SPRING '00 varsity wrap up

BASEBALL

Coach: John Stuper

Captain: R.D. DeSantis, SY '01

In a season with its share of losing streaks, including four straight losses to Dartmouth near the end of the season, the baseball team finished last in the Ivy League. Plagued by poor offensive production and erratic defensive play, the team, 2-13 in the league at one point, did not meet high pre-season expectations.

CREW

Men's Heavyweight Coach: David Vogel

Men's Heavyweight Captain: TBA

In the fall, the eight-man and four-man boats both finished fourth at the Head of the Charles Regatta. Heavyweight crew had a disappointing spring start, finishing third behind Penn and host Columbia at the Blackwell Cup, held at New York City's Harlem River, and losing to Dartmouth in its only home meet. The team beat the predictions, finishing eighth at Eastern Sprints to round out the season.

Men's Lightweight Coach: Andrew Card

Men's Lightweight Captain: TBA

The Bulldogs impressed in the fall at the Head of the Charles, where the lightweight eight finished third in a field of 23—behind only the U.S. and Canadian national teams—and first among college teams. The four-man crew was second among colleges. In the spring, the team edged out Columbia by .30 seconds and easily beat Georgetown and Cornell in Ithaca on the way to an undefeated start and a national title, though the team took second to Columbia at Eastern Sprints.

Women's Coach: Will Porter

Women's Captain: TBA

Women's crew began its spring with an impressive 7-2 (4-2 Ivy) record, defeating Dartmouth, Boston University, and No. 4 Virginia to jump in the national rankings from No. 12 to No. 8. The team's only early-season losses came at the hands of No. 5 Princeton and, in the season opener, top-ranked Brown. In postseason competition, the varsity eight finished in sixth place at Eastern Sprints, earning them an automatic berth in the NCAA Championships, which had not yet taken place at press time.

GOLF

Men's Coach: David Paterson

Men's Captain: Louis Aurelio, MC '01

The men's golf team had another excellent season, finishing second in the NCAA Division I district standings and winning both the Dartmouth Invitational and the Yale Spring Opener. Although the Bulldogs were the favorites to win the Ivy League Championships, they played poorly and finished only third. The team will lose Peter Schumacher, CC '00, the longest hitter in New England, but has a strong crop of incoming freshmen, including Alex Fulton, who was an Academic All-Amercian in 1999.

Women's Coach: Heather Daly-Donofrio

Women's Captain: TBA

Led by Sarah Seo, TD '02, who posted a two-day score of 153, the Elis defeated defending champion Princeton by 10 strokes to win their third Ivy League Championship in four years. Yale also won the Boston College Invitational and finished sixth out of 17 teams at the William and Mary Women's Golf Invitational, where Jenny Schriefer, DC '02, led the Bulldogs by placing tenth.

LACROSSE

Men's Coach: Mike Waldvogel

Men's Captain: Pat Hein, SM '01

After finishing third in the league and first in New England, the Bulldogs are looking ahead to next year's schedule, the toughest in the country, and a berth in the NCAA Championship. Waldvogel is losing All-American goalie Don Gerne, BR '00, and defender Chris McIntyre, SY '00, but is optimistic about next year's freshmen.

Women's Coach: Amanda O'Leary

Women's Captain: Liz Gardner, DC '01

The Elis, ranked No. 14 in the nation at the beginning of the season, were blown out by No. 3 Duke, 17-4, near the end of the season. Coupled with a 16-8 loss to No. 2 Princeton, the loss dimmed the Bulldogs' NCAA tournament hopes. They did manage to squeeze out a come-from-behind victory against Harvard, 7-6, and also routed Fairfield and Notre Dame by 22-3 and 17-3 margins, respectively.

SOFTBALL

Coach: Andy Van Etten

Captain: Monica Lebron, TC '01

Even with seven seniors on the roster, the Bulldogs (19-23-1, 5-7 Ivy) could not manage better than a No. 5 finish in the league. On Sat., Apr. 15, the Elis were routed 10-3 by top-ranked Harvard, but redeemed themselves the following afternoon by splitting a doubleheader against No. 2 Dartmouth. After losing the first game, 3-2, the Bulldogs surged past the Big Green in the second after Jesseka Bartholomew, ES '03, had an RBI with two outs in the seventh inning to seal the victory, 3-2. Another highlight of the season included a come-from-behind victory over Cornell on Sat., Apr. 22. After graduating top players Kathy Ching, BR '00, and Ginger Dunn, BR '00, the Bulldogs will rely on First Team All-Ivy selection Lebron, who led the team with a .314 batting average, for most of its offensive firepower.

TENNIS

Men's Coach: Alex Dorato

Men's Captain: Greg Royce, SY '01

After losing Gabe Goldstein, DC '02, a top doubles player, to an elbow injury, men's tennis struggled to a 9-12 (2-5 Ivy) record. Dorato noted that the season could have been a disaster, given his shrunken lineup. The Bulldogs defeated Cornell's best team in 13 years, 4-3, and are looking forward to the addition of six freshmen in the fall.

Women's Coach: Meghan McMahon

Women's Captain: Lauren Muehl, CC '01

Despite end-of-season losses to Dartmouth and Harvard, women's tennis finished 12-11 (3-4 Ivy) and pulled off several impressive wins. The Elis were down four matches to two against Cornell but won three straight doubles matches to defeat the Big Red, 5-4. The bulk of the team, including top player Cynthia Obsitnik, ES '01, returns next year.

TRACK

Men's Coach: David Shoehalter

Men's Captain: TBA

Men's track achieved its goal of finshing in the top half of the league in the indoor season. In the outdoor season, the Elis were victorious against Harvard, 84-79. The 4x400 relay won the Ivy Chapmionship and broke the championship record. Edging out Cornell by two points, Yale finished fourth of nine teams at Heptagonals behind Princeton, Penn, and Navy. Joe Racine, TD '00, won the 5000 meter race at Heps, and Thomas Hocker, PC '02, won the 400 meter hurdles. Coach David Shoehalter is losing Brian Yates, PC '00, who has scored in every event he has entered at Ivy Championships since his sophomore year.

Women's Coach: Mark Young, ES '68

Women's Captain: TBA

Women's track had a successful spring regular season, beating Princeton and Harvard and breaking several school records. At Heptagonals, Yale placed fifth of nine teams behind Brown, Dartmouth, Harvard, and Cornell. Kate O'Neill, TD '03, won the 3000 meter race at Heps. Diane Potkay, PC '00, the best thrower in the league, is graduating, with no potential replacement among the rising classes in sight. Coach Mark Young, an Olympic team assistant, is looking to hire two new coaches by Sept. 1.

Compiled by Anna Dolinsky and John Chin.

A look back at the year in Bulldog sports: the '99-'00 varsity wrap up