Wheeling led the Air Force Academy 17-12 late in the second half of their second round matchup in the May Madness 7s Collegiate Rugby Championship (CRC) earlier today.
But the Falcons converted a try to tie the score and the ensuing successful kick gave the Blue and White the19-17 win on the final play of the game.
It was Wheeling’s first loss of the tournament after dispatching of New Mexico Tech in the first round, 38-12.
The Cardinals, however, are not the only local team in the tournament. Competitive teams, irrespective of their usual NCAA divisional classification re eligible to be invited. Franciscan University also suited up for this weekend’s tournament.
The Barons fell in the first round to Iowa State, 34-0, on Saturday, but battled back today to defeat both Wayne State (26-17) and Salve Regina (19-14) in the Survivor Shield Bracket.
FUS will now face the winner of Lafeyette and New Mexico Tech in Monday’s Survivor Shield semifinal. The opposite side of that bracket will feature the winner of Tulane and McKendree against the winner of Marian and Nazareth.
Wheeling, meanwhile, is taking on Lander right now as their first round Champion Plate Bracket match got underway at 3:23 p.m. EST. Lander defeated Lafayette, 45-0, in the first round before also falling to a fellow service academy in the second. This time, it was the Black Knights of Army that best Lander, 31-5, in the second round.
Should Wheeling advance past Lander, the Cardinals will face the winner of Iowa State and Loyola (Md.) on Monday. The opposite side of that bracket will feature a semifinal pitting the winner of Louisiana and Denver vs. the winner of Christendom and Mount St. Mary’s.
Wheeling’s matchup with Lander, along with all May 7s contests can be viewed on Facebook.
Baseball Honors Continue
West Virginia State’s Matt Harrison and Concord’s Anthony Stehlin both earned honorable mention status on the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-America team.
Stehlin drove in 30 runs and scored 44 while batting .408 this season, while Harrison led the MEC in runs (50) and home runs (13).
Both were named first-team all-region for the Atlantic Region, along with Wheeling’s Jacob Murray and Luis Dominguez, Charleston’s Logan Campbell, Glenville State’s Tre’von Smith, and W.Va. State’s Ethan Lauchert.
Wheeling’s Albert Baez was named second team.
Wheeling’s Liz Fleming capped her collegiate track and field career with a 13th place finish at the Division II Track and Field National Championships.
Fleming, a senior from Washington, Pa., heaved a 13.83 meter throw on her first attempt before scratching her final two in effort to increase her distance. Fleming didn’t advance out of the preliminary round, but in finishing 13th, she came in two spots ahead of her seeded distance in 15th.
One of four MEC athletes competing at the event, she was the lone representative on the women’s side. It capped a fine career which saw the throwing specialist earn MEC Field Athlete of the Year honors for the 2021 outdoor season and 2020 indoor season.
Amend, Donzella Earn A-A Status
West Liberty pitcher Makenzie Amend and catcher Kat Donzella were both honored recently with All-American status.
The Atlantic Region Pitcher of the Year for D2, Amend was named to the honorable mention portion of the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association’s team.
Donzella, meanwhile, became the first Lady Hilltoppers’ player to earn All-American status on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) team when she was awarded third-team laurels.
She was the only MEC player to earn a spot.
Bolon, Kotchman Honored
West Liberty’s Dalton Bolon and Fairmont State’s Sierra Kotchman were honored as NCAA Division II Academic All-Americans recently. For Bolon, it’s a repeat showing on this elite athletic and academic list.
Concord’s Riley Fitzwater was named second team.
For Bolon, this is his third straight season he’s been named an All-American.
The two-time MEC Player of the Year finished his West Liberty career as the Division II active scoring leader with 2,247 points and 3-pointers made with 349.
Bolon earned his undergraduate degree in biology and is working toward a master’s degree as a Physician Assistant. He opted to transfer to Division I’s College of Charleston for his final collegiateseason.
Kotchman, also the active NCAA women’s Division II scoring leader, is a three-time All-MEC selection. She’s graduating with a degree in business administration with a 3.97 GPA.
Note: The MEC Notebook highlights the top news and notes from around the Mountain East Conference. This will be the final MEC Notebook for the 2020-21 athletic season. The MEC Notebook will resume on its new Tuesday release schedule in late August.
