Revisiting Victories
From Kenyon News - August 25, 2016
The Lords' second-straight NCAC Tournament victory ranks as one of the year's top athletic achievements.
As the Lords and Ladies kick off their fall season, Kenyon celebrates the national titles, broken records and victories that defined the athletic program last year. From the pitch to the pool, on the courts and on the road, here are 10 moments when Kenyon student-athletes took their games to the next level.
Kicking off the list at number 10 was the Ladies soccer team’s seven-game winning streak under Head Coach Kelly Bryan. The Ladies claimed a double-overtime upset win over Denison University and advanced to the four-team North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament.
Moment number nine saw senior Lords basketball players Tim Connolly ’16 and Brien Comey ’16 set records in the regular-season finale against Wabash College. Connolly scored a career-high 33 points while Comey blocked a College-record nine shots.
Number eight came from the Ladies volleyball team, who reversed a near quarter-century of losing seasons in the fall under second-year Head Coach Amanda Krampf. The squad posted a record of 15-13, its first winning campaign since 1990.
During the winter, a surprise 18-9 season and advancement to the NCAC Tournament semifinals saw the Ladies basketball team earn the number seven moment of the year. Following at number six was the Ladies’ tennis team’s runner-up finish in the NCAC and final ranking of 24 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Cracking the top half of the list was field-hockey star Maddie Breschi ’16 at number five. In her final year in Gambier, she became the program’s leader in goals, assists and points. She also helped lead Kenyon to the NCAC Championship for the third-straight year.
Checking in at number four was the Lords swimming team’s national runner-up finish at the NCAA Division III Championship. It was the 38th-straight year that Kenyon finished in the top two of the final meet.
Another superb run in the postseason from the Lords soccer squad put them at number three. Kenyon won the NCAC Tournament for the second-straight season and advanced all the way to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament.
Moment number two came from the Ladies swimming and diving team. With a diverse bunch of upperclassmen and first-years, Kenyon won the NCAC Championship for the first time since 2008 and claimed a national runner-up finish in the final NCAA Championship meet.
Lords tennis players Sam Geier ’16 and Tristan Kaye ’17 claimed the number one moment of the year in late May. During the NCAA Doubles Championships, the duo, who were underdogs heading into the 16-team tournament, captured the College’s first-ever men’s title as they defeated Middlebury College in the final.
Pictured from left to right are Assistant Coach Alvin Cheng, Sam Geier '16, Tristan Kaye '17 and Head Coach Scott Thielke.