Grubbs grew up watching March Madness, never once imagining that she would be a part of the D3 level. Being able to see the names of her team members on the big TV screen, traveling, and playing in a packed gymnasium only added to the memorability and wonder of this event. After gaining a steady momentum at the start of the season, COVID forced the Rams to slow down and reprioritize their team goals and strategies for the remaining games. They focused a lot of time and energy on trusting both the process on the court and their teammates. Communication became the key, especially in a packed gym. “We had to be steady and realize that if they score or go on a run, it’s okay; we’ll bounce back,” stated Grubbs. The women’s basketball team did just that. This season not only boasted NCU’s first-ever UMAC Tournament Championship title, but the longest winning streak, the best winning percentage, and the most UMAC wins. Behind the team and these statistics is sevenyear veteran Head Coach Paul Brunner ’14, ’22 M.A. “We tried all season long to be intentional with our mission as a Christ-centered basketball program that develops champions and graduates leaders,” Brunner said. “For us, this means it’s less about how we play and more about who we desire to become—as athletes, students, leaders, and people.”
NEW ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MICHAEL KNIPE FOCUSES ON PASSION AND PROGRESS M ichael Knipe ’19 has been named Director of Athletics, Recreation, and Wellness. Knipe previously served as Interim Director and has been with the department in many different roles throughout the past four years, including Director of Athletic Communications and Head Coach for Track and Cross Country. He has also served in the Office of the Registrar. He serves on the Finance Committee of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) in his new role. Knipe also serves in the United States Army Reserve and finished a year-long deployment overseas in August. Before NCU, he coached football, men’s basketball, and women’s basketball in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Knipe is completing an MBA from the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. He started his undergraduate work at Trinity and completed his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from NCU. Knipe is an innovator committed to advance the university through athletics and is the driving force behind the introduction of eSports, NCU’s latest varsity sport coming this fall. (See page 13.) “I am excited to continue the major progress made on this campus over the years,” Knipe said. “We will be dedicated to continuing to develop passionate champions of excellence in athletics and in life as we build leaders for God’s Kingdom.” He emphasized a commitment to a “we over me” attitude throughout all of athletics at NCU.
Brunner said the team never stated a specific goal to win the UMAC but instead focused all their energy and effort on becoming the type of people that would be able to accomplish things we desired. “We often used the phrase, ‘Who we become is far more important than what we achieve,’” Brunner said. “The ‘who’ our players became is what I am most proud of as I reflect on this season.” Despite being historic and exhilarating, the end of the season was bittersweet for Grubbs and the other upper-class students. Seven seniors played their last season and said farewell to the court. Grubbs remarked that the upperclassman put in hard work and extra time, pushing towards success and UMAC Championship because they would only have that chance once. “Most people don’t recognize what goes into having a historic season like this,” Brunner said, “and the students deserve all of the credit. This season was so special for our program because we felt embraced by the entire university, and we always felt like we were a part of something much bigger than just ourselves. As we talked as a team after the season, we all agreed that trophies are cool, but relationships are cooler.”
BATTING IN STYLE A generous foundation grant provided for a major upgrade to the batting cages used by NCU Rams softball and baseball teams. With Minnesota’s slow-to-arrive spring, the cages play an important role in the teams’ practice regimen. Head Baseball Coach David Babcock expressed gratitude for the project, saying, “We could not be more grateful for the donations made to upgrade our baseball and softball facility. During my time here, God has continued to bless our program. After everything He has done for us, it is only right that we give Him our best, and that is what we are doing thanks to the generosity of all our donors.” Spring 2022 | 15
