While most of us enjoyed a winter break filled with relaxation, exotic vacations and enjoyed fun winter activities, a group of student athletes found their holiday break cut short. Most of the teams rendezvoused back in the Murray Center just after the New Year began. All teams have since resumed their inter-collegiate competition. Here’s a quick summary of what you’ve missed:
Women’s basketball
Women’s basketball entered winter break with a 6-2 (2-0 LEC) record. Unexpected early losses hurt the Anchorwomen’s bids for national ranking status in the first half of the season but the team has since come out on fire. They started the New Year on the road with big wins at Stevens Tech and York College before returning home. The Anchorwomen didn’t miss a beat with dominating wins over UMass Boston, Southern Maine, Trinity College, Keene State, UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State. The Anchorwomen remain unbeaten in conference play at 7-0, but remarkably are somehow unranked. So far it looks as if the Little East Conference champion will have to come though Providence. Beyond that, the question remains, how far will this experienced team go in the NCAA Tournament this season?
Men’s basketball
The Anchormen returned to the court on New Years day with a new label to go with their 9-1 (1-1 LEC) record. D3hoops.com debuted the Anchormen in the national rankings at number 24. However head coach Bob Walsh is an avid believer that mid season rankings don’t win conference, or national, titles and is sure to keep his troops on track down the stretch. Since the original ranking came out, the Anchormen have logged wins over Wheaton, UMass Boston, Southern, UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State, propelling them into the top 20 teams in the country according to D3hoops.com. Their remaining schedule in littered with Little East Conference opponents but also features a Tuesday night tilt at Amherst College, the school responsible for knocking the Anchormen out in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament last season.
Wrestling
Possibly the busiest team over winter break, the wrestling team has taken their talents all over the country in the past few weeks. Returning from Las Vegas just before Christmas the team was back in action in January with trips out to Springfield, Illinois and Lycoming, Pennsylvania. The Anchormen hold a 9-8 (4-1 NEWA) record after wins over North Central College (IL), Worcester Poly-Tech, Lycoming College (PA) and Thiel College (PA). They will begin their Pilgrim League schedule when they travel across town to take on Johnson and Wales University on Friday, Jan. 27.
Gymnastics
Women’s gymnastics sprung into their competitive season after holding the first annual Maroon and Gold meet in December. The Anchorwomen opened the season with back to back home meets, first hosting Springfield College then hosting Division II Bridgeport. The Anchorwomen posted a 170.350 against Springfield, their highest team result in over a year, before posting a 172.150 against Bridgeport on the teams senior night, their best result since 2009. They will see both schools again when they compete at Yale on Feb. 11.
Swimming
The Anchorwomen have been hard at work splashing though their inaugural season. They faced off against Plymouth State and Bridgewater State in mid-January. They lost to both teams but improved on the team score. They will swim against Eastern Connecticut State on February 4th before the New England Intercollegiate Swimming & Diving Association championships.
Indoor Track
Despite the mild winter we have experienced so far, the Anchormen and Anchorwomen indoor track programs still find themselves confined indoors. They competed in two invitationals in early January at Southern Maine and also at Coast Guard. Conner McCloskey tied his own, and school best mark in the mile run with a time of 4:19.03. Both teams resume competition against Boston University before they head to the Alliance Championships.
