Winter 2011/2012 - Tiffin University

Cross CountryWomen’s TennisTiffin’s Colin Fisher wasnamed GLIAC Freshmanof the Year at theconference championships,helping to leadthe Dragons to a 6thplace finish.From start to finish, the Tiffin University men’s andwomen’s cross country season will go down as oneto remember.For the men, freshman Colin Fisher had the perfect collegiatedebut at the Carson-Newman XC Challenge. He ran25:34.87 (8K) to win the race and set a new meet record as theDragons scored 23 points to win the meet. Sophomore BrentHunter finished among the top five as well.At the GLIAC Championships, Fisher continued his strongseason placing ninth with a time of 26:11.25 (8K). Not only didhe earn All-GLIAC honors but was named GLIAC Freshman ofthe Year. Tiffin placed sixth as a team with 171 points.The Dragons closed the season by scoring 287 points toplace 10th at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Championship.Fisher and freshman David Knack finished among thetop 35 in the race. The men scored 287 points to finish 10th.The women scored 262 points to place 10th.For the women, TU started the same way the men did, scoring23 points to win the Carson-Newman XC Challenge. Finishingamong the top five were freshman Jessica Kern, sophomoreAshley Gilroy, junior Carly Reese and senior Becky Miller.Following a sixth place finish at the GLIAC Championships,the Dragons bounced back at the NCAA Division IIMidwest Regional Championship to place 10th as a team.Gilroy led the way finishing 14th with a time of 22:35.10 (6K),which was the second fastest in school history. Gilroy becamejust the third women’s runner in TU history to earn all-regionhonors.Tiffin’s women’s tennis team had an improved season,going 6-8 overall, 4-8 in the GLIAC and just missing the GLIACtournament by dropping their last match of the fall season.Tiffin University’s Malaika Messi and Taylor Cooperearned their second consecutive All-GLIAC honors.Messi was named Second Team for the second time,while Cooper landed Honorable Mention for the second yearin a row. Messi finished the season with a 9-4 singles record.Men’s GolfTiffin University had its best finishever at the GLIAC Championships,taking second by 11 strokes overWayne State with a three-roundtotal of 903. Only Grand Valley Statefinished with a lower total, betteringTU’s total by 16 strokes with an 887.The Dragons benefited fromtheir top four golfers all finishingwithin 6 strokes of each other.Dillon Klein was the top placingDragons golfer, finishing 7th withrounds of 75, 71, and 77 for 223.Blake DeBruyn was next in 8thplace with 225 (76-73-76) whileTyler Maranville took 10th with 226(77-73-76).Malaika Messi earnedanother All-GLIACselection, her secondconsecutive honor,finishing with a 9-4singles record..Blake DeBruyn was one ofthe leaders of the men’s golfprogram, which posted itsbest ever finish at the GLIACChampionships by takingsecond place. DeBruyn alsoearned medalist honors atthe Kyle Ryman Memorial.Jon Klein was 17th with a 229 score, improving from anopening round 80 to 77 in round two and 72 in round three.Jason Crow rounded out the top five for TU, firing 265.Tiffin University dominated play at the annual Kyle‘Ryman Memorial, shooting 591 to outdistance SouthernIndiana’s 628. Notre Dame College came in third with 662,followed closely by Urbana’s 663 and Heidelberg’s 665. BlakeDeBruyn took medalist honors, shooting 71-76-147 while DillonKlein was one stroke behind with 73-75-148.SportsSceneClassSceneWINTER 2011 / 12 | CHALLENGE | 57