Wisconsin-Whitewater Rallies Past Mount Union in NCAA Division III Championship Game

FOOTBALL

NCAA Division III

National Championship: Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl at Salem, Va.

Wisconsin-Whitewater 31, Mount Union 21

It's Déjà, Déjà, Déjà, Déjà, Déjà, Déjà Vu for Mount Union Football

Sixth Consecutive NCAA Division III Championship Game Awaits

Against Wisconsin-Whitewater (Again)

Mount Union overcame the loss of its starting quarterback to defeat Bethel (Minn.) 34-7 Saturday in the semifinal of the NCAA Division III football playoffs.

The Purple Raiders head to the championship game, December 18 at 3:30 p.m. at Salem, Va., where they will face defending champion Wisconsin-Whitewater. Both teams have 14-0 records including playoffs. This will be the sixth straight year the two teams have met for the national championship. Wisconsin-Whitewater is the defending champion, having defeated Mount Union last year 38-28, but Mount Union has won three of the five preceding title games against UW-W. A victory would give the Raiders their 11th national football championship, and Ohio independent colleges their 20th since 1942 (compared to the 15 won by Ohio public universities).

Tickets and other information about attending the game, known as the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, are available through Mount Union's web site. The contest will be televised nationally on the ESPNU cable network and on the radio on WRMU 91.1 FM and WDPN AM1310 (Alliance), WANR 1570 (Warren/Youngstown) and ESPN 970AM (Ashtabula).

Mount Union Reaches NCAA Division III Football Semifinal for 16th Consecutive Year

FOOTBALL

NCAA Division III

Quarterfinal, Dec. 4

Mount Union 37, Alfred 7

Semifinal, Dec. 11

Bethel (Minn.) at Mount Union, 12 noon EST

Tickets can be ordered here.

National Championship Game, Dec. 18

Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl at Salem, Va.

Bethel-Mount Union winner vs. Wisconsin Whitewater-Wesley (Del.) winner, 3:30 p.m. EST

Notre Dame Falls in High-Scoring NAIA Men's Soccer Final

Notre Dame College’s dream of an undefeated national championship ended in a barrage of goals by Hastings (Neb.), as the Falcons lost 5-3 in the final game of the NAIA men’s soccer tournament, Sunday in Orange Beach, Ala.

Notre Dame Men's Soccer Advances to NAIA Title Match; Otterbein Women Fall in NCAA Semifinal

A soccer story of Notre Dame winning in the national semifinal game is great news, from the standpoint of Ohio's independent colleges, no matter what happens elsewhere in the culture that dominates Columbus.

Men’s Soccer
NAIA Tournament at Orange Beach, Ala.
Semifinal, Dec. 3
Notre Dame 1, Mobile (Ala.) 0

National Championship Match
Sunday, Dec. 5
Notre Dame vs. Hastings (Neb.), 7 p.m. CST

The Otterbein women’s national title dream ended last night in a shootout that followed a scoreless tie with Hardin-Simmons.

Women’s Soccer
NCAA Division III Tournament at San Antonio, Texas
Semifinal, Dec. 3
Otterbein 0, Hardin-Simmons 0 (Hardin-Simmons won on penalty kicks, 4-2)

— Bob Burke

ODU Welcomes New President

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining the inauguration of Dr. Peter Cimbolic as the 15th president of Ohio Dominican University (ODU). Held in the recently completed Alumni Hall, the well-attended event honored both the institution's new leader and the growth of the university.

During the '00's, ODU was one of Ohio's fastest growing independent campuses, not only in enrollment, but also in physical development. In the past three years, ODU has completed the Alumni Hall adjacent, the Bishop James A. Griffith Student Center, a new residence facility, Lyham Hall, and Battelle Hall Science Center. It also acquired a nearby building that is being converted to classes for its adult-focused LEAD program. The changes will properly set the stage for next year's ODU Centennial.

ODU has long supported AICUO. Not only have two of Dr. Cimbolic's three most-recent predecessors served on the AICUO Executive Committee, but ODU trustee Tom Winters currently serves in that capacity.

The more unusual aspects of yesterday's inauguration included a wonderfully personal introduction of the new president by a faculty member from American University in Washington, D.C. Dr. Kathleen Cimbolic Gunthert is associate professor of psychology who happens to be Dr. Cimbolic's daughter. She spoke not only of her obvious affection for him, but also of his commitment to education. I must also compliment ODU's Chair of its Board of Trustees, Galen Barnes, who easily was funnier in his five minutes than every other board-chair speaker I have ever heard at an inauguration.

Since I met President Cimbolic several months ago, I have seen him move matters forward on campus that elsewhere would have required months or years of unnecessary contemplation for its own sake. Yesterday's events formally commenced—for the better—a new era at Ohio Dominican University.

—C. Todd Jones

Otterbein Women's Soccer in NCAA Division III Semifinal Friday

Women’s Soccer

NCAA Division III Tournament at San Antonio, Texas

Semifinal, Dec. 3

Otterbein vs. Hardin-Simmons (Texas), 5 p.m. CST

Final, Dec. 5

Otterbein-Hardin-Simmons winner vs. William Smith (N.Y.)-Messiah (Pa.) winner, 6 p.m. CST

—Bob Burke

Notre Dame Men’s Soccer Wins, Plays in NAIA Semifinal Friday

Men’s Soccer

NAIA Tournament at Orange Beach, Ala.

Quarterfinal, Dec. 1

Notre Dame 2, Grand View (Iowa) 1

Semifinal, Dec. 3

Notre Dame vs. Mobile (Ala.), 4 p.m. CST