As we look back on the year in sports during 1999 and 2000, we can come to but one conclusion: Dartmouth athletes love the springtime.

After a lackluster fall season and an improved winter, three Big Green teams competed for, or won, Ivy League titles in the spring. Below is a recap for the 10 most exciting moments of the 1999-2000 school year.

No. 1: W. lax. wins 4th Ivy title

We have seen the sun set on what is arguably the finest class of teammates ever to come through Dartmouth, and they didn't disappoint their fans in the end. The senior stars of Dartmouth women's lacrosse -- Jacque Weitzel, Kate Graw, Melissa Frazier and Whitney Hale -- went into the 2000 season knowing that they could capture a fourth consecutive Ivy League title. But this one would not come as easily as the previous ones, and for that reason, the final one was the most special.

Entering the season ranked in the top 10 in the nation, the Big Green laxers knew that they had the talent to win it all. Returning was Ivy League sensation and two-time 1st-team All-American Weitzel, two-time 2nd-team All-American Graw and 1st-team All-American Frazier.

The year started out great, with the women amassing an 11-1 record with 10 straight wins by mid-April, including an Ivy League Championship overtime thriller versus No. 2 Princeton that Dartmouth took 16-13. But that is where things took a turn for the worse.

Dartmouth lost defensive star Frazier to a knee injury just a week before the Princeton game, Graw was hospitalized with appendicitis before a game versus North Carolina and Liz Merritt '01, a starting midfielder, missed the final game against Syracuse (an 18-9 loss) due to a thigh injury.

Dartmouth lost its final three games to Duke, UNC and Syracuse and fell to a number 10 seed in the NCAA tournament. Along the way, however, Weitzel became the all-time leading scorer at Dartmouth (248 points, 199g) and in Ivy League play (96g).

In the first round of the NCAA tournament, the Big Green faced earlier opponent Duke, this time in Durham, N.C. With a hobbled Graw and Merritt, the Duke Blue Devils downed the Big Green 7-6 despite two goals from Weitzel and Kerry Lenehan '01. Dartmouth ended its season at 11-5, 7-0 in Ivy play.

The awards mounted after the season was over for the lacrosse ladies. Weitzel (also named Ivy player of the year), Graw and Frazier were unanimous selections to 1st-team All-Ivy slots, while goalkeeper Sarah Hughes '02 joined them. Amy Zimmer '01 and Katy Cuneo '02 were named to the 2nd-team, while Alison Moulin '02 was an honorable mention.

The awards continued as Weitzel, Graw, Frazier and Hughes were all named to the 1st-team All-Region team. Graw and Weitzel were also 1st-team All-Americans while Hughes was a 3rd-team choice.

And finally, Graw was named CollegeLacrosse.com's Sportswoman of the Year for her on and off the field achievements. Graw will return to Dartmouth next year to become an assistant coach.

And so the Class of 2000 has left us, and they have taken their four Ivy League Championships and 27-1 Ivy League record with them. But the underclassmen have their own talents, including tri-captains Amy Zimmer '01, Gretchen Bell '01 and Suzy Gibbons '01, who look to continue the Dartmouth dynasty for years to come.

No. 2: Baseball shines in Ivies

When one talks about a Northeast baseball juggernaut, the 2000 Dartmouth team had better come to mind. The men dismantled Ivy League opponents going 17-3 in Ivy play -- the second best record ever -- and a school record 29 wins against just 14 losses overall.

This team was promising from start to finish. In Dartmouth's spring trip to Florida, the Big Green played the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes three times. In the opening game Dartmouth starter John Velosky '02 shocked the 'Canes with seven strong innings and Dartmouth came away with a 6-5 win. The next two games Dartmouth would lose 6-1 and 10-8, but Big Green fans knew to expect the best from this team.

And they delivered. They delivered to a tune of domination outscoring opponents 305-199 en route to the best season in Dartmouth history and a number one ranking in New England. In the 10 Ivy League double headers they played, they were not swept but once, in the Ivy League Championship game versus Princeton.

Playing against the Lou Gherig Division Tigers in a best of three series, Dartmouth had their worst showing of the season losing 5-2 and 4-3. Those two games didn't do justice to the caliber of players that the 2000 Big Green possessed.

The postseason awards would, however, honor Dartmouth baseball as they should. Dartmouth swept the Ivy League awards, gathering pitcher of the year Conor Brooks '00 (first for Dartmouth since Mike Remlinger '87), player of the year Brian Nickerson '00 (Dartmouth's first ever) and rookie of the year Mike Milusenic '03. Brooks, Nickerson, James Little '00 and pitcher Jon Miller '00 all were named 1st-team All-Ivy. Milusenic was named 2nd-team, and catcher Mike Levy '01, pitcher John Velosky '02 and first baseman Aaron Meyer '00 all were honorable mention All-Ivy.

The awards didn't stop there for the Big Green. Four players (Little, Brooks, Nickerson and Milusenic) were selected to play in the New England All-Star Game. Brooks was named 1st-team All-New England, and the other three were named to the 2nd-team. Continuing on up the award ladder, Brooks was named to the 1st-team All-Northeast Region team and Nickerson was named to the region's 2nd-team. Finally freshman standout Milusenic was named one of two designated hitters on the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American Team.

With the loss of four seniors, four big seniors: Little, Brooks, Meyer and Yale Dieckman, the Big Green have some big shoes to fill. Nickerson will return for a fifth-year because of a red-shirt year, and Milusenic, Levy and Velosky will spearhead a team that is hungry for another Red Rolfe Division title and another shot at the Ivy League title.

No. 3: W. hockey 3rd in nation

The Big Green women's hockey team knew the national title was within their grasp as they entered the four-team title tournament. But their hopes were erased when they lost their semi-final game to Brown, 4-2, their third loss at the hands of the Bears. But the Dartmouth women rebounded to knock off the University of Minnesota-Duluth, 5-4 behind three goals from ECAC rookie of the year Carly Haggard '03 to place third in the nation.

That win gave the women a 17-9-0 overall record, 16-6 in ECAC play. Leading the Big Green were 2nd-team All-Ivy picks Haggard and defenseman Correne Bredin '02. Breden was the team's leading scorer with 40 points (10g, 30a).

The team probably played their best game in the semi-finals of the ECAC tournament versus then second ranked Harvard. Kristina Guarino '01 scored the game-winner 14:33 into overtime to advance Dartmouth the farthest it had ever been in post-season play. The game would not have been in overtime had Harvard not scored with 7 seconds left in regulation.

The loss of lone senior Jaime Arndt '00 leaves the Big Green in prime shape to contend for the national title in 2001. 2000 ECAC coach of the year Judy Oberting hopes she can advance even further next year with the help of a strong recruiting class.

4: Women's hoops crowned Ivy League champs

As a team in control the entire season, the Dartmouth women's basketball team stormed through the Ivy League garnering a 12-2 record in Ancient Eight play. This earned them a spot in the NCAA Tournament where they drew defending champ Purdue in the opening round.

Purdue looked as if they were going to blowout the Big Green, amassing a 20-point lead at one point. But the Big Green climbed back and grabbed its first lead with four minutes remaining. But the Boilermakers were too tough in the final minute and escaped with a 70-66 victory to end Dartmouth's season.

Along with the season, the Purdue game ended the career of one of Dartmouth's finest players ever. Courtney Banghart '00, Dartmouth's 4th all-time leading scorer (1423 points) and NCAA record holder for making a 3-pointer in 58 consecutive games finished her career that night in Indiana. A two-time 1st-team All-Ivy selection, Banghart will sorely be missed from the 1999-2000 team that went 20-8.

Joining Banghart on the All-Ivy teams were fellow senior Liz Martin '00, and freshman rookie of the year Katherine Hanks '03. Both were named to the 2nd-team.

With the loss of Banghart and Martin, the Big Green need to find players who can score and rebound. They look to Kat Hanks '03 and Kate Skelly '03 to pick up the much-needed slack.

5: Women's sailing takes ICYRA national title

Going into the Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association Spring National Regatta, the Dartmouth women sailors were ranked second in the country behind national powerhouse USC. In order to top the number-one ranked Trojans, the Dartmouth women would have to have a tremendous day.

That is exactly what they had and with it came Coach Brian Doyle's first ICYRA Championship. Leading the way were All-Americans Erin Maxwell '01, Katie Lyndon '01, Erin Myers '00, and Honorable Mention Jen Morgan '02.

The combination of the women's national championship and coed team's 4th place finish at Team Racing Nationals and 9th place finish at Dinghy Nationals placed the team overall in 9th place nationally.

In addition to the women's All-Americans, men's standouts Dan Herlihy '00 and Patrick Hogan '01 were named All-American skippers as well.

6: Women's soccer makes NCAAs again.

When it came down to tournament time, the Dartmouth women's soccer team was hoping that quality wins versus Richmond and Hartford would outweigh a relatively mediocre season (10-8-1 overall, 3-3-1 Ivy) and earn them a bid into the NCAA tournament.

But as if the tournament committee expected them to be there, they were awarded an at-large bid and a game versus Colgate. That game proved to be a display of their deservedness to be there as they dismantled Colgate 3-0 behind two goals from Mary McVeigh '03.

The next game in the tournament, however, was versus powerhouse UCONN, and the Huskies turned the tables on the Big Green and blanked them 3-0.

Individual highlights of the season were first-team All-Ivy accolades for goalkeeper Kristen Luckenbill '01, forward Melissa Roth '00 and fullback Katie Roda '00. With the graduation of top seniors like Roth, Roda, and Chrissy Castro, the women hope that underclassmen leaders Luckenbill, Jessica Post '01 and Katie Gayman '01 will lead them back to the NCAA tournament and towards an Ivy League title.

7: Women's softball posts highest win total ever

Following last season's record win total of 18, the women's softball team knew to expect great things from the 2000 season. Whether or not they expected to post a remarkable 32-win season is still in doubt.

Behind the phenomenal pitching of Ivy League pitcher and rookie of the year Christine Quattrochi '03 -- who is already the school's career leader in wins (22) and strikeouts (169) -- the Big Green posted their best Ivy League finish ever (second) and were one game away from beating Harvard for the League title.

Joining Quattrochi on the All-Ivy teams were 2nd-teamers Kristin King '02, Sarah Damon '02, Carrie Hoverman '01 and Chiara Grabill '01.

The highlight of the team's season was finishing second in the end-of-the-season ECAC tournament. There, after an opening round loss to George Mason, the women reeled off two 1-0 shutouts before losing 2-1 to East Carolina in the championship game of the double elimination tournament.

With one senior graduating, and a fine Class of 2004 on the way, the Big Green know that 2001 will be there turn to bask in the sun of an Ivy League championship.

8: Two Big Greens in the big leagues

Following a storybook season of records, two of Dartmouth's finest baseball players earned the chance to play professional ball. Hurler Conor Brooks '00 and centerfielder James Little '00 both were picked up by major league teams from California.

As the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year for 2000, Brooks was drafted in the 26th round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Oakland Athletics.

"It's an absolute dream come true," Brooks said. "I still can't believe it has happened. I am so excited to play for the A's. They were actually the team I was hoping to go with all along. I am going to get a chance to go out West, something I've been dying to do. I'm on Cloud Nine right now, and I don't think I'm going to be coming down for a while."

Brooks finished his Dartmouth career with an 8-2 record in 2000, while going a perfect 5-0 in Ivy League play. He recorded 91 strikeouts in 87 innings pitched.

The team's MVP for the year 2000, James Little, was signed as a free agent by the Anaheim Angels. Little began play with the Angels on June 16th with their Rookie League team in Butte, Montana.

In his spectacular senior season, the two-time first-team All-Ivy selection set school records in hits (202), runs (143), doubles (46) and runs in a season (46) en route to winning the 2000 James Henry Cook Award for the player who has contributed the most to Dartmouth baseball over his four years.

9: Men's hockey makes ECACs, almost upsets RPI

Six point four seconds. That is how close the Dartmouth men's hockey team was from extending the ECAC first round series with the RPI Engineers to a third game. Instead, the eighth-seeded Big Green came back to Hanover knowing they let one slip away in their 3-2 overtime loss to the third-seeded Engineers.

Dartmouth had entered the ECAC tournament for the first time since the 1995-1996 season. After losing the first game to RPI 7-2, the team knew they had to step it up the next game. But the 3-2 loss didn't dishearten Coach Bob Gaudet '81 who knows his team will be back.

"Anybody who is associated in any way with the College has got to be proud with the way the team performed," Gaudet said.

"I've been coaching this game now for 17 years, and I have never seen a team so young perform so well."

And when the team does return to post-season play they will do so with their top seven scorers after losing only three seniors to graduation on a team that went 9-17-4, but 8-10-3 in ECAC play. Leading the way will be top scorer Frank Nardella '02, tri-captains Mike Byrne '01, Mike Maturo '02 and Jamie Herrington '02, as well as phenom goalie Nick Boucher '03 and All-ECAC rookie defenseman Trevor Byrne '03.

10: Field Hockey wins ECAC title

Led by first-team All-Ivy selection, 1st-team All-Northeast region selection and Dartmouth's all-time leading scorer Lauren Scopaz '00 (112 points), the Big Green field hockey team took home the ECAC tournament title on November 16, 1999 with a 3-0 victory over Harvard. During the tournament's two games Scopaz tallied eight points (3g, 2a) and was named Ivy League Player of the Week. The win propelled them into the national Top 20.

The team finished with a 14-5 overall record and a 5-2 Ivy League record that was good enough for third in the League. Scopaz and teammate Kim Jenkin '02 tied for second in the Ivies and the team lead in scoring with 41 points. Jenkin was placed on the first-team All-Ivy and second-team All-Northeast region teams for her efforts.

Goalkeeper Brittany D'Augustine '01 led the Ivies in goals against average and shutouts with 6.5. She earned a spot on the 2nd-team All-Ivy squad with her performance during the season.

With the loss of Scopaz, as well as three other seniors, the Big Green are hoping that Jenkin, D'Augustine and two-year starting sweeper Kate Alexander '02 fill the void left by the four absent seniors.

Football

In what was to be chalked up as a year of experience for a youthful Dartmouth football team, a sputtering offense and disappointing defense allowed Dartmouth to be outscored by opponents 300-134 en route to a 2-8 record, identical to that of 1998.

All the excitement for the Big Green was provided in two big home wins versus Cornell (during Homecoming) and Princeton in the final game of the year. During these games quarterback Brian Mann '02 showed that the future of Dartmouth football might be bright, as he sparked an offense led by captain and unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection Caleb Moore '01.

The defense, in need of rebuilding after the 1999 season, saw the careers of some standout players come to an end. Among the Class of 2000 graduates were second-team All-Ivy players defensive end Kyle Schroeder and defensive back Tom Reusser, and first-team All-Ivy members linebacker Steve Varney and punter Wayne Schlobohm.

In the year 2000 the team looks again to Mann and Moore for offensive leadership and hopes that running back Reggie Belhomme '01 can build on his strong 1999 season. On the opposite side of the ball, after graduating eight seniors the team hopes that newcomers can bear the heavy barrage of opposing Ivy League offenses.

Men's soccer

The graduation of eight from the 1998 squad left the '99 team much like their gridiron friends, young and inexperienced. Coach Fran O'Leary shuffled lineups that at one point in the season contained five freshmen. The lack of seasoned veterans led to a disappointing record (3-9-4, 1-4-2 Ivy), but with only two graduating seniors, the team is poised for improvement.

Highlighting the 1999 season were two huge wins versus powerhouse opponents. In early October, the men traveled to then #11 Yale and handed them a 3-2 loss. Then in the final game of the year, during a weekend trip to Florida, the booters knocked off perennial title contender Florida International 1-0 thanks to a free kick strike from captain Nick Magnuson '01.

However the men learned midway through the 1999 season that they have a long way to go if they want to return to the NCAA tournament and contend. A 4-0 drubbing at Stanford and a 1-0 defeat by Brown showed the Big Green that national success isn't right around the corner.

In 2000 the men will look to ride the experience earned in 1999 to propel them to Ivy Championship contention and a trip to the NCAA tournament. Returning will be Honorable Mention All-Ivy players Magnuson and Scott Lish '03, as well as co-captain Ben Kennedy '01.

Men's basketball

It was a disappointing 1999-2000 campaign for the Dartmouth men's basketball team. Returning four of five starters from the previous season, including Ivy League leading scorer Shaun Gee '00, the nation's leading rebounder Ian McGinnis '01, and sharpshooter Greg Buth '01, the team should have contended for the Ivy League title.

Instead, the men struggled to a 9-18 overall record, with a 5-9 mark in Ivy play. Losses to mediocre teams such as Central Connecticut and SUNY-Albany were examples of the team's plight.

Gee once again led the league in scoring, and Buth led the league in three-point shooting percentage (Both were named second-team All-Ivy). But for some reason this wasn't enough to propel the men past Harvard, Princeton and Penn.

Next season they look to point guard Flinder Boyd '02 and captains McGinnis and Buth to help them contend for their first Ivy League title since 1959.

Men's lacrosse

Continuing with what seems to be the trend for men's sports during the 1999-2000 season, the Big Green men's lacrosse team was what you would call experience-impaired. With only three seniors and loads of raw-talented freshmen, the men took their lumps throughout their lackluster season (5-9 overall, 0-6 Ivy).

Led by Connor Price's '02 14 goals and nine assists, the Big Green scored 104 goals in their 14 games, as compared with opponents' 127. Freshman Mike Gault was in the net for the early part of the year, but an ankle injury halfway through sidelined him for the remainder.

With the return of goalkeepers Gault and Pat McClammer '02, as well as Price, captains Chris O'Hara '01 and Scott Kinum '01, and defensive stalwart Alex Grishman '01 the team hopes that their 2001 crusade turns out better than the one prior.