Midwest Collegiate Conference News

[Baseball] Weber, Delf are Diamond Dawgs this summer

Jason Furler — 2009-07-01T10:46:21-06:00

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. -- Mount Mercy juniors Derrick Weber and Ryan Delf are gaining some valuable experience this summer, competing for the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs of the New York Collegiate Baseball League.

[Baseball] Clarke College Baseball Signees Cummings and Munson to Compete in Italy

Jerry Hanson — 2009-06-27T08:08:03-06:00

Incoming Clarke baseball players Jesse Cummings and Jared Munson will be taking a trip of a lifetime in July. The two junior transfers from Olympic College in Bremerton, Wash, will be traveling to Italy to play for USA Athletes International for nine days.

[Men's Track & Field] SAU's Darmody running against the best at USA Junior Nationals

Dan Tomlin — 2009-06-24T17:32:08-06:00

Although finals are done, St. Ambrose University freshman John Darmody has his hardest test of the year this weekend.

Consider it a Track & Field final. Already a 2-time All-American, Darmody will be racing the 1500-meter run at this weekend's USA Junior National Championships, run in conjunction with the USA National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

[Baseball] All-American Spencer Throws No-Hitter in Semi-Pro Game

Wade Steinlage — 2009-06-17T09:39:18-06:00

San Diego, Calif.--Micah Spencer (Sr., Modesto, Calif., Indiana State) extended a tremendous spring into this summer as he has found success in semi-professional baseball.

[Men's Basketball] Justin Jackson Added to Ashford Men's Basketball Staff

Ben Schlesselman — 2009-06-17T07:57:56-06:00

CLINTON, Iowa - Ashford University and the men's basketball program announced the official hiring of Justin Jackson of Madison, Wis., as the new assistant coach effective immediately. Jackson, an Ashford graduate in December, replaces Josh Davis, who accepted a position to be the boys' basketball coach and teach at Camanche High School. Davis will retain the title of women's golf head coach at Ashford.

[Softball] Helton All-American, Stream and Fligg All-Region as NFCA Awards Announced

Wade Steinlage — 2009-06-16T15:58:04-06:00

Oskaloosa--Lady Statesmen first baseman Tyanna Helton (Jr., Santa Rosa, Calif., Palomar CC) concluded her junior campaign by again being named one of the best players in the nation as the 2009 Louisville Slugger/NFCA NAIA All-American teams were announced recently.

[Men's Basketball] Former Statesmen Cager Making Good as a Pro

Wade Steinlage — 2009-06-16T15:18:17-06:00

Oskaloosa--Former Statesmen star Andre Thompson has taken his game to the next level and is living his dream of playing professional basketball.

The William Penn alum, who played under Coach John Henry during the 2007-2008 campaign, is currently a member of the Tacoma Tide (Wash.)., a first-year franchise in the International Basketball League.

Thompson, originally from Tacoma, transferred to Penn from NCAA Division I Washington State and went on to become a first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference selection that season.

[Softball] Grand View's Tomlinson and Yacinich Named to NFCA All-Region Second Team

Molly Brown — 2009-06-16T13:16:57-06:00

Two members of the Viking softball team have been named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Second Team.

Junior outfielder Meghan Tomlinson (Fort Worth, Texas) and sophomore outfielder Courtney Yacinich (Urbandale, Iowa) both earned the NFCA distinction.

Tomlinson batted .390 in 2009 with 64 hits, 35 runs, 4 doubles, 11 RBI a triple. She was 33 of 34 in stolen bases. Tomlinson was also voted to the MCC First Team and was an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American.

Yacinich batted .302 this season with 42 hits, 25 runs, 13 doubles, a triple, and 6 home runs. She was also a member of the MCC First Team.

[Baseball] William Penn's Spencer, Wedel Collect All-American Recognition

Molly Brown — 2009-06-10T10:44:19-06:00

William Penn's top pitchers Micah Spencer (Sr., Modesto, Calif., Indiana State) and Chris Wedel (Sr., Wasco, Calif., Taft CC) were honored as two of the best hurlers in the nation as the NAIA Baseball All-American teams were announced May 28.

Spencer was named to the 17-person first team, while Wedel was one of 34 individuals to claim an honorable mention. Seventeen individuals garnered second-team recognition as well.

The All-American laurels are the first for the program since 2006, while the first team award was the first for Penn since Denny Gomez was honored in 1994.

Spencer ended the season at 11-0 with a 2.45 Earned Run Average in 102 2/3 innings of action. The Midwest Collegiate Conference Pitcher of the Year had nine complete games, two shutouts, and tallied 89 strikeouts against 25 walks.

Only four starting pitchers were named to the first team.

[Men's Golf] Ron Howard in Attendance at NAIA Men's Golf National Championships

Brian Thiessen — 2009-06-04T10:18:46-06:00

Academy Award winning director Ron Howard was in attendance at the recent NAIA Men's Golf National Championships hosted by St. Ambrose University at the TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

Howard's son, Reed Howard, is a junior at the University of South Carolina-Beaufort. Reed was paired with SAU junior Danny Nelson during the first two rounds of the NAIA National Championships.

[Baseball] Weber, Lopez earn national honors

Jason Furler — 2009-06-02T10:03:21-06:00

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Mount Mercy sophomore right-hander Derrick Weber was named a 2009 NAIA honorable mention all-American, while junior second baseman Ryan Lopez landed on the 2009 Rawlings-NAIA Gold Glove Team, as selected by the NAIA-Baseball Coaches Association (BCA) All-America Selection Committee.

[MCC] Ashford University Launches New Athletics Website

Ben Schlesselman — 2009-05-29T08:08:50-06:00

CLINTON, Iowa - A new athletics website designed for Ashford University, www.ashfordathletics.com, has officially been launched as of Wednesday evening. The new website will serve as the official source for Saints' news, updates and more.

The website will gradually implement live webcasting and real-time statistics capabilities in time for the fall athletics year as well as utilize popular social-networking sites, Facebook and Twitter.

[Men's Basketball] Magnani to join a number of big names as court coach at U-19 and World University Games trials

Adam Glatczak — 2009-05-28T18:48:17-06:00

MOUNT PLEASANT - Iowa Wesleyan College men's basketball coach Alan Magnani has been selected as one of six collegiate coaches from the nation who will serve as court coaches for the 2009 USA Basketball Men's U19 World Championship and World University Games team trials, USA Basketball today announced.

Magnani will join a number of the premier names in the college coaching community in working at the USA trials, which will be held June 16-18 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The selected court coaches will work with the approximately 40 athletes vying for spots on the 2009 USA U19 World Championship and 2009 USA World University Games teams.

[Men's Golf] SAU's Dusty Drenth Named NAIA and PING First Team All-American

Brian Thiessen — 2009-05-26T10:10:17-06:00

After finishing in a tie for 10th at the 2009 NAIA Men's Golf National Championships, St. Ambrose University junior Dusty Drenth was named to two All-America First Teams.

Drenth was one of 15 players named to the 2009 NAIA Men's Golf All-American First Team and one of just 10 players named to the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) PING All-America First Team.

The junior from Davenport, Iowa, was earlier named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Men's Golfer of the Year after earning individual medalist honors at three events this year, including the prestigious NAIA Classic at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Club in Indianapolis, Ind.

[MCC] Conn named Director of Sport Broadcasting at Grand View

Molly Brown — 2009-05-19T13:21:40-06:00

Geoff Conn, well known Des Moines sportscaster and former assistant program director at KXNO radio, has been named the Director of Sport Broadcasting at Grand View University. Conn will oversee the play-by-play of Grand View Viking athletic events and be the radio supervisor of KGVC at 94.1 FM.

Conn will become the "voice of the Vikings" in broadcasting Grand View football and basketball games. He will continue his work as public address announcer for the Iowa Cubs, Iowa Energy and the Iowa Chops.

Geoff was heard on the air at WHO radio from 1995 to 2000 and KXNO from 2001
to 2009. His past work included co-hosting the morning "Cotlar and Company" producing sportscasts for the Iowa Radio Network and anchoring news reports.