Setting the Scene: The Lutes pack their bags and hit the road this weekend with seven programs all competing on the road spread across four states. Softball kick starts the weekend on Thursday with a trip to Whitworth University before a weekend clash with nationally-ranked Linfield University. Golf heads to Idaho for the NWC Spring Classic while women's rowing is down in southern California at the San Diego Crew Classic. Track & field will compete in Oregon at the Pacific Open with baseball keeping it local with an intracity showdown against University of Puget Sound. 
 
Nationally-Ranked: Three of the seven teams competing this week are nationally ranked. Lute softball cracks the NFCA Top 25 for the first time since 2013, ranking at No. 25 while men's track & field ranks 13thin the USTFCCCA National Rating Index while women's track & field ranks 14th. Women's rowing sits just outside the CRCA's Top 15 rankings in the other receiving votes section. 

A New Varsity Sport in Luteville: The Pacific Lutheran University athletic department will expand its varsity sports offerings for the 2024-2025 academic year, elevating the club women's lacrosse team to varsity status. PLU will compete on East Field and will become the ninth member of the NWC to sponsor the sport. The team will remain a club for next academic year as they prepare for the 2024-2025 launch. Learn more: LINK
 
THURSDAY:
SB at Whitworth (DH) in Spokane, Wash. (11 a.m.)
SATURDAY:
GOLF at NWC Spring Classic in Post Falls, Idaho (9 a.m.)
WROW at San Diego Crew Classic in San Diego, Calif. (9:44 a.m.)
T&F at Pacific Open in Forest Grove, Ore. (10 a.m.)
SB at Linfield (DH) in McMinnville, Ore. (12 p.m.)
BB at Puget Sound (DH) in Tacoma, Wash. (12 p.m.)
SUNDAY:
GOLF at NWC Spring Classic in Post Falls, Idaho (9 a.m.)
WROW at San Diego Crew Classic in San Diego, Calif. 
SB at Linfield (DH) in McMinnville, Ore. (11 a.m.)
BB at Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash. (12 p.m.)
 
Men's Track & Field: Pacific Lutheran was spread out across three meets over the weekend and picked up big performances in all three venues. 
 
Ryan Stracke kicked things off on Friday at the Bucs Scoring Meet at Whitworth University. The senior finished eighth among a field of 58 racers and was the top finishing D3 runner in the 1,500-meters, clocking a season-best effort of three minutes, 53.71 seconds. 
 
The Lutes won the team title at the Willamette Invitational the following day with Keola Sanchez (100-meters), Kai Sorensen (3,000-meter steeplechase), and Dylan Jones (pole vault) all winning events. Nearer to home, Nathan Atkinson was runner-up in the triple jump at the Peyton Shotwell Invitational hosted by the University of Puget Sound.
 
Stracke's efforts in Spokane landed him NWC Track Athlete of the Week honors, marking the fourth time this year a Lute has won a weekly honor from the conference office. 
 
Softball: The Lutes (17-7, 9-3 NWC) had the weekend off before dropping a doubleheader at PLU Field to Lewis & Clark College on Monday.
 
Cassidy Conrad pitched a gem in the opener, striking out three and allowing just three hits but the Pios did just enough to steal the 1-0 win. Game two was tied 4-4 heading into the seventh inning before L&C exploded for eight runs to seal the 12-5 win. 
 
The Lutes own one of the most potent offenses in the nation, ranking second nationally in home runs and third nationally in home runs per game and fourth in doubles. 
 
Women's Golf: PLU had three finish inside the top 10 on Sunday, placing runner-up at the UPS Invitational at the Oakbrook Golf Club.
 
Madison Hull headlined the weekend, placing seventh overall after shooting a 172 (84-88). Emily Fisher was one stroke back in eighth while Sara Rhodes was 10th.
 
PLU shaved off 11 strokes from round one to round two and carded a 717 for the event. The Lutes finished seven strokes behind champion Pacific University and enjoyed a 19-stroke lead on host and crosstown nemesis University of Puget Sound.
 
Baseball: The Lutes (10-15, 4-9 NWC) had a bumpy start to their California trip last weekend but ended the weekend on a high note, blasting Whittier College 13-7 in the finale. 
 
The Lutes dropped the opener in Cali on Thursday 4-1 to University of Redlands. The following day, PLU ended on the wrong side of a 9-5 scoreline before stumbling 15-2 in game one of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
Cole Trotignon belted his 22nd career home run on Friday, tying the school record held by John Panko (1982-85) and former teammate Jordan Haworth (2019-22). 
 
Ashton Barton collected three hits and scored four runs in the 13-7 win over the Poets with Rochne Beecham and Carson Burke both driving in a trio of runs. 
 
Women's Track & Field: PLU won three events in Salem at the Willamette Invitational to headline the weekend competing as a split-squad.
 
Ava Nelson continued to dominate the javelin, taking the top spot for the third straight meet with a throw of 149 feet, nine inches. Peyton Santos won the discus while Kristine Nguyen sat atop the podium in the pole vault.
 
At Puget Sound's Peyton Shotwell Invitational, Sarah Paquet placed runner-up in the 5,000-meters, finishing in 18:30.70.
 
Women's Rowing: The Lutes are back on the water for the first time since March 12. PLU's last regattas were the Logger Invitational and the Lamberth Cup. The varsity eight was runner-up Lewis & Clark on Mar. 11 at the Logger Invite before taking second in the Lamberth Cup against boathouse rival Puget Sound.
 
NWC rivals PLU, UPS, and Lewis & Clark all are receiving votes in the first CRCA Top 15 Poll of the season and will meet head to head on April 23 at the 2023 NWC Championships. 
 
Men's Golf: Hunter Olson finished one stroke shy of a top 10 finish, leading the Lutes to a fourth place finish at the UPS Invitational at the Oakbrook Golf Club. Olson shot a 149 (73-76) to place 11th overall.
 
As a team, the Lutes shot a 622 (305-317), finishing two strokes ahead of Linfield in the final standings.