Dong's Top 10

Sophomore summer is a great time to reflect, and as always, there has been quite a bit to reflect on in the world of Dartmouth sports this past year. Some Cinderella teams shocked the world while other perennially-strong teams' hearts were broken. For this week's top 10, let's take a look at the top 10 teams from Big Green athletics during the 2010-2011 season.10. Men's Cross Country Led by Ethan Shaw '12, the Big Green took second at the Ivy Heptagonals Championship, with Shaw finishing in third place and three other Dartmouth runners placing in the top 12. At the National Collegiate Athletics Association Regional tournament, the team took fourth place and just barely missed out on qualifying for nationals.9. Women's Lacrosse The Big Green won a share of its first Ivy League Championship since 2005 and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in program history. Led by Ivy League Player of the Year attack Kat Collins '11 and Ivy Rookie of the Year goalie Kristen Giovanniello '14, the team finished with an 11-5 overall record, including 6-1 in league play. The highlight of the year came when Dartmouth snapped No. 1 Maryland's 28-game winning streak with a 9-8 victory in overtime.8. Baseball Coming off a league championship season, Dartmouth was once again the heavy favorite in Ivy League play this spring. Unfortunately, the Big Green ran into a vicious Princeton Tigers team that defeated Dartmouth in a highly-contested three-game Ivy Championship Series. Nonetheless, this year's team became the winningest class in program history, finishing with a 30-12 record and its fourth straight Red Rolfe Division championship.7. Men's Hockey The Big Green returned to the ECAC Final Four after posting its best regular season record since 2007, thanks to the strength of solid goaltending from James Mello '12 and defenseman Joe Stejskal '11. With the rise of young stars such as Ivy Co-Rookie of the Year Matt Lindblad '14, the team is looking to advance even further next season.6. Women's Hockey The women's hockey team returned to the national spotlight by earning an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. However, the Big Green could not escape its archrival Cornell, losing to the Big Red both in the ECAC Championship Final and in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Dartmouth ended the season ranked eighth nationally.5. Football Coming off of two dreadful seasons in which the Big Green went a combined 2-18, this year's team gave Dartmouth fans hope for the future. Led by Ivy Co-Player of the Year running back Nick Schweiger '12, the team finished the season with a respectable 6-4 record and a few close-calls in its losses. With most of the team coming back next season, Dartmouth is poised to make a run at its first Ivy League title since 1996.4. Skiing One of Dartmouth's most consistent teams, the skiing squad had another solid season. The Big Green improved two spots from last year at the NCAA Championships, finishing in third place behind the University of Colorado and the University of Utah. A special shout out to Sam Tarling '13 for being the national champion in the Nordic 10K freestyle.3. Men's Soccer The Big Green was eight seconds away from forcing penalty kicks against No. 8 UCLA in the round of 16 at the NCAA Tournament, but a late Bruins goal in double-overtime sent Dartmouth home in cruel fashion. Despite the disappointing ending, the team enjoyed a very solid season overall, with the help of National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Northeast first team honoree Daniel Keat '10.2. Rugby Sevens Dartmouth rugby shocked the field at the USA Sevens College Rugby Championship by defeating tournament favorites along the way and earning the championship trophy. In the final against the United States Military Academy at West Point that was broadcast nationally, the Big Green cruised to a 32-10 victory and earned the program's first national championship.1. Women's Tennis The most noteworthy title belongs to the women's tennis team, which brought home the program's first ever Ivy League Championship since its inception in 1973. The Big Green finished strong by winning six of its last seven matches to share the title with Yale University. First singles Molly Scott '11 became the all-time leader in career wins and head coach Bob Dallis was named ITA Northeast Region Co-Coach of the Year.