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No. 16 Women’s Lacrosse Meets No. 6 Wesleyan in NCAA Tournament Second Round on Sunday

Story Links No. 16 Women’s Lacrosse at No. 6 Wesleyan NCAA Tournament First Round Sunday, May 11 | 1:00 p.m. Smith Field | Middletown, Conn. WHAT TO KNOW • No. 14 Babson earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament and is making its third straight appearance and 11th […]

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No. 16 Women’s Lacrosse at No. 6 Wesleyan
NCAA Tournament First Round

Sunday, May 11 | 1:00 p.m.

Smith Field | Middletown, Conn.

WHAT TO KNOW

• No. 14 Babson earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament and is making its third straight appearance and 11th in program history. 

• The winner of Sunday’s second round contest will advance to the Round of 16 next weekend.

SERIES HISTORY

•    Babson is 6-12 all-time against Wesleyan in a series that dates back to 1994.

•    The Cardinals have won eight in a row against the Beavers since 2015.

•    The Green and White enters Sunday’s contest looking for its first road win in the series since 2012.

LAST MEETING

•    Olivia Lai and Laura Baine both finished with four goals and one assist to help Wesleyan defeat Babson, 15-5, on March 8, 2023, in Middletown, Conn.

•    Chessy Greenwald contributed two goals and three assists and Julia Noyes scooped up five ground balls and added three caused turnovers for the Cardinals, built an early 7-1 lead and ended the game with seven unanswered goals to pull away. 

•    Emily Curtis M’23 scored three times and had two caused turnovers, Claudia Dodge ’23 chipped in with two goals and senior Kathleen Murphy made a then-career-high 14 saves for the Beavers, who were down just 8-5 midway through the third quarter. 

SCOUTING THE BEAVERS

NCAA Tournament Appearance: 11th

Best NCAA Finish: Round of 16 (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2024)

• No. 16 Babson (15-3) has won 12 of its last 13 games after cruising past Worcester State 21-9 in the opening round of the tournament on Saturday afternoon.

• Senior Amelia Novitch finished with seven goals and six assists for a career-high 13 points, classmate Clare Connolly scored six times and matched her career high with 24 draw controls, and fellow senior Kathryn Blake added four goals and three assists for the Beavers, who took control of the game with a seven-goal first-quarter run and tallied nine straight markers in the second half to put the game away. 

• Novitch (41-41-82) and Blake (50-24-74) have both achieved new career highs in scoring, Connolly (58-3-61) leads the team in goals and ranks second in Division III in draw controls (235), and graduate student Ellie Hilsabeck (29-10-39), senior Jessica Evans (27-10-37) and classmate Michaela Downer (24-8-32) give the Green and White six players with at least 30 points.

• Evans is second on the team in ground balls (31), draw controls (27) and caused turnovers (17), graduate student Eileen Manning leads the defense with 25 caused turnovers and Murphy has a 9.00 goals against average and career-best .471 save percentage to go along with 18 forced turnovers.

SCOUTING THE CARDINALS

NCAA Tournament Appearance: 7th

Best NCAA Finish: National semifinalist (2019)


•    No. 6 Wesleyan (13-5) has won seven of its last eight games and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time since 2017 after falling 13-7 to No. 1 Tufts in the NESCAC final last Sunday. 

•    Elle Priesing and Dylan Green both scored twice, Bridget Horst led all players with three caused turnovers and Izzy Weintraub finished with 10 saves for the Cardinals, who trailed 6-5 early in the second quarter before the Jumbos scored seven of the next eight goals to pull away. 

•    Sam DeLeo (25-23-48) has a point in all but one game this spring and leads the team in assists, Priesing (30-13-43) has converted 9-of-13 free-position chances, Green (27-16-43) is second on the squad with 26 draw controls, and Kiara Tangney (29-6-35) has contributed a team-high 32 draw controls to go along with 16 caused turnovers on the year.

•    Madeline Johnson leads the defense with 29 forced turnovers, Lindsey Diomede has picked up 27 ground balls to go along with 24 draw controls and 21 caused turnovers, and Weintraub ranks 17th in Division III in goals against average (7.74) and 26th nationally in save percentage (.504).

2024 NCAA TOURNAMENT RECAP

• After receiving a first-round bye, No. 15 Babson held off a second half rally to defeat No. 14 Stevens Institute of Technology, 11-9, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on May 12, 2024 at Springfield College’s Stagg Field.

Lily Ives M’24 and Evans scored three goals apiece and Murphy made 14 saves in the win. Novitch scored two goals, Blake added a goal and two assists, and Nicole Darveau ’24 and Michaela Downer scored once each for the Green and White, while Connolly grabbed five draw controls.

• Babson had its five-game winning streak snapped in a 15-10 regional semifinal lost to No. 5 Salisbury. Novitch scored three goals to lead the Beavers while Ives tallied a goal and two assists. Connolly, Evans and Blake notched two goals apiece and Connolly collected a game-high 10 draw controls.  

NCAA POSTSEASON HISTORY

• After making five straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2007-11, the Beavers have competed in five of the last seven tournaments since 2017, compiling an aggregate record of 7-10 in 10 visits to the national tourney.

• The Beavers, have reached the Sweet 16 five times, recorded their first second round NCAA Tournament victory last season.

NINE BEAVERS EARN ALL-CONFERENCE HONORS

• Connolly was selected as the NEWMAC Offensive Player of the Year and Michelle Smith and her three assistants were honored as the Coaching Staff of the Year when the NEWMAC announced its postseason awards on Wednesday.

• Connolly was joined on the All-NEWMAC First Team by Manning, Murphy, Evans, Novitch, and sophomore Claire Jones, while Blake, senior Solana Fahey and sophomore Lyndsey Newsome earned Second Team honors.

RECORD-SETTING SATURDAY

• Novitch’s 13 points matched the Beavers’ NCAA Tournament single-game record set by Emily Curtis M’23, who put up eight goals and five assists in a 23-8 win over Westfield State in 2023. 

• Novitch also moved into second place on Babson’s single-season assists chart, and she and Blake became just the program’s sixth and seventh players over the last 12 years to surpass 70 points in a season.

• The Beavers recorded their 15th win of the year, which is tied with the 2007, 2009 and 2010 squads for the third most wins in a season behind only the the 2008 team that won 16 games and last year’s squad, which set a single-season record wtih 17 victories.

SENIOR MILESTONES

• Four Babson seniors have scored their 100th career goal this season, including Novitch (118), Blake (117), Connolly (116) and Evans (105), giving the program 23 100-goal scorers

• Connolly’s 758 draw controls are the most in Division III history and just 33 shy of the all-time NCAA record of 791 set by Maddie Jenner of Duke from 2019-23. 

• Novitch is now tied with Erin Jayne ’23 for fourth in school history with 77 assists and tied for 12th on the program’s career list with 195 points. has moved up to fifth on the career assist mark, and Blake (56) is 11th.

• Murphy owns the program records for victories with a 58-20 mark and minutes with 4212, and ranks fourth in saves (509). She currently ranks in the top-six all-time with a 9.29 goals against average and a .441 save percentage.

POSTSEASON NUMBERS

• Evans has recorded 32 points (26g, 6a) in 10 post-season games over the last three seasons, while Novitch has 23 points (17g, 6a) and Blake has 19 points (15g, 4a) in those 10 games.

• Connolly has collected 91 draw controls in 10 post-season games the past three years, and Manning has accumulated 16 caused turnovers and 22 ground balls over 12 career playoff games.

• Murphy has an 8-4 career record in 12 postseason starts with a 10.88 goals against average and a .428 save percentage.

BEAVER BITES

• Novitch has nine multi-goal performances in her last 11 games, totaling 13 games this season with at least two goals.

• Blake has scored at least two goals in 17 of her 18 games this spring, with a season-high five goals against both Coast Guard and Wellesley.

• Connolly has a team-high 12-game scoring streak, with multiple goals in 11 of those games.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• Babson is 13-0 this season and 28-0 over the past two seasons when leading at halftime.

• The Beavers are 15-0 this season and 41-1 over the past three seasons when scoring 12 or more goals.

• The Green and White is 11-0 this season and 24-0 dating back to last season when recording more ground balls than their opponents.

• Babson is 9-2 away from Babson Park this season and 28-10 away from home since the start of the 2022 season.

UP NEXT

• The winner of Sunday’s game will face either 23rd-ranked Rowan or Western Connecticut State next Saturday. 

 



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Dartmouth Hosts Annual Celebration of Excellence

Story Links HANOVER, N.H. — On Tuesday night inside Thompson Arena, the Dartmouth College Department of Athletics and Recreation hosted its annual Celebration of Excellence. Luke Carroll (baseball) and Kellie Sutton (women’s soccer) served as masters of ceremony for the event. KENNETH ARCHIBALD PRIZE The Kenneth Archibald Prize is awarded to a […]

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HANOVER, N.H. — On Tuesday night inside Thompson Arena, the Dartmouth College Department of Athletics and Recreation hosted its annual Celebration of Excellence.

Luke Carroll (baseball) and Kellie Sutton (women’s soccer) served as masters of ceremony for the event.

KENNETH ARCHIBALD PRIZE

The Kenneth Archibald Prize is awarded to a member of the graduating class, who has been four years in attendance, and who in the judgment of the Athletic Council has been the best all-around athlete with regard being had to moral worth and high standing in scholarship.

Winners: Billy Bender – Men’s Heavyweight Rowing and Jasmine Drolet – Women’s Nordic Skiing

Bender has been a valuable member of the Big Green since coming to Dartmouth. He competed for the United States in the summer of 2024 at the Paris games. Bender has earned First Team All-America honors in 2022 and 2023. This season, Bender has sat in the stroke seat while leading the varsity eight to an unbeaten dual season while also being ranked as high as third in the county.

Drolet raced in three EISA Carnivals this season: the Bates Carnival, St. Lawrence Carnival, and UNH Carnival. She finished in the top ten in both races at St. Lawrence and UNH. Drolet won two races, both 7.5k distances, placing first in the UNH Freestyle race and the St. Lawrence classical race. At the national championship, Drolet finished third in the 7.5K classic race, earning First-Team All-America status. She finished 13th overall in the 20K freestyle.

ALFRED E. WATSON TROPHY

The Alfred E. Watson Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding Dartmouth athlete on a men’s team during the year.  Nominations for the Watson Trophy are submitted by the coaches of the men’s varsity teams and voted on by the head coaches of the men’s teams.

Winner: John Steel Hagenbuch – Men’s Nordic Skiing

Hagenbuch competed in five of the six EISA Carnivals this season. He finished on the podium in all ten races, including winning eight races across both classic and freestyle disciplines and various distances. At the end of the EISA season, Hagenbuch was named the Classic Leader, earning the most points in classic races throughout the season. He was also named a First Team All-American twice at the 2025 National Championship. Hagenbuch finished first in the 7.5K classic race, the second straight year he has won an individual national championship. He also finished second in the 20K freestyle race.

CLASS OF 1976 AWARD

The Class of 1976 Award is given to the most outstanding athlete from a women’s team during the year. The winner is determined by the head coaches of the women’s varsity teams and the Dean of Students.

Winner: Cassidy Exner – Equestrian

Exner was the most consistent rider for the Big Green in 2024-25 as she notched eight regular season wins while also winning three out of four matchups at the National Championship. Following the season, the sophomore was named Second Team All-American for fences. She is currently the program leader for career wins while also being tied for the most postseason wins. During the season, Exner had a +16 average score differential in fences, which was the best of the team.

CLASS OF 1948 SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARDS

The Class of 1948 Scholar-Athlete Award is given annually to one member of a men’s team and one member of a women’s team in the junior class who have combined outstanding performance in athletics and significant achievement in academics, as nominated by the head coaches of the varsity sports and selected by the Athletics Director.

Winners: Cooper Flinton – Men’s Hockey and Maya Kendall – Women’s Lacrosse

Flinton skated in 32 games for the Big Green while scoring 11 goals and adding 13 assists. Four of his goals came on the power play; he also scored a pair of shorthanded goals as he was a valuable member of the Dartmouth penalty kill. He was named to the All-Ivy Second Team this season. In his Dartmouth career, he skated in 89 games while scoring 32 goals and adding 32 assists. Following the season, the Auburn, N.H. native signed an NHL Entry Level Contact with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Kendall was dominant on draw controls this season as she ranked second in the country in draw controls per game. She also set an Ivy League single game record with 22 in a game while also setting the Ivy League season record with 188 draw controls. Following the season, Kendall was named All-Ivy First Team and was Dartmouth’s first All-American since 2019. The junior is currently second in program history in career draw controls with 293.

CLASS OF 1950 AWARD

The Class of 1950 Award is presented annually to the varsity student-athlete who has demonstrated the most extraordinary commitment to community service. Nominations are submitted by the head coaches and captains of varsity sports, and the winner is selected by the Dean of the College, the Director of Athletics, and the Dean of the Tucker Foundation.

Winner: Micah Green – Football

Green was named a member of the All-State Good Works Team, an initiative to recognize and honor student-athletes who demonstrate levels of volunteerism and civic engagement that are above and beyond their success and achievements in the classroom and competition. Green currently serves as the co-president of the Dartmouth Black Student Athlete Alliance (DBSAA), after previously holding the position of professional development chair. Green has attended the National Black Student Athlete Summit in Los Angeles for the past two years, where he served as a keynote speaker to over 1,200 attendees. Green has served as the secretary for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., coordinating philanthropic events with other Greek organizations and collaborating with Dartmouth Civics to promote local voting and voter knowledge. On the field, Green was an honorable mention All-Ivy honoree, leading the Big Green in tackles (76) as a senior.

AGNES B. KURTZ AWARD

Aggie Kurtz was the first woman appointed to the athletic staff when co-education arrived at Dartmouth in 1972. She coached field hockey, squash and lacrosse, and also taught physical education classes.  She was later appointed assistant athletic director. The award named in her honor is nominated and voted on by the captains of the women’s teams and given to that person who best combines proficiency in athletics with dedication to the furthering of women’s sports.

Winner: Lauren Messier – Women’s Hockey

Captain Lauren Messier played in all 29 games for the Big Green. She scored eight goals and nine assists, both career highs, to lead the team in both categories. Messier had a hand in all three goals vs. the Princeton Tigers, scoring a goal and adding two assists. In the middle of the season, she rode a three-game scoring streak, scoring the game winning goal and adding two assists in an overtime win over Harvard, the lone goal in a tie with the Crimson, and an assist at St. Anselm, helping Dartmouth to a seven-game undefeated streak. She also scored the game winning goal in a shutout win over No. 7 St. Lawrence, the Big Green’s first win over a ranked opponent since 2022

TIMOTHY WRIGHT ELLIS 1955 MEMORIAL AWARD

The Timothy Wright Ellis 1955 Memorial Award is nominated and voted on by the captains of the men’s teams. It is given to a member of a men’s team showing the extra-curricular and scholastic drive, spirit, loyalty and amiability which made Tim such a well-known part of this community.

Winners: Wyatt Ellison – Men’s Lightweight Rowing and Conor Shaheen – Men’s Heavyweight Rowing

Ellison was extremely loyal and committed to the team when the team’s roster was capped. He volunteered his roster spot to allow younger athletes to compete, continuing to train with the team as a “team manager” without being able to compete. After the team’s roster cap was raised his senior year, he continued his peer leadership and emerged as a stellar athlete. Beyond the team, Ellison is an extraordinary computer engineering student and early-induction member of Pi Beta Kappa and Vice President of Tau Beta Pi (the Engineering Honor Society). This winter, Ellison single-handedly created a community “Lapapalooza” backcountry skiing event, supporting two dozen students attempting to maximize their skiing vertical in 24 hours.

Shaheen has incredible drive in both academics and athletics, which is only matched by his humility.  Despite being one of the best coxswains in the country, Shaheen has swallowed his pride and coxed the second varsity boat for all four years of his career at Dartmouth without a single complaint, leading it to great success. That includes a third-place finish nationally last season. He is always at the boathouse with a smile to lift up his teammates.

MOMENT OF EXCELLENCE

The Moment of Excellence, the newest addition to the Celebration of Excellence, recognizes top plays, performances, and acts of character over the past year. The winner is determined through live polls on social media, so friends, family, fans, student-athletes, and coaches all have the opportunity to cast their votes for which moment stood out amongst all others.

Jada Jones won a pair of Ivy League titles in 2025 as she won the 200 meter at the Ivy League Indoor Track & Field Championship with a time of 23.77 after being fourth after preliminaries. Jones notched her second Ivy title at the Outdoor Championships with a time of 23.55 in the final after placing first in preliminaries.



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Tommies men, women to open new rink versus Providence – Twin Cities

In making the relatively recent move to Division I athletics across the board, officials at the University of St. Thomas made it clear that they were looking to forge their own path among nationally-prominent Catholic schools, and were not trying to emulate what Notre Dame, Villanova, Boston College or others have done. Still, when the […]

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In making the relatively recent move to Division I athletics across the board, officials at the University of St. Thomas made it clear that they were looking to forge their own path among nationally-prominent Catholic schools, and were not trying to emulate what Notre Dame, Villanova, Boston College or others have done.

Still, when the Tommies christen Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in October, their first guests on the opposite bench for the facility’s inaugural hockey games have shown much about the right way a faith-based school can excel at top-level college athletics.

On Friday, Oct. 24, the Tommies will open their new home base with men’s and women’s hockey games versus Providence College, which has an established reputation as one of the top Catholic College hockey programs in the nation. Construction on the new on-campus arena, which will seat upwards of 4,000 for hockey and 5,000 for basketball, began in January 2024 and is on schedule for completion in time for the 2025-26 season opener for the Tommies.

“This is a monumental day for the University of St. Thomas and Tommie athletics, and we are excited to welcome one of college hockey’s well-established programs in Providence College to open the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena,” said St. Thomas athletic director Phil Esten, in a statement released by the school. “This opening series is a culmination of four years of hard work by many and a seminal moment as we continue our Division I journey.”

It will be the first meetings between the Tommies and Friars, who are based in Rhode Island’s largest city. St. Thomas men’s hockey coach Rico Blasi spent the 2020-21 season as an associate athletics director for the Providence men’s and women’s hockey programs prior to being hired to run the Tommies men’s program.

Blasi and Friars men’s coach Nate Leaman had been working to get games between the two schools on their future schedules, and are happy for the opportunity to open the new arena.

“When you look at the institutions that are like-minded and similar across the country, Providence certainly comes to mind,” Blasi said. “Nate and his staff have done a great job in finding their niche in a very tough conference with the likes of BC and BU, no different than what we have to do — find our niche and recruit the players that are St. Thomas kind of players, to our identity and our culture.”

Blasi also praised the Andersons for their gift of $75 million which, along with other generous donations, made the state-of-the art arena a reality.

While neither team could compete in the NCAA tournament per the agreement they made to transition directly from D-III to D-I athletics, both the Tommie men’s and women’s programs had successful runs last season. Blasi’s team went 15-3-1 in the second half of the season and advanced to the CCHA tournament’s title game for the first time. The women’s team rebounded after a slow start and a November coaching change to pull off an unexpected sweep of nationally-ranked Minnesota Duluth in the second half of the season as well.

The NCAA has agreed to take a year off the Tommies’ probationary period for full Division I membership, and the school anticipates it “will have completed all of the required steps for the NCAA to review by this summer,” Esten said. If approved, St. Thomas will be a full Division I member starting this fall.

The Providence men won their first NCAA title in 2015 and have made six trips to the national tournament in the past decade, including in March when the Friars received an at-large invite. In 2024-25 the Providence women finished 20-12-3 overall and finished third in Hockey East.

Season tickets for men’s and women’s hockey at St. Thomas are currently available through the school’s athletic department. Season ticket packages include the grand opening for the new arena.



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Minnesota gymnasts find success prioritizing mental health

Elle Mueller and Lily Pederson led Oklahoma to a national gymnastics title, emphasizing mental health. MINNESOTA, USA — For gymnasts, athletic success is often defined by strength, precision and discipline. But for two Minnesota natives now competing at the University of Oklahoma, the path to a national championship was shaped just as much by mental […]

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Elle Mueller and Lily Pederson led Oklahoma to a national gymnastics title, emphasizing mental health.

MINNESOTA, USA — For gymnasts, athletic success is often defined by strength, precision and discipline. But for two Minnesota natives now competing at the University of Oklahoma, the path to a national championship was shaped just as much by mental resilience as physical training. 

Elle Mueller, from Blaine, and Lily Pederson, from White Bear Lake, have been in leotards since they were toddlers. Once competitors, the two became teammates this year at Oklahoma, where they helped lead the Sooners to a national gymnastics title in 2025.

“It’s always been my dream to do college gymnastics,” Pederson said. “To actually be here now — I don’t ever want to stop.”

Mueller, who once competed for Team USA alongside future Olympians, was on an elite track throughout high school. She took online classes to accommodate her intense training schedule, but in her senior year, she made the difficult decision to step away from elite competition — a move driven by her need to prioritize mental health.

“I would do my routines for my coaches, not for myself,” Mueller said. “I’ve learned to do things out of love, for myself — and to finally have confidence in who I am.”

Her mother said she could sense the emotional toll gymnastics was taking.

“I wasn’t going to tell her she needed to change,” she said. “But I knew she was hurting. I knew she wasn’t happy. When she finally said she wanted to step back, I was so thankful.”

Mueller and Pederson’s willingness to prioritize mental well-being reflects a broader shift in the culture of elite sports — a shift catalyzed, in part, by Olympic legend Simone Biles. At the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, Biles stunned the world by pulling herself from competition after experiencing the “twisties,” a dangerous loss of air awareness. Her openness about mental health struggles helped dismantle long-standing stigmas in the gymnastics community and beyond.

“I think I’ve found my confidence,” Mueller said. “Just to do everything for myself, from a place of love — that’s something I didn’t have before.”

Pederson shared a similar path — one marked by stepping away from pressure and stepping into her own identity as an athlete and person.

“Getting to do this all together, makes it better,” Pederson said.

As the two prepare to return to Oklahoma for another season, both athletes say they’re not just following a path — they’re owning it.

“Mental health matters,” Mueller said. “Don’t push it under the rug. You have to take care of it.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, help is available:

  • National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Dial 988 — free, 24/7, confidential support for people in distress.

  • The Trevor Project (for LGBTQ+ youth): Call 1-866-488-7386 or text ‘START’ to 678-678.

  • NCAA Mental Health Resources: www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/mental-health

  • Athletes for Hope: Offers mental health resources for athletes at all levels — www.athletesforhope.org



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Nilson Named Head Coach of Illinois Women’s Gymnastics

Story Links CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on Tuesday the hiring of Josh Nilson as head women’s gymnastics coach. Nilson has agreed to a five-year contract, pending approval by the UI Board of Trustees at its July meeting. Nilson takes over the reins after serving as Illini associate head coach the […]

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced on Tuesday the hiring of Josh Nilson as head women’s gymnastics coach. Nilson has agreed to a five-year contract, pending approval by the UI Board of Trustees at its July meeting.

Nilson takes over the reins after serving as Illini associate head coach the past two seasons, helping lead the program to back-to-back NCAA Regional Round 2 appearances while having four gymnasts compile All-Big Ten honors. 

“For the last two years, Josh Nilson has been a highly influential presence in our gym, and he received an outpouring of support throughout this process from team members, recruits, and others across the national gymnastics community,” Whitman said. “From our first conversation, Josh’s enthusiasm for our program and bold vision for its future were immediately apparent. I want to thank Josh, his wife, Amanda, and their family for trusting us and believing in the University of Illinois.”

“First and foremost, I want to thank Athletics Director Josh Whitman, Chief Sports Officer and Senior Woman Administrator Sara Burton, and Senior Associate Athletics Director Cassie Arner for their trust in me and belief in my vision for this program,” Nilson said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Fighting Illini Women’s Gymnastics team.

“My family and I have fallen in love with this community, and we proudly bleed orange and blue. This program has all the tools to become a national contender and dominant force in the Big Ten. I consider this both a tremendous responsibility and a true honor. I’m energized, motivated, and ready to get to work.”

Nilson arrived in Champaign in May 2023 after serving five years as head women’s gymnastics coach at Temple University. While at Temple, Nilson led the Owls to three straight conference titles – the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championship in 2019 and 2020 and the East Atlantic Gymnastics League (EAGL) championship in 2021. The lone coach in Temple history to win a conference title in women’s gymnastics, Nilson was named ECAC coach of the year in both 2019 and 2020.

On the heels of its third consecutive league title, and first as a member of the EAGL, Temple qualified for NCAA Regionals in 2021 for the first time in 29 years, achieving its highest ranking in program history at No. 30. For his efforts, Nilson was named 2021 Northeast Region Coach of the Year by the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. 

Prior to his first head coaching stint at Temple, Nilson spent the 2017-18 season as assistant coach at the United States Air Force Academy, helping guide the Falcons to their highest USA Gymnastics Collegiate National finish in seven years. That followed a 2016-17 season at Penn State, where Nilson began as assistant coach before serving as co-interim head coach in the final months of the season. 

He returned to his alma mater in 2013 to begin a three-year term as assistant coach at Utah State. During that time, the Aggies made three consecutive NCAA Regional appearances, and Nilson was recognized as the two-time North Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year in 2014 and 2015.

Nilson spent two seasons from 2011-13 as an assistant coach at Texas Woman’s University, where he was named the 2012 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Assistant of the Year and Midwest Independent Conference Assistant Coach of the Year.

During his time as an undergraduate at Utah State, Nilson was a student coach for women’s gymnastics from 2005-08. He then spent three years as the second assistant coach before heading to Texas.

A native of Cache Valley, Utah, Nilson graduated from Utah State in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in law and constitutional studies with a minor in family finance. He and his wife, Amanda, have five sons: Tristan, Ezekiel, Remington, Liam, and Asher.



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Soffer Named ITA Northeast Region Senior Player of the Year

Story Links BABSON PARK, Mass.—Babson College senior Olivia Soffer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) added her awards haul on Monday when she was selected as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Northeast Region Senior Player of the Year.  The most accomplished player in program history, Soffer is 26-4 on the year in singles […]

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BABSON PARK, Mass.—Babson College senior Olivia Soffer (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) added her awards haul on Monday when she was selected as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Northeast Region Senior Player of the Year. 

The most accomplished player in program history, Soffer is 26-4 on the year in singles play and boasts a 25-2 record in doubles. She has won 16 consecutive matches in both singles and doubles and earned her fourth consecutive New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Player of the Year honor earlier this month. 

A three-time ITA All-American in singles and two-time All-America selection in doubles, Soffer is the Beavers’ all-time leader in singles (98), doubles (93) and combined victories (191). She also holds the program’s single-season record for singles wins with 31 back in 2022-23 and paired with junior Matia Cristiani (San Salvador, El Salvador) to go 32-2 on the way to capturing an NCAA national championship in doubles last May. 

Soffer became Babson’s first NCAA Singles Championship qualifier and All-America selection as a rookie during 2021-22 before putting together a historic 2022-23 campaign. She captured the program’s first ITA New England Championships singles crown and advanced to the ITA Cup where she reached the semifinals in singles and finished as the runner-up in doubles alongside Cristiani. 

That spring, Soffer helped lead the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament regional final before finishing as the runner-up in both the singles and doubles brackets at the individual championships. 

Soffer made more history last season by pairing with Cristiani to earn the program’s first doubles title at the 2023 ITA New England Championships in the fall, which was followed by the duo capturing Babson’s first women’s national championship last May with a three-set victory over Nikolina Batoshvili and Alisha Chulani of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in the NCAA doubles final. 

Soffer, who is currently third in the ITA Division III singles ranking and third alongside Cristiani in doubles, is set to compete in both the NCAA singles and doubles championships beginning Saturday in Claremont, Calif.



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Middlebury Recognizes 12 Panthers At Senior Athletic Award Ceremony

Nine of the 12 recipients were present to accept their awards. Story Links The Middlebury Athletics Department recognized 12 Panthers during the annual Senior Athletic Department Awards ceremony on Tuesday afternoon in Dana Auditorium. Middlebury College Interim President Stephen B. Snyder, Director of Athletics Erin Quinn ’86 and Assistant Athletic Director Katharine […]

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Nine of the 12 recipients were present to accept their awards.

The Middlebury Athletics Department recognized 12 Panthers during the annual Senior Athletic Department Awards ceremony on Tuesday afternoon in Dana Auditorium. Middlebury College Interim President Stephen B. Snyder, Director of Athletics Erin Quinn ’86 and Assistant Athletic Director Katharine DeLorenzo gave remarks at the event. Leah Poorman of the women’s basketball team and Marco Motroni of the football and men’s track and field teams were chosen as the student speakers.

The following were the 2025 award winners:

A. Bayard Russ ’66 Memorial Athletic Award

  • Cece Ziegler (Women’s Ice Hockey, Softball)

    • A two-sport athlete, Ziegler excelled in women’s ice hockey and softball throughout her time at Middlebury.
    • She was a part of the 2022 NCAA Championship team in women’s ice hockey and was a member of two NESCAC Championship teams and four NCAA Tournament squads. 
    • Ziegler earned All-NESCAC Second Team honors and was tabbed a New England Hockey Writers Association (NEHWA) All-Star this winter.  
    • In the classroom, she was a seven-time All-NESCAC Academic and both a two-time Krampade/AHCA All-American Scholar and Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete.

  • Dave Filias (Football, Men’s Track & Field)

    • Filias is a four-year member of the football and men’s track and field teams.
    • On the gridiron, Filias was a two-time All-NESCAC and D3football.com All-Region honoree. He was lauded as the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Week three times during his career.
    • Filias was a member of the 2023 squad that claimed the NESCAC Championship.
    • During the spring, the Panther is a three-time NESCAC Champion and a three-time Division III New England Champion in the hammer throw. The school-record holder in the discipline, he has claimed a trio of spots in the NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing 15th and 13th and garnering All-American laurels last spring. 
    • Filias will compete in the national event later this week.

  • Bradshaw Underhill (Alpine Skiing, Men’s Golf)

    • Underhill was a three-year captain of the alpine skiing program.
    • On the mountain, he was a two-time All-American and four-year NCAA Qualifier.
    • Last winter, he finished in fourth place during the giant slalom (GS) and sixth in the slalom at the NCAA Championships. 
    • Underhill was selected as the EISA Slalom Bib Leader and EISA GS Bib Leader in 2025. 
    • He was a three-time EISA All-East honoree and the EISA Rookie of the Year. He secured 13 podium finishes, including 10 last winter with four event wins (four GS and three slalom). Underhill tallied his first All-NESCAC honor in golf. He posted three top-20 efforts this year.
    • The Panther is a five-time All-NESCAC selection for his academic efforts and a USCSCA All-Academic honoree. 

Deborah Parton ’76 Memorial Award

  • Alexa Mustafaj (Women’s Basketball)

    • Mustafaj rewrote the program record books, becoming the all-time leader in points (2,180), field goals (815) and free throws made (397). 
    • Mustafaj became the first NESCAC women’s basketball player to eclipse 2,000 points and sits among the top-five places across both genders in career points. 
    • The Panther sits second in career scoring average (22.5) and free-throw percentage (79.2), while scoring the third (589 in 2024), fourth (563 in 2023) and fifth-most (552 in 2025) points in a season.
    • A captain this winter, she earned her fourth All-NESCAC honor with a spot on the first team. Mustafaj garnered recognition from the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) with an Honorable Mention All-American nod.
    • She was named a New England Women’s Basketball Association (NEWBA) All-Region First Team honoree and tabbed to the D3hoops.com All-Region squad for the fourth time.
    • Mustafaj was named the first College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America selection in the program’s history and a CSC Academic All-District honoree for the third-consecutive season.

Hazeltine-Klevenow Memorial Trophy

  • Neel Epstein (Men’s Tennis)

    • Epstein is a two-year captain for the men’s tennis team.
    • He was selected as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) All-American in doubles last year.
    • As a part of a duo, he posted 75 career triumphs.
    • The Panther played primarily at #3 singles throughout this spring, amassing a 13-6 record and concluding his career with 77 victories.
    • He garnered CSC Academic All-District accolades in each of the last two years and was a CSC Third Team Academic All-America honoree last spring.
    • Epstein is a three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete and has been tabbed NESCAC All-Academic in three-consecutive years.

  • Thomas Perry (Football)

    • Perry was invited to a pair of National Football League (NFL) Rookie Minicamps as an offensive lineman. 
    • He earned All-American honors from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) with first-team accolades and D3football.com garnering a fourth-team nod. Perry was named to the All-NESCAC First Team Offense for the third-straight campaign.
    • The senior became the first player in program history to be invited and participate in the East-West Shrine Bowl and was named to the inaugural Walter Camp Division III All-America Team.
    • Perry garnered his second-consecutive CSC Academic All-America First Team national honor. The senior was named a NESCAC All-Academic honoree in each of the last three campaigns.

  • Bea Parr (Women’s Cross Country, Women’s Track & Field)

    • Parr served as a captain this year for the women’s cross country and women’s track and field programs.
    • She has earned USTFCCCA All-Region laurels three times in cross country and was an Indoor Division III All-New England award winner in the 3,000 meters.
    • During the cross country seasons, she raced to a trio of All-NESCAC finishes, highlighted by a pair of first-team all-conference efforts.
    • Parr is a six-time NESCAC All-Academic selection and a USTFCCCA Scholar Athlete.

  • Hope Shue (Women’s Lacrosse)

    • Shue is a captain this spring for the women’s lacrosse team.
    • One of the most decorated players in program history, the senior was the 2024 IWLCA National Player and Attacker of the Year. She is a four-time IWLCA All-American, IWLCA All-Region and All-NESCAC recipient with three first-team all-league nods. 
    • She became the first person to earn NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year twice.  
    • The senior paces the conference in points with 107, a single-season program record she established in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal. Shue also became the program’s record holder this spring in career points and goals.
    • The attacker is a two-time CSC Academic All-America At-Large recipient, been the winner of the Elite 90 Award twice and earned NESCAC All-Academic praises three times.

John P. Stabile ’40 Memorial Trophy

  • Kyle McCausland (Baseball)

    • McCausland sprinkled his name throughout the program’s records both in a single season and a career. He became the second player in conference history to earn NESCAC Player of the Year praise twice in their career after winning the award in 2023. The senior tallied his third consecutive All-NESCAC First Team honor. 
    • He ranked first this spring among league peers in total bases (108), runs batted in (RBI) (48) and home runs (13). The Panther also led the team with 52 hits and 30 walks.
    • McCausland became the all-time leader in career hits with 202 and has top marks in runs scored (156) and doubles (45). The outfielder is also the program’s home run leader, blasting 41 in a Panther uniform.
    • He was tabbed just the program’s second All-American honoree with a third-team nod, while he is a three-time ABCA First Team All-Region selection.
    • In the classroom, McCausland has twice been recognized as a CSC Academic All-America and three-time All-NESCAC Academic recipient, respectively.  

Mike Wilson ’57 Trophy

  • Carolyn Kelley (Women’s Soccer)

    • Over her career, Kelley appeared in 24 games in front of the Panther goal with 19 starts.
    • The netminder owned a 1.03 career goals against average (GAA), 81 saves, an 8-6-7 record and five shutouts.
    • She tallied a 4-1-4 mark last fall with eight starts in 11 matches played and ranked third in the conference with a 0.59 GAA to go alongside a trio of clean sheets. 
    • The goalie earned United Soccer Coaches Second-Team All-New England Region praise.
    • Kelley is a four-time NESCAC All-Academic honoree and a CSC Academic All-District award winner last fall. 

  • Jake Oblak (Men’s Ice Hockey)

    • Oblak concluded his career serving as an assistant captain last winter for Middlebury.
    • He skated in 68 games in the navy and white uniform with six goals and five assists, including three tallies and two helpers in 26 contests as a senior.
    • The forward tallied the game-winning goal during a 2-0 triumph over in-state foe Norwich.  
    • Oblak earned NESCAC All-Academic accolades twice, garnered a Krampade/American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar award and was named to the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Team.

Murphy Roberts ’17 Memorial Award

  • Isaiah Izzo Lizardi (Football, Men’s Track & Field)

    • Lizardi is a four-year member of the football and track and field teams.
    • On the football field, the running back appeared in 15 career games. He carried the ball 58 times for 165 yards and scored his first rushing touchdown last fall against Hamilton.
    • Lizardi was a member of the NESCAC Championship team during his junior year and a contributor on the track and field team that claimed the league title this spring.
    • He ran a leg of the USTFCCCA All-Region 4×400 Relay quartet and earned outdoor All-NESCAC praises.
    • Lizardi has been selected to the All-NESCAC Sportsmanship teams in football and track and field.
    • He is a four-time NESCAC All-Academic recipient, garnering the praise twice in each sport.

 A full description of each award, including previous winners, can be found here.



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