Women’s basketball falls short to IUPUI, 85-69 SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The Golden Grizzlies headed to Indianapolis this past Sunday to play the IUPUI Jaguars, but were defeated by a score of 85-69 that ended Oakland’s three-game winning streak.

It was a special game for Breanne Beatty, marking her 100th career start. She scored 15 points.

The Jaguars were quiet in the beginning as Oakland held down a 9-0 run. Alexis Johnson started Oakland’s offense but IUPUI buckled down defensively, getting some stops and it got things going offensively. Oakland still maintained their lead in the first quarter, up two at 19-17.

By the second quarter, the Jaguars came in with a different mentality. They outscored the Grizzlies 28-15.

It was the Jaguars’ Rachel Kent who had the hot hand connecting her 3-pointers. She had 19 firsthalf points. Kent led the team with the most points and a career-high of 30, going 6-8 from 3-point range. IUPUI guard Destiny Perkins was also shooting from distance with back-to-back buckets in the third quarter.

Miriam Ibezim did a great job of staying on the glass getting those second chance opportunities that cut Oakland’s deficit to 11.

There were some good things done by forward junior Linda Van Schaik as well. Not only is Van Schaik a shooter but she added some smooth finishes to her game as well with the up and under layup.

This gave Oakland a little push as it made some quick runs but was stopped once more by IUPUI. The Jaguars were getting looks down low and a lot of their shots came off of transition plays.

IUPUI was still in charge to start the fourth. It had Oakland on thin ice. The Golden Grizzlies eventually started full court pressure to make it tougher for IUPUI, but there wasn’t anything else to it the rest of the game because the Jaguars were still shooting efficiently down the stretch.

IUPUI closed out the game, at an 85-69 score. Although Oakland didn’t have that offensive power and fell short, they still showed great efforts and never let up.

Brooke Quarles-Daniels did it again, with another game in double figures with 20 points and Van Schaik ended with 12.

The Golden Grizzlies will now make their way back to Rochester to play on the blacktop for the next four home games, starting with the Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m.

Legendary swimming, diving coach Pete Hovland to retire after 4 4 seasons

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

In 1979, a 24-year-old Pete Hovland joined the Oakland University men’s swimming and diving team as a mentor. Forty-four years ago, when Hovland first joined the program, Oakland was a small Division II school with minimal resources.

Hovland, who is now 68 years old, is set to retire in May after one of the most illustrious careers in the history of collegiate sports. His career numbers are so ridiculously outstanding that they almost seem erroneous.

But alas, the numbers are, in fact, accurate. Hovland was just that dominant.

He spent two seasons as a mentor/assistant coach when he first arrived at Oakland, before he took over as the head coach in 1981. From then on, one of the most impressive coaching runs of all time commenced.

Over the next 42 seasons, Hovland won the conference title all 42 times. Not once in his tenure as head coach of the men’s swimming and diving team did Hovland fail to win the league.

Apparently, though, winning the league year after year in the men’s ranks wasn’t enough for Hovland, as he took over as head coach of the women’s program in 2001.

Typically, it would be hard for a coach to manage two different teams, and a little bit of a drop off would be expected — but Hovland just didn’t stop winning.

Since taking over the women’s program in 2001, Hovland has won the league title every season.

From 2001 to the most recent 2022 season, Hovland never missed out on a conference championship on either the men’s or women’s side.

“I would like to thank my swimming and diving family first and foremost. Without them, my life would never be the same,” Hovland said in a statement. “Thank you for believing in me over the past 44 years. Thank you for helping me build our championship culture and for allowing me to steer you down this wonderful path together. Thank you to those that have allowed [my wife] and I to remain in your lives and become even closer with you and your families today.”

Hovland and his wife, Laurie, have had numerous conversations over the years about what life will be like after retirement, and now, those days are just around the corner.

“In recent conversations with close friends, colleagues and my wife about when it was time to retire, they all said, ‘you’ll just know,’” Hovland said in the statement.

“Well, they were right, I now know what they meant,” Hovland said. “It’s time for change. It’s time for me to pass the torch. Time for my wife, Laurie, and I to step away in order to do some of the many things we’ve talked about doing over the years. Time to spend more time with valued friends. Time to fly-fish a few more rivers and streams. It’s time for change in leadership here at OU.”

Steve Waterfield, the director of athletics at Oakland, also gave a statement.

“A true coaching legend, Pete is among the greatest intercollegiate swimming coaches of alltime,” Waterfield said.

Waterfield’s statement is undoubtedly accurate. In fact, the same statement — minus the “swimming,” — would still be accurate.