Mule Weekly Recap February 21, 2022

#15 Men's Hockey Secures Top Seed in NESCAC, First Time Since 2007-08

Colby entered the weekend with a 0.5 point lead in the conference, narrowly holding an edge over Trinity. Determined to make the playoffs run through Mayflower Hill, the Mules sent Tufts home Friday (3-0) followed by Conn. College on Saturday (4-0) to capture its first regular season crown since 2007-08.

Alex Bourhas and Michael Morrissey netted a goal in each game, while Justin Grillo scored a goal and assisted two others. Defenseman Jack Sullivan had two assists against Conn., strengthening his position tied with Grillo atop the conference leaderboards with 1.05 points per game. Morrissey is right behind his teammates in third, averaging 1.00.

Colby will look to fill the O'Neil | O'Donnell Forum on Sunday for a NESCAC playoff game against the winner of Friday's Tufts/Middlebury matchup. The puck drops at 2:00pm. Fans can also stream the game at NSNSports.com.

Women's Basketball Takes Out Bowdoin in NESCAC First Round

Colby entered the NESCAC tournament as the 11th seed ready to square off against the Polar Bears Friday night. Bowdoin had history on its side, winning 23 straight games against Colby dating back to the 2009-10 season. In fact, in 2010 the Mules beat the Polar Bears twice, including a semifinal win that launched Colby into the 2010 NESCAC Championship. Friday night, Colby erased recent memory to the tune of a 67-58 road victory in Brunswick.

Colby led throughout the contest, as Chiamaka Ubani posted her second double-double of the season and recorded a career-high 13 rebounds. Caroline Smith has been the leading scorer for the Mules this season, netting another 24 Friday. In the waning minutes, Colby collected its defensive rebounds, converted on the offensive end, and hit their free throws (14-16 from the line for the game) to outpace the Polar Bears and advance in the postseason.

"Teams either come together or fall apart in February. I am so proud of how our team rallied tonight and came together to upset 6th-seed Bowdoin."

- Head Coach Chenel Harris-Smith

On Sunday, Colby visited Amherst to take on the nationally ranked Mammoths in the NESCAC Quarterfinals. Amherst played strong defense and controlled the boards (the Mammoths held a 43-32 advantage over Colby) and defended their home court to advance to the semifinals 65-35.

The Mules end their season with a 12-10 record, and have a program-changing moment to build on for future years.

Swimming & Diving Closes Out NESCAC Championships on Mayflower Hill

For the second week in a row, Colby College played hosts to the entire NESCAC for the conference Swimming & Diving Championships. After supporting the Women's team a week ago as they chased records, the Men took their turn this week.

Colby finished 7th out of the 11 competing schools and set nine new school records. Sophomore diver Sam Cahaly earned All-NESCAC on both boards for finishing second in the 1-meter and 3-meter dives.

NEW SCHOOL RECORDS

• 50 Fly: Neil Mortimer
• 100 Fly: Mortimer
• 200 Fly: Anthony Minickiello
• 50 Breaststroke: Jerome Wiater
• 50 Free: John Connors
• 200 Free: Carson Rehkopf
• 200 Medley Relay: Caleb Bitting, Wiater, Mortimer, Connors
• 1 Meter Dive: Sam Cahaly
• 3 Meter Dive: Cahaly

With the NCAA Championships right around the corner, the Mules anxiously await the cuts to see who is headed to Indianapolis in March.

Men's Basketball Tops Hamilton in NESCAC Opening Round, Takes Top Seed Wesleyan Down to the Wire

On the road in Clinton, N.Y. Friday night, the Mules took care of business against the Continentals in the NESCAC opening round, winning 64-58. The trio of Noah Tyson, Matt Hanna, and Will King (photo right) were back together for the first time in over a month, and the three combined for 38 points, 16 rebounds, and seven steals.

In the quarterfinals played Sunday, Colby took on #13 Wesleyan, pushing the top-seed in the NESCAC to their limits. Knotted at 32 apiece after the first 20 minutes, the Cardinals produced a 50-point second half to take an 82-71 victory and advance in the tournament.

Colby ends their season with a 12-13 mark.

Weston Named to NATA HOF Class of 2022

The National Athletic Trainers' Association announced the 2022 NATA National Honors and Awards Class last week, and long time Colby Athletic Trainer Tim Weston was at the front of the pack. He was one of only six individuals named in this year's Hall of Fame class, and marks only the fifth member selected from the state of Maine since the organization began inductions in 1962. With 250 members honored since that inaugural year, NATA has now identified four individuals from NESCAC institutions, with Colby leading the way with two (legendary athletic trainer Carl Nelson was inducted in 1986).

ALPINE and NORDIC Skiing Combine for 5th at Middlebury

The Nordic team competed Friday and Saturday at the Rikert Nordic Center in Ripton, Vt. for the Middlebury Carnival. Erin Bianco kept her blazing senior year going with another top-5 finish, this time in the Classic. Rose Clayton paced the Mules in the Freestyle, collecting a career-best finish in 9th place. The women placed fourth as a team in both events.

Victor Sparks (17th) and Jack Young (20th) led Colby in the Freestyle and Classic, respectively, and the Mules eye the NCAA Regional Championship next weekend hosted by the University of New Hampshire.

Top Results:

• Erin Bianco 5th (Women's Classic), 14th (Women's Freestyle)
• Rose Clayton 9th (Women's Freestyle), 17th (Women's Classic)
• Victor Sparks 17th (Men's Freestyle)
• Sophia Gorman 18th (Women's Freestyle), 25th (Women's Classic)
• Jack Young 20th (Men's Classic)
• Gretta Scholz 20th (Women's Freestyle)
• Foss Kerker 25th (Men's Freestyle)
• Anders Hanson 28th (Men's Classic)

On the Alpine side, the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) had to rearrange its schedule over the last few weeks, and lightning (figuratively) struck again Friday with the cancellation of the Slalom at the Middlebury Snowbowl. This cancellation wasn't for too much snow (like the UVM Carnival), or netting issues (like the Dartmouth Carnival), or even actual lightning (like in 2013, knocking out that year's Middlebury Slalom). This time it was wind, which had played a nuisance at the opening carnival at Sugarloaf, forcing a one day delay.

With Friday wiped off the schedule, the Mules turned their focus to two Giant Slalom races, and made the most of them. The women placed 4th in the team event Saturday with the men in 6th, and Colby Skiing once again saw Alpine and Nordic combine for 5th place as one of the regions best collegiate teams.

Top Results:

• Molly Mueller 5th (Women's GS2)
• Chauncey Morgan 5th (Men's GS1), 25th (Men's GS2)
• Ella Spear 10th (Women's GS1), 18th (Women's GS2)
• Lydia Riddell 14th (Women's GS2), 19th (Women's GS1)
• Patrick Coughlin 18th (Men's GS2)
• Charlotte Maurer 23rd (Women's GS1)
• Tucker Strauch 26th (Men's GS2)
• Cassie Lieblein 27th (Women's GS1), 29th (Women's GS2)
• Meagan Olsen 28th (Women's GS1)

Next weekend marks the sixth and final carnival of the EISA season, hosted by UNH. Several skiers are on the cusp of qualifying for the NCAA Division I Championships in March, hosted by the University of Utah.

Men's Squash Places 2nd in CSA Team D-Flight

The Men's Squash team traveled to Philadelphia for the CSA Team Championships, qualifying in the D-Flight. Sweeps of Conn. College and Denison, and a 7-2 victory over Hamilton, propelled the Mules into the D-Flight Championship against Hobart. The Statesmen ended up the flight champions, topping the Mules 6-3.

Three Mules swept all four of their matches on the weekend. Johnathon Sosa Uranga (2), Alex Spafford (4), and Ryan Santoro (6) won against each opponent they faced.