Is the success of a team determined exclusively by the statistics that they create? The Hamline winter athletics think it’s a deeper thing that can’t be measured by numbers. 

The Hamline Women’s Basketball team is on its way to the MIAC Tournament. The team currently has a record of 16-5. This season has been historic for the Pipers, the last time the women’s team had this number of wins in a season was during the 1985-1986 season. They secured this achievement against St. Benedicts back on February 7. The defense has been shining bright with over 230 steals this season. 

“We have a great group of young women on our team and they have been so fun to coach and be around each day. I am proud of our efforts on the basketball court as well as in the classroom. We achieved a 3.58 Team GPA for fall semester. They have worked extremely hard and it has been fun seeing them have success this season,” head women’s basketball coach Alex Focke said. 

Women’s hockey has been filled with tricks, points and wins. The team has a record of 11—3 and is currently on a three-game winning streak. With Whitney Colbert as the new head coach, the team has had three shutouts this season in which they have scored at least four points. When the women’s team was facing off against the UW-Superior Yellowjackets, Jordan Hansen scored their 100th career point.

Track and Field are in the midst of the indoor section of their season. The women’s team has been racing for first place, with many wins in the 1,000 meter, long jump, 4×200 meter and weighted throws. The team has had two athletes named MIAC athlete of the week. Jenneel Rodney and Jailyn Robinson were both named the MIAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week. Rodney gained the title on January 25, and Robinson was named the Athlete of the Week on February 8. On the men’s side, they have competed in 5 meets and have broken records. The Hamline first-year Joshua Thomsen broke two records in one day, one of which was already theirs. On January 29, the Pipers were competing at the MSU-Mankato Mark Schuck Open and Multi where Thomsen broke the school record of 8.36 seconds in the 60-meter preliminaries, then broke the record again with an 8.30-second finish in the finals. 

The gymnastics team started the season with a postponement, but since then they have competed in four meets.

“Overall I feel good, you know success is subjective. I feel good about our efforts and our progress, our intention, fight and grit, unfortunately, that isn’t always equal to statistical success which oftentimes we’re measured on,” Doug Byrnes head coach of the Gymnastics team said. When the Pipers faced Winona State, there was a nail-biting finish of 176.975 to 179.725 that led to Winona taking the win. 

“We have had some wonderful individual performances and we have had a ton of transcendental performances from people learning,” Byrnes said. 

In the pool, waves are being made. Junior diver Courtney Broyles was named the MIAC Women’s Swimming and Diving Athlete of the Week on

January 18 and is now working towards her second Zone Qualifying score. The women’s team hosted Augsburgs University Swim and Dive team on January 23 and walked away with a win and 180 points. The men’s team is small but mighty – the roster consists of four athletes who have been swimming at six meets this season. 

Men’s hockey has an overall record of 4—15—1. They are on a one-game winning streak. The meet-ups with St. Olaf have been intense. When the two teams first met this season on December 31, it was a high-scoring game that ended in a 4—4 tie after one overtime period. At their second meeting of the season, the match went to overtime again after ending the regular time of play tied at 1—1. The Oles walked away from the meeting with the win and a final score of 1—2. The men’s team faced a few postponements this season back in January.

The men’s basketball team has a current record of 9—13. On February 5, the Pipers visited the Concordia Cobbers and secured the win with a final score of 79—67, 21 of those points being scored by first-year Bradley Cimperman.

 “The 2021-22 men’s basketball season has been about opportunity and growth. Navigating injuries and players missing time due to illness has presented challenges and given opportunities for our players. We have had numerous players step in and provide quality minutes throughout the year. I am proud of the growth we have shown over the course of the season and we are excited to finish strong and head into the MIAC playoffs on a high note,” Jim Hayes, head coach of Hamline’s men’s basketball team, said.