The Dartmouth Sports Weekly 4/30/18

04.30.18

The Weekend Roundup p. 2-3 Honorable Mention: Pretty Dang Cold p. 6 Men’s tennis wins first Ivy League title since 1997 p. 6-7 Griffith’s Got Stats: NFL Draft p. 7 Senior Spring: Dustin Shirley ’18 dominates collegiate baseball, seeks to continue professionally p. 8

Student Managers: A closer look at the responsibilities of current student managers p. 4-5 COURTESY OF NATHALIE FERNEAU

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

The weekend Roundup

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

LW ROWING

COMPILED BY LUKE GITTER, MAYA MOTEN, Saba NEJAD & Jake PhilHower

TRACK & FIELD

Courtesy of The Dartmouth

The lightweight rowing team fell to Cornell University at the annual Baggaley Bowl this past Saturday.

Courtesy of The Dartmouth

Men’s track and field placed fifth and the UMass Pre-Conference Meet.

The men’s track and field team placed fifth at the UMass Pre-Conference Meet. The Big Green won four events and had two top-three finishes, posting a final score of 76. Notable perfor mances included wins

by Lloyd May ’18 and Shawn Ohazuruike ’20 in the 200m and 110m hurdles, respectively. Three Big Green runners finished in the top five in the 800m. Simpson Tanner ’19 took the top spot with a time of 1:54.53, followed by teammates William Phinney ’21 (1:54.83) and Michael Thurston ’20 (1:55.38) finishing third and fourth, respectively. In thrilling fashion, Mattieu Freeman ‘21, Max Frye ’21, May and Donavan Spearman ’21 won the 4x100m by a quarter of a second.

The women’s track and field

team finished fifth at the UMass Pre-Conference Meet. The Big Green finished with 80 points behind two event wins and four top-three finishes. Lily Lockhart ’21 took a decisive first place finish in the discus event with a best throw of 44.39 meters, more than two meters farther than the next best throw. Abigail Brazil ’21, Eliza Dekker ’19, Anna Dimarcello ’21 and Alexa Jennings ’19 posted a time of 3:58.87 to claim the top spot in the 4x400m relay. Dekker and Jennings continued their strong performances, placing second and third respectively in the 800m.

Other notable perfor mances include Kayla Gilding ’19’s second place finish in the 400m with a time of 56.77 and Diana Vizza ’20’s third place finish in the 5000m, with a final time of 17:26.25.

Zachary ZacharyBenjamin Benjamin’19 ’19 Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Hanting Hanting Guo Guo ’19 ’19 Publisher Publisher

Ioana IoanaSolomon Solomon’19 ’19 Amanda Ioana Solomon Zhou ’19 Amanda Zhou’19 ’19 Executive Editor Executive Editors Editors

4.30.18 4.23.18 Vol. Vol. CLXXV CLXXV No. No. 27 21

Mark Mark Cui Cui ’19 ’19 Samantha Samantha Hussey Hussey ’20 ’20 Sports Sports Editors Editors

Justin Justin Kramer Kramer ’21 ’21 Associate Associate Sports Sports Editor Editor Divya Divya Kopalle Kopalle ’21 ’21 Michael Michael Lin Lin ’21 ’21 Photography Photography Editors Editors Jaclyn Jaclyn Eagle Eagle ’19 ’19 Templating Templating Editor Editor

On Saturday, Apr. 28, No. 11 Dartmouth lightweight rowing faced off against No. 3 Cornell University for the 59th annual Baggaley Bowl. The Big Red swept all three events and secured the title for the seventh year in a row.

Starting with the 3V, Cornell finished 19 seconds

ahead of the Big Green. The Big Red finished first in the second race as well, this time with a closer margin of 5.5 seconds. Dartmouth’s varsity eight took second with a seven-second margin as well. This was the team’s last race before the Eastern Sprints Regatta in two weeks.

HW Rowing No. 8 Dartmouth heavyweight rowing faced off against No. 12 Syracuse in the 60th annual Packard Cup this past Saturday. The Big Green was able to take the victory in the second varsity and varsity four events, but a close loss in the varsity eight led to the Orange winning the cup.

Dartmouth entered two boats in the varsity four event, both finishing ahead of Syracuse by at least four seconds. Dartmouth finished first in the second varsity event with a 1.2-second margin. The third varsity race was a very close one. Both boats finished at the same time, with a time of 5:15.3, but Syracuse won by a bow ball. The first varsity

race was also very close, with Dartmouth finishing behind Syracuse with a 1.7-second difference.

On Sunday, the Big Green rowers looked to redeem themselves as they competed against No. 19 Georgetown University. In the second varsity event, Dartmouth raced its 2V and 3V boats, which came in ahead of the Hoyas by 11 and six seconds, respectively. The varsity eight boat came in eight seconds ahead of Georgetown, with a time of 5:01.3.

Sunday’s race marks the team’s last race of the regular season before the Eastern Sprints Regatta in two weeks.

RUGBY The Dartmouth women’s rugby team concluded its regular season this weekend after attending the United States Military Academy’s All-Academy 7s Tournament on Saturday, where the women took second place.

The team got off to a great start in the opening rounds, where they faced the host school’s developmental squad before facing American International College. In the first game the Big Green walked away with an easy 24-12 win against the Knights after Lilly Durbin ’21 scored three tries before Marin Pennell ’21 earned the last of the game. Durbin’s three tries in the game added

to her total of six for the day. In the second pool round against the Yellow Jackets, several members of the varsity seven team saw action as five players made a try to help Dartmouth to its 31-19 win.

Dartmouth’s final win of the day came against Harvard University when they faced off against the Crimson in the semifinals. Despite an easy 24-7 victory against the Ivy competitors, the Big Green took second overall in the tournament after falling to Army in the final. Co-captain Morgan McGonagle ’18 was the only member to score against the Knights as the Big Green ended the game 35-5.

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

M LACROSSE

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BASEBALL After their Wednesday game against Siena College was cancelled due to poor weather conditions, the Dartmouth baseball team faced Brown University over the weekend. The team began by splitting Saturday’s double header with the Bears after late game plays in the ninth inning. In the first game, the two teams were evenly matched after the Big Green struck first when Dustin Shirley ’18 scored off an error made by Brown pitcher Garett Delano. The game remained scoreless throughout despite several hits made by both teams and several players left on base. Despite this, the Bears attempted to rally in the top of the ninth with a late game run. However, any chance of extra innings was quickly squashed when Shirley homered off a hit into left field to secure the 2-1 win.

In the second game of the match-up, the ninth inning was the saving grace for the Bears as shortstop Willy Homza scored off a single from teammate Sam Grigo to win the game for Brown 5-4. Although the team managed to gain an early lead scoring in the second and fourth innings, the Big Green attempted to bounce back, scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Dartmouth quickly lit up the field when Kyle Holbrook ’18 and Shirley earned three RBIs off their respective single and double.

Although Shirley went on to score and tie the game, a third out and a score from Brown in the ninth inning dashed their comeback hopes.

After the Sunday game was postphoned due to rain, the Big Green return to the field on Tuesday to finish their three-game series against the Bears at home.

Courtesy of The Dartmouth

The men’s lacrosse team fell against Brown in its last game of the season.

The men’s lacrosse team closed out their season with a 20-6 loss against Brown this Saturday, finishing 2-11 overall and 0-6 in Ivy League play. Ben Martin ’20, Liam O’Connell ’20 and George Prince ’21 finished with two goals apiece, while Alex Burnley ’21 had an efficient game in goal,

totaling 11 saves over 52 minutes.

Brown hit the ground running with a score of 9-1 by halftime.

Although the Big Green took six shots in the second quarter, Brown’s goalie Phil Goss thwarted most attempts. Brown scored once more with seven seconds left to end the game.

W ROWING

On Saturday, Apr. 28, Dartmouth women’s rowing won their second consecutive Parents’ Cup by finishing first in the first varsity event two seconds ahead of Cornell University.

The Big Green won the second varsity event as well, finishing the race with a two second lead. Dartmouth now leads the series 11-10. The Big Red won the last two races of the day, the varsity 4A and B events.

On Sunday, the Big Green sent four boats to compete in the 2018 Sprints at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Massachusetts, with all four reaching the Grand Finals. In the Grand Finals, the second varsity came in fourth, the third varsity came in first, the varsity four came in second and the varsity eight came in second. The team will close the regular season at the Ivy League Championship on May 13.

SAILING The sailing team was off to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brown University this weekend for the Women’s National Team Race Invitational and the NEISA Coed Championship/ U.S. Coast Guard Alumni Bowl, respectively.

The team had a great performance at Brown on Saturday, placing third of 18. With the wind ranging between 10 and 16 knots for most of the afternoon, the racing was nothing short of intense.

The Big Green finished the day with 184 points and were narrowly behind Boston College and

Roger Williams University, which finished with 149 and 167 points, respectively. Results for Sunday’s races could not be found in time for publication.

The Women’s National Team Race Invitational at MIT featured more calm conditions with light breezes throughout the weekend. Represented by Mary Amis ’19, Eloise Burn ’21, Lisa Genthner ’19, Audrey Giblin ’20, Kathryn Hall ’21 and Emma White ’19, the Big Green went 8-8 on the day, good for six of seven teams, edging out Tufts University.

W LACROSSE

SOFTBALL This weekend, the Dartmouth softball team hosted Yale University at home, winning all three games. In the first game on Saturday, the Bulldogs quickly got on the board in the first inning with an RBI from Sydney Grobman. Dartmouth easily matched and one-upped them on a play in the bottom of the first when Taylor Ward ’19 hit a two-RBI bunt. Micah Schroder ’20 and Morgan Martinelli ’19 took advantage of Ward’s baserunning to slide into home. Now holding the lead, Dartmouth scored the last run of the game with a homer from Schae Nelson ’21, resulting in a final score of 3-1.

In the second game, Yale got on the board first once again as they earned one of their two runs from an RBI double in the first inning; however, Dartmouth captured the lead once more scoring four of their five runs in

the bottom of the third. After Tiffany Dyson ’18 managed to get a base hit, she earned the first run of the game off an RBI double from Schroder. The sophomore then earned her chance to score when Nelson sent a long drive down the left field baseline. The Big Green ended the inning with a tworun RBI from Calista Almer ’20 , who scored Dartmouth’s last points of the inning and later scored the last point of the game.

In the final game of the series, Dartmouth maintained a 2-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Attempting to rally, Yale’s pinch hitter Phylicia Wilkov sent a home run into left field before the Bulldogs tied the score in the top of the seventh. Undeterred by this, the Big Green’s Schroder sent a deep single down the middle to allow Claire Bird ’18 to score the game-clinching run.

Courtesy of The Dartmouth

Dartmouth women’s lacrosse fell in the title game to Brown University with a final score of 17-13.

The No. 15 women’s lacrosse team lost the title game to Brown with a final score of 1713. Ellie Carson ’20 had three goals, making her just the fourth Dartmouth player to reach 50 goals in the last 15 seasons. The game was neck-and-neck until the Bears went on a 6-0 run midway through the second frame. Kierra

Sweeney ’19 had four marks to lead the Big Green in scoring, but Brown goalkeeper Mikaela Karlsson thwarted any comeback attempt by the Big Green with a total of 10 stops in the game. The Big Green will look to rebound in the Ivy League Tournament next weekend at Princeton University.

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

Student M

A closer look at the responsibilities of curren

BY SAMANTHA HUSSEY A

The Dartm

FOOTBALL

Name: Caroline Allen ’20

For how long have you managed the football team?

I started managing last spring, so my freshman spring, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

Why did you apply?

I want to work in sports when I’m older so I thought it was a good opening opportunity, but I also applied to football specifically because I really like football and I knew they had a really good community and that it was a great team to be a part of.

What are your responsibilities on the team?

I film games and practices, so I help set up before practices, and then I also travel with the team. For that, I make sure that I get to the hotel first and make sure the hotel and all of the other logistical stuff is in order.

How many hours of work is it in season versus out of season?

It’s probably 20 hours a week in the fall, but that doesn’t include travel time, so if that was included probably like 30 hours a week. Nothing in the winter, and then in the spring it’s 10 hours I think, upwards of 10, somewhere around there.

COURTESY OF CAROLINE ALLEN

How many other managers work with the team?

I’d say I’m the only really consistent manager; other people come to film, but they’re usually here for one term. Injured players are also managers, but I play a different role than they do.

What is your favorite part of being a manager, and what is the hardest part of being a manager?

My favorite part of being a manager is being a part of the team. Every time we win I feel like I won too, and I don’t think any of the players would say otherwise; they think of me as part of the team. I played a lot of sports in high school so I really loved team things, and I didn’t get to do that at Dartmouth, so becoming a part of football has been extraordinary because I get to be with them. I also enjoy just watching the games. We had an amazing season, so it was just really fun. The hardest part of the job is the weather; it’s really cold.

What is your favorite memory?

The Yale game this season. My main role as manager is I film games, so I’m next to the other teams’ filmers. During the Yale game, when we were losing 21-0, one of the Yale guys was like, “Oh, do you think we can still be friends after this game?” And I was like, “Haha,” and was really upset with the game. We then came back and won the game. It was Homecoming and it was the best feeling ever, and I turned to the guy and I was like, “Can we still be friends?” and he said, “No.” That was the most exciting time as a manager because I felt like, ‘Yeah we won.’ Coming down to the field at the end, being there while the team sang the alma mater and just feeling like a part of the team and walking out with all of them is just the best feeling. It’s cool that I get to be on the field with them when we all win together.

Name: JoJo Boyle ’20

Men’s soccer

For how long have you managed the men’s soccer team?

I started my second week of freshman fall, so almost two years now.

Why did you apply?

I knew I wanted an on-campus job and was looking through the Jobnet positions. I came across the soccer manager application and thought that would be a really fun and rewarding job. I grew up playing soccer, but quit when I got serious about dance. I always missed team sports, but still kept up with soccer and went to all of the games at my high school. Being hired for four years was a daunting decision to make, but I figured I would prefer a job that I could find a community in rather than a part-time gig at a coffee shop or sitting alone at a desk.

What do your responsibilities include?

I work with the coaches in the office most of the year. I help with organizing their recruiting camps, preparing for the upcoming season and other office work like reconciling corporate expenses. In season, I organize all pregame and postgame meals. The 30 guys constantly need food and snacks, so that’s actually a huge job in and of itself. I help with organizing details of travel games, including the hotels and transportation, and I film all of those games, too. Mainly, I help the coaching staff make sure everything is organized and all the logistics are running smoothly so they can focus on coaching and the guys can focus on training.

How many hours of work is it in season versus out of season?

In season, it depends on how many games we have in a week and whether or not we are traveling. Each home game requires about eight hours of my time. Some travel games take eight hours, some take a whole weekend. On top of all of the games, I work in the office about eight hours per week. I’d say an average week in season is about 25 to 30 hours, not including sleeping if we travel. Out of season, it’s eight to 10. The coaches are lenient about me choosing my hours and they always let me work around my class schedule. I don’t have to attend practices or lifts unless I choose to.

What is your favorite part of being a manager, and what is the hardest part of being a manager?

My favorite part of being a manager is getting to be part of a sports team on campus without all of the hard work and time Division I athletes have to put in. I love knowing and spending time with the guys on the team. Coaches Chad Riley, Brian Plotkin and Ryan Fahey have became kind of like uncles to me. It was so fun working with them; the three of them just recently transferred to coach at the University of Notre Dame. The hardest part is getting all of my homework done on the weekends we travel. Being on the bus takes up a lot of time, and it’s hard to concentrate when all you want to do is take a nap. It has really opened my eyes to how difficult it is for student athletes to juggle the full-time job of being on a Division I sports team and the demanding coursework of an Ivy League school.

What is something you know about the team that most people wouldn’t know?

Sometimes, if we win a game on the road, we’ll watch a movie on the ride back to Dartmouth. The last time this happened, the guys collectively voted on watching “Frozen” and sang all of the lyrics to “For The First Time in Forever.”

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

Managers

nt student managers for three sports teams

AND CAITLYN MCGOVERN

mouth Staff

Men’s Basketball Name: Josh Tanenbaum ’20 For how long have you managed the men’s basketball team?

I’m a sophomore, so this is the end of my second year. I started the first week of my freshman year.

Why did you apply?

I love basketball and I was looking to learn as much as I can about it. I’m hoping to work in basketball some day.

What do your responsibilities include?

Anything they ask me to do. I’ll do anything from mopping the floor during practice, managing the equipment, pumping up balls, loading up the shooting machines, running around doing errands or doing laundry — the glory work.

Do they travel with the team when they go away?

Yup, on the road I manage all of the equipment and the food.

How many hours of work is it in season versus out of season?

It depends on the season, but we usually have six practices a week, and then I’m rebounding for guys individually whenever they text me. Something like 25 hours a week, and more on the road, but I don’t really count that.

COURTESY OF JOSH TANENBAUM

What is your favorite part of being a manager, and what is the hardest part of being a manager?

My favorite part is just being able to hang out with all of the guys, I’d say. They are all great guys and I’m grateful that they have accepted me and have given me the opportunity to learn and have a lot of fun. The hardest part is managing all the different responsibilities that I get. I don’t really report to any one person, so sometimes I get three different requests from different coaches and players, and sometimes it’s actually impossible to do all of the things, unless they added extra hours to the day.

What is something you know about the team that most people wouldn’t know?

One of the biggest kids on the team — he’s about six feet seven inches — is afraid of spiders. There are occasionally spiders in the gym, and in the middle of practice, he spotted one and flew into the air. One of the coaches stretches a lot, that’s another thing I can think of. When I am in the office doing paperwork, I’ll walk by this coach’s office and he is on the floor in some advanced yoga pose.

What keeps you coming back to the job?

If you aren’t doing anything, it is easy to fill that time with a lot of nothingness. Most of the time it helps me focus and keeps me efficient. You can’t mess around when you do have time off — you have to get your work done.

Anything else you want to add?

One of the aspects of being a team manager that is very different from the typical student day or Dartmouth experience is that it’s very humbling. You have to work with other people and just do what you are told, and I feel like that has made me a better person.

Name: Jack Kurtz ’21 For how long have you managed the men’s basketball team?

I started working at the beginning of this term.

Why did you apply?

I was really into basketball; that was my favorite sport growing up. I watched it a lot and I wanted to get involved in any way that I could.

What do your responsibilities include?

During practices or workouts, I rebound for the guys. I help out with the drills, really anything that the coaches need help with.

In the office, I help send out emails and do some office work.

What is your favorite part of being a manager, and what is the hardest part of being a manager?

I think my favorite part of being a manager has just been being a part of the team and just helping out and getting to see how practices are run. I’m learning a lot about basketball and more advanced concepts. I think the hardest part is definitely the time commitment. There is a lot of time involved, so you have to be good about balancing your work and managing responsibilities.

COURTESY OF JACK KURTZ

What is something you know about the team that most people wouldn’t know?

I guess you get to see a different side of the coaches and the guys. A lot of people will think that all the coaches or players are pretty serious, but they will joke around after practice and are all pretty regular guys.

What are you looking forward to going forward as a manager, and into season?

Next winter, I’m looking forward to helping out in-season. I definitely want to get involved with more statistical work and try to help the team get better in any way that I can.

These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity and length.

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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

Honorable Mention with Ray Lu ’18

Honorable Mention: Pretty Dang Cold Youth fades quickly, or so I’ve learned in the past few years. A little under two years ago, I was tasked to write a sophomore summer sports column titled “First Team.” Every week, I walked into The Dartmouth’s offices, sat down next to the editors and typed out 800 words of pure energy the night the column was due.

Yesterday, I labored through the sixth edition of “Honorable Mention” on a Dartmouth Coach from New York, running out of ideas and time. The Class of 2018 graduates in under 50 days — I’ve stopped keeping close track to preserve my sanity. Most people have told me to savor these last moments, but there is just far too much to savor and far too little time.

A prospective member of the Class of 2022 from my high school recently called to talk about Dartmouth, which is a big deal for me since there isn’t a single underclassman here from my school in Austin, Texas. He worried about the same things I did — classes, social life and, of course, the weather.

The summer before college, I bought my first real jacket, a stylisticallyoriginal, meticulously-selected black North Face fleece. I tried it on in our inadequately air-conditioned living room in the middle of a Texas summer and nearly broke a sweat.

Fast forward to the end of freshman fall. I’m walking to class wearing every jacket I’ve ever owned, two hoodies and my impenetrable fleece, and still cold.

Today, I shamelessly don my thickest parka to brave 35-degree spring days.

It’s not freezing, but it sure is close enough.

“It’s pretty cold, man,” I said on the phone. “Pretty dang cold.”

The summer before college is magical. The summer after college is the culmination of growing up. It’s being excited to get eight hours of sleep and watch “The Great British Bake Off.” It’s also starting work in the real world.

Another Austin, Texan is starting a new job very soon. Baker Mayfield, drafted by the Cleveland Browns first overall on Thursday, played in my high school football district for a powerhouse program that churned out talented college quarterbacks. Mayfield was fifth in a lineage of eight consecutive quarterbacks, and counting, to commit to play football at the Division-I level.

Several of my high school teammates’

claims to fame are tackling a Heisman Trophy winner and number one overall pick (as well as attempting to wrap up now-Washington Redskin Samaje Perine).

I can’t claim to have been the biggest Baker Mayfield fan in college, especially considering he’s on the other side of the Red River Rivalry, but I hope he succeeds at the higher level. The fact that he found his way to the first overall pick is an incredible feat in itself, and he has an uphill battle ahead of him.

I didn’t learn my lesson with the first set of NBA playoff predictions, so here we go again.

Western Conference: Houston Rockets (1) vs. Utah Jazz (5) Previous predictions: HOU over MIN, 4-0 (actual: HOU over MIN, 4-1); OKC over UTA, 4-1 (actual: UTA over OKC, 4-2) The Jazz are the real deal and stunned the playoff world, but it’s clear that the Thunder had offensive rhythm issues that didn’t completely right themselves during the playoffs.

Don’t expect the same success against a more balanced Rockets team, especially if Ricky Rubio’s hamstring limits him.

Prediction: HOU over UTA, 4-2 Golden State Warriors (2) vs. New Orleans Pelicans (6) Previous predictions: POR over NOP, 4-2 (actual: NOP over POR, 4-0); GSW over SAS, 4-1 (actual: GSW over SAS, 4-1) Can Anthony Davis and the Pelicans keep up their success from the first round? The sweep against the Portland Trail Blazers was entirely unexpected, but this is a Warriors team that many pegged to win it all. A twin towers combination of DeMarcus Cousins and Davis would have thoroughly exploited the Warriors’ weakness down low — it’s unclear if Davis on his own can shift the momentum of an entire series against an opponent this good.

Prediction: GSW over NOP, 4-2 Eastern Conference: Toronto Raptors (1) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (4) Previous predictions: TOR over WAS, 4-1 (actual: TOR over WAS, 4-2); CLE over IND, 4-0 (actual: CLE over IND, 4-3) The Raptors always seem to be the benchmark of the East: good but not great. Winning this series might change that. Should Toronto come out on top, their title aspirations should be taken much more seriously — at least by me. On the other hand, Lebron James — also pretty dang cold, see the end of Game Six — just scraped by a tougher-than-expected Indiana Pacers squad, but the Cavaliers typically have the Raptors’ number. I’m still picking Cleveland, but it’s not going to be easy.

Prediction: CLE over TOR, 4-3 Boston Celtics (2) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (3) Previous predictions: BOS over MIL, 4-2 (actual: BOS over MIL, 4-3); PHI over MIA, 4-3 (actual: PHI over MIA, 4-1) #TTP Prediction: PHI over BOS, 4-1

Men’s tennis wins first Ivy League title since 1997

By MARK CUI

The Dartmouth Senior Staff

On Sunday, Apr. 22, the Dartmouth men’s tennis team defeated Princeton University 4-1 to finish 6-1 in the Ivy League and clinch its first Ivy League title since 1997.

“It was crazy,” David Horneffer ’20 said. “We stormed the court, all came together, hung out afterwards and reflected on it a bit. It was just an amazing experience.”

As head coach Chris Drake noted, this year’s Ivy League was as strong as it’s possibly ever been. Six teams were ranked in the top 50 in the nation at some point in the season, with Columbia University in the top 20 and Harvard University spending most of the year in the top 30.

The team started off the year winning its first 12 matches, a Dartmouth school record for consecutive wins, and the ECAC Indoor Championship title for the first time in school history. Fliegner explained that the win streak was motivated by a disappointing 2016-17 season and a relaxed mindset.

“The first win streak started from motivation from last year,” Fliegner said. “It wasn’t a great year, and we knew we had to work very hard from the get-go. We just stayed really relaxed,

and took each match as it came instead of worrying about winning or losing each one.”

However, the win streak came to a halt after the team finished the ECAC Championship. The team then lost its first Ivy League match against Harvard University 4-0 on Mar. 31, despite beating them earlier in the year.

According to Fliegner, the team used the setback as motivation to bounce back and win its next six Ivy League games.

During Ivy League play, the biggest win of season was arguably against Columbia University on Apr. 15, which hadn’t lost an Ivy match on home court since 2011. The Big Green was down 3-0, but clawed back to win the match 4-3.

“Winning that match made the team start thinking that ‘We can do this,’” Drake said. “They brought that mentality into their next couple of games into Penn and Princeton to clinch the title.”

Last season, the team finished 1114 overall and 3-4 in the Ivy League, making this year’s 20-5 overall record and 6-1 Ivy League record a noticeable step up. Fliegner noted two factors that made this team so special: the team depth and team chemistry.

“We have a very deep team, meaning that we’re tough and competitive at

every spot in our lineup,” Fleigner said.

“From an intangible standpoint, we’re pretty much each other’s closest friends.

That helps on the court since we know each other really well.”

David added that the drastic improvement in record was the culmination of each team member continuing to practice hard and improve as well as the addition of strong freshmen.

“It was an accumulating effect of putting in the work,” Horneffer said.

“We had a few breaks earlier in the season that helped us and added to our confidence. The strong group of five freshmen added a ton to our team, clinched some big matches for us and got us a lot of wins.”

Another contributing factor to the team’s success was the significant support it received throughout the season. The support began from the six players on the team’s bench.

“I don’t think the guys who don’t play in the lineup get enough credit,” Fliegner said. “They’re a huge part of the team, and just as critical to advancing the goals of our team. Especially when we’re playing on the road where we don’t have a lot of stands, they are our biggest support base.”

Drake added that outside support SEE TENNIS PAGE 7

Win over Princeton gives Big Green title FROM TENNIS PAGE 6

was also crucial to the team’s season performance.

“We’ve got a lot of support that’s helpedusalongthewayfromDartmouth, from the athletic department, from our friend groups and from the local community,” Drake said. “We had 300plus fans out in the matches for Penn and Princeton. It’s not an easy thing to do, and while our guys deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve done, they certainly didn’t do it alone.”

While Drake is proud of his team for winning the Ivy title, he will remember the team for much more than just its overall record of wins and losses.

“They embody a lot of the things we want Dartmouth to be about,” Drake said. “They support each other really well. They’re very resilient; they’ve bounced back, hung in there, went through ups and downs and still stayed together as a group. It’s a gritty group, [and] they can handle the moment pretty well.”

Despite the end of the regular season, the team’s overall season is not quite over.

By virtue of the team’s record in the Ivy League, it earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. The Big Green will find out its first-round opponent during the NCAA selection

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

show on May 1, and the tournament will take place at Wake Forest University on May 18. For now, the Big Green can take a much-needed break after a grueling season that began in the fall.

Two years ago, the team made the NCAA Championship but fell to Tulane University. With the memory fresh for the upperclassmen, one of the team’s goals is to try to make it past the first round this time around.

“Making it there last time was a huge accomplishment for us, but we want to take it a step further and try to accomplish even more for the legacy of our team.” Fliegner said. “The main goal is to hopefully win a round or two.”

While Horneffer also echoed the team’s goal of making it past the first round, he emphasized that the team is focused more on just playing well.

“Rather than focusing on the result, our team’s message is to focus on what we control and play well,” Horneffer said. “If we focus on what we can control, then hopefully the result will come.”

Regardless of the outcome of the NCAA Championship, the team looks to build off of this incredible season and continue to improve for next season.

“This shows that we’ve been doing the right things during the offseason and in practice,” Horneffer said.

Griffith’s Got Stats with Evan Griffith ’18

Following the end of college basketball season, the NFL Draft has come and gone, giving sports pundits something else to talk about for the next few weeks. This year’s installation of the draft featured a lot of firsts, such as the first draft held at an NFL stadium, the first draft since 1999 to have five quarterbacks taken in the first round (Josh Allen, Sam Darnold, Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield and Josh Rosen) and the first draft to feature two brothers taken in the first round (Tremaine and Terrell Edmunds of Virginia Tech).

Speaking of quarterbacks, this year’s draft was expected to feature a good amount of them taken in the first round, as there were a lot of teams that needed them. ESPN NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. threw around the idea that if some teams traded up, four quarterbacks could have been taken in the first five picks. Every quarterback had his set of baggage as well. Darnold was seen as the “safe” pick, but his turnover problems increased in the season before the draft.

Scouts saw Rosen as the intelligent quarterback, but his injury history, particularly his recent concussions, was worrisome. Mayfield, the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner, had some character concerns and was shorter than ideal at 6 feet 1 inch.

Allen was tall at 6 feet 5 inches and had a cannon of an arm, but his accuracy concerns against lesser competition (Allen played at the University of Wyoming) concerned some. Jackson, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, was more of a running quarterback, totaling 69 passing touchdowns and 50 rushing touchdowns during his career at the University of Louisville, but scouts questioned his ability to play

quarterback, with some rumored to have had him run wide receiver drills during workouts.

The allure of draft day was when each of these quarterbacks would go and to which team. The first overall pick belonged to the Cleveland Browns, who drafted Mayfield. Mayfield is expected to sit for some time behind former Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, for whom Cleveland traded in the offseason. Darnold would be picked third overall by the New York Jets.

The Jets needed to get a quarterback in case 38-year-old Josh McCown retired. The next one to go was Allen, who went to the Bills after the team traded up from the 12th spot to the seventh spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rosen would go next at number 10 to the Arizona Cardinals, who traded up from 15 with the Oakland Raiders. The two most recent Heisman Trophy winners would poetically bookend the first round of the draft, after the Baltimore Ravens traded up to the 32nd pick with the Philadelphia Eagles to grab Lamar Jackson.

So which teams did well? Even though the team traded up to get a quarterback, I thought the Arizona Cardinals had a very successful draft. The trade up to get Josh Rosen only required the Cardinals to also give up a third-round and a fifth-round pick, which is a steal to get an eventual franchise quarterback. With the second and third round picks the Cardinals retained, the team immediately addressed the offense to help its starting quarterback, whether that be Rosen or the newly acquired Sam Bradford. The Cardinals drafted wide receiver Christian Kirk out of Texas A&M University in the second round to give the offense a weapon outside of Larry Fitzgerald and drafted offensive lineman Mason Cole out of the University of Michigan in the third round, adding some nice offensive line depth to protect the team’s quarterback.

In addition to the Cardinals, I really liked the Denver Broncos’ draft. The Broncos picked fifth and got the best edge rusher in the draft in North Carolina State University’s Bradley Chubb. Chubb finished his college career with 54.5 tackles for loss, with 10 sacks in each of his past two seasons. This addition makes Denver’s defensive line one of the scariest in the league.

Chubb will be paired up with former

second overall pick Von Miller. The addition of Chubb will free Miller from double teams, and the return of Shane Ray from injury will give opposing teams trouble figuring out who to defend. The Broncos also added some much-needed depth throughout the offense with the additions of Southern Methodist University wide receiver Courtland Sutton in the second round, University of Oregon running back Royce Freeman in the third, Pennsylvania State University wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton in the fourth and University of Wisconsin tight end Troy Fumagalli in the fifth. This young crop of offensive players will give new quarterback Case Keenum some help on his new team.

As for the teams that didn’t do so well, many analysts are saying the Oakland Raiders had a bad draft.

As a Raiders fan myself, I wasn’t thrilled with the draft, but I see why the front office made the picks it did and I have reasons to be excited.

Analysts point to Oakland’s defense as the worst aspect of the roster in the past few years, with glaring holes at linebacker. So naturally, Oakland picked Kolton Miller, an offensive tackle from the University of California, Los Angeles, with its first pick. The reasoning behind this pick may be because the AFC West is becoming a hotbed for pass-rushers, and general manager Reggie McKenzie and new head coach Jon Gruden want to protect their quarterback Derek Carr. The draft had a very old-school Raiders feel to it, with the team taking chances on small school prospects (defensive tackle PJ Hall out of Sam Houston State University and offensive tackle Brandon Parker out of North Carolina A&T University) and high-talent players with big question marks (defensive end Arden Key checked himself into rehab for marijuana issues and put on weight before his last season, and defensive tackle Maurice Hurst fell in the draft due to a heart issue; he has since been cleared). Even though the Raiders didn’t take a linebacker until the sixth round, when they picked Azeem Victor from the University of Washington, the team is building from the trenches. With a brandnew coaching staff under Gruden, Oakland may make some noise again before moving to Las Vegas in a few years.

PAGE 8

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2018

SPORTS

TODAY’S LINEUP

NO EVENTS SCHEDULED

Senior Spring: Dustin Shirley ’18 dominates collegiate baseball, seeks to continue playing professionally

By JUSTIN KRAMER

The Dartmouth Staff

While baseball co-captain Dustin Shirley ’18 has filled the stat sheet and impressed with his sheer athleticism in his time at Dartmouth, his impact off the field and his journey to get there reflect an intriguing story as well.

The Los Angeles native began playing baseball at the age of six along with his older brother Brandon.

His progression was similar at first to the typical college recruit: Little League, competitive travel baseball and a top-tier high school program.

That changed for Shirley at the end of the summer after his sophomore year, when he was cut from Loyola High School’s talented roster.

“I definitely knew that [baseball] was something that I wanted to do in the future through college, but getting cut made me question that possibility,” Shirley said. “I persevered through that and got back out there and was able to make the team again.”

He bided his time in his junior year, with five RBI in only 12 at bats, before an eye-opening travel team performance and a .337 batting average his senior year. When he was scouted, Shirley, who normally plays on second base, was showing off his versatility by playing first base because top recruits were filling the other infield positions.

Coach Bob Whalen described how Shirley first got on his radar. “[Shirley] played on his travel team for a scout who is a good friend, and he has a team that they run in the fall where they play locally, but they also do some work in Arizona,” Whalen said. “In talking to this scout, who has several players that he’s recommended over the years, he felt very strongly about [Shirley].”

The match was perfect for Shirley, who had fully overcome his blip at the end of his sophomore summer in high school.

“I always knew that I wanted to play Division I baseball, but I knew that I wanted a good mix between athletics and academics,” Shirley said.

“I was being recruited by some bigger baseball schools like the University of Washington and the University of Utah, and I knew that they were better at baseball, but there wasn’t as good of a balance between academics and athletics as was offered here at Dartmouth.”

Shirley slotted in as the everyday second baseman almost immediately, starting 34 of the team’s 43 games at second base while shifting to third base and first base in rare circumstances. Despite a mediocre performance as he adjusted to college play, Shirley showed clear flashes of potential.

“You start with the fact that he really is an exceptional athlete, so his skillset is certainly quite a bit broader than his baseball skills,” Whalen said.

“He’s an exceptional runner, he’s got good arm strength.”

Shirley went back to southern California over his freshman summer, where he honed his talents in the California Collegiate League. Over winter breaks, Shirley took advantage of having his brother Brandon, a University of California, San Diego player, in the area. The two trained together during following breaks as well.

“For the last three years, we have both been playing baseball at the collegiate level,” Shirley said. “To have him to work out with and train with has been really helpful and really keeps me at it and keeps me going.”

Shirley was plugged in again at second base the next year and started all but one game, breaking out with five triples and a 50-hit season, including a .405 batting average in league games. He was awarded AllIvy League honorable mention for his tremendous season.

While Shirley took a step back his junior year in terms of batting average and slugging percentage, he asserted himself as a team player by racking up a career high 24 runs batted in, a .350 on-base percentage and an Ivy League-leading seven sacrifice flies.

Whalen emphasized how Shirley’s athleticism benefits the team beyond what the statistics read.

“I think he brings a real lot because he has the ability to run, go first to third, steal a base on his own without giving up an out, but he also has the ability to drive the baseball,” Whalen said.

Coming into senior year, Shirley had worked hard to build upon his previous two seasons.

“He actually got a lot stronger this past year,” best friend and teammate Hayden Rappoport ’18 said. “He’s put on a lot of muscle and is able to hit a lot more home runs, more doubles.”

The increased strength has provided a major boost for Shirley, as his career-high 11 doubles and three home runs, including a walkoff homer on Saturday versus Brown University, have elevated his slugging percentage to .448.

Remarkably, his power emergence has occurred as he has shifted to the outfield to capitalize on his speed and athleticism. Coach Whalen cited Shirley’s flexibility in moving to the outfield as another example of Shirley’s team-first mentality.

“Not surprisingly to me at all, [Shirley said] essentially, ‘Whatever you think is best for our team. Just tell me what you want me to do, and I’ll do it,’” Whalen said. “I didn’t doubt that he would take that approach, but not every kid would do that, particularly as a senior who has already had a fair amount of success.”

Shirley’s motivation to keep playing and working hard comes from a few primary areas.

“Definitely my teammates — I don’t want to let them down when I go out and compete and just give my all to the game,” Shirley said. “[I worked] my hardest to give [past seniors] the best opportunity to go out in the best way by winning an Ivy League championship. We fell short, but that was my motivation to make their last note a positive one.”

More emotionally, Shirley plays with the burden of the loss of his grandparents, two enormous fans of his.

“Growing up, my grandparents on my mother’s side wouldn’t miss a game, just like my mom, dad and brother,” Shirley remembered. “I wear a pendant to remind me of them. I wear it while I play and that motivates me as well — just the thought that they’re looking down and watching me play.”

Off the field, Shirley’s impact is perhaps even stronger, as he admirably fills the role of leader and friend to all.

“He’s a very, very good listener,” Rappoport said. “If he’s your friend, he’s there whenever you need him, and he makes sure that everyone is doing alright.”

Whalen added that relationships are very important to Shirley.

“He has a real, infectious kind of personality, and he’s very much a relationship-based guy,” Whalen said.

“Friendship is important to him.”

COURTESY OF DUSTIN SHIRLEY

Dustin Shirley ’18 has been among the most successful athletes for the Big Green over the last four years, but his impact on the team has gone far beyond the stat sheets.

Whalen has been impressed by how Shirley’s personality has translated into a successful leadership style.

“Sometimes you get guys like that, and it takes them longer in a leadership position to understand that there are times you have to separate your friendship with your friends and teammates to fulfill your role as a leader,” Whalen said. “Not every guy can do that. I’ve been very pleased that he’s done a very good job of that.”

Shirley’s emphasis on friendship has shaped his understanding of the team culture.

“It’s [a team culture] of acceptance where everyone feels like they have a role on the team,” Shirley said. “I try to perpetuate that, keep things light and make sure people are having fun.”

Shirley’s leadership shines through in his work ethic as others follow his example.

“Baseball-wise, he works hard in everything he does, so everyone wants to keep up to his speed,” said Rappoport, who trains with Shirley in Los Angeles during the offseason.

“When you see other people work hard, it makes you want to work hard as well and match their intensity.”

As the Big Green hurtle toward

the end of the regular season, Shirley is working his hardest to bring an Ivy League championship back to Hanover.

“The ultimate goal is to win an Ivy League Championship,” Shirley said, in advance of Dartmouth’s doubleheader against Brown. “We’re in a good position because we’re in a spot where we can control our own fate because if we win these last nine games, then there’s no chance we’re not in the Ivy League championship, and that’s within reach.”

Beyond this season, Shirley has his hopes set high on continuing his baseball career.

“Definitely getting drafted and playing at the next level [has] always been a dream of mine, something I’ve dreamt of as a child,” Shirley said.

“To see that dream come true would be incredible.”

Regardless, Rappoport is confident that Shirley will make a name for himself in professional baseball or otherwise.

“I hope whatever he wants to do happens for him,” Rappoport said.

“He’s an outstanding student as well, and I think he’ll excel at anything he wants to do because he has a great work ethic and is able to succeed at anything.”