{"id":32705,"date":"2026-06-11T21:59:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T21:59:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/?p=32705"},"modified":"2026-06-11T22:03:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:03:24","slug":"smashing-success-for-the-scots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/2026\/06\/smashing-success-for-the-scots\/","title":{"rendered":"Smashing Success for the Scots"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some seasons, the stars just align\u2014or you make them, with grit, determination, and teamwork. With six varsity teams and two club sports reaching national championships, earning All-American and All-MIAC honors, winning awards for excellence in academics and leadership, it was a triumphant year for the Macalester Athletics Department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athletics Director Donnie Brooks says, \u201cThere\u2019s an unmistakable current running through Macalester Athletics right now. From varsity teams to club rosters, the culture has fundamentally shifted. We\u2019ve traded hope for expectation, rallying behind a single, defiant question: Why not us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baseball<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year, the baseball team broke the school record for wins\u2014becoming the first team in the program\u2019s history to win thirty games\u2014on their tear to winning the MIAC Playoffs and advancing to the NCAA Championships, both for the second time. The Scots earned their first NCAA Tournament victory at the regional, defeating Luther 14-5. Eight players were selected to the All-MIAC team, and head coach Matt Parrington was named the MIAC Coach of the Year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Infielder Holden Peacock ’27 said of the year, \u201cI am very proud of what the team has done this season! We put in a lot of hard work on and off the field, and it was an amazing opportunity to represent Macalester in the conference and national tournaments.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Macalester College Baseball defeats St John’s for the MIAC Championship<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Men’s Soccer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a historic feat, the men\u2019s soccer team beat St. Olaf in November\u2019s MIAC Playoffs championship game\u2014the team\u2019s thirteenth MIAC title and first since 2015; and their thirteenth NCAA Tournament appearance, their first since 2015. The team won two games in the NCAA Tournament in front of boisterous crowds at John Leaney Field at Macalester Stadium to advance to the Sweet 16. The Scots wrapped up their season with a resounding seventeen victories, the second-most in the program\u2019s history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Midfielder Kasdan Blattman \u02bc27 said of the NCAA home games, \u201cSeeing that large of a home crowd was truly inspiring; they were our 12th man. Knowing the Macalester community was behind us gave us that extra push to get us over the line in big moments.\u201d 

Blattman and forward Ondieki Maina \u02bc26 were named All-Americans, the first men\u2019s soccer All-Americans since 2010, and the first time since 1990 Macalester has had two All-Americans in the same year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Macalester College Men Soccer hosts and defeats the University of Wisconsin Eau-Claire Blugolds in the second round of the NCAA Tournament; pictured: Ondieki Maina \u02bc26<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Cross Country<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In November, Ingrid Norquist \u02bc27 and Kate Fox \u02bc28 competed in the NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Championships, marking the first time since 1983 Macalester has had two runners qualify for nationals as individuals. The last runner to qualify was Kimber Meyer \u02bc17 ten years ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2025 NCAA Cross Country Championships in Spartanburg, South Carolina; Ingrid Norquist \u02bc27 (left) and Kate Fox \u02bc28 (right)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Norquist took sixth in the MIAC Championships and ninth at the NCAA North Region Meet to earn All-MIAC and All-Region accolades; she was also recognized with the MIAC Elite 22 Award. Men\u2019s cross country runner Tyler Edwards \u02bc26 earned All-MIAC honors for the second year in a row and also received the MIAC Elite 22 Award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tyler Edwards \u02bc26; photo: Christopher Mitchell \/ Sport Shot Photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Women’s Swim & Dive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In March, diver Ainsley Kashatus \u02bc29 finished thirteenth to receive an All-American honorable mention at the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships. She is Macalester\u2019s first women\u2019s diver to earn the honor since 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ainsley Kashatus \u02bc29 at the NCAA Division III Swim and Dive Championships, IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, IN \/David Beach<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Indoor Track & Field 
<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the men\u2019s division, John Ihrke \u02bc28 finished ninth in the 800 meters NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championship, setting a new personal best time and earning a spot on the All-American second team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
John Ihrke \u02bc28 at the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the women\u2019s division, Ariella Rogahn-Press \u02bc28 was named an All-American for the fourth time in her career after taking third in 400 meters at the same championship and eleventh in the 200 meters. Breaking the MIAC Championships and facility records with her time, she was named the MIAC Track & Field Athlete of the Year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ariella Rogahn-Press \u02bc28 at the 2026 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships in Birmingham, Alabama<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Water Polo<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Scots won the CWPA Tournament for the first time since 2019 and advanced to the national tournament for the first time in the program\u2019s history. Jess Palmer-Sammons \u02bc26 was named CWPA MVP for the second year in a row, placing her on the All-CWPA first team, and earned All-American honors along with teammates Jayden Kratt \u02bc26 and Reese Winegar \u02bc29.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
2026 CWPA Tournament-winning women’s water polo team<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Club Ultimate Frisbee<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both the Women\u2019s\/All-Inclusive team, the Pursesnatchers, and the Men\u2019s\/Open team, Flat Earth, headed to the USA Ultimate Division III College Championships, the first time for Flat Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Women’s\/Gender-Inclusive Ultimate Frisbee Team the Pursesnatchers<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In March, Flat Earth teammates and brothers Owen and Kyle Suelflow \u02bc26 signed contracts with the Minnesota Wind Chill, St. Paul\u2019s professional ultimate team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Men\u2019s\/Open Ultimate Frisbee Team Flat Earth<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Leadership Excellence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In March, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) recognized Donnie Brooks, Macalester College associate vice president for Student Affairs\/director of Athletics, with the NACDA Athletic Director of the Year Award. He is one of four NCAA Division III athletics directors to receive the award. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brooks was also recently named to the board of directors of the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators; is currently a member of the NCAA Division III Management Council; and has been a member of the Minority Opportunities in Athletics Association (MOAA) since 2011.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs\/Director of Athletics Donnie Brooks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It was a year to remember for Mac Athletics.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":677,"featured_media":32761,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[253],"class_list":["post-32705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-life","tag-athletics"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"fields":{"main_feature_story":"","custom_image":false,"custom_link_url":"","custom_feature_title":"","custom_feature_caption":"","custom_markup":"","custom_markup_link":"","custom_markup_title":"","custom_markup_caption":"","byline":"","article_type":false,"post_thumbnail_style":"default","flickr_photoset_id":"","youtube_id":"","square_thumbnail":false,"press_downloads":false,"press_photos":false,"story_title":"","story_caption":"","rotations":false,"maps":false,"marker_title":"","marker_text":"","geographic_location":false,"feature_embed":"","news_icon_name":"","image_options":false},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32705"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32705\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":32777,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32705\/revisions\/32777"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32761"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32705"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32705"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.macalester.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}