Tiger Icers Save Best for Last

Hockey

After an eighth-place regular-season finish in their final year as a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, CC’s amazing Tigers went on a playoff run rivaled by precious few of their predecessors.

Their initial opponent, none other than detested University of Denver, emerged victorious by a 5-3 score in the opener of a best-of-three first-round series at DU’s Magness Arena. But, behind the outstanding play of goaltender Joe Howe ‘13, Colorado College bounced back for 2-1 and 4-3 triumphs the next two nights that resulted in a trip to the WCHA Final Five in St. Paul, Minn.

CC continued its winning ways there, defeating three-time defending champion University of North Dakota 4-3 in overtime before stunning No. 1-ranked University of Minnesota 2-0 in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Playing their sixth game in nine nights on Saturday, March 23, the Tigers finally ran out of gas in a 3-2 loss to the University of Wisconsin — a team they had beaten twice on the road earlier in the season — in the title contest at Xcel Energy Center.

Center Rylan Schwartz ’13, who collected three goals and a pair of assists at the Final Five while improving his career points total to 159 (59g,100a),  joined defenseman Peter Stoykewych ’15 on the all-tournament team as the team finished the campaign with an overall record of 18-19-5.

Men’s Basketball

Ryan Milne

Ryan Milne ’14, who helped the men’s basketball program record its most victories since the 1992-93 season, earned a spot on D3Hoops.com’s all-West Region second team for the second year in a row. Milne, a first-team all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference selection, led the league in assists (4.6), 3-point field goals (2.1) and minutes played (35.3) per game. He also finished fifth in scoring (14.4) and was seventh in steals (1.1).

Chris Lesnansky ’15 also reaped first-team honors while Ian Rewoldt ’13 was named to the second team. CC finished the campaign with a 16-11 overall record. The Tigers claimed second in the SCAC’s regular-season standings with an 11-4 mark and took second in the conference tournament after dropping a 65-61 overtime decision to Trinity University in the championship game.

Women’s Basketball

Kalli Kemling ’13 and Marissa Gradoz ’13, along with sophomore Courtney Tyus ’15, emerged as third-team all-SCAC selections. Kemling, who was honored for the second time, finished the season ranked among the SCAC’s top 15 in five statistical categories. While Gradoz was a key contributor on defense, ranking among the league leaders in four areas, Tyus paced the Tigers with 265 points, 90 assists, 66 steals, and 25 three-pointers.

Women’s Soccer

After adding transfer Jennifer Stoot to his team’s roster for the 2013 season earlier, head coach Geoff Bennett announced in April that forward Chanisse Hendrix (Roseville, Calif.), midfielder Meghan Kilkenny (Lone Tree, Colo.) and defender Pele Buika (Wailuku, Hawaii) also would be joining the Tigers as recruited freshmen next fall. Stoot, a three-time honorable-mention all-state selection while playing at Cheyenne Mountain High School and Fountain Valley School, will have three seasons of eligibility at CC after playing one year at Purdue University in 2011. Matt Gwilliam, head coach at Temple University since 2011, was named an assistant on Bennett’s staff. He replaces April Kater, who left the post after seven seasons to become head development coach with U.S. Soccer.

Shaina Riciputi

The women’s soccer team continued its tradition of academic excellence by placing a record 25 student-athletes on the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the 2012-13 academic year. Junior defender Shaina Riciputi, who owns a 3.84 grade-point average as a psychology major, was among four Tigers who received C-USA’s Academic Medal for maintaining a minimum 3.75 GPA. Riciputi collected the conference’s top academic honor for the third year in a row and was joined by defender Kecia Morway ’14, forward Carina Lauzon ’16, and defender Sam Zarling ’16, who earned the distinction for the first time.

Men’s Soccer

Matt Fechter ’13 was named a second-team All-American by D3soccer.com. The senior forward tied for third nationally with 15 assists, finished ninth with 47 points and was tied for 21st with 16 goals. All three totals were career highs. Former Major League Soccer player Scott Palguta, who recently completed a four-year career with the Colorado Rapids, has been named assistant coach under Horst Richardson. Palguta, a two-time all-Ivy League selection at Cornell University, replaces James Wagenschutz, who resigned in December after his sixth season to become the high-school boys director at FC Boulder soccer.