What a weekend for Roger Williams University. President Roy Nirschel and his school were the subject of a flattering profile in the Providence Sunday Journal. The wrestling team upset Johnson & Wales for the New England College Conference Wrestling Association dual championship Sunday at Bridgewater State. And the men’s basketball team defeated the University of New England Saturday to retain its standing as the best team in the Commonwealth Coast Conference.

Heady stuff, indeed.

“The biggest win in our program’s history,” RWU wrestling coach Dave Kemmy said of the Hawks’ 22-20 triumph over Johnson & Wales. J&W had finished fourth in the Division III National Duals a week earlier and was ranked fourth in the most recent national poll. The Wildcats even took a 5-0 lead in the title match when Brendan McDonough defeated Anthony Nicolicchia on a technical fall.

But the Hawks won the next four matches for a 16-5 advantage. Trevor Vernon earned a major decision over Mike Lestante, Andrew Lacroix pinned John Evans, and Scott Pellerin and Kyle Rodgers earned decisions over Rob Doherty and Pete Reilly.

Steve Martell and Jerome Evans kept the Wildcats in the match with decisions over Jared Czarneski and James Woods. RWU’s Dan Woods pinned Bryan Lenhardt at 184 pounds for a 22-11 lead. JWU’s Diego Crespo won a decision over Mike Staples to make the score 22-14, ensuring the Hawks of a victory. J&W’s Marquise Johnson pinned John Russo in the heavyweight division for six points, two shy of the winning total.

Roger Williams defeated Western New England, 36-18; Southern Maine, 25-10, and Wesleyan, 22-16, before tackling Johnson & Wales. J&W, the top seed, received a first-round bye, beat Rhode Island College, 36-12, in the quarterfinals and Bridgewater State, 23-18, in the semifinals.

Wesleyan defeated Bridgewater State for third place, and Rhode Island College beat Williams for fifth.

Johnson & Wales won’t have to wait long for a chance to avenge the loss. The Wildcats will wrestle Roger Williams tomorrow night at Bristol.

Coach Mike Tully’s basketball team (11-4, 7-1 Commonwealth Coast) has won six of its eight games since returning from the holiday break and will be trying for its fourth consecutive road victory Thursday night at archrival Salve Regina. The Hawks and Seahawks (7-6, 2-3) will play each other again next Tuesday at Bristol.

Roger Williams’ only CCC loss occurred last week when Curry’s Tim Jones made an off-balance layup at the buzzer for the 69-67 upset. The victory was Curry’s fourth against 10 losses. Billy Barrett of RWU had tied the score at 67 with a 3-point basket with 6.6 seconds to play in the second half.

Barring a major collapse, Roger Williams should win the CCC South. Curry is in second place with a 3-3 record in the division and Salve Regina in third with its 2-3 mark.

Roger Williams has a slight edge over Gordon (11-4, 6-2), the CCC North leader, for the best record in the conference.

Roger Williams has two games against potentially troublesome teams: Feb. 3 against Endicott (5-7, 3-1) and Feb. 6 at Wentworth (9-6, 5-2). Both are from the CCC North.

Barrett is the Hawks’ leading scorer (12.7). Dan Gumb is the only other player averaging in doubles figures (10.8). He also leads the team in rebounding (6.1). Brandon Parrish (Lincoln) is averaging 4.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 23 minutes. He has 958 career points.

RWU is outscoring its opponents, 73.8-60.0, and leads the league in scoring defense.

McAndrew honored

Brown junior Mark McAndrew (Barrington) is the Ivy League player of the week for the second time this season. Scoreless in four minutes of play in the first half at Yale last Saturday, McAndrew came off the bench after the break, scored 27 points and led the Bears to a 76-71 victory. He buried nine of his 11 shots, four of his five 3-point attempts, and sank 5 of his 7 free throws. McAndrew leads the Bears in scoring (14.2), rebounding (4.9) and 3-point baskets (45). He has started every game and is averaging 34.6 minutes. Brown is at Dartmouth and Harvard this weekend.

Walker rookie of week

UMass-Dartmouth freshman Matt Walker is the Little East rookie of the week. He averaged 16 points and 4.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week for the Corsairs.

Title IX settlement

Michael Burch, assistant wrestling coach at Brown and former head coach at the University of California-Davis, will receive $725,000 from the UC Regents as settlement of his Title IX lawsuit. Burch’s case was scheduled for trial last Dec. 5, but the UC Regents and his lawyers reached a tentative agreement in late November. The American Association of University Women Legal Advocacy Fund supported Burch’s case.

Burch sued in 2003, alleging that UC-Davis prevented females from participating in the wrestling program and terminated his contract after he supported women wrestlers in 2001. UC-Davis has not allowed female wrestlers depite the fact that two former UC-Davis women won world championships, according to the AAUW. The organization is supporting UC-Davis female wrestlers in a separate Title IX lawsuit against the school.

Burch coached at UC-Davis for six years and was a two-time coach of the year. He was also a lecturer on religious studies and sports in society. In addition to coaching at Brown he lectures on religious studies at Rhode Island College and the Rhode Island School of Design.

URI first, second

The URI women’s track team finished first and the men’s team second at the Sorlein Memorial Indoor Classic at Mackal Fieldhouse.

Sophomore TyLynn Graham won the 55 hurdles (8.50) and qualified for the New England Championships in that event and the high jump (5-05). Freshman Natatia Nugent won the triple jump (35-05) and Sarah Thornton the weight throw (57-07 1/2), her personal best and a New England qualifier.

Rhody scored 194 points. Brown was second with 180 and Wheaton, the only Division III team in the 10-school field, third with 89.

Brown freshman Thelma Breezeati won the 55 dash and the 200.

UConn won the men’s event with 206.33 points. URI was second with 156.66, Providence third with 99 and Brown fourth with 87.

Rhody’s Yudehwheh Gbaa won the long jump (22-11 1/4) and triple jump (49-07 1/4) and was third in the 55 hurdles. Michael Bland and Ashhad Agyapong tied for first in the 55-meter dash (6.35). Agyapong won the 200 (21.51).

Roundup

Rhode Island College (14-2, 5-2 Little East) plays at UMass-Dartmouth (9-8, 4-3) tonight and hosts Plymouth State (9-9, 2-5) Saturday afternoon. The Anchormen trail first-place and 24th-ranked Keene State (14-2, 6-1) . . . RIC hugh jumper Dan Newman (Smithfield) was the Little East field athlete of the week Jan. 14 for clearing 1.91 meters and finishing third at the Tufts Invitational … RIC wrestlers Mike Bonora, Ray Hanley and Mike Martini (Cranston) were undefeated (4-0) at the New England Duals . . . CCRI (11-10, 7-1 Region 21) split its Homecoming Invitational basketball games thanks to a 76-75 victory over Genesee CC. Jake Grimes (Pawtucket) scored 18 points. The Knights will play Notre Dame Prep tomorrow night at Warwick . . . Freshman gymnast Alicia Sacaramone finished first on the beam and second on the bars, but Brown finished third behind Central Michigan and Texas Women’s University at Denton, Texas.

mszostak@projo.com