With a refreshed coaching staff, a returning core, and the addition of an exciting recruiting class, the Bears are assembling the pieces for a strong 2024 season.

Student Life sat down with the graduating senior to discuss his athletic career thus far, his future plans after graduating, and his overall history with the sport of tennis. 

WashU athletics had a strong first week of April, highlighted by a road conference sweep by softball. Baseball won a key non-conference game on a walk-off homer, and the golf, track and field, and tennis teams all put up strong performances.

Student Life sat down with Lichtenberger to discuss his life outside of pole vaulting, his love for track and field, and his future goals. 

The Bears had rattled off five straight wins before their trip to Atlanta and New York, catapulting them up the UAA standings and reviving their chances of an at-large NCAA tournament berth. This past weekend, the team had a chance to show off their improvement. They took full advantage of it, dominating No. 19 Emory and Rochester on Feb. 9 and 11, avenging their close losses from earlier this season. 

“We have learned a lot about ourselves, and we believe we can become [better] with each challenge, and every UAA game is a challenge…We have to continue to focus on getting better each day.” 

With under a minute left in the Midwest Challenge championship game between the Washington University women’s basketball team and that of Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU), tensions were heightened as the back-and-forth contest neared the end. Despite the Bears’ best efforts, the Titans played on par with them throughout the hour.

“This weekend was a good experience for us. We are very young and inexperienced. We went on the road to play two teams that will likely be in the NCAA tournament. They are very good, very physical, and showed our team the gaps we need to fill to be better. [There is] no better teacher than experience,” Head Coach Henderson said about the women’s basketball team’s performance. 

This past Saturday, the Washington University men’s soccer team (7-8-1) went head-to-head with the University of Chicago Maroons (9-2-5) in the last game of their 2023 season. While the Bears fought hard against the Maroons, they were unable to score. The Maroons, ranked 21st in national rankings and second in the UAA conference, won the game 2-0.

The Washington University women’s basketball team is gearing up for an exciting 2023-24 season, set to tip off with its inaugural game against Johns Hopkins University at the Scholar Classic competition in New York this upcoming weekend. Building on a successful 2022-23 season that saw it achieve a 17-9 record, the team is now looking forward to new challenges with a blend of returning talent and promising newcomers.