Comet Sports
Women’s Basketball Concludes Stellar Season
From left: President Steven M. Corey, Ph.D.; Jeff Bell ’99; Larry Melendy ’64; Mark Raven ’00; and former Athletic Director Heather Bateman at the 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony.
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By geoff henson The Olivet College women’s basketball team posted one of the best seasons in school history during 2012-13. The Comets finished the year with a 15-13 overall record, including a 10-6 mark against Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rivals. The 15 wins tied the 1986-87 team for the most in school history for a season, while 10 was the most MIAA wins in a season. Olivet was able to accomplish these totals without a dominant scorer on its roster. Sophomore Stefanie Lang, of
Valparaiso, Ind., came off the bench and led the Comets at 12.1 points per game (ppg), and junior point guard Kelsey Campbell, of Olivet, was the only other double figure scorer at 10.8 ppg. The best part of Campbell’s game was her superior ability to pass the ball to her teammates. She led the MIAA with 143 total assists to break her own singleseason school record after recording 135 during the 2011-12 season. In addition, Campbell broke the single-game school and MIAA records with 16 helpers in a
Junior Kelsey Campbell (left)
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SHIPHERD’s RECORD
79-66 win at home against Alma College. In the very next game, she followed that performance with what is believed to be the first triple double in MIAA and school history for a women’s basketball player. Campbell scored 10 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed 15 rebounds in a 69-37 win over Kalamazoo College. For all of these accomplishments, Campbell was named first-team AllMIAA by the league coaches. She also earned third-team All-Great Lakes Region honors from D3hoops.com, becoming the first women’s basketball player in school history to be a D3hoops.com All-Region pick. “These were two great awards for Kelsey,” said Olivet Head Women’s Basketball Coach Nicole Burford. “She has done a great job running our offense the last two seasons. There is no doubt, Kelsey has helped our team improve and take a step forward as well.” Senior Sydney Radde, of Stevensville, was a second-team All-MIAA selection. In the 16-game league schedule, she ranked among the league leaders in rebounding (7.5 rpg), field goal percentage (.461), total blocks (25) and scoring (9.6 ppg). Overall for Olivet’s 26game schedule, Radde led the team in rebounding (7.2 rpg) and blocks (33), and was fourth in scoring (8.7 ppg). “Sydney was one of the hardest workers,” said Burford. “No matter what happened that day or even in the previous game, she was always working hard to get better for the next one.” Four seniors left the team this year, but there is no doubt the future is bright for the women’s basketball program. ▲
news & notes
Three Inducted Into Athletic Hall of Fame Three new members, Jeff Bell ’99, Larry Melendy ’64 and Mark Raven ’00, were inducted into the Olivet College Athletic Hall of Fame Feb. 1. They were also recognized at halftime of the men’s basketball game the next day. Photos and video from the ceremony can be viewed on the new AHOF website at www.olivetcomets.com/alumni/ahof. Wrestling Team Named Academic National Champion The Olivet College wrestling team reached as high as No. 7 in the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) poll during the 2012-13 season. With a 3.67 grade point average (GPA), Olivet was then crowned the NCAA Division III National Champion for academics by virtue of a first-place standing in the NWCA Scholar Team awards. This award was presented at the NWCA banquet prior to the start of the NCAA Division III National Championships March 14 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 10 members of the Comets’ Scholar All-American team were sophomore Nick Allen, of Scotville; senior Jake Ceslick, of Alpena; senior Josh Crawford, of Birch Run; sophomore Matt Darling, of Elsie; sophomore Dan Fleet, of Ada; sophomore Anthony Giordano, of Livonia; sophomore Jeff Holm, of Battle Creek; senior Logan Renas, of Big Rapids; senior Kenny Richmond, of Brighton; and sophomore Kyle Witgen, of Romeo. This first-place finish marks the highest placement in school history.
Chad Wiseman, who took the position of head men’s soccer coach at Western Michigan University (WMU). Ironically, Bulley came to Olivet after serving as an assistant men’s soccer coach at WMU for the last three seasons. A native of Exeter, England, he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from University at Buffalo (N.Y.) in 2010. Bulley was a three-year starter for the Bulls from 2007-09 after playing his freshman season at West Texas A & M University. A two-time All-MAC selection, he led Buffalo in scoring each year, totaling 27 goals and 11 assists for 65 points in his career. Men’s Lacrosse Sees Success The men’s lacrosse team had a successful first season as a varsity sport, posting a 10-7 overall record. Cameron Bazin, of Troy, was second among NCAA Division III players in goals per game (4.06) and fourth in points per game (5.82). James Collins, of Lowell, was fourth in goals per game (3.71), and Matt Arb, of Troy, was 14th in assists per game (2.53). As a team, the Comets finished 11th in scoring offense (14.41). For his efforts, Bazin earned second-team All-MIAA honors. Women’s Golf is 13th in Nation The women’s golf team dominated the league’s qualifying tournament, winning by 77 strokes, to advance to the NCAA Division III National Championships in Destin,
All-MIAA Honorees Other All-MIAA honorees this spring include baseball players Jake Ball, of Cadillac; Andrew Brawley, of Niles; and Randy Young, of Wixom; women’s tennis player Caitlin LaValley, of Battle Creek; and women’s lacrosse players Taylor Guarnaccia, of East Lansing; and Geri Merrell, of Battle Creek. Brawley, a first-team honoree, topped the team with a .355 batting average, as well as 49 hits, 27 RBI, .449 slugging percentage and .424 on-base percentage. Young, a first-team selection, led the team with 30 runs scored, while hitting .333. Ball, a second-team pick, was first among the starting pitchers with a 3.10 ERA and 5-3 record in 58 total innings. LaValley, now a four-time second-team All-MIAA choice, won four singles matches during the 2013 season. Merrell had 30 points (29 goals and one assist), 68 shots, 56 shots on-goal, 23 ground balls and 34 draw controls. Guarnaccia finished with 26 points (25 goals and one assist). Earning All-MIAA honors for winter sports were men’s basketball player Blake Krum, of Schoolcraft, and diver Troy Wilkins, of Lansing. Krum, a second-team selection, led the team in field goals percentage (.455), free throw percentage (.847) and steals (42). He was second in scoring (14.0 ppg), field goals made (126), three-point field goals made (48) and assists (69). Wilkins finished in third-place on the one-meter and three-meter diving boards at the 2013 MIAA Championships. Sports schedules now available for fall 2013 at www.olivetcomets.com!
Bulley Named Head Men’s Soccer Coach In March, Dan Bulley was named head men’s soccer coach at Olivet. He replaced
Fla. Olivet placed 13th with a four-round total of 1,337 strokes. Adrienne Plourde, of Redford, was the Comets’ top individual with a 329 total. Theresa Damico, of White Lake, earned honorable All-American and All-Great Lakes Region honors from the Women’s Golf Coaches Association.
The 2012-13 women’s golf team
SPRING 2013
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