Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Submitted Article

Four AU Athletics teams were in action this week, led by the return of Asbury mens and womens track & field to the track on Saturday. Mens and womens hoops and swimming all competed at the Luce Center on Saturday.

Mens basketball

Asbury graduate guard Dakota Walden led four AU double-digit scorers with 16 points, but Asbury (10-8) came up short to Alice Lloyd (9-7) on Tuesday, Jan. 9, in Pippa Passes, 88-78. After a 42-42 first half, Alice Lloyd used a 45-27 rebounding advantage and 21 made free throws to even the season-series after Asbury beat Alice Lloyd in November. Dakota Walden went 6-10 with two 3s for 16 points and dished four assists with two rebounds. Clayton Winter scored 14 points (6-7 FG) with seven rebounds and five assists. Caleb Wallis scored 13 points with five assists, five steals, and two rebounds. Ben McNew scored 12 points with five rebounds and two steals. Aden Slone scored eight points with three assists and a rebound.

Caleb Wallis scored 15 points while Clayton Winter grabbed his sixth double-double of the season on Saturday night in Wilmore to lead the Eagles past Simmons College (3-14) in the annual Ray Shouse Game, 80-51.The AU defense kept Simmons to below 30 points in both halves, holding the Falcons to the lowest points of an opponent all season. Caleb Wallis scored 15 points with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Dakota Walden dropped 13 points with three assists, two boards, and a steal. Clayton Winter had his sixth double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points, including two steals. Ben McNew scored nine points with four rebounds and two steals. Aden Slone scored nine points with three rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Transfer Luke Imfeld scored nine points with three 3-pointers in his first game as an Eagle. Cameron Jones had eight points with two 3s.

Womens basketball

Double-digit scoring from Haleigh Releford and Trinity Shearer and a third-quarter scoring burst led Asbury women’s basketball (11-7) to their third win of the calendar year over Alice Lloyd (8-7), 65-60. The win keeps the women perfect in the new year and gives the team their largest win streak of the season. Haleigh Releford led AU with 14 points, eight rebounds, and two steals. Trinity Shearer scored 13 points, grabbed eight rebounds, dished five assists, and collected three steals. Abigail Harris added nine points (6-8 FT) off the bench. Morgan Flannery tallied seven points and two assists. Ma’Kiya West and Celia Pelfrey each added six points off the bench.

Senior guard Celia Pelfrey’s 19 points (5-10 3PT) accompanied by freshman Bre Jones’ double-double, helps Asbury take down Welch College to win its fourth straight game, 75-46. AU honored senior guard Trinity Shearer pre-game for eclipsing the 1,000-point mark and also becoming the all-time steals leader in an Asbury career. Celia Pelfrey led AU with 19 points and four steals. Bre Jones recorded a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds. Haleigh Releford added ten points, seven rebounds, and three steals. Abigail Harris scored nine points and grabbed two rebounds. Trinity Shearer came away with six steals, grabbed seven boards, and recorded four assists. Spencer Harvey added eight rebounds and four assists.

Mens and womens swimming

Asbury seniors Jenna Davis and Ian Wang, alongside sophomore Braden Vincent, each took individual first-place finishes in the Asbury men’s and women’s swimming return to their home pool on Friday night in Wilmore against Centre College.The AU men’s team climbed back to first place in the 200 freestyle relay, powered by Owen Seymour with a convincing anchor performance. Centre took the overall competition, 294-95. AU fell on the men’s side 50-140 and 45-154 on the women’s.

Asbury seniors Jenna Davis, Naomi Eriksen, Emily Poll, Maria Poll, Amber Schulte, Josef Morstatt, and Ian Wang were honored Saturday afternoon in the Luce Natatorium for their hard work and efforts during their time at Asbury, in their meet against the University of the Cumberlands. Against the Patriots, the Eagles collected six first-place finishes, with Owen Seymour, a recent transfer from Emory and Henry College, taking his first win as an Eagle in the 50 butterfly. Other first-place titles included Maria Poll, Emily Poll, Ian Wang, and Braden Vincent. The Patriots took the overall win, 343-154 with the men falling 178-62 and the women 165-92.

Mens and womens track & field

Asbury University men’s and women’s track and field officially returned as an intercollegiate sport at AU on Saturday in Columbus, Oh, hosted by Capital University. The special opening day was led by freshman JoJo Ernst taking first place in the 1,000m Run (2:53.40) and freshman social work major Bailey Gassmann, finishing first place in the Mile (5:41.66) and the 1,000m Run (3:21.99). Asbury head coach O’Brian Bridges led AU to establish three school records on the day, including the long jump, men’s shot put, and women’s shot put. AU also set four new school records that had been previously held. School Records Established: John Rahbany – Long Jump (5.90m / 19 4 ¼), Brendan Funke – Shot Put (11.27m / 36’ 11” ¾ ) & Weight Throw (11.51m / 37’ 9” ), August Price – Shot Put (6.99m / 22’ 11 ¼ ). New School Records: Josiah Welhing – 60m dash (7.61) & 200m dash (24.71), Luke Wheatley – 400m dash (53.57), Wes Preston – 5,000m run (16:54.95), Bailey Gassmann – 1,000m run (3:21.99) & Mile (5:41.66).