Clark University - Clark News spring 2003
Sports Briefs (spring 2003)
Men's basketball earns third consecutive trip to NCAA tournament
The men's basketball team made its third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament and its fourth in the last five years. The team won more than 20 games for the third consecutive season, finishing the 2002-03 campaign 21-7.
The Cougars returned four starters, seven seniors and 11 players overall. After trips to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2001 and 2002, Head Coach Paul Phillips set high expectations for this year's squad. The Cougars started the season in the Elizabethtown Tournament and fell to the Blue Jays, 103-96. After a tough loss to regionally ranked Amherst College, 68-62, Clark won four straight and nine out of the next 10.
The Cougars earned the No. 1 seed in the NEWMAC Tournament for the third-straight season. In a thrilling championship game, the Cougars defeated Babson College 84-76 in overtime, their third win of the season over the regionally ranked Beavers. This was the Cougars' third consecutive conference championship and fourth in the five-year history of the league. Captain Sean Fleming '03 led the Cougars with 35 points.
The Cougars faced Little East Conference champion Western Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and fell in the last seconds of the game, 84-82. Fleming, the NEWMAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive year, led the team with 18.6 points a game. He added 5.2 rebounds per game and 2.9 assists per game. He was named to the all-conference team for the third consecutive season and was among conference leaders in eight statistical categories, including first in scoring, three-point field goal percentage and free-throw percentage. A fourth-team selection to the D3hoops.com All-America team and first-team selection to the All-Northeast Regional Team, he is ranked second nationally in free-throw percentage (91.2). Fleming was also named to the NABC All-America Second Team and the ECAC New England All-Star First Team.
Dave McNamara '04 and Trevor Walker '04 added to the potent offense. McNamara, who was named to the all-conference team for the third consecutive year, was second on the team in scoring (17.4). He hit 46.4 percent from long range and is ranked sixth nationally in three-point field goal percentage (46.7) and 17th in three-point field goals per game (3.1). He was named to the D3hoops.com All-Northeast Regional third team. Walker was third on the team in scoring with 14 points per game, while shooting 40.6 percent from long range, and made the all-conference team for the second consecutive year. Walker was also named to the ECAC second team and McNamara was named to the ECAC honorable mention team.
Fleming finished his career fifth on Clark's all-time scoring list with 1,561 points. McNamara is tied for 10th with 1,379 points and Walker is 17th with 1,170. Rob Skowyra '03 had a solid year, with 74 points, 4.8 rebounds per game, 2.9 assists per game and averaging 1.3 steals.
Phillips was named NEWMAC Coach of the Year for the third time. He has directed the Cougars to an impressive 127-64 overall record in seven years at Clark.
NEWMAC All-Academic Team
The following Clark student athletes were among the 164 student athletes named to the fall 2002 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Academic Team: Heather Richard '05, cross country; Julie Simon '05, field hockey; Juan Andres Garcia-Alvarez '03, soccer; Nathan Lavery '03, soccer; Jared Swerzenski '05, soccer; Hannah Pillemer '04, soccer; Marannie Rawls-Phillipe '04, soccer; Lisa Desrochers '03, volleyball; Lauren Goode '03, volleyball; Sarah Krajcik '03, volleyball; and Kathryn Tubbs '05, volleyball.
The following Clark student athletes were among the 78 student athletes named to the winter 2003 NEWMAC All-Academic Team: Anthony Giampetruzzi '03, basketball; Brent Kenneway '04, basketball; Kristen Tebbetts '03, basketball; Rachael Turkington '03, basketball; Lynne Burns '03, swimming; Katherine Guilbault '05, swimming; and Liz Olson '04, swimming. These students earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5, attained at least sophomore standing and competed as a starter or key reserve.
Women's basketball
The women's basketball team completed the season 12-13 overall and 4-5 in the NEWMAC. The Cougars were led by Rachael Turkington '03 who earned NEWMAC All-Conference first team honors. Turkington was named to the Verizon District I Academic All-America First Team and, at the end of the season, she led the country in three-point field goals made per game (4.0). Turkington led the team in scoring (17.9) while shooting 34.7 from the field and 36.9 from long range. She hit an impressive 99 three-pointers in 24 games. She ranked in the top 10 in six NEWMAC statistical categories, leading the conference in scoring and three-point field goal percentage. She was also named an ECAC New England All-Star Honorable Mention. The Cougars started the season by winning the Worcester City Tip-off Tournament for the seventh consecutive season.
Swimming update
The men's swim team finished the season 4-8 and placed seventh at the NEWMAC Championship. The women's swim team finished the season 5-7 and placed eighth at the NEWMAC Championship. Swimmer Roy Barnum '04 set a new Clark record in the 100 individual medley at the NEWMAC Championships with a time of 56.28.
Wage inducted into Providence Hall of Fame
Head field hockey and softball Coach Linda Wage was inducted into the Providence College Hall of Fame in February. Wage, who earned a bachelor's degree at Providence College in 1981, was a four-year starter on the field hockey team and holds many school records in the sport. Wage also captained the softball team and was a four-year member of the Providence basketball team which won the AIAW Regional crown.
In her 18 seasons as Clark's field hockey coach, Wage has earned a career record of 198-119-23, including a record-breaking 19-4 season in 2002. She has directed the Cougars to 12 postseason appearances in the last 16 years. In the last seven years as Clark's softball coach, Wage has earned an impressive 172-61 record with seven-consecutive postseason appearances. In 1999, she earned NEWMAC Coachof the Year honors and led the Cougars to their first NCAA Division III Tournament.
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