Conferences: The University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown, and Seton Hill University have accepted invitations to join the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Both schools will become members on July 1, 2006, and will be added to WVIAC schedules for the 2007-08 academic years. The Pennsylvania institutions will be the first WVIAC schools from outside West Virginia since Morehead State University of Kentucky left the conference in 1933. The additional members will bring the WVIAC’s membership to 16. Pitt-Johnstown currently is a Division II independent while Seton Hill is a member of the NAIA’s America Mideast Conference ... Presbyterian College has announced plans to leave the South Atlantic Conference and reclassify with Division I’s Big South Conference, effective with the 2007-08 academic year.
Milestones: Southeastern Oklahoma State University baseball coach Mike Metheny notched his 1,000th career victory March 7 with a doubleheader sweep of Tarleton State University. After the victory, Metheny’s career record stood at 1,000-403-3, a winning percentage of .711. He is one of only 43 coaches in NCAA history to have reached the 1,000-win milestone. “It’s a tremendous honor,” Metheny said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to have some outstanding players over the years.” Metheny currently ranks fourth on the active coaching list for wins in Division II baseball ... Carl Lancaster, baseball coach at Mount Olive College, recently won his 600th game ... Southern Illinois University Edwardsville softball coach Sandy Montgomery captured the 600th victory of her career March 11 with a 7-3 win over Wayne State University (Michigan). “When you surround yourself with good players, a lot of good things can happen,” she said. “It is nice to get 600 wins, but I am just real happy that my team is playing the way they are” ... Caldwell College softball coach Dean Johnson won the 300th game of his career March 20 when his team defeated Eckerd College, 3-2. Before the start of the 2006 season, Johnson ranked 29th in winning percentage (.674) and 42nd in victories among active Division II softball coaches. “Looking back,” he said, “we won a total of 25 games in my first two years. But now we’ve won at least 25 games in each of the last seven seasons, and it’s because of the commitment of our players to build this program into what it has become.” ...A pair of coaches recently provided reason for celebration at West Virginia Wesleyan College. On March 29, baseball coach Randy Tenney won his 500th career game, and one day later, softball coach Steve Warner also won his 500th game. Both coaches have spent their entire careers at West Virginia Wesleyan. “It is a milestone in any athletic program to have a coach win 500 games,” said Athletics Director George Klebez, “but to have two coaches accomplish this at the same time is a reflection of their dedication and commitment to this college and their program.” Tenney won his 500th in dramatic fashion when a three-run walk-off homer yielded a 7-6 victory over the University of Pittsburgh, Johnstown. Warner reached the mark with a doubleheader sweep of Ohio Valley College. “It is a great achievement, but it is not really about me,” Tenney said. “It’s about the kids who have played throughout the years.” Warner had similar sentiments, saying: “This is a great accomplishment, but I’m only a small part of the equation. I have had the great fortune of coaching several outstanding student-athletes” ... Wendell Simmons, baseball coach at the University of Central Oklahoma, won his 500th career game April 5 when the Bronchos defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 14-7. Simmons, a six-time Lone Star Conference or LSC North Division coach of the year winner who has directed his team to six Division II national tournament appearances, stood at 505-269 through April 13 in 15 years as coach.
Miscellaneous: Cameron Munoz, a senior guard from Montana State University-Billings, recently broke the Division II career three-point field goal record. He made 147 threes this year to finish his career with 451. The previous record was 443, set last year by Stephen Dye of Alderson-Broadus ... There are good days, and then there are really good days. Holly Weinberg of the University of Missouri, Rolla, belted four home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Lincoln University (Missouri). She accumulated 10 runs batted by homering for a cycle of sorts: a solo shot, along with two-run, three-run and grand slam home runs ... The Northeast-10 Conference has enhanced its Web site through an arrangement with PrestoSports. The site — www.northeast10.org — will continue to provide all aspects from the previous site and soon will also be the home for the Northeast-10 Hall of Fame, which will have its first class inducted in June....Here is an accomplishment that deserves to be a record: Kyle Jones, a senior pitcher for Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, recently won his fifth consecutive 1-0 game. Parts of the accomplishment are records — his 48 consecutive shutout innings has surpassed the previous mark of 43, set in 1981 by former St. Louis Cardinal great Danny Cox, who played for Troy State University, and the five shutouts in a season ties the Division II mark, set previously by SIU-Edwardsville’s Ryan Cox. The part that can’t be confirmed is the five straight 1-0 victories. The NCAA statistics staff does not keep such records, although NCAA Director of Statistics Jim Wright acknowledged that the streak probably is a unique accomplishment. “It’s tough on the old coach,” said coach Gary Collins. “I have never seen anything like all these 1-0 games. He (Jones) just refuses to let people score on him. He gives us a chance every start. He doesn’t let anything bother him, and he just pitches.” Jones’ success must be contagious. Through April 10, the Cougar pitching staff had 14 shutouts (the Division II single-season record is 16) and an overall earned-run average of 1.86 ... Assumption College recently won its 100th consecutive men’s tennis match against Northeast-10 Conference opponents.
