Sept. 16, 2008
BRIDGEPORT, PA - Johns Hopkins University freshman center Mark Strickland (Houston, TX/Strake Jesuit) has been named the September 15 Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division Rookie of the Week. Strickland scored four goals and added two assists for the Blue Jays at the Princeton Invitational.
Against #3 Stanford, Strickland netted a goal and an assist to go along with two steals to open the weekend. The next day against #19 Brown, he drilled back-to-back shots into the cage to tie the game at 11-11 before the Bears rallied in the closing minute to hold off the Blue Jays 12-11. He also had two steals with four ejections drawn in the loss to the Bears. Versus Navy in Hopkins' first win against the Midshipmen in program history, Strickland scored twice and drew two ejections as Hopkins took advantage of its man-up opportunities, going 7-of-15, to upset Navy. Leading 6-5 at the half, Hopkins matched Navy goal-for-goal in the second half to take the win.
Strickland and the Blue Jays will have a chance to go 2-0 against Navy on September 17 as Hopkins travels to the Naval Academy for an 8:00 p.m. game against the Midshipmen in the CWPA Southern Division, Eastern Region opener for both teams.
The Blue Jays will continue the week by journeying north to Cambridge, MA to take part in the 2008 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Championship at Harvard University on September 20-21.
