Five Heartland Conference Championships, two new head coaches, an all-American women’s soccer player, and a top-20 nationally ranked golf team all headlined an exciting 2009-2010 St. Edward’s University sports season. VolleyballIn November, the St. Edward’s Volleyball team (23-11) advanced to the Heartland Conference Championship match after a 3-1 win over the University of Texas-Permian Basin. St. Edward’s went on to lead their opening match in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament two sets to one, but eventually fell to Dallas Baptist University in a 3-2 loss. The Hilltoppers had three players: Ashley Vander Hey, Chelsea Barsamian, and Courtney Trevino named to the All-Heartland Conference Team.

In April, St. Edward’s volleyball players Michelle Hundt and Courtney Trevino won the annual Heartland Conference Sand Volleyball Doubles Tournament, beating 22 other teams, including three other Hilltopper teams. BasketballIn basketball action, Andre Cook was named the new men’s head basketball coach for the 2009-2010 season. Cook joined St. Edward’s from Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, N.Y., where he served as head basketball coach from 2004-2009. Cook took the place of former head coach Ryan Marks who is now head coach at the University of Texas-Pan American.

The men’s basketball team ended their season at 12-16, losing to St. Mary’s university in the opening round game of the Heartland Basketball Tournament. This was St. Edward’s fifth consecutive appearance in the Heartland Conference Championship.

The women’s basketball team ended their season with a 9-20 record, advancing to the Heartland Conference Championship for the fifth straight season as well. The Hilltoppers won an overtime game against Lincoln University in the opening round of the tournament but eventually lost to the University of the Incarnate Word in the semifinals. TennisBrenda Niemeyer joined St. Edward’s as the new women’s head tennis coach for the 2009-2010 season. Niemeyer previously coached at the University of San Antonio, a Division I tennis program, where she was the head coach for eight years. Russell Sterns had previously coached both the men and women’s teams.

In April, the women’s tennis team advanced to the championship match of the Heartland Conference Tournament by sweeping St. Mary’s 5-0. Eventually, Incarnate Word, defeated the Hilltoppers 5-2. The 26th-ranked St. Edward’s women’s tennis team placed four members, Paige Rachel, Audrey Tompkins, Mary Bain, and Elizabeth Jacobi, on the All-Heartland Conference Team.

The St. Edward’s men’s tennis team ended their season with a 14-10 record. The men won their second-consecutive Heartland Conference Championship, were the region’s number one ranked team, and advanced in the NCAA tournamen to the Elite Eight for the second time in school history. GolfThe St. Edward’s women’s golf team won the Heartland Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA West Regional Tournament where they finished fifth, falling short of the NCAA Super Regional Tournament. Freshman Jacy Benites was named Heartland Conference Player of the Year.

On the other side, the St. Edward’s men’s golf team also claimed the Heartland Conference title and was ranked in the Top-20 nationally all season long. At the NCAA South Central/Midwest Super Regional the Hilltoppers shot a closing round 313 to finish 14th overall. Collin Mayer and Matthew Hatcher were also named to the All-Heartland Conference First Team. SoccerThe St. Edward’s men’s soccer team finished their year as Heartland Conference Champions, their first conference championship since 2000, and seven athletes were named to the All-Heartland Conference team. Coach Brian Young led his team to an 8-8-2 overall record and was named Heartland Conference Coach of the Year.

The women’s soccer team finished their season with a 16-3-3 record and advanced to the NCAA Championship Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. The Hilltoppers eventually fell in the Round of 16 to West Texas A&M University in penalty kicks. The team had seven all-conference performers, five all-region performers, and senior Kim Abbott was named first-team all-American, the first in program history. Coach Nick Cowell was named South Central Region Coach of the Year, and led his team to 16 victories, the third most wins in school history.

Softball & BaseballThe St. Edward’s softball team finished their season with a 34-21 record. The team claimed the Heartland Conference regular season title but eventually fell to St. Mary’s in the Heartland Conference Championship game in a 7-6 decision. Lexi Stephens was named Heartland Conference Player of the Year, and the team sent seven other members to the 2010 all-Heartland Conference Team.

Baseball season at St. Edward’s came to an end with a 35-22 record and a fourth place finish in the Heartland Conference Standing. The Hilltoppers fell after two close games against Texas-Permian Basin in the Heartland Conference Tournament. Senior Dexter Moreno was named Heartland Conference Player of the Year, and the team sent seven members to the All-Heartland Conference Team.

This year the total is five conference championships and marks the end of another year in St. Edward’s [email protected]