Twice As Nice

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Repeats As Women's Tennis Champs

Author

Steve Ulrich
May 18, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

MAY 18, 2023 | written by STEVE ULRICH

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» 🤠 Howdy Thursday. Play Ball!

» 📅 Happening Today: NCAA Softball Regionals; NCAA Men’s Golf 3rd Round; NCAA Individual Men’s Tennis Championship; NCAA Regional Rules Seminar (through Thursday); NCAA Swimming and Diving Rules Committee (through Thursday).

TOP STORY
1. Twice As Nice

Claremont-Mudd-Scripps won its second consecutive NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis championship and third in four years with a 5-3 triumph over top-ranked Chicago.

The Athenas (27-1) avenged their only loss of the season, as the Maroons (23-1) bested CMS at the ITA Indoor Championship in March.

Claremont took a 2-1 lead after doubles and extended its advantage to 3-1 on a win by Sena Selby at No. 4 singles. Chicago tied the match with triumphs at 2 and 3, but the Athenas put the match away with victories by Lindsay Eisenman at No. 6 and Nikolina Batoshvili at No. 5.

CMS is in position to become the first school since Williams (2008-13) to three-peat and with no seniors on this year’s squad, it will certainly be the pre-season favorite in 2024.

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CONFERENCES
2. The Future Unclear For ASC

by Cory Hogue, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football

“The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference dropped another wrench in the future of the American Southwest Conference on Monday by announcing the addition of Concordia University Texas and the University of the Ozarks for July 2024.

The loss of CTX and Ozarks is a significant loss for the ASC. This move is the first time the conference has lost its non-football members to the SCAC during this current realignment cycle. CTX and Ozarks do not sponsor football and leave the ASC with six members for men’s and women’s basketball beginning for the 2024-2025 season, the minimum number of teams allowed for a conference to maintain an automatic bid for the playoffs.

In 2024, the ASC will have the ‘Baptist 4’ (Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons, East Texas Baptist, and Howard Payne), LeTourneau, a non-denominational university, and UT Dallas.”

» Background: “The driving forces behind the recent departure of schools from the ASC is a matter of internal debate within the conference. Some note that the schools departing the ASC align with other institutions with similar religious and ideological beliefs, which is highly plausible.”

» Yes, But: “Other sources at some of the remaining ASC institutions believe the teams are departing for competitive reasons, and it’s not an argument that can be easily dismissed. The members of the ‘Baptist 4’ have won 14 of 17 possible ASC titles since 2018 in football and men’s and women’s basketball.”

» Reality Check: “Any plan for the ASC to stay viable in all sports begins with keeping UTD in the conference or finding an NAIA team that aligns with the Division III model and has the desire to transition away from athletic scholarships.”

GOLF (M)
3. Methodist, Piedmont Share Halfway Lead

13-time champion Methodist and Piedmont share the lead after the halfway mark of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men’s Golf Championship in Nicholasville, Ky.

The Monarchs and the Lions both have team scores of 3-under-par 573 - four shots clear of Carnegie Mellon, Christopher Newport and first-round leader Saint John’s.

Washington and Lee survived a three-hole team playoff against Transylvania to survive the cut and secure the 18th and final spot for the final 36 holes.

Henry Scavone of Carnegie Mellon posted the day’s best round with a 5-under 67 to move into a four-way tie for the individual lead along with Alex Price of CNU, Sam Berger of Saint John’s and Bobby Beaubien of Illinois Wesleyan at 140. Three other players are a stroke back at 141.

BASEBALL
4. Tournament Preview

Danny MacDougall, Endicott

D3baseball.com gets you ready for the 2023 Division III Championship with its annual tournament preview.

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NEWS
5. Lightning Round ⚡️

🗞 News. New York University has unveiled a brand refresh that answers the age-old question - are they the Violets or are they the Bobcats? “It is now 100% bobcat-free.”

🗞 News. Celebrate graduating women for their academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership with a nomination for the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. Each member school can nominate up to two graduating female student-athletes if at least one of the nominees is a student-athlete of color or international student-athlete. Submit your school's nomination(s) through the NCAA Program Hub by 5 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, June 21. Visit ncaa.org/woty for details.

🎂 Happy Birthday. Cake and candles for Peter Meier and Darrel Colson.

Do you know of someone celebrating an upcoming birthday? Drop us a line at [email protected]

TRANSACTIONS
6. Comings and Goings

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