FROM LEADERS ON THE FIELD TO LEADERS IN THE CLASSROOM
December 2007
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table of contents 4 6
National Commodore Club In My Words
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Commodores Cubed
Davis Nwankwo Know your Commodores
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Point of View Rob Whiting
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Coaches’ Corner John Williamson
11 Commodore Tidbits By the Numbers
12 Staying Fit — Core Necessities Boosting your workout
13 It’s My Turn — Rod Williamson Early Morning Inspiration
17 Athletes Turned VU Professors The Impact of athletics in their teachings
18 Wyndham Tests VU Market Wyndham offers $50 ticket incentive
20 Quick Hits A look at Vanderbilt’s sports teams
22 Making A “Noble” Effort Former Vanderbilt safety Rosevelt Noble
23 The Final 4 with Ross Neltner
24 Sports Calendar
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Connect with
VUCOMMODORES.COM Editorial Publisher: Vanderbilt University Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Schulz Director of Media Relations: Rod Williamson Designers: Ryan Schulz Jeremy Teaford
Digital Image Specialist: Julie Luckett Turner Photographers: Neil Brake
Photo Galleries
Week-In-Review
Daniel Dubois
Did you want to get a second look at the game-winning shot? Photo galleries from every Vanderbilt sport are on VUCommodores.com.
Were you out of town on business or on vacation last week? If so, you can get caught up on the happenings of Vanderbilt athletics each Monday with the Week-In-Review.
Steve Green Stan Jones John Russell
Contributors: Andy Boggs Chad Crunk John Erck Larry Leathers Nick Petrone Thomas Samuel John Sisk Chris Weinman Rob Whiting
Administrative Interim Chancellor: Nicholas S. Zeppos
Earl Bennett Site
Barca Blog
Watch highlights, view photos, stats and awards of junior wide receiver Earl Bennett. An All-America candidate, Bennett already owns the SEC record for career receptions.
VUCommodores.com web guy Brandon Barca blogs about the goings on in Vanderbilt athletics. Get a look at behind the scenes content, watch videos and view photos from the road and around campus.
Vice Chancellor for University Affairs: David Williams II Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs: Michael J. Schoenfeld Exec. Director National Commodore Club: Jeff Ulmer
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.
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Download archived audio files to your computer or media device. Audio files available for download include postgame interviews, weekly press conferences, Joe Fisher’s daily updates and weekly radio interviews.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to National Commodore Club, 2601 Jess Neely Drive, Nashville, TN 37212. SUBSCRIPTION: To subscribe to Commodore Nation, please contact the National Commodore Club at 615/322-4114. ADVERTISEMENT: To advertise with Commodore Nation, please contact Vanderbilt ISP Sports. Stacy Hall General Manager 615/322-4468 shall@ispsports.com
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COM MODOR E CLU B
C O RNER
PHONE: 615/322-4114 vucommodores.com
Jump-Start Your Legacy
MIAMI (OHIO) GAME Vanderbilt golf teams host Commodore Golf Day.
By Jeff Ulmer NCC Executive Director If you are 70½ or older, you can make outright gifts to qualified charities like Vanderbilt University with a direct transfer from your individual retirement account (IRA) – and pay no income tax on the amount distributed! This IRA Charitable Rollover is easy to complete (we’ll send you a copy of the instruction letter for your IRA administrator). Maximize the effectiveness of your IRA dollars and watch your gift go to work for Vanderbilt athletics. Please note that this law does not include IRA transfers to charitable trusts, donor advised funds or supporting organizations.
Head women’s golf coach Greg Allen, men’s golfer Ben Klaus, NCC member Dean Chase, interim chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos and Mark Arnold enjoy Commodore Golf Day at The Golf Club of Tennessee on Oct. 26.
The Myers established an endowment for a men’s basketball scholarship.
The benefits of the IRA Charitable Rollover are: • In most cases the charitable distribution counts toward your minimum required distribution. • The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you receive the benefit even if you do not itemize your tax deductions. • You may transfer up to $100,000 directly from your IRA. This opportunity will end on December 31, 2007. For more information please contact the office of Planned Giving at 615/343-3113, 888/758-1999 or plannedgiving@vanderbilt. edu. There has never been a better time to support Vanderbilt Athletics.
NCC executive director Jeff Ulmer presents a game ball to Dr. Charles Myer and his wife, Ginny, during the Miami football game. They are accompanied on the field by Kristen Colletti and their son, David.
More than 200 people passed through the first two 2020 tailgates.
Go ‘Dores!
JOIN THE NCC OR RENEW TODAY! Call 615/322-4114, click http://vucommodores. com or stop by the office in the McGugin Center to make your gift to the National Commodore Club. Every gift is allocated toward the goal of funding student-athlete scholarships. Your Membership Matters!
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The NCC’s 2020 Tailgate overflows during pregame.
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JOIN THE BLACK AND GOLD ENDOWMENT SOCIETY
HOMECOMING/GEORGIA GAME Men’s tennis team hosts annual alumni match during homecoming week.
Vanderbilt Athletics and the National Commodore Club endeavor to endow all athletics scholarships. To help in that task, the NCC has created a new endowment level called the Black and Gold Society. Black and Gold Society members create an opportunity for a student-athlete while receiving full benefits of the Dudley Society with a five-year, $100,000 commitment.
For more information on the Black and Gold Society and Athletic Scholarship Endowments, please contact John Erck at john.erck@vanderbilt.edu or 615/322-7922.
2020 SOCIETY
Andrew Nisker, NCC member Chad Harris, men’s tennis coach Ian Duvenhage, NCC member Zach Dailey and Greg Sossaman pose before the tennis team’s annual Varsity-Alumni Homecoming match.
Shelton Quarles serves as Grand Marshal at Homecoming Parade. The 2020 Society comprises members of the National Commodore Club, age 40 and younger, who contribute at least $100 annually. If you have been giving to the NCC at this level and are younger than 41, you are automatically in the 2020 Society. The society is a creation of the 2020 Advisory Committee, a group of young alumni committed to increasing young membership in the National Commodore Club and promoting VU Athletics. If you are a non-alumni member of the NCC and qualify for the 2020 Society but have not been notified, please contact Cal Cook at cal. cook@vanderbilt.edu or 615/343-4878.
Interim Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos poses with Homecoming Parade Grand Marshal, former VU linebacker and NCC member Shelton Quarles. Quarles now serves as a scout for Tampa Bay after retiring from the NFL following the 2006 season.
Jay Cutler recognized during the Georgia game.
Former VU and current Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler poses with the NCC’s Lucy Jones. Cutler committed to a leadership gift toward the Vanderbilt Athletic Scholarship Endowment.
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Pam and Bill Orand tailgate before the Georgia game.
NCC Members Pam and Bill Orand fire up the smoker for their Homecoming tailgate. The Orands co-host one of the biggest tailgates every week in Lot 1.
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In My Words
Davis Nwankwo
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uring a routine practice session on March 6, 2006, Davis Nwankwo’s life changed forever. Lying motionless on the basketball court after suffering cardiac arrest, Nwankwo was just moments away from death when he was revived by former Vanderbilt athletic trainer Mike Meyer, who administered one shock from an automated external defibrillator and two breaths. Following the near-death experience, Nwankwo was advised to give up his basketball career after being diagnosed with an enlarged heart condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Now almost two years later, he has adjusted to his new way of life and plans to graduate in May with a degree in engineering science and minors in economics and management technology. Despite the diagnosis, Nwankwo still is a member of the team and is able to participate in certain drills at practice. On how his life has changed since suffering cardiac arrest
On the different perspective he has on life now
It definitely has changed. I went from playing basketball every day to not playing every day, which is a big difference. Now I just spend most of my time on the sideline coaching. It has been tough not being out there.
I look at life totally differently. I value the stuff I have more. I realize that things can get taken from you just like that. I try to stay thankful all of the time and remember where I came from. I still have stuff to do, and I still have goals in life and that is what drives me and makes me determined.
On how hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has changed his fitness habits and diet I don’t lift weights because I’m supposed to stay away from weights. All I do are pushups, sit-ups, get on the bike and occasionally jog up and down the court. I do about 300 pushups a day and just work out manually. As far as eating, I have more salads and more vegetables and less candy and less junk food.
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On how difficult it was when the doctors recommended that he not play anymore It was very tough. My parents and coach (Kevin) Stallings were in the room, and the doctors came up and told me the bad news. I didn’t really show any emotion. The only time I showed emotion throughout the whole process was when I saw my mom was crying and my sister was crying, so it was pretty tough on me when I saw them aching. It was real tough.
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On wishing he could be on the court playing
Commodores Cubed
It is very tough because you know you could be contributing and make huge contributions to this team. I’m in good shape, and I feel like I can still play, so it is definitely challenging. On former Vanderbilt athletic trainer Mike Meyer, who saved his life He’s a big factor in my life. He is such a great guy. I definitely miss his presence. He is a great trainer. We definitely stay in contact. When he’s in town, we are going to do lunch and when I’m in town, we are going to do lunch. On still being recognized as a part of the team It is great. (Coach Stallings) knows that he is like a second father to me. Obviously, we’ve gotten a lot closer ever since what happened to me, and I’m learning with him on a consistent basis. I’m also appreciative that I’m able to spend time with my teammates, and I’m always around them. The only thing different is that I’m not playing with them. On how supportive his teammates and coaches have been after his diagnosis They have been very supportive. They understand what I went through. They understand that I don’t want to hear about it because it is in the past. They’ve been so great about doing that. I’m definitely appreciative of how they treat me.
Favorite Thing About Vanderbilt
Superpower I Would Most Like To Have
On what he’d like to do upon graduation I’m going to go to graduate school. I’m probably going to go to the Owen School of Business at Vanderbilt. I’ve got a lot of stuff to accomplish, and I can’t wait to see what my future holds. ■
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brett LANGE
jennifer MOLCHAN
lauren FORTSON
Football
Golf
Swimming
Track & Field
The camaraderie
It is a good school
My friends
It isn’t too small or too big
Fly
Invisible and I could control it when I wanted
Fly
Invisible
Who Is The Luckiest Man In The World
Bill Gates
Ronaldinho
Michael Phelps
My grandfather — he has five children and 10 grandchildren.
The Winter Months Make Me Want To
Stay inside and watch a movie
Stay inside and watch football
Go shopping for warm clothes
Get excited for the holidays
The Most Famous Person I Have Ever Met Is
I haven’t met anyone famous
Peyton Manning
Michael Phelps
Nelson Mandela — I was invited to his 80th birthday party.
Favorite Holiday Of The Year
Thanksgiving because I get to eat with my family
Christmas
Christmas
Thanksgiving
Favorite Childhood Book
Tears of a Tiger
Where The Wild Things Are
Where’s Spot?
Winnie The Pooh — I made my mom read it every night.
One Thing My Hometown Is Famous For Is
Being small
The Civil War
The beach
University of Michigan
On his parents As a young kid, my parents stressed education. They always told me that no matter what happens education is first, and that I needed to get a college degree because when you get that, you can do anything. You can say I’ve been instilled with that since childhood.
reshard LANGFORD
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Point of View
By Rob Whiting Editor’s Note: Each month “Commodore Nation” will ask a varsity athlete to sound off on a point of personal interest. A native of Fernandina Beach, Fla., Whiting is a junior on Vanderbilt’s cross country team. He also is an Ingram Scholar. hat started as a small way to help underprivileged students, Vanderbilt Students for Students (VSS) has morphed into something that has the potential to affect more people in more ways than initially imagined. It was just last September when I, along with several teammates and friends, founded the campus organization directed to help students at Pearl-Cohn High School in Nashville meet the financial requirements that go along with making college a reality. The organization does this through two primary mediums: first, we help students find and apply for college scholarships and financial aid; second, and perhaps more importantly, we raise funds to create our own scholarship—a scholarship raised by students, for students.
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The birth of the organization came about after a year of experience at Vanderbilt. Over that time, I had talked with many students about poverty, college and their personal situations. It seemed that for most of them—myself included—attending college was a given. This is not the case for students in low-income families. From what I understood through a sociology class, the idea of college just isn’t ingrained in their culture. It’s not expected. Moreover, as a substantial beneficiary of academic scholarships entering college and a strong network of family and friends, it finally hit home that not everyone starts at the same point in life. I knew I could have a tangible effect on this problem.
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Since its founding, VSS has transformed into Students for Students Inc., a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. This was prompted primarily by an anonymous donation of $2,500 contingent on us attaining 501(c)3 status, and the subsequent realization that becoming nonprofit would open the door to larger donations and greater opportunities. It certainly has — we have since solicited more than $1,500, and we are now able to apply for various grants. But the new status is not without obstacles. Finding a lawyer who would do the application quickly and cheaply was difficult, and we are now faced with the prospect of dealing with the IRS. Nevertheless, we’ve already experienced great successes, such as all of the small fundraisers and our signature event, the Vandy Mile Bonanza. Held in early April, the Mile Bonanza is a Nashville-wide running event with prizes, awards, food, music and good times. Last year’s inaugural event saw more than 150 registrants and raised more than $1,500. We anticipate next year’s event to be even better. Similarly, we expect our organization’s successes, such as the $2,000 scholarship we awarded last spring, to build upon each other. Should anyone want to give money, volunteer, share ideas or ask questions, please see our Web site at http://studentorgs.vanderbilt.edu/vss/. ■
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Admiral’s Room Provides Unique Setting o you have an upcoming event that you are looking to host at a unique location? Maybe you’ve always wanted to tie sports and Vanderbilt into your event. If so, Vanderbilt has just the location for you.
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Perched above Memorial Gym, the Admiral’s Room provides guests with a picturesque view of Memorial Gym and the practice gym. With a capacity to host up to 150 guests, the Admiral’s Room also provides guests with all of the amenities that are necessary to host a function. In addition to the unique setting of Memorial Gym, the room includes such amenities as a big-screen television, four additional televisions, leather couches, leather chairs, leather loveseats, a projec-
tion screen, a full kitchen, cocktail tables and chairs and adjustable lighting. The Admiral’s Room is available throughout the year, and it provides an outstanding setting during games. Many groups also add an extra element to their function by scheduling a member of Vanderbilt’s coaching staff as a speaker. Some events that have been in the Admiral’s Room include rehearsal dinners, holiday parties, board of directors meetings and company meetings. If you are interested in holding an event in the Admiral’s Room, please contact associate marketing director Josh Waters at 615/343-8005 or josh.waters@ vanderbilt.edu. ■
A Black and Gold Gift Idea he holiday season is nearly here, and if you are looking for a gift for a special Vanderbilt fan or simply want to dress up your place of business, consider quality framed and matted Vanderbilt photographs. The University is working with a leading company, and the feedback has been very good. The photos available span from beautiful images of Vanderbilt’s campus to the unforgettable sights of Vanderbilt athletics.
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These photographs can only be ordered online using this link, found on the university Web site: www.replayphotos.com/vanderbiltphotos/. ■
C O R NER A:
Bank Shot is a basketball prospective student-athlete. He completed 14 core courses, earned the minimum sliding scale score (i.e., GPA and test score) and graduated from his high school. However, Bank lives in a state that requires each student to pass an exit exam before being awarded a high school diploma. Does Bank need to pass this exam to meet NCAA initial eligibility requirements?
By Candice Storey
Yes. NCAA Official Interpretation—High School Graduation Includes Academic and Nonacademic Requirements—states that in order for a prospective student-athlete to meet the high school graduation requirement for initial-eligibility purposes, the prospect must meet all graduation requirements, including academic and non-academic (e.g., state exit exams, community service, senior project) requirements, as defined for all students by the prospect’s high school. [References: NCAA Bylaws 14.3.1.2.1 (core-curriculum time limitation) and 14.3.1.2.1.1 (exception—one core course after high school graduation).]
Compliance Questions? Please contact: Candice Storey Director of Compliance 615/322-7992 candice.storey@vanderbilt.edu
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CORNE R John Williamson Head Bowling Coach Williamson led Vanderbilt’s bowling team to the school’s first national championship last season. The national title also led to the Commodores becoming the first Vanderbilt team invited to the White House. How much has winning the national championship last season changed the team’s expectations this season? The expectation level hasn’t changed because we still have the same goal. There is a little bit more believability that we can win a national championship versus last year at this time. The excitement around the program has been a positive impact following the championship. For you personally, what was the most exciting part about winning the national championship? The part that I liked the most was the process of going through the season and the build up to actually winning (the national championship). Winning it was exciting, but working toward it is what I enjoyed most. With few states sponsoring high school bowling, how is the recruiting process different from other sports? I think it is fairly parallel to golf or tennis where they have major national youth tournaments that the premier players go to. Our emphasis is more on the national tournaments as opposed to high school competition.
COMPLIANCE
Q:
COACHES’
You played football at Ole Miss under Tommy Tuberville, how much different is it working with bowlers as compared to football players? You have to be more in touch with the philosophy of things coaching bowling. It is definitely more mental and psychological than it is physical or X’s and O’s. What is the best advice a coach ever gave you? “The players don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” – Geoff Macdonald, Vanderbilt women’s tennis coach. ■
George Midgett Compliance Coordinator 615/322-2083 george.d.midgett@vanderbilt.edu
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COM MODOR E
TIDBITS • Brooke Goodwin of Vanderbilt’s women’s golf team had a hole-in-one on the 16th hole of Cypress Point Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif., on Oct. 22. The team was there for the day after playing at the Stanford-Pepsi Invitational that weekend. • The Vanderbilt golf teams joined local golf enthusiasts in honoring former Commodore coach and longtime PGA member Mason Rudolph and his wife, Carol, on Oct. 25. Rudolph, who moved to Tuscaloosa, Ala., last summer, was one of the state’s greatest golfers. He won the 1960 PGA Rookie of the Year and was the youngest person (16) ever to play in the U.S. Open. • Three members of Vanderbilt’s soccer team earned postseason honors from the Southeastern Conference on Nov. 6. Junior Katie Schulz was named second team All-SEC, while freshmen Molly Kinsella and Mary Rachel Reynolds were named to the league’s All-Freshmen team. • Amy Baumann, a senior on Vanderbilt’s soccer team, was named to the SEC’s Soccer Community Service Team on Nov. 8. Baumann mentors at the Magness Potter Community Center in East Nashville. Every Monday, she helps out in the Teen Center. She also has volunteered at Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital, and two summers ago, she worked at the Martha O’Bryan Center, an organization that helps with poverty in Nashville. • Shan Foster of the men’s basketball team and Christina Wirth and Liz Sherwood from the women’s team received preseason SEC honors from the coaches. Foster and Wirth each earned first team honors, while Sherwood picked up second-team honors.
By The
NUMBERS #1
Earl Bennett’s rank for career receptions in the SEC. Bennett broke the previous league record of 208 catches on Oct. 27 against Miami (Ohio).
1937
The last year Vanderbilt defeated a team ranked No. 6 in the AP Poll until the Commodores win at No. 6 South Carolina on Oct. 20.
0
The number of road wins in school history over top 10 teams before Vanderbilt’s victory over the Gamecocks.
25%
The percentage of Vanderbilt students who study abroad.
3
The number of home games Vanderbilt has sold out this season. The three capacity crowds have come against Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky.
1996
The last year Vanderbilt had three home sellouts in a season. That season, Vanderbilt sold out home games against Notre Dame, Alabama and Tennessee.
290
The number of rushing yards Vanderbilt had against Miami (Ohio). It was the most rushing yards against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since VU had 338 rushing yards at Duke in 2001.
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Staying Fit The Commodore Way Core Necessities ith the temperature dropping and winter getting its grip on the country, Vanderbilt strength and conditioning coach John Sisk breaks down recommended core exercises you can do to stay fit during the holidays. The foundation for all of your body’s movement, the core is the area around your trunk and pelvis. A strong core provides you with an increased protection for your back, a more stable center of gravity, a more stable platform for sports movements, and it helps prevent injuries.
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Reverse Crunch (muscles targeted: lower abs) The Starting Position: Lie on the floor on your back with your legs straight and elevated six inches off the floor and your hands by your side. While looking diagonal toward the ceiling, keep space between chin and your chest.
Superman – simultaneous arm and leg raise (muscles targeted: lower back)
REVERSE CRUNCH
The Action: Exhale: Pull knees over the chest and hold for 2 seconds
Starting Position Earl Bennett
Inhale: Slowly lower legs back to starting position then repeat. Coaching Points: Don’t use momentum Ending Position to lift legs over chest. Earl Bennett Make sure to hold for 2 seconds over chest and initiate the abs to control full range of motion. 3 – 4 sets of 15 – 25 reps. (Be sure to rest 30 – 45 seconds between sets).
The Starting Position: Lie facedown on the floor, arms extended above your head. Legs should be closer than shoulder width. The Action: Inhale: Simultaneously raise arms and legs to a six-inch height. Hold for a count of 2 seconds.
SUPERMAN
View From The Side Earl Bennett
Exhale: Return to starting position and then repeat. Coaching Points: Do not raise arms and legs over six inches. Be sure to raise arms and legs in an even motion and not rise with momentum. Be sure to be under control while doing this movement.
View From Behind Earl Bennett
3 – 4 sets of 10 – 15 reps. (Be sure to rest 30 – 45 seconds between sets).
Provide A Boost To Your Workout To bolster your workout regimen, Vanderbilt food coach Majid “Magic” Noori recommends that you drink a smoothie pre-workout and a shake post-workout. It is important to drink the smoothie within 30 minutes of your workout and your shake within one hour of completion.
Magic’s Recommended Smoothies and Shakes Pre-Workout Vanilla Date Smoothie Magic’s Take: Vanilla and dates in a creamy base — who could resist. 3, 8-ounce servings • 1 cup nonfat yogurt • 1 cup nonfat milk • 1 cup (packed) pitted Medjool dates • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 6 ice cubes - Combine yogurt, milk, dates and vanilla in blender and process for 2-3 minutes. - Add ice cubes and process until mixture is thick and smooth. For maximum smoothness, blend for 60 seconds with the blender set on medium.
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Post-Workout Magic’s Hi-Octane Lo-Protein Shake Magic’s Take: Just the ticket when you want lots of carbs but very little protein. 3, 8-ounce servings • 1 cup vanilla ice cream • 5 large strawberries, stemmed and quartered • 1 banana • 2 heaping tablespoons crunchy peanut butter • 1 cup skim milk - Place all ingredients in a blender and process to desired consistency.
Banana-Peanut Butter-Strawberry Milk Shake Magic’s Take: This specialty from my Vanderbilt kitchen means business. 3, 8-ounce servings • 1 NutriGrain Bar • 1 cup vanilla ice cream • 1 banana • 1 cup strawberries, stemmed and quartered • 1 cup 2% milk • 1 heaping tablespoon peanut butter • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup • 1 tablespoon silvered almonds - Place all ingredients in a blender and process to desired consistency.
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Glute Bridge (muscles targeted: glutes and lower back)
It’s My Turn
The Starting Position: Lie down on your back with your knees bent and touching, feet flat on the floor and arms positioned to the side for stabilization. Heels should be close to the buttocks.
By Rod Williamson
The Action: Inhale: Raise hips off the floor and balance on upper back and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds.
GLUTE BRIDGE
Early Morning Inspiration he parking lot is almost bare as headlights break the pre-dawn haze. Much of the city slumbers. But there is one place that seldom sleeps: the Strength and Speed Center in McGugin Center.
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Starting Position Ryan van Rensburg
Exhale: Lower under control to the floor then repeat. Coaching Points: Be sure to keep the heels close to the buttocks Ending Position Ryan van Rensburg and knees close together throughout the movement. Be sure to elevate the hips so the belly button is up and squeeze the glutes. Be sure to hold for 5 seconds before lowering to the floor. To make this exercise harder you can raise your toes off the floor and cross your arms for less stabilization and more activation of the glutes. If you feel your hamstrings, you are not squeezing the glutes. 3 – 4 sets of 8 – 12 reps. (Be sure to rest 30 – 45 seconds between sets).
Kneeling Side Bridge (muscles targeted: obliques) The Starting Position: Lie down on your side (left or right). Knees and legs should be stacked on top of one another. Put your left or right elbow on the floor so that it is perpendicular to the floor and under the shoulder.
KNEELING SIDE BRIDGE
Starting Position Ryan van Rensburg
Exhale: Lower back to the floor and repeat exercise. Coaching Points: Be sure to have elbow perpendicuEnding Position lar to the floor and under Ryan van Rensburg the shoulder for comfort. Work to hold this exercise for 30 seconds. Be sure to work left and right sides for balance. This exercise can be enhanced by balancing on the feet rather than the knees. It will be a lot harder but is well worth the reward. 3 – 4 sets of 3 – 5 reps with a 10- to 30-second hold at the top. (Be sure to rest 30 – 45 seconds between sets). ■
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Next time it is lacrosse, tennis or the bowlers. You have to get up pretty early in the morning to beat these guys. They define hustle. Especially at schools such as Vanderbilt, where the term student-athlete is taken seriously, there are two times to condition – before classes begin or after they have concluded. Commodore athletes work out in several well-furnished conditioning centers early mornings and late afternoons under the watchful eye of fitness professionals. This is but one reason why we enjoy our vocation. We have access to these free motivational testimonials. Feeling lethargic? Stuck in a rut at your desk? Think you are the only person on the planet willing to go the extra mile? Walk through the weight room and think again. Ambition lives here, coming from top athletes who will soon slide into a seat in the chemistry lab or economics hall among the smartest young people in North America. It is humbling to realize just how dedicated our student-athletes are, how driven they are for victory on the court and in the classroom. Faint-hearted need not apply. Former Commodore pitching star Jensen Lewis is back in town after making a big splash with the Cleveland Indians this year. You watched him in the American League Championship Series, pitching middle relief as the Indians beat the Yankees and took eventual champion Boston to seven games.
The Action: Inhale: Raise hips off the ground so that the shoulders and knees are in line and making a straight line. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds.
Every weekday morning the treadmills are humming, the iron clanking and the music blaring at 6 o’clock. One walks in the place at 6:20, feeling proud of his hustle, only to realize the women’s golf team and the cheerleaders have beaten you in by nearly a half hour. The cheerleaders? Absolutely, twice a week!
Lewis recently spoke to members of the Athletic Department in a speech called “Being a Difference Maker.” The 24-year-old pointed out four essentials toward becoming a difference-maker in any organization. 1. Discipline and hard work: One must go beyond what is expected; “I know what I want to accomplish and will pay the price it takes.” 2. Expect victory: Believe it will happen. 3. Team comes first attitude: “I’ll do what it takes to make the team better.” 4. Respect: Friendships are nice but, gaining respect by being prepared and reliable is a must. It is obvious how Lewis cracked the Major Leagues so quickly. He is a shining example of what the best of Vanderbilt has to offer the rest of the world. Those Commodores pumping iron and skipping rope before dawn understand what Jensen is preaching, too. They are members of the choir. ■
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Former Student-Athletes Lead Commodores In The Classroom e’ve all had professors from different backgrounds with different degrees from colleges all over the country. Maybe a professor used to be in the band or was involved with student government, but did it ever cross your mind that your professor was a former Division I athlete? Perhaps you should have taken a closer look. From tennis players to football players, Vanderbilt’s faculty is dotted with former Division I athletes who are taking what they learned in athletics and transferring it into the classroom.
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Although they played different sports in different eras, each professor has shared similar experiences in athletics that have helped shape who they are in the classroom. Since playing tennis at Pittsburgh in the late ’80s, political science professor Marc Hetherington sees how competing in college athletics has benefited him both in and out of the classroom.
because you are out there all alone. That experience makes me a better teacher.”
want to study more and study harder, then my mission is accomplished.”
Similar to Vrooman, Mark Schoenfield, an English professor and former wrestler at Yale, believes that his experience on the mat has helped him get information across to students.
While a competitive environment helps to spur interest in a classroom for Noble, some professors, including Vrooman, try to relate some of the subject matter through analogies relating to sports.
“I’m not a great athlete and never was, but wrestling is one of those things that you can use whatever you have, whether it be smarts, strength or speed to make the most of and maximize your advantages,” Schoenfield said. “I think the way that translates into teaching is that all students have learning capabilities, but those capabilities are different. You try to develop a classroom where their strengths flourish, but you don’t always get it right. That is something that if not for wrestling, I’m not sure I would have caught on to.”
“I relate (economics) to sports all the time,” Vrooman said. “One analogy I use is of a quarterback or point guard. You just don’t run a play blindly, you take a look and see what the defense is offering you and you see what the reality is. The secret to economics and public policy is don’t make up your mind up about what you are going to do until you see what the reality is.”
“Playing sports was a really important thing for me to do, and it gave me perspective on life that probably comes out in ways I have no idea,” Hetherington said.
The knowledge of working with different coaches and seeing different leadership techniques work and not work for certain teams and personalities has given professors with athletic experience a unique perspective into managing a classroom of students.
Vanderbilt law professor and former UMASS lacrosse player Paige Marta Skiba agrees with Hetherington.
Orthopaedic trauma professor and former Duke football player Bill Obremskey constantly uses coaching techniques when dealing with patients.
“I played sports all through middle school, high school and college,” Skiba said. “Playing sports just takes so much discipline, so I think that kind of discipline is what led me to being successful.” Economics professor John Vrooman believes that his experiences as a football and baseball player at Kansas State have taught him how to be an even better teacher. “Sports gives me a notion of confidence and of understanding in the classroom,” said Vrooman, who is regarded as one of the top sports economists in the country. “(Lecturing) kind of relates to when I was at K-State, and I was the guy that gave the pre-game pep talk and halftime pep talk. I was always a pretty emotional guy and kind of talked from the heart a lot. I do that same thing in my teaching, which is why I became a pretty effective public speaker, particularly with large groups.” A former safety on the gridiron, Vrooman also made his mark in the return game, where his punt return average of 12.7 in 1965 still ranks ninth in school history. “A lot of people think, how can you (lecture to) 600 people, and I say, ‘Well I returned punts in front of 80,000 people in Lincoln, Neb., I imagine I can talk to 600 kids,’” Vrooman said. “(Lecturing) is the same sort of rush you have when you are alone as a punt returner
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With a multitude of philosophies that go into determining exactly what the best way is to lead a classroom, professors have taken a view that is similar to that of a coach on the sideline.
Former Duke safety Bill Obremskey is now an orthopaedic trauma professor at Vanderbilt.
The life lessons that are learned through playing athletics also have found a meaningful place in the classroom. One example of this is through the teachings of sociology professor and former Vanderbilt football player Rosevelt Noble. Noble has brought the competitiveness he learned on the football field and transferred it to his students in the classroom. “I’m very competitive and so sometimes, subconsciously, I’ll set my students up in a competitive environment,” Noble said. “Sometimes competition can bring out the best in you. Periodically, I give them their ranking in the classroom, and there are some students that become obsessed with improving their ranking. If realizing where you are makes you
“Part of our education is not just in the learners or residents, but a lot of it is in patient education and that is a little bit more like a coach, where you are trying to teach them what you want them to do,” Obremskey said. “There are different coaching styles of either scaring (the patient) or trying to make them part of the process. I try to take the attitude of making them part of the process and stating that it is their responsibility for their recovery of their injury and to make them a team member instead of just giving instructions.” Hetherington also believes that the way a professor works in the classroom is very similar to that of being a coach in athletics. “By being a teacher, in a sense, you do become a coach, and it’s the role you take on in the classroom,” Hetherington said. “The kids in your classroom are your team, and your job is to try to get as much out of them as you can.” Similar to Obremskey and Hetherington, Schoenfield views his role in the classroom through the eyes of how a coach views a team. “I really just think of my role when I teach as a coach more than an evaluator or a referee,”
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(continued from page 17) Schoenfield said. “Another thing I realized is that I always did better at home when the crowd was on my side, when I really felt my teammates were behind me, and I realized that really worked very well in the classroom when students support each other.”
Coupled with the enhancement in time-management skills, Skiba believes that the drive it takes to become a Division I student-athlete on the field also translates well into a studentathlete’s drive in the classroom.
Having seen both sides of being a studentathlete and now working in academia, professors who played college sports also know the challenges and constraints that go into balancing school with athletics.
“I think there is that admiration there,” Obremskey said. “Somebody who has had the commitment themselves to the same type of things that you have, you know that they have a high gear. If they have been able to succeed academically in the medical field and at the same time compete at a very high level of athletics, to do both they have a reserve of something.”
A member of the National Football Foundation Academic All-America Team as a senior and a three-time Academic All-ACC selection at safety, Obremskey saw immediately the improvement in his time-management skills at the conclusion of his playing career.
“You had a 40-hour-per-week job playing football and at the same time trying to go to school fulltime with people who are really smart,” Obremskey said. “After football was over, medical school wasn’t so bad because suddenly you had 10 hours to do six hours of homework instead of three hours to do six hours of homework. Athletics absolutely helped my time management.”
“Athletes kind of migrate to you because they know you are one of them,” Vrooman said. “There is sort of a fraternity that runs under all of this, and it goes back to the fact that we have led a very complicated college life and they know the pressures that are on their time. There is that kind of hidden respect.” Obremskey sees a similar bond in the medical field with his medical students that are former athletes.
“With sports, you learn how to totally throw yourself into something for two hours and then how to take a 15-minute transition to get to something else,” Schoenfield said.
“It was probably the most challenging part of my entire educational process,” Obremskey said. “Nothing else took the same complete commitment and dedication and hours that playing football, going to school full-time and trying to be successful in school to go to medical school took.
level also brings a special bond between professors and current student-athletes.
Vanderbilt law professor Paige Marta Skiba played lacrosse at UMASS.
“I always think that athletes are the best students because of the drive they have,” Skiba said. “You just don’t become a Division I athlete without being extremely competitive and staying focused and driven. A lot of times student-athletes get a bad rap because people think that student-athletes are not really students, but I’ve always found that athletes are the best students.”
The admiration for professors who competed in college athletics doesn’t end just with current student-athletes. Students in general seem to find a special bond with professors through sports. “In the classroom, sports are very much a part of the way I try to warm to the students,” Hetherington said. “I’ve been fortunate over the course of my 10 years of teaching to win awards, and I think it is because my students can relate to me. I definitely use sports a lot. The way I talk about athletics is to kind of humanize me. I think the students are able to see me as a human being through sports.” ■
That knowledge of what it takes to become a student-athlete and compete at the Division I
Wyndham Vacation Ownership uses Vanderbilt to Test Market in Collegiate Athletics lready a prominent sponsor at numerous professional sporting events, Wyndham Vacation Ownership is pursuing the notion of getting involved with sponsorship in collegiate athletics. Through an agreement with ISP Sports, Wyndham Vacation Ownership has selected Vanderbilt as the first school for its sponsorship initiative.
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“We are exploring ways to re-brand the Wyndham name, and being involved with Vanderbilt athletics and ISP Sports was a good fit,” said Adam Sindel, Wyndham’s director of marketing for Nashville. “The demographics of Vanderbilt alumni fit with our owner base. ISP understood our core business and came together with the university.” A subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide, Wyndham Vacation Ownership has made its presence known at Vanderbilt football, basketball and baseball games this year with kiosks lo-
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cated on the concourses at Vanderbilt Stadium and Memorial Gym. As an incentive for Vanderbilt fans, Wyndham is offering $50 gift cards to Vanderbilt’s ticket office for fans that visit Wyndham Nashville, which is just a mile from the Grand Ole Opry House. For fans of Vanderbilt athletics, Wyndham’s most recognizable sponsor in sports may be on the PGA Tour with the Wyndham Championship. At the event this past August, former Commodore Brandt Snedeker earned his first-ever PGA win.
schools such as Vanderbilt for generations is the same loyalty we have given to our owners, as well as what they have given to us.” Headquartered in Orlando, Fla., Wyndham Vacation Ownership offers customers the opportunity to own condominiums in any of its approximately 140 vacation ownership resorts. Wyndham has resorts located throughout the United States, Caribbean and South Pacific. ■
The win by Snedeker at the Wyndham Championship was just the first step toward what Sindel envisions as a strong partnership with Commodore fans. “If I had to summarize college athletics in one word, that word would be ‘loyalty,’” Sindel said. “The loyalty that families have given to
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Quick Hits MEN’S SPORTS Baseball • Former Commodore pitcher Jensen Lewis served as honorary captain at Vanderbilt’s game against Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 27. Tim • Vanderbilt’s 2008 schedule feaCorbin tures games against four of the eight teams that played in the 2007 College World Series and 11 teams that made the 2007 NCAA Tournament. • Pedro Alvarez was recently tabbed the No. 1 junior collegiate prospect by Baseball America. Teammate Ryan Flaherty also checked in at No. 29.. • The Vanderbilt Gold squad won the decisive third game to win the annual Black and Gold Series on Oct. 28. CSTV recently put them No. 4 in the country in an early preseason poll. • David Price received the Dick Howser Trophy in an on-field presentation against Kentucky on Nov. 10.
• The four lead runners for VU at the South Regional (Noel, Whiting, Thomas Davis, and Matt Long) improved upon their 2006 South Regional performance times. • The South Regional Championship was the first time this season that Austin Williamson did not finish in the top two spots on the team in a race in which he ran. Williamson finished fifth on the team in 34:24.56.
Football • Wide receiver Earl Bennett set the SEC record for career receptions against Miami (Ohio) with his 208th career catch. • Bennett was named a BiletBobby nikoff Award semifinalist on Johnson Oct. 30. The Biletnikoff Award honors. • D.J. Moore was selected as the FWAA/ Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week following VU’s victory at South Carolina. Moore had two interceptions and a team-high eight tackles in the game. • The Commodores win over No. 6 South Carolina earned them honors as the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl National Team of the Week.
• Sophomore Vijay Paul and freshman Alex Zotov posted the team’s best records during the fall, finishing 10-3 and 11-4, respectively.
WOMEN’S SPORTS Basketball • Junior Christina Wirth was named preseason first team All-SEC, while senior Liz Sherwood earned second team honors. Melanie • Vanderbilt opened its 2007-08 Balcomb season by winning its first two home games against UAB and Furman by an average margin of 29.0 points. • The Commodores topped UAB by 41 points, 92-51, and Furman by 17 points, 68-51.
Bowling • Vanderbilt was unanimous pick for No. 1 in pre-season poll. • The Commodores finished second in the 11-team Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational John on Nov. 11. Williamson • Junior Karen Grygiel placed third individually in that tournament.
Women’s Cross Country
The award was presented to Price by David Feaster, executive director of the Dick Howser Trophy. (Photo: John Russell)
Basketball • Senior Shan Foster earned preseason first team All-SEC honors by the league’s coaches. • The Commodores improved to 29-3 in season openers in MeKevin morial Gym with an 81-67 win Stallings over Austin Peay on Nov. 10. • In the game against Austin Peay, Shan Foster tied a career high with seven three-pointers and finished the night with a team-high 21 points. • Freshman A.J. Ogilvy poured in 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds against Austin Peay. Ogilvy’s performance earned him SEC Freshman of the Week honors on Nov. 12.
Men’s Cross Country • Chris Noel spearheaded Vanderbilt’s attack on the 10k South Regional Championship course. He finished 79th overall in 33:39.95. It was his first first-place team Steve finish this season. His 2007 time Keith was better than his 2006 time of 36:09. • Rob Whiting recorded his best team finish of the season at the South Regional Championship, finishing second and in 80th place overall with a time of 33:45.15.
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The Commodores celebrate their victory at South Carolina with Vanderbilt fans. (Photo: Stan Jones)
Men’s Golf • Vanderbilt turned in its best finish of the season in its final tournament of the fall by finishing second at the WCU Intercollegiate on Nov. 7. Tom • At the tournament, the ComShaw modores shot a two-day total of 582 and were led by junior Jon Curran, who finished fourth with an even-par 142. • Inclement weather forced the cancellation of the final two rounds of play at the Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate. With just one round of play taking place, Vanderbilt tied for fourth with a score of 287. • The Vanderbilt men’s and women’s golf programs came together to establish an annual award in honor of Mason Rudolph, the former Vanderbilt men’s coach and one of the state’s greatest golfers. The award will be given to the individual who makes the greatest contribution to Commodore golf.
Tennis • The Commodores concluded their fall season on Oct. 21 at the ITA Southeast Regional. • Seven of the 10 players on Vanderbilt’s roster finished the fall with a .500 record or better.
• Adrienne DiRaddo led Vanderbilt’s squad for the first time this season and finished 53rd overall at the South Regional Championship in a time of 22:42.15. Steve • Rita Jorgensen finished secKeith ond (55th overall) with a time of 22:46.06. Her second-place team finish was the first time this season she did not finish first in a race in which she participated. • Val Kazmer’s 23:24.98 in the 6k South Regional Championship was better than her 2006 South Regional Championship mark of 24:02. • A freshman was Vanderbilt’s lead runner in seven of eight races this season.
Women’s Golf • Vanderbilt placed 10th at the Stanford Intercollegiate on Oct. 21 with a team score of 920 (307-306-307). • Senior Liebelei Lawrence led Greg the Commodores at the event Allen by finishing in a tie for 26th with a score of 75-76-72—223. • The women concluded the fall season with a 1-2 record at the Hooters Collegiate Match Play Championship on Nov. 5. Vanderbilt earned its victory with a 4-1-0 win over Louisville. • The women’s program came together with the men’s program to establish an annual award in honor of Mason Rudolph, the former Vanderbilt men’s coach and one of the state’s greatest golfers. The award will be given to the individual who makes the greatest contribution to Commodore golf.
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Soccer • The Commodores ended their 2007 season with a 610-3 overall record and 3-6-2 record Ronnie in league play. Coveleskie • Senior forward Sarah Dennis was named to the ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-District IV team. • Junior midfielder Katie Schulz was named second team All-SEC, while freshmen Molly Kinsella and Mary Rachel Reynolds were selected to the league’s All-Freshmen team. • Senior Amy Baumann was named to the SEC Soccer Community Service Team.
Swimming • The Commodores are 0-6 in dual meets on the season, recently dropping meets to Alabama, Jeremy LSU and Marshall. Organ • Freshman LeighAnn Axt has continued her stellar freshman season, winning eight individual races thus far. Axt set a new school record in the 100-yard butterfly in the double dual meet against
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Alabama and LSU, recording a time of 56.76 seconds. • Axt nearly set a school record in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 2:03.47, four hundredths of a second behind the current school record of 2:03.43 held by Wrenn Terrill.
Tennis • Vanderbilt concluded its fall season at the Fall SEC Coaches’ Classic in Auburn, Ala. A pair of ComGeoff modores claimed titles as sophomore Macdonald Catherine Newman won the A flight in singles and junior Courtney Ulery won the singles B flight. • Courtney Ulery concluded the fall season with a perfect 13-0 record. Ulery claimed singles titles at the Furman Fall Classic, the Hoosier Classic, the June Stewart Invitational and the SEC Fall Coaches’ Classic. • The Commodores now enjoy two months off before beginning dual match play in January. Vanderbilt opens their spring season at home against UT-Martin at 2:30 p.m. on January 16.
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Making A “Noble” Effort
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veryone has a story. Some stories are more interesting than others, and some stories have stories within them that are never told. For Rosevelt Noble, it’s the stories within his story that truly make him remarkable. A former defensive back for Vanderbilt, Noble was able to balance the challenge of competing at a high level in the classroom and on the playing field to such an extraordinary level that he received his bachelor’s degree in three years. After earning his bachelor’s degree, Noble went on to earn a master’s degree and PhD. Now, Noble has transferred his innate ability to balance multiple challenges during his days in college to his career. Besides bouncing back and forth between his jobs as a sociology professor at Vanderbilt and the director for the Workforce Investment Act for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, Noble is attending class – yes, more class, doing weekly community service, coaching a flag football team, writing a book, serving as a freelance photographer and trying to make time for a social life. While that in itself makes for an interesting story, it is the little stories that truly define who Noble is. You can tell people that Noble grew up poor in Kankakee, Ill., but Noble’s story is about himself, his brother, two sisters and parents sleeping in the same room of an efficiency apartment.
“My senior year of high school I was selected to be one of two students from Illinois at a National Leadership Conference,” Noble said. “When I looked at the bill, I knew my parents couldn’t afford to send me there, so having the experience of developing a plan and having it come to fruition at that point and time was important. “My old baseball coach had a radio show, and I did an interview over the air and got the word out that way. I typed up letters, I went to all these different churches and stood up during church announcements and told them who I was. It was about positioning yourself to be ready for an opportunity and when an opportunity knocks, you have to be willing or ready to let that person or opportunity in. You have to be open minded in recognizing where opportunities come from.” His story is about how he grew up loving Notre Dame and how he was certain he would play football for the Irish. “I was Notre Dame crazy,” Noble said. “I took senior class pictures in Notre Dame paraphernalia. I went to Notre Dame on a couple of official and unofficial visits.” His story is about how he was recruited by Notre Dame and a host of others until, suddenly, the phone calls stopped coming.
His story is about how he got his family their first microwave by winning a Rosevelt with his wife, Kristen. raffle at school. “Our baseball league had a raffle when I was 10, and all the kids in the league were responsible for selling the raffle tickets,” Noble said. “They gave a scooter to whoever sold the most raffle tickets. When I saw that scooter, I made up in my mind that next year I was going to win that scooter. I developed a plan that every morning during the summer, I would get up and walk to the store, and I would sit out in front all day with my baseball uniform on asking people if they wanted to buy raffle tickets. “I did this everyday for like three or four weeks selling these tickets. By the end of the raffle, I may have sold 2,500 tickets and the other kids weren’t even close. That day at the raffle, they raffled off 10 prizes, and I won five of them in addition to the scooter. “My baseball coach had to take me home that day because I had so much stuff. That is how we got our first microwave, and how I got a Nintendo. I felt like a kid at Christmas.” Noble’s story is about how the statistics say that he should be in jail right now. “I came from one of those demographic backgrounds where statistically, I should be in jail,” Noble said. “My mom had my brother when she was 13, she had me when she was 16, she had my sister when she was 17 and she had my youngest sister when she was 21, so by the time she was 21, she had four kids. Statistically that is the profile of a broken-home situation. Despite the circumstances and characteristics of how we grew up, both my parents have actually always been together. Against all odds you have to refuse to become a statistic or you have to find a way to succeed.” His story is about how he raised funds so he could attend a National Leadership Conference that he was chosen for.
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“When the day came where coaches could start offering me, I was stuck waiting for letters and waiting for the phone to ring,” Noble said. “We’ve never come to a clearance, but I believe Notre Dame started a rumor that I had committed to them and others backed off, so my scholarship offers started dwindling. When (Vanderbilt) found out that I hadn’t (committed), I was flown down within a week.” His story is about making a five-year plan as a senior in high school with the goal to graduate in three years.
minutes at 7.5 mph, 2 minutes at 8 mph, 2 minutes at 8.5 mph and 6 minutes at 9 mph.
The Final
“With my teammates there cheering me on, I ran the entire test at 9 mph on an incline. Ever since then, everyone called me Running Ro-Ro.”
ROSS NELTNER
His story is about being inducted into the National College Football Hall of Fame not because of his playing ability, but because of his service to the community and academic success. “There was a semester where I did over 100 hours of community service by myself,” Noble said. “I strived to be tops in my class not just tops among athletes.” His story is about how he has never stopped giving. “What I do a lot of now are speaking engagements,” Noble said. “I’ve spoken at different elementary schools and the YMCA Bridge program. I’ve got a motivational speech I give called ‘Free Knowledge.’”
Noble has found a passion for photography and now works as a freelance photographer.
“When (former Vanderbilt coach) Gerry DiNardo recruited me,” Noble said, “one of my first questions was, ‘Can I graduate in three years?’ He was kind of surprised by it, but I had a fiveyear plan that I laid out for him there. My plan was to come to Vanderbilt and get a bachelor’s degree in three years and with those last two years of eligibility, to get a master’s degree. I don’t know where it came from, but I’ve always been really focused on academics and seeing the big picture and realizing that athletics was just a means to the end kind of thing.” His story is about the people that doubted he would ever accomplish his five-year plan. “I was on a mission,” Noble said. “There were a lot of naysayers saying that I was crazy and it would never happen.” His story is about the perception that he was too driven by academics and did not put the same effort into athletics. “There was a perception that I was more academic-focused and in certain groups that wasn’t too tasteful,” Noble said. “They wanted me to watch 10 hours of film with them every night, but I chose not to do that.” His story is about how an argument with a former assistant coach over his commitment, to football led to him earning his teammates respect over the course of a 12-minute span and the nickname of “Running Ro-Ro.” “In my head it became my mission to show him that I could do both (academics and football) better than anybody he’s probably ever seen,” Noble said. “We had to do a winter conditioning test, where you had to run 12 minutes on a treadmill and if you were a defensive back, you had to run for 2
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His story is about being a mentor and steering a 14-year-old down the right path after his friend was involved in a shooting. “I meet with him every Tuesday when I get out of class,” Noble said. “I go meet with him for an hour, and we do different things on and around campus. I try to expose him to a college campus and try to make sure he doesn’t wind up down that path, too.” His story is about wanting to continue his education despite already holding three degrees. “It is kind of a running joke around (the office), but I’m working on my associate’s degree,” Noble said. “I’m taking a photography class from Nashville State. I usually take one class per semester on photography.” His story is about finding new opportunities. “I’ve always had a passion for photography, but it wasn’t until the last two or three years that I started thinking about it in a business sense,” Noble said. “It is one of those areas where I didn’t realize how creative I was until I kind of took off with it a little bit more.
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• Basketball • Senior • Forward Ross Neltner is a senior from Fort Thomas, Ky., who transferred from LSU following the 2004-05 season. Neltner will graduate in May with a degree in economics. What was the most difficult part of transferring schools? There was a lot of legwork, such as transferring classes and getting acclimated to campus, my teammates and coaches, and the different people around campus. That stuff was a burden, but it definitely paid off and it was a good move for me. Overall, it was much better for me to transfer than to stay there just because it was familiar. What is it like playing for coach Kevin Stallings? It is awesome. He is definitely a cerebral guy who is very intense. I’ve got so much respect for him as a person and coach. He is easy to get along with, and he is one of the best coaches in the league. I feel fortunate to be playing for him. Golf is your second-favorite sport, how is your game? I like to play, but I’m not any good. It’s a good day if I get in the double digits. If I’m around the mid to low 90s, then I’m Tiger Woods. What would be your ultimate SportsCenter highlight? Cutting down the nets at the NCAA Tournament.
His story also is about finding time to coach Vanderbilt’s women’s flag football team, while also making time to write a book about former African-American student-athletes at Vanderbilt. But most importantly, his story is about family and education. It is about his recent marriage to his wife, Kristen, who is a 2003 Vanderbilt graduate and former manager for the women’s basketball team. It is about her working toward her dual MD and PhD degrees. It is about both of his sisters attending graduate school and his mom and brother working toward their bachelor’s degrees. Lastly, his story is about how one man has made such an incredible difference. ■
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Vanderbilt Fall/Winter Sports Calendar MEN’S SPORTS Basketball Date
Opponent
11.5 11.10 11.13 11.20 11.23 11.24 11.29 12.1 12.5 12.8 12.12 12.22 12.29 12.31 1.3 1.5 1.9 1.12 1.17 1.19 1.27 1.30 2.2 2.6 2.9 2.12 2.16 2.23 2.26 3.1 3.5 3.8 3.13-16
Tusculum (Exhibition) W, 80-79 Austin Peay W, 81-67 at Toledo W, 77-70 Valparaiso 7pm vs. Utah State (South Padre Island) 9pm vs. Iowa or Bradley (South Padre Island) TBA South Alabama 7pm Georgia Tech 12pm Wake Forest 7pm Lipscomb 7pm at DePaul 7:30pm Tennessee State 8pm Tennessee-Martin 12pm Iona 7pm Rice 7pm UMASS 3pm South Carolina 7pm at Kentucky 12:30pm at Tennessee 6pm LSU 12pm at Florida 12pm at Ole Miss 7pm Auburn 4pm at Georgia 6:30pm at South Carolina 4pm Kentucky 8pm Florida 2pm Georgia 3pm Tennessee 8pm at Arkansas 3pm Mississippi State 7pm at Alabama 6pm at SEC Tournament (Atlanta) TBA
Result
Cross Country Date
Opponent
8.31 9.15 9.29 10.13 10.27 11.10
Belmont/Vanderbilt Opener Commodore Classic at Louisville Invitational at Arkansas Chile Pepper Inv. at SEC Championships at NCAA Regionals
Result 3rd (99) 4th (123) 22nd (671) 16th (452) 10th (302) 14th (384)
Football Date
Opponent
9.1 9.8 9.15 9.29 10.6 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.3 11.10 11.17 11.24
Richmond Alabama Ole Miss Eastern Michigan at Auburn Georgia (Homecoming) at South Carolina Miami (Ohio) at Florida Kentucky at Tennessee Wake Forest
Result W, 41-17 L, 10-24 W, 31-17 W, 30-7 L, 7-35 L, 17-20 W, 17-6 W, 24-13 L, 22-49 L, 20-27 L, 24-25 1pm
Golf Date
Opponent
9.14-16 9.24-25 10.14-16 10.21 11.5-6 2.17-19 3.2-4 3.16-17 3.28-30 4.6-8 4.18-20
at Carpet Capital Collegiate Classic at Shoal Creek Invitational at The Ridges Mason Rudolph Intercollegiate at Western Carolina Intercollegiate at Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Champ. at Seminole Intercollegiate Kauai Collegiate Cup at Furman Intercollegiate at The Reunion at SEC Championships (Sea Island, Ga.)
Result 17th (901) 12th (905) 15th (882) T4th (287) 2nd (582) All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day
Tennis Date
Opponent
Result
9.14-15 9.21-24 10.1-7 10.5-7 10.12 10.19-22 1.27 2.2 2.3 2.7
Vanderbilt Invitational at Southern Collegiates at ITA All-American Championships at Georgia Tech Invitational Alumni Reunion at ITA Regional Michigan State Samford Memphis New Mexico
All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day 11am 1pm 1pm 2pm
24
2.9 2.10 2.16 2.17 2.23 2.29 3.2 3.7 3.9 3.14 3.21 3.23 3.28 3.30 4.4 4.6 4.12 4.17-20
vs. North Carolina State (Ann Arbor, Mich.) 2pm at Michigan 12pm Belmont 9am Wisconsin 1pm Middle Tennessee State 1pm Florida 2pm South Carolina 1pm at Arkansas TBA at LSU TBA at Northwestern 7pm at Auburn 1:30pm Alabama 1pm Ole Miss 2pm Mississippi State 1pm at Tennessee TBA at Georgia TBA at Kentucky 1pm at SEC Tournament TBA
WOMEN’S SPORTS Basketball Date
Opponent
10.31 11.5 11.9 11.11 11.14 11.20 11.23
Cumberland (Exhibition) Anderson College (Exhibition) UAB Furman at Indiana State at Clemson Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tourn. (Belmont, Iowa State, Michigan) Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tourn. Consolation Game Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tourn. Championship Game Duke vs. St. Mary’s (Berkeley, Calif.) at California Western Kentucky Colorado Lipscomb Old Dominion South Florida at Princeton Mississippi State at LSU Georgia at Tennessee Ole Miss at Florida at Georgia South Carolina at Alabama Kentucky Tennessee at Arkansas at Auburn Alabama at SEC Tournament (Nashville)
11.25 11.25 11.28 12.1 12.2 12.6 12.9 12.22 12.30 1.2 1.5 1.10 1.13 1.17 1.20 1.27 1.31 2.3 2.7 2.10 2.14 2.17 2.21 2.28 3.2 3.6-9
Result W, 104-43 W, 76-41 W, 92-51 W, 68-51 L, 72-77 (OT) 6pm 2pm
12pm 2pm 7pm 6pm 4pm 7pm 2pm 5:30pm 2pm 7pm 1pm 7pm 4pm 7pm 2pm 2pm 6pm 1:30pm 7pm 2pm 7pm 3:30pm 7pm 8pm 2pm TBA
Bowling Date
Opponent
Result
10.27-28 11.9-11 11.17-18 1.18 1.19-20 2.1-3 2.9-10 2.16-17 3.1-2 3.15-16
at Central Regional Fall Jamboree at Wisconsin-Whitewater at UMES Hawk Classic at Central Region Duals at Greater Ozark Invitational at Lady Indian Invitational at Capital Classic at Morgan State Invitational at Holiday Classic Columbia 300 Music City Classic
7-3 2nd 1st All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day All Day
Cross Country Date
Opponent
8.31 9.15 9.29 9.29 10.13 10.20 10.27 11.10
Belmont/Vanderbilt Opener Commodore Classic at Louisville Invitational at Colonial Inter-Regional Challenge at Arkansas Chile Pepper Inv. Southeastern Classic (B squad) at SEC Championships at NCAA Regionals
Result 2nd (61) 3rd (59) 26th (720) 5th (115) 16th (429) 10th (235) 8th (217) 11th (295)
Golf Date
Opponent
9-14-16 9.24-26 10.5-7 10.19-21 11.4-6 2.25-27 3.9-11 3.21-23 4.4-6 4.18-20
Mason Rudolph Championship 13th (901) at NCAA Fall Preview 5th (881) at Lady Tar Heel Invitational T5th (886) at Stanford Fall Intercollegiate 10th (920) at Collegiate Match Play Champ. 1-2 at Arizona Wildcat Invitational All Day at UCF Challenge All Day at Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic All Day at Ping ASU Invitational All Day at SEC Championships (Loudon, Tenn.) All Day
Result
Soccer Date
Opponent
8.31 9.2 9.7 9.9 9.14 9.16 9.21 9.23 9.28 9.30 10.7 10.12 10.14 10.19 10.21 10.25 10.28 11.2 11.4
vs. Wisconsin (Georgia Bulldog Tourn.) T, 0-0 vs. Texas Tech (Georgia Bulldog Tourn.) W, 1-0 at UAB L, 1-2 Tennessee Tech W, 6-0 Gonzaga (Vanderbilt Tournament) L, 0-2 Saint Mary’s (Vanderbilt Tournament) L, 2-3 (OT) vs. Davidson (College of Charleston Tourn.) L, 1-2 (OT) at College of Charleston (Col. of Charles. Tourn.) W, 3-0 at Alabama T, 1-1 at Auburn L, 1-2 at South Carolina W, 1-0 (2OT) Georgia L, 2-3 (OT) Tennessee L, 1-3 LSU L, 0-2 Arkansas W, 2-0 at Ole Miss T, 2-2 Mississippi State W, 3-2 (2OT) Kentucky L, 0-1 at Florida L, 0-3
Result
Swimming Date
Opponent
10.13 10.19 10.20 11.2 11.10 11.16-18 1.11 1.19 1.26 2.20-23 3.1
at Southern Illinois L, 75-151 at North Florida L, 69-162 at Georgia Southern L, 89-120 at Alabama/LSU L, 49-240/L, 48-245 at Marshall L, 59-179 at Western Kentucky Inv. All Day Miami (Fla.) All Day at Arkansas All Day at Georgia Tech/Emory All Day at SEC Championships (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) All Day at Last Chance Meet All Day
Result
Tennis Date
Opponent
9.28-30 10.4-6 10.19-21 11.1-4 1.16 1.18 1.20 1.25 1.26 2.16 2.20 2.29 3.2 3.5 3.7 3.9 3.11 3.13 3.21 3.23 3.28 3.30 4.4 4.6 4.12 4.17-20
at Furman Fall Classic at ITA All-American Championships June Stewart Invitational at Fall SEC Championships Tennessee-Martin at New Mexico vs. Colorado (Albuquerque, N.M.) Michigan Notre Dame East Tennessee State Middle Tennessee State at Florida at South Carolina at Georgia Tech Arkansas LSU Florida International Furman Auburn at Alabama at Ole Miss at Mississippi State Tennessee Georgia Kentucky at SEC Tournament (Auburn, Ala.)
Result All Day All Day All Day All Day 2:30pm 6pm 11am 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 12pm TBA 1:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 1pm TBA 1pm 2:30pm 2:30pm 2:30pm All Day
DECEMBER 2007
CN DecV7ƒ.indd Sec1:26
12/17/07 10:28:07 AM
CN DecV7ƒ.indd Sec1:27
12/17/07 10:28:08 AM
CN DecV7ƒ.indd Sec1:28
12/17/07 10:28:08 AM