SSU BEARS A biannual publication for Shawnee State University alumni and fans
Spring 2018
The Dawning of
DELANO Shawnee State men’s basketball is in its first year under former player –and now, coach– Delano Thomas.
Hall of Fame Issue!
SSU BEARS
WHAT’S INSIDE
A biannual publication for Shawnee State University alumni and fans
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HOF
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
SSU is proud to announce this year’s inductees into the athletics Hall of Fame.
BASKETBALL
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The Dawning of DELANO
Coach Delano Thomas lets us know how his first season is going with a Q&A.
PREVIEWS
E-SPORTS
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E -SPORTS IS ON THE WAY
One of the newest sports at SSU is E-Sports, and it goes hand-in-hand with programming classes as well .
ARCHERY
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ARCHERY IS ON TARGET
SSU’s new Archery program is right on time as the Mid-South Conference just added the sport.
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SPRING SPORTS
Here are some previews of the spring sports at Shawnee State in 2018.
Jeff Hamilton Jonathon Loughridge Photography Athletics Director Sports Information Jeremy Reed Director Mark Romesser
Mike Kirtner Reeves Kirtner General Associate Manager General Manager
Greg Perry Creative Director
This magazine is published by Shawnee State University Athletics, with production assistance from Kindred Communications Inc in Huntington, WV
Jeannie Wheeler Sales Representative
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Spring 2018
SSU 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
In September, the Shawnee State Athletics Department announced their newest class to the Shawnee State Hall of Fame, which will be inducted on January 26, 2018. This year’s class of four includes: Abby Ballman (Women’s Basketball), Haley (Halcomb) Merritt (Volleyball), Keegan Rathkamp (Men’s Cross Country) and Delano Thomas (Men’s Basketball). Even though their sports vary and their positions are different, there is one thing all four of these student-athletes had in common during their time as a Bear: they were all the generals on their team. They all stepped on the floor or the course at Shawnee State and immediately made an impact and became leaders. All four were on very competitive teams that would not have been as successful without the leadership and determination of these individuals. Abby Ballman created a great resumé playing basketball for Robin Hagen-Smith from 2008-2012. The two-time All-American was most notable for her defensive contributions, tallying 400 steals during her career to easily break the career record for steals. Though defense was her specialty, Ballman also scored 1,411 points during her career as a Bear good for ninth on the all-time roster, tallied 535 assists for third, fourth in career free throw percentage averaging 79.9% and the list goes on. Leading the team in scoring as a junior averaging 13.4 points per game and helping lead the team to the 2010-11 NAIA Division I National Tournament semifinals earned her 3rd Team All-American honors. As a senior she averaged 13 points and 3.7 assists per game earning her 1st Team All-American honors. Ballman’s impressive resumé shows why she has earned a spot in SSU’s Hall of Fame, but that doesn’t tell the entire story on her career. Despite her impressive numbers as a junior and senior, arguably Ballman’s best
moment came as a sophomore playing with an elite group of upperclassmen who made a historic trip to the NAIA Division II Women’s Basketball National Championship. Without Ballman, perhaps the Bears would have bailed one game early. In the semifinal game, the Bears found themselves down 53-52 to Indiana Wesleyan with under 30 seconds to play. A missed 3-pointer by the Bears could have ended the season, however, the underclassman came up big tracking down an offensive board and dishing the ball to teammate Catrice Mitchell to take the lead. Ballman sealed the victory with a steal as time expired, helping propel the Bears to their first National Championship Game since 1999. Ballman spent much of her time at SSU in the gym which paid off as she becomes the newest Bear in the Hall of Fame.
Haley (Halcomb) Merritt was a setter for the Bears under Volleyball Head Coach Kristy Kamer from 2007-2010. The four-year starter racked up many awards and accomplishments during her career. She was a four-time all-conference selection, earning honorable mention and second team All-AMC (American Mideast Conference) her first two years. In 2009, she was named AMC Setter of the Year, earning 1st Team All-AMC as well as NAIA All-American Honorable Mention status. As a senior she again was named NAIA All-American Honorable Mention and earned 1st Team All Mid-South Conference. Halcomb is the career leader in assists and assists per set, totaling 5,569 for her career and averaging 10.65 assists per set. She ranks fourth overall in total digs with 1,686 and fifth in service aces with 119. Halcomb immediately made an impact on the Bears program. Along with her classmates, Halcomb propelled the Bears program to new standards, reaching three straight National Tournaments from 2008-2010. Not only did the volleyball team start winning games, they captured championships. In 2008, they won the AMC Tournament Championships and the regular season title in 2009. In 2010, in their first season in the Mid-South, the Bears won the Conference Tournament. Halcomb, with very talented athletes on her team, set the tone for Shawnee State Volleyball for many years. Coming into Shawnee State,
Halcomb knew how to win. She played high school volleyball at Adena High School in Chillicothe, where the Warriors won SVC titles each year she was there. Halcomb brought that winning attitude with her to Shawnee State. As setter, Halcomb ran the floor for the Bears and did so almost flawlessly. Halcomb’s accolades and leadership are why she is now part of the Shawnee State Hall of Fame. Keegan Rathkamp ran cross country for the Bears in 2007-08 and 2010 under Coach Eric Putnam. Rathkamp held, at the time, Shawnee State’s best individual finish at the NAIA National Championships, finishing 10th overall in 2008 and becoming the first men’s cross country runner to earn All-American honors. That same year, Rathkamp earned first team All-AMC (American Mideast Conference) honors and helped the Bears finish 11th overall as a team at the National Champion Meet. In 2007, he earned second team All-AMC recognition and qualified for the NAIA National Championship as an individual, placing 97th overall. Rathkamp took a redshirt in 2009 and returned in 2010 to help the men’s cross country team finish fourth at the NAIA National Championship - the program’s best finish. He placed 48th overall. Rathkamp transferred from the University of Cincinnati and from the moment he stepped foot on campus, Rathkamp brought a higher standard to the program. From running more miles, to expecting more and becoming a Mid-South powerhouse, Rathkamp and his teammates set a standard for Shawnee State Cross Country that still holds strong. Though not as competitive as he once was, Rathkamp still runs and is a great leader and alumnus for the men’s program. Rathkamp’s hard work and leadership is a big reason Shawnee State Cross Country is what it is today and why he becomes the third men’s cross country runner inducted in the Hall of Fame. Delano Thomas played two seasons for Shawnee State under Coach Jeff Hamilton from 2002-2004. In two seasons, Thomas racked up many awards and huge numbers for the Bears. In his first game as a Bear, he broke the single game record for blocks with 9 against Ohio Dominican. He went on that season to average a double-double of 10.8 points and 11.0 rebounds per game. That season he also broke Shawnee State’s single season blocks record with 72 and earned second team All-American Mideast Conference honors. In the following season, Thomas not only broke the single season blocks record again, with 76, but broke the career record tallying 148 in total. That season, Thomas led the Bears averaging 15.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Those numbers earned Thomas American Mideast Conference Player of the Year and 1st Team All-AMC recognition. Thomas became the second men’s basketball player to earn 1st Team NAIA All-American status. Thomas was a leader by example those two seasons with his consistent work ethic to make himself and his teammates better. His rare combination of size and athleticism gave him a skill set that was unique and hard to handle. There was no weakness in his
game from his ability to handle and pass the ball to his domination in the paint in rebounding and shot blocking. Thomas’ great two-year career, hard work and ability to challenge those around him gave him the advantage on the court and makes him a great addition to the Shawnee State Hall of Fame. Shawnee State’s Hall of Fame Class of 2018 is an elite group of individuals that really set the standards in their programs. From teams that dominated their opponents to setting the bar higher in Bears’ athletics, these individuals made a lasting impact on Shawnee State.
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Spring 2018
THE TEAM | E-Sports | E-SPORTS
E-SPORTS IS… Jackie Ha
Many Shawnee State fans may have seen the announcement of Shawnee State’s foray into E-sports this fall with one immediate question in mind: What is E-sports? A fast-growing industry with millions of players worldwide, E-sports is, simply stated, competitive video games. Players from around the world compete in real-time against one another in a variety of games, trying to best their opponents in strategy and skill on the virtual plain. Although obscure in some ways compared to other more traditional sports in many fans’ minds, E-sports is more than just one of the fastest growing phenomena of the 21st Century. It is also a perfect fit for Shawnee State Athletics. “Adding E-sports is a big step for us,” said athletics director Jeff Hamilton. “With Shawnee State’s game development program, we sit uniquely situated to reach out to gamers who not only want to play games, but create them as well.” Indeed, Shawnee State has a flourishing game design program. SSU’s game design program offers majors in both art design for games and programming and engineering of games.
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E-SPORTS
ON THE WAY! The game design program makes Shawnee State qualified to offer gamers not only a chance to work in the career they want, but also a chance to compete at a high level as a college athlete. Senior Jackie Ha, a Digital Simulation & Game Engineering Technology student, is president of the League of Legends Club on campus and is helping Shawnee State’s E-sports team organize. “It makes me happy that it’s coming to SSU because I know there is already a large gaming community here and it would be cool to see highly-skilled gamers compete against other schools,” states Ha. E-sports is no stranger to the Mid-South Conference either. Pikeville has a full-fledge E-sports program, and Cumberlands (Ky.) has E-sports as a club sport. Shawnee State has already seen successful E-sports clubs outside of the formal athletics structure for years. Recently, multiple Shawnee State gamers participated in regional tournaments, and many of the students who are committed to being part of the program next year have achieved high levels of success in their respective games. Although many games are played competitively, there are a few that already have extensive collegiate competition surrounding them. League of Legends, a continued on page 10
Spring 2018
Shawnee State students Zach Lukle, Travis Benneman and Joshua Lowry (above and below) competed in the Tespa Collegiate Series in Santa Ana, California. popular multiplayer strategy game, is one of them and will likely be one of Shawnee State’s first forays into gaming.
Santa Ana, California. The trio placed in the Top 4. Hearthstone is an online card game, with players building a deck of 30 cards to attempt to battle their opponent’s decks.
In League of Legends, two teams of five players each fight on a large map in an attempt to destroy the other team’s “nexus,” the central point of their base. Games are often long, sometimes taking over an hour to complete. The action is fast and intense.
“With Shawnee State’s game development program, we sit uniquely situated to reach out to gamers who not only want to play games, but create them as well.” –SSU AD Jeff Hamilton
E-sports will also provide plenty of opportunity for individual competition as well. Last April, Shawnee State students Zach Lukie, Travis Benneman and Joshua Lowry competed in the Tespa Collegiate Series: Hearthstone 2017 National Competition in
The Bear Club is the official Shawnee State University athletic booster program. Donations from members of the Bear Club provide financial support for nineteen varsity athletics programs and more than 250 student-athletes.
To join, visit www.givetossu.com/bear-club
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Spring 2018
MEN’S
BASKETBALL
The Dawning of
DELANO Shawnee State men’s basketball is in its first year under former player –and now, coach– Delano Thomas. We sat down with the coach for his reflections on year number one.
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Spring 2018
I
t’s been an incredible year for alumnus Delano Thomas. After spending three years on the sidelines as assistant coach under Jeff Hamilton, in January 2017 the announcement was made that Thomas would became the fifth head coach in Shawnee State’s men’s basketball history, beginning the 2017-18 season. This past September, Thomas also learned that he would be inducted into the Shawnee State Hall of Fame during its induction banquet in January 2018. Thomas played two years in a Bear uniform from 2002-04, logging one of the most productive two-year careers in Shawnee State history. He was named second team All-American Mideast Conference as a junior, averaging over 10 points and 11 rebounds a game and broke the single game record for blocks with 9 and season block record with 72. As a senior, he averaged over 15 points and 11 rebounds per game and was named American Mideast Conference Player of the Year and earned first team All-American recognition. That season, Thomas would again break the single season blocks record with 76 as well as the career blocks record tallying 148 for his career. After Shawnee State, Thomas played nine years overseas for various teams including Norway’s Ulriken Eagles, Atenas in Uruguay, ETB Wohnbau, Trouville in Uruguay, Araraguara in Brazil, Al-Wathba in Syria, and Academica in Portugal before finishing his career at Gimle in Norway in 2014. Before returning to Shawnee State, Thomas held head coach and assistant coach positions for various youth teams in Norway and Uruguay. In Thomas’ debut as Head Coach for the Bears, the men’s team fell to #3 William Penn, but then went on to win five straight games, accumulating a 5-1 record - the best start by the Bears since the 2013-14 season. The future Hall of Famer shares what the past year has been like and his future goals for the men’s basketball program. Q: How does it feel to be given the opportunity of moving from Assistant Coach to Head Coach? DT: It is definitely a blessing and a surreal feeling to be able to become the Head Coach at my alma mater. Q: What has been the biggest adjustment since being named Head Coach? DT: The biggest adjustment has been my daily involvement within the program such as administrative responsibilities, scheduling, and focusing on changing the culture of the program. Q: As Head Coach, what are your short-term goals for your program? DT: One is to have academic success this semester as a team. I would also like to get students around campus and people in the community excited about Shawnee State Men’s Basketball. Q: What are your long-term goals for the program? DT: To be able to use the game of basketball to teach, develop, and inspire student-athletes that any goal is obtainable when you have the ability to work with others. Q: How does it feel as an alumnus to return to where you played and had a significant career to coach? DT: It’s a great feeling to have impacted the program as a player and now with the opportunity to do the same as a coach. Q: What is the most meaningful part of coaching? DT: The relationships I can build with my players and the impact I may have in their lives is the most meaningful part. Q: What are you looking forward to the most with your teams? DT: The moment when the players/team says, “I’m starting to understand now coach.” I would like to have those conversations when we’re still playing but definitely looking forward to those type of talks about how to achieve common goals.
“It’s a great feeling to have impacted the program as a player and now with the opportunity to do the same as a coach. The relationships I can build with my players and the impact I may have in their lives is the most meaningful part.”
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Spring 2018
THE TEAM | Archery |
ARCHERY is ON TARGET With the Mid-South Conference adding Archery as a championship sport in 2018-19, Shawnee State’s program is being added at just the right time.
Shawnee State Athletics is adding archery to its program in time for the 2018-19 season. The timing couldn’t be better, as the Mid-South Conference has added archery as a championship sport this year. “We are excited to be entering the Mid-South Conference in archery next season,” said Shawnee State athletics director Jeff Hamilton. “We feel confident that we can field a competitive team and provide a unique student-athlete experience for our archers.” Archery is a fairly new sport in most of the NAIA. Currently, the Mid-South Conference has seven archery teams, with Shawnee State to become the eighth. Five of the eight full-time Mid-South Conference schools have archery, including Campbellsville, Georgetown, Cumberland (Tenn.), Cumberlands (Ky.), and Pikeville. Bethel (Tenn.) and Kentucky Christian currently round out the conference. Archery itself is quite ancient. Historians and archaeologists believe the bow and arrow have been in use by humans since at least 10,000 BCE. Nearly every civilization in human history has embraced archery in one form or another. Despite a decline with the introduction of firearms, archery still has a prominent place in many cultures to this day.
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Spring 2018
Competition archery is a widely popular sport around the world. Governed by the World Archery Federation, the sport has grown in popularity due in large part to being part of the Olympics. The United States recently won a silver and a bronze medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with South Korea winning all four gold medals in the competition. The Mid-South Conference’s archery championship works differently than most other sports. Instead of a single championship event, the Mid-South hosts three separate championship tournaments to determine their champion over the course of the year. The first tournament, held this past September, is for 3D archery. This discipline has the competitors walk a course set in a natural environment, like a forest or field, and shoot prepared targets. This form of archery is reminiscent of traditional hunting. The second and third tournaments, indoor and outdoor, will be held in January and April, respectively, and are target shooting in either an indoor or outdoor setting. “The unique format of the conference tournament will make the sport of archery very interesting for us,” Hamilton said. “There’s nothing quite like it in the NAIA. Even track and field, with its seasons, still have individual championships for indoor and outdoor. Having three separate seasons determine one champion is unique and will provide a new experience.”
photo by IStock.com
Shawnee State’s archery program is in its infancy. The first real step: find a coach. “We are currently evaluating applicants for the position and have prepared a hiring committee for interviews. We anticipate having a new coach hired in the near future,” said Hamilton.
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Spring 2018
SURPRISE START
The Bears’ 6-3 start has proven them to be a program on the rise in 2018 Shawnee State men’s basketball, picked eighth in the Mid-South Conference Preseason Poll, perhaps came into the season with low expectations for many around the NAIA. The Bears 9-19 season last year and the traditionally strong nature of the Mid-South Conference tempered national perception. What has happened since then has aproven the Bears to be a program on the rise. In their first season under head coach Delano Thomas, the Bears have started 6-3 at the time of this writing, including going on a five game winning streak for the first time since the 2002-03 season.
having defeated Wilberforce (Ohio) 89-77 after the Cedarville loss. Shawnee State has gotten good production from newcomers and veterans alike this season. Of note among the first group is freshman forward EJ Onu. The 6-10 forward is leading the Mid-South Conference in blocks per game, at 3.5/game. Meanwhile, seniors Jayllen Carter (left) and Frederick Moore have led the Bears in scoring, averaging 15.9 and 15.3 points per game respectively. Despite the 6-3 start, Coach Thomas still sees room for improvement.
For Coach Thomas, that isn’t a surprise. “It shows we have the ability to win games when we play the right way,” said Thomas, “which is playing selfless offensively and defensively.”
“We need to continue to work our chemistry and consistency,” said Thomas. “The closer our bond as a team becomes the brighter our future looks.”
SSU started the season with a loss to #3 William Penn, but clearly showed promise by falling by only eight. After that, SSU would go on their five game winning streak. The Bears defeated Ohio Christian 69-55, defeating an opponent they lost to one season ago. The winning streak would continue the next week at the Mount Vernon Nazarene Homecoming Invitational, which Shawnee State would win the championship of. The Bears defeated Cardinal Stritch (Wisc.) 71-54, then avenged last season’s loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene (Ohio) with a 78-66 win. The Bears run reached five with a 78-69 win over bitter rivals Rio Grande. Thomas has seen improvement in his squad this season. “I feel the season thus far has allowed us to see what we’re capable of, while also keeping us grounded in knowing we have to use each game as a teaching stone for us to become better as a team.” The improvement has come with some growing pains for the program. Shawnee State fell to traditional rival Cedarville (Ohio) 106-80 in a winnable contest, and then fell to Lake Erie (Ohio) 71-61. However, the Bears have also responded to losses positively,
SSU’s improvement as a program will be put to even greater tests sooner rather than later. The Bears started Mid-South Conference play on January 6 against Pikeville, who is one of three MSC teams ranked in the top 10 of the Coaches’ Poll.
Jayllen Carter
The Mid-South has five teams in the top 25 and six teams total receiving votes.
“The whole Mid-South Conference will present a challenge each game,” said Thomas. “I think every team this season has an opportunity to win the conference. It’s important for us to use our non-conference schedule to refine our identity as a relentless and unselfish team, and then be able to translate it into conference play.” The Shawnee State men will play in the Mid-South Conference Tournament March 2-5 in Pikeville. The Buffalo Funds NAIA Division I National Tournament is scheduled for March 14-20, hosted at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.
FIGHTING BACK
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Spring 2018
A battle with adversity has placed the Bears poised to finish the season strong Picked to win the Mid-South Conference and ranked fifth in the NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Poll, everything looked like smooth sailing early for Shawnee State women’s basketball as they looked at yet another successful season in 2017-18. That could not be further from the case. Adversity has struck SSU’s women from the start of the season. First, All-American guard Brandie Snow left the program. Then Ashton Lovely suffered a high ankle sprain in a blowout win against Cincinnati Christian.
SSU then returned home for a three game stretch. The Bears handled Ohio Christian 72-45 on November 29, defeating a good Trailblazers squad on defense again. Then SSU picked up a pair of blowout wins at the Shawnee State Classic, defeating Brewton-Parker (Ga.) 107-51 on December 8 and throttling Asbury (Ky.) 102-59 on December 9. The result of their excellent play was huge for SSU. The Bears not only did not move down in the most recent NAIA poll, but in fact moved up to #4 in the nation. Overall, Coach Nickel is pleased.
After that, the losses began to mount. The Bears fell early on to Bethel (Tenn.) 58-56 at the Mid-South Conference/ Southern States Athletic Conference Challenge. Then, the Bears played poorly at the Zweifel/Pritchett Classic hosted by Asbury University, blowing an 11-point lead against Indiana Wesleyan to fall 68-67 at the buzzer, then falling to Taylor (Ind.) 78-70.
“We are moving in the right direction and growing every day. Time and youth are very beneficial to us right now and I feel we will be a team who can compete to not only go to the National Tournament but win it.” That isn’t to say that things will be easy down the stretch. If anything, Shawnee State’s path back to Billings is about to reach its toughest point as the Bears enter Mid-South Conference play.
Yet, despite all of the setbacks, Shawnee State has kept pushing forward. The Bears sit 10-3 at the time of this writing and moved up to fourth in the first NAIA Coaches’ Poll of the season. “We suffered from some injuries and adversity early in the season but we have grown from it tremendously. As a staff I feel we have adjusted well to our players and vice versa. We are now in a very cohesive manner and continue to grow each day,” said head coach Jeff Nickel. Indeed, Shawnee State has grown tremendously over the last two months from a struggling young squad to a cohesive powerhouse. This was on display at the NAIA Rotary Classic in Jackson, Tennessee over Thanksgiving break. First, the Bears throttled #16 Columbia (Mo.), defeating the Cougars 91-55 behind 24 points from Lydia Poe and a double-double for Madison Ridout (above), whose 14 points were enough to push her over the 1,000-point mark for her career. The Bears then handled #7 Westmont (Calif.) 63-48, defensively dominating the Warriors for 40 minutes. The huge difference between the wins shows a Shawnee State team that has grown and developed over the course of the season, as the Bears can win on either offense or defense.
Madison Ridout
“The overall depth of our conference is tremendous. Our conference is poised to place a 4 or 5 teams into the 32 Team field of the NAIA Tournament,” said Nickel. “Campbellsville and Lindsey Wilson are playing very well as of late. However, the league is wide open and any team can be beaten any night.”
The Mid-South Conference is always competitive, and this year should prove no different. Campbellsville are currently ranked #3 in the nation, with Lindsey Wilson tied for ninth in the country. Just outside the top 25 sit good teams from Pikeville and Cumberland (Tenn.). Cumberlands (Ky.) and Life both improved in the offseason. However, Coach Nickel also thinks the NAIA has caught on to SSU’s success. “I think it not only shows the respect we have earned Nationally this year but also over the last few seasons. We are now playing to our potential and although we struggled with some adversity early we have bounced back.” The Bears play in the Mid-South Conference Tournament on March 1-5 in Pikeville. The NAIA National Championships presented by Wells-Fargo will be hosted in Billings, Montana March 14-20.
April 11, 2018 6:00PM PRICES: Early Registration: Now through February 28
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Spring 2018
T E N N I S
Adrianna Johnson
SECOND YEAR
SERVED UP
Shawnee State tennis will look to improve in 2018 as they begin year two under head coach Steve Boone. Shawnee State’s women went 2-4 in the fall and will look to improve on last season’s 3-11 record. The Bears are returner-heavy and will rely on players like Mykalley Detty, Adrianna Johnson, Shelby Hay, Michaela Garner, Jill Kelly, Caleigh O’Neal and Kathleen Singer for most of the season. SSU’s key newcomers include Holly Hart, who also plays women’s golf, Hanna van Hoose and Jessica Willard. SSU’s men went 3-6 during the fall schedule, with wins over Mount Vernon Nazarene, Ohio Christian and Heidelberg. Key returners for SSU include CJ Burk, Rodney Spriggs and Matthew Bryant, all of whom played extensively for the Bears in the fall as well as Caspar Nolte (left). Shawnee State will also be looking for contributions from newcomers Nate Hinze, Shane Hitchens, Jacob Baker and Taylor Pack. Shawnee State tennis starts the spring schedule on February 24 when they play at Walsh University in North Canton, Ohio.
Caspar Nolte
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Spring 2018
G O L F
MAINTAINING
MOMENTUM Dagan Abdon
Shawnee State golf had a stellar fall season as both programs saw massive improvement under head coach Dave Hopkins. SSU’s men were able to finish second in four events in the fall, including the traditionally competitive Lindsey Wilson Fall Invitational and at the Shawnee State Fall Invitational. SSU had newcomer Jordan Tieman lead the way in several tournaments, as the freshman from West Portsmouth was SSU’s lowest scorer in five of the six fall tournaments. Returners Dagan Abdon, Jacob Braskett and Brock Faulkner will also prove key for the Bears as the trio of returners will be fixtures in SSU’s top five. Shawnee State’s women also saw marked improvement in their second season as a team. Newcomers Holly Hart and Katherine Pirro both played well for the Bears in the fall, helping Shawnee State continue to set record lows in team score. SSU finished in second at two tournaments, taking second place at both Kentucky Christian and at the SSU Fall Invitational. “The fall season was both encouraging and frustrating for our teams,” said head coach Dave Hopkins. “While the results were good, we know we can play better. That’s the most encouraging part about the season for the men. Our women also had a good fall, and not finishing last in a tournament for the whole fall is a huge step forward for us.”
S O F T
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B A L L
Spring 2018
TAKING THE
NEXT STEP
After a 24-24 season last year that saw the Bears make a 13-win improvement over 2016, the Shawnee State softball team will be looking to take the next step in 2018 and compete for a Mid-South Conference Championship. The Bears will have the core of last season’s team returning, especially in the field. Returners include two first team All-Mid-South Conference performers Ashtyn Saunders and Marisa Brown. Saunders provided a spark at the top of the lineup, with the freshman infielder hitting .441 with a .489 on-base percentage and 19 stolen bases. Brown hit .365 last year with four home runs and 51 RBI. SSU also returns much of the rest of the core of the lineup. Kayla Koch will return to first base after a team-high seven home runs one year ago. Katlyn Gleich, Mackenzie Riley, Haley Rawlins,
Marisa Brown
Ashtyn Saunders
Megan Shupert-Martin, and Victoria Bevington also return for the Bears. Headlining the new players will be Michal Cunningham. The Wheelersburg native transferred to Shawnee State from LSU, a national powerhouse in NCAA Division I softball. SSU will also have an overhauled pitching staff, with junior transfer Lora Thompson and freshman Tatum Wise joining returning veteran McKenzie Whittaker on the SSU staff. The Bears will also be seeking contributions from freshmen Bailey Kemp, Mo Wolansky, Stacy Trenholm and Morgan Rearick. “I believe this is a squad that can compete for a conference championship right now,” said head coach Steve Whittaker. “We have improved at nearly every position on the diamond, and I feel our squad is as strong as any in the league right now.” Shawnee State softball get their season underway on March 3, 2018 at the Cocoa Beach Spring Training Classic in Cocoa Beach, Florida.
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Spring 2018
T R A C K
F I E L D
PROGRESS
IN MOTION Track and Field Continue Progress Shawnee State track and field will continue to progress in 2018 as Eric Putnam has brought in more sprinters and field athletes for the new season. SSU’s indoor season started on December 9 at the Marietta First Glimpse Meet. Three SSU track athletes participated, with two in their first meet for the Bears. Bri Gahm finished third in the women’s shot put, with the freshman being an athlete to watch this season. Hunter Ashton finished third in both the men’s long jump and triple jump, further showing Shawnee State’s new dedication to field events. The usual names for Shawnee State will also be in action. Anna Havranek will look to finish her excellent career well after being an All-American in the 10,000 meter run one season ago. Mid-South Conference Cross Country Runner of the Year Brooke Smith and first team AllMSC performers Alyssa Taylor, Lindsey Krause and Kate Spencer will all look to impact the season. Shawnee State’s men also return several key components from last season’s roster. First team All-MSC performers Seth Farmer (1,500 meter run), Owen Reeher (10,000 meter run) and Parker Blain (3,000 meter steeplechase) return, along with most of SSU’s conference champion 4x800 meter relay team. SSU resume the indoor track season on January 13 at the Otterbein Invitational. The NAIA Indoor National Championships are set for March 1-3 in Pittsburg, Kansas. The outdoor season is set to get underway on March 9 when the Bears travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the Coastal Carolina Invitational. The NAIA’s Outdoor National Championships will return to Gulf Shores, Alabama May 24-26. Anna Havranek (top left) Brooke Smith (top right) Seth Farmer (bottom left) Owen Reeher (bottom right)
IMPROVEMENT
ON the HORIZON
B A S E
B A L L
Shawnee State baseball will be looking to improve on last season’s 14-35 record from one season ago. Chris Moore’s team will have a young roster this season, but will return several key players. Junior catcher and outfielder Chase Thurber is SSU’s best returning hitter, with a .283 batting average, three home runs and a team-high 26 RBI. Some other key returners for SSU include JT Boggs, Casey Claflin, Blake Marshall, Brady Knittel and Christian Helton. Shawnee State will be replacing much of their pitching staff after losing Derek Moore to graduation. SSU will depend on returners like James West, Brady Knittel, Sam Gerhold, Tyler Arthur and Jesse James for the bulk of their innings. SSU also has a core group of new players that will play important roles in the upcoming season. Kyle Wisnewski heads up SSU’s new class of pitchers and will likely fill a large role in the rotation. Seth Clement can play both infield and pitcher and will likely play both positions during the year. Dalton Phillips will also be a welcome addition to the infield, providing a good bat and glove. SSU will also add Levi Jones and Sky Oliver to the outfield. “Overall, our team is more athletic and should hit the ball more than last season,” said head coach Chris Moore. “As long as our pitching staff can keep us in games, we will have a chance to win this season. I feel good about the group we’ve brought in and about our returning group overall.” Shawnee State baseball get their season underway on February 9, 2018 when they play at Freed-Hardeman University.
Casey Claflin
J.T. Boggs
23
Spring 2018
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