Athletic awards and recognition

Claire Nordt, Sports Editor

CWRU women’s indoor track and field rank in top 25 for first time

On Jan. 10, it was announced that the women’s indoor track and field team was ranked 25th in the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Preseason Computer Rankings. This is the first time the team has received a ranking in the top 25 in the history of the CWRU track and field program. This replaces their previous highest ranking which occurred in 2010 when the Spartans were ranked 27th during the eighth week of their indoor season.

Hillary Hellmann named UAA Athlete of the Week twice this season

Fourth-year guard and forward Hillary Hellmann was named the University Athletic Association (UAA) Athlete of the Week on Jan. 2. Hellmann received the honor based on her play during the week of Dec. 17 to Jan. 1. During this time, she recorded double-doubles in games on Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, contributing to a Spartan win in both games. Hellmann averaged 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds during these two games.

Hellmann was also named the UAA Athlete of the Week on Jan. 14. She averaged 19.3 points over the weekend of Jan. 11, helping to contribute to three wins for the team during the week. This was her second time being named the UAA Athlete of the Week in the 2018-2019 season, and the fifth time in her career.

CWRU swimming and diving excel in the pool, classroom

The Case Western Reserve University’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams received the recognition of College Swimming Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) Scholastic All-America Team honor. The Spartans earned this honor based on the team’s academic performance during the fall semester. In order to receive the recognition, a team must achieve an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher. Both the men’s and women’s teams blew this out of the water by earning a 3.52 and 3.64 GPA, respectively. The men’s team tied for the seventh-highest GPA among all Division III men’s teams, and the women’s team ranks eighth among all Division III women’s teams.

Ilissa Hamilton amazed in first softball season, receives preseason recognition

On Wednesday Jan. 23, third-year softball player Ilissa Hamilton was named to the 2019 Fastpitch News National College Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Preseason All-American Second Team. Last season was Hamilton’s first as a Spartan, and she made a memorable debut. She led the UAA with an impressive 21 wins and 184 strikeouts. Throughout the season, she received the honor of UAA Pitcher of the Week five times and was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Notre Dame Super Regional. With her help, the Case Western Reserve University softball team was able to tie for fifth at the NCAA championships, a title that is the highest national finish for any team in the history of CWRU athletics.