2022-23 #ReliveTheSummit: Spring

Men's Tennis - February 11

North Dakota men’s tennis starts season 10-0

The North Dakota men’s tennis team defeated IUPUI 5-2 to move to 10-0, extending the best start in the program’s Division I history. The Fighting Hawks also broke the school’s Division I mark for longest winning streak, a record previously held by the 2019-20 team that won nine straight prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. 

Baseball - February 17

Oral Roberts’ McCroskey belts three homers

Oral Roberts shortstop Mac McCroskey belted three home runs on the opening day of the collegiate baseball season to lead the Golden Eagles to a 16-2 win over Northern Illinois. McCroskey hit his home runs in three consecutive innings, blasting a solo shot in the fifth, a two-run shot in the sixth and capping his power surge with a three-run shot in the seventh.

Women's Tennis - February 21

Pioneers rank No. 39 in first ITA team rankings

The Denver women’s tennis team rose to No. 39 in the ITA rankings - its highest placement of the season.

Women's Tennis - March 7

Pioneers’ Taylor Meville ranked No. 65 in first ITA individual rankings

Denver senior Taylor Melville jumped 21 spots to No. 65 in the ITA singles rankings, which was the highest ranking by a Summit League student-athlete this season. She would go on to earn Summit League Player of the Year honors and lead her team to another League Championship.

Men's Tennis - March 12

Drake ranks No. 61 in ITA team rankings

The Drake men’s tennis team rose to as high as 61st in the ITA Division I rankings and would go onto to win the Summit League Championship in April.

Women's Golf - April 25

Pioneers capture fourth straight #SummitWGF Championship title

Denver claimed its fourth straight Women’s Golf Championship title, pulling away from the field in the final round at the Wilderness Ridge Country Club in Lincoln, Neb. Pioneer senior Anna Krekling led that charge by breaking the course record and tournament’s single-round scoring record with a closing 64 (-7) to earn Championship MVP honors. Krekling finished with a career-best total of 204 (-9) to win the individual title by four strokes. The Pioneers posted an 852 (E) team score to beat South Dakota by 14 strokes after opening the day with just a three-stroke lead over North Dakota State. It marked the program’s eighth overall Summit League title and 21st NCAA Regional appearance.

Softball - April 29

Omaha’s Kamryn Meyer breaks program record for most career strikeouts

Omaha's Kamryn Meyer became the program’s all-time strikeout leader surpassing a record that was held by Cheris Kuster from 2004-07 (698). Meyer struck out the first batter she faced against Western Illinois to break Kuster’s record and would finish the 2023 campaign with 778 career punchouts over four seasons.

Softball - April 30

South Dakota State captures third straight regular season title

In Kristina McSweeney’s first season at the helm of SDSU, the Jackrabbits garnered their third straight regular season title after sweeping Kansas City.

Men's Golf - May 2

Kansas City crowned  #SummitMGF Champions

Kansas City won its first Summit League team title since returning to the League prior to the 2019-20 season. The Roos men’s golf championship is the program’s third overall as a League member having also won the postseason event in 2011 and 2013. Junior Josh Robards handled the gusty conditions the best to capture medalist honors for the first time in his collegiate career with a 54-hole total of 215 (+2).

Softball - May 5

South Dakota State’s Tori Kniesche caps League play with perfect game

Junior pitcher Tori Kniesche punctuated her dynamic League season by tossing the first perfect game in program history as she struck out 12 of the 15 Coyotes she faced in a five-inning, run-rule victory over South Dakota. In 12 League appearances, Kniesche went 11-0, tossed nine shutouts and did not allow an earned run in 76.2 innings of work, while holding opponents to a .109 batting average.

Outdoor Track & Field - May 13

Bison sweep #SummitOTF crowns

For the 13th time in program history since joining the League, the North Dakota State Bison claimed both Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championship titles. The Bison men extended their League record and earned their 13th consecutive outdoor title while the women secured their 14th title in the last 15 years.

Baseball - May 25

Oral Roberts’ Jonah Cox extends hitting streak to 40

Oral Roberts outfielder Jonah Cox extended his hitting streak to 40 games as the Golden Eagles advanced to the 2023 #SummitBSB Championship title game. Cox's hitting streak would end at 47 consecutive games, which was the third longest in Division I baseball history. He would end the 2023 campaign with a DI-best 114 hits after hitting safely in 63 of 65 games. Cox capped his season with a 3-for-5 effort against TCU at the Men's College World Series in Omaha.

Softball - May 14

Omaha captures first Summit League softball tournament title

For the first time in program history, Omaha captured the Summit League Softball Championship title by defeating South Dakota State 1-0. Kamryn Meyer pitched a complete-game, one-hit shutout and struck out 11 Jackrabbits to earn Championship MVP honors.

Softball - May 20

Mavericks secure program's first NCAA Tournament victory

For the first time in its Division I era, Omaha captured an NCAA Tournament victory with a 3-0 win over Prairie View A&M.

Baseball - May 27

Top-seeded Oral Roberts cruises to 21st League Tournament crown

The top-seeded Golden Eagles captured the 21st Summit League Championship title in program history with a 12-4 win over third-seeded South Dakota State at Newman Outdoor Field.

Baseball - June 4

Golden Eagles advance to Super Regionals

Oral Roberts earned a trip to the NCAA Super Regional for the first time since 2006 after defeating Dallas Baptist 6-5 to win the Stillwater Regional. With the victory, the Golden Eagles became the eighth No. 4 seed in NCAA history to advance to a Super Regional.

Outdoor Track & Field - June 6

Eleven athletes take the Big Stage

The Summit League had 11 student-athletes compete at the 2023 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships June 7-10 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas. The list of 11 entries included six veterans in North Dakota’ Elise Ulseth, North Dakota State’s Benji Phillips and Jacob Rodin and South Dakota’s Gen Hirata, Marleen Mülla, and Danii Anglin. The remaining five athletes (Trevor Otterdahl, NDSU; Matt Kraft, NDSU; Lydia Knapp, USD; Cassidy Mooneyhan, USD; Jacy Pulse, USD) made their first appearance on the outdoor national stage.

Outdoor Track & Field - June 7

North Dakota State's Phillips claims program's third straight NCAA Elite 90 Award

Bison senior Benji Phillips was named the recipient of the NCAA Elite 90 Award for the second time in his career. He first won the honor in 2021 when he earned first team All-America honors with an eighth-place finish in the javelin at the NCAA Championships. The Elite 90 Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average at each of the NCAA's 90 national championships. Phillips recently graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA as a double major in psychology and exercise science.

Outdoor Track & Field - June 8

South Dakota's Hirata, Mülla finish top 10 at NCAA Championships

Coyote sophomore Gen Hirata and sophomore Marleen Mülla tabbed top 10 finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the pole vault. Hirata placed third overall with a clearance of 14-05.25 (4.40m), earning first team All-America accolades. Mülla joined Hirata on the All-American first team after vaulting a height of 14-01.25 (4.30m) to claim sixth place.

Baseball - June 11

ORU wins Eugene Super Regional, punches ticket to Men's College World Series

For the first time since 1978, the Oral Roberts baseball team punched its ticket to the Men's College World Series after defeating Oregon, 11-6, in game three of the Eugene Super Regional from PK Park. With the win, ORU becomes the first Summit League team to advance to Omaha and only the third No. 4 seed in NCAA history and first since 2012 to make the final stage. 

Baseball - June 16

Brothers late home lifts ORU past TCU in Men's College World Series opener 

Blaze Brothers hit a go-ahead, three-run homer in the top of the ninth as the Oral Roberts baseball team rallied to defeat TCU, 6-5, in the opening game of the 2023 NCAA Men's College World Series from Charles Schwab Field. The win was the first by a Summit League team in MCWS history and gave the Golden Eagles a League-record 52 victories on the season.