Three Widener Teams Ready to Compete This Week for Conference Titles

Three of Widener's teams will take to the field this week as they compete for conference titles.

Widener's men's lacrosse team (7-7, 5-1 CC) is the number two seed for the Commonwealth Conference Tournament and will host third-seeded Lycoming in the semifinals on Tuesday at 7:00 pm. Live stats for the game can be found by clicking here.

The Pride this season have been a strong offensive team with 147 goals, including 79 over six league games. One of the keys has been junior Josh Fox (Wynnewood, PA), a first team All-Middle Atlantic Conference selection from last year who is tied for fifth in the league with 33 goals and 10th with 37 points. Junior Johnny Casey (Glenside, PA), a first team all-league pick in 2011, is second on the team with 23 goals and sophomore Robert Clemens (Aston, PA) is third in the conference with 25 assists.

Junior Charlie Bytheway (Glen Mills, PA) has been a force at long-stick midfield, leading the squad with 23 caused turnovers and sitting second with 57 ground balls. Sophomore goalkeeper Mac Nestler (Chatham, NJ), picked Honorable Mention All-MAC last year, is 6-3 with a .544 save percentage.

The other semifinal pits top-seeded Albright against No. 4 seed Lebanon Valley. The winners meet Thursday for the conference title.

The Commonwealth Conference champion meets the Freedom Conference winner on Saturday for the MAC's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. This is the first year the MAC was separated into two conferences.

Tickets for all games at Leslie C. Quick Jr. Stadium are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for non-Widener students and free for children under age six. All Widener students are admitted free with a valid student ID.

Widener's men's track & field team is the three-time defending indoor champion and was second last year at the outdoor championships after winning in 2010. They will partake at the MAC Championships Thursday through Saturday on the campus of Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, PA. Information on the meet can be found by clicking here.

Senior Michael Garrity (Glenolden, PA) last year won the 3,000-meter steeplechase and was an All-American in the 1,500-meter run, closing seventh. Sophomore Tyler Schmalhofer (Elizabethtown, PA) was the Rookie of the Year at the indoor and outdoor championships, winning the 400-meter dash and being part of the 4x400-meter relay squad.

The 4x100-meter relay team is the defending league champions, freshman Michael Ciavarelli (Secane, PA) won 400-meter indoor conference title and junior Ryan Gallagher (Langhorne, PA) took the 5,000-meter indoor run.

The women's squad has plenty to look forward to. Sophomore Erica Szpynda (Berwick, PA) was second in the shot put at last year's outdoor championships and third at indoors this year. Brittany Diehl (Havertown, PA) was second in the 400-meter dash at indoors, fellow freshman Amanda-Renee Daniels (Lumberton, NJ) ended second in the weight throw at indoors and freshman Kayla Thomas (Morton, PA) finished second in the pole vault.

The women's 4x200-meter and 4x400-meter relay teams each were third at the indoor championships.

The golf team was tied for sixth at last weekend's Commonwealth Conference Championship. Senior Matt Breslin (Sugarloaf, PA) ended 12th and junior Chris Haupt (Bloomsburg, PA) was tied for 27th to help Widener end tied for sixth.

Print Friendly Version