By Bud Denega
The COVID-19 pandemic unceremoniously ended a couple winter sports and cut short the spring sports season. Many senior student-athletes weren't afforded the privilege of completing their careers in the orange and black.
In an effort to remedy the sports void at ONU and honor the athletes that weren't able to finish their respective seasons, here's a synopsis of those teams' seasons.
WRESTLING:
The Ohio Northern wrestling team was set to send three to the NCAA Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Senior Seth Transue was slated to compete in the 133-pound bracket, following a 2019-20 season that saw him compile a 36-2 record. His year included five pins, six tech falls and nine major decisions.
Junior Cash Thompson was going to compete in the 197-pound bracket, boasting a 29-8 overall record, which included 14 pins and five major decisions.
Freshman Chase Sumner would have gone to battle in the 149-pound bracket, owning a 37-6 record equipped with 13 pins, three tech falls and 11 major decisions.
Junior Schuyler Caprella (43-10) and senior Jeff Andrews (34-14) enjoyed 30-plus win seasons, giving the Polar Bears four in the 30-win club. That's the first time that feat has been accomplished in ONU history. Northern finished the season with a 14-8 overall record, which included a 3-4 mark in Ohio Athletic Conference competition.
TRACK & FIELD:
The Ohio Northern indoor track and field team, similar to the wrestling squad, was going to send a trio to the NCAA Championships when the meet was canceled.
Senior Maggie Krause and sophomores Andrew Buderer and Nate Dean were scheduled to compete in Winston-Salem, N.C. Krause — who was making her third consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships — was aiming to become a two-time indoor All-American, as she earned that honor as a junior last season. Krause' season concluded with an Ohio Athletic Conference title, the second of her career.
Buderer also ascended to the top of the pole vault podium at conference en route to being seeded ninth in country. The trip to nationals would have been his first. Dean set a new ONU record in the 200-meter dash, racing a time of 22.09 at the conference meet. He was seeded 12th going into what would have been his second trip to the NCAA Championships.
The aforementioned three would have spearheaded the Polar Bears during outdoor season, which was scheduled to begin in late March. The men finished fourth at the OAC Championships a season ago, while the women finished fifth.
Krause was the lone returning national qualifier for either outdoor team. Other seniors pegged to compete in the spring on the women's side included Kathleen Colvin, Ashlynn Hickey, Sydney McCluer, Melinda McIntosh, Madeleine Routhier and Allison Stevens. On the men's side, Cody Benny, Riley Lamison, Sean McGill, Noah McKee, Kyle Neff, Bryan Peck, Michael Ross, Bradley Russelburg, Andrew Shelton, Griffin Skaff and Zachary Vaughn were seniors scheduled to compete in the spring.
MEN'S GOLF:
The Ohio Northern men's golf team was eying a fruitful spring season, following a 2-0 showing during their Florida trip in early March. The fall season featured a victory at the Lourdes Fall Invitational.
Freshman Alex Cabungcal paced the Polar Bears, boasting a scoring average of 76.3, while freshman Josh Steyer and sophomore Nolan Kimberley rounded out ONU's top three, laying claim to scoring averages of 77.5 and 78.3, respectively. Seniors on this year's squad included Brant Morton and Ryan Tatman.
WOMEN'S GOLF:
The Ohio Northern women's golf team was poised for a strong spring after an applaud-worthy fall season. The Polar Bears began the season capturing the ONU Fall Invitational title and backed that up with a first-place finish at the Ohio Athletic Conference Fall Championships.
Junior Lydia Cranmar led Northern with a stroke average of 79.8, while fellow junior Annika Neumann and freshman Meghan Utterdyke held 82.6 and 87.7 scoring averages, respectively, giving the Polar Bears a stout top three. Seniors on this year's team included Brittany Bolton and Taylor Daniel.
MEN'S TENNIS:
The Ohio Northern men's tennis team got off to a strong start this spring. The Polar Bears won five of eight matches after the turn of the calendar to push their overall record to 6-4. Junior Vinh Thai paced Northern at No. 1 singles, posting a record of 5-3. ONU had zero seniors on their roster.
WOMEN'S TENNIS:
The Ohio Northern women's tennis team breezed through the spring portion of its schedule. The Polar Bears claimed a victory in nine of the 11 matches, winning six via shut out.
Senior Kaleigh Cummins held down the No. 1 singles position, logging a record of 4-7. Joining Cummins in the senior class were Katie Curry, Jordan Dodson and Mackenzie Wills.
BASEBALL:
The Ohio Northern baseball team was rounding into form upon COVID-19 putting an end to the season. The Polar Bears won five of their seven contests during the Russ Matt Invitational to bring their overall record to 5-5.
Northern was led by its veteran pitching staff. Senior Jack Schaller started three games, going 1-1, posting a 1.40 ERA. Fellow senior Nate Bye also laid claim to a 1-1 record over three starts, owning an ERA of 2.40.
Senior Scott Beaton anchored the bullpen bunch, making five appearances and boasting an ERA of 2.45. Freshman Tim Knapschaefer also logged effective innings in the pen, tossing six frames of scoreless baseball.
Juniors Matthew Burkett and Krue Thwaits led the barrage at the dish. Burkett hit .412 with a pair of doubles and five RBIs, while Thwaits batted .382 with two triples, one double and nine RBIs. Sophomore Corey McMann provided some pop, launching two home runs to go alongside three doubles, seven RBIs and a .378 batting average. Other seniors included Phil Buckingham, Jake Gherardi, Devin Johnson, Josh Mohr, Sean Sweeney and Troy Wagner.
SOFTBALL:
The Ohio Northern softball team sprinted out of the gates, boasting a 7-3 record following the Spring Games in Florida. Seniors Brady Guest and Gabby Stewart paced the Polar Bears offensively. Guest did it with average, batting .517 with one home run, one double and 11 RBIs, while Stewart has provided the power with three homers to go next to her two doubles, nine RBIs and .393 batting average.
Senior Alicia Swierz recorded 31 at-bats, hitting .387 with six doubles and seven RBIs. Jordan Cloonan was the fourth and final senior, and she batted .462 in 13 at-bats with one dinger, one double and six RBIs. A youth movement took place in the pitching circle for Northern. Freshman Allie Bican started four games, going 1-1, with a 2.28 ERA, while sophomore Stacey Walters went 3-1 in four starts with an ERA of 3.96.
MEN'S LACROSSE:
The Ohio Northern men's lacrosse team enjoyed a strong start to the 2020 season. The Polar Bears went 4-2, which included a perfect 3-0 home record. Junior Joe O'Connell led the offensive charge, netting 15 goals with one assist for 16 points.
Senior Cameron Marous tallied nine goals and five assists for 14 points, while senior Pat Berthelsen-Leon and junior Patrick Moran each registered six goals and four assists apiece. Freshman goalie Cole Zaferakis started all six games in net, recording a save percentage 63.3 with 52 saves.
Other seniors included Chris DiMarco, Kevin Giles, Tristan Hancock, John Mullin, Samuel Neff, Javon Smith and Ian Zaferakis.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE:
The Ohio Northern women's lacrosse team held a 3-2 record. Freshman Kiersten Schultz poured in 14 goals and four assists for 18 points. Junior Sydney Skelding scored 12 goals and five assists for 17 points, while Ann McArn logged 10 goals and three assists for 13 points.
Senior Kelli Hill started all five games in goal, recording a 53.3 save percentage with 48 saves. Other seniors included Eli Carter, Hailey Green, Kayla Penrod and Maddie Storr.
