Jaguar women secure spot in SE Regional v. Carson-Newman
By Justin Gray | Sports editor
The Augusta University women’s basketball team watched patiently as the players and coaches waited for their name to be called in the NCAA Division II women’s selection show on Sunday, March 10.
Fortunately, the Jaguars’ name was called as the seventh seed in the Southeast Regional. AU will take on the No. 2-seeded Carson-Newman at Catawba University in Salisbury, N.C.
“I’m so glad that our team has proven they are elite and able to compete at the highest level,” said AU Coach Celeste Stewart. “They have shown consistently throughout the season they deserve this opportunity. Our team has worked year after year to get to this and now they are able to see the results.”
The Jaguars finished their resume with an impressive 22-8 record, including a win over the Southeast Regional’s No. 3 seed in Wingate and a 15-3 conference record.
Now the Jags shift their focus to Carson-Newman.
C-N finished its regular season with a 19-8 record and owns a 22-9 record overall going into the region quarterfinals. The Eagles won three SAC Conference tournament games before losing 85-69 to Wingate in the conference championship. The Eagles also had a common opponent in Georgia Southwestern, which swept AU. C-N lost to GSW by four points.
“They are obviously a very talented team that has traditionally been a top caliber program for a long time,” said the Jaguars’ first-year coach. “We will need to guard well on the perimeter, limit second chance opportunities, and value each possession.”
The Eagles are led by graduate guard Braelyn Wykle, who averages 18.7 points per game. Lindsey Taylor is their best paint player, averaging 15.2 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game. The Jaguars will have their hands full with this duo.
The Southeast Regional includes the following in seeded order: Catawba, Carson-Newman, Wingate, Lenoir-Ryhne, Georgia Southwestern, Anderson, Augusta and UNC Pembroke.
The Jaguars and Eagles will face off at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, March 15. Theirs is the second of four games on the day.
Baseball splits doubleheader with Lander
The AU baseball team split a doubleheader at Lander on Sunday, March 10. Kyle Lodise, Dylan Wanat and Harrison Aulds led an 11-hit attack in 9-6 win in the opener. Lodise went 4 for 5 with three RBI, while Wanat went 2 for 5 with two RBI. Wanat had a double and a triple. Aulds went 2 for 4 with a home run.
In the second game, AU had a 6-4 led after six innings but could not hold on, giving up two runs in the seventh and four in the ninth. Wanat went 2 for 6 with a home run and a double. Kyle LaRoche went 2 for 4 and also homered.
AU’s record was 12-11 overall and 3-3 in the Peach Belt Conference before a 4 p.m. game with Emmanuel on Tuesday, March 12.
AU’s Boon-In ties for eighth in Valspar
AU’s Napabhach Boon-In finished tied for eighth in the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club on March 10.
Former teammate Mirabel Ting, who now plays for Florida State, won the individual title at 7 under par with a closing round 67, and Ole Miss took the team title by three strokes over South Carolina and Michigan. The Jaguars finished 12th.
Jags’ Bowen wins javelin in Clark Atlanta meet
Joshua Bowen finished first in the javelin at the Panther Invitational at Clark Atlanta on March 9. Bowen’s winning toss was 155 feet and 10 inches.
The Jags’ Grace Sangwa was second in the long jump in 21 feet and 10.75 inches. Swanga also was second in the triple jump in 41 feet and 8.75 inches.
AU’s Cameron Watson took third in the 5,000 meters. Watson, a senior communication major, ran a 15:35.44.
On the women’s side, AU junior Lauren Michael finished fifth in the 1,500 meters in 5:02.66. Haley Gilbert of Augusta was next in 5:03.14.
Softball drops three at No. 1 North Georgia
The AU softball team was swept at North Georgia over the weekend. The Jaguars fell to 12-18 overall and 2-7 in the PBC. UNG, ranked No. 1 in the country in Division II, improved 24-2 overall and 8-0 in the PBC. Paige Patterson, Bobbi Poff and Lauren Barrett all homered for the Jags.
Contact Justin Gray at jusgray@augusta.edu.
AU’s Napabhach Boon-In finished in a tie for eighth place in the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club on March 10. At the top of the page, Tomiyah Alford will lead the Augusta women’s basketball team into the Southeast Regional against Carson-Newman. (photos by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
Former AU all-American Mirabel Ting, who now plays for Florida State, came back to Forest Hills and took home the Valspar individual championship with a 7-under-par score. (photo by Paula Toole, AU Athletics)
