Unlimited march april 2014

FRONT ROW SEATS

Front row tickets to any concert? Who would the Golden Eagles want to see most?

POPCORN BUCKET LIST Five movies student-athletes and staff would choose if they were stuck on a 15-hour flight

THE OFFICIAL ONLINE

IT’S IN THE BAG

What student-athletes just cannot live withont on their road trips

MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH

unlimited

FIGHTING FOR HIS FUTURE Oleksiy Arovin is currently the only Tennessee Tech student from Ukraine.

He’s here, in part, because his girlfriend’s favorite color is purple.

He’s worried about her, his family and friends back home.

Plus... * * * * * * *

Summer Camping This Day in Tech History An Inspirational Playbook Shelf Life Fresh Faces Of Interest...

Senior Moments ...and some great photos

March / April 2014

Volume 2, Issue 3

ATHLETICS

photo by Ben Corda

IN FOCUS

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We are the champions...

Coming off a school-record 40-win season, the Golden Eagle baseball team was all business heading into the 2014 season...well, almost.

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photo by Ben Corda

IN FOCUS

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Ring in a new year...

The Golden Eagle tennis team has won back-to-back regular season Ohio Valley Conference championships with a combined 17-0 record.

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MARCH / APRIL Volume 2, Issue 3

IN THIS ISSUE

14 Cover Story

Tennis player Oleksiy Arovin is the only TTU student from Ukraine, a country in turmoil. His thoughts and how he deals with life in the U.S.

22 What I Miss Most

unlimited

THE ONLINE MAGAZINE OF TENNESSEE TECH ATHLETICS

They come to Tech from a distance, so we asked some staff members what they missed most.

24 Popcorn Bucket List

Stuck on a 15-hour flight, what five movies would these athletes and coaches want to entertain them?

28 It’s In The Bag

Golden Eagle student-athletes tell us the item(s) they must have in their bag when on a road trip.

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24

31

38

50

54

31 Pages of The Eagle Pulled from the pages of the TTU yearbook, the Eagle, from 1968.

38 Front Row Seats

Front row seats to any concert? Who would they choose?

40 Inspirational Playbook Assistant women’s basketball coach Allison Clark offers an inspirational outline for dealing with life in the form of a scouting report.

42 Senior Moments

What are some of our departing senior student-athletes’ plans for the next few months?

50 Of Interest

A couple of interesting tidbits from Tech Athletics history you might not know about or remember.

54 This Day in History

We examine three milestone dates in Golden Eagle history.

Departments From the Editor / 8 Writers wanted Fresh Faces / 9 Meet 10 more newcomers Shelf Life / 30 What they’re reading Chatter / 43 Forward Javon McKay Playlist / 61 Volleyball libero Courtney Smith

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Connect with us online Twitter - @TTUGoldenEagles Facebook - TTU Sports Internet - www.TTUSports.com

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writers wanted From the editor

As usual, these few paragraphs are the last thing to finish before publishing this edition of unlimited magazine.

After I write them, I’ll come up with some hokey item to hold in front of my face for the photos below. Once those are done, a quick proofread of this page and this issue is finished. Upload to issuu and link on the website, and you’re reading it.

When we began this magazine in September 2012, we were pretty excited about the possibilities — as the title aptly states, the possibilities for material are unlimited. So is the potential for Tennessee Tech’s student-athletes — unlimited.

We realized it was a big task to publish this on a regular basis, made even more daunting by the fact that the editor (me) constantly comes up with new ideas that he wants to include in each issue.

But, you probably noticed, we skipped a beat. We never completed an issue for January-Feburary 2014. We had one underway, with a cover story about a former Golden Eagle pitcher who had a long and successful career in the U.S. Secret Service, including a day by the side of President Bush on 9/11 when the country was on edge.

As January unfolded, then February, our schedules were loaded and we never completed our task. In late February, I made the decision to move forward and work on a March-April issue, and a new cover story emerged when Oleksiy Arovin’s country faced turmoil. Thus, you have a different cover story and we tracked down some new material.

We have plans underway for another issue before the end of 2013-14 (MayJune), with the Secret Service piece as the cover story (see page 68). So, we can still follow through with our plan to publish four issues per year. We just need to reevaluate our publishing schedule. Perhaps next year this magazine will be four times per year, with each covering a three-month span instead of two.

Meantime, we’re looking for writers. When I was in high school, my future included a career as a feature writer for Sports Illustrated. Obviously, that didn’t occur. Still, sportswriting is a big part of what turned out to be my career in sports information. Not nearly as much writing today as many of the other things we do (design, graphics, social media, statistics, photography, marketing). I mourn the passing of long-form writing, and the in-depth articles that originally drew me to SI and its stable of brilliant writers such as Frank Deford, Dan Jenkins, Tex Maule, Steve Wulf, Rick Reilly, Ron Fimrite and Steve Rushin.

My goal is to find writers here on the TTU campus who will dig in and write. I mean long-form writing that tells the whole story. Student-athletes? Staff members? Fans and alumni? Who will answer the call. Watch the next issue and find out. If you’re interested, please let me know.

I hope you enjoy this edition of unlimited magazine. Please tell others about it, and please let us know your thoughts. Send your feedback to: sportsinfo@tntech.edu.

Rob Schabert

Assistant Athletic Director / Editor

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THE OFFICIA

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FIGHTING FOR HIS FUTURE

only is currently the Oleksiy Arovin ine. student from Ukra iend’s Tennessee Tech , because his girlfr He’s here, in part purple. favorite color is t her, his He’s worried abou ds back home. family and frien

Plus...

ping * Summer Cam History * This Day in Tech onal Playbook * An Inspirati * Shelf Life * Fresh Faces bers * By The Num ents * Senior Mom t photos ...and some grea

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ril 2014 March / Ap

e3 Volume 2, Issu

On the cover Oleksiy Arovin came to Tech from Oklahoma State, where he arrived from his home in Eastern Ukraine.

With the turmoil gripping his home country, we went in-depth with the sophomore member of the Golden Eagle tennis team, the only student enrolled at the university from the country facing troubles with Russia. One of the top players in the Ohio Valley Conference, he worries every day about his family back home, but realizes there’s nothing he can do to help them.

{ } Stuff You Oughta Know

Have you checked out the redesigned TTUsports.com? Among the new features are an easier to navigate video tab featuring a variety of special features. Let us know what you think. Send your comments to: sportsinfo@tntech.edu.

Former Golden Eagle baseball and softball players are invited back to campus in early May, as Tech hosts alumni activities for each of those sports. It will be Softball Legends Weekend at the games on both Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4. The baseball team will host Baseball Legends Day on Sunday, May 4 (the baseball team is in Nashville to play at Lipscomb on Saturday). On Sunday, the two programs will enjoy a combined pregame cookout.

Former athletes should contact Kevin Bostian (931-372-3929 or email kbostian@tntech.edu).

SAVE THE DATE: The 2014 Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweiser will be held June 6-7-8 on three Cookeville-area courses. Registration has been underway for about a month, and the field was more than half-filled as of April 1. Call (931) 3723940 to register or go online at TTUsports.com (although some options are not available online any longer).

Congratulations to two former TTU cross country runners, who were named in May as Capital One/CoSIDA Academic AllDistrict selections. From the women’s team, Beth Miller was honored and on the men’s squad, it was Adam McLeod.

We’ve already told you that Tennessee Tech is the most followed Athletics Deptartment in the Ohio Valley Conference on Twitter, with more than 6,000 followers.

Now we can report that the TTU Athletics Facebook account has climbed past the 4,000 mark.

continued on page 11

fresh faces

Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2013-14

Atlanta Westbrook / Track

Columbia, Tenn.

F Atlanta comes to TTU as a transfer from King University in Bristol, Tenn. She joins the track and field team, adding depth to the sprints and jumping events. Originally from Columbia, Tenn., Atlanta was a three-sport athlete at Spring Hill High, competing in volleyball, basketball, and track. She is majoring in exercise science and psychology.

Anthony El Chibani / Baseball

Knoxville, Tenn.

F Anthony was a three-sport athlete at Farragut High School, playing baseball, basketball, and football at the Knoxville powerhouse. He helped his team to the 2011 state championship title and earned All-Prep Extra Second-Team honors and was named to the Tennessee Super Sophomore Team. He also grabbed AllDistrict Honorable Mention status. El Chibani is a basic business major.

Alberto Esteban / Tennis

Madrid, Spain

F A highly experienced player in his home country, Alberto joins the Golden Eagles for the 2013-14 season as a true freshman with four seasons of eligibility. Expected to hold a regular spot in the lineup, he owns experience on a high level, earning national rankings in Spain. Alberto is majoring in mechanical engineering.

Kirin Kumar Assistant Softball Coach F Kirin Kumar has joined the Tennessee Tech softball coaching staff as an assistant coach. Kumar previously coached at North Carolina and Tulsa and played collegiately at Georgia Tech. She most recently was an assistant coach at Western Kentucky in 2012. As a player, she was part of the Yellow Jackets’ first ACC regular season and tournament championships in 2002 and their first NCAA Regional, reaching the final game of that regional.

Casey Kramer Director of Athletic Performance F With coaching experience at Washington State, Boston College and Auburn, plus a couple of years training Special Forces Soldiers in the U.S. Army, Casey Kramer was named in December as the head strength and conditioning coach at Tennessee Tech. Kramer said his primary goal for the program will be assisting student-athletes, and to do what he can to help each and every student-athlete in every single sport excel physically and build on their skills.

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6 PM 2 PM

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{ } Stuff You Oughta Know

Social media is among the best ways to keep up with the Golden Eagles. Not only do you receive updates, photos and special offers, it’s also a chance to win prizes, repost on your own Twitter acount and Facebook page, and provide your own thoughts and opinions. Sign-up and follow.

Check us out @TTUGoldenEagles on Twitter and TTU Sports on Facebook. Please use #TTUPurplePride when posting on Twitter.

We’ve pulled all of our social media together in one place, too. Check out: www.tagboard.com/TTUPurplePride Football season tickets will be going on sale soon. Expect one of the most entertaining seasons in school history.

The 2014 schedule will also be announced soon. In the meantime, if you’re looking to make plans for Homecoming, set aside the weekend of Nov. 7-8 for that annual event.

Plenty of OVC championships will be decided in the next month. The first will be the tennis championships set for April 17-19 at Paducah, Ky. Women’s golf is next, set for April 21-23 in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Right afterward, the men’s golf title will be contested at the same Fighting Joe Golf Course, April 25-27. The track & field championships are next, May 2-3, at Edwardsville, Ill. The OVC softball tournament will be held May 7-10 at the site of the regular season champion. The final spring title will be deetermined in baseball when the OVC tourney is held May 21-25 in Jacksn, Tenn.

Best of luck to all Golden Eagle teams!

learn more at TTUsports.com

fresh faces

Some of the newcomers who are making their debut in 2013-14

Austin Tolle / Baseball

Hudson, Fla.

F A native of Hudson, Fla., Austin arrived at Tennessee Tech after a stint at Pasco Hernando CC. Coming out of high school, Austin was an all-conferenence right-handed pitcher, and he transferred that into a very solid JUCO career. He tossed 103 and 1/3 innings, striking out 88 batters, and walking just 38 for a 2.53 ERA. Austin is majoring in interdisciplinary studies.

Rebeca Duarte / Track

San Salvador, El Salvador F Rebeca comes to the Golden Eagle family from San Salvador, El Salvador where she attended Liceo Salvadoreno and finished 18th of 164 in her class, academically. From 2006-2010, she was a member of the National Championship high school team in track and field, and in 2010, under coach Ernesto Selva, Duarte was named the best athlete of the year for track and field. She is majoring in nutrition with aspirations of being a sports nutritionist.

Jordan Roth / Cross Country

Gray, Tenn.

F Jordan comes to TTU from Daniel Boone High in Gray, Tenn., where he earned four letters each in cross country and track and field, all for coach Len Jeffer. He is a highly promising runner from East Tennessee who earned numerous honors during his prep career and is hoping to transfer that success to the college course. He is majoring in computer science.

Gonzalo Munoz / Tennis

Madrid, Spain

F Hailing from Madrid, Spain, Gonzalo Munoz has found his way into the starting line-up for the Golden Eagles this season.

So far this season, Gonzalo has played both doubles and singles and has wins in both categories. Gonzalo gained plenty of experience on the junior circuit in Spain, earning a ranking in the Top 400 among more than 39,000 players. He is majoring in international business.

Makayla Kington / Track

Crossville, Tenn.

F Makayla comes to the Golden Eagles from Stone Memorial High in Crossville, Tenn., where she was a three-sport athlete, competing in basketball, golf, and track. Makayla was a TSSAA track state championship participant during her time at Stone Memorial, winning sectionals her junior year, and winning the state championships in her senior season. She is is majoring in general health studies.

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IN FOCUS

Strike a pose...

Members of the 2013-14 Golden Eagle men’s golf team strike a casual pose during the team’s preseason photo day. From left, they are A.J. Wilkerson, Mitch Thomas, Maxx Verble, Tanner Garland, Bryce Kendrick, Mason Griffin, Lee Whitehead and Adam Cunningham.

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photo by Dean Carothers

cover story

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As this issue of unlimited was going through its final stages for publishing, the situation in Donetsk (Alex’s hometown) became more intense, with rebels occupying administration buildings and major questions looming for all of the Eastern portion of Ukraine.

Fighting for his future A

By Rob Schabert Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information

s April began, Oleksiy Arovin – he says to call him Alex, it’s easier to pronounce – had won 11 consecutive tennis matches. Playing in the No. 1 singles spot in the Tennessee Tech lineup, the sophomore transfer from Oklahoma State had built an impressive 19-9 individual record since September.

But lining up against the best player each opponent sends against him isn’t the primary concern these days for 20-year-old Arovin. Keeping in touch with his family and his girlfriend, Slava, is something he tries to do every other day via Skype.

Alex comes from Donetsk, an industrial city in Ukraine, a country that has its hands full right now wondering what Russia’s next move will be. His homeland, Ukraine, is at a pivotal point in its history, and there’s nothing Alex can do about it.

“My parents are there, my friends are all there, so I pay attention to what’s going on,” he says. “Am I worried? Of course I’m worried. I’m worried about my family, my friends, my girlfriend. A lot of people have died. A lot of people are in trouble.

“I can’t do anything about it,” he admits.

“All I can do is see it, and talk about it, but I cannot do anything about it.”

Alex has been a traveler his entire life, having visited dozens of countries across both Eastern and Western Europe.

“I began my world travels when I was born, my parents tell me. They say the day after I was born we went to Crimea, and all my life I have traveled. There is not a year – or even six months – go by that I’m not traveling.”

He began playing tennis when he was four years old and soon began competing around Ukraine, and eventually all throughout Europe.

“I spent a lot of money to play in these tournaments,” he says. “I became ATP ranked, but I ran out of money. That’s how I ended up at Oklahoma State. An assistant coach saw me at a tournament and offered me a full scholarship. Of course I took it.”

Things didn’t work out like he had hoped at Oklahoma State. He spent one year playing for the Cowboys, including a match against Tennessee Tech. He never really liked Stillwater and the flatlands.

“It was like a desert,” he says. “I did not like it at all.”

“I like this school because they wear purple. I like purple much, much better than orange.”

So he began searching for a new place to call home and continue his tennis career.

He remembered playing against Tennessee Tech because the Golden Eagle roster last year featured several players who spoke Russian, including assistant coach Alex Chen.

“I knew some of these guys from when we played, and I liked them,” Alex admits.

“And, my girlfriend’s favorite color is purple. continued on next page

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cover story continued from page 15

When I played against Tennessee Tech, I thought, ‘I like this school’ because they wear purple. I like purple much, much better than orange (of OSU). So, that’s how I came to Tennessee Tech.”

He arrived on the Cookeville campus in time for the 2013 fall semester, immediately gave up his orange clothing and got himself decked out in purple and gold.

And, he began to make an immediate impact on coach Kenny Doyle’s team, pushing for the top spot in the rotation.

Already established as one of the best players in the Ohio Valley Conference in his first season on the squad, Alex says he enjoys playing for Doyle. He also gets along fabulously with his teammates, who hail from Spain, Brazil, Uzbekistan, the United States and Russia.

Russia? Yes, the team’s only senior, Vasily Eremeev, is Russian. That geographic fact simply doesn’t affect the team’s chemistry.

“I can’t do anything about it.

All I can do is see it, and talk about it, but I cannot do anything about it.”

“When I first met coach (Doyle), I liked him,” Alex admits. “I thought he had the best personality I have met. He’s always trying to be positive, even when we’re not doing well. He always finds the positive.

After a match, he analyzes the good stuff.

He talks to us about how we can be better.

He finds the things we did well and we talk about that. He’s always trying to help us.”

That help is aimed for both on the court and off.

“After every practice, he asks us what we need,” Alex says, admitting that the

veteran coach serves not only as a mentor but also somewhat as a father figure to his players.

“We’re not just a team, we’re like family,” Alex says. “We hang out together. We fight together. And coach is the leader of that.”

Sitting on a bench in the middle of the Tech campus tennis courts, Alex, Eremeev and junior Artem Tarasov (from Tashkent, Uzbekistan) watch their teammates compete in unfinished matches. Their conversation is lively…and in Russian.

What’s happening in Ukraine these days, with Russia taking control of Crimea and possibly threatening to do the same with other parts of Alex’s country, does not alter the friendship he has forged with the Russian on his team.

“My mother is from Krasnoyarsk (Vasily’s hometown in Russia, near Siberia), so I know his town,” Alex says. “I’ve been there three times, when I was 10, 12, and 14 years old.

We went there to visit my grandparents.”

Donetsk, the city where Alex grew up, is an industrial city located in Eastern Ukraine, not that far from the border with Russia. It was founded, Alex explains, by Welsh businessman John Hughes, to take advantage of mining in the region. Hughes constructed a steel plant and several coal mines.

Today, Donetsk is known as the “City of a Million Roses,” a major economic, industrial and scientific center of Ukraine with a high concentration of skilled workers, but it also remains the center of Ukraine’s coal mining and steel industry.

“There are three big factories for the metal industry,” he explains. “It started as a small village but it has grown to more than one million people. My father, when he was a student, he worked in the factories. I think every man who ever lived in my city has worked at one time in the factories.

“Even I did,” Alex says. “It was only for two weeks. It was a lesson from my father, to continued on next page

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cover story continued from page 16

show me what life is like if you work in the factories. It was a good lesson.

“I controlled the ovens. They smelled bad. And the heat is crazy. When you leave, you still smell it. It is very dirty.”

Which is worse, the smell or the heat?

He thought about it for a few seconds, and said, “The loneliness.”

“After this lesson, I knew I needed to work hard so I won’t end up doing that. My father doesn’t work there any more. Before I was born, my family was very poor, but now they are middle class.

“My father is a chemist,” Alex explains.

“He discovered a cheaper way to produce continued on next page

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cover story continued from page 17

gasoline and sustain the same quality. He started his own business, and he became successful.”

Checking in with his family via Skype on a regular basis. Alex knows his family is safe… for now.

“My family is okay, but they are ready to go somewhere,” he admits. “We have friends in Russia, Kazakhstan, Europe. It’s very dangerous to be in the streets right now.

“I feel sad. It’s like if Canada came and took over Florida or California. You have friends in Florida or California, and you say ‘what the hell is going on’ but there is nothing you can do.”

“It wasn’t like that in December when I visited. I was on the main street, I stood on the street where the revolution started. There were peaceful meetings. After I came back here, everything is now changed.”

The biggest change is that Crimea, the Southernmost part of (what was) Ukraine has been invaded by Russian troops.

“Crimea is now part of Russia. Every summer I spent there. It’s a beautiful place. There wasn’t a border. It was a tourist site. All of my friends went there. It’s one of the most famous tourist destinations in (what was) the U.S.S.R.

“I feel sad. It’s like if Canada came and took over Florida or California. You have friends in Florida or California, and you say ‘what the hell is going on’ but there is nothing you can do.”

What happens in Ukraine in the coming weeks and months is something Alex is watching closely.

“There is really no government right now in Ukraine. Elections of president will be in two months (May 25). The people are less interested now in the race for president than the situation in Crimea and Russia. Nobody knows what will happen. It’s a terrible situation right now. The factories have stopped. People are homeless. People are not getting paid. Banks are closed. Nothing is controlled. The police are afraid to go in the streets.” continued on next page

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Alex, who speaks six languages, understands English fairly well.

He doesn’t, however, think he speaks it all that well.

“A year ago I didn’t know English much at all.”

How did he learn?

“A lot of luck, and I watched many, many movies.”

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cover story continued from page 17

But any issue with Russia doesn’t mean it’s causing problems between the Ukraine and Russian people. Alex and Vasily, his Russian teammate, get along great despite the differences in their countries politics.

“We can’t win in a war with Russia.”

“Vasily sees only the Russian side, I see the Ukrainian side. I read two newspapers and there are two totally different sides to the story. I don’t talk with him about politics.

He has his mind all set, and won’t listen to another opinion. He tries, almost every day.

He sends me something trying to involve me, and I know how it’s going to end. So I don’t even look at it,” Alex says.

“Russia and Ukraine have not been enemies,” Alex says. “It’s the Russian government.

Putin has become more and more popular in Russia. He has to show the Russian people he is a strong leader. The people in Europe are starting to dislike the Russian people because of it. They are beginning to think of the Russians as invaders.”

Fighting back is not a viable option for Ukraine, according to Alex.

“My biggest fear right now is that Ukraine will mobilize an army and try to attack Crimea to get it back,” he says. “If I were in the government, I would try to keep it peaceful. A war against Russia would be stupid. Much of our economy is based on trade with Russia.

“We can’t win in a war with Russia,” he says.

With so much swirling back home, how does Alex keep enough focus to roll through such a long winning streak on the tennis courts?

“The main question is to ask yourself for what are you fighting. Before I left Ukraine, I told my girlfriend that I will fight for our future. When I step on the court, I am fighting

for my future. When you’re face-to-face with a challenge, you don’t think about money or politics, only the moment.

“If you’re fighting for something that’s really important, you’re fighting for that moment. There is only you and the moment,” he says.

“When I step on the court, I am fighting for my future.”

His future, he explains, includes being a successful tennis player, getting a degree and getting a good job.

“Every day is a new lesson,” he says. “I hope to be a tennis player. Of course, I will do everything I can to achieve that. But nobody knows what is going to happen tomorrow. I don’t make huge plans. I have goals, but not huge plans.”

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what I miss most

The subject of our cover story, Oleksiy Arovin, is a long, long way from his home in Ukraine. We asked some members of the Tech Athletics staff, those who are living a distance from wherever they grew up, to tell us about something they miss the most about their own hometown.

My hometown is Ray City, Georgia, near Valdosta. Everyone that has driven to Florida knows Valdosta, but not many people know Ray City.

A small town, we now have a four-way stop. One intersection with a four-way stop. What do I miss most? Obviously, family and the people I grew up with that still live there. And the family and friends who have passed away but remain such a vivid memory in my mind. And the lifestyle. When I was growing up, the gymnasium at the elementary school was always open. I caught the eye of the 8th grade coach when I was just a 6th grader, and he gave me a uniform for the team.

That probably made me what I am in life today. I miss him, and visit his grave often when I am home.

I miss the dirt roads, the fresh boiled peanuts, the huge watermelons grown by my grandfather, the fresh cane syrup made by my father and grandfather. Actually, I miss the making of the cane syrup, not the syrup itself. The smell of the cooking of the cane juice into syrup is one of the best experiences of a lifetime. Once you are a part of it, you miss that forever.

-- Frank Harrell, Associate Athletic Director I was born and raised in the wonderful state of Nebraska. I grew up in the town of Columbus. Besides missing out on many of the family gatherings, I actually miss the absolute best garden soil. Bob and I both love to have a vegetable garden, but at our current location the ground is made up of clay and rocks, even when we add appropriate top soil, fertilizers and other various additives. Even with all that doctoring, we can never recreate the awesome black top soil that you find in Nebraska. My mother always told me that two hills of cucumbers would produce more cucumbers than I could ever use.

It doesn’t happen here. I’m lucky to get one bucket full.

-- Sandy ZImmerman, Ticket Office Manager I was born and raised in Redwood City, California, about 27 miles south of San Francisco. What I miss most about home is being able to start driving and be at the beach in 25 minutes. I have loved my time at Tech and everything it has given me, but being able to go to the beach in the afternoons after school is something I miss about growing up on the West Coast. The beach that I usually go to is called Santa Cruz and, in my opinion, is one of the best beaches in California. There is a huge amusement park that you can go to and there are surf spots everywhere. My family would go to the beach a bunch and just stay for the weekend because there was always something fun going on. That is what I miss most about my hometown.

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-- Cory McDonald, Athletics Development Coordi-

The thing I miss most about living in Minnesota is having snow at Christmas. I loved seeing the Christmas lights twinkling against the white snow, getting to throw snowballs and go sledding on our yearly Christmas Eve walk. During December in Minneapolis, there are Hollidazzle parades, where everyone would bundle up and watch the show downtown.

That being said, once January 2nd comes, all of the snow needs to retreat. I am grateful that I can get on a plane and come back to Tennessee, leaving it all behind.

-- Mandy Thatcher, Coordinator of Compliance

I was born and raised in New York City in the borough of Manhattan. I lived in the Frederick Douglass projects on 103rd Street, between Columbus Avenue and Amsterdam Avenue. The one thing I miss about my home town that I just can’t get in Cookeville, is the Mister Softee ice cream trucks. Mister Softee ice cream was the greatest reward a young kid, rich or poor, could have gotten at a young age. Each time I return to New York to see family or to recruit, I make that a priority on my list of things to eat.

-- Rick Cabrera, Assistant Basketball Coach

I grew up in rural Windsor, Maine. Distinct memories of my hometown include riding my bike to Varney’s Corner Store to purchase penny candy, trips to Hussey’s General Store which sells absolutely everything, attending the annual Windsor Fair which is known as “A Family Tradition since 1888” and the many hours I spent playing outside in the fields and woods surrounding my home!

-- Mark WIlson, Director of Athletics

The most unique part of growing up in a small town in western Kansas and what I miss most is the wheat harvest. Wheat harvest is one of the most critical and important times of the year for all of the farmers in Kansas. It usually starts in mid-June and finishes just in time for the 4th of July. It is a 2-3 week time period of hard work and long work days and everyone in the entire community typically has some type of role or job in completing the harvest. Kansas farmers take a great amount of pride in the work that goes into providing grain for all of America, which makes all of the work feel fulfilling and meaningful. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of and definitely a one of a kind working experience.

-- Casey Kramer, Athletic Performance Head Coach

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n r o c op

p

my l l bucket list Stuck on a 15-hour flight?

Gotta focus on the little screen on the seatback in front of you.

What’s on? The Muppet Movie?

No, thanks. Harry Potter? No, again. Don’t you wish you had a range of every movie ever made to choose from? That’s what we gave our world travelers (who really

arent’ going anywhere that we know

of). We asked them which five mov-

ies they would choose to watch, if given the total freedom of choice.

Ellen Conti / Volleyball F F F F F

High School Musical 3 To Save A Life White Chicks How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Polk Brown / Golf Coach F F F F F

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Saving Private Ryan The Dark Knight Shawshank Redemption The Avengers The Dark Knight Rises

Maddi Everts / Golf F F F F F

Frozen Monster-In-Law Breakfast At Tiffany’s The Greatest Game Ever Played Seven Pounds

Shirmane Thomas / Basketball F F F F F

Martin Coach Carter Friday Next Friday Rebound

Irem Sile / Volleyball F F F F F

The Godfather 3 Amélie Troy Les Choristes (The Chorus) Iron Man

Tanner Garland / Golf F F F F F

Troy O Brother Where Art Thou Casino Royale The Gladiator Rocky IV

Allison Geer / Golf F F F F F

The Wizard Of Oz (original version) Remember the Titans Pitch Perfect Safe Haven Now You See Me

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my

corn

pop ll

bucket list

Ross Spurgeon / Baseball F F F F F

Major League The Dark Knight Despicable Me Happy Gilmore Inception

Steve Springthorpe / Soccer Coach F F F F F

Raiders of the Lost Ark Taken Forrest Gump National Treasure Monty Python and the Holy Grail

David Allen / Baseball F F F F F

Frozen Fight Club Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Star Wars IV: A New Hope Primer

Dwan Caldwell / Basketball F F F F F

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Bad Boys Bad Boys 2 Enemy Of The State I Am Legend Ride Along

Adam Cunningham / Golf F F F F F

The Campaign Anchorman Step Brothers Superbad Lone Survivor

Daniel Miles / Baseball F F F F F

Warrior Friday Night Lights 300 300: Rise of an Empire Get Rich or Die Trying

Dave Zelenock / Volleyball Coach F F F F F

Hot Rod Step Brothers Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Star Wars Episode VI: Return Of The Jedi

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it’s in the bag We asked Golden Eagle student-athletes to tell us the one thing they MUST HAVE packed in their bags when they head out on a road trip during the season.

Natalie Penrod

Tennis

F Pantene Curly Shampoo and Conditioner

F Pillow and a long sleeve shirt

F Hotel shampoos just don’t do it for me!

F I need to be warm and comfortable.

Seth Lucio

Lydia Triplett

F Lots of snacks and my iPod

F My charger

Baseball

F I’ve got to have Honey Buns on a road trip, those are essential.

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Oleksiy Arovin

Volleyball

Golf

F Without it, I would be without my phone...and that’s no good!

Ellen Conti

Steve Springthorpe

F My tie-dyed pillow

F My iPad

F I have always loved colorful

F I can make sure I catch up on work, keep up with what’s going on, and listen to music on it.

Volleyball

things, and I love my tie-dyed pillow.

It makes me happy, and it’s hard to leave anywhere since it stands out.

Marty Jones

Soccer Coach

Megan Williamson

Football

Golf

F My pillow, Dre Beats, and my laptop.

F My stuffed penguin

F I know it’s not flashy, but it’s what I need.

Madison Keyes

F I just can’t sleep without him!

Jordan Parris

Volleyball

Baseball

F A bag full of candy and snacks

F An HDMI cord to watch movies

F I always seem to get hungry at the most inconvenient times.

F At least one time a weekend Jordan Hopkins and I watch a disney movie.

Adam Cunnigham

Peri Winborne

F My laptop and a deck of cards

F Chacos

Golf

F I’ve got to stay caught up on all my homework.

Alyssa Povey

Cross Country and Track

F They can be worn with anything, anywhere.

Stephen Bush

Volleyball

Football

F A book

F Pillow and headphones

F The one thing I can’t do without is a book. It doesn’t matter what book, but I know at one point I will need a book.

F Nothing beats a good pillow and a good set of headphones. Trust me.

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shelf life

WHAT GOLDEN EAGLE STUDENT-ATHLETES AND STAFF ARE READING

Alyssa Povey / Volleyball F

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

F I’m reading it for my Brit Lit class, but I don’t mind because I am a big fan of Jane Austen. I haven’t had the opportunity to read Mansfield Park, so I’m glad this class is giving me the opportunity to do it because I definetely haven’t had enough free time since starting college.

Vasily Eremeev / Tennis F Taras

Bulba by Nikolai Gogol

F This is a fascinating book. I haven’t read anything in a long time, so I decided to read again. It’s about an old Cossack and his two sons. The three take a journey to Southern Ukraine, where they join other Cossacks and go to war against Poland.

Kendall Hooper / Softball F The

Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

F Jon Gordon spoke to all of the TTU student-athletes and promoted his book. It is an awesome book about positive attitude and reaching your potential.

Rob Schabert / Sports Information F

I Curse the River of Time by Per Petterson

F I was browsing Amazon for Norwegian authors, found Per Petterson and decided to take a chance. I read Out Stealing Horses, and now this second book by him. His writing style reminds me of Ernest Hemingway, and his stories (both of these, anyway) convey a real sense of the places he writes about.

Dwan Caldwell / Basketball F

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess

F I read it to my son before he goes to bed. It’s really a great book for toddlers.

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If we could turn back time...

we can’t, of course, but you can turn the page...

31

from the pages of the

Eagle

We took a page -- two pages, in fact -- from an old TTU “Eagle“ Yearbook to see what was happening in Tech athletics in years gone by. Here are pages 144-145 from the 1968 Eagle, featuring the men’s track team. The team photo includes, far left of the second row, coach Tom Chilton. He was included in the fifth induction class (1979) of the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame for his exceptional efforts as a student-athlete in 1956 and 1957.

Lee Byrd, front row far left, enjoyed one of the most successful cross country careers in school history. Are you old enough to remember these days? If so, do you recognize anybody?

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33

Brand placement...

The TTU logo is perfectly placed behind the courts to be seen clearly as Gagan Jain returns a shot during a Golden Eagle tennis team practice.

34

photo by Rob Schabert

IN FOCUS

35

Side by Side...

Doubles partners Alvaro Cintas (left) and Gagan Jain take a short break between sets during a match on the Tech campus tennis courts.

36

photo by Rob Schabert

IN FOCUS

37

front row seat

In the 1960s, it was the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Tempations and Supremes.

In the 70s it was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Styx, Yes and Led Zeppelin.

The 80s featured U2, Prince, The Jacksons, Madonna, Journey and Foreigner.

In the 90s, it was The Rolling Stones, Phish, N’SYNC, Brittney and Whitney. The new millenium started with The Eagles, Faith, Tim, Cher and Bon Jovi.

And, today? If they were handed a front row ticket to ANY CONCERT, who would our student-athletes choose to see in 2014?

Whitney Robertson

Golf

F Coldplay That would be the experience of a lifetime!

Justin Ivory

Football

F Kendrick Lamar I just really like his music.

Taylor Ketchum Softball

F Luke Bryan I love his music, and I heard he puts on a good show.

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Tanner Garland / Golf F Pink Floyd It’s my favorite band and they almost never do concerts anymore making the opportunity scarce.

Ellie Iaciofano

Soccer / Basketball F One Direction Because I love them!

Mitchell Hill Basketball

F Red Hot Chili Peppers They are my favorite band.

Candace Parson

Basketball

F Beyonce I like her songs, and her recent video CD is good.

Dave Zelenock Volleyball Coach F Metallica I grew up loving the band and never got a chance to see them live.

39

inspirational playbook Golden Eagle women’s basketball assistant coach Allison Clark has written a blog which she is turning into a book, a collection of thoughts and ideals for everyday living.

By Allison Clark, Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach

Growing up playing basketball and now as a coach, I have learned that one of the most crucial aspects of being successful is developing a plan called a scouting report.

A scouting report is a specifically designed plan that is carefully drawn out to put your team in the best position to win. Scouting reports are created to determine opposing team's strengths and weaknesses in order to help give your team the best possible chance to win. Many times, countless hours are spent on game-planning for the upcoming opponent. I feel sometimes we spend too much time on what the opponent is doing and we fail to focus on our team, our strengths, and how we are going to prepare.

Often I think about the game of life and how it compares to the opposing team’s scouting reports. We often spend too much time worrying about what we do not have. We complain about being rushed and not having the time to do things we enjoy.

What is our scouting report on ourselves?

What are our strategies for living a fulfilled and honorable life in which we can be proud? The following are items that are on a scouting report to help our team be successful. We can use them in our own life to determine how we want to live each day.

Personnel: Who are the best players on your team? Who can you call and talk to when the going gets tough? Who do you trust the most?

Starters: How do you start your morning? What is your routine to get your day off to a positive beginning?

Stats: What are some good things that you have

done that you are proud of?

How many people did you make smile today? Did you play by the "Golden Rule"?

Offense: Did you attack the day and make it great? Did you share the ball with your teammates?

Defense: How did you handle tough situations that happened today? Were you the bigger person? Did you have a positive outlook and attitude?

Game Plan For Life: 1. Love: Love God, Love your family, Love your friends and Love yourself 2. Appreciate: Count your blessings and remember why you are here on this Earth. Be thankful for your opportunities and experiences that you are given in this life.

3. Understand: Be a good listener. Help others.

4. Give: Give of yourself, your time and your talents to help make this world a better place.

Always remember that "It is in giving that we shall receive.”

5. Hope: Never give up hope on your faith, yourself or your abilities. Trust that things happen as they were meant to be. How we handle adversity defines who we are and who we become.

As you can see, the first letter of those five items spells out LAUGH. Never forget to laugh. As it has been said many times: "Laughter is the best medicine.”

Sit down occasionally and analyze your life.

Do a self-scouting report. Look at where you are in your life. Look at who you are and ask yourself who you want to be.

What's the Game Plan for your life?

Read Allison’s blog at: http://offthebackoftherim.blogspot.com/

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Pepsi Bobby Nichols Golden Eagle Scramble presented by Budweiser

8 7 6 E N

JU

N O I T A R T Y S I A G W E R R E D N U W O N

VISIT TTUSPORTS.COM OR CALL 931-372-3940 FOR MORE INFORMATION 41

senior moments

In May, Tennessee Tech will bid farewell to several senior student-athletes as they complete their collegiate careers and receive their degrees. Some will return in the fall for another semester or two before graduation. Either way, the approaching summer will give them a brief break from the campus. So what do they plan to do over the next few months with all that new free time?

Blake Adams - Football Right after graduation (in December) I went back to Los Angeles to start training for the NFL and pro day at Velocity Sports Performance in Manhattan Beach. My plan for the next month or so is to continue training and attend CFL tryouts.

Lamar Moore - Football I've been working in management. Now that I'm getting two degrees I will be searching for more managerial jobs.​ Jeremiah Samarrippas - Basketball After graduation, I'll be looking to play overseas professionally.

The first three months I'll be working out with my trainer and the agency I sign with, trying to get better.

Elise Robertson (left) and Ashleigh Hancock (right) - Volleyball Ashleigh Hancock and I are flying into Marseille, France to spend a week with her family, and then going to London to start a three-week tour of Europe. We will be going to the French Riveria, Vienna, Munich, Amersterdam, Paris, and back to London before we go back to the U.S.

Jordan Johnson - Football During the next three months I will be finishing up school then going back to Miami.

Leigh Heffner - Soccer I’m going home to Denver, which I have missed so much, and I’m going to be taking my PCAT for pharmacy school in July. Also I plan on working as a pharmacy tech for a whole year as I apply for pharmacy school.

Kayla Brewer - Basketball Currently I’m planning to finish my masters. I have a graduate project this summer where I plan to collaborate with the academic staff for athletics to write a formal policy manual for TTU athletics, and I’ll also continue to workout and train in aspirations of a professional career overseas.

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chatter

Hailing from Atlanta, Ga., Javon McKay is known for his defense on the court and his high-flying dunks, including one that wound up as a 2014 Geico Play of the Year finalist.

We asked the junior guard to answer 10 simple questions.

FAVORITE MEAL P My favorite meal is chicken alfredo.

CELEBRITY CRUSH P My celebrity crush is Beyonce.

CIRCUS ACT

P If I was in the circus,I would be a clown. No one would know it’s me and I could just act foolish.

SWEET SOUNDS

P My favorite artist is Jay Z.

GUILTY PLEASURE

P Ice Cream! I will get two to three Ben and Jerry’s a week. I should stop... It gets expensive.

COACH QUOTE

PCoach Payne’s favorite quote is “Nobody cares how you feel.”

JERSEY SWAP

P If I could trade places with any of my teammates it would be #33 Dennis Ogbe. He’s always energetic and we are the exact opposite. Plus he is a genius.

TECH SUPPORT

P My favorite team to go support is the baseball team.

They are good, great guys, and they work hard.

SUPER POWERED

P If I had any super power, it would be the ability to teleport.

Being able to go anywhere at any time would be amazing.

ANIMALISTIC

P If I could be any animal it would be a lion. They are the king of their territory and nobody attacks a lion!

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photo by Jason Roberts

IN FOCUS

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Academic All-America...

Senior Dennis Ogbe overcame every obstacle (including defenders holding him) on his way to being named Academic All-America in his final season in a Golden Eagle uniform.

45

photo by Thomas Corhern

IN FOCUS

46

Quick as a Cat...

Golden Eagle freshman Cat Taylor (10) follows the ball on defense against Jacksonville State in the OVC Tournament in Nashville, while freshman Hannah Goolsby looks on from her spot in the back of the defense.

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photo by Rob Schabert

IN FOCUS

Nice Recovery...

Golden Eage Mitch Thomas blasts out of the sand on hole number two at the Sevierville Golf Course during the second day of the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate. Notice how the logo on his golf ball matches the logo on his hat?

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49

of interest....

Tennessee Tech athletics has always had a way of putting surprise on the faces of its fans. Whether it be come-from-behind victories, shocking upsets, or feats that may never have seemed imaginable; the Golden Eagles leave fans entertained. We’ve gone back in the record books to find some of these flat out crazy moments that have left fans in a tizzy or that some fans may never have realized happened.

By Mike Lehman, Sports Information Coordinator

Highest honors...times two....squared?

The 1994 season was wildly successful for the Tennessee Tech softball team. The Golden Eagles became the first and only team to ever finish with an undefeated regular season record in Ohio Valley Conference play, recording a 17-0 mark while finishing 31-16 overall.

If that wasn’t enough, one Golden Eagles set a record that has yet to be matched. Senior Beth Keylon became the only player in OVC softball history to earn both Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors, in the same season.

Originally from Chattanooga, Tenn., Keylon transferred to Tennessee Tech after one season at Louisiana Tech. By her senior season, she was highly decorated, having earned All-OVC honors as a junior while also setting records in several categories as both a pitcher and hitter.

Named a captain her final year, Keylon led the OVC with a 1.09 ERA while earning a 17-8 record in the circle. In 172 innings of work, she allowed just 105 hits while striking out 149 batters on her way to OVC Pitcher of the Year accolades.

Keylon could hit as well, finishing second in the league in batting average to her own teammate, Stacy Hughes. She batted .371 on the year, driving in 24 runs and scoring 22 more herself. Named OVC Player of the Year as well, she tallied 13 extra base hits, including three home runs and eight doubles, slugging .551 with an on-base percentage of .442.

If that wasn’t enough, head coach Bobby Holloway also was named OVC Coach of the Year after taking his team to an unbeaten year in the league.

Only three other OVC teams have managed to sweep the three awards in a single season.

Just that information alone wouldn’t be enough to just absolutely surprise people. But what if we told you that the Tech baseball team has a similar story line?

In 1997, TTU Hall of Fame head coach David Mays enjoyed arguably his best season at the helm of the Golden Eagle baseball team, as the squad won both a share of the regular season title and took home the OVC Tournament crown. Tech finished the year with a then program record 39 wins to just 23 losses while enjoying a mark of 17-7 in OVC play. Mays was honored Beth Keylon (above) and Mark as OVC Coach of the Year for his efforts.

Maberry.

Also a Tech Hall of Famer, senior Mark Maberry put together his best season on the diamond as a Golden Eagle, becoming the first and only player in OVC history to take home both OVC Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors.

Maberry broke out in his senior campaign, leading the league with a 2.34 ERA and 12-2 record. His 12 victories still stand as most in a season by a Golden Eagle pitcher. He also led the OVC in strikeouts, fanning 108 batters in 104 innings while surrendering just 35 walks.

A hometown native of Cookeville, Maberry also achieved by far his best season with the bat, recording an average of .344 while crushing 17 long balls and racking up 74 RBI. He also scored 44 runs and mashed 10 doubles while slugging .647 and managing an on-base percentage of .427.

The monster season made Maberry the first Golden Eagle to ever take home first-team AllAmerican honors and also led to his being drafted by the New York Mets in the 1997 Amateur Draft.

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I’ve got your back-to-back You don’t have to go back very far in the record books to look for one of the more intriguing feats in Tennessee Tech history. In fact, one could barely look back to last season to discover that in one game, two members of the Golden Eagle baseball team did something so out of the ordinary; it’s hard to believe that it has ever been done before.

Infielders Daniel Miles and Dylan Bosheers hit back-to-back home runs… in back-to-back innings… all on the first pitch of each at bat.

The 2013 Tennessee Tech baseball team was one of the most successful in program history, of that, there is no doubt. The Golden Eagles won a school record 40 games while setting a new Ohio Valley Conference mark with 24 league wins. The squad won its eighth OVC regular season title with eight players earning All-OVC recognition.

Among those named to All-OVC teams were third baseman Daniel Miles and shortstop Dylan Bosheers, both strong hitters and the ones responsible for one of the most unusual (but absolutely awesome) occurrences in Tech baseball history.

The two combined to hit back-to-back home runs… in back-to-back innings… all on the first pitch of each at bat.

On Apr. 6, 2013, the Golden Eagles were in dire straights (as much as a 40-win team can be), having lost three straight games and in the middle of a crucial road-series against OVC and in-state rival Austin Peay. The Governors had already taken game one the day before, defeating Tech ,7-3.

But on a day that would go on to see Miles tie a school record with three home runs, the Golden Eagles seemed destined for victory after the fifth inning.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the fourth, Miles stepped to the plate to leadoff the Golden Eagle half of the inning. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound junior promptly took the first pitch offered by Austin Peay starter Casey Delgado deep over the left field fence to cut the lead to one run.

What the entire team didn’t know, however, was just how big of an impact that home run would make.

Not to be outdone, Bosheers took his turn in the batter’s box, digging in against Delgado after celebration had subsided. The Lawrenceburg, Tenn. native jacked the first pitch he saw to an almost identical location as Miles, giving Tech back-to-back home runs.

Tech managed to plate a few more people in the inning, but the frame ended tied at 3-3.

A quick out and walk to start things in the fifth brought Miles to the plate again, letting the third baseman face Delgado for a third time in the game.

It almost seemed that Delgado was treating the at-bats against Miles as batting practice, because the third baseman crushed a two-run shot to left center field on another first-pitch offering.

And if that wasn’t enough, Bosheers made sure anyone following the game experienced total déjà vu. The 6-foot, 180-pound sophomore connected cleanly on the first attempt by Delgado, torching the pitch deep over the right field wall to go back-to-back again.

The effort led to a 10-7 victory, as Miles would go deep one more time in the affair, blasting a three-run shot down the right field line in the sixth.

Dylan Bosheers (top right) and Daniel Miles (above).

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WATCH YOUR GOLDEN EAGLES ONLINE ANYTIME! ANYWHERE! FOR FREE!

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summer camps Have a young athlete in the family? Tennessee Tech will host several camps this summer for youngsters. Listed below is information on some of the camps.

Football:

The Watson Brown Football Camp is back for another summer, with four different sessions for high school athletes to participate in. The FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) camp takes place from July 15-19. A oneday high school mini camp is set for the afternoon of July 19th, while a pair of team camps are scheduled for July 26-29 and July 30-August 2. The camp is open to all young men in grades 9 through 12 and takes place on the Tennessee Tech Football Game Field. The sessions will consist of agility and speed instruction, and will also focus on position specific football drills, instructed by the Tennessee Tech coaching staff. For more information contact camp director Steven Brown at (931) 372-3932 or sasbrown@tntech.edu.,

Men’s Basketball:

The 2014 Steve Payne Golden Eagle Basketball Camp for individuals is scheduled for June 22-25, and the Golden Eagle Boys’ Basketball Team Camp has three different sessions scheduled for June 2-4, June 9-11, and June 18-20. The individual camp is open to boys from ages eight to 18 and features personal contact with Coach Payne and his staff, as well as individual and group instruction in the fundamentals of shooting, position play, team offense, ball handling, rebounding, team defense, dribbling, passing, and teamwork and sportsmanship. The Golden Eagle Team Camp is open to high school and junior high teams for sessions one and three, while session two is just for high school teams. The camp will have daily individual instruction from the Tech staff, hospitality room for coaches, use of meeting rooms for your team to meet, free camp t-shirts for players and coaches, and much more. For more information, contact the Men’s Basketball Office at (931) 372-6524.

Women’s Basketball:

The 2014 Jim Davis Team Camp has two sessions this summer, June 6-8 and June 15-17 and is open to Middle School, Freshmen, J.V., and Varsity teams, the 2014 Lil’ Eagle Camp is scheduled for June 12-14 and is available for girls in kindergarten through 8th grade. Teams boarding and commuting in the team camp are guaranteed to play six games, while teams coming for one day will be guaranteed to play three games. Everyone coming will be given a free t-shirt. For more information on both camps, contact the women’s basketball office at (931) 372-3921.

Baseball:

The Golden Eagle Baseball Camp for ages 6-14 on June 9-12 is a four day event that is designed to help you with the fundamentals of the game. Campers will be placed on a team based on your age and each team will have a coach that will focus on numerous aspects of the game of baseball, including hitting, throwing, fielding, base running, and much more. Registration and more details are available at www.goldeneaglebaseballschool. com.

Volleyball:

The Dave Zelenock Volleyball Camp features a number of different specialized camps throughout mid-July. Dave Zelenock’s Individual Camp is a three-day skills camp from July 11-13 that teaches attacking and blocking footwork, arms-wing mechanics, setting tempo along with hand and body positioning, and passing techniques. The Hitters Camp on July 14th teaches young players precise skills to become an elite attacker. This camp will cover footwork and arm mechanics as well as block training to make all players in attendance a well-rounded attacker.

The Setters Camp on July 14th is designed to focus on only the aspects pertaining to setters and will cover intricate footwork patterns, set location, setter defense, play sets and finally instill the knowledge of running an effective offense. The Ball Control Camp on July 15th is designed to guide players to improve their backcourt skill set, training techniques for, but not limited to, individual defense, team defense, and serve receive passing. For more information, contact assistant coach Lola Oladinni at ooladinni@tntech.edu or call (931) 372-3993.

NOTE: Plans are being finalized for a softball camp, but details were not available at the time the magazine was published. Watch TTUsports.com for updates about the softball camp, and all of Tech’s summer camps.

Although the camps and clinics are run by TTU coaches and use of the facilities is warranted, these event are run independently of Tennessee Tech University.

53

20

THIS DAY IN GOLDEN EAGLE HISTORY

February 28 OVC Indoor Championships

54

09

2009 Golden Eagle Track & Field

A record-breaking performance and a pair of Ohio Valley Conference championships highlighted a stunning afternoon for track senior Stephanie Place. The Bristol, Tenn., native took home two separate indoor OVC championships in Charleston, Ill., setting school records in the 3000m with a time of 10:04.39, and the Distance Medley Relay with a mark of 12:21.09. The memorable day was one of many for one of the most decorated track and cross country athletes in Tech history, as Place was a three-time all-OVC recipient in cross country, including winning a conference championship in 2008. In 2010, with one outdoor season of eligibility remaining in track, Place won the OVC 10,000m race, as well. How about that for a career!

55

198

THIS DAY IN GOLDEN EAGLE HISTORY

February 1

vs. Morehead State In a pivotal Ohio Valley Conference matchup at Morehead State, sophomore Shawn Monday led the Tennessee Tech women’s basketball team to an 84-67 victory behind a record-breaking performance. The 5-6 guard out of Clarkrange, Tenn. racked up an NCAA record 22 assists, including 14 in the second half to break the tilt wide open. The Golden Eagle lead sat at just 38-36 at intermission, but thanks to Monday’s gift-giving nature, and the offensive performances of freshman Renay Adams and sophomore Melinda Clayton, who tallied 29 and 23 points, respectively, TTU outscored the Eagles 46-31 in the second period to cruise to the 17-point victory. Monday would go on to earn a spot in the Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2006, going down as the program’s all-time career assist leader with 822, a mark that still holds true to this day.

56

1988 Golden Eagle Basketball

88

Shawn Monday, a 2006 Tennessee Tech Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, and all-time career assist leader.

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20

THIS DAY IN GOLDEN EAGLE HISTORY

February 16 vs. Florida State

58

01

2001 Golden Eagle Tennis

The Tennessee Tech’s men’s tennis team traveled right into the belly of the beast when they trekked down to Tallahassee to take on nationally ranked Florida State University in the Seminoles’ backyard. As part of the Seminole Spring Invitational, the Golden Eagles and head coach Randy Smith claimed one of the most impressive victories in program history, stunning highly ranked FSU, 4-3. Tech captured all of its points in singles play led by key victories from junior Simon Tremblay, sophomore Marco Schmidt, and freshman Gernot Fischer, before fellow freshman Luis Aguerrevere seized the match with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Chad Mooney. What a day to be a Golden Eagle!

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THE NEW AND IMPROVED TTUSPORTS.COM

FOR ALL THE LATEST TENNESSEE TECH NEWS CHECK OUT THE NEW TTUSPORTS.COM FEATURING: UP-TO-DATE SCORES, VIDEOS, AND MUCH MORE

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in your ear

Courtney Smith’s

PLAYLIST

A junior libero from Knoxville, Tenn., Courtney will return to the court next fall as one of Tech’s key players on the volleyball team. We asked her to share some of her favorite tunes...

You Make My Dreams Come True

by Hall and Oats This is my favorite song because my dad and I always sing it to each other! It’s definitely an all-time classic sing-along and makes me so happy!

All In

by Flame He is a Christian rapper and one of my favorites at that. It’s a song I listen to when I work or before I work out! It also has an incredible message with a good beat!

Any Jack Johnson song, but more specifically his Sleep Through the Static album. It is the most soothing music so I listen to it while I study or relax.

Summertime

by Kenny Chesney This song immediately reminds me of being in the boat on Norris Lake with my family every summer, just wakeboarding and relaxing.

Definitely my favorite place with the most memories!

It’s Tricky

by Run DMC It is an epic song and immediately puts a smile on anyone’s face… or maybe just me… either way it’s fun and I love to hear it any time!

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A Final Handshake...

While she didn’t realize it at the time, senior Molly Heady shakes hands with the game officials for the final time prior to tipoff of Tech’s OVC Tournament game against Jacksonville State in Nashville.

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photo by Thomas Corhern

IN FOCUS

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photo by Thomas Corhern

IN FOCUS

64

Quarterback camp?

Golden Eagle coach Watson Brown seems to have so much talent available at quarterback that the veteran is creating a new position to include more of their skills in the offense. At the recent Purple/Gold scrimmage, Brown talked with Jared Davis (18), Trent Thompson (17), Brock McCoin (8), Charlie High (10), Matt Hamby (13) and Darian Stone (5).

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photos by Thomas Corhern

IN FOCUS

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Rounding second and into third...

Sophomore Madison Taylor races to third base against Lipscomb.

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ATHLETICS

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THE OFFICIAL

ONLINE

TE MAGAZINE OF

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PROTECTING T THE PRESIDEN

4 Feature story on Secret

kinson le pitcher Dave Wil Former Golden Eag in the U.S. Secret Service, 20 years l detail spent more than ntia side Pre the on including several

Service agent Dave with Wilkinson and his role g the presidents, includin ident Sept. 11, 2001 with Pres tack.

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Plus...

in Haiti * Helping Hands ide view * Ukraine: An ins * Fresh Faces h History * This Day in Tec * Senior Moments * Shelf Life photos ...and some great

4 Bobby Nichols Scramble n update and informatio

14 May / June 20

68

Volume 2, Issue 3

21

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photo by Ben Corda

photo by Tony Marable

IN FOCUS

Full House...

Fans packed the stands at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex when the Golden Eagles hosted Tennessee.

Say cheesy...

The Golden Eagle tennis team members can’t seem to keep a straight face for this group photo.

71

photo by Ben Corda

In focus...

Golden Eagle pitcher Ross Spurgeon displays his grip for the split-fingered fastball.

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IN FOCUS

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GOLDEN EAGLE SUMMER

CAMPS 2014 JIM DAVIS TEAM CAMP JUNE 6-8 JUNE 15-17 2014 LIL’ EAGLE CAMP

JUNE 12-14 GOLDEN EAGLE BOYS’ BASKETBALL CAMP SESSION ONE: JUNE 2-4 SESSION TWO: JUNE 9-11 SESSION THREE: JUNE 18-20

2014 STEVE PAYNE GOLDEN EAGLE BASKETBALL CAMP

CAMP WEEK: JUNE 22-25

GOLDEN EAGLE BASEBALL SCHOOL JUNE 9-12

2014 WATSON BROWN FOOTBALL CAMP

FCA: JULY 15-19 HIGH SCHOOL MINI CAMP: JULY 19 TEAM CAMP SESSION ONE: JULY 26-29 TEAM CAMP SESSION TWO: JULY 30 - AUG 2

DAVID ZELENOCK VOLLEYBALL CAMP INDIVIDUAL CAMP JULY 11-13 BALL CONTROL JULY 15

SETTERS CAMP JULY 14 HITTERS CAMP JULY 14

FOR MORE INFORMATION

VISIT TTUSPORTS.COM OR CALL 931-372-3940