April is one of the most beautiful months to be on the Saint Mary's campus because of the colorful landscape that surrounds the area. It's also especially enjoyable because of the flurry of activity that can be seen on any given afternoon. From the traditional competition seasons of our spring sports, the non-traditional competitions of our fall sports, the abundant club sports games, and to the seemingly endless intramural games occurring on campus, there is always something fun to watch!
The recent success of our men's tennis and golf programs has been impressive and I would like to recognize their accomplishments. Under the leadership of head coach Michael Wayman, the tennis team has won six consecutive matches and is now 10-6 on the season. They will be exciting to watch in the WCC Championships being held at Santa Clara April 22-25.
Scott Hardy has the golf team performing extremely well; with four top two finishes this spring. The Gaels have won two tournaments - the UC Davis Match Play Event and the UC Riverside Braveheart Classic - and nearly brought home a third consecutive title at Cal Poly last week. Including their tournament victory at the University of Idaho Vandal Fall Classic in September, the team's three tournament titles are the best in school history! With a good finish at the WCC Championships April 14-15 at Riverbend Golf Club, the team has a good chance at qualifying for the NCAA Regionals. Great job Gaels!
I would also like the point out that our women's rowing, women's tennis, softball, and lacrosse teams continue to make us all proud with their improvements this year. These teams are led by three new coaches who are in the process of building competitive programs, and it's been a joy to witness their growth. Our women's tennis team will host the WCC Championships April 23-25 so come on out to support the Gaels while watching some of the finest college tennis the west region has to offer.
Additionally, I would like to congratulate both of our basketball programs. The men's team lost a tough battle to Gonzaga in the WCC Tournament championship game on ESPN and showed the entire country that they will be a force to be reckoned with next year. We were all disappointed that the NIT selection committee didn't extend an offer to the Gaels to play in the postseason, but we're optimistic of our chances to be a part of March Madness next year. The women's team proved their doubters wrong with an above .500 finish. With the addition of seven talented freshmen to the roster, head coach Michelle Jacoby showed us that her team is not far away from becoming the dominant team in the conference again. Check your mailbox for information about renewing your season tickets because you won't want to miss what our teams have in store for 2004-05!
Lastly, we have an All Points Bulletin out for all Southern California golfers to join us at the Gael Classic Invitational Golf Tournament in Memory of Brother Jerome West, FSC on April 26 at Candlewood Country Club in Whittier, CA. The entry fee is $225 per person or $900 per foursome and all proceeds benefit the Gael Athletic Scholarship Fund. For more information, or to sign up today, please call (925) 631-4168.
We hope to see you on campus to soon to cheer the Gaels on to victory!
-Carl R. Clapp, Director of Athletics
