Reflections Magazine Issue #48 - Spring 1998 | Page 27
Sports
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Siena Heights College Athletics -- Fall 1997 Highlights
The womens cross country team successfully defended its
WHAC conference title on November 1 in Grand Rapids.
SHC coach Don Kleinows team had its best finish ever
(11th place out of 35 teams) at the NAIA National Cross
Country Championships on November 15 in Kenosha, WI.
The womens volleyball team had its best season in recent
history with a 26-15 final record. First-year coach Nicole
McClearys team won more games than the previous two
years combined at SHC. The Saints tied for fifth in the
league standings.
Senior Tina Richards won the league MVP award for the
second straight year and earned NAIA All-American
honors by placing fourth at the national championships.
Her fourth-place effort was the best individual finish ever
by an SHC runner at the national championship meet.
Krista Purvis earned 1st-Team All-WHAC honors and was
a 2nd-Team All-Region setter for the Saints. Mariann
Bauman was an NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete for
the second time. Bauman was an NAIA Scholar-Athlete
last spring on the Saints softball team.
The Saints also had three NAIA All-America ScholarAthletes in Stephanie Sarles, Annie Stawasz and Amanda
Tabb. With their cumulative 3.17 grade point average, the
team ranked #10 in the team academic standings at the
national championships.
At the conclusion of the fall sports season, Siena Heights
College was tied for thirteenth (out of 360 NAIA
institutions) in the Sears Directors Cup standings. The
Saints had their best finish last year in the annual
competition by placing 29th overall.
The womens soccer team (18-4) went undefeated in
league play (10-0) and advanced to the Great Lakes
Regional Semi-finals. Coach Aldo Zids club had five
players named to the All-WHAC team and Amy Gillin was
an honorable mention NAIA All-American for the Saints.
Gillin was also named an NAIA All-America ScholarAthlete with a 3.80 grade point average.
Nicole Tobin set single-season records for points scored
(69) and assists (19) in only her first season of collegiate
soccer. Corey Kibit set a school record by recording
thirteen shutouts in goal for the Saints.
The mens cross country team finished second in the
WHAC conference and earned an at-large bid to the NAIA
National Championships. Coach Tim Bauers team, which
had three runners earn All-WHAC honors, placed
sixteenth (out of 35 teams) at the national meet. Brian
Smith, who was an NAIA All-America Scholar-Athlete
last spring for track and field, was an NAIA ScholarAthlete this fall for cross country.
Senior fullback Ridge Frew closed out an outstanding fouryear SHC soccer career by being named the WHAC
Player-of-the-Year. Frew was also named an honorable
mention NAIA All-American for the second straight
season.
Coach Aldo Zids club, which had only one senior and two
juniors on the roster, tied for third place in the league
standings.
The mens basketball team has picked up where it left off
after last years incredible season. Coach Fred Smiths
team won the National Catholic Basketball Tournament
November 23 in Dubuque, IA. The Saints have competed
in the NCBT fourteen times and had never reached the
championship game until this year. Anthony Staffney was
named tournament MVP and Dan McKian was an AllTournament Team selection for the Saints.
The Saints, ranked #4 in the NAIA in January (their
highest ever ranking), are currently (February 8) 21-6.
SHC coach Fred Smith, who picked up NCBT Coach-