Cardinal Sports Report: December 4 to January 21
Image courtesy of Susie Blanchard.
By Griffin Cappiello
Men’s Track and Field competed in the Marlins First Chance in their season opener on December 5. In his indoor collegiate debut, freshman Michael Brunet placed first in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:59.15, recording the ninth-best time in program history, while freshman Drew Madden placed fourth in his collegiate high jump debut with a jump of 1.83 meters, the fourth-best performance in program history. Senior Kendrick DuPree and sophomore Peter Winter placed first and second, respectively, in the 800 meters — their times of 1:53.8 and 1:53.93 were, respectively, the second and third best performances in program history. Last weekend, Catholic hosted the Cardinal Track & Field Classic. Sophomore Adrian Villatoro achieved a new personal best in the long jump with a 6.30-meter jump that earned him first place in the event and placed him seventh all-time in program history. The Cardinals will return to action this Saturday, January 24, in the Coach I Invitational at Franklin & Marshall.
Women’s Track and Field also competed in their season opener at the Marlins First Chance. Freshman Olivia Sobkowicz broke the school record in the 5000 meters with a time of 17:40.93, which earned her a first-place finish in her indoor collegiate debut. Junior Laurel McMahon and Sobkowicz finished first and second, respectively, among Division III runners in the 3000 meters, earning eighth and ninth place finishes overall and recording the third and fourth best finishes in program history. Last Saturday, Catholic hosted the Cardinal Track & Field Classic. Junior Mia McConnell ran a 1:01.34 in the 400 meters, finishing third overall and first out of all Division III runners. The Cardinals will return to action this Saturday, January 24, in the Coach I Invitational at Franklin & Marshall.
Men’s Basketball had a very busy – and very successful – winter break. The Cardinals kicked off their winter campaign with a 91-79 victory on the road against Wilkes, highlighted by a 26-point game by senior guard CJ Ruoff. Catholic, then ranked #15, faced off against then-#6 Chicago in the first game of the Puerto Rico Clasico, ultimately falling 66-76 despite Ruoff putting up 21 points. The Cardinals bounced back in a dominant 84-48 victory against Illinois Tech with senior guard Brian Herbert leading the team with 18 points. In the first game of the new year, then-#15 Catholic fell in a narrow 70-76 loss to then-#5 Mary Washington. Herbert again led the team with 18 points and became the 50th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points. On the road against Moravian, the Cardinals overcame a 5-point deficit at halftime to win 90-80 as Herbert put up 22 points. Catholic faced off against Drew at the Palestra and came away with a 78-70 victory, with Ruoff scoring 23 and Herbert scoring 22, the latter being named the Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week. The Cardinals kicked off the start of the new semester with an 80-69 win over Susquehanna, with Herbert leading the team with 27 points. This past weekend, Catholic, now ranked #23, fell in a narrow 68-71 loss on the road at Scranton as Ruoff led the team with 19 points. Ruoff put up a monster 38-point performance, leading the team to an 87-70 victory on the road against Elizabethtown on Wednesday night. The Cardinals will return to action this Saturday, January 24, at home against Lycoming.
Women’s Basketball began their winter stretch of games with a big 83-44 win at home against Wilkes, with sophomore guard Carly Catania leading the team with 13 points. In the first game of the Jamie Lynn Roberts DC Holiday Classic, the Cardinals hosted Roanoke and came away with a narrow 80-79 victory, led by senior guard Anna Scoblick’s 23 points, but they could not hang on in their second game against Randolph-Macon, falling 57-68, with senior guard Amelia Kennedy leading the team with 16 points. Catholic faced off against Maryville in the Nelson Hinson Classic and went on an 18-0 run to start the game. They hung onto the lead and came away with a 67-46 win, with Scoblick and sophomore guard Raquel Guidetti each putting up 12 points. The Cardinals moved to take on Christopher Newport, but ultimately fell in a gritty 73-81 game. Scoblick and sophomore guard Lauren Kraft each put up 18 points, with Scoblick reaching the 1,000 career points milestone. Catholic opened the new year with a narrow 64-62 victory on the road against Moravian, with Kennedy leading the team with 18 points. In their first home game of the new year, the Cardinals defeated Drew 66-53. Catania picked up a double-double, leading the team with 15 points and 11 rebounds. On the road against Susquehanna, Catholic came back from an 11-point deficit to beat the River Hawks 66-62, as Catania led the team with 12 points. Last weekend, the Cardinals fell on the road against Scranton in a 41-71 game, with Kraft leading the team with 13 points. On Wednesday night, Catholic hosted Elizabethtown, and despite going down 0-8 to start the game, the Cardinals came out with a comfortable 84-65 win, led by Scoblick’s 19 points. The Cardinals will return to action this Saturday, January 24, at home against Lycoming.
Men’s Swimming and Diving began the new year with a meet at Mary Washington. Juniors Shawn Mashburn and Reid Knuckles finished first and second, respectively, in the 1000 Free, and Mashburn picked up another win in the 500 Free. Junior John Holler took gold in the 200 Free, and sophomore Vincent Willis won the 100 Fly, but the Cardinals ultimately fell 91-171. Last weekend, Catholic went on the road for a Pope’s Cup meet against Marymount. Junior Teddy Tsakumis finished first in the 100 Back, junior took home gold in the 500 Free, and Holler won the 100 IM, but Catholic fell 95-147. The Cardinals will return to action this Saturday, January 24, at home for their senior day meet against Salisbury.
Women’s Swimming and Diving opened their 2026 campaign on the road against Mary Washington. Sophomore Molly Foltz took gold in the 1000 and 500 Free, while junior Tara Wiarda won the 100 Back. Senior Bella Mugno earned a first-place finish in the 200 Breast, and sophomore Grace Robinson picked up a personal best time of 1:50.53 to win the 200 Fly, but the Cardinals fell 106-155. In last weekend’s Pope’s Cup meet against Marymount, Wiarda, along with junior Delainey Brandt, freshman Anna Dymek, and senior Emily Blaskovich, won the 200 Medley Relay. Blaskovich, Wiarda, and Dymek each added their own individual victories, winning the 50 Back, 200 IM, and 50 Butterfly, respectively. Foltz won the 400 IM, junior Grace Kelly won the 50 Breast, and Robinson won the 200 Free as the Cardinals came away with a 156-105 victory. They will return to action this Saturday, January 24, at home for their senior day meet against Salisbury.
For more information on all things Catholic Athletics, visit catholicathletics.com or follow @catholicu_cards on social media.
