Setting the Scene: The Pacific Lutheran University athletic department has seven teams in action this week, headlined by the swimming teams hosting University of Puget Sound on Saturday for Senior Day. Elsewhere, men's and women's basketball treks to eastern Washington for games against the Whits, track & field makes a return to Seattle, while women's tennis opens the spring season on Monday in sunny Arizona.

Leading the Pack: The NWC office released updated standings for the McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophy on Nov. 23 with the Lutes leading the standings. PLU has 90 points, enjoying a nine-point lead on second place George Fox University. PLU's reign atop the standings comes after winning the NWC title in women's soccer and placing runner-up in men's cross country, men's soccer, and football.  Learn More: LINK

Trailblazing NIL the D3 Way: PLU Athletics continues to lead the way nationally in Name, Image, and Likeness, unveiling the Luteville Marketplace on Wednesday through the department's partnership with Opendorse. Learn more about the deal here: LINK. But don't stay on the sidelines, get involved and connect with PLU student-athletes on the Luteville Marketplace: LINK
 
The Luteville Marketplace is the first dedicated NIL marketplace in Division III on the Opendorse platform that directly connects student-athletes with fans, supporters, and business partners in an easy to use website. 

Tickets, Tickets Tickets: The Lutes have made it easier for fans to attend home sporting events, signing a deal with HomeTown Ticketing to be the department's official electronic ticket provider. Lute fans can now purchase tickets online at GoLutes.com/tickets or on the HomeTown Ticketing mobile app available on iOS and Android devices. 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."
 
Free Clinic: The Pacific Lutheran University athletic department is celebrating National Girls & Women in Sports Day with a free clinic for girls in grades 1st through sixth on Saturday, February 4. Learn More: LINK

FRIDAY:
T&F at UW Invitational in Seattle, Wash.
WBB at Whitworth in Spokane, Wash. (6 p.m.)
MBB at Whitworth in Spokane, Wash. (8 p.m.)
SATURDAY:
T&F at UW Invitational in Seattle, Wash.
SWIM hosts Puget Sound at PLU Pool (1 p.m.)
WBB at Whitman in Walla Walla, Wash. (4 p.m.)
MBB at Whitman in Walla Walla, Wash. (6 p.m.)
MONDAY:
WTEN at Paradise Valley in Phoenix, Ariz. (1:30 p.m.)
TUESDAY:
WTEN at Ottawa in Surprise, Ariz. (10 a.m.)
WTEN at Mesa in Mesa, Ariz. (4 p.m.)
WEDNESDAY:
WTEN at Arizona Christian in Glendale, Ariz. (1 p.m.)
 
Men's Basketball: The Lutes (9-8, 3-5 NWC) enter the second half of league play riding a two-game win streak and having won three of its last four. 
 
Last Tuesday the Lutes downed crosstown nemesis Puget Sound 81-80 behind a winning layup from Brandin Riedel before getting 25 points and 11 rebounds from the junior in a 90-76 thumping of Pacific University on Saturday inside Olson Gymnasium. Riedel wasn't the only Lute with a double-double against the Boxers with Sean McCurdy chipping in 22 points and 14 boards.
 
Riedel's performance turned heads and on Monday he was tabbed the NWC Player of the Week. 

.@PLU_Mbball is off to the Whits this weekend but check out our highlights from Saturday's 90-76 win over Pacific prior to Friday's tip vs Whitworth #GoLutes pic.twitter.com/Z3lcG4Ueet

— PLU Athletics (@golutes) January 25, 2023

 
Women's Swimming: The Lutes won their third straight dual meet and fourth consecutive conference dual, dismantling George Fox University 112-78.
 
Annika Eisele, Makenzie Chan-Orcutt, Sidney Chan-Orcutt, and Jersey Razzano set the tone for the Lutes with the quartet winning three events apiece while Claire Cranch won a pair of races. 
 
As a team, the Lutes won nine of the 11 events contested. PLU faces Puget Sound this weekend in the final meet before the 2023 NWC Championships.

Saturday is Senior Day with the swimming program honoring its nine seniors at the conclusion of the meet. Hear from the nine seniors in a video below. 
 
Diving Deeper: Read about twins Makenzie and Sidney Chan-Orcutt and what it's like being able to swim with your sister every day: LINK 

Women's Basketball: The Lutes put together a stingy defensive effort on Saturday, limiting Pacific to shooting just 29.5 percent from the field but it wasn't enough, ending on the wrong side of a 47-37 scoreline. 
 
PLU trailed by two late in the second quarter before the Boxers mounted a 13-0 run spanning both halves to build a 15-point cushion. The Lutes reduced the gap back to single digits but it was unable to come any closer. 
 
Taylor Schmidtke led the Lutes with nine points while Stacie Spahr hauled in nine rebounds. 

On Saturday, @pluwbb limited visiting Pacific to 47 points. Check out our highlights from the game as the Lutes gear up for a road swing to eastern Washington #GoLutes pic.twitter.com/GvnMpzqgPC

— PLU Athletics (@golutes) January 25, 2023

 
Track & Field: The Lutes are back in action after taking last weekend off and will send three women and four men to Seattle for the UW Invitational.
 
Masum Real ranks 13th in the nation in the shot put based on his personal best performance at the indoor opener back on Jan. 14 while Lily Luksich ranks 25th in Division III in the pole vault and Ryan Stracke is 35th nationally in the indoor mile. 
 
Real and Luksich both own the top marks in the West Region this season while Sarah Paquet boasts the region's best time in the 3,000-meters.
 
Women's Tennis: The Lutes hit the court for their first dual meets of the season early next week in Arizona. It's the first competitive matches for the squad under first year Head Coach Michael Harmon since the ITA Northwest Championships back in late September. 
 
PLU will squeeze four dual matches into a three-day stretch in Arizona against local colleges before gearing up to face Puget Sound in a non-conference dual on Feb. 15. 
 
Men's Swimming: Pacific Lutheran fell short to George Fox 138-53 in its penultimate dual meet of the year.
 
Na'inoa Loo came up big in the 1,000-yard freestyle, winning the event with Charlie Cutter placing runner-up while Cutter, Devin Stanley, Tyler Tanaka, and Ben Thompson earned a win in the 400-yard medley relay.
 
Hot Stove Update: Baseball season is just around the corner with the Lutes opening the season on February 3 in Oregon. Softball opens the 2023 campaign the following week on Feb. 10 in California with men's tennis dusting off the rackets for the spring season on Feb. 8.