THE OFFICIAL ONLINE
MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH
ATHLETICS
unlimited
ALMOST THAT TIME The Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweiser is just weeks way, and golfers have nearly filled the entire 528-player field
TRAVEL NURSE
Former volleyball player Jes Asplund works across the USA as a travel nurse
AROUND THE HORN
The historic day Kevin Caroland played all nine positions in one Golden Eagle game
IN NET
A sit down with Golden Eagle soccer head coach Steve Springthorpe
Plus:
* Twitter 101 * How Well Do You Know * Ask The A.D. ...and some great photos
March / April 2015
Volume 3, Issue 3
photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
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Convocation... Convocation is more often used as a term for a large formal assembly of people, while that is the case in this picture, the word is even more fitting. A group of eagles is also called a convocation. In April, all the TTU Golden Eagles gathered for an Student-Athlete appreciation picnic.
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MARCH / APRIL Volume 3, Issue 3
unlimited
IN THIS ISSUE
16 Cover Story
With the 2015 Pepsi Bobby Nichols Scramble presented by Budweiser creeping ever closer, we take a look at the long history of the event honoring one of the greatest men to call Tennessee Tech home.
THE ONLINE MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH ATHLETICS
24 Made Easy
With constant change the norm in these days of social media, it can be easy to get lost with everything thrown at you. We provide an quick tour of TTUSports.comand where you can find the information your looking for concerning Tech athletics.
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32 Living in the Present
A standout volleyball player for the Golden Eagles, Jes Asplund took the path less traveled by into her career and has never looked back.
42 Around the Horn
In this special edition of “This Day in Golden Eagle History,� we cover one of the most unusual and rare feats to ever come across the diamond at Tennessee Tech. The day Kevin Caroland played all nine positions.
51 In Net
An in depth Q&A with Golden Eagle soccer head coach Steve Springthorpe. Dylan Vazzano gets the low down on makes the head man of the Tech pitch tick.
62 How Well Do You Know
How well do TTU Track and Field athletes Chelsea Mills and Brooklyn Kimball know their teammate, Atlanta Westbrook? We find out with this fun little game.
Departments From the Editor / 6 Let it Be Fresh Faces / 7-8 Meet 10 Tech newcomers Twitter 101 / 50 Quick guide to Twitter and @TTUGoldenEagles Playlist / 41 Administrators Christmas songs Ask The A.D. / 67 Questions for Golden Eagle Director of Athletics Mark WIlson
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Twitter - @TTUGoldenEagles Facebook - TTU Sports Internet - www.TTUSports.com
photo by Jim Dillon
IN FOCUS ‘Bout to Burst Their Bubble... Sophomore Evan Fralix takes a breath and blows a bubble prior to throwing a pitch this season . If his baseball career turns professional after college, a gum company may need to give this hurler a call.
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a great thing From the editor
March 1970, in my humble and aging opinion, featured one of the greatest weeks in pop music history. I remember when the recently split Beatles released the single “Let it Be” in the third week of March. The album and eventual chart-topping single didn’t hit airwaves on AM radio stations until nearly a year after it had been recorded and remixed in the studio by Phil Spector. It came out at a time when Simon and Garfunkel had a lock on the No. 1 spot with “Bridge over Troubled Water” for a month. Other hits in the Top 40 included “Kentucky Rain” by Elvis, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by the Hollies, Santana’s “Evil Ways,” plus “House of the Rising Sun,” and “Spirit in the Sky.” But after its debut at No. 6, “Let it Be” raced to the top spot. The local AM pop radio station in Minnesota that I listened to played the song over and over -- 100 times in a row. No kidding. As soon as the song ended, the DJ spun it again. And we listened eagerly, again and again and again. Knowing the Beatles were forever gone, we could not get enough of that particular song. It’s hard to explain today, with iPods and iTunes, and music provided in such drastically different ways. When we got our music from a little, hand-held transistor radio (oddly, the same size as iPods today), just that one simple opening keyboard chord from “Let it Be” made us smile. It didn’t matter that we had just heard the entire song. Paul playing that chord, and playing it again, we just couldn’t get enough of it. Many of us know that feeling, when you just can’t get enough of a great thing. It happened again for me about 20 years ago, eating dinner with friends in Cookeville, at what was then the Holiday Inn on Jefferson Avenue (now the Clarion Inn). The restaurant, Louie’s, had a special promotion on steak dinners every Tuesday evening. All the ribeye steaks you could eat. The special began at 5 p.m., and the cost started at $5. At 5:15 the cost went up to $5.25. And so on. By 7:30 p.m., you were paying $7.50, and still getting all the meat you could eat, plus baked potato, side veggie….and your drink! Wow. Joan and I joined two other couples every Tuesday, trying to get there promptly at 5 p.m. And we dug in. My friend, Roger, still chuckles about the time I ate nine steaks! Nine! Just couldn’t get enough of a great thing. At Tennessee Tech athletics, we hope that fans feel the same way about attending Golden Eagle football games and basketball games, and all of the other events on campus – from volleyball and soccer in the fall to baseball, softball and tennis in the spring. If you’re a parent of a student-athlete, or family member or a fan, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Football Saturdays are too short. You come to the stadium or the arena, and you find enough joy and excitement to make you anxious to come back. You simply can’t get enough of a great thing. If you’re not already one of those diehard fans, we invite you to give it a try. Become a Golden Eagle fan whose heart races each time the Golden Eagles hit the floor or run onto the field. Believe me, I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it (the Beatles). I’ve tasted it (ribeye steaks). I hope you will feel it, too. Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director / Editor Please send your feedback to: sportsinfo@tntech.edu
TENNESSEE
TECH
ATHLETICS
unlimited L ONLINE
THE OFFICIA
OF MAGAZINE
AT TIME ALMOST TH weiser presented by Bud field Eagle Scramble Nichols Golden entire 528-player nearly filled the The Pepsi Bobby , and golfers have is just weeks way
TRAVEL NURSE
nd works player Jes Asplu Former volleyball as a travel nurse across the USA
HORN ND THE and AROUday played all Kevin Carol
The historic Eagle game in one Golden nine positions
IN NET
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Golden Eagle soccer A sit down with Springthorpe head coach Steve
Plus:
* Twitter 101 You Know * How Well Do . * Ask The A.D great photos e som ...and
ril 2015 March / Ap
e3 Volume 3, Issu
On the cover One of the most popular events in the region, the Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble is just weeks away (some spaces are still available, so sign up NOW). We take a look back at how this three-day event got its start, and some of the highlights and great moments in the tourney’s history.
fresh faces Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2014-15
Ryan Flick / R-Freshman / Baseball
Bluff City, Tenn.
F Flick played first base for Mike Breuninger for three seasons at Sullivan East High School…named team MVP after his junior and senior campaigns…as a junior, batted .402 with 46 RBI and 12 home runs…followed it up batting .389 with 15 home runs and 47 RBI as a senior…led SEHS to a regular season conference championship as a sophomore… earned Three Rivers Conference MVP as a junior and senior… named to Johnson City Press Super 22 Team after his junior and senior seasons…collected Bristol Herald Courier All-Area Team honors his final two years…as a senior, earned First-Team All-State accolades from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association and Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association…named Eastman Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior and graduated as the valedictorian of his class.
Eduardo Mena / Freshman / Tennis
Buitrago del Lozoya, Spain
F Has been playing tennis since he was four...learned the game from his father, a physical education teacher...began with formal coaching when he was eight...was coached by Jose Luis Mertinez since the time he was 12 years old...played for the San Sebastian de Los Reyes club team, competing in numerous tournaments...had much success including Master of the Region and several regional titles...also competed in soccer on a high level (Division I) since he was 15.
Bayli Cruse / Freshman / Softball
Cohutta, Ga.
F A four-time letter winner in softball, Bayli played catcher at Northwest Whitfield…three-time All-State and three-time All-Area selection from sophomore to senior years…Player of the Year in 2013…as a senior batted .450 with 12 home runs and 61 RBI…hit 25 career home runs…helped lead team to back-to-back State championships in 2012 and 2013…graduated top five in her class with a 4.0 GPA.
Josh Pankratz / Junior / Baseball
Taylorsville, Miss.
F Pankratz played in 101 games in two years, spending most of the time as a third baseman… as a sophomore, batted .320 in 57 games thanks to 62 hits… tallied 16 doubles and three home runs, leading to a .459 slugging percentage…drove in 41 runs while scoring 33 himself…stole six bases in eight attempts…tallied three game with three or more hits and four games with three or more RBI…made just six errors at the hot corner, earning a fielding percentage of .953…tallied a season-high four hits in five at bats in the second game of a doubleheader at Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Apr. 26)... as a freshman, batted .326 in 44 games, compiling 43 hits, 27 runs and 31 RBI…totaled 13 doubles and two home runs while slugging .470…was successful on four out of six stolen base attempts…recorded three games with three or more hits and two contests with three or more RBI… named an Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove winner and Second-Team All-MACJC as a sophomore.
Jorge Alfonzo / Freshman / Tennis
Valencia, Venezuela
F A native of Valencia, Venezuela, Jorge was active in a variety of sports prior to his arrival at Tech…active in ITF Tennis tournaments…also competed in swimming, karate, track & field and baseball...won several karate titles...heavily influenced by coaches Julio Cancelado and Jim Lewis...invited to play in the 2009 Orange Bowl Tennis championships in Miami...ranked as the No. 1 Boys U-18 tennis player in Venezuela... three invitations to Los Angeles for tournament play...competed in several Futures ATP tournaments...was among the elite 250 players at the ATP Pre-Qualifying in L.A.
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fresh faces Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2014-15
Carlos Tajes / Freshman / Tennis
Murcia, Spain
F A 2013 graduate of Juan Carlos First High School, Carlos was an experienced international and national tennis player in his native Spain...enjoyed outstanding success playing in tournaments across the north of Spain before moving South to receive better training and face a higher level of competition...coached by Jorge Garcia...ranked as high as No. 170 nationally in the ITF Boys Under-18 level...ranked No. 450 in Tennis Europe...also an accomplished soccer player.
Chase Chambers / Freshman / Baseball
Knoxville, Tenn.
F Chambers lettered four years under head coach Matt Buchner at Farragut High School…batted .462 with 10 home runs, 19 doubles and 66 total hits as a senior…also scored 57 runs and drove in 58 while recording an on base percentage of .560…posted a career average of .385 with 15 home runs, 51 doubles and .545 on base percentage…led FHS to AAA state titles in 2011 and 2014…earned All-District honors three times…named a Preseason Under Armour All-American before 2014 season…rapped up career earning All-State and Louisville Slugger All-American honors.
Sonel Bezuidenhout / Freshman / Track & Field
Pretoria, South Africa
F Began her running career in eighth grade, competiting initially in the 1,500m run...coached throughout high school by Dion Saayman, whose inspiration and guidance led her into regional and national competition, a level achieved by ranking among the top 12 in her age division...in 2013, she was ranked 8th nationally for girls under 17, and in 2014 she was 10th in the country for Junior Women runners.
Jake Farr / Junior / Baseball
Strawberry Plains, Tenn.
F Farr played in 53 contests as a freshman and 59 more as sophomore…as a sophomore, racked up a .311 batting average behind 64 hits while totaling 42 runs, 54 RBI and two home runs…walked 17 times while getting hit by a pitch 11 times…unleashed his speed for 22 stolen bases in 26 attempts…recorded a career-high five RBI at Tennessee Wesleyan JV (Mar. 19)… as a freshman, batted .302 with 30 runs, 52 hits and 25 RBI…totaled 14 doubles and two triples while walking 18 times and getting hit three more…laid down six sacrifice hits and tallied a fielding percentage of .968…in two years, totaled seven games with three or more hits and five games with three or more RBI.
Sabrie Neeb / Junior / Softball
Front Royal, Va.
F An All-Northeast Conference First Team selection as a designated player after Sabrie led the team and finished fourth in the NEC with eight home runs..led the club with a .461 slugging percentage and a .418 on-base percentage…finished second in the conference with 26 walks…hit .289 (37-128)…smacked eight doubles and drove in 27…finished third on The Red Flash with seven multi-RBI games…had back-to-back four RBI contests, going 3-for3 with two doubles against Morgan State on Feb. 23 and hit a grand slam against Niagara in the team’s next game on Mar. 3. Started and played in 48 games…tied for the team lead with six home runs and second on The Red Flash with 25 RBI…hit .303 (44-145)…finished second on the team with a .483 slugging percentage and a .392 onbase percentage…second on the squad with 19 walks and third on the team with eight doubles…perfect 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts…went 3-for-4 with a home run, two doubles, and four RBI against UMES on Feb. 24.
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photo by Tony Marable
IN FOCUS
Quick Feet... Golden Eagle freshman Jorge Alfonzo had quite a stellar freshman year, finishing with an impressive 7-1 in OVC play.
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Feeling Social?
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photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
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Look Ma, I’m a Star... Junior Krys Cates leaps in the air during th 2015 Spring Game, proving his athletic ability and his star power. The wide reciever missed all of the 2014 season, and will look to make a huge impact in the 2015 season.
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photos by Jim Dillon
IN FOCUS
The Anatomy of a Long Ball... All-American shortstop Dylan Bosheers has enjoyed a historic career as a Golden Eagle, mashing over 25 home runs in the purple and gold, including this massive shot against Morehead State. This dinger was one of two the slugger put out at Bush Stadium on the day and his seventh of the 2015 season.
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cover story
ALMOST TEE For TIME This particular tournament -- this three-day festival of golf sprinkled with fun, competition, camaraderie and memories – hasn’t always borne the name of Hall of Fame golfer and coach Bobby Nichols.
What began more than three decades ago as a one-day gathering at one golf course has grown and grown, much the same way the title of the event has taken on a life of its own with the addition of sponsors and presenters, plus a nod to the much-missed Nichols.
It’s now the Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweisier, and the 2015 edition of the event – the 35th year of the festivities – is coming up June 5-6-7 at three golf courses in the Cookeville area.
By Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information
My, how this tournament has grown. From a one-day, 18-hole affair at Ironwood Golf Course in 1980 to a three-day tournament that features 528 golfers playing at three courses over three full days. This particular tournament -- this three-day festival of golf sprinkled with fun, competition, camaraderie and memories – hasn’t always borne the name of Hall of Fame golfer and coach Bobby Nichols. What began more than three decades ago as a one-day gathering at one golf course has grown and grown, much the same way the title of the event has taken on a life of its own with the addition of sponsors and presenters, plus a nod to the much-missed Nichols. It’s now the Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweiser, and the 2015 edition of the event – the 35th year of the festivities – is coming up June 5-6-7 at three golf courses in the Cookeville area.
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The tournament will feature three days of very competitive golf, plus a host of special features and events, and will take place at Nichols’ own Ironwood Golf Course, the Cookeville Golf Course and White Plains Golf Course. A huge field of 528 golf-
ers will participate, playing for thousands of dollars worth of prizes. It will also include chances to win hole-in-one prizes, a million dollars, and a variety of other awards. continued on page 18
Bobby Nichols (kneeling) and Malcolm “Mutt” Quillen (rear), check out the grip of some of the Golden Eagle Scramb;e’s earlier hole sponsors, from left, Jim Woodford, Jackie Borden, Danny Elmore and Allen Ray.
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Director of Athletics and vice president Dr. David Larimore (left) and Tech president Dr. Angelo Volpe (right) share a moment with Steve Copeland of Cumberland Insurance, a long-time sponsor of the tournament.
Each golfer will receive a “goodie” bag, the opportunity to attend a Friday night party and concert, and the Saturday night barbecue dinner. All in the name of fun. And, oh yes, to raise funds for Tennessee Tech Athletics. The tournament is a major fundraising event for Golden Eagle teams, and the money raised from the tournament goes to Tech athletics via shares provided to the budgets of Tech’s 14 teams who help host the affair. The tournament had humble beginnings in 1980, when Nichols and Jim Ragland got together with the idea of hosting a small, fundraising golf tournament with the proceeds going to support the Tech golf program. Jointly sponsored by the Tennessee Tech Athletic Foundation and Burks Distributing Company of Cookeville, the tournament has always featured plenty of activities in addition to golf. The first tourney was held at Ironwood, an 18-hole, one-day gathering of 120 golfers, and offered prize money in excess of $4,000 plus the opportunity to win a new car
with a hole-in-one. The first player who aced No. 7 would win a 1981 Oldsmobile Omega, compliments of Keith Norris Olds-Cadillac of Cookeville. Prizes in those first years also included winners on all par three holes, closest to the pin and longest drive contests, and door prizes throughout the day. Right from the start, the tourney also featured a special Saturday night barbecue dinner. By the next year, the prize money had grown to $5,000 and hole-inone prizes included a new car and a complete fish-ski boat outfit. That year, the field had grown to a two-day, 36-hole event that drew 220 golfers. By the third year, the tournament was sponsored by Whitson Distributing Company and Stroh’s. The field was divided into a championship flight and five other flights, plus a senior citizen flight for those over the age of 55. The field grew to 240 golfers. The hole-in-one prize in 1982 was the golfer’s choice of a 1982 Pontiac or truck, courtesy of Woodford Motor Company. Sportsman’s World offered the
Frank Harrell, far left, visits with sponsors Jim Patton and Danny Elmore, next to a green at White Plains. Patton and Elmore sponsored on of the many hole-in-one prizes at the scramble for many years
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cover story
ALL-TIME WINNERS OF THE GOLDEN EAGLE SCRAMBLE 1980 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1981 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1982 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1983 - Chip Carlen/David Draper 1984 - Bill Hickey/Tim Brock 1985 - J.B. Dyer/Gary Franklin 1986 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1987 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1988 - Gary Maxwell/Mark Norman 1989 - J.B. Dyer/Gary Franklin 1990 - Doug Standifer/Tom Pack 1991 - Doug Standifer/Melanie Gray 1992 - Ted Bost/Kevin Bost 1993 - J.B. Rittenberry/Steve Flowers 1994 - Gary Maxwell/Paul Korth 1995 - Gary Maxwell/Paul Korth 1996 - Doug Standifer/J.H. Graham 1997 - Mike Borden/Elizabeth Maxwell 1998 - Wes Flatt/Dwayne Franklin 1999 - Gary Maxwell/Paul Korth 2000 - Gary Maxwell/Paul Korth 2001 - Danny Sutton/Tim Richardson 2002 - Ricky Gilreath/Adam Boyd 2003 - Danny Sutton/Rob Lollar 2004 - Danny Sutton/Tim Richardson 2005 - Ricky Gilreath/Adam Boyd 2006 - Tyler Cassetty/Brandon Ward 2007 - Josh Curtis/Josh Shoulders 2008 - Tyler Cassetty/Brandon Ward 2009 - Blake Garrison/Dustin Thomas 2010 - Lee Maxwell/Gary Maxwell 2011 - Paul Ballard/Tim Richardson 2012 - Blake Garrison/Dustin Thomas 2013 - Peyton Broyles/Austin Garrett 2014 - Paul Ballard/Tim Richardson
combination fish-ski boat for a hole-in-one on No. 14. In 1983, the press release announcing the Golden Eagle Scramble touted “prizes adding up to more money than ever before will be available to more golfers than ever before.” The field had grown to 250 golfers, and made a move to the newly remodeled and expanded, 18-hole Cookeville Country Club, with $5,000 in guaranteed prizes and $38,000 worth of other prizes. The fourth year of the event eclipsed all previous records with 250 golfers. The tourney added a Ladies Flight, and also featured a Media Flight, with personalities from Nashville and Knoxville joining some local writers and broadcasters. ‘The purpose of the tournament is to raise funds to support the Tennessee Tech athletics program,” explained Jim Ragland, who was then serving as executive director of the TTU Athletic Foundation and coordinator of the tourney. “We hold this tournament so we can bring back scholarship air to the Tech golf team, allowing the golf coach to recruit outstanding young men and women golfers.” The first recipient of aid from the tournament was Craig King of Cookeville following the 1980 tournament. He received tuition costs, and donated the money to the athletic department for use among the entire golf team. Following the expanded-format second affair, two golfers were granted golf scholarships, including Sparta’s Bill Hickey. The “fun and excitement of two great days of golf and competition” is what Ragland called the main attraction of the Golden Eagle Scramble in its early years. Another major attraction was the bundle of prizes available to the good an/or lucky golfers, including vans and boats. The first major hole-in-prize came in 1982 when John Brient aced No. 7 at Ironwood, claiming a 1982 Pontiac. That was followed on the second day by two more hole-in-one shots on the same hole! continued on page 21
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On the light side: Top: Head coach Bobby Nichols poses proudly with the seniors on his 2005-06 golf teams. Bottom: Was it something I said? Bobby hides his face after one of the seniors made a comment that won’t be shared here.....
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cover story
By 1994, in the 15th year of the tournament, the field featured 200 two-man teams playing three days at Ironwood and White Plains. Following play on Friday and Saturday, the teams were placed in 14 flights according to scores, with the top seven landing at Ironwood on Sunday and the lower seven at White Plains. “I told Jim I thought it was a great idea,” Nichols said that year, “and the tournament was successful, right from the start. Jim worked very hard to establish this tournament. He deserves a lot of the credit. He went out and found all of the volunteers needed to run the tournament.” Major prizes in 1994, all at Ironwood, included a Honda Civic from Randolph Olds-CadillacHonda on No. 2, a $3,000 Caribbean Cruise on No. 7 from radio station Kicks 106, a $2,500 car audio/security/cellular phone package from Good Vibrations on
No. 11, and a Ford Ranger from Heritage Ford on the 15th hole. Today, dozens and dozens of volunteers, athletics staff and student-athletes host the tournament, and the field can accommodate 528 golfers, or 256 two-person teams. That’s more teams than the early years handled of individual golfers! My, how you’ve grown! Preparations for this year’s tournament actually began a year ago, and have been ongoing for the entire time. Registration began in March and the field was nearly half-filled within a couple weeks. On Friday night, Doc Fields will host his annual Golf Party and Concert, with the 12 South Band providing the music and entertainment. On Saturday, it’s the Cumberland Insurance BBQ at the Cookeville Golf Course, featuring some of the skill contests. These include the Cumberland Insurance $1,000 Shoot-Out on the ninth green, a $500 putting contest, and a $500 chipping contest sponsored by Middle Tennessee Surgical Specialists. At 7:20 p.m., one lucky golfer will get to swing for $1,000,000 (that’s one million dollars) on hole No. 1, sponsored by Cumberland Auto Center. There are six contests at each course, including hole-in-one, closest to the pin and longest drive (see chart). The biggest winners in Golden Eagle Scramble history has been
Golfer Mark Odom, left, tries to convince sponsor (and currently Cookeville Mayor) Rickt Shelton that he deserves the $1,000 diamond ring offered by Shelton’s Jewelry during the 1984 Coor’s Extra Golden Eagle Scramble. Miss Tennessee Tech, Sherry Dougay, helps Shelton explain that it will take a hole-in-one to claim the priuze while tournament co-director Willie Burden measures Odom’s attempt.
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One of the brightest moments of Bobby’s coaching career: Wearing his Ironwood visor, Bobby Nichols assistt future PGA champion and Golden Eagle All-American Scott Stallings get a read on the green during the 2005 NCAA East Regional in Florida. Stallings played well, earning the opportunity to advance to the NCAA National Championships in Oregon.
the duo of J.B. Rittenberry and Steve Flowers, who paired up to win the title six times including the first three. Their final championship came in 1993. Rittenberry and Flowers are joined in the winner’s circle by Gary Maxwell, who also owns six titles. He first won the crown in 1988 with Mark Norman, then posted four with Paul Korth. His latest was when he teamed with his son, Lee Maxwell, to tote home the hardware in 2010. Korth’s four individual titles are matched by Tim Richardson, who was the winner in 2001 and 2004 with Danny Sutton, and in 2011 and last year while pairing up with Paul Ballard. Women have won the championship twice. In 1991 Melanie Gray, who would go on to be named to the TTU Sports Hall of Fame, teamed with Doug Standifer to win the crown. The second time came in
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1997, when Elizabeth Maxwell (does that last name sound familiar?) paired up with Mike Borden to sweep to first place. It started small, but it has truly grown to one of the biggest and best golf tournaments in the region. Thanks to dozens of sponsors, hundreds of volunteers and thousands of golfers through the years, Jim Ragland’s idea is a resounding success. And this year’s tournament is shaping up to keep that tradition alive.
Have you signed up to play? If not, there were still a few team spots available when this magazine was published, but you had better not delay. Call (931) 372-3940 to register. And, have a ball!
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A QUICK TOUR OF TTUSports.com / Where to find what you’re looking for #TTUPurplePride Click here to access the tagboard of items (Facebook and Twitter) that include the hashtag #TTUPurplePride
Main Menu ROTATOR The top of the web page features the “rotator” which displays the top stories of the day. The rotator includes the 12 most recent stories, which cycle through four at a time. Click on the little yellow buttons at the bottom of the right set of four smaller photos to advance to the second and third group of stories.
Each of these labels leads to a “drop down” menu of items to choose from. Each SPORT includes a direct quick link to the roster and schedule. In addition to each sport, the SCHEDULE drop down includes a composite calendar. The TICKETS drop down will give you details and a link to ordering tickets. FAN ZONE features a variety of pages, including the monthly walking schedule for Eblen Center (closed this summer for construction). The INSIDE ATHLETICS incoudes the largest source of links. Two of note are the TRADITIONS page including such things as the Hall of Fame, and FOR STUDENTS-ATHLETES, a gathering place for material varying from forms to awards lists to SAAC. The MULTIMEDIA drop down gets you to links for such things as Twitter, YouTube and the OVC Digital Network. Finally, the RECRUITS drop down is the place to answer quesstions from prospective student-athletes.
INFORMATIONAL SLIDER Banners with informational links on promotions, schedules, camps, and special events
TWITTER / FACEBOOK SCHEDULE / RESULTS / PROMOTIONS Click on each of the three choises at the top, and you’ll get calendar listing of the upcoming events, recent results and promotions with details.
Click on Twitter and see the latest tweets. Click on Facebook and see our latest posts. Each one will also take you to the Twitter or Facebook page for Tech Athletics.
QUICK LINK INFORMATION BOXES Clicking on these boxes will take you directly to such places as the Tickets page, a way to order Tech gear, the Hoop Troop page, and more. These boxes change, so check often.
OUR VALUABLE SPONSORS Clicking on each button will take you directly to the sponsor’s webpage.
QUICK LINKS Clicking on these logos will take you to the Tennessee Tech webpage, the OVC, FCS football, the NCAA and our web host, PrestoSports.
SHORTUTS Clicking on these icons will take you to live stats, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, ticekts and live radio brodcast links.
RESULTS CRAWL The latest results scroll through. Click the arrow to move forward or backward
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photo by Jim Dillon
IN FOCUS
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Sultan of Swat... Junior Olivia Bennett has been on a season-long tear for the Tennessee Tech softball team that has seen the 5-foot-4 outfielder put up some staggering power numbers at the dish. Bennett’s 14 home runs and 44 RBI sit atop the Tech leaderboard, putting her among the leaders in the OVC as well. The 14 round trippers rank third in the conference and the 44 runs driven in rank fourth.
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photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
Molding Minds... Majoring in interdisciplinary studies with her emphasis in both ceramics and education, Christian Gibbs (a senior on the Tech softball team) recently combined those skills to teach a kindergarten class at South Prescott Elementary School in Cookeville. Gibbs took those projects with her to finish them off with the ‘firing’ process, and returned the following week to present each child with their final project.
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photo by Sean Setters
IN FOCUS
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Out by a Mile... Freshman infielder Trevor Putzig waits to apply the tag on an Eastern Illinois base runner attempting to steal second base. Advantage Putzig.
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LIVING in the PRESENT A standout volleyball player for the Golden Eagles, Jes Asplund has moved into a satisfying career as a travel nurse, accepting posts across the country By Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information On a student-athlete personality questionnaire that she filled out entering her senior season in 2008, Jessica Asplund had a simple, three-word answer to this philosophical question: If you could live at any time in history, it would be‌ Her reply: In the present. And her life in the past five years since graduating with a nursing degree in 2009 has validated her response. She works as a travelling nurse, a career that has allowed her the freedom to move about the country every few years. continued on page 34 And live in the present.
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While currently working in the Denver area, she has spent time as an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse in Texas, Nashville, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area of northern California. When her contract at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora is finished, she may stay in Denver. Or she may try Portland or Seattle. “I have a friend who wants me to go to Hawaii, too,” she said, keeping all of her options open. “I might stay here,” she said. Traveling nurses have the option of extending their contracts, if the hospital agrees. Each contract is for a three-month span, and Jes usually stays about one year at each. She has worked at some of the best teaching hospitals in America, including Woodland Heights Medical Center in Texas, Stanford University Hospital, Kaiser Perman-
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ente Downey Medical Center near Los Angeles, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and now Aurora. “I kind of want to make Denver my home town, but since college I’ve never spent more than a year-and-a-half any place,” she says. “I might just go some place I haven’t been.” Where does this wanderlust come from? “We took family vacations when I was young, and I just like exploring places and seeing different things. I’ve met a lot of different and cool people through it all.” The opportunity to relocate every so often has also given the 27-year-old a chance to explore and stay active in outdoor activities. And live in the present. “I’m an outdoors person. In the summer I like to spend time hiking and camping. In the continued on page 36
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LIVING in the PRESENT continued winter, it’s skiing,” Jes explains. She also plays plenty of volleyball year-round. It’s those escapes that help keep her grounded, and give her a respite from the pressures of working ICU. She has worked cardiac ICU and the burn trauma ICU. “My job can be so serious at times, I need those things away from work,” she says. Getting to know her patients, means becoming attached to some. “It’s different every month,” she says. “I work in an ICU ‘float pool’ so it all depends on which ICU is short that month.” One particular patient, a woman, had been in the burn trauma ICU for nearly a year. “We cared for her for so long, and we put so much work into getting her better, and she passed away,” Jes recalls. “We see death. You just can let it affect you all the time. It would be just too hard.” There is the other side of the job, too. The ‘up’ side. “We have some patients who are so sick, then they receive a heart transplant or lung, and, oh my gosh, it’s the best thing.” Jes came to Tech in 2005, recruited out of Winnebago (Ill.) High School. She fit perfectly into a rebuilding plan for coach John Blair. She helped the Golden Eagle volleyball team climb from seven wins in her first season to the 2008 Ohio Valley Conference regular season and tournament championships, and the school’s second appearance in the NCAA Tournament. While she wasn’t the team’s headliner, she was a starter and played a major role as middle blocker. “I feel like I was always a consistent player. I could always be counted on. I was a team player,” she reflects on her career. “The more we were together, the more we worked on it, the better we got throughout the years. We were a big class when we came in, and our leadership helped the new people who came in each of the next couple years.” On the court, she was named all-OVC in 2008 and her name remains in the records books for posting two of the highest single-season hitting percentages in school history. In the classroom, she was listed on
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the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll four semesters and earned a spot on the OVC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll. All of that success with the Tech volleyball team provides some fantastic memories, but those are in the past. For now, Jes Asplund is living in the present.
Colorado volleyball teammates
WATCH YOUR GOLDEN EAGLES ONLINE ANYTIME! ANYWHERE! FOR FREE!
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Yogi Honea...
photo by Tony Marable
Senior captian Jacob Honea is know for his strikes and excessive leg extension. This snapshot captures Honea’s leg kick at its peak, and with that flexibilty, he might as well be a yoga instuctor.
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IN FOCUS
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photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
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Three, Two, One... The Tennessee Tech Department of Atheltics hosted a student-athlete appreciation picnic in April. Student-athletes had the opportunity to mingle with each other on blow-up games, while eating, and using a photo booth.
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199 Kevin Caroland warming up between innings at shortstop.
THIS DAY IN GOLDEN EAGLE HISTORY: AROUND THE HORN
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.000013. That razor-thin number is the approximate percentage of Major League Baseball games that have featured one player playing all nine positions in one game. Four times in the over 135 year history of the sport...
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1990
26 April
Golden Eagle Baseball
At the collegiate level, the percentage is just as miniscule. And yet, even though the scarcity of the occurrence has proven to be nearly as rare as the sighting of Halley’s Comet, the anomaly on the diamond struck Cookeville a mere 25 years ago. “He was just one of those kids who looked like an athlete,” the simple sentiments of Tennessee Tech Hall of Fame baseball coach David Mays, as he recalls the fabled afternoon. The “kid” was Kevin Caroland…and what an athlete he was. Named the winner of the M.P. Quillen Most Valuable Player award as a senior in 1990, Caroland led the Golden Eagles in seven batting and four pitching categories. The Sewanee, Tenn. native wrapped up a stellar career in Tech purple and gold that saw him hit a team-best .367 as a senior to go along with 14 doubles, four home runs, and 48 RBI. On the mound, the numbers were equally as impressive with a club-leading six wins and 65 strikeouts. For all the accolades and statistics that Caroland carried, it was his majestic voyage from position to position in a game against Caroland holds a Cumberland runner at first. Cumberland University on April 26, 1990 that turned his Tennessee Tech tenure into the stuff of legends. Caroland joined an exclusive club that has MLB All-Star and three-time World Series champion, Buster Posey, as part of its membership after playing all nine positions in one single game. From the hot corner to behind the dish. From toeing the slab to the depths of right field. From the bag at first to the stop at short. Caroland did it all; doing so in a 13-3 victory over the Bulldogs to exact revenge after a 14-8 loss just two weeks prior in Lebanon. “It was one of those games that could have put you to sleep,” Caroland claimed shortly after the contest, weary on his excursion across the yard as he reflected on his slice of baseball history.
vs. Cumberland University 43
“To be honest, I don’t really know how the idea came up, but I knew that Kevin would be a good kid to highlight,” Mays said, still beaming with pride 25 years after one of his star pupils took to the gravity of the moment. “I knew he would be able to play all nine positions because he was already a natural at shortstop and centerfield, which are two of the hardest positions to play. He also pitched for us, which shows you how good he really was.” Caroland started the game at first base, before moving around the infield through the fourth inning. The fifth presented the afternoon’s tallest task…the tools of ignorance. “He asked what do I do when I’m catching?” chuckled Mays. “I told him to just shut your eyes and catch it.” Evidently that’s exactly what Caroland did, helping sophomore right-hander Don Maness blank Cumberland in the top of the fifth to keep Tech ahead 3-1 in what Mays remarked was a “great inning behind the plate.” Caroland’s most (Top left): Caroland waiting between pitches in the oufield. (Top right): Caroland offering from the mound. (Bottom left): Caroland getting ready to frame a pitch from behind the dish. (Bottom right): Caroland batting, one of the few things he did for more than inning.
challenging assignment served as the game’s turning point as well, with the Golden Eagles putting up an eight-spot in the bottom of the inning to essentially put the game on ice with an 11-1 edge. Caroland trekked around the outfield in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, before smacking an exclamation point next to the historic afternoon with a scoreless ninth inning on the mound to secure the victory. “That was actually the first and only time I had ever witnessed something like that,” Mays said, conjuring up 25 years of head coaching experience to answer the question. “We had some kids over the years that were probably capable of doing something like this, but like I said before, Kevin was just so athletic that I knew he could handle it.” Caroland also went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and three RBI in the game. Handled indeed.
photo by TTU Sports Information
IN FOCUS
One Giant Leap for Tech Track... At the Arkansas State Red Wolf Open, Tech saw 11 studentathletes hit personal bests, some more than one, and for junior Atlanta Westbrook, a PR meant a new school record. Westbrook, who set the triple jump record with a distance of 37-08.5 in 2014, bested her own mark by 4.75 inches, with a mark of 38-01.25 to finish sixth overall.
photo by Jocelyn VerVelde
IN FOCUS
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Into the Woods... While the shot off the tee may not have been the best, the distress of a golfer in the trees is never under appreciated. Redshirt freshman A.J. Wilkerson didn’t let his brush with the brush affect him, saving par from the pines.
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photo by Jocelyn VerVelde
IN FOCUS
Ace, Ace Baby... The Golden Eagles junior Alvaro Cintas shows pure elation following an ace during the OVC tournament. The Golden Eagles unfortunately fell in its first match.
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Twitter 101 PURPOSE TWITTER is for the 1. Here and Now, 2. Interacting, 3. Quick Info, and 4. Driving Traffic. 1. Here and Now A. Live game tweets, and interacting with fans that are at events i. Final Scores ii. Big updates/Moments B. Market in the moment i.Real-time marketing shows some of twitters biggest successes 2. Interacting A. Answer questions, direct tweet fans, tag student athletes, retweet and favorite things about Tech. B. Retweet great content C. Direct tweets are great way to show your followers you are personal. Answer their question, builds strong relationships. D. Keep followers happy. 3. Quick info A. Infographics B. Quick ways to tell changes 4. Driving traffic A. Photos that relate to a story instead of a headline B. “It’s Game day – tune into @ TNTechBaseball /@TNTechVball/ETC for live stats” C. Links to stories and videos D. Use great #hashtags – helps fans who are searching for hashtags
Who to follow
Athletics.............................@TTUGoldenEagles
Fall Sports Soccer...........................................@TTUSoccer Volleyball....................................@TNTechVball Football...................................@TNTechfootball
Winter Sports Men’s Basketball...................... @TTU_Basketball Women’s Basketball..........................@TTUWBB
Spring Sports Women’s Golf...................... @TTUWomensGolf Men’s Golf......................................... @TTUGolf Softball...................................... @TTU_Softball Baseball.............................. @TNTech_Baseball
Where we rank Rank..... Handle.........................Followers #1 ........ @TTUGoldenEagles............... 9,002 #2 ....... @OVCSports.....................8,916 #3 ....... @MSURacers...................8,165 #4 ....... @EKUSports.....................7,023 #5 ....... @GoSoutheast..................5,832 #6 ....... @MSUAthletics.................5,533 #7 ....... @SIUECougars.................4,607 #8 ....... @EIU_Panthers.................4,572 #9 ....... @JSUGamecocks.............4,482 #10 ..... @TSU_Tigers....................4,392 #11 ..... @LetsGoPeay...................3,370 #12 ..... @UTMSports....................3,250 #13 ..... @GoBelmontBruins..........3,075
IN NET with Steve Springthorpe
et g s s to ake e cen hat m ach s he n w d co . t d y o ea ick n i ay eh gritt cer h rpe t m b rs nt nd soc tho e e a w w y g le ns u... a We nitt Eag Sprin e yo n e h e t e e h t old tev of rpis e S G su om s d An
By Dylan Vazzano, Sports Information Coordinator
Q: Where did you grow up? A: I was born in Miami and grew up there until I was 12. We then moved to a place called Ball Ground, Georgia which is north of Atlanta by about an hour, and I was there from sixth grade through high school. Q: How did you get interested in soccer? A: Living in Ball Ground during the late 70s, early 80s, there wasn’t any soccer. It all about baseball, football, and basketball, and frankly I never had an interest in soccer. I ended up playing football and made the freshman team as a receiver, but after one year I just didn’t enjoy it that much so I stopped playing. That summer I was back in my old elementary school gym and the new basketball coach for the girl’s team, which my sister was actually going to be playing on, was also the new soccer coach for the high school. He saw me playing basketball one day and told me I was a pretty good athlete and said, “So what do you think about trying out for the soccer team?” I said, “Yeah sure why not,” and ended up playing goalkeeper, because although I couldn’t kick that well, I had pretty good hands. continued on page 52
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Q: Initially, what was that experience like? A: Well soccer was actually considered the “un-cool” thing to do at the time. You either played football or basketball, so we weren’t too well liked. Q: How quickly did you to take to soccer? A: I knew soccer from watching it on TV, but from the actual playing perspective, I loved goal keeper. I watched it on TV and enjoyed seeing those guys flying around and making great saves. At the time, I didn’t care about the other aspects of the game too much.
to go on a visit there, but because it was late in the process we all decided that I would take a year off and then come back in the fall. During the year off, I got involved with a club team in the Atlanta area, where I was by far the youngest guy out there. It was an adult men’s team and I was a kid just out of high school. Q: How did your game develop in college to the point where you were three-time All-Conference selection? A: Well I showed up never really having any formal training in goalkeeping, and in fact at Methodist the coach that trained me wasn’t even a “goalkeeper coach.” I was successful in it but I would say that most of that was because of athleticism. As a goalkeeper I had a lot of bad habits because I was never really trained correctly, but ultimately because of desire and work ethic, I was able to be successful.
Q: How did you learn to play goalkeeper? A: I just worked really hard at it. Once I decided to do it, and the coach saw that I wasn’t afraid to throw my body around, I pretty much just learned on my own. I didn’t have an individual trainer or a goalkeeper coach, but I did a number of other things. I checked out every Q: Was college the soccer book I poslast level of soccer sibly could at the you played? library and found a A: No I actually way to watch it on played after college. TV. We didn’t have After finishing my ESPN so it made collegiate career I it kind of tough, stayed in the North but I remember Carolina area and there being one was pretty well conPBS channel that nected with other aired Soccer Made college players from in Germany, and our conference, if you ask anyone especially with UNC Head coach Steve Springthorpe (right) discusses strategy around my age who Greensboro. They had with assistant coaches Becca O’Shurak (far left) was in to soccer just won the Division and Corey Boyd (middle). at that time, that’s III National Championwhat you watched. My coach also told me two ship, and a lot their players were starting an amateur things about playing the position, he said, “I didn’t team in Greensboro that I was able to join. Considerknow a lot about goalkeeping, but I know your job is ing they had just won a national championship, we to keep the ball out of the back of the net, and if you were good enough to quickly transition into semidon’t let anyone score we will never lose a game.” To pro team, which at the time was part of the United this day, I still tell that to my players. States Interregional Soccer League (USISL). It was the highest level of soccer because there was no MLS Q: At what point did you realize you could play at and the North American Soccer League (NASL) was the collegiate level? defunct. I played professionally for two years and our A: It happened really late for me. There were no club team actually won its own National Championship. teams in the area, so recruiting was a lot different Overall, it was a great experience. back then. I remember my last season in high school, my coach handed me a brochure from a college and Q: During your playing career is there a moment or he suggested that I contact the coach over there. match that sticks out to you? I ended up talking to the coach at Methodist UniA: We actually had the chance to play the U.S Naversity, a Division III school, and he convinced me tional Team when I was with Greensboro. We scrim-
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Abby Wambach (28), current maged them in WinU.S. National Team forward ston-Salem, which of course was quite the thrill. Q: How did you get into coaching? A: It started in college. I was a little bit behind in school so I needed to go in for an extra semester, and they had just started a women’s team a few years prior. The head coach of the team was one that had coached me in college, and he suggested that I become an assistant coach for him. I did that for the semester and after I graduated, he told me that if I still wanted to come back and coach that I could. I ended up there for nine more years and we went to a few Final Fours during that time. Q: How did you end up at the University of Florida? A: Becky Burleigh was a player that we coached at Methodist, and she ended up getting the job as head coach at Florida. They had just won the National Championship in the fall of 1998, and in the spring of 1999 they had a coaching position over there, so
she called me up and asked if I wanted to be on the staff. I was there for five years, and it was a great experience where I learned a lot. We ended up winning three SEC championships and went to an NCAA Division I Final four. The team had a lot of great players on it as well, including Abby Wambach. Q: Wait you coached Abby Wambach, what was that like? A: As a freshman, her team had won the national championship the year before I got there. Her competiveness was what stood out most to me, and to be honest, she did things out there that no one was doing at the college game during that time. I mean she still is regarded as one of the best players in the world.
The team had a lot of great players on it as well, including Abby Wambach. Q: What was the next step after Florida? A: I wanted to be a head coach and got the opportunity to go out to California and take over as head coach at Fresno State. The people there were fantastic and we were the only thing around for about two hours, so Fresno State is a big deal in that community. Soccer is also a pretty big deal in California, so we had a lot of support throughout my five years. It was a good experience and I enjoyed my time there. continued on page 36
The 2001 Florida Gators, featuring Springthorpe and World Cup sensation Abby Wambach.
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Q: You went from Fresno State to head coach at NC State, what was coaching in the ACC like? A: Yeah...that’s a different thing. When you thrust yourself into the best conference in the country, it can come with a higher level of responsibility. I found though that wherever you go, you are always learning. I was learning at Fresno and then you move somewhere else where the level is higher and you have to do things differently, but you still continue to learn. It was a lot different than Fresno, but overall it was a good four years at NC State. Q: What role have all of your previous coaching experiences played, now that you are at Tech? A: Well I’ve had a lot of different experiences, both positive and negative. Like I said earlier, you are always learning and developing as a coach, and are constantly gaining an understanding of what works and what doesn’t. You often go through times that are great which causes you to learn from positive experiences, but then sometimes you can go through negative ones. The important thing to remember is if you only focus on the negative ones and always see things as negative, you really aren’t growing. Sometimes negative experiences may be better and you can look back on it and say that’s going to help me in the future. Q: What’s your favorite thing about being a coach? A: I do get a lot of joy and satisfaction out of seeing players excel, and to see the joy on their face when they accomplish a particular goal is always a big thing for me. Coaches try to put things in place and build teams, but in the end, it’s about the players
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getting the opportunity to experience things that they may have never before. We are going to work hard and see if we can make that happen here and get to a point where we can win a conference championship at Tech, and to see the excitement on all of the players’ faces if we can accomplish that goal.
2015 GATHERING OF EAGLES & WOMEN’S CLINIC
AUGUST 22ND
10:00 - 12:00 KIDS ZONE 10:30 - 12:00 - WOMEN’S CLINIC 12:00 - LUNCH 1:00 - SCRIMMAGE
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT TTUSPORTS.COM OR CALL (931)372-3940
photo by Jim Dillon
IN FOCUS
Rockin’ Rackets... The Golden Eagle tennis team, led by head coach Kenny Doyle, finished the Ohio Valley Conference season with an impressive 8-1 record and earned a share of the 2015 OVC regular season title. Doyle was also named co-Coach of the Year.
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photo by Jim Dillon
IN FOCUS
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High-Powered Hose... TTU Baseball manager Nate Stephens helps with the pre-game prep by wetting down the infeild dirt.
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photo by Jim DIllon
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Grace Within... Golden Eagle junior Alex Arovin volleys a serve back to his opponent in a home match this season. Arovin finished OVC play at 6-2 in the No. 1 Singles spot, and teammed with Alberto Esteban to go 7-0 in doubles, and earned OVC Player of the Year.
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Atlant West
well w Ho you do w o kn
The TTU Track and Field team is in the midst of the outdoor portion of the season. Junior Atlanta Westbrook is talented in many aspects, competing in jumping and sprinting events. We decided to see who knew her bettter, a fellow jumper, or a fellow sprinter.
The Questions
Atlanta’s Answers
1. What is your dream profession?
a Coach
2. What is your favorite TV Show?
Being Mary Jane
3. What is your favorite food?
Chicken ALfredo
4. What is your favorite pizza topping?
Pepperoni, Mushrooms, Black Olives
5. Who is your favorite TTU Student-Athlete?
NO one
ta tbrook
Chelsea Mills
Brooklyn Kimball
Trophy wife
Spring Break coordinator
Bad girls Club
Being Mary Jane
Hot Dogs
Mozerella Sticks
Pepperoni
Cheese
Kayla (Turange)
Yeshi Dohrmann
+0.5
TOTALS:
+0.5
+1
WINNER!
+1
photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
What Ya Looking At... Sophomore Whitney Robertson checks the distance of the fairway during the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate. Robertson finished seventh at the event with a team-low score.
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photo by Rob Schabert
IN FOCUS
In Tip-Top Shape... Red-shirt freshman Anna Cunningham connects on a drive during the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate, Tech’s only home meet of the season.
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IN FOCUS
The Scale of Things...
photo by Jim Dillon
TTU President Dr. Philip Oldham iaugurated the new ROTC tower prior to a Tech Baseball game, becoming the first person to rappell from the top. The Prez threw the game ball for the contest from the top of the tower to Tech’s left fielder who then tossed it to third base.
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Ask the A.D.
Do you have a question for Tennessee Tech Director of Athletics Mark Wilson? Please send your questions to: sportsinfo@tntech.edu and watch for his reply in future editions of unlimited magazine
Question: I understand that Tennessee Tech is raising the admissions standards for incoming students. How will this impact recruits in Athletics? -- Steve Mark: The higher stand ards will impact all prospective students, including student-athletes, but really not that many. If we look at all of our incoming studentathlete recruits over the past few years, a really small number would have been affected by these higher requirements had they already been in place. Our coaches are already looking for high-quality athletes who are good students, and each of them coming out of high school must also meet some stringent eligibility standards set by the NCAA. Question: I’m impressed with what I hear about Tech’s new track and cross country coach, but will he overlook local runners to recruit international students? -- Susan Mark: We are also impressed by the goals that Wayne Angel has set for the track and cross country programs and the progress he is beginning to make. With all of our coaches, recruiting begins right here at home, and coach Angel will be looking at local student-athletes as well as across the state, the nation and around the world. We have made a solid commitment to building those teams into championship-caliber programs, and we believe coach Angel has an outstanding track record (no pun intended) of building winning teams and individuals. We don’t dictate to our coaches who or where to recruit, but it’s common sense to find young men and women right here if they are student-athletes who can compete on the NCAA Division I level, and can meet the high academic challenges that Tennessee Tech provides. We have had many local student-athletes come through our programs through the years and go
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on to receive their degrees and win championships. Right now, three great examples are Hannah Goolsby from Cookeville on the women’s basketball team, Mason Ramsey of Livingston on the men’s basketball team, and Cody Dodd of Cookeville on the volleyball team. At the same time, coach Angel is keenly aware of the level of competition his athletes will face, so he is also looking with a wide view, including providing education and competitive opportunities to student-athletes from other countries and other continents. Once they arrive on campus, they are all Golden Eagles, representing this tremendous university. Question: Rumors I’ve heard say Tech Athletics is making some changes in lights, seats, and other facilities. Is this true? -- Dan Mark: I’m not sure which rumors you might have heard, and we all must be a little skeptical about rumors, but there actually are some exciting changes ahead in some of our facilities. In Eblen Center, we’re working toward upgrading all of the seating and the lighting system to enhance our fan experience for events in that facility. Fans saw a huge boost to the atmosphere last year with the addition of the exciting new video board, and we plan to keep improving the content on the board and how we use it. One example was the 98.5 Kiss Cam, which became hugely popular with our fans of all ages. We hope these new additions will continue to make Eblen Center one of the most comfortable and enjoyable places to watch college athletics in the nation. In addition to those improvements, you will also see an upgrade at our soccer facility and adjacent practice field just to the south of Eblen Center. We’re adding broadcast quality lighting to both the soccer field and practice field.
Question: Is it too late to sign up for the Golden Eagle Scramble? -- Allan Mark: Absolutely not, although you will be limited a little in the courses you choose to play and your tee times. We have seen a tremendous response in registration for the 2015 Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble, presented by Budweiser. Registration opened in March and the field of 528 golfers is already 70 percent filled. You can still signup and enjoy all of the same great features that have made this tournament so popular and one of the largest in the region. Plus, it is a great fundraiser for our 14 teams. Question: My son is crazy about golf, and he’s getting pretty good at it. He’s a few years away from college yet, but what would be the first step in finding out if he could play for the Golden Eagles? -- Angie Mark: Thank you for submitting this question. The first thing you should do is register your son with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse (you can do this for free at any time during his career), to ensure that he is enrolling in the correct courses in high school to allow him to become an NCAA collegiate student-athlete. Next, you should send an email to Polk Brown, our head men’s and women’s golf coach. Keep in mind that, according to NCAA rules, he cannot contact you until Sept. 1 of your son’s junior year in high school. Like all of our coaching staffs, coach Brown and assistant coach Carla Hazelwood are always on the lookout for prospective studentathletes, and they are in charge of all aspects of recruiting for their programs. Send an email to pbrown@ tntech.edu and let him know of your son’s interest and abilities. And good luck!
photo by Tony Marable
IN FOCUS
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Seat Between Sets... Golden Eagle freshman Eduardo Mena takes a seat and sips some water between sets during a home tennis match this season. Mena finished the season as Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year.
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photos by Jim Dillon
Home Run Heroes... During a doubleheader earlier this season at Tech Softball Field, three of the program greats took their place on the Wall of Honor. At the time of her departure, Kacy Bennett (‘05) ranked second on the all-time career list in home runs and RBI. Stephanie Fischer (‘08) and Beth Boden (‘08) are Tech’s top two home run hitters, with Boden slugging 51 during her career, and Fisher smacking 45 throughout her tenure.
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photos by Jocelyn VerVelde
IN FOCUS
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Oh, Beautiful for Spacious Skies... The Third Annual Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate provided much more than just great competition for the Tennessee Tech golf teams this year, supplying all involved (student-athletes and workers alike) with breath-taking scenery.
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kets
First thing tomorrow, call to order tic