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HATTERS EXTRA Sand Volleyball
Table of Contents
About the Magazine
Hatters Shine at Football Spring Game . 4-5 Baseball Seniors Lead Stretch Drive . . . 7 Softball Preps for A-Sun Tournament . . 9 Sand Seniors Lead the Way . . . . . . 10-11 Lacrosse Seniors Look Back . . . . . . . . 13 Rowing Hat Trick for Rouse, Nutting . 15 Historic Finish for Women’s Basketball 17 Men’s Basketball Looks Ahead . . . . . . 19 Hatters Welcome Erick Reasoner . . . . 21 Tip of the Hat: Catherine Coston . . . . . 23 From the Desk of John B . . . . . . . . . . . 27
HATTERS EXTRA
Hatters Extra is a publication of the Stetson University Athletics Department. All rights reserved. Designed and edited by the Stetson Marketing and Athletic Communications offices. Photography by Jim Hogue, PhotosInMotion.net, David S. Williams, ASunPhotos.com, Stetson University, and Stetson Athletics. Printing by Independent Printing. 1
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Hatters Shine at Football Spring Game Kegan Moore
Dre Long The score was the one thing that really didn’t matter much on April 10 at Spec Martin Memorial Stadium as the Stetson Hatters football team completed spring practice. With thin numbers on the offensive and defensive line, the game was played with a modified scoring system that credited points for big plays, sacks, turnovers and more. The offense jumped out to an early lead and kept the defense at arms’ length all night, taking a 44-31 victory. Hatters coach Roger Hughes said the most important thing for him in the game was that the Hatters looked more like what a Division I football team is supposed to look like. “I think we are better,” Hughes said. “We are certainly stronger and more explosive. Up front, I thought we were much better on both sides of the ball. It just looks more like Division I college football because we are growing into our bodies. We finally look like we have guys that will be juniors, and nothing substitutes for experience.” There were big plays on both sides of the ball during the scrimmage. Offensively, HATTERS EXTRA
the five quarterbacks combined to throw for 430 yards, completing 26-of-56 pass attempts with four TD passes and only one interception. “I think the quarterback play, overall, was good,” Hughes said. “As a coach, mechanically we are better.” Senior Blake Plattsmier had one of the first big plays when he hooked up with junior Alex Valentin for a 29-yard touchdown. Valentin was the breakout star of the scrimmage for the offense, hauling in six passes for 114 yards and that one touchdown. “For everyone, the light goes on at a different time,” Hughes said. “Some people develop earlier than others. I try to take the long view on kids. If a kid works very hard, by the time he is a junior he usually finds a role on a team. I think Alex Valentin is a good example of that.” Other scoring included a 16-yard pass from freshman transfer Colin McGovern to junior Darius McGriff that ended up in the hands of Rob Coggin after McGriff was stripped at the goal line by Chance Jackson. 4
Hatters Shine at Football Spring Game Donald Payne
Ryan Tentler Freshman Gaven DeFilippo took his turn leading the offense late in the second quarter, and capped a drive with an 18-yard TD pass to running back Kimo Vereen. Fellow freshman Dalton Thompson led a scoring drive in the third quarter, which redshirt freshman Harold Antor capped with an 8-yard TD run. DeFilippo also connected with Chris Crawford for an 18yard touchdown. “I thought Blake threw the ball pretty well,” Hughes said. “Colin McGovern, for it to be his first time in this offense, has gotten his feet on the ground and has learned more about what is going on. I am very pleased, overall, with the improvement of the quarterbacks.” On the defensive side, Dearmis Jamison led the way with 11 tackles. Overall, the defense recorded five sacks, had five other tackles for loss, and had 10 pass breakups. Of course, the biggest play for the defense was turned in by junior All-American Donald Payne, who had an interception and return for 42 yards. HATTERS EXTRA
“Blake should never have thrown that one ball, but guess who comes up with the interception – Donald Payne,” Hughes said. Payne also had a sack among his four tackles. Hughes was quick to turn the page on spring practice and focus on what is next for the Hatters. “We have 115 days until we report and 142 until our first game, and we can’t waste one of them,” Hughes said. “We will get back into the strength program next week, lifting four days a week, and we have finals coming up. Stetson demands excellence in the classroom as well. “We are hoping to find guys jobs and internships here for the summer so that they can stay around and continue to work out. The attitude on the team is great. They are coming together, and I think the nucleus of guys who have remained from that first class have developed into very good leaders that are going to help the younger guys come in, get acclimated and ready to go.” 5
Baseball Seniors Lead Stretch Drive
With just two weeks remaining in the 2015 college baseball season, the Stetson Hatters are very much in the middle of the chase for an Atlantic Sun Conference title. The Hatters close the regular season with a road trip to Nashville (May 8-10) for three games against a very talented Lipscomb team before returning home for a three-game series against Florida Gulf Coast (May 14-16). The 2015 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament is scheduled for May 20-24 in Fort Myers, with FGCU serving as the host for a second consecutive year. The winner on that tournament will receive an automatic bid to play in the NCAA Tournament beginning May 29. Last year, A-Sun Tournament champion Kennesaw State also captured the Tallahassee Regional title, twice beating Alabama to advance to the Super Regional round, where the Owls fell to national power Louisville. For the Hatters to have a chance to duplicate the success KSU enjoyed last year, they will rely on a cast of seven seniors to lead the way. HATTERS EXTRA
That group includes co-captains Tyler Bocock and Josh Powers, along with Darby McCormick, Kyle Pitts, Ben Rakus, Garrett Russini and Tyler Warmoth. Tyler Bocock – SS – Harrisonburg, Virginia Bocock is a Sport Business major who will complete his degree requirements in December. Darby McCormick – UTIL – Naples, Florida Also a Sport Business major, McCormick will receive his degree this spring. Kyle Pitts – IF – Coral Spring, Florida A Business Administration major, Pitts is scheduled to receive his degree in May. Josh Powers – P/IF – New Smyrna Beach, Florida A Marketing major, Powers is scheduled to receive his degree this spring. Ben Rakus – P – West Suffield, Connecticut Even though he has another year of eligibility, Rakus receives his degree in Finance this spring. Garrett Russini – C/OF – Sarasota, Florida A Sport Business major, Russini receives his degree this spring. Tyler Warmoth – P – Orlando, Florida A Finance major, Warmoth receives his degree this spring. 7
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Softball Preps for Atlantic Sun Championship
The 2015 Stetson softball team would not mind one bit if history repeats itself. Last year, the Hatters struggled down the stretch in the regular season, but came together at the right time to win the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament and advance to the NCAA Tournament for just the second time in school history. This year, the Hatters have faced similar challenges late in the season, dropping eight games in a row before responding with a four-game winning streak. “Even through the losses, we have really been sticking together,” senior shortstop Amanda Grimaldo said. “Come postseason, I think everyone is going to underestimate us. It only really matters what happens in the tournament, and we are going to be ready.” Stetson will go for its second-straight conference title May 6-9 in Fort Myers, Florida. The Hatters will have to win at least four games in four days if they are to be the first A-Sun champion to repeat since Campbell in 2008-09.
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The Hatters offense averages around six runs per game, and the team is approaching its all-time record for home runs. Senior Demi Meza became just the second Hatter to hit 10 home runs in three consecutive seasons. This year, she leads the team with 12 home runs and 43 RBI, while junior catcher Jessica Griffin has hit 10 long balls and driven in 40. In the pitching circle, senior Courtney Brandt and freshman Chelsea Hostetler have shared a heavy workload this season. Each has pitched over 100 innings, each has recorded double-digit win totals, and they have combined for nine shutouts. Stetson’s defense has been the team’s biggest asset this year. For most of the season, the Hatters have led the NCAA with a fielding percentage hovering around .980. All four infielders plus Griffin have started every game at their respective positions. The Hatters also rank among the top 10 teams in the country in stolen bases. Sophomore Jessie TenBroeck leads the team with 25 steals.
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Sand Seniors Lead the Way
For the second straight year, the Stetson sand volleyball team captured the Atlantic Sun Conference title and competed in the AVCA Collegiate Sand Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Hatters were nationally ranked all season long, and they won their first A-Sun regular-season title. Success of this magnitude would normally take years of laying groundwork and seeing gradual improvements over a period of time. However, Stetson’s success in the sand has come at a much quicker pace. In fact, as little as four years ago, there was literally ... nothing: no program, no competition, no opportunities for studentathletes. Maren Rygh was about to commit to another college to play indoor volleyball. Claudia Kalin was likely going to a school where she could run track. Taylor Kennedy wanted to keep playing volleyball but knew indoor was out of the question after suffering a serious knee injury.
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So when Stetson University announced it was adding sand volleyball as an intercollegiate sport for 2011-12, these individuals, as well as several others, completely changed their outlook on where to attend college. “I came here because I wanted to play both indoor and sand,” Savannah Byl said. “I always liked sand better, because for us smaller girls, indoor can be a little limiting. Sand lets you perform all the skills. When Stetson decided they were going to add sand, that’s when I made my final decision.” With the start of school in the late summer of 2011, a group of wide-eyed freshmen got together for the first time to meet their future teammates and figure out what competing as a team in a typical twoperson sport would be all about. “I just remember not having any idea what I was doing,” Kaley Melville said. “I was an indoor player. I grew up in Minnesota, so the reason I came down
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Sand Seniors Lead the Way
The Hatters celebrate their second-straight A-Sun title. here was to play beach after school. I didn’t know there was going to be a beach program here. When I first came out, I had no idea what a cut shot was, or what a high line shot was. All I knew was how to bounce the ball. Julie (Bassett) ended up teaching me a lot about the game by being my partner, and explaining things to me. It ended up working out really well.” The Hatters ended up exceeding all expectations for a first-year program, posting a 9-8 record and finishing runnerup in the conference tournament. Melville and Bassett were selected as an at-large pair to compete in the national pairs tournament. However, it was the bonding of the players off the court that played an even more important role as to the direction the program was headed. “The original group of girls made what the Stetson sand team would be all about,” Stephanie Marin said. “We developed the culture. I believe that fun-loving, easy-
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going atmosphere has influenced our success.” In addition to the development of team chemistry, the players started to develop more concrete goals for the program and a plan to achieve them. “This is easily the most hardworking group of people I have worked with, and the most passionate about the game and passionate about each other,” Kalin said. As a tightknit group, the seniors helped build the Hatter sand program into one of the elite teams in the nation. “The seniors who (stood) next to me on Senior Day will always be some of my best friends,” Kennedy said. “We already joke about future weddings and being bridesmaids of one another. Since that very first practice, the seniors have been pushing hard to achieve our goals. I hope we leave a legacy that will carry on each season. I believe that the love we all have for one another since day one is what truly built the team to what it is today.”
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First Lacrosse Seniors Look Back Samantha Akl
Stetson lacrosse has only been around for three years, but that did not stop the Hatters from having their inaugural Senior Night festivities April 24 when Stetson hosted Atlantic Sun Conference leader Jacksonville at the ATC. Co-captains and the program’s first seniors Samantha Akl and Elisabeth Blackwell were honored in pregame ceremonies. How is it that a 3-year-old program can have a pair of seniors? Well, Akl and Blackwell both transferred to Stetson before Stetson’s inaugural lacrosse season in 2013. Akl came from Division II power Limestone, and Blackwell spent two seasons at LIU Brooklyn. The pair took different paths to wind up at the same place. “I went to LIU because I wanted to escape into the city, but I never looked very closely at the academic side of things,” said Blackwell. “So I needed to find a school with a better biology program. I wanted to challenge myself academically. My high-school coach told me Stetson was HATTERS EXTRA
Elisabeth Blackwell
getting a program, and I knew Stetson had a really good biology program, so that’s how I ended up here.” “I’m originally from Massachusetts and moved to Florida when I was 15 and finished high school and went to Limestone for a year,” said Akl. “I came home at the end of my freshman year and knew I didn’t want to leave Florida again. Once Stetson started the program, it was a perfect opportunity for me to play lacrosse and be close to home.” Both will leave Stetson in the coming weeks. Akl wants to be a coach. Blackwell wants to one day open a brewery in Florida. And while their competitive lacrosse days will soon be behind them, both will take memories when they’re gone. “I know this sounds cheesy,” said Blackwell, “but hanging out as a team on road trips are some of the best memories. If you’ve ever met our team, we’re not the typical group. A lot of my favorite moments are being on the bus. Those are memories we will always have.” 13
FIRA Hat Trick for Rowers Rouse and Nutting
Andrew Rouse and David Nutting Stetson rowers Andrew Rouse and David Nutting have long been one of the state’s top duos. And at the Florida Intercollegiate Rowing Association championships in early April, they proved it once again. On a nearly perfect weekend at the Nathan Benderson Rowing Venue in Sarasota, Rouse and Nutting did something very few rowers have ever done by combing to win the Pair, Double and Single championships. Rouse earned a gold medal in the Single, while Nutting took home the silver in the same event. The duo captured gold medals in both the Pair and Double, capping a terrific weekend at FIRA. “This was just a great day for these two hardworking guys,” said Stetson rowing head coach Mark Wilson. “This pair of guys work very hard on and off the water, and for them to trade off between sweep and sculling and the Single and the Double is just great. They wanted to win the Pair very much and accomplished their HATTERS EXTRA
goal. The Double was a very good race, and the Single, well, that was truly icing on the cake.” Rouse, Nutting and the rest of the men’s rowing team will conclude their 2015 spring season when they participate at the prestigious Dad Vail Regatta, May 8-9, on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia.
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• Age 12 & younger • Includes a Jr. Hatter Kids Club T-shirt & membership card • Free General-Admission Seating to Men’s/Women’s Soccer, Volleyball, Women’s Basketball, Softball and Baseball • Free General-Admission Seating to select Men’s Basketball Games To purchase your Jr. Hatter Kids Club Membership, please call 386-738-6698 or ill out an order form & return it to Stetson University 421 N. Woodland Blvd., Unit 8359 DeLand, FL 32723
FIRST LITTLE HATTER - $30 ADDITIONAL LITTLE HATTERS - $20 JR. HATTER KIDS CLUB APPLICATION FORM Parent’s Name: ________________________________ Kid’s Name: ___________________________________________ Address: _________________________________________ City: _______________________ St: _______ ZIP: ___________ Email: __________________________ Phone: ___________________T-Shirt Size: _____Birthday: ______________ Cash ____ Check ____ Credit Card ____ Circle One: VISA MC Discover AMEX ______________________________________________ Ex: ____________ Checks made payable to Stetson University
Historic FInish for Women’s Basketball Stetson Hosted Richmond in the WNIT on March 20.
The 2014-15 women’s basketball season culminated with Stetson hosting the first-ever NCAA postseason basketball game on campus. The Hatters took on the Atlantic 10 conference’s Richmond Spiders, and after a hard-fought battle that featured several scoring runs and lead changes, Richmond survived with a 1-point victory to advance in the WNIT. Stetson completed the year with a 23-8 record, marking the team’s fifth consecutive 20-win season and fifthstraight year qualifying for postseason play. Senior Jama Sharp earned First Team All-Atlantic Sun honors for the secondstraight year. She led the league in assists and steals, and finished sixth in scoring. With a cumulative GPA of 3.51, Sharp was also named to the league’s Academic AllConference team. Sophomore center Amber Porter earned Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as First Team All-Atlantic Sun accolades. Porter blocked 79 shots in 29 games, while also averaging 13.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
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Senior Myeisha Hall joined Sharp and Porter among the league’s First Team allconference honorees, giving Stetson three of the five members in the prestigious group. Sarah Sagerer earned a spot on the Atlantic Sun All-Freshman Team. The Hatters said goodbye to their winningest four-year class in school history. Seniors Cherisse Burris, C.J. Coddington, Hall and Sharp helped Stetson compile 97 wins over the past four seasons, the most wins by a four-year class in school history. Sharp completed her career by playing in 133 consecutive games. She scored 1,261 career points and ranked among the school’s all-time leaders in 3-point field goals made (167), assists (441), steals (291), 3-point field-goal pct. (.344) and free-throw pct. (.753). Coddington finished her career with 739 points, 409 rebounds, 196 assists, and 163 steals in 132 games played. Hall totaled 627 points, 276 rebounds, and 101 assists. Burris finished her career with 947 points, 577 rebounds, 106 assists, and 99 steals.
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Men’s Basketball Looks Ahead
Kentwan Smith
Stetson men’s basketball completed the 2014-15 season with a 9-22 overall record, but there was so much more to the season than just wins and losses. Head coach Corey Williams and his staff began to lay the foundation for the future, and three freshmen showed the future is indeed bright for the Hatters. Grant Lozoya, Divine Myles and Angel Rivera – all guards – gave the Hatters a boost this season and etched their names in the Stetson record books in the process. Lozoya and Myles earned Atlantic Sun Conference All-Freshman team honors, and Rivera had a season worthy of similar accolades. Rivera became Stetson’s all-time leader in assists by a freshman, finishing the season with 120. Myles was right behind him with 106, making the duo the first Stetson teammates – regardless of class – to each record 100 assists in the same season. Myles was second on the team in scoring at 11.1 points per game, and his 344 total points were the most by a Stetson freshman in over a decade. HATTERS EXTRA
Lozoya led the Hatters with 53 3-pointers, the second-best figure for a Stetson freshman ever. He also scored 299 points, the sixth-best total for a freshman. Senior co-captain Kentwan Smith enjoyed a strong all-round season for the Hatters, earning second-team allconference honors despite Stetson’s eighth-place league finish. Smith averaged team highs of 13.8 points and 6.8 rebounds, and also blocked 46 shots – the highest single-season total for a Hatter in 24 years. Smith finished his two-year career ninth on Stetson’s career blocked-shots list. As a team, the Hatters managed a few highs despite winning just nine games. A three-game winning streak in late Januaryearly February included wins over county rival Bethune-Cookman and a thrilling last-minute victory against Lipscomb. The Hatters also took Florida State to the wire in mid-December before ultimately succumbing to the Seminoles, 63-59. With year three for Williams just around the corner, he is one more strong recruiting class away from turning the Hatters into an A-Sun title contender. 19
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Stetson Athletics Welcomes Erick Reasoner
Stetson University Director of Athletics Jeff Altier has announced the addition of Erick J. Reasoner to the Stetson Athletics staff. Reasoner will begin his duties as Assistant Athletics Director for External Operations on May 11. “We had an extremely talented group of professionals to choose from in our search to fill this critical opening on our athletics staff and, in the end, it was clear Erick was the perfect fit for Stetson Athletics,” Altier said. “He has a way of connecting with everyone he comes in contact with, and that is extremely important in this role. “For the Stetson Athletics program to go where we all want it to go, it takes a talented fundraiser. Erick has enjoyed great success at every stop in his career, and I am excited to see all that he will be able to accomplish here at Stetson. He is going to be a great addition to the talented athletics staff we already have in place.” Reasoner comes to Stetson from Auburn University, where he has served in the Athletics Department, most recently as Director of Development, since April of 2012. A graduate of the Ohio State HATTERS EXTRA
University (B.S. 2009) and the University of Florida (M.S. 2010), Reasoner brings a wealth of fundraising experience to Stetson. “I appreciate this amazing opportunity afforded to me by Jeff Altier, and I am extremely excited about joining the great team at Stetson University and the DeLand community,” Reasoner said. “This is a special time for Stetson Athletics, as well as Stetson University, and I look forward to making an immediate impact.” At Auburn, Reasoner has raised more than $2.64 million in major gifts, the majority of which came from donors with no previous major gift history. Prior to his time on the plains, Reasoner spent time in the Athletics Development Office at Tulane University, helping to raise a record of close to $30 million from 2011 to 2012. “We plan to make a commitment to our supporters that we will provide the best service and help them to become as involved with Stetson Athletics as they want, and in the way they feel they can make the biggest difference,” Reasoner said. “Our No. 1 priority is our studentathletes and we want to provide the tools they need to succeed in the classroom, on the field, and after graduation. “Our donors, season ticket holders and sponsors are who allow us to provide these tools and opportunities for our student-athletes, which enhances their time at Stetson and makes them great representatives of the university.” Reasoner and his wife, Anna, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, and a graduate of the University of Florida, are looking forward to becoming a part of the community. 21
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Tip of the Hat: Catherine Coston
Catherine Coston was a pivotal part of the Atlantic Sun champion Stetson sand volleyball team last spring. She and her partner, Savannah Byl, clinched the game that sealed the title for the Hatters. Coston entered her senior year with the expectation that she would at least have a shot at duplicating that experience one more time in her last season as a Hatter. Unfortunately, that plan changed this past September when Coston injured her shoulder in practice, leading to a surgery and a lengthy recovery time. “I was diving for a ball when I felt it,” Coston recalled about the day the injury occurred. “I lost feeling in my hand, my arm and my fingers. I felt something kind of tear in my shoulder, but I had so much pain in my shoulder to begin with that it just seemed normal.” Like most student-athletes who suffer such a serious injury, Coston was jarred. She not only had lost an opportunity to practice with her team, but she had lost a part of her identity. While she could still attend every practice and go to the scrimmages, she was unable to compete HATTERS EXTRA
on a team she thought she would be helping lead. However, instead of regretting her situation, Coston became proactive, and took the initial steps that would eventually lead to a life-changing opportunity. Through an assignment for her Introduction to Sport Business class with Dr. Matt Wilson, Coston interviewed the CEO of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball, Steve Bishop. That conversation led Coston to reach out to USA Volleyball to inquire about internship opportunities. The company got back to her right away. An interview was scheduled, and Coston impressed her potential employer with her eagerness to work and finish school at the same time. In the end, Coston was offered a newly created internship position that would allow her to do both. “When they told me they wanted to offer me an internship, I was just blown away,” Coston said. While Coston’s injury prevented her from competing her senior season, it also may have been a major factor in her ability to land her dream job right out of college. 23
From the Desk of John B
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