For: The Carleton Alumni 'C' Club

From: Bill Huyck '53

I mentioned in the fall blurb that Carleton was off to a good start in athletics for 2008-09.  It still is. 

At the end of winter sports, Carleton ranks 29^th (of the 400 or so schools in the NCAA DIV III), based on teams scoring at the national level in the non-athletic-scholarship division.

This considers only national level competition; it would be possible for an institution to place high in every sport in its conference and never score a point in any of the national championship tournaments.

Carrying Carleton to this perhaps unprecedented height were both soccer teams (women made it to the round of 8 and the men made it to the round of 16) and women's cross country (23^rd) last fall, and now women's swimming (17^th), men's swimming (25^th), and women's indoor track (33^rd).

Three individuals were declared NCAA Division III All-Americans as well:

• Sophomore Kale Zicafoose of Omaha, NE was 7^th in the women's 200 backstroke.

• Senior Ted Marschall of Burnsville, MN was 8^th in the men's 200 backstroke.

• First year student (not to be confused with freshman) Simone Childs-Walker of Seattle, WA was 3^rd in the 5000M run.

Two basketball players had noteworthy years too:

• Hannah Oken-Berg, senior from Portland, OR, was all-MIAC for the 4^th year.

• Zach Johnson, senior from Apple Valley, MN, was named 2^nd team All-American by Division III Hoops, and was all-MIAC for the 3^rd time.

At the MIAC (i.e. conference level) Carleton women are 4^th of 12 schools in all-sports ranking and men 6^th of 11, both respectable in a league that some thought too tough for Carleton a while back.

Women's swimming won the MIAC Conference Championship for the third time in recent years and joined both soccer teams with their fall wins.  Men's swimming was a close 4^th and men's basketball tied for 3^rd (and made the play-offs, as usual).

The synchronized swimming team, competing outside the MIAC conference and the NCAA, placed 16^th of 23 in their national meet against a mixed bag of major universities and small colleges, varsity teams, and clubs.

It's a fine start and we're looking forward to seeing what the spring sports will do.

The Annual Hall of Fame luncheon will be in Great Hall on Saturday, June 20^th, as part of the Alumni Reunion.  We will have two outstanding inductees this year:

• Three-time All-American tennis player Tom James '89

and

• Four-time All-MIAC and All-West Region basketballer Josh Wilhelm '99.

Both had brilliant careers at Carleton and are in the tradition of other truly outstanding athletes recognized in the Hall of Fame.

If you will be in the area, and would like to attend the Hall of Fame luncheon, please register online at go.carleton.edu/reunion if it is your reunion year, otherwise, call 800-729-2586 to register and pay ($15) by credit card.

We'd love to see you there!