Preseason Baseball Chat

On Thursday, Feb. 24, beginning at 1 p.m. EST, the Centennial Conference baseball coaches will hold an interactive chat to talk about the upcoming season. Each coach will be available for a eight-minute block to answer questions from the moderator and take a question or two, if time permits, from our audience.

1:00 - Muhlenberg
1:08 - Washington College
1:16 - Dickinson
1:24 - Franklin & Marshall
1:32 - Ursinus
1:40 - Swarthmore
1:48 - Gettysburg
1:56 - Haverford
2:04 - McDaniel
2:12 - Johns Hopkins

If you would like to ask a question, please submit it in the comment box below prior to 12:45 p.m., or join us live.

Last Night's aCCtion

Kevin Freeman of the Lancaster Newspapers writes that there have been some pretty good women's basketball teams at Franklin & Marshall over the past decade, but none accomplished what the Diplomats did last night vs. Ursinus.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times writes that it was the inability to do the little things that sank McDaniel in its 61-60 loss to Haverford in the first round of the CC men's basketball tourney.

photo by Ken Koons, Carroll County Times

Preseason Women's Lacrosse Chat

On Wednesday, Feb. 23, beginning at 10 a.m. EST, the Centennial Conference women's lacrosse coaches will hold an interactive chat to talk about the upcoming season. Each coach will be available for an eight-minute block to answer questions from the moderator and take a question or two, if time permits, from our audience.

10:00 - Carol Hatton, Dickinson
10:08 - Erin Stroble, Ursinus
10:16 - Katie Tarr, Bryn Mawr
10:24 - Carol Cantele, Gettysburg
10:32 - Julika Blankenship, Washington College
10:40 - Julie Young, Haverford
10:48 - Karen Borbee, Swarthmore
10:56 - Lauren Paul, Franklin & Marshall
11:04 - Kristen Stuckel, Muhlenberg
11:12 - Muffie Bliss, McDaniel

If you would like to ask a question, please submit it in the comment box below prior to 9:45 a.m., or join us live.

Preseason Men's Lacrosse Chat

On Tuesday, Feb. 22, beginning at 1 p.m. EST, the Centennial Conference men's lacrosse coaches will hold an interactive chat to talk about the upcoming season. Each coach will be available for a 10-minute block to answer questions from the moderator and take a question or two, if time permits, from our audience.

1:00-1:08 Matt Hatton, McDaniel
1:08-1:16 Dave Webster, Dickinson
1:16-1:24 Colin Bathory, Haverford
1:24-1:32 Pat Gress, Swarthmore
1:32-1:40 Todd Cavallaro, Franklin & Marshall
1:40-1:48 Hank Janczyk, Gettysburg
1:48-1:56 Jeff Shirk, Washington College
1:56-2:04 Jamie Steele, Ursinus
2:04-2:12 Chris Bissinger, Muhlenberg

If you would like to ask a question, please submit it in the comment box below prior to 12:45 p.m., or join us live.

Swimming Championship Preview

The 18th annual Centennial Conference men's and women's swimming championships move to a new venue in 2011, but the top teams remain the same.

Bullets' Pool at Gettysburg College takes over as the host venue after the championship spent the last 15 years at Franklin & Marshall. Time will tell how "fast" the pool is, but the competition should be outstanding this weekend.

Get all the information on the championship at this link. Follow us on Twitter to get the medalists at the conclusion of each final!

Women's Championship
Defending champion Franklin & Marshall won the dual-meet title and is the favorite entering the weekend. Gettysburg will challenge the Diplomats for the traveling trophy, as the Bullets lost by just nine points to F&M in the regular-season finale. Last year's championship meet was the third-closest in Conference history, as only 44 points separated F&M and Gettysburg.

Individually, Washington College's Rachel Glasser looks to join an elite club this weekend, as she shoots for her third Outstanding Performer award. Only Franklin & Marshall's Carmen Trombini - who won four consecutive MOP awards from 1995-98 - has won more than Glasser. She is the favorite and Conference record holder in the 500 free, 100 and 200 fly.

Also back to defend their 2010 championships are F&M's Emily Zacherl (400 IM), Gettysburg's Brooke Lacey (200 breast), McDaniel's Rachel Walega (100 breast), and Ursinus' Danielle Yentz (200 back).

Men's Championship
Franklin & Marshall has won four consecutive titles and six in a row, but the Diplomats' reign will be challenged by Gettysburg and Dickinson. The Bullets won the dual-meet title, while the Red Devils finished second. Something must give this weekend - F&M and Gettysburg have each won eight of the 16 championships that determined a team champion.

A new face to watch is Dickinson freshman Jason Adams, who is the top-seeded swimmer in the 50 free, 100 fly and 100 back.

Back to defend their 2010 titles are F&M's Jake Reingold (500 and 1650 free), Travis Catania (400 IM) and Tom Bergstrom (200 free), along with Gettysburg's Matt Libby (100 free).

Meet Program and Preview

Five-Star Matchups

Perhaps we should have called this "The Final Countdown." It's the final day of the basketball season, while the swimmers begin their second season this weekend at Gettysburg at the Conference championships. The track and field athletes prepare for next weekend's championship meet at Haverford, while the wrestlers gear up for next Saturday's Centennial tournament at Washington and Lee.

Let's talk hoops on this blog entry ... and the scenarios surrounding the final berths for the playoffs.

Women's Basketball
Four teams are in the field - Johns Hopkins (1), Muhlenberg (2), Gettysburg (3) and Ursinus. A Bear win over the Mules will give Ursinus the No. 4 seed and home court for Wednesday's first-round game against either Franklin & Marshall or Swarthmore. A loss combined with a Diplomat win vs. Dickinson would enable F&M to slip into the four-spot and host UC on Wednesday. A F&M loss combined with a Swarthmore win vs. Haverford would allow the Garnet to grab the No. 5 position and oust the Diplomats.

Swarthmore at Haverford, 1:00
Ursinus at Muhlenberg, 2:00
Dickinson at Franklin & Marshall, 2:00
Muhlenberg has clinched the No. 2 seed and will face Gettysburg in the CC semifinals next weekend at Johns Hopkins. Ursinus (11-8 CC, 15-9) can secure the No. 4 seed with a win or with a loss by F&M. The Bears have dropped five straight to the Mules since a 2008 win at Memorial Hall. The Diplomats (10-9, 12-12) have lost four consecutive contests and 10 of the last 11 to the Red Devils and need a victory to lock down a playoff berth. A loss opens the door for the Garnet (10-9, 14-10) who has won 23 of the last 26 games with Haverford. But the Fords defeated Swat by 21 in the year's first meeting at Tarble. F&M holds the tie-breaker with the Garnet due to its season sweep of Swarthmore.

Men's Basketball
We know that three teams are in the field - Franklin & Marshall (1), Dickinson (2) and McDaniel. The Green Terror and Gettysburg meet at Bream with the winner receiving the third first-round bye. A Bullet win would make McDaniel the No. 4 seed and the Terror would host the first-round game on Wednesday. A Gettysburg victory would also mean Ursinus can secure the final spot in the tournament with a win at Muhlenberg. A Bear loss in this scenario opens the door for Haverford to get in the field with a win over Swarthmore. Losses by the Fords and UC gets the Mules in as the No. 5 seed.

But if McDaniel wins ... Ursinus can get the #4 spot with a victory, while Haverford gets to host the first-round game with a win and a Bear loss. Gettysburg slides in at #4 with losses by the Fords and the Bears. An Ursinus win means that Haverford can qualify with a win, while a loss puts the Bullets in at No. 5. Follow all that?

McDaniel at Gettysburg, 2:00
Swarthmore at Haverford, 3:00
Ursinus at Muhlenberg, 4:00
The Green Terror (10-7, 13-11) looks for its first season sweep of the Bullets (10-7, 13-11) since 2007. The Bears (9-8, 12-12) and the Mules (8-9, 12-12) meet for the 100th time with UC looking for its sixth win in eight games vs. 'Berg. Watch the battle of the big guys - Ursinus' Jon Ward and Muhlenberg's Kevin Hargrove. The Fords (9-8, 12-11) have won seven in a row vs. the Garnet who has not won at Gooding Arena since 2006.

Last Night's aCCtion

Jeffrey Kauffman of The Sentinel writes that although Dickinson will not make the Conference playoffs, the Red Devil women have not quit as shown by their comeback win against Gettysburg.

Kevin Freeman of the Lancaster Newspapers notes that although the Franklin & Marshall women lost to first-place Johns Hopkins, the Diplomats showed they are a team that you don't want to face in the postseason.

Gordie Jones of the Lancaster Newspapers writes that despite an uneven performance, the Franklin & Marshall men were able to dispatch Johns Hopkins.

Centennial Hoops Tonight

It's the next-to-last night of the regular season and the playoff chase is white-hot! Get updates from around the Centennial and join in the discussion as you watch.

Five-Star Matchups

Although Saturday will certainly determine the final seeds for next weekend's basketball championship tournaments, tonight may be even more important for the teams involved in the chase.

Can't make it out to a game tonight? Enjoy all the action on your computer at the Conference's "C-Zone" - our one-stop channel. We'll have cameras at all five venues and you can also join in the conversation on our live blog or on Twitter. Be part of the action!

Washington College at Ursinus (Women's Basketball)
Two of the four teams competing for the two remaining berths in the playoff field square off in Collegeville tonight. The Shorewomen (9-9 CC, 11-12) won the first meeting in Chestertown by a 49-41 count and have won four of the last five from the Bears (10-8, 14-9). The last time Ursinus won as many as 14 games in a season was 2007 (19-10), also the last time UC won the Centennial title. Washington has not qualified for the Conference tournament since 1999.

Johns Hopkins at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Basketball)
The Blue Jays (16-3, 19-4) bring down the curtain on their regular-season schedule with a trip to Lancaster to face the Diplomats (10-8, 12-11). Hopkins won the year's first tilt (57-49) and look to improve their 13-5 record at Mayser since 1994. In fact, F&M has won just once in the last seven games vs. Hop at home (2008, 73-71). The Diplomats are tied with Ursinus for fourth place in the CC and hold a one-game lead over Swarthmore and Washington in the playoff chase.

Haverford at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
Two of the three teams tied for fifth place in the Centennial meet tonight in what could be a playoff game for both. The Fords (8-8, 11-11) and the Mules (8-8, 12-11), along with Ursinus, are a game behind Gettysburg and McDaniel as the race for the final three tourney berths nears its conclusion. Muhlenberg won on the Main Line, 77-69, back in January and has won six of the last seven with Haverford. The Fords have lost six straight at Memorial Hall since a 71-62 triumph in 2005.

Five-Star Matchups

It's the weekend prior to Valentine's Day and (pardon the upcoming pun) we have some Sweetheart matchups as the basketball regular season enters its penultimate Saturday, the wrestling dual-meet title is on the line and the indoor track and field season enters the home stretch.

Women's Basketball
Franklin & Marshall at Swarthmore
Johns Hopkins at Ursinus
Two huge games dot the Conference landscape on Saturday as the Diplomats (9-8 CC, 11-11) travel to take on the Garnet (9-8, 13-9) and the Blue Jays (15-3, 18-4) visit Collegeville and the Bears (10-7, 14-8). F&M and Swarthmore are tied in the loss column with Washington College for the fifth and final CC playoff berth. The Diplomats won the first meeting of the season by 20 and look for their ninth win in the last 11 games vs. the Garnet. Hopkins can clinch the top seed and home court for the Centennial tournament by avenging its overtime home loss to Ursinus on Jan. 8. The Bears can take a huge step toward the playoffs and hosting a first-round contest with a victory.

STANDINGS
Hopkins ..... 15-3
Muhlenberg .. 13-4
Gettysburg .. 12-5
Ursinus ..... 10-7
Swarthmore ..  9-8
F&M .........  9-8
Washington ..  8-8

Men's Basketball
Muhlenberg at McDaniel
Haverford at Dickinson
Four of the six teams fighting for the four remaining playoff spots meet in games in Westminster and Carlisle. The Mules (8-7, 12-10) and the Green Terror (8-7, 11-11) square off in a contest that will go a long way in determining one of those slots. Muhlenberg has won seven of the last nine at the Gill Center and captured an 80-66 decision in Allentown in the year's first meeting. The Red Devils (10-5, 12-10) can clinch a playoff berth with a victory over the Fords (8-7, 11-10). Haverford, who has qualified for the CC tournament in each of the last three odd-numbered years, can solidly improve its chances to continue that streak with a win.

STANDINGS
F&M ......... 13-2
Dickinson ... 10-5
Muhlenberg ..  8-7
Haverford ...  8-7
Gettysburg ..  8-7
McDaniel ....  8-7
Ursinus .....  7-8

Wrestling
Johns Hopkins, Merchant Marine at Stevens
The Blue Jays (4-1, 8-9) and the Mariners (5-0, 11-2) visit Hoboken to meet the Ducks (4-1, 11-10-1) and Gettysburg in the regular-season Conference quad finale. A Hopkins sweep would give JHU its first-ever Centennial dual title, while one win would give USMMA its fourth consecutive dual-meet crown. Stevens can also grab a share of its first crown, while Ursinus can still sneak in as dual champs with two losses by the Mariners and a split by Hop and the Ducks. The 174-pound weight class could be crucial as Kings Point's Justin Diesel (19-2), Stevens' Ryan Dormann (28-3) and JHU's Pat Stanley (18-4) do battle.

STANDINGS
USMMA ....... 5-0
Hopkins ..... 4-1
Stevens ..... 4-1
Ursinus ..... 4-2

Last Night's aCCtion

Jeff Cook of the Gettysburg Times writes that it was a night of milestones at Gettysburg's Bream Gym, as Glenn Robinson won his 800th career game and Andrew Powers broke the Bullets' career scoring record.

Ed Gruver of the Lancaster Newspapers notes that Historic Gettysburg was just that for Glenn Robinson as F&M defeated Gettysburg.

Josh Land of the Carroll County Times notes that the McDaniel men's basketball team has started skidding at the least opportune time after a 47-45 loss to Johns Hopkins.

photo by Darryl Wheeler, Gettysburg Times

Five-Star Matchups

It could be a history-making night in Gettysburg as F&M men's basketball coach Glenn Robinson is on the verge of winning his 800th career game. Only 12 men's basketball coaches all-time have reached the 800-win plateau and a victory in one of his next two games will get Robinson to the plateau faster than such coaches as Bob Knight. But that is not the only milestone that is within reach tonight at Bream Gym, as the Bullets' Andrew Powers is 12 points away from breaking Ron Warner's career scoring record at the school that has stood for nearly a half-century.

Read more about Robinson's career in articles by Adam Himmelsbach of the New York Times and Mike Jensen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. More on Robinson from WGAL-8 and WHP-21 can be found below. Read more about Powers' run to the record in this Gettysburg Times story.

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Men's Basketball)
This is the 204th time that the Diplomats (12-2, 17-4) and the Bullets (8-6, 11-10) have met on the hardwood since 1902 with Gettysburg holding a 108-95 advantage. Franklin & Marshall has won four straight in the series, but have only won once in its last four trips to Bream Gym. The storylines for tonight's game not only involve Robinson and Powers, but also the playoff hopes for both teams. F&M can clinch the top seed for the Centennial tournament with a win and a Dickinson loss, while Gettysburg needs a win to keep pace with the Devils and three other teams in chase for a tourney berth.

Dickinson at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
The Red Devils (9-5, 11-10) can make some history of their own tonight in Allentown against the Mules (8-6, 12-9). Dickinson has never won more than nine Centennial games in a season and has not swept 'Berg in a season series since its MAC days. But Memorial Hall has not been kind to the Red and White, who has not won there since 2003 (0-7). It is the 80th meeting in the series and Muhlenberg holds a slender 41-39 edge.

Swarthmore at Washington College (Women's Basketball)
Speaking of uncharted waters, the Shorewomen (8-7, 10-10) have won four straight Conference games for the first time since 1999 and find themselves in the hunt for their first playoff berth since that same season. The Garnet (8-8, 12-9) have taken 18 of the last 21 games from Washington and needs a win to avoid falling two games back of WAC in the playoff chase. Watch the inside battle between the Shorewomen's Latisha Pledger and Swarthmore's Kathryn Stockbower.

Franklin & Marshall at Gettysburg (Women's Basketball)
The Diplomats (9-7, 11-10) and the Bullets (11-5, 16-5) renew acquaintances for the 65th time since 1975 with F&M looking for its second season sweep in three seasons. Gettysburg is 8-2 in its last 10 games and can move one step closer to a first-round tourney bye with a victory. Franklin & Marshall needs a win to keep pace with its three rivals - Ursinus, Swarthmore and Washington - for one of the final two playoff spots.

VIDEO LINKS
WGAL
WHP

Five-Star Matchups

There's a new way to watch Centennial Conference sports - the "C Zone" Channel. We have created a web page that has all the video screens from our member schools. It's not quite NFL "Red Zone" style, but does provide you with a window into all the day's action on one screen. Hope you enjoy!

Haverford at McDaniel
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The Diplomats (11-2 CC, 15-5) hold a three-game lead in the chase for the top seed and home court for the Conference tournament, while the other three are trying to land one of the remaining four spots. The Mules (8-5, 12-8) ended a seven-game losing streak against F&M with a 71-67 victory in Allentown. But 'Berg has not won at Mayser since the 2001 Centennial semifinals. The Green Terror (8-5, 11-9) downed the Fords (7-6, 10-9) in the year's first meeting and look for the second season sweep in four seasons. Haverford has dropped three straight games at the Gill Center.

STANDINGS

F&M .......... 11-2
Muhlenberg ...  8-5
Gettysburg ...  8-5
McDaniel .....  8-5
Dickinson ....  8-5
Haverford ....  7-6

Ursinus at Gettysburg
Muhlenberg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Basketball)
Four of the team chasing front-running Johns Hopkins in the women's basketball standings square off on Saturday. The Bullets (10-5 CC, 15-5), fresh from an overtime win at Hopkins, entertain the Bears (9-6, 13-7), while the Diplomats (9-6, 11-9) welcome the Mules (10-4, 14-5) to Mayser Center. Ursinus looks for its first two-game season sweep of Gettysburg since 1995. A Bear win would give UC 14 for the season - just the second time since 1997 that Ursinus has won 14 or more games. Gettysburg has won five straight from the Bears at Bream Gym. Muhlenberg has won five in a row from F&M and eight of the last nine.

STANDINGS

Hopkins ...... 13-3
Muhlenberg ... 10-4
Gettysburg ... 10-5
Ursinus ......  9-6
F&M ..........  9-6
Swarthmore ...  8-7
Washington ...  7-7

Dickinson at Swarthmore (Men's Swimming)
The Red Devils (4-1, 8-2) and the Garnet (3-1, 4-1) square off in a meet that could determine first place in the Conference. Dickinson would share the dual-meet title with Gettysburg, should the Bullets drop their season finale at Franklin & Marshall. Swarthmore would also need a win vs. Washington next Wednesday to share the crown.

Gettysburg at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The best swimming rivalry in the Conference is renewed Saturday at the Kunkel Aquatic Center as the Bullets (6-0, 7-2) and Diplomats (6-0, 7-4) meet for the dual-meet title. Gettysburg's Maggie Mulderrig will need a big meet in the freestyle sprints to offset F&M's Olivia Hill in the freestyle distances.

Five-Star Matchups

Groundhog Day 2011 has brought the entire gamut of weather to our region - snow, ice, rain - but the hearty Centennial folk are still in action tonight with a host of key matchups.

Dickinson at Gettysburg (Men's Swimming)
It's a battle for first place in the dual-meet standings tonight at the site of the 2011 Centennial championship as the Red Devils (4-0, 8-1) meet the Bullets (4-0, 6-1). The top races may take place in the freestyle sprints between Dickinson's Jason Adams and Gettysburg's Matt Libby. Adams has the top time in the 50 (21.51) and is second in the 100 (47.26), while Libby is tops in the 100 (46.29) and second in the 50 (21.55).

McDaniel at Dickinson (Men's Basketball)
Two of the surprise teams in the Conference meet in Carlisle with hopes of improving their playoff chances. The Green Terror (8-4 CC, 11-8) was picked to finish eighth in the Centennial's preseason poll, while the Red Devils (9-10, 7-5) were slotted at number nine. Dickinson won the first meeting, 54-50, coming back from an eight-point halftime deficit and looks for its first season sweep of McDaniel since 2002.

Gettysburg at Johns Hopkins
Muhlenberg at Swarthmore (Women's Basketball)
The playoff race on the women's side may become a little clearer when the dust settles tonight in Baltimore and Swarthmore. The Blue Jays (13-2, 16-3) can clinch a berth in the five-team field with a win tonight and losses by Swarthmore and Ursinus, while the Bullets (9-5, 14-5) can improve their chances for a first-round tourney bye with a win. Hopkins captured a 59-52 decision on Dec. 2 and is 13-3 vs. the Bullets at Goldfarb Gym since 1994. The Mules (9-4, 13-5) have won eight straight from the Garnet (8-6, 12-7), following an 86-67 victory in the year's first meeting, and hold a 45-7 all-time series lead. Swarthmore has not defeated 'Berg at Tarble since 2005. Garnet senior Kathryn Stockbower needs one more double-double to tie the Conference and NCAA Division III record of 79, held by Julie Anderson of Johns Hopkins '98.