The past decade has been a successful one for Southwestern athletics. Football returned to Georgetown, and the university welcomed men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse as varsity sports to bring the number of teams up to 20.
From 2011-2020, the Pirates won 12 conference championships, 26 All-American selections, numerous trips to NCAA Tournaments, and some of the highest national rankings in school history across multiple programs.
The past decade has also seen the rise of social media.
With that in mind, we turn to our Twitter followers to help determine the Moment of the Decade from everything that happened from 2011-2020. To accomplish this, 64 moments were pulled from the past 10 years' headlines and seeded into a March Madness-style tournament bracket.
Those 64 moments are broken up into four categories: Men's First Semester, Men's Second Semester, Women's First Semester, Women's Second Semester. Each category is seeded 1-16, with the men on one side of the bracket and women on the other.
Each matchup will be posted on Twitter with links to corresponding articles or information, followed by a Twitter poll. The moment with the most votes advances to the next round. The top men's moment and women's moment will compete head-to-head for the Moment of the Decade. Click the title of each moment to read more about it.
First Round
Men's First Semester
#1 The Final Champions (Football, 2016)
In the fourth year of the program's existence, the Southwestern football team defeated Trinity University 20-7 to clinch the final conference championship in the history of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC).
#16 All-Conference Duo (Cross Country, 2018)
John Hattan (26:27.591, 6th) and Joshua Im (27:03.486, 14th) lead the Pirates' cross-country team on a decade high-note, earning All-SCAC honors at the SCAC Championship Meet in Kerrville, Texas.
#2 Jake Swonke Delivers SU to NCAAs (Soccer, 2018)
With less than two minutes remaining in regulation and the home crowd gathered around the sidelines, Jake Swonke delivered a clutch penalty kick to tie the match 1-1 against Trinity University in the 2018 SCAC Championship Match.
Trinity would go on to win the championship in penalty kicks after two overtimes, but the recorded draw was enough to earn the Pirates an at-large bid in the NCAA Tournament — the program's first.
#15 Seniors Punch Ticket to Title Match (Soccer, 2013)
Hosting the SCAC Tournament, the Pirates got big plays from its senior class to defeat Colorado College 2-1 in overtime. Senior goalkeeper Daniel Poole stopped a breakaway early and a penalty kick with a diving save late while senior forward Steven Resnik notched the golden goal on a pass from Olivares to clinch the second trip to the 2013 SCAC Championship match.
#3 PKs Punch Ticket to First Title Game (Soccer, 2012)
Matthew Nickell sealed a 4-1 shootout victory with a shot to the left, past the outstretched arms of Colorado College goalie Forrest Marowitz after both teams went scoreless through two overtimes, securing the program's first trip to the SCAC Championship Match.
#14 ITA Dynamic Duo (Tennis, 2019)
In their first year as a doubles pairing, Hemanshu Ramobjun and Hunter Bajoit became the first duo in program history to advance to the ITA Regional Doubles Championship match after defeating a trio of Trinity University pairings.
Bajoit and Rambojun fell short against McMurray's Carlos Martinez and Chase Daniell but avenged the loss later that season in a head-to-head match between Southwestern and McMurray.
#4 Bruising All-American (Football, 2016)
Senior defensive lineman Justin Broussard capped off a brilliant career by becoming the first All-American in modern program history, earning D3Football.com Second Team All-American. Broussard tallied 60 tackles, including 20.5 for loss and 15.5 sacks.
#13 Upsetting No. 6 UMHB (Basketball, 2013)
A dominant defensive performance and a strong second-half surge sparked by bench sharpshooter Benjamin Stiver (4-for-4, 12 points) led the Southwestern basketball team past the No. 6-ranked University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders for a 62-58 win.
#5 First Win of the Modern Era (Football, 2014)
In a breakout performance from what would become the best defensive backfield in the SCAC, the Pirates intercepted four Sul Ross State passes and got four touchdown passes from quarterback Bryan Hicks to four different receivers for a 27-20 victory — the first in the history of the modern program.
#12 Brandon Alexander Hits 1,000 Points (Basketball, 2019)
On Dc. 30, 2019, reigning SCAC Player of the Year, Brandon Alexander, hit 1,000 points for his career against Trinity University. The 6-foot-5 forward from Inez, Texas, finished with 1,231 career points and 475 rebounds.
#6 Goodbye SCAC (Football, 2016)
Southwestern Player of the Decade Nik Kelly closed the SCAC out in spectacular fashion, intercepting Texas Lutheran University quarterback Zach Galindo's final pass in the endzone to seal a 35-31 victory in the last game in SCAC history.
#11 Teammates Set Records at DIII Invitational (Golf, 2018)
Cade Osgood and Sutherland Stith each finished four-below-par with scores of 209 to break the record for best score in a 54-hole event, leading the No. 12-ranked Pirates to a third-place finish at the prestigious Golfweek Division III Invitational at The Raven Golf Course. Osgood and Stith tied for fifth on the leaderboard, earning a share of the SCAC Golfer of the Week award.
#7 The Return (Football, 2013)
For the first time in 63 years, the Pirates lined up on the gridiron for a Sep. 7 game against Texas Lutheran University. Southwestern set a SCAC attendance record with 7,321 on hand to watch the modern program's first game. Wide Receiver Colten Shea added to the record books with a SCAC-record 367 all-purpose yards.
#10 The Longshot (Soccer, 2017)
Senior Christian Lopez broke a 1-1 tie with a last-second goal from 35 yards out in a 2-1 double-overtime victory over Texas Lutheran University to clinch the sixth and final seed of the SCAC Tournament.
#8 Historic Homecoming (Football, 2017)
The school that invented homecoming weekend celebrated the 2017 homecoming game with offensive fireworks, defeating Howard Payne University 70-6. Led by quarterback Frederick Hover (141 yards passing, 201 yards rushing), the Pirates set program records for total yards (701), points (70), points in a half (49), and average gain per play (11.3 yards).
#9 Perkins' Peerless Season (Soccer, 2012)
Senior forward Evan Perkins put together the best offensive season in program history, earning NSCAA Second Team All-West Region honors.
Perkins set school season records for goals (15) and points (38), adding 8 assists. He was named the 2012 SCAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
Men's Second Semester
#1 SCAC Dynasty Begins (Golf, 2016)
In the closest finish in SCAC men's golf championship history, Southwestern prevailed over Trinity University by a single stroke, scoring a 591 through two rounds to win the first outright SCAC Championship in school history.
Sophomore Tyler Gammill became the first Pirate to win the SCAC individual titles, coming through in the clutch with a birdie on No. 18 to score a 141 — finishing two strokes ahead of his closest opponent and setting what was a school record for 36 holes at a championship. The moment sparked a three-year run of back-to-back-to-back championships.
#16 The Breakthrough (Lacrosse, 2014)
Senior midfielder Tyler Downing and third-year head coach Bill Bowman helped guide the Pirates to the first winning season in the program's short history, earning SCAC Offensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year.
The Pirates finished the season 10-5, making it all the way to the SCAC Championship before falling 13-7 to Colorado College. Downing finished the season with 41 points, scoring 34 goals and distributing 7 assists.
#2 The Championship Plunge (Swimming & Diving, 2019)
The men's swimming & diving team opened the SCAC Championships with a victory in the 200 medley relay and never looked back, riding the leadership of senior Peter Robinson and the talent of sophomore Keith Gill to a slew of school records and the first conference championship in program history.
#15 Vault to the Top (Track & Field, 2015)
Cody Taylor became the only athlete in SCAC history to win three consecutive pole vault conference titles with a victory in 2015, clearing 12 feet and 11.5 inches for the win. The Pirates finished third overall at the conference championships.
#3 Rapid-Fire Basketball Back on Top (Basketball, 2019)
Led by the sweet-shooting of SCAC Player of the Year Brandon Alexander and a strong junior class, the Pirates made an epic comeback against Austin College on the last day of the regular season to finish a school-best 11-5 in conference play, earning a share of SCAC regular-season title.
#14 Will Cates' Dominant Season (Baseball, 2015)
Will Cates put together a dominant season, posting a .391 batting average (66-for-169) with 10 doubles, eight triples, 36 RBIs, a .425 on-base percentage, .633 slugging percentage, 31 stolen bases, and five home runs. He was named the 2015 SCAC Player of the Year and All-American Honorable Mention.
In one of the most indelible moments in program history, the unranked Southwestern men's tennis team upset No. 14-ranked Trinity, earning the program's first victory over its conference rival. Sophomore Dean Dulthummon clinched the match from No. 2 singles with the match tied at four and moving to a third set tiebreaker, winning 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 in a turning point in program history.
#13 Top 25 At Last (Tennis, 2020)
On Feb. 15, 2020, the No. 30-ranked Southwestern men's tennis team upset No. 18-ranked Redlands on the road. Alexander Joseph and Dean Dulthummon picked up a key doubles victory from the No. 2 spot, and Alexis Dimanche clinched the match with a three-set victory from No. 1 singles. The victory moved the team to No. 24 in the national rankings for the first time in program history.
#5 Back-to-Back Champions (Golf, 2017)
For the second year in a row, Tyler Gammill and the Southwestern Pirates won the individual and team SCAC Championships. Unlike the previous year, Southwestern won convincingly with a nine-stroke lead over second-place Trinity.
Down the back nine of the second day, the only drama was who among the Pirates would take the individual award, with Gammill edging out teammate Matthew Christl with two birdies in the final three holes.
#12 All-American Glory (Baseball, 2019)
A selfless move to a new position and a few tweaks of his swing propelled Daniel Montgomery Jr. to one of the two best offensive seasons of the past decade, earning Second Team mAll-American honors.
Montgomery was among the SCAC leaders in every major offensive category, finishing first in runs scored (48), triples (four), and home runs (nine); second in doubles (15), total bases (110), on-base percentage (.485), and slugging percentage (.667); third in hits (60) and RBIs (45); and fourth in batting average (.364).
He was named to the 2019 Dr. Tex Kassen Southwestern Men's Athlete of the Year.
#6 The Threepeat (Men's Golf, 2018)
A new tournament medalist emerged for the Pirates with the same team results, winning a third consecutive SCAC Championship led by Cade Osgood. Osgood defeated Schreiner University's Jason Lopez on the first playoff hole to earn medalist honors. The Pirates scored a 915 through three rounds, placing three of the top 10 finishers to edge Schreiner by six strokes.
#11 The Greatest Offense in SCAC History (Lacrosse, 2019)
Led by SCAC Offensive Player of the Year Zac Asbury, the Pirates shattered the SCAC record books, setting new single-season marks for points (486), goals (297), and assists (189). Asbury led the way with single-season conference records for points (99) and assists (59).
With the most prolific offense in SCAC history, the Pirates went 10-7 and advanced all the way to the conference championship, falling short 13-10 to Colorado College.
#7 The French All-American (Tennis, 2018)
Alexis Dimanche, a cornerstone of the program's rise to national prominence, earned the first All-American honors in men's program history with a two-set victory over Swarthmore's Mark Fallati in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
#10 Tuttle Tops Track (Track & Field, 2013)
Daniel Tuttle was named the 2013 SCAC Athlete of the Meet after winning three individual events in the SCAC Championships in 2013. Tuttle swept the 110 and 400 hurdles and also won the individual title in the triple jump.
#8 The Golden Arm (Baseball, 2019)
Sophomore pitcher Austin Smith announced his arrival as the best pitcher in the SCAC with a pair of dominant wins against nationally-ranked Trinity (4) and Texas Lutheran (5). Smith led the conference in strikeouts (110), finishing with a 3.18 ERA in 79.1 innings pitched with 5 complete games and a 7-2 record to win the SCAC Pitcher of the Year.
#9 The Greatest (Tennis, 2020)
In a year-long race to the finish, Alexis Dimanche edged out teammate and good friend Dean Dulthummon for the most career wins in program history. Dimanche and Dulthummon both surpassed former record-holder Niko Snovely's 123 career wins, with Dimanhce edging out Dulthummon 131-129.
Women's First Semester
#1 The Championship Save (Soccer, 2019)
In an all-time great performance from one of Southwestern's all-time greatest student-athletes, senior goalie Mary Cardone secured the first SCAC Championship in program history by stopping Trinity's Molly Sheridan's penalty kick to preserve the Pirates 5-4 penalty shootout win.
Cardone kept Trinity scoreless through two overtimes, recording 12 saves, several of which were of the highlight variety. Juliet Pridgen provided the go-ahead penalty kick in the shootout.
#16 Owens Owns Record (Basketball, 2014)
Senior forward Jordan Owens set a new school single-game scoring record with 36 points against Howard Payne University. Owens broke her own record of 34 points, set in 2012. She opened the first half on fire with 22 points on 10-for-14 shooting and finished 15-for-26 with 8 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks in a 76-74 loss.
#2 Pirates Net Another SCAC Championship (Volleyball, 2015)
Kaitlyn Foster led the Pirates with 22 kills and no errors for a .423 attack percentage. Nicki Welch had 41 assists and 14 digs to lead the Pirates to a four-set win over Trinity University for the fourth SCAC Championship in program history and 10th overall conference title.
#15 Five-Set Thriller (Volleyball, 2014)
The Pirates defeated nationally-ranked Colorado College in a five-set thriller to advance to the SCAC Championship match. Kaitlyn Foster led the way with 17 kills, and Kirby Kincannon had 5 blocks.
#3 Final Four Run (Volleyball, 2016)
The 2016 Pirates made a historic run through the NCAA Tournament, defeating Tufts University 3-2 to advance to the Final Four. Jamison Duck led the way with 19 kills and 31 digs, while Nikki Welch and Sydney Rochelle each had 26 assists.
#14 Duarte Dominates Region (Cross Country, 2012)
Lilly Duarte finished 14th overall at the South/Southeast Regional in Atlanta with a time of 23:35.19 to earn All-Region honors. That season, Duarte earned four top-10 finishes, including three in the top 5.
#4 Tennis Sweeps ITA Regionals (Tennis, 2017)
The women's tennis team had a historic weekend, sweeping the singles and doubles ITA Regional Championships in Tyler, Texas. Kate Daugherty earned All-American status by defeating Texas-Dallas' Sumvruta Iyengar in three sets. Daugherty also teamed with Esther Bowers to defeat Trinity's Kaffen sisters to win the doubles championship.
#13 First Title Ticket (Soccer, 2013)
The Pirates set a program record for conference wins with a 9-3 conference record, finishing 10-9-1 overall and earning a spot in the program's first SCAC Championship match in a penalty kick shootout after going scoreless through two overtimes.
#5 Duarte Runs to Nationals (Cross Country, 2013)
Duarte became the second Southwestern women's cross country runner to earn a trip to the NCAA National Championships with a ninth-place finish in the NCAA Regional Championships, breaking a school record with a time of 22:47.29.
#12 New Era Arrives (Women's Soccer, 2016)
Eight Pirates earned All-SCAC honors in 2016, and second-year head coach Linda Hamilton was named SCAC Coach of the Year. In that group was a trio of first-years who would go on to form the core of the Pirates' first championship team: SCAC Defensive Player of the Year Mallory Harkins, SCAC Newcomer of the Year Mary Cardone, and All-SCAC Honorable Mention defender Romie Reyna.
#6 The Rookie Champion (Tennis, 2019)
In her first collegiate tournament, Nina Mitrofanova defeated two regionally-ranked opponents, including the defending ITA Regional Champion, to win the ITA Fall Regional Championship and become the latest All-American from the women's tennis program.
#11 The Queen of Shutouts (Soccer, 2019)
With a 3-0 victory over Huston-Tillotson, the Pirates secured goalkeeper Mary Cardone's 22nd career shutout, surpassing Sarah Nonaka's (2009-2012). Cardone finished with 26 career shutouts and set another school record with a career .855 save percentage and 0.86 goals-against average.
In an exciting match against the Centenary College Ladies, Southwestern University's Maya Fuller scored a last-second header in overtime off a corner kick from Ariel Mansholt to advance to the SCAC Championship. The Pirates would go on to defeat Trinity for its first conference title.
#10 All-American Champion (Volleyball, 2015)
Kaitlyn Foster became the second First Team All-American in the Pirates' NCAA Division III era, finishing with 393 kills on a .285 hitting percentage with 32 total blocks and 471 digs. Foster also helped lead the Pirates to a conference championship with a team-high 22 kills over Trinity.
#8 First-Time First Team (Volleyball, 2011)
Senior setter Christina Nicholls became the first First Team All-American in the Pirates' NCAA Division III era. Nicholls ended the season ranked 16th in the nation in assists per set (10.64) and 1,284 assists for the season. She was named the SCAC Player of the Year.
#9 A Round Record (Golf, 2019)
The Pirates earned their third consecutive overall victory to open the 2019-2020 season in the Lady Crusader Fall Invitational, setting a team record for its best round with 298 in the second round. The Pirates were paced by sophomore Madison Goldberg, who scored a 70 in Round 2 for a three-way tie for the best scoring round in school history.
Women's Second Semester
#1 Cut the Nets (Basketball, 2015)
Jordan Owens (19 points) and Annie Bourne (16 rebounds) led the Pirates to a 71-58 victory over Trinity, winning the program's second SCAC Championship and first since 1998 and earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Pirates shot 56.4 percent from the floor, including 47.1 percent from deep and 79.2 percent from the free-throw line. Owens was named Tournament MVP.
#16 Woman of the Year (Track & Field, 2014)
Duarte wrapped up her stellar collegiate career by winning a share of the SCAC Woman of the Year award, which recognizes graduating student-athletes who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate careers in academic achievement, athletic excellence, community service, and leadership. Duarte was a captain for cross country and track & field, earning an individual win in the 1,500 at the 2014 SCAC Championships.
#2 Diamond Rings (Softball, 2013)
Southwestern defeated Trinity in back-to-back games, winning 7-2 and 9-4 to claim its second SCAC Championship in program history. The Pirates got two big home runs in the sixth inning, with Kayla Irvin hitting a solo shot and Caroline Young hitting a three-run bomb to seal the victory. In Game 2, the Pirates were led by Karen Ramirez, who hit 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs with two runs scored.
#15 The Takeover (Basketball, 2020)
Zhazze Brown took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of her team-high 20 points to lead the Pirates to a 76-73 upset over the No. 20-ranked Austin College Kangaroos.
#3 Campbell's Courage (Golf, 2017)
The Pirates came out on top in one of the closest SCAC Championships in history, defeating Trinity University in a two-round playoff to win the program's seventh conference championship and first since 2013. Southwestern was paced by Leilani McDaniel, who finished second with a score of 156. Emily Campbell battled back from a severe back injury for a huge par down the stretch to help secure the Pirates' win.
#14 The Walk-Off (Softball, 2019)
Kaitlynn Copher hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, scoring Tori Montemayor from third to advance the Pirates in the SCAC Championships. Montemayor led the Pirates with a 3-for-5 performance, scoring two runs. Copher hit 2-for-4 with a run and one RBI, and Lindsey Longuet pitched all nine innings, giving up two earned runs with eight strikeouts.
#4 Cardone Crowned (Tennis, 2019)
Southwestern two-sport star Mary Cardone earned All-American status after defeating Sewanee's Catherine Own to advance to the Round of 16 in the NCAA Division III Singles Championships, becoming the fourth All-American in program history.
#13 The Breakthrough (Lacrosse, 2019)
Led by SCAC Offensive Player of the Year Hayley Donnelly, the women's lacrosse team posted the first winning season in program history at 7-6, advancing to the SCAC Championship game before falling short against Colorado College.
The Pirates earned three All-SCAC First Team selections, highlighted by Donnelly, who ended her collegiate career as the program's all-time career leader in points (174), points per game (3.87), and assists (68).
#5 Title & Tournament (Golf, 2013)
With a team score of 659, the Pirates captured the sixth SCAC Championship in program history. Karissa Speck paced the Pirates with a second-place score of 163 (83-80), and the nationally-ranked Pirates earned a bid to the NCAA Championships.
#12 Statement Start (Lacrosse, 2014)
In the first game in program history, the women's lacrosse team shook off freezing temperatures to light up the scoreboard, defeating Hendrix 18-3 at home. Natalie Rivera scored the first goal in program history and led the team with 5 total goals.
A year after narrowly edging out Trinity for the SCAC Championship, the Pirates left no drama in defending their title, placing four of the top five finishers with Campbell leading the way with a final score of 152.
#11 Top 20 at Last (Tennis, 2020)
The No. 22-ranked Pirates upset No. 21 CalTech in California, finishing the shortened season ranked No. 20 in the nation, the highest finish in program history.
#7 Ayers the All-American (Swimming & Diving, 2011)
On Mar. 29, 2011, Sarah Ayers became the first All-American in the women's swimming and diving program history with a seventh-place finish (56.51) at the NCAA Swim and Dive Championships in the 100 backstroke event.
#10 No-Hit History (Softball, 2014)
First-year pitcher Nicole Gibbs made history with the first no-hitter in program history, holding Centenary hitless on Mar. 23. Three weeks later, she did it again, throwing a no-hitter against Austin College.
#8 Leeder Owns the SCAC (Basketball, 2013)
Chelsea Leader finished a season of dominance, winning the SCAC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, becoming the first to win both awards in the same season in conference history. Leeder averaged 14.9 points per game in her junior season on 41.2 percent shooting and 3.4 assists to go with 4.9 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and a block per game. She was a D3Hoops.com First Team All-Region selection.
#9 Dynamic Duo (Swimming, 2019)
Jesse Stovall and Rehgan Hartsell capped off a successful SCAC Championship Meet, each winning their third events of the Championships to earn Co-SCAC Women's Swimmer of the Meet honors.