Taylor Frantom and Kirsten Hempy earned NAIA All-American honors on the first day of the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Marion, Indiana. Frantom finished sixth in the women’s pole vault with a personal best of 3.55 meters (11-7.75). Hempy finished sixth in the javelin with a personal record of 42.88 (140-8).

Hempy’s mark is the third best in the Warrior record books and moves her into second place among Westmont’s top performers.

“It was so great to have the 42.88 PR,” said Hempy. “When I was here two years ago for the open javelin, it did not go well. I had a dud first throw and then I had a good one but fouled. Then on my last throw, I got all nervous and tense. I was pretty upset.

[men's results] [women's results] [more photos]

Fifteen members of the Westmont Track and Field teams are ready to compete beginning on Thursday in the 61st NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in Marion, Indiana. On Wednesday evening, the team enjoyed a tradition which has developed over the last three years, eating ice cream at Ivanhoe’s Drive-In, in nearby Upland. While there, coaches and athletes shared their thoughts about the upcoming competition.

“Everybody seems relaxed,” said Westmont head coach Russell Smelley about his team. “The goal is to take away uncertainty and also take the tension down by not making the focus what they know they are going to do. We have had a lot of fun activities and have left them to themselves a lot. We have given them freedom to choose their eating and just to hang out. That seems to have them in a relaxed state of mine.”

The trip to Ivanhoe’s is part of the tension reducing strategy.

“Ice cream always makes things better,” said the coach who has led the Warrior track and field team for 32 years.

On Saturday morning, senior Caitlyn Corrao will be compete in the marathon, beginning at 6:00 a.m. (EDT).

[Men's Schedule and Results] [Women's Schedule and Results] [More Photos] [Live Results]

Half of Westmont’s starters have been named 2012 NAIA Men’s Tennis All-Americans. Senior Bryan Cox of Alamo, California was named to the first team. Tim Goranson of Falkenberg, Sweden and Rodrigo Schaefer of Florianopolis, Brazil were placed on the second team.

It marks the first time in Warrior history that three men’s tennis players have received All-American honors.

Playing at number one singles, Cox posted a record of 11-10. Goranson’s single record was 13-8, playing mostly and number two and three. Schaefer had a record of 14-7, also playing at number two and three.

Schaefer and Cox teamed up at number one doubles and posted a record of 11-9. Schaefer added another win partnered with Gerrit Dickey. Goranson posted a 13-7 record at number two doubles, playing every game except one with John Bertram.

Fifteen Warriors will compete in 16 events at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships next week in Marion, Indiana. The meet is scheduled to begin on Thursday, May 24 and run the following Saturday.

Competing in the 1,500 meters will be senior Kate Stuart. Stuart’s qualifying time of 4:31.21 at the Mount SAC relays last month was the fourth fastest time in the NAIA this season. Stuart has competed in five previous national championship events – four in track and field (two outdoor and two indoor) and one in cross country. This past fall, Stuart earned All-American honors with a fourteenth place finish at the NAIA Cross Country Championships.

Freshman Elysia Hodges will make her outdoor championship debut by competing in the 400 meter hurdles. Hodges’ qualifying time of 59.65 at the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational is the second fastest in the NAIA. In March, Hodges earned All-American honors in the 400 meters with a seventh place finish, completed the one lap race in 55.60.

Also competing in the 400 meter hurdles will be junior Laurel Stormans who qualified for the event with a time of 1:03.94 at the GSAC Championships. Stormans is making her second national championship trip, having competed last year at the outdoor championship in the 400 meter hurdle trials.

• Men’s Schedule and Results
• Women’s Schedule and Results

Westmont Men’s Tennis lost a 5-0 match to top-seeded Fresno Pacific on Thursday at the NAIA Men’s Tennis Championship in Mobile, Alabama. This marks the third year in a row the Warriors have reached the quarterfinals of the national tournament.

The Warriors were swept in doubles action; giving Fresno a 3-0 lead going into singles.

“I was hoping that we would win one or two of the doubles, and if we really were lucky, all three,” said Westmont head coach Mark Basham. “I felt like we got taken out of it early at one and three doubles. Emotionally, we weren’t able to rally at those positions. At number two doubles, I thought our emotions got the best of us. They were in the lead, but they got down on themselves and it turned into a runaway train.”

At number one, Fresno Pacific’s Xavier Smith and Cled Carvalho defeated Bryan Cox and Rodrigo Schaefer 8-2. On the number two court, Kirill Sinitsyn and Nathan Martinet defeated Tim Goranson and John Bertram 9-7. Amarit Sanchez and Lloyd Bruce-Burgess won on number three doubles, by a score of 8-2, defeating Lukas Zielen and Joshua Barnard.

[results] [more photos]

Westmont opened play in the second round of the NAIA Men’s Tennis National Championship with a thrilling 5-4 win over ninth-seeded William Carey of Mississippi (17-4). The eighth-seeded Warriors (12-9) advance to the quarterfinals where they will face top-seeded Fresno Pacific (23-1) tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. (CDT).

Westmont swept the doubles matches to take a 3-0 lead into singles. Tim Goranson and John Bertram finished doubles first with an 8-5 victory over Ricky Keppeler and Marthinius Visser at number two.

“We were confident coming into doubles because we have very good doubles teams,” said Bertram. “We are so happy to get this win.”

Lukas Zielen and Joshua Barnard made it a 2-0 Westmont lead with an 8-3 win over Robin Semal and Alvar Robalta. Then Bryan Cox and Rodrigo Schaefer completed a sweep with an 8-4 defeat of Jody Claassen and Thomas Rizk.

[results] [more photos]

Tomorrow, Westmont Men’s Tennis will open play in the second round of the 61st NAIA National Men’s Tennis Championship in Mobile, Alabama. After putting in a final practice session today, the Warriors turned their attention to something else – putting on a clinic for young tennis players aged from elementary school through high school.

“It has been great to give back to a sport that has given us a lot,” said Bryan Cox. “To be able to share our passion and joy with other people and to create that for others is great.”

The Warriors spent more than an hour and a half with the kids whose tennis experience ranked from beginners to members of their high school’s tennis teams.

“These kids are awesome,” said sophomore Rodrigo Schaefer. “We just want to give them a little fun and enjoy the afternoon with them.

[photos of practice session] [more photos of clinic]

Family and friends will celebrate the life of Alex Moore at a memorial service Tuesday, May 15, at 4 p.m. at Santa Barbara Community Church, 1002 Cieneguitas Road in Santa Barbara. A reception at the church will follow the service.

Moore, an assistant professor of kinesiology at Westmont, died May 9 from complications following surgery for Crohn’s disease. He was 31.

A fund has been established to support Moore’s wife, Kirsten, and their first child, due in July. Kirsten is the head women’s basketball coach at Westmont. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the benefit fund by mailing a check to: Kirsten Moore Benefit, Attn: Brennan de Raad, 2927 De la Vina Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.

A Facebook page provides “a place for loved ones of Alex Moore to come to celebrate his life, share stories/photographs, post messages to family and grieve together.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/AlexMooreMemorial/