2008-09 AUGSBURG ATHLETIC AWARDS/ACCOMPLISHMENTS
2008-09 AUGSBURG ATHLETIC YEAR-IN-REVIEW -- WINTER SPORTS
2008-09 AUGSBURG ATHLETIC YEAR-IN-REVIEW -- SPRING SPORTS
FOOTBALL (5-5 overall, 3-5 MIAC--8th/9)
Under fourth-year head coach Frank Haege, the Augsburg football team finished 5-5 overall, 3-5 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play in 2008, duplicating its record from last season. Augsburg opened its season with four straight victories, including a 30-24, two-overtime win over No. 20-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) on Sept. 13. Augsburg claimed conference wins over St. Olaf, Hamline and St. Thomas in 2008.
Augsburg wide receiver/cornerback Royce Winford (SR, Brookyn Park, Minn./Osseo HS) was named the MIAC's Most Valuable Player on a vote of conference coaches. Winford joined quarterback Jordan Berg (SR, Gaylord, Minn./Sibley East HS) and center Brandon Rudenick (SR, Nicollet, Minn.) as Augsburg All-MIAC first-team honorees. Winford was also named an All-American for the second straight year by the D3football.com website, this year earning first-team honors. He also earned West Region Offensive Player of the Year honors by D3football.com, and joined Berg and Rudenick as D3football.com All-West Region honorees.
Running back Jason Potts (SR, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS), wide receiver Muneer Al-Hameed (SO, Woodbury, Minn./Minneapolis Washburn HS), offensive lineman Mike Struss (SR, Nicollet, Minn.), linebacker Donovan Bates (SR, White Bear Lake, Minn.) and free safety Garrett Adamson (SR, White Bear Lake, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) earned All-MIAC second-team honors. Potts was named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. Defensive back Sean Kelly (SR, Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View HS), offensive lineman Josh Corrigan (JR, Cottage Grove, Minn./Park HS), wide receiver Mike Nourie (JR, Nicollet, Minn.) and linebacker Andrew Bergeson (JR, Red Wing, Minn.) were named All-MIAC honorable-mention.
Winford caught 93 passes for 1,139 yards, his second straight 1,000-yard receiving season and the fifth-most receiving yards in a single season in school history. Winford tied his single-season school record with 16 touchdowns. He finished his career with 247 catches for 3,282 yards -- both totals second-most in school history, and tied Augsburg legend Scott Hvistendahl (1995-98) for the school's career records for both overall touchdowns (41) and receiving touchdowns (40). Playing on defense for the first time in his career, Winford finished with four interceptions, three pass breakups and 11 tackles (eight solo) as a cornerback.
Berg completed 297-of-499 passes for 3,226 yards and 25 touchdowns against just 14 interceptions this season, the completion total a single-season school record. Each of the other passing totals were the second-most in a single season in school history, behind his numbers from 2007. Berg ended his Augsburg career as the top passing quarterback in school history. In three seasons at Augsburg, Berg finished with 8,777 passing yards (292.6 yards per-game) on 796-of-1,350 pasing with 74 touchdowns -- all school records. Berg also holds the MIAC's career passing yardage record (conference games-only) with 7,414 yards in 24 league games.
A physics major with a 3.80 grade-point average, Berg was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first team, and was named as a finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, awarded to the top student-athlete in Division III football. He was named as one of 10 finalists, then later as one of four regional finalists for the award.
VOLLEYBALL (17-12 overall, 5-6 MIAC--t6th/12)
The Augsburg volleyball team, under fourth-year head coach Jessica Rinehart, finished the 2008 season with a record of 17-12 overall (5-6 MIAC), tying the most victories for an Augsburg volleyball team since 1998 (17-11 overall, 6-5 MIAC). With just two seniors on the roster, the Auggies finished in a tie for sixth place in the MIAC standings with Carleton and St. Mary's, but lost out on a conference playoff berth due to tiebreaker criteria. Augsburg won nine of its final 13 matches, including a stretch of four straight conference victories in the five-set limit. Among those wins was a dramatic home triumph over St. Olaf on Oct. 15, breaking a 31-match losing streak to the Oles dating to the 1989 season.
Outside hitter/setter Julie Jenkins (SR, Edina, Minn.) was named to the All-MIAC volleyball squad, while middle blocker Amanda Rueb (SR, Plymouth, Minn./West Lutheran HS) earned All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team honors. Jenkins finished this season with a team-high 250 kills (2.29 kills per-set), to go along with 97 assists, 28 aces, 238 digs and 77 blocks. In her three years at Augsburg, Jenkins finished with 643 kills, 1,046 assists, 99 aces, 687 digs and 238 blocks -- believed to be the only player in school history to finish with 600 kills, 600 digs and 1,000 assists in a career. Rueb finished this season with 109 kills (1.05 kps) and 60 blocks (0.58 bps), and her career with 184 kills (0.87 kps) and 121 blocks (24 solo, 0.57 bps).
Also having outstanding individual seasons were outside hitter Katie Christensen (SO, North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS), who finished with 249 kills (2.44 kps), 127 digs (1.25 dps) and 50 blocks (7 solo, 0.49 bps); setter Shanna Reed (JR, Eagan, Minn./Holy Angels HS), who finished with 960 assists (8.73 aps), 214 digs (1.95 dps) and 30 blocks (3 solo, 0.27 bps), while moving into third place in career assists in school history (2,225); and libero Dani Tanaka (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS), who finished with a team-best 557 digs (5.02 dps), becoming the 11th player in school history to reach the 1,000-dig career plateau (1,026).
MEN'S SOCCER (12-4-7 overall, 7-2-1 MIAC--3rd/11, MIAC playoff runner-up, NCAA tournament third round)
Under fifth-year head coach Greg Holker, the Augsburg men's soccer team finished 12-4-7 overall, 7-2-1 in MIAC play, qualifying for the NCAA Division III national playoffs for the first time in school history. The Auggies reached the "Sweet Sixteen" round of the NCAA tournament this season, claiming a penalty-kick advancement over Whitworth (Wash.) in the opening round and a 1-0 win at Redlands (Calif.) in the second round before falling 2-1 in two overtimes at Loras (Iowa) in the third round. The Auggies reached the MIAC men's soccer tournament for the second time in the last three seasons, topping Gustavus 3-0 in the semifinals before falling in a penalty-kick shootout to Carleton in the championship game.
Defender Alex Hildebrandt (JR, St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS), defender Lucas Ingram (JR, Woodbury, Minn.) and midfielder James See (SR, Richfield, Minn./Holy Angels HS) were named to the All-MIAC men's soccer squad, while defender Peter Loyd (FY, Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) and forward D.J. Wendell (JR, Princeton, Minn./Charles M. Russell (Mont.) HS) earned All-MIAC honorable-mention recognition. Hildebrandt was also named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team. For See, the honor marked his third straight entry on the All-MIAC first team, while it was Hildebrandt's second all-conference honor, after earning All-MIAC honorable-mention honors in 2006.
Hildebrandt also became Augsburg's first-ever National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas Division III All-American and the second All-America honoree for Augsburg men's soccer in the last three years (Augsburg had a D3Kicks.com honoree in 2006). Hildebrandt also shined in the classroom. A finance major with a 3.86 grade-point average, Hildebrandt was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American third-team honoree this year, in addition to earning ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first-team honors, NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-American first-team and NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-North/Central Region first-team honors.
A defender, Hildebrandt finished second on the Auggie squad in scoring, with four goals and six assists for 14 points, including one game-winning goal and a penalty-kick goal. In his career at Augsburg (54 games, 52 starts), Hildebrandt has 10 goals and nine assists for 29 points, including three game-winning goals.
See joined Hildebrandt as an NSCAA/Adidas All-Far West Region honoree, earning third-team honors. Consodered one of the top central midfielders in the league. See started all 22 games this season, finishing with one goal and two assists for four points as the leader of the team's midfield. In his career, See started 65 of 72 Augsburg games, with two goals and six assists for 10 points in his career, including one game-winning goal.
Hildebrandt and See were leaders of an Augsburg squad that allowed just 13 goals this season (0.52 team goals-against-average) with 13 shutouts -- totals all second-best among MIAC teams this year. Augsburg's 0.52 team GAA was ninth-best among NCAA Division III teams this season, and its shutout total was 14th-best.
Academically, Augsburg was named as one of 106 men's soccer teams nationwide to earn NSCAA Team Academic Award recognition, with a team grade-point-average of 3.29.
WOMEN'S SOCCER (10-4-4 overall, 5-2-4 MIAC--t3rd/12)
Under 10th-year head coach Mike Navarre, Augsburg's women's soccer team finished 10-4-4 overall, 5-2-4 in MIAC play in 2008. The 10 victories marked Augsburg's fifth double-digit victory season in the last seven years. The Auggies finished in a four-way tie for third place in the conference standings, but were eliminated from contention for the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs due to tiebreaker criteria, breaking a four-season streak of MIAC playoff appearances for the Auggies.
Goalkeeper Maggie DeGroot (SR, Waukesha, Wis./West HS) and defender Felicia Faison (SR, Minneapolis, Minn./South HS) were named to the All-MIAC squad, while defender Whitney Holman (JR, New Hope, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS), forward Katie Medd (SR, Mankato, Minn./East HS) and midfielder Kelsey Watsabaugh (SR, Eden Prairie, Minn./Hopkins HS) earned All-MIAC honorable-mention recognition. For DeGroot, she has earned All-MIAC honors four times -- being named All-MIAC first-team in 2007 and 2008, while earning All-MIAC honorable-mention honors in 2005 and 2006. DeGroot was also named to the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team for the third straight year. For Faison, it was her first All-MIAC first-team appearance, after earning All-MIAC honorable-mention honors in 2006 and 2007. Holman earned All-MIAC honorable-mention honors in both 2007 and 2008.
Faison and DeGroot also earned a spot on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas All-Central Region squad, Faison as a first-team defender and DeGroot as a second-team goalkeeper. An accounting major with a 3.74 grade-point average, Faison also earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District second-team honors and NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-Central Region second-team honors. A religion and psychology major with a 3.93 grade-point average, Holman was also named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 5 first team and NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-Central Region honorable-mention honors. A health fitness major with a 3.34 grade-point average, DeGroot was also a Scholar All-Region honorable-mention honoree.
One of the best goalkeepers in school history, DeGroot rewrote the Auggie record book at the position. She finished her career holding the Augsburg career records for goalkeeper wins (37-19-16), career goals-against-average (0.68), shutouts (36) and career win-loss percentage (.627). She has appeared in 72 career games and claimed 401 saves with an .887 save percentage. Each of her four seasons have put her in the top-10 categories in single-season wins, goals-against-average, win-loss percentage and shutouts, including a single-season record 10 shutouts in both 2006 and 2008. This season, DeGroot finished with a 10-4-4 record with 10 shutouts, an .893 save percentage and a 0.59 goals-against-average (30th-best among NCAA Division III goalkeepers).
Considered one of the top defenders in school history, Faison was a mainstay on the outside defense for Augsburg, starting each of the 73 games Augsburg played the last four seasons. She finished with one goal and five assists for seven points in her career, and was part of a defense that has allowed just 53 goals (0.69 goals-against-average) in her career, along with claiming 37 team shutouts. The Auggies had one of the top defenses in the MIAC this season, allowing just 12 goals in the regular season -- second-lowest among MIAC teams in overall statistics -- with a conference-high 10 shutouts. Augsburg's 0.63 team goals-against-average this season was 31st-best among NCAA Division III teams.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY (9th/11 at MIAC meet, 12th/26 at NCAA Division III Central Regional)
The men's cross country team, under head coach Dennis Barker, experienced a season of solid improvement in 2008. As a team, the Auggies finished ninth at the MIAC championships and 12th at the NCAA Division III Central Regional.
The Auggies were led by Brent Haglund (JR, Fridley, Minn.), who became the first Auggie since 1996 to qualify for the NCAA Division III national championships. At the national meet, Haglund finished in 57th place with a time of 25:17.37 over 8,000 meters, just two seconds off his personal-best and school-record time of 25:15.27, set at this season's Wisconsin-Eau Claire Invitational. Haglund earned All-MIAC honors with a seventh-place finish at the conference meet (25:41.45) and all-region honors with a sixth-place finish at the regional meet (25:44.4). Haglund claimed medalist honors at two meets and top-five honors at five meets this season.
Also having a strong season for the Auggie men was Victor Sanchez (JR, Minneapolis, Minn./Southwest HS), who earned All-MIAC honorable-mention honors with a 20th-place finish at the conference meet (26:28.65) and all-region honors with a 35th-place finish at the regional meet (26:42.2). Sanchez cut more than a minute-and-a-half off his previous personal-best time wtih a 25:43.83, season-best clocking. The Auggie men's cross country team was a young one, with no seniors, three juniors, one sophomore and eight first-year students.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY (12th/12 at MIAC meet, 22nd/26 at NCAA Division III Central Regional)
The women's cross country team, under head coach Dennis Barker, experienced a season of solid improvement in 2008. As a team, the Auggies placed 12th at the MIAC championships and 22nd at the NCAA Division III Central Regional.
Jennifer Lovering (SO, Bemidji, Minn.) earned All-MIAC honorable-mention honors with a 24th-place, personal-best 2:25.27 time over 6,000 meters at the conference meet, then finished 57th for the Auggies (24:14.9) at the regional. Lovering eclipsed the 24-minute barrier three times in her five 6,000-meter races this season.
Returning after a season off, Sadie Dietrich (JR, Luverne, Minn.) had a solid season as Augsburg's No. 2 runner, finishing 73rd at the MIAC meet with a personal-best 24:47.72 time. She finished 87th at the regional meet (24:57.7).
MEN'S GOLF (3rd/10 at MIAC championships)
Under fourth-year head coach Ted Vickerman, the Augsburg men's golf team rebounded from last season's eighth-place finish at the MIAC championships with a third-place finish in this season's conference meet (308-309-305--922), finishing just five strokes behind second-place Gustavus. Augsburg finished with a stroke average of 315.1 and a 80-63 record (.559) against opponents during the season.
The Auggies had a balanced attack, with six golfers averaging 82.0 strokes or better during the season. Augsburg was led by newcomer Tony Vanyo (JR, Circle Pines, Minn./Centennial HS), who finished second in the individual race at the MIAC championships (219), just a stroke away from tying for medalist honors in the best individual conference-meet finish for an Auggie golfer since 1999. Vanyo, who averaged a team-best 76.0 strokes per-round this season, made school history with the best individual round for an Auggie golfer ever, a 7-under-par 65 in the final round of the Gustavus Twin Cities Classic on Sept. 29, tying three others for the second-lowest single-round score in MIAC men's golf history (the lowest is a 64). He recorded five of the top-10 rounds for the Auggies this season and claimed medalist honors in two events.
Senior Colby Anderson (SR, Luverne, Minn.) joined Vanyo on the conference medal stand, earning All-MIAC honors with a seventh-place conference meet finish (228). Anderson was second on the team in scoring this season, with a 78.2 stroke average. Anderson also earned Division III Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-American Scholar from the Golf Coaches Association of America.
Josh Henningson (SR, Monticello, Minn.) recorded an 80.3 stroke average this season to rank third on the team, with Joel Kociemba (SO, Andover, Minn./St. Francis HS) finishing fourth at 80.9. Brian Deuel (FY, Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake HS) had an 81.1 average and Jason Henning (SO, Coon Rapids, Minn.) had an 81.7 average.
WOMEN'S GOLF (10th/10 at MIAC championships)
Under fourth-year head coach Laura Patrick, the Augsburg women's golf team finished 10th at the MIAC championships, finishing the fall half of the 2008-09 season with a 393.1 team stroke average. This season's squad improved its stroke average by 11.4 strokes from last season's average, with three of the four returning golfers improving their averages from last year.
Stefani Zappa (SO, Minneapolis, Minn./Patrick Henry HS) led the Auggies with a 89.0 stroke average, placing 25th as an individual at the MIAC championships. Her stroke average is the seventh-best in a single season in school history. Zappa had a consistent season, with 10 of the top 16 single-round scores for the Auggies.
Teammate Johanna Frykmark (SO, Stockholm, Sweden/Rollingby Gymnasium HS), an All-MIAC honoree last season, finished this season with a 91.5 stroke average and a 32nd-place finish at the MIAC championships. Battling a chronic thumb injury this season, Frykmark closed her sophomore campaign in style, shooting a 4-over-par 76 -- the second-best round and just the fourth round in the 70s in school history -- to earn medalist honors at the team's final meet of the season, an Augsburg team victory at the Macalester Spring Extravaganza.
The Auggies had a strong spring half of the season, with a 388.9 stroke average in its five April competitions, after compiling a 396.1 stroke average in the fall half of the year.
