Spring Sports Season begins March 1, Wrestling to Host Tournament

The Wesleyan spring sports season gets off and running  March 1 when men’s and women’s lacrosse begin NESCAC play against Hamilton, the men on the road and the women at home. The men are coming off a 13-5, Little Three champion season with a wealth of talent returning, earning the squad the no. 16 spot in the USILA preseason Division III national poll. Women’s lacrosse will be looking to stake a claim in the always tough NESCAC under interim head coach Amanda Belichick as six opponent squads are ranked among the top 15 nationally in the preseason.

Also looking to defend their Little Three crowns and return to NESCAC post-season play are the baseball and softball squads. Each will inaugurate their season with a trip to warmer climates, the baseball squad in Arizona and California starting March 9, and softball in Florida March 12.

Men’s and women’s crew and tennis also will be in Florida in preparation for the 2014 season. Tennis will play five matches down South after opening the season March 8 against NESCAC rival Hamilton. The indoor matches will be played at home.

Track and field will celebrate therefurbished Andersen Track by hosting three outdoor meets in the opening four weeks, the first on March 22.  The golf team also will have a handful of matches to close out its 2013-14 action, including the annual Little Three competition.

In addition, Wesleyan will serve as host of the 2014 NCAA Northeast Regional Wrestling Tournament on March 1-2. This is the third time in the last nine years that Wesleyan has hosted a wrestling regional for qualification to the NCAA Championships.

With the revamped NCAA format, six regionals are held across the country with the top three finishers in each of the 10 weight classes advancing to the NCAA Championships, this year to be held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa  March 14-15.

The tournament will be held in Bacon Field House with competition starting at 11 a.m. Saturday and at 10 a.m on Sunday.  The qualifying matches for the NCAA to decide the top three places will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.  Ticket prices are $10 for adults each day and $5 for children and students with IDs.  Live results of the matches will be logged through TrackWrestling.com.

Check out the spring schedules: Chronological  –  Sport-by-Sport