AQ Athletics

AQ ATHLETIC BAND DEBUTS THIS FALL

The AQ Athletic Band debuts in the fall of 2018 and will be led by Ted Craig, director of athletic bands. Come to campus to see the band perform at various Saints basketball, volleyball, soccer and hockey games, as well as other select athletic and campus events. Also debuting this fall will be Aquinas’ new Fight Song!

AQUINAS HOSTS NAIA NATIONAL LACROSSE INVITATIONAL

From May 9–12, Aquinas College was the host of the 2018 NAIA Men’s and Women’s National Lacrosse Invitational. The 16-team tournament brought lacrosse teams from Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan and Missouri to Grand Rapids to compete on the AQ Athletic Field.

Aquinas will host the men’s and women’s tournaments again in May 2019.

BAKER & BROGGER AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Every year, the Aquinas athletic department honors two of its seniors with the prestigious Joseph Baker Award (male student-athlete) and Sister Helen Louise Brogger Award (female student-athlete). The seniors must meet the requirements established by the Alumni Association Leadership Council; the criteria include academic strength, service to the campus and community, and athletic involvement and success.

Joseph Baker Award

Paul Sommerville had a terrific four-year career on the AQ men’s lacrosse team. He is among the program’s all-time career leaders in caused turnovers and was on pace to join the school’s top 10 in games played before suffering a broken hand early in the 2018 season. Sommerville is a two-time WHAC All-Academic Team selection and a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete honoree.

Sommerville majored in business administration/sport management and German translation & interpretation. During his time at AQ, Sommerville took a week-long service trip to Kingston, Jamaica, where he was a member of the Lacrosse Volunteer Corps, coaching lacrosse and helping with various service projects. Sommerville also reads to second graders at William C. Abney Academy and volunteers at the Kid’s Family FunFest, raising money for the Kids’ Food Basket. He was one of nine student building managers in 2017–18 for the Sturrus Center, Alksnis and the AQ Athletic Field.

Sister Helen Louise Brogger Award

Adri Sigafoose finished her illustrious career as a 23-time All-American in track & field and cross country for the Saints. She won a pair of individual NAIA National Championships and was part of three AQ relay teams that were crowned national champions, giving her five track & field national titles during her career. Sigafoose was also a key figure in the Saints cross-country team capturing four consecutive WHAC championships, and helping AQ make three top-four team finishes at the National Championship cross-country competition.

Sigafoose holds 10 school records in track & field and was named the Most Valuable Performer at the 2018 Indoor Track & Field National Championships. A four-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete recipient, Sigafoose was a psychology major and biology minor and was involved with Psy-Chi, AQ’s Psychology Honors Club. She is a Sunday school youth leader at Lake City Christian Reformed Church and works with spinal cord injury patients in the summer.

2017–2018 SAINTS INDIVIDUAL ATHLETE HIGHLIGHTS

Marisa Spetoskey (Women’s volleyball) set a school and conference record with 56 digs in a single match | Melissa Winchester (Women’s cross country) named WHAC Runner of the Year | Marisa Spetoskey (Women’s volleyball) honored as WHAC Libero of the Year | Kylie Christensen (Women’s volleyball) chosen as WHAC Newcomer of the Year | Melissa Winchester (Women’s cross country) earned Great Lakes Region Runner of the Year award | Mike Wojciakowski (Women’s cross country) selected as Great Lakes Region Coach of the Year | Kylie Christensen (Women’s volleyball) named AVCA Mideast Region Freshman of the Year | Kyle Lovett (Men’s bowling) bowled first 300-game in school history | Momo Neal (Women’s basketball) earned WHAC Defensive Player of the Year honor | Arsenio Arrington (Men’s basketball) participated in NAIA National Slam Dunk competition | Adri Sigafoose (Women’s indoor track & field) named Great Lakes Region Track Athlete of the Year | Curtis Bell (Men’s indoor track & field) honored as Great Lakes Region Field Athlete of the Year | Levi Rowan (Men’s hockey) named NAIA Division Player of the Year | Geri Merrell (Women’s lacrosse) honored as WHAC Coach of the Year | Megan Pyrett (Women’s lacrosse) selected as WHAC Newcomer of the Year | Brad Koch (Softball) earned WHAC Coach of the Year honor | Briana Mairose (Softball) chosen as WHAC Player of the Year and WHAC Newcomer of the Year.

AQ PLACES THIRD IN ALL-SPORTS TROPHY STANDINGS

The Aquinas athletic department finished third out of 11 schools in the 2017–18 WHAC Fred Smith All-Sports Trophy final standings, with 88 total points across all of the conference’s sponsored sports.

SAINTS TEAM SPORT TITLES

During the 2017–18 season, Aquinas won conference titles in women's cross country and softball. The women’s crosscountry team was ranked #1 in the nation for the first time in school history, while the men’s hockey team won the NAIA Division Tournament. Aquinas teams also earned league runner-up finishes in men's soccer, men's indoor and outdoor track & field, women's indoor track & field and women's lacrosse. The Saints finished in third place in the WHAC in men's cross country, men's basketball, women's basketball, women's bowling, men's hockey and women's outdoor track & field.

TRACK & FIELD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Adri Sigafoose, 800 Meters | Indoors – Pittsburg, Kansas – March 3
Sigafoose finished in a time of 2:12.73 and won by a second and a half to claim her second individual national title.

Curtis Bell, Pole Vault | Indoors – Pittsburg, Kansas – March 3
Bell cleared the 5.00 meter height to capture the indoor pole vault national championship for the second year in a row.

Distance Medley Relay Team | Indoors – Pittsburg, Kansas – March 3
Melissa Winchester, Courtney Truss, Alexis Miller and Adri Sigafoose won the event in a time of 11:58.78, the third fastest time in school history.

Curtis Bell, Pole Vault | Outdoors – Gulf Shores, Alabama – May 26
Bell cleared 5.05 meters to win his first outdoor national title and the third national championship of his career.

2017–18 DAKTRONICS NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

2017-18 NAIA ALL-AMERICANS