RIVER FOREST, Ill. – It might be spring break here at Concordia University Chicago (CUC) but things are heating up for athletics. Check out everything the Cougars are up to over the break.
 
Track & Field
Both track & field teams competed at the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference (NACC) Indoor Championships.
 
The men's team finished fifth of 10 teams. In a school-record performance, Vincent Scarnato (Pottstown, Pa.), Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio), Kamren Hannah (El Paso, Texas), and Austin Knight (Forest Park, Ill.) joined forces in the 4x400m relay and became conference champions with a time of 3:21.97. In the 200m, Hannah finished fourth with a personal best time of 22.53 while Knight secured seventh with a time of 22.97. Scarnato ran a time of 51.46 to take fifth in the 400m. In the 60m finals, Henry Jones IV (Atlanta, Ga.) ran a season best time of 7.07 to take sixth. Matthew Cardwell (Cincinnati, Ohio) secured seventh in the heptathlon with 3,782 points. Korey Randle (East Moline, Ill.) took second in the triple jump with a leap of 14.18m. He also finished sixth in the long jump with a mark of 6.66m. Just behind him was Jordyn Boatman (Elmwood Park, Ill.) with a mark of 6.58m. The distance medley relay team of  Nathaniel Hernandez (Harwood Heights, Ill.), Jamel Goins (Columbus, Ohio), Donovan Depakakibo (Norridge, Ill.), and Gael Arroyo (Cicero, Ill.) finished sixth with a time of 11:08.69. Darius Strother (Joliet, Ill.) took eighth in the high jump with a mark of 1.80m. In the shot put, Brandon Montford (Fairburn, Ga.) secured eighth with a throw of 12.78m.
 
The women's team finished seventh of 10 teams. Devynn Woywod (Berwyn, Ill.) competed in the pentathlon, in which she finished first in the pentathlon shot put with a new personal best of 10.62m. She also took eighth in the pentathlon high jump with a mark of 1.36m. Kirsten Bockhorst (Union, Mo.) secured bronze in the long jump with a mark of 5.09m. Madison Hipshire (Riverview, Mich.) took eighth in the 400m with a time of 1:04.44. Harmonie Cooper (Chicago, Ill.) placed ninth in the high jump with a mark of 1.39m.
 
The Cougars' next meet will be the Carthage Final Qualifier in Kenosha, Wis. on Friday, March 6. They will also compete in the UW-La Crosse Final Qualifier in La Crosse, Wis. on Saturday. March 7.
 
Men's Volleyball (8-6, 1-2)
The Cougars had a mixed week, playing NACC opponent, Edgewood University, on Thursday before traveling to Virginia to face University of Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan University.
 
The Cougars started off strong against the Eagles of Edgewood but couldn't hold them off and fell 3-2. Jackson Stella (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) led the squad with 16 kills, 13 digs, seven blocks, and an ace. Tyrise Armstrong (Grayslake, Ill.) added 12 kills, 17 digs, two aces, two assists, and a block. Marcin Hoffman (Inverness, Ill.) finished with 10 kills, seven digs, and two blocks. Alexander Ford (Skokie, Ill.) also tallied 10 kills, along with three blocks, two aces, and a dig. Elijah Mosher (Clayton, Ohio) ended the night with 51 assists.
 
On Saturday, CUC kicked off the day with a 3-0 sweep over Lynchburg. Leon Gudzovski (Des Plaines, Ill.) sat atop the stat sheet with 12 kills, four blocks, two digs, and an ace. Tristan Caminar (Bolingbrook, Ill.)  totaled eight kills, six digs, an assist, an ace, and a block. Armstrong and Ford each added six kills. Armstrong also contributed four digs, two blocks, and an ace while Ford totaled three blocks.
 
In the second match of the day, CUC put up a strong fight but fell, 3-1. Gudzovski once again led the Cougars with 12 kills and six blocks. Caminar ended the match with 12 kills, four digs, two blocks, and an assist. Ford put up nine kills, three digs, three blocks, and two aces. Mosher recorded 39 assists.
 
CUC resumes NACC play in Geiseman Gymnasium on Thursday, March 5. The Cougars host Dominican University at 7:00 pm. Then on Saturday, March 7, the Cougars head to Milwaukee, Wis. to face Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) at 12:00 pm.
 
Men's Tennis (0-7, 0-0)
The Cougars will travel to Orlando, Fla. for three matches. Their first match will be Monday, March 2 against St. John Fisher University at 8:00 am EST. Then at 6:00 pm EST on Tuesday, March 3, CUC will play John Carroll University. The final match will be Wednesday, March 4, at 11:00 am EST against Trine University.
 
Women's Tennis (1-13, 1-7)
The women's tennis team will also travel to Orlando, Fla. over spring break. They will play St. John Fisher at 8:00 am EST on Monday, March 2, and Trine at 12:00 pm EST on Wednesday, March 4.
 
Baseball (1-4, 0-0)
The CUC baseball team kicked off its spring break trip down in Auburndale, Fla. this past weekend.
 
On Saturday, the Cougars recorded their first win of the season, defeating Grove City College, 13-10. Brandon Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) led the Cougars' charge going two-for-three at the plate with six RBIs off of two fully charged home runs. Cam Buckley (New Lenox, Ill.) went two-for-three at the plate with four total runs and an RBI. Dom Owens (Frankfort, Ill.) tacked on a home run, picking up three RBIs. Matthew Licardi (Peoria, Ariz.) recorded his first collegiate win on the mound after coming in relief, recording two strikeouts and only one run in three innings of work. Blake Hickey (Chicago, Ill.) secured the save.
 
On Sunday, CUC fell 4-3 to Bluffton University. Jake Mahler (Vernon Hills, Ill.) was the lone Cougar to pick up multiple hits, going two-for-five from the plate. Xavier Zagerman (Chandler, Ariz.) went one-for-two with two walks, two runs, and a stolen base. On the mound, David Deimling (Bloomingdale, Ill.) went four innings with three strikeouts in 18 batters faced. Kyle Ston (Winfield, Ill.) and Kadin Borck (McHenry, Ill.) each added strikeouts on the day with two and one, respectively.
 
The Cougars have a full week ahead with four more games. On Monday, March 2, CUC plays Wartburg College at 10:00 am EST. The next day, they play St. John Fisher at 11:00 am EST. After a rest day, the Cougars will face off against Saint Mary's University (Minn.) at 10:00 am EST on Thursday, March 5. The last game of spring break will be Friday, March 6. CUC will play University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 9:30 am EST.
 
Softball (0-0, 0-0)
The Cougars kick off their season down in Vieira Beach, Fla. this week. On Monday, March 2, the Cougars play Baruch College at 10:00 am EST and Concordia College (Minn.) at 2:30 pm EST. The following day, CUC will play New England College at 10:00 am EST and Anna Maria College at 12:15 pm EST. The Cougars will have a rest day before picking up again on Thursday, March 5. CUC will play University of Dubuque at 10:00 am EST and then Rose-Hulman at 2:30 pm EST. On the final day, Friday, March 6, the Cougars will play John Carroll University at 4:45 pm EST and then Houghton University at 7:00 pm EST.
 
Esports
Esports played two matches this week.
 
Smash fell 2-0 to ISU White.
 
Overwatch defeated Carthage Firebirds Black, 3-0.
 
You can keep up with all things CUC Athletics on Twitter @CUChicagoSports, watch all the action at cucougars.com/coverage, and view all photos from the seasons here.