Sports Briefs

Author: Sports Editors

Biking to benefit Brush '08
The first annual Kelly Brush Century Bike Ride will be held on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. to raise funds to enable Brush to purchase adaptive sports equipment. Brush '08 suffered a severe spinal cord injury during the Giant Slalom of the Williams Carnival last year. After taking last semester off, during which she spent three months rehabilating her injury in Denver, Brush is back on campus this fall. Unfortunately, she only has feeling above the chest level, and relies on a wheelchair to get around.
The race is being organized by the Middlebury Ski Team and will begin at 8:30 a.m. down in the Mods with each team member completing a loop of of either 50 or 100 miles throughout Addison County. As of last count over $33,000 has been raised, with an ambitious goal of $40,000.

Three new coaches join staff
Over the summer, the Athletic Department filled the coaching vacancies created by the departures of Nate Simms (women's tennis) and Forest Carey (Alpine Skiing) and new responsibilities for Erin Quinn (Director of Athletics) and David Saward (administrative duties).
Middlebury graduate Dave Cambell '00 returns to his Alma matter to coach a talented men's lacrosse team. During his time as a Middlebury lacrosse player he was a two-time All-American goalie who finished his career with a 7.83 GAA which ranks third on the school's all-time list. During his senior year, he captained the squad to its first ever NCAA championship. Success on the field led to success on the sideline immediately after graduation. He joined the Middlebury coaching staff as an assistant in 2001 and ventured to the Midwest in 2002 to coach the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In 2003, he took over as Connecticut College's head coach where he led the Camels to back-to-back NESCAC tournament appearances in 2004 and 2005. He will inherit a successful team and work hard to continue the winning tradition.
Mike Morgan was named the head coach of both women's racquet sports - tennis and squash. Morgan spent three years as head coach of the men's and women's tennis at Colby College. During that time, he also served as an assistant coach for both men's and women's squash teams. Since graduating from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California in 1996, he has traveled all over the country to coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, William and Mary, and Notre Dame. He will aim to improve on the women's tennis 11-7 record from last spring.
Stever Bartlett joins the Panthers from Park City, UT and the U.S. Ski Team where he last served as the assistant to the women's World Cup team. Bartlett also coached 2006 Olympic Gold medalist Julia Mancuso last season. No stranger to Midlebury, Bartlett's parents and brother attended Middlebury.

Women's golf wins by 47
The women's golf team is at it again. Over the weekend the crew of Heather Gallagher '07, Kerry Ortega '07, Allison Ortega '07, Julie Ellenberger '09 and Karen Levin '08 ran away with the St. Lawrence Invitational, for their third consecutive victory (dating back to last year). It was their fifth win in six tries.
"We just all played really well and when we all play really well we win," said Gallagher in between her fitness test.
The closest team was a full country away. Humber College, which is located in Canada, finished in second place, 47 shots behind. The Middlebury score of 628 would have been good enough for sixth place in the men's tournament, which was played at the same time and on the same course. Middlebury beat the Saints by such a large margin - 129 shots over two days - that one wonders will they be invited back?
All five players finished in the top 10 individually and captain Heather Gallagher '07 took home medalist honors with a 76-75 score of 151. "I think it raises the expectations for the rest of the season," said Gallagher. When asked to list her strengths, Gallagher said she made a lot of 5-8 foot putts, was accurate off of the tee and had her mental game at its best. Kerry Ortega '07 placed second with a two day total of 156 and Julie Ellenberger '09 rounded out the top 5 with a 160. Things couldn't have gone much better.
Next up for the Panthers is the Middlebury Invitational. The team has always finished first in this event. Four for sure has a nice ring to it.