| The Weekly Update 8-10-09 |
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In this Weeks Update: • UPCOMING EVENTS • SBU VOLLEYBALL PICKED 9TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLL • SBU WOMEN’S SOCCER PICKED 5TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLL • MSU WILL JOIN MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE IN MEN’S SWIMMING • HICKS NAMED ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR AT MSU • DU GOLF ADDS TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPION RAINEY REYNOLDS • EU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS NAIA TEAM SCHOLAR AWARD • EVANGEL CRUSADERS LOOKING FOR COMEBACK SEASON Please scroll down and read this Week in Sports History! UPCOMING EVENTS
• The ASA Men’s 40 & Over Fast Pitch Softball National Championships will be held at the Killian Sports Complex August 28-30, 2009. • The ASA Women’s “C” West Slow Pitch Softball National Championship will be held at the Killian Sports Complex September 4-6, 2009. Please send your upcoming area events to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; they will be posted on the weekly update each week. SBU VOLLEYBALL PICKED 9TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLL
 In 2008 the Bearcats finished with a 13-20 overall record and tied with Missouri Southern for eighth place in the MIAA at 5-15. SBU returns six starters including All-MIAA middle blocker Ashley Jurgensmeyer and senior outside hitters Kelsey Stewart and Kinsey Palmer. The Bearcats have also added two Division I transfers in 2009, 6-1 outside hitter Danielle Reed from Texas-Pan American and 5-11 middle hitter Joanna Granzow from Missouri State. SBU opens their 2009 season on August 28 in Russellville, Ark., at the Arkansas Tech Spikefest. The Bearcats will take on Alabama-Huntsville at 11:00 a.m. and Cameron at 3:00 p.m. On Saturday, August 29, SBU will battle Texas A&M-International at 11:00 a.m. and the host Arkansas Tech at 5:00 p.m. Defending MIAA volleyball champion Emporia State was selected as preseason No. 1 by a slight margin over Washburn in the 2009 MIAA coaches poll. Emporia State and Washburn each received five first place votes with Nebraska-Omaha earning the other top vote. Coaches could not vote for their own school. Photo Courtesy Southwest Baptist University
SBU WOMEN’S SOCCER PICKED 5TH IN MIAA PRESEASON POLL
 Two-time defending MIAA soccer champion Central Missouri got the nod over Truman State for preseason No. 1 in the coaches poll. The Jennies received six of nine first place votes. Nebraska-Omaha was third while Washburn was picked for fourth. SBU received 35 points for fifth place. The Bearcats, under new coach Rob Podeyn, return six starters from a team that finished 9-6-3 and 8-6-2 in the MIAA. Among those returnees are first team All-MIAA performers Rhiane Mitchell and Caitlin Tull. Mitchell is sophomore forward from Manchester, England, who led the MIAA in points per game (2.5), goals per game (1.07) and shots on goal per game (3.07). Tull, a senior from Yuba City, Calif., has been named first team All-MIAA as a defender in 2008 and midfielder in 2007. Other returning starters for SBU includes senior defenders Shannon Roher and Vanessa Roher, junior forward Jaymye Ross and sophomore midfielder Kelly Isaac. SBU opens their 2009 season on August 27 at Quincy (Illinois) at 4:00 p.m. Photo Courtesy Southwest Baptist University
MSU WILL JOIN MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE IN MEN’S SWIMMING
 Previously, the three Missouri Valley Conference member institutions were affiliate members of the Sun Belt Conference in men’s swimming and diving. The MVC discontinued its men’s swimming and diving championship after the Bears won the 2003 meet. MSU swam independently until 2006-2007 when it joined the Sun Belt, finished third in its inaugural SBC meet, winning the Sun Belt title in 2007-2008 and finishing second in 2008-2009. Missouri State head coach Jack Steck noted that his team is appreciative of its three-year stint with the Sun Belt Conference. “The Sun Belt took us in when the number of swimming teams in the Missouri Valley dropped to three,” said Steck. “It was a pleasure to be able to compete in their championship meet since that time, and we are grateful for the opportunity the Sun Belt gave us.” Steck, who coaches both the men’s and women’s programs at Missouri State said that the MAC’s postseason schedule was also appealing when considering the league’s invitation. Missouri State’s women’s swimming and diving program still competes in the Missouri Valley Conference, which offers a championship event in the women’s division. Missouri State, Evansville, Southern Illinois, Illinois State and Northern Iowa are the five MVC women’s swimming programs. The addition of the three new affiliate members brings the number of schools competing in men’s swimming and diving in the MAC to seven, joining current league members Ball State, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan and Miami (Ohio). The 2010 MAC Men’s Swimming and Diving Championship will take place March 3-5 at Eastern Michigan University. Missouri State is also an affiliate member of the MAC in the sport of field hockey. Photo Courtesy MSU Photo Services
HICKS NAMED ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR AT MSU
 Hicks spent the past 12 years at the University of Louisville, including the last five as Assistant Athletic Director for Academics where he had responsibilities for the football team and stadium computer lab. He also served on the University’s Commission on Diversity and Racial Equality (CODRE), the Directors Council for University Wide Advising and coordinated Louisville’s Student-Athletes of Color Combining Opportunity and Responsibility for Excellence (SCORE). “I’m excited to be joining the Missouri State Family,” said Hicks. “I would like to thank (MSU President Dr. Michael) Nietzel, Director of Athletics, and all the University Staff. I look forward to working with the Missouri State student-athletes, and providing an enhanced academic and athletic experience. My family and I are eager to be part of the Springfield community.” A college basketball and baseball standout at Tuskegee University, he received his bachelors in Marketing from Alabama A&M in 1992 and earned his Masters in Public Administration from Portland State in 1996. At Louisville, he has also served as a compliance coordinator, associate director for academic services, and an academic advisor prior to taking on his current role in 2003. He also has coaching and multicultural admissions experience at Warner Pacific College in Portland, Ore. Hicks and his wife Kellie are the parents of three children, Hailey, Sydney and Garrett. His hiring is contingent upon final approval by the Missouri State Board of Governors at its next scheduled meeting, October 30. Photo Courtesy MSU Photo Services
DU GOLF ADDS TWO-TIME STATE CHAMPION RAINEY REYNOLDS
 Reynolds, from Sioux Falls, S.D., led Sioux Falls Christian to a Class B team state championship his junior year in addition to capturing medalist honors. Christian moved up to Class A this past season and finished third as a squad, despite Reynolds’ victory in a three-way playoff for the individual crown. Reynolds won 13 high school tournaments over his final two seasons, including the regional championship both years. His stroke average as a senior was 74.45 after posting 75.90 average as a junior. Reynolds is the younger brother of Drury women’s golfer Kari Reynolds and the nephew of Drury men’s and women’s swimming Brian Reynolds. Photo Courtesy Drury University
EU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL EARNS NAIA TEAM SCHOLAR AWARD
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics recognized the Evangel University women’s basketball team as recipients of an NAIA Team Scholar Award winner. The Evangel women’s basketball team posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.57 during the 2008-2009 school year. Teams with a 3.00 GPA or better on a 4.0 scale qualified for the award. The team grade point average included all team members that were eligible last season. EVANGEL CRUSADERS LOOKING FOR COMEBACK SEASON
 The Crusaders suffered just their third losing season since 1990 last year going 4-6 in the Heart of America conference and 4-7 overall. The good news for the Crusaders is that they will have a wealth of experience back. The bad news is that their 2009 team will still be relatively young featuring just eight seniors. Evangel’s youth and many of their newcomers, however, could play a vital role in rebuilding the team as incoming recruits will likely challenge returners for playing time at several positions. The veteran core of the Crusaders will be on the defensive side of the ball in Evangel’s front seven. The group of linebackers returns two-time all-conference performer and former Springfield-Hillcrest standout Andrew Matrone. Matrone played through an ankle injury last year and still managed 56 tackles and 4 sacks in 10 games. Another returning linebacker is senior Beau Grech of Naples, Florida. Grech had a breakout season last year finishing second in the HAAC in total tackles with 104 and was an all-conference selection. Houston, Texas native Tre Myers also returns and will enter his junior year having started every game last season and was third on the team in total tackles with 57. On the defensive line, the Crusaders return Lionel Lilo, 6-0, 275 pound senior from Hannibal, Missouri and Ryan Chaffin, 6-3, 250 pound senior from Fordland who led the team with six sacks and was an all-HAAC selection. Also returning will be Caleb Taylor, 6-4, 245 pound junior from Morrisville, Pennsylvania, who was hampered by nagging injuries last year appearing in just seven games after a standout freshman season. The Crusaders did have to rebuild their secondary in the off-season after graduating six defensive backs, three of whom were  all-conference performers.Evangel returns safeties Andrew Rickman (junior from Nixa), John-Michael Robertson (senior from Houston, Texas) and Colton Moos (junior from Springfield-Hillcrest). Metcalf is excited about additions to his defensive backfield including University of Houston transfer LaMarcus Hunter. Hunter’s speed has already made an impact in the Evangel athletics program having qualified for the NAIA national championships in the 55 meter hurdles in indoor track and the 110 meter hurdles in outdoor track last year. Offensively, Evangel returns junior quarterback Richie Roepke who will battle redshirt freshman Freddie Brown, a Houston, Texas product, for the starting job during preseason practices. Roepke, a former all-Ozarks selection at Strafford, started nine games for Evangel last year completing 63 percent of his passes for 1,412 yards and 8 touchdowns. Injuries forced an early end to his season last year. Football photo The Crusaders will have an experienced offensive line returning. Senior Danny Sweet-Clyne and juniors Chris Teed, and Matt Garriott return. Senior Jonathan DeForest (6-1, 250 from River Oaks, Texas) has been hampered by injuries last several seasons, but if healthy, could return to the all-conference form he showed as a freshman in 2005. Also returning is Joseph Breithaupt (6-4, 275 from Haymarket, Virginia). Breithaupt proved to be Evangel’s most consistent offensive lineman last season as a true freshman. Evangel will also have experience and depth at wide receiver. Last year, that was another position that was almost completely wiped out due to injuries. Edward Sands, a senior from Apopka, Florida, led Evangel with 36 catches for 635 yards and 7 touchdowns and was an all-conference performer last year. Junior Brenton Roggow from North Platte, Nebraska, should return healthy after a knee injury ended his season in the first game of last year. Senior Zach Troutman of Naples, Florida, will be another deep threat returning for the Crusaders and sophomore Caleb Walker out of West Plains also returns and was fourth on the team in receptions last season. The Crusaders are also tweaking their offense to feature a single running back formation. While there is no clear-cut returning player that figures to be that featured lone back, Metcalf says several may rotate into that role. Evangel returns junior RB Tysman Richard from Houston, Texas, who averaged 5 yards per carry in a limited role last year, along with Sam Modica, a junior from DeLand, Florida. Redshirt freshman Jermaine Walker from Jasper, Florida, made a splash in preseason camp last year with his speed and quickness and now may have chance to showcase that ability this season. Metcalf believes the blend of newcomers and his returning players will contribute to an improved season over last year. Evangel opens the 2009 season at home against Lindenwood University on Saturday, September 5 at JFK Stadium in Springfield at 6 p.m. Click here to see the 2009 Schedule. |
