The SpringHillian Volume 108, Issue 1
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam
Badgers Hosting ESPN on Saturday
This has been a school year of firsts for Spring Hill College athletics, and it continues Saturday night when national sports broadcasting network ESPN comes to campus to broadcast two college basketball games. Action will be streamed live on ESPN3 on Saturday when Spring Hill plays host to Central State in a 2:05 p.m. women’s game, followed by a 4:05 men’s contest. The games will be played in the Outlaw Recreation Center, and admission will be free, said Chad LeBlanc, SHC’s interim athletic director. According to LeBlanc, ESPN and the NCAA agreed to create a 24-game NCAA Division 2 showcase to stream games on ESPN3 or NCAA social media sites. “We were contacted by the NCAA saying that they (ESPN and the NCAA) chose our men’s and women’s basketball home games against Central State University as two of those games,” LeBlanc
said, adding that SHC is the only Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference school chosen for the showcase. ESPN3 is “a digital network that streams thousands of live events annually, in addition to providing on demand replays of recent ESPN events,” according to the sports network’s website. “It is only available on the ESPN app through mobile devices, computers and smart TVs connected to the internet,” LeBlanc added. This type of attention is new for Spring Hill, which is in its first school year as a member of the NCAA Division 2. “Not only is this the most national athletic recognition we have had recently, but it really is international,” LeBlanc said. “This is a great platform not only to show off a couple teams and the coaches and student-athletes that make them up, but really it’s a chance to show the vibrancy of our student body and local fan. In addi-
tion, we are also given the opportunity to show off the college itself through advertisements and video clips of the campus and activities on campus that will be displayed on air during the game.” Along with free admission to the games, fans will be treated to hot dogs at no charge (while supplies last), as well as spirit shakers, LeBlanc said. SHC’s Lady Badgers have started the season with an overall record of 9-10 and a conference mark of 5-5, having defeated Miles College in overtime, 71-68, last Monday night. SHC is being led this year by junior forwards Tiffany Valentine and Katie Krout. Valentine is averaging 21 points and 8.7 rebounds per outing, having just recently surpassed 1,000 points for her SHC career. Krout recently broke into the starting line-up and is contributing 13 points and nine rebounds per game. Junior guard Elise Reilly is also scoring 13 points
Jared Holland shoots a ball. | Photo: Men’s Basketball per game and is one of SHC’s leaders in assists and threepoint shooting. The SHC men started this campaign with a 6-14 overall record, including a conference mark of 2-9. Senior post player Brandon Fischer leads the way with averages of 13.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. Freshman point guard Justin Allison is averaging 12.7 points per game and leads the team in three-point shooting. Fellow freshman Jordan McIlwain is
scoring 12.6 points per outing, and senior Jared Holland leads the team in steals and assists. This first school year of NCAA Division 2 competition for SHC has also included post-season tournament appearances for the men’s soccer, women’s volleyball and cross-country teams. Fans wishing to view Saturday’s ESPN3 games online can access the streaming through http://watchespn.com/.
O’Leary Closed for Repairs Caroline Weishaar | Reporter
Sydney Caudill, Caroline Cusick, and Emma Carroll enjoy a champagne toast as they celebrate 100 days left until graduation on May 4, 2019. | Photo: Caroline Weishaar
O’Leary Residence Hall has been shut down this semester due to maintenance needs. The dorm housed 39 residents who have since been moved to New Hall and Skip’s Place. Kevin Abel, Vice President of Student Affairs, made the announcement in person on Nov. 28, the week before exams. Residents were told they would continue to pay the O’Leary rate in their new dorm rooms. They were given an extended move out period of 48 hours as compared to the normal 24. Holly Banning, Director of Residence Life and Community Standards, stated that this was a perfect time to make the needed repairs for there was “adequate space for the stu-
dents in other areas of campus.” She noted that students reacted generally well to the news, but that many “asked a variety of questions regarding relocation logistics and pricing”. Former O’Leary resident, Grace Gundlach, recalled that her RA stated the repairs included fixing the 3rd floor plumbing and addressing a mold problem. Gundlach was disappointed at first. “My roommate and I had made our room into our home and so we were not excited about moving,” she said. Although, Gundlach did say that she felt the news was delivered to her in a very positive manner and that the Resident Advisors were “very helpful in answering ques-
tions and adjusting to the move.” O’Leary was loved by many for the affordability and large room sizes. “I loved how the building felt lived in,” she said. There is no information on when the hall will reopen, but the dorm will clearly be missed by many this semester. The college later announced in December that O’Leary’s temporary closure was for the purpose of updating “the bathroom facilities as well as some general maintenance performed throughout the building.” Built in 1968, O’Leary normally houses about 70 SHC students.