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

2010 Wrestling Championship

The Centennial Conference Wrestling championship makes its first stop in the Garden State as the Stevens Institute of Technology hosts the 17th annual event on Saturday. The champion of each of the 11 weight classes will advance to the NCAA Division III championship in two weeks, while another "wild-card" wrestler will be selected to participate in the national event. The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy is the two-time defending champion and the 13th ranked Mariners are the favorite to "three-peat."

Who 2 Watch 4?

125: The gold should come down to USMMA's defending champion Jordan Alfaro (16-13) or McDaniel's Earl Eppard (15-13). Hopkins' Adam Stevens could also reach the final.

133: McDaniel's Tommy Goretsas (24-9) and Ursinus' Alex Blank (22-8) both have over 20 wins, while Hopkins' Paul Marcello could also reach the final.

141: Stevens' Ryan Bridge (12-2) is undefeated in Conference bouts this winter and is the favorite to win the gold medal before the home folks. W&L's Sam Campbell (15-5) and Ursinus' Dan Glover (20-7) will also factor in the weight class.

149: Ursinus' Connor McCormick (17-0) has 11 falls to his credit and is the favorite. USMMA's Martin Bell (13-10) and McDaniel's Brent Lowe (23-10) are his main contenders.

157: USMMA's Dan Twito (26-6), the defending champ at 149, has the most overall wins, but W&L's David Dennis (13-4) was undefeated in Centennial bouts. Stevens' Charles Favia (19-11) makes 157 the most interesting of the early weight classes.

165: USMMA's Vincent Renaut (20-3) is the defending champion, but will be challenged by Stevens' Joe Favia (22-6) and Johns Hopkins' Eric Levenseller (21-9).

174: This class figures to be a battle between USMMA's Justin Diesel (23-7) - ranked eighth nationally - and Stevens' Bobby Bishop (19-7) with Hopkins' Andrew Giannascoli (6-4) could also reach the final.

184: Ursinus' Nate Murren (20-3) is the favorite and will be challenged by McDaniel's Will Yeo (19-12) and Stevens' Vincent Termini (13-9).

197: The day's best final could pit USMMA's Eric Vincent (24-3) - the two-time defending champion and ranked 10th nationally - and Ursinus' Connor McNamara (27-3).

285: The championship will end on a high note with a talented class of heavyweights, led by 2009 Centennial Wrestler of the Year Brock Glotfelty (35-4) of McDaniel. The defending champion has 15 falls to his credit and is ranked ninth nationally. USMMA's Justin Connell (16-6) and Gettysburg's Bobby Christopher (21-5) will also contend for gold.

You can watch the finals LIVE on your computer, courtesy of Stevens. You can also get the championship bout results by following us on Twitter.

Five-Star Matchups

The second semester is underway at the Centennial Conference and the contests begin taking on greater importance.

Ursinus at Franklin & Marshall (Women's Swimming)
The Diplomats (3-0 CC, 3-2) welcome the surprising Bears (3-1, 8-1) to the McGuiness Pool for an interesting dual meet. F&M has won 11 straight meets from Ursinus and holds a 21-13 all-time lead. The meet will be a good indication of how far the UC program has come and to whether the Diplomats can contend for the Centennial title in late February.

Gettysburg, Muhlenberg, Ursinus at Johns Hopkins
Merchant Marine, Stevens, Washington & Lee at McDaniel (Wrestling)
It's the first big weekend for Conference quad matches and the dual meets will give us a better indication of where the strength lies in the Centennial in 2010. Ursinus (5-0) brings an undefeated overall dual record to Baltimore, while Merchant Marine is ranked 13th nationally. Four wrestlers are ranked nationally, according to the Jan. 11 NWCA rankings - USMMA's Vincent Renault (10th, 165), Justin Diesel (8th, 174) and Eric Vincent (10th, 197), and McDaniel's Brock Glotfelty (10th, 285). D3wrestle.com adds USMMA's Dan Twito (10th, 157) and Stevens' Joe Favia (10th, 165)

Basketball, Wrestling Begin NCAA Play

The 2009 NCAA Division III Basketball and Wrestling Championships begin today for Centennial Conference teams. The wrestling championship gets underway at noon in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with first-round bouts. The women's basketball tournament tips off at 5 p.m. in Brunswick, Maine, while the men's basketball tourney begins at 6 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio, and 8 p.m. in Lancaster.

Wrestling
The 2009 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championship begins Friday in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the Centennial Conference contingent received five seeds when the brackets were released. Merchant Marine grapplers garnered a pair of seeds, including 141 James Beshada (#5), and 149 Dan Twito (#7). Gettysburg 157 Andrew Goldstein received the highest seed at No. 4, while Muhlenberg 149 Rob Kein and McDaniel 285 Brock Glotfelty gained No. 6 seeds. Can the Conference better its 2005 and 2006 performance of four All-Americans? Is this the year when a CC wrestler medals, joining Gettysburg's Jake Dell (1997) and Stevens' Brandon MacWhinnie (2008)? Stop back throughout the day for updates on Centennial grapplers or sign up for Twitter and receive updates on your cell.

Women's Basketball
"It’s a very lucky thing for the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team that the NCAA Tournament takes place in March. With St. Patrick’s Day just a few weeks away and names on their roster like NCAA basketball Kaitlyn O’Malley, Kelly McKeon and Erin McSherry, the Mules hope the luck of the Irish will be with them. “I hope all our Irish descendants help us out,” said senior Bethany Enterline, who is entering her third NCAA Tournament. “[Junior] Katie Ferris went to Ireland and brought us back souvenirs, so hopefully those will bring good luck, too.” The Mules (24-3) face Westfield State (22-4) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday. The teams travel to Maine, where the host school, Bowdoin, will face Castleton State in the second first-round game tomorrow." The Conference is 18-20 all-time in NCAA games but has not won an opening-round game since the Mules defeated Wesleyan, 57-50, in 2006. Bowdoin is coached by former Swarthmore head coach Adrienne Shibles, who led the Garnet to a 138-96 record over nine seasons (1997-2005). Bowdoin Tournament Website

Men's Basketball
The Conference placed two teams - Gettysburg and Franklin & Marshall - in the 60-team field for the second straight season. The Centennial is 22-22 all-time in NCAA games with three trips to the Final Four (F&M: 1996, 2000; Ursinus 2008).

"The Gettysburg College men’s basketball team will make its second-straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Tournament this weekend when it heads to Columbus, Ohio, for the first two rounds of play on March 6-7. The Bullets will be the odd-man out in the four-team regional with a trio of Ohio schools in the mix: host Capital University (24-4), The College of Wooster (22-6), and Thomas More College (19-8). Gettysburg (18-8) earned its fifth trip overall to the tournament after winning the Centennial Conference championship last weekend, beating host and then No. 23 Franklin & Marshall College 73-65 in the finale. Wooster and Thomas More also won their respective conferences, the Fighting Scots earning their 11th championship as a member of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) and the Saints pulling out their first crown as a member of the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). Capital, ranked 13th in the latest D3hoops national poll, was upset in the championship of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament by John Carroll University." Capital Tournament Website

"The Franklin & Marshall men's basketball team earned its 20th NCAA Division III Tournament bid announced on Monday and will host the first and second rounds on March 6-7. The Diplomats (22-5) return to the 60-team tournament for the first time since the 2003-04 season. F&M received an at-large bid after falling to Gettysburg 73-67 in the Centennial Conference (CC) Championship game on Sunday. The Diplomats will face Wesley (18-9) in the first round on Friday at 8 p.m. The other first-round game features Brandeis (17-8) and Scranton (21-6) at 6 p.m. Friday's winners will meet in the second round on Saturday at 7 p.m. Wesley earned its first NCAA Tournament bid in program history by winning the Capital Athletic Conference title with a 64-51 victory over Marymount. The Wolverines are 18-9 on the season, setting the school record for most wins in a season since they moved to Division III. Brandeis is making its third straight NCAA appearance. The Judges earned an at-large bid into the tournament with a 17-8 overall record and a 10-4 mark in the University Athletic Conference. Scranton received a pool B bid after winning their second consecutive Landmark Conference championship this weekend, defeating Susquehanna 80-75. The Royals are making their second straight and 22nd NCAA tournament appearance." F&M Tournament Website

Three for the Show

There are three games remaining in the regular season for most Centennial Conference basketball teams ... which means each game for playoff contenders takes on even greater importance. The swim teams take the weekend off, preparing for next weekend's Conference championship meet in Lancaster. The wrestling teams wrap up the regular season with quad meets at Gettysburg and Westminster, while the track and field squads look for season-best performances at a number of venues with the Centennial championship meet just two weeks away.

Men's Basketball
Franklin & Marshall (13-2 CC, 20-2) and McDaniel (12-3, 17-5) continue their battle for the top seed for the CC championship tournament in two weeks. The Diplomats face one of the hotter teams in the Conference in Haverford (8-7, 11-10), winners of six of its last seven games. But the Fords have not won in Lancaster since 1977 - a stretch of 19 games. The Green Terror also has history to climb, as McDaniel has not defeated Washington College (7-8, 10-12) in Chestertown since 1982 - a 15-game losing streak at the Cain Center. Another game to watch is in Baltimore, as Muhlenberg (9-6, 13-9) visits Johns Hopkins (7-8, 12-10). The Mules are in a tie for third place and the final first-round bye and are looking to snap a six-game losing streak to Hop at Goldfarb Gym.

Women's Basketball
The day's big game takes place in the Charm City, as Muhlenberg (15-0, 19-3) travels to Johns Hopkins (10-5, 12-10). 'Berg has won seven straight games in the series, including a 69-59 decision on Jan. 15. But the Jays are 7-2 since that loss and are looking for the 400th career win at Homewood for coach Nancy Funk. Another game to watch takes place at Swarthmore, as the Garnet (8-7, 11-11) welcomes Gettysburg (9-6, 12-10) to Tarble Pavilion. The Bullets took an 87-56 decision at home on Jan. 15 for their seventh straight win vs. Swat. Gettysburg is in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Conference, while Swarthmore is a game back in seventh position.

Wrestling
Merchant Marine (5-0 CC) can wrap up the regular season title with wins against Gettysburg and Johns Hopkins. Stevens (4-1 CC) can grab a share of the crown with a sweep of the Bullets and Jays and a stumble by the Mariners. USMMA 165-pounder Vincent Renaut became the first D-III champion ever at the All-Academy championships last weekend.

Good-Bye to January

It's the last day of the first month of 2009 and do we have a weekend of sports action for you around the Centennial Conference! Whether you are a hoops aficionado, a swimming supporter, or a grappling groupie, there are big games, meets and bouts at a number of Conference venues.

Muhlenberg, Ursinus, Stevens at Merchant Marine (Wrestling)
There are four unbeaten teams in Conference dual-meet competition and three of them meet at Kings Point Saturday. The 12th ranked Mariners (3-0 CC, 10-6) have won 12 straight Centennial duals since losing to both the Mules (2-0, 2-3) and Bears (2-0, 4-2) on Jan. 27, 2007. Merchant Marine's James Beshada (17-3) is ranked seventh nationally at 141, while teammate Dan Twito (15-4) is sixth at 149. Muhlenberg's Rob Kein (149, 13-2) and Matt Horn (19-2, 184) are a combined 32-4 overall, while Ursinus' Steve Kingsland (133, 18-4) and Chris Springer (157, 25-9) are 43-13. Ryan Dormann (174, 21-7) leads the Ducks (2-1, 8-7).

Franklin & Marshall at Dickinson (Men's Swimming)
Two of the CC's three unbeatens meet in Carlisle as the annual rivalry between the Diplomats (3-0, 3-5) and the Red Devils (3-0, 6-0) is renewed. Keep an eye on the freestyle sprints between F&M's Peter Fishler and Dickinson's Doug Murray. Murray holds the top 50 free time (21.70) and is second in the 100 free (47.97). Fishler has the season's top time in the 100 (47.26) and 200 (1:45.01) and the No. 2 clocking in the 50 (21.87).

Franklin & Marshall at Dickinson (Women's Swimming)
The Diplomat (4-0, 5-4) and Devil (4-0, 7-0) women put spotless Centennial records on the line as well Saturday. The backstroke could be one of the deciding events, as F&M's Brittany McCabe - who has the year's best times in the 100 (59.25) and 200 (2:11.12) - will be challenged by Dickinson's Serena Gibney (100, 1:02.30) and Elizabeth Schroll (200, 2:14.28).

McDaniel at Muhlenberg (Men's Basketball)
It is the day's best doubleheader, as the Green Terror (8-3, 13-5) and Mules (6-5, 10-7) open an exciting day of hoops in Allentown. Memorial Hall is not kind to many visitors, especially McDaniel, who has won just once in its last 11 trips and twice since 1987. The Terror looks for its first season sweep of 'Berg since 1980-81 after a 70-64 triumph on Jan. 7, as Kevin Henry poured in a game-high 23 points. Peter Barnes led Muhlenberg with 20 points, 13 boards and three blocks.

McDaniel at Muhlenberg (Women's Basketball)
The 22nd ranked Mules (12-0, 15-3) and the Green Terror (8-4, 10-7) meet in a rematch of their thrilling Jan. 7 game in Westminster which 'Berg pulled out in overtime, 77-76. The trio of Alexandra Chili (22), Lauren Boyle (14) and Kelly McKeon (11, 8 asst) combined for 47 points for Muhlenberg, while Ali Moreland led the Green and Gold with 18 markers. The Mule victory evened the overall series at 14 apiece.

Franklin & Marshall at Swarthmore (Women's Basketball)
Five teams in the CC are tied for second place with four losses ... so a game between two of them does have playoff implications. The Diplomats (6-4, 9-8) look for their third straight season sweep and seventh straight win overall vs. the Garnet (7-4, 10-8) after a 74-57 triumph back on Jan. 7. F&M placed four players in double figures, led by Alison Menna's 14 points, while Kathryn Stockbower led Swarthmore with 23 points and 14 rebounds. The Dips must shut down Ceylan Bodur, who has posted consective double-doubles in wins against Ursinus and Haverford.

Five-Star Matchups

The atmosphere in Centennial gyms should be electric this weekend as the second semester is underway throughout Conference campuses. The basketball seasons hit the halfway mark for Conference play, while the dual wrestling season kicks off with a quad involving the top four teams in the Centennial.

McDaniel at Franklin & Marshall (Men's Basketball)
The first-place Green Terror (7-1 CC, 12-3) travel to Lancaster to take on the Diplomats (6-2, 13-2) in a game that will tell us a lot about both squads. McDaniel looks for a season sweep of F&M after downing the Blue, 66-57, just 11 days ago in Westminster. The Diplomats have dropped four straight to the Terror after winning 18 in a row from 1998-2007. Keep an eye on two matchups - guards Miguel Jones and Georgio Milligan and pivotmen Josh McKay and James McNally.

Muhlenberg at Washington (Women's Basketball)
Ordinarily, a matchup between the #25 team in the country and a team that has lost four of its last five would not warrant much attention. But if history teaches us nothing else, it's that if we don't learn from it, we're doomed to repeat it. On their last trip to the Eastern Shore in 2007, the Mules traveled to Chestertown sporting a national ranking and a 22-game win streak against the Shorewomen and were upset, 64-63. You've heard of the play, "Six Characters in Search of an Author." Well, this game may turn on how Washington (4-4, 9-5) can contain Muhlenberg's (10-0, 13-2) "Three Scorers in Search of a Nickname" - Alexandra Chili (15.7), Lauren Boyle (14.6) and Kelly McKeon (11.6). The Mules are just the fourth team to start the Centennial season 10-0.

McDaniel, Merchant Marine, Washington & Lee at Stevens (Wrestling)
The Centennial dual-meet season opens Saturday with the Green Terror (2-0, 6-9), Mariners (0-0, 7-6) and Generals (1-0, 2-2) traveling to Hoboken to face the Ducks (0-0, 6-6). USMMA is ranked 13th nationally and features a trio of ranked grapplers in #8 Philip Greene (133), #8 James Beshada (14-3, 141) and #6 Dan Twito (12-4, 149). Stevens' Mark Bisitis (141) is 16-5, while the Dormann brothers - Leo (157) and Ryan (174) - are 18-8, 19-7, respectively. W&L's John Christopher is 10-4 at 285 and could face McDaniel's Brock Glotfelty (23-1), ranked 10th nationally, in one of the premier bouts of the day.

Three Listed in NWCA Wrestling Rankings

The National Wrestling Coaches Association has released its Division III individual rankings as of December 4, 2007. McDaniel junior Andrew Winfield is third at 174, while Stevens senior Brandon MacWhinnie is seventh at 174. Johns Hopkins junior Tyler Schmidt is 10th at 197.

Individual Rankings
Team Rankings