Averett Athletics Moments in History Bracket Challenge logo 2020

Averett Athletics "Moments In History" Bracket Challenge

64 Moment Bracket2.jpg

We want Averett fans and alumni to decide the greatest moment in Averett Athletics history! We've looked through the record books and archives to find 64 moments over the past 40-plus years in Averett Athletics. We realize it is impossible to account for every single great moment with only 64 slots, so we've tried to balance championships, big-time individual performances, awards and notable dates while including each of our 19 programs. 

 

How do you vote? Go to Averett Athletics' Twitter account @AverettUCougars

 

Below we've listed the matchups side by side:

Mascots

ROUND 1 MATCHUPS

EAST REGION

MEN'S GOLF WINS 2003 NATIONAL TITLE vs. AVERETT ADDS ESPORTS PROGRAM

GOLF WINS NATIONAL TITLE: (5/15/2003) Golf wins the 2003 national championship, with Janne Mommo winning medalist honors.
AVERETT ADDS ESPORTS: (10/30/2017) Averett announces the launching of its esports competitive gaming team as a club sport.

AARON BECOMES AU'S FIRST TWO-TIME ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN vs. NORTH CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION

AARON IS AVERETT'S FIRST TWO--TIME ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN: (12/11/12) Volleyball’s Paige Aaron, a 2019 Hall of Fame inductee, was named a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection for the second time, becoming Averett’s first two-time recipient in any sport.
AVERETT NORTH CAMPUS GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY: (5/5/1995) Then-Averett College holds its official ground-breaking ceremony for its North Campus athletics complex, home of Averett Athletics..

SOFTBALL'S 2017 CONFERENCE TITLE vs. SEAN BOWMAN' SETS CAREER RUSHING TOUCHDOWN RECORD

SOFTBALL RALLIES TO WIN 2017 USA SOUTH TOURNAMENT: (4/15/2017) Softball beats Ferrum 8-7 in extra innings to capture the USA South Conference Tournament championship and earn an NCAA Regional berth.
BOWMAN SETS CONFERENCE RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS MARK: (11/10/2018) Running back Sean Bowman sets the USA South Conference career record with his 42nd rushing touchdown of his career.

KAARTINEN BECOMES AVERETT'S FIRST ALL-AMERICAN vs. AVERETT ADDS LACROSSE/WRESTLING

KAARTINEN NAMED AVERETT'S FIRST ALL-AMERICAN: (1980) Men’s soccer’s Pekka Kaartinen is selected as the first All-American award winner of any sport in school history. He is an Averett and USA South Hall of Famer.
SPORTS ADDITION: (5/12/2016): Averett announces it is adding three sports – men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling – which began play in 2017-18.

BASEBALL WINS 2003 CONFERENCE TITLE vs. MWANGI BECOMES FIRST THREE-TIME FIRST TEAM MEN'S RUNNER

TOP64 baseball 2003 conference title first 1
BASEBALL WINS 2003 TITLE: (4/19/2003) Baseball wins its first conference tournament championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
MWANGI THREE-PEATS ON FIRST TEAM: (1996) Men's cross country’s Milton Mwangi earns all-conference first team honors for the third consecutive season, making him the only runner in program history to accomplish that feat.

VOLLEYBALL WINS RECORD 55 CONFERENCE MATCHES IN A ROW vs. WOMEN'S SOCCER'S MCCARTNEY SCORES RECORD SIX GOALS

VOLLEYBALL WINS 55 CONFERENCE GAMES IN A ROW: (10/11/1996) Volleyball wins a progra-record 55 straight regular season conference matches.
TOP64 Womens soccer Kristen McCartney six goals in game 1.jpg
MCCARTNEY NETS RECORD SIX GOALS: (9/4/2004) Women’s soccer’s Kristen McCartney scores a program- and conference-record six goals and 12 points against Midway.

MEN'S TENNIS WINS 1987 CONFERENCE CROWN vs. WRESTLING'S BRASWELL NETS PROGRAM'S FIRST REGION TITLE

MEN'S TENNIS WINS FIRST CONFERENCE TITLE: (4/18/1987) Men’s tennis wins its first ever conference championship in program history.
BRASWELL EARNS PROGRAM'S FIRST REGION TITLE: (2/29/2020) Wrestling’s Sam Braswell wins the first NCAA Regional crown in program history to qualify for the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

BASEBALL'S DOOLEY NAMED NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR vs. MEN'S LACROSSE PICKS UP PROGRAM'S FIRST WIN

DOOLEY WINS NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE YEAR: (2000) Baseball’s Jason Dooley is named NCBWA Division III National Pitcher of the Year.
Mens Lacross first win celebration
MLAX WINS FIRST GAME IN PROGRAM HISTORY: (3/15/2019) Men’s lacrosse beats the Franciscan University of Steubenville, 7-3, at home for its first ever victory.

NORTH REGION

VOLLEYBALL WINS RECORD 10 CONSECUTIVE TITLES vs. AVERETT ADDS DANCE PROGRAM

VOLLEYBALL WINS 10 TITLES IN A ROW: (10/31/2000) Volleyball clinches its 10th consecutive regular season title, the longest such streak in conference and program history. Less than two weeks later, the team won its first ever NCAA Tournament match, 3-0, vs. Salisbury.
Dance homecoming 2019
AVERETT ADDS DANCE: (3/11/2019) Averett announces the addition of competitive dance as a club sport.

SOFTBALL CLINCHES FIRST NCAA BERTH vs. AMY CROSS WINS BACK-TO-BACK DON SCALF AWARDS

SOFTBALL WINS 2004 USA SOUTH TOURNEY: (4/18/2004) Softball wins the USA South Conference Tournament championship for the first time in program history to advance to its first-ever NCAA Tournament.
TOP64 Amy Cross Don Scalf award 2
CROSS REPEATS AS SCALF AWARD RECIPIENT: (1997) Amy Cross is named the USA South’s Don Scalf Award recipient for the second consecutive year, making her the first two-time recipient.

HEIDI SARKKINEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOUR-PEAT vs. BASEBALL'S MERRIMAN DRAFTED

SARKKINEN PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOUR-PEAT: (4/25/2019) Women’s tennis’ Heidi Sarkkinen becomes the second women’s tennis player in conference history to win USA South Conference Player of the Year in all four years.
MERRIMAN DRAFTED: (6/3/1998) Baseball’s Terrell Merriman is drafted in the 34th round by Major League Baseball’s Chicago White Sox, making him the first player in program history to be drafted.

MEN'S BASKETBALL TITLE THREE-PEAT vs. MILLER EARNS RECORD NINTH COACH OF YEAR AWARD

MEN'S BASKETBALL WINS THREE TITLES IN A ROW: (2/28/2009) Men’s basketball wins the 2009 USA South Conference Tournament championship for the third consecutive time to earn a third consecutive NCAA berth.
MILLER GETS NINTH COACH OF YEAR: (11/2/2017) Volleyball’s Danny Miller is named the USA South Coach of the Year for the ninth time, a league record.

HUTCHESON LEADS NCAA IN TACKLES vs. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL'S FIRST TITLE

HUTCHESON LEADS NATION IN TACKLES: (11/10/2001) Football’s Kelvin Hutcheson finishes the season with 125 tackles to lead the nation in tackles.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GETS FIRST BANNER: (2/6/2019) Women’s basketball beats Meredith 64-56 for its first ever USA South East Division regular season title.

SAMM CHANDLER NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA OF THE YEAR vs. GOLF'S ELIAS HAAVISTO NAMED TOP FRESHMAN

SAMM CHANDLER NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA OF THE YEAR: (3/14/2018) Samm Chandler is named Division III Women’s Basketball Academic All-America of the Year after being selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Team for the third consecutive year.
HAAVISTO NAMED NATION'S TOP ROOKIE: (4/28/2020) Golf’s Elias Haavisto was named the Division III Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman.

MEN'S SOCCER BEATS EVENTUAL NATIONAL CHAMP vs. AVERETT'S FIRST HALL OF FAME CLASS INDUCTED

MEN'S SOCCER TOPS EVENTUAL NATIONAL CHAMP: (9/20/1982) Men’s soccer knocks off No. 3-ranked and eventual national champion UNC-Greensboro, 2-1.
FIRST HALL OF FAME CLASS: (10/17/1998) Longtime coach/athletics director Vesa Hiltunen and men’s soccer standout Pekka Kaartinen are inducted into the inaugural class of the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame. Both are also members of the USA South Conference Hall of Fame.

FOOTBALL'S FIRST CONFERENCE TITLE vs. MEN'S BASKETBALL'S JAMES CONTRERAS SCORES 42

FOOTBALL WINS FIRST TITLE: (11/11/2006) Football beats Maryville 58-44 to earn a share of the USA South Conference championship.
CONTRERAS SCORES PROGRAM-HIGH 42 POINTS: (1/12/18) James Contreras Jr. scores a career-high 42 points versus Covenant to set the program single-game scoring record. He has two of the three 40-point games in program history.

SOUTH REGION

MEN'S SOCCER ADVANCES TO NCAA QUARTERFINALS vs. SAAC WINS FIFTH CONSECUTIVE CANS ACROSS THE CONFERENCE

MEN'S SOCCER MAKES NCAA QUARTERFINALS: (11/15/1980) Men’s soccer advances to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals with a 1-0 shutout victory over Kean.
SAAC NETS FIFTH 'CANS' WIN IN A ROW: (11/22/2019) Averett SAAC sets a USA South record with its fifth straight “Cans Across the Conference” victory.

PERNILLA MILTON NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR vs. ARMANDO REYES SETS CONFERENCE RECORD FOR BATTING AVERAGE

TOP64_womens_soccer_Pernilla_Milton_POY.jpg
PERNILLA MILTON EARNS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: (11/2/2011) Women’s soccer’s Pernilla Milton is named the USA South Conference Player of the Year, the first in program history.
REYES HITS RECORD .521: (4/21/2001) Armando Reyes finishes the season with a conference-record .521 batting average in the same year he won the USA South Conference’s Player of the Year.

WRESTLING GETS THREE NCAA QUALIFIERS vs. BETH BUCKWALTER EARNS ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM ALL FOUR YEARS

WRESTLING'S FIRST NCAA QUALIFIERS: (2/23/2019) Wrestling’s Sam Braswell, Brandon Woody and Jared Lough all place in the top three in the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament to become the first NCAA Tournament qualifiers in program history.
BUCKWALTER NAMED TO FIRST TEAM ALL FOUR YEARS: (1998) Women's cross country’s Beth Buckwalter earns all-conference first team honors for the fourth consecutive season, making her the only runner in program history to accomplish that feat.

ELINA TOLPPA EARNS SECOND ALL-AMERICA HONOR vs. GOLF'S BRANDON GROGAN WINS 2013 USA SOUTH TITLE

TOLPPA NAMED ALL-AMERICAN FOR SECOND TIME: (1997) Women’s tennis’ Elina Tolppa earns her second straight ITA All-America Selection after becoming the first female All-American in school history the previous year.
GROGAN WINS USA SOUTH TITLE: (4/14/2013) Golf’s Brandon Grogan captures the USA South Conference Championship individual medalist title, the first Cougar to do so in program history.

SOFTBALL's DIX, HALL EARN ALL-AMERICA & ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS vs. FOOTBALL's MOORE NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

ACADEMIC & ATHLETIC ALL-AMERICANS: (5/27/2015) Softball’s Taylor Dix and Samantha Hall became the first student-athletes in Averett Athletics history to earn both All-America and Academic All-America honors in the same season.
MOORE NAMED DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: (2006) Football’s Jermaine Moore is named the USA South’s Defensive Player of the Year after previously being named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2002. He's the only Cougar to win both awards.

ANTILA WINS CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOUR TIMES vs. JORDAN, TALBERT EARN FIRST MAJOR WOMEN'S LACROSSE AWARDS

ANTILA'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOUR-PEAT: (2003) Men’s tennis’ Veli-Pekka Antila becomes first athlete in school history to win four USA South Player of the Year awards in a career (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003).
FIRST MAJOR WOMEN'S LACROSSE AWARDS: (2006) Vanessa Jordan was named USA South Conference Rookie of the Year and Katie Tabert was voted Coach of the Year for the first major awards in the program’s history during the first era of the program.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY WINS 1997 TITLE vs. SOFTBALL'S LONG NETS THIRD ALL-AMERICA NOD

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY GETS TITLE: (1997) Women’s cross country wins its first official conference championship.
LONG GETS THIRD ALL-AMERICA HONOR: (5/24/2017) Softball’s Jessica Long is named a First Team All-American by NFCA as an at-large. This was her third time being named an All-American, a program record.

WOMEN'S SOCCER WINS 2012 CONFERENCE TITLE vs. VOLLEYBALL GOES UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE

WOMEN'S SOCCER WINS FIRST TITLE: (11/03/2012): Women’s soccer wins the 2012 USA South Conference Tournament championship in OT, clinching its first NCAA Tournament berth.
VOLLEYBALL GOES UNDEFEATED IN CONFERENCE PLAY: (11/6/1993) Volleyball wins its second Conference Tournament title after going undefeated in conference play for the first time in program history.

WEST REGION

MEN'S BASKETBALL WINS FIRST TITLE ON WAY TO SWEET 16 vs. CHEER EARNS BACK-TO-BACK CCA TITLES

MEN'S BASKETBALL GETS FIRST BANNER: (2/24/1990) Men’s basketball wins its first ever conference championship beating CNU 64-62 before making a run to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.
CHEER CAPTURES ANOTHER CCA CROWN: (3/2/2019) Cheerleading wins second straight CCA Grand National Championship.

ROCCIA NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA IN TWO SPORTS vs. WESTBERRY KICKS WAY TO ALL-AMERICA STATUS

ROCCIA A TWO-SPORT ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAN: (6/19/2019) Alixis Roccia becomes the first Averett student-athlete to earn Academic All-America honors in two sports, receiving the honors in women's basketball and women's lacrosse.
WESTBERRY NAMED ALL-AMERICAN: (12/15/17)Football’s Cole Westberry earns D3football All-America First Team honors at kicker, the program’s first-ever First Team All-America selection.

HADEN BECOMES VOLLEYBALL'S FIRST THREE-TIME PLAYER OF THE YEAR vs. VOLLEYBALL GETS FIRST NCAA BERTH

HADEN THREE-PEAT: (1993) Volleyball’s Lynn Haden becomes Averett’s first three-time conference Player of the Year.
VOLLEYBALL GETS FIRST NCAA BERTH: (11/6/1999) Volleyball wins the conference tournament championship to advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.

SHIELDS ALL-AMERICA FOUR-PEAT vs. WOMEN'S LACROSSE MAKES CONFERENCE FINALS

SHIELDS ALL-AMERICA FOUR-PEAT: (11/14/17) Volleyball’s Hannah Shields earns AVCA All-America honors for the fourth consecutive year less than two weeks after being named USA South Conference Player of the Year for the third time.
Women lacrosse Elizabeth Peasley prepares to shoot against Ferrum College.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE GETS TO TITLE GAME: (4/26/2019) Women’s lacrosse beats Piedmont, 15-12, in the USA South Conference Tournament semifinals to advance to the championship game in just its second year of competition after the program's return at Averett.

SCHLEDORN WINS BACK-TO-BACK RUNNER OF THE YEAR vs. SOFTBALL BEATS BERRY FOR FIRST NCAA WIN

TOP64 Beth Schledorn womens cross country 2
SCHLEDORN'S POY REPEAT: (1998) Women's cross country’s Beth Schledorn wins second straight Conference Runner of the Year.
SOFTBALL GETS FIRST NCAA WIN: (5/8/2015) Softball earned its first-ever NCAA Regional win with a 4-1 victory over Berry after the team secured an at-large bid.

MARTTI MAKES NATIONAL MEN'S TENNIS SEMIFINALS vs. FOOTBALL HOLDS GREENSBORO TO 9 YARDS

TOP64 Tapio Martti mens tennis 2
MARTTI MAKES NATIONAL SEMIFINALS: (5/9/1987) Men’s tennis’ Tapio Martti makes it to the singles semifinals of the Division III national tournament to finish his career ranked sixth in the nation.
STRONG DEFENSE: (10/5/19) Football’s defense limited Greensboro to only 9 yards of total offense, a USA South Conference single-game record.

VOLLEYBALL WINS FIRST CONFERENCE TITLE vs. WILSON RUSHES FOR RECORD SIX TOUCHDOWNS

FIRST TITLE FOR VOLLEYBALL: (11/7/1992) Volleyball wins its first ever conference tournament championship.
WILSON'S SIX TOUCHDOWNS: (10/15/2005) Football's Kyle Wilson rushes for six touchdowns against N.C. Wesleyan, which is still a USA South Conference record for a single game.

LAFLAMME WINS THIRD PLAYER OF THE YEAR, FIRST ALL-AMERICA HONOR vs. JEFFERSON'S 100-YARD KICK RETURN

LAFLAMME'S BIG AWARDS: (1997) Volleyball's Brenda LaFlamme becomes Averett’s second three-time conference player of the year and first volleyball All-America selection when she was named to the AVCA All-America Third Team.
JEFFERSON TAKES IT TO THE HOUSE: (9/2/18) Football’s Bradley Jefferson returns a kickoff a conference-record 100 yards to open the season against Hampden-Sydney.

Read More