PURPLE! March/April 2012

batter up!

PIRATES PREPARE FOR THEIR RETURN TO THE FIELDS

east carolina university

PURPLE! 1

FANS STAND UP FOR EAST CAROLINA AFTER A TOUCHDOWN, A SLAM DUNK, OR A HOME RUN.

But what about the rest of the time?

Did you know that alumni and fan support plays a significant role in how East Carolina is ranked among peer institutions in the U.S. News and World Report annual ranking of the nation’s best universities? The East Carolina Alumni Association encourages you to become a member so ECU can reach new heights in these rankings.

Not only does membership help with national rankings, but your tax-deductible membership contribution supports the programs and services offered by the Alumni Association, including networking events, alumni publications, student scholarships, alumni awards, faculty recognition, and numerous events held across the Pirate Nation.

Membership is open to all who want to see ECU succeed; you do not have to be a graduate to be a member.

BECOME A MEMBER: ONLINE PirateAlumni.com/jointoday

BY PHONE Call 800-ECU-GRAD IN PERSON Stop by the Taylor-Slaughter Alumni Center at 901 East Fifth Street in Greenville

As a member of the East Carolina Alumni Association, you make a tremendous impact on East Carolina University everyday!

JOIN NOW AT PIRATEALUMNI.COM/JOINTODAY

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baseball

bases loaded the pirates return with experienced players in the field and a bullpen of fresh faces. by chase kroll

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softball

Yellow Ball Pirate ballers look to improve on last year’s championship performance. by jessica creson nottingham

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departments

columns

letter from the editor.......... 9

no quarter

sports briefs..................................10 club sports and campus rec...........................44 pirate spirit.................................... 54 fan cam............................................... 58 east carolina university

curt kraft....................................... 8

ship’s log jay clark........................................ 42 cover: ECU Baseball player tim younger and softball player jordan lewis. photo by jay clark.

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Critical mass.

ECU’s Miguel Paul powers through two UMass players as he brings the ball down-court.

The Pirates, who were down by 19 points going into the half, rallied in the second half to bring the score within 1 point before falling to UMass 63-58 on December 6. photo by jay clark

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east carolina university

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Dancing with the starrrghs Pee Dee impresses members of the Marching Pirates color guard with his dance moves during the UCF game on November 19. photo by jay clark

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east carolina university

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no quarter lessons from the track and beyond There are a lot of reasons why I went into teaching and coaching, but the main reason was because I wanted to have an impact in the lives of young student-athletes. After a highly successful career in the sport of track and field and cross country, the stride from athlete to teacher and coach was natural.

I am in my 26th year of coaching and have never questioned why I do what I do. This is my seventh year at East Carolina University as the director of the track and field and cross country programs. I oversee 85 athletes and eight coaches, and it is very important to me that these student-athletes—and all students at ECU—continue to work on and improve their life skills.

One of main things I continue to stress is preparing students for life after college. I want them to be able to use their interpersonal skills to

help them get a job and be successful throughout life.

My philosophy is to assist our student-athletes in obtaining an opportunity to receive a sound education.

There is a dual purpose for being here at East Carolina University: 1) to get your degree so you can go out into the “real world,” and 2) to have a positive learning experience. I can set an example as a coach and leader by being sincere, caring, thoughtful, and polite, and above all, by having dignity and morals. I would like for ECU’s students to respect authority and property, listen to what people have to say, and be open minded as leaders.

We should not underestimate the ability of our students and studentathletes. From potential teachers, doctors, lawyers, and businesspersons to national champions, take advantage of the resources and opportunities that are available to you now as a student

Curt Kraft at ECU. I encourage students to strive toward making themselves and their parents, coaches, and professors proud.

Go out and represent this institution with pride—take pride in what you are doing in college. Don’t wait for success—work hard, practice selfdiscipline, strive for goals, and lead by example. Be the example of what an ECU student should be.

GO PIRATES! Curt Kraft

Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Programs

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letter from the editor missing the big picture After watching this whole conference realignment debacle, I can honestly say that I just don’t get it. Why an automatic qualifying (AQ) conference wouldn’t want ECU just doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever.

I have worked here for almost four years, but the first time I walked into Dowdy-Ficklen it was readily apparent how dedicated the fans, students, and alumni are to the Pirate sports programs. These programs have tremendous value, and would be an asset to an AQ conference like the Big East, for example.

If you have not had a chance, visit www.ecu.edu/undaunted to take a look for yourself. ECU leads Conference USA attendance by 10,000 seats per game, and ECU fans also consistently travel well—all of East Carolina’s ticket allotment was sold for last year’s Military Bowl in Washington, D.C. Our TV market extends throughout the entire state and into parts of Virginia.

Ratings outpace NC State in the Raleigh/Durham market and in Charlotte.

This is why I don’t understand the decision to exclude ECU in the Big East conference expansion.

Facilities? We have some of the best in the state and they continue to get better. Teams? Back to back conference championships for football, numerous regional appearances for baseball, softball, golf ... the list goes on.

Would we get kicked around a bit in some sports? Yeah, for a while. But imagine the positive impact on recruiting if we belonged to one of the AQ conferences. East Carolina would be competing in no time.

When I look at our athletics programs, I see nothing but potential. The university has done what it takes to make our athletics and academic programs attractive to these conferences, but to no avail. Personally, ECU, the athletics staff, the athletes, and the fans deserve better—we’ve earned it.

Jay Clark Managing Editor Where to find PURPLE!

Online: www.ecu.edu/purple On Facebook: search Purple! Magazine

PURPLE! Volume 1, Number 3 purple! is published six times a year by East Carolina University marketing and publications 1206 Charles Blvd.

Greenville, NC 27858-4353

editor jessica creson nottingham ’06, ’08 managing editor/art director jay clark copy editors Jimmy rostar ’94 spaine stephens student internS CHASE KROLL stephen m c nulty Contributing writers curt kraft spaine stephens photography jay clark forrest croce rob goldberg jr. michael litwin ’01 online content Laura Davenport bryan edge ’97 administration michelle sloan assistant vice chancellor for university marketing clint bailey special thanks to ECU athletics media relations

East Carolina University is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina. It is a public doctoral/ research intensive university offering baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees in the liberal arts, sciences and professional fields, including medicine. Dedicated to the achievement of excellence, responsible stewardship of the public trust, and academic freedom, ECU values the contributions of a diverse community, supports shared governance, and guarantees equality of opportunity. ©2012 by East Carolina University U.P. 12-186

jay clark (2)

We want to hear from you Letters to the editor can be e-mailed to purple@ecu.edu. Please include your full name, current student classification or graduation year for alumni (if applicable), and hometown. Letters may be edited for clarity and space. east carolina university

PURPLE! 9

SPORTS BRIEFS

edited By Jessica creson nottingham

conference wins hard to come by for pirate squad men’s basketball by chase kroll

The ECU men’s basketball team entered its Conference USA schedule with momentum boasting a 9-4 record and riding a fivegame winning streak. The Pirates looked for continued success against a slate of rivaled opponents. But as conference games were underway, that streak ended as quickly as another, more troublesome, streak began.

The Pirates dropped their first six conference games, including three at home. ECU opened with a 78-76 loss at Southern Miss in a game that saw the Pirates rally from down 12 before coming up just short in the final seconds. Darrius Morrow posted a gamehigh 23 points in this game and set the ECU record for most made free throws in a career with 632.

ECU then lost 81-63 to UCF at home. UCF opened the second half on a 19-4 run which East Carolina could not overcome.

In the following home game against Tulsa, Maurice Kemp posted his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, but the Pirates couldn’t handle the Golden Hurricanes’ 66.7 shooting percentage as Tulsa won 70-67.

Next, East Carolina visited UTEP, losing 70-56. The Pirates held a 45-43 lead with 12 minutes remaining, but couldn’t maintain a lead. ECU went 2-12 in the game’s final 10 minutes, including 0-8 in three-point attempts, and did not attempt a single free throw until the game’s final two minutes.

The Pirates looked to reverse their bad fortune against Houston relying on Miguel Paul’s game-high 23 points and a remarkable 25-2 ECU run in the second half. But East Carolina went 0-6 in the final 2:23 of the game to allow Houston to escape with an 82-76 victory.

ECU suffered its sixth-straight loss to Southern Miss, this time at home, by a score of 72-60. Paul led all scorers with 21 points.

The Pirates’ first Conference USA victory came at UAB, as Morrow shot 11-for-15 from the field and scored a season-high 24 points. ECU won 73-66.

ECU followed that with a 62-43 victory over SMU to secure their first home conference win of the season. In the next game against Rice at home, ECU found themselves down one with 12 minutes to play. An 11-1 run followed establishing a lead that remained for the rest of the game as the Pirates won 82-68.

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Now 3-6 in conference play, East Carolina hosted Memphis looking to extend its three-game win streak. But the Tigers established an early lead and held off the Pirates comeback attempts, as ECU lost 70-59.

ECU followed with a 78-68 loss to Marshall as the Pirates committed 12 turnovers compared to just five from the Thundering Herd. Damier Pitts led the game in scoring with 27 points for Marshall. Paul, Morrow, and Kemp lead the team with 16.4, 14.4, and 10.4 points per game, respectively, during conference play thus far.

With five games remaining on the schedule, ECU needs to win all five to finish with a .500 conference record. The Pirates also need to win at least three to ensure a second winning season under coach Jeff Lebo.

The Conference USA tournament begins March 7 and will determine which Conference USA team gets an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. ECU reached the tournament’s semifinal round last year before falling to eventual champion Memphis.

t gift of grab Darrius Morrow has been pulling down rebounds and putting up points for the Pirates, averaging 14.4 points per game with 68 total rebounds.

rising up

jay clark

Maurice Kemp is averaging 10.4 points per game and is currently shooting 92 percent from the freethrow line.

east carolina university

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SPORTS BRIEFS men’s tennis

pirate duo dominating opponents in nonconference play by jessica creson nottingham

Two East Carolina University men’s tennis players are routinely claiming the top spots in doubles and singles matches so far in 2012. Joran Vliegen, a sophomore Belgium native, and Nicolas Soriano, a freshman from Spain, have been winning at the No. 1 and 2 spots in the Pirate’s past three matches in double and single play. Currently, the Pirates are 9-2 in non-conference play this season.

In a 7-0 wipeout against Georgia Southern, Vliegen and Soriano had a 8-1 victory in doubles, and Vliegen’s stride continued with two 6-2 victories in singles and Soriano also claimed the No. 2 match win. Just a day earlier against Liberty, the Pirates’ lone doubles win was a close 9-8 triumph by the Soriano/Vliegen duo, earning the top spot yet again.

The men won again in the No. 1 and 2 matches in singles in the same campaign against Liberty.

The same scenario occurred with Murray State: for doubles, the duo won at No. 1 and for singles Vliegen and Soriano won at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

The Pirates fell to NC State in the season opener and to the Memphis Tigers breaking a four-game winning streak. Vliegen and Soriano fell to #47 David O’Hare and Joe Salisbury of Memphis. Despite the loss in doubles, Vliegen won in singles against O’Hare, but Soriano was defeated in his singles match.

While ECU defeated both Mount Olive (6-1) and Barton (7-0) at home, Vliegen did not rank in singles against Mount Olive, but Soriano won at No. 2. They reclaimed wins at their usual position against Barton in both doubles and singles. Yet again, the same variation occurred against Norfolk State and Kennesaw State earlier in the season.

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t No. 1 at winning no. 1 Sophomore Joran Vliegen has been racking up wins in the men’s tennis No. 1 singles and, with help from partner Nicolas Soriano, No. 1 doubles matches.

east carolina university

ecu media relations/rob goldberg jr.

jay clark

men’s golf

p An East Carolina University golfer has been named to the watch list for the 2012 Ben Hogan Award. Senior Harold Varner is one of 28 collegiate men’s golfers up for the most prestigious award in men’s college golf. Varner is the only golfer in Conference USA to make the list and is the only player from a North Carolina-based institution. Varner continues to lead the Pirates in his final season. In five events this year, Varner has compiled four top-five finishes, including individual medalist honors at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic.

He has shot under par in 12 of 15 rounds this year and is threatening to break his own school record for lowest single-season scoring average. This past summer, Varner won the North Carolina Amateur Stroke and Match Play championships, becoming the first player to hold both titles. He is currently ranked 21st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, 11th among U.S. players. The Ben Hogan Award is presented annually to the top men’s NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA, or NJCAA college golfer taking into account all collegiate and amateur competitions during the past 12-month period. A list of 10 semifinalists will be unveiled on April 11 and will be pared down to just three finalists on May 10.

The winner will be crowned on May 21.

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SPORTS BRIEFS soccer

SENIORS LEAD TEAM BACK TO C-USA TOURNAMENT AFTER TWO-YEAR ABSENCE by ecu media relations

The East Carolina University soccer team finished the season strong with four consecutive Conference USA wins, a close double-overtime loss, and a solid performance at the C-USA championship tournament in Memphis.

As Tulsa defeated East Carolina 1-0 on October 14 in Conference USA soccer action, junior and sports studies major Caty Butler led the Pirates with four shots on the night, one on goal, while true freshman and physical therapy major Beth Batchelor (on goal), senior business administration major Kimmy Cummings, and junior elementary education major Rachel Fuller (on goal) also posted shots. Freshman Kelley Johnson recorded her first collegiate start for the Pirates against Tulsa.

Just a few days later on October 16, senior math education major Amanda Malkiewicz scored her fourth goal of the season lifting East Carolina to a 1-0 overtime win over SMU at Wescott Field in Dallas. After both teams struggled to find the back of the net in regulation, ECU capitalized on a long through ball and a two-on-one to score the game’s only goal with three seconds remaining in the first overtime period. A week later, the Pirates defeated Rice 3-1 at home.

The Pirates were strong from start to finish in the team’s third-straight Conference USA win over the season, defeating Houston 2-0, October 23 also at the ECU Soccer Stadium. Butler and Malkiewicz each netted goals, and communications major Christiane Cordero posted her fifth shutout of the season as East Carolina captured the win. During the first 45 minutes of play, ECU outshot Houston 12-2.

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Seniors Leah Bagonis and Malkiewicz collaborated on the game-winning goal in the 58th minute that gave East Carolina a 2-1 win over Conference USA foe Marshall in Greenville on what was designated as Senior Night, October 27. With the win, the Pirates clinched a spot in the 2011 C-USA Soccer Championships in Memphis, Tennessee.

With the score tied at one, Bagonis, a nursing major, flipped a pass to Malkiewicz, who dribbled down the left side of the field and made her way uncontested toward the goal sending a shot to the upper right corner for the game-winning shot at the 57:59 mark. For Malkiewicz it was her seventh goal of the season, sixth in league play, and it marked the fourth-straight game with at least one score. Bagonis was credited with her teamleading seventh assist of the year.

The UAB Blazers recorded a 3-2 double overtime win over East Carolina on October 30 also at the ECU Soccer Stadium in the regular-season finale for both schools.

Despite the loss, the Pirates headed to Memphis for championship play on November 24. As the fifth seed, the team took on No. 4 UCF and earned a W with a 2-1 victory, but fell to No. 1 Memphis in the semifinals.

ECU’s success against UCF and advance to the tournament semifinals was credited to the team’s seniors by head coach Rob Donnenwirth.

“This was a great win for the girls. Really, it’s our seniors; they have been here when we won the conference championship for the first time. We haven’t been back to the tournament in two years, so this was special for them. They were really ready.”

MARCH/APRIL 2012

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cross country

for keeps

WOMEN’S TEAM WRAPS UP RECORD SEASON WITH BESTEVER REGIONAL FINISH

Senior goalkeeper Christiane Cordero posted five shutouts and made 81 saves during the season.

jay clark

by ecu media relations

east carolina university

East Carolina University women’s cross country team continued to stand out in the second half of the season and finished ranking the program higher than ever in regional competition.

In Charlottesville, Virginia, the women’s team took third out of nine squads in its final tune-up before the Conference USA Championship on October 14 at the Panorama Farms Invitational hosted by the University of Virginia. Senior recreational therapy major Brittany Copeland set the Pirate 6K program record with a time of 21:20.64, topping Kay Livick’s 21:26 performance in 2002.

The East Carolina women’s and men’s cross country teams competed in the Conference USA Championship in Houston on Halloween morning at the Wildcat Golf Club and turned in solid outings. The women placed fourth out of 12 squads while the men checked in seventh of eight. The performance by the women was the program’s best-ever finish at the league meet, and the group trailed third-place Rice by just three points.

“The women turned in the best performance we’ve ever had,” head coach Dan Lee said. “I’m so excited for this group. I’m very proud of their performances today.”

Running against a field with numerous nationally ranked opponents, the East Carolina women’s cross country team finished its record-setting season with the program’s highest-ever finish at the NCAA Southeast Regional at E. P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Kentucky, on November 12. The squad came in 11th of 35 with Copeland pacing the Pirates with her 22nd place overall finish.

The previous high placement for the Pirate women was a 13th-place showing in 2001. East Carolina also made a 10spot jump from a year ago as five of the team’s seven participants set career-best times.

Copeland set the ECU program record for a 6K with her 20:59.9 time and broke her own record established at the Panorama Farms Invitational. The 22nd-place finish also earned Copeland All-Southeast Region honors for the second time in her career as she came in 17th in 2008 and the top 25 runners are honored. Copeland is the only all-region honoree in East Carolina women’s history.

Senior Tara Wilson finished second on the squad and 61st overall with a time of 21:51.5, the ninth-best mark in Pirate history.

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SPORTS BRIEFS swimming and diving

men’s, women’s teams perform well, break records by ecu media relations

Even though the East Carolina men and women’s swimming and diving teams were swept in a tough season opener at home, the overall season performance was strong and both teams are breaking records. The men’s team currently sits at 4-4 and the women boast an 8-3 record in their 20112012 non-conference play from September trough January. The Conference USA Championships and Invitational is up next in Houston.

Their first meet was against North Carolina on October 6 and the men lost 191.50-102.50, while the women fell 195-99 with seven of the 28 events decided by a second or less. The close times were noticed.

“There were a lot of close races, so the score isn’t really indicative of how hard we raced,” Pirate head coach Rick Kobe said. “We swam very well tonight against a perennial top 15 team, and I feel like we got our season off to a good start.”

The teams had a better outcome against Davidson thanks to 12 first-place finishes for the ladies and seven by the men on October 15. Holly Berenotto and Anna Gibas led the women’s team with two individual first-place finishes each and helped the 400 medley ‘B’ relay team to gold. On the men’s side, Tyler Dunsmore finished with two first-place finishes, sweeping the diving events.

The Pirates had another strong performance in Charleston as the women’s team won all 16 events to sweep a tri-meet from College of Charleston and Georgia Southern on October 29, while the men’s team captured 10 victories in a dual meet victory over 16 PURPLE!

CofC. With the victories, the ladies improved to 3-1 on the season with a 198-94 win over CofC and a 193-99 triumph against GSU. The men’s squad improved to 2-1 with a 175.50-124.50 conquest of the Cougars.

The teams dropped their respective meets with NC State at Minges Natatorium on November 2. “We had some very fast swims tonight,” Kobe said. “I’m very pleased with how we competed and how we performed.”

The Pirates hosted Catawba at Minges Natatorium on November 12 for a dual meet and won 32 of 33. The men’s team improved to 2-2 with a 161-87 triumph, while the women’s squad pushed its record to 4-2 with a 149-75 win. Senior Natalia Favoreto posted three individual first-place finishes, touching first in the 200-yard freestyle, 50-yard breaststroke, and 100-yard butterfly. She won the 100 fly by nearly eight seconds and the 50-yard breaststroke by four seconds. Favoreto also helped her 200-yard medley relay team to a first-place finish.

In Chapel Hill, East Carolina completed its most successful Nike Cup ever over the weekend of November 17–19, posting 12 top-eight finishes in one of the nation’s most competitive multiteam events. Favoreto posted the Pirates’ lone first-place finish, winning the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.38.

Freshman Megan Rossi set the varsity record in the 1,650-yard freestyle with a fourth-place finish time of 16:49.71, setting the school record in the 1,000-yard

freestyle along the way. Fellow rookie Danielle Morrin also turned in a recordsetting performance in the women’s 400 IM with a freshman record time of 4:24.21 for an eighth-place finish.

Freshman Nikola Simic paced the men’s team at the Nike Cup with a pair of record-setting performances. Simic set the ECU varsity record in the 50 (20.52) and 100-yard freestyle (44.62).

He finished third in the 100 free as he became the first swimmer at ECU to go under 45 seconds in the event.

It was not long after their final meet in Chapel Hill for the fall season that the team began gearing up for their next spring season.

The program inked five men and eight women during the early signing period at the beginning of December.

ELIZABETH OLIVER BREASTSTROKE/IM

MARCH/APRIL 2012

conference recognitions

Awards pile up for ECu athletes The spring season started off with a loss for the men and a win for the women against Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia. With two more wins for the women’s team against Campbell and William & Mary and one win for the men also against William & Mary, the Pirates began climbing the ranks. In the last campaign before conference play, the women added another defeat to their record against Vanderbilt, but fell to South Carolina along with the men’s team. t making a splash Pirate swimmers fared well in the fall, including a 16-event sweep for the women’s team at the College of Charleston.

In November, both teams competed in the Nike Cup and recorded the best performance in the team’s history.

east carolina university

By ecu media relations

Football

Senior outside receiver and communication major Lance Lewis and fellow senior and communication major Emanuel Davis, a defensive back, were named to the All-C-USA Second Team.

Freshmen inside linebacker and honor-roll student Jeremy Grove earned an honorable mention nod.

Grove has also been named to the Bleacher Report’s All-Freshman Team according to an announcement from the digital sports media company.

Grove is one of 20 players at the FBS level selected for the honor and one of only three representing a program outside of a Bowl Championship Series automatic qualifying conference.

Freshman inside receiver and recreation and parks management major Justin Hardy also earned recognition from the Bleacher Report as a member of the honorable mention squad.

East Carolina sophomore defensive lineman Matt Milner has been named to the Conference USA All-Academic Team. A physics major with a perfect 4.0 grade-point average, Milner is the lone underclassmen on the all-league team and just one of three repeat picks from the 2010 unit.

Soccer

East Carolina seniors Jessica Abshire, Kimmy Cummings, and Amanda Malkiewicz, along with junior Caty Butler, were named to the Conference USA All-Academic Teams. Abshire and Malkiewicz earned their third-straight academic honor, while Cummings is on the squad for the second-straight season.

Abshire and Cummings received spots on the C-USA All-Academic first-team. Both are three-time members of the C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll. A triple major in management information systems, business marketing, and business management, Cummings holds a 3.90 GPA and earned a place on the All-Conference first team as a midfielder. Abshire holds a perfect 4.0 GPA as an elementary education major and speech pathology minor.

Also, Abshire is one of 33 Division I women’s soccer players to be named 2011 Capital One Academic All-America (second-team), as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Cummings and Abshire have also been named to the Capital One Academic All-District 3 teams.

jay clark

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ZACH WRIGHT CATCHER

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COREY THOMPSON 3RD BASE

MARCH/APRIL 2012

JACK REINHEIMER INFIELD

THE PIRATES RETURN WITH EXPERIENCED PLAYERS IN THE FIELD AND A BULLPEN OF NEW PITCHERS EAGER TO PROVE THEMSELVES STORY BY CHASE KROLL

east carolina university

PHOTOS BY JAY CLARK

PURPLE! 19

ba s e ball

The 2011 East Carolina baseball season was overall a successful campaign for the Pirates. Head coach Billy Godwin captured his fourth 40-win season in six years and battled all the way to the NCAA Charlottesville Regional finals, losing to No. 1 ranked Virginia. As the 2012 season gets underway, the team hopes to continue to build from last season’s success.

ECU finished the season ranked 25th nationally by Baseball America magazine and had six players picked in the 2011 MLB Draft: Mike Wright, Zach Wright, Seth Maness, Shawn Armstrong, Brad Mincey, and Seth Simmons. All but one are pitchers.

Wright, a catcher, decided to return to ECU for his senior season.

The team lost nine players, including seven pitchers, leaving fans with a mixture of worry It’s brand new. and intrigue for what the 2012 season brings. But It’s fun. It’s exciting. any member of the program can tell you that the It’s scary. It’s everylocker room is booming with excitement.

“It’s brand new. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s scary. thing you can think It’s everything you can think of,” says pitching of. We were blessed coach Dan Roszel. “We were blessed with the guys with the guys we we had last year. I think these guys are going to be had last year. I think just as good.”

The coaches had the task of replacing a stable these guys are going of pitchers during the offseason that produced to be just as good. the seventh-best team ERA in the NCAA, including ECU’s all-time saves leader (Simmons), and — pitching coach Dan Roszel Maness, an All-American and all-time ECU record holder in four categories. The departed players accounted for 400.8 of the 562 total innings pitched in 2011.

The leaders of the 2012 pitching unit will be Kevin Brandt, who brings back 91.2 of the remaining 161.2 innings pitched, and Tyler Joyner, who are both lefties. Add the loss of outfielder Trent Whitehead, who started every game for the Pirates last season, and two-time LeClair jersey-winning outfielder Austin Homan, and Godwin had his work cut out for him.

So what does Godwin do when he loses seven pitchers? He brings in 10. A total of 12 new faces were added to the 2012 roster. The class includes four junior college transfers featuring pitcher Jharel Cotton (who turned down both a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and being drafted by the New York Mets to play at ECU) and pitcher Andy Smithmyer, the reigning Junior College World Series MVP. Freshman pitchers DeShorn Lake and David Lucroy were also selected in the draft, in the 12th and 29th round, respectively. These new Pirates are coming in with impressive credentials. “We got some areas with inexperience that are not proven, but we have a lot of talent on this team,” says Godwin. “We brought in quality and that’s what I was excited about.”

Godwin also brought back both Homan and Whitehead as members of the program’s staff. Homan is the new baseball director of operations. Whitehead serves as a student assistant coach. “He is in the cages with us. It’s great having him around,” says

“

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PIRATES OF THE CARIbBEAN

Pitchers Deshorn Lake, left, and Jharel Cotton both hail from St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Lake joins the team as a freshman, while Cotton transfers from Miami Dade College as a junior.

east carolina university

PURPLE! 21

ba s e ball

third baseman Corey Thompson about Whitehead. “He knows the game of baseball and he plays it just as hard as anybody else, so he is pushing that upon all of us to play just like he did.”

Aside from the loss of Whitehead, East Carolina’s 2012 team retains a large amount of experience on the field and at the plate. The team starts the year with three 2012 preseason first team All-Conference USA selections: Thompson, Wright, and Brandt.

Thompson finished last season with a team-leading .328 batting average. Wright hit a team-best 13 home runs. The 2011 Conference USA All-Freshman team winners Ben Fultz, Chase McDonald, Jack Reinheimer, and John Wooten are all looking to pick up where they left off at both ends for the Pirates this season.

“We’ve been working hard this entire offseason,” says Reinheimer. “We’ve been building some chemistry and we’re looking forward to a fun season.”

The Pirate’s season opener was on February 17, the first game of a three-game series with University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. Before that the team had to get through Godwin’s two-week suspension following a minor NCAA violation. Godwin, while taking responsibility for the disturbance, knew beforehand that his team will not be hindered.

“One of the things we are doing right now is letting our kids have an open field where they go out and work on their own with no coaches present,” Godwin said prior to his suspension. “Our older guys have taken leadership and ownership in making sure they’re getting their work in and being accountable to their teammates.” The preparation paid off, and ECU won all three games in the series.

Next, the Pirates will host the annual Keith LeClair Classic, with games against Purdue, Maryland, and Western Carolina. The Classic is in memory of former ECU head coach Keith LeClair, who passed away in 2006 from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Also in honor of the former coach, ECU baseball has made it an annual tradition to award LeClair’s No. 23 jersey to a current team member who best embodies LeClair’s drive and selfless work ethic.

Second-baseman Tim Younger will wear No. 23 for the Pirates this year. Younger played in 50 games last season posting a .954 fielding percentage with a .250 batting average. In only his second year with the program after transferring from St. Petersburg College, Younger grasps the importance of the honor.

“I can only hope to follow in the footsteps of such great mentors and friends,” says Younger, referring to LeClair and former recipients of the award. “And I look forward to carrying on Coach LeClair’s legacy.”

The team will travel to Tuscaloosa to play host Alabama along with Oral Roberts and Louisville. Other out-of-conference matchups include Old Dominion, Stony Brook, Troy, Virginia Commonwealth, Penn State, NC State, High Point University, UNC Wilmington, Elon, William & Mary, UNC, and the Virginia Military Institute.

The Pirates begin their conference play with a three-game series at UCF, and will also play away series against Memphis, Rice, and Southern Miss. ECU hosts Conference USA series with UAB, Houston, Tulane, and Marshall.

The 2012 schedule features 16 games against teams that played in the 2011 NCAA regionals, and nine against teams that finished ranked in the national polls. While certainly a difficult schedule, the program is up for the task.

“We shoot for the top,” says Reinheimer. “We always say Omaha is the goal and if we play together well, like we have been, then that’s a very good possibility.”

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KEITH LECLAIR JERSEY RECIPIENT

TIM YOUNGER

east carolina university

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Jill Jelnick INFIELD/OUTFIELD

JASMINE ROBBINS OUTFIELD

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SUZANNE RIGGS OUTFIELD PRISCILLA VELASQUEZ 1ST BASE MARCH/APRIL 2012

yellow

ball 2012 preview

by Jessica Creson Nottingham photos by Jay Clark East Carolina University’s softball team has been working hard in the past several weeks preparing for a tough schedule and adjusting to a different sort of team this season. The squad has earned two consecutive Conference USA Championship titles and has gone on to conference championship play for the past six years. The Pirates are considered the top program in their conference and one of the most successful in the region. The 2011 season is especially notable as it welcomed 10 freshmen, earned a home C-USA Championship win, and received the most national attention the program has ever experienced.

While 12 letter winners and eight starters have returned for the 2012 campaign, most of whom are just sophomores, the pitcher’s mound has felt the most loss. Last season was AllAmerican pitcher Toni Paisley’s final campaign along with the team’s backup pitcher Faith Sutton, who left the program. To fill these positions, three freshmen have been added to the circle to handle pitching responsibilities: Sarah Christian, Emma Mendoker, and Courtney Smith.

Christian played for D. H. Conley High School in Greenville where she was a fourtime NC Softball Coaches Association 3A All-State selection, named the North Carolina 3A-East Pitcher-of-the-Year, and earned most valuable player honors at the state championship. Mendoker is from Amherst, Massachusetts, and was selected as the ESPN RISE 2010–2011 Gatorade Massachusetts Softball Player-of-the-Year after posting a 23-2

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record, 0.17 earned run average, and 300 strikeouts during her time at Amherst Regional High School. Rounding out the trio is Smith, who came to ECU from Yuba City, California. She earned first-team all-area and All-Tri County League honors each year during high-school play at River Valley High School. She was also selected as the Tri-County Co-League Most Valuable Player and AppealDemocrat All-Area Player-of-the-Year for posting a 0.92 earned run average and conference-best 166 strikeouts.

“Anytime you’re relying on freshmen pitching, it’s a big question mark,” says softball head coach Tracey Kee, who has been with the program for the past 26 years from student-athlete to assistant coach to head coach. “There are days when this one looks great and that one is struggling; then the next day, it’s vice versa. It’s just a matter of getting this young staff more consistent and to rely on their defense and the quality players that are around them—they don’t have to do everything on their own.”

With the absence of seasoned pitchers, the team’s work in the gym and on the field has focused more on hitting compared to previous seasons. Core and hip strength and leg drive workouts will “have an impact on offensive power and explosiveness,” according to “We already associate head coach Natalie Kozlowski, who has been with the program for 12 seasons. Both Kee and know the Kozlowski have been selected as the National Fastmistakes from pitch Coaches Association Mideast Region Coaching last year, and Staff-of-the-Year for the past two years.

Backing up the pitchers is a young, but experienced, we’re not crew of Pirates. Eight of the 10 freshmen have redoing them turned this year as sophomores, and they bring a taste this year.” of success and an early understanding of what it takes to be champions. Completing the team are just two —Jill Jelnick juniors and two seniors who bring the upperclassmen presence and skill level to the lineup. “[The sophomores] are clearly the cornerstone of the team—they play all the essential positions on the team,” says Kozlowski. “Last year, we would give them the leeway of being a freshman, but the expectations are so much higher this year.”

Sophomores Kristi Oshiro, Jill Jelnick, and Jasmine Robbins were selected for the C-USA All-Freshman team and stood out offensively batting .314, .300, and .295, respectively, by the end of the 2011 season as freshmen.

“We talk about it all the time, the eight of us, how this year is already so much better,” says Jelnick. “We already know the mistakes from last year and we’re not doing them this year. With our freshmen this year, it’s going to be so much better with a defense and an offense that have been there before, and it will only help them to know they have [us] there to back them up.”

With the majority of team having such a successful year together as freshmen, the coaches and upperclassmen note the versatility and depth the team has now.

“Looking around our infield and outfield, we have one or two people in each position that can rotate in because we have a really athletic squad,” says left fielder Suzanne Riggs, one of the two seniors on the team, who was named Second Team All-Conference USA after tying in the top spot for runs batted in, doubles, 26 PURPLE!

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strike force

Freshman pitchers (top to bottom) Sarah Christian, Courtney Smith, and Emma Mendoker battle it out for pitching duties this year.

The frosh phenoms fill the circle vacated by Toni Paisley, the all-time Conference USA record holder for wins, strikeouts, shutouts, and innings pitched.

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blonde bomber

Sophomore 3rd baseman Alex Fieldhouse returns after starting in 49 games as a freshman last season.

Fieldhouse batted .216 last year, with three home runs and 12 RBIs. 28 PURPLE!

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sof tball

home runs, total bases, and slugging percentage. “That’s something we have in our favor in case of injuries or sickness.”

Senior Priscilla (“Percy”) Velasquez will be at first base for the secondstraight season, but as the only upperclassman in the infield this year. Velasquez was named the 2011 Conference USA Tournament Most Valuable Player. She drove in three runs during the opener against Memphis, and in the championship game, she accounted for all of the Pirates’ runs with a bases-loaded walk and three-run home run, giving her a career-high of four RBI. “We have four upperclassman, but when you look at the two seniors, I think they’ve stepped up and have embraced the leadership role and they understand that in six months they’re playing career is over,” says Kee. “Since they have won back-to-back championships and are now in their senior year, it’s a very different team and a very different vibe, but I think Suzanne and Percy are doing everything they possibly can in the leadership roles.”

While relying on the three freshmen pitching staff will be a significant challenge for this year’s squad, the program has also booked it’s toughest schedule yet. Early in the season, the Pirates are up against Pac-12 teams like Arizona State, University of Alabama, University of California, and Stanford University, ranked No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 10, respectively, in the ESPN.com/ USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 preseason poll.

“There’s no way you throw three freshmen pitchers on the mound and play the toughest schedule we’ve ever played in school history without lumps—so we’re prepared for the ups and the downs,” says Kee. “We’ll probably win games we shouldn’t and lose games we shouldn’t, but it will be a learning experience.”

On the other hand, the amount of success the young squad experienced last year and knowing what it will take to do it again indicate tremendous potential for an even stronger and sharper team this year. “We have a lot of trust in these kids; these kids have had a lot of success, excluding the freshmen, and success breeds success,” says Kee. Not only are the opponents tough early in the season, but the Pirates will also be on the road for almost a full month playing in Alabama, California, Arizona, and Oklahoma. “Our schedule is brutal. I’m just anxious to see how our seniors, juniors, and sophomores are going to respond without an All-American in the circle—a lot more pressure is going to be on them this year,” says Kozlowski.

This is the second year the softball program will play in the new stadium, which is a part of the Olympic Sports Complex. Last year, the Pirates won their C-USA Championship title at home amongst fans—undoubtedly a grand finale to the season and to the inaugural year of the stadium. Furthermore, C-USA Championship attendance records were broken during the final championship match with ECU and Tulsa on the home field.

“There’s no way we would have won the Conference Championship without the fans in the stands,” says Kee. “They fed off that huge crowd. There’s no way that as a fifth seed with as many freshmen as we had, it would have ever happened if we were playing that game on the road or in another venue.

They fed off the energy and the fans.” east carolina university

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JEREMY GROVE INSIDE LINEBACKER

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PIRATES

TO WATCH keep an eye on these select newcomers who have already made an impact in their short time as student-athletes. imagine what they’ll do next season! by jessica creson nottingham and stephen mcnulty photographs by jay clark

Mackenzie Semerad MIDFIELDER

east carolina university

jakub trzasalski DISTANCE RUNNER

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football

“

not only does he have my respect, but more importantly, he has the respect of his teammates.

”

head coach ruffin mcneill

J e r e my G rove 32 PURPLE!

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Class: Freshman Position: Inside Linebacker Hometown: Frederick, Maryland

2011 Season Stats Games Played: 11 Tackles: 122 Passes Defensed: 2 In a tough season for Pirate football, freshman linebacker Jeremy Grove emerged as a bright spot on the defensive side of the football. ECU had one of the worst defenses in the league in 2010 and made a well-documented switch to the 3-4. Injuries and a slightly undersized defensive line added to the pressure on the Pirates’ inside linebackers. Junior and management information systems major Daniel Drake performed very well throughout the season, and despite an ongoing battle with injuries, sophomore Kyle Tudor is impressive on the field. But, it was Grove, the freshman, who stood out the most in 2011.

A bright future is in store for Grove as a Pirate. Despite losing much of its secondary, the Pirate defense should improve again next season. The only player graduating in the Pirates’ front-seven is linebacker Cliff Perryman, leaving Marke Powell, Chris Baker, Drake, Tudor, Jake Geary and, of course, Grove, all of whom should manage the linebacking duties well.

If Grove’s second season is as productive as his first, Pirate fans can expect to see a lot of #53 in the heart of the action next season.

Asset to the team: The Pirates’ loss to Houston also overshadowed a productive day for Grove, who finished with 14 tackles. This season Grove averaged 11.1 tackles per game, high enough for third in Conference USA and 10th in FBS. Only Trent Mackey of Tulane, who is third with 12.08 tackles per game, and Curnelious Arnick of Tulsa, who averages 11.83 tackles per game for sixth in the nation, average more tackles than Grove in the conference.

Grove is the only freshman in the top 88 tacklers in the nation, but in Conference USA’s outstanding linebacker play, he was held to just Honorable Mention for

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the C-USA All-American team. However, Grove did lead all C-USA freshmen as the Conference USA Freshman of the Year. The inside linebacker was the first Pirate to claim the award.

Grove was also named to the CBSSports. com and FoxSportsNet.com Freshmen AllAmerican team. The Pirates’ leading tackler joins Robert Jones (1988), Pernell Griffin (1998), Chris Moore (2002), and Emmanuel Davis (2008) as the only Freshman AllAmericans in ECU history.

Season highlight: Grove played in 11 of 12 games on the season and the only game the freshman missed was the Pirates’ 35-17 win over Memphis. He finished the season with 122 tackles, but it was his performance against UAB that marked Grove’s coming out party.

In a game that will be remembered for the Pirates’ seven turnovers, Grove recorded a career-high of 15 tackles. Following the game head coach Ruffin McNeill said he was not surprised by the young player’s early impact, pointing to Grove’s performance on the scout team while red shirting in 2010.

Furthermore, McNeill labeled the team’s overall opinion of Grove as an indicator of his talent. “Not only does he have my respect,” says McNeill, “but more importantly, he has the respect of his teammates.”

Academic/career goals: Grove, an honor roll student in the classroom, has yet to declare a major. He enrolled to ECU in January of 2010 following two years as a starter for Governor Thomas Johnson High School in Frederick, Maryland.

Originally from Ijamsville, Maryland, Grove represented Baltimore in the state’s high school all-star game.

Remembering a friend: The now six-foot-one-inch, 230-pound linebacker committed to playing Division I football at a young age following the sudden and tragic death of hometown friend Billy Gaines. The fellow Ijamsville native was a freshman wide receiver for the University of Pittsburgh when he fell to his death from the ceiling of a church in the summer of 2003.

He often wears a cloth with Gaines’ initials during games.

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socce r

mackenzie semerad 34 PURPLE!

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Class: Freshman Position: Midfielder Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona

2011 Season Stats Game Played: 15 Assists: 2 Minutes: 437 Goals: 1 Points: 4 Shots: 4 Shots on Goal: 4 For ECU soccer, this fall season was one to remember. The team played 11 games on their brand new home field, when the 2010 schedule had the Pirates hosting only three.

Amongst the handful of leading upperclassman on the team and despite an injury, freshman Mackenzie Semerad stands out as a student-athlete who is sure to shine in her years to come as a Pirate.

Semerad’s first season according to head coach Rob Donnenwirth: “Mackenzie Semerad had a good beginning of the year but was injured (bad shin splints) about a quarter of the way through the season. Her time on the field became limited due to the pain in her shins,” says Donnenwirth. “I feel she is going to be a great player for us but we need to get her healthy! We missed her talent and offensive ability the last half of the season.

“The college game was an adjustment for her defensively. Like most freshmen, it looks like race cars are flying by them. It takes time for the game to slow down mentally.

This will come to her with more experience.”

Asset to the team: “When she is healthy she is one of our most technical players,” says Donnenwirth.

“Her first touch (ball control) and passing is superior. She is very composed on the ball.

When the ball is at her feet, she sees attacking runs that her teammates make and her passing ability allows her to play balls into space with the proper ‘weight’ so the ball ends up right in the path of the runner.”

Season highlight: “Best moment of the season was probably getting to start my first collegiate game,” says Semerad. “I was very nervous, but at the same time, excited I was given the chance to play early in the season.” east carolina university

“

Seeing how close we came this year in the conference tournament will really push us in these upcoming years to reach our No. 1 goal as a team: competing in the national tournament.

”

mackenzie semerad

Academic/career goals: “I am an elementary education major and really enjoy working with younger children,” says Semerad. “I hope, in the future, to teach internationally, getting the opportunity to travel and see different parts of the world.”

Patience and determination: “I hope to have an extremely successful college soccer career. I came to ECU for its great program and I hope to make a positive difference for the team in upcoming years,” says Semerad.

“Having to deal with shin splints that began this season is definitely a hurdle I am overcoming. Getting entirely healthy has been a longer process than I thought it would be, but next fall is what motivates me to be patient and overcome my injury.

I think I speak for most of the team when I say that being conference champs is what drives us the most. Seeing how close we came this year in the conference tournament will really push us in these upcoming years to reach our No. 1 goal as a team, competing in the national tournament.”

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cross co u ntry/ tr ack and fi e ld

“

his work ethic and enthusiasm led him to perform much better than was expected. No one on the men’s cross country team works harder or has more focus than he does.

”

coach dan lee

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Class: Sophomore Event: Distance (Outdoor Track); Cross Country Hometown: Barlinek, West Pomerani, Poland

2011 Season Highlights Sept. 16 – 5K Wolfpack Invitational, Cary, North Carolina, WakeMed Soccer Park 15:23.5, 14 of 96 Sept. 23 – 5K ECU Pirates Invitational, Greenville, North Carolina, Overton’s Lake Kristi 15:51.8, 2 of 26 Oct. 1 – 8K Greater Louisville Classic Louisville, Kentucky, E. P. “Tom” Sawyer State Park - 25:45.08, 28 of 285 Oct. 31 – 8K Conference USA Championship, Houston, Texas, Indian Springs CC - 25:40.0, 27 of 62 Despite coming in injured as a freshman last year, Trzasalski’s performance has far surpassed the expectations of his coaches and peers. With a strong work ethic and a passion for the sport, he is on the verge of breaking records and winning championships.

Trzasalski’s progress according to coach Dan Lee: “Jakub has had a great deal of improvement throughout his freshman year (focusing on track-800m) as well as this past fall (cross country),” says Lee. “Jakub’s best event is definitely the 800m, and cross country is good for getting him in shape to prepare for his main event.

“Last year, Jakub came to ECU in very poor shape due to an injury and an extended period off of training. He worked very hard all year and struggled to find his old training/racing form. Finally at the end of the year he began to show the talent that made us recruit him and he started running very competitive times finishing 4th at the C-USA Championship meet.

“In the second race of the season, at the Wolfpack Invite, he ran 15:23 and came within seconds of breaking the school record for a cross country 5k. His progress continued to impress throughout the season as he was our team’s No. 1 performer in each race from then on, through the conference championship.”

Asset to the team: “At the beginning of the fall, Jakub made a commitment to work hard during the cross country season to build an even better east carolina university

foundation leading into the track and field season,” says Lee. “His work ethic and enthusiasm led him to perform much better than was expected. No one on the men’s cross country team works harder or has more focus than he does.”

Memorable moments: “Seeing him race so well at the Wolfpack Invite and follow that up two weeks later at the Louisville Classic with a huge personal best at 8K were inspiring moments and had me very excited to know that he was on pace to have the best year of his competitive life,” says Lee. “The best moment from this past season was definitely Louisville when I broke my personal best in 8k by more than 2 minutes,” says Trzasalski, sharing Lee’s sentiment on his standout performance this season. “Overall, it was a great feeling to pace the men’s squad throughout the whole cross country season—it doesn’t happen too often to middle-distance runners.”

What the future holds for Trzasalski at ECU According to coach Lee: “I look for Jakub to compete well during the upcoming indoor/outdoor track and field seasons. He should threaten many school records in both seasons and win many medals at the C-USA championships. Looking ahead to next year’s cross country season, I see no reason for him to set his goals any lower than All-Conference.”

According to Trzasalski: “My plan for the upcoming indoor and outdoor seasons is clear—to perform at my best and to do everything to turn the impossible into possible. I have a great support from the coaches and the team, but also from my friends from outside of the Track and Field Society and my biggest (and probably only) fans, my parents. These people help me in reaching my goals. And my iPod, of course.”

Academic/career goals: Given his global experience already as a Poland native, Trzasalski is studying international business, but ultimately has a vision of working in the world of sports.

“I’m majoring in international business, but I also would like to graduate with management concentration,” says Trzasalski. “I am going to become a sports agent after college.”

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swi m m inn g and divin g

BRITNY EDWARDS FORWARD

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swi m m in g and divin g

wonder twin powers: activate! transfer students britny and whitny edwards bring their special brand of teamwork to ECU.

WHITNY EDWARDS GUARD

east carolina university

jay clark

by spaine stephens

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wo m e n ’ s ba s k e tball

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“

i think they’ve done a good job at making their own way. They’re making an impression.

”

head coach heather macy

jay clark

E

Even though both of their parents once suited up for Pirate basketball teams, Britny and Whitny Edwards are making names for themselves as team leaders and standout student-athletes.

The twins, who transferred from the University of Virginia this year, haven’t missed a step in playing vital roles for the ECU women’s basketball squad.

That’s particularly special to them because their father, Theodore “Blue” Edwards, a school scoring record-holder and possibly the university’s most well-known basketball player, and their mother, Valerie Cooper Edwards, both represented East Carolina on the court.

“We wanted to be Pirates like them,” Britny Edwards says. But their athletic skills and dedication to academics set the twins apart in their own rights, which was also a goal for the twins. “One of the motivating factors was making our own mark on the team, and not what our parents have done,” Britny says.

Coach Heather Macy believes they’ve done just that, bringing a special level of maturity and leadership to the team. “That’s what we needed from them,” she says. “I think they’ve done a good job making their own way. They’re making an impression.”

Britny, a forward, has balanced her duties on the court with learning to adjust to a new basketball program. Whitny, who plays at the guard position, is redshirting this year but is contributing to the team by providing veteran leadership and encouraging and motivating her teammates during practice. She’s also working to grow physically stronger and mentally tougher for future games.

As graduate students who played as undergraduates at Virginia, the twins have also learned a lot about themselves and each other. “For me on the court, I’ve learned how to be a more aggressive player,” Whitny says. The two have been playing basketball together since around age 9, and their ability to be in tune with each other on the court is an asset to the team. “It’s really nice to have that kind of chemistry,” Whitny adds.

The twins are quick to praise their teammates for going the extra mile to improve and succeed on the court and practice beyond expectations, and their coaching staff for its support and variety of perspectives that make the team multidimensional. For Macy, the Edwards twins provide a unique coaching perspective that has been a pleasure for her to observe. “I see it as a positive to coach sisters,” she says. “They can help each other adjust.” Macy also points out how unique it is for the sisters to carry on the ECU legacy of their mother, who played for the Pirates in 1987. Their father holds East Carolina’s record for most points scored in a single season with 773, and enjoyed a 10-year NBA career.

Both sisters are leaders in the classroom as well, and set an example to other student-athletes with their discipline and study schedule. Both are pursuing master’s degrees in communication with an emphasis in health communication. They plan to play basketball overseas before returning to pursue careers in their field.

MARCH/APRIL 2012

on her own

Britny Edwards has to hold her own on the court for now—sister Whitny has only one year of eligibility left after playing at the University of Virginia. Coach Macy has red-shirted Whitny for this season, but she will join her twin on the court for the 2012–2013 campaign.

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East Carolina University School of Music 速

Tomorrow starts here.

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Schedule of Events February Wednesday, February 20, 2012 Faculty Recital Featuring Andrew Crain and Rachel Copeland A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free Thursday, February 23, 2012 Chamber Singers Concert Peace Presbyterian Church, Winterville, 7:30 p.m.

Free Saturday, February 25, 201 Motown Concert Wright Auditorium, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 Students

March Saturday, March 3, 2012 Jazz Concert Edenton, NC Tickets: $10 adults, $5 Students Wednesday, March 14, 2012 NewMusic Festival Concert Bugallo-Williams, piano duo A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Sunday, March 18, 2012 NewMusic Festival Concert Premiere Performances A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Saturday, April 21, 2012 Gala Concert The Billy Taylor Jazz Festival Wright Auditorium, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $15 adults, $10 students

Thursday, March 22, 2012 Guest Recital Featuring Joseph Kalichstein, piano A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Thursday, April 26, 7:00 p.m. – Friday, April 27, 8:00 p.m.

Four Season Chamber Music Festival Concerts Thrilling Season Finale

Friday, March 23, 2012 Jazz at Christinne’s with TomtheJazzman Christinne’s in the Hilton, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 students

Performers: Soovin Kim, violin Axel Strauss, violin Ara Gregorian, viola Hsin-Yun Huang, viola Ani Aznavoorian, cello Michael Kannen, cello

Thursday, March 29 – April 1, 2012 ECU Opera Theater Così fan tutte, (Thus Do They All, or The School for Lovers) A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: $15 (General Admission), $12 (Faculty, Staff, Seniors), $5 (Students)

April

Thursday, March 15, 2012 NewMusic Festival Concert Tom McCaslin and Friends A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Saturday, April 14, 2012 ECU Symphony Orchestra Concert • Aaron Copland – An Outdoor Overture • Winner of the 2010-2011 ECU Concerto Competition • Leonard Bernstein – Symphonic Suite from “On the Waterfront” Wright Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Friday, March 16, 2012 NewMusic Festival Concert The JACK Quartet A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Thursday, April 19-April 22, 2012 Jazz Bones Concert The Billy Taylor Jazz Festival A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Saturday, March 17, 2012 NewMusic Festival Concert NewMusic Camerata Orchestra Wright Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.

Free

Friday, April 20, 2012 Jazz Combo Concert The Billy Taylor Jazz Festival Christinne’s in the Hilton, 8:00 p.m.

Tickets: $10 adults, $5 students

Program: Edward Elgar’s String Serenade in E Minor, Op. 20 (arr. Ara Gregorian) Arnold Schoenberg’s Verklärte Nacht, Op. 4 Johannes Brahms’ String Sextet in B Flat Major, Op. 18 A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets: $25 adults, $10 students

For more information about these events, showtimes, or event locations, please call 252-328-6851.

To purchase tickets, call 1-800-ECU-ARTS, 252-328-4788, or visit www.ecuarts.com. east carolina university

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campus rec & club sports club ice hockey offers inyour-face experience for fans club ice hockey

By Stephen McNulty

A crowd collects inside Bladez On Ice, Greenville’s only ice-skating rink, to watch some of the most exciting and energetic games outside of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

On Friday and Saturday nights throughout the fall semester, the ECU ice hockey club team draws not only the support of fellow ECU students, but also local families with children interested in playing or just watching ice hockey. Even though the club team is not a varsity-level sport, the members of the club team play as if it is.

“It’s a club sport, but most guys on the team don’t see it like that,” says team captain Mike Rudolph. “It’s very competitive, we have great coaching, and we’re having fun at the same time.”

Bladez On Ice is open for public skating, birthday parties, and junior hockey leagues, which can wear on the ice, forcing the club to occasionally host teams an hour-and-a-half drive from Greenville. The club splits their home games between Bladez On Ice and Raleigh Center Ice. In fact, according to head coach Mike Markham, the team plans to have a new facility built on Firetower Road as early as next year, and for those who love the action with lining the glass, and being nose-to-nose with the players—unusual of hockey games—this is the place to be.

“Most fans go to a Carolina Hurricanes game and they get caught up in all the hoopla and music that’s going on,” says Marhkam. “But they’re so far removed from the game itself. You get a football fan to come to a game here and stand next to the boards. The next thing they know, there’s a guy in their face—you can’t not like it.”

Perhaps the team’s biggest fan is Bobby Parker, who caught part of the club’s practice one evening and was drawn in even though he knew little about the game.

Before he knew it, Parker was a regular at the ice rink.

“I enjoy the action, the excitement, and the [ice] 44 PURPLE!

coming over the top,” says Parker as he hands out ECU ice hockey bumper stickers to fans in the snack bar. “I want to see the team win and I’d like to see some more fans come out here.”

Many of the fans who come out to cheer on the team are students, but it is also a family-friendly environment.

Greenville’s Junior Pirates hockey program typically attends ECU’s club team’s home games, and the support and enthusiasm are appreciated. “The Junior Pirates love us and it’s great having them around,” Rudolph said.

The ice hockey club team hosts multiple camps open to aspiring players in the community. One such camp was held in November. “[There were] like 60 kids that came out, some of whom couldn’t even skate,” says Rudolph.

“But it’s good to see them out there and it’s great to help the community.”

The club team’s coaches do not have the amount of power and control as varsity-level coaches, but they hold the players to a high standard. The players are expected to maintain an adequate GPA as well as consistency in practice.

Also, to help pay for the high cost of equipment and the arena without charging admission to the game, the players are expected to gather their own sponsors. The lists include family members to local businesses. The club is in its seventh season.

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u icing on the cake The ECU club ice hockey team hosts home games locally in Greenville, and also in Raleigh. The team also runs camps to teach skills to kids learning to play the sport.

“

you get a football fan to come to a game here and stand next to the boards. the next thing they know, there’s a guy in their face—you MARKHAM, can’t not like it. —MIKEHEAD COACH

east carolina university

”

jay clark

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campus rec & club sports pirate lax seniors seeing return in team investments club lacrosse By chase kroll

A sport known for its soccer-like speed and hard-hitting physicality of hockey, lacrosse enjoys a popularity that is quickly spreading down the east coast and throughout the country. Win or lose, a player can expect to leave the field bruised, bloodied, and physically exhausted.

The ECU men’s club lacrosse team has experienced their fair share of both victory and defeat in the past decade. The team was ranked third in the nation in Division II of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association following the 2003–2004 season. Their success allowed them to bump up into the Division I league, the toughest league in the nation for non-varsity lacrosse programs, but since then, the Pirates have yet to find their groove.

As the 2012 season begins, the team does what any lacrosse player would do after a particularly bad period: they brush themselves off, strap their pads on, and fix it the only way they know how—.on the field.

The 40-man squad takes pride in completely rebuilding its roster from winless seasons in 2008 and 2009.

The team features just five seniors and 20 freshmen.

While the new guys are out to prove that they can benefit u Re LAX Attackman #23 Brett Kelly drives towards the goal during the team’s opening game against Clemson. At left, the team’s current president, midfielder Brett Buening, has helped improved the team by seeking out dedicated players and providing a structured practice environment.

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the team’s rebuilding efforts, the seniors use past experiences to motivate themselves and their teammates.

“My freshman year I could probably count on one hand the number of kids that came out to every practice,” says senior midfielder Kane Ateshian. “There was a complete lack of commitment. The leadership was a mess.”

So he and fellow midfielder Brett Buening, the team’s current president, set out to change the entire makeup of the team after their first season. Now as seniors, they are beginning to witness the differences between then and now.

“We had no coaches and barely enough players to field a team for games, let alone practices,” says Buening. “Just to go from that to 35 kids at a practice, full-field scrimmages, lined fields, hundreds of balls, and two goalies on the practice field is just unreal.”

ECU club lacrosse is filled with players that completely immerse themselves in the sport. When these studentathletes aren’t at practice they can be found refereeing youth games, helping out at clinics, and volunteering with youth programs to help the sport as a whole progress.

This dedication leads to a more structured team than ever before. With three practices a week (including practices in the offseason), fall tournaments, and a group of guys committed to seeing ECU club lacrosse improve, it is no surprise that the team plays against some of the toughest competition the MCLA can offer.

The 2012 season features matchups against No. 14 Clemson and No. 15 Virginia Tech, as well as conference games against South Carolina, Wake Forest, and NC State. “Having the opportunity to play in the conference we play in shows the progress we have made in the past four years,” says Ateshian. “We get to measure ourselves against a high caliber of players.”

As the season starts, it marks the culmination of a goal five seniors had: to leave the program with a different image than the one they witnessed as freshmen. With each exhausting practice, weekend road trip, and bruise or scar suffered on the field, the team and its players have bettered themselves. But while the seniors may get all the recognition for the leadership, Ateshian was first to point out that it wasn’t about them.

“We have freshmen and young guys out here that want to come out and lead,” says Ateshian. “The program is going to be in good hands for the future.” east carolina university

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campus rec & club sports challenge course emphasizes leadership and teamwork It is becoming more popular at East Carolina University to escape classrooms and offices to learn in the great outdoors.

Located on six wooded acres alongside the Blount Sports Complex, the Challenge Course consists of open field space, a low element course with over 20 different challenges, the Giant Swing and a 50-foot Alpine Tower.

The course Leadership I: Interpersonal and Teamwork Skills in the College of Business is just one of the groups that chooses shorts over suits. Students enrolled in the course work on key lessons to take with them to the workplace such as trust, effective communication, and teamwork.

The course begins with breaking up the students into small groups led by facilitators who will guide the students through different games and tasks throughout the day.

“We present challenges and obstacles to students in a new way where they have to think outside the box,” says Matt Pritchett. “Where they never really had to think before and a way they’re not used to thinking every day.”

Different field games cause the students to quickly let their guard down and get to know their peers. “It’s a lot different and people don’t really expect it,” says sophomore Sarah Moran. “You don’t really know where you’re going to go.”

Once everyone has loosened up, the groups venture into the woods to the challenge course. The first thing that greets the students inside the course is the 50-foot tower, but it is just a tease as it usually reserved for the last activity.

The roughly 20 challenges require the use of both physical and mental power, not from each person, but rather from the whole group. “Leadership, teamwork, and trust are the big things we work on,” says Pritchett.

Groups must work together to pass each member through webbed rope called the Spider Web. The Puzzle forces everyone to work together to solve the large wooden brainteaser with limited access to a diagram. And the Nitro Swing faces the group with the dilemma of getting from one side to the other, with the rope stuck in the middle.

Throughout the course the students are confronted with challenges that may not be found in the classroom, but still emphasize similar principles.

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jay clark

By Stephen McNulty

“It’s really good for them to p reinforce what we did in class Field day as far as team building,” says Business student Prem Alesha Schilling, graduate lab Patel negotiates an obstacle course during facilitator.

After each task is completed introductory field games designed to loosen up the group discusses how they participants and build achieved their goal, what skills teamwork skills. translate to the real world, and how it all is beneficial to the business world.

“It helps those who don’t really know each other to get into an environment where communication is required to get to a certain objective,” says fellow graduate lab facilitator Jonathan Atamanchuck.

When the students finish their day, they are expected not only to come away with new friends and a fun experience, but also a better understanding of how to work with their peers as a team.

“I really learned about a lot people that are in my class,” says Moran. “How they work and the best way to work with a team that you are not familiar with.”

MARCH/APRIL 2012

Pirates Helping Pirates

SUCCEED

Pi r at e T u t o r in g C e n t e r The Pirate Tutoring Center is for ECU students and provides the following services: • Daytime appointment and evening walk-in peer tutoring sessions on 1000- and 2000-level courses

Evening tutoring sessions are offered during fall and spring semesters every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights at Joyner Library from

• Individualized academic skills coaching

6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

• Tutoring referrals and resource support

No appointment needed—just walk in for tutoring help.

• Specialized academic success workshops • PTC small group study sessions on College Hill

All PTC services are free to ECU students.

To make a daytime appointment call 252-737-3009 or e-mail tutoring@ecu.edu.

Pirate Tutoring Center Joyner Library, Room 1015 252-737-3009 tutoring@ecu.edu

www.ecu.edu/piratetutoringcenter

east carolina university

PURPLE! 49

campus rec & club sports intramurals Didn’t impress coach ruff at walk-on tryouts? Don’t let that stop you!

By Jessica creson nottingham

East Carolina University’s intramural sports program is an especially popular way for students to continue, or to explore, an interest in playing sports competitively.

The intramural sports program is made up of a variety of sports that accommodate all levels of expertise and are played on campus against fellow ECU students, faculty, and staff. The only thing necessary is strong leadership.

“There are a lot of leadership opportunities [with intramurals]—we need sports officials, captains, and managers,” says Mark Parker, the assistant director of intramural sports.

Each year, roughly 5,000 students participate in the program with sports ranging from Wiffleball to bowling to innertube water polo, to more popular sports like soccer, basketball, and flag football. Occasionally, some teams play in extramural games that compete with intramural teams from other universities within the region.

“Intramurals provide a recreation and competition outlet; to be able to participate in the sports students grew up playing or to try out new sports,” says Parker. “And it fosters healthy lifestyles.”

On November 2, flag football and volleyball played their championship games, which serves as a grand finale for the top teams and their fans. According to Parker, approximately 165 flag football teams play between 450 to 500 games a year, and the championship games are the final seven played.

During the sorority flag football championship game, the sorority sisters rooted for team with the same enthusiasm as cheering on their favorite football team. They settled in and huddled together on the bleachers with snacks and blankets.

The sorority sisters were not the only ones in the crowd.

A group of students set up and broke down the field equipment, served popcorn to the crowd, and observed the games to earn volunteer hours for a class.

“Intramurals are a great way for students to be active and play competitive sports—it’s something to do to get away from studying and be active, exercise, and social,” says Paul Ragnato, sports studies major. “It’s better than sitting at home watching TV.” 50 PURPLE!

u sorority rush Alpha Phi went head-tohead with Sigma Sigma Sigma, but came up short losing the game by 1 point, 7-6.

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november 2 Championship Results:

Flag Football Champions Co-Rec Final: Houdini Women’s Final: Matt Damon Girlfriends Sorority Final: Sigma Sigma Sigma Men’s Purple (Recreational) Final: Ghostriders Men’s Gold (Competitive) Final: Snikelfritz Fraternity Purple (Recreational) Final: SAE Purple Fraternity Gold (Competitive) Final: Phi Gam Gold

Volleyball Champions Co-Rec (Purple) Final: Free Agents Co-Rec (Gold) Final: STAFF Women’s Final: The Dino Nuggets Sorority Final: Alpha Omicron Pi Men’s Gold (Competitive) Final: STAFF Fraternity Purple (Recreational) Final: Chi Phi Purple Fraternity Gold (Competitive) Final: SAE Gold

For a complete list of all championship winners, visit this website: www.ecu.edu/cs-studentaffairs/crw/ programs/intramural_sports/champions.cfm east carolina university

PURPLE! 51

miss Don’t another missexciting another year… exciting Don’t miss another excitingyear… year

ance ance d Elephant Elephant E ncore !

2012 2012 Man Man The

The

the night of rising stars

chool of Theatre Original and Choreography Dance Faculty

by School of Theatre and Dance Faculty st Jennifer Archibald and guest artist Jennifer Archibald

DECEMbEr 3, 2011 February 23–28,February 23–28, 2012 Music by Richard Rodgers 2012 A memorable evening of show tunes,

Eclectic.

By by Bernard Pomerance Book and Lyrics Oscar Pomerance Hammerstein II By Bernardtheatre, and dance second to none.

Eccentric.

YourMerrick ticket who’s to this event goes to raising The life of John Merrick who’s The life of John scholarship funds that help many of historically documented historically documented these highly talented and hard-working illness, experiences, and death illness, experiences, and death are presented in a series of are presented in a series of see a great revue, and students.

You’ll short, metaphorically rich short, metaphorically know thatrich you’re investing in the future dialogues. The play’s theme dialogues. The play’s theme of theatre and dance at ECU. of the illusory nature of the illusory nature of life Daily of at life 8:00 p.m., All Seats – $35.00 and perception is dramatized and perception is dramatized except Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in several ways; but chiefly in in several ways; but chiefly in McGinnis Theatre the portrayal General of the hideously the portrayal of the hideously Public — $15 deformed Merrick by an deformed Merrick by an ECU Student/Youth — $10 obviously wholly functional obviously wholly functional actor. actor.

Eccentric.

November 17 - 22, 2011

Electric.

Electric. photo by Bill Meetze

photo by Bill Meetze

26-31, 2012 January 26-31, 2012

nis Theatre

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General Public – $12.50

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ommodation under Individuals the Americans requesting with accommodation Disabilities Actunder (ADA)the should Americans contact with theDisabilities Department Act for(ADA) Disability should Support contact Services the Department for Disability Support Services Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should contact the Department for Disability Support Services Printed recycled paper with nonstate funds.PrintedDates on recycled and titles paper subject with to nonstate change.funds.

Dates and titles subject to change. he event at 252-737-1016 at least 48(voice/TTY). hours prior to the event aton 252-737-1016 (voice/TTY).

Printed on recycled paper with nonstate funds.

Dates and titles subject to change. at least 48 hours prior to the event at 252-737-1016 (voice/TTY).

ecuarts.com www.ecuarts.com * 252-328-6829 * 252-328-6829 52 PURPLE!

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campus rec & club sports equestrian club

pirates saddle up at cottonwood farm By jessica creson nottingham

u hot to trot Kathryn Hall thought she would have to quit riding after high school, but now competes regularly with the ECU team.

With more individual wins and members than ever, the ECU equestrian club team of 24 riders is having its best season yet since it formed roughly eight years ago. The team has appeared in five shows this semester with the regional and national championships in the spring.

The team hosted the final Intercollegiate Horse Show Association for zone 4, region 3 teams of the semester on their home course Cottonwood Farm in Vanceboro, North Carolina, on November 13 for the second time. Riders will qualify individually to go to the championships.

“The caliber of riding has grown exponentially,” says Kathryn Hall, a junior and the ECU equestrian team captain.

A major component of the club sports program is finding a facility that is close by and can accommodate competitions and the practice needs of ECU students.

The ECU equestrian club team found Cottonwood Farm.

“It holds enough horses and riders, and we get along with [the staff],” says Hall. “All of our personalities mesh really well.”

The team is always looking for more members to join and anyone can be on a club team—no matter the skill level. The amount of horses can play a role in how many riders can compete in shows, but that is the only limitation.

Hall is one of many who simply expected to quit riding after high school. “The opportunity is so amazing. It’s really nice to come into college and find a group of people who have something in common,” says Hall. “The camaraderie and being friends is really important.”

At ECU’s home show at Cottonwood had an average turnout with 122 entries from 10 schools (St. Andrews, NCSU, Duke, UNC, UNCC, UNCW, Davidson, VCU, ECU, and Coastal Carolina). The team of students planned and ran the show themselves, while some even managed to compete as well.

“This was an amazing experience and a huge level of responsibility,” says Hall. “We had to manage money and what everyone was doing—it’s the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”

jane trapp

east carolina university

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pirate spirit dance team

Let’s move! touchdowns and points scored are great­—but leadership and service really get this dancer moving

jay clark (2)

By Jessica creson nottingham

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Being a Pirate is not something senior nursing major and dance team captain Jordyn Barrick takes lightly.

Barrick, who is a Mooresville native, experienced more during her freshman year than most ECU dancers as it was the last time the team went to Disney World to compete in the Universal Dance Association—making her one of the most experienced dancers on the team. During this exciting year for the team and for Barrick, something else became apparent.

“There’s a poem called ‘Little Eyes are Watching You’ and it helped me realize what I was about to get into as a freshman,” says Barrick, who has now in her fourth year as a dancer for ECU. “I was going to be somebody’s role model.”

The ECU dance team mainly performs at football, basketball, and baseball games.

During football and basketball seasons, the dancers perform alongside the ECU Marching Pirates. This is one of the only dance teams that performs at baseball games.

“Dance and band help guide the atmosphere at games,” she says. “When all the fans have left, we’re still there with the band cheering on. We just add to the game-day atmosphere.”

In addition to ECU athletics, the dancers participate in a number of community and charity events including the ALS walk, Relay for Life, Walk for Women (a breast cancer fundraiser), and a Girl MARCH/APRIL 2012

Scout Day, where Girl Scouts earn a badge by Line Dancer dancing for half a day Barrick, who has been dancing since she was 3 years old, under the instruction is studying to become a nurse. of the ECU team.

As a dance team captain, her “Dance has opened schedule is demanding. Team members perform at games, plus my eyes and made me participate in charity events and blossom,” says Barrick, competitions. who has been dancing since she was 3 years old.

“I am really shy and it has helped me with talking to people, especially Pirate Club events where you meet a lot of people.”

The team dances at special events including ECU’s open house for incoming freshman giving the groups a glimpse into a piece of college life. The team also hosts a dance competition with middle- and high-school students and allstar teams from around North Carolina.

“I didn’t want to just be a Pirate—I wanted to be an outstanding Pirate,” says Barrick. “[Dance] has pushed me to be a better person, athlete, and student—just a better Pirate.”

In the years following her freshman year, the dance team has gone to Myrtle Beach every spring to compete in the National p

east carolina university

Dance Alliance. The team came in third place her sophomore year in the hip-hop category, which was the first time the team had done so well in roughly a decade at the NDA. Barrick found her passion for nursing unexpectedly. She passed out while dancing at a basketball game and was taken to Pitt County Memorial Hospital. She was so impressed and moved by the nurses who cared for her that she knew it was what she wanted to do for a living. “[The nurses’] bedside manner and attention to detail just struck me and I don’t think I would have recovered as quickly without that,” says Barrick. “I wanted to go into the medical field and originally majored in biology. I was lost until I went to the hospital.”

As one of the two captains on the team, Barrick helps to make sure all the freshmen and upperclassmen have someone to talk to for guidance on issues from choreography to academics.

“Sometimes it can be intimidating to talk to the coach,” says Barrick. “So we help keep the team together and offer support. We make sure everything stays consistent.”

Barrick plans to graduate in May 2013 and hopes to go into pediatrics.

PURPLE! 55

ship’s log pirate treasure found

forrest croce

Steve Loper, right, presents the 1961 East Carolina baseball jersey he purchased on eBay to head coach Billy Godwin.

Jersey returns to ECU from down under “throwback” hat he purchased honoring the 1961 team, so he bought it right away. The previous owner bought the jersey from a vintage A jersey thought to have been worn clothing thrift store, but how it ended by legendary East Carolina baseball up there in Australia is a mystery. coach Jim Mallory during the Pirates’ After doing some research, Loper 1961 NAIA national championship discovered the jersey most likely season was donated to the school belonged to Mallory. He contacted

by Steve Loper ’01 of Cary, North athletics director Terry Holland and Carolina. Current ECU baseball head coach Godwin, who were very intercoach Billy Godwin took possession ested in having the jersey returned to of the jersey for the university.

ECU. It is currently on display in a Loper, who collects ECU memora- case outside of Godwin’s office. bilia, said he found the jersey offered “I have other jerseys but this one for sale on eBay by a person in Austra- was different,” said Loper. “I wanted to lia. He recognized the Pirate patch on share this piece of history with other the sleeve because it matched one on a Pirates—past, present, and future.”

By jay clark

Spring, 1961...

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Coach Mallory compiled a record of 161-60 during nine years in the dugout, and also served as dean of men during a 33-year career at East Carolina.

MARCH/APRIL 2012

east carolina university

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fan-cam

The Minges Maniacs packed the stands for the game against Memphis on February 8. The Pirates fell to the Tigers, 70-59, moving their record to 3­–4 in Conference USA, and 12–11 overall before facing Marshall on February 11. photo by jay clark

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