Herd Insider Magazine vol 19 #15 July 2017

July 2017

www.HerdInsider.com

This Was The Season We take you through the sports season that was 2016 in the pages of Herd Insider Magazine

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UP FRONT

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VOLUME 19 NO. 15

Byron Leftwich is getting some nice pub as he takes over for the Arizona Cardinals as full-time quarterbacks coach, something he did as an intern in 2016. Bruce Arians –who was the offensive coordinator when Leftwich came to the team as a backup to Ben Roethlisberger– thinks the former QB will be a head coach in the NFL soon.

compiled by Woody Woodrum Herd Insider senior editor Pate, the former head coach at Lenoir-Rhyne as well as head coach at Belmont-Abbey and at Coker College. She won over 100 games as a head coach, and was associate head coach at L-R to former head coach Todd Starkey (now head coach at Kent State).

Pate was also an assistant at Georgia State, an educator and researcher during her career, working with basketball analyst Debbie Antoelli on the “Sweet 16 to Las Vegas” project. She also When the team parted with running backs coach Stump Mitchell (who went to the Jets) after the season, Arians moved Fred- worked at University of South Carolina-Upstate as the director of athletic marketing/promotions for two years, so she has worked in coaching, die Kitchens from quarterbacks to running backs, and installed research, advertising, branding, creative services and as an academic Leftwich with the quarterbacks. “(Leftwich will) be a head coach supervisor as an assistant. This is a great hire of a very experienced asearly and fast,” Arians said. “I played the game as if I was a coach,” sistant for Kemper’s first season at the helm of the MU program, looking Leftwich said. “I never really had the physical ability to run around. I could throw the ball, but I had to think my way through the whole time. to bounce back in 2017-18 from a disappointing 13-17 season last year that included only a 9-6 record in the Henderson Center.

I think (Arians) understood that and appreciated my knowledge, how much work I put into the game.”

Cornelius “Corny” Jackson (MU 1998-2001) is another new assistant for men’s basketball and coach Dan D’Antoni. The “I’ve been around long enough to know I need it. I need former Herd point guard, hired in April, will be there to coach coaching, tips and help and pointers,” Cards QB Carson current point guard Jon Elmore (a junior with two seasons left) and Palmer said. “I know when someone knows it and they don’t, newcomer Jarrod West from Clarksburg Notre Dame (son of Jarrod West, and he knows it. I don’t care if he’s five years younger or 15 years older, Sr., a WVU player) — probably the most exciting newcomer in a list that he knows what he is talking about. And he played in the same exact includes many new players. Guys like Jannson Williams (redshirted system and he played for B.A.(Arians), so there are a lot of positives last season), junior Rondale Watson (transfer from Wake Forest, sat out with him.”

2016-17), freshmen Tanner Robinette and Iran Bennett (both from AW Hamilton’s last team at Hargrave, freshman Darius George (most likely a Speaking of coaches with great resumés, Tony Kemper — the Herd’s women’s coach after the return of Matt Daniel and family redshirt to add pounds and muscle), and juco Dani Kolijanin. to Arkansas — hired one in new Associate Head Coach Katie

WHAT WE’VE GOT

HERD INSIDER / July 2017 / 3

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VOLUME 19 No. 15

THE MAIN STORY

THIS WAS THE SEASON

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It’s summer time, and the sports story buffet is pretty thin this time of year. So, we decided to take a look back at the season that was 2016-17 here at Herd Insider Magazine. Our senior editor Woody Woodrum compiled his stories (and those of others) to capsulize the entire season. We threw in a sprinkling of our best photos as well, to provide you with some solid reading and viewing material this summer.

FOOTBALL - Page 4 SOFTBALL - Page 8 BASEBALL - Page 9 BASKETBALL - Page 10 TRACK & FIELD - Page 11

TENNIS - Page 11 GOLF - Page 15 VOLLEYBALL - Page 19 SWIMMING/DIVING - Page 19

NEW FACES IN TOWN

SUMMER BRINGS NEW COACHES

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Just when you thought the season(s) were over, some new coaches were hired in Huntington. With the departure of Shonda Stanton from the Marshall softball program (after a spectacular season), Jen Steele was hired to assume the mantle as head coach. Just a week or two prior, Katie Pate was announced as the new assistant coach for the Marshall women’s basketball program.

555 Fifth Avenue Huntington, WV 25701 (304) 523-8401

General Manager Mike Kirtner Contributor Bill Cornwell

On the cover: An assemblage of photographs from the 2016-17 sports seasons, featuring Marshall basketball, football, and softball. photos by Greg Perry/HI staff

Creative Director Greg Perry Contributor James E. Casto

Associate GM Reeves Kirtner First Subscriber Geoff Sheils

This page: Marshall football fans on the east side of Joan C. Edwards Stadium were crept up on by a big full moon in the second half of the 2016 game against FAU. photo by Greg Perry/HI staff

Senior Editor Woody Woodrum Printing Printograph, Inc.

Web Operations Alex Hackney All contents ©2017 Kindred Communications

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photography by Greg Perry/Herd Insider Magazine

This Was The Season

S

We take you through the sports season that was 2016 in the pages of Herd Insider Magazine ummer time is here, and the local sports scene is as dry as Four Pole Creek in Huntington. What better time to look back at all that happened locally in the sports season that was 2016-17? Read on…

The 2016-17 season for the Huntington-area sports fan offered a lot. As in lots of ups and lots of downs. Which is why we buy the tickets, the programs, and spend ungodly sums of money on the latest Nike wear or that snazzy tailgating setup with the grill that rides on your truck’s tailgate.

And in this area, none is more visible than Thundering Herd Football. After winning 33 games from 201315, including a C-USA Championship, two East division titles and three bowl games (4-0 in all bowls since 2010), the bottom dropped out for the football team at Marshall as the Thundering Herd stumbled to 3-9 last season. A combination of injuries, a lack of offensive production, a defense which took a step back and a general malaise hit the program of coach John “Doc” Holliday, with the worst record at Marshall since Mark Snyder’s third team fell to a similar 3-9 season in 2007 — not an era fans remember with warm thoughts.

The key to a turnaround going forward hopefully started with a number of junior college players joining the team for 2017 spring football, but how quickly will the additional newcomers, both freshmen and non-qualifiers, mix with the returning starters? Changes were made on the staff, with Todd Goebbel moved to quarterbacks and co-offensive coordinator, a new coach for receivers in Dallas Baker, a new running backs coach in Pepe Pearson and offensive coordinator

Bill Legg moving to tight ends as Dave Dunn moved to the recruiting coordinator and defensive analyst.

Can Holliday’s Herd return to winning in one season? Can they challenge WKU (here in November), Middle Tennessee, Old Dominion (Homecoming game), or Southern Miss (Senior Day game at MU) at the top of the East Division? Or will there again be loses to teams like the games at Charlotte, FIU, and UTSA like in 2016? On top of that, the 2017 season opener is against an improved Miami-Ohio team at home, with two tough road non-conference appearances at NC State of the ACC and at Cincinnati of the AAC and another MAC opponent in a home game with Kent State.

What, you say the Herd can’t lose to the Flashes? Did anyone dream that Akron would manhandle the Herd, 65-38 in Huntington last year? Or that the Herd would also lose to North Texas, Charlotte and FIU for the first time in 2016?

The Herd offense was out of sync in just about every area in 2016, yet rose up to crush a good Middle Tennessee team 42-17 at home, and came back against Pittsburgh in a 43-27 shootout. The numbers reflected the lack of cohesion, as the Herd finished 114th nationally in total offense and 122nd in rushing offense. Quarterback Chase Litton (21 starts first two seasons), who was pressured constantly when the offensive line was banged up all year, showed more temperament than leadership last year, not even present for the final game of the year with WKU.

There will be new weapons for Litton this season, and the guy who allowed. Heater’s charges had / July 2017 / HERD INSIDER / 5 impressed everyone in the spring was Miami-Fla. transfer Tyre Brady, improved every season since his arwho sat out last season but had four catches for 156 yards and made rival, so maybe last year was a combination of poor offensive producboth the easy and tough catches in the spring game, scoring twice. tion putting too much pressure on a new secondary and defense as a Senior tight end Ryan Yurachek (23 starts in three seasons) returns, whole. There was also the team’s inability to make plays in the middle along with talented redshirt freshman Cody Mitchell, and the Herd got of the field, whether it was the defensive front or the second level two more receivers this spring and summer. among the linebackers.

Former Oklahoma State walk-on Obi Obialo joined the Herd. ObiMarshall’s coaching staff moved talented defensive end Ryan Bee alo, 6-3, 201-pounds, out of Coppell, Texas, was a 3-star recruit until a (19 career starts for the 6-7, 270-pound RS-Jr.) to the interior to add a dislocated ankle during his senior year backed off most schools, and as still growing playmaker to the mix while shifting Davon Durant (6-2, a walk-on to OSU he is immediately eligible this fall for the Herd. Also 242, RS-Sr.) and Damien Dozier (6-4, 215, RS-Soph., who had nine in for the spring was Marcel Williams (Ellsworth CC, 1 catch for six tackles, a sack and tackle for loss in spring game) to defensive end yard TD in spring) and Armani Levias (Laney CC, 1 catch for 15 yards in from their previous spots at linebacker for speed rush. In the spring, spring game), adding to the depth of Nick Matredshirt sophomore Aaron Dopson (6-4, 266) thews (5 catches for 56 yards, including 15 yards earned a scholarship with his knack for playstory by Woody Woodrum Herd Insider Magazine senior editor and 23 yards touchdowns in spring game) and making (four tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for Hyleck Foster in the slot and young wide outs loss and a fumble recovery in the spring game) like Willie Johnson (3 catches for 63 yards in spring game, including and nasty attitude on the field.

53-yard TD), Simino Walden, and Tramell Carey.

Those moves were made possible because Marshall coach Doc The rushing attack was sub-par last season in the read option — Holliday signed a pair of talented linebackers from junior college in which Litton hardly ever ran the ball, so the option was pretty easy in both Donyae Moody (Hartnell CC), who in the spring game had 4 for opposing defenses to figure out. The Herd finished last in Confertackles, a tackle for loss and QB pressure) and Artis Johnson (Reedley ence USA in both rushing yards per game (108.2) and yards per rush CC), who had four tackles and an interception in spring game), while (3.3) — but junior college signee Trey Rodriguez (who was formerly redshirt frosh backer Brandon Drayton had seven tackles and broke at FAU) and Tyler King, who sat out last season, both now join 2016’s up a pass in the spring game. Redshirt junior Juwon Young, another leading rusher Keion Davis (18/93 rush in spring game) and 2016’s Herd transfer who sat in 2016 from Miami-Fla., had seven tackles and oft-injured junior Anthony Anderson, who has worked hard on condia tackle for loss in the spring game. tioning since arriving last summer overweight. Redshirt freshman JoJaquan Yulee, one of the Class of 2016’s top players nationally beseph Early surprised many when ran for 78 yards on 21 carries behind fore sitting out a year as a non-qualifier, will also give the Herd greater the twos, and scored one touchdown in the spring game. depth, and more players to contribute not only on defense but special As many difficulties as Marshall’s offense had, Herd fans were teams, and the Herd have plenty of talent at the second level. shocked when the defense of DC Chuck Heater also struggled throughFrankie Hernandez, a redshirt junior, will see time and had six out the 2016 season, finishing 107th in both yards allowed and points continued on page 6

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tackles, two tackles for loss and broke up a pass in the spring game while RS-Jr. Chase Hancock had four tackles and a pass broken up in the game.

Sophomore Omari Cobb also is in the mix at linebacker, with five tackles and a tackle for loss in spring.

The secondary will be the strength of the defense with cornerbacks in senior Rodney Allen and true sophomore Chris Jackson returning along with another sophomore, Jaylon-McClain Sapp. Safeties include senior C.J. Reavis, senior Kendall Gant, and redshirt sophomores Malik Gant and George Davis plus junior college transfer Kereon Merrell (Dodge City CC) give depth.

Marshall’s placekicking was a nightmare last season as Amoreto Curraj hit just 4-of-10 field goal attempts and 39-of-42 on extra-points.

However, the addition of freshman kicker Cole Phillips is expected to shore up the position and Robert LeFevre also came in during the spring.

Long snapper Matt Beardall earned a scholarship in the spring.

The Herd’s punting also took a hit in 2016, so punter Kaare Vedvik (40.0 yards per punt, lowest average since 2009) needs to establish consistency in that department. Punt returns for the team only averaged 8.7 per return (Hyleck Foster had 15 for 9.1 per return). Keion Davis averaged 23.2 per kick return on 26 returns, including a 99-yard return for touchdown while Foster returned five for 24.4 per return (long 52) and Willie Johnson had four for a 27.0 average before injuring his leg.

Can the Herd turn it around in 2017? We will find out quite a bit about this team in game one at the Joan C. Edwards Stadium when a Miami-Ohio program coming off a bowl game is the opener on Sept. 2 — a win over the Herd’s hated rival from the Mid-American Conference will be a measuring stick for most Marshall fans who expect two wins over the MAC schools and playing well in Raleigh, N.C. against the Wolfpack (beware the turkey sandwiches in post-game, and ACC officials!) and at the Queen City of the Ohio against the Bearcats of the American. continued on page 8

Tony Pittman leaped high over the line during the 59-28 loss to the #3-ranked Louisville Cardinals in September of 2016.

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Marshall Softball was honored over and over this season, with any number of league, academic and national honors for both players and coaches. The Marshall softball team also ended the 2017 softball season ranked No. 24 in the final USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. “I’m thankful for Team 24,” Stanton said. “And for them elevating expectations in setting a new standard for Herd softball in terms of competitive excellence. Our staff is proud of what this group accomplished on the field and in the classroom and all the credit goes to the student-athletes wearing the green and white.”

of the Dr. Dorothy Hicks Marshall Female Student-Athlete of the Year award this year.

Elicia D’Orazio, the winner of the Golden Shoe Award as the nation’s leader in stolen bases, also plays for the Puerto Rico National Team. Eloise Tribolet will once again don the French National Team uniform, 2012 senior Erika Bennett plays for Team Mexico, and Zerkle will be on Team USA this summer.

During Stanton’s tenure, Marshall won 560 games including 135 over the past four seasons. Marshall has consistently been among the top in the country in stolen bases having been ranked more times in

Jordan Dixon (center) and the Marshall softball team reached new heights in 2016-17, reaching the NCAA tournament while notching up 42 wins and a final ranking of #24 in the USA Today coaches poll.

Stanton turned the Marshall program into a juggernaut. Stanton came to Marshall in the summer of 1999 and led the program for the last 18 seasons before taking the head job at Indiana. She has taken the Herd into the national and international conversation as this summer four current and past Marshall players will put on National Team uniforms.

In the group’s fourth season together, Marshall won a program-best 42 games (breaking a record set by a Stanton team in 2003).

Marshall set a team record with a 17-game winning streak from March 3-April 1. The Herd spent four weeks ranked in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 poll and held a top 30 RPI ranking for the majority of the season.

The individual accolades rolled in for a team that finished 20-4 and won the Conference USA Regular Season title for the first time.

Marshall racked up Conference USA Coach of the Year (Stanton), Player of the Year in infielder Zerkle and Pitcher of the Year was Herd starter Jordan Dixon.

Zerkle and Dixon were also honored as NFCA All-America selections, a testament to the whole coaching staff as well as co-winners

the top 10 (11) than any other program, and led the country for the third time since 2011 this season.

Fearn worked with the hitters and the outfield. The Herd has combined for a .313 batting average over the past four years and has recorded three of the top four scoring seasons in team history. Marshall broke its team record for stolen bases each of the last three years.

The Herd had at least one player bat over .400 for the third consecutive season. In 2017, Marshall had its highest slugging percentage (.459) since 2008.

Under Fearn, Zerkle set several team career, season and game records. By the end of the 2017 season, Zerkle was Marshall’s all-time leader in batting average (.451), stolen bases (162) and triples (14). As a senior, Zerkle led the Herd with a .476 average, 79 hits, 28 extra base hits, hit at a .789 slugging percentage, and had a .508 on-base percentage.

Zerkle developed into one of the best players in the country as she was selected first to the USA Women’s Elite Team in 2016 and now the National Team. She was drafted by the Scrap Yard Dawgs of the Nationcontinued on page 9

al Pro Fastpitch League in April, joining them after playing for Team USA this summer — the only non-P5 school player to make the squad.

Bell worked the Marshall pitchers and developed Dixon into one of the best pitchers in the country and in Marshall history. Marshall’s winning percentage of .616 over the last four seasons is second-best for a four-year stretch by just one point (.617 from 2003-06). Bell’s work with the pitching staff allowed Marshall to reach new heights as twice Dixon was among the top five in the country in total wins.

Dixon finished her senior year with the third most wins in Division I. The senior ace also reached a combination of career numbers that once looked unattainable. Under Bell, Dixon became the first Herd pitcher to earn 100 wins (108), record 1,000 strikeouts (1,115) and pitch in 1,000 innings (1,074.2). On her to becoming an All-American, Dixon won 17-straight starts from March 3-April 14 and finished conference play with a record of 15-2. Dixon tossed two no-hitters in 2017 includ-

were named C-USA July 2017 / HERD INSIDER / 9 Player and Pitcher of the Year, respectively, while six players garnered all-conference honors.

Zerkle and junior Taylor McCord were conference All-Academic selection. D’Orazio, McCord, Zerkle and Dixon were NFCA Mideast All-Region selections. Zerkle and Dixon received the highest honors being named NFCA All-Americans. It was the first time Marshall softball had multiple athletes named All-Americans in the same season.

Along with so many other awards, Zerkle was a finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, a Senior CLASS Award first team All-American and a Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America honoree. The Milton, W.Va., native will be spending the summer playing for the USA National Team, then join professional softball with the team who drafted her, the Scrap Yard Dawgs of the National Pro Fastpitch League.

Tyler Ratliff led Marshall baseball with 53 runs scored in 210 at-bats, with three triples, three sacrifice flies, and 125 assists in 2016-17. photograph by Clyde Click for Herd Insider Magazine

ing a 2-0 victory over WKU in the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament. It was just the second no-hitter in conference tournament history.

Myslenski played for two seasons under the trio of coaches and then joined the staff for the 2016 season after being medically disqualified as a student-assistant. As a player, Myslenski fought through injuries to become a rock at first base in 2015. She made the switch from middle infield to first and learned from Fearn, a former first-baseman during her playing days at UNLV. Once with the staff, Myslenski worked wherever she was needed and helped the team tremendously with the breakdown of game film. She also assisted with many other office duties including academics.

Marshall racked up numerous individual accolades throughout the season as well. Five times the Herd had players selected as the Conference USA Player/Pitcher of the Week. Seniors Zerkle and Dixon

D’Orazio finished the season as the NCAA’s stolen base leader and the winner of the Golden Shoe Award — an award won by Zerkle two years ago. D’Orazio broke the Marshall and Conference USA record with 59 steals and recorded 1.09 thefts per game. The junior’s final steal of the year came in the sixth inning against DePaul in the NCAA Regional Tournament. D’Orazio stole home to tie the game at 1-1 and Marshall went on to win 2-1 in the eighth inning.

Marshall Baseball had its first winning season since 1994 in 2016 (winning 34 games) and while the Herd slipped a bit in 2017, there were still a number of highlights for this past season. The Herd finished just four games under .500, at 25-29, and was 12-18 in a Conference USA that sent three teams of 12 to the NCAA Regionals. continued on page 10

John McKinney (1985, 11th round, 278 overall), Greg Williams (2011, / July 2017 Perhaps the most disappointing fact was the Herd set at 25-23 with 12th round, 384 overall), John Chafin (1988, 18th round, 457 overall), Isaac Ballou (2013, 15th round, 466 overall) and Joe Church (2012, 17th two weekends to go after winning five in a row with a Sunday win at round, 525 overall) as the 10th Herd player to be selected in the first 20 ODU, taking three straight from WKU in Huntington in the first C-USA rounds of the draft. games to be played at the YMCA’s George T. Smailes Field on Route 2 Ratliff tied Herd senior DH/OF Billy Sager with a .295 average, and took 2-of-3 from long-time rival Ohio with a 5-2 win at Athens, third on the team. He had 15 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs and Ohio on May 9. But in the final two series of the season, the Herd was swept by Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La. and swept by Charlotte at Appa- 47 RBI, as well as stealing 6-of-8 bases. Pitching-wise, Ratliff was 1-0 in four games, with a team low lachian Power Park in Charleston.

1.29 earned run average and three The Herd just missed the C-USA saves in 7.0 innings, recording 11 Tournament by finishing 9th strikeouts against four walks. overall, after advancing to the Herd redshirt junior reliever semifinals the year before.

Matt Reed, who came to Marshall Marshall was 15-11 at home, from Clemson as a catcher, led the 10-17 on the road and 0-1 at a Herd with a 6-5 record out of the neutral site game against Ohio U. pen in 24 games. He led the Herd Shane Hanon, a redshirt freshman with five saves in 38.1 innings from Edmonds Community Colpitched, striking out 34 and lege, led the Herd with a .342 batwalking 19. The leading starter ting average — the best average to was sophomore Wade Martin who lead the Herd in hitting since Kurt had the second best ERA on the Lipton hit .375 in 2010. Hanon team at 4.24 and finished 3-4. He had 10 doubles, two home runs, 33 led the team with 14 starts, and RBI and was 9-of-14 in the cleanup pitched a Herd best 87.0 innings, spot in the lineup most of the year. with a team best 77 strikeouts and Senior Sam Finfer was the 25 walks, as teams hit just .242 only other regular to hit over .300 against him. as his .338 was very close to HaAnother dual position player non. Finfer was named to the 2017 was Will Ray, a junior from Oleny ABCA/Rawlings NCAA Division I Central College. As a pitcher, he Mideast All-Region First Team by started six games and played in 14, the American Baseball Coaches had three saves and a 3-3 mark. In Association. The teams are voted 44.1 innings, he allowed 12 walks on by members of the American against 28 strikeouts. As a second Baseball Coaches Association. baseman, he hit .240 with nine Finfer was named to the doubles, two home runs and 10 All-Conference USA First Team RBI, stealing 9-of-14 bases. and was selected as a semifinalist The good news is Waggoner’s for the Gregg Olson Award for team had only four seniors — FinBreakout Player of the Year in fer, Sager, shortstop Leo Valenti, 2017. The Bellevue, Wash., native and first baseman Tommy Lane, held a .338 batting average and led plus Ratliff. The Herd returns the Herd with a .410 on-base and starters catcher Rey Pastrana (JR), .692 slugging percentage. second baseman Ray (SR) and Finfer led Conference USA all three outfielders in Hanon, at the end of the regular season Andrew Zban (JR) and Cory Garwith 18 home runs, good for the rastazu (RS-JR). fifth-most in a single season in Pitchers who return are Reed, Marshall history and the most Ray, Zac McNeel (RS-FR), Joshua since now Herd assist coach Shapiro (JR), Brad O’Connor (SR), Victor Gomez had 18 in 2009 for Hunter Sexton (SO), Brandon Marshall. Finfer finished with a Romero (RS-SR), Parker Beine team-high 68 hits, 17 doubles, 51 (RS-JR), Tucker Linder (RS-SR), RBI and 139 total bases. He had 19 Austin Loop hit this three-pointer over UTEP’s Dominic Artis to become Nicholas Newton (senior), Jacob multi-hit games, including two of four hits. He was second on the team the all-time leader at Marshall University with 252 made three-pointers. Niggemeyer (senior), Michael Gizzi (SR), Mark Meyer (SO), Sam Boone with 11 multi-RBI games.

(RS-JR), Patrick Murphy (JR), and Jacob Bradley (SO).

Junior third baseman and pitcher Tyler Ratliff was selected with the 524th pick in the 17th round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Texas Rangers in June. “Tyler [Ratliff] is one of the It was an up-and-down year for Marshall Basketball, as best positional players that we’ve had in the program,” head coach Jeff the women slipped under .500 for the first time in three years and the Waggoner said. “He has helped elevate the program to new heights. men’s team challenged for the C-USA crown for the first time since I’m so excited for him to have the opportunity to play professionally or 2012. Marshall’s women under Matt Daniel had played post-season basto return for his senior season.” ketball for the past two years, going 1-1 in the WBI two years ago and Ratliff became the ninth highest draft selection in program histothen playing to the semifinals of the C-USA Tournament then going on ry, as the Alexandria, Va., product joins Aaron Blair (2013, first round, to the WNIT for the first time since 1971.

36 overall), Joe Goddard (1971, eighth round, 175 overall), Kansas City continued on page 11 Royals HOF reliever Jeff Montgomery (1983, ninth round, 212 overall),

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By the end of a 13-17 season, Daniel announced he was leaving — Herd was 13-3 at home.

July 2017 / HERD INSIDER / 11 which for a five-year coach happens too often at Marshall, because he didn’t win or getting a higher paying job. It was more like the second answer except the better job was for his dentist wife, Jennifer, back in The Marshall track and field team completed its season their native Arkansas. Daniel leaves the team in the capable hands of on a high note Sunday at the Conference USA Outdoor Track and Field top assistant Tony Kemper, who was named head coach on March 17.

Championships hosted by UTEP. As a team, the Herd finished in sevShayna Gore is one of the great scorers at Marshall (17.5 points/ enth place with 43 points. This was the second highest finish ever for game), the team hopes to get Talequia Hamilton (12.7 points, 7 rethe team in both standings and points at the outdoor conference chambounds per game) a sixth-year from the NCAA and players like senior pionships. The top finish ever was set in 2013 when Marshall finished Taylor Porter (8.4 points, fifth with 63 points. Howand injured much of the ever, 2013 featured only year), junior Khadaijia 12 schools as opposed to Brooks (7.8 points, and 13 schools this year. injured late) and fresh“Our kids had 24 men Ashley Saintigene lifetime best performancand Asheika Alexander es. Everywhere you look (4.5 points per game for the kids placed higher both), the Herd of Kemthan they were seeded. per should be ready to Two examples; our 4x400 play for a title again. meter relay was seeded On the men’s side, 10th and finished fourth with three great seniors and our 4x100 meter who had played a big relay was seeded eighth part in turning around and placed fifth,” Head Marshall, Danny D’AnCoach Jeff Small said. toni’s team rolled in the When all was said Conference USA Chamand done, the Herd track pionships with a first& field program had a round win over Florida banner year. Marshall Atlantic, a 1-point win sent three participants to over No.3 Old Dominion the NCAA East Chamin the quarterfinals, a pionships (just short of hard-fought win over No. the record four sent in 2 Louisiana Tech in the 2013), and tied or broke semifinals with 19 threes 14 records in track and for Herd, then a loss to field. MU was seventh in No. 1 Middle Tennessee both indoor and outdoor by 11 points left the Herd meets for the C-USA just short of its NCAA Championship.

Tournament bid for the “I think it may have first time since 1987. been our best year we Talequia Hamilton was rock steady for Marshall this season, averaging 11.6 points, fighting This team broke the have had here at Marall the way to the floor against La. Tech. points record just set the shall,” Small said. “Three year before with 2,997 All-Conference USA cross points scored. They also set a new record with 356 made threes in a country runners, our highest Conference USA finish indoors, our season and had top ten seasons for free throw shooting (73.4%), 1,294 second best outdoor finish, three NCAA qualifiers, and all those school rebounds, 211 steals and 140 blocks. records made it a very memorable year.”

Ryan Taylor (1,778 points, 985 rebounds, and 128 games), Austin The 2016-17 season came to a close at the NCAA East ChampionLoop (293 threes at 44.1% in his career) and Stevie Browning (968 ships. The duo of graduate senior Alexis Montes and sophomore Heidi points in two years, plus 230 assists, and 73 steals) attacked the oppoHeiniger competed on Thursday in the javelin throw, and Montes was nents as well as the record books as seniors, running the Herd to a final second at the C-USA meet while Heiniger was fifth. Senior Antonique mark of 20-15, and improving the Herd to 48-52 under D’Antoni with a Butler competed in the triple jump, finishing fourth at the C-USA meet, semifinal run last year and a run to the finals this year. on a Saturday at the close of the NCAA East Regional.

Taylor is top 20 in nearly every category statistically, Loop is the

all-time king of threes at Marshall and Browning finished two years at Fairmont State and two at Marshall with over 1,600 points, nearly The Marshall women’s tennis team’s hopes of winning a matching Taylor’s just under 1,800 points while Loop was also over Conference USA Championship were ended in the quarterfinals with a 1,000 points in just 60 games.

4-3 loss to the WKU Lady Toppers at the Waranch Tennis Center.

A returning 1,000-point scorer in Jon Elmore (19.7 points/game, The Herd got off to a slow start in doubles play. Derya Turhan and 5.9 assists), and an infusion of new talent with quality big men, a point Anna Pomyatinskaya were defeated by Lisa Freiss and Andreanna guard and shooters, a new assistant coach in former point guard Corny Christopoulou, 6-1. Maddie Silver and Rachael Morales fell to Cindy Jackson, and starters like Terrence Thompson and Adjin Penava as well Oest and Natalia De Ugarte, 6-1. Stephanie Smith and Daniela Dankas bench players CJ Burks and Aleksa Nikolic, the future continues to anych were leading against Violetta Shatalova and Monica Malinen, look good for Marshall and D’Antoni.

4-3, but their match went unfinished.

If nothing else is true, it is the continuing return of “Marshall bas“Give credit to WKU. They started quickly and we couldn’t reketball” — running the break, hitting the three, playing great defense, bound from a slow start. We needed to play better in doubles and we like the team did in the tournament — can be fun to watch for the near- failed to,” head coach John Mercer said. “I was proud of the way our ly 6,000-fans per game who turned up for games this season when the continued on page 15

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Early-Season Highlight…

In the 2016 season opener against Morgan State, Deon-Tay McManus made the highlight reel right off the bat with this incredibly acrobatic touchdown catch over the Bears’ Delonta Hall. photo by Greg Perry/HI staff

July 2017 / HERD INSIDER /

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continued from page 11 team fought back after falling behind 3-0, but we can’t expect to win when going down 3-0.”

Five members of the Marshall women’s tennis team earned All-Conference honors. Turhan was the lone representative for the Herd on the All-Conference USA Singles First Team. Juniors Maddie Silver and Stephanie Smith made the All-Conference USA Singles Second Team. Seniors Rachael Morales and Anna Pomyatinskaya garnered All-Conference USA Singles Third Team honors. Turhan and Pomyatinskaya also were selected to the All-Conference USA Doubles Second Team.

“We are very proud of the entire group. They are all excellent students as well as athletes. They are great representatives for Marshall University and have earned this recognition,” Mercer said The Herd finished the season with an overall record 14-10. Marshall reached the quarterfinals of the Conference USA tournament before falling to WKU. The Herd was 2-2 against C-USA teams, 8-5 at home, 5-3 in the Atlantic Region, 2-1 in neutral site matches and 4-4 away. The Herd beat Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Penn State from the Big Ten, and also earned wins over Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, Winthrop, Miami-Ohio, JMU, ODU, EKU, WV State University, USF, and UTEP. Finally, the Herd lost 3-4 to WKU, the College of Charleston (S.C.), No. 38 Maryland, WVU, Louisville, and VCU, just a point from improving to 18-6 and making the semifinals of the C-USA Championships.

The Marshall men’s golf team had its best finish at the Conference USA Championship since 2013 thanks to a sixth-place

finish on Monday, April 24, at the Texarkana Country Club. The Herd finished the tournament with a score of 36-over-par 900. The last time Marshall finished in the top-six was in 2013, which finished the tournament fifth. The finish concluded the Herd’s season, as it did not advance to match play in the C-USA Championship.

“It was a good tournament overall for us,” Herd head coach Matt Grobe said. “We are pretty disappointed we didn’t make it to match play. It was pretty exciting coming down the stretch and we moved up and closed the gap, but just couldn’t catch the last couple of teams.

Alex played a great round this morning, while Clark and Thomas played great this afternoon. It was sad to see Will and Clark play their final round for us. They will be missed.”

The Marshall women’s golf team completed its 2016-17 season after it finished the final round of the Conference USA Women’s Championship. The Herd earned a ninth place finish with a score of 52-over-par 916. The season finale also marked the completion of head coach Brooke Burkhammer’s first year of leading the Herd.

“It was definitely not the finish we wanted at Conference, but what a year it’s been this crew,” said Burkhammer. “It flew by and we had fun getting to represent the Herd every time. Now we have to focus on final exams and getting better this summer.”

The final round of the tournament was the Herd’s best during this year’s C-USA Championship, as it finished the round with a 303. On the individual side, freshman Shelby Braukmuller and sophomore Ylva Forslund posted the best individual rounds for the Herd in the final continued on page 19

July 2017 / HERD INSIDER /

Dakota McCloud photo by Melissa Booton/Through Melissa’s Lens

Wayne (WV) High School Baseball

Wayne (WV) High School had a big baseball season in 2017 with a 31-4 record and a major reason for that success can be attributed to a big man...Dakota McCloud.

The 6-4, 280 pound senior hurler rolled up impressive numbers on the season as the Pioneers earned a spot in the Class AA Baseball Tournament in Charleston, eventually losing to Weir in the semifinals.

McCloud was also a first-team all-state pick along with his teammate, shortstop Cayden Ross.

And, he entered the state tournament with gaudy statistics...a 7-2 record and a miniscule 1.57 E.R.A., with 85 strikeouts and only 16 walks. In his four-year career at Wayne, McCloud had a 24-11 record with a 1.73 E.R.A. along with 275 strikeouts and only 52 walks.

Most often, pitchers don’t bat in high school games, but that’s not the case with McCloud, as he also led the Pioneers at the plate with a .418 average, six home runs, nine doubles and 40 runs batted in.

He finished with a career batting average of .326, as he filled the designated hitter’s role on days when he was not pitching.

McCloud’s head coach, Todd Ross, says his star had a solid career at Wayne High, but things really came together for him this year, especially as a hitter.

“Finally, this year, it all has kind of clicked for him,” Ross said. “He has had some of those hits that you just don’t see out of most high school kids.”

—by Bill Cornwell, Herd Insider Magazine contributing writer

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round, as both had a 2-over 74. Brauckmuller’s final round also caused her to jump up five spots for a tie at 28th. Junior Leigha Holt finished in a tie for 20th, the highest individual for the Herd.

Brauckmuller, from Auburndale, Fla., was named Conference USA’s Freshman of the Year. “I’m so unbelievably happy for Shelby to be Freshman of the Year for C-USA,” Burkhammer said.

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Marshall Volleyball fell to host Rice in three sets (24-26, 23-25, 20-25) in the quarterfinals of the Conference USA Championships in late November. The Thundering Herd ended the season with a 22-8 record.

“Special season,” summed up coach Mitch Jacobs. “Frustrating that we didn’t finish when we had Rice down but give them the credit.

They executed down the stretch.”

The loss marked the last time Kiekover, Kellerman, Weaver and Riedel will play for the Green and White. Kiekover finishes in the top 10 all-time in five different categories, while Kellerman ends her Herd career in the top 10 of three career categories. Weaver ranks in the top 10 for a career in two categories.

The Marshall swimming and diving team finished third in the 2017 Conference USA Championships with a school record 724 points.

“We certainly we’re hoping for a higher team finish but we really had a fantastic meet,” head coach Bill Tramel said. “13 school records.

That matches the most ever in one season. And it’s much harder now since our records are faster and so is our conference.

It’s a sad night too because so many seniors had their last competition. It’s a special crew because they are my first full class to graduate.

Great season, but we aren’t finished. Sirena [Rowe] will be headed to NCAA’s next month. So, there is more fun to come.”

FIU won the meet with 922.5 points. Rice was second, only 25 points ahead of Marshall with 749. North Texas finished fourth with 435.5. Old Dominion claimed fifth place and had 326 points, while Florida Atlantic finished sixth with 221. Marshall’s 724 points was over a hundred more than the Herd score at the 2016 Championships.

Marshall broke three school records in the final session.

Junior Carin Ingram finished sixth with the first school record of the evening in the 200 backstroke with a time of 1:59.42. Caroline Wanner was right behind in seventh at 2:00.76. Freshman Jordyn O’Dell won the consolation final to finish ninth overall at 2:01.25. Madeline Schaffer was 13th at 2:04.23.

Five Marshall swimmers scored in the 1650 free. Anna Lynch was sixth at 16:46.31, while Madi Pulfer finished seventh at 16:52.33. Angelica di Marzio finished eighth with a lifetime best, 16:54.11.

Savannah Ruedt placed 11th at 17:12.67 and Teel Hartmann was 12th in 17:17.38.

Justice Craft (14) went up high during a 2016 match against UTEP. Sirena Rowe continued to add her name to the Herd record board.

Rowe broke her own school record from prelims to grab the silver medal at 49.53 in the 100 free. Gloriya Mavrova finished fourth at 50.12.

The 200 breast saw two lifetime best performances that rank in the top 10 all-time at Marshall. Catherine Bendziewicz finished seventh at 2:17.00 and Emma Lockyer was 12th at 2:20.91. (story compiled by Herd Insider senior editor Woody Woodrum from original HI stories and Marshall Sports Information releases)

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COLLEGE

AT H L E T I C S

Summer Brings New Marshall Coaches Jen Steele And Katie Pate

Summer time found the coaching landscape around Huntington changing. Most notable was the departure of long-time softball coach Shonda Stanton, who accepted the head coach job at Indiana University just as summer was beginning. Marshall quickly hired in Jen Steele to continue the softball program’s momentum.

Steele made her mark with an eight-win improvement and returning to the ASUN tournament in her first season.

The Dolphins saw a great improvement on offense and pitching during Steele’s first season. The team increased its batting average by nearly 30 points, scored 99 more runs and broke the program record

Jen Steele was hired to fill the Marshall softball vacancy left with coach Shonda Stanton’s departure to Indiana. Herdzone.com photograph Just a week or two before, Marshall also announced that Katie Pate had joined the Marshall women’s basketball staff as an assistant coach, coming from the Lenoir-Rhyne program in North Carolina.

Steele led the Jacksonville University Dolphins for the past three seasons. The Dolphins won 86 games during her tenure, including 30 wins in 2017, the program’s best since 2013. Jacksonville is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference and the ASUN finished the 2017 season fifth overall in conference RPI. “I would like to thank Mike Hamrick for the incredible opportunity to be the next softball coach at Marshall University,” Steele said. “From the moment I stepped on campus there was a contagious, infectious energy and it was evident that everyone bled Green and White. Beatrice Crane-Banford and the entire search committee reiterated how special of a place Marshall is and I am excited to be part of the Herd family!”

Steele took over Jacksonville in the summer of 2014 after the program finished 20-29, eighth place in the Atlantic Sun Conference and missed the conference tournament for the first time in four years.

Katie Pate was hired as the new assistant coach for the Marshall women’s basketball program. Observer-News photograph for stolen bases with 77. In the circle, the team ERA improved from 4.04 in 2014 to 2.96 in 2015 and the pitching staff combined to throw 20 more complete games in 2015.

In 2017, along with the 30 wins, the Dolphins finished ninth in the country with 113 stolen bases. Junior Allie McCourt set the team record with 35 steals and finished tied for 22nd in the country.

During her Jacksonville tenure, 10 players have been named all-conference and five have received ASUN All-Academic honors. continued on page 21

Coaches continued from page 20 “We are fortunate to have Jennifer lead our softball program,” said Director of Athletics Mike Hamrick. “She brings great experience and will ensure that Marshall Athletics’ tradition of producing high-character student-athletes continues. We are all very excited for her to get started in Huntington.”

Before taking over at Jacksonville, Steele was an assistant George Mason and her alma mater, Longwood. She was also a head coach at Division III Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va., and was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2009.

Steele now takes over a team that just completed one of the best seasons in program history. Marshall spent four weeks ranked in the Top 25 and won a team-record 42 games. The Herd won the Conference USA Regular Season title finishing 20-4, swept up C-USA Player, Pitcher and Coach of the Year honors, and received an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. Marshall led the country in stolen bases with 162 as rising senior Elicia D’Orazio individually led the nation with 59.

“I am thankful for the strong foundation set by the previous staff and am excited to meet the student-athletes in the coming weeks,” Steele said.

Katie Pate, meanwhile, comes to Huntington from Lenoir-Rhyne University, where she served as head coach of the Bears for the past

three seasons. Prior to that, she was also the program’s associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for four seasons. L-R was also the nation’s ninth-best defensive team in 2016-17 with a record of 17-12 overall.

“I am absolutely thrilled to be part of Tony Kemper’s organization and a member of the Marshall University and Conference USA family,” Pate said. “I cannot thank Coach Kemper, his staff, and Senior Woman Administrator Beatrice Crane Banford enough for their hospitality and insight while exploring my next professional journey. The opportunity to work with the exceptional young women of the Thundering Herd in a passionate, sports-minded community while embracing a world-class faculty, has me eager to roll-up my sleeves and assist in further developing the standards of excellence for the women’s basketball program.”

Pate teamed with former head coach Todd Starkey to lead the Bears to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances and top 25 national rankings in 2012-13 and 2013-14, a season in which they also captured the conference’s regular season crown and the number one seed in the Southeast regional. During her stint in Hickory, N.C., the Bears captured numerous All-American, all-region and all-conference honors.

As head coach, Pate also spearheaded L-R’s fundraising for the Kay

Coaches continued from page 20 Yow Cancer Fund, raising nearly $10,000 for research, more money than any other NCAA Division II institution on the national level (300 programs).

Sandwiched between her stints at L-R, was a stop at Georgia State in 2014. There, she managed the business operations, summer camps and academic success, which led to a team-high 3.21 GPA during the summer session.

“We are very fortunate to have a coach of Katie’s caliber,” said Kemper. “She will bring a wealth of experience, including several as a head coach. I know that she is eager to get started and her energy will only make our program stronger.”

Pate has been an educator and researcher during her career, teaming with national basketball analyst Debbie Antonelli on the pair’s “Sweet 16 to Vegas” feasibility study. The project is

designed to explore new and groundbreaking ways to re-brand the sport of college women’s basketball while creating a distinct and unique vision for the sport.

Pate served as USC Upstate’s Director of Athletics Marketing and Promotions from 2007 to 2009. She oversaw advertising, branding, creative services, promotions and grassroots marketing and helped set single-game attendance marks, increased season attendance and grew the Spartan Army booster club.

She twice presented for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) at the NIKE Assistant Coaches Roundtables and has guest lectured on several topics ranging from player and program development to entrepreneurship.

She guided Coker to the most wins in school history in a season (19) and advanced to the CVAC tournament championship.Pate was born in Grinnell, Iowa.