To be the winning team, fan votes play a heavy role, along with consideration from our sports team here at LINK.
Nominations are reader-submitted or recommended by our sports team. Our Team of the Week program honors all local sports at all levels, whether it’s youth or adult-oriented recreation, high school or college, professional or amateur.
Want to get a jump start on next week’s Team of the Week nominations? Email: [email protected] to nominate a team for next week.
This week’s nominated teams are listed below with some information provided by the submitter or LINK nky staff. The poll where you can vote follows at the end of the article.
Voting is open until Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
NKU MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
A valiant effort came up short for the Norse in the first round of the NCAA Tournament against No. 1 seed Houston 63-52, but this nomination is the celebration the season they had in Highland Heights.
The Norse finished 22-13 and put things together when it mattered most, winning their final five games leading into the tournament, including the three that mattered most in the Horizon League Conference tournament.
It was their fourth conference tournament championship since 2017 and third NCAA Tournament appearance in that span since the 2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID. The Norse graduate three seniors and will look to make it a fifth conference title in eight years come next season.
THOMAS MORE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
The Saints were just a few minutes shy of repeating as NAIA National Champions, but ultimately fell short, 63-52 to Clarke University in the NAIA National Championship.
They won five games in their path to the title game, defeating Seed Point (73-47), Concordia (98-69), Cumberlands (91-61), Montana Western (66-62) and Central Methodist (71-61) leading into Saturday night’s matchup in Sioux City, Iowa.
Thomas More went 31-4 during the 2022-23 season in making their third straight national championship game. They’ll now look forward to transitioning to Division II next season.
WALTON-VERONA BASEBALL TEAM
The Bearcats defeated Cooper 6-2 and Madison Southern 12-4 to open up their 2023 campaign.
In the 6-2 victory over Cooper, Mason Howard scattered five hits over six innings and struck out five without a walk. Jimmy Shields drove in two runs, Julian Dixon adding an RBI with two stolen bases. Lance Coleman scored two runs.
In the 12-4 triumph over Madison Southern, Ethan Mills led the way at the plate with three hits, one of three homeruns for the Bearcats on the day. Lance Coleman and Bryce Corpus also went yard and drove in two runs apiece. Ethan Hager and Caden Smithers added two runs apiece. Corpus struck out nine over five innings worked and allowed five hits and three earned runs.
The Bearcats currently sit at 3-0 after a victory over Lloyd Memorial on Monday.
SIMON KENTON SOFTBALL TEAM
The Pioneers got off to a 2-0 start to the season with an 8-7 victory over Conner and 13-8 over Bishop Brossart.
Adreena Barton was the hero at the plate in the win over Conner, driving in five runs on three hits in four plate appearances. Larkin Mitchell also tallied three hits and scored three runs thanks to two stolen bases.
Emilie Young and Addison Johnson hit homers in the win over Brossart, Young driving in four runs, Johnson with two RBI. Mitchell added three more hits, two of them doubles. Landrey Dance also cleared the fence with a swing of the bat, driving in three runs along with Jayden Jones.
Simon Kenton is 2-1 and faces Boone County Tuesday evening.
Click on the team below on who you feel deserves the LINK nky Team of the Week!