2020-21 Cleveland State Athletics Annual Report

2 0 2 0 - 2 1 A N N U A L R E P O RT

1

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

34

36

38

Viking Nation, Our coaches, staff and campus community worked extremely hard this past year to deliver on our promise of providing each student-athlete a transformational experience. With the support of the entire Cleveland State University family, we have been able to successfully navigate the impact of the pandemic and see all 18 CSU Vikings sport programs back in action in 2020-21.

The 340+ student-athletes representing CSU created many special memories, while making sacrifices they never would have imagined possible. We are so proud of their efforts in the classroom, in the community and in competition and we are just a few weeks away from a more “normal” 2021-22 academic year and athletic season.

We hope you enjoy reviewing this 2020-21 Viking Athletics Annual Report and reliving the highlights from this past academic year. As you read through the Annual Report, we encourage you to take time to reflect and congratulate yourself, as our accomplishments would not have been possible without your continued support.

We look forward to a fully engaged CSU experience and to sharing more outstanding moments with the Viking Family in the year to come!

Cleveland State Director of Athletics

2

CSU ATHLETICS PROMISE

Provide our student-athletes a transformational experience; investing ourselves in their development as people, students and athletes.

Cleveland State athletics provides Viking student-athletes a transformational experience through these five core operating principles: Enhance The Mission Complement and enhance Cleveland State University’s mission of empowering students, creating knowledge, engaging communities, and shaping our world.

Attract Championship-Caliber Vikings Attract, and support, a diverse team of championship-caliber student-athletes, coaches and staff capable of achieving national recognition for competitive excellence.

Develop Unprecedented Community Support Develop unprecedented sustainable support from students, alumni, faculty, staff, and the community.

Share Our Accomplishments Bolster pride in Cleveland State through relentless communication of our accomplishments - locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Embrace Compliance Embrace an atmosphere of compliance, integrity, ethical conduct, and transparency, strictly following the operating policies of Cleveland State University, the Horizon League and our other member associations, and the NCAA.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The Cleveland State men’s basketball program had one of its most successful seasons in program history during the 2020-21 campaign, which included a regular season and conference championship, as well as a trip to March Madness.

The Green and White finished the 2020-21 season with a 19-8 record, including 16 regular season conference wins, marking the most wins in league play in team history. The Vikings finished at the top of their conference for the fifth time in program history. The 2020-21 season was capped off with the program’s third-ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Cleveland State’s journey to the NCAA Tournament wasn’t easy, as it took a triple overtime effort in the team’s quarterfinal contest against Purdue Fort Wayne, a 47-point second half against Milwaukee in the semifinal and three-straight double-doubles by senior forward Torrey Patton to seal the team’s tournament title and secure a berth to the Big Dance.

During the 2020-21 campaign, Head Coach Dennis Gates - the back-to-back Horizon League Coach of the Year - led Cleveland State to its best start in conference play in program history, as the Vikings rattled off nine straight wins between December 19 and January 15, which included a thrilling 66-64 win at Wright State in an ESPNU nationally-televised game. The nine wins also marked the program’s longest win streak since winning 12 consecutive games in the 2010-11 season.

Tre Gomillion earned 2020-21 Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as a spot on the All-League Defensive Team and Tournament Team. Deante Johnson joined Gomillion on the All-League Defensive Team, while Torrey Patten garnered All-League First Team honors and Tournament MVP.

HORIZON LEAGUE

5

6

LACROSSE JOINS THE ASUN

The Cleveland State lacrosse program accepted an invitation to join the ASUN as an affiliate member, effective July 1, 2021. This is the first time that the Cleveland State lacrosse program has had a conference affiliation, as the Vikings have competed as an independent since their debut season in 2017.

Cleveland State is one of six charter members of ASUN men’s lacrosse, as the Vikings are joined by fellow Horizon League members Detroit Mercy and Robert Morris, in addition to Air Force, Bellarmine and Utah.

The winner of the ASUN will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament beginning in 2022.

Cleveland State has significant familiarity with a number of its new conference brethren and has competed against all five of its new league opponents within the past two years.

CSU has faced Bellarmine (5), Air Force (4), Detroit Mercy (3) and Robert Morris (3) in multiple seasons in its young program history.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Vikings captured their first-ever postseason title during the 2020-21 campaign, as Cleveland State won the WBI Championship after winning three games in three days.

Cleveland State was making it’s first postseason appearance in six years, and first under head coach Chris Kielsmeier.

Cleveland State opened the tournament with a 68-55 victory over Manhattan in the First Round, led by a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double from Aminata Ly and a WBI single-game record nine steals from Mariah White. The Vikings followed this up with another double-digit victory in the Semifinals, as Cleveland State picked up a 64-54 victory over Stetson behind a a 21-point, 10-rebound effort from Destiny Leo and an efficient Viking offense (.423 from the floor).

Facing their third first-time opponent in as many days, the Vikings posted a 67-64 victory over Portland in the WBI Championship, using a 24-point effort from Mariah White and a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double from Isabelle Gradwell to capture the 2021 title.

With the championship win over Portland, Chris Kielsmeier collected his second postseason title in his head coaching career (2008 NCAA Division III National Championship with Howard Payne).

Senior Mariah White was named the WBI Championship MVP, while freshman Destiny Leo was named to the All-Tournament Team. White averaged 18.0 points, 5.0 steals and 3.3 assists throughout the tournament, while Leo averaged 16.3 points on a .429 field goal percentage during the three games.

With the three victories over Manhattan, Stetson and Portland, Cleveland State became the third Horizon League school to capture the WBI title, joining UIC (2014) and Detroit Mercy (2013), while the Vikings are the first team from the state of Ohio to take home the crown.

WBI

9

10

HORIZON LEAGUE

MEN’S TENNIS

The Vikings captured their third straight Horizon League title during the 2021 season, capping off a program-record 15-match win streak with a pair of 4-0 victories against IUPUI and Northern Kentucky en route to the program’s eighth Horizon League tournament championship all-time.

After finishing the regular season with a perfect 8-0 record against league opponents, the Vikings entered tournament play as the No. 1 seed, cruising to a 4-0 sweep over IUPUI in the semifinals and a matching 4-0 victory over Northern Kentucky in the championship match. During tournament play, the Vikings got singles wins from six different players, as they finished the year with a 46-8 overall record against league opponents in singles play.

The two wins against IUPUI and Northern Kentucky were part of a 15-match win streak for the Vikings, which was tied for the second longest active win streak among Division I teams at the time.

The Vikings were led by 2021 Horizon League Player of the Year Matthew Terry and the 2021 Horizon League Freshman of the Year Maxime Mareschal-Hay. In addition, Nico Mostardi and Luke Phillips also earned All-League honors, while Brian Etzkin was named the Coach of the Year.

After capturing the 2021 Horizon League title, the Vikings made their eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and notched a program-first against 14th-seeded Kentucky, as Cleveland State earned the doubles point against the Wildcats for its first-ever NCAA Tournament point.

WRESTLING

For the first time since 2007, Cleveland State qualified three individuals for the NCAA Championships, as DeAndre Nassar (184 lbs), Marcus Robinson (149 lbs) and Ben Smith (197 lbs) represented the Vikings at the 2021 national wrestling tournament.

All three Vikings - who were making their first appearances in the NCAA Championships - earned automatic qualifying spots following their MAC Championship finishes where they all outplaced their pre-tournament seeds. Robinson and Smith both posted runner-up finishes in their respective weight classes, while Nassar was the third-place finisher at 184 pounds.

During head coach Josh Moore’s tenure, four Vikings have now qualified for the NCAA Championships, with Ben Smith picking up the first postseason win during this span as he posted a 12-4 major decision in consolation action.

Following the 2021 tournament, Cleveland State has had 142 NCAA Championship selections, while the 2021 championships marked the 26th time that three or more Vikings have participated in the national tournament in the same season.

NCAA

13

14

NCAA MEN’S/ WOMEN’S FENCING

Despite a shortened 2020-21 campaign, Cleveland State was still able to have a record-setting year, as six Vikings qualified for the NCAA Championships – tying the program record that was first set in 1995.

Three women’s fencers and three men’s fencers represented CSU on the national stage: Dorian Pichola (sabre), Amanda Provance (epee), Shelbie Seeberg (foil), Mason Moskowitz (sabre), De’Mario Steele (epee), and Paul DiVenti (foil).

This marked the first appearance in the NCAA Championships for all six Vikings, while it was also the first time that Cleveland State was represented in the women’s sabre competition.

As a team, the Vikings finished 17th overall at the 2021 NCAA Championships, paced by Amanda Provance who finished 18th individually in the epee – marking the best individual finish for the women since 1997. Paul DiVenti led the men with a 21st place finish in the foil.

HORIZONLEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Throughout the 2020-21 season, the Vikings combined for four individual Horizon League titles; with three coming from men’s swimming and diving and one coming from track and field.

Anna Brandt - 800 Meter Run Anna Brandt picked up the first-ever Horizon League track and field individual event title during the 2021 outdoor campaign, as she captured the 800 Meter Run with a time of 2:14.00. Brandt graduated as the program record holder in eight indoor and outdoor events, including the 800 Meter Run. Matt Akers - 1 Meter Dive Matt Akers captured his first-ever Horizon League diving title, posting a score of 321.20 in the 1 Meter Dive event at the 2021 Horizon League Championships. Akers, who had finished as the runner-up in the event the previous three years, became the first Viking diver to win the 1 Meter event since 2014.

Timothy Kubacki - 400 Individual Medley Timothy Kubacki picked up the third Horizon League title of his career at the 2021 Championships, as he won the 400 Individual Medley for the second straight year. Kubacki posted a time of 3:49.80 in the finals, marking a program record and NCAA Division I B cut.

Bob Fick - 200 Butterfly In his first Horizon League Championship appearance, freshman Bob Fick captured the 200 Butterfly title, becoming just the fifth Viking to take home the honor in program history. Fick posted a time of 1:46.39, which marked an NCAA Division I B cut, while it was also a top-three time in the program record book.

17

18

Anna Brandt Track & Field

Brian Etzkin Men’s Tennis

Bob Fick Men’s Swim & Dive

Dennis Gates Men’s Basketball

Tre Gomillion Men’s Basketball

Deante Johnson Men’s Basketball

Bojan Kolevski Men’s Soccer

Saahb Kular Men’s Soccer

Blanche Lenoan Women’s Tennis

Destiny Leo Women’s Basketball

Abby Miller Volleyball

Tylar Mixon Track & Field

Nico Mostardi Men’s Tennis

Klara Mrcela Women’s Tennis

Kaylee Neumeister Women’s Golf

Kathryn Ramicone Women’s Soccer

Jannis Schmidt Men’s Soccer

Zak Supelak Men’s Golf

Matthew Terry Men’s Tennis

Miruna Vasilescu Women’s Tennis

ALL-LEAGUE ACCOLADES Hannah Greene Volleyball

Elena Gutlove Women’s Soccer

Maxime Mareschal-Hay Men’s Tennis

Thomas M’Barek Men’s Soccer

Throughout the 2020-21 season, 28 Vikings earned 38 All-League honors, including 10 major accolades.

Among 11 sports, Cleveland State accounted for nine First Team honors, 10 Second Team honors, four All-Freshman honors, three All-Defensive honors, and two Honorable Mention accolades.

Horizon League Player of the Year For the first time in league history, the men’s and women’s tennis Players of the Year came from the same school, as Matthew Terry picked up the honor for the men and Miruna Vasilescu earned the accolade on the women’s side.

Torrey Patton Men’s Basketball

Luke Phillips Men’s Tennis

Horizon League Freshman of the Year Cleveland State was one of five league schools to have three or more student-athletes earn Freshman of the Year accolades, as Bob Fick earned the honor in men’s swim & dive, Maxime Mareschal-Hay earned the honor in men’s tennis and Kathryn Ramicone picked up the accolade in women’s soccer.

Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year For the third time in school history the Vikings swept the Defensive Player of the Year honors for basketball, as Mariah White earned the honor on the women’s side and Tre Gomillion picked up the accolade for the men.

Horizon League Sixth Player of the Year For the first time in women’s basketball program history the Vikings earned the league’s Sixth Player of the Year honor, as freshman Destiny Leo earned the accolade.

Mariah White Women’s Basketball

Maddie Young Women’s Soccer

Horizon League Coach of the Year The Vikings captured a pair of Coach of the Year honors during the 2020-21 season, as Dennis Gates earned the accolade for the second time in as many years with men’s basketball, and Brian Etzkin picked up his fifth career honor with men’s tennis.

CECIL N. COLEMAN HONORS

Following one of the most successful careers in recent athletic and academic history, cross country & track and field standout Anna Brandt became just the third Viking in school history to be awarded the Horizon League’s prestigious Cecil N. Coleman Medal of Honor.

As a two-sport student-athlete for the Vikings, Brandt graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in exercise science, and was named the 2021 Spring Valedictorian for the College of Education & Human Services after posting a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA. As a seven-time Horizon League All-Academic Team honoree, Brandt was also recognized with the CSU Athletics President’s Award as the graduating student-athlete with the highest GPA. On the cross country course, Brandt finished her time at Cleveland State as the program record holder in the 5K and 6K races, while she was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and earned All-League accolades three times - becoming the first Viking to achieve either feat.

On the track, Brandt graduated as the program record holder in five indoor events and three outdoor events, and captured the 800 Meter Run title at the 2021 Horizon League Outdoor Championships - marking the first Horizon League individual event win in program history.

The Medal of Honor, which is given to the top male and female student-athletes in the Horizon League who best exemplify the dignity and high purpose of the league’s membership, is named after the late Cecil N. Coleman who served as the league’s first full-time commissioner from 1980-1984.

21

22

Matt Akers Men’s Swim & Dive

Sydney Bajusz Softball

Anna Brandt Track & Field

Joseph Caprella Wrestling

Caleb Cass Wrestling

Hannah Greene Volleyball

Logan Heil Wrestling

Erica Henrichsen Women’s Swim & Dive

Stevie Holbrook Women’s Soccer

John Kelbly Wrestling

Jack Krusinski Men’s Swim & Dive

Timothy Kubacki Men’s Swim & Dive

Blanche Lenoan Women’s Tennis

Thomas M’Barek Men’s Soccer

Cody Moosman Wrestling

Luke Phillips Men’s Tennis

Anthony Rice Wrestling

Marcus Robinson Wrestling

Kamryn Sharer Track & Field

Riley Smucker Wrestling

ALL-ACADEMIC ACCOLADES Emily DeGeorge Volleyball

Lina Feltovich Women’s Soccer

Hannah Korte Track & Field

Lexie Kostelnik Women’s Swim & Dive

During the 2020-21 season 28 Vikings earned a spot on their respective All-Academic teams, including multiple honorees from women’s soccer, men’s swim & dive, women’s swim & dive, men’s tennis, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling. Anna Brandt (track & field/cross country) picked up her seventh All-Academic honor, while Thomas M’Barek (men’s soccer), Emily DeGeorge (volleyball),Timothy Kubacki (men’s swim & dive), Dominik Niedzialek (men’s swim & dive), Erica Henrichsen (women’s swim & dive), and Lexie Kostelnik (women’s swim & dive) all earned their third career honor.

DeAndre Nassar Wrestling

Dominik Niedzialek Men’s Swim & Dive

Cleveland State also combined for 252 Horizon League Academic Honor Roll selections during the 202021 season – 124 during the fall semester and 128 during the spring semester.

In addition to the All-Academic league honors, two Vikings were honored nationally for their work in the classroom, in the community and in competition, as Mariah White was named the Arthur Ashe Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year and Thomas M’Barek earned the Senior CLASS Award for men’s soccer.

M’Barek is currently studying international business and is an annual member of the Cleveland State President’s List, while taking part in multiple community service initiatives with the men’s soccer team and the athletic department. On the field, M’Barek is a four-time All-League honoree, and serves as one of the team captains.

Matthew Terry Men’s Tennis

Irena Weclawiak Women’s Swim & Dive

White is slated to graduate Magna Cum Laude with a degree in math education this summer, while she served as the Cleveland State SAAC Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Chair and participated in the Horizon League’s #OneHL Working Group. On the court, White led the Vikings to the 2021 WBI Championship after being named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year and earning a spot on the All-League First Team.

2021 SPRING GRADUATION

Cleveland State University held an in-person commencement ceremony for the first time since 2019 at Progressive Field, the home of the Cleveland Indians, this past May. 61 Cleveland State student-athletes received their degrees at the May 8th ceremony, including 13 Vikings who earned Cum Laude honors. In addition to the 13 student-athletes who graduated Cum Laude, 15 graduated Magna Cum Laude and 19 garnered Summa Cum Laude honors.

Anna Brandt from Cleveland State’s track & field program, along with women’s diver Erica Henrichsen, were named this year’s President’s Award recipients, having tallied the highest GPA amongst graduating Viking student-athletes.

Additionally, Brandt was named the College of Education & Human Services Valedictorian.

Along with Brandt’s success in the classroom, the Rocky River, Ohio, native recorded track & field’s first individual event win in program history, taking home first place honors in the 800-meter run at the 2021 #HLTF Outdoor Championships.

25

26

FAN ENGAGEMENT

Although this past year was unlike any other, Cleveland State Athletics found ways to stay engaged with Vikings fans everywhere – even growing its fanbase!

Throughout the course of the 2020-21 season, Cleveland State Athletics welcomed 200+ new members to the Viking Family through virtual season tickets, which included over 400+ fan cutouts, commemorative packages and 2021-22 season ticket deposits.

Cleveland State student-athletes have incredible stories and over 70,000+ shared those stories on social media. Because of the interaction from Green and White supporters, @CSU_Athletics was recognized by Athletic Director U as having one of the most engaging social media accounts in collegiate athletics.

Vikings fans around the world were able to watch the Green and White compete this past year, as 830,000+ viewed Vikings Athletics events, including 650,000+ on national TV, witnessing three Cleveland State championships.

THE VIKING FUND

In just its second year of existence, The Viking Fund – Cleveland State Athletics Annual Giving Program – doubled its membership, providing financial assistance to 340+ student-athletes as they strive to become champions in the classroom, in the community and through competition.

Viking Fund donations helped provide a transformational student-athlete experience through the areas of scholarships, academic and personal development services, nutrition, travel, and other operating priorities.

Cleveland State also had a record-breaking Giving Day during the 2020-21 season, as over 2,000 individual donors gave more than $300,000 during the eighth annual 24-hour fundraising campaign.

29

30

VIKINGS IN THE MEDIA

Both local and national media took an increased interest in Cleveland State Athletics this past year. From covering the department’s announcement of the Victory Lap Program to league championships, CSU Athletics was at the forefront of collegiate media coverage.

In the month of March, almost 700 articles mentioned the Cleveland State Vikings, equating to 6.21 billion unique views. From a television perspective, there were over 500 clips mentioning the Vikes with total viewership, both local and national, being at over 14,000,000.

Media statistics provided by Falls Communications

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

As a department, Cleveland State recorded over 100 hours of virtual community service during 2020-21, interacting with the Cleveland community through a variety of initiatives.

Included in Cleveland State’s department-wide community service projects were reading programs with University Hospitals, MetroHealth and the CSU Campus International school, along with food drives to benefit Lift Up Vikes, Second and Seven reading opportunities and more.

In addition to community service projects, Cleveland State also championed the creation of the Coach John McLendon Day & Enhancement Campaign throughout the entire Horizon League, recognizing the former CSU men’s basketball coach for his contributions to college athletics. In January, McLendon was honored as the 2021 Theodore Roosevelt Award recipient by the NCAA. Prior to the 2020-21 season, the Cleveland State SAAC Board created the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee to support the athletic department efforts in creating a more inclusive environment, while using their voice to impact change.Women’s basketball senior Mariah White served as the chair, while five additional Vikings served on the committee.

In conjunction with the newly created SAAC position, Cleveland State also created a department-wide Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee comprised of athletic department staff members, coaches and student-athletes that helped fuel the growth and evolution of the athletic department.

33

34

NBA G LEAGUE PARTNERSHIP

On June 9, 2021 the Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland State University announced a partnership that the Charge NBA G League franchise will play at the Wolstein Center starting with the 2021-22 season.

The Wolstein Center, which is just blocks away from Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, serves as the home to the reigning Horizon League champion men’s basketball program and WBI champion women’s basketball team, both of which are coming off historic seasons.

The 13,000-plus seat arena is also a major concert venue and recently finished a 12-week run as Ohio’s first state-federal mass vaccination clinic, distributing more than 257,000 COVID-19 vaccines.

The transition to playing at CSU launches a new era of Charge basketball in downtown Cleveland and an opportunity for both Cleveland State and the Cavaliers to grow their strong partnership.

WELCOME TO THE VIKING FAMILY Throughout the 2020-21 academic year we welcomed the following staff members to the Viking Family: Matt Cline - Men’s Basketball - Special Assistant to the Head Coach Matt Cline was named the Special Assistant to the Head Coach for men’s basketball in June, and will assist head coach Dennis Gates in the day-to-day operations of the office.

Cline joined the Vikings with over 10 years of collegiate basketball experience, most recently spending four years as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan.

Kassandra Corsi - Assistant Athletic Trainer Kassandra Corsi was named an Assistant Athletic Trainer in October of 2020, and will serve as the primary athletic trainer for Cleveland State wrestling, men’s and women’s golf, cross country, and track & field. Corsi will be entering her ninth year working in the athletic training field, joining the Vikings after spending time as the Associate Head Athletic Trainer at Piedmont University.

Jamie Daniels - Women’s Soccer - Volunteer Assistant Coach Jamie Daniels was named the Volunteer Assistant Coach for the women’s soccer program prior to the adjusted 2021 spring campaign, returning to her alma mater after spending the last few years coaching at the high school and club level. Daniels was a goalkeeper for the Vikings from 2013-17, and finished her career ranked in a variety of CSU Record Book categories.

Tyler Merillat - Assistant Athletics Director, Academic Services Tyler Merillat was named the Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services in October of 2020, and will serve as the academic advisor for men’s and women’s basketball in addition to overseeing other areas of the athletic academic advising unit. Merillat joined the Vikings with five years of experience in collegiate academics, most recently serving as the Associate Director for Student-Athlete Services at Central Michigan.

Desma Thomas Bateast - Women’s Basketball - Assistant Coach Desma Thomas Bateast was named an Assistant Coach for women’s basketball in December of 2020, joining the Vikings with over 15 years of collegiate coaching experience. Most recently, Thomas Bateast spent three seasons serving as the Co-Recruiting Coordinator and Assistant Coach at Florida Atlantic University.

Shelby Zoeckler - Women’s Basketball - Director of Basketball Operations Shelby Zoeckler was promoted to Director of Basketball Operations for women’s basketball in June, and will take over the day-to-day operations of the team, travel arrangements, and practice coordination, while also serving as the program’s liaison to various departments on campus. Zoeckler will be entering her sixth year as part of the women’s basketball staff, most recently spending the last three seasons as the video coordinator.

37

38

HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT?

Become a Season Ticket Holder Be part of the Viking Family by becoming a season ticket holder for men’s basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, or wrestling. Get priority seating, special promotions and more by purchasing your season tickets today!

Cleveland State Ticket Office: (216) 687-4848 Donate to the Viking Fund Be part of the Viking Family by becoming a member of The Viking Fund - the annual giving program of the athletics department - and help provide a transformational student-athlete experience. The Viking Fund features a variety of donation levels, with all gifts eligible for special benefits,Viking gear and more!

Become a Viking Fund Member today: CSUVikings.com/VikingFund Follow us on Social Media Be part of the Viking Family by interacting with us on our social media platforms - Twitter, Instagram & Facebook. Follow along with the stories of our student-athletes and coaches as they strive to become champions in the classroom, in the community and through competition.

Twitter & Instagram: @CSU_Athletics Facebook: Cleveland State University Athletics

For our great colors we shall fight!

To battle,Vikings all; We’ll sound the Viking Trumpet call!

We always will defend The Pride of Cleveland faithfully; For Cleveland State we’ll fight on to a victory!