Track at the WAC Indoor Championships

Seattle University Track & Field’s roster at this year’s Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Indoor Championships was the youngest group of Redhawks to compete in the competition in program history. At the Feb. 19-20 meet in Albuquerque, N.M. the Redhawks tallied up 14 top-10 performances at the meet, grossing 29 top-10 performances on the season. 

Sophomore Miguel Rosario III completed with a time of 21.03 in the 200 meter dash prelims which broke Seattle U’s record by .68 seconds. Rosario had collected a second-place title for the 200 meter dash prelims and earned first place in the 60 meter dash prelims.

Sophomore Azalea Groleau earned a second All-WAC title this academic year after earning her first for her breakout cross country season. Groleau shows off impressive growth from last year’s WAC Indoor Championships. 

The women’s combination of Groleau, Junior Taylor Marks, Junior McKenna White and Junior Lilianne Hargreaves won the distance medley relay, finishing in 12:05.94. The win marked the second consecutive season the team has won the event at the WAC Championships.

Also performing in the distance medley relay and finishing in fourth place with a time of 10:08.97 was the men’s combination of Redshirt Senior Alex Franklin, Senior Alex Jensen, Redshirt Senior Zack Sundt and Senior Gus Harquail.

Baseball Wins at Pacific, Drops San Jose State Series

Seattle U Baseball continued their season with two wins over Pacific and San Jose State. The Redhawks knocked out Pacific, 9-5, in Stockton, Calif. Feb. 19, scoring all nine runs in the first four innings of their game. Recording an early season-high of 16 hits among seven players, Freshman utility player Sam Kane accounted for four of those hits, driving a game-high three runs. 

Freshman infielder Brandon Stinnett and Senior outfielder Cole Kleckner added five more hits in 11 combined at-bats. Sophomore pitcher Kaden Alberghini was credited with the win, his first of the season.

The Redhawks moved to play San Jose State for a three-game series in San Jose, Calif. Feb. 23-25. They secured a 7-0 victory in the first game, with an incredible performance from Sophomore pitcher Blake Smith—his first win of this year’s season. But the next two games would go the Spartans’ way, as the Redhawks would lose a 10-inning match 4-3 Feb. 24 and an 8-6 slugfest Feb. 25 as the season starts to get into full swing.

Softball Goes 1-4 in Cathedral City

Seattle U Softball played the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 23-25 in Cathedral City, Calif, at Big League Dreams Sports Park. On day one, the team lost 4-6 against California State Northridge after falling behind early, but defeated The University of California Riverside 6-0. 

In their game against Riverside, the Redhawks went up 2-0 in the second inning after Sophomore infielder Taylor Fitch’s first home run at Seattle U. Freshman infielder Mikee Morris marked her first career collegiate home run in the third inning, bringing in two more runs.

Junior pitcher Nicola Simpson and Freshman pitcher Avari Morris combined for 11 total strikeouts and threw seven shutout innings

That would be the last win of the road trip for the Redhawks though. They would fall to No. 21 California 6-4 Feb. 24, despite numerous comeback attempts. Seattle U would lose later that day to California State Fullerton 4-1 despite two scoreless innings pitched by Morris.   

The Redhawks would finish the weekend Feb. 25 with their greatest test yet: No. 1 Oklahoma. Unfortunately for Seattle U, the Sooners would score an 8-0 run-rule win over them, ending the road trip sourly.

Women’s Basketball Splits on the Week in Texas

Seattle U Women’s Basketball took on Stephen F. Austin Feb. 22 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Sophomore guard Makayla Moore led the team in scoring that night, posting 16 points and two rebounds but the Redhawks fell behind by 13 points after the first quarter and never quite found their footing, losing the game 87-62

It was a tiring loss for Seattle U but they made a strong comeback Feb. 24 in Edinburg, Texas against the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), 82-75, sealing their third win in five contests. Sophomore forward Mya Moore took the win back home as the leading scorer, with 25 points and 12 rebounds to mark her fourth career double-double. Senior forward Irena Korolenko added 19 points in the win.

Tyson Breaks 2,000 Career Points, Men’s Basketball Wins Two

The men’s basketball team won both of their games this week, including a 69-49 triumph over Stephen F. Austin Feb. 22 at the Redhawk Center. 

Redshirt Senior guard Cameron Tyson brought in 15 points before the first half and the Redhawks sat on a 30-24 at halftime. Tyson scored 12 more points in the second frame while Senior guard Alex Schumacher took over and scored 15 of his 17 in the final 20 minutes, adding five rebounds and five assists. 

The Redhawks earned their 18th win of the season, 84-56, against UTRGV Jan. 24 at the Redhawk Center. The team’s defense held the Vaqueros to 29% shooting, giving the Redhawks a dominant 55-29 halftime lead.

Leading the scorers with 24 points, including six 3-pointers, was Redshirt Sophomore guard John Christofilis. Tyson added 21 points on five 3-pointers made.

It was a big game for Tyson, who entered into the arena needing 18 points to hit his 2,000th career point and join the program’s only other 2k scorer, Johnny O’Brien.