Queens track prepares for NCAA Division II nationals

The Queens University of Charlotte men’s and women’s outdoor track teams may have been among the region’s top teams, but they went into the SAC title meet thinking they were underdogs.

The Royals came away with the conference’s men’s and women’s team championships.

They now take that same underdog attitude into their final meets of the 2015 season, with the goal to qualify a few more athletes for the upcoming NCAA Division II national championships.

“No one expects us or our kids to make it to a national meet. No one expects our kids to be All-Americans,” said Jim Vahrenkamp, director of Queens’ cross-country and track programs. “When we go with the idea we have something to prove, our kids tend to respond to that. Our kids keep working hard and doing the best they can. They keep giving that effort without any expectations.

“It’s been really rewarding to see those kids continue to qualify and achieve that success.”

The Royals – whose women’s team is ranked No. 1 in the Southeast Region by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, with the men at No. 4 – currently have eight athletes and a relay team provisionally qualified for the Division II championships.

Junior Nikia Squire, named the SAC women’s track athlete of the year, has qualified in two individual events: the long jump and 100 meters. She also is part of the Royals’ qualifying 4x100-meter relay team, along with Mystique Ro, Miranda Wood and Silja Muehlebach.

Also qualifying are junior Catie Byrd in the 10,000 meters, and three in the javelin: sophomores Ella Fox and Johanna Schonecker and freshman Sarah Luchich.

For the men, qualifiers are sophomore Jimmy Hollingsworth and freshman Yannick Stubbe in the 800 meters, and sophomore Johannes Riemann in the 110-meter high hurdles.

“We’ve got two or three kids who are knocking on the door,” Vahrenkamp said. “We’ve been blessed to have a good group of hardworking kids, and a group of really hardworking, dedicated (coaches). It’s been a blast, a lot of fun watching them.”

Golf 3rd at SAC tourney

The men’s golf team finished third at the SAC tournament April 19-21 at Firethorn Country Club in Marvin, with Evan Ruhling earning first-team all-tournament honors.

The Royals finished the two-day tournament – shortened a day because of heavy rain in the opening round – at 34-over-par 610, 13 shots behind winner Tusculum.

Tusculum, which earned the SAC’s automatic qualifying spot for the NCAA Division II national championships, shot a 21-over 597, two strokes ahead of Wingate.

Ruhling, a junior, led Queens with a fifth-place finish among individual scorers with a 5-over 149, inca 1-under 71 in the final round, the lowest score recorded that day.

Other scorers for the Royals were junior Mike Downey (12th, 152), senior Jordan Bilodeau (tied for 22nd, 154), senior Jake McLaren (tied for 33rd, 157) and senior Alex Weare (tied for 41st, 160).

Tennis run ends in 1st round

The women’s tennis team saw its run through the NCAA Division II tournament end after just one round, losing 5-0 to eighth-rankd Columbus State in the opening day of the Southeast Regional on May 4 in Columbus, Ga.

The Royals, ranked 36th, earned their first NCAA tournament berth in five years after finishing second in the SAC tournament; but their NCAA tournament was cut short after losing all three doubles matches, then dropping two more in singles before play was called early.

Queens finished its season at 16-4, while Columbus State improved to 21-3.

Lacrosse camp July 13-17

The Winning Edge Lacrosse Camp, run by Queens’ men’s lacrosse coach Jim Fritz, will be July 13-17 at the Rugby Athletic Center, at 3722 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte.

The camp is open to boys and girls age 5-13 and costs $175 per player. The application deadline is July 7, and must include a $75 deposit. The balance, as well as a completed physical exam and medical insurance waiver form, are due at check-in on the opening day of camp.

Details: www.jimfritzlacrosse.com, or email fritzj@queens.edu.

This story was originally published May 8, 2015 at 2:20 PM with the headline "Queens track prepares for NCAA Division II nationals."