2 STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE
Campbell Stadium nearing completion Averett University’s Frank R. Campbell Stadium is scheduled to be completed in July, just in time for the 2016 football and soccer seasons. Construction, now in its final stages, began in November 2015. The three-floor J.T. Emerson Press Box is a large portion of the $3.5 million stadium complex. The press box will be accompanied by bleachers that will seat more than 1,200 Averett fans. The first floor of the press box will include the concessions stand and public restrooms, and the president’s suite will be located on the second floor. The third floor features a working media area for game day operations
and reporters, along with radio booths for both home and visiting teams, as well as coaches boxes for each team. There will also be a roof platform for video and photography purposes. More additions to the stadium complex include an entry gate and plaza area. The complex will also receive a scoreboard upgrade this summer, which includes a video screen. Averett completed the first phase of the stadium in 2014 with the installation of lights and a synthetic turf on Daly Field. Originally known as the Cougar Den, the football/soccer facility opened with a natural grass playing surface when football began play in 2000.
FALL 2016 DATES TO CIRCLE Sept. 1 Women’s volleyball opens season at home versus Southern Virginia Sept. 3 Football opens at home versus Hampden-Sydney Sept. 3-4 Women’s volleyball hosts 22nd annual Cougar Classic Sept. 6 Men’s soccer faces Randolph in home opener Sept. 7 Women’s soccer battles Laurel in home opener Oct. 14-16 Averett’s Homecoming Weekend
Averett adding men’s wrestling, men’s and women’s lacrosse Through the support of an anonymous donor, Averett University is proud to announce the addition of three NCAA Division III varsity athletics programs — men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse and men’s wrestling. All three are scheduled to begin play during the 2017-18 academic year. Averett is launching its 14th, 15th and 16th varsity programs, respectively, as part of the university’s “Averett 2020” strategic plan to increase enrollment and expand the geographic diversity of its student population. The three programs are expected to generate 90 new students within four years, which will assist Averett in its aspiration for 1,100 traditional students. “It is an exciting time at Averett University as we drive strategic growth centered on our students’ success and their enhanced experience,” said Dr. Tiffany M. Franks, president of Averett University. “We are so very appreciative of this most generous gift that will help us achieve new levels of athletic and academic excellence. Adding these sports will help us to diversify our enrollment pipelines by attracting prospective
students from geographical regions outside of Averett’s traditionally targeted territories.” The initial phase of each sport’s implementation timeline includes an immediate national search for the hiring of a head coach, development strategies and student-athlete recruitment. A portion of the $500,000 gift will fund the startup of these three programs. The announcement marks the first addition of varsity sports at Averett since women’s lacrosse, which was offered for five seasons, initially began play in the 200203 academic year. Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports nationally. At least 17 NCAA schools will begin men’s lacrosse programs over the next two academic years, including 12 at the Division III level. On the women’s side, 23 schools have announced the creation of lacrosse programs, including nine in Division III. Wrestling has also seen growth at the Division III level. Six men’s wrestling programs are scheduled to begin play in 2016-17, with three non-NCAA programs scheduled to transition to
Division III in the next three years. “Through the addition of these three programs, Averett Athletics’ expansion is an integral part of the university’s strategic growth,” said Director of Athletics Meg Stevens. “To establish the proper foundation for sports expansion, we have thoughtfully and carefully positioned ourselves well through our comprehensive planning. We’ve done our research, and these are three in-demand sports that perfectly fit the university profile.” The return of women’s lacrosse and the addition of men’s lacrosse also coincide with Averett’s new facilities. Construction of the $5.5 million Frank R. Campbell Stadium is scheduled to be completed this summer and will be the home to the university’s lacrosse programs, as well as football and soccer. In 2014, the venue received upgrades of lights and state-of-the-art field turf to Daly Field. The wrestling program will compete in the E. Stuart James Grant Center, which is one of the top Division III gyms in the southeast.
3 STUDENT-ATHLETE EXPERIENCE
Averett Athletics ranks No. 3 nationally in D3 Social Media Index Averett University Athletics recently moved into third nationally in the Division III social media index rankings at www.d3socialmedia.com. Averett had been ranked fourth prior to moving ahead of Hampden-Sydney College, the only other Virginia school in the top 10. Gallaudet University leads the rankings, followed by the University of Mount Union and Averett. The index is calculated based on total likes/follows per enrollment and incorporates Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Penalties are applied for not having all three accounts and not having the same username on all acounts. Averett’s athletics social media accounts are run by the Sports Information Department. “The index is a great tool for us to measure our social media efforts and see how we compare with other institutions across the country,” Averett Sports Information Director Drew Wilson said. “I’m proud of our social media presence in athletics, and I’m grateful we have such an engaging fan base in those online forums.” Follow Averett athletics (@AverettUCougars) on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.
AU inducts 19 into national student-athlete honor society Averett University’s Department of Athletics proudly inducted its inaugural class into the Chi Alpha Sigma honor society during its annual awards ceremony on April 24. Chi Alpha Sigma is a National College Athlete Honor Society that was founded in 1996 at DePauw University to recognize student-athletes who are successful in both the athletic and academic setting. Nineteen of Averett’s student-athletes were inducted into the organization this spring. This lifetime membership is offered only to student-athletes at four-year colleges and universities that are members of the NCAA or NAIA. Amongst other criteria, students must also have achieved at least a junior academic standing by their fifth semester as well as a 3.4 cumulative grade point average. Averett administrators searched for a way to honor and reward its student-athletes who exemplified the ideal college athlete, and Chi Alpha Sigma met their expectations. “We specifically chose Chi Alpha Sigma because its goals, standards and mission statement aligned with that of our university and athletics department,” said Patrick Henry, football’s
assistant head coach and academic coordinator. “Students will have the opportunity to be part of this fraternal organization for life. It’s something they can put on their résumés to help separate themselves from others.” Averett prides itself on recognizing the academic achievements of its student-athletes. In fact, upon her arrival in 2013, Director of Athletics Meg Stevens created an academic board to spotlight student-athletes with at least a 3.0 GPA for the spring and fall semesters. “Chi Alpha Sigma falls in line with what we have been talking about with our students. We’ve preached to them, especially in the two years that I’ve been here, how important it is for academics to come first,” Stevens said. “This is a huge reward to those who have done that. It’s a way to honor students who are doing well.” The board is on display in the lobby of Averett’s Grant Center and is updated after the end of each semester. Averett is one of only 11 institutions in Virginia and one of only two members in the USA South Athletic Conference to have this scholar-athlete honor society.
TEAM AVERETT & COUGAR CLUB MEMBERSHIP RECOGNITION TEAM AVERETT (Corporate Partners) American National Bank Ashley Furniture Averett Bookstore/ Follett BB&T Big Sky Rents Buffalo Wild Wings Chick-Fil-A Coca-Cola Bottling Danville/Pittsylvania Co. Chamber of Commerce Daly Seven, Inc. Danville Mall Danville Orthopedic Clinic Danville Regional Medical Center Davenport Energy Domino’s Pizza English Construction Enterprise Golden Leaf Bistro Wilkins & Co. Realtors The Home Depot Home Trust Bank
Kania & Associates Kickback Jack’s Lowe’s Piedmont Glass Piedmont Printing Planet Fitness SDR Constuction Sherwin Williams Trophy & Sign Center Virginia Bank & Trust Wal-Mart Supercenter Woodall Auto Mall Virginia International Raceway COUGAR CLUB (Membership) Cleive Adams Mark Altman Mary E. Ashworth Abigail A. Bailey Kathleen M. Baker Don Barrett Nicole Barringer Dean Bland Patrick W. Bolen Angela T. Bowers Brodie W. Bowes Laura N. Branham
Mavis J. Brantley-Lloyd William Braun Charles R. Brown James F. Brown Kirkland D. Brown Tyler V. Brown Tyler Brubaker Betty L. Buffington Linda M. Burns James S. Caldwell Nicholas P. Carter Mo Chakir Frank Chandler Sarah Chapman Rebecca L. Clark Mark Coleman Robert W. Coleman Gary W. Collins Tillie Comer Elizabeth Compton Michael W. Cook Patricia A. Cook Charles M. Corriher Christopher T. Corriher Laurie H. Corriher Morgan Crawford Flint R. Criley George B. Daniel James A. Daniel
Curtis Davis Meredith A. Deaton Ronnie Dix David P. Doino Kevin Duhaime Lynn M. Dunn Joseph T. Dusewicz Nicole L. Eckert Mary Ann Edwards Dan Elliott Raymond J. Evans Barbara Fidler John R. Fisher Kenneth H. Fleming Deborah R. Flinn Starr A. Forney J.T. Foster Tiffany M. Franks John Fuller Charles E. Fulton Wright L. Garrett Russell E. George John L. Godbolt Ceferino G. Gonzalez E.K. Goodaker Kelly M. Gregory David Gurganus Mary M. Hamlett Ashlyn Hardie
Benjamin R. Harris Charles S. Harris Daniel C. Hayes Carrie R. Hendrick Patrick Henry Sheila Hetherington-Smith Elizabeth Hickey Robert L. Hofacker Henry W. Holland David N. Horton James P. Horton Peter K. Howard Susan Huckstep Shannon Johnson Steve Johnston Rozanne M. Jones Ruth Kendrick Allyn Kurin Barbara A. Kushubar Bernard Lafleur Kim Lafleur Stephen C. Long Jun Looney Bradley Lopez John B. Marks Eric T. McClanahan Angela McNeely Nancy J. Meadows Patsy A. Meadows
Jane E. Merle Danny Miller Sofia L. Minton Matthew R. Mitchell Scott K. Mofield Linda Morrissette Graydon A. Moss Johnny Mullinax Timothy W. Oakes Emma Olsson Debra Overing Carly M. Pearce Mary K. Pegram Bert M. Poole Kelly C. Powell Dorothy Puckett Joyce Reynolds Bill Rickenbrode Mary M. Riddle Joseph W. Roane Karmen Robinson Mary C. Russell Alice S. Scearce Pete H. Shaw Karen Shea J. Compton Shelton Brent R. Skipper Billy Smith Kelsey Smith
Margaret L. Smith Thomas A. Smith Cornelius Snow Paul Steelman Meg Stevens Elizabeth L. Stowers Perry H. Sullivan Jean Summa Robert K. Swab Bren Taylor Kathleen P. Tune Thomas N. Underwood Stefan S. Varner Dan Vidano Eli Vidano Corey V. Walton Angela D. West Drew Wilson Davin Wilson Philip A. Wilson Steven D. Wray Mason Wright J.E.B. International Tobacco Co. Farm Bureau Insurance Chandler’s Automotive and Tire Riverview Baptist Church
4 Championships and major awards
AVERETT ATHLETICS 2015-2016 AWARDS
Volleyball adds 15th championship banner Averett volleyball wrapped up 2015 with the USA South North Division title for the second time in three years. The Cougars finished 17-2 in conference play to earn their 15th championship banner while finishing 27-11 overall. Their performance helped them sweep the USA South’s top awards. Sophomore Hannah Shields took home the USA South Player of the Year award this season while earning American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-America Honorable
Mention and AVCA All-Region honors. Freshman Keenan Marks was named the USA South Rookie of the Year. Shields, Marks and sophomore Sarah Smoot each earned USA South All-Conference honors. Shields and Marks also garnered all-state recognition, with Marks being named the State Rookie of the Year. Smoot and Shields also earned Academic All-District honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).
Averett University’s Department of Athletics celebrated another fantastic year with its annual awards ceremony. Men’s basketball senior Carter Jones was named the Dr. Tommy Foster Male Student-Athlete of the Year, sophomore women’s basketball/softball player Samm Chandler received the Dr. Frank Campbell Sportsmanship Award and sophomore women’s volleyball player Hannah Shields was selected as the Barbara Kushubar Female Student-Athlete of the Year. Pictured with the major award winners are Averett President Dr. Tiffany Franks and Director of Athletics Meg Stevens.
5 Championships and major awards
2015-16 Averett ATHLETICS by the numbers
1
Averett student-athlete who earned Academic All-America recognition
2
Averett student-athletes who earned All-America selections in their respective sport
6
USA South All-Conference Player of the Year, Pitcher of the Year or Rookie of the Year selections for Averett
15
Number of women’s volleyball championship banners after the Cougars won the 2015 USA South North Division
22
Cougars who earned USA South All-Conference selections this season
42
Total USA South Conference Players of the Week or Rookies of the Week during 2015-16
82
Student-athletes who achieved USA South Academic All-Conference honors for the 2015-16 academic year
SAAC helping those in need through USA South initiatives Averett takes first in ‘Cans Across the Conference’ with 12,146 items in fall and repeats as ‘Pennies for a Purpose’ champ in spring by raising a record $4,396.21. Giving back to the local community or helping those in need is a bigger victory than any contest played on a field or court. Averett’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has used several USA South Conference initiatives as a platform for service-learning while earning recognition in the process. This spring, Averett SAAC raised a record $4,396.21 to win the USA South Conference’s “Pennies for a Purpose” for the second consecutive year. The amount nearly doubled the previous single-year total in the history of the competition. The money collected went to help members of the Averett family who have been affected by cancer, as well as The V Foundation. Last fall, Averett also won the USA South’s “Cans Across the Conference” by collecting a school-record 12,146 items while helping give back to the Danville community. The canned goods and food
COVER STORY items were donated locally to God’s Storehouse. Averett’s collection is the third-most garnered in a single year by an institution in the history of the competition. Those aren’t the only honors Averett student-athletes have garnered while giving back. This spring, Averett was only one of several Division III institutions in the country to earn recognition from the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA), which recently announced the recipients of this year’s NADIIIAA/JOSTENS Community Service Awards. Each selected institution or conference was recognized for its impressive community service projects performed by its student-athletes during the 2014-15 academic year. Averett was one of three universities to receive “Award of Merit” distinction in the “Array of Projects” category.
6 2015-2016 AVERETT ATHLETICS IN REVIEW
FOOTBALL
Football set several team and individual records on offense as the Cougars averaged more than 32 points per game. Although it didn’t always translate into wins, Averett’s program developed greatly in head coach Cleive Adams’ second season. Highlights included the Cougars picking up a thrilling 3128 overtime win at Ferrum, and the team had four USA South All-Conference selections and several all-state performers.
MEN’S SOCCER
The squad posted a 6-12 overall record to go along with a 5-5 mark in USA South Conference play under second-year head coach Philip Wilson. The team earned two USA South All-Conference selections and several weekly conference honors. Sophomore Tobias Andreasson was voted to the 2015 Academic All-District Team selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
MEN’S & WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
The men’s cross country team placed fifth at the USA South Conference Championship. Junior Jacob Santangelo paced the Cougars with a 20th place finish, while freshman Alfredo Garcia Huerta finished close behind in 22nd. The women’s cross country team worked to improve under the direction of first-year head coach Cornelius Snow IV. The
team hosted its first Averett Invitational where multiple runners set personal records.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Averett worked to build chemistry during the 2015 season under the leadership of first-year head coach Sarah Chapman. The squad, which didn’t have any seniors, had a chance to develop and work toward a successful upcoming season as underclassmen had the opportunity to step into leadership roles on the field. With a slew of returners, the team is looking forward to the 2016 season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
The Cougars finished with a 14-12 overall record (which matched the second-highest win total in program history) and 9-7 in the USA South. Sophomore Samm Chandler led the squad in scoring, rebounds and blocks to earn a spot on the D3hoops.com All-Region Team. Chandler also earned Academic All-America honors.
7 2015-2016 AVERETT ATHLETICS IN REVIEW 2015 HALL OF FAME CLASS
Averett University inducted four new members into its Athletics Hall of Fame during the 2015-16 academic year. The 2015 Hall of Fame class included former student-athletes Beth Buckwalter Pimsaen (‘99, women’s tennis/cross country), Antonio Seay (‘91, men’s basketball) and Lynn Haden-Smith (‘94, women’s volleyball), as well as former tennis coach and tennis/men’s basketball student-athlete Bobby Shields (‘83). Pimsaen, Seay, Smith and Shields joined the 22 previously inducted members of the Averett Athletics Hall of Fame, which began in 1998.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
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Averett compiled a 15-11 record and a win over a Division II team. Senior Carter Jones earned 2015-16 USA South All-Conference Honorable Mention honors for the second consecutive season after leading the conference in field goal percentage at 56.8 percent. Junior Charles Bryant led the USA South in rebounds per game, averaging 8.6 boards.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Freshman Heidi Sarkkinen swept the USA South’s major honors, taking both Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards under the leadership of first-year head coach Bert Poole. Overall, the Cougars finished 6-11 for its best finish in more than a decade. The team also had two All-Conference selections.
MEN’S TENNIS
Averett had a tremendous season in 2015-16, posting a 14-4 overall record and an 8-2 mark in the USA South Conference. The squad picked up a regional ranking for the first time in recent years while advancing to the USA South Tournament semifinals. Two Cougars earned USA South All-Conference honors.
MEN’S GOLF
The Averett University men’s golf team posted eight top-10 team finishes and several Cougars earned USA South Conference weekly honors with a young team consisting of four freshmen, one junior and one sophomore.
BASEBALL
Baseball finished the season with an overall record of 19-22. Statistically it was a season of positives for the Cougars, who had several players rank nationally in different categories. Senior pitcher T.J. Viracola was near the top of the nation’s leaders in complete games with seven, while sophomore Kyle Vidano was among the nation’s top base stealers with 28 stolen bases, which led the USA South.
SOFTBALL
The Cougars finished this season 25-17 with a 14-6 conference record. The Cougars were the conference tournament runner-up. Junior Jessica Long was named the USA South Player of the Year while senior Mary Beth Smith earned Pitcher of the Year for the second time. Smith set a new program record with 167 strikeouts in a single season. The squad produced three USA South All-Conference selections.
WHAT IS THE COUGAR CLUB? Created in 1989, the Cougar Club is a non-profit organization whose primary objective is to raise money to provide a positive experience for Averett student-athletes and fans. The activities of the Cougar Club are varied, but are all designed with the student-athlete in mind. Each year, hundreds of Cougar supporters pledge their support of Averett University student-athletes by joining the Cougar Club. WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING THE COUGAR CLUB? Averett is committed to success, and has a long tradition of excellence. The Cougar Club is committed to providing Averett student-athletes with the opportunity to succeed academically, as well as in their respective sport. At Averett, we recruit good students who happen to be talented athletes. Private support of academic and athletic programs is crucial to our student-athletes in the increasingly competitive landscape of intercollegiate athletics. HOW DO I JOIN THE COUGAR CLUB? If you are interested in becoming a member of the Averett Cougar Club, visit AverettCougars.com/CougarClub for more information.
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