March 2016
BEHIND THE
CAMERA with Joe Howell and John Russell
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CONTENTS JOHN RUSSELL
P.8
P.12
P.18
Trending young
Behind the Camera
Derek Mason has added some high-energy assistant coaches.
She throws strikes
Our photographers take their work seriously but not themselves!
All-American bowler Robyn Renslow anchors the highly regarded Commodores.
P.10 New stars on horizon Our guide to five gridders to follow through spring ball.
P.2
P. 21
Compliance Corner
Former ’Dore now coaches
P.3
Ashley Earley now contributes in a different way—from the bench!
National Commodore Club
P.7 Inside McGugin
P.21 VU From Here Ashley Earley
P.23 It’s My Turn
Rod Williamson’s monthly column
P.24 My Game Track and field’s Courtney Clayton.
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COMPLIANCE
Publisher: Vanderbilt University
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CORNER
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Compliance requires constant vigilance on the part of all of us who are associated with Vanderbilt University, and knowledge is the first step toward being compliant. We are proud to have your loyal support, dedication and enthusiasm for Vanderbilt athletics. As we strive for continued excellence, we will always seek the highest standard of ethical conduct. With your assistance, we are confident we can continue to meet this goal. Remember, compliance is everyone’s responsibility.
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Candice Lee Senior Associate Athletic Director 615/322-7992 candice.lee@vanderbilt.edu
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March 2016
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This past season, the Vanderbilt Baseball team made it to the 2015 NCAA College World Series. They will be working this season to regain the championship title that they earned in 2014. You can become a champion this year, too. All Vanderbilt Baseball supporters—alumni, fans, and friends— are invited to join the Champions’ Circle this season. With a gift to Vanderbilt Baseball, Champions’ Circle members receive insider access to the program and are eligible to receive benefits.* Champions’ Circle benefits include a team hat, in-season monthly lunches, autographed team batting helmet, and more. Join today and be a champion.
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ANCHOR DOWN FOR THE BEST FOOTBALL
SEATING & PARKING
On game days, you can see and hear NATIONAL COMMODORE CLUB MEMBERS supporting the Commodores as they take an up-close seat to the action. Our players feed off of this energy, and if fuels them to be the best. Now is the time to make plans to join the Commodores for the 2016 season. To score priority seats, make a gift to the NCC unrestricted annual fund and purchase your season tickets. By joining the NCC annual fund, you are directly supporting Vanderbilt student-athletes by helping to fund scholarship costs. You make a difference in their success in the classroom and in competition. Help support student-athletes AND get the great benefits of priority seating and parking for the 2016 football season—ANCHOR DOWN and join the NCC annual fund today! To join, call (615) 322-4114 or give online at vanderbilt.edu/NCC.
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Inside McGugin
By The Numbers
Notes from the athletic department
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The number of former Vanderbilt baseball players, coaches and administrators under Tim Corbin now in professional baseball. There are 44 former players and 16 in coaching and front office positions.
V
anderbilt’s student-athletes are coming off one of their best fall semesters in the classroom with a cumulative GPA of 3.085. Additionally, 12 teams posted GPAs of 3.0 or greater, including three teams with GPAs of 3.5 or higher.
JOHN RUSSELL
l The Commodores were recognized for their work in the classroom when the Southeastern Conference announced that 58 student-athletes were named to the 2015 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll. A few notable individual team academic highlights from the 2015 fall semester were: • Women’s golf and men’s cross country had a GPA of over 3.5 for the sixth semester in a row
• Ten of 12 bowlers were above 3.0, including one with a 4.0
• Women’s tennis had its highest semester GPA since spring 2008
• Women’s cross country finished with a GPA of 3.3 or higher for the 16th semester in a row
• Men’s basketball had highest semester GPA of Coach Stallings’ era; five players with over 3.5 GPA
• Women’s track was above 3.0 for the fourth semester in a row n JOHN RUSSELL
Calendar
March Events
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March 18–20
The official attendance at baseball’s annual pre-season dinner. The event has grown from a small gathering held in a room on campus to the grand ballroom of Nashville’s Omni Hotel.
Vanderbilt’s highly rated bowling team hosts its only home tournament of the season at the Smyrna Bowling Center. The event typically attracts the very best teams in the country as it is one of the last major tournaments before April’s NCAA Championship.
April 2–3
JOE HOWELL
Men’s golf hosts the annual Mason Rudolph Championship at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. The 14 teams will play 36 holes Saturday and 18 Sunday. Vanderbilt is the defending champion while Florida and Alabama will be among the top contenders.
March 25 JOE HOWELL
Coach Derek Mason will conduct the program’s first Friday evening Black and Gold Game to conclude spring practice. The kickoff will be 6:00 p.m.
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Trending Young By Larry Leathers
I
“With each opening, I looked for the very best person for this team,” Mason said. “These guys checked all the boxes… they were passionate about coaching, they were excellent teachers of the game, and they could recruit. When it was all said and done, I thought these men could get our players where they needed to be.” Mason says he sees “youthful exuberance” in the recent hires. “These men have a true passion for coaching and they have a passion for Vanderbilt.” While Mason, 46, believes the balance of youth and experience benefits the Commodore staff, he sees the young coaches’ energy level impacting everyone with the program. “Chris, Cortez, A.J. and Marc bring it to everything they do. Our student-athletes see it, feel it and feed off it,” Mason said. The average age of the 2016 staff assembled by Mason is 39.3, the youngest in the SEC. Here’s a closer look at Vanderbilt’s coaching youth movement:
JOHN RUSSELL
n the last 18 months, Derek Mason has reorganized the Vanderbilt coaching staff into the youngest in the Southeastern Conference. Cameron Norcross quickly noticed the youth movement. Hired by Mason in January as the team’s offensive line coach, the 38-year-old Norcross realized he was far from the youngest at his initial football staff meeting in McGugin Athletics Center. Seated around the large U-shaped table were four coaches his junior. They included position coaches Cortez Hankton, 35, wide receivers; C.J. Ah You, 33, defensive line; Marc Mattioli, 28, secondary; and Chris Marve, 26, inside linebackers. Entering his third season at the helm of Vanderbilt’s football program, Mason has made selecting coaches that fit the Vanderbilt program under his leadership a top hiring priority. Also around that table are coaches with decades of experience at winning programs. Among them are highly regarded offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig, 51, hired prior to the 2015 season, and special teams coordinator Jeff Genyk, 56, who joined the leadership team in January.
Derek Mason has reshaped his coaching staff by attracting quality young mentors, including (from left), linebackers coach Chris Marve, wide receivers coach Cortez Hankton, defensive secondary coach Marc Mattioli and defensive line coach C.J. Ah You.
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March 2016
CORTEZ HANKTON
MARC MATTIOLI
Age: 35 Duties: Wide receivers coach Prior Position: Dartmouth, wide receivers coach The relationship between Mason and Hankton dates to 2007-08 when both were with the Minnesota Vikings—Mason as the Vikings’ assistant defensive backs coach; Hankton as a wide receiver. Hankton’s commitment to the team concept and mentorship of young players drew the attention of noted Minnesota receiver coach George Stewart, who was among those encouraging Hankton to consider coaching as a profession. A year after leaving the NFL playing ranks, Hankton accepted a position mentoring receivers at Dartmouth University. In three years at Dartmouth, Hankton helped the Big Green to an 8-2 in 2014 and a 20-10 overall record. He also developed All-Ivy League receiver Ryan McManus, who finished the 2014 season with 68 catches for 879 yards and eight touchdowns.
Age: 28 Duties: Defensive secondary coach Prior Position: Stanford, quality control-secondary A native Southerner who played at Rhodes College in Memphis, Mattioli worked directly under Mason for two years on Stanford’s defensive coaching staff. In 2012-13, Mattioli served as defensive graduate assistant at Stanford, helping Mason with Cardinal safeties and cornerbacks. In 2013, the Cardinal ranked 10th nationally in scoring defense during a run to the Rose Bowl. In 2012, Stanford led the Pac-12 in scoring defense and total defense during a campaign that included another Rose Bowl appearance and conference title. In 2014, Mattioli stayed at Stanford as a defensive quality control, helping guide a unit that finished the year second nationally in scoring defense, third in total defense and eighth in pass defense. He joined the Commodore staff prior to the 2015 season.
Impact at Vanderbilt: In his first year, Hankton helped sophomores Trent Sheffield (51 receptions, 659 yards, three touchdowns) and Caleb Scott (23 catches, 339 yards, two touchdowns) post single-season career highs.
Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: As safeties coach, Mattioli saw senior Andrew Williamson and sophomore Oren Burks garner All-Southeastern Conference consideration. Burks led the Commodores with three interceptions and ranked third with 59 total tackles. Williamson posted 41 tackles, provided veteran leadership and capped the season by making an appearance in the 2016 East-West Shrine Game. Two other pupils, Arnold Tarpley and Ryan White, produced their best seasons in a Commodore uniform.
Mason on Hankton: “Cortez has the ability to get guys to play above their means. He takes time to invest in his guys and build relationships. Relationships foster confidence and confidence fosters performance. The young guys under Cortez have grown tremendously since his arrival.”
C.J. AH YOU Age: 33 Duties: Defensive line coach Prior Position: Oklahoma, quality control-defense A former All-Big 12 defensive lineman at the University of Oklahoma, Ah You played five years in the NFL with St. Louis before injuries ended his career. For the last two years, Ah You was back at Oklahoma, serving as a quality control assistant for defense and special teams under Bob Stoops. In 2015, the Sooners finished 11-2, captured the Big 12 Conference title, and played for a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff national championship. The Sooners’ season was highlighted by regular season victories over Baylor, TCU, Oklahoma State and Tennessee. Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: This is Ah You’s first spring practice as a staffer. In his first weeks on the job, Ah You proved a vital and effective recruiter, helping secure letter-of-intent signatures from Hawaiian offensive lineman Sean Auwae and Southern California defensive lineman Joseph Sa’o. Mason on Ah You: “C.J. has been a tremendous asset in a very short time on campus. C.J. had worked with coaches that I know well, both with the (St. Louis) Rams and at the University of Oklahoma. He knows and understands the defensive structure I’m teaching here. I knew him as a player, but his willingness to sacrifice as a coach, go back and work in quality control for two years, led me to believe he was ready for this opportunity.”
Mason on Mattioli: “Marc and I know each other well. He’s an intelligent guy who does a great job studying the game. We worked together at Stanford before I came to Vanderbilt. Marc knows how I think, how the defense should function, and exactly what my expectations are for this defense.”
CHRIS MARVE Age: 26 Duties: Inside Linebackers coach Prior Position: Vanderbilt, graduate assistant-defense Marve is Vanderbilt through and through. The first former Commodore student-athlete to coach at Vanderbilt since the 2001 season, Marve was a four-time All-Southeastern Conference linebacker and two-time captain from 2008-11. He ranks eighth all-time among Commodores with 397 career tackles. After considering law school and teaching for two years after graduation, Marve was enticed back to Vanderbilt and football by Mason. He served as a defensive quality control in 2014, and defensive graduate assistant in 2015. Impact as a Vanderbilt coach: Marve focused much of his work last year with Commodore inside linebackers. One of his top pupils, sophomore Zach Cunningham, became a consensus first team All-SEC selection after ranking among the league leaders in total tackles, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. Mason on Marve: “Chris is a focused, detailed, passionate person who cares about everything he does. He’s an excellent teacher. He also understands what the Vanderbilt brand is—and he pushes that to its limits every day, both athletically and academically.” n
“With each opening, I looked for the very best person for this team. These guys checked all the boxes… they were passionate about coaching, they were excellent teachers of the game, and they could recruit. When it was all said and done, I thought these men could get our players where they needed to be.”—Derek Mason vucommodores.com
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New stars on horizon By Larry Leathers
S
Donovan Sheffield, So., CB As explosive spread offenses mature, the need for impressive cornerbacks is greater than ever in college football. Even though the 2016 Commodores expect to return starters Torren McGaster and Tre Herndon, additional prospects such as Sheffield will fill important roles in the secondary. A hand injury delayed Sheffield’s participation as a freshman. When inserted in the seventh game, Sheffield quickly established himself, blending physicality and coverage abilities to play effectively at nickel back. The late-season experience should accelerate Sheffield’s development as a sophomore. Three juniors—Taurean Ferguson, Bryce Lewis and Ladarius Wiley—will join Sheffield, McGaster and Herndon in the cornerback corps this spring.
Jared Pinkney, R-Fr., Tight End With the graduation of two-year starter Steven Scheu, the tight end position will be fun to watch this spring. Pinkney, an athletic 6-4, 240-pounder, could provide Commodore fans with the most enjoyment. Pinkney’s freshman campaign ended as quickly as it began. After securing a downfield receiving role in preseason camp, Pinkney suffered a season-ending injury on the first pass thrown in his direction. He enters spring drills in full health. With Kyle Anderton and DeAndre Woods expected to miss contact drills this spring, Pinkney and junior Nathan Marcus will get plenty of muchneeded repetitions.
JOE HOWELL
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Josh Crawford, So., Running Back The Commodores’ desire for a balanced offensive attack needs to identify a primary rushing option to Ralph Webb, who enters his junior season on pace to shatter numerous team records. The sophomore Crawford looks to compete for the role this spring. Crawford showed promise as an interior rusher during his freshman season until a midseason hand injury limited his effectiveness. Crawford and Webb will share spring snaps with junior Dallas Rivers and redshirt freshman Jaire George.
March 2016
JOE HOWELL
Kyle Shurmur, So., Quarterback Nothing would please Commodore coaches more than a dominant performance this spring from one of the team’s four quarterback prospects. For two years, the unit has missed consistent, confident play from the position, largely due to injury and inexperience. Shurmur appears to have the inside track at the key role job. Shurmur started five games as a true freshman, throwing for more than 500 yards and five touchdowns. He also impressed late in the 2015 season, throwing for three scores against Tennessee. The 6-3, 225-pound Shurmur faces plenty of competition, including strong-armed junior Wade Freebeck, athletic redshirt sophomore Shawn Stankavage and true freshman Deuce Wallace.
JOE HOWELL
pring practice is the time to build team chemistry, improve fundamentals, stress conditioning and create culture. It’s also when young prospects are expected to flash their talents—and stamp their importance on future teams. This spring, Head Coach Derek Mason oversees a Vanderbilt squad that looks to continue ascending, as it did in 2015 when the Commodores improved to fourth in the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division. For the team to realize its expectations, several young Commodores need to demonstrate their skills as playmakers and leaders this spring. These five Commodores should be worth keeping an eye on this spring.
Josh Smith, So., Outside Linebacker As a true freshman, Smith showed flashes of his highly regarded talent playing behind outside linebacker Stephen Weatherly. This spring, with Weatherly off to test the NFL, Smith has a chance to win the starting rush outside linebacker that’s critical to the success of Derek Mason’s 3-4 defense. In 2015, the athletic Smith played in every game.
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BEHIND THE CAMERA T heir eyes and quick fingers help shape the way people see Vanderbilt athletics. Their
images fill this magazine, Vanderbilt’s webpages, team posters and social media platforms. In their time at Vanderbilt, Joe Howell and John Russell have captured thousands of
images, while being a part of some of Vanderbilt’s most historic sporting events. As members of
the Vanderbilt University photography team, Howell and Russell have spent nearly a decade on the sidelines capturing Vanderbilt’s athletic images. Each image tells its own story, and can conjure up different memories for those who view it. To get a better understanding of the creativity, skill and even a little luck, yes luck, behind an image, I went on a quest to talk through a few recent images that stood out to the photographers. As you will see, the selected images offer a variety of looks, settings and backstories.
WADE BALDWIN
JOE HOWELL
Safety first: One fun thing we get to do is set up remote cameras at basketball. Our number one concern when doing that is player safety. When we shoot an event, we don’t want to be part of the event in that way. We use these things called Magic Arms. It is a support system that holds the camera in place. Then the second Magic Arm holds the Magic Arm in place to provide more stability and support. You don’t want the camera bouncing around, your images won’t be good, but really you don’t want it falling. The setup: I arrive three hours before the game begins. You want to focus at eight feet because that is where players’ heads are when they are jumping. What we use are the mops for when players fall and I’ll just get somebody to hold it up and then I just focus about where their head will be and then you preset your focus based on that. Triggering the camera: The remote camera is the exact same as I am holding
in my hand. The one thing that makes it different and enables me to fire it is we have something called pocket wizards. We have a transmitter and a receiver. You plug the receiver into the camera and then what I can do with the transmitter is press a button and it will fire the camera.
DIVING CATCH
JOE HOWELL
Full extension: Any sporting event that you shoot, you want peak action. You want the play and you want it at its pinnacle. This was one of the big plays of the game and it really is at the most dramatic progression of the play. He is fully extended, so it is peak action at its best. Shot that almost never was: I am looking through the viewfinder with one eye watching Bryan Reynolds run and I can see out of the corner of my other eye, the umpire moving into my field of view, so I waited as long as I could and shot. I got one frame of Reynolds making the catch and then three frames of the umpire’s back.
dynamic shot. The swimmer is Hannah Martin and she is the only senior so it made it easy to pick who we were going to use. The execution: I hung a black backdrop behind her in the pool. I had a four-light setup and had people with communications staff and other members of the swim team just throw water at her. I shot three images and then composited them together for one shot and the final product. Gaining trust: It is one of my favorite shots here. The way that this came about was truly getting the trust of the coach and getting the trust of the swimmer to allow me to be creative and do this kind of shot.
MASON GATORADE
JOE HOWELL
Being part of the team: This is the nice thing about being the team photographer; you are part of the team. I am not friends with the coaches or players, but I am an acquaintance. I am somebody they know that works with the team or university. Players help me by allowing me access to their worlds so I can make images and they will let me into places that other photographers can’t get in to. Doing your research: I know this is going to be Coach Mason’s first SEC win if he gets it. It is important to Coach Mason and the football team if he gets it, so I am going to focus on him. I get into position. I am near him, but I am not interfering. That is the tightrope that you walk and the balance you must have.
Luck on your side: If you look at the picture, you can see where it is so dark on the bottom and that is where he is starting to come into the frame. There is no shape to it because of the focal length. I am focusing so far past him that there is no form yet. Getting that catch, the photo gods have to be smiling on you. You can be in the right position and totally prepared and still miss a shot because of other players or an umpire.
SWIMMING SHOOT
JOE HOWELL
The idea: Traditionally we have done a team shot and we have lit it up so it looks nice. I just made a suggestion that we could do something more dramatic. I had this idea about water crashing in and just making it a very
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Reacting quickly: Next thing I know, I can see the water coming. At that point, I literally step in front of coach. It is a bit brazen. You are making the assumption that it is OK but you want to make that shot. Capturing the emotions: To me, I love the action and you have to have it, but the images that tell the story are the emotional images. It is players celebrating with coaches or players celebrating with each other. We are here to support the university and showcase our players and we tend to lean on the side of showing them in a good light. Those are the most powerful images. You have the action and the reaction images. Those are the ones that tell the story.
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March 2016
SHADOWS
JOHN RUSSELL
Be quick, but don’t hurry: The sun was moving quickly through the stadium and this was right at game time. It lasts 2-3 minutes before the shadow crosses over where Carson was standing. Once the shadow crosses over his body it kills the shot. You’ve got to have that light in order to separate him from the background, especially since he’s wearing black. But here he is at the top of his delivery—it’s a shot I really like. Location, location, location: I was up in the stands on the third-base side, at the top of the concourse. There are fans standing all around you. You are trying to get the pitch
delivery because this is another timing thing, his arm is moving and he’s throwing over 90 MPH. You can’t see this with your eye. You have to rely on the motor drive of your camera. You can get to a position and do everything you can do and still not get it because of the timing. Images to last a lifetime: This park in Omaha has a major league feel to it and its just great being there in that atmosphere with the fans. You definitely feel like this is something special and you try to capture that. When you go on trips like that you try to document that. Showing the environment they are in will preserve memories for years to come.
ACCIDENT
JOHN RUSSELL
Sometimes mistakes can make your best images: I was focused on Bryan Reynolds coming in for the score but the focus sensor left Bryan about the time he was coming to the plate and hit the background to capture the reaction. If I had focused on what I intended to focus on, it wouldn’t have been much of a shot other than documenting he crossed the plate. Thought I missed it: I was reviewing the photos and thought I missed it, but upon closer look I notice it’s something much better than what I intended. Capturing the emotion: Looking at this image, I make a mental note and think maybe I should be looking for that. I look for human emotion in every picture I take at a sporting event, jubilation and dejection and try to give the viewer the idea of what it felt to be there at that moment for that player.
EYES ON THE BALL
JOHN RUSSELL
How it was taken: I was by the batter’s eye where the crosswalk connects the two seating areas. I won’t stay in the outfield the whole game but I go out there for a couple of innings of our guys batting and try to shoot each of our guys batting. This wasn’t what I was after but it was a good outcome. Usually I’m trying to get shots of making connection which is hard to do, to get the timing right. Conditions need to be just right: It was a nice overcast day. A lot of times this shot doesn’t work with that kind of compression on the lens if the sun is out. With artificial turf, you get what we call “heat shimmer.” That kills a shot. The camera won’t focus—like a mirage on the desert. If the sun is out at all you wouldn’t be able to focus on them. It kills that position. About the angle: It’s a great angle. Whenever the conditions are right, I like to be out there. Even for plays at second, it’s extremely tight on second base. You can shoot almost every position at this spot other than
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pitching. Good for reactions at home plate, plays at first…and the outfield.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
JOHN RUSSELL
How it was taken: This was taken with a remote inside the goal post. It’s a wide angle down low, just above floor level, a good perspective for basketball. I set the camera on a platform that puts it six inches off the ground and set it to trigger the same time as my handheld camera. The look: The angle makes players look larger than life, and they are already pretty big. It’s a unique look
simply because we normally are not allowed in that area to shoot. We can put a camera in there remotely but it can become a hazard as well even though it’s several feet off the baseline, if nobody is there to grab it and get it out of the way. Patience is a virtue: I used the strobes to light up the shot, and with the strobes, you get one shot every two seconds, which seems like eternity so you have to time your shot. When shooting with available light, you can shoot 10 frames a second. With a strobe, you have to be patient. More often than not, you will shoot too early rather than too late.
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She throws strikes By Rod Williamson
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JOE HOWELL
ooks are deceiving. On the surface, Robyn Renslow appears to be a soft-spoken introvert. She’s a compulsive organizer who enjoys drawing. Perhaps she is a musician or an accountant. Put her in a bowling uniform and presto—she transforms into an All-American bowler, one of the finest ever to wear the Black and Gold. In fact, she has ably handled the challenging anchor position on Vanderbilt’s highly ranked team for three years, defying certain stereotypes on her path to stardom. Typically the fifth person—the anchor—in bowling’s five-person rotation prowls the lanes with bravado. A strike in a crucial spot produces a scream, fist pumps and body language more common in basketball or football. Renslow’s idea of celebration is to simply pivot back to her teammates and give a slight move of her right arm—the kind of motion one might make after remembering a forgotten password. But inside this tranquil Californian beats the competitive spirit of a World War II spy. She’d be a good candidate for the CIA if it weren’t that she has her heart set on becoming a nurse. Just who is this anyway, the one whose calm demeanor and gifted talents have represented Vanderbilt so well for so long? Renslow grew up in Brentwood in the San Francisco Bay region, not the wealthy Los Angeles suburb. At an early age she started two things that have stayed with her—drawing and bowling. “When I was bored growing up,” Renslow recalls, “I liked to doodle. I’d pause the television and draw the cartoon characters on the screen.” She has taken several art classes at Vanderbilt including a ceramics class that she enjoyed.
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But more than art, Renslow found she was a natural in the sport of bowling. “I started in the 5-year old-league,” she says, “and by the time I was 10, I was in a scratch league. My average was higher than most and getting into a handicap tournament didn’t make sense.” By the time she was 12 she was on the NorCal Junior Bowlers Tour and became one of the youngest winners on record. Not surprisingly, she won the United States Amateur championship (also known as the Junior Gold) and the Firecracker Shootout—a major amateur championship—before arriving at Vanderbilt. Robyn planned to attend Fresno State and had originally gone to a local junior college right out of high school. She intended to continue bowling but not on an organized team until one day the youth director at her bowling center said the Vanderbilt coaches had called looking for her. She wasn’t entirely sure where Vanderbilt was located at the time but she and her mother made an official campus visit, the start of something good. She is just the fifth Commodore to be named first-team All-American, she has been the MVP at three tournaments and she has been the anchor on three of the program’s five perfect Baker games. (A Baker game is when each of the five team members handle two frames.) A strong student who plans a career in nursing, Renslow admits she looks forward to the pressure of bowling last, often with the outcome of the game hanging in the balance. Few bowlers covet that burden. “I like the rush you feel when you need to make a shot,” she says. “I love it when it comes down to the last ball. You have to be comfortable in your own skin; you have to be able to block out past shots and be confident you can produce. You can’t have regrets after you throw a shot.” Renslow credits a youth coach with teaching her that “playtime is in the settee area” and it’s time to get serious when you step onto the approach area. “On the approach I’m in a different state of mind,” Renslow says. “I may have some thoughts before I pick up my ball but after I pick it up my mind is essentially wiped clear. You rely on muscle memory.” Renslow explains her calm outward demeanor is her attempt to stay focused on the task at hand, much like a golfer needing to sink a putt. She freely admits she can and is hyped up about being organized, almost to a fault. “You should see my closet,” she says. “I’ve got black hangers, white hangers, gray hangers…all my clothes are arranged by color and type; my shoes are sorted by style, all my sweaters and shirts are hung in an exact manner, my bowling gear is together…” It doesn’t stop there. “I have my classes organized in folders and sub-folders,” she continues. “I used to rewrite my notes if they seemed sloppy. I guess office supplies are my biggest weakness—don’t take me to an Office Max and turn me loose!” There is still a month or so remaining in her college career but she already recognizes some of the life lessons competitive bowling has taught her. “How many lessons do you want to hear, I have a plethora,” she says before mentioning one that seems top of mind. “Not giving up—pushing to the end,” she continues. “Coach (John Williamson) is always saying nothing is ever as good as it seems or as bad as it appears. I’ve learned not to quit just because something is difficult.” It would seem an ideal mindset for a nurse: an organized, competitive instinct with a soothing disposition who never gives up, the attributes of a bona-fide All-American. n
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THE VU From Here
Ashley Earley
By David Dawson it’s an honor just to be in the conversation. Some of the best basketball players in the world in all of women’s basketball have come through this conference. You think about the SEC, the tradition, the professional athletes. It’s amazing.” Earley, who joined the Vanderbilt coaching staff in the summer of 2013, was an impact performer for the Commodores from 2001-05. She capped her career with an outstanding senior season in which she led the SEC in field goal percentage and offensive rebounds en route to being named an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. Earley said her long-established affiliation with the SEC—as a player, coach and even just as a fan—makes the award all the more special. “I came to Vanderbilt at age 17, but my knowledge and admiration of the SEC had started long before then,” she said. “I grew up watching the SEC teams and players— the Final Fours, the national championships, the All-Americans, the professional players. It is, was, and always will be the best conference in America.”
As a big fan of women’s college basketball from an early age, former Vanderbilt star and current assistant coach Ashley Earley watched any game that was available— whether it was the ACC, Big Ten or Sun Belt. But there was one conference that always appealed to her the most. “The SEC is home to me,” said Earley with a big smile stretching across her face. “That’s my conference. Always has been.” Last month, Earley’s adopted “home” honored her in a way she never dreamed: The conference named the former
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Vanderbilt star as a member of this year’s SEC Legends class. Earley—who compiled 1,382 points and 811 rebounds during her career with the Commodores—will be recognized with the other members of this year’s Legends Class at the 2016 SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament (March 2-6 in Jacksonville, Fla.). Each legend will be recognized during halftime of their team’s first game of the tournament. “To say this is a humbling honor would be an understatement,” said Earley. “Truthfully,
Earley did her part to ensure that the conference maintained that reputation during her playing career, as she helped Vanderbilt reach the Elite Eight in 2002 and the Sweet 16 in 2004 and 2005. The Commodores also won the SEC Tournament Championships in 2002 and 2004. Despite those numbers, Earley said she was completely surprised when she found out about being named to the Legends class. “I was approached by David Williams, our athletic director, and Candice Lee, deputy athletic director. It was a humbling experience. I felt like I was a big team player and did whatever was best for the team, the conference, my school and my program as a player and a coach. My family was very excited for me—probably even a bit more excited than I am.” ■
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March 2016
20 Hour Rule
It’s My Turn
By Rod Williamson
By Rod Williamson
F
or years the NCAA has had in place what is called the “20 Hour Rule,” which essentially limited the number of hours a studentathlete was allowed to practice, train and play during a one-week period of time so there was ample time for academics and college life. In a recent survey by the NCAA, a record 28,000 student-athletes participated and reported that the 20-Hour Rule is not working for a variety of reasons. For an NCAA focused on student-athlete welfare, this has become a major point of emphasis and it received considerable attention at the January convention. Three elements of time management, while not approved, have been heavily discussed. • The establishment of a two-week period at the conclusion of a sport season in which student-athletes have no mandatory athletic activities, allowing greater participation in academic, campus and personal endeavors. • The establishment of a policy mandating a full eight-hour period during the night without athletically related activity. • The establishment of a full day off per week during the season that addresses the impact of travel time. (A team travel day cannot be considered as the team’s off day.) Vanderbilt’s Director of Athletics David Williams is a proponent of changing the 20-Hour Rule. “It is unfortunate that we weren’t able to pass any modifications on time demands at this convention,” he said. “However, I’m convinced that the 65 member schools in the autonomy group are committed to working with our student-athletes to establish concrete and comprehensive measures addressing time demands at next year’s convention.” ■
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djacent to this column is a brief article about the NCAA’s concern to put a sensible limit on the amount of time coaches can demand of their student-athletes. Opinions differ but the goal is laudable, especially in the eyes of the student-athletes, who rightfully feel in some cases that too much of their time is being expected. The national conversation had barely begun when a high-profile football coach announced he was taking his entire team to Florida for spring break. So much for keeping in tune; the Southeastern Conference was among the many that objected. To be clear, there is nothing illegal about hauling a team south in the off-season. Sure, it’s against the grain of thinking but when did that stop ultra-competitive coaches from trying to separate their program from the masses? No doubt it will be highlighted in their upcoming recruiting pitches and it caught the media’s buzz. This is but one of the worrisome examples since the NCAA membership voted a year ago This environment to allow five so-called “Power is enhanced by your Conferences” autonomy to make involvement. certain decisions that were to be student-athlete oriented—things such as full cost-of-attendance or improved dining options that were being held back because smaller institutions simply couldn’t afford them and voted new ideas down. On some levels this is a wonderful step forward as it allows those that can afford to do so the chance to treat students as they have wanted to for years. But it also cracks the door for a runaway game of “Can You Top This?” that some believe will only get worse. Many administrators saw this coming and feared their vision. A handful of super-powers have the financial means to do just about anything they want to do but not all members of the Power 5 have the same financial clout. Vanderbilt’s athletic budget is among the smallest in this group. A recent report discovered that there is a football coach whose yearly income exceeds the annual network revenue of the entire Mid-American Conference! One Power 5 member’s budget is more than the combined budgets of the entire Mountain West Conference. Yikes! Financial might doesn’t necessarily make right. Vanderbilt has one of the leading advocates for core intercollegiate values. Our administrators have been among the national leaders in the conversation to provide opportunities on and off the fields of play for true student-athletes. With the enormous sums of money being kicked around, it is understandable that the average fan might believe their support no longer matters. Wrong! Your attendance at games or gifts to our annual fund will always carry a meaningful impact. I sometimes worry for future sports fans, hoping the essence of the college athletic model that I’ve so enjoyed for decades will endure. This environment is enhanced by your involvement. I’ve heard my elders fret for years about scary issues that somehow get corrected. We have always found a way to make things work. Let’s stay optimistic and involved so that future deserving generations still have chances to improve their lives and our grandkids can enjoy the thrills and satisfaction that accompany association with the good old alma mater. ■
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My Game
Courtney Clayton By David Dawson
I
t’s hard to say which is more impressive— the skill Courtney Clayton displays when she’s on the track or the determination she shows when she’s off it. The junior from Roscoe, Ill., has been sidelined by multiple injuries during her career at Vanderbilt, but has still managed to make a huge impact on the program, including setting the school record in the 800 for both indoor (with a time of 2:05.26) and outdoor (2:05.52). Clayton is currently recovering from a bone fracture in her leg, but is slated to return for the upcoming outdoor season. Commodore Nation: Let’s talk a little bit about your school records. What did it feel like to put your name in the Vanderbilt record book?
Courtney: I was so ecstatic to get the records because I know it’s something that not many people get to experience, especially in their first couple years of college. At the time, I knew how bad I wanted it and I knew there were expectations for me to get it. So I was really happy when I got the records—and I’m still ecstatic about it now. I am really looking forward to trying to break (the records) this year during outdoor and next year during indoor. Commodore Nation: What were your emotions and your mindset after you suffered another injury in December? Courtney: I really came back hungry (after Christmas break). Even though I’m injured, I’m still working hard because I know that just because I’m injured, it doesn’t mean I can’t come back strong and have a great outdoor season. Commodore Nation: The Vanderbilt track team has really begun to make a name for itself in recent seasons. How cool is it to be part of a program on the rise and to know you are helping lay the foundation for future success? Courtney: I think it’s so awesome to have come in with a class that has the potential to really do some special things. I look up to the older girls and to the girls that are my age, and even the freshmen, because everyone in the program is a top-tier ath-
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lete. I hope that the freshmen also look up to us and see all the hard work we put in and know that one day all their hard work is going to pay off, too. Commodore Nation: What’s it like to be chasing your own school records? Courtney: Well, it’s kind of like racing against myself (laughs), but at the same time, I am trying to stay up with all the top competitors in the SEC.
Commodore Nation: What is a day like when you’re not running? Or is there ever such a day? Courtney: I’ll take a day or two off every once in a while. (laughs). We all do, just depending on how our bodies feel. … And for me, if I do get a day off, I’ll go to school, obviously, and do my work. If I don’t have practice at 2:30, I’ll either go to my room and watch Netflix or hang out with some friends and maybe go shopping. Just take it easy and really relax on the day that they give us. Commodore Nation: What sports besides track do you enjoy? Courtney: In high school I did volleyball and cross country. I really like watching all the other sports, especially at Vanderbilt because we’re surrounded by athletes all the time and you get to become friends with them. Getting to know people, learning about their sport, and then getting to watch them compete is really awesome. I like supporting all the other teams. Commodore Nation: When did you first get the nickname “Coco”? And is there a story behind it? Courtney: During my freshman year of high school, my friends would call me “Co.” And then eventually, that got changed to “Coco Puff.” So then it got shortened to Coco. When I got to college, I told my teammates about the nickname and they picked it up. Commodore Nation: How has your experience at Vanderbilt been thus far? Courtney: Coming in as a freshman, I had a lot of high expectations for myself. And truthfully, I was hoping to reach those goals faster than they’ve actually happened. Even though I’ve set some records and done some good things on the track, I’ve been injured a few times, and that can be a challenge, especially mentally. … Last year, during my sophomore indoor season, is when things started to take off (when she set the school records in the 800), but since then, I’ve had a couple of injuries again. So I am just looking forward to what’s ahead for me—and for our team. n
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