Athletics

BLUE JAYS THROUGH THE YEARS

The wood-lined walls of the Manor College gym or the soccer field with scenic Alverthorpe Park in the distance are the backdrop to decades of success in athletics for Manor College. In its 75th year, Manor College sent two athletic teams to their respective USCAA National Championship Tournaments. Here’s a few images to remind us of the success our mighty Blue Jays have had with an eye for the future. 2022

2008

2021 2006

2021

1988

MANOR COLLEGE’S FIRST ALL-AMERICAN REFLECTS ABOUT HIS TIME ON CAMPUS

MARK COLVILLE ‘14 CURRENTLY IS THE CORPORATE SALES MANAGER FOR EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON PHILADELPHIA VALLEY FORGE. HE REMAINS ONE OF ONLY THREE ALL-AMERICANS IN MANOR COLLEGE HISTORY.

The pandemic was tough for everyone. Looking back two years later, Mark Colville ‘14 realizes that what was a tragedy for some ended up being an opportunity for him.

Colville began working in the hospitality industry five years ago. He loved making sure guests were happy and tasks got done. It was a “life changing” experience.

When the pandemic began in March 2020, Colville was laid off. He spent six months looking for work in an industry among the hardest hit by the situation. He found a home at the Cambria Hotel in Center City, Philadelphia. Over the next two years, he worked his way up between a pair of hotels. He’s currently the Corporate Sales Manager for Embassy Suites by Hilton Philadelphia Valley Forge.

“You just had to learn on the job,” Colville said. “I took it with everything I had in me and learned everything I could.”

What made the biggest difference, he said, is the support he received from his director.

“I worked with him for five years and he really invested the time in me,” Colville said. “It really worked out.”

Having that kind of support is nothing new for Colville. He attended Manor College from 2012 to 2014 and remembers having a similar support system here.

“It’s a really tight-knit community, and the teachers were there for me,” Colville said. “They really instilled in me that what effort you put in leads to the result you put out. Everyone was on your side and wanted to see you succeed.”

Colville started his college career at a community college. He worked full time and went to school part time. After two years, he made the decision to go back full time.

“I knew I had to either commit to going to school full time or just get into the work life,” Colville said. “I don’t think I was ready to jump into a four-year school, so going to Manor was a great fit.”

Colville said Manor was a great fit for his academics, but what he’s best known for is his career on the soccer field. He became Manor College’s first All-American student-athlete for soccer. He remained the only Manor College athlete named to an All-American team in any sport until men’s basketball player Rahmaad Dejarnette was named a 2022 USCAA All-American.

In 2013, he led NJCAA Division III with 22 assists and 10 gamewinning goals. He finished second nationally in points (68) and shots (86). He holds Manor College career records in goals (47), assists (37) and points (131).

“There were a lot of standout stars on that team,” Colville said.

He credits Manor College Men’s Head Soccer Coach and Athletic Director John Dempster with fostering a strong team.

“John was one of the reasons I even came to Manor,” Colville said. “He’s a father figure to a lot of kids and he takes pride in it. He’s not just a coach. He makes sure your schoolwork is done and that everything is good off the field.”

Manor College made an impression because everyone – from staffers and faculty to fellow students – held you accountable.

“Everyone was on your side and wanted to see you succeed,” Colville said.

If he could give advice to current students, Colville said to take advantage of your time at Manor College and push through what life throws at you.

“It might seem tough then – and there’s going to be tough times – but you’ll get through it,” Colville said. “You’re there to better your life. You have to get it done and put in everything you can. Keep your head up and know there’s people willing to help you.”

THE BLUE JAYS BEST SHOOTER

AARON BROWN ‘06 HOLDS SEVERAL SCHOOL RECORDS MORE THAN 15 YEARS AFTER HE TRANSFERRED. HE REMAINS THE ONLY 1,000 POINT SCORER IN SCHOOL HISTORY.

Aaron Brown had a reputation in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. Hoopers knew him as the kid you can’t leave open – the kid with the basketball court in his backyard.

Brown’s grandmother and parents owned houses next to each other. As a kid, the family tore down a fence separating the properties and built a basketball court.

“I was only six years old and I couldn’t dribble,” Brown said, “but it didn’t matter. I could shoot and that’s what I needed.”

Years of shooting thousands of shots helped turn Brown into a legend – the best Manor College scorer of all time.

Brown graduated from Strawberry Mansion High School in Philadelphia in 2004. He played shooting guard in the same backcourt as Philadelphia’s leading career scorer, Maureece Rice. The pair led Strawberry Mansion to a pair of Public League Championships in the early 2000s.

After high school, Brown intended to play at another university. When the head coach was fired, Manor College assistant coach Guy Moore brought Brown to become a Blue Jay.

“Manor College was closer to home and allowed me to focus more,” Brown said. “I already knew several players here, so it made a lot of sense.”

Brown brought the Blue Jays success, making the conference tournament twice. His individual statistics made him a legend.

After scoring more than 500 points his freshman year, Brown went on a tear to start his sophomore season. He averaged more than 35 points in his first eight games.

“Anywhere inside of the half court line felt like a good shot for me,” Brown said.

He went on to set Manor College records in season points (671), points per game (30.5) and career points (1,202). He remains the only 1,000 point scorer for the Blue Jays in the institution’s history.

“Playing at Manor was the first time that I got to create with the ball in my own hands,” Brown says. “It gave me a chance to see what I could do as the main scoring option.”

Brown credits his teammates for motivating and training with him.

“I had a few teammates who would be in the gym working out at 6 a.m.,” Brown said. “We’d shoot before and after practice, too. I couldn’t have done it without them.”

Brown left Manor College in 2006. He transferred to University of South Carolina Aiken to continue his basketball journey.

“It was different coming from a place the size of Manor to being at a school with over 10,000 people,” Brown said. “It took me time to adjust to the schedule.”

At USC-Aiken, Brown’s basketball journey took a turn. During a common drill in practice, Brown went up for a layup. As he came down, a teammate fell into his leg, breaking his tibia and fibula in the process.

“It was a pain I never experienced before,” Brown said.

The following year, he transferred to another institution in Oklahoma. In a few practices, he knew his career was over.

“My lateral movement wasn’t what it used to be,” Brown said. “I didn’t have the same lift on my jump shot. That’s what ended everything for me.”

Despite the setbacks, Brown views the injury in a positive light.

“I appreciate it because it got me used to not playing anymore,” Brown said. “It helped me focus on other things in life. I love basketball, but it made me focus on my actual future.”

At USC-Aiken, Brown changed his major to Psychology. He currently works at Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia as a technician in the behavioral health unit.

“No day in the unit is the same,” said Brown, who works with drug and alcohol patients. “I wanted to see the progress people can make in their lives.”

He returned to Philadelphia after college and married his wife, Naomi. The pair have four children, ranging from 1-15 years old.

Brown still plays basketball from time to time at the local gym, sinking shots from beyond the arc. While his playing career is over, he credits Manor College with setting him up for a future without the game.

“Manor College was the first place where I put work into a craft,” Brown said. “This was where I committed to working on myself the most.”