Football

Jan. 22: Enos resigns

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After five years at CMU, Dan Enos left Central Michigan to be the offensive coordinator at Arkansas. Enos left a week before national recruiting signing day.

Feb. 8: CMU hires Bonamego

CMU hired former Detroit Lions Special Teams Coordinator John Bonamego as the next Chippewa football head coach. He is the first alum to lead the program since the 1950’s.

June 18: Bonamego announces he has cancer

In a video message to the campus community, Bonamego announced he had a mild form of tonsil cancer. He promised he would beat the disease and would not miss any time on the sidelines.

June 23: Derrick Nash passes away

After a bout with Leukemia, former Chippewa defensive back Derrick Nash passed away from cancer. He was 20 years old.

July 15: CMU goes to the ESPY’s

The CMU football program was represented at ESPN’s national award show, the ESPY’s, in the “Best Play” category thanks to the Hail Mary touchdown in the Bahamas Bowl in December.

Aug. 21: Bonamego finishes cancer treatment

Bonamego finished his final cancer treatment before heading to Mount Pleasant for CMU Football Media Day. He would be cancer-free within three months.

Sept. 3: Chippewas fall in season opener

CMU fell to Oklahoma State 24-13 in the season-opener at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The Chippewas had a short lead in the third quarter before eventually falling to the Cowboys.

Sept. 12: Bonamego gets first win

The Chippewas topped Monmouth 31-10 to earn Bonamego his first career victory as a head coach and move the team to 1-1 on the season.

Oct. 3: Chippewas upset NIU on Homecoming

Multiple forced turnovers from the Chippewa defense helped CMU to a strong third-quarter and a 29-19 Homecoming victory over Northern Illinois on a rainy afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The Huskies would go on to win the Mid-American Conference West Division title.

Nov. 10: Toledo tops CMU in midweek MACtion

The Chippewas fell 28-23 to the Rockets at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, eliminating CMU from being able to win the MAC West outright. Junior quarterback Cooper Rush would move into the top two in CMU passer history with 64 passing scores. He finished 2015 with 67 career scores and would go on to break the CMU single season passing record.

Dec. 6: Quick Lane Bowl invites CMU

The MAC announced CMU had been selected to play against Minnesota in the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. It’s the second year in a row the Chippewas will be playing in a bowl game.

Dec. 28: Chippewas fall short in Quick Lane Bowl

The Chippewas took a 14-13 lead at the start of the fourth quarter before surrendering the game-winning score to Minnesota with less than five minutes to play. CMU couldn't complete another last-second Hail Mary and would finish the year 7-6 for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons.

Men’s basketball

Feb. 4: CMU suffers only home setback

Senior guard Chris Fowler scored a career-high 42 points, but the Chippewas would fall to Bowling Green 76-74 in overtime. It would be CMU’s only home loss of the season.

Feb. 7: Sellout crowd watches CMU down WMU

McGuirk Arena was sold out as the Chippewas defeated rival Western Michigan 70-65. It was the first sellout at McGuirk since 2009, in the first game after renovations of the arena were completed.

March 3: Chippewas clinch MAC Regular Season Championship

CMU beat Toledo 85-77 before the team and fans watched Kent State beat Bowling Green on the big screen at McGuirk Arena. The CMU win and BGSU loss helped give the Chippewas the No. 1 overall seed in the tournament and a portion of the MAC Championship, leading to a net-cutting ceremony.

March 11: Davis awarded Coach of the Year

Head Coach Keno Davis was awarded the MAC Coach of the Year after his team finished the regular season 22-7. It was CMU’s first season with a winning record since 2002-2003.

March 13: Chippewas win semifinal game

Fowler scored 26 points as CMU beat Toledo 75-66 in the semifinal game of the MAC Tournament. The Chippewas were 3-0 against the Rockets in 2015.

March 14: Buffalo upsets CMU in MAC Tournament Championship

CMU lost to second-seeded Buffalo 89-84 in the MAC Tournament Championship, which sent the Bulls to the NCAA Tournament and the Chippewas to the National Invitation Tournament. Buffalo’s Xavier Ford was the Tournament MVP, with 18 points against CMU.

March 17: CMU’s season ends with NIT loss

Louisiana Tech, the Conference USA regular season Champion, defeated CMU 89-79 in the first round of the NIT. The Bulldogs extended their home winning streak to 30 games.

April 9: CMU inks Davis to extention

Davis signed a five-year, $1.5 million deal to stay with the Chippewas. The contract also included other bonuses, like $100,000 for promotional appearances.

Baseball

March 20-22: CMU starts strong on opening weekend

After losing the home and Mid-American Conference opener against Ohio, the Chippewas finished the weekend with a pair of victories over the Bobcats. Junior pitcher Jason Gamble shut out Ohio on Sunday to finish off the weekend.

April 15: Chippewas shock Spartans at Comerica in walkoff fashion

The Chippewas entered the bottom of the ninth down 7-2 to Michigan State at the annual Clash at Comerica game. A six-run inning, bookended by hits from junior Morgan Oliver, propelled the team to a 8-7 walk-off victory in Detroit.

May 15: CMU clinches MAC Regular Season title

A 12-3 victory over Western Michigan helped CMU earn the MAC Regular Season Championship and the first overall seed in the MAC Tournament. The Chippewas would finish the season 35-23 and 19-8 in the MAC.

May 19: Jaksa named Coach of the Year

Head Coach Steve Jaksa was named the MAC Coach of the Year on the eve of the opening day of the MAC Tournament. It was the second time Jaksa received the honor, with the first coming in 2004.

May 20: Zips upset the Chips in MAC Tournament

No. 8 Akron upset the top-seeded Chippewas 5-4 in the opening round of the MAC Tournament. CMU was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament the following day against Toledo, 6-2.

Women’s basketball

Jan. 15: Sue Guevara earns 250th career win

Central Michigan defeated Miami 60-54, giving Sue Guevara her 250th career win and 127th win as the head coach of the Chippewas. Guevara has been the head coach for CMU since 2007 and has helped rebuild the program into a Mid-American Conference title contender.

Feb. 4: CMU snaps 20-year drought at Bowling Green

Da’Jourie Turner scored a career-high 21 points in a 57-54 victory over Bowling Green. It was the Chippewas first win on the road against the Falcons since 1995. Crystal Bradford recorded her 52nd career double-double, tallying 10 points and 11 rebounds.

March 3: Crystal Bradford’s career comes to an end

Crystal Bradford was shut down for the remainder of the 2014-2015 campaign after battling a nagging knee injury. The 2013-2014 MAC Player of the Year and MAC Defensive Player of the Year injured her knee at the end of the 2013-2014 campaign. Bradford played through pain the entire 2014-2015 season, but the knee injury would keep out for the Chippewas final four games of the year.

March 9: CMU earns trip to Cleveland for MAC tournament

CMU defeated Northern Illinois 49-44 in the opening round of the MAC tournament to punch its ticket to Cleveland to play at Quicken Loans Arena for the remainder of the tournament. Making it to Cleveland was an accomplishment considering the amount of injuries the Chippewas had during the course of the year.

March 27: Sue Guevara awarded new five-year contract

It wasn’t the season CMU envisioned, but the Chippewas did make it to the MAC tournament. After leading a team decimated by injuries, Sue Guevara was awarded a new five-year, $1,170,000 contract, keeping her on the sideline for CMU through the 2019-2020 season.

April 16: Crystal Bradford gets drafted

Crystal Bradford became the first Central Michigan women’s basketball player to be selected in the WNBA draft and only the second player in the Mid-American Conference when she was taken with the seventh overall pick to the Los Angeles Sparks. Bradford finished her career as a Chippewa with the most points, rebounds, field goals and blocks in program history. She was the only player in CMU history to score more than 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds.

Nov. 15: Presley Hudson named Player of the Week

After averaging 26 points in her first two games for CMU, Presley Hudson became the first CMU women’s basketball player to been named (High-Major) Madness National Player of the Week. Leading the Chippewas to a 2-0 record, Hudson scored a total 53 points and shot 47 percent from the 3-point line during the week.

Field hockey

Oct.16: Pelowski earns first win

Head Coach Molly Pelowski’s first win in her CMU field hockey coaching career was against Missouri State in a 1-0 double overtime win on senior day. Missouri State came in on a three-game win streak. It was one of two wins the Chippewas had in their 2-15 season.

Gymnastics

Feb. 15: CMU beats rival Kent State

After losing to Northern Illinois the week before, CMU topped rival Kent State while posting a 196.4, its eighth-highest score in Chippewa history. The Golden Flashes were the only MAC team to beat CMU in 2014.

March 15: CMU wins MAC Regular Season title

The Chippewas scored 196.225 points in the regular season finale to top Western Michigan and earn their first regular season MAC title since 2012.

March 21: CMU finishes second at MAC Championships

Kent State managed to beat the Chippewas, which ended CMU’s streak of five consecutive MAC Championships. The Golden Flashes edged the Chippewas by one-tenth of a point.

March 27: Fagan becomes first CMU gymnast to earn All-American honors

Now graduated Kylie Fagan was named Second Team All-American by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches. Fagan was the first ever All-American in the history of Central Michigan Gymnastics. She finished the season ranked ninth in the nation in the uneven bars.

April 4: Chippewas fall just shy of making nationals

CMU placed third out of six teams at the NCAA Regional Meet, entering the week ranked 21st in the country. They finished with a team score of 195.925, the second best regional total in CMU history and one spot short of earning a trip to nationals.

Volleyball

Sept. 19: CMU wins Chippewa Challenge

After dropping a 3-1 decision to Evansville on Friday night of the Chippewa Challenge, CMU rallied to sweep San Jose State and Nebraska-Omaha to win its home tournament. A packed McGuirk Arena witnessed as senior middle blocker Angie White and sophomore outside hitter Jordan Bueter tallied 23 and 20 kills, respectively. Junior setter Kathia Sanchez was named Tournament MVP with 122 assists, while freshman libero Jamison Wolffis received defensive MVP honors.

Oct. 6: Olson placed on paid leave

The CMU Athletics Department announced that Head Coach Erik Olson was placed on a paid leave of absence. On Sept. 23, Director of Athletics Dave Heeke sent a letter to Olson saying the department received a complaint for engaging in “unprofessional behavior towards the athletes.” CMU was 6-11 (1-3 Mid-American Conference) when Olson was placed on paid leave.

Oct. 9-10: CMU sweeps first weekend without Olson

After Olson was placed on paid leave, volleyball downed Ball State and swept Toledo at home. Associate Head Coach Theresa Beeckman and assistant coaches Adam Rollman and Kelly Maxwell collectively coached the team and improved the team’ record to 8-11 (3-3 MAC). CMU won four of its first five matches without Olson.

Nov. 5: Chippewas move up to seventh place in MAC

A win in the home finale over Eastern Michigan propelled CMU to seventh place in the MAC. Seniors Kalle Mulford (middle blocker) and Haley Barker (defensive specialist) played their final matches at McGuirk Arena while fellow senior Angie White (middle blocker) watched from the bench nursing a right ankle injury. Sophomore outside hitter Jordan Bueter returned after missing two matches due to injury and recorded a team-high 16 kills.

Nov. 13-14: Pair of losses wipe away MAC Tournament chances

CMU needed to defeat last-place Toledo or Ball State on the road in the final weekend of the regular season to secure a spot in the Mid-American Conference Tournament. CMU lost 16-14 in the fifth set to the Rockets and 15-10 in set five to Ball State on Nov. 14 to lose both matches. Eastern Michigan defeated Toledo in a fifth set on Nov. 14 to exile CMU from the MAC Tournament from the third consecutive season.

Dec. 1: Olson resigns

Olson informed Heeke of his voluntary resignation Dec. 1. Olson will officially be finished on Dec. 31, exactly one year before his contract expires. Heeke also announced that the contract of Associate Head Coach Theresa Beeckman, which expires Dec. 31, would not be renewed. Beeckman guided CMU to a 5-7 record after Olson was placed on paid leave on Oct. 6, but the Chippewas lost six of its final seven matches.

Lacrosse

Oct. 4: Lacrosse plays first competitions in program history

After much anticipation, the lacrosse program was made official after its first competitions in its young history. The team travelled to Pennsylvania to take part in the Pittsburgh Collegiate Playday. The Chippewas scrimmaged Radford, Seton Hill and Liberty in the one-day tournament.

Oct. 18: Lacrosse plays first home competitions in program history

The Chippewas dug their cleats into the turf on CMU’s new soccer-lacrosse complex and showcased their skills in front of the home fans by hosting its first-ever Fall Play Day. CMU dropped a 10-3 decision to Grand Valley State but tied 11-11 against Findlay, and missed what would have been the game-winning shot with 2.7 seconds left. Freshman Jocelyn Lemay scored five goals on the day.

Nov. 11: Lacrosse announces full 2016 roster

Head Coach Sara Tisdale announced her full roster for its inaugural season after signing 13 more student-athletes to the program. CMU’s roster now comprises 39 players (38 freshmen and one sophomore) and the talent spans 17 states and one Canadian province. The team will play its first regular season game on Feb. 7, 2016 at Michigan.

Softball

April 11: Rentschler and DeLamielleure’s blasts lifts Chips past EMU

With the game tied at two with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Katelyn Rentschler hit a three-run home run to give CMU a 5-2 victory at Margo Jonker Stadium. At the time, it was her fifth homer in as many games.

An inning earlier, sophomore Chelsea DeLamielleure hit a two-run home run bringing the Chippewas even with EMU at two runs apiece.

May 6-7: Knapp throws back-to-back shutouts

Emerging as CMU’s ace in 2015, freshman pitcher Rachael Knapp had a solid debut season, culminating in two complete-game shutouts in as many days in the MAC Tournament.

Defeating Western Michigan 2-0 on four hits and seven strikeouts without walking a batter, Knapp was virtually untouchable. One day later against Kent State, Knapp proved her performance against the Broncos was no fluke.

Dominating the Golden Flashes in a 1-0 win, Knapp struck out nine batters, surrendered four hits and walked just one.

Soccer

Sept. 20: Soccer enters new era at new stadium

CMU’s soccer team moved a few yards from Bennett Field to the new CMU Soccer/Lacrosse Complex for the first time.

The Chippewas broke in the new CMU soccer and lacrosse complex with a 1-0 loss to Illinois State in double overtime. The Chippewas eventually earned their first win in the stadium on October 2 against Miami.

Nov. 1: Late goal forces overtime, but CMU still falls in MAC Tournament

Freshman Alexis Pelafas scored the tying goal with one second to play in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Tournament against Buffalo. After a pair of scoreless overtimes, Buffalo topped the Chippewas in penalty kicks to end CMU’s season.

Cross Country

Sep. 4: Men take top six spots, women finish second, third and fourth

The CMU cross country team showed their strength at the first meet of the season by taking the top six spots at the Jeff Drenth Memorial. Seniors Nate Ghena (15:29.46) and Silas Dekalita (15:29.56) led the way in CMU’s only home meet of the season.

Sep. 9, Sept. 29: Ghena earns MAC runner of the week:

Ghena was selected as the MAC runner of the week twice during the 2015 season after dominating performances at the Jeff Drenth Memorial and the Roy Griak Invitational.

Oct. 31: Women finish third, men fourth at MAC Championships:

The Central Michigan cross country team had four All-MAC selections as both the men’s and women’s teams finished in the top five in the Canton, Ohio meet. Ghena and sophomore Kirsten Olling led the men’s and women’s teams.

Nov. 13: Women place 12th, men 15th at regionals:

The season came to an end for the Chippewas as neither the men’s nor women’s team qualified for nationals.

Track

May 14-16: Outdoor MAC Championships

Last year’s men’s and women’s track teams finished fifth and sixth respectively in the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships with two MAC Champions. Junior Cole Walderzak, men’s discuss (56.82 meters) and the 4x400 team of junior Malik Vasquez, then senior Clay Holman, sophomore Erick Huertas and junior Ziemowit Dutkiewicz (3:09.29) won their events outright.

Broken Records

There were 10 Central Michigan Track and Field Records set by last year’s team. Distance runner Abbey Kelto set four of the records by herself in the indoor 3K (9:27) and 5K (16:41) as well as the outdoor 10K (34:06) and 3K Steeplechase (10:29). Walderzak in outdoor hammer throw (64.91 meters), Kylee Dobbelaere in outdoor hammer throw (58.23 meters) and Devene Brown in indoor shot put (15.39 meters) and outdoor shot put (16.16 meters) all posted individual records. The indoor Distance Medley Relay team of Michaela Bundy, Alexandra Mielke, Kelly Ross, and Kelly Schubert (11:43) and the outdoor 4x400 team of Vasquez, Holman, Huertas and Dutkiewicz (3:07) both set relay records.

Wrestling

March 8: Horan wins second MAC title

Zach Horan, a junior at the time, claimed his second MAC title at 141-pounds, defeating Chris Mecate of Old Dominion. Horan and teammates Colin Heffernan and Jordan Ellingwood qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

May 27: CMU Great Inducted into MAC Hall of Fame

CMU wrestling great Casey Cunningham became one of three MAC wrestlers ever inducted into the MAC Hall of Fame. Cunningham is the all-time leader in wins (134) and win percentage (.876, 134-19) at CMU and was a three-time MAC champion. The two-time MAC wrestler of the year earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award at the 1999 league championships. Cunningham remains the only Chippewa wrestler to win an NCAA Championship.

Dec. 6: CMU dominates MSU, moves into the top 20

Wrestling began the 2015-2016 season with a perfect 4-0 record, ranked 20th in the nation according to USA Today after a dominating 33-0 victory over Michigan State. It was CMU’s first home match of the season in McGuirk Arena.