AMU ATHLETICS 2022-2023 Gyrenes Continue to Grow with Exciting University Firsts

The 2022-2023 academic year has been an exciting one for AMU Athletics, each season bringing new enthusiasm to campus. In the fall, the football team narrowly lost in the Sun Conference championship to Keiser, 27-21. Keiser went on to compete in the NAIA national championship, the first Sun Conference football team to go that far. The Ave football program feels it has good momentum going forward, especially as only three of the 22 starters will be lost to graduation.

The cross country team, under the direction of American record-holder and new head coach Alan Webb, finished third in the conference in both men’s and women’s. Four Gyrene runners also qualified for the NAIA national championships in Tallahassee: Theresa Long ('23), Felicity Foxhoven ('26), Lillian Burke ('25), and Joseph Perreault ('24).

The women’s basketball team was the highlight of the winter sports season. After an encouraging 2021-2022 season, in which all five starters were freshmen, the team came back strong this year, advancing to the Sun Conference semifinals and amassing an 18-12 record. In their inaugural season, the indoor track and field team sent Theresa Long ('23) to the NAIA national championships in the 800-meter race. AMU also won the Sun Conference championships in three events: Long in the women’s 800-meter race, Adam Paga ('24) in the men’s 800-meter race, and Joseph Perreault ('24), Emmanuel

Consbruck ('26), Samuel Paga ('26) and Adam Paga in the men’s 4000-meter distance medley relay.

The men’s basketball team showed great promise as newcomers made up the majority of minutes played this season.

More recently, the spring season has seen some remarkable performances. The lacrosse team, under alumna and first-year head coach Katy Sherman ('19), upset the No. 1 NAIA team in the country 14-12, Benedictine College, in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.

It was an awesome game. The team communicated and worked together as one.

— Katy Sherman ('19), Lacrosse Head Coach

The baseball team, which started the year with a 13-game win streak at home, is now nationally ranked for the first time since 2013, and the beach volleyball team is nationally ranked in the top ten.

However, the most dominant performance this year has been by the newest varsity team, ultimate frisbee. The team currently stands at 14-1, with wins over club teams from the University of Miami, University of Central Florida, Ohio State, and Penn State.

This team gives one hundred percent effort in everything it does and has embraced every challenge it’s been thrown. As we look to finish out this season in the same manner we started it, we will continue to put in hard work and give the glory to God.

— Michael Middendorf ('20), Ultimate Frisbee Head Coach

In addition to Coach Sherman and Coach Middendorf, there are several other new coaches in the athletic department for the 2022-2023 academic year. The aforementioned Coach Webb — in addition to the cross country teams — took over the leadership of both Gyrene swim and Gyrene track. Recent graduate Trenton O’Neil ('22) was named marching band director, immediately creating tremendous energy within the marching band and helping animate the football and basketball games. Clara Garcia became the new head coach for competitive dance and was met with immediate success as the second-year program finished second in the NAIA regionals.

Michael Kernicki — who served as a golf pro at elite courses such as Canterbury in Ohio, Indian Creek in Florida, and Bloomfield Hills in Michigan — took over as head golf coach for both men’s and women’s golf. Gyrene golfers responded well with both teams setting new program records. Golfer Gabriel DeCasas ('24) notched three top-ten individual finishes on the men’s side.

We’re building a foundation for success. I’m confident — with these players and those who will be coming to Ave in the future — we will achieve our goals.

— Michael Kernicki, Golf Head Coach

Recent graduate Nick Hofmeister ('23) is serving as the interim tennis coach, overseeing the men’s and women’s squads. Both teams are currently ranked in the top 15 nationally for the NAIA.

Juliaclaire Plezbert has come on to serve as our head softball coach and immediately had a strong start. In their first 20 games, the team achieved a winning record with one of their victories coming from a no-hitter by pitcher Kaedyn Sutton ('26). Also notable, Cesar Markovic — a soccer coach with more than 150 NCAA Division I soccer wins to his credit — has been hired to direct the men’s team this coming fall as head coach.

The University welcomed two new athletic facilities at the beginning of the spring semester. Judi’s Gym — a covered space holding three full basketball courts — opened adjacent to the dorms. The Judy Fyke Practice Golf Complex opened on the north end of campus, just beyond the baseball field. Progress continues to be made on the 40,000-square-foot Golisano Fieldhouse and the 4,000-square-foot locker room facility next door.

This coming fall, Ave Maria will welcome its 25th varsity team as men’s rugby is elevated to varsity status. Tim Dockery, vice president of Advancement at AMU, will be the inaugural varsity head coach.

This spring holds a record number of student-athletes, and with the addition of the marching band, it’s estimated the University will have more than 700 students involved in athletics this fall.