Northwestern University Athletics
2001 Northwestern Athletic Summer Highlights
9/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 4, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Just because it was summer, that did not mean Northwestern's athletes were stagnant. Below are some of the accomplishments achieved by Northwestern athletes and coaches during the summer months:
Baseball
* Two 2001 graduates, catcher Joe Hietpas and pitcher Michael Nall, were selected in the Major League Baseball draft. Hietpas was a 16th-round pick of the New York Mets, while Nall was a 28th-round selection of the Philadelphia Phillies. After a successful summer campaign in the Mets' system, Hietpas was sent to the instructional league, where top prospects are sent for winter training.
Men's Basketball
* Senior Tavaras Hardy finished third on the team with 12.3 ppg and tied for second on the team with 5.8 rpg as the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team went a perfect 6-0 during a tour of England and Ireland from August 10-19. Hardy led the team in scoring twice as the Big Ten team had its first unbeaten tour since 1995.
Women's Basketball
* Junior Ashley Messenger averaged 4.4 ppg and 1.8 rpg as the Big Ten Foreign Tour Team went a perfect 5-0 on a tour of France. The tour took place from August 9-18.
Women's Fencing
* For the second year in a row, assistant coach Ed Kaihatsu won both the national veteran men's foil and sabre championships. He won both events at the national championships in Sacramento, Calif., July 4-5.
* 2001 graduate Carly Wells made the final of the Division 1 and Division 1A women's sabre events at the national championships, while senior Marijke Weldon took fifth in Division 2 women's sabre.
Men's Golf
* 2001 graduate Luke Donald won the Northeast Amateur title for the second year in a row, defeating Eric Compton in the fifth hole of a playoff in Rumford, R.I. Donald's 72-hole score was a 1-over-par 277.
* Donald also led the Great Britain & Ireland team August 11-12 at the Walker Cup in Sea Island, Ga. Donald went 3-1, including wins in both of his singles matches, as GB&I defended its crown from 1999. The Walker Cup is golf's amateur version of the Ryder Cup. Donald then made his professional debut August 23 at the Reno-Tahoe Open.
* Sophomore Tom Johnson advanced to match-play competition at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in San Antonio, Texas. Johnson finished tied for eighth in the two rounds of stroke play to begin the event, but then fell to Michael Austin in the first round of match play, 3 and 2.
Women's Golf
* Junior Elizabeth Burden won the championship flight of the Illinois Women's State Amateur championship, defeating defending champion Pam Holcombe 5-and-3 in the final June 22 at the Country Club of Peoria. En route to the title, Burden defeated senior teammate Emily Gilley in the quarterfinal round, 2-up.
* Gilley won the Illinois Women's Open for the second straight year from July 26-28, defeating Beth Hermes - sister of Gilley's NU teammate, Christie Hermes - by four strokes. Gilley carded a 7-over-par 223 at the par-72 Mistwood GC in Romeoville.
* Burden and Gilley competed at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, which was held July 30-August 4 at the par-71 Flint Hills National GC in Wichita, Kan. Burden advanced to the 64-player match play field after tying for 20th in stroke play (74-75--149). In match play, she defeated Natalie Easterly (3 and 2) and Christina Kim (3 and 2) before falling to Joo-Mik Kim (2-up). Gilley (t-120th/81-84--165) did not advance to match play. Lauren Grzebien was an alternate for the tournament.
Women's Lacrosse
* Head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller helped Team USA win the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Assocations (IFWLA) World Cup in High Wycombe, England, from July 7-14. Amonte had 13 goals and 15 assists for 28 points as the Americans went unbeaten in six games. She had a goal and two assists in the championship game, a 14-8 win over Australia.
Women's Swimming
* Sophomore Erica Rose won the 10-kilometer Open Water Women's National Championship on June 23 in Daytona Beach, Fla. She finished 14th at the World Championships on July 19 in Fukuoka, Japan.
* Sophomore Vicky West placed fourth in the 5-kilometer race August 19 at the USA Swimming Open Water Championships. Her time was 1:03:01.79.
