TodayCollege Roundup: Fittery wins back-to-back titles
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Article RatingJOHNSTOWN — Shippensburg University wrestler Steve Fittery became the first Raider to win back-to-back East Region championships since Kevin Boccella pulled off the feat in 2000 as he captured the 141-pound title Saturday evening at the NCAA Divsion II East Region Championships, hosted by the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.
In just two seasons at Shippensburg, Fittery has won two regional titles and a PSAC championship while finishing second at last year’s national championship.
Red-shirt senior Dan Nauman earned his second trip to the national championships by finishing third at 157 pounds after beating Kutztown’s Dave Zeek by fall in 4:59.
Meanwhile, red-shirt junior Jake Wilson is advancing to his second-straight national championship appearance after finishing fourth.
This year marks the fifth time in seven seasons under head coach Don Tabar that the Raiders have qualified at least three wrestlers for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships.
This year’s championships are being hosted by Upper Iowa University and being held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on March 14 and 15.
Womens’ Track and Field
Ship wins first-ever PSAC title
The Lady Raiders earned their first-ever Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) title over the weekend after participating in the PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, hosted inside of East Stroudsburg’s Koehler Fieldhouse.
Shippensburg totaled 110 points over the two-day competition, tying the Lady Raiders for first place with Slippery Rock.
Ship’s Mary Dell tied with West Chester’s Danielle Scardino for the championship MVP honors.
On Saturday, Dell led the 3,200 meter relay team to victory with a time of 9:27.04, beating second-place Kutztown by 1.9 seconds and on Sunday, Dell finished third in the 800 meter run (2:14.63) and was just 0.57 seconds off the pace of lead runner Holly Urban of California (Pa.).
Shippensburg’s only other winner was Erica Hess, who won the 400 meter dash in 57.45 seconds.
Other top performers for the Lady Raiders included Laura Henzy (fifth, 400 meter dash), Shannon Hare (seventh, 400 meter dash), Siobhan Richards (second, 55 meter dash, fifth, 200 meter dash), Abby Huber (fifth, 800 meter run), Katie Frey (third, 3,000 meter run), Rebekah Newhart (second, triple jump), Michelle Morcom (third, 55 meter hurdles) and Katrina Grussenmyer (seventh, 55 meter hurdles).
Mens’ Track and Field
Raiders just miss championship
Shippensburg finished just 3.5 points shy of winning its third conference title in the last four years after earning second place with a total of 113 points.
Slippery Rock won its first indoor title and became the only other school besides Shippensburg or Lock Haven to win in the championship’s seven-year history.
Raider senior Jamal James finished in a three-way tie for MVP honors after winning the long jump, taking second in the 55 meter dash and second in the 200 meter dash.
Other top athletes for Shippensburg included Josh Neyhart (second, 800 meter run), Dillon Gracey (sixth, 3,000 meter run), Jeremy Brady (seventh, 3,000 meter run), Maurice Barbour (third, triple jump), Steve D’Arcy (fifth, shot put), Sean Cohick (fifth, long jump), Don Graybill (second, pentathlon), Everett Chapman (seventh, pentathlon), and Shaun Minnich (third, weight throw).
The Raiders also got third place finishes from its distance medley team (10:31.66) and its 1,600 meter relay team (3:22.46).
Field Hockey
Nine named to Academic Team
Nine members of the Shippensburg University field hockey team were selected to the 2008 ZAG/National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Division II National Academic Team. As a team, the Lady Raiders were one of 12 programs recognized for having a team grade point average of 3.0 or higher.
Making the academic team was Carolyn Swift, Dani Haas, Jenna Blain, Kim Davies, Megan Keener, Allison Shirley, Jamie Doughty, Laura Wylde and Kristen Brooks.
