The Rockets look to carry the momentum of their victory against No. 12 Michigan to the Bama Bash tournament this weekend. Toledo stunned the Wolverines in a thrilling five set match last Saturday giving them a perfect 3-0 record and claiming their sixth Rocket Classic Title.
The IC’s 2010-11 football preview
With the 2010-11 season about to kick off on Friday as the Rockets face Arizona in the Glass Bowl at 8 p.m. on ESPN, the Rockets have one goal in mind—playing on Dec. 3 in the Mid-American Conference Championship. “Dec. 3, we want to be in that game,” Toledo head coach Tim Beckman said.
The Rockets upset No. 12 Michigan Saturday night at Savage Arena en route to their second-straight Rocket Classic Championship. “This is one of the best feelings in the world,” junior captain Kassie Kadera said. “After we beat Louisville last year, all the returning players had the feeling we could do anything.
After upsetting Big Ten opponent Purdue to begin their regular season, the Rockets have cruised to a 3-1 start with recent victories coming against Morehead State and Youngstown State, outscoring opponents 12-5. Toledo opened their home campaign against Morehead State on Friday.
Toledo head coach Tim Beckman announced today that sophomore Austin Dantin will be the starting quarterback for the season opener against Arizona on Friday at 8 p.m. on ESPN. Dantin played in seven games last season completing 79-of-119 passes (66.4%) for 962 yards and four touchdowns and four interceptions after replacing Aaron Opelt, who suffered a torn rotator cuff.
-The QB shuffle Although UT head coach Tim Beckman announced sophomore Austin Dantin as the starting quarterback for the 2010-11 season, he has also kept the door open for others announcing that “you will see all the quarterbacks in the [Arizona] game.
When the University of Toledo football team hits the field on their opener against Arizona on Sept. 3, it will also be the debut of ‘M.P.O.D. Inc.,’ a 12-player group which lives by the motto “Make Plays or Die.” M.P.O.D. Inc. is led by senior cornerback Desmond Marrow, and consists of running back Morgan Williams, wide receivers Eric Page, Kenny Stafford and Ed Williams, tight end Jerome Jones, offensive lineman Nate Cole, linebacker Archie Donald and defensive backs Diauntae Morrow, Taikwon Paige, Jermaine Robinson and Mark Singer.
Former Toledo wide receiver Stephen Williams made his professional debut with the Cardinals last Saturday as Arizona beat the Houston Texans 19-16. Williams and the Cardinals play in Tennessee against the Titans tonight on ESPN’s Monday Night Football at 8 p.
With his roster spot still up in the air, Barry Church took advantage of an injury-depleted safety spot and came up with one of the marquee plays in Saturday’s 16-14 victory preseason game in San Diego. The former Toledo safety scooped up a second-quarter fumble by Chargers running back Darren Sproles on the Cowboys (2-1) 13-yard line and returned it 80 yards before being tackled eight yards from the endzone.
Sophomore running back Jake Walker will be leaving the UT football program this season to transfer to Eastern Illinois. “Jake did a good job for us and I hate to see him leave,” UT head coach Tim Beckman said. “He just made the decision to leave, and he will be good at Eastern Illinois.
The Rockets kicked off their season Saturday night with the first annual Blue-Gold match at Savage Arena. The Blue squad prevailed in three sets in the inter-squad scrimmage as their regular season debut is slated for Friday at Savage Arena. “I thought our transition offense was really good and our defensive plays, the way we were going to the floor and controlling the ball were all positive,” UT head coach Greg Smith said.
Sources tell the Independent Collegian that former UT running back Jake Walker has transferred to Eastern Illinois. The 5-11, 210 pound sophomore from Delray Beach, Fla. ran for 67 yards on 16 carries in his rookie season in 2008 before being redshirted last year.
CANTON, Ohio – Former Toledo safety Barry Church played in his first professional game on Sunday, as his Dallas Cowboys topped the Cincinnati Bengals 16-7 in the NFL’s preseason opener at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Field at Fawcett Stadium.
The Rockets will look a bit different on their season opener against Arizona on Sept. 3, with Toledo preparing to wear new uniforms for the upcoming 2010-11 season. The Rockets will officially unveil both the home and away uniforms on UT’s Media Day on Saturday.
After signing head coach Lars Jorgensen to an extension through 2014 in April after winning the school’s first ever Mid-American Conference championship, Jorgensen has left the Toledo swimming and diving program to take the assistant coaching job at Tennessee, his alma mater.
The University of Toledo football team was picked to finish fourth in the Mid-American Conference West Division on Friday at the MAC Media Day at Ford Field. “I think that because the kids are so young and we don’t have a proven quarterback, I thought that they’d have us somewhere around that spot,” Toledo head coach Tim Beckman said.
After being suspended for the final 13 games of the season, Toledo forward Mohammad Lo was suspended by first-year head coach Tod Kowalczyk from July 11-25. The Toledo Blade reported that sources told them it stemmed from “academic and disciplinary matters.
King turns to villian and what Cleveland can do to recover
By Zach Davis Sports Editor “When I look at myself, I’m not representing LeBron now. I’m representing the league, the city of Akron, the city of Cleveland… I’m not going to disappoint anybody.” These words issued by former Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James during a 2007 Nike advertisement campaign went out the window last week with the phrase “I’m taking my talents to South Beach” as James instantly went from one of the most beloved to hated players in the NBA and solidified himself as one of the biggest villains in Cleveland sports history.
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert is a bit emotional. I never saw that level of passion out of him before his reaction to the departure of LeBron James on Thursday night. He was always just a name, never a face. Now Gilbert is quickly becoming one of the more famous sporting figures in Cleveland, the yin to Art Modell’s malevolent yang.
The free agent frenzy of 2010 is in full swing with the recent signings of Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwayne Wade in Miami. The New “Big Three” signed last week after James made his decision during a primetime television special on ESPN.
The UT baseball team saw many ups and downs during the 2010 season. Despite finishing under .500 in 2009, the Rockets reached the Mid-American Conference tournament finals before losing to Kent State. This year Toledo returned 25 lettermen in and a survey of MAC coaches saw that UT was picked to finish second in the MAC’s East Division.
Stephen Strasburg: Believe the Hype CLEVELAND – After Washington Nationals rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s historic MLB debut last Tuesday, many baseball fans wanted to see what he would do for an encore. As it turns out, Strasburg looks like he is already one of the game’s best pitchers.
IC Staff The University of Toledo men’s basketball team has added their third addition to the 2010 roster with recruit J.T. Thomas. “J.T. is an important piece to our puzzle because he is a guard and we obviously were lacking in that area,” Kowalczyk said.
Zach Davis Sports Editor Over the last week, the NCAA has seen dramatic changes to its conferences with Nebraska and Colorado leaving the Big 12 to join the Big Ten and Pac-10, respectively. Next week’s developments could be even bigger with rumors of Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State among others leaving the Big 12 in ruins on their way to joining the Pac-10.
Joe Mehling IC Staff Writer Juniors Matt Suschak and Jared Hoying have signed on to play professionally after being selected on the second day of the 2010 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft on Tuesday. Of the draft’s 50 total rounds, Suschak was chosen in the 7th round by the Atlanta Braves while Hoying was taken in the 10th round by the Texas Rangers.
It was a weekend to remember as solid pitching and a hit streak of historic proportions propelled the Rockets to a three-game sweep against Eastern Michigan this weekend at Oestrike Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich. The sweep gave Toledo 31 wins on the season, which is UT’s first 30-win season since 1999.
Former UT basketball players Stephen Albrecht and Jake Barnett have chosen where they will play next season. Albrecht will be heading to Brown, while Barnett has chosen St. Louis. “I [considered Division II], but I just looked at my future and the possibility of having an Ivy League Degree was something I couldn’t pass up,” Albrecht said.
The day that Cavaliers fans have been dreading has finally come. The “Summer of LeBron” has begun. Following a terrible showing in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, including the worst playoff loss in franchise history, Cleveland’s best hope for breaking a 46-year drought without any major championship may soon be gone as two-time MVP LeBron James enters Free Agency.
The Mud Hens have battled inconsistency both on and off the field this season. Despite posting the lowest ERA in the International League at 3.41 and the second lowest WHIP at 1.31, Toledo needed wins yesterday and Saturday to pull above .500 at 20-18.
The Rockets 2010 campaign has come to an end after failing to qualify for the Mid-American Conference tournament. Toledo finished the season with a 12-39 overall record and a 4-18 record in the MAC. The Rockets finished their season with 14 straight games on the road, posting a 4-10 record, being outscored by 21 runs.
After visiting the University of Toledo campus last weekend, Wisconsin-Green Bay freshmen Rian Pearson and Matt Smith transferred to the Toledo basketball program on Monday. Both players played under new head coach Tod Kowalczyk last season and will sit out next year due to NCAA transfer rules.
The University of Toledo softball team swept Horizon League leader Cleveland State on the road yesterday 4-0, 4-3. The sweep was the first for the Rockets this season and just the second time this year UT has won back-to-back games. Cleveland State had won eight of their last nine games but left 21 runners on base in the series, losing twice to the same opponent for the first time this season.
The Rockets fought back from a 5-0 deficit Wednesday at Scott Park to defeat Wright State 9-8 in 12 innings and end their two-game losing skid. The walk-off single was provided by junior shortstop Chris Dudics, whose three-hit performance extended his hitting streak to 25 games.
Former University of Toledo players Barry Church and Stephen Williams have been signed as free agents following the NFL Draft. Church will join the Dallas Cowboys while Williams will be playing for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals reached the Super Bowl in 2008 and both teams lost in the second round of the playoffs this year.
The Rockets halted a six-game losing streak and took two-of-three from Northern Illinois this weekend at Scott Park. “We won the series but I would have been happier [winning] three out of three,” said Toledo Head Coach Cory Mee. “It’s big in our conference to keep winning series’ especially coming back and competing after having a rough patch there.
University of Toledo head coach Tod Kowalczyk secured his first recruit for the upcoming 2010 season on Saturday. Reese Holliday, a 6-4, 205 pound guard from Sumner Academy in Kansas City, Kan., averaged 23.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.5 assists in his senior year, leading the Sabres to the Class 4A State Championship.
After splitting the series against Miami (OH) on Friday, the Rockets were swept in a two-game series against Ball State. The Rockets rallied in game two to defeat the RedHawks 11-6 after suffering a nine-run loss earlier in the day. UT was on the brink of splitting the series against Ball State after a 10-1 defeat on Saturday, but the Cardinals devastated Toledo with a walk-off home run to win 13-12 on Sunday.
With the 2010 NFL Draft taking place tonight, the IC Sports staff has combined its NFL knowledge to produce our second annual mock draft. The draft order was picked at random for our five staff members. IC Staff Writers Joe Mehling and Tony Bibler drew the first two picks with St.
The Rockets couldn’t stop the bleeding Wednesday as they fell 9-7 to visiting Cleveland State at Scott Park for their sixth loss in a row. “We need to play better,” Toledo head coach Cory Mee said. “Our formula for success is to pitch, play defense and hit in the clutch, and right now we’re not doing it as well as we can.
Former Iowa State guard Dominique Buckley will transfer to Toledo and be eligible to compete for the Rockets beginning in the 2011-12 season, Toledo Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk announced Tuesday. After Buckley sits out the 2010-11 season, he will have two years of eligibility left at UT.
On a cool, windy night at the Glass Bowl that felt more like a game in October, the Blue team defeated the Gold Team 21-14 in the annual spring game as the Rockets embark on their second season under Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman. A one-yard touchdown run from junior running back Morgan Williams and subsequent two-point conversion pass from sophomore quarterback Austin Dantin to freshman wide receiver Edward Williams with 1:04 to play sealed the victory for the Blue team, who had 311 yards of total offense in the game compared to the Gold team’s 193.
After a disappointing 5-7 year in which the Rockets lost four of their last five games, the UT football team took the field for the first time in the 2010 season in Friday’s spring game. It was the first occasion that Toledo played without key players from last year’s team, such as defensive star Barry Church and offensive starters including quarterback Aaron Opelt, running back DaJuane Collins and wide receiver Stephen Williams.
It was a weekend for the Rockets to forget as they were swept at home in three games set against arch-rival Bowling Green. The sweep knocked Toledo out of a tie for first in the Mid-American Conference West standings and into third place. The Rockets pitching staff allowed BGSU to rack up 32 total runs during the series.
The Rockets dropped three-of-four games this weekend by a combined total of six runs. “Every game matters, but there are still a lot of games left and what’s done is done and we just have to move on,” Toledo Head Coach Tarrah Beyster said. “These were very close games this weekend, but we have to move on to the following weekend.
After a 5-7 season last year, the Rockets will try to continue to their rebuilding process in head coach Tim Beckman’s second year of Toledo’s self-proclaimed “new era” with their annual Blue and Gold spring game at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the Glass Bowl.
“We were jumping around. The stadium was going crazy. I ran down [the field] and it was just like the whole stadium stopped, and I was just laying there like ‘Wow.’” That was the last play senior cornerback Desmond Marrow took part in for the Rockets after suffering a season-ending injury covering the opening kickoff at Northern Illinois on Oct.
The official Web site for Northern Illinois athletics references Toledo and depicts them as the “Evil Empire.” The site, NIUHuskies.com, contains a splash page which lists NIU head coach Jerry Kill’s top 10 reasons to buy season tickets for the Huskies.
The Rockets lost 8-4 on Tuesday at Michigan, ending their winning streak at eight games. “It was a good ball game,” UT head coach Cory Mee said. “Early on, Michigan jumped out front and had a couple of homeruns early in the game. Our guys fought back and got it back to 5-4.
The Rockets traveled to Amherst Audubon Field and swept a three-game set from the Buffalo over the weekend. The sweep is UT’s eighth-straight win and their 14th victory in the last 16 games, last losing at Ohio State. Toledo’s lone Mid-American Conference loss came over two weeks ago when they dropped a 2-1 decision at Scott Park against defending MAC Champion Kent State.
After sophomore forward Ian Salter told the Independent Collegian he would not be returning to the Rockets on Wednesday, the University of Toledo basketball program announced that sophomore guard Larry Bastfield and freshmen guards Josh Freelove and Neil Watson would also be leaving the team.
The Rockets suffered back-to-back losses this weekend against arch-rival Bowling Green. Toledo was outscored 12-2 over the weekend, falling to 7-26 on the season and just 1-5 in Mid-American Conference play. “BG is a big rival, and I knew the girls were really excited about heading down to Bowling Green to take on the Falcons,” Toledo head coach Tarrah Beyster said.
Toledo men’s basketball coach Tod Kowalczyk told the Independent Collegian yesterday that forward Mohammad Lo would return next year for his senior season. Lo was suspended by former head coach Gene Cross for the final 13 games of the season after an altercation in practice with former freshman guard Jake Barnett.
The Rockets posted back-to-back wins in games against Olivet College at home on Tuesday and at Cleveland State on Wednesday to run their winning streak to a season-high five games. Toledo’s 27-8 victory against Olivet marked the biggest offensive output of the season and the largest since the Rockets beat Wayne State 30-7 on April 24, 2002.
Freshman guard Malcolm Griffin told the Independent Collegian yesterday that he will return next season and not seek a transfer from the program after former head coach Gene Cross’ resignation last month. Griffin was Toledo’s third-leading scorer at 7.
The Rockets traveled to Akron over the weekend and swept all three games from the Zips at Lee Jackson Field. Toledo (16-9, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) caught fire against the Zips (14-12, 2-4 MAC) and posted a blistering .434 team average. Leading the charge for UT was back-to-back MAC West player of the week Jared Hoying.
The Toledo softball team lost three-of-four games at home this weekend against Mid-American Conference West Division foes Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan. The Rockets lone victory was a 6-5 win over the Eagles in the first game of a double-header on Friday.
The University of Toledo named former Wisconsin-Green Bay head coach Tod Kowalczyk as the 18th men’s basketball coach in UT history at Savage Arena on Tuesday. Kowalczyk posted a 136-112 record for the Phoenix in his eight seasons, including back-to-back 22-win seasons and invites to the College Basketball Invitational.
Holding a 3-2 lead over Ohio State heading into the bottom of the eighth inning yesterday in Columbus, the Rockets surrendered two consecutive RBI singles to the Buckeyes, losing 4-3. The loss was UT’s 17th-straight to Ohio State (14-7). However, the Buckeyes—who lost three-of-four games heading into the contest—had also averaged 15.
Sophomore guard Clare Aubry asked for and was granted a release from her scholarship and received it on March 24, citing playing time as one reason she is planning to transfer. “I love to play the game and I just feel like a piece of me is missing, so I’m trying to get that back,” Aubry said.
The University of Toledo named former Wisconsin-Green Bay Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk the next men’s basketball coach at UT in Savage Arena today. Kowalczyk posted a 136-112 record for the Phoenix in his eight seasons, including back-to-back 22-win seasons and invites to the College Basketball Invitational.
After losing 2-1 on Friday, the Rockets came back and swept both games of a double-header on Saturday to win the series against Kent State. The Golden Flashes beat Toledo 5-3 in the Mid-American Conference Championship game last season. Pitching was the difference for Toledo (13-8, 2-1 MAC) in the series as six pitchers combined to give up just four runs all series, three of which were earned.
In the wake of former UT men’s basketball coach Gene Cross’ resignation, the future of many of UT’s players at the university are in doubt. One of them was not freshman guard Jake Barnett – or so we thought. On March 14, I attended a press conference with both Barnett and junior forward Justin Anyijong, who stood up as captains and responded to the questions that Cross unfairly left them to answer, leaving just three days before.
In their first meet at the renovated UT Track, the Toledo track and field team won the Toledo Collegiate Challenge with a total score of 144 points, ousting Mid-American Conference rivals Bowling Green (131) and Ohio (127) in the process. “I’m pleased that we won,” Toledo Head Coach Kevin Hadsell said.
After a 15-3 victory at Dayton, the UT baseball team dominated Oakland 20-4 yesterday at Scott Park for their fourth consecutive win. The Rockets (11-7) were led offensively by junior shortstop Jared Hoying, who was 3 for 3 with two runs, two RBI and one stolen base against the Golden Grizzlies.
Freshman guard and co-captain Jake Barnett has requested and received a release from his scholarship after saying on March 14 that he would be back with the team next season. “When you make a commitment for something, it’s your word,” Barnett said in the March 14 press conference about former head coach Gene Cross’ departure.
After a season of injuries at the quarterback position last year, the University of Toledo football program is again looking to find a new signal-caller. Four-year starter Aaron Opelt graduated but left the Rockets showing the exciting promise that head coach Tim Beckman’s new offense displayed in just its first year of installation.
The Rockets dropped both games yesterday in South Bend against No. 24 Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish dominated the first contest winning 11-0 in just five innings while allowing just one hit by Toledo. Despite early success in the second game, the Rockets fell 8-4.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Toledo women’s basketball team’s season came to a close in the place it began with a 72-57 loss to Michigan in the second round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament yesterday. The Rockets opened the year with a closed-door scrimmage at Crisler Arena in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Toledo women’s softball team lost three-of-five games this weekend at the Miami (OH) Invitational in Oxford, Ohio and is now 6-19 this season. The Rockets went 1-1 against Robert Morris, were victorious over Canisius and defeated by both Michigan State and host Miami.
The Rockets traveled to Cincinnati and took two-of-three games from the Bearcats at Marge Schott Stadium over the weekend. Junior infielder Jared Hoying hit .438 (7 for 16) over the three games, knocked in seven runs and hit four home runs, three of which came in the opener of a double-header on Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore right-hander Kyle Shaw pitched all nine innings in a shutout yesterday as the Rockets won their home opener 4-0 over IPFW to improve to 7-6 on the season. Shaw recorded four strikeouts and gave up just three hits to the Mastodons (1-13), improving his record to 2-1 with the performance.
The Rockets welcome Big-East foe Pittsburgh to Savage Arena on Friday at 7 p.m. to kick off the first-round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament. This year marks the sixth time that UT has been involved in the WNIT, last playing in 2003.
The Rockets spilt a pair of games against Southern Utah University yesterday afternoon at Scott Park. Toledo took the first game 7-3 but fell in the second game 8-5 as their record moves to 4-16 on the season. Sophomore Erin Gates and freshman Erinn Wright led the Rockets as both players went 5 for 8 with two RBI.
CLEVELAND — In a match up of the Mid-American Conference’s top two seeds, the UT women’s basketball team trailed by one with just 90 seconds remaining but allowed eight unanswered points in a 62-53 loss to No. 1 Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday.
Gene Cross resigned as the head coach of the UT men’s basketball team on Thursday, just three days after Athletic Director Mike O’Brien received an accusatory letter about Cross. The Independent Collegian submitted a public records request for the letter on Saturday morning that has yet to be fulfilled.
Shocked. Surprised. These were just a couple of the words that players and coaches from the Toledo men’s basketball team uttered after their head coach Gene Cross stepped down on Thursday. Though some believed that Cross could’ve been fired after his team posted a 4-28 record this season, quitting was an unexpected turn of events.
The Rockets were victorious in one of four games this past weekend in the Johnny Gill Memorial Tournament held in Rock Hill, S.C., and are now 6-6 on the season after the three-day tournament. Toledo was led by senior catcher and infielder Aaron Dudley, who went 6-for-15 with four RBI and batted .
University of Toledo Athletic Director Mike O’Brien announced that Gene Cross has stepped down as men’s basketball coach. “We would like to thank Gene for his efforts on behalf of the men’s basketball program and wish him well in his future endeavors,” O’Brien said.
The Rockets suffered an 89-84 overtime loss Tuesday night in the season-finale against Eastern Michigan in Ypsilanti, Mich. “I think we showed a lot of heart coming back despite the deficit to force overtime,” Toledo Head Coach Tricia Cullop said.
Since Pistons’ president of basketball operations Joe Dumars dealt team captain and 2004 NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson two games into the 2008-09 season, Detroit has gone just 58-83 and in all likelihood will miss the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
Former Toledo football players Barry Church and Stephen Williams participated in the 2010 Scouting Combine over the past week in Indianapolis as they prepare for the NFL draft. The combine, held from Feb. 24-March 2, puts players through various drills, tests and interviews in front of more than 600 NFL personnel.
Junior Aleksander Elezovic was named the Mid-American Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Week yesterday after earning three individual victories and two doubles wins last week in matches against Butler University, Wayne State and the University of Notre Dame.
School record losing streak stops at 19 games
The Rockets snapped the school’s longest losing streak at 19 games on Saturday night at Savage Arena as they defeated the Mid-American Conference West Division leader Ball State 45-42. With the loss, the Cardinals fell into a three-way tie for the top spot with Central Michigan (14-14, 8-7 MAC) and Eastern Michigan (16-13, 8-7 MAC).
For the first time in school history, the University of Toledo swimming and diving team became Mid-American Conference Champions on Saturday after piling up 670.5 total points over the course of four days of competition at the championships, which were held at Miami (OH) in Oxford.
The Toledo women’s basketball team clinched their fifth Mid-American Conference West Division title after a 62-48 victory over Ball State at Savage Arena Saturday on Senior Day. The Rockets remain one game behind Bowling Green for the MAC regular season championship.
The UT baseball team opened the 2010 season over the weekend with a 2-1 record in the Service Academies Classic. The Rockets return 25 letterwinners to a team that lost 5-3 to Kent State in the finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament last season.
The Rockets fell to Western Michigan 61-41 last night, extending the school’s longest losing streak to 19 games. Toledo trailed by as many as 25 and was outscored 30-8 inside the paint. “That’s why they shot 54 percent, because they got points in the paint and we didn’t,” Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross said.
The Rockets staked at least a partial claim in the Mid-American Conference West Division title with their 77-68 victory Wednesday night at Central Michigan on Senior Night. With the victory, UT (21-6, 11-3 MAC) can claim sole possession of the West Division title with a win in one of their final two regular season games.
After posting a league-best 43-11 record throughout the first 54 games of the season, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the biggest move of the trade deadline, acquiring two-time All-Star forward Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards. Though failing to entice Phoenix to part with Amar’e Stoudamire, the Cavs still were able to fleece Washington by acquiring Jamison, along with point guard Sebastian Telfair of the Clippers, in a three-team deal while only giving up center Zydrunus Ilgauskas and a first round pick.
The return of senior forwards Tanika Mays and Allie Clifton could not help the Rockets as they suffered their sixth loss of the season 73-67 Saturday at Northern Illinois. With the loss, UT (20-6 Mid-American Conference) remains first in MAC West division but falls behind Bowling Green (21-6, 11-2 MAC) for the best record in the conference.
The Tarrah Beyster era in Toledo Softball began this weekend as the first year head coach led the Rockets into the 2010 season with a 1-4 record in the First Pitch Classic in Charlotte, N.C. “I’m very excited to be a part of the Rocket family,” Beyster said.
Despite trailing by just one at halftime, the Rockets losing streak hit 18 games as they fell to Horizon League foe Cleveland St. 87-63 on Saturday. The Vikings shot an incredible 74 percent (20 for 27) from the field, outscoring Toledo 53-30 in the second half.
The Rockets lost a school record 17th-consecutive game last night to Eastern Michigan 58-42. The losing streak also ties Fordham for the longest in the nation. When the Rockets lost 74-59 on the road against Eastern Michigan on Jan. 13, freshman guard Malcolm Griffin guaranteed a win.
For most students, attending college means doing so at the local university or within a few hours from home. Imagine what it would be like to attend college in a foreign country roughly 6,000 miles away from your hometown where the people speak an entirely different language.
The 2009-10 Rockets have endured a year unlike any Toledo has ever seen, as UT is on pace to complete the worst season in school history. Since winning three-of-four games with their last victory coming on Dec. 10 against IPFW, the Rockets are tied with Fordham for the nation’s longest losing streak at 17 games, nearly doubling the previous school record of nine tied by last year’s squad.
The Rockets ran their win streak at Savage Arena to 11-consecutive games with a 65-41 victory over divisional foe Western Michigan in front of 4,225 fans on Saturday. The game held a “Rockets for a Cure” theme, including an auction of UT’s special pink, game-worn jerseys following the game, with proceeds going to the Susan G.
Toledo lost 63-46 at Central Michigan last night for its school-record 16th-consecutive loss. The Rockets (3-23, 0-12 Mid-American Conference) are now 0-28 on the road under head coach Gene Cross and just 1-43 away from Savage Arena since the 2007-08 season.
A short-handed UT defeated Akron 74-68 at Savage Arena last night. Toledo was without senior forwards Tanika Mays and Allie Clifton. Mays hyperextended her knee in practice and Clifton is still battling with plantar fasciitis. “I’ll take a win any day,” UT Head Coach Tricia Cullop said.
On Monday, Toledo Head Football Coach Tim Beckman announced the addition of Louis Ayeni, Scott “Izzy” Isphording and Glen Elarbee to the Rockets’ football staff. “We are very fortunate to have Izzy, Louis and Glen join the Rocket family,” Beckman said.
The Rockets lost a school-record 15th-consecutive game last night in a 55-47 loss at Miami (OH), extending the original record of 10. Gene Cross continued his winless record on the road in his two seasons as head coach for UT, running his record to 0-27.
Sophomore swimmer Laura Lindsay was named the Counsilman Hunsaker National Collegiate Swimmer of the Week on Tuesday after her performances in the Rockets 159-135 victory in their regular season finale at Buffalo last Saturday. Lindsay finished in first place in both the 100 and 200 breaststroke with NCAA “B” qualifying times of 1:02.
After tying the score at 59 on Saturday, the Rockets went scoreless in the final 4:46 of the game for their 14th-straight loss, falling 65-59 at home to Buffalo. The Rockets also let a close game slip away at home on Thursday in a 65-58 overtime loss against Ohio.
The Rockets responded from Wednesday’s loss against Kent State with a 76-54 victory over Ohio University on Saturday at the Convocation Center in Athens, Ohio. “The loss on Wednesday took a lot of wind out of our sails, but I thought our players responded and played extremely well today,” Toledo Head Coach Tricia Cullop said.
UT Head Coach Tim Beckman announced his 2010 football recruiting class yesterday at Savage Arena. The group of 26 ranks as the No. 1 class in the Mid-American Conference by both Rivals.com and Scout.com, two of the top recruiting analyzers in the nation.
After leading by double digits at halftime, the Rockets were outscored 11-3 in the final two minutes last night in a 62-59 loss at Kent State. “Kent outplayed us in the second half,” Toledo Head Coach Tricia Cullop said. “They were more aggressive.
On Tuesday afternoon, the University of Toledo Athletic Department unveiled the estimated $9 million Fetterman Training Center to the media, with the official dedication and tour for fans coming this Saturday prior to the men’s basketball game against Buffalo.
Drop record 12th-consecutive game, 0-26 on road in Cross’ two-year tenure
The Rockets dropped their 12th-straight game on Monday night 58-47 to Bowling Green. The loss adds to the longest losing streak in Toledo history and marks the 26th-straight road loss for UT under Head Coach Gene Cross. “They’re disappointed with the loss, but I will not allow them to be down,” Cross said.
The Rockets dropped their 10th-straight game Tuesday night as they fell to Kent State 69-49. The game was decided after a 20-0 run by the Golden Flashes which spanned over the first and second half. Toledo failed to score 50 points for the seventh time this season.
In May 2001, Curt Miller took over a struggling Bowling Green women’s basketball program that finished the previous season with an 11-18 overall record. Miller entered this season with 179 total wins (fourth-most all-time in Mid-American Conference history) and recently garnered his 100th MAC victory.
The UT women’s basketball team maintained first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division and escaped with a 69-67 overtime victory in Buffalo last night after letting a 14-point lead slip away in the second half. “It was obviously an ugly game,” Toledo Head Coach Tricia Cullop said.
\ Senior forward Tanika Mays’ career-high 28 points helped push the shorthanded Rockets past Eastern Michigan in a 72-63 victory last night in Savage Arena. The victory moved Toledo into sole possession of first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division standings.
Toledo dropped its sixth-straight game last night at Eastern Michigan, falling 74-59. The 15-point loss marks the 12th loss of the season by 10 or more points for the Rockets, who have won just once in their last 37 road contests dating back to the 2007-08 season and are now 0-22 on the road under Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross.
Well, it’s time to put you on notice. The Toledo women’s basketball team is off to their best start in 11 years and is on pace to go down as one of the finest teams in program history. In just her second season with the Rockets, UT Head Coach Tricia Cullop has completely changed the landscape of the program.
Senior forward Tanika Mays’ 22 points and 13 rebounds led the Rockets to a 74-60 victory in front of a season-high 3,394 fans Saturday afternoon at Savage Arena. “I just come out and play and do what I need to do for my team,” Mays said. “My plan is to do everything I can to help my team win every time I take the court.
The UT men’s basketball team’s offensive struggles continued on Saturday in the Mid-American Conference opener as the Rockets lost 59-48 at home against Central Michigan. “That was a very ugly game,” Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross said. “They came out and jumped on us.
The Toledo swimming and diving team won the opening three events but could not upset unbeaten Ohio State in a 161-133 loss at the UT Student Rec Center on Saturday. “We fought hard today and it was a really close competition,” UT Head Coach Lars Jorgensen said.
Toledo Head Coach Tricia Cullop had seen enough yesterday as her team trailed by 17 points at halftime. “I said you three captains need to talk [to the team],” Cullop said. “I’ll see you at the three minute mark and I walked out.
The Rockets put together a second-half comeback after scoring just 19 points in the first half but fell short 66-56 to Wright State on Tuesday. The loss sends Toledo to a 2-7 record and snaps their two-game winning streak. “You have to put two halves together,” said Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross.
Is it possible for the Tigers to trade two former All-Stars, including the face of the franchise in center fielder Curtis Granderson and starting pitcher Edwin Jackson, and actually be better off? In this case, absolutely. While Detroit may not see the dividends immediately, the Tigers received a slew of valued prospects, including SP Max Scherzer and relief pitcher Daniel Schlereth from Arizona and CF Austin Jackson and RP Phil Coke from the Yankees.
Freshman co-captain Jake Barnett recorded a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Rockets to a 76-67 victory over the University of Maryland Baltimore County at Savage Arena on Saturday. Barnett was one of three UT freshmen to score in double figures for the Rockets (2-6, 0-0 Mid-American Conference), who won their second consecutive game of the season.
Freshman Kenzie Bagan and her record-setting pace in the 200 butterfly helped the Toledo swimming and diving team place third out of seven teams at the Eastern Michigan Invitational this weekend in Ypsilanti, Mich. Bagan, who nearly broke the school-record a month ago in a dual meet against Miami (OH), edged Taryn Smith’s old record of 2:03.
Freshman Kiah Douglas and juniors Amanda Kaverman and Alex Alfoari finished in first place in their respective events on Saturday at the Findlay Oiler Opener to begin the indoor season. “Overall, it was a very good opening meet for us,” said UT Head Coach Kevin Hadsell.
The Rockets’ offense hit on all cylinders Friday night as senior running back DaJuane Collins and sophomore running back Morgan Williams combined for 299 rushing yards as UT cruised to a 47-21 win over Eastern Michigan on Senior Night in the Glass Bowl.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- In front of a crowd of 14,759 at the Breslin Center in East Lansing, Mich. on Friday night, UT guard Stephen Albrecht poured in a game-high 20 points but the young Rockets were outmatched by No. 2 ranked Michigan State as they fell 75-62 in the regional game of the Legends Classic.
A trio of Toledo volleyball players received postseason Mid-American Conference honors this past Friday. Freshman outside hitter Sondra Parys earned All-Freshman team honors, while sophomores Kassie Kadera and Amber DeWeerdt were second-team All-MAC selections.
The Rockets defeated Saint Peters 68-50 at Savage Hall on Saturday to improve to 3-1 on the season. Toledo was led by senior guard Tanika Mays who scored 14 points while freshman center Yolanda Richardson added 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocked shots.
UT senior quarterback Aaron Opelt suffered a partial tear of his right rotator cuff against Western Michigan on Oct. 10. Opelt has missed two games and parts of two others since the injury. “There’s just a little tear in the back of my shoulder, and that’s what I’m battling right now,” said Opelt after UT’s loss to Central Michigan on Wednesday night.
The UT women’s basketball team won 72-62 against Cleveland State to open the season at 1-1 in a pair of home games. “We couldn’t wait for this win,” said sophomore guard Naama Shafir. “We know we’re and good team and we can win. We played good and had a lot of energy.
Rockets pull within three late, doomed by 21 turnovers
The Rockets rallied in the second half Saturday night but could not catch up to Eastern Illinois, losing to the Panthers 72-62 at Savage Arena. It was the first ever meeting between the two teams. “EIU is a very seasoned team,” said Toledo Head Coach Gene Cross.
Toledo volleyball team to face Bowling Green in first round
The Rockets spilt a set of away matches to end the regular season this weekend, falling to Ball State 3-0 on Friday but regrouping to defeat Buffalo 3-1 on Saturday. With the win over Buffalo, Toledo finishes the season in a three-way tie for second place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with Central Michigan and Northern Illinois.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. — Senior quarterback Dan LeFevour and the Central Michigan offense moved the ball at will against Toledo last night in a 56-28 win, matching a season high in points. The Chippewas beat Eastern Michigan 56-8 in their previous home game.
When it comes to sports, obstacles, hurdles and challenges are just part of a packaged deal. If there is anyone in Toledo’s field of athletics who understands this, it’s men’s head basketball coach Gene Cross. A season after going 7-25 (5-11 Mid-American Conference) in his head coaching debut, Cross knows there will be growing pains with a young and relatively inexperienced roster that includes no returning seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and nine freshmen, but he feels that last season’s woes have better prepared him as a coach.
After leading the Toledo women’s volleyball team to wins over Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan last weekend, sophomore setter Kassie Kadera was announced Monday as the Mid-American Conference West Division Player of the Week. It is the first time Kadera has earned the honor.
After losing their last matchup to previously winless Miami (OH) on Oct. 31, Toledo will travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to take on league-unbeaten Central Michigan on Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. The Rockets (4-5, 2-3 MAC) hit the low point of their season last week following a last minute fumble at the goal line by sophomore tight end Danny Noble with 61 seconds remaining.
Nine games into the season, it’s no surprise to see Central Michigan atop the Mid-American Conference standings. If the Chippewas (7-2, 5-0 MAC) had not let their matchup last year against Ball State slip away, we would likely be seeing CMU raise the MAC Championship for the fourth-straight season in 2009.
The fifth-seeded Rockets lost 4-2 to No. 1 Central Michigan in penalty kicks after battling to a scoreless tie after two overtimes on Friday in the Mid-American Conference tournament semi-finals. The Chippewas (16-3-3, 9-0-2 MAC) won their first MAC Championship on Sunday after a 1-0 victory over Miami (OH).
One year ago, UT freshman center and Toledo native Yolanda Richardson was prepping for her final season of high school basketball at Start, one in which she helped lead the Spartans to a 22-3 record and their first appearance in the state finals. Last Thursday, she made her college debut and helped Toledo prepare for the regular season in an 88-64 exhibition victory over Ashland at Savage Arena.
Swimming tops Miami (OH) and OU The Toledo swimming and diving team won both home meets this weekend at the UT Student Recreation Center pool over visiting Mid-American Conference teams Miami (OH) and Ohio to improve to 8-1 (4-0 MAC) this season. The RedHawks and Bobcats have combined to win 26-of-29 MAC Championships since 1981.
` The UT women’s soccer team looks to win their fourth-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship this weekend in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The fifth-seeded Rockets will take on No. 1 Central Michigan on Friday at 11 a.m. with the winner advancing to the championship game on Sunday to face the winner of No.
After a promising start to the 2009 season for the UT football team, the Rockets have struggled in recent weeks, losing three out of their past four games and falling out of contention for the Mid-American Championship. In their “new era” under first-year head coach Tim Beckman, Toledo (4-5, 2-3 MAC) has shown signs of improvement from last year’s 3-9 squad.
After being picked to finish last in the Mid-American Conference West Division last season, the Toledo women’s basketball team went 18-13 (11-5 MAC) under first-year head coach Tricia Cullop and ended the year as the second-ranked team in the division.
Church named Jim Thorpe Semi-Finalist Toledo safety Barry Church was named one of the 12 semi-finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award yesterday, given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. Church is eighth in the Mid-American Conference in tackles this season with 82 (7.
The Toledo women’s soccer team defeated Ohio 3-1 yesterday in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. The fifth-seeded Rockets came away with the victory after goals from sophomores Kristen Lynn and Jamie Morsillo and senior Ali Leak.
Sophomore Ari Fisher won the individual Mid-American Conference Championship and the UT women’s cross country team finished second overall for the conference title in Athens, Ohio on Saturday. Fisher is the school’s first women’s MAC Champion since Briana Shook won back-to-back titles in 2001-02.
OXFORD, Ohio — After a 99-yard drive led by their third-string quarterback on UT’s final possession, the Rockets fumbled at the goal line giving Miami (OH) their first win of the season on Saturday, 31-24. Junior quarterback Alex Pettee drove Toledo down the field with just over seven minutes remaining after the departures of injured quarterbacks Aaron Opelt and Austin Dantin, but a fumble by sophomore tight end Danny Noble bounced out of bounds in the end zone, giving the RedHawks a touchback with just 1:01 remaining.
Swimming finishes in first place at EMU The Rockets recorded three victories this weekend and are now 6-1 in the fall portion of their 2009-10 season. On Saturday at the Eastern Michigan Tri-Meet in Ypsilanti, Mich., Toledo posted wins over host Eastern Michigan (167.
The Rockets could see senior quarterback Aaron Opelt return to the lineup on Saturday as they look to push for bowl eligibility with a road game against winless Miami (OH). Opelt and freshman backup Austin Dantin have been cleared to play this week, and Opelt has been practicing with the first-team offense.
The Rockets end the Mid-American Conference regular season today as they renew their rivalry with Bowling Green at Scott Park at 3 p.m on BCSN. “Every time we face BG, something is always on the line,” said UT Head Coach Brad Evans. Toledo (9-6-3, 5-3-2 MAC) is guaranteed a spot in the MAC tournament and will play its first-round match on Sunday, Nov.
The Toledo women’s basketball team has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the Mid-American Conference West Division for the upcoming 2009-10 season. The conference’s head coaches and 24 members of the league’s media contingent comprised the vote.
Senior wide receiver Stephen Williams broke UT’s career receiving record, but couldn’t carry the Rockets past Temple’s top-ranked Mid-American Conference defense as the Owls trumped Toledo in the Glass Bowl 40-24. Toledo (4-4, 2-2 MAC) dropped to fourth place in the MAC West Division with the loss, while Temple (5-2, 4-0) took sole possession of first place in the MAC East Division with the victory.
The UT women’s volleyball team improved to 5-5 in conference play with victories at home this weekend against Bowling Green and Miami (OH). The Rockets dominated the Mid-American Conference’s second-place team in the East Division with a 3-0 victory over Miami on “Dig Pink Night” Friday at Savage Arena.
The Toledo women’s soccer team went 0-1-1 this weekend, falling to Eastern Michigan 2-1, but battled the Mid-American Conference leading Central Michigan to a scoreless tie. The Rockets started the weekend with a visit to Scicluna Field in Ypsilanti Mich.
Despite playing without senior quarterback Aaron Opelt and losing freshman backup Austin Dantin to a high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter, the Rockets secured a 20-19 victory over Northern Illinois last Saturday when senior safety Barry Church blocked a potential game-winning field goal with 37 seconds left to keep their hopes of winning the Mid-American Conference Championship alive.
When a team moves from worst to first, it’s a nice story. When a team as poor as Temple has been in the past few years does it, it’s a huge turnaround. It all starts with Temple’s fourth-year Head Coach Al Golden, who has already posted a 14-28 record since his arrival in 2006.
After home victories last weekend against Buffalo and Kent State, the Toledo women’s soccer team has moved into sole possession of second place in the Mid-American Conference and secured themselves a spot in the MAC tournament. “Everyone is very proud about qualifying for the tournament,” said Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans.
The UT women’s volleyball team will raise money for charity when they host Mid-American Conference East Division foe Miami tomorrow night for Dig Pink Night at Savage Arena. The Rockets’ have set a goal to raise at least $1,000 in donations. Seventy-five percent of the proceeds will be donated to Susan G.
UT had two female athletes earn Mid-American Conference Player of the Week honors for their performances last weekend. For the second time this season, sophomore Ari Fisher was named Mid-American Conference Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week following her strong showing at the Pre-Nationals Invitational Saturday in Terre Haute, Ind.
Control destiny for MAC title
After a 58-26 Homecoming loss to Western Michigan last week, senior safety Barry Church promised the Rockets’ defense would not come out flat for the rest of the season. Church lived up to that promise on Saturday night notching 12 tackles and two blocked kicks, including a potential game-winning 42-yard field goal with 37 seconds left, to propel the Rockets to a 20-19 victory over NIU and into the driver’s seat for the Mid-American Conference Championship game.
Hockey returned to Toledo after a two-year hiatus as the newly-formed Toledo Walleye came up one goal short in a 2-1 loss on Friday. While opening day wasn’t a success on the ice, it was a victory for the city of Toledo, which sold out its brand new Lucas County Arena as 8,000 fans came to support their new team.
The Toledo women’s volleyball team split a pair of Mid-American Conference road games over the weekend, winning at Kent State on Saturday after a losing to the Ohio Bobcats on Friday. The Rockets (12-8, 3-5 MAC) received double-doubles from sophomore setter Kassie Kadera and sophomore outside hitter Amber DeWeerdt in a 3-2 (14-25, 25-21, 17-25, 25-21, 16-14) win against the Golden Flashes (11-11, 4-4 MAC) on Saturday.
The Toledo swim and dive team opened the season on Saturday, placing first in 10-of-16 events in a tri-meet hosted by Oakland in Rochester, Mich. The Rockets earned their third-straight victory over Illinois with a 182-114 win and beat Oakland for the fourth-straight time, winning 177-119.
The Toledo women’s soccer team moved into sole possession of second place in the Mid-American Conference after a winning two games this weekend at Scott Park. The Rockets won Friday in a 3-1 match against Buffalo before a hat-trick by junior Brittany Hensler led UT to a 3-2 double-overtime victory against Kent State on Sunday.
The Rockets could be without senior starting quarterback Aaron Opelt on Saturday in a must-win situation as they host Northern Illinois on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Glass Bowl. After a 58-26 home loss to Western Michigan last week, a loss to NIU would greatly diminish the Rockets’ chances at winning the Mid-American Conference.
After a season of near victories last year, Northern Illinois has established themselves as one of the best teams in the Mid-American Conference this season. Despite winning just two games in 2007, the Huskies posted a 6-7 record last year. NIU, however, failed to close out big games, losing by four points at Minnesota and Tennessee, falling by three at Western Michigan and coming up a field goal short of defeating Central Michigan in overtime.
Defying temperatures in the mid-40’s and 20 mile per hour gusting winds, the Toledo men’s golf team climbed two spots in the final round of the Firestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio on Tuesday to finish in sixth place with a team score of 896 (302-294-300).
UT Head Coach Gene Cross announced yesterday a trio of captains for the upcoming 2009-10 campaign. Freshman guard Jake Barnett, sophomore point guard Larry Bastfield and junior forward/center Justin Anyijong will lead the Rockets on the floor this season.
The Rockets trailed 20-0 in the opening five minutes and lost senior quarterback Aaron Opelt to a shoulder injury as Western Michigan cruised to a 58-26 victory on Homecoming night in the Glass Bowl on Saturday. “We came out kind of flat,” said senior safety Barry Church, whose team dropped to 3-3 on the season (1-1 Mid-American Conference).
The Toledo women’s soccer team spilt their weekend matches defeating Mid-American Conference foe Akron 1-0 on Friday before falling to Ohio 1-0 yesterday at Scott Park. Junior midfielder Sarah Blake scored in the 54th minute against Akron to lead UT to a shutout victory over the Zips (3-6-2, 1-3-1 MAC).
Toledo ended their three- game losing streak after rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Akron 3-2 (22-25, 19-25, 29-27, 25-16, 15-11) on Saturday at Savage Arena. “I think that just by fighting through that third game, I think that started the confidence that if we do fight and if we do compete then we are going to be okay,” Toledo Head Coach Greg Smith said.
The top-three singles players for the UT women’s tennis team finished a combined 6-0 in the Rocket Invitational on Saturday at the UT Varsity Tennis Courts. “We started off slow this morning with doubles but really picked it up in singles,” said UT Head Coach Tracy Mauntler.
After a 37-30 comeback win in the final minute of play last week at Ball State, the Rockets will play the first of three consecutive home games on Saturday night at 7 p.m. when Western Michigan visits the Glass Bowl for UT’s Homecoming game. “We’re having a great year this year so far,” senior quarterback Aaron Opelt said.
Western Michigan entered the 2009-10 season with uncertainties throughout the lineup after losing multiple key players from last season’s veteran team. While many talented players have returned from a 9-4 Broncos’ team that lost in the Texas Bowl last season, WMU still has severe question marks for this season’s run to a possible Mid-American Conference Championship.
The Toledo women’s golf team finished in second place at the annual Zippy Invitational on Tuesday, Oct. 6, after failing to hold off Grand Valley State (311-305-316=932) during the final round. The Rockets (312-302-321=935) entered the round with a two-shot lead over the Lakers after two rounds from junior Erica Rivard (77-76-76), who finished second overall individually with a three-day total of 229.
After picking up their first road victory of the season last weekend in Miami, Fla. at FIU, the Rockets will head to Muncie, Ind. on Saturday to open their Mid-American Conference schedule against Ball State at noon on ESPN-Plus. “The win did so much for us, our confidence level has skyrocketed,” senior safety Barry Church said.
Last year was a memorable one for Ball State, as the Cardinals began the year winning their first 12 games and were in the discussion for a BCS game. The season turned disappointing, however, after an upset loss in the Mid-American Conference Championship to Buffalo and another later in the GMAC Bowl against Tulsa for a 12-2 overall record.
The Toledo swimming and diving team begins the 2009-10 season on Friday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. with the annual Blue-Gold scrimmage at the UT Student Recreation Center pool. “We are very excited to see where we are at this point in the season,” Toledo Head Coach Lars Jorgensen said.
After being shutout last week against Ohio State, the Rockets’ offense got back on track with a 41-31 victory at Florida International on Saturday night in Miami, Fla. “It was a great win for UT, the community and the university,” Toledo Head Coach Tim Beckman said.
In a five-set match on Saturday night at Savage Arena, the Rockets defeated Mid-American Conference West Division rival Northern Illinois 3-2 (15-25, 25-16, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12) to split the weekend as they opened MAC play. “I think the biggest thing is they started believing, they started to understand they should be winning,” UT Head Coach Greg Smith said.
After a disappointing 38-0 loss to Ohio State in front of a pro-Bucks crowd of 71,727 at Cleveland Browns Stadium last weekend, the Rockets are looking for a return to form on Saturday when they travel to Miami, Fla. to face off against Florida International at 7 p.
Last season, Florida International came into the Glass Bowl winning just one of their last 27 games. They left embarrassing an overconfident UT team 35-16. FIU Head Coach Mario Cristobal, the first Cuban-American coach in Division 1-A football, is entering just his third year at the helm of the program which has only been in existence since 2002.
On Friday, the Rockets open their season on the road at the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., the first of three fall tournaments slated for the women’s tennis team in the 2009-10 campaign. Returning to Toledo this year are seniors Maha Guirguis, Martina Wodzinski, and Nadia Zoubareva.
After starting the season undefeated at 9-0, the Rockets dropped all three matches against UC-Davis, St. Louis, and SIU Edwardsville last weekend at the Billiken Invitational in St. Louis, Mo. In their final match on Saturday, the Rockets lost 3-2 (25-18, 25-19, 21-25, 21-25, 15-13) to SIU Edwardsville, dropping to 9-3 overall, while the Cougars earned their first victory in 15 matches.
The University of Toledo women’s soccer team won one of two games over the weekend with a 3-0 win against Northern Colorado on Friday before a 2-0 loss at No. 25 Ohio State on Sunday. The Rockets are now 4-3-1 on the season. The Rockets were led by junior Brittany Hensler and freshmen Natalie Gaitan and Racheal Kravitz, who scored the only three goals of the weekend for UT.
Amongst a sea of red in Toledo’s own temporary home field, Ohio State held the high-powered Rockets’ offense scoreless as the Buckeyes rolled to a 38-0 victory in Cleveland Browns Stadium on Saturday. OSU’s (2-1) offense racked up 522 total yards, most of which came from sophomore quarterback Terelle Pryor, who had a career day against UT.
Toledo will hope to follow up last week’s rout of Colorado with a victory over Big Ten powerhouse No. 11 Ohio State on Saturday at noon on ESPN-Plus. Despite being one of the biggest home games in UT history, the Rockets will play over 100 miles away from the Glass Bowl, hosting the Buckeyes (1-1) at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Ohio State has received as much criticism as just about every team in the nation over the past few years. Some say they’re too slow, while others yell “overrated” and point to a bad conference. While it’s hard to feel bad for a program as large and successful as The Ohio State University is, the nationwide criticism isn’t totally deserved.
Undefeated at 9-0 and just one of 15 remaining unbeaten teams in the country, the Rockets and first-year head coach Greg Smith have a chance to break the school-record of 10 consecutive victories when they finish up their non-conference schedule this weekend at the St.
Begin “New Era” at Glass Bowl with upset
Toledo senior quarterback Aaron Opelt scored six touchdowns Friday night, helping the Rockets throttle Colorado at the Glass Bowl, 54-38. “Right now I’m riding a pretty good high, Opelt said. “This is an incredible offense to run and it’s exciting.
The Toledo women’s soccer team won one of two games this weekend, breaking a two-game losing streak at Scott Park. The Rockets (3-2-1) lost their first game on Thursday against Wright State, 2-0, before getting back on track with the 1-0 shutout victory against St.
The Rockets improved their season record to 9-0 after defeating Liberty, Louisville and Tennessee Tech to win the Cardinal Classic held in Louisville, Ky. this past weekend. The tournament victory is Toledo’s third straight under first-year head coach Greg Smith.
To play in “Midnight Blue Out” on Friday
After a disappointing 52-31 loss at Purdue last Saturday, the Rockets will attempt to rebound as they host Big 12 conference foe Colorado (0-1) tomorrow at 9 p.m. in the Glass Bowl on ESPN. Toledo allowed a staggering 535 yards of offense at Purdue, including 325 yards rushing.
The University of Colorado football program enters the season on the hot seat as the former Big 12 North powerhouse has regressed in the new millennium. The Buffalos were a national power in the 1990s, but have failed to remain at that level, pairing just one Big 12 Championship with four losing years without a bowl appearance since the 2000 season.
The men’s tennis team opens the season this weekend at home in the Toledo Rocket Invitational, which begins at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at the UT Varsity Tennis Courts. The Rockets will host Denison, Dayton, Wright State and Kenyon in their first tournament of the 2009-10 campaign.
The women’s golf team opens their season this weekend at Michigan State’s Forest Akers West golf course for the Mary Fossum Invitational in East Lansing, Mich. on Saturday. The Rockets will play 36 holes on Saturday and 18 holes on Sunday. “I am really excited about our upcoming season,” UT Women’s Head Coach Nicole Hollingsworth said.
The IC’s 2009-10 football preview
The new era of Toledo Rockets football under first-year head coach Tim Beckman begins on Saturday, Sept. 5 as the Rockets travel across state lines to take on Purdue. “Now it’s finally here.” Beckman said. “We’re excited about the opportunity to play the Purdue Boilermakers and travel to West Lafayette.
Purdue enters the 2009-10 season in a similar position as the Rockets. The Boilermakers are nine years removed from at least a share of the Big Ten Championship and will be coached by first-year head coach Danny Hope, who replaces Purdue legend Joe Tiller.
UT outside hitter Amber DeWeerdt was named the Mid-American Conference’s West Division Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. This is the second time the sophomore has been named Player of the Week in her career. DeWeerdt earned MVP honors following last weekend’s tournament at Savage Arena, where she averaged 0.
The Rockets’ cross country teams kick off their seasons on Friday night in a dual meet against arch-rival Bowling Green at Ottawa Park Golf Course. The women were picked to finish fourth and the men were picked to finish eighth in the 2009 Mid-American Conference Preseason Poll by the league’s coaches.
After three straight losing seasons under Tom Amstutz, the University of Toledo football program felt like they needed a change. Through an emphasis on hard work, academics and discipline, change is exactly what first-year head coach Tim Beckman has brought to the school.
The Rockets’ volleyball team won the 2009 Staybridge Suites Rocket Classic at Savage Arena after wins over Bryant, Marist and Kennesaw State this weekend. Toledo is now 3-0 on the season under first-year head coach Greg Smith. “I told the team I was very proud of the weekend we had,” Smith said.
The Toledo women’s soccer team remained unbeaten over their weekend with a 1-0 win at Loyola (IL) and a 0-0 double-overtime draw at DePaul. Toledo (2-0-1) picked up their second win of the season after a one-point victory over Loyola (IL) (0-4-0). UT junior Erin Flynn scored the lone goal for the Rockets in the third minute of action.
The University of Toledo women’s volleyball team embarks on a new era on Friday when the Rockets begin the 2009-10 season under first-year head coach Greg Smith in the Staybridge Suites Rocket Classic at Savage Arena. Friday’s opener will be the first time the UT volleyball team will get to play at Savage Arena.
The Toledo men’s and women’s basketball teams got a chance to see what they’ll be up against this season as the 2009-10 schedules were released on Tuesday. Despite finishing with a disappointing 7-25 (5-11 Mid-American Conference) record last season, second-year Head Coach Gene Cross and the team have much to look forward to in the 2009-10 campaign.
How much is too much? It’s a question that seems all but forgotten in the hustle and bustle culture we live in, not to mention in the wide world of sports. The Internet has played a monumental role in blurring the line between the informative and the unnecessary, the private and the public.
UT seniors Barry Church, Stephen Williams, DaJuane Collins and Alex Steigerwald each were named to various preseason award watch lists for the upcoming 2009 football season. Church has been nominated as a candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award as well as the Bronco Nagurski Award.
According to head coach Cory Mee, the University of Toledo baseball program will hold a tryout for student- athletes to attempt to walk-on to the team at the beginning of September. A meeting will take place in the grandstands at Scott Park on Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.
Outlook seems bright as UT rolls in opener
The Toledo women’s soccer team began their run at a fourth-straight league championship with a dominating 4-1 victory over Xavier in their season opener on Saturday at Scott Park. Toledo has high hopes for the upcoming 2009 season, as the Rockets were named preseason favorites for both the Mid-American Conference regular season and tournament titles last week, according to a poll of the league’s head coaches.
Former college and professional softball standout Tarrah Beyster was named the new head softball coach of the Rockets by Toledo Athletic Director Mike O’Brien on July 15. “I’m very excited to be a part of the Rocket family,” Beyster said. “I’m looking forward to putting Toledo softball back on the map and building the program up to where it was in the 80s and 90s.
Life can change in an instant. Unfortunately, until it happens to you, you often don’t realize it or understand it. I’m speaking from experience and writing this column hoping that it doesn’t happen to you. Three years ago, I was a senior in high school with the whole world ahead of me.
Toledo baseball players Aaron Dudley, Chris Dudics, and Jared Hoying each were selected to play in their summer league All-Star games. For the second straight year, Toledo native Aaron Dudley earned All-Star honors as a member of the Winchester Royals in the Valley League, where he is currently batting .
Toledo senior kicker Alex Steigerwald was arrested earlier this month for operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Steigerwald was pulled over at 2:55 a.m. on July 8, after running a red light at the intersection of Bancroft Street and University Hills Boulevard.
The remaining tickets for the upcoming Sept. 19 football game at Cleveland Browns Stadium between Toledo and Ohio State will go on sale to the general public today at the UT Athletic Ticket Office at 9 a.m. According to Athletic Ticket Manager Roseann Croop, only a limited number of tickets in the $45 and $55 sections remain.
A pair of freshmen, guard Clayton Sterling and center Zac Taylor, will not be returning to the Toledo Rockets men’s basketball team for the upcoming 2009-10 season. Sterling has decided to transfer, while Taylor has been medically disqualified from competition.
The UT women’s soccer team will begin their quest for winning a fourth-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship when they open their season at home against Xavier on Saturday, Aug. 22 at Scott Park. “In a quiet way I think our team wants to make history and win a fourth-straight MAC tourney title,” Toledo Head Coach Brad Evans said.
It has been a busy offseason for UT Men’s Basketball Head Coach Gene Cross, as he signed seven incoming freshmen for the 2009-10 season. On Monday, the new Rockets began summer classes, as well as workouts with their strength and conditioning coach, Steve Murray.
Last week, three big-name trades went down in the NBA. First, Richard Jefferson was shipped to San Antonio, followed by Shaquille O’Neal being moved to Cleveland to join forces with LeBron James, and finally Orlando added Vince Carter. Oh, by the way, did I mention the NBA Draft was Thursday? With a draft that lacked the star power last year’s class had, it’s easy to see how guys like RJ, Shaq and Vinsanity getting traded took over the headlines.
A massively-hyped trade which brought four-time champion Shaquille O’Neal recently to the Cleveland Cavaliers should provide them with a new dimension for the 2009 season, but still doesn’t put the Cavs as frontrunners for the championship. O’Neal, 37, was injury-free last season with the Phoenix Suns, scoring nearly 18 points while pulling down just over eight rebounds per game.
Ties most players drafted in school history
A trio of Toledo baseball players will have the chance of one day making an MLB roster. Junior starting pitcher Justin Collop, senior reliever Jeff Cinadr and Rocket signee Mike Hamann each were selected in the 2009 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft.
The Detroit Tigers have jumped out to an early three game lead in the American League Central, but not through the way you might have expected. Detroit, which possesses one of the most potent offenses in baseball, ranks just eighth out of 14 teams in the AL in runs scored, at 4.
On June 25, 60 young, talented, hopeful men will hear their names called as they fulfill lifelong dreams and get the opportunity to put on an NBA uniform. Unlike last year’s draft, which was filled with many future all-star and franchise-caliber players like Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, and O.
UT sophomore Naama Shafir was recently chosen to represent her home country of Israel on the U20 National Team. Shafir, originally from Hoshaya, Israel, was named to the Mid American Conference All-Freshman team, while also earning honorable mention All-MAC honors.
Sophomore Jean-Hubert Trahan and junior Jerel Whiting of the UT men’s golf team have began their summer tournament seasons by qualifying for state amateur tournaments. Trahan recently finished first out of 48 golfers with a two-under par 70 at the Red Hawk Run Golf Course in Findlay, Ohio.
It was an all too familiar scene for Tribe fans on Friday as the Cleveland Indians squandered a 7-0 lead and snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in an 8-7 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. The simple truth is this: the Cleveland bullpen is a joke, a sham and an embarrassment.
UT finishes second in quest for MAC crown
Toledo finished in second place in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division after two losses this weekend at Ball State. The Cardinals took sole possession of first place for the first time this season after Thursday’s 15-6 win and clinched the West Division title after a 8-6 win Friday, the seventh title in Ball State history.
Many great players have graced the NBA hardwood in the last five decades-- legends that have changed the game of basketball forever. Fans around the world have seen the likes of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson dominate the sport in their respective eras.
Former Notre Dame assistant coach Greg Smith was announced as the new head coach of the women’s volleyball team at Savage Arena on Monday. “Greg’s background as far as being a head coach in the Big East and ACC, as well as having extensive Midwest ties, particularly in Ohio, clearly made him the ideal choice to be our next volleyball coach,” said UT Athletic Director Mike O’Brien.
University of Toledo Athletic Director Mike O’Brien announced on Wednesday that Jo Ann Gordon was released as head coach of the softball team, ending a seven-year stint for Gordon at Toledo. Gordon was 105-235 (35-115 MAC) in her seven seasons at UT.
Last weekend, the Detroit Pistons exited the NBA Playoffs before reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 2001-02 season. After getting swept by King James and Co., it’s likely that the series officially marked the end of a remarkable era in Pistons’ basketball.
The term bittersweet has come up all too often lately. The season finale of “Chuck” was on Monday (bitter), but it hinted toward coming back for a third season (sweet). I recently shaved, thus ending my attempt to grow a playoff beard (bitter). However, I no longer have to scratch my face every 10 seconds or shampoo it in the shower, and I get to avoid looking like a hobo at the IC’s banquet tomorrow night (sweet).
After destroying Oakland 24-4 three weeks ago, the Rockets were swept on the road by the Grizzlies in a doubleheader on Wednesday. The Rockets are now 18-22 on the season, with an 11-7 record in the Mid-American Conference. Oakland’s (16-23) pitching staff held Toledo to a .
Toledo wide receiver Nick Moore and safety Tyrrell Herbert signed free agent contracts with NFL teams following the last round of the NFL draft on Sunday. Moore will be joining former Toledo running back Chester Taylor as a Minnesota Viking, while Herbert will be reporting to the Buffalo Bills.
The Toledo men’s basketball team added the seventh player to their recruiting class with the addition of Josh Freelove on Tuesday. Freelove, a 6-1, 175-pound guard from North Lauderdale, Fla., will be a welcome addition to a backcourt that lost four co-captains last season, including leading scorers Tyrone Kent and Jonathan Amos, along with Anthony Byrd and Ridley Johnson.
According to documents unsealed in U.S. District Court in Detroit this week, former Toledo running back Adam Cuomo admitted to his involvement in an alleged point-shaving scheme involving both the UT football and basketball teams. The criminal complaint, which was filed last August, says, “Cuomo stated that he was the University of Toledo player who started the point-shaving scheme with ‘Gary.
Toledo won two of three games this weekend against Central Michigan, extending their lead in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division to 2.5 games over Ball State. The Rockets (18-20,11-7 MAC) were led by junior Aaron Dudley, who went 8-14 in the series with two runs and three RBI.
Senior Brie Ford hit a three-RBI home run yesterday to give the Rockets a 3-1 victory over Buffalo on Senior Day. UT went 2-2 at home over the weekend, losing to the Bulls on Saturday and splitting a doubleheader on Friday against Kent State. Dana Carter hit her second home run of the weekend yesterday to give Buffalo (23-23, 6-12 Mid-American Conference) a 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning.
With the Mid-American Conference title on the line Saturday in Buffalo, the Rockets came up just short in a 4-3 loss to Western Michigan. The Broncos defeated Toledo for their fourth-consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship as the Rockets finished with an 18-11 record on the season.
Every April, so-called experts such as Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay try to predict what player each team will select in the NFL draft. The attempts are pointless. With all of the smokescreens put out by NFL teams, and the unpredictibility of trades, it is impossible to predict the Top 10 picks correctly, let alone the entire first round.
The UT baseball team remains in first place in the Mid-American Conference West division despite a 15-9 loss yesterday at home against Bowling Green. UT (16-19, 9-7 MAC) has a worse overall record than Ball State (16-17, 6-7 MAC) but has three more conference wins.
There are no groups of athletes more superstitious than hockey players, especially during the playoffs. A minority of players might not believe in the superstitions, but during the Stanley Cup playoffs, every player abides by them. The players’ superstitions reach a point of near-obsessive compulsive behavior.
Blue team wins 20-14 against Gold team Friday night at the Glass Bowl
The Rockets football team took the field for the first time in the 2009 season for their spring game in front of nearly 2,500 fans at the Glass Bowl on Friday. Toledo’s Blue team defeated the Gold team 20-14. “It was a beautiful night for the people of Toledo to come out and watch some football,” said Head Coach Tim Beckman.
The Rockets held their spot atop the Mid-American Conference’s West Division after winning two of three games this week at Northern Illinois. With the wins, UT improved their record to 16-18 overall, including a 9-6 advantage over the MAC. Sophomore Jared Hoying (6-14, 5 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and freshman Ben Hammer (6-11, 4 R, 6 RBI) led a UT offense which scored 29 runs in the three-game series.
The UT softball team fell to 6-31 overall in 4-9 in the Mid-American Conference with a 1-3 record over the weekend in two doubleheaders. The Rockets were scheduled to host Akron yesterday and on Saturday, but the schedule was changed to a doubleheader on Saturday due to yesterday’s rain.
The UT women’s tennis team finished the regular season on Friday with a 6-1 win at home against Northern Illinois. The Rockets will finish the season with the Mid-American Conference Tournament, which starts on Thursday and will be hosted by Bowling Green.
In every sport, there’s always one underdog, one team that just “has no shot.” While Goliath usually trumps David in the end, every so often the David pops Goliath in the mouth on their way to a spectacular upset. We’ve been fortunate enough to see examples of this recently with teams like the 2007 New York Giants defeating the 18-0 New England Patriots, the 2007 Appalachian State University football team upending the University of Michigan, and the 2005 George Mason University basketball team advancing to the Final Four.
In honor of the Toledo Mud Hens opening the season today, I compiled a list of my favorite baseball movies. Honorable Mentions BASEketball I couldn’t bring myself to put it into the top 10 since it technically is not a baseball movie, but I couldn’t write this article without mentioning it.
UT offense held to two runs in doubleheader
The UT softball team was swept in a doubleheader at Wright State yesterday. The Rockets have now lost seven straight games, dropping their overall record to 5-29. UT holds a 3-7 Mid-American Conference record. UT tallied only three hits in each contest and has now been held to three hits or fewer in four of their past six games.
Two golfers tie for first place yesterday as the Rockets win the 2009 Falcon Invitational
The UT women’s golf team won a tournament for the second time this week with a victory yesterday in the 2009 Falcon Invitational. It was also the second-straight tournament with a UT golfer earning medalist honors. Sophomore Michelle Hui and freshman Georgina Hunt each finished the tournament at 13-over par for a three-way tie for first place with Megan Weaver from Ohio University.
The UT baseball team took full advantage of home-field advantage yesterday with a 24-4 win over Oakland. UT’s home game against Dayton on Tuesday was cancelled due to inclement weather, and yesterday’s game was moved from Rochester, Mich. to Scott Park for the same reason.
The UT women’s softball team split a doubleheader yesterday at Youngstown State. The Rockets (5-23, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) started the season 1-22 but have won four of the last five games. UT had nine hits in a 12-4 win in the first game of the doubleheader.
The UT men’s tennis team dropped a close match Sunday in a 4-3 loss at home against Mid-American Conference foe Ball State. "For the third meeting in a row, it's a 4-3 showdown and again, it's a one-match-left on mega drama," Head Coach Al Wermer said.
After suffering through disappointing seasons last year, the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers are looking to compete for AL Central supremacy once again as the 2009 season is underway. Both teams return talented offenses that will keep them in contention throughout the year.
Softball team goes 3-1 in a pair of Mid-American Conference doubleheaders
After starting the season with a 1-21 overall record, the UT softball team quadrupled its win total with a 3-1 record over the weekend in Mid-American Conference play. The Rockets (4-22, 3-3 MAC) split a doubleheader with Western Michigan on Saturday.
The UT baseball team avoided being swept over the weekend with a 7-5 win yesterday over Ohio after losing both games of a doubleheader on Saturday. The game was only the second Mid-American Conference loss of the season for the Bobcats (13-13, 7-2 MAC), who are in first place in the East Division.
Women’s tennis team sweeps doubles matches
The UT women’s tennis team swept the doubles matches and held a 4-2 edge in singles for a 5-2 win at Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Junior Maha Guirguis and senior Jenny Belsky won 8-4 in No. 1 doubles over Miriam Westerink and Joanna Woo. Junior Nadia Zoubareva and sophomore Ashley Frey shut out Karina Ahuja and Xu Chang 8-0 in No.
Baseball team loses 11-7 against Irish after losing at home Tuesday
The UT baseball team lost 11-7 last night at Notre Dame. The Rockets (11-13, 5-1 Mid-American Conference) were tied after four innings, but the Irish (16-10) outscored UT 5-1 in the final five innings for the win. Freshman Joe Corfman led off for UT and started the game on a high note, hitting a homerun over the left field wall.
Rockets move up two places in the final round of the UALR Golf Classic to tie for 11th
The UT women’s golf team played through the rain and finished the UALR Golf Classic on Tuesday tied for 11th place in the 21-team tournament. The Rockets shot a 960 (328-316-316) team score to tie with McNeese State. Arkansas-Little Rock, the tournament host, and Florida International tied for first place with a 927 team score.
UT Athletic Director Mike O’Brien announced yesterday the extension of women’s basketball Head Coach Tricia Cullop’s contract. Cullop was hired last April and signed a five-year contract running through the 2012-13 season. The new agreement runs through the 2014-15 season.
We see it happen every year. Through all of the insanely in-depth analysis, coverage, and hoopla that is March Madness, there is one constant that seemingly everybody involved always forgets when they fill out their bracket. That constant is heart Yes, I know it sounds cliché.
The UT women’s volleyball team opened the 2009 spring season with a 7-1 record in Eastern Michigan’s annual Spring Bash on Saturday. “The training regimen that we’ve had this spring really showed itself this weekend,” Associate Head Coach Greg Reitz said.
Baseball team wins on Friday and Sunday to improve to 5-1 in the MAC and 11-11 overall
Senior co-captain Josh Colliver returned from a hamstring injury to help the Rockets win two out of three against the Zips in Akron, Ohio this weekend at Lee Jackson Field. Colliver, who had missed the past 10 games, returned to the lineup with a team high .
The UT softball team was swept by Bowling Green and Morehead State over the weekend in a pair of doubleheaders. The doubleheader against BG on Saturday was the conference opener, dropping the Rockets to 0-2 in the Mid-American Conference. UT (1-21, 0-2 MAC) lost 6-4 in the first game of the doubleheader against BG (7-14, 2-0 MAC).
The UT women’s track and field team tied for second place on Saturday as they hosted the Toledo Collegiate Challenge. UT and Central Michigan each finished just two points off champion Bowling Green. “We had a great meet,” Head Coach Kevin Hadsell said.
The most significant change Head Coach Tim Beckman has brought to the UT football team is the spirit of competition. The Rockets opened spring practice on March 18 and will finish with the spring game on April 17. Long before the team ever hit the field, Beckman instilled the philosophy of competition into the team.
The UT men’s golf team finished 11th in the three-round Mobile Bay Intercollegiate on Tuesday after finishing the first round tied for first place. The Rockets shot a 59-over par 923 (299-320-304) in the 16-team tournament. Mississippi State won with a 24-over par 888 (300-289-299) and South Alabama took second with a 33-over par 897 (306-294-297).
With a disappointing 4-12 year after narrowly missing the playoffs in 2007, Cleveland Browns’ fans expected big changes, but this may be more than they bargained for. Newly appointed head coach Eric Mangini and general manager George Kokinis are looking at every possible avenue for reinventing the franchise, even if it means trading their biggest stars.
After allowing just nine total runs in a three-game series sweep against Miami last weekend, the UT baseball team lost 18-8 on the road to Dayton on Tuesday. Freshman Joe Corfman led the Rockets (9-10) at the plate, batting 3-of-5 with a homerun and three RBI.
The UT baseball team defended their home field with a three-game sweep of Mid-American conference rival Miami this weekend at Scott Park. The Rockets (9-9, 3-0 MAC) were paced offensively by the first four hitters in their lineup, including juniors Tim Krofcheck and Aaron Dudley, sophomore Jared Hoying and freshman Joe Corfman.
The UT softball team lost all five games of the Radford Highlander Classic over the weekend. The Rockets (1-17) lost 5-1 to Eastern Michigan (10-13) yesterday in the final game of the tournament. The Eagles took the lead for good with four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
UT senior swimmer Kylie Gamelier finished her career at UT on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament. “I don’t think it’s really hit,” Gamelier said. “I’ll be training for world trials in the summer, so I’ll be with everyone.
The UT women’s tennis team won one of two matches this weekend at home to open up play in the Mid-American Conference. The Rockets (11-6, 1-1 MAC) began the weekend with a 5-2 victory over Akron on Friday. “This was a great start to the MAC season for us,” Head Coach Tracy Mauntler said.
The UT women’s softball team lost both games of a double-header yesterday in Notre Dame’s home opener. The Irish managed 24 runs in just eight innings as both games were called after five innings of play. ND (10-10) shut out the Rockets (2-12) 15-0 in the first game of the double-header to win the home opener for the 12th-straight year.
Jon Steinbrecher will replace Rick Chryst as the commissioner of the MAC beginning July 1
The Mid-American Conference announced Tuesday the hiring of Jon Steinbrecher as the new commissioner of the conference. Steinbrecher will begin his role when current commissioner Rick Chryst’s contract expires on June 30. A national search for his replacement began on Jan.
The UT baseball team split two games this week, including a 20-3 rout over Wayne State in their home opener on Tuesday. UT’s 20 runs were the eighth time in 15 games this season the team has amassed over six runs. All nine starters recorded at least one hit in the matchup, including five multi-hit performances.
The UT men’s golf team opened the 2009 season with an 18th place finish out of 20 teams on Tuesday in the Pinehurst Intercollegiate. Sophomore Jean-Hubert Trahan led UT with a 12-over par 228 (78-77-73) to tie for 60th as the Rockets shot a team score of 911 (300-308-303).
The Madness is here. Today the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament begins, and if it lives up to its name, which it usually does, we will have another exciting year of March Madness. As the tournament approaches, millions fill out their brackets. Many look for any help they can find on who to choose, but the simple truth is that no one knows.
UT out-scored by 18 points in second half of MAC Tournament semifinal loss to Bowling Green
The UT women’s basketball team lost 79-66 to Bowling Green in the semifinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Saturday. “We really believed every second of today’s game that we could win,” Head Coach Tricia Cullop said.
Four UT men’s basketball players finished their careers Tuesday in the opening round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament. Seniors Jonathan Amos, Tyrone Kent and Anthony Byrd did everything they could to prolong their careers, but UT’s season ended with a 93-92 loss in overtime Tuesday night.
The UT baseball team lost three of five games over spring break in the RussMatt Invitational. The Rockets (5-8) struggled to keep their opponents off of the scoreboard, giving up 52 runs, or 10.4 runs per game, in the tournament. On Saturday, the Rockets lost 10-5 to Eastern Kentucky.
The UT men’s basketball team fought out of a large deficit to take the lead in the second half last night before losing 59-44 at Central Michigan. “We aren’t great at clawing back and staying with the clawing,” Head Coach Gene Cross said.
The UT women’s basketball team fell out of contention for the division crown with an 80-70 loss at Central Michigan on Tuesday. The Rockets already secured the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. UT (17-11, 11-4 MAC) host West Division leader Ball State (21-8, 13-2 MAC) at 2 p.
UT hires former Hoosier Eli Rasheed as defensive line coach
UT football Head Coach Tim Beckman announced the completion of his coaching staff yesterday with the hiring of Eli Rasheed to coach the defensive line. Rasheed heads to UT from Florida Atlantic University, where he was the defensive line coach from 2004-08.
UT football Head Coach Tim Beckman and members of the football team participated in charitable events in the community on each Friday in February. Last Friday, some members of the team went to Trilby Elementary to read and play math games with the students.
I might be bordering incompetence in the pool, but I am on par with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps when it comes to eating. I might even surpass him. During the 2008 Olympics, the 12,000 calorie diet of Phelps was widely reported. While writing a story on the Olympian, I decided to push my limits and see if I could eat the diet for a day.
In front of a record crowd of 5,701 fans, the defensive-minded Rockets (17-10, 11-3 Mid-American Conference) battled to a 73-61 victory over the visiting Eastern Michigan Eagles (7-19, 3-11 MAC) for their ninth-straight win at Savage Arena. “It’s pretty outstanding to have that many people for a women’s basketball game.
The UT men’s basketball team avenged a 70-52 loss at Western Michigan earlier in the season with a 63-62 victory over the Broncos at home on Saturday. In the loss on Jan. 14, WMU (9-19, 6-8 Mid-American Conference) jumped out to an early 25-2 lead.
The UT swim and dive team placed third in the Mid-American Conference Tournament and broke several school records over the weekend at Bowling Green. The Rockets finished with 568.5 points. Miami won the tournament with 639.5 points, and Ohio placed second with 611.
The UT women’s basketball team took a stranglehold on second place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 72-68 road victory against Northern Illinois on Tuesday. The Rockets now hold a two-game lead over the Huskies for a first-round bye in next month’s MAC tournament, needing only a win or a NIU loss to clinch the No.
Men’s basketball team falls after overcoming a 30-15 halftime deficit against Eastern Michigan
The UT men’s basketball team’s slim hope of a division title ended last night with a 58-49 loss at Eastern Michigan. The Rockets trailed by 15 points at halftime and rebounded for a one-point lead in the second half before falling in the end.
It finally happened. I have officially lost my mind. Why else would I volunteer to eat 12,000 calories in a single day? The only real reasons I have are my own personal amusement and to have an interesting feature story for the sports section. While writing an entry on my IC blog, “All Sports Considered,” about Michael Phelps, I researched the diet Phelps claimed to eat while training for the Olympics.
The UT women’s golf team finished just three strokes away from a top 10 performance on Tuesday, placing 16th out of 43 schools with a team score of 927 (319-300-308) at this week’s Edwin Watts/Kiawah Island Classic on Kiawah Island, S.C. “I’m extremely happy with the way we played, and we were really able to work on our games and gain some confidence this week,” Head Coach Nicole Hollingsworth said.
Rockets win on Saturday to remain one game behind the MAC West division leader WMU
The UT women’s basketball team moved into second place in the Mid-American Conference’s West Division with a 64-49 victory over Western Michigan on Saturday at Savage Arena. The Rockets (15-10, 9-3 MAC) win brought UT’s record to 10-1 at home this season.
The UT men’s basketball team travels to Eastern Michigan on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. game in the first of four conference games to close out the regular season. The Rockets are currently three games behind Mid-American Conference West Division co-leaders Ball State and Western Michigan.
UT women’s soccer Head Coach Brad Evans has agreed to a new contract with the school which runs through the 2014 season. His current contract is scheduled to expire at the end of the 2009 season. “My wife, Kristen, and I are thrilled with the generosity of this extension,” Evans said.
The UT men’s tennis team went 2-0 in its first two games over the weekend to improve to 10-5 overall for the season. Scores from yesterday’s match against IUPUI, the second of a doubleheader, were unavailable. Look to IndependentCollegian.
The UT women’s tennis team defeated Wright State 7-0 on Friday at UT in their home opener on Saturday. UT (5-5) was led by junior Martina Wodzinski, who collected wins in No. 1 singles and doubles. Wodzinski defeated Karina Presti in singles, 6-1, 6-3 and teamed up with junior Maha Guirguis for an 8-4 win over Masha Peresetsky and Kenisha Webb.
UT ended a seven-game losing streak with a last-minute 71-67 win at home last night over Ball State. The Cardinals fell into a tie with Western Michigan for first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division at 6-6 in the conference after losing their seventh consecutive game at Savage Arena.
The UT baseball team opens the 2009 season this weekend on the road with a four-game series against Western Kentucky. The Rockets play their first 15 games on the road before the home opener on March 17 against Wayne State. Last season, UT finished with an 18-31 overall record, just one game away from qualifying for the Mid-American Conference Tournament.
For UT men’s basketball head coach Gene Cross, February is about more than leading the Rockets in a late-season push for the division title. It is Black History Month and a time to reflect on people he still looks up to today. “I’ve been very fortunate to be in places where I’ve been afforded many opportunities,” Cross said.
Last season, the Cleveland Cavaliers made the biggest splash on the day of the NBA’s trade deadline as a 10-player trade laid the groundwork for this year’s 40-11 start to the season. This year we might see more of the same. The Cavaliers have been involved in multiple trade rumors over the past few weeks, including Phoenix forward Amar’e Stoudamire, LA Clippers center Marcus Camby, New Jersey forward Vince Carter and Washington forwards Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler.
The UT women’s basketball team escaped with a narrow 54-51 victory over Kent State on Sunday at Savage Arena, thanks in part to the heroics of freshman guard Naama Shafir. Shafir hit a tough shot with 8.3 seconds left in the game and two seconds showing on the shot clock to seal the victory for the UT women.
Senior Jonathon Amos scored a career-high 32 points off the bench
The UT men’s basketball team suffered their biggest loss of the season in a 91-58 loss at Ohio University on Saturday. The Rockets (4-21, 2-9 Mid-American Conference) have lost all 13 road games this season and have one win in their last 28 games away from home.
The UT men’s tennis team swept both matches over the weekend with 7-0 victories. The Rockets won 7-0 yesterday at home over Cleveland State. Senior Jared Miller and sophomore Nutthavit Likitkumchorn won 8-6 in No. 1 doubles. Sophomore Sven Burus and freshman Robbie McCallum won 8-4 in No.
Junior Maha Guirguis remained undefeated in No. 3 singles over the weekend, but the UT women’s tennis team lost both matches to fall to 4-5 in the spring season. Guirguis is now 7-0 in singles matches in the spring season. She has a 4-3 record in No.
Jonathon Amos scores 21 points off bench in 59-54 loss
Senior guard Jonathon Amos excelled in his second game back from suspension last night, but Bowling Green held off a late rally by the UT men’s basketball team and won the rivalry game 59-54 at Savage Arena. “It was a classic MAC battle tonight where two teams were fighting and clawing, trying to figure out how to win a basketball game,” Head Coach Gene Cross said.
After being cut by the Cleveland Browns on Monday, former UT quarterback Bruce Gradkowski was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday. The San Francisco 49ers also attempted to claim Gradkowski, but the 49ers finished last season 7-9, so the Raiders had a higher waiver priority after finishing with a 5-11 record.
Patrick Graham resigned Monday from his position as the defensive line coach for the UT football team to accept a position as a coaching assistant for the New England Patriots. The hiring was announced by the Patriots on Tuesday. New England’s vice president of media communications, Stacey James, confirmed the hiring.
It’s official baseball, your savior is dirty. Alex Rodriguez has used performance-enhancing drugs. On Saturday, Sports Illustrated reported Rodriguez tested positive in 2003, the same year he won the American League Home Run Title and the Most Valuable Player Award.
Junior Tanika Mays scores team highs with 18 points and eight rebounds on her 22nd birthday
The UT women’s basketball team remained atop the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 60-51 win over Ohio at Savage Arena on Sunday. Junior Tanika Mays celebrated her 22nd birthday by leading the Rockets with a game-high 18 points and five steals along with a team-high eight rebounds.
The offense struggled on Saturday as the UT men’s basketball team lost 53-40 at home against Miami. The loss to the RedHawks was the fewest points scored by a UT team since a 57-34 loss to Ball State on Feb. 5, 1992. The Rockets had won five of the last six home games against Miami heading into Saturday, but Miami has now won six of the past seven games and leads the overall series 66-49.
Junior Meghan Reissig starred on Saturday with four first-place finishes, while seniors Kylie Gamelier and Amanda Breen competed in the last regular season match of their careers for the Rockets. Gamelier had two first-place finishes. UT won 189-103 at home over Buffalo.
The UT men’s and women’s tennis teams each lost a match at Michigan State over the weekend. The men’s team lost 5-2 on Saturday. Jared Miller and Nutthavit Likitkumchorn won 8-7 with a 7-2 tiebreak win in the first doubles match. Robbie McCallum and Sven Burus lost 8-2 in the second doubles match.
Women's track and field team competes in CMU Quad-Meet
The UT women’s track and field team took second place in the CMU Quad-Meet. Host Central Michigan won with 170 points. The Rockets earned 130 total points in the 15-event tournament. Julie Snyder took fourth place in the long jump with a 5.44 meter jump.
Head Coach Tim Beckman finalizes his first recruiting class for UT football with 19 players
The UT football program received commitments from 19 student-athletes on Wednesday to join the Rocket football team next season. After being introduced as the new head coach of UT, Tim Beckman and his staff had only 37 days to recruit for the 2009 season.
The UT women’s basketball team moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division with a win last night. The Rockets beat Buffalo 67-59 at Savage Arena, Ball State lost to Bowling Green and Northern Illinois beat Akron as the trio all moved to 6-2 in the MAC.
The UT men’s basketball team suffered their largest defeat of the season with an 81-53 loss at Kent State on Tuesday night. With the loss, the Rockets (4-18, 2-6 Mid-American Conference) have lost all 12 road games this year. They are also 1-26 over the past two seasons on the road, with their lone win on March 9, 2008 in a 90-83 overtime win at Central Michigan.
Head Coach Brad Evans announced yesterday the signing of five recruits to the UT women’s soccer team for the 2009 season. All five recruits come from Ohio. The Rockets signed Megan Blake, Rachel Kravitz, Danielle Leblang, Kristen Mattei and Megan Sauers.
UT holds Buffalo to season-low 30 percent shooting in first game after suspending Jonathon Amos
In a tough, defensive battle, the UT men’s basketball team lost its third straight Mid-American Conference game 56-43 on the road against the Buffalo Bulls. The game, being broadcast on ESPN2, was UT’s first match playing without second leading scorer Jonathan Amos.
Rockets tied with Cardinals and Huskies for the MAC West lead
The UT women’s basketball team fell to second place in the Mid-American Conference West division after a 64-62 loss Saturday on the road against Akron. The Rockets (11-9, 5-2 MAC) are tied with Northern Illinois for second place. The Huskies are 10-10 overall.
The UT swim and dive team earned its second-straight victory on the road Friday with a 163-134 win over Akron. The Rockets evened their overall record at 5-5 with the win and improved to 4-2 in the Mid-American Conference. Akron is now 5-6 overall and 1-5 in the MAC.
UT dominates sprint events in non-scoring meet
The UT track and field team excelled in short distance races in a non-scoring meet at the Tom Wright Classic on Saturday hosted by Bowling Green. Senior LaShawn Vaughns and sophomore Amanda Kaverman finished first and second, respectively, in both the 60 and 200 meter dash.
The UT men’s basketball team lost a second-straight Mid-American Conference game last night in a 70-61 loss to visiting Akron. “We got out-toughed,” Head Coach Gene Cross said. “We got manhandled. They were a physical bunch. If you can’t match their physicality and toughness, then you’re not going to give yourself a chance to win.
With national signing day approaching rapidly, UT football Head Coach Tim Beckman is keeping busy with recruiting, hiring coaches, getting to know his current players and adjusting to life in Toledo. “It’s home,” Beckman said. “Anytime you come home it feels great.
The field of athletics used to be a place that fostered a healthy environment, both mentally and physically. Be it a team or individual sport, one could participate in spirited competition against an opponent and take away from it not only good exercise, but also a sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship that would prove valuable in life’s later challenges.
Rockets remain winless on the road this season and have won just one of the past 25 road games
The UT men’s basketball team fell to 0-10 on the road this season with a 66-53 loss yesterday at Ball State. Dating back to last season, the Rockets have won just one out of the past 25 road games. UT is now 35-39 all-time against the Cardinals.
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