Sports

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SPORTS 1/20/16 3:30pm

Column: More questions, uncertainty than ever before for Elon

By Tommy Hamzik

With all the usual questions surrounding the start of the season, the Elon University men’s tennis team doesn’t lend many answers. Of its six singles starters from a year ago, only senior Robert Lindgren and junior Chris Humphreys return, and the six freshmen on the roster leave a lot of uncertainty for the Phoenix. All that considered, it’s hard to put an appropriate weight of expectations on the team that lost in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament semifinals last year. Lindgren’s had success — he was a second team All-Southern Conference singles player in 2014 and has a career spring doubles record of 31-24.

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SPORTS 1/20/16 3:30pm

Column: With youth, Elon poised for postseason run

By Tommy Hamzik

The Elon University women’s tennis team may not look experienced just by glancing at its roster. There’s just one senior and one junior. But five vital sophomores return, and the Phoenix figures to be in the top tier of Colonial Athletic Association teams once again. Last year, its inaugural campaign in the league, Elon secured the No. 3 seed in the CAA Tournament and advanced to the semifinals before falling to College of Charleston. While Barbora Lazarova, a key player on that team, is gone, the Phoenix returns its five other singles starters — four of those being sophomores. Last year, freshmen accounted for 48 of Elon’s 62 singles victories.

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SPORTS 1/20/16 12:00pm

With stout preparation, freshman sees success

By Alex Simon

Elon University men’s basketball coach Matt Matheny finished his interviews after the team’s Jan. 9 loss to Hofstra University just more than 20 minutes after the game ended. Matheny walked out of the interview room and was greeted by one of his team managers catching shots and passing to an Elon player, still wearing his game shorts and undershirt.

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SPORTS 1/20/16 11:30am

Women’s soccer team publishes book

By Alex Simon

The author of the latest book to make headlines on campus is certainly unusual: the Elon University women’s soccer team. With the help of Tom Arcaro, professor of Sociology, senior midfielders Samantha Burch and Taylor Glenn, junior defender Erin Tanhauser and former soccer player Mikayla Shaw were published as editors for “Costa Rica Through The Lens: Reflections From Elon University Women’s Soccer,” in which the team documents its experience from its March 2015 study abroad trip to Costa Rica.

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SPORTS 1/20/16 11:15am

Williams ’15 receives national academic athlete award

By Alex Simon

Miles Williams ’15 didn’t get a phone call. He didn’t receive a letter or read an email. Williams found out he was selected as a Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Directors Association (FCS ADA) Academic All-Star through social media. “I was coming back home and I looked on social media and someone tagged me in a post,” Williams said.

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SPORTS 1/17/16 5:03pm

Women's basketball pummeled by Drexel, 74-31

By Wesley Share

The Elon University women's basketball team was playing from behind all day in Philadelphia, falling to Drexel University, 74-31.  The Phoenix were trounced out of the gates, falling into a 20-8 hole after the first quarter and a 38-19 deficit by halftime. Elon had no answer for junior forward Sarah Curran, who went for 22 points and seven rebounds on 9-of-14 shooting, to go with a pair of threes, including 18 points in just the first half alone.  Essence Baucom and Shay Burnett led the way for the lagging Phoenix, with seven points apiece.

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SPORTS 1/16/16 10:09pm

Women's basketball can't stop Towson late in loss

By Alex Simon

The Elon University women’s basketball team could not stop Towson University in the fourth quarter, giving up 37 points en route to a 85-78 Colonial Athletic Association loss Friday night. With the game tied at 48 after three periods, Elon gave up eight straight points in a two-minute, 50-second stretch to fall behind by double-digits with the Tigers.

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SPORTS 1/16/16 10:04pm

Late 3-pointer elevates men's basketball over College of Charleston

By Alex Simon

Freshman forward Tyler Seibring finished his career night with an offensive rebound and an assist, finding freshman guard Dainan Swoope for a 3-pointer to lift the Elon University men’s basketball team over Colonial Athletic Association rival College of Charleston 65-64 Saturday afternoon. Swoope’s basket from behind-the-arc with 20 seconds left meant Elon needed one final stop, which it got thanks to sophomore guard Dmitri Thompson’s efforts on the defensive end.

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SPORTS 1/14/16 11:35pm

Men's basketball falls to in-state rival UNCW, 91-82

By Jordan Spritzer

The University of North Carolina at Wilmington pulled away late in the second half to knock off the Elon University men’s basketball team 91-82 in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play Jan.

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SPORTS 1/11/16 10:43am

Women's basketball falls to JMU in OT

By Connor Del Prete

The Elon University women’s basketball team nearly beat James Madison University on Sunday afternoon despite a lack of rebounding, but ultimately the Phoenix fell 81-76 in overtime at Alumni Gym in the Colonial Athletic Association affair. “We have to control the things that we can control defensively and, of course, boxing out.

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SPORTS 1/10/16 1:00pm

Men's basketball falls late to Hofstra 80-76

By Jordan Spritzer

When freshman guard Steven Santa Ana’s corner three rimmed out with 30 seconds left in regulation, the air got sucked out of Alumni Gym, as well as the Elon University men’s basketball team’s chance of victory over Hofstra University. The Pride hit its free throws at the other end to close out an 80-76 victory at Elon in Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) play.

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SPORTS 1/9/16 10:24pm

Women's basketball edges Hofstra in final seconds, 61-60

By Wesley Share

The Elon University women's basketball edged Hofstra at Alumni Gym Friday night, 61-60, after sophomore guard Shay Burnett sank two free throws with seven seconds left on the clock. "It runs up my dry-cleaning bill because I stress myself out," joked head coach Charlotte Smith. "It helps to know that we can win games in the clutch."

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SPORTS 1/8/16 1:05pm

Former women's basketball star signs professional contract

By Alex Simon

Ali Ford ’13, the second-leading scorer in Elon University women’s basketball history, will continue her professional basketball career in Iceland. Ford signed with Hamar, a women’s basketball team in Hveragerdi, Iceland and plays in the Iceland-Dominos League.

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SPORTS 1/8/16 11:19am

Men's basketball pulls off road upset at JMU 79-73

By Alex Simon

Freshman guard Steven Santa Ana set a career-high in scoring for the second consecutive game, dropping 19 points as the Elon University men’s basketball team defeated host James Madison University 79-73 Thursday night. In the first Colonial Athletic Association road game for the Phoenix, Santa Ana also grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds, recording his first double-double. Elon (11-5 overall, 2-1 CAA), picked to finish last in the CAA before the season, trailed for less than 10 minutes of game time and never trailed in the second half against the Dukes, who were picked second preseason. A 9-0 run in a 2:05 stretch early in the second half built the lead for Elon to 14 points, which was the highest lead of the night for either team. When James Madison (11-5, 1-2) cut the lead to six points, the Dukes started fouling Elon, challenging the Phoenix to make free throws.

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SPORTS 1/6/16 10:53pm

Humorist Jeanne Robertson set to headline annual "Night of the Phoenix"

By K McKay

American humorist and Elon enthusiast Jeanne Robertson is scheduled to headline Elon's ninth annual Night of the Phoenix fundraiser on Friday, Feb.

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SPORTS 1/4/16 6:04pm

Women's basketball holds off UNCW in CAA opener

By Bryan Anderson

The Elon University women's basketball team fended off a late run from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington en route to a 67-60 win Sunday afternoon. Despite early foul trouble and offensive struggles, the Phoenix secured the victory in the Colonial Athletic Association season opener. "I felt like the early foul trouble that we had took us out of our rhythm offensively," said Elon coach Charlotte Smith. 

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SPORTS 1/3/16 12:05am

Freshman's shooting sparks men's basketball win over Drexel

By Alex Simon

Freshman guard Steven Santa Ana set a career-high with 18 points as the Elon University men’s basketball team defeated Colonial Athletic Association opponent Drexel University 83-78 Saturday afternoon. “There are a lot of things to love about [Santa Ana],” said head coach Matt Matheny.

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SPORTS 12/31/15 7:38pm

Men's basketball sees close game slip away to Northeastern

By Alex Simon

The Elon University men’s basketball team kept close to defending Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) champion Northeastern University, but lost the opening game of conference play 86-79 Thursday afternoon at Alumni Gym. “This was a game very much like we expected against a very good Northeastern team, and we knew it was gonna be a tough, physical game,” said Elon head coach Matt Matheny.

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SPORTS 12/29/15 4:00pm

Women's basketball's comeback attempt falls short

By Bryan Anderson

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — From the opening tip-off, the Elon University women's basketball team did not look confident at West Virginia University Monday night. The Phoenix lost on the boards, committed too many turnovers and fell behind by double digits after one period of play. Despite a late run in the fourth period, Elon fell short of a comeback and lost 67-57.

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SPORTS 12/29/15 1:12am

Men's basketball blown out at Duke 105-66

By asimon6

DURHAM -- At the first media timeout, the Elon University men's basketball team was encouraged with its play, staying within a point of Duke University. "We started well, and it was a one-point game because we did some of the little things well," said head coach Matt Matheny.

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