Setting the Scene: Spring Break winds down this weekend with seven of the Lutes' nine spring sports in action, including baseball, softball, and men's tennis all hosting Northwest Conference competitions. 

Welcome Back Lutes: The PLU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is hosting a welcome back tailgate for students on Sunday starting at 10:30 a.m. next to the PLU Softball Field. Free burgers, hot dogs, drinks, and more.

Leading the NWC: The PLU Athletic Department ranks 1st among NWC institutions and fourth on the West Coast in the final winter NACDA Directors' Cup standings. Learn more: LINK

Download the PLU Athletics App: Stay connected to your favorite teams by downloading the official mobile app of the Pacific Lutheran University athletic department powered by SIDEARM Sports, available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play. 
 
To download the app to your smartphone or tablet, visit the Apple App Store (DOWNLOAD LINK) or Google Play (DOWNLOAD LINK) and search for "PLU Athletics."

Spectator Policy: If you plan on attending a Lute sporting event, home or away, make sure and check out the NWC Institutional Spectator Policies: LINK
 
FRIDAY:
T&F at CSUN Invitational in Northridge, Calif.
SATURDAY:
T&F at CSUN Invitational in Northridge, Calif.
WTEN at Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. (10 a.m.)
BB hosts Whitworth (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
SB hosts Linfield (DH) at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
MTEN hosts Puget Sound at Sprinker Rec Center (2 p.m.)
SUNDAY:
SB hosts Linfield (DH) at PLU Field (11 a.m.)
BB hosts Whitworth at PLU Field (12 p.m.)
MONDAY:
MG at Pacific Invitational in North Plains, Ore.
TUESDAY:
MG at Pacific Invitational in North Plains, Ore.
 
Women's Rowing: The 13th-ranked Lutes won two of the four races on Vancouver Lake on Saturday at the Pioneer Invitational. PLU's varsity eight boat swamped the competition, cruising down the 2,000-meter course for a 10-second win over the rest of the five competitor field. The Lutes later won the 1V4+ race, with the Lutes edging the University of Oregon's club team by 0.6 seconds.
 
The performance earned the crew of Maggie Nieberger, Elizabeth Horner, Brooke Faubion, Clara Froeschner, Julianna Johnson, Carleigh Templin, Emily Metzler, Allison Sheflo, and coxswain Jessie Dougherty the NWC Crew of the Week honor on Tuesday. 
 
PLU is idle this week before heading to the East Coast the following weekend.
 
Softball: The Lutes (18-10, 10-6 NWC) played just one doubleheader last week, wrapping up the Willamette University series with a clean sweep. Mari Foster was two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored in a 4-2 victory to open the twinbill on Sunday that saw pitcher Cassidy Conrad toss a complete game, striking out five.
 
A Molly House three-run home run in game two put the Lutes on top for good in a 7-5 win that also saw Foster and Erin McGrath go yard.
 
Men's Track & Field: 14th-ranked Pacific Lutheran won six events at the Westmont Classic in California and one more at the University of Puget Sound's Peyton-Shotwell Invitational.
 
Darius Chaffin headlined the day, winning the javelin for the third straight meet after uncorking a toss of 199 feet, 11 inches, a throw that ranks third in D3 this season and leads the NWC. Chaffin additionally won the 110-meter hurdles in a season-best time.
 
Hezekiah Goodwin won the 3,000-meter steeplechase in California for his third event win in as many meets and on Tuesday was tabbed the NWC Track Athlete of the Week.
 
Also winning events at Westmont was Masum Real (discus), Larson Fairbairn (hammer), Ryan Stracke (1,500-meters) while Samuel Zielke won the steeplechase at the UPS meet. 
 
PLU remains in California all week and will compete at California State University-Northridge on Friday and Saturday.
 
Women's Track & Field: The 13th-ranked Lutes won two events and had five runner-up finishes at the Westmont Classic in Santa Barbara. California. 
 
Bailey Forsyth competed in her first meet since earning Indoor All-American honors, winning the 100-meter dash in 12.11 seconds. Her time is currently the fastest in the NWC this spring and ranks sixth nationally. 
 
In the field, Kayden Hulquist won the long jump while Lily Luksich shattered her own outdoor school record in the pole vault, clearing 11' 11 ¾" to finish runner-up. 
 
Baseball: The 12th-ranked Lutes (16-8, 9-6 NWC) dropped the two of its three road games last week at NWC rival Lewis & Clark College. John Graham homered twice and Tori Doten added another to build a 7-3 lead in the opener but a late rally gave the Pioneers the 8-7 extra innings win.
 
Doten was four-for-five in game two with Jordan Haworth, Ashton Barton, and Braeden Lundberg all having three RBI games in a 13-7 win. The rubber match would go to the hosts with Lewis & Clark prevailing 13-7 to earn the series victory.
 
Men's Tennis: PLU (3-4, 1-3 NWC) is back on the courts this weekend after a week off, hosting crosstown nemesis Puget Sound. This is the second meeting this season between the Lutes and Loggers with PLU prevailing 6-3 back on Feb. 12.
 
The Lutes last match was on March 19, downing Linfield University 7-2. Hampus Pers Eliasson won his No. 1 doubles and No. 2 singles matches to earn NWC Player of the Week.
 
Women's Tennis: The Lutes (2-9, 0-3 NWC) return to action after taking last weekend off. PLu will make the short drive across town to face Puget Sound.
 
Meggie Burnett leads the Lutes in wins this spring with five victories in singles play at the No. 4 spot and five wins in doubles action.
 
Women's Golf: PLU shaved off 21 strokes from round one to round two, placing sixth at the UC Santa Cruz Spring Invite to open the lid on the spring season. 
 
Emily Fisher led the way, placing 28th with a two round tally of 172 (88-84). PLU takes this weekend off before competing at the NWC Spring Classic on April 9-10 at Oakbrook Golf Course in Lakewood.
 
Men's Golf: The Lutes return to the links on Monday and Tuesday after taking a month off, competing at the Pacific Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge. 
 
PLU last competed at the Washington Cup in Yakima, a match-play event that saw the Lutes take the title with a 5-0 win over Puget Sound and a 3-2 win over Whitworth. It was a performance that earned Caden Arnold NWC Golfer of the Week accolades on March 8.
 
This week's invite is the first of three for the Lutes over the next four weeks. That includes the NWC Spring Classic and the NWC Tournament, two events used to crown the 2022 NWC Champion.