Commodore Nation, May 2011 by Vanderbilt Commodores

May 2011

DIAMOND

DORES FIND RELIEF

table of contents 8

2 Compliance Corner Unauthorized merchandise 4 National Commodore Club Black and Gold Banquet 6 Jr. NCC Enroll a young Commodore fan today 7 More from McGugin By the numbers 8 My Game Freshman runner Liz Anderson 10 Relief Emerges Senior reliever Navery Moore 13 My Turn: Rod Williamson The heat of competition

5 Golfing Legend Passes 1 Mason Rudolph mentored VU golf

16 20

6 Lacrosse’s Sideline Leaders 1 Two seniors teach despite injuries 19 David Williams Column Should student-athletes be paid?

0 Football Spring Game 2 Black team defeats Gold, 19-7

23 May Calendar This month’s athletic schedule To submit a letter to Commodore Nation, you can e-mail: commodorenation@vanderbilt.edu or write to Commodore Nation, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212. Letters should include the writer’s name and address and may be edited for clarity and space.

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24 Last Shot The 2011 Black and Gold Banquet

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

table of contents 8

5 Golfing Legend Passes 1 Mason Rudolph mentored VU golf

16 20

6 Lacrosse’s Sideline Leaders 1 Two seniors teach despite injuries 19 David Williams Column Should student-athletes be paid?

0 Football Spring Game 2 Black team defeats Gold, 19-7

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24 Last Shot The 2011 Black and Gold Banquet

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

COMPLIANCE

COR NER Q: A:

Seed Spitter is an vendor of sports memorabilia. He sells numerous items on his website and recently posted a T-shirt featuring one of our student-athletes (without the student-athlete’s knowledge). Does this affect the institution? Yes. According to NCAA Bylaw 12.5.2.2, if a student-athlete’s name or picture appears on commercial items (e.g., T-shirts, sweatshirts, serving trays, playing cards, posters) or is used to promote a commercial product sold by an individual or agency without the student-athlete’s knowledge or permission, the student-athlete (or the institution acting on behalf of the student-athlete) is required to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain his or her eligibility for intercollegiate athletics. Such steps are not required in cases in which a student-athlete’s photograph is sold by an individual or agency (e.g., private photographer, news agency) for private use.

Editorial

Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Chris Weinman

Director of Communications: Rod Williamson

Designers: Jeremy Teaford

Chris Weinman

Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner VU Photography: Mary Donaldson

Daniel Dubois Steve Green Joe Howell Jenny Mandeville Anne Rayner

Compliance questions? Please contact:

John Russell

Candice Lee George Midgett Director of Compliance Compliance Coordinator 615/322-7992 615/322-2083 candice.lee@vanderbilt.edu george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu

Susan Urmy

Contributors: Laina Balafas

Andy Boggs Sterling Frierson Larry Leathers George Midgett

John Peach Andrew Turner Compliance Coordinator Recruiting/Compliance Coordinator 615/343-1060 615/322-4543 john.w.peach@vanderbilt.edu andrew.turner@vanderbilt.edu

Ryan Schulz Jennifer Stevens Donald Turnbaugh

Administrative

Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune

Vanderbilt University’s Mission, Goals and Values Vanderbilt University is a center for scholarly research, informed and creative teaching, and service to the community and society at large. Vanderbilt will uphold the highest standards and be a leader in the quest for new knowledge through scholarship, dissemination of knowledge through teaching and outreach, and creative experimentation of ideas and concepts. In pursuit of these goals, Vanderbilt values most highly intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry, and equality, compassion and excellence in all endeavors. Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action university. ON THE COVER: Navery Moore and Hawkins Field photos by John Russell, VU Photography POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212. SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe to Commodore Nation, please contact Chris Weinman by phone at 615/343-0019 or by e-mail at commodorenation@vanderbilt.edu ADVERTISEMENT: To advertise with Commodore Nation, please contact Vanderbilt IMG Sports & Entertainment Properties. Jeff Miller, general manager 615/322-4468; jeff.miller@imgworld.com

Commodore Nation is printed using recycled paper.

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

COMPLIANCE

COR NER Q: A:

Editorial

Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Chris Weinman

Director of Communications: Rod Williamson

Designers: Jeremy Teaford

Chris Weinman

Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner VU Photography: Mary Donaldson

Daniel Dubois Steve Green Joe Howell Jenny Mandeville Anne Rayner

Compliance questions? Please contact:

John Russell

Candice Lee George Midgett Director of Compliance Compliance Coordinator 615/322-7992 615/322-2083 candice.lee@vanderbilt.edu george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu

Susan Urmy

Contributors: Laina Balafas

Andy Boggs Sterling Frierson Larry Leathers George Midgett

John Peach Andrew Turner Compliance Coordinator Recruiting/Compliance Coordinator 615/343-1060 615/322-4543 john.w.peach@vanderbilt.edu andrew.turner@vanderbilt.edu

Ryan Schulz Jennifer Stevens Donald Turnbaugh

Administrative

Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune

Commodore Nation is printed using recycled paper.

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

BLACK AND GOLD BANQUET – APRIL 11, 2011

C O M M O D O R E C LU B

COR N E R

PHONE: 615/322-4114 • ONLINE: vanderbilt.edu/ncc

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Dr. Jerry Reves (’65) with Jillian Currie, recipient of the Dr. Jerry Reves Award for the senior student-athlete with the highest GPA, and Associate Director of Student Athletics Kevin Colon

MARY DONALDSON

Former Vanderbilt baseball and basketball player Willy Daunic (’93) hosted the Black and Gold Banquet

LACROSSE AND TENNIS SENIOR DAYS – APRIL 2011

NCC members Barbara Krumsiek and Bart Leonard with their daughter, senior defender Claire Leonard

JOHN RUSSELL

J. Walton Lipscomb - Dickson Rachel Lisotta - Metairie, La. Linda and Michael Longe - Hendersonville John Lucas - Waverly Tanja and John Malone - Birmingham, Ala. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Morin - Nashville Maura and William Olvey - Longwood, Fla. Timothy Pack - Hermitage Jeffrey Palmquist - Nashville John C. Perry - Mount Juliet Ellen and Arnold Phipps - Alpharetta, Ga. Timothy Pitts - Brentwood Ann Pollard - Nashville James Porter - Murfreesboro Norman Potoksky - Nashville Jamie and James Reardon - Nashville Robert Rial - Charlotte Jena Richard - New York, N.Y. Peter Ryan - New York, N.Y. Andrea Sandefur - Fairview Robert Sebesta - Seminole, Fla. Tom Sharpe - Tulsa, Okla. Deborah Shelton - Houston, Texas Steve Smeykal - Brentwood Holly and Clinton Smith - Nashville Frank Smith Jr. - Mount Juliet Janice Smith - Brentwood Maria and Gary Sorolis - Louisville, Ky. Matthew Stewart - Powell, Ohio Robert Timmerberg - Franklin Beverly Waldrep - Goodlettsville Brody Wallace - Nashville Scott Warick - Springfield Francis Wcislo - Nashville Boyd West - Lewisburg Frank Wilson - Chapel Hill, N.C. Melissa Winsor - Dunwoody, Ga. Lonnie Withem - Huntsville, Ala. Lori and Fred Woestmann - Marietta, Ga. Andrea and Daniel Wolf - Hollywood, Fla.

MARY DONALDSON

Elizabeth Adams - Nashville Lisa and Robert Ayerst - Germantown Robert Balaka - Dearborn, Mich. Donna and Ryan Baldwin - Franklin Todd Baldwin - Antioch Camilla Benbow - Nashville Pamela Bentley - Hermitage Jennifer and Stephen Birkel - Atlanta, Ga. Mary J. Boswell - Washington, D.C. Wendy Williams Brantley - Jackson, Ga. Virginia Shepherd and Charles Brau - Nashville Lisa and William Bridges - Atlanta, Ga Ronald Brown - Columbia Ted Butler - Omaha, Neb. Patricia Callicoat - Nashville Julie and Kevin Campbell - Nashville Walter Clarke III - Raleigh, N.C. John Cote - New York, N.Y. J. Warner Cribb - Murfreesboro Shannon Daniels - Portland Stacey Darron and Fay Taylor - Antioch Kimberly Rohmiller - Lakeside Park, Ky. James Dyer - Nashville Anne and Robert Erwin - Nashville Clyde Evans - West End, N.C. James Fisher - McEwin John Fisher - McEwen, Tenn. Lawrence Flynn - Atlanta, Ga. Sharon and Daniel Glenn - Brentwood Henry Graham - Atlanta, Ga. Thomas Graves - Nashville Lori and Ryan Grigsby - Spring Hill Doug Guerrin - Arlington, Va. Gregg Gulinson - Overland Park, Kan. Christy Hales - Madison, Ala. Barbara and Larry Hamilton - Mableton, Ga. Mary and Kenneth Hande - Nashville Ray Harvey Jr. - Nashville Charles Hawkins IV - Albany, Ga. Gregory Hill - Conshohocken, Pa. Mary Hollis - Murfreesboro John Hsu - Downey, Calif. William Hughes - Goodlettsville Lizabeth and Richard Jelesky - Naperville, Ill. Nancy and Arthur Johnsen - Nashville Christopher Karsanac - Nashville Sandra and Peter Kyne - Nashville Tina and Keith Lanzoni - Annapolis, Md.

NCC 101

Yes. Outright gifts and multi-year pledges can be directed to the NCC. Pledges can be paid off over a five-year period. Graduating classes ending in 1’s and 6’s will celebrate Reunion this year during the weekend of October 20-22, 2011.

JOHN RUSSELL

Recruit a new member today and help us reach our goal of 1,000 new NCC members. Below are the NCC members that joined during the month of March. We welcome each one of our new members and look forward to many years of having you as a valued member.

This year is my reunion year. Can my reunion gift be directed to the National Commodore Club?

NCC members Thomas and Laureen Keenan with their daughter, senior midfielder Diana Keenan

RENEW YOUR NCC MEMBERSHIP BY MAY 31 BRAD ROBY

WELCOME NEW NCC MEMBERS

Both your men’s basketball ticket renewal and NCC membership must be paid by May 31 to retain your ticket and parking benefits. Log on to NationalCommodoreClub.com or call us at 615/322.4114 to renew your membership today.

Senior Adam Baker with his parents, NCC members Kimberly and Jack Baker

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BLACK AND GOLD BANQUET – APRIL 11, 2011

C O M M O D O R E C LU B

COR N E R

PHONE: 615/322-4114 • ONLINE: vanderbilt.edu/ncc

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Dr. Jerry Reves (’65) with Jillian Currie, recipient of the Dr. Jerry Reves Award for the senior student-athlete with the highest GPA, and Associate Director of Student Athletics Kevin Colon

MARY DONALDSON

Former Vanderbilt baseball and basketball player Willy Daunic (’93) hosted the Black and Gold Banquet

LACROSSE AND TENNIS SENIOR DAYS – APRIL 2011

NCC members Barbara Krumsiek and Bart Leonard with their daughter, senior defender Claire Leonard

JOHN RUSSELL

MARY DONALDSON

NCC 101

JOHN RUSSELL

This year is my reunion year. Can my reunion gift be directed to the National Commodore Club?

NCC members Thomas and Laureen Keenan with their daughter, senior midfielder Diana Keenan

RENEW YOUR NCC MEMBERSHIP BY MAY 31 BRAD ROBY

WELCOME NEW NCC MEMBERS

Senior Adam Baker with his parents, NCC members Kimberly and Jack Baker

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JR. National Commodore Club

More from McGugin

Three ’Dores honored by local Hall of Fame

By The

NUMBERS 5

official PGA Tour wins for golf legend Mason Rudolph, who passed away on April 18 at the age of 76.

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bowlers from Vanderbilt’s NCAA Runner-up squad that earned Academic All-SEC honors this season.

number of varsity teams that offer camps or clinics at Vanderbilt during the summer months.

student-athletes on Head Coach Tim Corbin’s baseball roster who grew up or attended high school within an hour of Nashville.

lacrosse student-athletes who have scored at least one goal during the 2011 season.

consecutive games with a hit for Anthony Gomez, a VU season-high streak that ended at South Carolina in mid-April.

7,500

fans, the estimated attendance on April 17 for the Black and Gold Spring game and surrounding activities.

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My Game Freshman Liz Anderson was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team during the winter cross country season. Now the Louisville native is excelling during distance events on the track. A second-generation student at Vanderbilt, Liz will celebrate her birthday this month, the day before heading to the 2011 SEC Championships. She took a moment to discuss her game — shoulders, shoes, parks and practice.

Liz

Anderson

On competing in other sports growing up: “I swam up until junior year of high school, and I also played field hockey and lacrosse. During my junior year, I hurt my shoulder and wasn’t able to get back into swimming, so that’s when I really started focusing on running. I always ran in high school, but I picked it up full time when I hurt my shoulder.” On her mindset during a long run: “On longer runs during practice we usually just talk about whatever is on our minds or what happened that day. During races, I try to focus on what I am doing. I’ll set a goal and focus on that…. I’ll try to hit a split in a certain time, or catch up to someone by a certain point.” On preparing for for a big meet: “Our team uses a visualization technique where we see ourselves actually running the race beforehand. That really helped me during cross country season, so I have used that in track season, as well. I visualize how I want to run in my head.” On her favorite things about Vanderbilt: “The whole community that comes along with Vanderbilt is probably my favorite part. I like that everyone is here to do well, and that was different than some of the schools I visited. I definitely got that sense from the moment I stepped on campus, that people are really motivated. It’s a lot of fun, too; it’s the best balance that I’ve seen or heard of.” On how training has changed from high school to college: “In high school, we didn’t have practice on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays, so that’s definitely different. The mileage has gone up a pretty good amount. Now we run, on average, 50 miles a week, and in high school we probably only ran about 25 miles a week.” On her favorite places to run: “I like running in parks. There are a couple in Louisville that I really like. I like the different scenery, rather than running around the same thing, which can get pretty monotonous.”

JOE HOWELL

On how many pairs of shoes she goes through in a year: “We get a new pair every month or two, so probably about eight pairs a year.” n

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Liz

Anderson

JOE HOWELL

On how many pairs of shoes she goes through in a year: “We get a new pair every month or two, so probably about eight pairs a year.” n

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

By Chris Weinman

JOHN RUSSELL

Franklin native excels out of bullpen

Junior Navery Moore closes out a Commodore victory in the team’s red, white and blue uniforms on a Military Appreciation Sunday.

ver the past nine years under Head Coach Tim Corbin, Vanderbilt baseball has become one of the top programs in the nation. One needs to look only 60 feet, six inches away from home plate to see a major contributing factor to Vanderbilt’s success—an impressive stable of pitchers. Corbin and his staff have relied heavily on homegrown talent to reach these new heights. Two of the three Commodore hurlers that have been taken in the first round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft since 2007 came up in the Middle Tennessee area before making their mark on West End— Murfreesboro’s David Price (2009) and Chapel Hill’s Mike Minor (2007). This year’s staff also includes a number of standout pitchers from the surrounding area. Weekend starters Sonny Gray (Smyrna) and Taylor Hill (Old Hickory), and relievers Will Clinard (Cross Plains) and Navery Moore (Franklin) all grew up in Vanderbilt’s backyard. Pitching coach Derek Johnson believes there has been a snowball effect that has helped Vanderbilt continue to recruit local talent.

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“The number one thing is that now kids are starting to grow up wanting to come to Vanderbilt to play baseball,” Johnson said. “For the local kid, maybe coming to Vanderbilt means a little bit more. I think there’s something to coming to a school that you’re proud of, that you’re a fan of; that’s what we’re trying to build with the local talent. And quite honestly, the local talent in the last five or six years has been really good. We’re just trying to keep those guys from going elsewhere.” Navery Moore was not planning on going elsewhere. Playing at Franklin’s Battle Ground Academy, Moore was an early commitment to Vanderbilt. But in his junior year of high school, the 6-2 right-hander was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery, a procedure that replaces a failing tendon in the throwing elbow. Vanderbilt’s commitment to Moore never wavered. “He had already committed to us and then blew out [his elbow],” Johnson said. “Our commitment to him was unfazed by that. He had a really good arm in high school. He was still unpolished somewhat, but we just felt like

he was a guy that was going to come in and make a contribution. He’s a local guy, too. We kind of took a chance, but at the same time, we were committed to him all along.” Tommy John surgery is not a death sentence for a pitcher’s career, but the road back to the mound can be long. “They say, physically, you’re back in about a year where you can throw and compete again,” Moore said. “But as far as getting the feel for pitching and the confidence you had before the surgery, it probably takes two years to get back in the rhythm and the feel of pitching.” While working his way back into top form, Moore had another setback during the fall of his sophomore year at Vanderbilt: knee surgery. Last season, the Franklin native made only 10 appearances, including one midweek start against Wofford. Moore finally started to hit his stride last summer. He pitched in the Prospect League for the Nashville Outlaws, whose home games were played at Vanderbilt’s Charles Hawkins Field. “It was great, because no matter what my previous outings were, I was in a good situ-

STEVE GREEN

Relief for Moore, VU

ation with Coach [Brian] Ryman, and he was throwing me out there every time,” Moore said. “The biggest thing for me was just getting innings and getting confidence pitching again. I was just having fun and going back to the good old days of playing baseball like a little kid again.” Moore boasted a 3.94 earned run average in 45 innings of work, starting seven of the nine games he appeared in. Finally healthy, Moore was named the league’s top prospect by Baseball America. Back on campus, the coaching staff was excited to have a revitalized Moore as part of the Commodores’ arsenal. But three pitchers who had started at least 16 games last season were returning for 2011, and finding a place for another arm in the starting rotation proved difficult. Coach Johnson wanted to ensure that Moore continued his upward trend. In order to maximize Moore’s innings, the move was made during the fall to bring him out of the bullpen as the team’s closer. “We felt coming into this year that he needed to touch the ball as much as possible, just for repetitions’ sake,” Johnson said. “You look at our rotation and see he’s probably not in a position to overtake one of our established starters, but he has a good arm and you want to be able to maximize his use. He felt good doing it, and he got better as a result. It just fit, and by the end of the fall that’s exactly what role he wanted to be in.” The move was no shock to Moore, who exemplifies the team-first attitude that Coach Corbin’s squads are known for. “Coming into this year, I knew that we’d have all of our weekend starters returning,” Moore said. “Talking to the coaches this fall, that’s the role they saw me in. I embraced that, and it’s been working out so far.” For a player who came into the season just “trying to fit in anywhere on the team where I can contribute,” Moore’s numbers have been off the charts. At the midway point of the 2011 Southeastern Conference season, Moore has contributed 20.2 innings pitched while allowing only one earned run for an ERA of 0.44. He has made eight saves to help the Commodores to a top-five national ranking. Moore also continues to find other ways to contribute to VU’s success—a lesson he learned during the days when he watched many more games than he pitched in. During pregame, Moore often wields a fungo bat to help warmup infielders. His calm demeanor belies the 95- to 97-mile-per-hour fastball that is his bread and butter on the mound. In fact, Moore’s even disposition on the mound goes against the “typical” way that a closer carries himself. Closers are expected to enter in the late innings of a tight game to maximum fanfare, swagger onto the mound and exude brash confidence. But that’s not Moore’s approach, externally at least. “I come at it from more of a relaxed standpoint,” Moore said. “A lot of the guys you see are more of the hyped-up, energetic guys. I think on the inside you do have to have that kind of intensity, but I like to stay on an even keel and play out the game in a relaxed manner so I don’t get too high or too low.” His transition from starter to reliever has been quite successful this season. With the close of his third season at Vanderbilt approaching, Moore will be draft-eligible this summer (he was selected by the Boston Red Sox out of high school before opting to attend college) and has his sights set on a professional career. But before he is finished wearing the Black and Gold, Moore knows the team has unfinished business this season. “You always want to play professional baseball and make it to the big leagues,” Moore said. “But right now, it’s all about making it to the [College] World Series, winning one game at a time. Our goal is to win the College World Series. Right now that’s all we’re focused on. We have to stay on track and take it one day at a time.” n

Moore has fought through two injuries to become a standout reliever.

Editor’s note: The Commodores will close out the 2011 season with series against Florida (May 13-15) and at Georgia (May 19-21). The SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., begins May 25, with the NCAA Tournament starting the first week of June.

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

By Chris Weinman

JOHN RUSSELL

Franklin native excels out of bullpen

Junior Navery Moore closes out a Commodore victory in the team’s red, white and blue uniforms on a Military Appreciation Sunday.

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STEVE GREEN

Relief for Moore, VU

Moore has fought through two injuries to become a standout reliever.

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It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson

Our Competitive Nature

nce upon a time, long, long ago, we were good friends with a couple that lived down the street. Our kids had fun together and so did we, most of the time. When we got out the board games or playing cards, the fun often ceased for my wife. Why? Because my buddy—a collegiate coach—was so competitive that he made a simple game of Hearts or dominos feel like an urgent battle, complete with his predictable overdose of gloating. My better half quickly soured on such “fun.” Some people come hard-wired more competitive than others. My mom tried to lose because winning a simple kid’s game didn’t matter to her, and she knew others enjoyed winning. She had her own definition of victory, and it didn’t involve kids’ games. Who has the proper attitude—my overzealous old buddy who thirsted for victory at even the lowest of levels, or my mother who put games into perspective? If you were hiring a coach for your alma mater or choosing a business partner, you’d pick my friend—the obsessive whose dreams start and often stop with winning. If you were choosing a role model for your kids or grandkids, you might be inclined to consider my mom. Americans crave victory. We expect to win at everything—it beats the alternative! Our nation’s history as “winners” made us a superpower. In sports, we pay crazy salaries to coaches and players to deliver championships while debating how much we are paying those who teach our children or keep our streets safe. Stop reading and think about that. Vanderbilt Football Coach Red Sanders originated the line that Vince Lombardi made famous: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” Really? We’ve recently watched a basketball program win the national championship, and next three times that team takes the court its coach will be suspended for bending the rulebook. Some of you would gladly trade places: a shiny trophy and bragging rights in exchange for a few petty violations. But I believe many Vanderbilt fans, as hungry as we are to hoist a banner or clutch the golden trophy, would see that kind of victory as tainted. The public regards ball teams pretty much the same way it regards Congress. We like “our guy” but dismiss the rest as scoundrels. You just don’t run into many fans of winning teams who think their coach or organization is slimy, but they can often be quick to call out others. Winning on the scoreboard at the highest levels requires a fanaticism that we view as remarkable. We generally admire the fanatic and wish we had the same dedication to excellence. On the other hand, most of us think the obsessive-compulsive behavior is a bit wacky and wish to raise our kids to be well-balanced. Everything in moderation. Do I actually believe that? Some days absolutely, other days no. (Did I miss a political career?) I’m a very poor sport, always have been and not proud of it. And few enjoy winning more than I, so I’m really not much different from my over-the-top Yahtzee pal. In the end, each of us determines our own degree of competitiveness—and where and how we employ it. For some, it shows in athletics. But for others, it’s the business deal, the chili cook-off or the craft show at the county fair. Competitive spunk seems necessary in some form or fashion in each of our lives, lest we never merge from the on-ramp into the speedy fast lane called life. We want excellence and victory to be synonymous. n

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson

Our Competitive Nature

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

Mason Rudolph: Golf community loses legend Tennessee Golf Foundation President Dick Horton: “I’ve known Mason since March of 1973. He was truly a delight. Mason will be missed greatly by many, many people. He was the best possible representative for the game of golf in Tennessee, and you won’t find anybody that didn’t have the utmost respect for him as a person.

he golfing world lost a legend on April 18 when Clarksville native Mason Rudolph passed away at the age of 76. A winner of five official PGA Tour events during a 21-year career, Rudolph was an integral part of the Vanderbilt golf program. He spent five seasons as the head coach of the men’s program before being named Director of Golf. In 2002, his title was amended to Director of Golf, emeritus, but his impact on the program did not wane. Each fall, the Commodores host a tournament at the Vanderbilt Legends Club known as the Mason Rudolph Championships.

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Head Men’s Golf Coach Tom Shaw: “Mason Rudolph was one of the greatest people I have ever been around. I never saw him without a smile and without a great story to tell. Mason was a true gentleman and extremely humble, always seeking to put others before himself. You became a better person just by spending a few minutes with Mason Rudolph. We will miss him greatly.” Head Women’s Golf Coach Greg Allen: “We lost a great man today and a dear friend to everyone in the Vanderbilt golf family. Mason had a very special way of touching lives, and his impact will never be forgotten. We had a chance to have dinner with Mason and Carol last year before the SEC Championship. There is no doubt that his presence and his inspiring golf stories that night helped motivate Marina Alex to win the championship. Our prayers are with Carol, his sons Mason and Griff, his grandkids and all of those that loved Mason Rudolph.”

Former Commodore All-American and current PGA Tour pro Brandt Snedeker: “Mason was instrumental in helping me become a better golfer, but more importantly a better person. Mason and his wife, Carol, were out at practice nearly every day, and he was always smiling and had a great outlook on life. Mason had a great career and was a legend in the golfing community, but I’ll miss him more for who he was as a person. This is a sad day for Vanderbilt and anyone who loves golf. He will be dearly missed.” Former VU Men’s Golf Coach and current ECU Coach Press McPhaul: “Mason was the model of a gentleman. One thing that we always saw was how much he loved his wife. She was his top priority, and they were smitten with each other. For myself and the college kids, he was a great example of what a man should be. That was significant.” Former VU Women’s Golf Coach and current Texas Coach Martha Richards “He touched all of our lives in so many positive ways. For Press and I as young head coaches, having Mason around as a voice of wisdom made such a huge difference. He had these pearls of wisdom, his ‘Masonisms,’ like, ‘Hit it where they can put a mower on it.’ I still use that and give him full credit.” n

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

By Donald Turnbaugh

and apply it to their futures. The graduating seniors will be able to use their new leadership styles in the workplace—Leonard has secured a job at a law firm, while Mitchell will work for a consulting firm in Chicago. For Dunlap and Byner, the experience they have earned this season will be invaluable as they anchor the Commodore defense for next three years. “Claire and Catherine have been a huge part of our defense this year, and I don’t think we could have succeeded without them,” Dunlap said. “With Brandi and I coming in as new members of the team, having leadership from those seniors has helped us greatly. They are knowledgeable and know the ins and outs of the game and have been able to pass that information on to us.” n

Mitchell has accepted a position with a consulting firm in Chicago.

JOHN RUSSELL

DOUG CAHILL

eading into the 2011 season, the Vanderbilt women’s lacrosse team looked to have an abundance of senior leadership on the field. When team captains Claire Leonard and Catherine Mitchell both were sidelined by injury before the season got under way, the Commodore starting lineup lost a pair of veteran leaders. That turn of events could have been devastating for the program. But the two student-athletes had learned during their careers to put the team first, and both discovered ways for their leadership to shine through when they were unable to contribute to on-field production. “I have had a mantra all season long, and I’ve made sure to keep with it,” Leonard said. “Whatever I can give to this team, I want to give. If it’s working hard in practice, then that’s what I’ll do. If it’s teaching the younger players from the sidelines, then so be it. Whatever I have to do to help this team win, I will do it.” Leonard started 35 games in her first three seasons at Vanderbilt. While Leonard would have liked to help teach the team through her play, the Mary“After the injury I decided to just rehab and put a brace on it land native has been dealing with an injury for two years. During so I could get back on the field,” Mitchell said. “I went through preseason training, it got worse and sidelined the defender. Leonard the motions quickly and was rehabbing every moment I could. I suffers from plantar fasciitis—a painful inflammatory process that was up at seven to go to rehab. I would go to class, then rehab, causes tendinitis in the foot, with most of the pain in the heel—in followed by practice and rehab. I was working on my knee for both of her feet. The injury began her sophomore year and has been three to six hours per day just trying to build muscle to get back lingering ever since. Leonard explains that the only way for it to heal out there.” is through rest and staying away from lacrosse activities. After all of the rehab and rest she tried getting back on the In late January, her left fascia ruptured, and she was forced to miss field, but her knee was still not responding. Mitchell made the the first few weeks of the season. When her left foot healed and she difficult decision to undergo surgery to avoid further injury and got back on the field, her right plantar fascia endured a tear. After had the procedure done in March. The timeframe of recovery for another three weeks of rest, she reinjured the right fascia on her first such an injury is months, and Mitchell will be at school rehabbing day back. She had been out the majority of the year before making until June. her first appearance on April 17 against Florida. These injuries left a gaping hole in the Vanderbilt defense, and Catherine Mitchell’s injury was not something that could have the coaches needed to find two players who could step in and been foreseen. It was a devastating moment, one quick move- defend top-tier athletes from Stanford, Johns Hopkins and the ment. During practice a few weeks before the season began, Ohio State University. Insert freshmen Alyssa Dunlap and Brandi Mitchell was participating in a drill. Her leg went one way and Byner. It may seem unprecedented to go from two experienced her knee went another, tearing her ACL, fracturing her knee in seniors to two women who have only been on campus for a few two places and pulling her shin muscle. Despite the injury, Mitch- months, but Dunlap and Byner had the skill set and hunger to ell’s main goal was to get better immediately to help anchor the learn more about the game from the seasoned veterans. defense. While Mitchell and Leonard could not be on the field to help

guide the newcomers, they took it upon themselves to act as mentors in practice and during games. The original plan was for both seniors to show the underclassmen what to do and how to react, but after the injuries they have had to help the freshmen through verbal teaching. “Because I wasn’t able to lead through my play, I spent a lot of time teaching the younger girls,” Leonard said. “I got the opportunity to know Brandi and Alyssa a lot better as players and people. I’ve been able to work with them a lot and pass on my knowledge.” Leonard’s goal is to break down game-like situations and teach the freshmen how to adapt to those circumstances when game time begins. She wants to make sure that the girls know what to do before any event arises and is emphasizing that they use their speed, quickness and body position to be successful. Mitchell’s leadership qualities came through her actions and what she could show younger players, while she now has had to learn a completely new way to get her message across. She says it has been a challenge being on the sideline but that this year has been a great learning experience. And with her new knowledge, Mitchell has been able to contribute to the team’s success by correcting mistakes that are made in practice. The two seniors have not only contributed individually, but have worked well as a duo to help Dunlap and Byner. “Brandi and Alyssa—and all of the freshmen—look up to us as seniors,” said Mitchell. “I think that the whole group is eager to learn, and it’s been great for Claire and I. We both want to help the team any way we can, so we’ve taken the necessary roles this year.” Their leadership has paid off, and Byner and Dunlap have been a solid foundation for the defense. In the regular season, Dunlap was second on the team with 32 ground balls, and the freshmen pair combined to force 20 turnovers. Dunlap also was named the American Lacrosse Conference Freshman of the Week for her play in Vanderbilt’s 15-10 upset victory over Stanford on March 27. While the freshmen have had success this season, they still have plenty to learn from their peers. All four ladies will be able to take what they learned this year

DOUG CAHILL

Lacrosse seniors learn new leadership

The 2011 graduating class was honored on Wednesday, April 20, before Vanderbilt’s overtime victory over Notre Dame.

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By Donald Turnbaugh

Mitchell has accepted a position with a consulting firm in Chicago.

JOHN RUSSELL

DOUG CAHILL

Lacrosse seniors learn new leadership

The 2011 graduating class was honored on Wednesday, April 20, before Vanderbilt’s overtime victory over Notre Dame.

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Words of Williams Vice Chancellor David Williams began this regular feature in the March issue of Commodore Nation. Williams also pens “The Williams Report” on vucommodores. com. Fans can submit their questions for either venue via the website or by emailing commodorenation@vanderbilt.edu. The following is taken from a longer column that Williams wrote for the Vanderbilt student newspaper, The Hustler.

David Williams is in his eighth year overseeing Vanderbilt athletics in his role as vice chancellor for university affairs and athletics, general counsel and secretary of the university.

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Recently I had the opportunity to appear on National Public Radio to debate the topic “Should College Athletes be Paid?” My position is that college student-athletes should not be paid or treated as university employees for their participation in college athletics. I continue to believe that the concept of providing our student-athletes with the opportunity to earn a college degree, in many cases at a greatly reduced or no financial cost, is both a fair and honorable position that should be maintained. In many cases the young people who are attending college on athletic scholarship would not be able to obtain that college education but for that assistance. I recognize that because of the amount of money that is now involved in college athletics there appears to be a mismatch in the distribution of revenue. The primary argument is that the university and some coaches are making a windfall on the backs of these student-athletes. In addition, one can argue that in some situations the student-athlete is not really treated as a college student and has little to no chance to obtain the college degree; even if they do, it is not a “real” education because it has been altered to protect their eligibility. I hear those concerns and suggest that at some schools these accusations are true, but that does not mean we keep the status quo. The NCAA, which includes each and every one of the member universities, has the power to correct these problems. While I do not believe college athletes should be paid, I am an advocate for adjusting the existing scholarship to better represent today’s society. In addition, I would like to see some of the NCAA revenue set aside for student-athletes who complete their education, earn good grades and do not play professionally to assist in earning advanced degrees in professional or graduate school programs. This would clearly make the athletic scholarship more valuable while still maintaining the principle that these are legitimate student-athletes. Making athletes employees and paying them to represent the university does not solve anything; in fact, it creates even larger problems. How would you distribute the money in a fair manner? Do the men on the University of Connecticut’s national championship basketball team get more than the men on a team that did not make it to the NCAA tournament? Would the women on Texas A&M’s championship team be paid the same as the UConn men? What about the soccer players, the swimmers or the bowling team members? Finally, if we pay athletes and they have no educational affiliation, what happens to them after the four or five years we have used them? Maintaining the present system and strengthening the rules around it provides us the opportunity to have someone represent us, become a part of us. In exchange we just might be changing that person’s future, or even saving that person’s life.

C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

David Williams is in his eighth year overseeing Vanderbilt athletics in his role as vice chancellor for university affairs and athletics, general counsel and secretary of the university.

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BLACK AND GOLD

PHOTOS BY JOE HOWELL / VU PHOTOGRAPHY

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Franklin invited a number of local celebrities to be honorary coaches at the game. Pictured here are (left to right): WTVF-TV Sports Director Hope Hines, actress/singer Jana Kramer, afternoon DJ “Mac” McIntyre of 97.1 Classic Hits and WSMV-TV Sports Director Rudy Kalis.

Larry Smith was the only quarterback on Team Black and put up some impressive numbers. He finished the game 16 of 26 passing for 233 yards and a touchdown. The game’s final play was a pass from tailback Zac Stacy that Smith went up over two defenders to bring in for a 10-yard touchdown.

Head Coach James Franklin capped his first spring of practice on Sunday, April 17, with the Black and Gold Spring Game at Vanderbilt Stadium. Before an estimated crowd of 7,500 Commodore fans, the Black team defeated Gold, 19-7. The day’s festivities included an autograph session, field day, tailgating and a postgame fireworks show.

Defense dictated play for periods of the contest. The two teams combined for eight sacks and two interceptions. Team Gold’s lone touchdown of the contest came in the first quarter on a 15-yard run by quarterback Charlie Goro.

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Jordan Matthews had a game-high seven catches for 103 yards, including this grab in double coverage on a deep post. Late in the second quarter, Matthews also caught a 23-yard touchdown strike from Smith.

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BLACK AND GOLD

PHOTOS BY JOE HOWELL / VU PHOTOGRAPHY

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MAY Schedule Baseball

Women’s Tennis

Tennessee (Hawkins Field)

1 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

5:30 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

5:30 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

Noon

Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)

5 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

6 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

2 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

1 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

6:30 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

5:30 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

1 p.m.

13-15 NCAA Regional (TBA) 19-30 NCAA National Championship (Palo Alto, Calif.) Women’s Track 12-15 SEC Outdoor Championships (Athens, Ga.) 26-28 NCAA Preliminary Round (Bloomington, Ind.) All times Central and subject to change. Those not shown are TBA – check vucommodores.com for updates.

25-29 SEC Tournament (Hoover, Ala.) Women’s Golf 5-7

NCAA Regional Championship (TBA)

18-21 NCAA National Championship (College Station, Texas) Lacrosse 5-7

ALC Tournament (VU Lacrosse Complex)

Men’s Tennis 13-15 NCAA Regional (TBA) 19-30 NCAA National Championship (Palo Alto, Calif.)

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Dana Schwartz. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Women’s Soccer Wade Ash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track/Cross Country Chris Aaron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Keilly Ulery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Women’s Tennis Courtney Morgan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bowling Adam Hofmann. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Golf Chloe Ott. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swimming Alex Zotov. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Tennis Olivia Goodman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lacrosse Eric Samuels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Brittni Hamilton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bowling Ellen Kilgore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swimming Brad Tinsley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Basketball Elizabeth Anderson. . . . . . . . . . . . . Track/Cross Country Jasmine Lister. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Women’s Basketball Kara Slavoski. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track/Cross Country Grace Stumb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Women’s Soccer Katie Parsels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lacrosse Vince Taylor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Rebecca Young. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swimming Anna Carr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track/Cross Country Reese Lovell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Josh Jelesky. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Archie Barnes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Fitz Lassing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football Amelia Salce. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Swimming James Siakam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Basketball Jeff Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Men’s Basketball Jenner Kizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Track/Cross Country Andre Hal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Football

C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

MAY Schedule Baseball

Women’s Tennis

Tennessee (Hawkins Field)

1 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

5:30 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

5:30 p.m.

Kentucky (Lexington, Ky.)

Noon

Louisville (Louisville, Ky.)

5 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

6 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

2 p.m.

Florida (Hawkins Field)

1 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

6:30 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

5:30 p.m.

Georgia (Athens, Ga.)

1 p.m.

25-29 SEC Tournament (Hoover, Ala.) Women’s Golf 5-7

NCAA Regional Championship (TBA)

18-21 NCAA National Championship (College Station, Texas) Lacrosse 5-7

ALC Tournament (VU Lacrosse Complex)

Men’s Tennis 13-15 NCAA Regional (TBA) 19-30 NCAA National Championship (Palo Alto, Calif.)

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anderbilt student-athletes were recognized for their accomplishments over the past year at the annual Black and Gold Banquet on campus Monday, April 11. Some of the awards that were presented follow: • Mr. and Miss Commodore—Molly Kinsella, soccer, and Joe Duffy, men’s basketball Awarded to the graduating senior student-athletes who best represent their team, the student-athlete body and the campus community. • Comeback Player of the Year—Louise Hannallah, cross country, and Charlie Jones, men’s tennis Awarded to the student-athletes who have either triumphed over physical adversity or student-athletes who have persevered to achieve their goals in their respected sport. • Jim Robins Award—Molly Kinsella, soccer Given annually to perpetuate the memory of James A. Robins, class of 1892, whose life and teaching exemplified selfless devotion to learning, to honor, to participation in sports and to service. • Community Service Award—Diana Keenan, lacrosse Awarded to a student-athlete who has performed numerous hours of community service and has made a significant contribution to the Nashville community.

Above left: Molly Kinsella (center) with teammate Christine Lillie and SAAC President Rebecca Silinski. Above right: Joe Duffy (center) with teammate Jordan Smart and Silinski. Right: Diana Keenan being congratulated by teammate Claire Leonard.

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last shots MARY DONALDSON / VU PHOTOGRAPHY

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last shots MARY DONALDSON / VU PHOTOGRAPHY