MCEVILA, HENNESSEY NAMED BATES ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
 

LEWISTON, Maine -- For their performances in the first full week of competition in the winter season, junior weight thrower Billy McEvila of Hartford, Conn., and sophomore squash player Mary Ellen Hennessey of Manchester, N.H., have been named Bates College Athletes of the Week.

McEvila, one of three members of the Bates men's indoor track team to qualify for the NCAA Championships in the 35-pound weight throw last season, earned a provisional trip to the NCAAs in 1998 in the Bobcats' first meet of the season. In a dual meet with Divsion II UMass-Lowell, McEvila's toss of 53 feet, one-half inch was a provisional distance. McEvila also finished second in the shot put with a throw of 43 feet, four inches. Bates won the meet, 81 62. It was the Bobcats' first dual meet victory over UMass-Lowell since 1990 and their second in nine all-time meetings.

Hennessey was the top performer for coach John Illig's women's squash team which opened its season this weekend at Wesleyan University. The finished with a 2-3 record at the round robin event, but Hennessey won four of her five matches at the number-six position. In the Bobcats' 9-0 sweep of Wellesley, Hennessey lost just five points in the first game of the match, shutting out her opponent in the next two games. She also posted wins over opponents from Hamilton (10-8, 9-4, 9-5), Smith (9-1, 7-9, 9-1, 9-7) and Connecticut College (9-3, 9-4, 9-6).

McEvila is a 1995 graduate of Bulkeley High School. He is the son of Patricia McEvila, Hartford.

Hennessey is a 1996 graduate of Stonleigh-Burnham School, Greenfield, Mass. She is the daughter of Vincent and Mary Hennessey, Manchester, N.H.