CAA Sports 2024-25 Year In Review: Spring Championships

6/23/2025 10:00:00 AM

Rob Washburn

We conclude our look back at the 2024-25 season in the CAA by reviewing the spring sports championships.

Women’s Golf
Charleston held off a late surge from UNCW and captured its third CAA Women’s Golf Championship in the past four years. The Cougars tied their lowest score ever (880/+16) at the CAA Championship to post a three-shot victory over the Seahawks (883/+19). Campbell became the third team in CAA history to shoot under par (287) in a single round on the final day and finished third overall (886/+22).

UNCW’s Hannah Altman took home individual medalist honors with an even par 216 after shooting a 3-under par 69 on the final day. Charleston’s Adrian Anderson placed second (217) and Campbell’s Mira Berglund and Charleston’s Molly Hardwick tied for third (219).

Men’s Golf
Elon earned its first CAA Men’s Golf Championship in school history after battling past Drexel in thrilling sudden death playoff. The Phoenix and Dragons finished tie for first with a three-day score of 877, but Elon took the playoff after Jack Wieler and Garrett Risner both eagled the 18^th hole. Campbell placed third with a score of 882.

Individual medalist honors went to Campbell’s Henric Bjelke, who shot a course-record 65 in the opening round and finished at 6-under 210 to win by five shots. Drexel’s Griffin Mitchell, who tallied a birdie and an eagle on the final two holes to force the team playoff, finished second with a 1-under 215.

Women’s Tennis
Top-seeded Elon won the CAA Women’s Tennis Championship for the first time, knocking off three-time defending champion William & Mary, 4-2. The match was tied at 2-2 with the three remaining singles matches reaching the third set. Elon freshman Lisa Kranec rallied past Mira Kernagis, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 6 to put the Phoenix ahead and No. 1 Simone Bergeron sealed the victory for Elon by defeating two-time CAA Player of the Year, Hedda Gurholt, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Men’s Tennis
Top-seeded UNCW claimed its fifth consecutive CAA Men’s Tennis Championship with a hard-fought 4-2 triumph over No. 2 Elon. It was the 11^th CAA title for the Seahawks since 2009 under coach Mait DuBois. UNCW took the doubles point but the Phoenix evened the match at 2-2 following a victory by Juan Sengariz at No. 6. UNCW pulled back ahead with a 6-4, 7-6 victory by Sam Nicholson at No. 2 before clinching the match at No. 3 singles when Joe Wayand won the final three games to post a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 triumph.

Women’s Lacrosse
Kylie Budke snapped a 10-10 tie by scoring a pair of goals in the final 3:27 to lift top-seeded Stony Brook to a 12-10 win over No. 2 Drexel in the CAA Women’s Lacrosse championship game. The CAA title was the third in a row for the Seawolves as they became just the third conference program to achieve that feat.

In a tightly contested clash, Stony Brook jumped out to a 2-0 advantage before Drexel answered with three goals of its own. The teams traded blows the rest of the way, with the margin in the contest never getting greater than two. Charlotte Wilmoth tallied a team-high three goals for Stony Brook and Anna Maria Gragnani and Kate Marano scored three times apiece for Drexel.

Men’s Lacrosse
Top-seeded Towson reeled off four unanswered goals early in the fourth quarter and pulled away for a 13-10 victory over No. 3 Drexel to earn back-to-back CAA Men’s Lacrosse championships. The Tigers built a 6-2 advantage early in the second quarter, but the Dragons chipped away and closed within 9-8 on a Witt Crawford goal with 12:04 to play. However, Towson responded with four consecutive goals, including a pair from Ronan Fitzpatrick, to take control of the contest.

Fitzpatrick finished with a team-high five goals, while Drexel got three goals and an assist from Conor Hooley.

Softball
Second-seeded Elon climbed out of the loser’s bracket and defeated No. 4 Campbell twice on the final day to secure its first CAA Softball Championship. In the opener, the Phoenix got a combined three-hit shutout from pitchers Taylor Cherry and Meredith Wells to pick up a 5-0 win and force a winner-take-all finale.

In the deciding contest, Elon built a 4-0 advantage following a pair of third-inning homers from Kaitlyn Wells and Chloe Hatzopoulos. The Camels cut the deficit in half in the top of the fourth on a two-run single by Alyssa Armijo. However, the Phoenix got the runs back in the bottom of the frame after an Allee Seering RBI single and a Kaitlyn Wells sacrifice fly. Elon sealed the title with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief pitching from Anna Dew.

Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Elon used a strong performance from its distance runners to claim its fourth CAA Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championship in the past five years. The Phoenix swept the podium in the 5,000 meters, took the top two spots in the 1,500 and had three of the top four in the 10,000, finished with 147 points. Hampton placed second (122) and North Carolina A&T was third (102).

Towson’s Cristal Cuervo posted victories in the 200 and 400 meters to earn Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet honors and Hampton’s Danielle James was chosen as the Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet after placing second in the triple jump and third in the long jump.

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
North Carolina A&T rode victories in five individual events and a relay on the final day to take home its first CAA Men’s Track & Field Championship. The Aggies finished with 177 points and were followed in the team standings by Monmouth (141) and William & Mary (115).

A&T swept the podium in the shot put and the 400 meters and took the top two spots in the 800 meters and 400-meter hurdles to pile up the points. Hofstra’s Abraham Longosiwa received Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet after winning the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races. UNCW’s Ivan Poag was named Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet following second-place finishes in the high jump and long jump and a fourth-place effort in the triple jump.

Rowing
Northeastern claimed its 11^th consecutive CAA Women’s Rowing Championship with a dominant performance in the final race. The Huskies finished with 47 points and held off second-place Drexel (40).

Ahead by only one point heading into the Varsity Eight, Northeastern earned gold and locked up the title with a time of 6:45.45 to win by nine seconds. It was the Huskies’ 14^th victory in the event over the past 16 CAA championships. NU also finished first in the Second Varsity Eight competition.

Baseball
Top-seeded Northeastern scored six runs in the eighth inning and rallied past two-time defending champion UNCW, 9-6, to capture its first CAA Baseball Championship since 2021. The victory was the program-record 27^th in a row for the Huskies, who set a conference record with their 48^th win of the season.

Northeastern outfielder Harrison Feinberg homered twice and drove in six, including a three-run double in the eighth that tied the game at 6-6. A two-run double by Carmelo Musacchia later in the frame put the Huskies ahead to stay. UNCW first baseman Tanner Thach homered twice in the game, with his second long ball putting the Seahawks up 6-3 in the seventh.