Cardinals Athletics

by Wayne Witt

At the end of the school year, the Heartland Conference recognized 63 Cardinal student-athletes for their achievements in the classroom. Thirty of those were named to the Heartland's President's Honor Roll for maintaining a 3.5 or better grade point average. Another 33 Cardinals were on the Commissioner's Honor Roll for their GPAs of 3.0 to 3.49.

BASEBALL

Two players who received All-American designation and another who was drafted in June led the Cardinals to another highly successful spring at Incarnate Word. The team won the Heartland Conference championship with a regular season mark of 35-19 that included a conference record of 28-10, and was seventh in the final rankings for the NCAA Division II South Central Region.

With the league title wrapped up in early May, the honors began for members of the team. Junior third baseman Matt Seale and junior pitcher Raul Quiroz were named honorable mention All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers of America. Those awards came after both were voted to the All-Region VI first team.

Then in June, senior pitcher Hector Delgadillo was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays and currently is playing in the Appalachian League in Virginia. Delgadillo left UIW holding a series of school records including most wins, most complete games and most strikeouts for a career.

All three of those players along with sophomore outfielder Jason Miori were named to the All-Heartland Conference team. Seale was voted co-player of the year in the league and Quiroz was pitcher of the year. UIW's Danny Heep was voted coach of the year for the Heartland.

GOLF

Both the men's and women's teams, after playing a full spring schedule of tournaments, competed in the Heartland Conference tournaments held in Kansas City, Mo.

The women finished fifth in the conference affair with two freshmen, Tanya Edge and Megan Crowe, leading the way.

On the men's side, the Cardinals fell to seventh in the Heartland tournament. Senior Osvaldo Machado held up his end of the bargain by finishing sixth in medalist play, just nine strokes out of first place in the three-day affair. For his efforts, Machado was named second team All-Heartland.

TRACK AND FIELD

Two freshmen and a junior made a big impression for the Cardinals track and field teams over the winter and spring of 2005.

Junior Bree Wilson on the women's side established four University records, two indoors in the winter and two outdoors in the spring. The San Antonio runner made two trips to Lubbock with the team and came home with two school records, one in the one-mile run and the other in the 3,000-meter event.

Then, she moved outside and established two more marks, in the 800-meters and the 1,500-meter event.

Not too far behind was freshman Michael Herrera. He posted the best UIW times ever for the one-mile indoors as well as the 3,000 meters under a roof. He took his 3,000 talent outside later for a new record. His freshman teammate, Omar Torres, also established three UIW marks, 55-meter and 60-meter hurdles indoors, and 110-meter hurdles outdoors.

SOFTBALL

The Cardinals played their way into the season-ending Heartland Conference championship tournament before being ousted. UIW finished the season at 24-27.

Senior pitcher Jennifer Reed, freshman first baseman Melissa Perez and junior utility player Stephanie Flores were voted to the All-Heartland team at year's end. Additionally, freshman shortstop Patty Madera was on the team as an at-large player.

Other individual awards went to catcher Amanda Mayfield as Newcomer of the Year, and Perez as the Freshman of the Year.

TENNIS

On the men's side of the courts, the Cardinals ended the year at 10-10. That included reaching the semi-finals of the Heartland Conference Championships. A national ranking of 30th earned the men a trip to the NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament for the third time in four years. Unfortunately the men ran into their old rival St. Edward's and lost in the semi-finals.

Despite a significant 13-8 final mark, the Cardinals women missed out on another regional tournament invitation that would have been their fourth in five seasons. They did however reach the Heartland tournament semi-finals before dropping out.

The Heartland named two seniors--Oleg Dyachenko and Robbie Vittitow--to its all-conference team at year's end.

Also, senior Cosette Reyes was elected Incarnate Word Student Athlete of the Year.