Summer 2014
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CONTENTS P.8
P.14
Last guys in
National Champs
Even though they were among the last to receive scholarships, Andrew East, Joe Townsend and C.J. Duncan have capitalized on their opportunities.
With a torrid run through the postseason, the Commodores captured the program’s first national championship.
P.16 Golden moments Look back at the baseball team’s brightest moments from their run to the national championship.
P.2 Compliance Corner
P.3 National Commodore Club
P.7 P.11
Inside McGugin
Alumnus connection
P.21
Former Vanderbilt golfer Ryan Grant serves as an integral part of Parker Executive Search, which helped in the hiring of two current VU coaches.
P.12 Pullout poster Your Commodores are the 2014 college baseball national champions! Remember the first men’s national championship in school history with this commemorative poster.
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VU From Here Assistant sports information director David Dawson
P.23 It’s my turn Rod Williamson’s monthly column
P.18 Coach’s Handbook Baseball coach Tim Corbin talks about delivering the Commodores their first national championship in a men’s sport.
P.21 Summer days Senior Cherrelle Jarrett kept busy this past summer with international travel, internships and soccer.
P.24 My Game Vanderbilt men’s basketball standout Damian Jones
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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COMPLIANCE
CORNER
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Summer 2014
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ANCHOR DOWN
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Vanderbilt’s 2014 football season kicks off Aug. 28. Join us all season to cheer on the Commodores!
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Inside McGugin
By The Numbers
Notes from the athletic department
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l Simone Charley capped off a sensational freshman season by finishing ninth in the triple jump at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June in Eugene, Ore. Charley earned All-American Second Team honors with her leap of 42-7—the third-longest mark of her career. Charley broke the school record five times during her freshman campaign, including the high mark of 43-1 at the NCAA East Preliminary. A two-sport athlete, Charley also was named SEC All-Freshman during the 2013 soccer season and heads into this fall
as the Commodores’ top returning scorer. In July, she returned to Eugene for the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships, where she finished third with a personal-best of 43-2.5. Her teammate Sarah Goodale competed in the heptathlon at the USATF Junior Outdoor Combined Events Championship.
Number of former ‘Dores playing in the Major Leagues this summer. In addition to David Price, Pedro Alvarez, Mike Minor, Sonny Gray, Mike Baxter, Ryan Flaherty and Nick Christiani, Taylor Hill, Drew VerHagen and Curt Casali made their big league debuts this season.
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or the fifth straight year, Vanderbilt improved its finish in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings. The Commodores finished 45th overall with 500.75 points. They jumped up seven spots in the final standings thanks to the baseball team’s national championship, which earned 100 points. A sensational spring season boosted the Commodores, who received 337.75 points from the baseball, men’s and women’s golf teams and men’s and women’s tennis teams. It was the school’s highest finish since placing 33rd in 2007. VU’s best mark remains 28th in 2004.
Freshman Simone Charley finished ninth in the triple jump at the NCAA Championships.
l Beginning with the 2015 season, the Vanderbilt lacrosse team will compete in the BIG EAST Conference. Vanderbilt and Florida will be new members of the BIG EAST, joining Cincinnati, Connecticut, Georgetown, Marquette, Temple and Villanova. Vanderbilt and Florida had been in the American Lacrosse Conference, which dissolved in May after 13 years. n
Finish for Vanderbilt athletics in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings, the school’s best finish since 2007.
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Number of Vanderbilt student-athletes named to the 2014 Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll. Every spring sport—along with men’s and women’s cross country—had at least four representatives. Lacrosse led the way with 18 student-athletes, while the national championship-winning baseball team had 12 on the honor roll.
Calendar
August Events
August 29 Off and running The Vanderbilt cross country teams get rolling at nearby Percy Warner Park with the Belmont Opener. The women’s team looks to build off a strong 2013 season that included a fifth-place finish at the SEC Championships and the program’s second trip to the NCAA Championships.
August 22 ’Dores open on the pitch The 2014 women’s soccer season begins at home against Mercer. The Commodores, led by fourthyear head coach Derek Greene, return 23 players from 2013 and will play nine home games at the VU Lacrosse/Soccer Complex.
August 28 Derek Mason era begins Vanderbilt opens the 2014 football season—and the coach Derek Mason era—at home against Temple. The game will kick off at 8:15 p.m. and will be one of the first two football games aired on the new SEC Network. This marks the third straight year the Commodores have started a season on a Thursday night in front of a national TV audience.
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Last guys in Football trio make most of final scholarship offers by Jerome Boettcher
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ational Signing Day came and went, and Andrew East was without a college football scholarship. The calendar flipped to March, his high school days nearing an end and his college future murky. He was nearly ready to make a decision and join his brother on the football team at Division III Wheaton College near Chicago. Then the phone rang one Friday night. It was either late March or early April 2010. East can’t remember. But what he does remember is hearing the voice of then-head football coach Bobby Johnson on the line, offering him a full scholarship to Vanderbilt. After the stunning death of top recruit Rajaan Bennett just a month before, Johnson and the Commodores had a scholarship available. “I think it is completely God’s will that I’m here,” East says now, as he enters his fifth year at Vanderbilt. “Usually by March (of your senior year) even kids who aren’t playing sports know where they’re going (to college). But it was crazy. Everything fell in place. I think for sure I’m here to honor (Bennett), and I try to do my best. You always got to be grateful. I don’t think coming out of high school I would have ever dreamed of starting 36 games. Definitely God’s will.” Their circumstances may be different, but two of East’s Vanderbilt teammates were in the same boat late in the recruiting process. When C.J. Duncan signed his National Letter of Intent he didn’t have a scholarship sewn up. Hendersonville native Joe Townsend didn’t receive a scholarship offer until the night before signing day. They were the last guys in. But once the door opened, they pounced on the opportunity. “It was a humbling experience because everybody wants a full scholarship,” Duncan said. “It just makes you mentally tough. You want to keep your head down, working hard. And just play with a chip on your shoulder.” Duncan arrived at a Vanderbilt football camp the summer before his senior year of high school. He was pleased with his performance, as were the coaches. But the 2013 signing class—though it wouldn’t be inked on paper for another seven months—was nearly completed. At the time, there wasn’t a scholarship to offer to Duncan, who played a variety of positions, namely quarterback and safety, at St. James School in Montgomery, Ala. “I stayed on their radar, kept in touch,” Duncan
Vanderbilt center Joe Townsend was named to the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list for the award given annually to the nation’s best center. The Hendersonville native has started 22 games over the past two years at center. But Townsend didn’t get offered a scholarship to Vanderbilt until the day before National Signing Day.
said. “(Former Vanderbilt coach James) Franklin told me when I came to my official (visit), ‘I don’t bring guys to officials that I haven’t offered but I want you to come. As soon as something opens up, you’re going to have it. I just don’t have anything open right now.’” Duncan also received scholarship offers from Arkansas State, Southern Mississippi and Troy. But he believed Vanderbilt was special enough to hold out for, even if a scholarship wasn’t in hand. “I felt like this was the right fit for me and the type of person I am and how I kind of grew up,” he said. “Being in the private school system
most of my life and having parents that demand academics, I felt like this was my type of school. I liked the energy around here, where it was taking off. Having the opportunity to change the reputation around here, having my fingerprints on things, being a part of it, that’s exciting. That’s what made Vandy pretty attractive.” So on National Signing Day 2013, Duncan signed a national letter of intent to play for the Commodores. He was expecting to have to gray-shirt—he’d miss the 2013 season and enroll in January of 2014, when his scholarship would begin.
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But it never reached that point. Even before he stepped on campus last fall, he received a full scholarship offer. He redshirted the 2013 season but continued to impress the coaches with his athleticism, even playing the role of Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel on the scout team the week before playing Texas A&M. First-year coach Derek Mason switched him to wide receiver during spring drills, and the 5-foot11 Duncan hopes to play a big role this season. “I’m excited for this year. I feel a lot more prepared now than I did coming in,” he said. “In the SEC, at this level, you have to be prepared mentally and physically. If it’s not both, then you will be exposed. Being able to sit back and learn the game a lot more and become stronger and faster and really learning from the likes of Jordan Matthews and Jonathan Krause as mentors, it really did help.” Townsend was ready to sign with Middle Tennessee State, but Vanderbilt was always his first choice. He grew up a Commodore fan, as his aunt was a season ticket holder. He wore the black and gold colors while playing on the offensive line for Hendersonville High. But Vanderbilt hadn’t offered him a scholarship. Then James Franklin, who had been on the job less than two months, got hold of some film of Townsend and asked him into his office two days before signing day. The next day, Townsend had an offer from his dream school. Entering his fourth year (he redshirted in 2011), he has grown into a solid piece for the offensive line. He has started 22 games at center the past two years and was named to the preseason watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is presented to the nation’s top center. “It was a no-brainer. I switched that morning,” Townsend said of his college decision. “I chose Vanderbilt. It is always where I wanted to be. It is definitely a dream come true.” Before every game, East bows his head and says a prayer in honor of Rajaan Bennett. Once a year, East calls Bennett’s mother, Narjaketha. Every summer, before camp, East reads his copy of “Strength.” It is an essay Bennett wrote weeks before he was killed in his Georgia home protecting his mother and brother. East never met Rajaan. But his death allowed him to come to Vanderbilt on a full ride. He makes sure he doesn’t take the opportunity for granted.
C.J. Duncan, right, tries to haul in a pass as teammate Taurean Ferguson defends during the Black and Gold Spring Game in April. Duncan signed a national letter of intent with the Commodores in 2013 despite not having a full scholarship in hand. His faith and patience paid off as he received a full ride before he even stepped on campus.
“Obviously it was mixed emotions,” he said. “Here I was excited to go to Vanderbilt and pursue my dream of playing D-I football. But at the same time, I have Rajaan, who I try to honor in the way I play, in the way I work in my time here at Vanderbilt. It has been a really cool process of me just trying to honor him. He was such a leader, such a great football player.” East played defensive end and linebacker at North Central High School in Indianapolis. He was also a three-year starter at long snapper. His father was the long snapper at Purdue. His brother snapped at Wheaton College. “It is kind of a family business now,” East joked.
A late addition to the 2010 signing class, Andrew East has started 36 games at longsnapper the past three seasons.
Recruited by then-Vanderbilt linebackers coach Warren Belin, East believed he would get a chance at linebacker. When he got to campus, he realized long snapping was his ticket to playing time. “The last four years have been a continually humbling experience,” he said. “Long snapper, nobody interviews you. It is not a glorious (position). Nobody really knows your name. I’ve loved it, and I’m so grateful to be here. I never would have dreamed of this. Now I’m working toward my fifth year. I’m trying to train for the next level. It’s crazy. You know?” When the season ends, East will turn his focus to training for a possible career in the NFL—as a long snapper. But he’ll also have two degrees to fall back on. This past May, he earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. Next May, he’ll receive his master’s degree in business administration. Five years ago he wasn’t sure if Vanderbilt would be in his future. Instead, the university is helping mold his future. “I’ll walk out of here in five years with two degrees,” he said. “It’s really been a huge blessing to be here. I’m very grateful for my experience.” n
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Vanderbilt alum gives back through search firm by Jerome Boettcher
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STEVE GREEN
or Ryan Grant, Vanderbilt University offered more than an education. It offered a gateway. The institution provided him a chance to play collegiate golf, earn a double major in economics and human and organizational development, strengthened his case to pursue professional golf and prepared him for the days after golf. “Vanderbilt set me up for success,” Grant said, “and just prepared me for life beyond being a student-athlete and being a professional athlete. It prepared me for the real world. I took so many life lessons away.” Fortunately for Grant, he’s been able to return the favor. Grant has spent the last four years as Parker Executive Search’s vice president and managing director of corporate searches. Athletics director David Williams and Vanderbilt have utilized the Atlanta-based search firm in the search processes for the last two football coaches and men’s golf coach. “For me it is a way to pay it forward,” Grant said. In 2001, Grant graduated from Vanderbilt with magna cum laude honors after a four-year golf career. Sharing the course with future PGA Tour member and teammate Brandt Snedeker for two years, Grant also pursued professional golf. For six years, he traveled the world and played on the Canadian Tour, European Challenge Tour, Nationwide Tour and the South American Tour. Once that chapter in his life was Former Vanderbilt golfer Ryan Grant, finished, he worked as the director of left, with athletic director David Williams at the opening of the golf business development for Nantucket house at Vanderbilt Legends Club. Island Resorts. Four years ago, he joined Parker Executive Search. While Grant oversees corporate searches, Parker assists numerous universities and athletic departments, including Georgia Tech, Iowa State, LSU, Mississippi State, North Carolina State and Texas A&M. Grant recently helped the College Football Hall of Fame hire its executive team. In 2010 Vanderbilt contacted Dan Parker, the president of Parker Executive Search to spearhead the search for Vanderbilt’s next football coach, when James Franklin was hired. Less than two years later, Grant, having a vested interest as a former Vanderbilt golfer, formed a list of candidates and struck up an interview committee, which included Brandt Snedeker and local business executive Toby Wilt, for the hiring of men’s golf coach Scott Limbaugh. This past January, Daniel Parker, vice president and managing director for sports and Grant were again assisting Williams, chancellor Nick Zeppos and Vanderbilt donors in replacing Franklin. Less than a week after Franklin departed, Derek Mason was hired as football coach. “Those guys (at Parker Executive Search) do a really good job. They’re passionate about what they’re doing,” said Wilt, a former Vanderbilt football player and golfer who is the chairman of Christie Cookie Company. “I think they’re building themselves a real good national reputation—they’ve got a good one to start with. But they sure have provided us some good coaches at Vanderbilt.” In the hiring of Limbaugh, Grant met with Williams, senior administrator Candice Lee and the search committee, which consisted of several donors, and created a list of candidates. Grant makes the phone calls and “recruits” potential head coaches to see if they fit into Vanderbilt’s mission. He then presents a pool of candidates to the search committee.
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The finalists for the job meet with Williams, the search committee and Grant—in the case of the football searches, the interviews were conducted in Atlanta, while the golf finalists met at the McGugin Center. More than compiling a list of candidates, Grant says that Parker Executive Search stresses integrity and confidentiality. It’s his job to make sure names aren’t leaked to the media, allowing proper management of the process. “That’s where we really pride ourselves,” he said. “It is exciting to bring great leaders (university administrators and athletic directors) that are shaping programs into our office—then partner with them. Obviously, we don’t hire coaches. Universities and athletic departments do. It is a privilege to be a part of it. Our goal is to bring ease and efficiency to the process that can be extremely complicated and time consuming.” And for Grant, it is extra special knowing he played a role in boosting Vanderbilt athletics. In three years, Franklin took the Commodores to an unprecedented three bowls and back-to-back nine-win seasons. In two years under Limbaugh, Vanderbilt has won five team golf championships, had three top medalists and, this past season, reached the NCAA Championship for the first time in seven years. With Mason, the Commodores hired an up-and-coming defensive coordinator who helped lead Stanford to four straight BCS bowls. “I bleed black and gold,” Grant said. “I know what amazing individuals are shaped and formed at Vanderbilt, truly great leaders, not only the U.S. but around the world. It is a privilege being a part of it. I just love getting a chance to give back.” n
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CHAMPS! Photo by John Russell
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Vanderbilt 3, Virginia 2 June 25, 2014
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Shortstop Vince Conde, far left, flies into celebrate with his teammates, from left to right, Dansby Swanson, Adam Ravenelle, Karl Ellison, Zander Wiel and Tyler Ferguson after Ravenelle struck out Virginia’s Daniel Pinero for the final out of the College World Series, clinching the national championship.
Black & Gold Crown: Commodores gel at right time
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n 1886, Vanderbilt University’s first baseball team took the field. One hundred and twenty-eight years later, the Commodores finally captured a prize that had been eluding them since the dawn of the program—a national championship. On June 25, 2014, Adam Ravenelle struck out Virginia’s Daniel Pinero for the final out of the College World Series, setting off a frenzy in Omaha, Nashville and throughout the Black & Gold universe. The next day, at a celebration gathering in front of 4,000 jubilant Commodore fans who squeezed into the multipurpose indoor facility, VU head coach Tim Corbin said that he didn’t get much sleep because he didn’t want to wake up and find out it was a cruel dream. It was very real.
Starting pitcher Carson Fulmer kisses the national championship trophy as hitting coach Travis Jewett (back left) celebrates with his wife.
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The Commodores are national champions. For the first time in a men’s sport in school history, Vanderbilt can stake this claim. The 2007 national champion women’s bowling team has company. “I don’t want anyone to stop the dream,” Corbin said. “I’m just happy for the kids and the university. There is a toughness team character trait that grew within this team. It took a while to grow, but I think they realized if it did they could be in a situation like this.” Two months before, the Commodores were a team at a crossroads. After winning 23 straight regular-season series, including 15 in the SEC, in a streak that dated back to the 2012 season, Vanderbilt lost two games to Mississippi State. Then the Commodores dropped three straight series to Tennessee, Texas A&M and Arkansas. On April 20, they sat at 8-10 in the SEC, struggling with channeling consistency and scrounging up runs. So what happened? “A group of personalities grew together, and maturation was reached at the right time,” Corbin said. “That’s exactly what happened.” Looking back, a series of turning points boosted the Commodores. Though they lost the Arkansas series, Corbin and the coaching staff came away optimistic thanks to Carson Fulmer, who threw six scoreless innings in his first career start. “Even though we lost it, we found another pitcher who could stabilize our staff—that was
JOE HOWELL
by Jerome Boettcher
Pitcher Tyler Beede catches a ball from a fan to sign autographs before game three against Virginia.
Carson Fulmer,” Corbin said. “I do think it was a turning point. I can remember vividly on that Monday after coming back from that series, using Mississippi State as an example of a team that was at exactly the same point we were. They left our facility a year ago limping with the same record, and they ended up getting to the College World Series (championship series).” Moving the fiery right-hander out of the bullpen proved to ignite a spark as he followed up his starting debut with nine scoreless innings and just four hits allowed in a victory over Florida the next week. The next day, the Commodores unloaded offensively for 16 runs to take the series from the eventual SEC regular-season champs. The second turning point didn’t look like much of a good thing at the time. After losing their final series to South Carolina, the Commodores made an atypical early exit from the SEC Tournament (as the sixth seed), knocked out by Friday afternoon. For a team so accustomed to
John Norwood’s dramatic solo home run in the top of the eighth inning of a tied ballgame against Virginia was just his third of the season. The game-winning homer propelled the Commodores to their first national championship in a men’s sport.
“It gave us a mental relief,” Corbin said. “It was a chance to rejuvenate ourselves.” And what a month it was. The Nashville Regional started with Tyler Beede taking the mound and setting the tone for 25 dominant innings by Vanderbilt starting pitching that weekend with a career-high 14 strikeouts against Xavier. The three-game sweep of the regional championship ended with Ro Coleman’s dramatic walk-off single that capped a rally against Oregon. Relief pitching took the baton in the Super Regional with stellar performances by Tyler Ferguson, Brian Miller and Hayden Stone. That series against Stanford also highlighted the Commodores’ resilience. After losing on a walk-off homer the night before, Vanderbilt won its first of three elimination games during the postseason. Two innings of offensive outbursts and six innings of baffling pitching by Stone pushed the Commodores into their second College World Series. Then Omaha provided enough storylines for its own season. Fulmer’s three gutsy starts. Tyler Campbell’s emergence. The bullpen stepping into dicey situations and providing unflappable relief. Staving off elimination against Texas. Campbell’s walk-off
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infield single to clinch a spot in the finals. Bryan Reynolds not playing like a freshman. Dansby Swanson stepping up as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Rhett Wiseman’s catch against Texas—and then again against Virginia. Adam Ravenelle’s three saves. And, of course, John Norwood’s game-winning, national-championship-sealing home run. “It was a team that at some point during the season you didn’t even know if they would be able to catch themselves,” Corbin said. “As the season progressed you could see this maturity take over and say, ‘This team is finally feeling it. It’s not too late.’” Better late than never. In 2013, the Commodores tied a school record with 54 wins, set a new mark with 26 SEC wins and earned the No. 2 national seed. It was a team with six draft picks—all taken in the first 14 rounds—that many believed was Vanderbilt’s best shot at winning a national championship. The 2014 squad, by contrast, was still talented, but young. This was a team with only two players who had been on the 2011 squad that reached the program’s first College World Series. And neither had made the trip to Omaha that season. Vanderbilt was replacing five position players and its Friday night starting pitcher. Contending for a national championship seemed possible eventually with this bunch, but not this quickly. When the pieces came together, however, the ‘Dores wouldn’t be denied. It started with Beede, a kid who turned down $2.5 million out of high school because he wanted the Vanderbilt experience and education and he wanted to win a national championship. Fulmer’s competitiveness forced him into the starting rotation and stoked the flames. Walker Buehler and Tyler Ferguson blossomed during their sophomore campaigns and fired first-round caliber stuff on the mound. Hayden Stone, a freshman, stayed calm and collected in relief, while Miller used his experience out of the pen. Reynolds belted out a Freshman All-Amer-
Rhett Wiseman signals one out after he tracked down an extra-base hit in the 10th inning against Texas. John Norwood jogs to retrieve Wiseman’s hat.
ican season. Swanson, also an All-American, developed into a leader by setting the tone at the plate and displaying tremendous range at second base. Wiseman brought a consistent bat and reliable glove to right field. A committee of catchers grew up. Vince Conde, another AllAmerican, was a vacuum at shortstop, earning a Rawlings/ABCA Gold Glove. Campbell rose to the occasion. And Norwood matured into a power hitter who came up with the year’s biggest hit. Guided by Corbin and his staff, this team conjured up a “perfect storm” at the absolute best time. After 128 years, the Commodores finally have their crown. “I look back last year, my first day here I knew that I got into something very, very, very special,” Fulmer said. “I look at all my teammates as my brothers. I look at coach (Corbin), our pitching coach (Scott Brown) as father figures. Words can’t describe this experience. It is something we’ve always dreamed about doing as a team, and we finally accomplished it.” n
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reaching the SEC championship game (four times in the previous five years) a short stay appeared to be a bad omen. Instead, Corbin said having two extra days to rest and decompress might have been a blessing in disguise heading into the NCAA Tournament.
Center fielder John Norwood is greeted by his teammates at home plate after he crushed the go-ahead and nationalchampionship clinching home run against Virginia.
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RUNNING WILD The Commodores wreaked havoc on the base paths. In 13 postseason games, they stole 29 bases. Seventeen came in Omaha, tying a College World Series record. Base running forced the issue throughout. Vanderbilt scored their first run of the final game against Virginia thanks to a double steal that forced an errant throw. In contrast, Vanderbilt’s opponents stole just one base against the ‘Dores all postseason.
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THE POSTSEASON’S GOLDEN MOMENTS
WISEMAN’S CATCH Rhett Wiseman turned on the jets to chase down a definite extra-base hit for a huge first out in the top of the 10th in the decisive game against Texas. C.J. Hinojosa sent a gapper to deep right field, but Wiseman raced toward the wall, losing his hat in the process, extended his glove and made the snag before falling on the warning track. The catch snuffed out any Texas momentum. Wiseman then stoked the Commodores’ rally in the bottom half with a two-out single and then scored the game-winning run on Tyler Campbell’s walk-off infield single.
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JOE HOWELL
JOHN PETERSON
FULMER’S PRESENCE With his rec specs, his locks flowing, his workman-like approach and arsenal of nasty pitches to foil batters, Carson Fulmer provided a fiery, yet calming presence for the Commodores. The hard-throwing right-hander did not lose any of his five starts in the postseason. On only three days rest the sophomore took the mound against Virginia with a title on the line. He threw 103 pitches, struck out five and allowed only three hits and one earned run in 5 1/3 innings.
TYLER CAMPBELL STEPS UP Thrust into a starting role on the biggest stage, Tyler Campbell provided one of the best storylines of the CWS. With just 15 prior at-bats during the season, Campbell collected five of his season’s seven hits in Omaha. Coach Tim Corbin called Campbell’s basesloaded, walk-off infield single in the 10th inning against Texas the defining moment of the CWS for the Commodores. He then set the tone in the first game against Virginia with a three-run double in a nine-run third inning.
STARTERS, RELIEVERS SHARE THE LOAD Starting pitching and relief pitching took their turns in lifting the Commodores. In the Regional, Tyler Beede, Carson Fulmer and Walker Buehler combined for 25 dominant innings, 27 strikeouts and only four runs allowed. The bullpen snagged the baton, starting in the Super Regional with Tyler Ferguson, Jared Miller Brian Miller and Hayden Stone throwing 12 innings of one-run ball against Stanford. The relievers again were the story in the CWS. Buehler and Brian Miller threw crucial extending innings while John Kilichowski helped thwart a Virginia rally in game one. In the final game, Stone took over for Carson Fulmer before Adam Ravenelle, pictured above, closed out the national championship with a six-out save. It was his third save of the season, with all three coming in the CWS.
JOHN RUSSELL
JOHN RUSSELL
STEVE GREEN
RO WALKS OFF Diminutive Ro Coleman delivered one of the biggest hits of the tournament. His bases-loaded, walk-off single through the left side of the field in the ninth against Oregon sent the Commodores on to the Super Regional in dramatic fashion. The freshman received a warm celebration from his teammates and was mobbed in right field.
JOHN RUSSELL
WINNING FOR CORBS Tim Corbin watched from afar as his team celebrated a national championship. But his players wanted him in the party. Tyler Beede raced over to hand him the national championship trophy, and the team eventually lifted him on their shoulders. Adamant to win this one for coach, Dansby Swanson referred to him as a second dad. It was a fitting tribute to a man who has turned the Commodores into a national power.
DANSBY’S LEADERSHIP As the postseason wore on, Dansby Swanson revved up. The second baseman grew into a leader and guided the Commodores as a sparkplug in the leadoff spot and a vacuum in the field, sucking up would-be hits. The rising star, who missed most of 2013 with an injury, capped off his All-American season with a tremendous effort in Omaha. He cranked out 10 hits (which tied for the CWS lead) three doubles, stole four bases and scored five runs as he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
NORWOOD’S BLAST A Major League swing on a 97-mph fastball up and in cemented John Norwood’s place in Vanderbilt history. The junior broke up a tie ballgame in the eighth, rocketing a 1-0 pitch from first-round pick Nick Howard into the bullpen over left field. His solo shot—Vandy’s first homer since May 16—sealed the Commodores to their first national championship.
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Coach’s Handbook: Head baseball coach Tim Corbin In 2003, Tim Corbin, after spending nine years as an assistant at Clemson, took over the reins at Vanderbilt. A native of Wolfeboro, N.H., Corbin quickly began to build the Commodores into a national power. In his 12th season, they transformed into national champions.
I remember when we first started playing regular-season games here in 2003. I remember the moments at the end of the season, the Tennessee series and Worth (Scott’s) home run and the progressions that happened after that. In 2004, we get to a Super Regional. We’re two games away from going to Omaha. We may have moved too fast. 2005 was a little bit lean. And then after that it is progressions of getting good players and momentum of the program surging forward to the point where in 2007 we started to captivate the community a little bit in terms of, “OK, Vanderbilt might be a little bit real here in baseball.” We get (David) Price, (Pedro) Alvarez, (Sonny) Gray, (Casey) Weathers and (Mike) Minor and so on. Now look at this point, having gone to Omaha, winning a national championship, I think some times it is a little bit hard to believe. When our team was greeted inside of the fieldhouse I felt like, “OK, we’ve finally done something. This is not a joke anymore. People are actually showing up to meet these kids.” That’s when I knew we had done something special. When did you get to that point where you thought winning a national championship was possible? When we were inside of it. I don’t think you think national championship game until you’re actually in it. I think it is too big of a sports monster. As a basketball coach, getting to the Final Four, and then when you finally win it to get to the final one. I think then and only then do you know that we can win a national championship. I think that’s how we felt after we won game one—that this is attainable. It is only nine innings away. Although we didn’t speak in those terms right there, everyone is realizing that is a possibility. Omaha… At the midpoint of the season did you still think that was a possibility? I think you always have to. Because you’re in a conference that can sometimes dilute your feelings of your team. That’s the toughest part of coaching in the SEC, keeping your own ego. Even though you may be losing games, knowing that you still have a good team in front of you, I think all the kids knew that. We kept telling them that,
Summer 2014
Shortstop Vince Conde talks to head coach Tim Corbin before the third and final game against Virginia. Corbin, in 12 years as head coach, has guided the Commodores to 10 NCAA Tournaments, five Super Regionals, two College World Series and one national championship—the first in a men’s sport at Vanderbilt.
“Hey this is a good team. Don’t fool yourselves.” Even though we dropped some games here we felt like we were capable of making a run. Now did we feel like we could play this out the way it played out? I don’t know if anyone could do that. But I felt like we could play deep into the season. After Adam Ravenelle struck out the last batter, what do you remember? After he threw the pitch, I never saw anything. It felt like you got hit with a punch—a good punch. After that, everything is a blur. It is celebrating with the coaches and staff right inside the dugout. Then it is gaining your bearings and walking out on the field and shaking hands with Brian O’Connor and the (Virginia) coaches. Then it is finally turning your attention to the kids and watching what they’re doing. When he threw that strikeout pitch, the next time I saw the kids they all had white T-shirts on. So it was a different visual for me. I’m watching the last pitch, I never see them again and then the next time I look I go, “Holy cow, they’ve already got championship T-shirts on and hats.” What was the defining moment of the College World Series? The defining moment had to be the last inning against Texas, I think for us. Just to realize that we beat Texas after they beat us and that game putting us in the national championship series. That, to me, was the defining moment of our group. It felt like a young kid (Tyler Campbell), who was asked to step in and play. For him to get that hit, to celebrate the hit, game-winning RBI. I felt like things were moving in the right direction. I felt like at that point we had some good mojo.
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JOE HOWELL
Do you allow yourself time to realize how far you’ve come, how far the program has come?
What was that moment like to have your wife, Maggie, and stepdaughters (Molly and Hannah), celebrating with you?
What intangibles contributed to this team winning a national championship? There was a mental toughness component of their team that certainly grew. It was not there at the beginning of the year, I can assure you of that. We lost too many of those kids last year. They were older kids. This team had to grow into it. It wasn’t in their skill package. It was something they had to attain. They had to attain it growing through experiences—losing, winning, investment. When they gained that, the team became more confident. You could see better things starting to happen. The energy was all directed in that way. It was a perfect storm. It was a storm that came together, and it grew. I felt at the end of the year they weren’t going to let this moment go.
JOE HOWELL
It was great that your girls would be that interested in what their stepdad does to follow him and be there. They walked away from their jobs, and that wasn’t easy. To celebrate with your family. I don’t think anything is really worthy if you don’t have your family there to celebrate there with you. It only gets heightened because they share your emotions, and then your Tim Corbin celebrates with his stepemotions together become heightdaughters, Molly, left, and Hannah, a former VU tennis player. ened because everyone feels good for one another. I feel good for Maggie. The girls feel good for me. I feel good for the girls. All the emotions come together. It is certainly a great moment for the family to be there.
How much did seeing 4,000 fans at the celebration mean to you? It was great to see their eyes and great to see their emotion. They could jump onto this moment and share it with the kids and know there is a gold lining. There is something good that can happen after all. We got off the bus, and there are people who are greeting you and they’re actually crying and shaking your hand. That is fulfilling. To be a part of something that other people feel so emotional about is great, and it’s great they can share it. I am happy. I am happy for (the Voice of the Commodores) Joe Fisher. I’m happy for everyone who has worked here for years. A girl like (administrative assistant) Beverly Brothers—people who have given their heart and soul to Vanderbilt and, at the same time, may never have been able to celebrate something from an athletic standpoint. There has been many celebrations. That is not to minimize the strength of any other program here. Just the ability to finish something off and have a national championship title associated with it is good for a lot of people. It stimulates a fan base. It stimulates a university. I’m not saying athletics is everything to an university, but it is a part. And it certainly makes people feel good. n
Was this a culmination of the past 12 years?
DONN JONES
JOE HOWELL
We don’t get to this point unless several progressions have happened before us. We could have been at this point with other teams, it just didn’t happen. This is a program that has continued to build and get stronger and stronger, and there is more consistency that has been built inside of it. You talk about all the coaches and all the players that have been at Vanderbilt at least in the last 12 years since I’ve been here. I think the thing I’m proudest about is how consistent we’ve been. We haven’t had many years where we’ve just slipped. We’ve been within that 35, 40, 45-win plateau. We’ve been able to get to a Regional. I think that before this year, Maggie says every year ends in a heartbreak. But every year ends in a heartbreak because we get to the final game. We get to the final moment. That in itself is a strength of where our program is to this point. Just being able to play deep into the season and get to the final game. Win, lose, draw—just being there. It is so difficult to finish off and win. That’s why I consider ourselves very, very fortunate to be able to do that.
Tim Corbin and the Commodores return home from Omaha, Neb., and the College World Series with the national championship trophy. More than 4,000 Vanderbilt fans celebrated with the ‘Dores the day after the title game.
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Tim Corbin helps his defense get prepared before the final game against Virginia at the College World Series. Corbin was named the National Coach of the Year by Collegiate Baseball—the second such honor of his career.
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Summer 2014
Soccer senior juggles busy summer before final season by Jerome Boettcher
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JOE HOWELL
or her final season of collegiate soccer, Cherrelle Jarrett wants to help lead the Commodores to destinations they haven’t been in a while – the SEC and NCAA tournaments. Lofty plans are nothing new for the Vanderbilt senior. Just this past summer, in addition to playing soccer for her hometown collegiate summer league team, the Atlanta Silverbacks, she traveled to three countries and interned at a interior general contractor company. “I’ve definitely done a lot this summer – I’ve covered it all,” she said. “I’m so glad. It has been one of the best three months for sure.” Jarrett, a 5-foot-4 defender from Lilburn, Ga., began her summer by participating in Vanderbilt’s Maymester study abroad program. She spent the month of May in Belfast, Northern Ireland taking a class on sustainable infrastructure taught by a Vanderbilt civil engineering professor. “Northern Ireland was proba- Senior defender Cherrelle Jarrett has started in bly the most beautiful landscape 57 of 58 games the past three seasons.
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I’ve ever seen,” she said. “So many mountainous areas and seas — me and my classmates just laid down in the grass and stared for hours and hours. I took so many pictures but none of them compare to you being there.” In addition, the class also featured several lectures and guest speakers centered around the political unrest between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, which escalated in the 1960s with discrimination, hostility and violence. The Vanderbilt contingency also spent five days in Barcelona, Spain. One weekend, she went to England to visit teammate, Ashley Oswald, who was in London for her Maymester trip. She also took a train ride to Birmingham, England to visit family. “It was the best choice I’ve ever made,” Jarrett said of the entire international trip. “It was good to travel and meet new people. I made 10 new friends on the trip. So that was awesome.” In June and July, she worked at HITT Contracting, Inc., in Atlanta. HITT specializes in interior renovations for retail, law firms and government workspaces. Jarrett has visited job sites and contributed to several projects by pricing the costs of windows, doors and carpet and helping out with closing construction projects by collecting warranties and submittals. Engineering runs in the family. Her father works for Cisco Systems as a computer engineer while her brother is a structural engineer. When she graduates in May with her civil engineering degree, Jarrett hopes to follow suit. “Engineering is the best thing I think anyone can do because it is a fancy word for problem solving and that is applicable in any job,” she said. “That’s what is needed in the world in my opinion.” n
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THE VU From Here
David Dawson
David Dawson is an assistant communications director at Vanderbilt and a lifelong Commodores fan who watched the national championship with his dad and 2,000 of his closest friends at Vanderbilt Stadium. Being the packrat that I am, I have recently spent a good amount of time collecting all sorts of items—newspapers, magazines and clothing—to commemorate Vanderbilt’s newly gained national championship in baseball, and those pieces of memorabilia have immediately become prized possessions. But make no mistake about it: My most treasured memento from the championship didn’t come from a newsstand, and it’s not something that can be stashed away in a drawer. It can only be found in the memory bank of my mind. It’s the mental image of me and my dad—two lifelong Vanderbilt fans—standing at the 30-yard line at Vanderbilt Stadium amid a sea of black-and-gold supporters, vigorously celebrating what we had just witnessed on the big screen. The Vanderbilt Commodores, who were once considered the runts of the SEC, had just become the top dogs of the college baseball world. Not regular-season champs. Not conference tournament champs. But national champions. For my dad and me, it was a moment of utter happiness and unbridled excitement. We hugged and hooted and high-fived. We joined together with the other 2,000 fans on Dudley Field to produce a joyful noise. And inside, our souls smiled. I suppose it would have looked kind of silly for me and my dad to form a two-man dogpile right there at midfield. But we were tempted. After all, this was an accomplishment we had been dreaming of for as long as I can remember. To truly understand the magnitude for the moment, you have to understand where I am coming from. When I was about six years old, my dad took me to my first Vanderbilt basketball game at Memorial Gym—and Vanderbilt lost. Not long after that, he took me to my first Vanderbilt football game. And again, Vanderbilt lost. By a lot. And yet, those early defeats did not lessen my loyalty. In fact, they had the opposite effect. I became a hardcore Commodore and began traveling a black-and-gold road from which I have never wavered. Throughout my boyhood—and truthfully, well into my adulthood—my bedroom resembled a wing at the Vanderbilt Hall of Fame. Posters, banners and newspaper clippings covered my walls. The great Barry Goheen had a prominent display. Ronnie McMahan, Marcus Wilson and countless others were also enshrined. To me, they were larger than life. Granted, it has not always been a pleasant ride, as any Vanderbilt fan can attest. We’ve endured plenty of gut-punching defeats, sometimes one right after another. We’ve experienced certain stretches where it seemed we were always the underdog—the team that put up a noble fight but was rarely rewarded with victory. As the song says, we’ve had our share of sand kicked in our face.
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Summer 2014
David Dawson and his father, Mike, at the watch party at Vanderbilt Stadium after the baseball team won the first national championship in program history.
Those days, however, are long gone. Virtually all across the board, Vanderbilt athletics has been on the upswing for more than a decade. We’re now in the Golden Age for the Black-and-Gold, and the national title by the baseball team was the ultimate proof of our progress. And oh, the memories that were made during Vanderbilt’s postseason run. We watched the team galvanize right before our very eyes throughout the month of June while carving out a path to the championship. Perhaps the most lasting image of the glorious run was John Norwood’s epic, immediately legendary, tie-breaking homer in the 3-2 win over Virginia in the do-or-die championship game. But even before that, there were plenty of other plays and performances that provided indications that something special was taking place: Rhett Wiseman’s spectacular catches. Ro Coleman’s walk-off hit. Hayden Stone’s incredible work out of the bullpen. Carson Fulmer’s gutsy efforts. Dansby Swanson’s hot bat and flawless fielding. And, of course, the World Series’ most amazing story, Tyler Campbell, who was thrust into a starting role and delivered a series of clutch hits. It ultimately led us to the winner-take-all series finale against Virginia. The intensity that night was almost suffocating—not only for those in Omaha, but also for those of us who gathered in Nashville. The excitement level at Vanderbilt Stadium spiked when the Commodores took an early lead and soared when Norwood connected for his heroic eighth-inning blast. It then crescendoed when reliever Adam Ravenelle worked a perfect ninth inning that ended with the most glorious swinging strikeout that VU fans have ever seen. Out in Omaha, the win was accompanied by the traditional spoils of victory: The gatorade bath for coach Tim Corbin, a much-deserved MVP trophy for Swanson and a vibrant celebration in the stands. Closer to home, those of us who gathered at Vanderbilt Stadium screamed at the top of our lungs with what little voice we had left. The people in Green Hills surely heard the roar. Perhaps so did the folks in Omaha. For so many Vanderbilt fans—like me and my dad—it was a moment that will be cherished as long as we live. And come to think of it, maybe the two-man dogpile wouldn’t have looked that silly after all. n
It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson
T
hroughout much of June, Vanderbilt alumni and friends were busy washing lucky shirts and socks for quick reuse. Grown men wore their Vandy “rally” caps inside out, hundreds of miles from the ballpark. Others were careful to eat the right food at precisely the right time, have two lucky dimes in their left pocket or never mention the “O” word (Omaha). Ah, superstitions! It was an absolutely wonderful ride, wasn’t it? We could mostly forget about the world’s troubles and in some cases, even our own. Life was one big, happy double-header. Opportunity abounded with each new pitcher or pinch-hitter. For many the feeling was reminiscent of the first day at that great new job or getting ready for a date with that really special one. What is it about sports that make us feel this way? And isn’t it great that we can rally around a common cause in these complicated times? Sports are the world’s melting pot. The woman whose investment portfolio just tripled cheers next to the guy who can’t afford to replace his muffler. The fellow that just attended a Tea Party rally roots and—gasp— agrees with a liberal, and neither cares! With the exception of the church, I can’t think of any other institution that brings diverse groups of people together in such a passionate way. Can you? Our baseball team’s fabulous run to and through the College World Series is Exhibit A in the age-old discussion about the justification of sports on a college campus. There will always be those questioning “why?” and in turn, providing tangible answers to such questions is difficult. Articulate defenses are rare, but how does one defend an intangible passion?
With the exception of the church, I can’t think of any other institution that brings diverse groups of people together in such a passionate way. Certainly athletics are not the most important thing on a campus, where intellectual stimulation and technological advances reign. Or, let’s agree, they should reign. Important as these things are, they cannot make you jump up and scream as when a Commodore slugs a double to leftcenter and drives in a run. Intellectual stimulation doesn’t offer the same rush of anticipation as wondering which pitcher the coaches will start. And they seldom provide the opportunity to Monday morning quarterback that sports have long provided. “Why is Joe batting seventh? How come they left Tom in pitching to their clean-up hitter? I don’t like to sacrifice bunt with our best hitter up.” Athletics offers its participants unique lessons on physical and mental fitness, work ethic, leadership, overcoming adversity, humility. In some ways, it is akin to the military without live bullets. Sport gives the 80-year old grandpa something in common with the great-grandson. Athletics allow the chemistry major, class of 1970, to engage with the English major in the class of 2014. That passion links those who wear the school colors with the “Mother Ship”—the intellectual campus. We are grateful for the past year of Commodore athletics and the thrills it provided. And, more importantly, we can’t wait for this fall to begin the whole process all over again. What else is in store? Anchor Down! n
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My Game
Damian Jones
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owering at 6-feet-10-inches, Damian Jones asserted himself as a playmaker in his first year. The electrical engineering major from Baton Rouge, La., was named to the SEC AllFreshman Team by the league’s coaches. He pounced on the glass, leading the team with 5.7 rebounds a game. He enters his sophomore campaign as the top returning scorer for the Commodores after averaging 11.3 points last year. CN: Was there a moment last season when the game started to slow down for you and you felt like you turned a corner? Damian Jones: Really, at the start of the SEC season, I started seeing ways to improve and started to see some openings. So that helped me to (enhance what I learned) from preseason, and I just expanded on it from there. CN: How rewarding was it to be named to the SEC’s All-Freshmen team?
CN: What was it like to play at Memorial Gym? Jones: I had never been there (before arriving at Vanderbilt), but I had watched some games on TV, so I knew the court was different. And I always wondered how it worked when (a player was) subbing in. And when I did it for the first time, it was kind of weird. But it’s really cool. CN: You set the bar really high for your sophomore season. What are some areas where you think you can improve? Jones: I can improve on my left-shoulder game, and I can improve on defense, moving quicker and thinking about the game more. Just continuing the maturing process. n
Jones: It was a huge honor, and it gave me a lot of confidence that I could really do something in this league. Hopefully I can just improve from that. CN: Was the adjustment from high school basketball to college basketball—and SEC basketball, in particular—even tougher than you envisioned? Jones: I knew it was going to take a lot of work, but it was a big adjustment for me still. The players were much faster, and you’ve got to move much faster—especially when you try to give defensive help and stuff like that. It is much different from high school, where you could just lollygag around. (Laughs). CN: So, growing up in Louisiana, were you an LSU fan? Or did you even follow SEC basketball? Jones: I grew up watching Duke. A lot of people hate Duke, but I really liked them. CN: How much do you enjoy playing in the SEC? Jones: It’s been pretty fun, and it’s big competition. Everybody has the “want-to-win” and they bring it every night. CN: Who would you say was the best player you were matched up against? Jones: Johnny O’Bryant. … And it was LSU, my hometown team, (so there was extra motivation to be) playing against them. I knew it was going to be tough, because he’s a really good player, and he got to me.
Summer 2014
JOHN RUSSELL
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