TRAVERSE CITY -- Talk about preparing for the postseason.
Four days before the NCAA Division I Central Region golf tournament, University of Michigan junior Bill Rankin was overall medalist at the Maxwell with a career-best total of 8-under 202.
The first-place finish was the second of his career for the Traverse City Central graduate.
Rankin opened with rounds of 67 and 66 on Saturday before carding a final-round 69 to finish four shots ahead of the field at the Dornick Hills Country Club in Ardmore, Okla. The 66 Rankin shot in the second round was also a new all-time low.
Michigan finished second as a team in the tournament, which varied from the traditional play-five, count-for format. In this tournament, all five team members played the same hole at the same time and the four lowest scores were counted toward the team total.
The Wolverines now head to regional play on the Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio from Thursday through Saturday. Of the 27 teams and six individuals at the three regional sites, the top 10 teams and two individuals not on the qualifying teams advance to the NCAA Finals in West Lafayette, Ind. May 28-31.
Michigan State and junior Randy Hutchison (TC Central) play in the East Regional on the Council Fire Golf Club in Chattanooga, Tenn. That regional also begins on Thursday.
-- Senior Jeff Wierzbicki (Elk Rapids) was named the top male student athlete at Aquinas College and presented with the Joseph Baker Award.
A four year letterwinner at Aquinas in basketball, Wierzbicki has been the Saints' captain the past two seasons. In the classroom, Wiorzbicki has a 3.45 grade point average in elementary education and language arts.
-- Hutchison and Rankin aren't the only area golfers prepping for the postseason.
Hope College and junior Don Kring (TC St. Francis) play in the Division III Championship at the Chateau Elan Resort in Braselton, Ga. The four-day, 72-hole tournament begins today.
-- University of Detroit freshman Patrick Liederbach (Petoskey) continues to have an outstanding track and field season.
Liederbach placed in two events at the Horizon League Championships at Youngstown State. Liederbach was fourth in the 5000 (15:19.71) and sixth in the 1500 (3:57.51).
Loyola of Chicago sophomore Jena Brown (TC St. Francis) qualified for the finals of the 800 with a time of 2:20.33. But Brown did not finish the final, even though her time in the preliminaries was good enough to place sixth.
-- Olivet College junior first baseman Scott Purdy (TC West) picked up a first-time award on Monday. Purdy, who started all 40 games for the Comets, was named first-team all-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association for the first time.
Purdy batted .340 with nine doubles, three home runs and 27 RBIs while scoring 23 runs.
Olivet finished its baseball season by splitting MIAA doubleheaders against Hope on Tuesday and Thursday. Purdy had one hit in each of the four final games for the Comets (17-23, 15-13 MIAA).
In Thursday's split, Purdy scored a run in a 16-6 loss in game one and scored two runs and had a RBI groundout in a 13-1 win. On Tuesday, Purdy scored a run in a 9-3 win and had a double and a RBI groundout in a 5-4 loss in 10 innings.
-- Junior linebacker John Plumstead (Benzie Central) was one of two recipients of the "Sledgehammer Award" at the conclusion of spring football drills.
Plumstead was the defensive winner of the award. His name will be on a plaque that has the inscription, "strapped it on, came to play and wielded steel."
Plumstead and Army kick off the 2008 season when it hosts Temple on Aug. 29.
-- Valparaiso senior catcher Joe Lazar (TC Central) was 2 for 3 with a RBI single as the Crusaders edged Youngstown State 3-2 in a Horizon League baseball game on Saturday.
As a pinch hittter in a 13-5 loss to Iowa on Wesdnesday, Lazar drew a bases-loaded walk. Valparaiso is 17-30 this season and 8-10 in the Horizon.
-- Michigan sophomore Alisha Cole (Cadillac) placed in two events as the Wolverines hosted the Len Paddock Invitational this weekend. Cole was on the winning 400 relay team (46.12) and was fourth in the 100 (12.25).
Michigan junior Claire Otwell (TC Central) was fifth in the 1500 (4:45.66) while sophomore teammate Sarah Conkle (Bellaire) was 12th in the pole vault (4:45.66).
On the men's side, Central Michigan senior Andrew Manning (TC Central) was fifth in the 3000 (9:24.33).
-- Saginaw Valley State finished eighth at the Division II Great Lakes Region golf tournament. The three-day competition concluded on Wednesday.
SVSU junior Kasey Hocquard (Cheboygan) tied for 19th overall with a total of 226 that included rounds of 74, 72 and 80. Saginaw Valley State freshman Nate Kelly (Suttons Bay) tied for 43rd with a 247 after shooting 81 in the final two rounds.
-- Several area athletes competed in Wednesday's Aquinas Twilight track and field meet looking to qualify for NCAAs.
Grand Valley State sophomore Maegan Doyen (Manistee) had the best finish, winning the high jump in 5'71/4". Saginaw Valley State sophomore Emily Nugent (Benzie Central) was fifth in the hammer throw (154'12").
Hope sophomore Hunter Nostrant (TC St. Francis) placed in two events, taking fourth in the pole vault (13'51/4") and seventh in the long jump (20'21/2"). Also on the men's side, Calvin College freshman Shane Pluger (McBain Northern Christian) was fifth in the javelin (151'5"), Aquinas senior Kyle Kramer (Charlevoix) fifth in the hammer throw (173'8") while Calvin sophomore Ben VanWyk (Elk Rapids) was eighth in the 5000 (15:42.03).
-- Evansville sophomore Andy Pascoe (TC Central) had a hit and scored a run in baseball losses to Wichita State on Friday and Austin Peay on Wednesday. Pascoe also had a RBI in the 10-4 defeat against Austin Peay.
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