Spring Sport Update

Baseball
 The Purdue baseball team finished the 2008 season with a 32-26 record and barely missed a trip to the NCAA Tournament, finishing second in the Big Ten Conference in the regular season and at the conference tournament. The Boilermakers posted a 21-10 conference record, establishing a record for the most Big Ten victories by a Purdue team (formerly 19 in 2001).

Entering the Big Ten Tournament as the No.2 seed, the Boilermakers fell to Big Ten champion Michigan in the title game in a closely-fought 3-2 contest. Six members of the Purdue Nine were honored by the conference's head coached as members of the all-conference team, including first team selections Matt Bischoff (So., P) and Ben Wolgamot (Jr., 2B). Dan Black (So., 3B) and Jon Moore (Jr., CF) were named to the all-tournament team after Moore made spectacular catch after spectacular catch throughout the tournament and Black hit a Big Ten-record five homers in the postseason event.

Showing that the Boilermakers are successful both on the field and in the classroom, nine members of the Boiler baseball team earned academic all-conference honors. The 2008 campaign closed out on June 5 and 6 with the Major League Baseball draft as five Boilermakers heard their names called by professional organizations, including second-round selection Josh Lindblom (Jr., P) - the first player selected from any Big Ten school.       
       

Softball

When Purdue was announced among the final group of four teams which would play in the 2008 NCAA Softball Tournament, history was made. The Boilermakers had earned the first NCAA Tournament berth in the program’s 15-year history, marking the culmination of years of hard work.

“It was exciting because it was history for the program,” third-year head coach Kim Maher said. “We finally got our foot in the door with Regionals, but we can’t forget what this program has done the past 14 years. I commend Coach (Carol) Bruggeman on what she did starting this program; she instilled some great qualities in what this program is about and our alumni are great people because of it. They laid down the foundation, they put in the hard work and now is the time for us to take advantage of what they laid down. It is our job to take advantage of the opportunities we have, but at the same time be very grateful and thankful for what the people before us did.”

The Boilermakers did just that during the 2008 campaign, posting a 34-21 record and finishing fifth in the Big Ten Conference , en route to the postseason. Purdue topped then-No. 7 Baylor in week two of the season, making the Bears the highest-ranked team ever defeated by the Boilermakers and marking a sign of good things to come. The team, which took on ranked foes in 12 other contests, went on to earn its second straight Big Ten Tournament berth, the fifth in program annals, before advancing to the NCAA Regionals in Los Angeles.

With a daunting task of being matchup up with No. 20 Nevada, No. 5 UCLA and Cal State Fullerton, the Boilermakers were a little anxious entering an unfamiliar situation. But, facing elimination after a 4-1 loss to Nevada, Purdue regained its composure, posting a 4-3 win over Fullerton for its first ever NCAA Tournament victory. A close 2-1 setback in a rematch with Nevada wrapped up the Boilermakers’ season at 35-23, but Purdue had now tasted the postseason, giving the team the impetus to get back year after year.

“We have our feet wet now; we have experienced the postseason,” Maher said. “Because of the conference we are in and the support we get from the athletic department, there is no reason why this program shouldn’t be making Regionals every single year. We have a nucleus of players coming back that will make that a reality for this program. It is something that I truly believe this program can do year in and year out. Purdue is on the map, which is going to help us in the future, but it all comes down to our players believing they can do it and taking advantage of opportunities.”

Three Boilermakers - freshman pitcher Suzie Rzegocki, sophomore catcher Jenna Alexander and junior second baseman Kelly Miller - earned All-Big Ten honors, while Miller, senior third baseman Ashley Hall, junior shortstop Candace Curtis and sophomore first baseman Kelsey Haupert garnered second team All-Mideast Region accolades for their efforts during the season.

Track and Field

   The Purdue track and field teams have had quite the outdoor season, sending a dozen individual athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championship June 11-14, 2008 hosted by Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Eight Boilermakers earned automatic qualifying bids by placing in the top-five at the NCAA Mideast Regional Championships, while the remaining four received at-large bids based on their top mark of the season.  The Boilermakers' 12 NCAA qualifiers tie their highest total of the decade, matching the group from 2003. However, the 2003 squad earned four of those slots in the men's 4x100-meter relay, while this year's group is comprised of a dozen individual competitors. It is also the largest group of national qualifiers in head coach Jack Warner’s tenure.

Junior Kara Patterson headlines the Purdue women's efforts as she attempts to become the Boilermakers' second straight national champion in the javelin throw, and the third in the past six years. Patterson boasts the top throw in the nation this season, marking 61.56 meters (202-00) to win her second career Big Ten Championship. She is just the second woman in U.S. history to surpass the 200-foot mark and one-of-two American women to eclipse the "A" standard for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Despite a lackluster performance last weekend, Patterson still managed to pick up an automatic bid and her third career NCAA Mideast Regional title. She looks to bounce back in Des Moines and vie for the NCAA crown. Senior Leah Kincaid finds herself in a similar boat as Patterson, posting the nation's ninth-best mark in the long jump, but squeaking into the NCAA Championships with an at-large bid. She improved her school-record mark to 6.45 meters (21-02.00) this season to win her first career Big Ten Championship and boast the No. 9 mark in the country heading to Des Moines.

The Boilermakers' field a tag-team effort in the women's pole vault as sophomore Brianna Neumann and junior Mallory Peck both scored automatic bids at the regional meet. Neumann exploded on to the national scene, placing second overall and setting a new Purdue outdoor record with a vault of 4.16 meters (13-07.75). The vault exceeded her previous career best by 0.16 meters (6.25"), and ties her for the No. 12 height in the country heading into the championships. Neumann edged out the previous school record, shared by Peck and former Boilermaker Ebbie Metzinger at 4.15 meters (13-07.25). Peck cleared the height this season to win her second career Big Ten title, as she set a new conference championship record with the mark. Peck is a two-time NCAA Indoor All-American; clearing a career-best 4.20 meters (13-09.25) to take sixth at the 2008 national indoor meet.

Senior Astin Steward and sophomore Stacey Wannemacher both locked up their second straight trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships as Steward launched a season-best toss in the women's discus to take second place and an automatic bid, while Wannemacher set the Boilermakers' outdoor women's shot put record and nabbed seventh place and an at-large bid. Steward nearly matched her career-best at the regional championships, hurling the discus 53.65 meters (176-00) on her next-to-last throw, which ties her for 13th in the country heading to nationals. Wannemacher now holds both the Boilermakers' indoor and outdoor records in the shot put after marking 16.22 meters (53-02.75) last weekend. The throw was 0.37 meters (1-02.50) better than her previous best and moved her up to 19th in the nation.

The Purdue men have seven athletes heading to the national championships, led by sophomore Eric Sparks and freshman Josh Hembrough. Sparks enters the national meet sharing the country's seventh-best mark in the pole vault, clearing a career-best 5.41 meters (17-09.00) to take second at the regional championships. Hembrough sits ninth in the national standings in the 110-meter hurdles, blazing a career-best 13.58 in the Mideast Regional finals to earn third place and an automatic qualifier. His wind-aided time is second-best in Purdue's history, just 0.04 shy of the all-time mark held by Rod Woodson.

The Boilermakers have a two-headed monster in the men's shot put as freshman Billy Hardcastle and senior Tyler Miller both earned nods to the national meet. Hardcastle snagged an automatic bid with a fifth-place showing at regionals, while Miller earned an at-large bid with his season-best throw of 18.69 meters (61-04.00). The pair went 1-2 at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships this year, led by Hardcastle with his season-best mark of 18.85 meters (61-10.25).
Sophomore Adetayo Adesanya rounds out the men's jumps for Purdue, earning an automatic bid with his fourth-place regional showing in the high jump. Adesanya has a season-best of 2.14 meters (7-00.25) as he won the 2008 Big Ten Indoor title and placed second outdoors.

Purdue junior Ben Harpenau picked up a late at-large bid to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.  Harpenau became the sixth at-large competitor in the event, heading to Drake tied for the 21st best mark in the country. He was the Big Ten runner-up in 2008, and took home the bronze medal in 2008, earning NCAA Mideast Regional qualification in both seasons. His career-best mark of 64.23 meters (210-09) came this season at the Dave Rankin Invitational, and is the fourth-best throw in Purdue's history.

Men’s Golf

        The Purdue men's golf team ended its season with a ninth place finish at the Big Ten Championships at the Forest Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Mich. The host team, Michigan State won the championship with a four-round total of 1173, Minnesota finished second with a team score of 1177 and Illinois was third with a team total of 1182.

The young Boilermakers were led by freshman David Gersztein who finished eighth with a total score of 295 (70-73-79-73), after firing a 73 on Sunday. Gersztein, who joined the team in January, was also Purdue's top finisher in the Boilermaker Invitational on April 20.

Junior Tom Oliver carded a 74, his lowest round of the tournament to finish 33rd with a total score of 305 (76-76-79-74). Michael Randle tied for 35th with a total score of 307 (81-73-76-77). He carded a 77 on Sunday. Freshman Erich Johnston finished one stroke behind Randle after recording a 76 in the final round. Johnston's 308 (81-74-77-76) earned him a tie for 38th. The third freshman in the lineup, Nakarintra Ratanakul, finished 51st with a total score of 316 and carded an 81 in the fourth round.

The young Boilermaker squad, under the tutilege of head coach Devon Brouse, look to utilize their experience in the 2008-09 season.

Women’s Golf

        The Boilermaker women continued their march onto the national scene with a fourth-place finish at the 2008 NCAA Golf Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. After three tough rounds, the Boilermakers were able to keep their concentration and finish with a near-perfect round, a five under par 283, to jump them from tenth to fourth place. The Boilers were led by junior Christel Boeljon who fired a 68 in the final round to finish 12th overall with a 293. Freshman Maude-Aimee Leblanc recorded a tied for 15th. Freshman Junthima Gulyanamitta tied for 28th overall with a 295 while Junior Maria Hernandez had a four-over par 76, tying for 41st with a 301 overall. Junior Stephanie Oukeo rounded out the team with a score of 301, placing her in a tie for 114th.

The Boilermaker women clinched their second conference title in three years and their third all-time. Maria Hernandez finished with a 281, setting a Big Ten record for lowest individual 72-hole score on her way to Purdue's first individual title. Christel Boeljon was the runner-up for the second consecutive year at the Championships.

The Boilermakers golf finished up an outstanding 2007-08 season with three golfers earing All-America honors. Maria Hernandez, who was named 2008 Big Ten Golfer of the Year, earned first team All-America honors from both the National Golf Coaches Association and Golfweek. Christel Boeljon was named to the second team All-America and finished with a no. 14 ranking in Golfweek's final individual poll. Maude-Aimee Leblanc earned thrid team All-American and Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Purdue finished first or second in seven tournaments in 2007-08 and won its third Big Ten Championship on April 27. Head Coach Brouse who completed his 10th season at the helm of both the men's and women's teams, was named Big Ten Women's Golf Coach of the Year for the third time. Purdue is one of five schools to advance to the NCAA Championships in the last nine straight seasons. The other four schools are Arizona State, Duke, Stanford and Southern California.

Men’s Tennis

Purdue's men's tennis team finished 2008 with an 8-15 win-loss record and placed ninth (of 11 teams) in the Big Ten at 2-8. Freshman Eric Ramos led the Boilermakers with 14 singles victories. He also fared well in doubles play, which included a 5-0 fall record with Paul Foley. Purdue began the season at 7-4 and broke into the national rankings at No. 54 in early March on the strength of a convincing win over then No. 65 Michigan State, however, the Boilermakers good fortune would not last as they dropped 11 of their next 12 games.

Purdue continued to receive strong doubles play during this tailspin and at one point won three-consecutive doubles points over conference rivals Northwestern, No. 14 Michigan and No. 43 Penn State. Purdue won the doubles point at home nine-straight times to open the season before Indiana snapped that streak in mid-April. Against Penn State, P.J. Rose and Branko Kuzmanovic combined to beat the Nittany Lions' 23rd nationally ranked doubles combo of Michael James and Brendan Lynch, 9-8 (4). This come-from-behind win marked Purdue's first over a nationally ranked team in 2008.

Postseason honors included Jose Fuenmayor selected as the team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner and Rose voted as the inaugural recipient of the Laith Al-Agba Team Player Award, which is presented to the player who most exemplifies the five qualities that define Purdue Tennis: selflessness, passion, leadership, determination and compassion.Fuenmayor, Rose, Foley, Griff Nienberg and Kelubia Mabatah were all named Academic All-Big Ten. Other highlights included Kuzmanovic reaching the quarterfinals of the 2007 fall season's Big Ten Singles Championship; Ramos went 3-0 to win the Flight 'C' title at the Purdue Invitational, beating Iowa's Tommy McGeorge in the final 6-4, 7-6 (5); Rose played his first complete season and finished the year in good health after two previous injury-riddled campaigns.

In April, with assistance from the John Purdue Club, head coach Tim Madden established the Laith Al-Agba Memorial Fund and renamed the Boilermakers' annual team player award in his honor. Al-Agba, a four-year letterwinner from 1999 to 2002, who died unexpectedly in May of 2007. One of the fund's goals is to strengthen the bonds between Boilermaker alumni and current student-athletes. This will be reinforced each year with the presentation of the Laith Al-Agba Alumni Tennis Challenge trophy at the annual alumni reunion. In this way, Boilermakers will be able to come together to share friendships and team unity which were some of Laith's great talents.

Women’s Tennis
Purdue's women's tennis team finished 2008 with a 4-17 win-loss record and placed ninth (of 11 teams) in the Big Ten Conference at 2-8 under first-year head coach Laura Glitz. The Boilermakers began the season at 2-2, which included a 6-1 win over then No. 66 Western Michigan, but playing 16 nationally ranked opponents over the course of one year eventually got the best of a roster that featured only seven healthy players.

Junior Stephanie Wooten, who missed all of last year due to injury, rebounded to finish 12-9 in singles and 9-7 in doubles with partner Brooke Beier. Wooten was eventually named Team MVP for her efforts, while Beier, a senior, snagged a spot on the All-Big Ten team. Additionally, Beier was selected as Purdue's female winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship award and was nominated for Academic All-District honors. Beier played all season at No. 1 singles and finished with a 9-12 record. She was 11-9 in singles with three different partners.

During the fall portion of the schedule, Beier won two of three matches at the ITA Regional Championships and qualified for the All-American Tennis Championships. Freshman Joanna Craven reached the championship final of Flight B at the Wildcat Invitational and won seven of 12 matches with doubles partner Wooten.

Wooten led Purdue with nine wins during the fall season, a record which included three wins each at invites hosted by Michigan and Northwestern. Wooten and senior Tatiana Ghanza will serve as team captains for the 2008-09 season.

Off the court, the Schwartz Tennis Center continued to receive glowing reviews from patrons, coaches, players and spectators as it successfully played host to three collegiate invitationals and tournaments, including the Big Ten Women's Tennis Championships.