(Courtesy VStateBlazers.com)

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. – In a rematch of 2010 NCAA Division II National Championship match, Valdosta State gained a measure of revenge as the Blazers defeated Barry 5-2 to win the 2011 national title.

As with the 2010 championship, Valdosta State jumped out to a 2-1 lead after doubles play. The Blazers cruised through the first two points as Philip Pakebusch and Luis Loeffler rebounded from a first game loss at No. 2 to take the next seven games. The Barry duo of Marco Mokrzycki and Quentin Vachez rebounded to win the ninth game, only to have VSU close out the match with an 8-2 victory in the next game.

Daniel Dueren and Christian Hansen gave the Blazers a second point at No. 1 doubles as they defeated Emanuel Fraitzl and Max Wimmer 8-3. Valdosta State’s top team won the first give games of the match and eventually built a 7-1 lead before Fraitzl and Wimmer claimed back-to-back game wins. However, Dueren and Hansen rebounded to hold serve for the victory.

Barry’s only point of doubles play came at No. 3 where Oliver Lemaitre and Sergio Velez overcame an early deficit to claim an 8-6 victory. Valdosta State’s Otto Lenhart and Bernhard Wallner won the first four games of the match, only to have Lemairtre and Velez win three of the next four. The Barry duo eventually took a 6-5 advantage and after, Lenhart and Wallner evened the match, won the final two games to give the Bucs their first point.

Barry evened the match at 2-2 as it claimed the first singles point at No. 6. Romain Costamanga dropped the first game of the first set, before rebounding to win the next six for a first set victory. The Buc player also won the first three games of the second set before VSU’s Lenhart battled back to close within 5-3. However, Costamanga held serve for the final point to even the team score.

Kutschenko put Valdosta State back in front with a straight sets victory at No. 5. over Lemaitre. The duo played a closely contested first set that saw Lemaitre hold the largest lead at 5-3, but Kutschenko fought back to close to within 6-5 and then broke his opponent to force the tie-break, which he easily won 7-2 for a first set 7-6 victory. Kutschenko won the first four games of the second set to cruise to a 6-1 victory.

Hansen put the Blazers on the brink of the championship as he claimed a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 victory over Mokrzycki at No. 3. Hansen raced out to a 4-1 lead in the first set, only to have the Barry player fight back to even the game at 4-4 and against at 6-6. Holding a 5-4 advantage in the tie break, the VSU player claimed the final two points for the first set victory. Mokrzycki jumped out to an early 2-1 lead in the second set, only to have Hansen fight back to even the match at 3-3 and eventually claim a 5-3 lead en route to the victory.

Loeffler closed out the match with a straight set win at No. 4 over Vachez. Loeffler built a big 4-1 advantage in the first set, but Vachez fought back to claim a 6-5 advatange before Loeffler held serve to force the tie break. Loeffler again led in the tie break as he built a 5-3 advantage en route to an 8-6 victory to win the first set 7-6. The first six games of the second set were just as close as the first match before Loeffler took advantage of the match when he broke serve and held his own. A return on a shot by Loeffler sailed wide to the right to close out the championship.

With the victory, Valdosta State won its second national championship in the six years. The Blazers finish the season with a 21-1 record.

– Courtesy VStateBlazers.com

The offense will be anchored by returning running back Ronnye Nelson and GSC Offensive Freshmen of the Year wide receiver Gerald Ford.  Named as a All-GSC second team selection, he had 41 receptions for 526 yards last year.  The defense will be captained by first team All-GSC linebacker Larry Dean.  He led the Blazers for a second consecutive year in tackles finishing 2009 with 80 including 7.5 for a loss and broke up four passes.  Sophomore punter Jack Fulford was also named All-GSC second team and will be back on special teams for the Blazers.

The 2010 schedule is again front-loaded with several key contests in the first few weeks of play.  VSU starts with two SAC foes in Wingate and Newberry and both have been in the playoffs in recent seasons.  The contest with Newberry will give the Blazers a chance to avenge their open-season loss last year.  They will then host arch-rival Delta State a couple of week prior to hosting Ouachita Baptist, who shocked the Blazers and GSC for several weeks last year, for Homecoming.  The Blazers close out the year against 2009 second round playoff participant West Alabama.

D2 Sports Network predicts the VSU Blazers to finish the season 9-3 in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs.

“What a win,” said Coach Bryan Nakasone. “It was a long road and nothing came easily and especially not this game.”

HPU posed little threat through four innings, and trailed 2-0 after the Lady Blazers plated two first inning runs. Then in the fifth inning, the Sea Warriors sent 10 batters to the plate and put four runs on the board. VSU countered with a run in the bottom of the inning to cut the score to 4-3.

Sherise Musquiz (34-3) earned the win but not before some tense moments in the seventh inning. Colette Rollins walked to load the bases with just one out, but pinch hitter Amy Brightwell lined to Caira Pires at third for the second out. Musquiz then got April Hutchins to fly out to centerfielder Kozy Toriano for the game’s final out.

“What a way to go out in my last year,” said senior second baseman Casey Sugihara. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet.”

Holly Satterfield pitched four and one-third innings for the loss, allowing three runs on four hits. Alyssa Shirey posted two hits and two RBI for VSU, and Amber Shaw recorded two hits and one run scored.

Ciera Senas led HPU in her final performance as a Sea Warrior, recording two hits and one run.

After the game, Sugihara, Ciera Senas, Nicole Morrow, and Sherise Musquiz were named to the All-Tournament Team. Musquiz was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after going 4-0 on the week.

– Courtesy Hawaii Pacific Athletics

Valdosta (23-2) needed only one point with two singles matches on the court to take the title. The two remaining matches where number three singles with #32 Emanuel Fraitzl against #19 Christian Hansen and Andrew Sharnov against Konstantin Kutschenko. Fraitzl fell behind 4-0 in the third set and Sharnov fell back 4-1. The Bucs persevered and took both matches and the national championship.

The amazing Buccaneer comeback started with number six singles. Velez found himself in an early hole as he dropped his first set 6-0 to Kuech. The junior came back in set number two and took a 6-2 win. In the third set, with his team’s back against the wall, and falling behind a break at 4-3, Velez did not give up another game and put the Buccaneers back into the match with a 6-4 win in the third set. Barry still trailed 4-3 with Fraitzl and Sharnov still on the court.

At the end of Velez’s match, Fraitzl was down 4-0 and Sharnov was down 4-1 in the third set. With both their opponents battling cramps, Fraitzl won the next six games and tied the overall match at 4-4.

Sharnov won the next four games in his match and had two match points with a 5-4 lead in the set but could not capitalize on either. The senior lost that game and the next to fall back 6-5 against Kutschenko. Sharnov tied the match at 6-6 and the national title came down to a tie-break.

Sharnov took the first point of the tie-break then Kutschenko answered to tie things up. Sharnov rolled off the next five points, giving him four match point opportunities for a win. After Kutschenko narrowed the lead to 6-4, Sharnov landed a baseline forehand winner to win the NCAA DII Men’s Tennis National Championship.

Finishing first was number two doubles. Emanuel Fraitzl and Marco Mokrzycki went down 4-1 but fought back to trail just 7-6, but the #19 team of Daniel Dueren and Christian Hansen took the match at 8-6, earning the Blazers their first point of the overall match.

In the third flight of doubles, Sergio Velez and Andrew Sharnov went up 7-2 and looked to capture an early first point for the match. The Valdosta pair of Otto Lenhart and Frank Sickman came back to the cut the Buccaneer lead in the set to 7-6. However, the Bucs duo finished with an 8-6 win and tied the match at 1-1.

With the match tied, the number one doubles went down to the wire in a tie breaker. Barry had a match point when the tie breaker was at 6-5 and Valdosta serving. The #1 doubles team of Philip Pakebusch and Michael Kuech took the point on an ace by Kuech. Valdosta eventually grabbed the match on a well-placed lob over both Buccaneers who were at the net.

In singles, Valdosta took four first sets and looked composed to take the championship. At number two singles, #36 Svigelj fell 6-2, 6-1 to #5 Daniel Dueren. The Blazers collected a commanding 3-1 lead in the match.

The Buccaneers needed a lift with Valdosta only needing two singles wins to take the championship. Wimmer, ranked #42, delivered the Bucs only two-set win of the day. Wimmer went 6-4 in set one over the Blazer’s Lenhart then blanked Lenhart to take the match. Barry still trailed by one at 3-2 in the overall match.

Mokrzycki faced the challenge of taking on the #3 player in the nation, fellow German, Pakebusch. The top Barry player suffered a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) loss. The win for Valdosta, put the Blazers a mere one point away from the national title with three matches still on the court.

Barry finished the season on a 12-match win streak and a record of 25-4. This is Barry’s eighth national championship overall, second for the men’s team and first for men’s tennis. The Blazers’ only two losses of the season came at the hands of the Bucs.

– Courtesy Barry University Athletics

Kelvin Clark hit three of the home runs, a two-run shot in the Mocs’ six-run third inning, a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run blast in the eighth.  Trae Gore had a pair of homers, one in the third and one in the eighth.  Wade Kirkland hit a solo homer in the fourth.

The top three batters in the Moccasin lineup – Gore, Colin Kaline and Clark – each had three hits in the game (going 9-15), combined to score seven runs and drive in seven.  Tony Mitchell had a pair of hits and drove in two runs.

The six-run third inning gave Moccasin starter Eddie Sipple all the runs he needed to earn his fifth win without a loss this season.  He pitched seven scoreless innings, striking out 11, walking one and scattering six hits.  Daniel Tillman worked the final two innings, striking out four.

Sunday’s home run barrage raised the Moccasins’ season total to 36 in 23 games.  Now owning a five-game winning streak, the Moccasins (21-2) play Minn.-Duluth Wednesday night at 7 at Henley Field.

The Saints continued to stay on top of the Division II softball world this week, sweeping a pair of road Peach Belt Conference doubleheaders and moving to a school record 19-0 on the season.

In a poll that was voted on before North Georgia grinded out a pair of 4-3 and 6-4 victories over 8th-ranked LeMoyne College on Tuesday afternoon, the Saints continue to play one of the toughest schedules in the country and pass every test.

Angelo State sits at 17-2 on the season and move up to the No. 2 slot in the country, while local in-state rival Valdosta State moves up to No. 3 in the latest poll after running their record to a perfect 10-0. Wayne State is slotted fourth at 11-2 overall, a team the Saints inched out a 4-1 victory in nine innings against at the UAH Charger Chillout.

Last year’s World Series participant Winona State rounds out the top five, while the University of Alabama-Huntsville had the biggest move in the poll, falling nine spots from No. 2 to outside the top 10 at No. 11.

The Peach Belt Conference’s presence in the poll dropped from to a pair of teams this week after USC Aiken dropped from the rankings, while Augusta State is headed in the other direction, jumping seven spots to No. 12 in the nation.

– Courtesy of NGCSU Athletics

Tech’s ascension to the top spot in the national rankings came about thanks to the Wonder Boys wins last week over Henderson State (87-66) and Harding (82-71) and previous No. 1 Augusta State’s 81-75 loss this past Saturday at then No. 11 ranked Valdosta State.

The Wonder Boys, who earned 199 points and seven out of a possible eight first place votes this week, becomes the first Gulf South Conference team to headline the NABC/Division II Poll since Delta State was ranked No. 1 in 2006. The Statesmen held the top spot in the poll for two weeks from Feb. 28 until March 6 that year. The longest a GSC school has been ranked No. 1 was Montevallo, who held onto the top spot three times on two separate occasions (11/29/05-12/13/05 and 1/10/06-1/24/06).

Tech, who is 16-0 on the season following its two victories last week, is one of two GSC squads ranked in this week’s No. 10 as Valdosta State (16-2) jumped three spots to No. 8 after its upset win over Augusta State. In addition to Tech and Valdosta State, Delta State, who the Wonder Boys play host to on Saturday at Tucker Coliseum, earned one vote in this week’s poll.

Following Tech in the poll this week is Kutztown (14-0) at No. 2 and Minnesota State (16-0) jumps one spot to No. 3. Southern Indiana (16-0) leaps one spot to No. 4 and Fort Hays State (15-1), who earned the other first place vote, moves up one spot to No. 5 this week.

The next five in the poll begins with Augusta State (14-1) at No. 6 and the Jaguars are followed by Central Missouri (15-1) at No. 7 and Valdosta State at No. 8. Indiana [PA] (13-1) jumps three spots to No. 9 and Quincy [IL] (15-0) leaps four spots to No. 10 this week.

Midwestern State (14-1) falls four spots to No. 11 and the Mustangs are followed by Seattle Pacific (12-2) at No. 12 and Kentucky Wesleyan (17-2) falls three spots to No. 13. Bentley (14-2) jumps three spots to No. 14, while Western Washington (16-2) moves up four spots to No. 15 and Florida Southern (14-2) falls seven spots to No. 16. Mesa State (13-1) advances four spots to No. 17, while Montevallo (13-1) falls five spots to No. 18, Drury (13-3) jumps three spots to No. 19 and Rollins [FL] (12-3) moves up three spots to round out this week’s Top 20 at No. 20.

The final five teams in this week’s rankings are West Virginia State (11-1) at No. 21, Metro State (13-2) returns to this week’s poll at No. 22 and Augustana [SD] (14-2) falls five spots to No. 23. Southwest Baptist (15-4) falls eight spots to No. 24 and East Stroudsburg [PA] (14-1) drops one spot to No. 25 to round out this week’s poll.

Tech will put its No. 1 ranking to the test on Thursday, Jan. 21 when the Wonder Boys travel to Arkadelphia, Ark., to face Ouachita Baptist (4-12 overall, 0-3 GSC) in an 8 p.m. contest at Vining Arena. Following Thursday’s game, Tech will return home to play host to Delta State (12-3, 3-0 GSC) in a 6 p.m. contest at Tucker Coliseum on Saturday, Jan. 23.

–Courtesy ATU Athletics

The Big 3

How will the chips fall this season? If venue has any importance the season will be as close as ever. All three teams host and travel in their head-to-head match-ups. VSU hosts Delta and travels to UNA, while the Statesmen host the Lions. The Blazers will begin the season hosting traditional in-state rival Ft. Valley State of the SIAC and will then travel to 2006 playoff participant Newberry College from the SAC. Delta State has only one out-of-conference game when they open the season traveling to McNeese State (FCS) while North Alabama has three opening in a non-conference match-up with fellow GSC school Southern Arkansas. The Lions then travel to Carson-Newman (10-1 last season) from the SAC with a mid-season road contest against Independent North Greenville.

The greatest change in personnel will be with the defending national champions. The Blazers lose 13 starters including QB Willie Copeland, yet return All-Americans WR Cedric Jones and safety Sherard Reynolds. UNA returns Harlon Hill finalist QB AJ Milwee and All-GSC linebacker Michael Johnson, while Delta State will attempt to replace Harlon Hill finalist and All-American Michael Eubanks. The Statesmen will have a quarterback battle as they return the two starters (Garrett Dewitt, Dedrick Wilson) from last season along with Georgia transfer, Blake Barnes.

All three have key contests with playoff implications while the hottest game is the UNA/Carson-Newman battle, as the Eagles felt jilted out of the playoffs on a technicality last season. If any of the “Big 3” run the table in these games and head-to-head, they will be primed to sit atop the regional rankings at the end of regular season. Any slip-ups along the way will cause another year of nervousness around playoff selection time. However, with the Southeast Region having one less conference, a mixture of success a la 2007 should also provide all three with repeated post-season invitations.

Are you Reddie?

GSC elitists would have the preview stop there, yet the action in this conference is too exciting to limit coverage to the perennial powers. Several teams are on the verge of having breakout seasons and shaking things up at the top. One such team for a couple of years has been Henderson State. HSU was 6-2 in the conference for the second straight season in 2007. They will be led by All-GSC returning starters Bernard Palmer (RB) and All-American defensive back Devon Hughes. Key contests include opening with in-state rival and former GSC foe Central Arkansas (provisional FCS), traveling to North Alabama and hosting defending national champion Valdosta State.

Harding University is returning a stellar backfield unit with Harlon Hill Finalist Quarterback David Knighton and senior running back Alan Webster. They open with three non-conference games including one with fellow GSC team West Alabama. Then the Bisons have a tough challenge to begin their GSC schedule as they travel to Delta State and host North Alabama before a late season battle with Valdosta.

After a .500 season, the Wonderboys ofArkansas Tech will be led by All-American punter Michael Podobnik and quarterback Cole Barthel who had to sit out the end of last season with injury. Their toughest contests will include an out-of-conference and in-state match-up with Central Arkansas before hosting North Alabama and traveling to Delta State during their GSC campaign.

Valdosta State received 17 of a possible 26 first place votes and will look to win their third national title in five years in 2008. A semifinalist from last year, Grand Valley State received six first place votes and begins the season at No. 2. Last year’s national runner-up, Northwest Missouri State starts off 2008 at No. 3 and received one first place vote. North Alabama begins this year the same as it did last season, at No. 4. California (Pa.) comes in at No. 5 after its semifinal run in the 2007 NCAA playoffs.

Carson-Newman received two first place votes and sits No. 6 in the Coaches’ preseason poll. No. 7 Nebraska-Omaha begins its season on Sept. 6 hosting Nebraska-Kearney, while No. 8 Abilene Christian has a Top 10 matchup against No. 3 Northwest Missouri State on Aug. 30. No. 9 Chadron State is picked to win the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for a third consecutive year. West Texas A&M begins this season at No. 10 and looks to improve on its second round appearance in the 2007 playoffs.

Central Washington starts 2008 in the same place it ended last season, at No. 11. Defending Gulf South Conference champion, Delta State, is ranked No. 12, while four-time defending WVIAC champion, Shepherd, sits 13th in the preseason Coaches’ Poll. Tuskegee comes in at No. 14 after finishing 2007 at 12-0 and earning the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Black College National Championship. No. 15 Ashland begins the 2008 season with a Top 25 matchup against No. 25 Bloomsburg on Aug. 30.

No. 16 West Chester starts its season by traveling to No. 5 California (Pa.), while No. 17 Pittsburg State travels to Central Oklahoma. No. 18 Texas A&M-Commerce looks to improve on its 5-6 record from a year ago. Catawba and conference rival Newberry start this year’s poll at No. 19 and No. 20, respectively.

No. 21 Indiana (Pa.) starts off its 2008 season by playing new conference member C.W. Post on Sept. 6. Minnesota-Duluth is ranked No. 22 after being picked to win the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in its first season in the league. Mesa State ended 2007 with a 10-2 mark and starts out at No. 23 in the Coaches’ Poll. No. 24 Southern Connecticut State is the preseason favorite to take the Northeast 10 title, while No. 25 Virginia Union is picked to win the Eastern Division of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

FULL STORY

– Courtesy AFCA

Voting to determine the winning community from among the 20 finalists began Wednesday, July 23 at 6 p.m. ET and ended Sunday, July 27 at noon. The winner and the other five top vote getters were announced today on the 6 p.m. ET edition of SportsCenter, ESPN’s flagship news and information program.

Some Valdosta, Ga. “TItleTown USA” Facts:

The Valdosta Wildcats hold the record for most wins in high school football with 838 and have won 23 Georgia State Championships and six National Championships. Lowndes High School has won three of the last four state championships and five total.

Valdosta State University won Division II National Championships in football in 2004 and 2007 as well as a baseball title in 1979 and a men’s tennis championship in 2006.

FULL STORY

–Courtesy VSU Athletics