This Week in Sports: February 4, 2022

Matt Glover and George Steinke
February 3, 2022

Men’s Basketball wins five straight

The Scots went 5-3 in January, winning five MIAC games in a row. Macalester is now 6-8 in the MIAC this year and hopes to make a playoff run. After close losses to Carleton and Hamline, the Scots beat Bethel, St. Olaf, St. Mary’s (Minn.), Concordia College (Minn.) and Gustavus Adolphus College. This included marquee wins on the road at St. Mary’s and a come-from-behind win over Concordia College (Minn.) at home.
Caleb Williams ’24 has been a star for Macalester this year and scored 23 points including the game winner against Concordia as well as scoring 21 points against St. Olaf, including 12 points in the second half. Williams is averaging a team-high 17.5 points this season.
Gabriel Ramos ’22 had a breakout game against St. Mary’s, scoring a college career-best 28 points en route to the Scots’ 76-72 win. Ramos made seven three-pointers on twelve attempts and added six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Ramos is averaging the second-most points on the team, averaging 11.8 points per game.
Most recently, the Scots fell at home to Carleton College, 67-60, on Feb. 2. Williams led Macalester with 18 points and Ramos added 11 points and nine rebounds.

Women’s Basketball surges on the road

Macalester went 3-5 in January, winning three MIAC road games over St. Mary’s, St. Catherine University and Hamline University. The Scots are now 8-11 on the season and are 6-10 in the MIAC.
On Jan. 22, Macalester defeated St. Mary’s (Minn.), 64-57 on the road. Peyton Starks ’25 led all scorers with 15 points off the bench and seven rebounds. Celine Sabbagh ’22 added 13 points, six rebounds and four steals.
Sabbagh is the leading scorer for the Scots with 14.8 points per game this year and Emma LaFrenz ’23 averages a team-leading 11.1 rebounds per game.
On Wednesday, Feb. 2, the Scots lost to Carleton College on the road, 73-67. Sabbagh led Macalester with 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Katherine Norquist ’25 scored 15 points and added a game-high 12 rebounds.

Women’s Track and Field begins indoor season

Macalester participated in the Saint John’s/Saint Benedict meet this past Saturday, taking third place out of three teams.
Maria Blaesing ’24 took first place in the mile with a time of 5:16.19, a new meet record. Blaesing, Sara Gregor ’23, Sarah Beth Hobby ’24 and Adisa Preston ’25 also took home second in the 4×400 meter relay.
Hannah Grosse ’22 beat her own previously-set Macalester school record in the indoor pole vault with a height of 3.46 meters and Journey Amundson ’23 also placed first in the triple jump.
The Scots hosted the Vanessa Seljeskog Classic to kick off the indoor track season on Jan. 22, finishing third out of five teams.
Gregor took home first place in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:05.05, followed closely by Preston and Meira Smit ’25 in second and third, respectively.
Blaesing also took second in the 800-meter dash, followed by Ella Krumm ’25 and Lena Stern ’22 in third and fourth, respectively.

Men’s Track and Field kicks off indoor season

The Scots finished second out of three teams at the Saint John’s/Saint Benedict meet this past Saturday.
Arlo Heitler ’25 posted a strong first place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 22.82 seconds, while also contributing to a first place finish in the 4×400 meter relay along with teammates Ryan Kinnucan ’22, Jeff Wang ’25 and Kalid Ali ’25.
Ben Crotteau ’25 also finished second in the mile with a time of 4:35.49, and Riley Hodin ’25 rounded out the field events with a third place finish in the long jump.
Macalester hosted the Vanessa Seljeskog Classic on Saturday, Jan. 22, finishing third out of four teams.
Heitler finished first in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.42, while a team of Mason Bosley ’23, Kinnucan, Wang and Heitler also finished third in the 4×200 meter relay.
Hodin also posted a second place finish in the long jump.

Women’s Swim and Dive looks ahead to MIAC Championships

Macalester fell to Grinnell College 171-126 this past Saturday, concluding their final home meet of the season.
Jocelyn Radke ’24 won two individual races, both the 200-yard and 50-yard freestyle, while also contributing to a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay alongside Anna Rakowski ’25, Verity Wray-Raabolle ’25 and Olga Merkadeau ’25.
Caroline Chapon ’25 also posted second place finishes in both the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle.
Kate Yehle ’25 finished second in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.
The Scots lost to St. Olaf College in a dual meet hosted Jan. 22 with a total team score of 201-96.
Wray-Raabolle had Macalester’s lone individual win in the 100-yard backstroke, posting a time of 1:02.19, while finishing second in the 200-yard backstroke. Wray-Raabolle, Rakowski, Merkadeau and Radke also took home first place in the 200-yard backstroke relay.
Yehle finished second in both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.
Macalester was named as a Scholar All-America team by the College Swimming Coaches of America Association (CSCAA), posting a team GPA of 3.70 in the 2021 fall semester.

Men’s Swim and Dive finishes regular season, prepares for MIAC Championships

The Scots lost to Grinnell College 152.5-93.5 on Jan. 29. Jay Fanning ’25 won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:14.85 and Tanner Hubbard ’22 took second in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:24.60. Macalester also won the 200-yard freestyle relay, with Charles Batsaikhan ’25, Benjamin Blomquist ’22, Isaac Kisker ’25 and Adam Schroeder ’25 posting a time of 1:32.76. Batsaikhan took second in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:18.92 and Kirkser finished second in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.88.
Macalester also fell to St. Olaf College, 175-101, in a dual meet on Jan. 22. Batsaikhan dominated the 100-yard events, winning the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke as well as taking second place in the 100-yard butterfly. Schroeder took first in the 200-yard freestyle and Ben Lewin ’25 won the 200-yard butterfly. Macalester also won the 200-yard freestyle relay in 1:31.17 with a team of Schroeder, Blomquist, Aidan Williams ’22 and Kirkser.
The Scots were also named as a Scholar All-America team by the College Swimming Coaches of America Association (CSCAA), posting a team GPA of 3.46 in the 2021 fall semester.

New Indoor Spectator Policy announced

On Jan. 30, Macalester announced a new indoor spectator policy to go into effect on Feb. 2. The new policy allows just students, staff and faculty from Macalester College to attend basketball games while wearing a “high-quality (i.e. N95, KN95, KN94) mask covering mouth and nose.” Both families of players from Macalester and its opponents should contact their team to inquire about a pass list. The Department of Athletics also announced that there will be no spectators allowed for the Macalester Invitational Track & Field Meet on Feb. 4. There will not be any concessions or outside food allowed at events. Spectators are also expected to “stand or sit with pods in the designated viewing areas and remain at least six feet from other spectators” and anyone “who does not abide by these guidelines will be asked to leave the venue.”

Numbers

54.7 – field goal percentage for Peyton Starks ’25 this season, best in the MIAC

11.1 – rebounds per game for Emma LaFrenz ’23, best in the MIAC

3.70 – team GPA posted by the Women’s Swim and Dive team in the fall 2021 semester, earning the team Scholar All-America honors

3.46 – new school-record indoor pole vault in meters for Hannah Grosse ’22

7 – made three pointers by Gabriel Ramos ’22 against St. Mary’s (Minn.) on Jan. 22

Upcoming Events (home events in BOLD)

Friday, Feb. 4

Men’s Track and Field vs Macalester Invitational (5:00 PM)

Women’s Track and Field vs Macalester Invitational (5:00 PM)

Saturday, Feb. 5

Women’s Basketball @ College of Saint Benedict (St. Joseph, Minn.) (1:00 PM)