Pac-12 Conference

2015-16 Pac-12 Year In Review

Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/702564

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 93 of 95

92 2015-16 PAC-12 YEAR IN REVIEW MOUNTAIN PACIFIC SPORTS FEDERATION (Capsule Reviews of 2015-16 Pac-12 Highlights in the MPSF) MEN'S GYMNASTICS Stanford earned its 10th top-three finish at the NCAA Championships in the past 11 seasons, as the Cardinal completed the season with a second-place finish at the national championships. Stanford went 24-3, registering 18 wins over top-10 opponents, and finishing in second place at MPSF Championships. California was ranked in the top ten throughout the season and finished third at MPSF Championships but ended their season at NCAA qualifiers. MEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD OREGON won its third-straight NCAA indoor title. Edward Cheserek successfully doubled in the 3K and 5K and also ran the mile leg for the Distance Medley Relay team, having a hand in 30 of the team's 62 points. Cheserek was named the USTFCCCA National Track Athlete of the Year. Devon Allen won the NCAA Championship in the 60-meter hurdles, the first Duck to ever win the title in the event and in school-record fashion, clocking a time of 7.56. Jax Thoirs of Washington won the NCAA title in the pole vault, helping Washington to a sixth-place finish in the event. USC won the MPSF Championship with five individual champions, including Eric Sloan who doubled in the long and triple jump. WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Oregon was the MPSF Indoor Track & Field Champions and went on to win the NCAA Indoor Championship, its sixth title in the last seven years. The Ducks only had one individual champion at the NCAA Championships in Raevyn Rogers who won the 800-meter title. But the squad's depth proved to be the deciding factor with 12 different student-athletes scoring in seven events. The team race came down to the final event of the meet, the 4x400-meter relay. The Ducks had a mere five-point lead over Arkansas but were able to preserve the lead with their third-place finish. At the MPSF Championships, Oregon claimed five individual titles and dominated the meet, topping second place by 34.25 points. WOMEN'S LACROSSE USC made history as the MPSF's first NCAA quarterfinalist as a five-seed. The Trojans fell, 12-11 in an overtime decision to fourth-seeded Syra- cuse, giving USC its first loss (20-1) of the season. Joining the Trojans in the NCAA Tournament was STANFORD. The Cardinal fell, 14-8, to the Trojans at the L.A. Coliseum. Senior Trojan defender Courtney Tarleton was tapped as MPSF Player of the Year. USC allowed an NCAA best 5.41 gpg in the regular season, holding its opponents to fewer than 10 goals in 15 games. Tarleton led the MPSF in caused turnovers with a program record 44. MPSF Rookie of the Year honors went to Stanford's Anna Salemo as she led first-year players in the league in goals per game (1.94) and points per game (2.60). USC head coach Lindsay Munday won her second-straight MPSF Coach of the Year award, leading the Trojans to a program-record 20 wins. It was the longest streak in MPSF history and first 20-win campain in league history as well. MEN'S VOLLEYBALL UCLA advanced to the national semifinal before losing to eventual champion Ohio State, 3-2. Stanford's James Shaw, a senior setter, was named MPSF Player of the Year. Shaw and UCLA's duo of Micah Ma'a and Jake Arnitz earned All-MPSF First-Team honors. Stanford's Madison Hayden and Evan Enriques earned All-MPSF Second-Team honors along with UCLA's Mitch Stahl. Enriques, Conrad Kaminski, Ma'a and Shaw earned AVCA Division I First-team All-America honors. Arnitz and Stahl claimed second-team All-America accolades. MEN'S WATER POLO It was one-two-three finish at NCAA Championships as UCLA brought home its 10th national title, USC finished second and CALIFORNIA fin- ished third. The Bruins won their second-straight crown with a thriling, 10-7 decision over six-time champion USC on the heels of mulit-goal performances from Ryder Roberts and Patrick Fellner. Redshirt Junior Garrett Danner garnered MPSF Player of the Year honors, becoming UCLA's all-time saves leader. He helped the Bruins to a 31-game win streak and second-straight undbeated MPSF season. The Golden Bears bested UC San Diego with a 20-9 victory for the third-place title. WOMEN'S WATER POLO USC won its fifth NCAA title, taking the throne from defending champion STANFORD in an 8-7 decision in favor of the Women of Troy. Junior driver Stephania Haralabidis scored the game-winning goal with six seconds left in the match to give USC its second undefeated season in program history and 125th all-time national championship. Haralabidis was tabbed as the NCAA Tournament MVP. Four Pac-12 squads claimed top-five finishes. Joining USC and Stanford was UCLA, who took third place, 5-4 over Michigan, and ARIZONA STATE took fifth place. The Pac-12 swept MPSF honors, as USC 22 year head coach Jovan Vavic was selected as Coach of the Year for the fifth time in his career, tying for most all-time in MPSF Women's Water Polo history. Freshman 2MD/Driver Kat Klass of Stanford was honored as MPSF Newcomer of the Year after tallying 41 goals and 1.58 goals per game in her rookie season. She joins five other Cardinal honorees in program history who have garnered the honor.

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of Pac-12 Conference - 2015-16 Pac-12 Year In Review