Warncke Earns 2008-09 SLIAC Post-Graduate Scholarship

2009 Westminster College graduate Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Missouri/Francis Howell Central) has been named one-of-two St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) Post-Graduate Scholarships recipients. Warncke is the second Westminster award winner since the scholarship was established in 2002-03 (click for SLIAC release).

Warncke And Fellow Seniors Named Athletes Of The Year

Fulton, Mo. - Seniors Andrew Darkow, Abby Stuck and Jason Warncke have a few things in common. Each has been active on campus, each has earned all-conference honors in their sport and each has been a part of a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champion team. And, that is why the three are the 2008-09 Westminster College Athletes of the Year (click for more).

Youth Basketball Camp To Be Held At Westminster College

The Historic Gymnasium on the campus of Westminster College will be the site of the 2009 Westminster College Basketball Camp from Monday, June 1, through Friday, June 5. The camp runs each day from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and provides individual instruction, station work and competitive games for boys and girls in the third grade through incoming freshman.

For additional information contact: Tracey Braden, Westminster College Women’s Basketball Coach, at 573-592-5345, or access an entry form on the Westminster web site (click for form).

Westminster Basketball Players Honored for Academics

Six Westminster College basketball players have been named to the 2008-09 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) All-Academic Team. The recipients were varsity members of the men's and women's basketball squads. Other selection criteria include: (1) Minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average, (2) At least sophomore academic standing and (3) Have at least one full year at current institution (first year transfers and true freshmen are not eligible).

Men's Basketball:
Mike Crawford, Sr., Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City, Business/Marketing/Finance
Buddy Sodemann, Sr., Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway West, Physical Education
Jason Warncke, Sr., St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central, Biochemistry/Pre-Med

Women's Basketball:
Heather Collums, Sr., Bartlesville, Okla./Bartlesville, Physical Education
Vicki Flynn, So., Little Rock, Ark./Mount St. Mary, Biology/Pre-Med
Whitney Griffin, Jr., Jefferson City, Mo./Helias, International Business

Click for SLIAC Release

Westminster Players And Coaches Honored By The SLIAC

Both Westminster College basketball teams are well represented on the all-conference teams recently announced by the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Three Westminster women and Coach Tracey Braden were honored. Senior Ashley Stanfill (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) and freshman Rachel Backes (Tipton, Mo./Tipton) earned second-team all-conference recognition. Stanfill, who averaged a team-high 11.6 points and 5.9 rebounds a game this season, also was named to the all-tournament team for her play in the conference tournament. Backes averaged 10.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and two assists a game in her first collegiate campaign. Senior Heather Collums (Bartlesville, Okla./Bartlesville) was named to the all-defensive team. Collums averaged 7.4 points and 2.9 rebounds a game. Coach Braden, who is in her second year at Westminster, has been named 2009 SLIAC Co-Coach of the Year. Braden led the Blue Jays (12-13) to a tie for second in the league standings at 11-5, the best league finish in the 17-year history of the women’s basketball program.

Four Westminster men and Coach Matt Mitchell were recognized. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central/Meramec CC) and senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) were named to the all-conference second team. Crawford averaged a team-high 14.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 steals a game, and also earned a spot on the all-defensive team. Warncke averaged 12 points a game and finished his career with 816 points. Junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) was named to the all-defensive team for the season and the all-tournament team for his play in the conference tournament. Millard averaged 8.7 points and 4.4 rebounds a game this season. In two tournament games, Millard averaged 20 points, seven rebounds and 6.5 assists. Sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) averaged 10 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in two tournament games to earn a spot on the all-tournament team. Coach Mitchell, who is in his 11th year at Westminster, is the 2009 SLIAC Men’s Coach of the Year. This is his first coach of the year award and the first honor for a Westminster men's basketball coach. Mitchell led the Blue Jays (20-7) to a share of the regular season title at 12-4, the first SLIAC league title for the Westminster men.

Click for SLIAC Release

Westminster Men Fall Short In SLIAC Title Game (click for stats)

The Westminster College men missed out on an opportunity to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Basketball Tournament, falling to host Fontbonne University 87-82 in the 2009 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament title game Saturday in St. Louis.

Saturday’s championship game was a game of runs. Westminster (20-7) led 32-24 with 7:43 remaining in the first half. Fontbonne (18-8) went on an 11-0 run to lead 35-32. The two teams exchanged leads before going to halftime tied 38-38. Early in the second half Fontbonne went on top 55-44. Fontbonne called time out with a 61-53 lead, but Westminster reeled off 10 unanswered points to grab a 63-61 advantage. Fontbonne used a 13-point run to extend a one-point advantage to a 78-65 lead with 5:08 remaining in the game. Westminster would cut the deficit to 84-81 with 13.8 seconds on the clock, however Fontbonne held on for the win and the right to represent the SLIAC in the national tournament.

Junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) paced the Blue Jays with 25 points and eight rebounds and landed a spot on the all-tournament team. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) added 20 points and sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) tallied 17 points for a Westminster team that went just 4-of-12 at the charity stripe. Josh Branch made eight 3-pointers and finished with 30 points for Fontbonne, which awaits Sunday’s announcement of the national tournament pairings.

Click Here For SLIAC Tournament Page, Audio Link And More...

Westminster Men Reach SLIAC Tournament Final (click for stats)

The Westminster College men advanced to the 2009 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament final with a 96-91 overtime victory over Webster University Friday evening at Fontbonne University in St. Louis. The Blue Jays meet host Fontbonne, an 86-67 winner over Maryville University, in Saturday’s 7:00 p.m. championship game.

Westminster (20-6) held a slim 40-38 lead at halftime and the two teams entered overtime at 80 apiece in a game that had 10 lead changes and 12 ties. In the extra period, the Blue Jays took the lead for good at 85-82 and made 7-of-8 free throws in the final 37 seconds to preserve the win.

Seven players scored in double figures for Westminster, led by sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias), who scored 16 points off the bench. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) added 15 points, and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) finished with 15 points, six rebounds and nine assists in 43 minutes. Senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) finished with 14 points for Westminster. Ryan Turk scored a game-high 40 points for Webster (14-12).

SLIAC Tournament Brackets Set (click for more information)

WC Drops Finale And Right To Host Tournament (click for stats)

Westminster College dropped its season finale 80-67 to Fontbonne University in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Tuesday in St. Louis. The loss cost the conference co-champion Blue Jays (19-6, 12-4 SLIAC) sole possession of the league title and the right to host this weekend’s conference tournament. The win gives Fontbonne (16-8, 12-4 SLIAC) a share of the title, the top seed in the tournament and the right to host.

Westminster and Fontbonne were deadlocked 29-29 at halftime, then Fontbonne used a run midway through the second half to pull away and secure the win. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) led the Blue Jays with 21 points and five rebounds, while senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) and sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) each added 10 points for Westminster. Brian Fogerty tallied 24 points and 14 rebounds for a Fontbonne squad which won the battle of the boards 46-32.

Second-seeded Westminster meets third-seeded Webster University at 6:00 p.m. Friday in one conference tournament semi-final at Fontbonne. Host and top-seeded Fontbonne meets fourth-seeded Maryville in the 8:00 p.m. semi-final.

Westminster Men Clinch Share Of League Crown (click for stats)

The Westminster College men clinched a share of the 2008-09 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference league title with an 87-66 Senior Day victory over Eureka College Saturday in Fulton. With the win, the Blue Jays (19-5, 11-3 SLIAC) also tied for the second most wins in a season in school history, matching the win total of the 1984-85 team that finished 19-9.

Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) had the hot hand for Westminster Saturday, going 4-of-6 from long range to score a game-high 24 points while grabbing seven rebounds and recording three steals. Sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) came off the bench to finish with 18 points in 18 minutes of play. Senior Ty Cochran (St. Louis, Mo./Vianney) hit three shots from downtown to finish with nine points, and senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) tallied eight points and seven rebounds. Senior Kurt Kuschel (Chamois, Mo./Chamois) added three points and two rebounds, and senior Buddy Sodemann (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway West) scored one point, but contributed six assists, three rebounds and two steals. Brady Wildenradt scored 19 points for Eureka (12-12, 9-6 SLIAC).

Westminster plays at Fontbonne University Tuesday. With a win, the Blue Jays win the outright league title and host next week’s conference tournament.

Blue Jay Men Down Principia To Remain On Top (click for stats)

Westminster College maintained a hold on first place in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball standings with an 84-56 home win over Principia College Wednesday. With 18 wins, the Blue Jays (18-5, 11-3 SLIAC) have now recorded the third highest season win total in the 94-year history of Westminster men’s basketball.

The Blue Jays jumped out to a 41-27 lead at halftime and in the second the Westminster bench emptied with 16 players seeing action and 15 players scoring. Junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) and senior Ty Cochran (St. Louis, Mo./Vianney) each tallied 10 points to pace the Blue Jay attack. Todd Zimmerman and Sam Douglas each finished with 12 points for Principia (1-21, 0-14 SLIAC).

Westminster Still On Top After 91-73 Home Victory (click for stats)

Westminster College remained in first place in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball standings with a 91-73 victory over MacMurray College Saturday in Fulton.

The Blue Jay men (17-5, 10-3 SLIAC) have reached the 17-win plateau for the second year in a row and have three games remaining in the regular season. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) paced the way for Westminster, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) added 15 points, while sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rick Bridge) each contributed 10 points for the Blue Jays. MacMurray (5-17, 4-9 SLIAC) was led by Farrid Coleman's game-high 26 points.

Blue Jays Win First-Place Showdown At Greenville (click for stats)

Westminster College led 29-20 at halftime on the way to a 73-54 win over Greenville College Saturday in Greenville, Illinois, in a game pitting two-of-three teams tied for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's lead when the day began. With Fontbonne University's 90-81 win over Maryville University Saturday, Westminster and Fontbonne are now tied for the top spot at 9-3.

The Blue Jays (16-5, 9-3 SLIAC) shot 50 percent from the floor and held Greenville to 39 percent shooting, and got double figure scoring from four players. Sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) came off the bench to score a game-high 15 points and senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) added 12 points. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) finished with 13 points, and Westminster senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) tallied 13 points in his second game back from injury. LaPhonso Ellis and Obinna Agomo each scored 12 points for Greenville (11-10, 8-4 SLIAC).

Warncke Named To CoSIDA Academic All-District VII Team

Westminster College senior basketball player Jason Warncke has been named to the 2009 ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-District VII Second Team, as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Warncke, a 6-1 guard from St. Peters, Missouri (Francis Howell Central), carries a 4.00 cumulative grade point average in biochemistry and has been accepted to two medical schools, but he has yet to make a final decision. Warncke is a Dean’s List student and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, a member of the Kappa Alpha Order and the Skulls of Seven. He is a three-time St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Academic All-Conference selection and he earned SLIAC Honorable Mention All-Conference honors as a junior. Warncke is averaging 11.8 points a game this year and has helped the team compile a 15-5 overall record and earn a first-place tie in the league standings at 8-3.

Westminster Men Fall Into Three-Way Tie for First (click for stats)

Westminster College fell into a three-way tie for first in the men's St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference standings after dropping a 72-65 decision to Maryville University Wednesday in St. Louis. The Blue Jays (15-5, 8-3 SLIAC) are tied with Fontbonne University and Greenville College.
 
After grabbing an early lead, Westminster fell behind 43-33 at halftime. Maryville (11-8, 7-3 SLIAC) used a decided advantage at the charity stripe to hold off the Blue Jays. Despite hitting just 12-of-27 free throws, Maryville won the game at the line. Westminster was 5-of-7.
 
Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) tallied a team-high 15 points and a team-high eight rebounds to pace the Blue Jays, while sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) and senior Kurt Kuschel (Chamois, Mo./Chamois) came off the bench to finish with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Eric Gruenewald led all scorers with 17 points for Maryville.

Blue Jays Top Blackburn, Now 15-4, 8-2 In League (click for stats)

Westminster College won the battle of the boards 52-28 in dispatching Blackburn College 75-64 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men's basketball action Saturday in Fulton. With the win Westminster remains in first place in the conference standings.

The Blue Jay men (15-4, 8-2 SLIAC), who are still playing without the services of injured senior starter Jason Warncke, held a 37-30 lead at intermission on the way to a sweep of the season series with Blackburn (3-15, 1-9 SLIAC). Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) tallied 18 points and a game-high nine rebounds, and sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) came off the bench to finish with 14 points for Westminster. Tommy Baro netted a game-high 24 points for Blackburn.

Westminster Dominated On Boards In Road Loss (click for stats)

Westminster College was dominated on the boards in dropping a 72-70 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s contest at Webster University Wednesday in St. Louis. The loss drops Westminster into a tie for first in the conference standings with Fontbonne University.

The Blue Jay men (14-4, 7-2 SLIAC) were out rebounded 37-21 and Webster (9-8, 6-3 SLIAC) grabbed 13 offensive boards. Westminster junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) scored a game-high 22 points, and sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) went 5-of-6 from 3-point range to finish with 19 points. Westminster was without the services of senior Jason Warncke, who is recovering from an injury suffered a week ago.

WC Men And Women Rebound On the Road (click for men's stats)

Both Westminster College basketball teams snapped back from mid-week losses to capture St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference roads wins over Eureka College Saturday in Eureka, Illinois.

The Blue Jay women (7-9, 6-2 SLIAC) led 33-32 at halftime and outscored Eureka by three points in the second half for a 62-58 victory. Senior Brittney Scott (Sand Springs, Okla./Charles Page) finished with 15 points and junior Whitney Griffin (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) came off the bench to hit 4-of-7 3-pointers and finish with 15 points. Lindsey Crum scored a game-high 17 points for Eureka (2-13, 2-6 SLIAC).

Four players scored in double figures for the Westminster men (14-3, 7-1 SLIAC), who maintain their lead in the conference standings with a 70-61 win over Eureka (6-10, 4-4 SLIAC). Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) netted 17 points, sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) came off the bench to score 15 points, senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) added 13 points, and sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) finished with 12 points off the bench. Michael Zasada tallied a game-high 21 points for Eureka.

Blue Jay Winning Streak Snapped At Home (click for stats) 

Westminster College saw it's 13-game men's winning streak snapped and lost it's first St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference contest of the season Wednesday, falling to Fontbonne University 81-69 in Fulton.
 
The Blue Jays (13-3, 6-1 SLIAC), who also lost for the first time at home this season, led 34-26 at intermission, but Fontbonne hit 72 percent from the field in the second half to erase the deficit and pull away late for the win. Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) paced Westminster with 17 points before leaving the game in the closing minutes with an injury, and sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) came off the bench to score 14 points. Josh Branch scored a game-high 23 points for a Fontbonne squad (10-6, 6-2 SLIAC) which hit 62 percent from the field for the game.

Westminster Men Win Again, Keep Streak Alive (click for stats)

The Westminster College men out scored Maryville University 8-0 in overtime to capture their 13th consecutive victory with a 74-66 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference win Saturday in Fulton.

The Blue Jay men (13-2, 6-0 SLIAC) scored 25 points off of 29 miscues by Maryville (7-8, 3-3 SLIAC), while the visiting Saints scored just six points off of 15 Westminster turnovers. Sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) came off the bench to lead the Blue Jays with 19 points. Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) finished with 15 points and eight rebounds for the Blue Jays, while senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) aided the Westminster cause with 14 points and eight rebounds.

WC Squads Undefeated In 2009, 5-0 In SLIAC (click for men's stats)

Both Westminster College basketball squads are undefeated in 2009 and both teams are 5-0 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play after winning at Principia College Tuesday evening in Elsah, Illinois.

The Blue Jay women (6-7, 5-0 SLIAC) won their fourth game in a row with a 72-64 win over Principia. Freshman Rachel Backes (Tipton, Mo./Tipton) led Westminster with 19 points, sophomore Vicki Flynn (Little Rock, Ark./Mount St. Mary) added 13 points, and freshman Heather Letourneau (Smithton, Mo./Smithton) chipped in 11 points. Last year’s conference player of the year Christina Spear finished with a game-high 28 points and 15 rebounds for Principia (3-9, 1-4 SLIAC).

The Westminster men (12-2, 5-0) captured their 12th win in a row with a 77-66 victory over their Principia counterpart. Senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) each scored 15 points, sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) tallied 13 points, and junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) netted 11 points. Colin Angle scored a game-high 19 points for Principia (1-10, 0-5 SLIAC).

Blue Jay Men Win 11th In A Row, 4-0 In League (click for stats)

Westminster College held on late, topping Greenville 69-66 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday in Fulton.

The Blue Jays (11-2, 4-0 SLIAC), who have won 11 games in a row, led 35-27 at intermission and withstood a Greenville rally. After Greenville cut the lead to 67-66 in the closing seconds, sophomore Jake Vislay made two free throws with six seconds remaining to put Westminster up 69-66. Greenville (6-5, 3-2 SLIAC) set up for a game-tying shot, but the attempt rolled off the rim at the buzzer.

Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias), came off the bench to finish with a game-high 22 points. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) finished with 13 points and a game-high seven rebounds. A.J. Brooks led Greenville with 15 points.

Blue Jays Take Two In Non-Conference Play (click for men's stats)

Both Westminster College basketball squads stepped out of conference play for the night and picked up wins over Lincoln Christian College Wednesday in Fulton.

The Blue Jay women (4-7) forced 45 turnovers in winning 98-21 over Lincoln Christian (1-9), winning by 77 points to set a new school record for widest margin of victory. The previous record was 71 points which came in a 100-29 win over Stephens College in 1999. Thirteen players played and scored Wednesday. Freshman Lee Goatley (Springfield, Ky./Washington Co.) and freshman Liz Klaffenbach (Battle Ground, Wash./Prairie) each finished with a game-high 14 points.

Westminster (10-2) captured its tenth men’s victory in a row with an 81-67 win over Lincoln Christian (3-10). Sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) scored a game-high 26 points off the bench and senior Jason Warncke (St/ Peter, Mo./Francis Howell Central) finished with 18 points.

Westminster hosts Greenville College in a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader Saturday. The women’s game begins at 1:00, followed by the men’s contest.

Basketball Squads Both Pick Up SLIAC Wins (click for men's stats) 

Westminster College picked up a pair of St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference wins with a sweep of MacMurray College Saturday in Jacksonville, Illinois.

The Blue Jay women (3-7, 3-0 SLIAC) rallied for a 72-64 win over MacMurray (1-9, 0-2 SLIAC). Freshman Rachel Backes (Tipton, Mo./Tipton) scored a game-high 25 points, junior Markie England (Central, Mo./Centralia) added 12 points and eight rebounds, and senior Ashley Stanfill (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) added 10 points and eight rebounds as Westminster remained first in the conference standings.

Westminster (9-2, 3-0 SLIAC) captured the men’s game 84-62, winning its ninth game in a row. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central/Meramec) led all scorers with 22 points. Senior Jason Warnacke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) finished with 17 points and sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) added 15 points. MacMurray falls to 2-9 overall and 1-1 in league play.

Both Westminster squads step out of conference play Wednesday when Lincoln Christian College visits Fulton for a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 5:00.

Westminster Winning Streak Reaches Eight Games (click for stats)

Westminster College captured its eighth consecutive win with a 73-65 victory over Rhodes College in men’s non-conference action Monday afternoon in Memphis, Tennessee. Ironically, the current eight-game winning streak began with a November 22 win over Rhodes in the Rhema Classic in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The Blue Jays (8-2) jumped in front 18-4, led 37-30 at intermission and held off Rhodes (6-3) in the second half. Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) finished with a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) finished with 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) added 11 points.

Westminster, which is 2-0 in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, travels to Jacksonville, Illinois, Saturday to face MacMurray College in SLIAC action. The Blue Jay men play at 3:00 p.m., after the women’s 1:00 p.m. contest.

Blue Jays Look To Extend Streak On The Road (click for more)

Westminster's Millard Named SLIAC Player Of The Week

Westminster College's Ky Millard, a junior from Columbia, Missouri (Rock Bridge), has been named the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the week of December 15-21.
 
Millard, a 6-4 forward, scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds in leading Westminster (7-2) to its seventh straight victory with a 75-65 win on the road at Central College this past weekend in Pella, Iowa. Millard scored 13 of his 19 points in the first half and then sank 5-of-6 free throws in the final 1:22 to help secure the victory for the Blue Jays. Millard shot 71.4 percent (5-of-7) from the field, 60.0 percent (3-of-5) from three-point range, and tallied four assists and two steals.

Blue Jay Notes: The Blue Jays play Rhodes College in their final game of 2008 at 3:00 p.m. Monday, December 29, in Memphis, Tennessee...Westminster began its current winning streak with a 68-57 win over Rhodes in the Rhema Classic on November 22 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Millard Keys Westminster Men To Seventh Win (click for stats)

Junior Ky Millard scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds in leading the Westminster College men to their seventh win in a row with a 75-65 non-conference victory over Central College Saturday afternoon in Pella, Iowa.

Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) scored 13 of his points in the first half as the Blue Jays (7-2) jumped out to a 40-32 lead at intermission. Westminster led by 16 points with just under eight minutes remaining when Central (7-3) made a run, cutting the Blue Jay lead to seven points with 2:51 to go. Westminster responded and Millard made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 1:22 to help seal the win.

Blue Jay junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central/Meramec) finished with 15 points and six rebounds, while sophomore Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) added 14 points to aid the Westminster cause.

Blue Jays Move To 6-2 With Non-Conference Win (click for stats)

The Westminster men's basketball squad (6-2) ran its winning streak to six games with a 78-63 non-conference victory over Spalding University Monday in Fulton. It is the second win over Spalding (2-8) this season.

The Blue Jays, who led 38-24 at intermission, got 16 points from senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central). Sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) each tossed in 13 points.

Westminster Wins Fifth In A Row, Now 2-0 In SLIAC (click for stats)

Four players scored in double figures as the Westminster College men won their fifth game in a row with a 73-69 St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference road victory over Blackburn College Saturday in Carlinville, Illinois.

Westminster (5-2, 2-0 SLIAC) got 16 points from senior Mike Crawford (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City). Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) finished with 14 points and nine rebounds, senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) netted 11 points, and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) finished with 10 points. Tommy Baro scored a game-high 26 points for Blackburn (1-5, 0-2 SLIAC).

Blue Jays Top Defending Champ In SLIAC Opener (click for stats)

Both Westminster College basketball squads opened St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play with three-point wins over Webster University Wednesday in Fulton.

The Blue Jay women (1-4, 1-0 SLIAC) overcame an eight-point first half deficit, led 36-35 at halftime, built an 11-point second half lead and held on for a 77-74 victory over Webster (2-3, 0-1 SLIAC). Junior Markie England (Centralia, Mo./Centralia), finished with a team-high 15 points and six rebounds to pace the Blue Jays. Senior Ashley Stanfill (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) added 13 points and five rebounds and in the process moved up a spot to seventh on the career scoring list (744 points) and moved from fourth to third on the career rebounding chart (497 rebounds). Freshman Liz Klaffenbach (Battle Ground, Wash./Prairie) scored 10 points and went 6-for-6 at the charity stripe for a Westminster team that shot 50 percent from the floor and made 24-of-31 free throws.

The Westminster men (4-2, 1-0 SLIAC) jumped out to an 18-point first-half lead, withstood a second-half rally in which the Gorloks tied the game three times and held on for an 85-82 win over defending conference champion Webster (1-2, 0-1 SLIAC). Junior Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central/Meramec) led Westminster with 23 points and made 3-of-4 free throws in the final 32 seconds to ice the game. Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) added 21 points while Jake Vislay (Jefferson City, Mo./Helias) chipped in 13 points and a team-high five rebounds. Sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) each finished with 11 points for a Blue Jay squad which went 27-of-32 from the foul line.

Westminster Men Win Third Game In A Row, Now 3-2 (click for stats)

Westminster College won its third men's basketball game in a row with an 86-71 win over Asbury College in its final day of play in the Spalding Thanksgiving Classic Saturday in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Blue Jays (3-2), who led 42-26 at halftime, shot 53 percent from the floor and 54 percent (13-of-24) from 3-point range in recording the victory over Asbury (6-4). Jake Vislay, a sophomore from Jefferson City, Missouri (Helias), led all scorers with 21 points.  Stanley Crawford (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) finished with 17 points and Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) added 15 points.

Westminster opens St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play against Webster University Wednesday in Fulton. The game is a part of a doubleheader which begins at 6:00 p.m. with the women's game. The men's game follows at 8:00.

Blue Jays Top Host In Spalding Thanksgiving Classic (click for stats)

Stanley Crawford, a junior from St. Louis, Missouri (Hazelwood Central), finished with a team-high 15 points and nine rebounds in leading the Westminster College men to a 53-51 win over Spalding University in the Spalding Thanksgiving Basketball Classic Friday in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Blue Jays (2-2) held a 23-22 lead at halftime and exchanged six-point leads with Spalding (2-4) in the second half before pulling out the win. Senior Jason Warncke (St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central) finished with 12 points, sophomore Kurt Kovach (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt South) added 10 points, and junior Ky Millard (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) tallied seven points and seven rebounds.

Westminster meets Asbury College at 2:00 p.m. Saturday in its second and final game of the holiday event.

Westminster Gets First Win With Split In Oklahoma (click for stats)

The Westminster College men's basketball squad snapped a two-game losing streak and picked up its first win of the season with a 68-57 win over Rhodes College in the second and final day of the Rhema Tip-Off Classic Saturday in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
 
The Blue Jays (1-2) led early and took a 26-20 lead into intermission. Jake Vislay led Westminster with 15 points and eight rebounds, and Stanley Crawford, who was named to the all-tournament team, finished with 12 points and four rebounds. Kurt Kovach added 13 points for a Blue Jay team that went 17-of-21 at the charity stripe. Rhodes falls to 1-1.

Westminster dropped an 86-53 decision to Hendrix College in its first game Friday. Stanley Crawford paced the Blue Jay attack with 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, Jason Warncke finished with 12 points, and Vislay added eight points.

Blue Jay Men Find Going Rough At Central Missouri

The University of Central Missouri scored 25 points off of 20 Westminster College turnovers and ran past the Blue Jay men 82-48 Saturday evening in the season opener for both teams in Warrensburg, Missouri.

The Blue Jays (0-1) led early and trailed 39-25 at intermission, but Central Missouri (1-0) pulled away early in the second half for the win. Stanley Crawford led Westminster with 12 points and seven rebounds, and Ky Millard added six points. Josiah Miller tallied a game-high 15 points for a Central Missouri team that won the rebounding battle 43-33. 

Westminster Fifth And Sixth In SLIAC Pre-Season Polls

The Westminster College men’s and women’s basketball squads are picked fifth and sixth, respectively, in the pre-season polls of the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference coaches.

Despite finishing 17-8 overall and tying for second in the league standings at 12-4 last year, the Blue Jay men are picked fifth. This ranking is due in part because of the loss of four starters. Defending conference tournament champion Fontbonne University is picked first, followed by; 2. Webster University, 3. Maryville University, 4. Greenville College, 5. Westminster, 6. Eureka College, 7. Blackburn College, 8. MacMurray College and 9. Principia College.

Surprisingly, the Westminster women are picked just sixth, after finishing 11-14 overall and fifth in league play last year at 6-10. Maryville is the top pick, followed by; 2. Fontbonne, 3 Blackburn and Greenville, 5. Principia, 6. Westminster, 7. Webster, 8. Eureka, and 9. MacMurray.

Both Blue Jay teams open the season this Saturday. The Westminster women host Central College (Iowa) at 2:00, while the men face The University of Central Missouri at 7:00 in Warrensburg.

Blue Jays Capture 73-72 Exhibition Win On The Road 

Jason Warncke made one-of-two free throws with two seconds remaining and finished with 22 points as the Westminster College men topped SIU-Edwardsville 73-72 in exhibition basketball action Saturday evening in Edwardsville, Illinois.
 
The Blue Jays trailed SIU-Edwardsville 35-25 at intermission, but rallied to take their first lead in the closing minutes. SIU-Edwardsville rallied to even the score, setting the stage for Warncke's game winning charity shot. Joining Warncke in double figures for Westminster was Stanley Crawford who finished with 13 points and a team-high eight rebounds (click for stats).