Beebe Finch Sanders
Beebe Finch Sanders scored five goals on Saturday, powering women’s lacrosse to a 16-12 win at Redlands. The senior midfielder also scooped up four ground balls and won six draw controls in the contest.
A two time All-SCIAC selection and four-year starter, co-captain Finch Sanders has been a standout lacrosse player since she arrived at Occidental. Her performance Saturday only adds to a list of impressive accomplishments—she has now scored 100 career goals.
“I’ve really worked hard every season and it’s exciting to reach a milestone like this,” Finch Sanders said. “I have learned so much and gotten better every year, and it feels great to leave it all out on the field.”
Head women’s lacrosse coach Stephanie Janice Mark said Finch Sanders has been a catalyst in the program’s improvement over the past few seasons.
“Beebe has taken the Oxy lacrosse program from a beginner program, who in our first ever SCIAC game lost to Redlands 3-22, to one that hopes to win the conference tournament this season,” Janice Mark said.
With an 8-2 record in their last 10 games, the Tigers have risen to third place in the standings—a position that would qualify them for a postseason berth. In order to be successful against difficult playoff competition, Occidental will need Finch Sanders and her Tiger teammates to be at their best.
“I know Beebe aims to give the program our first ever opportunity to compete for a SCIAC championship, and she will keep working hard to make that happen” Janice Mark said.
Women’s lacrosse starts the final week of their regular season competition tonight, as they match up with Chapman at 7 p.m. on Patterson Field.
Gabriel Barrett-Jackson
Gabriel Barrett-Jackson ran well Saturday, contributing to men’s track’s 3-0 sweep over Redlands, Pomona-Pitzer and La Verne. Barrett-Jackson ran the third leg of the Tiger’s 4×400 relay, which posted the second fastest time in Division III (3:15:09). The first-year sprinter also placed second in the 400-meter dash (48.24).
Barrett-Jackson, who hails from Seattle, ranked fifth in all of Wash. in the 400 in high school. Despite it being early in his collegiate sprinting career, Barrett-Jackson has already proved he can compete with the top runners in the country. His current mark in the 400 is the third fastest in Division III.
“I go out every week and do my best and try to have as much fun as I can,” Barrett-Jackson said. “The coaches do a great job of setting expectations, and they’ve been an integral part of my success.”
Jeh Johnson, Barrett-Jackson’s teammate in the 4×400, said the first-year has been a pleasure to run with.
“Gabe is a great teammate to have because he always has a positive attitude,” Johnson said. “He is humble about his success, and he is always out there cheering for us when he’s not running.”
Head men’s track and field coach Rob Bartlett says Barrett-Jackson’s best is yet to come.
“Gabe’s had a great start to his college career,” Bartlett said. “He’s already accomplished so much but I suspect he’s just starting to scratch the surface of what he’s capable of.”
With their victories this weekend, the men’s team improved to 7-1 on the season—good for a third overall ranking in the West. Barret-Jackson and his teammates will compete at the Mt. SAC Relays next weekend in preparation for the SCIAC Championships.
