusual circumstances caused the Ohio women's soccer team to suffer an uncharacteristic season in 2005. Sixteen returning letter winners -- including eight starters -- and a strong recruiting class, however, should return the Bobcats to their rightful spot as perennial contenders in the Mid-American Conference this fall. Head coach Stacy Strauss, who has guided Ohio to two of the program’s league-leading three regular-season titles, will undoubtedly field a talented and dynamic team in 2006 that will be exciting to watch.

Field Hockey:  The Ohio field hockey team saw big improvements in its first year under head coach Neil MacMillan. The Bobcats recorded their most overall wins since 2003 and their best mark in conference play since 2001. Senior Lindsay Rothenberger earned MAC Player of the Year and second-team all-region, and six members of the squad were named to the Division I National Academic Squad.

Wrestling:  After losing four-time All-American Jake Percival and several other four-year starters prior to this past season, Ohio head coach Joel Greenlee knew 2005-06 would be a rebuilding year for the wrestling program. With a lineup full of underclassmen, the Bobcats still managed victories over the likes of North Carolina State, Virginia Tech and West Virginia. At 157 pounds, Jake Frerichs has proven he will be the one to beat in the MAC for years to come. And seniors-to-be Nick Terbay, Brian Cesear and Marcus Adelman will provide the veteran leadership needed on a young but talented team that will include a large group of impressive newcomers this coming year.

Swimming and Diving:  The Ohio swimming and diving teams both saw great success this season. The women's team led the Mid-American Conference with seven event wins at the conference championships and five first-team All-MAC selections. Emily Wylam led the way, winning the conference championship in both the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, setting a conference record in the 100 back. And the squad had only two seniors, leading to bright prospects for next season. The men's team tallied 572.5 points at the MAC Championships, the most ever under head coach Greg Werner. The Bobcats set 71 personal records in 85 opportunities at the conference championships. Freshman Stephen D'Arrigo was named to the All-MAC First Team after winning the 100-yard backstroke. Luke Herlehy and Matthew Bey garnered second-team All-MAC honors.

Women’s Golf:  The 2005-06 golf season capped the stellar collegiate careers of Ohio seniors Julie Tomlinson and Ana Brown. With a 79.42 average over her four years, Tomlinson finished with the best career mark in program history. She also holds the school records for lowest single-round score (66) and top 36-hole mark (139). Brown, meanwhile, made the MAC All-Tournament Team after setting a school record for 54 holes (221) and tying for third at the 2006 MAC championship. Her 78.59 average as a senior ranks as the sixth-best season average in the history of the program. The team's future looks bright, though, as Shanna Siefke, Meredith Waterston and Kristen Mautz will form a solid core of seniors for the 2006-07 Bobcats.

Men’s Golf:  The Ohio men's golf team saw the rise of juniors Mark Cimarolli and Grant Christman this past year. Cimarolli won the Big East/MAC Challenge, was selected to the All-MAC second team and led the squad with a 73.69 average, the fourth-best season average in the history of the program. Christman had the strongest finish, though, by tying for seventh at the MAC Championship and was one of just seven golfers named to the All-MAC Academic Team. Bobcat senior Jon Johasky capped his career by winning the MAC's Sportsmanship Award, becoming the second Ohio golfer ever to claim the honor.

Baseball:  In his 18th year at the helm of the program, Head Coach Joe Carbone fielded one of the youngest squads in his tenure. With four first-year position players starting over half of the season's contests -- and four more rookie pitchers logging significant innings on the mound -- more than the Bobcats' uniforms were green. Ohio finished as one of the top hitting teams in the MAC and had four players among the top 15 in the league in batting. A threat as a hitter and pitcher, Anthony Gressick gave Ohio an All-MAC and All-Mideast Region candidate, while center fielder Willie Walker and starting pitcher Derek Witt should also garner postseason awards consideration. Bryant Witt turned in one of the highlights of the season when he recorded a 19-game hitting streak, the longest for an Ohio player since the MAC began tracking hitting streaks during the 1975 season.

Softball: The Ohio softball team saw big improvements in its first year under head coach Jill Matyuch. The Bobcats posted a nine-game improvement from last year and advanced to the MAC Tournament for the first time since 2004. Ohio then defeated Central Michigan at the conference tourney, marking its first win in the event since 2002. Sophomore pitcher Michelle Sauter earned second-team All-MAC recognition at the conclusion of the season.

Lacrosse:  The lacrosse program just finished its first season under the direction of head Coach Allison Valentino. Allison is certainly no stranger to coaching with top-notch programs as she came to us after stops at Duke and Maryland, both perennial NCAA Championship qualifiers. There were a number of outstanding performances in 2006, highlighted by sophomore goalkeeper Jen Heup. Jen became the first Bobcat to be named the American Lacrosse Conference Goalie of the Year after leading the league in saves and ground balls. Sophomore midfielder Shannon Hadaway also was named second-team All-ALC. Freshman Kiersten McLouth took little time adjusting to the college game, becoming the first rookie to lead the team in scoring since the 2000 season.

Track and Field:  The men's and women's track squads had many individual successes, including five athletes qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Regionals. That includes 2006 MAC Long Jump Champion and first-team All-MAC Scott Mayle, Jaclyn Lugaila (shot put and hammer), Chelsea Stephan (javelin), Brian King (3,000-meter steeplechase) and Jessica Kestler (400-meter hurdles). Missing out on the regionals by less than a second in the 5,000-meter run at the MAC Championships, Carime Reinhart still earned second-team All-MAC honors for finishing second in the 10,000-meter race. Of all the standouts mentioned above, only Jaclyn is graduating this year.

Kirby Hocutt joined Ohio University as director of athletics in 2005, having previously served six years as the associate director of athletics at the University of Oklahoma.

Posted 5-23-06