Embry-Riddle Claims Five Conference Tournament Titles
Daytona Beach, Fla. -- Five Embry-Riddle athletic teams captured The Sun Conference tournament titles to wrap up the spring semester. They included men’s and women’s track, women’s golf, men’s tennis, and baseball.
The women’s track and field team claimed its first ever conference title totaling 235.5 points. They were led by Flo Silva, who earned 25 points en route to becoming the women’s track athlete of the year at the 2009 Sun Conference Championship.
Silva finished the weekend with two first place finishes in the 1500m run and the 5000m run, earning 20 points, and a fourth place finish in the 800m, adding five more points to her total.
The men’s track and field team captured its third consecutive Sun Conference Championship trophy, totaling 330 points, while Adam Szablowski was recognized as the 2009 Male Field Athlete of the Year. Szablowski earned points in four different events, including a gold medal in the javelin and two bronze medals in the shot put and hammer throw.
In addition to the student-athlete’s success, Head Coach Mike Rosolino was recognized as the 2009 Track and Field Head Coach of the Year for both the women and men’s teams.
The Embry-Riddle men’s tennis team maintained its unbeaten streak against conference opponents as the Eagles blanked Savannah College of Art and Design 5-0 to capture the 2009 Sun Conference Tournament title.
With the win, the Eagles earned an automatic berth in the NAIA National Championship, which will be held in Mobile, Ala., May 12-16.
The Eagles won the NAIA Region XIV tournament in each of the last five seasons. Now with the elimination of regional tournaments by the NAIA, the Eagles can now add a conference tournament title to their impressive postseason resume.
Experience and dedication paid off for the Embry-Riddle women’s golf team, as they held on to a tight four stroke advantage in the second round of play to be crowned the 2009 Sun Conference Champions.
The Eagles shot a cumulative team score of 628 (314-314) en route to capturing their fifth consecutive conference title and sixth overall for the program. Northwood was the runner-up after finishing with a total 632 (316-316), and South Carolina-Beaufort finished in third place with a total team score of 641 (324-317).
The Eagles’ baseball team routed SCAD in both the semifinal and championship games of the conference tournament, winning 4-0 and 11-4, respectively, to claim the first annual Sun Conference Baseball Championship.
The Eagles picked up their 41st win of the season in the championship game, moving their overall record to 41-12. The conference tournament championship win gives the Eagles an automatic bid into the NANAIA Baseball National Tournament Opening Round that was played on the campus of Embry-Riddle, May 12-15. The 45-team field, five of which were hosted at ERAU, includes Union College, Warner University, Auburn University-Montgomery, and Union University.
Read the story featured in the Daytona Beach News-Journal here.