Wingate University Athletics

Evanston, Ill.----The College Swimming Coaches Association (CSCAA) has released the up-to-date power rankings for NCAA Division II swimming. Both the Wingate men’s and women’s swimming teams appeared on the list. The women are 15th in the country, while the men sit at 10th. The women continue to rise in national prominence, as they were ranked 17th in the last poll released.

Several Blue Grass Mountain Conference (BGMC) foes could also be spotted on the latest rankings, highlighted by the University of Tampa. Both UT Spartan teams currently outrank the Bulldogs. On the women’s side, the University of Tampa is fourth. The men’s team charts in the eighth position. Other BGMC foes include Catawba (22nd in women’s rankings and 26th in men’s), Rollins College (17th in men) and conference newcomer Mars Hill (24th in men).

The CSCAA rankings should give head men’s and women’s swimming coach Kirk Sanocki plenty of ammunition to help motivate his teams to greater success. The role of underdog is always an easy role to assume in any sport and any psychological edge the Bulldogs gain can only help them build on their past success.

Both Wingate teams are training hard for the end of the regular season that is fast approaching. They can’t wait to put all the hard work they’ve done to use at the BGMC championships and the NCAA Division II national meet. The Bulldogs host Pfeiffer University and Lenoir-Rhyne University Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Wingate University Natatorium.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,159 students offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, communication, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers graduate degrees in business, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration. In addition, the school awards the doctor of pharmacy and the doctor of education degrees.

Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past three years.

Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 34 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 43 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.

(Wingate University junior sports information student assistant Daniel Hoagland contributed this article. Hoagland is a Chemistry major from Wilmington, N.C.)