MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – In a day full of team and individual highlights, junior Alexa Goldberg shone brightest, as she tallied a career-best 39.325 for the No. 25-ranked West Virginia University gymnastics team on Sunday, March 6, and helped push the Mountaineers to a season-best 196.8 total in wins over Ohio State (195.975) and Bowling Green (195.725) at the WVU Coliseum. For her efforts, the Ivyland, Pennsylvania, native has been named the WVU Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by University Apartments.
This Week in Baseball: After beginning the season with its first 10 games on the road, WVU returns home for the next five games ... the homestand begins with three games against Old Dominion from March 10-12 ... the home opener is slated for Friday, March 11 at 3 p.m. ET at Monongalia County Ballpark ... the series continues on Saturday at 3 p.m. before concluding on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Last Week in Baseball: West Virginia concluded an 11 day, seven game roadtrip with four games at Hawaii ... to begin the week, WVU played an exhibition contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks ... the first game against an MLB club in team history, the Mountaineers were edged in the seven-inning contest, 7-4 ... the Mountaineers split the series, with a 4-1 victory on Friday and a 9-2 win on Sunday ... Hawaii claimed a 4-1 win in Thursday’s series opener and prevailed 6-2 on Saturday ... in Thursday’s opener, WVU’s five game winning streak was snapped as the Mountaineers were held to seven hits in a 4-1 loss ... Friday, senior Ross Vance improved to 3-0 on the year with another gem on the mound to lead WVU to a 4-1 win ... Vance allowed just one run on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in seven innings ... freshman Michael Grove pitched the final two innings and picked up his first save of his career ... freshman Kyle Gray and junior Jackson Cramer led the offense, each posting two hits, an RBI and a run scored ... Saturday, WVU lost 6-2 as sophomore BJ Myers suffered his first loss of the season and gave up his first earned runs of the year ... sophomore Kyle Davis had three hits, including his third home run of the season ... Sunday, WVU’s offensive explosion was headlined by junior Ray Guerrini, who had two home runs, scored three runs and had three of the Mountaineers’ 13 hits ... freshman Darius Hill added three hits, was a home run shy of the cycle and had a pair of RBIs and three runs scored ... freshman Tanner Campbell made his first career appearance and got the start, pitching 4.1 strong innings allowing two runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts and a walk ... sophomore Conner Dotson relieved Campbell and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings to earn the win and improve to 2-0 on the year.
Notes: West Virginia is 7-3 on the year after going 5-2 on an 11-day roadtrip ... junior Jackson Cramer, sophomore Kyle Davis and freshman Darius Hill led WVU with six hits apiece at Hawaii ... Hill hit a double in all four games and added a triple ... junior Ray Guerrini hit two home runs, both on Sunday, while Davis hit one homer ... Guerrini’s slugging percentage in the weekend series was .800, a team high ... freshman Michael Grove pitched the final two innings on Friday and picked up his first career save ... freshman Tanner Campbell made his first career start in his first career appearance and pitched 4.1 innings in Sunday’s win ... Hill had the game-winning RBI on Friday with a sacrifice fly, while Cramer’s double in the third inning punching in the game-winning run on Sunday ... Ross Vance improved to 3-0 with seven innings, allowing one run on four hits on Friday, and Conner Dotson improved to 2-0 with 2.2 innings in relief on Sunday.
This Week in Gymnastics: The No. 25-ranked Mountaineers close their 2016 regular season with two meets against Pitt this weekend … WVU plays host to the Panthers on Friday, March 11, at 7 p.m., at the WVU Coliseum … it’s a “Dollar Night,” and all tickets and select concessions will be available for $1 each … it also is “Senior Night,” and Melissa Idell, Jaida Lawrence and Audrey Tolbert will be honored following the competition … the Mountaineers will then compete at Pitt on Sunday, March 13, at 2 p.m., at the Fitzgerald Field House.
Last Week in Gymnastics: WVU (8-6, 0-3) tallied the seventh-best score in program history and the best team total under fifth-year coach Jason Butts with a 196.8, first-place showing against Ohio State (195.975) and Bowling Green (195.725) on March 6, at the WVU Coliseum … the Mountaineers catapulted to their season-high mark with a 49.575 showing on floor in the fourth rotation … WVU earned six scores of 9.9 or better, including career best, winning 9.95 totals from senior Melissa Idell and freshman Kirah Koshinski on floor … the Mountaineers also tallied season highs on bars (49.15) and beam (49.075) and scored 49.0 on vault … junior Alexa Goldberg scored a career-best 39.325 and finished first overall … she also tied freshman Tiara Wright for the bars win with a season-high 9.9 … sophomore Zaakira Muhammad tied for second in the all-around (39.275) and on beam with a career-high 9.85 … Koshinski, Muhammad and sophomore Amanda Bowman tied for third on vault with 9.825s.
Notes: The Mountaineers are just one of 16 teams nationally to score 196.8 or better this year … the squad has now scored 196.0 or better in two straight meets for the first time since 2013 … WVU’s team total was its top mark since earning 196.55 on March 24, 2013 … the squad’s floor total is believed to be the third-best mark in program history … only eight teams nationally have scored 49.575 or better on floor this season … Bowman’s vault score matched her career high … Wright’s bars total is a career high … sophomore Robyn Bernard also tallied a career-best 9.775 on bars … Goldberg finished with a season-best 9.8 on beam … freshman Jaquie Tun (9.825) and sophomore Jordan Gillette (9.875) also earned career highs on floor.
This Week in Women’s Basketball: West Virginia is idle this week as the Mountaineers await their postseason destination … the NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship bracket will be announced Monday, March 14 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Last Week in Women’s Basketball: West Virginia (24-9, 12-6 Big 12) concluded the Big 12 regular season with an 82-57 victory at Iowa State on March 1 … five Mountaineers reached double-figures in the win over the Cyclones … WVU finished third after being picked sixth in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll … the third-place finish was the second-highest since joining in the league in 2012-13 … No. 3-seed WVU defeated No. 6-seed Kansas State, 74-65, in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinal on Saturday to advance to the program’s 16th overall conference tournament semifinal appearance and the first since 2014 … freshman Tynice Martin led WVU with 20 points, while Jessica Morton tallied 16 in the victory … the Mountaineers fell, 67-51, to No. 2-seed Texas in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinal … Morton led WVU with 13 points, five assists and three rebounds in the loss.
Notes: WVU scored 80 or more points in three consecutive games from Feb. 24 to March 1 – the most since scoring 80+ in three games to conclude the 1991-92 regular season … West Virginia has reached 24 or more wins six times in 15 seasons under Mike Carey … four Mountaineers were honored with Phillips 66 Big 12 Awards … senior Bria Holmes was tabbed unanimous All-Big 12 First Team for the third consecutive year, joining WVU legend Rosemary Kosiorek as the only players in program history to record three all-conference first team accolades … junior Lanay Montgomery was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team and the Big 12 All-Defensive team for the first time in her career … Tynice Martin was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and was selected to the Big 12 All-Freshman team … Martin became only the second West Virginia player to garner freshman of the year recognition … Meg Bulger was named 2004 Big EAST Freshman of the Year … senior transfer Arielle Roberson was named All-Big 12 Honorable Mention … Holmes leads WVU with 16.4 points per game followed by 10.5 ppg by sophomore Teana Muldrow … Martin is third on the team with 10.0 points per contest … Montgomery leads WVU with 8.0 rebounds per game is on track to set the school’s field goal percentage record with her 60.5 shooting percentage … Holmes is the Big 12’s active career scoring leader with 1,954 career points.
Coach Mike Carey after Sunday’s loss to Texas in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship semifinal: “We have to compete more. We have to come out and compete a lot harder. I told them in there we’re going to practice hard this next week.”
This Week in Women’s Tennis: The No. 75-ranked West Virginia University women’s tennis team closes its nonconference schedule with a match against in-state foe Marshall on Friday, March 11, in Huntington, West Virginia … the match is set to begin at 3 p.m. inside the Huntington Tennis Club.
Last Week in Women’s Tennis: The Mountaineers (6-4) fell to Maryland by a score of 5-2 on March 5, in College Park, Maryland, inside the Tennis Center at College Park … of note, West Virginia dropped the doubles point for the first time since its match at then-ranked No. 47 Virginia Tech on Feb. 14, in Blacksburg, Virginia … in singles action, West Virginia claimed two-of-six singles matches in straight sets over the Terrapins at the No. 2 and No. 4 positions.
Notes: Sophomore Habiba Shaker leads the team in singles play with an overall record of 9-1 … freshman Paula Goetz owns six singles wins, followed by sophomore Carolina Lewis with five singles victories … senior Hailey Barrett and sophomore Lyn Yuen Choo have four singles victories apiece … the doubles tandem of Barrett and Shaker holds a team-best 8-2 mark at the No. 1 slot this season.
Coach Miha Lisac after the match at Maryland: “Maryland came out very well in doubles today, and they deserve all the credit for taking the doubles point. However, I thought we responded well and battled back in singles. It was a battle both ways. There are valuable lessons that we can take away from these matches in order to get better and prepare for Big 12 play.”
This Week in Track and Field: West Virginia has two weeks off from competition before opening the 2016 outdoor season at the Wake Forest meet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on March 18-19.
Last Week in Track and Field: The Mountaineers were idle from competition last week … the team closed the indoor campaign at the 2016 Big 12 Indoor Championship in Ames, Iowa, on Feb. 26-27, hosted by Iowa State at the Lied Recreation Athletic Facility.
Notes: Seven Mountaineers earned All-Big 12 honors for finishing in the top eight in the final events: senior Hannah Stone, junior Amy Cashin, sophomores Shamoya McNeil, Rebecca Wendt, Millie Paladino and Jillian Forsey and freshman Faith Penny.
This Week in Swimming and Diving: Eight Mountaineer divers, senior Lindsay Schmidt, freshmen Julia Calcut, Madelyn Woods, Austin Smith and Emmott Blitch and sophomores Logan McHenry, Michael Proietto and Alex Obendorf will compete at NCAA Zone A Diving Championships, March 7-9, in Annapolis, Maryland, hosted by the U.S. Naval Academy ... WVU’s swim team will remain idle from competition this week before competing at the 2016 NCAA Swimming and Divng Championship on March 24-26 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Last Week in Swimming and Diving: The Mountaineers were idle from competition.
Notes: Last year, five WVU divers qualified to compete at the 2015 NCAA Zone A Championships – Lindsay Schmidt, Alex Obendorf, Michael Proietto, Haily VandePoel and Jennifer Rey ... Obendorf competed on the men’s tower, scoring a career-best 300.85, while Schmidt placed ninth on the women’s 3-meter board, scoring 305.05 … the Mountaineer divers fell short of having any qualifiers for the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships.
WVU Diving coach Mike Grapner on NCAA Zones: “Saturday we had our first practice at Navy, and it was a nice preview of the facility and an opportunity for the divers to get used to the boards. For most of the divers at the meet this year, it is their first zone meet. The level of competition at this meet is better than anything we have seen all year. Experience is what counts for a meet like this. For the crew that has been here, I want them to set personal goals and work to improve on last year’s performances. For the freshmen and first-year qualifiers, I want them to seize this opportunity and put a solid list of six dives together. It has been a very rewarding season for the divers, and I’m proud to have nine of them here competing this week. I hope they apply all that they have learned and make this zone meet a positive experience.”
This Week in Rifle: The No. 1-ranked Mountaineers will shoot for their fourth consecutive and nation-best 18th national title at the 2016 NCAA Championships, hosted by Akron on March 11-12, at the Stile Athletics Field House, in Akron, Ohio.
Last Week in Rifle: West Virginia was idle last week … most recently, the Mountaineers (12-0, 8-0 GARC) shot a two-day total of 4702 to capture their seventh straight Great American Rifle Conference (GARC) Championship on Feb. 28, at the Patricia C. Lamar National Guard Readiness Center, in Oxford, Mississippi … the Mountaineers shot a winning 2335 smallbore on Feb. 27 and a winning 2367 air rifle on Feb. 28 to solidify their victory … with the victory, West Virginia owns a conference-best 11 GARC Championships and is the first team to ever win seven straight GARC titles.
Notes: Freshman Ginny Thrasher shot a career-high 591 smallbore for the discipline win at the 2016 GARC Championships … she was the fifth different Mountaineer to win the GARC smallbore title, and the first since GARC Shooter and Senior of the Year Petra Zublasing won in 2013 … WVU has now won six GARC individual smallbore titles … all eight members of the rifle team also collected a combined 26 all-conference honors at the banquet prior to the GARC Championships … for the third time in his career, 10-year coach Jon Hammond was named the 2016 GARC Coach of the Year … senior Garrett Spurgeon earned GARC Senior of the Year and GARC Shooter of the Year honors … Spurgeon also was the only Mountaineer to earn three first-team honors, as the Canton, Missouri, native scored All-GARC smallbore, air rifle and combined score recognitions for the second time in his career … Thrasher earned her first conference honors, as she took home the GARC Rookie of the Year award … sophomore Elizabeth Gratz also was named WVU’s GARC Scholar Athlete of the Year.
This Week in Wrestling: West Virginia is idle this week.
Last Week in Wrestling: WVU took sixth at the 2016 Big 12 Championship in Kansas City, Missouri … Dylan Cottrell finished third at 157 pounds, while Bubba Scheffel was third at 184 … both earned bids to the 2016 NCAA Championships in New York City … a total of seven Mountaineers earned spots on the podium … Connor Flynn finished fourth at 165, Tony DeAngelo was fifth at 141 and Keegan Moore (133), Ross Renzi (174) and Jacob A. Smith (197) were sixth.
Notes: The rest of the Mountaineers will wait to see if they have been selected for at large bids to NCAAs… At-large selections will be announced Wednesday, March 9.
Coach Sammie Henson after the 2016 Big 12 Championship: “I’m very proud of our men and the way we battled. As always, we wanted more but I truly believe we are on the verge of something great here at WVU with our wrestlers, coaches and support staff. We will look to see how many wrestlers we can get into NCAAs in New York City. We appreciate the family, friends and fans for their loyalty and support.”
This Week in Golf: The Mountaineers will travel to Tallahassee, Florida, to compete in the Seminole Intercollegiate at Southwood Country Club March 11-13 … ten teams ranked in the Golfweek Top 100 will compete, including three in the top 25. No. 2 Florida State will play host to the event … the WVU squad will be comprised of Chris Williams, Easton Renwick, Max Sear, Alan Cooke and Tristan Nicholls ... teams will tee off of holes 1 and 10 at 8 a.m. each morning.
Last Week in Golf: The Mountaineers were idle from competition last week.
This Week in Rowing: The West Virginia University rowing team opens its 2016 spring slate at the Oak Ridge Cardinal Invitational from March 12-13, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee ... approximately a dozen schools are schedule to compete in the two-day event, including three Big 12 members – Alabama, Kansas and Oklahoma – and four opponents ranked in the final Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) Poll last season – No. 5 Virginia, No. 10 Michigan, No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 20 Louisville … the regatta is hosted by Louisville.
Last Week in Rowing: WVU was idle last week … West Virginia has not competed since completing its fall season with a scrimmage against Duquesne, Pitt and Carnegie Mellon on Nov. 7.
Notes: The rowing novice team swept Duquesne, Pitt and Carnegie Mellon to conclude the fall season on Saturday, Nov. 7, on the Allegheny River … the novice 8 ‘A’ boat raced to a first-place finish with a time of 11:11.86, five seconds ahead of Pitt … the Novice 8 ‘B’ boat also won, finishing in front of Pitt with a time of 10:37.8 on a course approximately 200 meters shorter than the first novice 8 competition … in the last two races of the day, West Virginia finished first with a time of 11:40.8 in the Novice 4 ‘A’ race, followed by another first-place finish in the Novice 4 ‘B’ race … the Head of the Occoquan was the first regatta of the season for the novice team on Saturday, Oct. 31 … eight of the Mountaineers’ 10 boats posted top-10 finishes on the Occoquan Reservoir … WVU’s four medals came with first-and second-place finishes in the Women’s Collegiate Novice 4+, a bronze-medal finish in the Women’s Collegiate Novice 8 and a fifth-place finish in the Women’s Championship 4+ … the WVU rowing team also had a strong showing in its fall season opener at the Head of the Ohio, on Saturday, Oct. 3 … the Mountaineers placed first and third in the Women’s Open 4+ and second in the Women’s Open 8 … to open the day, West Virginia finished second in the Women’s Open 8, as it faced 12 boats to take a silver medal back home to Morgantown.
