February 28, 2017
Gabbie Matl
Many winter sports are starting to wind down and move into postseason competitions as March approaches.
Here’s a look at how their seasons have gone and where the teams are going next.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team had a fairly successful season this year. With a record of 11-14 (as of Feb. 24), they are currently ranked No. 8 in the RMAC conference and will be moving into the first round of playoffs on Feb. 28.
With a roster dominated by freshman and sophomore players, and four upperclassmen, this has been a transition year for the team.
The team had many close games, the most recent being their 74-73 victory over Chadron State College on the team’s final home game, where they honored seniors TreShawn Wilford and Tim Haas.
The team is lead in both scoring and rebounds by Wilford and junior Justin Smith.
Women’s Basketball
The women’s basketball team had a strong season this year. They are now moving into the postseason with the possibility of hosting tournament games. Under new head coach Lynn Platt, the team has an overall record of 18-4, which is an improvement on last year’s record of 17-7.
The team is currently ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division II South Central Region and is one of five RMAC teams who are in the top 10. They hold an 18-5 in-region record as well.
These rankings are used by the NCAA selection committee to determine the national tournament field on March 5.
The team is led by seniors Jen Vigil, Tori Fisher and Brittney Hernandez, who will play their f rst RMAC playoff game of the season on Feb. 28.
Men’s Track and Field
The men’s track and fi eld program fi nished their regular indoor season and competed at the RMAC Championships on Feb. 24-25 at Black Hills State University.
The new team has had strong performances from many athletes who may compete at the NCAA level. Freshman sprinter Matt Hanson has the top time for freshman in the RMAC with an adjusted time of 8.48 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.
In the 200-meter sprint, junior sprinter LaChristopher Smith ran an altitude-adjusted time of 21.82 seconds, the fifth-fastest time in the RMAC and No. 31 in Division II.
With an adjusted time of 1:51.13 seconds, sophomore middle distance runner Will Mayhew ranks second in Division II for the 800-meter sprint and fourth in the South Central region.
The team will begin their outdoor season on March 25 at the Colorado College Invitational.
Women’s Track and Field
The women’s track and field team has had a record-breaking season. The team competed in the RMAC Championships on Feb. 24-25 at Black Hills State University. The women’s team will transition into the outdoor season on March 25 at the Colorado College Invitational.
With a freshman-dominated team, there have been notable performances and athletes who may move on to compete at the NCAA Championships on March 10-11 in Birmingham, Ala.
Freshman long distance runner Kayla Wooten ran an altitude-adjusted time of 4:54.30 in the mile, which ranks her at No. 18 in DII. She is second among the nation’s freshmen and fifth in the RMAC performance records.
Junior middle distance runner junior Molly Klotz was named the RMAC Women’s Track & Field Athlete of the Week after earning the No. 12 spot in the nation in DII with an altitude-adjusted time of 2:10.6 in the 800 meter dash.