Wesleyan Athletics Hosts Virtual Marrow Donor Drive

Wesleyan Athletics is hosting its fourth annual “Be The Match” Marrow Donor Drive. This year the drive will be held virtually. What is Be The Match? For the thousands of people diagnosed every year with life-threatening blood cancers or diseases like leukemia and lymphoma, a cure exists. These patients can receive blood stem cells as a cure. Unfortunately, 70% of patients cannot find a match within their family and therefore look to the Be The Match registry for that life-saving match. Over the past 25 years, Be The Match has managed the largest and most diverse marrow donor registry in…

On May 21, the Wesleyan University Athletic Department hosted a virtual event to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of scholar-athletes. The ceremony combined the annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet with the end-of-the-year Senior Awards presentations. It was hosted by Director of Athletics Mike Whalen '83 and featured remarks from President Michael Roth '78. Several coaches presented individual awards to the student-athletes. Hockey goalie Tim Sestak '20 and women's soccer defender Mackenzie Mitchell '20 were the recipients of the Roger Maynard Memorial Awards, which are presented annually to the Wesleyan male and female scholar-athlete who best exemplifies the spirit, accomplishments, and humility of Roger…

On March 8, the men’s hockey team celebrated its first-ever NESCAC Championship with a 7-2 victory over Trinity College. Although the win secured the league’s automatic bid into the 2020 NCAA Tournament, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors decided to cancel all remaining winter championships as well as the spring sports season across all divisions (I, II, and III). Wesleyan had several winter sports scheduled to compete in their respective NCAA Championships, including men’s hockey, which are affected by this news. The Cardinals scored seven goals in just over 30 minutes of action, erasing an early deficit…

On Feb. 14, the Wesleyan University wrestling team added its newest member to the team as 14-year old Amar Champlin of Team IMPACT signed his National Letter of Intent. "It is a great day to be a Cardinal," said head coach Drew Black. "And it is a great day to be Amar and have him and his family join our team. We are all very excited as we added a great Cardinal to the program." Amar is in the eighth grade and hails from Old Saybrook, Conn. He loves sports, especially wrestling. "To be a Cardinal, you need to be…

On Jan. 25, Wesleyan Athletics held its fifth annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic. More than 130 local girls—from kindergarten to sixth grade—participated in this free event. Several coaches from women's teams and student-athletes taught the clinic and introduced the girls to softball, soccer, field hockey, rowing, track, tennis, and more. "Our female student-athletes did a fantastic job in being role models for our local youths," said Christine Kemp, head field hockey coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach. "The girls had a blast and had the opportunity to try out a number of sports all morning."…

On Jan. 26, the Athletics Department welcomed 25 alumnae back to campus for its annual Women's Athletics Mentoring Workshop. The alumnae met with female student-athletes to network and offer career advice. The workshop was held in conjunction with the Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This celebration inspires girls and women to play and be active, build confidence and character, and become strong leaders in sports and life. Photos of the Athletic Mentoring Workshop are below: (Photos courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) (more…)

Wesleyan's men's basketball team recently learned what it's like to dribble, pass, guard, and shoot baskets without ever setting foot on the court. On Jan. 21, the team traveled to New Britain, Conn., to meet members of the Connecticut Spokebenders Wheelchair Basketball Team. The Spokebenders are one of the longest-running competitive wheelchair basketball teams registered with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). After watching the team practice, the Spokebenders welcomed the Cardinals to participate in a few drills via wheelchair, and eventually challenged the Wesleyan athletes to a scrimmage. "Thankfully they took it easy on us," said Wesleyan Assistant Coach…

Wesleyan wrestling head coach Drew Black was inducted into the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Hall of Fame Jan. 19 at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, R.I. The induction ceremony was held in conjunction with the NEWA Dual Meet Championships. Black is the only coach in the 2020 NEWA Hall of Fame Induction Class. He'll was joined by former wrestlers Joseph Adam of Trinity, Brian Glatz of WPI, and John Marsh of Bridgewater State, as well as contributor Dwayne Dawson of Western New England. "To be called a coach is an honor. Coaching at Wesleyan is an honor…

This football season marked the 50th anniversary of Wesleyan’s undefeated football season of 1969. It was a year that garnered a number of individual and team honors. The team was named the UPI New England College Division Champions and they shared the Lambert Cup with the University of Delaware as the East’s top-achieving college division team. Individually, the late Dave Revenaugh ’72, MALS ’98 was ranked sixth in New England for scoring, and the late Peter Panciera ’71 was ranked ninth in New England for passing. The Athletics Department hosted a dinner to honor the team on the Friday evening of Homecoming…

On the Cardinals' first play in overtime, David Estevez '22 ran 25 yards for the game-winning touchdown as the Wesleyan football team defeated Williams, 27-21, during Homecoming/Family Weekend at Corwin Stadium on Nov. 2. With the win, the Cardinals, who defeated Amherst in double-overtime a week ago, claimed the Little Three title outright for the third time in the past seven seasons. Estevez scored all four touchdowns for Wesleyan as he rushed for two, threw for one, and returned a kickoff 96 yards for another score. The Cardinals improved to 7-1 overall as they snapped Williams's six-game winning streak. For…

The Wesleyan volleyball team won its third consecutive Little Three title outright as the 19th-ranked Cardinals defeated archrival Williams College Oct. 25 in Silloway Gymnasium by scores of 25-17, 25-23, 25-22. Little Three Championships are declared when a varsity team from Wesleyan, Williams, and Amherst defeats the other two rivals. The fierce competition among the schools dates back to at least 1910. Wesleyan was led by frosh Bella Ahearn's match-high 16 kills as the Cardinals improved to 18-2 overall and 8-1 in the NESCAC. The 18-2 record marks the best start in program history. The Ephs battled in the second…

John Raba, head coach of the Wesleyan men's lacrosse team and adjunct professor of physical education, has been inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame for the Class of 2019. "It is an honor and privilege to be inducted into the Connecticut Chapter of US Lacrosse Hall of Fame," said Raba. "I am extremely thankful to the Connecticut Lacrosse Foundation and all of its members for this honor. I feel blessed for what the game of lacrosse has done for me and the relationships that it has allowed me to have. I look forward to serving the lacrosse community…

Wesleyan Athletics Hosts Virtual Marrow Donor Drive

Scholar-Athletes, Seniors Honored for 2019–20 Accomplishments

Hockey Wins First-Ever NESCAC Championship

Wrestling Team Drafts 14-Year-Old of Team IMPACT

Athletics Hosts 5th Annual Women in Sports Clinic for Area Girls

Alumnae Lead Women’s Athletics Mentoring Workshop for Wesleyan Athletes

Men’s Basketball Scrimmages, Learns from Local Wheelchair Team

Coach Black Inducted Into New England Wrestling Hall of Fame

1960s Football Celebrated at Homecoming

Football Claims Little Three Victory During Homecoming

Little Three Champs! Volleyball Earns 3rd Consecutive Title

Coach Raba Inducted into the Connecticut Lacrosse Hall of Fame