December 2012
ALSO INSIDE: Bowled over... and over again ‘Dores do good in community Creative Kedren becomes a leader Elan Brown: Jill of all trades
ZAC STACY Senior tailback impresses on and off the field
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CONTENTS
P.12
P.18
Deja Bowl
Kedren Johnson
Head Coach James Franklin—who carried Mr. Commodore into the postgame celebration after Vanderbilt’s 27-26 come-from-behind victory in Oxford, Mississippi—has led the Commodores to back-to-back bowl games for the first time. The win over Ole Miss last month qualified the football team for postseason play for just the sixth time in the history of the program.
Sophomore expected to lead men’s basketball team this season.
P.9 Zac Stacy Football program’s all-time leading rusher is a class act on and off the field.
P.21 P.2 Compliance corner
Elan Brown Soft-spoken senior guard fills stat sheet.
P.3 National Commodore Club
P.7 Inside McGugin
P.15 Giving back Student-athletes focus their free time on helping others.
P.23 It’s my turn Rod Williamson’s monthly column.
P.24 My game Swimmer Betsy Galenti
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COMPLIANCE
CORNER Q: A:
A hot topic in NCAA news this year has been what determines being a booster. Recently, two student-athletes were suspended for receiving impermissible benefits from a booster, whose status was triggered by a small donation to the program. Please read below: Am I considered to be an institution’s representative of athletics interests (booster)?
An individual is considered to be a representative of an institution’s athletics interests (booster) by supporting teams and athletic departments through donations of time and financial resources. Further, an individual is considered to be a representative/booster of athletics interest if an individual: • Has ever participated in or been a member of any group at an institution, which supports specific athletic teams. • Has ever made financial contributions to an institution’s athletic program or to an athletics booster organization of an institution. • Has ever assisted in providing benefits to an enrolled student-athlete or his or her family or friends. • Has ever helped to arrange or has provided summer or semester break employment for an enrolled student-athlete. • Has ever provided a donation in order to obtain season tickets for any athletics program of an institution. • Has ever promoted an institution’s athletic program in any manner. • Has ever contacted (by letter, telephone, or in-person) a high school student, grades 9-12, for the purpose of encouraging the student to participate in the athletics program of an institution. Please note: This is not an all-inclusive list. Should you have questions about any of these rules, or a specific situation you’d like help in addressing, please contact the Compliance Office.
Compliance questions? Please contact: Candice Lee George Midgett Director of Compliance Compliance Coordinator 615/322-7992 615/322-2083 candice.lee@vanderbilt.edu george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu John Peach Andrew Turner Compliance Coordinator Recruiting/Compliance Coordinator 615/343-1060 615/322-4543 john.w.peach@vanderbilt.edu andrew.turner@vanderbilt.edu
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DECEMBER 2012
Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Chris Weinman
Designer: Jeremy Teaford Director of Communications: Rod Williamson
Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner
VU Photography:
Daniel Dubois Steve Green Joe Howell Jenny Mandeville Anne Rayner John Russell Susan Urmy
Contributors: Brandon Barca Andy Boggs Larry Leathers George Midgett Kyle Parkinson Weston Pletcher Emily Sane Michael Scholl Ryan Schulz Eric Single
Administrative
Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Beth Fortune
Vanderbilt University Student Athletics’ Mission Statement We prepare student-athletes to become leaders and champions in life by placing the highest values on integrity, character, sportsmanship and victory. Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity, affirmative-action university. ON THE COVER: Senior tailback Zac Stacy is a leader on the field and in the classroom. Photo by John Russell, VU Photography. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212. SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe, contact Chris Weinman 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
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Your commitment through the National Commodore Club is a game changer. Annual NCC gifts help fund needed scholarships, providing our Commodore student-athletes with the education and training needed to win. Renew your NCC membership today, and be a game changer. Renewing your membership is one of the most powerful ways you can show our student-athletes you care during this season of giving. Make your tax-deductible gift before December 31 to enjoy savings on your 2012 income taxes. This is a win for you and Vanderbilt!
National Commodore Club 2601 Jess Neely Drive Nashville, TN 37212 (615) 322-4114 ncc@vanderbilt.edu NationalCommodoreClub.com
Thank YOU for coming back and giving back
Reunion/Homecoming 2012
Excellence wins
CHAMPIONSHIPS.
Support the Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball program with a gift to the NCC Excellence Fund for Men’s Basketball. The NCC Excellence Fund allows fans to be key contributors and gain more access to the program as we continue to build and improve the future of Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball. You have the opportunity to become involved with a host of basketball-related activities through six giving levels.
2012-13 Giving Levels and Benefits
NCC Excellence Fund for Men’s Basketball (615) 322-4114 NationalCommodoreClub.com ncc@vanderbilt.edu
$150
$500
$1,000
$2,500
$5,000
$10,000 and above
Benefits
vary by level.
Some benefits include a T-shirt, autographed 2012 SEC Tournament Championship photograph, invitation to a pregame reception and chalk talk, and dinner with Coach Stallings.
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DECEMBER 2012
By The Numbers
Inside McGugin
Notes from the athletic department
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F
l Ten varsity programs recently were named recipients of the NCAA Public Recognition Award. The honor is bestowed on teams with an NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate in the top 10 percent of all squads in their respective sports based on the most recent multi-year report that covered teams competing in the 2010-11 season. A total of 26 Southeastern Conference teams were honored for their academic achievement. Vanderbilt’s winners are baseball, bowling, men’s and women’s cross country,
set dropped by Ryan Lipman in six matches as the junior defeated the top three seeds at the USTA/ITA Ohio Valley Regional en route to capturing the Memphis championship.
9 David Price
strokes by which the men’s golf team secured its second victory of the fall season, besting 12 teams to capture the 2012 Arkansas State Fall Beach Classic title.
men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s golf, soccer and football.
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l Former St. John’s pitching coach Scott Brown has been named to the same position at Vanderbilt by Commodores Head Coach Tim Corbin. Brown joins the ‘Dores after nine seasons with the Red Storm, where he helped lead St. John’s to seven NCAA Tournaments and five Big East championships. He has coached three All-Americans, four major league pitchers and had 15 pitchers sign professional contracts. n
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Getty Images
ormer Vanderbilt pitcher and Tampa Bay Rays starter David Price won the 2012 American League Cy Young Award in one of the closest votes ever. Runner-up two years ago, Price was the pick this time for the league’s top pitching prize, beating out 2011 winner Justin Verlander by only four points in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The lefty turned in one of the best seasons of his short career going 20-5 with a league-best 2.56 ERA for the Rays.
minutes for Golden State Warrior rookie Festus Ezeli in his first NBA start, a 114-110 win over the Clippers that saw Ezeli score eight points and pull five rebounds.
pins totaled over five victories by the bowling team to open the 2012-13 season with a championship at the Alabama A&M Bulldog Challenge.
Calendar
December highlights
Dec. 17 Dec. 7 Reading Day/SAAC Holiday Party The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee again will use Vanderbilt’s Reading Day— the day between the last day of classes and the first day of final examinations—to host children from nearby Ross Elementary School for a holiday party at Memorial Gym.
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Men’s basketball vs. Cornell The Commodore men will play three home games during Vanderbilt’s winter break, playing host to Cornell (Dec. 17), Butler (Dec. 29) and William & Mary (Jan. 2) while VU students are home for the holidays. Singlegame tickets in sections G, H, I and J are available for those games starting at $22 each (processing fees may apply).
Jan. 3
Dec. 22 Women’s basketball vs. College of Charleston The final non-conference home game for the women’s basketball team will pit the Commodores against the College of Charleston. Single-game tickets for women’s games are available for five dollars each during the month of December.
Women’s basketball SEC opener The January 3 SEC opener against Mississippi State will be Take a Kid to a Game Night. When a parent buys one adult ticket, they’ll receive one youth ticket for free.
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PHOTO BY John Russell
Stacy breaks football records, educational barriers By Chris Weinman
T
he question is not whether you will remember Zac Stacy. The question is simply how you will choose to look back on an illustrious career that has been as impressive off the field as it has been on it. The school’s all-time leading rusher, Stacy has helped lead the Commodores to back-to-back postseason berths for the first time in the program’s 123-year history this season. But it may be his accomplishments away from the gridiron that are truly the most remarkable. A native of Centreville, Alabama, Stacy got his start in football at the age of 7, playing in a local instructional league. Stacy’s mother, Barbara, recalls her son’s first game. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” Barbara said. “The first time he ever played,
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on the very first handoff from scrimmage, he scored a touchdown.” Zac was a three-sport athlete through his junior year of high school, when he decided to put baseball aside in favor of concentrating on football. That season he was named a 4A Mr. Football finalist in the state of Alabama after scoring 35 touchdowns for Bibb County. Zac still played basketball that winter to stay in shape, but come February he was signing a National Letter of Intent to play football for the Commodores. He would make an immediate impact in Nashville that fall. “I worked really hard to get the playbook down with the coaching staff and was able to contribute a lot as a freshman,” Stacy said. “I even got a start in the first game of my college
career, and that was probably one of my biggest moments of my life.” Stacy exploded onto the scene with 20-carry, 133-yard performance in a season-opening rout of Western Carolina. Proving that game not a fluke, he gained 103 all-purpose yards the following week at LSU. But those numbers would be hard to come by on a team that won a total of four games in the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Seven-hundred forty-two days elapsed before Stacy would rush for over 100 yards again, this time helping the 2011 Commodores move to 3-0 with a 169-yard day against Ole Miss. Stacy credits Head Coach James Franklin’s staff with improving his understanding of all aspects of the running back position. “I definitely feel like my first couple years
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here I was playing just off talent,” Stacy said. “I didn’t really have an exact knowledge of the game. That’s one thing Coach Franklin and his staff have taught me these last two years. They’ve helped me become a better student of the game, learning fronts and coverages and the different little things. I’m playing a lot smarter, and that allows you to play a lot faster as well.” In the past two seasons, Stacy has had a number of noteworthy performances under Franklin’s tutelage. His 198-yard day against Army midway through last season ranks third all-time among single-game Commodore rushing totals. Three weeks later, Stacy capped a 135-yard, three-touchdown day against Kentucky by dragging the entire Wildcat defense more than 10 yards to get into the South end zone of Dudley Field. Stacy helped secure only the fifth bowl berth in Vanderbilt history by ending the 2011 regular season with 184 yards and three touchdowns at Wake Forest as he captured the Commodores’ single-season rushing record. In the 2011 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Stacy scored his 14th
STAN JONES
With the Commodores in their four-minute offense looking to run time out on the Tigers, Stacy took a third-and-9 handoff—his careerhigh 29th carry of the day—around the left side of the offensive line. A hearty stiff-arm gave him room down the sideline, but Stacy wisely slid down in-bounds after picking up a first down to allow Vanderbilt to kneel on the ball and kill the remainder of the clock. Two weeks later, Stacy would become the Commodores’ all-time rushing champion. A 27-yard dash in the fourth-quarter of a 17-13 victory over Auburn moved Stacy ahead of Frank Mordica’s previous school record of 2,632 rushing yards (1976-79). Stacy has a chance to run for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and become the Commodores’ first 3,000-yard rusher. But simply concentrating on Stacy’s on-field highlights would tell only a small part of his story. When discussing which accomplishments he takes the most pride in, Stacy humbly avoids his gridiron accolades in favor of focusing on other aspects of his life. “Being able to graduate from Vanderbilt is definitely a big accomplishment for me,” Stacy said. “My mom always took “When he sets his mind and his heart pride in academics. She’s a schoolto something, he’s going to do his best.” first, ball-second type, so I’ve had that mentality all throughout my career.” rushing touchdown of the year to tie another Stacy is on pace to graduate this month, Commodore record. earning his degree from Vanderbilt’s Peabody While Stacy’s final season in black and gold College of Education and Human Develophas had its ups and downs, the highs have ment in just three and a half years. In a recent greatly outweighed the lows and Stacy has conversation, Stacy’s mother stressed the shown great maturity as a senior leader on the importance of a strong finish to his academic squad. Never was that more evident than at the career even as the Commodores prepare for end of Vanderbilt’s 19-15 victory at Missouri. their postseason opponent.
Zac Stacy with his mother, Barbara, and his younger brother, Justin.
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“I told him, ‘When the season is over, I know you all are going to a bowl game, but first you’ve got the grades bowl,’” Barbara Stacy said. “The goal is to get that degree. And he could not get a better education in the United States. It’s just awesome. Sometimes I just have to pinch myself.” Stacy is taking a total of 18 hours during his final semester in order to finish six months early and use the spring to prepare for the NFL draft. He doesn’t mind the extra course load, however. A large portion of those credit hours involve Stacy’s student-teaching responsibilities at John B. Whitsitt Elementary School. Stacy is studying special education at Vanderbilt, and spends a couple days each week with second, third and fourth graders in the resource room at Whitsitt with Dr. Joanne Woods. She noticed early on that Stacy had a knack for reaching the children in her classroom. “It’s been obvious to me from the first couple of weeks with Zac that he has a great gift with relating to children,” Woods said. “He’s very kind and nurturing with the younger ones. And with the older ones, he can be firm and yet still be nurturing. He has expectations, and he works with them to let them know that he expects them to behave as well as to perform their tasks to the best of their abilities.” Special education is more than an undergraduate major for Stacy, it’s a passion. His 16-year-old brother, Justin, has Down syndrome, and is a major inspiration in Stacy’s life. Barbara and Justin can be seen at most of Vanderbilt’s football games, and Zac loves seeing his younger sibling after each game—win or lose. “He’ll always give me that big brotherly hug,” Stacy said. “And I just can’t help but smile. It’s always good to have him at games. He’s pretty much the reason why I do the things I do out there on Saturdays.” Stacy acknowledges that he did not always understand his brother’s disability, but a special education class he took during his freshman year with Dr. Kimberly Paulsen turned him toward his current course of study. “I just fell in love with it,” Stacy said. “We talked about [Justin’s] disability in that class. And I knew I wanted to do something with that—not only to learn about his disability, but also to be able to help accommodate other kids as well.” Outside of his normal routine at Whitsitt, which often includes breakfast duty at 7:45 a.m., Stacy recently spent a day with Dr. Woods in IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings—which coordinate parents and teachers
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to promote a learning plan geared specifically toward each child. The skills and knowledge Stacy has gained through his work and schooling are directly relevant to the care of his brother back in Alabama. When Stacy returns home to Centreville, he tries to visit Justin’s high school class. “He’ll go over to the school to the resource room and visit with Justin’s class and the kids,” Barbara Stacy said. “He just has a special bond with children. He just has a big heart when it comes to kids, especially those with disabilities.” Stacy’s mentor at Peabody, Dr. Paulsen has noticed that his teaching style marries that empathy for children with a discipline likely instilled over 15 years of organized athletics. “He runs the classroom kind of like a football camp,” said Paulsen, an associate professor of the practice in the department of special education. “He’s very direct in his approach with them. He praises them all of the time, encourages them all of the time. He takes time to listen to what they’re saying and the issues that they might have out of school. He talks to them a lot about how to be a good person and being respectful, and they just really listen to him.” When Zac Stacy steps off the collegiate playing field for the final time after Vanderbilt’s bowl game this winter, he will have left quite a legacy—both in the Commodore football
Stacy was carried off the field by teammates after breaking Vanderbilt’s all-time rushing record vs. Auburn on October 20.
record books and in the hearts and minds of the children he has worked with. For his part, Stacy hopes that the lasting memory his peers have of him steers less toward the X’s and O’s, and more toward the lives he has helped. “I want the people around me saying I was
a great person not only on the field but off the field as well,” Stacy said. “I would say my biggest accomplishment was being elected a captain on this team. My coaches putting their trust in me, and my teammates looking up to me, that’s what is most important.” n
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Bowl Bound With its sixth win of the season coming at Ole Miss on Nov. 10, the Vanderbilt football team became bowl-eligible in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history. To order tickets for the bowl game, visit Vanderbilt’s bowl central web site at vanderbilt.edu/bowl PHOTO BY John Russell
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Giving Back
Commodores in the community
GABBY SMITH Friday is the only day of the week when senior Gabby Smith does not have an 8 a.m. class on her busy schedule. But instead of sleeping in, the Cincinnati native chooses to give back by volunteering at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. For the past year, Smith has spent time going around to the hospital’s waiting areas with a cart loaded full of board games, coloring books, crayons and construction paper. Volunteers like Smith help to lessen a child’s stress and anxiety while he or she passes the time before an appointment.
“I think saying, ‘I don’t have enough time,’ is the easy way out,” Smith said. “[That] is kind of selling yourself short. Everyone has time for whatever they want to do, you just have to make it.”
CONNOR HARRELL Connor Harrell is one of only four seniors on Tim Corbin’s 2013 roster. The leadership skills he has learned on the baseball diamond have translated well into his work throughout the community. A Monroe Carell Jr. Scholarship recipient, Harrell is an active member of Vanderbilt’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. The Houston, Texas native has served as a youth mentor with Young Life—a national ministry for high school kids—at Nashville’s Franklin Road Academy for the past two years with teammate Keenan Kolinsky and football’s Jordan Rodgers.
“I was in Young Life in high school, and it became a pretty big part of my life during that time,” Harrell said. “[Here it] gives us an opportunity to use our platform as Vanderbilt athletes to have an impact on kids in a way that we are passionate about.”
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“I want my life to be more than football, more than school and more than a career, East said. “I want to leave a legacy that is more about what I’ve done for others. I’ve found that when you give, you find yourself receiving more than you could ever have imagined.” (2/4) than what Ive done for myself. .”
ANDREW EAST The son of a construction consultant, sophomore Andrew East may have been destined to major in civil engineering. The Indiana native has made two trips to Mexico as part of Youth With A Mission, helping build houses for impoverished families in Tijuana and Ensenada. The Commodores’ long snapper is also an eagle scout, a rank he attained in part because of his service through the Wheeler Mission in his hometown of Indianapolis. East also has taken time to work with Seven Bridges to Recovery, an organization in metro Atlanta that battles homelessness, addiction and abuse.
KATE GOLDIN When senior Kate Goldin graduates this spring with a double-major in biological sciences and Spanish, expect the former defensive midfielder to be ready to tackle either field. Instead of merely doing traditional second-language acquisition tasks, Goldin has worked with Vanderbilt professor Elena Olazagasti-Segovia for the past two years, teaching English to Spanish-speaking adults and children across Middle Tennessee. Additionally, Goldin has found time to volunteer at a local pet adoption center and to help coach a pair of youth soccer teams in the area.
“Helping young kids and their families learn English has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Goldin said. “The families have always accepted me into their homes with open arms and treated me like a part of the family. I hope I am able to stay involved in the community in the future.” 16
DECEMBER 2012
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Spotlight shines on sophomore By Chris Weinman
On a team that featured a total of six seniors and three 2012 NBA Draft selections, no one expected that the play of the year would come from a freshman. Not one who had been averaging just three points per game. One year later, sophomore Kedren Johnson will now be relied upon to be a team leader for a reloaded Commodore squad with just two upperclassmen—a pair of juniors. to be aggressive and I just really wanted to win that game.” As a freshman Johnson embraced his role off the bench, seeing action in all 36 games while averaging the seventh-most minutes on the team. With all of the talent and experience on last year’s team, Johnson knew he’d be allowed to slowly adjust to the speed of the collegiate game without being expected to put up huge numbers in that first season. He also realizes that having John Jenkins, Festus Ezeli and Jeffery Taylor all selected in the draft—while five other Commodores were lost to graduation—will change dramatically what is expected of him. “I knew we had a stacked team last year and it was going to be tough not knowing anything when these guys had been together for three or four years,” Johnson said. “I wasn’t expecting to come in and play a crazy amount of minutes. I knew I was going to have to come in and wade into it. “[Now] I’m still just trying to do whatever the team needs me to do. We have a totally different team from last year. This team requires me to be a little more aggressive, so I’m trying to do that.” Johnson’s Commodore teammates have known that he is capable of filling up the scoresheet while also providing opportunities for them to score points. And they expect Vanderbilt fans to see more statistical output from Johnson this year. “He can make plays for other people. He’s an excellent passer,” fellow sophomore Shelby Kedren Johnson averaged 3.1 points per game a year ago, but is the Commodores’ leading returning scorer.
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John Russell
Vanderbilt trailed top-seeded Kentucky by seven points in the closing minutes of the championship game of the 2012 Southeastern Conference Tournament in New Orleans. That’s when Head Coach Kevin Stallings put freshman Kedren Johnson back in the game alongside four upperclassmen. The point guard from Lewisburg, Tenn., was not satisfied to just be a bit player in that game full of stars. “It was just a close game and I was trying to be aggressive,” Johnson said. “During that time, most freshmen would probably tighten up. I was just trying to embrace it. Most people don’t get the chance to play in the SEC championship game, so I just wanted to make the most of it. Plus, we were close to winning, so I was just trying to push us over the top.” As the 6’4” guard brought the ball up the court with less than two minutes to play and the game knotted up at 62-62, he saw an opening. After a slight hesitation at the three-point line, Johnson needed only two left-handed dribbles to get by his defender and under the basket, where he switched the ball to his right hand for a reverse layup. Fouled on that drive, Johnson made his free throw to convert the traditional three-point play and give the Commodores a lead they would not relinquish. Vanderbilt ended up finishing the game on a 16-2 run to capture its first SEC Tournament title since 1951. Thinking back on the play eight months later, Johnson cannot recall his exact thought in that moment, but he believes the play came naturally to him after years of preparation. “I’ve done that move like 600 times, so it’s hard to remember exactly what I was thinking,” Johnson said. “But I just know I was trying
Home is where Johnson gained his love for music, a passion that he still regularly explores by writing and recording his own original songs. “I’ve been doing it since I was 10 years old,” Johnson said. “I have a lot of family members that are really into music. Around the time I was 16, it started to pick up a little bit and it was getting better, and now it’s really good.” Johnson sees music as a good way to focus his creative energy, and notes that there are parallels between his mindset on the court and in the studio. “You can be creative in basketball or in music,” Johnson said. “I don’t know what to expect when I sit down to write a song, just like I don’t know what to expect when I’m going out on the court to play a game. Both of them are unpredictable. And I guess that what’s I like about both of them.” While the fate of the 2012-13 men’s basketball season also may be unpredictable, Commodore fans can look forward to seeing Johnson’s creativity featured prominently at Memorial Gymnasium this year. n
Joe HoweLl
Moats said. “But he’s also stepped up as a leader and a scorer. We always knew he had it in him and now he has the opportunity to do that.” The Commodore coaching staff also is looking to Johnson to step into a bigger role both offensively and defensively. Johnson and his coaches both mention his jump shot and his defense when asked about the parts of his game that improved the most over the course of offseason workouts. Johnson—a product of Marshall County High School, located one hour south of Nashville—could score at will in high school, once netting 55 points against East Hickman to break a single-game Tiger scoring record which had been untouched for 50 years. He departed as the school’s career record holder in both points and assists. Johnson had a number of offers from other schools in the southeast, including Florida and Alabama, but chose to stay close to home. “I just wanted my parents to be able to come to the games,” Johnson said. “My sister had just had my niece right around the time I was making my decision and I had to factor that into it, too. Plus, Vanderbilt did a great job recruiting me.”
Johnson hails from Lewisburg, Tennessee—one hour south of Nashville.
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Basketball teams sign four in early period
Damian Jones (left) and Rebekah Dahlman will be among those donning the black and gold as freshmen next season.
Women’s Basketball 2013 Promotional Schedule vs. Arkansas - Sunday, Jan. 13 (2 p.m.) PRE / POST - Jam the Gym (all tickets just one dollar) - Quick Change halftime performance vs. Tennessee - Thursday, Jan. 24 (8 p.m.) - Vanderbilt Employee Celebration Night - Red Panda halftime performance vs. Ole Miss - Sunday, Feb. 3 (2 p.m.) PRE / POST - Alumni Reunion, featuring 1993 Final Four Team - Honor Roll Day vs. Kentucky - Sunday, Feb. 10 (3 p.m.) PRE - Pink Out - Girl Scout Day vs. Missouri - Thursday, Feb. 14 (7 p.m.) - Diversity Night vs. Texas A&M - Sunday, Feb. 24 (4 p.m.) PRE / POST - Military & Hometown Heroes Appreciation Day - Women’s Basketball Camper Reunion - Jr. NCC Day - Divas For Dores Day vs. Auburn - Thursday, Feb. 28 (8 p.m.) - Senior Night PRE - Kids Zone opens 90 minutes prior to game POST - Postgame autograph session
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DECEMBER 2012
Glenn Nelson/espn.com
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Baton Rouge Advocate
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he early signing period for next season’s prospective studentathletes opened on November 14 with both of Vanderbilt’s basketball programs making headlines. Kevin Stallings announced the signing of Damian Jones—a 6’9” forward from Baton Rouge, La., regarded as one of the best big men in the class of 2013. A product of Scotlandville Magnet High School, Jones is considered a consensus top 100 prospect and top 10 big man by many recruiting services. Jones averaged eight points, eight rebounds, and four blocks per game as a junior as his Scotlandville team won the 5A Louisiana state championship. On the women’s side, Melanie Balcomb signed three standouts for next season, receiving National Letters of Intent from Rebekah Dahlman, Marqu’es Webb and Kylee Smith. All three players can be found on ESPN’s HoopGurlz Top 100 and each ranks among the top 20 at their respective positions. Dahlman checks in as the No. 16 recruit on the HoopGurlz Top 100 list. The 5-9 guard is already the all-time leading scorer in Minnesota girls basketball history with 3,895 points through just three seasons. Webb ranks 21st according to HoopGurlz. The 6-1 post player has won a pair of Alabama state titles with Montgomery’s Brewbaker Tech and Hoover. Smith is the 62nd-ranked player in the nation according to HoopGurlz. She already holds the Alpharetta High School career scoring record after averaging better than 17 points per game during all three seasons in high school. n
Senior guard Brown leads behind-the-scenes By Chris Weinman
John Russell
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A native of Atlanta, Elan Brown has been a steady contributor for Melanie Balcomb’s Commodores for her entire career.
especially with my knowledge,” Brown said. “Now I think my role is best as a leader, especially defensively, getting people where they need to be, and leading both on and off the floor.” Brown considers the off the court portion of her leadership responsibilities an easy task as part of a team that is extremely connected to one another. She instantly had an ally on the squad her freshman year, as she and fellow senior Tiffany Clarke came to Vanderbilt in 2009 as club teammates for the nationally respected Georgia Metros. But bonding with a group that Brown refers to as “16 sisters” was no problem. She says the entire team enjoys each others’ company and makes a point to hang out and have fun away from the court. “I think that we’re all kind of like that,” Brown said. “We’re pretty goofy when we’re together. It is kind of a big family reunion whenever we’re together. It’s fun.” A psychology major with a minor in financial management, Brown has found an outlet at Vanderbilt through the art department. She has taken classes in drawing, ceramics and performance art. Brown recently has filmed music videos with her teammates for a multimedia class, and notes that her favorite ceramics projects included an African mask and an 18-inch-tall traditional coil pot. “I didn’t really think of it as something that I’d be that interested in, but it’s pretty relaxing because you kind of have to focus on what you’re doing,” Brown said. “You don’t have time to think about anything else. You don’t have time to worry when you’re making stuff.” On the court, Brown and her teammates are focused on another successful season under Head Coach Melanie Balcomb. The ‘Dores were picked the finish third in the SEC this season and are poised to make their 14th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. n Daniel DuBois
hen the 2011-12 season came to a close last March, five members of the Commodore women’s basketball team earned postseason honors from Southeastern Conference writers and coaches. Sophomore Christina Foggie, the league’s leading scorer, was a unanimous first-team All-SEC selection. Junior Tiffany Clarke and sophomore Jasmine Lister earned second-team honors, while sophomore Stephanie Holzer was an honorable-mention selection and Kady Schrann was named to the All-Freshmen squad. Not found on that list was Elan Brown. The Atlanta native played in every game of her junior season, starting 23 contests. Brown led the Commodores in steals, was third on the team in rebounds, fourth in both minutes and assists, and sixth in points. That statistical diversity is a hallmark of Brown’s game. At 6-feet-tall, Brown has little trouble challenging shots on the perimeter or clogging up passing lanes with her length. That also gives her a rebounding advantage against most every guard she would be matched up against. While Brown is a confident scorer, she sees the importance of contributing to the team in a variety of ways. “Sometimes it’s the hustle stats that matter the most,” Brown said. “Because when we need that spurt or that one play to get us over the hump, it’s a great feeling to be able to do that for my team.” Brown was an SEC All-Freshman selection in 2010. She made eight of her 10 starts that season against league competition, scoring in doublefigures three times against conference foes. She has missed only three games in her VU career. As a sophomore, Brown contributed two double-doubles to the Commodores’ cause. She paired a career-high 18 points with 10 rebounds in a win over Quinnipiac in the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Classic. In SEC action, she pulled 11 boards and added 11 points during a convincing victory over Ole Miss. Last season, she would narrowly miss double-doubles no fewer than four times. On three occasions, Brown scored 10 or more points and pulled down exactly nine rebounds. While she may not be lighting up the scoreboard or receiving the accolades from those outside observing Vanderbilt’s program, Brown is just fine with her role on a Commodore team that returned its top eight scorers from last season. “After my freshman year I realized how I could contribute to the team,
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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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DECEMBER 2012
It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson
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ecember is a time for reflection, usually recalling the past year before making New Year’s resolutions. But just for fun, let’s look back over the last 24 months and see what has transpired. Two years ago, Commodore Nation was anxious, uncertain and possibly disillusioned. The football team had just turned in its second straight 2-10 worksheet, prompting a change in direction. The sporting public felt we were a college football nobody and discounted other successes. Rumors swirled about our ability to attract a top coach. Then in mid-December David Williams and Chancellor Zeppos introduced a relatively unknown assistant coach by the name of James Franklin. Things have gone rather nicely since. In December, 2010, McGugin Center needed a facelift. Locker rooms were outdated, meeting space cramped. It was inefficient for our current teams and not impressive to recruits. Flash forward 18 months and virtually every varsity team was enjoying new locker rooms. McGugin Center sported a terrific addition featuring new meeting rooms for all teams. A large, modern auditorium is the cornerstone. Just a year ago, Vanderbilt Stadium had an antiquated video board, subpar lighting and natural grass that limited usage. Today the stadium utilizes a beautiful video board, a lighting system that enhances the network television image, cutting edge artificial sports turf and even an grass berm that quickly became popular for families. Until this past summer, manicuring the sacred turf on Hawkins Field required full-time attention. In times of rain or thawing, the field was soggy. Today Hawkins Field is totally covered with a modern sports turf, a carpet that doesn’t affect the game itself but gives the Commodores the ability to better prepare. Speaking of weather, for over a century when Mother Nature was finicky, Commodore coaches had to choose between toughing it out or canceling practice. Preparation was compromised. Today work is in high gear to complete a $31 million multipurpose facility by next September that will allow our teams to prepare in ideal conditions while expanding the campus community’s fitness options. A renovation to the attached Recreation Center will benefit the bowling team and—with an eye toward program expansion—also contains another gymnasium. Two years ago, we had never won an SEC women’s cross country championship and had not captured a men’s basketball tournament title since 1951. Two years ago, men’s golf struggled and we had never hosted an NCAA Women’s Golf Championship; today new facilities are on the horizon and both golf programs are rated in the Top 20. We could go on, but you see the big picture. It could be said there has been more progress within Vanderbilt Athletics over the last two years than at any time in history, especially in terms of team achievement and facilities. The biggest change, however, lies not with brick and mortar, but within the psyche of Commodore Nation. We rightfully see ourselves as winners—in the classroom, in the community and on the fields of play. We are proud, we are enthused and we are thankful. n
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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My Game
Betsy Galenti
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f the estimated 11,842 lakes in her home state of Minnesota, VU senior swimmer Betsy Galenti claims she has swum in only three. With her hometown of Stillwater averaging 42 inches of snow per year, she split her time competing in indoor pools and with her high school’s cross country skiing team. Commodore Nation: After growing up in Minnesota, how have you adjusted to life in the South? Betsy Galenti: Last year I found myself sitting at a football game, and I was in a sun dress, wearing cowboy boots and drinking sweet tea. That’s when I realized I’d been corrupted. I did not foresee that at all. My favorite thing [about Nashville] is probably the country music scene. CN: Do you still ski when you get back home? BG: Yes. And in the summer, I roller ski. YouTube it. It’s these little skis with two wheels and you just ski normally. It’s really fun, so I do that sometimes at home to cross-train. They’re the same width as regular skis, but they’re short. And you use the same ski boots, but change out the tips on your poles. CN: As cold as it gets in Minnesota, what makes swimming so popular? BG: It’s dark most of the time in the winter and it’s miserable outside, so you might as well go inside and swim. I still always go back and train with my high school team. It’s fun to see those guys. CN: You list dentistry as your career goal. What made you choose that?
PHOTO BY JOe Howell
BG: As a kid, it terrified me. The dentist freaked me out; I could not handle it. I always thought, maybe I could do this better. Now I’m a medicine, health and society major, so I’ve been taking a lot of pre-med classes, lots of lab sciences with all the National Merit kids. It’s been interesting. n
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DECEMBER 2012
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