Erin Silva '15

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Men's basketball captain Will Hanley '12 is on pace to break multiple school records. Equally adept at offense and defense, he has high hopes for his post-college career—he's already sent game tapes to professional basketball teams in Europe. In Monday's game against Maine Maritime Academy, Hanley posted 20 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and one block, but ended his 5-game streak of double-doubles. In his final game of the streak, against Maine-Presque Isle, he scored 14 points, with 16 rebounds, four assists, and two steals.

Athlete of the Week: Barrett Takesian '12

When squash captain Barrett Takesian '12 transferred to Bowdoin his sophomore year, he started off at the bottom of the ladder. Now, just two years later, Takesian is one of only two Polar Bears to have won more than half his matches, and, after leading the Polar Bears with six individual wins in the Maine Event tournament this past weekend, has a 13-3 individual record this season.

Athlete of the Week

Christine Parsons

Orient Staff

January 27, 2012

Erin Silva '15 vaulted to new heights this past Saturday, breaking both her personal record and the Bowdoin record.

The Polar Bears' top female pole vaulter tied the school record of 10' 11.75" in her first collegiate meet, and has since improved with every competition, winning the event in all three meets thus far. Silva jumped 11' 4.25" this past weekend at Wesleyan.

After finishing fourth in the 2011 New England high school championship, Silva arrived at Bowdoin with high expectations.

"Only a fraction of track and field athletes are competitive at the top championship level," coach Peter Slovenski said, "and Erin is one of them."

He said that she will likely be among the best vaulters in the conference, and said he hopes she can break the 12-foot mark.

Silva became involved with track and field as a sophomore in high school after a friend introduced her to the sport.

"I got really lucky and had an amazing high school coach," Silva said. "He ran a pole vault club during the summer which allowed me to practice year-round."

Since arriving at Bowdoin, Silva has benefited from the athletic resources of the College.

"She can use the field house every day here," said Slovenski, "and having a bigger budget for pole-vaulting poles has also helped her."

Though Silva left high school with very good fundamental training, she said she plans to continue working on accelerating into her plant rather than approaching it at a steady pace.

And like all athletes, Silva also must perfect her mental game.

"The biggest challenges with the pole vault are usually mental: being optimistic and not letting anything psych you out," she said.

The sports editor of the Orient chooses the Athlete of the Week based on exemplary performance.

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