Alvernian October 2017

October/November 2017

Volume 56 Issue 5

what’s in

What is a Golden Wolf?

THIS ISSUE

Photo courtesy of Polly Mathys

By Nick Sokolovich Contributing Editor

The History of Halloween

The Golden Wolf mascot posing at the football scrimmage.

“I like how fuzzy it is,” Alvernia student Jimmy Wyatt said.

Living the Soccer Lifestyle in America

Men’s Basketball Pursuing Golden Season

Holleran Center After School Programs

By Kristen Sipling Contributing Editor The Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement is known around campus and around the Reading Community for its volunteering opportunities.

Because of this, Alvernia students are well known and well-appreciated for the service that they complete.

However, on top of the volunteer opportunities, the Holleran Center also employs students who then go to different schools in the Reading area to work with and mentor kids in different after-school programs.

There are a total of five schools that Alvernia students visit and get the chance to interact with kids multiple times during each school week. The schools are: Millmont Elementary School, Tyson-Schoener Elementary School, Reading Intermediate School, Reading High School and St. Peter’s Parochial School. The elementary schools have about 50 children per program and run Monday to Thursdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The children are provided educational homework help, a snack,

and fun yet educational enrichment activities.

“The kids normally start off with a snack, and then we get started on homework. After that, sometimes we do arts and crafts and other times we go outside for a recess to play games or do other activities” Alvernia student Mikala Persky said. Persky works with kids from TysonSchoener Elementary School.

The Reading Collegiate Scholars Program serves the Reading Intermediate School’s eighth and ninth

By Alison DeLia Contributing Writer

grade students and Reading High School’s tenth to twelfth grade students. This program was launched in 2014 with the goal to help students in the Reading area attend college. This program does a lot with homework help because good grades are needed to get into college.

They also assist with creating goals to help the students envision what they want to do once they exit high school, whether it is going to college, going into the military,

Continued on page 5

Alvernia student Angel Kurien helps student with her homework.

Continued on page 3

What is the Circle K Club?

Photo courtesy of Holleran Center

Finding FURever Friends at CatWorks

2017 marks the transition to Alvernia becoming the Golden Wolves. The mascot made its debut on October 14 during Alvernia’s homecoming weekend. It has received postive feedback from both students and staff alike.

“I like how fuzzy it is,” Alvernia student Jimmy Wyatt said.

The mascot dons the maroon and gold Alvernia colors by wearing a tank top, shorts, and shoes. Our wolf has golden fur and maroon and golden eyes. Most believe the Golden Wolf manages to

look cute and fierce at the same time.

Being a Golden Wolf however means much more than a man jumping around in a fuzzy wolf costume.

Our mascot has a lot of symbolic value that coincides greatly with the Franciscan traditions.

It all dates back to the story of Saint Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio. Around 1220 when St. Francis was living in Gubbio, a menacing wolf was known for lingering outside the city gates. It killed animals and eventually people. Nothing done could harm the wolf and Gubbio was left in fear. That’s when St. Francis decided to meet

Getting involved on campus is a fun and rewarding way to accomplish required service hours.

Clubs are a way to become integrated with campus activities and the community.

There are numerous scholarship opportunities and friendships that can be made through clubs. Alvernia has a variety of current and growing clubs, including Circle K. Rosemary McFee is the faculty advisor for Circle K and also a criminal justice professor here on campus.

“Circle K is an international service organization for college students,” McFee said. “It is part of Kiwanis International which is the main organization. There are subdivisions of clubs which branch from this, our club being one of them.”

Circle K, like most clubs, accomplish specific tasks and goals.

“Our goal as a club is to provide hands-on learning

Continued on page 3

lange files

2 October/November 2017

Vol. 56 Issue 5

Get A Flu Shot

Managing Editor Justin Herforth Layout Justin Herforth Mady Johnston Section Editors Cheyenne Ettinger Justin Herforth Juan Palacios Kristen Sipling Nick Sokolovich Contributing Writers Alison DeLia Zachary Grill Tim Toney Faculty Advisor Dr. Ryan Lange

The Alvernian is the official student newspaper of Alvernia University.

To contact newspaper staff, the office telephone number is 610-796-8358.

Articles submitted for consideration into The Alvernian should be written in some semblance of AP style. Letters to the editor, requests for advertisements, and general comments and questions may be submitted to ryan.lange@alvernia.edu.

The editors reserve the right to edit submissions for clarity, accuracy, and length.

The views expressed in The Alvernian are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the student body, faculty, staff, administration, or sponsors.

© 2017 The Alvernian

I usually give this page to Dr. Flynn or someone else in the administration to talk about general-interest Alvernia things, but I have it to myself this month.

As the Faculty Advisor of the Alvernian, I do my part to try to guide the paper to be reflective of the Alvernia community. It’s why we talk about service projects and athletics regularly, as opposed to other university newspapers that tend to be more adversarial to those things.

The paper should look like you, and speak to your interests, and be a place where we can discuss matters of importance to Alvernians.

I plan to use this space today to talk about getting a flu shot. You should get a flu shot right away if you haven’t done so already. As I take a values-centered approach to my teaching, I intend to initially argue this case using the Five Core Values of Alvernia.

Let’s start with contemplation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that flu activity peaks between December and February, though last season peaked later than usual.

About 43 percent of adults were vaccinated against the flu last year, and Pennsylvania’s adult population was about that vaccinated in the previous flu season. That’s good, but it can be better. Everyone who can get a flu shot should have one so to slow or even stop the spread of the flu through the population.

Getting a flu shot is collegial. If you don’t get the flu, you can’t spread it to anyone else. If everyone at Alvernia was vaccinated correctly, we might put a stop to people having to call out sick. Think of how productive everyone would be!

Perhaps that’s not a persuasive argument to many

Photo courtesy of Steve Ellmore under Creative Commons licensing

t h e alver n ian

Get a flu shot. ( Image from the Fort George G. Meade Public Affairs Office Photostream, https://flic.kr/p/yMA5kE )

of you, but it is to me.

Flu shots are very much about peacemaking. Getting people sick is inherently spreading your trouble around to other innocent folks who have done nothing wrong. You would make the campus a better place if you got a flu shot and then did not spread your gunk to anybody else.

“I don’t need a flu shot,” you might say. “I never get sick! Dyo ho ho, I am 18 years old, and so I am INVULNERABLE. Pay no attention to my coughing.”

It’s humble to admit that you might get the flu, and a show of that humility is getting a flu shot even if you don’t think you genuinely need one.

Flu shots are also all about service. You’re helping your fellow human out by vaccinating yourself and slowing the spread of disease.

The easiest way to help people who are vulnerable is not to saddle them with a costly and painful illness when they already have too much to worry about.

Maybe I can’t move you by

appealing to our Five Core Values. I’ll try using some argumentation based on Haidt’s moral foundations theory. Spot which ones I’m using! If you email me about it I will give you a small prize.

Avoiding illness is a sign of self-respect. You should do everything you can to keep your body clean and orderly, and to respect yourself and others by seeing to your physical fitness. We all stand together as Golden Wolves, and a good Wolf does not slobber all over the place and must wheeze and cough through the day.

Take the time to get vaccinated so you can protect yourself and make sure that you don’t lose any time or ability to an entirely avoidable illness. You are too valuable to be bothered by the flu, and the first step in keeping it away is to get a flu shot.

If nothing else, you’re being told to get a flu shot by every responsible person in your life: Your professors, your doctors, and probably your loved ones.

Today’s Mission Moment: Get a flu shot.

No, really. Get one.

Even after you get a flu shot, you need to be mindful of your health habits so to contain the spread of illness you may encounter out in the world. Wash your hands more often. You should wash your hands properly, using soap, and follow the guidelines of handwashing provided by the CDC. Hand sanitizer is all right if you can’t get to a sink, but it’s only buying you time so you can wash your hands better later. Diligent and effective hand-washing would do a great deal to stop the spread of the flu across the university.

You should also consider sanitizing the things you encounter regularly. Wipe off your phone occasionally so that it doesn’t become a vector for germs. Consider wiping off your keyboard, your door handles, and anything else you touch routinely.

In closing, get a flu shot, wash your hands more often, and keep it clean out there.

Adhering to good health practices will make the university a happier place.

campus news

3

October/November 2017

Vol. 56 Issue 5

Photo courtesy of Scott Jessop

What is A Golden Wolf? (Cont’d Page 1)

The Golden Wolf poses with some Alvernia cross country runners: Nick Sturm (left), Nick Sokolovich (right).

with the Wolf one on one.

During their encounter, the wolf lunged at St. Francis with its jaws wide open. St.

Francis made the sign of a cross and commanded the wolf cease its attacks in the name of God. The

projects to help those in need,” McFee said.

Alexa Cerulli was Alvernia’s Circle K president from 2015-2017. She recalls significant projects which the club organized in the past.

“Trin’s Totes for foster children was one of my favorites,” Cerulli said.

“Since foster children often move to foster care facilities with nothing to call their own, we put together totes which had clothes, toys, and other

needs inside them.”

Cerulli recalled being elected as president. “It was freshman year and I needed to get involved,” she said.

“Circle K at the time was new and it was a great leadership opportunity so I just went for it.”

According to Cerulli, there are plenty of reasons to join Circle K. “It’s an easy and fun easy to get service hours.

You meet new people and can get scholarships through

is the chemical symbol for gold,” Alvernia student Yeny Romero said commenting on the similarities gold has with the initials of Alvernia University.

Gold in Christianity shows the divinity of the Lord. It is a color that represents prosperity, passion, and love. Gold is the most traded commodity in the world representing a connection between human beings. The shine of bright gold is said to catch the eye, and release spiritual energy. Gold is the color of the sun. It is the dawn of a new day. It is the chance to start over and live the life God intended us to live. The term “Heart of Gold” means someone who has a very kind nature just like Saint Francis.

Saint Francis taught good values of community, compassion, and peacemaking. Each person was created in the image of God – and should fulfill those values. Everyone is special

wolf listened and become friendly and peaceful for the remainder of his life.

“The idea of the Golden Wolf is very creative,” Assistant Director of Communications, Carey Manzolillo said, “We can have a lot of fun with it and it fits the Franciscan traditions and values.”

One value the Golden Wolf can bring across is the idea of servant-leadership. Wolves are seen as great leaders and respected across the world.

The wolf follows its own path while still working with others in its pack.

Seeing a wolf in a dream can represent martyrdom.

Wolves can also represent acting on one’s own instincts and listening to their purest self. Seeing a wolf in a dream tells us to trust our heart and soul and to be good guardians of people, just as the wolves are good guardians to its peers.

“I thought gold was a very fitting color. I love how AU

and should strive to be like the Golden Wolf.

Circle K’s most memorable project, Trin’s Totes. Members filed out individual totes for foster children to make their stay in foster care more comfortable.

Photo courtesy of Alison DeLia

Kiwanis.”

Victoria Cerulli is the current Circle K president and Alexa’s younger sister.

She was named president of the club this year.

“I decided to run for president because I love the club and doing service,” Cerulli said.

She expressed her personal goal as president and for the club.

“I want to become more involved on PAX and for our club to win a Circle K International Award.”

Analise Fouracre is the current treasurer of the club and close friends with the Cerulli sisters. She fondly shared her favorite project she did with the club.

“Last year we made flower bouquets for the retired sisters on campus. It was nice making the bouquets because it was our personal way of showing the sisters our appreciation,” Fouracre said.

Circle K is looking to get to more members. Club meetings are at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays at Francis Hall room 404.

To join Circle K, request to join on PAX or contact Victoria Cerulli.

Beautiful bouquets of flowers were arranged by members of the club to give to the sisters on campus.

Photo courtesy of Alison DeLia

Photo courtesy of Alison DeLia

What is Circle K? (Cont’d Page 1)

This project allowed for member to get creative and paint their masterpieces on rocks. The rocks were then placed around campus in inconspicuous places for students to discover.

culture

4 October/November 2017

Vol. 56 Issue 5

The History of Halloween For many of us, Halloween is a time to get dressed up as our favorite characters from pop culture and go get candy.

At Alvernia, the Residence Life committee sets up a trick or treat event where kids go around to different dorm rooms and get candy.

For us older people we have reserved this night to simply hand out candy to the youngsters. But nevertheless, have you ever stopped to think about how this strange holiday came to be?

The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the Celtic holiday of Samhain, which was celebrated on November 1. This marked the transition from summer to winter.

The Celts believed that on the day before the New Year, the walls which separated the worlds of the living and dead became brittle.

On the night of October 31,

the Celts celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.

In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, the Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Celtic priests to make predictions about the future.

For a people entirely dependent on the natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter ahead.

Unlike today’s traditions, people who celebrated Halloween back in the Middle Ages didn’t rely on scary stories or superstitions to scare people. In fact, the traditions have done a complete reversal in terms of content.

For example, during Halloween people were very close to their deceased relatives, so much so that they would even set a place for them to eat at the table.

The concept of black cats bringing bad luck also has its origins traced back to the Middle Ages as well. It was thought that in order to avoid being hunted, witches would transform into black cats.

Jack o’lanterns are also common during Halloween.

These pumpkins or gourds are carved out with different faces and a candle is placed inside creating a glowing effect.

History says that the tradition of carving pumpkins dates back to the 19th century. The lanterns were used to ward off evil spirits and to represent supernatural beings. A side note is that it was originally speculated that the lanterns were used to represent Christian souls in purgatory.

The celebration of Halloween was severely limited in the New England area due to a heavy Protestant population located there. It was far more common in Maryland.

spoke to also complained that he would sometimes be stranded on the weekends because the shuttles don’t run.

What will happen to parking when we finish building The Plex? We know that the Plex will be a large and beautiful building full of state of the art equipment, basketball and tennis courts, an indoor track along with classrooms.

Building the Plex is great for Alvernia and is making the vision of East Campus come to life.

However, with the expansion will come more students. More students will mean more cars, and more cars will mean even worse parking.

Surely, The Plex will have some parking slots, but enough to accommodate the expected spike in student body population? Doubtful.

In all of the announcements and videos showing the vision of what The Plex is supposed to look like, not one of them shows an expansion parking lot capable of holding the anticipated influx of students.

We as students don’t ask for much. In general, Alvernia is great and accommodates

our needs well. No one can deny that people at Alvernia try very hard to make things nice for students.

But the parking (and these tickets) are outrageous,

Over the past 100 years, Halloween has turned into a more family-friendly event rather than relying on spooky ghosts and other supernatural elements.

Halloween is also the

Photo courtesy of Zachary Grill

By Zach Grill Contributing Writer

second most profitable American holiday. It is estimated that Americans spend roughly 2.5 billion dollars on Halloween candy every year.

Jack-o-lanterns are one of many modern Halloween traditions with historical roots and old lore.

OPINION: Parking: Can You Even, Or Can You Not Even?

Parking is abysmal on Alvernia’s main campus. It is the one thing that everyone at Alvernia can agree on (beyond the food).

The parking situation has become so bad that students resort to parking on the grass, which inevitably leads to $50 tickets along with their muddied tires.

As a commuter, I am beyond fed up with the parking at this school. I have gotten to campus at least 10 minutes early to my class and there have been times that I have been late because I can’t find parking, and when I do, the spot is a 5 minute walk to my building.

A first year student who is a member of a sports team (who asked for me not to use his name) told me that he has to park his car in the Ken Grill parking lot.

For those who are unfamiliar, Ken Grill is about a 20-minute walk down Commonwealth Boulevard.

The alternative option is to wait for the shuttle, which depending on the riders, could be anywhere from a 5-10 minute shuttle ride.

The first year student I

and we need to do more to address these problems.

We will see how parking changes with the construction of the Plex.

Photo courtesy of Tommy Godin

By Tommy Godin Contributing Editor

Students are forced to park in the grass due to lack of parking spaces on campus.

service October/November 2017

5 Vol. 56 Issue 5

Holleran Center After School Programs (Cont’d Page 1) to America (VISTA) with the Holleran Center for Community and Global Engagement.

Umbenhauer developed an after-school program at St. Peter’s Parochial School, which over time expanded to include Millmont and TysonSchoener Elementary Schools.

These programs provide both services to the children in the community as well as a learning lab for Alvernia

students where they may want to work with students.

The Alvernia students most commonly take away real world learning experience before they graduate.

A lot of the students working with the afterschool programs are education or occupational therapy majors who want to work with kids, and it gives them the chance to do something during their college careers that can help

Photo courtesy of Holleran Center

going to technical school and so on. Financial and support services are a part of this program for students who went to Reading High School and then choose to attend Alvernia for further education.

Other partnerships began with the South Reading Youth Initiative ten years ago when Jess Umbenhauer, current Assistant Director, was a Volunteer in Service

Alvernia student Zoe Decker reads to students once they finished their homework.

them once they graduate.

The program also gives OT students the opportunity to see if they enjoy working with kids. They can confirm that they will enjoy working with children for their careers while also developing a certain level of skills to work well with families and their children.

There are about 75 students at Alvernia that work for the different after school programs. Some are paid work studies, some are volunteers and some are doing it through service learning classes provided at Alvernia.

They are placed based on their availability, access to transportation to and from the schools, and sometimes their preference for a certain school based on if they attended that school for elementary or high school.

The Alvernia students are then able to develop close relationships with their peers, coworkers and the

students and administration at the school.

“We’ve had many students talk to us about how participating in the educational programs in the community have been life changing experiences for them that have helped them in determining the direction of their careers,” Jay Worrall, Director of the Holleran Center, said.

“What we’ve learned through the South Reading Youth Initiative and are learning again through the Reading Collegiate Scholars Program is that when you put college students and young students together to work on their learning, a little bit of magic happens.”

Jodi Merkel is a foster parent with the program.

“I love the fact that all our rescues are in homes, being treated like our own pets,” Merkel said.

The animals that need homes all have a story to tell. I fortunately had the opportunity to meet some of the dogs that were up for adoption, while helping out at a festival that my internship was hosting. I met a dog named Emily, who was tied to a tree in Kuwait and left to die in the desert. Emily was the most loving dog I ever met. She ran right up to me and jumped in my arms and seemed to have a smile on her face. I also met Primrose, who was injured and dumped behind a K-Mart and barely able to use her back legs.

For a while she was able to stand, but mainly drug herself around by her front paws.

Meeting these dogs, I never expected their stories to be this terrifying because they had some much love to offer.

Many animals in pet stores are from puppy mills, which can later lead to more dogs (and cats) without homes. Adopting is a more responsible choice when it comes to giving an animal a home. They are just as loving as the cute pets seen in pet stores.

Volunteers are needed in order to help with adoption events, getting the animals’ stories out to the public, and helping to expose them to simple things such as going on walks. This is a great opportunity to help others out while having a good time, especially if you love animals.

For more information contact (610) 763-1408 or thecatworksadoptions@ comcast.net.

Photo courtesy of Maxine Ardelean

Finding FURever Friends at CatWorks

Meeting Emily for the first time as she ran up and gave hugs.

By Cheyenne Ettinger Contributing Editor The Cat Works is a nonprofit organization which focuses on the safety of cats and dogs who are without a home, family, and love.

This organization was created to help find homes for cats who were homeless by providing foster homes until a “purrfect” family was willing to bring the animal into their

home. In 2006, the program expanded and started to include dogs to the foster care program.

Enhancing the lives of these animals is the organization’s main concern.

The Cat Works makes sure abandoned, rescued, and orphaned puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats get the love and care they need and deserve. Foster homes are temporary homes, in

which a person or family is responsible for an animal(s) until a permanent family comes around to adopt.

Unlike other organizations, the Cat Works does not have a location of facility for the animals because the goal is to get the animal in a home ASAP so that they do not have to go through waiting in a cage, but rather learn what a loving family is. There are adoption events that occur twice a month, as well as special events.

The Cat Works was founded by Jennifer Schouten and Nikki Mengel. “We were trapping cats in Reading and relocating them to a farm,” Mengel said. “After Jenn had her second child, she was not able to continue helping.”

As far as a shelter goes, there will never be a location.

“The reason we are who we are is because everyone is in a foster home with a family,” Mengel said. The people who help volunteer love the idea of the animals having a temporary home, before their permanent home comes along. The cost involved with paying for a place and staffing would become troublesome, resulting in the money not all going towards the animals.

6

soccer

October/November 2017

Vol. 56 Issue 5

Many people claim that soccer is still a sport of immigrants in the United States and it will take a long time to reach the greatness of the four main American sports: football, baseball, basketball and hockey.

All these people are wrong since year by year soccer keeps gaining more fans nationwide to a point that the expectation for next year's World Cup in Russia is very high.

Alvernia soccer coach, Casey Moore, fell in love with soccer from a young age.

Moore took his love of soccer from being a player during his high school days to become the head coach of the men's soccer team.

Moore started with soccer when he was six years old and became a passionate fan. Due to his athleticism and height, Moore played throughout his entire career as either a central defender or a midfielder, thanks to his ability in passing and distributing the ball.

Moore's favorite team is Liverpool, which is one the most recognized teams in English, playing in the Premiere League. His favorite player is Steven Gerard, who is one of the most iconic players in Liverpool's history.

Gerard also happens to be a midfielder.

"I love watching the game,” Moore said. “It changes so much every year with tactics and formations and the way people go about trying to win games, so it has always been very fun to watch."

As a player, Moore was the captain of the soccer team for Wilson High School where he graduated in 2000.

During that time, Moore helped the soccer team to capture the District 3 tittle in 1998. For this accomplishment, he was selected All Berks twice, making him one of the most decorated athletes in the history of Wilson High School.

During his college life, he was named a two-sport standout for Elizabethtown College, where he also was the captain of the men's soccer and swimming team.

Moore's skills and leadership saw him named All-Commonwealth in soccer which is one of the most prestigious awards in the state.

"Soccer has always been a love of mine, so is pretty cool to combine your career and what you love." Moore said.

Coach Moore started his adventure at Alvernia as an assistant coach for Travis Burger, who at that time was in charge of the Sports Management Department and the Organizational PhD Program.

Moore has been part of the soccer coaching staff since the 2004 season.

When Burger went for a PhD specialization, Coach Moore was promoted to Head Coach.

Moore's record as head coach is currently 85-77-21.

"I started out young, but I have seen more aspects of the game and consequently.

I understand it a lot better,” Moore said.

“Working for Travis taught me a lot and is something I love to do. I hope I can pass my love onto the players."

"I think coaching is difficult, because no matter how you want them to play, sometimes they do not execute or you might not be explaining it well. What matters the most is what your players get from you as a coach," Moore said.

"As a player, I would show them what the coach was trying to say but now I live vicariously through them."

Moore's accomplishments as a coach are impressive,.

He currently has the all-time wins leader for men's soccer at Alvernia, along with the highest winning percentage in the program's history.

The most important accomplishment for Coach Moore and the University came first in 2012 when the Crusaders won their first post-season championship.

This victory was unexpected, but brought a lot of joy to everybody who was part of that team.

"We knocked off the number one seed and the final went to overtime and it was so nerve wrecking,” Moore said.

“Kyle Martin who was a senior for us scored on a 25-yard free kick on double time, giving us that championship,” “When we recruited him, we told Kyle that by the time he would be a senior, you will win championships.

Photo courtesy of Jon King

By Juan Palacios Contributing Editor

Photo Courtesy of Jon King

Living the Soccer Lifestyle in America

Casey Moore, head coach of the Alvernia men’s soccer team.

Literally his last touch of a soccer ball in his college life was the goal that gave us our first title."

Another very meaningful memory comes on 2015 when the Crusaders were able to win the championship for the second time in their history.

"We went to overtime again, but this time we went to penalty kicks,” Moore said.

“Our current goalkeeper Zach Ryder played phenomenally. The last kicker for us, senior Andrew Bailer, once again had the last touch of a soccer ball during his college career in a goal, and gave us another championship."

"The bus ride home from Erie, which is seven hours, is

a lot of fun when you have a trophy. The guys were singing and dancing, celebrating and that what is all about. Having that fun with the family and winning championships is just awesome."

Moore mentioned how the popularity of soccer in the United States has increased tremendously in the last twenty years.

"Now you turn on your TV and there is a soccer game on. Back when I was a kid you did not have any of that. Now you love a team because you see players like Messi and Ronaldo, who are probably the best players of all time.”

“I think it is a great time to be a soccer fan.”

Coach Moore was inducted in the Wilson High School Hall of Fame on October 5 for all his contributions and accomplishments as a player and a coach.

Alvernia’s men’s soccer team following the 2015 ECAC Championship.

basketball October/November 2017

7 Vol. 56 Issue 5

Men’s Basketball Pursuing Golden Season It’s that time of year again! Basketball season is just around the corner.

Coming off of a 15-11 season, finishing fourth in the MAC conference, but suffering a crushing first round loss in the MAC playoffs to Lebanon Valley, the Alvernia men’s basketball team is looking to come back stronger than ever this season. The Golden Wolves lost some talent in the offseason, but they are ready to prove that they will once again be contenders this season.

The key returners for the Golden Wolves this season include senior guards, Mike Miller Jr. and Alex Shippen, along with junior guard George Williams. The guards all bring something different to the table that will bring nightmares for their opponents. Mike Miller Jr. is an exceptional shooter from the 3-point line. Alex Shippen

has the ability to create his own shot from anywhere on the floor. George Williams can score at any given moment and create opportunities for his teammates, and play stingy defense as well.

The biggest question for the Golden Wolves heading into this season is how they will replace last season’s MAC Player of the Year, Marquis Marshall. Marshall was pivotal to the team’s success averaging 21.9 points per game, 9.4 rebounds per game and excelled on defense leading the team with 56 blocks. There will be adjustments that need to be made to make up for the loss of Marshall as there will be a void on defense. Alex Shippen is confident in the adjustments the team has made in the offseason.

“We are really cracking down on defense this year and making sure we can defend teams without fouling because defense wins championships,” Shippen

said. “We’re putting more emphasis on that side of the floor. Offensively we’re are moving the ball, cutting, and screening much more to avoid being too stagnant and getting bad shots.”

Experience from Alex Shippen and Mike Miller Jr. is going to be crucial for the team’s success this season. Both were a pivotal part of the team’s last MAC Championship back in 2015.

As seniors, they both will be highly influential for the younger players on the team to lead by example.

“One thing I have learned from my experiences here is that team chemistry is very important,” Mike Miller Jr. said. “The last two years I thought we were very good but our team just never gelled together. So I think the leadership from me and Ship this year will be very important.”

The men’s basketball team has their home opener on Tuesday, November 29 vs

Basketball has always been a part of the Miller family. Mike Miller Sr. first began coaching as High School Junior Varsity coach at the local powerhouse Reading High School in 1980. For 27 straight years Coach Miller has been on the sideline coaching his teams

to victories and numerous championships. However, this upcoming season will be like none other. This season, Coach Mike Miller will coach and watch his son play for the last time.

Mike Miller Jr., or known around campus as “Miller Lite,” is the star player of

Photo courtesy of Mike Miller Jr.

By Justin Herforth Managing Editor

From left to right, Anthony Dadson, Alex Shippen, and Mike Miller Jr. at the Alvernia Hall of fame dinner on October 13.

Hood College. Make sure you get down to the PEC for all of the basketball action this season. If you cannot make it to the game, tune in to the Vern Sports Network so you

do not miss a second of the action. Follow the Vern Sports Network on Twitter and Instagram, @VernSportsNet, to keep up with the men’s basketball action this season.

the Alvernia Golden Wolves’ men’s basketball team. Since arriving on campus as a first year student, the expectations were high considering that he was the coach’s son. Fortunately, “Miller Lite” regularly surpassed expectations.

“When I arrived on campus, there was so much pressure for me to do great.”

Miller Jr. said. “But with the help of my teammates and my dad I have been able to accomplish a couple of my goals.”

Miller Jr. is on pace to score 1000 points in his career early into the season which is a very large accomplishment.

However, points are not the most important thing to Miller Jr. “I told him since he was about 4 or 5, you’re not measured by how many points you score.” Coach Miller said. “All people care about is how much you win.

Every day in practice we remind the kids about the Chris Davises of the world.

He wasn’t the best scorer on the floor, but he got his teammates involved and he won four championships here.”

With the combination of Coach Miller and Miller Jr., the team has a record of 53-29 with two MAC Commonwealth championships and an appearance in the playoffs every year. This year the expectations are high as usual. Miller Jr. wants to win another championship for not only himself but for his father as a lasting memory.

“Not a lot of people get to play for their father, especially at the collegiate level.” Miller Jr. said with a laugh. “Luckily for me we have won more than we lost so dinner hasn’t been awkward yet. But one more championship would mean the world to me. To get my dad to seven total championships would be something that I would really appreciate.”

Basketball season is one of the most excited time of the year for the Alvernia community and it is always the most exciting time of the year for the Miller family.

The last ride for the Miller combination will begin on October 15, the day that basketball practice begins.

All good things must come to an end, but hopefully this run lasts for a long time this season.

The Final Ride: Mike Miller & Mike Miller Jr.

By Tim Toney Contributing Writer

Photo courtesy of Jon King

“He’s been at all my games for the past 12 years.” Mike Miller Jr. said. “This almost feels surreal for it being our last year together and my last year of basketball.”

Mike Miller Jr. (left) and head coach Mike Miller (right) before the 2016-17 season.

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