Twelve student-athletes were honored on Thursday night at the Fourteenth Golden Eagle Award Dinner held at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort. Referred to as the ‘best night of the year for Westmont Athletics,’ the event is sponsored by the Pacific Beverage Company and Pete and Gerd Jordano.

“It’s even better than our 28-point win over Azusa Pacific,” said associate athletic director and head women’s basketball coach Kirsten McKnight in welcoming the 125 attendees.

Westmont athletic director Dave Wolf served as master of ceremonies for the event and noted that the Westmont staff of head coaches tallied a combined 114 years of experience and that for seven of the coaches, their entire head coaching experience has been at Westmont.

It was an up-tempo, hard-fought battle between number four seed Carroll of Montana (26-5) and fifth-seeded Westmont (21-9) in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament in Jackson, Tennessee. At the final buzzer, however, the nineteenth-ranked Warriors found themselves two points short from advancing to the second round. Carroll’s 61-59 win brought an end to the Warrior’s season a bit earlier than expected by the players and coaches.

“It’s really sad for the seniors,” said head coach Kirsten McKnight, “because they have been such an example of leadership with their hard work and work effort.”

Senior Stephanie Anderson finished her career with 14 points on six-of-nine shooting and displayed incredible hustle on the basketball court while fellow seniors Kara Reynolds and Brittney Crawford each made significant defensive contributions to the game.

[box]

Westmont Women’s Basketball (21-8) arrived in Jackson, Tennessee on Sunday to participate in the NAIA National Tournament which begins on Wednesday. The Warriors, who are seeded at number five in their quadrant of the bracket, will face fourth-seeded Carroll (25-5) in first round action at 1:45 p.m. (CDT).

“I feel so much excitement,” said sophomore guard Jessica Case about tomorrow’s game. “It has been our goal all year to play in the national tournament and we are finally here. We’ve been here practicing hard and have had great practices that last few weeks.”

#13 Carroll University (25-5) of Montana will be the opponent for #19 Westmont Women’s Basketball (21-8) in the first round of the NAIA National Tournament. Scheduled for 1:45 p.m. CDT at the Oman Arena in Jackson, Tennessee, the game will be played on Wednesday, March 19 as the third game in the tournament. The Warriors received a number five seed in their quadrant of the brackets while Carroll was seeded at number four.

“Every team in the national tournament is a good basketball team,” said head coach Kirsten McKnight. “We knew that in any (first round) match-up we would need to play our best basketball in order to win. Carroll is a very good team. They have perennially been one of the best teams in the country. I don’t know much about them yet but we have had some common opponents.”

Two days after #19 Westmont Women’s Basketball (21-8) handed an 84-65 loss to #16 The Master’s (20-10), the Mustangs returned the favor, defeating the Warriors 73-61 in the first round of the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament. Westmont, which earned the right to host today’s game by virtue of Monday’s win, now begins to prepare for the NAIA National Tournament which begins March 19 in Jackson, Tennessee.

The Master’s opened the game with a 7-0 run and never relinquished the lead. Westmont shot only 27.3% from the floor in the first half (9 of 33), including one of 13 from the three point line (7.7%). The Master’s made 14 of 33 attempts (42.4%) from the floor and out-rebounded the Warriors 24-20.

[box]

Westmont sophomore Amber Stevens, a graduate of Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, has been named to the 2007-08 All-Golden State Athletic Conference Women’s Basketball Team. The 5-7 point guard has averaged 10.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.68 assists and 3.21 steals per game for the Warriors.

“Amber is so deserving of this award and I am so happy that she has been recognized by the other GSAC coaches as one of the best players in the conference,” said head coach Kirsten McKnight. “Everyone on our team and in our program has believed that she was that good even last year. But from the beginning of this year she has stepped up into playing a larger role. She has worked very hard and for a long time has gone under recognized. I’m very happy that she has received this recognition.”

Five Warriors scored in double figures as #21 Westmont Women’s Basketball out-hustled #16 The Master’s (19-10, 11-9) to post an 84-65 victory on Monday night in the final regular season game of the year. As a result, Westmont (21-7, 13-7) finishes fourth in the Golden State Athletic Conference Tournament and as the number four seed, will host Wednesday’s first round game in the GSAC Tournament.

The Mustangs will make a return trip to Westmont on Monday as the tournament’s number five seed. Game time is 7:30 p.m. The GSAC has set general admission price to first round games at eight dollars - a rate which also applies to Westmont faculty and staff. Student admission, including Westmont students, is five dollars. Seniors 62 years of age and over are also admitted for five dollars.

[box]

Senior Stephanie Anderson was everywhere on the court, Saturday night in Murchison Gymnasium, as she helped #21 Westmont Women’s Basketball earn their twentieth win of the season, defeating Hope International (17-14, 8-11) by a score of 77-61. Before the game, Anderson, along with Kara Reynolds and Brittney Crawford, where honored on senior night for their contributions to the Warrior program.

“Knowing this wasn’t my last game made (the pre-game ceremony) less emotional, which is nice,” said Anderson. “My mom started tearing up a little bit so I said, ‘Mom, stop now.’ It’s nice to be appreciated - to know that you are cared for and have meant something to the program.”

[box]