LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS COMPOSITE CALENDAR
With the start of second-semester classes upon Ashland University, Eagle athletics is back full steam ahead in the second full week of January.
All but one of AU's winter programs are at home this week, including the 2016-17 home opener for No. 13 Eagle wrestling in a dual against No. 2-ranked Notre Dame College.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (LINK) – No. 1 Ashland (16-0 overall, 8-0 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) will conclude its four-game homestand with the start of GLIAC South Division play on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 5:30 p.m. against Ohio Dominican (10-5, 5-3) and Saturday (Jan. 14) at 1 p.m. vs. Hillsdale (9-6, 3-5).
The Eagles have won a program-record 34 straight regular-season home games, and are 91-9 in their last 100 games overall at Kates Gymnasium.
ONE TO WATCH: Junior forward Julie Worley has scored at least 11 points off the bench eight times this season.
MEN'S BASKETBALL (LINK) – The Eagles (8-6, 3-5) will finish their stretch of five straight games at "The Kates" with GLIAC South matchups against Ohio Dominican (9-5, 4-4) on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and vs. Hillsdale (6-8, 2-6) on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Ashland comes into the week having won 30 of its last 39 (.769) home games.
ONE TO WATCH: In the last four games, senior guard Boo Osborne is averaging 13.8 points per game, and has hit 12-of-23 (52.2 percent) 3-point field goals.
WRESTLING (LINK) – No. 13-ranked Ashland finally will compete at home following a start to the 2016-17 campaign which has included three opens, three duals and the Midwest Classic. AU will play host to the second-ranked Falcons on Friday (Jan. 13) at 7 p.m.
The Eagles are 2-1 in duals this season.
ONE TO WATCH: Senior 149-pounder Brent Fickel is ranked third in the region and eighth nationally.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD (LINK) – The No. 6-ranked Eagle men and women will continue the season on Friday at the Border Battle in Findlay.
Field events begin at 5 p.m., with running events starting at 6:05 p.m.
ONE TO WATCH: Junior Daniel Roberts has the best men's weight throw distance in Division II (21.47 meters/70-feet-5.25), and the 14th-best men's shot put mark in the country (16.72 meters/54-feet-10.25).
SWIMMING/DIVING (LINK) – In their first action since Dec. 2-3, the Ashland men and women will return to the pool twice this week – Friday at 5 p.m. at Malone with Urbana, and Saturday at 1 p.m. at home against Saginaw Valley State and Hillsdale's women.
Saturday's meet will be the final one at Messerly Natatorium for the 2016-17 season.
ONE TO WATCH: At the Eastern Michigan Invitational on Dec. 2-3, sophomore Ben Keilholz was sixth in the men's 100 freestyle (47.24), was part of the sixth-place men's 400 relay team (3:14.85) and was a member of the fifth-place men's 200 free squad (1:27.68).
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