Bearcat Sports

CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENDED

Bearcats continue to reign supreme over NCAA Division II men’s basketball

The Bearcats left no doubt they are the premier men’s basketball program at the NCAA Division II level by running roughshod through the Elite Eight and capturing their third national title in four postseasons.

Northwest captured the 2021 NCAA Division II men’s basketball national championship March 27 with an 80-54 thrashing of West Texas A&M University at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The 26-point victory margin in the title game ranks as the second-largest in championship game history, trailing only North Carolina Central’s 27-point victory in the 1989 national title game. Northwest won its three games in the Elite Eight by a combined margin of 78 points, breaking the Elite Eight record of 75 points set by Jefferson in the 1970 tournament. The triumph capped a season that saw the Bearcats capture 28 wins, the most in Division II. Northwest also continued its dominance of the MIAA by securing its eighth straight regular season crown. In doing so, it set the conference record for most wins in a single-season with 21 MIAA victories.

“We were blessed to get a chance to play this season,” head coach Ben McCollum ’03, ’05, said. “When we lost the opportunity to play the NCAA Tournament last season because of COVID-19 it was devasting to our players and to myself. Back in August when we started to really gear up for the season, we just didn’t know what to expect. Then we did not play for 26 days in December, and we weren’t sure where it would take us. I give our guys all the credit in the world for sticking through it and being able to win it all again.”

Senior Ryan

Hawkins (left) took home the Most Outstanding Player award at the Elite Eight. Hawkins poured in a championship game-high 31 points and 18 rebounds. He buried 10-of-16 shots from the field and was 9-of-10 at the free throw line. Hawkins’ dominance was felt throughout the Elite Eight as he scored 32 points in a 98-77 victory over West Liberty in the quarterfinals and followed that with a 20-point, 11-rebound effort in a 77-46 semifinal triumph over Flagler College.

Junior Trevor

Hudgins (above) earned National Player of the Year from the National Association of Basketball Coaches and from the Division II Conference Commissioners Association. He has started every game in three seasons at Northwest, which has a 97-3 record since he arrived. He earned MIAA Player of the Year for the second straight season, averaging 19.8 points per game with 139 assists and 39 steals while hitting 54.2 percent of his field goal attempts, 50.8 percent of his threepoint attempts and 90.1 percent of his free throws.

’CATS CUT IT CLOSE IN CENTRAL REGION FINAL

As dominant as Northwest was at the Elite Eight, it almost did not occur as the Bearcats faced an 11-point deficit with three minutes to play in the Central Region final at Northern State University. McCollum admitted it did not look bright for the Bearcats at that point. “There’s some thought of losing that creeped in there,” McCollum said. “When you are down that much, it was a pretty low chance at that point. But with our group and our heart they’ve proven there’s a chance. They just believed. I don’t know if I’ve seen many comebacks like that in any game.” Ryan Hawkins cut Northern State’s lead to nine with a bucket, only to see the Wolves hit one of two free throws on the other end to push their lead back to 10 with 2:19 left. Trevor Hudgins put the Bearcats on his back as he produced eight points in a 23-second span to slice the Northern State lead to 78-75 with 1:38 to play. On Northwest’s next possession, Hawkins drove for a shot but was tied up, and the jump ball went to Northern State. However, Hawkins tallied a steal on the ensuing Wolves possession that led to Diego Bernard making one of two at the line. Northwest played defense without fouling, but Northern State got a team rebound out of bounds with 14.9 seconds left. Northwest freshman Isaiah Jackson fouled Northern State’s Mason Stark with 12 seconds left and Stark could make only one of two free throws. Hudgins took the ball down the floor and calmly sank a step-back three-pointer with five seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 79-79. McCollum said the key to the comeback was the leadership displayed by Hudgins.

“His cool head, his incredible humility,” McCollum said. “There is zero arrogance to him. He has a genuine, extreme confidence. Very few have that confidence. He is so humble. He believes in himself, and his teammates believe in him.”

Sophomore Luke Waters put Northwest back on top with a layup on an assist from Hawkins with 1:43 to play in the overtime period. Hudgins buried two more free throws with 1:21 left to put Northwest up three, 87-84. Northern State’s Jaylen Robinson sank two free throws with 42.3 seconds to cut the Bearcat lead to one,

but Hawkins broke free for a layup with 26.2 seconds left to push the lead back to three. After Northern State missed a gametying three-pointer, Jackson clinched the victory by draining two free throws with nine seconds left, giving Northwest the 9186 triumph. The overtime win over Northern State was by far the closest contest of Northwest’s five postseason victories. Northwest produced its largest margin of victory in a postseason game in school history in a 41-point crushing of Washburn in the Central Region Tournament’s second round game. Northwest used a 24-0 run in the first half and a 28-3 run to begin the second half and led by as many as 54 in the 85-44 victory. That victory, however, was in stark contrast to the teams’ previous meeting only eight days earlier in Bearcat Arena when Washburn’s Tyler Geiman sank a 55-foot shot at the buzzer to give the Ichabods the MIAA Tournament title, 69-68. Both of Northwest’s 2020-21 losses came at the hands of Washburn as the two teams split their regular season matchups with each winning a game in overtime. “As you look back, you can say that refocused our attention heading into the NCAA Tournament,” McCollum said. “We were 23-2 at that point after the loss to Washburn, but it reset the season.”

POSTSEASON ACCOLADES

Head Coach Ben McCollum (top right) captured the NABC’s National Coach of the Year award for the fourth time in his career, becoming the first Division II coach to claim the award four times. McCollum was also named the MIAA Coach of the Year for the seventh time in his coaching career. He has posted a mark of 300-78, and his winning percentage of .794 ranks No. 4 among NCAA Division II coaches and No. 6 among all NCAA Division coaches with a minimum of 10 years of head coaching experience. Junior Diego Bernard (bottom right) collected the MIAA’s Defensive Player of the Year. He also moved up to second-team all-MIAA status and tallied his third straight appearance on the MIAA’s all-Defensive squad. Bernard averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.6 blocks. He had 17 double-figure scoring games, including a pair of 20-point performances. He shot 54.3 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three-point range. The Bearcats success did not go unnoticed as the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution commending them on their 2021 NCAA Division II national championship. U.S. Senators Roy Blunt and Josh Hawley introduced the resolution celebrating the team’s season.

WINTER

SPORTS RECAP

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD The indoor track and field teams concluded their seasons at the NCAA Division II Championships in Birmingham, Alabama, after having the 2020 meet canceled by COVID-19. The men produced 11 first-team All-America performers – tied for third most in the nation. Northwest men earning All-America honors were Omar Austin, Caelon Harkey, Abdelrahim Mahgoub, Gavyn Monday, Blake Morgan, Jake Norris, Reece Smith and R.J. Williams.The women also secured two first-team All-America performances (Delanie Dykes, Jada Shanklin) and one second-team effort (Bailey Blake). Austin was one of eight Division II student-athletes to earn three or more first-team All-America accolades at the championships in Birmingham, tallying All-America status in the 200 meters, 400 meters and 4x400 meter relay. He also captured MIAA championships in the 200m and 400m while teaming up with Harkey, Williams and Federico Crisci to win the 4x400 crown. Caroline Cunningham took home the MIAA title in the indoor mile. The Bearcats had 30 student-athletes honored by the MIAA for academic achievement, including a trio with a perfect 4.0 GPA in Keely Danielsen, Lisette Perez and Dakota Schmidt.

Molly Hartnett

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Bearcats dealt with a trio of season-ending ACL injuries to Paityn Rau, Emma Atwood and Kylie Coleman but produced the program’s highest MIAA win total in seven seasons. Third-year head coach Austin Meyer ’06, ’08, guided the Bearcats to seven league victories, including a season sweep of rival Missouri Western for the first time since 2010-11. Molly Hartnett earned MIAA Freshman of the Year honors, while Mallory McConkey secured honorable mention all-MIAA status for the second straight year. Hartnett led the team in scoring with 14 points per game and handed out a team-best 59 assists. McConkey averaged 7.3 points and 5.6 rebound per contest. The Bearcats also ranked No. 4 in the nation in fewest turnovers per game at 10.6. The Bearcat women had 10 student-athletes honored by the MIAA for academic achievement, including Ellie Horn and Caitlyn Jordon with a perfect 4.0 GPA.

SPRING

OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Hiba Mahgoub became Northwest’s first women’s outdoor track national champion, winning the 200m dash and breaking her own school record, running it in 23.25 seconds. Mahgoub also placed third in the

400m dash, running it in 54:02 seconds. SPORTS RECAP At the MIAA Championships May 7-8 in Pittsburg, Kansas, Mahgoub claimed individual crowns in the 200m and 400m. Quincy McSweeney won the 800m, and Delanie Dykes won the 1,500m with a school record time of 4:34.97. For the men, Reece Smith captured the 3,000m steeplechase and the 5,000m. Caelon Harkey earned the MIAA title in the 400m. The men’s 4x400 relay team of Harkey, Prince Griffin, Jevaughn Stanley and Federico Crisci also finished first. Northwest added a trio of Drake Relays champions in Des Moines April 23-24. Mahgoub earned the 400m title with a time of 54.97 seconds. McSweeney took the 800m championship with a time of 2:12.74. Smith Hiba Mahgoub won the 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 8:51.83. TENNIS The men reached the NCAA Division II national quarterfinals for the third time in school history, capturing the Central Region title, but lost to No. 2-ranked Barry University to finish with a record of 16-5. It marked the 21st NCAA tournament appearance for the Bearcats as head coach Mark Rosewell posted his 40th combined NCAA tournament appearance in men’s and women’s tennis. Andrea Zamurri captured both MIAA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors. He was ranked No. 3 in the nation and won his first 18 singles matches. He earned first-team all-MIAA honors in singles and doubles with junior Franco Oliva, an honorable mention all-MIAA in singles. Agustin Velasco captured first-team allMIAA status in singles and second-team all-MIAA honors in doubles with Fabien Calloud, an honorable mention all-MIAA in singles. Martin Sanchez notched second-

team all-league honors in singles, and freshman Fillippo Piranomonte earned honorable mention all-MIAA status in singles. Eight men’s tennis players earned MIAA/GAC academic recognition. The women earned the program’s 19th NCAA tournament appearance en route to a 12-8 season. Vera Alenicheva led the way in singles with a season mark of 16-2. She earned second-team all-MIAA honors in both singles and doubles and secured MIAA Scholar-Athlete team status with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Julia Aliseda captured second-team allMIAA status in singles and doubles. She posted a singles mark of 15-4 and paired with Alenicheva to go 11-7 in doubles. Aliseda earned MIAA Scholar-Athlete honors with a 3.67 GPA. The women started the year 2-3 before winning eight of nine dual matches. They scored a 4-1 victory over Harding in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Edmond, Oklahoma, before falling to topseeded Central Oklahoma in the regional semifinal.

VOLLEYBALL Bearcat volleyball played a spring season after its fall was canceled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, earning a record of 14-3 and a national ranking of No. 14. In the MIAA Spring Tournament championship against Nebraska-Kearney, the Lopers won the opening two sets, but the Bearcats forced a fifth. Northwest held an 11-9 lead in the decisive set, but UNK rallied for a 15-13 triumph to take the title. Earlier in the season, Northwest recorded a 3-0 sweep of UNK, marking the first Bearcat victory over the Lopers since 1990. Jaden Ferguson, Hannah Koechl, Alyssa Rezac and Morgan Lewis earned MIAA All-Tournament team honors. Nine studentathletes earned MIAA all-academic status.

SOCCER The Bearcats moved their season from fall to spring and tallied a winning mark of 4-3-1, culminating with a three-match win streak. The highlight of the season featured the program’s first-ever win in Warrensburg against Central Missouri, 5-4. Northwest had produced only three previous victories over UCM, but all occurred in Maryville. Letycia Bonifacio earned first-team all-MIAA honors, and sophomore Kaylie Rock secured second-team all-MIAA status. Northwest had 16 student-athletes earn MIAA all-academic status.

GOLF The Bearcats wrapped the spring season with a seventh-place finish at the 2021 MIAA Golf Championship at Hillcrest Country Club in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. Mady Acers posted a team-best stroke average of 80.50 in six rounds, and Morgan Thiele scored 11 rounds with a stroke average of 81. Freshman Elly Speece recorded a hole-inone in the opening round of the 2021 MIAA Golf Championship on the 138-yard, par-3 fourth hole. Five golfers earned MIAA allacademic status.

SOFTBALL The Bearcats reached the MIAA Tournament and narrowly missed knocking off top-seeded and No. 15-ranked University of Central Oklahoma. Northwest finished with a mark of 18-22 overall and 12-14 in MIAA play. Catcher Madison Friest was named MIAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year with 133 putouts, 13 assists and one error in 147 chances. She also threw out nine would-be base stealers. She earned honorable mention All-MIAA honors with 27 hits, seven home runs and 16 RBIs. Outfielder Olivia Daugherty secured firstteam All-MIAA status as she batted .351, scored a team-high 34 runs and recorded a team-best 12 doubles. She hit 11 home runs and posted a slugging percentage of .701. Kaitlyn Weis wrapped up her career by earning second-team All-MIAA accolades at third base. She is Northwest’s all-time leader in home runs (56), RBIs (191), slugging percentage (.741) and saves (11). In 2021, she batted .419, the sixth-best total in school history, with 13 home runs and 44 RBIs. Her .863 slugging percentage is the highest single-season mark by a Bearcat softball player. She tallied a Bearcat single-season mark for saves with seven in 2021. The Bearcat softball team had nine members earn spots on the MIAA’s Academic Honor Roll. The season also marked the end for Ryan Anderson, who steps away after 15 years as Northwest’s winningest softball coach with 345 career victories.

BASEBALL The Bearcats completed their season with a mark of 13-26 overall and 11-22 in MIAA. Second baseman Peter Carlson earned second-team all-MIAA honors, leading the Bearcats in slugging percentage (.500), runs (29), home runs (10) and RBIs (33). First baseman Connor Quick secured third-team all-MIAA status, batting .276 with 42 hits and 28 RBIs. He played in 107 career games at Northwest and possesses a .348 career average and .507 career slugging percentage. He had 10 multi-hit games this spring and 44 in his Bearcat career. Pitchers Alex Slocum and Spencer Hanson and outfielder Ryan Koski garnered honorable mention all-MIAA accolades. Northwest had 23 student-athletes earn MIAA Academic Honor Roll recognition. Darin Loe completed his 22nd season as head coach of the program and holds the most wins in school history (539).

Madison Friest Andrea Zamurri

Kaylie Rock Peter Carlson