Volume 2/Number 1

1999

Sports Shorts

March madness

Delaware's fourth trip to an NCAA Tournament, held this year at the Charlotte, N.C., Coliseum, ended in a near-miss. Despite efforts by America East Player of the Year Mike Pegues, AS 2000, junior guard John Gordon, HNS 2001, and senior Tyrone Perry, AS '99, the Blue Hens fell to the Tennessee Volunteers, 62-52. The Hens, under Coach Mike Brey, finished with a record of 25-6, the second best season in Delaware men's basketball history.

Lacrosse attackman's bang-up year

Listed in Inside Lacrosse Magazine as one of the nation's top attackmen, Delaware's John Grant, HNS 2000, has received considerable recognition this year.

Grant earned first team All-American honors as he was named to the United States Intercollegiate Association Division I All-American team.

Sports Illustrated featured Grant, HNS 2001, in its May 3 issue; Face Off magazine listed him as Third Team All-American; and Lacrosse USA placed him on Second Team All-American.

Leading the Hens through a banner year, Grant was named America East's Player of the Week three times and the ECAC Player of the Week once. He also led the league in scoring, with an average of 7.7 points per game.

Claiming the America East championship for 1999, the UD lacrosse team is now ranked sixth in the nation.

UD lacrosse coach Bob Shillinglaw, who has coached lacrosse at the University for 21 seasons, was named Division I Coach of the Year by the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. He also received the award during his first season at UD in 1979.

The lacrosse team posted a 14-3 record in 1999, a UD record for wins, and Shillinglaw was honored as America East Coach of the Year.

Shillinglaw, whose career record is 170-157, the most wins of any UD lacrosse coach, also was named head coach of Team USA for the USA vs. Canada World Cup series held July 14-16.

Three Blue Hens take flight to NFL

Though their game days in Delaware Stadium may be over, three Blue Hen football alumni spread their wings in pro football stadiums, as they headed to National Football League summer camps.

Spread end Eddie Conti, center Brian Cook and defensive tackle Bryan Soltes all tried their luck and talent with different NFL teams.

Conti, HNS '99, who originally signed with the New York Jets as a punt or kick returner, was released and then signed Aug. 9 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In his five years at UD, Conti broke 43 school, conference and NCAA I-AA records, including Jerry Rice's NCAA I-AA season receiving yardage mark of 1,682 set in 1984. On NFL draft day, he was caught in the midst in a minor bidding war between several pro teams, including the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts, Jets and the New York Giants.

Cook, AS '99, had signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, and 1998 team captain Soltes, HNS '99, had signed with the St. Louis Rams. As of Aug. 16, both Cook and Soltes had been released from their respective camps and were hoping for other opportunities. Soltes was assisting Delaware in pre-season practices in the meantime.

Simply having the opportunity to tryout for the NFL, Cook says, is beyond anything he ever imagined, even if it doesn't pan out for him.

"Growing up, I never dreamed anything like this would happen," the First Team All-American says. "I am proud to represent Delaware along with the other guys.

"UD hasn't seen three guys sign into a camp in a long time. It gives a good representation of what Delaware football is all about," Cook says.

The NFL hasn't accepted a Blue Hens player since the Oakland Raiders starting quarterback Rich Gannon, AS '87, was picked up by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 1987 draft.

Rowing team racks up wins

In its first year as a varsity sport, women's rowing took the gold at the Mid-Atlantic Championships, and the varsity women's lightweight eight placed first at the 1999 Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia in May. The novice heavyweight eight placed fourth at the same prestigious event. The lightweight eight are Amanda Wemple, coach; Jenn O'Keefe, AS 2000; Danielle Stevens, HNS 2002; Nicole Belsole, AS 2001; Erica Chisholm, AS 2001; Whitney McCormick, HNS 2001; Stacie Konrad, AS 2002; Gail Orem, HNS 2001; Kristin Vander Els, CHEP 2000; and Rebecca Todd, CHEP 2002.