Wesleyan Winter Sports Season 2011–2012
The 2011–12 Wesleyan winter sports season gave rise to some outstanding performances. While Shasha Brown ’13 was ripping it up on the basketball court for the record-setting men’s squad (see page 13), Nik Tasiopoulos ’14 was doing the same for men’s ice hockey. Generating 34 points on 19 goals and 15 assists, Tasiopoulos led the NESCAC in both points and goals, receiving first-team all-NESCAC honors as well as first-team all-New England Division III laurels. He was named one of 18 semi-finalists for the prestigious Joe Concannon Award, presented annually to the top American-born New England Division II/III player. Tasiopoulos led the Cardinals to their highest win total in 23 years with a 12-11-2 overall record and only their second winning campaign during the span.
Also standing out on the ice was Jordan Schildhaus ’15. Leading the women’s team in scoring with eight goals and five assists for 13 points, Schildhaus ranked seventh among NESCAC rookies in scoring but impressed the conference coaches enough with her speed and skill to merit NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors. She joined a host of Cardinal athletes in the last four years to earn Rookie of the Year accolades, including LaDarius Drew ’15 in football, John Steele ’14 in men’s squash, Laura Kurash ’13 in women’s soccer, Adam Purdy ’13 in men’s soccer, Shasha Brown in men’s basketball, and John Froats ’12 in men’s lacrosse.
Wesleyan celebrated three New England Wrestling Association champions on its way to a team title at the NEWA Championships, which Wesleyan was proud to host. While 174-pounder Kyle Roosa ’13, 184-pounder Jefferson Ajayi ’13 and 197-pounder Luke Erickson ’13 all took titles to qualify for the NCAAs, 133-pounder Joey Schwartz ’14 placed second and received an at-large bid to the NCAAs as the Cardinals had four individuals competing at Nationals. There, Ajayi returned with a seventh-place showing to secure All-America laurels, the first by a Cardinal grappler since Hugo Smith accomplished the feat in 1996.
Also attaining All-America recognition, but for the third time in his career, was triple jumper Tommie Lark ’12, who cleared 48-8 1/4 during the NCAA Indoor Track Championships to place fifth. A year ago, he took sixth nationally indoors and eighth outdoors. Earlier this winter, Lark had a leap of 49-1 1/2 to break his own indoor triple jump mark. He also owns the outdoor record, having cleared 49–3 in 2011. UPFRONT