VOL. 23, NO. 12	JANUARY 23, 1998

Gary Raimondo.

mong Columbia's athletes this winter season are: a fencer ranked number one in the nation, a swimmer ranked number seven in the world, one of the region's best wrestlers and two basketball teams providing consistent excitement.

  Here's a look at the season so far:

MEN'S BASKETBALL

  Coming off their heart-stopping, jump-shot-at-the-buzzer win against Dartmouth in Levien Gymnasium on Jan. 10, the men's varsity basketball lost to Cornell last Saturday night. But They rebounded on Monday night to beat Army 71–69 at West Point. The Lions are now 6–9 overall.

  The Dartmouth game could not have been more exciting. The Lions trailed the Big Green most of the game, then tied with about 3 minutes to go. With one minute on the clock, Columbia grabbed a 3-point lead. But a Dartmouth guard sank one from outside the circle and tied the game at 53.

  Less than 10 seconds remained, and overtime seemed imminent. But forward Erik Crep, a 6'-7" junior from Plantation, Fla. and the Lion's dependable outside shooter, put up the winning jumper at the buzzer.

  In the wake of the Dartmouth victory, Crep made the Ivy League "honor roll" last week.

  Earlier in the season, during Thanksgiving break, captain Gary Raimondo, a 6'-2" junior from Buffalo, N.Y., got a break of his own, but not a good one. His nose was smashed during the St. Francis game on Nov. 29, and he missed three games. He returned mid-December with the same excellent scoring and rebounding stats, but will play with a plastic face mask until he's fully healed.

  Shortly after his return, Raimondo was named the Ivy League's Player of the Week. So far this season, he has had three "double-doubles," which are double digits in both points and rebounds.

  Also earlier in the season, first-year Tony Mboya, a guard from Bethesda, Md., was also named to the "honor roll."

  In other basketball news around the Ivy League, Princeton continues to dominate, possessing the only unfeated Ivy record this season. Overall, their only loss went to no less than the UNC Tarheels.

Shawnee Pickney. Record Photo by Amy Callahan.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

  The women also lost a heart-breaker to Cornell, falling behind in overtime.

  The frustrating season thus far has nonetheless revealed some promising young talent recruited by Head Coach Jay Butler, now in his second season. Shawnee Pickney, a first-year forward from Los Angeles, Calif., twice has been named Rookie of the Week by the Ivy League, including last week after her impressive 23-point performance against top-ranked Harvard.

  After falling 86–57 to the Crimson on Jan. 9 in Cambridge, Mass., the women then lost to Dartmouth (76–60) the next day in Hanover, N.H.

  Other young Lions being praised by Ivy League coaches are sophomore Erin Erdman, a 6'-2" center from Dallas, Tex., who was placed on the "honor roll." Also mentioned for her performance against Harvard was sophomore forward Catherine Tubridy of Broad Channel, N.Y., who scored 10 points.

  Around the league, Harvard is enjoying a 29-game winning streak in the Ivies. This season they are led by 5'-11" senior Allison Feaster, who, while averaging 28 points per game, is poised to break the Ivy League scoring record. She needs to score just 17 points against Lehigh on Jan. 26.

Dan Kellner.

WOMEN'S FENCING

  The Columbia women soundly defeated Harvard, 22–10, at their Ivy League season opener on Dec. 6 in Cambridge. The Lions' women's foil went 12–4, as Columbia College sophomore Susan Jennings, of Rochester, N.Y., and nationally-ranked newcomer Erinn Smart, a Barnard first-year from Brooklyn, both went 4–0, allowing just a combined nine touches in their eight bouts. Senior co-captain Kate Lane of New York City was 3–1.

  In women's epee: Barnard first-year Melinda Mellman of Louisville, Ky. and Elspeth Wilson, a Columbia College first-year from Boulder, Colo., were each 4–0; and Barnard junior Jessica Ullian of Brookline, Mass. was 2–0. Ullian, showing a quick command of the sport, learned to fence in a Barnard physical education class. Earlier in the season, at the Penn State Open, Smart took the gold medal in women's foil, and Jennings was second, losing only to Smart.

Cristina Teuscher. Record Photo by Eileen Barroso.

MEN'S FENCING

  Columbia also defeated Harvard, 21–6, last month, led by a perfect 9–0 foil squad. Three wins apiece were recorded by All-America Dan Kellner, a senior from Warren, N.J., who is currently ranked first in the nation in men's foil; Rafi Bruckner, a first-year from Newton, Mass., and Jed Dupree, a freshman from Bethlehem, Pa. Epee was 7–2, led by senior co-captain Noah Zucker, of Austin, Tex., and sophomore Matt Rosen, of Cherry Hill, N.J. Both were 3–0, while sabre was 5–4. At Penn State Open, Rosen won a gold medal in men's epee and first-year Patrick Durkan, of New York City, won a gold in sabre.

Arkee Allen.

WRESTLING

  At the Coast Guard Academy Invitational on Dec. 5, which Columbia won with 119 points, senior co-captain Arkee Allen, of Rochester, N.Y., won at 142 pounds, and is now ranked 12th nationally.

SWIMMING

  Sophomore Cristina Teuscher, of New Rochelle, N.Y., placed 7th in the world in the 200-meter freestyle on Jan. 13 at the world championships in Australia. Teuscher, who won a gold medal in the 1996 summer Olympics, finished in 2:00.64.