Westmont Magazine Spring Sports Success
Track and Field
Amber Nixon topped off Westmont’s appearance at the NAIA Track and Field Championships May 22-24 by winning the high jump, giving her back-to-back outdoor titles and a school-record leap of 5′-9 1/4″. Nixon is a junior, but she competed in her final national meet as she will graduate in December 2003. A six-time NAIA All-American, she was also the indoor national champion in 2002.
In other action, Jason Finch took fifth in the 3,000 steeplechase in 9:14.18 to earn the third outdoor All-American honor of his career. He was in second place when he stumbled on a barrier and fell.
Sophomore Erin Kredel and freshman Kelley Smith completed their first career marathon. Kredel earned a point for Westmont by finishing eighth in 3:25:17, while Smith was close behind in ninth with a time of 3:30:23.
Men’s tennis
At the NAIA National Tournament in May, the men’s tennis team (12-10) advanced to the Sweet 16 by knocking off Palm Beach Atlantic (Fla.) 5-2 in the first round.
Women’s Tennis
The women’s tennis team’s season ended in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament. Cumberland University (Tenn.) pulled out a 5-4 victory over the Warriors to move on to the quarterfinals.
Westmont, which was ranked No. 6 in the final NAIA poll, ended its season with a 15-7 dual-match record.
Senior Juri Otsuka and the women’s tennis team earned academic honors. Otsuka received NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors, while the squad garnered NAIA Scholar-Team recognition.
Otsuka, from Tochigi, Japan, earned the Scholar-Athlete award for the second straight year. A sociology major, she carries a 3.5 GPA.
As a team, the Warriors ranked 10th in the NAIA with a combined GPA of 3.53. Those included for the award were Otsuka, Jennifer Goebel, Lynn Quitoriano, Jennifer Renfer and Christiana Scolinos.
Santa Barbara Hall of Fame Honors Westmont Athletes
Four Westmont athletes and a coach were honored at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame Banquet May 19.
Mike Giuliano was named the Collegiate Coach of the Year, while Jason Finch (cross country), Patti Scofield (co-volleyball), and Kristi and Karin Sullivan (co-women’s soccer) earned Athlete of the Year honors in their respective sports.
Giuliano led the women’s soccer team to its third national title in four years and second straight championship. He was named the NAIA National Coach of the Year for the third time. He has a record of 172-41-14 in 10 years at Westmont.
Finch paced the Westmont cross country team by taking top individual honors in both the GSAC and the NAIA Region II championships. He went on to place 34th at the NAIA national championships. In track, Finch captured the NAIA indoor title in the mile and went on to win GSAC titles in both the 1,500 and 3,000 steeplechase.
Scofield earned first-team NAIA All-American honors for the Westmont volleyball team and helped spark the Warriors to an Elite Eight appearance at the NAIA national championships. After just three seasons, Scofield is already Westmont’s all-time leader in career kills.
Kristi and Karin Sullivan were key catalysts in the Warriors’ run to the NAIA women’s soccer title. Kristi was named the NAIA Player of the Year and the MVP at the national tournament. Karin was named the Outstanding Offensive Player at the national tournament.