Shi Qing Ong Ends Collegiate Career on a High Note
Missouri Western golfer Shi Qing Ong advanced to the National Championships for NCAA Division II women’s golf in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. She wrapped the three-round tournament, tying for 19th place in the 95-player field. It was her strongest finish in her three national tournament appearances.

Ong’s decorated career included two MIAA Women’s Golfer of the Year awards, three WGCA All-Region selections and a MWSU-record 14 individual titles. Ong was also twice named the MWSU Female Student Athlete of the Year.

Tennis Coach’s Contract Not Renewed
It was announced last week that the contract of head women’s tennis coach Shawn Becker would not be renewed.

Becker became Missouri Western’s second-ever full-time tennis coach in 2015. In his first season, the Griffons went 10-6 overall and posted a 5-5 record in MIAA play. Over his four seasons, MWSU was 36-48 with a 9-28 conference record. His teams consistently ranked high in academic achievement and sportsmanship and following this season, the Griffons received the Intercollegi

ate Tennis Association’s Community Service Award for the Central Region. During Becker’s tenure, Karolina Ström became the program’s first nationally ranked player in more than two decades.

A national search for Becker’s replacement began immediately.

Baseball
No. 4-seeded Pittsburg State got two runs in the sixth to take its first and only lead, defeating No. 8-seeded Griffon Baseball, 5-4, May 11 in the MIAA Championships. The elimination game loss ended Missouri Western’s season with a 21-24 record.

Softball
After extending its season with a 7-3 win over St. Cloud State May 10, Griffon softball’s season came to an end with a 5-2 loss to No. 6 Winona State in the NCAA Central Region Championships.

Missouri Western ended the season 38-18, taking second place in the MIAA regular-season standings and the postseason championships. T

he regional appearance was the 12^th all-time for the program and the seventh in the past nine years.

 

 

 

Hanna Williams Qualifies for DII Track & Field National Championships
Sophomore track & field student-athlete Hanna Williams was selected for qualification to the 2019 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. Williams’ qualifi

ed in the 400 meter with her 54.69 in the event at the SBU Bearcat Invite on April 6.

Williams was an automatic qualifier in the 400 meter for the indoor national championships, but was unable to compete due to injury. This time, the provisional mark achieved in April was enough to get Williams to her first-ever national championship appearance. She will become the second member of MWSU’s second-year track & field program to qualify for the NCAA outdoor national championships, following Phil Thompson who achieved All-American status in the triple jump last year. Williams’ qualifying mark ranked 17th in the nation this year.

The national championships will be held at Javelina Stadium in Kingsville, Texas, May 23-25.