Entering the final round with a one-stroke lead, the Norse secured their first Iowa Conference title since 2000 in the IIAC Tournament, winning by four strokes over Central College.

Four Luther players earned all-conference honors for only the second time in school history by finishing in the top 10. The first was in 1997 and that same year Luther claimed the league title.

It is an average weeknight at Luther College. For most students, that means a long evening of hanging around the dorms, doing homework or watching TV. For others, though, this means time spent hanging out with friends and bowling at Oneota Lanes.

The men’s tennis team won its second consecutive Iowa Conference championship with a 5-1 win over Coe College in the title match, its conference record 28th league championship.

At the end of the semester, many of us wonder how we will ever get everything done. Papers pile up, tests creep up and we have to sleep somewhere between it all. For many student athletes, it’s all of that plus daily practices and games and maybe an injury here or there.

The American League Central seemed pretty cut and dried before this year’s season started, but after nearly a month it seems our initial thoughts have been turned upside down.

The Norse secured a sweep over Grinnell College for their 11th victory in a row, while simultaneously securing a spot in the Iowa Conference tournament, beating Grinnell 8-0 and 11-0 in 10 total innings.

The Norse swept the University of Dubuque and Buena Vista University as Tami Magner (‘08) set a school record for career RBI and Luther ran its record to 21-7 on the season and 7-3 in the conference.

LUFDA, the Luther men’s Ultimate Flying Disc Association, has recently been recognized as one of the top 25 Ultimate teams in the nation, due in no small part to their own skill and dedication.

BreAnn VanDeer (‘09) was named the Iowa Conference Female Athlete of the Week after dominant performances against the University of Dubuque and Buena Vista University.

The Norse continued their up -and-down season with a series loss to Coe College, splitting the final games of the three-game series. The Norse dropped the first game 6-5, won the second 7-4 and lost the finale 8-2.

The Norse produced 12 hits in game one that included a six-hit, six-run second inning. Coe did all of its damage in the sixth, scoring four runs on five hits.

Commonly described as a combination of badminton, tennis and ping-pong, the sport of pickleball is identified by the USA Pickleball Association as one of the fastest-growing sports in America. The growing popularity of pickleball among Luther students and staff suggests that Luther is following the trend.

The women’s swim team posted its highest team finish in school history at the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships hosted by the College of Wooster (Ohio) March 13-15. The Norse placed 11th with a team total of 100 points.

Conference tournaments have been completed, tickets have been punched and tears have been shed. Bracketology is the buzzword and picking upsets is the current pastime of choice. March Madness is in the air.

Luther traveled to the NCAA Division III National Wrestling Championships with six qualifiers and returned home with four All-Americans en route to a sixth-place finish in a field represented by 60 teams.

Travis Grawin (‘08) was the highest place finisher, with a fourth-place finish in the 141-pound weight class. Even with the finish, it was clear that Grawin wanted more.

Everyone has annual traditions. Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma’s house, summer cabin getaways with friends, spring cleaning, Nordic Fest — we all have a reason to say, “It’s that time of year!”

This weekend, Jess Jewell (‘08) will carry on a tradition she has honored since her first year at Luther: competing at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.