Women’s basketball
The Billikens finished off a two-game east coast swing with a victory at Fordham University on Feb. 16. The 71-60 win saw the Billikens post their highest point total for an Atlantic 10 game this season.
A large chunk of this scoring outburst came from junior Lauren Woods, who scored a career- and SLU- season-high 27 points. She shot 9-of-11 from the field and nailed 7-of-10 free throw attempts. Those seven free throws moved Woods into 10th place on SLU’s career list for free throws made.
The Billikens benefited from a 40-28 advantage on the boards.
Junior Kathryn Hester chipped in with 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting. The Billikens as a team shot a season-high 58.3 percent (28-of-48) from the field.
The game was a nice bounce-back for the Billikens after they dropped a tough loss at Saint Joseph’s University. The Bills erased a nine-point halftime deficit and even built a lead, but the Hawks would pull ahead late with clutch free-throw shooting.
The Billikens will return to Chaifetz Arena on Feb. 18 to take on Charlotte University. Tip off is at 7 p.m.
Swimming and Diving
The Atlantic 10 Conference Championships began Feb. 17 at the Burt Flickinger Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Billikens got off to a good start as the foursome of Taylor Streid, Jessica Schwarz, Jordan Hagar and Maggie Brabbins broke the school record in the 800-free relay during the first day of competition. The relay team knocked more than 30 seconds off its regular-season and beat the previous record by more than two seconds. The previous record was set at the 2005 Conference USA Championships and was the oldest SLU relay record in the book.
Sophomore Billy Hrabovsky finished fourth in the finals of the men’s one-meter diving event with a score of 253.60.
The competition continues through Feb. 20.
Baseball
The baseball team will begin its quest for its second straight 30-win season on Feb. 19 when it travels to the campus of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock for the UALR Tournament. The Billikens take on Arkansas-Pine Bluff the first day before battling against Saint Peter’s College and the host school on Feb. 20.
Last year, the Billikens finished 30-25 overall and 12-13 in Atlantic 10 play. It was only the fourth time since 1972 that the Bills had a record of .500 or better. The team was picked to finish sixth in the A-10 by a preseason coaches’ poll.
SLU finished in seventh in the conference last season, one spot away from an A-10 playoff berth.
Three of SLU’s top four hitters return from the 2009 squad. A pair of seniors, first baseman Danny Brock and catcher Ben Braaten, hit .336 with 15 doubles and 38 RBIs and .335 with eight homeruns and 41 RBIs, respectively. Sophomore infielder Zach Miller claimed Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America plaudits a season ago, after hitting .324 with a team-leading 10 home runs and 61 RBIs.
Softball
The Billikens are eager to begin the 2010 campaign after inclement weather led to the cancellation of last weekend’s First Pitch Classic in Atlanta, Ga. The season will now begin Feb. 19 as the Bills travel to Hammond, La. for the Lion Classic. Jackson State University will serve as the Billikens’ first opponent with the first pitch set for 3 p.m.
The Billikens boast a deep and experienced squad, something that has not been the norm under head coach John Conway’s short tenure at SLU. Six position starters, two pitchers and Saint Louis’ top three hitters from a year ago return to the 2010 squad.
