Fink, Prince Named Year's Final Gophers of the Month

TOWSON, Md. — Equestrian rider Joey Fink (Baltimore, Md./The Park School), who finished as the national champion in open equitation on the flat at last week’s IHSA National Horse Show, and women’s track & field thrower Bri Prince (Coopersburg, Pa./Southern Lehigh), who broke a school record and finished as the Landmark runner-up in the shot put, have been selected as the final Gophers of the Month for 2014-15.

Fink became the second national champion in program history with his open flat performance last Thursday. That began an immensely successful weekend to conclude his collegiate career, as he also reached the second phase of the highly-competitive Cacchione Cup, ultimately placing eighth overall, and he finished fourth in open flat in the team competition, helping Goucher earn a seventh place national finish. Earlier in April, Fink was judged as the top overall rider at the Landmark Invitational, and he was the medal champion at the show.

“Joey has worked incredibly hard this year, and I'm so happy that it culminated in such a massive win for him,” head coach Jen Bunty said. “The IHSA season begins with some 10,000 riders, and Joey nabbed the National Championship at the highest possible level.  It was a huge win for him and for Goucher!"

Prince has ranked near the top of the Landmark in the shot put throughout the spring, but she took her performance to another level at the conference championship meet last Saturday. Her toss of 12.45 meters (40’10 1/4") bettered a school mark which had stood since 2003, and it made her the first Goucher thrower to earn All-Landmark recognition since Abby Cooney finished as runner-up in the hammer back in 2008.

“Bri has grown incredibly during her first season in track & field,” head coach John Caslin remarked. “She had personal bests in all three of her events at the Landmark Championships, with of course a tremendous last throw in the shot that moved her from fourth place into second and broke Hall of Famer Natalie Williams’ school record by a foot. She is also a terrific teammate who is always helping to help out others, and she has been great in the classroom. We’re lucky to have her in our program.”

The selections of Fink and Prince were made by the school’s sports information staff. Men’s tennis player Jack Hodges (London, England/Shrewsbury School), women’s lacrosse attacker Rita Meissner (Yonkers, N.Y./Yonkers) and equestrian rider Sarah Lummis (Westminster, Md./Winters Mill) were also considered for this month’s award.