William Penn Athletics News–October 24
William Penn University Athletics
Winning Streak Propels Statesmen to Receive Votes
Oskaloosa–A five-game winning streak has helped the William Penn football team back into the national mix as the NAIA’s seventh top-25 poll was released Monday.
The Statesmen (5-3, 2-0 North), who have not been ranked since the preseason poll (at #23), have jumped all the way to 28th with 12 points. The team can pick up even more spots Saturday with a big North Division win over #22 Benedictine in Atchison, Kan. at 1 p.m.
WPU is one of five teams from the Heart of America Athletic Conference at least receiving votes. Baker leads the quintet at #2, while Grand View (#6), Missouri Valley (#9), and Benedictine are also ranked.
Marian (Ind.) remains #1 with 340 points and all 15 first-place votes. Baker, Reinhart (Ga.), Saint Francis (Ind.), and Morningside round out the top five.
Boma’s School Record Helps to Net Runner of the Week Honor
Oskaloosa–Jamal Boma (Sr., Des Moines, Iowa, Business Management and Physical Education) ran the fastest 8K in school history and was deservedly named Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week Monday.
Boma, now a three-time winner this fall, finished third out of 244 competitors at the NAIA Seminole Valley Stampede last Saturday. More importantly, though, he crossed the line in a time of 24:51 for the fastest 8K ever run at WPU. He broke the previous time of 25:17, set by Ralph Longus way back in 1977.
Boma has won two races this year and has also placed in the top five on two other occasions.
WPU has now claimed three weekly awards this fall.
Evans Claims First Weekly Award
Oskaloosa–Brittany Evans (Fr., Fernley, Nev., Business Management) capped her first fall season in the navy and gold with a strong performance and she was rewarded for that effort by being named Heart of America Athletic Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week Monday.
Evans, a first-time recipient, tied for 13th out of 67 players at the Susie Berning Maxwell Classic last Monday and Tuesday. The freshman opened with an 81 and then posted a 79 followed by a season-low 74 to assist WPU to a third-place finish; five ranked teams were in talent-rich competition.
For the year, Evans owns a 79.8 stroke average over 14 rounds. She has six rounds in the 70s with a low of 74. The freshman posted five top-10 efforts with one victory this fall.
The weekly award is the sixth of the season for William Penn.
Pipes-Goulsbra Wins Defensive Accolade for Second Time
Oskaloosa–Caleb Pipes-Goulsbra (Jr., Lincoln, England, Exercise Science) did his part to help his team post a shutout last week and that work was rewarded as he was named Heart of America Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week Monday.
Pipes-Goulsbra, now a two-time recipient this fall, posted three saves in WPU’s 8-0 win over Evangel last Saturday. For the year, the junior is 2-3-1 with a 1.86 Goals Against Average (48 saves in 579 minutes). His shutout against the Crusaders was the first of his career.
The weekly award is the second of the season for William Penn.
Statesmen Split Four Matches at CCSJ Tourney
Whiting, Ind.–The William Penn volleyball team picked up a pair of victories as it competed at the Calumet-St. Joseph Tournament Friday and Saturday.
The Statesmen (6-25) won Friday’s opener 3-0 over host Calumet-St. Joseph (25-21, 25-18, 25-6), but then fell 3-1 to Governors State (15-25, 25-14, 22-25, 22-25). On Saturday, the squad split again, sweeping Silver Lake 3-0 (25-17, 25-8, 25-5) before losing 3-1 to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (22-25, 25-22, 18-25, 22-25).
WPU 3, Calumet-St. Joseph 0
In a match in which the navy and gold outhit the opposition .220-.016, Brittany Weikel (Sr., Remsen, Iowa) led the way with 10 kills. Shawni Wills (Oskaloosa, Iowa, Biology) came up a bit shy of double figures with eight winners and Kiera MacPherson (So., West Chicago, Ill., General Mathematics) finished with five points.
Kathleen Steffen (So., Vinton, Iowa, Biology) managed 17 assists, while a double-double of 13 assists and 13 digs was produced by Haley Smith (So., Adrian, Mich., Elementary Education).
Belle Potter (So., Spokane, Wash., Sociology and Human Services) served up a pair of aces and Ashley Miller (So., Kalona, Iowa, Exercise Science) recorded 29 digs to lead the defense.
Governors State 3, WPU 1
Wills and Rafaela Macias (Jr., Hanford, Calif., Physical Education) shared the squad lead with nine kills each, while MacPherson and Nesreen Iskandrani (Lawrence, Kan., History/Government) both posted eight.
Smith, with 18 assists, and Steffen, with 13, ‘quarterbacked’ the offense at the setter position. Haley Vampran (So., Fort Worth, Texas, Exercise Science) performed best at the service line with two aces.
Defensively, Miller had 31 digs and Iskandrani had three block assists.
WPU 3, Silver Lake 0
William Penn dominated Silver Lake, including owning a .391 attack clip and limiting its foe to a -.081 mark.
Iskandrani’s nine kills guided her program, while Weikel came up with six and Lilly Martinez (Jr., Oakland, Calif., Psychology) finished with five. Smith’s paced WPU with 19 assists.
As good as they were at the net, the Statesmen were simply extraordinary at the service line with 17 aces; Potter was tops with six, while Wills add four and Miller came up with three. Miller added 11 digs as well.
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 3, WPU 1
Wills eclipsed double figures with 11 kills to end the weekend, while Macias (8) and MacPherson (5) also contributed.
Steffen owned the team’s second double-double of the weekend with 22 assists and 12 digs. Smith assists on 12 points of her own.
Miller recorded 28 digs and Martinez tallied three block assists to highlight the defensive efforts.
Next Up: William Penn travels to Lamoni Tuesday to face Graceland in Heart action at 7 p.m.
