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MOUNT NEWS
Photo by: Mason Lipford, C'20
Dan Engelstad Leads Mount Basketball Into New Era
“OUR GOAL EVERY YE AR IS GOING TO BE TO COMPETE FOR AN NEC CHAMPIONSHIP…To do that, we’re going to need everybody in this room and everybody in this community,” said Dan Engelstad during a press conference introducing him as the 22nd head coach in the storied history of Mount St. Mary’s men’s basketball. “We’re going to need the alumni. We’re going to need everybody to rally around this…because we’re going to do something special.” If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. As an assistant coach on Milan Brown’s staff from 2007-10, Engelstad helped coach the Mount to its first ever NCAA Division I Tournament win in 2008. A native of Bethesda, Maryland, he now returns to Knott Arena with the goal of building on the success and legacy of former coaches Jim Phelan, Brown and, most recently, Jamion Christian, C’04. “We are thrilled to have Coach Engelstad return to our Mount community and are looking forward to the bright future of our men’s basketball program,” said Mount St. Mary’s University Director of Athletics Lynne Robinson, C'79, MBA'83. “In addition to his success on the court, Dan has a proven track record of supporting his studentathletes academically.” In 2013, Engelstad took over Division III Southern Vermont, inheriting a team coming off a 1-24 season. In five years, he compiled a 104-34 record, winning two New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championships, while earning three NECC Coach of the Year awards. “The Mount is extremely fortunate to
have found a coach with such a positive attitude and familiarity with not only our region but the university and its culture as well,” said the Mount’s Director of Athletic Development Kevin Robinson Jr., MAT'06. “We’re excited to see how Coach Engelstad’s enthusiasm will energize our fans and continue the tradition of making Knott Arena a tough place for opponents to play.” Since arriving in Emmitsburg, Engelstad has been getting to know his team and recruiting future Mountaineers. He has also hired new assistant coaches Xavier Joyner and Matt Miller as well as elevated Will Holland to associate head coach and Mike Wolf to director of basketball operations. Engelstad’s coaching abilities will, however, be tested early on. While the Mount is only two seasons removed from its most recent NEC title and NCAA Tournament victory, no one from that roster remains after the graduations of Northeast Conference Player of the Year Junior Robinson, C’18, Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Chris Wray, C’18, and Greg Alexander, C’18. Despite the lack of experience, he’s optimistic about the team that will take the floor this season. “We’re excited about this group,” said Engelstad. “They’re young and talented and can’t wait to get in front of the fans in Knott Arena. They’re hungry and looking forward to many years of growing together.”
Cheer us on! Visit mountathletics.com for game schedules and to grab your tickets!
Thanks to the Mount Community, Men’s Soccer Returns to Division I
IN FRONT OF THE LARGEST CROWD ever to attend a match at Waldron Family Stadium, the Mount St. Mary’s University men’s soccer team took the field at home on August 24 for the first time in six years. While Bucknell won the sold-out contest 2-0, it was an important next step in the return of the Mount’s program. “The men’s soccer program has a proud 60-plus year history at the Mount, so its return to Division I is something our community is very excited about,” said Mount St. Mary’s University Director of Athletics Lynne Robinson, C'79, MBA'83. “It’s great for the university, our fans and most importantly, for our current and former soccer team members.” One of those former student-athletes who played a large role in helping the program come back was Jeff Link, C’99. “Over the past few years our team of alumni rejected the status quo and focused on one common goal: relaunch our men's soccer program with the strength to capture an NEC Championship,” said Link. Bringing the program back was a giant undertaking— something that wasn’t possible without the work of many in the Mount community. “The amount of alumni support is something we've never seen before,” said the Mount’s Director of Athletic Development Kevin Robinson Jr., MAT'06. “Reinstating the team was a collaborative effort of alumni, parents, coaches and fans. They’re energetic and enthusiastic, and really have gotten behind coach Bryan Cunningham.” Ernani de Aragao, the parent of two 2015 graduates and a freshman who is on the team, agrees. “Coach Cunningham had an excellent recruiting campaign, which included 15 quality freshmen who will form the base of future success. He’s doing things the right way and we’re very fortunate to have him.” “From day one this was about honoring the hard work of all the alumni and friends of soccer who worked tirelessly to bring this program back,” said head men's soccer coach Bryan Cunningham. “Now we turn our focus to laying a new foundation for this program to be relevant for years to come. We want our players to understand the history of Mount soccer, and now help shape its future.” For de Aragao, the return of men’s soccer to Division I is a little bittersweet. “While I would have loved to see my two oldest sons have an opportunity to play soccer for all four years at the Mount before they graduated in 2015, I’m excited to see my youngest have that experience. This is possible because of President Trainor’s leadership and understanding of the importance of the team. He worked with us in this process and is the main reason Mount men’s soccer is back,” de Aragao said. The program is important not just because of wins, losses, goals or saves. It’s a way to help young adults learn how to work together and understand what it takes to support those around them. “Our college soccer program taught me the benefits of being part of a team, being held accountable and taking unsolicited advice,” explained Link. “The men I played with pushed me both physically and mentally and even today I get inspired by what they’ve achieved off the field. It is important to me that younger generations have the same opportunities.” Giving future generations this type of opportunity is one reason Peter Hobbs, MBA’15, decided to get involved in the program’s revitalization. Hobbs is not your traditional undergraduate student-athlete. In fact, he had no previous relationship to Mount sports before he became a part-time student in the Mount’s MBA program. “As a student, I started attending home basketball games on the weekends. Something I took notice of and respected about the Mount is its commitment to cultivating student-athletes and sports tradition,” said Hobbs. “I saw that and wanted to see and experience more of it. More importantly, I wanted to share those experiences and watch that tradition become an inspiration to my 12-year-old son.” Hobbs’ son plays FC premier soccer in York, Pennsylvania. “He loves the beautiful game. For that reason, I had a wish to see men's soccer begin again at the Mount. For my family, the return of men's soccer at the Mount is providential,” said Hobbs. While it remains to be seen who Cunningham will recruit for the program in future years, he does believe in his current roster. “We have brought in a group of players who we think can help us compete immediately. There are a lot of moving parts to deal with, but we feel confident in our process,” said Cunningham. “We will take one moment at a time and look to improve daily.”
National Shrine Grotto Turns 60
Stations of the Cross, Good Friday
SIXTY YEARS AGO, the National Shrine Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes opened its doors to the public. More than 400,000 people visit the holy shrine annually and seek comfort, healing and conversion. Some pilgrims come because of their faith, while others come out of curiosity. Many seek spiritual and physical healing for themselves or loved ones. No matter their diverse reasons, almost all who come find their hearts and souls strengthened through prayer, the sacraments and the sacred silence of the hallowed National Shrine Grotto.
Pilgrims hail from nearly every part of the globe. On any given day the guestbook is filled with visitors from North and South America, Asia and Europe. Pilgrims hear about the National Shrine Grotto from friends and relatives. The number of visitors continues to grow as more and more people spread the devotion to Our Lady that is cultivated on Mary’s Mountain. Throughout her history, the National Shrine Grotto has been home to men, women and children of all walks of life. Rich, poor, saints and sinners have crossed its threshold. Remembering this holy heritage, the National Shrine Grotto keeps alive the tradition of Msgr. Hugh Phillips, the great restorer of this sacred space, who laid out a plan for its future during his 43-year tenure as chaplain. Many remember the National Shrine Grotto as largely unchanged since the time of Phillips. Faithful to his hope for the National Shrine, expansion and renovation are necessary to accommodate the growing number of pilgrims brought here by the Blessed Mother who stands proudly in gold atop the iconic Campanile. The National Shrine Grotto will proceed into the next 60 years, carrying gladly the tradition of the past and looking forward to a bright future with hope.
JOIN US IN MARCH!
Plan your pilgrimage
Reserve your space to visit the Holy Land in March 2019. Contact Dawn Walsh at 301-447-5606 or walsh@msmary.edu. Visit nsgrotto.org/europe-pilgrimages.html for more information.
Partnerships Bring Computational Science Research Professorship and Facility to Frederick
A COMBINATION OF SUPPORT from state government and a local research powerhouse is allowing the Mount to establish an Endowed Professorship in Computational Science and Mathematics that will integrate faculty, undergraduate and graduate research and result in the highly skilled computational scientists that Maryland needs. The university has received $1 million through the Maryland Department of Commerce's Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative and raised an equal amount in matching funds to institute the professorship. The grant will also establish a collaborative technology workspace on the Mount’s Frederick campus to support student and faculty research; fund three undergraduate research fellowships annually; and provide for online laboratory access for student and faculty research. “We envision this program will grow to become a center of innovation and excellence that connects the university, employers, researchers and local communities, yielding the sophisticated computational scientists Frederick County and the state of Maryland need for sustained growth and innovation,” said Mount St. Mary’s University President Timothy E. Trainor, Ph.D. Through an expanded and formalized relationship with Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., the current prime contractor that operates the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, the university and the Frederick National Laboratory (FNL) will work together to identify a researcher with expertise in such areas as bioinformatics, data science analytics and cybersecurity to receive a dual appointment at the Mount and the national laboratory. This professor will teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses at the university and work up to two days a week and/or summers at FNL.
In addition, the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between FNL and the Mount will solidify their partnership by developing a student internship program at FNL; a summer research experience for science, math and computational science faculty members at the laboratory; teacher-in-training opportunities for postdoctoral trainees and other scientists at the laboratory; and a 20 percent reduction in tuition for FNL employees on adult undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs housed and supported at the Frederick campus. “This partnership opens significant doors to Mount students and faculty, while also creating teaching and learning opportunities for employees of the FNL,” said Jennifer L. Staiger, Ph.D., associate provost, graduate, professional and continuing education, who is based at the Frederick campus and was instrumental in the formation of the FNL alliance. The Maryland General Assembly created the Maryland E-Nnovation Initiative during the 2014 legislative session to spur basic and applied research in scientific and technical fields at colleges and universities.
Everybody Loves Bessie: Celebrating 55 Years of Service
BESSIE ANDREW is always ready with a warm cookie and a kindhearted greeting for students, faculty and staff who approach the dessert counter in Patriot Hall. When the Mount recently celebrated Bessie’s 55 years of service, social media posts about her remarkable achievement revealed the depth of love for this woman whom some view as a surrogate grandmother. Among the 1,000 or so “likes” on both Facebook and Instagram were dozens of notes of congratulations and gratitude from alumni and current students.
Patrick Plastow, C’11, remembers that Bessie saved a special cinnamon roll for him every morning for four years. Paulette Anders, C’92, MBA’98, recalls that Bessie always handed out awesome cookies and Rice Krispie treats. Mark Gatzke, C’16, calls her “the most kind and caring person at the Mount.” Bessie began working at the Mount during her senior year in high school as Coad Science Hall was under construction and nearly a decade before women were admitted. She has performed many tasks through the years, including working in the priests’ kitchen for 37 years, and currently is a baker for ARAMARK, the Mount’s food service provider. “People love and remember Bessie because she is genuine and sincere,” said Director of Dining Services Howard Williams. “Her dedication to our students and the Mount community is exceptional.” Bessie originally planned to stay for a year and then study to become a nurse. She loved the Mount community and never left, deciding to dispense hugs instead of medical care. She has no plans to retire “as long as my feet cooperate.” Bessie’s heartfelt message to the Mount community as she marks this work anniversary is both simple and powerful: “Love you all.”
A Fisher Is Called to Serve as Bishop
BISHOP MICHAEL W. FISHER, S'90, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Washington, eyed at least one old friend among the celebrants as he was ordained to the Order of Bishop June 29 during a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception attended by about 1,000 family and friends of the 1990 graduate of Mount St. Mary’s Seminary. Bishop Barry C. Knestout, S’89, the bishop of Richmond, served as a principal co-ordaining bishop at the Mass. Knestout and Fisher are the 51st and 52nd episcopal alumni of the seminary.
Fisher noted that he and Knestout “have been friends since the seminary, as a matter of fact he was the first seminarian I ever met.” Other Mounties there to support Fisher were the seminary’s rector, Rev. Msgr. Andrew Baker, S.T.D., seminary student Danny Baxter, S'21, newly ordained Rev. Kevin Fields, S'18, and Rev. Mr. Joseph Salser, S'18. In preparing to read the papal mandate appointing Fisher as auxiliary bishop of Washington, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the United States, played on the new bishop’s last name, noting that “things have not changed since the time of Jesus. Jesus keeps calling fishers.” In his letter, Pope Francis stated that Fisher is “endowed with outstanding qualities of mind and heart” and encouraged him to “make use of charity, the dean of all virtues that never fails.” “This is a very precious moment for me to be ordained a bishop in Mary’s house,” Fisher said. “I beg Our Lady’s continued prayers and I ask Our Lady of Guadalupe to grant me a heart with a zeal for souls.” If the devotion of his parishioners is any indication, Fisher already possesses a zeal for souls. Busloads of people from the parishes he served attended the liturgy to personally witness his ordination as bishop. As a seminarian, Fisher served in the Air Force chaplaincy program at bases in North Carolina and Washington state and ministered at St. Ann Parish in Washington. He also ministered and taught parish religious education at several pastoral posts in Hagerstown, Maryland, as well as volunteered at a correctional facility and a center for people with mental disabilities. That work, he said, “gives you a new perspective, a compassionate attitude to help people.”
Catholic Standard photo by Jaclyn Lippelmann
