The month of January has been kind to the Hopkins men’s basketball program. After starting off the season 5-5, the Blue Jays have turned the corner in 2013. Not only has Hopkins gone 7-2 since the first of the month but, more importantly, the Jays have won three straight games against conference foes since their heart-wrenching double overtime loss against Franklin & Marshall on January 16.
On Sat., Jan. 26, the Hopkins women’s fencing team participated in the Philadelphia Invitational at Temple University. The team came out with one victory and five losses.
Super Bowl XLVII guarantees to be unique. The most immortal game in American sports will feature two brothers, John and Jim Harbaugh, born 15 months apart, pitted against each other as head coaches. Let’s just call it, the Super Baugh.
Currently on a three-game winning streak, men's basketball has been putting up one strong performance after another. Losing only two games out of a possible ten in the new year, it appears they've unlocked some secret to success. That secret? 6'2'' junior guard Jimmy Hammer.
After running the table to start the year going 6-0, the Hopkins men’s fencing team defeated MIT (16-11) and Boston College (15-12), and lost to Yale (15-12), Brown (17-10), and host Brandeis (17-10) on Sunday at the Brandeis Invitational. The squad’s overall record now stands at 8-3. Two standouts emerged for the squad as freshmen John Petrie and Josiah Yiu paced the Jays with 10 wins each in Foil and Sabre, respectively.
The Hopkins men’s and women’s swimming teams traveled to Gettysburg to compete in the final Fall Fast Festival this past weekend. The Jays came out strong and did not look back, tallying 1129.5 points to take the top spot.
In nearby Annapolis, MD the men’s track team kicked off their ‘12–’13 season at the Navy Invitational with a strong performance against several Division I teams.
The women’s basketball team’s 6’-1’’ senior star, Alex Vassila, has emerged this young season as a force in the middle of the court for the Jays. Vassila leads the team in points per game with a 12.1 average, while scoring at an impressive .440 field goal percentage and leading the team with 10.2 rebounds per game. Even more remarkable, this Saturday, Vassila became the all-time blocks leader with 150 blocks for her career, surpassing Katie Kimball in the program’s record books.
On Saturday the Hopkins wrestling team traveled to York, Pa. to compete in the New Standard Corporation Invitational at York College.
The Lady Jays finished a three game stretch against Gettysburg, Ursinus, and Dickinson with a record of 2-1 (1-2). Against Gettysburg, the Lady Jays fell behind early in the second half after a 10-0 rally by the Bullets, and lost 54-48.
Hopkins escaped last Thursday night with a 66-59 win over home team Gettysburg, as the Blue Jays hit six straight free throws in the final 23 seconds to secure the victory.
The Hopkins women’s soccer team ended their storied run at the NCAA Division III National Championship this past weekend with a loss to the top-ranked, defending national champion, Messiah.
Although their season began with a loss, the future has been looking increasingly promising for the JHU men’s basketball team.
Starting the season in whirlwind fashion, the Lady Jays are already well underway into their 2012-2013 campaign in search of their first Centennial Conference championship. Despite their first bout of play, with an overall 2-3 result, Hopkins has been ranked 2nd in the conference in preseason polls behind powerhouse Haverford. The road to the championship will be paved by senior captains KaraLea Follmer, Sarah Higbee and the unstoppable force of Alex Vassila.
The Hopkins women’s cross country team made history on November 17 at the Division III NCAA National Championships in Terra Haute, Indiana. The team totaled an astounding 158 points to capture its first NCAA Division III Cross Country Title at the LaVerne Gibson Championship Course. They defeated the runner-up school, Wartburg, by 63 points, the greatest margin of victory in a women’s Division III championship race since 2002. The title is the first women’s national championship in not only cross country, but also in any women's sport in Hopkins history. And as if all of these incredible accomplishments weren’t enough to satisfy any championship team, three Blue Jay runners finished in the top-35 to achieve the status of All-American. Freshman Hannah Oneda led the Blue Jays down the stretch and finished in 10th place, while junior Holly Clarke and senior Annie Monagle finished 25th and 32nd respectively.
Although they’ve been overshadowed by the women’s cross country National Championship victory, the men’s team also proudly made Hopkins history, admittedly, in less dramatic fashion. The squad’s 20th-place finish at the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country National Championship in Terre Haute, IN on Saturday was a program best and reflects the depth and strong direction the Hopkins Cross Country program is headed. The Blue Jays accumulated 475 points for their first top-20 finish in program history as North Central University took the team title with 167 overall points. Calvin College and Haverford College tied for second place, scoring 188 points. Individually, Tim Nelson of University of Wisconsin-Stout led the race to win the individual title in 24:26. Junior Max Robinson burned the trail for the Jays, finishing 77th overall in 25:33. Robinson ran an extremely bold race, charging out with the front of the pack early, only to fall back towards the final stages of the course. “I took the race out hard to try and put myself in position to finish well,” exclaimed Robinson, adding, “but then I faded towards the end of the race.” Placing in the second slot for Hopkins was senior Josh Budman, in the final cross country race of his career. The senior poured every ounce of determination into the race, improving his time by a massive 49 second margin, finishing 105th in 25:45. Other stand-outs for the squad were Julian Saliani and Josh Baker who each cut roughly 30 seconds off their time from the Pre-National Meet. Saliani placed 113th overall in 25:46, while Baker slotted in at number 122 in 25:50. Hopkins’ overall top-five was topped with the 233rd place finish of freshman Schaffer Ochstein in 26:45. Head coach Bobby Van Allen emphatically praised his squad, “The guys ran an incredible race, we moved up six spots from our first time here last year in 2011.” (Courtesy of Hopkinssports.com) However proud the head coach might have been, Robinson flatly disagreed. “I think the team had an off day,” concluded the junior runner, adding, “finishing in the top 20 in the country was nice, but we could’ve definitely been in the top 15. Individuals like Josh Budman, Julian Saliani, and Josh Baker had great days, but I think we were capable of much more as a team.”
As most of us were gearing up for Thanksgiving break, the Hopkins wrestling team traveled to Springfield College to take part in the 16-team Doug Parker Invitational. The tournament invited some of the top teams in the country including #7 Centenary, #23 Roger Williams, #24 Springfield, and #27 Wesleyan. Despite facing these high ranking opponents, Hopkins competed competed well and proved their spot as one of the top DIII teams. In the 125 lb weight division, sophomore Paul Bewak competed against MIT’s Sam Shames. Shames pulled off the upset to take home first place, defeating Bewak 5-2. Despite the loss, the Greensburg, PA native earned the nation’s number one ranking in the most recent National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Individual Rankings. Bewak becomes the first Blue Jay wrestler to earn a number one ranking. Bewak steadily climbed to the top spot after beginning the season as the nation’s fifth wrestler. Prior to the tournament Bewak claimed a 9-3 overall record including being 9-2 against NCAA competition and 8-0 against NCAA Division III opponents. Bewak opened up the season with tight losses to Division I opponents Shane Young of West Virginia and Shane Gentry of Maryland, two of the top wrestlers in the nation in the 126 lb weight class. Despite the narrow losses Bewak responded well, claiming nine straight wins which included one pin, one technical fall, two major decisions, and five decisions. The winning streak was the second longest of his career, improving his lifetime record to 39-12. Bewak finished his freshman season with a 30-9 record. Last year as a freshman he earned All-American honors with a seventh-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. The surprise finish was the highest ever for a Hopkins wrestler. Bewak was one of two All-Americans and five Centennial Conference champions the Blue Jays claimed last season. The team’s success earned Hopkins their first ever conference trophy. Earning sixth place in the 133 lb weight class was junior Ray Yagloski. Despite battling hard, Yagloski ultimately lost the decision 16-4. In the 141 lb final was senior Paul Marcello and Springfield’s Joe Grippi. Grippi entered the season as the nation’s third ranked wrestler while Marcello held the eighth spot. The showdown was hard fought, but in the end Grippi was victorious winning 10-7. In the 165 lb weight division Hopkins' Christian Ostrowski took home fifth place for the Blue Jays. The freshman battled all day before reaching the matchup against MIT’s Ryan Madson. However, the two never faced off as Madson withdrew from the match with an injury. Heading home with a fifth place finish was freshman Kyle Spangler. Spangler dispatched Trinity’s William Youngblood 7-5 to earn the victory. Hopkins totaled 85.5 points trailing Centenary (166 points), Roger Williams (137.5), Springfield (128.5) and Wesleyan (128) in the team standings. With the finish it is clear Hopkins is not far away from making its mark on the national stage. Next up for Hopkins is the New Standard Corp. Invitational at York College (PA). The tournament will be another good test for the Blue Jays. Previous tournaments have hosted many of the nationally top ranked teams. The strong competition should once again prove useful as Hopkins continues to grow in this relatively young season. Both in this tournament, and the rest of the way, strong performances from Bewak and Marcello will continue to drive this team as Hopkins looks to improve on their season from last year.
Hopkins’s men's basketball team launched a powerful start to the young season, winning two of their first three contests. In the Centennial Conference this past week, the Blue Jays beat Haverford College convincingly by the score of 72-46. Much of the success this past weekend is attributed to sophomore Jimmy Hammer. Last year he exploded onto the Hopkins basketball scene, possessing a shooter’s touch and undeniable poise. His reputation precedes him; last week, Hammer stole the show by scoring five buckets from behind the arch, leading the team to victory. Hammer is impressive both on and off the court. He is an economics major who also has a passion for marketing, which has prompted him to take on leadership roles in marketing for Relay for Life and involvement in the American Marketing Association. On the court is truly where Hammer feels he belongs, “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t play basketball,” says Hammer, who attributes his success and happiness in college to the team. Hammer is not one to brag and seems to be quite self-reflective about his game – constantly looking to improve his skills with each season. Looking back at his rookie year, he says that one of his proudest accomplishments was “the comeback to beat Dickinson in their gym when our team was down by ten with only a few minutes on the clock.” Hammer did his part in pacing the team to a nail biting victory with his back-to-back three-pointers. Not too shabby for a freshman, “it felt good to make those shots and to help us get the big win. It was our last game before a long winter break and we were able to go 3-0 in the conference.” In addition, Hammer views the team making it to the conference playoffs last year as another noteworthy triumph for the Blue Jays. The Jays also beat 15th ranked, St. Mary’s College (MD), last November in the semifinals of the Pride of Maryland Tournament. The Jays rallied to defeat St. Mary by just one point, with a final score of 67-66. Hammer remarks, “That was a huge win because it was in front of a great crowd at Hopkins and it was a come from behind victory. They came into the game as a top 25 team and we just battled with them all game. We weren’t as talented as they were, but we were able to fight them off and get the win.” Hammer views these past accomplishments, not as a reason to pat himself on the back, but as motivation to make the NCAA tournament this season. He shares the same goal as Coach Nelson, to yet again make the Conference tournament and then to advance to the NCAA tournament. He does not express any doubt that this will become a reality and says he looks forward to this future endeavor. This is all because he believes Hopkins basketball “has lots of talent” and “a lot of players returned from last years successful team.” He is extraordinarily optimistic about this season, asserting that the hot-out-the-gate start is a promising sign for things to come. This season, he plans on improving his overall game, including his defense, rebounding, and consistency in his shooting. Hammer emphatically claims that his life revolves around Hopkins basketball. He feels lucky to be on a team of “great guys” who are all his “best friends.” His time is spent with the team off the court, as well, and considers the team’s chemistry the mark of a “true team.” Not only has the basketball team become something that Hammer has grown impassioned about, but it has literally become the center of his universe and something he can never see giving up. “I am very lucky to have such a great group of guys surrounding me," Hammer exclaimed, "It makes going to practice and playing in games so much fun. We hang out outside of basketball, we study together, and support other teams and organizations in the Hopkins community.”
This past Monday, the Hopkins men’s and women’s swimming teams traveled to Rutgers University in Piscataway, NJ to compete in the Frank Elm Invitational. Both teams finished well despite being the only Division III team in a field of primarily Division I universities. The men’s team finished fourth out of nine schools with 1,144 points. West Chester University took the invitational title with 2,003 points. Senior Carter Gisriel led a group of five Blue Jays in the finals of the 50 Free, placing second with a time of 21.14. In the B Final, senior Tyler Woods placed second in 21.78 and sophomore Ed Pagano finished fourth with a time of 21.90. Senior Dylan Coggin placed third in the 100 Free of the A Final at 46.21. Woods won the B Final with a time of 47.37. Coggin earned a fourth-place finish in the A Final of the 200 Free with a time of 1:42.65. The 500 Free saw freshman Bill Gravley finish second in the B Final with a time of 4:43.90. Sophomore Dylan Davis swam to a third-place finish in the A Final of the 100 back, finishing at 50.78 for an NCAA provisional time. Davis then won the 200 back with a provisional time of 1:49.62 while freshman Justin Tang followed closely behind in second place. Sophomore Gideon Hou placed fourth in the A Final of the 100 breast with a provisional and career-best time of 57.74. Gisriel added another second-place finish, this time in the 100 Fly as he finished in 50.11 for a provisional time. In the B Final, Woods finished in second in 51.95 while Pagano placed third in 52.61. Hopkins placed three in the A Final of the 200 IM with Tang finishing in second at 1:52.59, the 10th fastest in school history. Tang followed that with a win in the 400 IM, finishing with a provisional time at 3:59.46. The time set a pool record and is the sixth fastest time in school history. The Blue Jays had an impressive run in the relays placing second in all five events. The team of Gisriel, Coggin, Woods, and Lordi combined for a time of 1:23.85 in the 200 Free Relay. In the 400 Free Relay, Coggin, Woods, Gisriel and Lordi finished in a provisional time of 3:05.06. In the 200 Medley Relay, Acquaviva, Hou, Gisriel and Lordi combined for a provisional time of 1:32.68. The Blue Jays did the same in the 400 Medley Relay. The women’s team placed fifth out of eleven schools. Villanova won the invitational with 1,737.5 total points. The Lady Blue Jays placed five swimmers in the finals of the 50 Free. Sophomore Ana Bogdanovski finished fourth, followed by freshman Megan Auzenbergs in sixth place. Senior Eleanor Gardner finished in seventh in the B Final with a time of 25.23, followed closely by freshman Sean McGrath in 25.38. Bogdanovski took home second place in the 100 Free with an NCAA provisional time of 51.31 in the A Final. Her prelim time of 51.27 is the fourth fastest time in school history. In the 200 Free, Hopkins had six swimmers in the finals, including two in the A Final. Bogdanovski and Rinsma both swam provisional times finishing in fifth and seventh place, respectively. Marcus also swam a provisional time with his third place finish in the B Final, clocking in at 1:53.69. In the 100 Back, sophomores Hannah Benn and Melinda Yau placed third and fourth, respectively in the B Final. Junior Taylor Kitayama earned a third-place finish in the A Final of the 200 Back with a time of 2:01.58, a provisional time and the fourth fastest time in program history. McGrath placed second in the B Final with a provisional time of 2:04.32. Sophomore Maggie Storm led the Blue Jays in the 100 and 200 Breast finishing in fifth in the B Final of both. Kitayama earned a third-place finish in the A Final of the 100 Fly with a provisional time of 56.14. Sophomore Sammi Fox just missed out on the school record in the 200 IM finals as she finished in third place with a time of 2:06.91. Kitayama followed her in sixth place as she finished in 2:07.85, a career best and also a provisional time. Fox then broke the longest-standing school record as she swam a time of 4:30.33 in the 400 IM, also a provisional time, to finish in fourth place in the B Final. Hopkins also turned in a strong performance in the relays, earning a podium finish in four of the five relays. The Blue Jays posted provisional times in each of the five relays. The team of Bogdanovski, Kitayama, Auzenbergs and McGrath swam a time of 1:36.42 to finish second in the 200 Free Relay. In the 400 Free, the Blue Jays also took home second place. Hopkins wrapped up the freestyle relays with a third-place finish in the 800 Free Relay. The Blue Jays took home third place as Kitayama, Fox, Holden and Bogdanovski swam a time of 3:55.51 in the 400 Medley Relay. Hopkins returns to action the weekend of Nov 30 at Gettysburg's Final Fall Fast Festival.
