Xavier Nation - The Official Magazine for Xavier Athletics - Fall 2021

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY JACK NUNGE BELIEVES HIS DAD IS ‘ALWAYS WATCHING’

AMANDA STEELE ‘SHE HAS A PASSION FOR HELPING OTHERS’

FACING NEW BATTLES

BRIAN GRANT’S BOOK COVERS PARKINSON’S, DEPRESSION, ISOLATION

XavierN Xavier Nation THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR XAVIER ATHLETICS

THE

P O R T A L

TRANSFER PLAYERS ARE COMING AND GOING ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. XAVIER IS NO EXCEPTION.

Contents X AV I E R N AT I O N

FALL 2021

24 | A Very

Different Game The transfer portal and rules changes have made it easier for players to switch schools—which means coaches are the ones who must make adjustments.

WARMUP 11 Role Model

A new scholarship honors Benjamin Allen

12 Inside Cintas Center

Updates for the building where Xavier basketball lives

C O V E R P H O T O GR A P H B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A P H O T O GR A P H S (F R O M T O P) B Y R O O T E D C R E AT I V E , C O U R T E S Y J A C K N U N GE , C O U R T E S Y B RI A N GR A N T, S H AW N M CC L AW S , R O O T E D C R E AT I V E , A N D H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

14 On the Run

Soccer’s Alaina Sullivan takes to the track

30 | Family Man Some things are bigger than basketball, and that’s part of the reason Jack Nunge transferred to Xavier.

15 Full House

Volleyball’s Norah Painter and her nine sporty siblings

16 Xavier in the Pros

Catching up with Musketeers in the big leagues

18 Getting to Know You Meet the new players on Xavier’s roster

36 | A Great Teacher In Brian Grant’s book, Rebound, the former Xavier and NBA player confronts his past and makes peace with his present.

COOL DOWN 48 Starting From Scratch Meg Decker builds a new lacrosse program

50 Visualizing Success

New golf coach Brian Arlinghaus has a new approach

40 | Our New Normal The COVID-19 pandemic has changed us all—and it’s changed Xavier basketball as well.

52 Magic-al Hire

Chase Campbell cames to Xavier from the Orlando Magic

54 Familiar Faces

Jordan Brooks and Danny Peters join Travis Steele’s bench

56 Olympic Connections

44 | Leading with Heart Supportive mom, philanthropic champion, and Xavier men’s basketball superfan, Amanda Steele makes sure everyone in her orbit feels the love.

Reconnecting with Xavier Olympians Julie Isphording, Jason Parker, and Thrine Kane

60 Program Updates

A look at all the Musketeer teams

64 Post Game Interview On the Cover: From left, Jack Nunge, who transferred from the University of Iowa; Nate Johnson, who transferred from Gardner-Webb University; and Jerome Hunter, who transferred from Indiana University.

XavierNationMagazine.com

Meet new Xavier president Dr. Colleen Hanycz

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FROM THE EDITOR

WELCOME

Contributors RORY GLYNN

SO, WHAT’S NEW? PLENTY.

Former Xavier beat reporter and former assistant sports editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Also worked at Cleveland Plain Dealer and Atlanta Journal Constitution.

KEVIN GOHEEN Former reporter for The Cincinnati Post, Fox Sports Ohio, and Landof10.com, covering professional and college sports. @CincyGoGo

T’S STARTING TO SEEM A LITTLE CLICHÉ TO TALK ABOUT change. Everything is changing. Nothing will ever be the same. Blah blah blah.

That was never an intended theme for this issue of Xavier Nation. It just, well, kind of happened.

The more I read through the stories and thought about what to write in this space, the more change jumped out at me.

Our feature stories talk about: • The transfer portal, which is about nothing but change for players and college basketball programs all over the country.

• What’s going to be different in a post-COVID-19 era.

• Jack Nunge, Brian Grant, and Amanda Steele, whose lives are full of adversity, new challenges, or rewards because of changes.

That’s not all.

There’s a new lacrosse program, a new scholarship, a new golf coach, new strength and conditioning coach, and new assistant basketball coaches. Heck, there is even a new president of Xavier University.

You can learn about all of them in the pages that follow.

I usually write a longer letter here, but I think I’ll do something different and keep it short.

Hope you are OK with that change.

BOB JONASON Former general manager and digital operations director at Indianapolis Star and former deputy news editor/sports at The Philadelphia Inquirer. UC journalism professor. @BobJonason

TABARI MCCOY Award-winning writer and standup comedian. Host of podcast “A Tight 45 with Tabari McCoy.” Learn more at tabarimccoy.com. @tabarimccoy

LAUREL PFAHLER Has reported for The Athletic, Dayton Daily News, ESPN, WCPO. com and others. Covers the Bengals and FC Cincinnati and launched www.queencitypress.net.

Michael Perry, Editor-in-Chief musketeers@xaviernationmagazine.com

MICHAEL PERRY Former Xavier beat reporter and former sports editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer. Author & publisher of Xavier Tales: Great Stories from Musketeers Basketball (2008). @mdperry14

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P H O T O GR A P H B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

@LaurelPfahler

XavierN Xavier Nation T H E O F F I C I A L M AG A Z I N E FO R X AV I E R AT H L E T I C S

PUBLISHED & PRODUCED BY Cincinnati Magazine (Ivy Bayer, Publisher) Xavier University (Greg Christopher, Vice President for Administration and Director of Athletics)

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Michael Perry

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Amanda Boyd Walters (Cincinnati Magazine)

ART DIRECTOR Emi Villavicencio (Cincinnati Magazine)

REPORTERS Rory Glynn, Kevin Goheen, Bob Jonason, Laurel Pfahler, Tabari McCoy, Michael Perry

PHOTOGRAPHERS Nick Brown, Isaac Fiely, Glenn Hartong (Photo editor), Malinda Hartong, Erik Hegerty, Drew Horton, Keith Klenowksi, Shawn McClaws, Michael Millay, Brendan Ross

SPECIAL THANKS Tom Eiser (Xavier University), Brian Hicks (Xavier University), Greg Lautzenheiser (Xavier University), Mario Mercurio (Xavier University), Hayley Schletker (Xavier University)

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Vu Luong (Cincinnati Magazine)

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Missy Beiting (Cincinnati Magazine)

BUSINESS COORDINATOR Erica Birkle (Cincinnati Magazine)

XAVIER NATION MAGAZINE www.XavierNationMagazine.com

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SHUT OUT // Xavier defeated Northwestern from the Big Ten Conference 1–0 at Corcoran Field on Sept. 12, 2021.

The Musketeers won on a goal by Felix Boe-Tangen at the 87:30 mark.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DREW HORTON

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

SENIOR CAMERON TAYLOR STRETCHES FOR A XAVIER THROW-IN AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.

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LEAPS AND BOUNDS PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

XAVIER SENIOR MIDFIELDER JUSTUS KAUPPINEN IS ON HIS WAY DOWN TO GET CONTROL OF THE BALL AFTER JUMPING OVER NORTHWESTERN DEFENDER QUINN DUDEK (2).

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

SENIOR MIDFIELDER MOLLY MCLAUGHLIN MOTIVATES HER MUSKETEER TEAMMATES BEFORE THEIR AUG. 22 MATCH AGAINST NORTHWESTERN.

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NAVIGATION HERE

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HISTORY-MAKING // Xavier beat the

Wildcats 2–1 in the second regularseason game at Corcoran Field. The Musketeers were 8–0–1 through Sept.

23, the longest unbeaten streak to start a season in program history.

They were ranked No. 21 at the time.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRENDAN ROSS

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

JUMP FOR JOY XAVIER GOAL COMES AT THE 78:46 MARK AND COMPLETES A COMEBACK FROM A 1–0 DEFICIT.

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CANINE CLUB // Dieonte Miles

isn’t the only men’s basketball player with a pooch. Jack Nunge, Colby Jones, Jerome Hunter, Paul Scruggs, and Dwon Odom have dogs who live with them.

PHOTOGRAPH BY HARTONG DIGITAL MEDIA

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

SENIOR CAMERON TAYLOR STRETCHES FOR A XAVIER THROW-IN AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY.

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WOOF, WOOF, WOOF PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

XAVIER SOPHOMORE DIEONTE MILES HUGS HIS DOG STELLA, A ROTTWEILER LAB MIX, AT WASHINGTON PARK’S DOG PARK IN DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI.

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Warmup // HONORING BENJAMIN ALLEN PG. 11

SOCCER MEETS TRACK PG. 14

JUST TO GET YOU STARTED

MEET THE NEW PLAYERS PG. 18

AND MORE

LET’S GET EXCITED // Hunter Fry (4), Moriah Hopkins (8) and

P H O T O GR A P H B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

Norah Painter (17) celebrate as the Musketeers beat Providence in five sets at Cintas Center in September in their BIG EAST opener. Read more about Painter and her family on Pg. 15.

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P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y X AV I E R U N I V E R I T Y A R C H I V E S A N D S P E C I A L CO L L E C T I O N S ( T O P L E F T ) A N D X AV I E R U N I V E R S I T Y AT H L E T I C S (B O T T O M R I G H T )

PIONEER

Former Xavier University President James F. Maguire, S.J., invited Ben Allen, a member of Student Council and chairman of the Student Athletic Committee, to help him welcome a visiting priest from Africa.

ROLE MODEL

// XAVIER ESTABLISHES NEW AWARD IN HONOR OF BENJAMIN ALLEN, THE UNIVERSITY’S FIRST BLACK GRADUATE. — T O M E I S E R

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Allen’s leadership went beyond the track team at Xavier. He was a member of Student Council and chairman of the Student Athletic Committee.

In 1950, when it came time to pick up his cap and gown for graduation, he was told they could not locate his order, Helen says. Allen and another Black student who was scheduled to graduate were being encouraged to get their diplomas by mail instead of being a part of the ceremony. His classmate agreed, but Allen wanted no part of that.

“I have a nice suit I can wear if you can’t fi nd my cap and gown,” he told the man in charge of the ceremony. “I worked too hard for this, and I am going to walk with all the other graduates.” Days later, they found his cap and gown.

Allen enjoyed a long and successful career in real estate. He became vice president of the Cincinnati Board of Realtors, President of the Cincinnati Association of Real Estate Brokers and a leader with the Ohio Board of Realtors and National Board of Realtors in addition to the N.A.A.C.P. Board of Directors and a member of the Xavier University Board of Governors.

“Nothing interfered with a goal for Ben,” Helen says, “whether that was school, work, or his personal life.”

BENJAMIN ALLEN, A THREE-TIME XAVIER TRACK AND FIELD LETTERWINNER AND SENIOR

team captain, is listed as the fi rst Black graduate of Xavier University. But that is just part of his impressive legacy, a lifelong story of ingenuity, history, leadership, and determination that makes the new Benjamin Allen Student-Athlete Leadership Award a highly coveted honor.

The new award will go to a current or former student-athlete for making significant contributions to Xavier University and having a well-rounded impact on the global community. Allen, who died in 2013 at age 86, received his Xavier diploma in 1950 with a B.S. degree in business administration. His major was accounting with a minor in economics.

After graduating from Withrow High School in Cincinnati, where he ran track, Allen was drafted into the U.S. Army. After his service, he set his sights on college. He spent his fi rst semester at Xavier of Louisiana and restarted his track career. With the help of the G.I. Bill, Allen came back to Cincinnati and spent his fi nal three years at Xavier University. He competed on the track team for all three years, being voted team captain in his fi nal season.

Allen liked to use the phrase “turn anger into energy.” That became evident his junior year on a track trip to Louisville. Allen and Black members of the team were not permitted to eat in the café or use the shower facilities like their white teammates. The following year when the coach scheduled a return trip to Louisville, the senior captain said he wasn’t going back to be insulted again. That is, unless he was assured he would be treated like the other competitors. The coach assured him things would be different.

“He agreed to make the trip,” says Helen, his wife of 57 years. “But he made it clear that if he got down there and things weren’t different, he was coming home without running in the meet.” The changes were made, and he did compete.

XavierNationMagazine.com

Tom Eiser is Xavier University Associate Athletic Director for Communications. A longer version of this story is available at goxavier.com.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

INSIDE CINTAS CENTER // THERE WAS PLENTY OF ACTIVITY IN THE SUMMER MONTHS IN THE BUILDING WHERE XAVIER BASKETBALL LIVES.

1 2

1 GATHER ’ROUND: Aaron French,

assistant strength and conditioning coach, talks with members of the women’s basketball team in the fuel station, adjacent to the practice gym and strength and conditioning facility in Cintas Center.

2 TECH UPGRADE: A Ross Expression

video switcher inside the Cintas Center video control room is part of a $3 million tech upgrade, which includes all new HD cameras and production equipment.

4 3

3 WORKING IT: Paul Scruggs is silhou-

5

etted against the giant X logo on the northwest side of the practice gym in Cintas Center.

4 NOTICEABLE ADDITION: A new four-

5 FUN DINING: Junior Ayanna Townsend

and her women’s basketball teammates enjoy some food at the “fuel station” next to the weight room in Cintas Center.

6 BRAINTRUST: Video production crew

members—from left, Jason Dudley, Nate McGaha, Chris Schaaf and Scott Helton—discuss graphics in the video control room inside Cintas Center.

They were preparing to livestream the Xavier–UC women’s soccer match.

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P H O T O GR A P H S B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

sided video board hangs above the floor at Cintas Center as workers make the final touches to the arena upgrade. The scoreboard, two-and-a-half-times the size of the previous board, will feature HD video displays, upgraded fascia ribbon displays, a new graphics systems and new HD cameras.

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DOUBLE DUTY

ON THE RUN

// WOMEN’S SOCCER PLAYER ALAINA SULLIVAN TURNS IN ONE OF THE TOP TRACK PERFORMANCES IN SCHOOL HISTORY. — L A U R E L P F A H L E R

The two sports of Alaina Sullivan

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A

ALAINA SULLIVAN WAS RECRUITED TO

Xavier for soccer, but her biggest impact as a freshman came in her secondary sport. After just three meets and little training, she has already established herself as one of the program’s all-time best sprinters.

With the COVID-19 pandemic pushing fall sports back to spring in 2021, Sullivan was unable to join track until the soccer season was completed.

The late start didn’t slow her down.

She posted the team’s best 200-meter dash time, fi nishing in 25.71 seconds at the BIG EAST Championships, and she recorded a personal best time of 12.54 seconds in the 100 at the Kentucky Invitational two weeks earlier.

Both times were among the top 10 performances in program history. Alltime leader Maggie Barrie clocked a 24.69 in the 200 and 12.07 in the 100 back in 2015.

“I went in kind of with an open mind, like, this might not be very fast, you’re just jumping in, you haven’t trained for track, and I put up scores I didn’t really think I would put up right away,” Sullivan says. “I’m excited to see with more training and more work if those times can drop because it was a super exciting short little season.”

Now Sullivan is anxious for a more normal year as a sophomore. Track will always overlap some with spring soccer, but Sullivan says she can manage both.

An outside back in soccer, Sullivan appeared in just three games last season, and coach Nate Lie is looking for her to compete for legitimate playing time in 2021.

“She’s one of our fastest players on the team, obviously, which allows her to effectively cover space in the wide areas,” Lie says.

Soccer helped keep her in shape for track last year, and her sprinting obviously helps in soccer. She’s keeping up a family tradition of sorts in playing soccer at Xavier: Her dad, Brad Sullivan, played center back for the men’s soccer team from 1989 to 1992.

“I do really like kind of having that little family tradition and keeping our Xavier fanbase going strong,” Sullivan says.

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P H O T O G R A P H S B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A A N D P H O T O C O L L A G E B Y E M I V I L L AV I C E N C I O

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FAMILY MATTERS

Norah Painter (17) and her siblings, clockwise from bottom left, Mariah Painter, Ben Painter, Adam Painter, Leighton Painter, Weston Painter, Colton Painter, Alex Painter, Dillon Painter, and Leah Werskey.

FULL HOUSE P H O T O GR A P H B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

// IT’S NO SURPRISE VOLLEYBALL PLAYER NORAH PAINTER IS COMPETITIVE. SHE GREW UP WITH NINE SIBLINGS — B O B J O N A S O N

WHEN NORAH PAINTER WAS A KID, HER FAMILY HAD WHAT SHE CALLED “A GIANT VAN.”

They needed it, she says, as the Painters had 10 children, all born within a 15-year span, and they loved to play sports.

“With that van, you always knew when the Painters were coming,” she says. “We’d go from one side of Ft. Wayne, [Indiana], to the other, from one sporting event to another. We were hustling everywhere.”

The Painters’ passion for athletics paid off, as Norah and five of her siblings went on to play collegiate sports. Norah, the “baby” of the family that includes seven brothers and three sisters, is an outside hitter on the Xavier women’s volleyball team.

Painter competed in track and field, basketball, and volleyball at Shawnee High School in Lima, Ohio (the family moved to Ohio when Norah was going into her

XavierNationMagazine.com

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junior year). She earned all-state honors in volleyball as a senior and set a goal of playing at the collegiate level.

“If my siblings did it, I wanted to do it,” Painter says. “They were my role models.”

Brothers Dillon and Weston played football at Indiana State, and sister Leah played volleyball there. Brothers Alex (football) and Adam (baseball) competed for Earlham College.

Norah made a verbal commitment to play at Youngstown State after being offered a full athletic scholarship. But three days before signing, she received a phone call from the Youngstown State athletic director: The women’s volleyball coach had been let go, and incoming players were not guaranteed scholarships.

“It was a dream crusher,” Painter says.

Painter’s siblings sprang into action.

A sister made a highlight video of her. A brother sent e-mails to college athletic departments for her. Soon she received interest from other universities. She visited two of them; one was Xavier.

“I just loved the place,” she says.

“I’m close to my family, and Xavier had a close-family vibe.”

Throughout her time at Xavier, Painter, now a senior, has known she could count on family members to support her in the stands. “My mom and stepdad, I can’t remember when they missed a home game,” she says.

Her entire family—which, with spouses, nephews, and nieces, includes 30 people—tries to make it to Cintas Center for at least one game each season. “I walk out onto the court, and a whole section is cheering for me,” Painter says. “They hold up signs. It’s a moment I live for.”

An early childhood education major, Painter says her goal is to become a fi rst-grade teacher after she graduates.

In her education classes, she’s often asked why she wants to be a teacher.

She replies, “I became an aunt at 11 years old. I’ve always been around children.

“Plus, I’ve grown up with amazing teachers—not only the teachers I’ve had in school, but my mom and my nine siblings.”

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SUCCESS STORIES

XAVIER IN THE PROS

// FORMER MUSKETEERS ARE LITTERED THROUGH THE PROFESSIONAL RANKS IN SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPORTS. HERE’S A LOOK AT HOW SOME ARE FARING. — X A V I E R N A T I O N

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Z

Zac Lowther

Edmond Sumner

Zac Lowther: The left-handed pitcher made his MLB debut for the Baltimore Orioles on April 25, 2021, pitching a scoreless ninth inning. He appeared in 10 games and collected his fi rst MLB victory Sept. 23 against the Texas Rangers. He fi nished the season 1-3 with a 6.67 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. Lowther was a second-round pick by Baltimore in the 2017 MLB draft.

Vinny Nittoli: Made his fi rst MLB appearance for the Seattle Mariners in June and allowed two runs in one inning. The Mariners released him in August, and he was signed by the Minnesota Twins and assigned to the team’s Triple-A club in St. Paul.

Vinny Nittoli

NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Edmond Sumner: Sumner was preparing for his fifth season in the NBA and with the Indiana Pacers when he tore his left Achilles tendon during a workout in early September, requiring surgery that will likely keep him

Nick Hagglund

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Nick Hagglund: He has started on defense most of the season for FC Cincinnati in his third year with his hometown team. The Cincinnati native, who previously played five years for Toronto FC in MLS, scored on a second-half header in the fi rst-ever game at TQL Stadium, tying it 2–2 (FCC would end up losing 3–2 to Inter Miami).

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XavierNationMagazine.com

P H O T O G R A P H S B Y T O D D O L S Z E W S K I / B A L T I M O R E O R I O L E S ( Z A C L O W T H E R) , B E N V A N H O U T E N / S E A T T L E M A R I N E R S ( V I N N Y N I T T O L L I ) , R O N H O S K I N S / G E T T Y I M A G E S ( E D M O N D S U M N E R) , A N D N I C K B R O W N / R O O T E D C R E A T I V E ( N I C K H A G G L U N D)

Note: This does not include players in the minor leagues, second-tier leagues, or overseas.

SUCCESS STORIES

P H O T O G R A P H S B Y A N D R E W D I E B / G E T T Y I M A G E S (JA SON KOKRAK), Z A C H B E E K E R / G E T T Y I M A G E S (NA JI MARSHALL), AND C H R I S K E A N E / U S G A (ANDY POPE)

out the entire season. Sumner is coming off a season during which he saw a lot of action, averaging 16.2 minutes in a career-high 53 games. He averaged 7.5 points and shot 53.5% from the field and 39.8% from 3-point range. The Pacers exercised their option on Sumner’s contract for this coming season.

Jason Kokrak

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Andy Pope

Naji Marshall: He came on strong last season, averaging 7.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 32 games for the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 15 points in his last five games of the season, including two double-doubles.

In May, he was signed to a multiyear deal. Marshall, you may recall, was not selected in 2020 NBA draft after leaving following his junior season at Xavier.

PGA TOUR Jason Kokrak: The pro golfer won his second PGA Tour event in May 2021 when he captured the Charles Schwab Challenge in Ft. Worth, Texas. He beat Jordan Spieth by two strokes after shooting a final-round 70. Kokrak’s first PGA Tour victory came in October 2020 at the CJ Cup in Summerlin, Nevada.

Naji Marshall

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Andy Pope: Qualified for his fifth U.S. Open in June in Brookline, Mass., but missed the half-way cut. Pope, 37, turned pro in 2006.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

INTRODUCING … // MEET THE NEWEST MEMBERS OF XAVIER’S MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAMS. — T A B A R I M C C O Y

#4

#21

CESARE EDWARDS

JEROME HUNTER

Can you cook? I can cook some grilled cheese. Cheddar cheese with ham, that’s about it for me.

What celebrity do people say you look like the most? Rudy Gay [veteran NBA player].

Favorite junk food? Lemon meringue pie is my thing. I literally will just eat the whole thing unless you tell me to stop.

Favorite video game? Right now, it’s Fortnite. I play that all night and all day. I just like the fact they built a game where you can run, shoot and there’s a big map for you to run around—being the last man standing is the best feeling in the world.

Hobbies? I like playing pool. I have my own pool cue. It’s competitive, takes a lot of skill and a lot of patience [as well as] a lot of learning outside of playing the game. It’s entertaining to me to watch and play it. I can go play pool for hours upon hours.

Who would you love to meet? Shaquille O’Neal just because of how smart he is.

[I’d like to] ask him a lot of questions about life, choices he’s made, and things he’s learned.

If you won the lottery, the first thing you would buy? A giant AAU building with five to six courts to have volleyball and basketball, with a full soccer field inside it. I would host different types of AAU tournaments. Where I’m from, the nearest big basketball outlet/facility is about an hour and 30 to 45 minutes away, so I would put that near my city.

Fears or superstitions? I don’t like insects. People think I’m weird for that, but I have no problem not liking bees and wasps. I don’t like anything that flies besides birds. The cicadas didn’t bother me too much [this summer], but they were all over the place, trying to land on me—I’m not messing with those at all.

Favorite movie? The Fast & Furious and Transformers franchises. I love cars and want to be smart at building and fixing up a car someday.

What’s a more exciting way to win a game to you: A big dunk or a block on someone going up for a dunk? Dunk on somebody! You can be very disrespectful with a dunk.

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Dream concert lineup? I’m going to say Lil’ Durk. Lil’ Baby has to be on there and Rod Wave has to be on there. You’ve got to listen to him sometime. It’s going to touch your heart.

Celebrity crush? I’d love to meet Rihanna. For sure. I’ve had a crush on her since I was little and before I even knew what a crush was.

Best birthday present? My PlayStation 2. I had never had a game system before and that was my first [one] ever.

If you can go anywhere in the world on vacation all expenses paid, where would it be? Hawaii. I’ve never been there, and that’s somewhere I’ve been wanting to go for a while. I just feel like people that go there are so secluded that they have their own vibe and I like it.

Food you don’t like? One food I will just not touch is coleslaw. I just don’t like the idea of it; I don’t even know what it is. It’s a visual thing.

Favorite Halloween costume as a kid? My [Teenage Mutant] Ninja Turtles costume. I had the sword, the staff, the nunchuks. I had everything. I was Leonardo. He was my favorite because he was the leader and he had the two [katana] swords.

#24

JACK NUNGE

You recently got engaged—how did the proposal go down? We—my fiancée Brie and I—pretty much planned it. It was a family vacation with both our families.

We went to Breckenridge, Colorado, and we stayed in the same Airbnb. I knew I was going to do it on a hike we went on—it has a really nice view. I was going into it a little in the dark because I didn’t know exactly what I was going to do. It was a 1.5-mile hike, and there was a little cliff and I got down [on one knee] and did it out there.

Where do you like to travel for your personal enjoyment? Beaches. Also, when I went to Colorado, I enjoyed that a lot with the views in the mountains.

I think we went on three or four hikes while we were there, and I enjoyed each one of them.

Favorite food? My parents will get a kick out of this: When I was growing up, I would eat broccoli two times a day save for breakfast up to and throughout high school. It was not really my favorite, but it’s probably why I am as tall as I am and the tallest person in my family.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be? Probably Kevin Durant.

He’s always been my favorite player growing up and an actor who I would like to meet is Jason Sudeikis. Ted Lasso is my favorite show.

You’ve had several injuries in your college career. What’s the toughest part of dealing with an injury? It’s definitely the combination of physical and mental pain, rehabbing, coming in and doing the same thing every day, working the same muscle groups. It gets a little repetitive which makes bringing the energy every day a little tough. Then when you’re coming back, it’s balancing how hard do I work when I’m feeling pain or do I need to take a day off and rest?

Have you tried Cincinnati-style chili yet? I like chili. I like noodles, so I was coming into it open-minded. The first week I was here, I was like I’ve got to try Skyline, and I did not like it.

Hidden talents? I’m a pretty good juggler. I can juggle three things at once well with a variety of items. In elementary school, we practiced it one day and it was just something I was able to pick up fairly easily.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

WARMUP

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ELIJAH TUCKER You were voted regional player of the year your senior year, in which you reportedly recorded 86 dunks.

Does dunking becoming boring after you score so many or are they all still special to you? I feel like every dunk is still very good dunk. I always got excited when I dunked it.

Josh Tucker, your dad, played in the NFL and your mom LaShonda played on two national championship women’s teams at Tennessee.

What is it like having star athletes as parents? They pushed me a lot because my mom is a teacher as well, so academics is a big thing in our house.

They raised me well and pushed me to be a good person as well. My dad was always on me about that and trusting in God. It was awesome.

Are you a big sneaker person? I like sneakers, but I don’t have a lot. My favorite shoe is probably the Nike Blazer. I just like the way they feel on my feet plus they look good.

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What one junk food do you have a hard time resisting? Gushers. I just eat them all. They’re sweet—I have a real bad sweet tooth. I love sweets, so I have a hard time getting rid of those.

What annoys you? People who talk loudly. I don’t like loud noises like that.

Dog or cat person? Dog—I have a black lab named Buddy. I’ve had him since I was 7, I think. The best thing about having a dog is going on walks and taking him out. The hardest thing is cleaning up after him or taking him on a walk when you’re tired.

Movie or book that inspires you?

Coach Carter. I like how the kids grew up in the streets and he brought them, disciplined them, and got them where they needed to be.

Which is more exciting: A gamewinning dunk or game-winning blocked shot? A game-winning dunk.

First of all, I get excited when I dunk, and if it’s a game-winning dunk, that would be pretty cool.

Where would you love to visit? Hawaii.

I like the tropics. I like going to the beach.

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SHAILA BEELER Hidden talents? I can cook. Give me some meatloaf, some cabbage, maybe some greens, some mashed potatoes, throw it in there all together with some cornbread…

Would you rather be a famous athlete or president of the United States?

Hmm. I would say the president because you have way more respect. Athletes don’t always have respect regardless of whether [people] like you or don’t like you, but the president, whether they like you or not, you will have that respect.

Your major and why you chose it?

Sociology. I have a minor in business. I chose sociology because I like to help and interact with people.

Have you ever gone hunting? I’ve had friends who hunt and I’ve always wanted to go, but I’ve just never gotten around to it.

One food you can’t stand? Mushrooms.

Seeing them just throws off your whole plate. It could be something good and then you throw mushrooms on it and it’s not good anymore [laughs].

What would be a tougher job— professional wrestler or football player? Football just because there are so many players it’s hard for one to show their talents if they’re not at a certain level.

Morning or night person? I’m more of a morning person. I have this weird thing where I just wake up in the morning, and it doesn’t matter what I’m doing or if I have anywhere to be. I just like to get up and get after things.

Do you collect anything? I’m a collector of shoes. I love shoes. I’m a sneakerhead—I always gotta have the new pair. I have at least 80 pairs. My favorite pair right now are the Air Jordan 1 “Mocha.”

Would you rather block a shot to win a game or dunk in a game? Block—a dunk doesn’t mean anything if you lose.

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P H O T O G R A P H S B Y E R I K H E G E R T Y A N D D R E W H O R T O N / P H O T O C O L L A G E B Y E M I V I L L AV I C E N C I O

Are you more of an outdoors person or a city person? I’m going to have to go with city person just because of where I’m from—Indianapolis. Last year, I ended up in a little small town and it wasn’t for me being from the city.

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

#0

SHELBY CALHOUN What is your major? I’m a marketing major and I’m thinking about minoring in Spanish. I want to go into real estate development. It kind of all started a couple years ago when my parents decided to build their own house and I kind of got invested in that in talking to the real estate agent. I’m interested in learning more about the business side.

What were you feeling the first time someone asked you for your autograph? It was interesting. I felt like “Do I deserve to sign this autograph?”

But it was kind of cool. Growing up and asking my favorite players for autographs, now it’s come full circle and people are asking me. It’s a cool thing.

Favorite candy? Skittles or peanut M&Ms or Starburst. The red ones are the best ones. I just grew up eating them, and I probably shouldn’t eat them as much as I do.

What non-basketball skill do you wish you were better? Singing for sure. If I were able to sing well I’d be in Hollywood as a superstar making some money [laughs].

If you could meet anyone in the world? I really like Snoop Dogg and just feel like he’d be a cool and chill person to talk to.

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KAYBRIANNA HALLMAN How many tattoos do you have? I have seven. My favorite is the quote on my arm or a note in my mom’s handwriting on my ribs. The quote is something my mom would always tell me—“It’s just a bad day, not a bad life”—and it helped me through a lot of hard situations, and I always wanted my mom’s handwriting on me. She just means a lot to me.

Would you pick to play you in a movie?

Zendaya. She’s my favorite actress, and I just feel she’s great at it and could play me well.

Hidden talents? I used to be really good at drawing. I used to love fashion, so I’m pretty decent at drawing.

Are you shy, outgoing, or somewhere in between? It really depends on who I’m around and how comfortable I am with you. I can be a super shy person and not say a word or if other people’s energy is good, I’m loud and talkative, matching their energy, so it just depends.

Dog or cat person? Both. I love cats. I love dogs. I had a lot of dogs growing up.

I’ve had over 22 dogs growing up.

Favorite subject in school? English. I loved reading, I loved writing.

Favorite childhood cartoon character? I used to be a big Dora the Explorer fan. She helped me learn a lot.

Favorite book? I like If I Stay by Gayle Forman, and then the second one [in the series] called Where She Went.

Spicy food or non-spicy food? I’m a big spicy food fan; buffalo chicken dip is a favorite.

Instagram or TikTok? TikTok for sure.

TikTok relates to your life in ways; whatever you like, it shows you whatever you’re interested in. There so many teens and people out there that you can relate to and I feel like I learn a lot of new things. You also don’t feel like you’re alone [when you discover something] on TikTok, and it makes me laugh.

Would you rather win an NCAA title but never make it to the WNBA, or have a Hall of Fame career but never win an NCAA title? The ultimate goal for me is winning a national title. It’d be kind of selfish of me right now to say I want to be a Hall of Famer—although that would be amazing—but my goal here is to win a national championship.

If you were going to get a trophy for something non-sports related on your team, what would it be?

Honestly, I have a pretty clean room. I’m not sure I’ve been in every single one of their rooms, but I probably would win cleanest room.

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Have you picked a major? Yes—I’m majoring in social work. I’ve always been interested in social work. I’ve been through a lot of experiences and think I could give a lot of advice to a lot of people and help a lot of people out. I just love talking to people, hearing their stories and giving advice. Being able to change someone’s life would be really nice.

WARMUP

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AANAYA HARRIS Dog or cat person? I’m a dog person. I only like some cats. I had a dog named Nalah—a Yorkie—growing up. Dogs are like friends [and] like people, like family.

They can do more than cats.

What inspired your tattoo? This is my favorite quote. It says, “In God’s name, I play,” and then it’s hands holding a cross necklace with a basketball under it. I found it on the Internet. It had a rose, but I replaced it with a basketball.

Are you a sneaker enthusiast? Yes. I have 50-plus pairs. [My favorites] are probably my “bred [black and red]” Air Jordan 11s because they’re an original colorway and one of his most famous pairs.

Favorite cartoon character?

SpongeBob SquarePants. He’s funny, and I just always liked him.

Can you play an instrument? I played the clarinet and the violin.... And I can kind of play the piano. I don’t play anymore, though. It was just too much to learn, and I didn’t care that much about it, so I just stopped.

Did you play other sports growing up?

Yes. I played football, I ran track and I played softball and boxed for a little bit.

I miss football the most. I would play football over any sport. I was a fullback and an offensive/defensive lineman.

I enjoyed being a fullback the most because I got to run the ball.

Morning person or a night person? A night person. I like the darkness.

Food you don’t like? Watermelon, hot sauce, Brussels sprouts, coleslaw, potato salad, cucumbers, carrots, celery, cold broccoli; it has to be steamed.

You win $1 million tomorrow. What’s the first thing you buy? A stock because I get more money out of the money I just got. But I would also buy some shoes.

Favorite movie? Probably Love and Basketball. I just used to always watch it at my grandma’s house with her. It’s my favorite childhood movie.

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WARMUP

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

#2

#3

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MIKAYLA HAYES

TAYLOR SMITH

KAYSIA WOODS

If you could go to any concert, what three artists would you love to see perform? Beyoncé, J. Cole, and Kehlani.

I’ve always loved Beyoncé; she’s always been a great performer. J. Cole is one the best lyrical rappers [today] to me, and Kehlani is my favorite R&B artist.

How many tattoos do you have, and which is your favorite? I have six tattoos. One on my leg is the Matthew 21:22 verse. It says, “If you believe, you will receive everything you ask for in prayer.”

My inspiration for it was, I was going through something and was feeling like “Something’s gotta get me through this,” and it was really this prayer.

You’re a bubble gum enthusiast— what’s your favorite flavor? I’m chewing my favorite flavor right now; my mom and dad sent it to me from Nebraska. It’s the mint chocolate chip ice cream. I like a lot of gum, but this brand is Extra.

Favorite ice cream? Coffee is the best ice cream to me. I am an avid coffee drinker, and coffee-flavored anything is the best to me.

If you could go on an all-expenses paid vacation for a week, where would it be? Greece and Spain. Greece because of the pretty, clear blue water and Spain because it’s my goal to be fluent in Spanish and if I hit that goal, I want to go to a Spanish-speaking country and I feel like Spain would be the most fun.

Cat or dog person? I’m a dog person. I had a dog growing up, and if I could get another pet, it would be a dog. My dog’s name was Tuxedo. He was a poodle, and he was all black but white on his stomach—that’s why his name was Tuxedo.

Hiking in the mountains or going on a safari? Safari, so I can see all the different animals.

Are you a big shopper or more frugal?

I’m a shopper, absolutely. It depends on what I’m shopping for, but the outlets anywhere in general because they’ve got good deals. Trader Joe’s is my favorite grocery store—it’s where I get my coffee ice cream [laughs].

Fears? I’m scared of the dark, I don’t like clowns and I don’t like scary movies.

I don’t know if you remember, but there was this time a few years ago when people were dressing like clowns and scaring people for fun. That happened in Minnesota where I’m from and they were everywhere—you would see them on the side of the freeway, in the parking lot just staring at you. That just ruined it for me.

Being from Minnesota, were you a big Prince fan growing up? My parents made sure I knew all about [him]. I wouldn’t say I was a fan, but I was knowledgeable about him.

What is your major? I am getting my master’s in business. I’m taking international business and it’s because I want to travel the world.

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You have a chain with a “M” pendant— what is the significance of that pendant? My cousin passed three years ago. He was shot and killed, and this is a representation of his name.

We called him Meko because it was short for Demeko. It’s also my favorite possession.… I also have this brokenhearted tattoo on my hand. It’s like a family tradition as we all have this on our hands as an extra memory of him.

Favorite TV show? Right now, I’m watching The Haves and the Have Nots.

It’s an older show. When I tell people I’m watching it, they’re like What? There’s just a lot of drama.

If you weren’t playing college basketball, what other sport would you try? Tennis. I feel like I would be very good at tennis. Even though it looks kind of easy, I’m sure it’s not.

Away from the court, dresses and skirts or jeans and sweatpants?

Definitely jeans and sweatpants, but when I step out, I’ll be fresh.

Would you rather run a marathon or walk up 100 flights of steps? I’m going to have to run that marathon because those steps are no joke.

Who would you love to meet? It would probably be Kevin Hart because he’s funny and I feel like I would just be laughing all day.

Favorite NBA or WNBA player? LeBron James. He’s been my favorite for a while now. He’s just the greatest. He’s an influencer. I like what he’s doing now with the school he opened and giving back.

What is your major? Social work. I like working with people that have been through something; it would just make me feel good to make me know I’m the one helping them get through it.

Away from the court, are you more quiet or loud? I feel like I’m in the middle. It depends on who I’m around and what’s going on and who I am comfortable with. I can be really quiet and really outgoing.

Favorite video game? I do play video games, and my favorite is Fortnite and that is the only video game that I play.

I’m pretty nice.

What is your major? Marketing. I chose it because it’s a growing field and you can do a lot with a marketing degree.

I also wanted to challenge myself. My plans with the marketing degree are to become a social media marketer or something to do with sports, so I figured if I went into the broader marketing field versus sports marketing, I’d have a lot more options.

What annoys you? Something people do that annoys me is when they are not on time. I don’t know why, but my biggest pet peeve is not being on time, so if I have to rely on other people to be on time, then it’s going to really bug me. I always ask people if they keep the water running when they brush their teeth or not and if they do, I automatically have a problem [with it].

Fears? Horror movies. I cannot watch trailers for horror movies, horror movies—I’m afraid of heights to an extent—but I’m deathly afraid of horror movies. You can ask [my teammates].

If you could guest star on any TV show? I would probably be on All American [on the CW] just so I could tell the people that are getting stabbed in the back what’s going on behind their backs just so I could stir stuff up.

One piece of advice you could give your younger self? Don’t be so hard on yourself and just live for the moment.

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NAVIGATION HERE

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DIFFERENT

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NAVIGATION HERE WARMUP The transfer portal and rule changes

P H O T O G R APPHHO TB OY GTRKA P H B Y R O O T E D C R E A T I V E

Nate Johnson, a transfer from Gardner-Webb, was fourth in the nation in 3-point percentage last season for the Musketeers before being sidelined by injury.

have made it easier for players to change schools—which means coaches are the ones who must make adjustments.

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Xavier men’s basketball coach Travis Steele, who welcomes two Division I transfers this season in Jerome Hunter from Indiana and Jack Nunge from Iowa, says he’s a proponent of players enjoying greater freedom of movement. Even if he might have to get fitted for a neck brace from the process.

“You’re going to have more transfers now. That’s the new reality, and that’s going to be how it is,” Steele says. “It’s frustrating from my end, yes, but at the same time, I think it’s the right thing to do for the student-athletes.

“First and foremost, it’s a good thing that student-athletes have the ability to transfer, and to transfer without penalty. I think that’s right.”

Underline “without penalty,” a factor undoubtedly helping drive some of the movement at the moment.

If the NCAA’s October 2018 creation of the transfer portal—sort of the Match.com for players and programs—gave unfulfilled players means and opportunity for a new start, an NCAA rule change in April added a motive to the mix. College sports’ governing body allowed first-time transfers in all sports to change schools without sitting out a season, as had previously been required in the marquee sports of football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, and ice hockey.

In 2017, the year before the portal, there were 689 transfers in Division I men’s basketball, according to NCAA data. In 2021, the first year with both the portal and the no-sit transfer rule, there were 1,759 Division I players in the transfer portal as of September 2, according to the player-tracking web site verbalcommits.com. While not every player is guaranteed to find a new school, the increased volume does demonstrate a new dynamic for college basketball—and its coaches.

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P H O T O GR A P H B Y R O O T E D C R E AT I V E (S T E E L E ) A N D A N D R E W M A S C H A R K A / I N D I A N A AT H L E T I C S (H U N T E R)

Keeping up with college basketball transfers in 2021 can make fans’ heads spin.

Just imagine what it must be like for the coaches.

Where once there was a seasonal rhythm of sorts to recruiting, when those recruited were mostly high school and maybe some junior-college players, the portal has changed the timetable. Like if you’re shopping at the mall on a Sunday, you go between noon and 6 p.m.; if you go online, it’s always open. The new reality has coaches regularly monitoring phones, like teens refreshing social media apps.

“We check the portal daily. More than daily,” Steele says. “You’ve got to be on it a lot.

“Recruitments in the portal are exponentially faster than a high school recruitment. A high school recruitment can take you three years. These recruitments can take three weeks. Two weeks. If you miss someone by a day or two days, that’s like months. You’re done.”

On the Xavier staff, everyone shares responsibility for monitoring the portal, Steele says. A company called HDI helps the process by taking the raw names and numbers and adding analytics, Steele says, such as style of play, to give the staff another evaluation tool.

“I want to know if there’s a fit,” Steele says. “Sometimes we’re looking for a specific position. Or sometimes there may be a young man we knew, someone we recruited but they chose to go to another school. So, there’s a relationship.”

When Hunter and Nunge entered the portal this year, Xavier unquestionably benefitted from having recruited both previously.

“I knew all their people: their families, their high school coaches, their AAU coaches,” Steele says. “When they decided to transfer, I think we had a leg up as far as that trust factor was already there. We weren’t starting from scratch. If you’re starting from scratch in a three-week recruitment, you’re probably already out.”

Nunge says his familiarity with Steele and Xavier allowed everyone to accelerate the process.

“Right after I put my name in the portal, Coach Steele was one of the first people to reach out to me. I already had known him a little bit back to high school, so that was a connection we had,” Nunge says. “As the relationship grew, the possibility of coming to Xavier became more of a reality. Xavier is a great fit for me.”

Of course, what becomes one player’s great fit can make another player’s fit

Jerome Hunter transferred to Xavier from Indiana after appearing in 55 games over two seasons with the Hoosiers.

“RECRUITMENTS IN THE PORTAL ARE EXPONENTIALLY FASTER THAN A HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITMENT. A HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITMENT CAN TAKE YOU THREE YEARS. THESE RECRUITMENTS CAN TAKE THREE WEEKS. TWO WEEKS. IF YOU MISS SOMEONE BY A DAY OR TWO DAYS, THAT’S LIKE MONTHS. YOU’RE DONE.” — TRAVIS STEELE, XAVIER MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

less so, and that’s playing out across the country.

Three Xavier players—bigs Jason Carter and Daniel Ramsey and wing C.J. Wilcher—entered the portal and found new schools. A fourth, point guard KyKy Tandy, went in but then decided to return to X. “We have to have the recognition

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“EVERYBODY WANTS TO PLAY. THERE’S ONLY ONE BASKETBALL AND ONLY FIVE [PLAYERS] ON THE FLOOR. WE’RE ALLOWED TO HAVE 13 GUYS ON SCHOLARSHIP BY NCAA RULES, BUT YOU CAN’T PLAY 13 GUYS. YOU’RE TALKING NINE, MAX. SO, THERE’S FOUR GUYS POTENTIALLY UNHAPPY ABOUT PLAYING TIME. THAT’S JUST THE REALITY.” — TRAVIS STEELE, XAVIER MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

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that we’re not going to be able to keep everybody happy. It’s not possible,” Steele said. “If you try to keep everybody happy, then nobody’s going to be happy.

Everybody wants to play. There’s only one basketball and only five [players] on the floor. We’re allowed to have 13 guys on scholarship by NCAA rules, but you can’t play 13 guys. You’re talking nine, max. So, there’s four guys potentially unhappy about playing time. That’s just the reality.”

If you think all this makes long-range planning more challenging, you’re not wrong. A freshman who might be more of a long-term project might decide to leave long before the long term.

“It’s more year-to-year now than ever,” Steele says. “You used to be able to plan out your team a little bit, and that’s no longer the case. Your relationships with your players are extremely

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P H O T O GR A P H B Y R O O T E D C R E AT I V E (B E L OW ) A N D A DA M KU N K E L (RI GH T )

important and having transparent conversations with your players is extremely important. You don’t want to be guessing with your career.”

There is also player and parent communication to consider. It’s worth asking whether coaches are changing the way in which they interact with players and their families. Are the days of “tough love” over because a coach is afraid to upset a player or parent?

“Your culture is more important than any one individual,” Steele says. “We have to run a tight ship and hold everyone accountable. Your team will underachieve if a young man doesn’t want to be held accountable, so the team would be better off without that individual. We recruit ‘winners’ and young men with character. ‘Winners’ want to be held accountable. Now, there is a difference between holding a young man accountable and

Adam Kunkel, a transfer from Belmont, scored a seasonhigh 22 points and made the game-winning 3-pointer for Xavier in a victory over Marquette on Dec. 20, 2020.

Ben Stanley was All-BIG South and in the top 10 in the nation in scoring is his final season at Hampton before transferring to Xavier.

Last season, his first with the Musketeers, he suffered a season-ending knee injury Jan. 6.

demeaning that person. I am always going to treat our young men with respect.”

He adds that he and his assistant coaches have an open-door policy when it comes to parents and guardians, and his interaction with them is also the same.

“They are part of our Xavier family,” Steele says. “We give the parents complete transparency about their child. I let

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them know how playing time is earned and where their son stands on the team.

I don’t like surprises, so communication between our staff and our players’ parents is essential.

“I believe that when it comes to people in general you have to be very transparent.

That person may not like what they hear, but they will respect it.”

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FAMILY MAN

Jack Nunge with his parents and siblings in a Christmas 2019 family photo at their home. From left, Jessica, Jack, Joey, dad Mark, mom Beth, Bob, and Rebecca.

Opposite page: Nunge and his fiancée Brie Orr.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

Some things are bigger than basketball. And that’s part of the reason Jack Nunge transferred to Xavier . BY RORY GLYNN

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FP AH MO ITLOYGPRHA OP THOBGYR AT PKH S C O U R T E S Y J A C K N U N G E / P H O T O G R A P H B Y M A D D I E B E R R Y P H O T O G R A P H Y ( R I G H T )

Jack Nunge may be new to the Xavier men’s basketball program, but he’s not your typical newcomer.

The 7-footer is a junior in terms of eligibility, but has already spent three seasons as part of the successful University of Iowa program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Iowa; he’s working on his MBA at Xavier. He’ll turn 23 before his fi rst season as a Musketeer ends. He’s engaged to be married, having proposed to former Iowa volleyball player Brie Orr back in May. “Jack,” Xavier men’s basketball coach Travis Steele says, “is kind of an old soul.”

It’s a comeback season in a new setting for Nunge, who saw his past two seasons end

early because of injuries. At Xavier, he’ll be counted on to provide both size and skill, to give Steele more flexibility in how he deploys his bigs, and, yes, to provide veteran leadership. “He’s big, he’s physical, he’s skilled, and he’s smart,” Steele says.

He’s also looking to move past two knee surgeries.

And one broken heart.

P H O T O G R A P H B IYO TWKA P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y U N I V E R S I T Y O F I O W A

Jack Nunge works on rehabbing his knee this summer at Cintas Center. Nunge played three seasons for Iowa and averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds in 60 games, 19 of which he started. Opposite page: Mark Nunge played basketball at the University of Rochester, where he graduated with a degree in biology.

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rebounds, and a block in just under 16 minutes last season for the NCAA Tournament-bound Hawkeyes, before suffering another knee injury—this time, a meniscus tear—in February and being lost for another season.

Speaking at Cintas Center in July, Nunge said he was eager to go full-out on the court again, but patient enough to know it wasn’t prudent. “I think I could, but having been through two knee injuries now, there’s no reason to rush,” he said.

“I think I have a better mentality about rehab. The main thing is the season.”

Complimented on his wisdom, Nunge smiled and said, “It sucks, not playing live.”

He’s been through worse.

Dr. Mark Nunge loved sports.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

Knees may be more easily mended, and Nunge is getting all too familiar with that process. After playing in all 33 of Iowa’s games, including 14 starts as a freshman, he took a non-medical redshirt year, then started the fi rst five games of the 2019–2020 season before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Post-surgery, ACL rehabilitation usually takes nine months. But with the nation weeks away from the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Nunge’s would become a rehab unlike any other. What many call a lonely process became lone-

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lier still. “Having to rehab during a pandemic, I think that taught me a lot,” he says. “I had to do a lot of stuff on my own. I learned a lot about myself, what I like doing and what I don’t, and just how to attack every day.”

Nunge had a pulley system in his apartment for workouts and says one of Iowa’s strength coaches allowed him to use the weight equipment in the basement of his home. “And when we got back in the fall, I had a teammate [rehabbing] with me, so that was nice.”

His hard work paid off on the court, where Nunge averaged 7.1 points, 5.3

He played college basketball at the University of Rochester from 1985 to 1989. Rebecca, the oldest of Mark and Beth’s five children, played volleyball at Notre Dame. Jack, his oldest son, took up basketball in third grade.

The family home in Newburgh, Indiana, outside Evansville, sits on 10 acres and includes a full indoor basketball court connected to the barn. “Like a grade-school court,” Jack says. “You couldn’t play 5-on-5, but you defi nitely could play 4-on-4.” Or H-O-R-S-E, or any number of shotmaking challenge games a father and son can devise.

Dr. Nunge also loved running. “Six miles every day,” Jack says. “That was his workout, but it was also his time to think, think about us, how he wanted to parent us kids.”

Then, suddenly, in November, Dr. Nunge died, at the age of 53, four days before the Hawkeyes’ season opener.

“He taught me everything I know,” Jack says. “He’s always been my biggest advocate. If I had a tough game, he’d tell me, this game doesn’t defi ne you, you’re still a great player. Stuff like that. He always had good perspective.”

Jack spent 10 days at home with his family, then returned to Iowa City to drop 18 points on Weber State in his fi rst game of the season. A week later, he had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a win over rival Iowa State.

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Jack Nunge was Iowa’s top reserve last season, averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 22 games.

Nunge in his Xavier uniform.

Nunge and his fiancée Brie in Breckenridge, Colorado, where Nunge proposed in May 2021; Nunge and his dad.

“Right after it happened, I had basketball to fall back on,” he says. “I had something to focus on outside of my family life.

“I knew after the season was over, I’d want to be closer to my mom.”

When he

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

was a boy, long before he became a Hawkeye, Jack Nunge lived in Iowa. His mom, Beth, grew up there.

But after his father’s death, and with his mother a six-and-a-half-hour drive away, Iowa seemed isolated. He wanted to fi nish his college basketball career closer to the family home in Newburgh.

Xavier, about a three-hour drive away, fit the bill. It helped, too, that Steele had been very involved in recruiting Nunge out of high school.

In a Zoom call with Steele, assistants Jonas Hayes and Dante Jackson, and director of basketball operations Trey Scotti, Nunge says he was walked through the Musketeers’ offense and defense. The players’ individual improvement plans were appealing, he says. At the end of the 45 minutes, he was sold on the Musketeers.

“They showed me how I’d be utilized, and then just everything about the school, the location, the resources…it just turned out to be a great fit for me,” Nunge says.

For his part, Steele was thrilled to

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PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

land Nunge this time.

“He’s been coached really hard; coach Fran [McCaffery] does a great job,” Steele says. “He’s been part of a lot of success at Iowa. Sometimes if you get a guy as a transfer who hasn’t been coached, it’s like coaching a freshman.”

Steele says Nunge’s presence will allow the Musketeers to use Zach Freemantle in different ways and not depend on him for 32 minutes a game at center. “Jack can play on the outside, too, but also operate inside,” Steele says.

“He gives us that extreme versatility I

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want us to have, and that size we desperately need up front to compete in the BIG EAST.” The Nunges are a package deal. Brie Orr, Jack’s fiancée, is working in town.

And Jack’s little brother Bobby is a Xavier freshman. Their mom is just a manageable drive away. And, Jack says, he feels his father’s presence as well.

“You’ll have your tough days, your tough moments,” Jack says. “But he’s always watching. That’s definitely something that I’ve noticed. He’s always there.”

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BP HO O TK OCGORVAEPRHC BOYU RT TKE S Y T R I U M P H B O O K S / B A S K E T B A L L P H O T O G R A P H B Y S T O C K . A D O B E . C O M / S H A R P S H U T T E R 2 2

A GREAT

r e h c a Te In Brian Grant’s book, Rebound, the former Xavier and NBA player confronts his past and makes peace with his present.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

BY RORY GLYNN

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“Basketball gave me a life.

Parkinson’s taught me how to live it.”—Brian Grant

T

TWELVE WORDS TO SUM UP A HALF-CENTURY. ACROSS ALMOST 50 YEARS OF LIVING,

Brian Grant will tell you he’s never been much of a reader, so he wasn’t sure he’d make much of a writer. But he knew he was a good story.

Twelve. Twelve years since he went public with his Parkinson’s diagnosis, with the help of veteran NBA journalist Ric Bucher, Grant again enlisted Bucher’s help to tell the rest of his story. Rebound, released in April, is Grant’s account of his unlikely path to NBA stardom, beginning in tiny Georgetown, Ohio, and nurtured as a four-year standout at Xavier.

Numbers can certainly help illustrate a career, and Grant’s would do anyone justice. He’s one of three Musketeers to rack up more than 1,000 career points and rebounds. As the eighth overall pick by Sacramento in 1994, he’s still the highest-drafted Musketeer ever, and averaged double-digit scoring seven times in the NBA. But numbers alone don’t defi ne Grant’s 13 years in the league, where the lasting impression of Grant is of an undersized but tireless big battling the league’s best nightly.

He brought that same type of intensity to his Parkinson’s fight. Now that fight has become harder because that is what Parkinson’s does. Grant also had to confront the end of his marriage to Gina, mother of four of his eight children.

Against this backdrop, Grant decided the time was right to tell his story. So he reached out to Bucher, who had also worked with NBA great Yao Ming on a book.

Bucher traveled to Portland to spend a day with Grant and his children; Grant followed with a visit to Half Moon Bay, California, and the project was underway.

Still, the process would stretch across almost two years, Grant says. Certainly, the pandemic played a part. But other factors, including the deaths of his father and of former teammates Kobe Bryant and Jerome Kersey, left Grant “emotionally compromised,” he says. He started putting off book sessions. “Ric had to chase me down some,” Grant says. “We hit a sort of stalemate.”

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“One of the side effects [of Parkinson’s] is depression, which results in isolation,” Bucher says. “Emotionally he was going through a lot in his personal life. I was asking him to delve into a lot of personal stuff from his past. I understood it, but it certainly made it challenging.

“But it kind of informed the book overall, the meaning and the depth of it, and the meaning of just how severe Parkinson’s can be.”

Rebound can be raw in its honesty, as Grant looks back on his disease, depression, substance abuse, and infidelity, among other topics.

Of Parkinson’s, Grant writes: “There’s also a brain glitch that causes your entire body to momentarily freeze, making it look as if they have suddenly turned to stone. Nice, huh? The fi rst time one of my PD-affl icted friends suddenly froze in the passenger seat of my car, I didn’t know what was happening. When he came out of it and explained it to me, I thought to myself, I want to avoid that s--- at all costs.”

Of checking himself into drug rehab, Grant writes: “After a couple of days, I realized that I was simply with a bunch of addicts and alcoholics trying to fi nd a solution to their problem, counselors included. They really didn’t care who you were. Trying to recover from a f------up life was a great equalizer.”

At fi rst, though, the warrior who left everything out on the court nightly found himself in the unfamiliar position of holding back. “When we fi rst started, I think I thought I was being open and candid,” he says. “Really, I was kind of covering up. I told Ric, ‘I think I’ve been skirting around some things.’ ” Bucher says he told Grant, “If you write a book, you need to come clean with everything. Not just write a book to write a book or to recount your glory days.”

Portions were revisited and rewritten, and it wasn’t until Grant saw the fi nished product that he realized what had happened. “I didn’t really see the rewards of doing it as I was doing it,” he says.

“Ric is really the one who shook me up.

He said, ‘Dude, I think this book is what you’ve been looking for in life in terms of burying your sins and asking people to forgive you.’ ” Grant warned his kids what was coming. “I said, ‘I know you all know bits and pieces of what happened with me and Mom, and you’re not going to be too

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY BRIAN GRANT (LEFT) AND BRIAN BERGER/BBPR (RIGHT)

happy with Dad, and that’s OK,’ ” Grant recalls. “And they were like, ‘Dad, we already know more than you think.’ ” Twelve years since going public with his diagnosis, Grant is forthcoming about how the disease is progressing.

His tremors used to be unilateral, affecting just one side of his body; they have begun to affect both sides. Swallowing is affected. He takes antidepressants.

“I’m not as confident an individual as I used to be,” he says. “The disease strips that away from you. I think of the things I did to get to the NBA and to have the career I did. You can’t outwork this one.”

Says Bucher, “He was celebrated and cheered for the fierceness with which he played [n the NBA] and to see him recreate himself and fi nd another way to be a champion, it’s been a lesson for me.

To see him work through the effects of Parkinson’s and become an advocate and an agent for change and for good, it’s a powerful thing.”

The Brian Grant Foundation continues to raise money and awareness of Parkinson’s, and to help those with the disease with diet, exercise, and lifestyle choices. His second-oldest son, Elijah, works for the foundation and takes care of his dad’s schedule. (Brian’s oldest son, Amani, became a father himself in June, giving Brian his fi rst grandchild.)

Grant has a message for the Xavier community. “I want them to know I’m very grateful to Xavier for what they did. They took a chance on me, and I always tried my best,” he says. “It’s not the small school I went to anymore. It’s a great institution with great people. I feel very thankful and blessed to have been there.”

Author Ric Bucher (left) and Brian Grant. Bucher, who has worked for The Washington Post, ESPN, FOX, Bleacher Report, and others, was born in Cincinnati and is a Walnut Hills High School graduate.

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E xcerpted from Chapter 2 of Rebound –

D

I Don’t Belong Here

DESPITE NOT BEING AN ALL-STATE SELECTION, I WAS INVITED TO PLAY IN A

postseason all-star game called the Ohio North-South Game. It’s actually two games, the fi rst being a showcase of players from the top two high school divisions and the second being for the lower two. One guess as to which game the skinny kid from Georgetown High was invited. Going to Xavier on a full ride earned me an invitation, but it wasn’t enough to get me out of the “B” game.

[Georgetown High School basketball coach Tim] Chadwell did his best to convince the organizers I belonged on one of the “A” squads but they thought he was crazy for even suggesting it. A Division IV kid who wasn’t All-State—wasn’t even All-State special mention—in the “A” game? One of my best friends, Tyrice Walker, Ohio’s Mr. Basketball and headed to Xavier with me, made a case that I should be in the “A” game with him as well. They didn’t believe him either.

Granted, they were asking for something extraordinary—it would be like suggesting someone performing community theater deserved a Tony. But did their flat-out refusal give me a little extra fuel? You bet it did.

The “B” game was played fi rst and after getting over some nervousness in the fi rst few minutes, I did what I had been doing all year—grab the rebound on defense, pass it to a guard, beat everybody to the other end, and wait for a lob pass back to smash on someone’s head. Everyone seemed stunned that someone that tall—I was 6'7" by then—could be the fastest guy on the court. The “A” game players rolled in during the second half and started pumping me up. “Hey, man, you’re real,” they said. “You’re just throwing that shit down on people.”

[Xavier men’s assistant coach Dino] Gaudio was there, too. “Boy, I don’t think [XU men’s head coach] Pete [Gillen] knows what he’s getting with you,” he said.

“You are the shit. I can’t believe we got you.”

Chadwell sidled up to the organizers before the “A” game started with a satisfied smile. “Told you all,” he said.

I was pretty quiet back then. Being recognized and praised was something still relatively new and I wasn’t sure how to take it. The skeptical, cynical, suspicious part of me thought they were all just blowing smoke, saying what they thought I wanted to hear, so I didn’t believe Gaudio reeeeeeally thought all that much of me.

Besides, for all my success, some people in Georgetown still considered it a fluke that I’d made it to college and were certain I wouldn’t actually play.

All the freshman players were enrolled in a three-week summer session to get acclimated to college life and take some preliminary classes. They were offering us a head start—or in my case, a chance to catch up. At the start of the three weeks we took a test in each class to find out exactly how prepared we already were. I walked into my math class, I sat down, opened the test booklet, took one look, closed it, and walked out of the class. It was Algebra and although I had earned a C- my senior year at Georgetown in pre-Algebra, I didn’t know anything about Algebra.

I was called in by Sister Rose Ann Fleming, who oversees all the academic counseling for the school’s athletes.

“So, I hear you walked out of your math class without taking the test,” she asked. “How come?”

I was embarrassed but I told her the truth. “I don’t know anything about algebra,” I said. Another lucky twist of fate. Entrance qualifications for colleges and universities in Ohio were raised a year later. I would not have been eligible to go to Xavier knowing nothing about algebra, which Sister Fleming pointed out to me.

My eyes started to well up with tears. “Maybe I shouldn’t be here,” I said.

She tilted her head toward me. “Do you want to be here?” she asked softly.

“Yes, absolutely.”

“I’ll make this promise to you, then,” she said. “If you do the work, I’ll get you every tool you need—tutors, counselors, study guides—to make sure you stay eligible.”

“I’ll do the work,” I said. “That’s my promise to you.”

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WARMUP

NAVIGATION HERE

OUR NEW NORMAL The COVID-19 pandemic has changed us all— and it’s changed Xavier basketball as well.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

BY LAUREL PFAHLER

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Assistant coach WARMUP Dante Jackson in his mask. Will we see those again this season?

P H O T O G R A P H B Y ST H K AW N M CC L AWS / R O O T E D C R E AT I V E

NAVIGATION HERE

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The COVID-19 pandemic forced athletic administrators across the country to adjust routines and in many cases completely change the way they ran their programs during the 2020– 2021 academic year. Some of those tweaks revealed more efficient ways of doing business and perhaps will permanently alter operations.

Xavier athletics was not immune to any of that, and Director of Athletics Greg Christopher says the Musketeers learned a few valuable lessons from such a challenging year.

Here are five things that might never be the same again after the COVID-19 pandemic:

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1. RECRUITING

2. NO MORE SUITS?

Technology has become a bigger part of recruiting over the years, but when coaches weren’t able to travel to see high school games or make in-home visits, they leaned even more heavily on livestreams and Zoom to watch and interact with prospects.

That is something men’s basketball coach Travis Steele says will be useful in the future as well. While a camera and screen can never replace “the in-person touch,” using Zoom and watching more livestreamed games proved to be a good supplement the Musketeers will continue to use.

“You kind of realized it’s not the endall if you can’t get somewhere in person,” Steele says.

Along those lines, Christopher says it’s possible radio announcers Byron Larkin and Joe Sunderman won’t travel in the future. Most road announcing in the pandemic was done remotely, and that could be a cost-cutting method but also a way to enhance quality of life with a more hybrid work balance. That decision could be made by the BIG EAST.

There’s no dress code mandating college coaches wear suits, but it was an unspoken rule that most followed until the pandemic. The NBA switched its dress code to polo shirts so coaches didn’t have to rely on dry cleaning and could more easily wash their gameday attire to reduce germs, and suddenly college coaches felt more comfortable dressing down.

Steele says coaches enjoyed the more relaxed look in 2020–2021 and he wouldn’t mind never wearing a suit to a game again, but he is expecting the college level to follow whatever the NBA coaches are doing post-pandemic.

“It’s more comfortable, but there’s also something to be said for dressing up, so it will be interesting to see what people do,” Steele says.

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4. NO MORE GAME PROGRAMS Xavier cut out game programs last year as a cost-saving method, especially considering crowds were so limited. Now the programs will be available only on the Xavier Musketeers Gameday digital app. The Musketeers will be enhancing their mobile app to make it more engaging and to provide exclusive content.

“The app will be a big piece of the game experience with stats, updated press releases, and that sort of thing,” Hicks says.

The app includes the full schedule, team news, ticket information, a fan guide, and more for each sport.

5. SANITIZATION PROCEDURES

1

P H O T O GR A P H S B Y S H AW N M CC L AWS / R O O T E D C R E AT I V E ( T O P L E F T ), P O R T E R B IN K S / T H E B I G E A S T C O N F E R E N C E ( T O P R I G H T ), A N D M I C H A E L M I L L AY / R O O T E D C R E AT I V E ( R I G H T )

3. MORE DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS The pandemic shifted ticketing for most schools and even pro sports teams to mobile-only access to make it more contact free, and Xavier will remain focused on contact-free transactions on game days. Printed tickets will be available at a premium fee this year, but otherwise entrance to events will be through mobile ticketing.

Associate director of athletics Brian Hicks says that process went smoothly last year, and in the future, he could see a complete abandonment of printed tickets, as many now prefer the convenience of accessing them from their phones.

Concessions will still have cash option this year, but emphasis will be on more contactless or credit-based transactions. Some pro teams have gone completely cash free but offer fans a way on site to convert their cash into a card that can be used at the stadium or arena concession stands.

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Cleaning and sanitization efforts were increased during the pandemic, and that was something that became more front and center than in the past.

While the custodial staff used to be more behind the scenes and discreet, those employees last year were seen in bright-colored shirts to ensure guests the university was taking the pandemic seriously and providing as safe an environment as possible.

Hicks says that likely will be more the norm in the future. Good cleaning and sanitizing are more appreciated now than ever, and those procedures should remain in place.

2 1. When fans weren’t allowed in arenas, schools got creative.

Notice the cardboard crowd behind Dwon Odom. 2. Travis Steele ditched his suits last season and opted for a more casual look on the sideline. 3. From left, Zach Freemantle, Dieonte Miles and Ben Stanley have their masks ready to pull up as needed before Xavier’s game against Creighton last February.

3

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LEAD

WARMUP

NAVIGATION HERE

Hed: Leading With Her Heart

Amanda Steele with sons Winston, 8, and Anderson, 2.

Dek: Supportive mom, philanthropic champion, and Xavier men’s basketball super-fan, Amanda Steele makes sure everyone in her orbit feels the love.

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

BY LAUREL PFAHLER

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DING h t i w

T R EA AU

BY L

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

H

vier d Xa n, an o i es p k ma ham eele pic c t o S r a h d nt man love. phila an, A eels the om, f m r e e f v it sup orti r orb tball Supp in he R aske e b n s ’ o HLE A very men e F e P r su REL

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A

manda McCaw Steele has always shared a passion for helping others. That trait is put to good use in her role as a coach’s wife.

The fi rst lady of Xavier men’s basketball, she runs the show at home with two young kids while husband Travis Steele travels and spends long hours in the office. She’s always working behind the scenes as the “team mom” as well, organizing dinners, hosting recruiting visits, making the players their favorite treats, and opening the Steele home to them whenever they feel like popping by for a break from campus life.

Then there’s the charity work Amanda immerses herself into, either volunteering at events or seeking out responsive giving opportunities for her and her family.

“She has a passion for helping others,” Travis says. “That’s segued nicely for her and us into this job, and we’ve seen the impact on our program. She’s made a lot of sacrifices for our family. It’s something that comes with being a coach’s wife, but she goes above and beyond and is incredibly selfless.”

Amanda previously led the Belcan Corporation philanthropic efforts when she served as director of community relations for her family’s business started by her grandfather, Ralph Anderson. The family sold the engineering services and technical staffi ng fi rm in 2015 but retained sister company BelFlex Staffi ng Network, which is now run

by Amanda’s brother.

Although Amanda has fond memories of the business, she’s even busier these days, especially with her sons, 8-year-old Winston and 2-year-old Anderson, keeping her on her toes. She still leads the family’s philanthropic efforts through the McCaw Family Charitable Fund, and Xavier has benefited from that in monetary donations, as well as getting the players involved in volunteer events.

“She has a passion for helping others.

That’s segued nicely for her and us into this job, and we’ve seen the impact on our program.

She’s made a lot of sacrifices for our family.

It’s something that comes with being a coach’s wife, but she goes above and beyond and is incredibly selfless.”

— TRAVIS STEELE

PHOTOGRAPH BY TK

Amanda looks at a book with Anderson.

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P H O T O GR A P H S B Y H A R T O N G D I G I TA L M E D I A

“I love people. I like to be out there in the community,” Amanda says, noting she tries to help individuals in need as well as giving to organizations like United Way. “It just has kind of trickled down. I’m very passionate about it, and I want my kids to be around it and I want our team to be around it. And I feel like we can really make an impact in a lot of different ways.”

This past winter, Amanda and Travis funded the purchase of 1,300 coats for the Karen Carns Foundation coat drive to help local kids in need stay warm.

Amanda spoke to area social workers to get a better understanding of the need and helped pick out the coats.

The Steeles regularly help with Special Olympics and participate in the Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome Awareness, among countless other events.

“They do so much behind the scenes they don’t get credit for, but that’s not what they are about,” says Carns Foundation board member Abbey Bannerjee, who has known Amanda since 2010. “No one goes without with Amanda. She wants to make sure everyone has what they need, whether it’s fi nancial, a physical need, a hug, or support. She’s a generous and kind human being, and it’s not just writing a check.

She wants to get her hands dirty, too.”

Amanda and her family have been investing in Xavier since she and Travis got serious. They met shortly after Travis joined Sean Miller’s staff in 2008 and married in June 2012. He replaced Chris Mack as head coach in 2018.

Among the McCaw family’s most visible contributions were upgrades to the locker room and paying for the renovations to the strength and conditioning center at Cintas Center, which were completed in 2016.

“We love Xavier,” Amanda says. “We think it’s a special place. We care about our players, and we want to give them the best. We also want to help develop them, as we say, into good people who give back and so we want to shape them in ways outside the court, which we feel like giving back and being involved in the community is a big way.”

Amanda wants the players to have a good experience at Xavier, whether it is having top-notch equipment or just feeling like part of a family there. At Easter, she puts together baskets fi lled with goodies for the players. For their birth-

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Amanda Steele

days, she bakes their favorite desserts.

Anyone not going home for a holiday knows they have a place for a great meal.

Sometimes the players come by just to watch NBA games or play hoops in the driveway. Winston likes when they join him on the trampoline. The Steeles try to keep the get-togethers casual. Travis plans more formal bonding activities in the summer when there’s not as much to do with everyone gone from campus.

“She’s kind of a mother to the guys here at Xavier in a sense,” Travis says.

“She oversees things, helps make sure they feel welcome and know they have a home here.”

When it comes to game days, Amanda is always there cheering them

on as well. Anderson just likes to walk the concourse and have snacks, so he isn’t quite ready to enjoy the games yet, but Winston loves the atmosphere and has taken well to the sport, even with his parents’ efforts to expose him to different activities like cooking camp, lacrosse, tennis, and soccer.

Amanda sat behind the bench during the COVID-restricted 2020–2021 season and screamed as loud as she could so the team felt support despite the 300fan limits.

“I was an athlete, and I had two brothers, so I was always super competitive,” Amanda says. “No one was surprised I ended up marrying a coach. It suits me. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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NEW TEAM

Meg Decker at a lacrosse clinic.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH // MEG DECKER IS TASKED WITH BUILDING XAVIER’S NEW WOMEN’S LACROSSE PROGRAM. THAT’S OK. SHE’S DONE IT BEFORE. — L A U R E L P F A H L E R

EG DECKER IS NO STRANGER TO BUILDING A PROGRAM

from scratch. She’s experienced it as a head coach, assistant, and player, and now she’ll do it again with Xavier University’s women’s lacrosse—and she’ll do it by immersing herself in the local community.

The Musketeers tapped Decker, a two-time BIG EAST selection, to get their program off the ground after she did the same at the University of Hartford in 2016. She also helped build Virginia Commonwealth University’s program as an assistant and played on the inaugural U.S. Naval Academy team.

“The one thing I do love about the new program piece is the limitless potential that’s involved,” says Decker, who led Hartford through four years of competition

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prior to accepting the Xavier job. “I think that’s something really, really exciting. There is no blueprint, and so [in] the creation of that blueprint, there’s no reputation, good or bad, with a woman’s lacrosse program.”

Decker brings her own blueprint, and she’s wasting no time implementing her plan to generate excitement in Xavier women’s lacrosse, which Director of Athletics Greg Christopher says was added to help with Title IX compliance after a recent increase in female students needed to be mirrored in the sports programs.

While the Musketeers won’t be competing on the field until the 2022–2023 school year, Decker is already busy on the recruiting front and building for the long term. One of her biggest priorities is trying to establish relationships with high school coaches in the community and organizing camps to help them in their own jobs as well as improve individual talent level of players in the surrounding area.

“There’s an education perspective with the community and the university,” Decker says.

In mid-August, Xavier held a lacrosse clinic to begin building relationships with young athletes in the area and help with their development, as well as a high school prospect camp to key in on class of 2022 and younger recruits.

Decker also plans to do coaches’ clinics to provide local youth and high school coaches a resource right in their own backyard. Along with that, Xavier will host team camps throughout the year so players learn to hone their skills and coaches can see how she teaches them in different situations.

“It’s hard to generate all the energy on your own as a team so that community really is that boost that you need to start three steps higher than you could on your own,” Decker says. “Hopefully we can get those girls out to be fans at games and be a part of what we’re building and maybe inspire them one day to be at Xavier for women’s lacrosse.”

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PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORTS

VISUALIZING SUCCESS // BRIAN ARLINGHAUS, XAVIER’S NEW MEN’S GOLF COACH, TAKES A UNIQUE APPROACH TO PREPARING HIS TEAM. — B O B J O N A S O N

men’s golf coach Brian Arlinghaus may not have his players work on improving their distance off the tee or fixing their slice.

But he will have them take time to still their minds—and perhaps visualize making a putt that wins a conference tournament.

Arlinghaus, who came to Xavier from Wright State University, where he was men’s head golf coach from 2017 to 2021, has a background in sports and exercise psychology. The Cincinnati native holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology and psychology from the University of Dayton and a master’s degree in sport and exercise psychology from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

“I’ve long been interested in how champions function at a different mental wavelength than someone like you or me,” says Arlinghaus, the head men’s golf coach at Miami UniversityHamilton for three years before going to Wright State.

“I started to study it, and I fell in love with the applied part. For instance, if athletes are nervous or tense or have performance anxiety, what can I do to help them acknowledge it and overcome it? So I built processes that they can put into place when they start to experience symptoms of nerves, tension, or anxiety.”

His methods have paid dividends.

At Wright State, Arlinghaus led the Raiders to the 2019 Horizon League championship, the program’s first conference title since 2004.

Chris Rossi, who played for Arlinghaus at both Miami-Hamilton and Wright State, said the coach’s unusual techniques helped him block out distractions.

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Brian Arlinghaus, Xavier’s new golf coach, works with new men’s basketball assistant coach Jordan Brooks at Maketewah Country Club.

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URING PRACTICE, NEW XAVIER

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PSYCHOLOGY OF SPORTS

Brian Arlinghaus, Xavier’s new golf coach, works with men’s basketball player Nate Johnson at Maketewah Country Club.

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“ONCE YOU’VE DEVELOPED A CERTAIN SET OF PHYSICAL SKILLS IN GOLF, THE MENTAL SIDE OF THE GAME IS REALLY IMPORTANT.” — AUSTIN SCHOONMAKER, WRIGHT STATE

“In practice, he would do drills where he would put an ice cube in your hand, and he’d tell us to focus hard on it and not on your hand being cold,” Rossi says. “After a while you would not even know you were holding it.”

Arlinghaus also would ask the team to visualize success, Rossi says.

“He would tell us to visualize what it’s like to win a conference tournament. It worked. He became head coach my last year at Wright State. The next year, his second year, the team won the Horizon League. And it probably would have won in his third year had COVID not happened,” Rossi says.

“I guarantee you, in the history of Wright State sports—certainly golf— athletes never practiced visualization like we did.”

Austin Schoonmaker, who also played for Arlinghaus at Wright State, says the team would spend at least 20 minutes at the start of each practice on visualization or meditation.

“I found it to be very beneficial.”

Schoonmaker says. “Once you’ve de-

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veloped a certain set of physical skills in golf, the mental side of the game is really important.”

Rossi remembers a golf match at Miami-Hamilton when he was playing exceptionally well—3 under after the first nine holes. Arlinghaus could tell he was “juiced up.”

“As we were approaching the 10th tee, Brian told me, ‘Ride the wave.’ I didn’t know what he was talking about.

He explained that there are highs and lows in sports, and you have to ride them. You can’t go all the way up and come all the way down. Stay as steady as you can. As long as I’ve known him, he’s talked about how you have to keep a cool head even when you’re doing well,” Rossi says.

“I can’t begin to describe how much he’s meant to my golfing career,” Rossi says. “I don’t have enough good words to say about him.”

In addition to coaching golf, Arlinghaus is an active player. He frequently plays in amateur tournaments in the Cincinnati and Dayton areas.

He also owns and operates Cincinnati Sports Psychology, where he works with athletes on enhancing their mental strength, awareness, and focus.

He says his methods are not just about winning golf tournaments.

“They are about getting tiny wins and expounding upon them.”

And players must trust that they will work.

“This is not like fixing a slice, where the instructor can say, ‘Hey, do this,’ and the ball goes straight,” Arlinghaus says. “You may not see the fruits of your mental labor for six, eight, 12, 24 months. It could be years before you say, ‘This is absolutely helping me.’ ” Fortunately, at Wright State and Miami-Hamilton, he recruited players who believed in his system.

“The players will tell you that when they started to buy into what I was trying to do—the structure, the discipline, the mental work—the team started to take off. It’s not magic. It’s strategic,” he says. “And I’m just going to rinse and repeat [at Xavier].”

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STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

MAGIC-AL HIRE

Chase Campbell

// CHASE CAMPBELL COMES FROM THE NBA’S ORLANDO MAGIC TO THE MUSKETEERS’ MEN’S BASKETBALL PROGRAM. — K E V I N G O H E E N

O

NE WORD SOLIDIFIED TRAVIS STEELE’S DECISION ON WHO TO HIRE

as the new strength and conditioning coach for Xavier’s men’s basketball team. It came across his phone in capital letters on a text message from former Musketeers guard Lionel Chalmers.

“PHENOMENAL” That single adjective summed up what Chalmers, the Xavier Hall of Famer (2015) who was hired as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Orlando Magic this summer after spending the five previous years in player development for the organization, thought about Chase Campbell.

Campbell was in Orlando for just one year, but it added to his diverse résumé as one of the up-and-comers in the field of strength and conditioning.

“[Lionel] just thought he was great with the players, related well with them but was fi rm and had a plan. He thought he was terrific. That stamped it a bit for me,” Steele says. “Lionel cares a lot about Xavier, and for him to be

From left, Chase Campbell works out basketball players Dieonte Miles, Cesare Edwards, Spencer Cody, and Zak Swetye.

“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT ATHLETES BECOMING BIGGER, FASTER, AND STRONGER. IT’S ABOUT THEM BECOMING HEALTHIER AND MORE FIT. AND CHASE BRINGS THAT APPROACH.” — MARIO MERCURIO, ASSOCIATE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR FOR BASKETBALL

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able to say he’s worked with the guy for a year, in the trenches, day-to-day, that goes a long way.”

Campbell is succeeding Matt Jennings, who was promoted to assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning in April.

Jennings’s promotion allows him to guide the vision for strength and conditioning across the entire athletic department. Part of that vision includes the recent opening of the Heidt Family Champions Center, a state-ofthe-art facility with approximately 9,500 square feet of space that houses Xavier’s men’s and women’s soccer teams, men’s and women’s cross country and track, and men’s and women’s swimming, as well as baseball. It will also be the home for the new women’s lacrosse team.

Campbell, 32, was the head strength and conditioning coach at the University of Rhode Island prior to joining the Magic. He’s also worked with the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, the Indiana Pacers of the NBA, as well at Butler and his alma mater of Ball State.

He credited his time as an intern with the Pacers and Shawn Windle, their head strength and conditioning coach, with spawning his desire for working specifically with basketball players even though he never played the sport growing up in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

“I’m only 5-foot-9 so you wouldn’t guess somebody my size in the game of basketball,” says Campbell. “It’s a very unique challenge within the world of strength and conditioning to work with basketball players. You have some guys that aren’t much taller than me and then you have 7-footers. There’s a wide variety of bodies you’re working with and personalities. The demands of the sport make it a unique opportunity, a challenging opportunity from my point of view. That drives me. I didn’t want to take the easy route, so for me basketball happened to be the biggest challenge for me from a career standpoint.”

Jennings says he believes Campbell brings a vital component to Xavier with his knowledge and integration of the latest technological advances in the field as well as his personal passion.

Campbell’s experience in the NBA

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Chase Campbell shows Dieonte Miles how to perform an exercise called a clean pull, which helps develop power.

will benefit Xavier, says Associate Athletic Director for Basketball Mario Mercurio.

“Our approach needed to involve nutrition, injury prevention, flexibility, all of that, as well as strengthbuilding,” says Mercurio. “It’s not just about athletes becoming bigger, faster, and stronger. It’s about them becoming healthier and more fit. And Chase brings that approach.”

While Campbell has called many different places home already in his

career, he says he believes he’s found a long-term landing spot at Xavier.

He’s an avid golfer, having learned the love of that game at an early age from his father, and already discovered local courses such as Ivy Hills and Legendary Run. His top priority, however, is helping the Musketeers attain their championship goals.

“As I got to know the coaching staff through the interview process, I knew that this was going to be home for me,” Campbell says.

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NEW BLOOD

FAMILIAR FACES // TRAVIS STEELE TURNS TO COACHES HE KNOWS TO FILL OUT XAVIER’S MEN’S BASKETBALL STAFF WITH JORDAN BROOKS AND DANNY PETERS . — B O B J O N A S O N

Danny Peters works with Paul Scruggs in the Cintas Center auxiliary gym.

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HEN XAVIER BASKETBALL

coach Travis Steele looked to fill vacancies on his staff during this past offseason, he turned to two familiar faces.

He knew of Jordan Brooks, the Musketeers’ first-ever director of recruiting, through recruiting circles as a coach who was “on the rise,” an upand-comer. And his history with Danny Peters, who joins Xavier as an assistant coach, goes back even further. Peters was a walk-on for successful teams at Ohio State, where Steele had served as a graduate manager.

Brooks comes to Xavier after two seasons as an assistant coach at Southeastern Louisiana University.

Before Southeastern, he coached at Howard University from 2017 to 2019 as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. He was selected to the 2019 Under Armour NABC 30-Under-30 Coaches Team.

“He’s from Washington, D.C., and we try to heavily recruit in that area,” Steele says. “That’s BIG EAST country, and we’ve gotten some good players from there. We’ve got a lot of mutual friends in the industry, and we’ve known each other a long time.”

Before going to Howard, Brooks coached and recruited at the 14U, 15U, and 16U grassroot levels.

“He has great relationships with high school coaches, with AAU coaches, especially in BIG EAST country,” Steele says. “Just his relationships alone will help us in that realm.”

Brooks, who played basketball at Hampton University from 2007 to 2011, says his connections will help him identify up-and-coming high school underclassmen. “A lot of times coaches don’t know about ninth and 10th graders,” he says. “Coach Steele wants to get a grip on who these kids are.”

Steele reached out to Brooks about the position. They share similar backgrounds.

“We both coached high school, we both coached AAU, and that was our segue into college coaching,” Steele

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NEW BLOOD

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Jordan Brooks keeps a watchful eye on Nate Johnson (left) and Adam Kunkel during a workout in the Cintas Center auxiliary gym.

says. “He got in at a young age, I got in at a young age. I just think he’s really talented, and he’s got a chance to be a really good coach.”

Brooks says, “Travis has been where I’ve been in my career.”

Steele says Brooks will oversee all of Xavier’s recruiting. He will “make sure we’re organized about who’s seeing who and when.”

What does Brooks think is the key to recruiting success?

“I think the biggest thing is building trust with the players,” he says. “Everybody is telling high-profile recruits what they want to hear. I try to build a rapport with them, let them know that I’m going to care for them not only on the court but off the court as well. Basketball will stop one day. I want them to know that I care about them beyond basketball.”

Peters, raised in Cincinnati, has many ties to Xavier. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach at Arizona under former Xavier head coach Sean

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Miller. Before Arizona, he worked under former Xavier assistant coach James Whitford at Ball State. And he played for former Xavier head coach Thad Matta at Ohio State from 2006 to 2010.

During that time the Buckeyes won two Big Ten regular-season championships and a pair of Big Ten tournaments.

“While there, I was watching, listening, and learning,” he says.

He began his coaching career at Arizona, where he served under Miller as a graduate manager and director of basketball operations for four years starting in 2010.

“Everywhere I’ve been, there’s been a Xavier connection,” Peters said. “And at every place, people have raved about their experience here.”

Peters says he and Steele are from the same “coaching tree.”

“This isn’t a situation where we have to get to know each other,” Peters says. “I know what he wants, what he’s looking for. I know the standard that he has set.”

Peters, 34, says his father, the late Dan Peters, sparked his passion for the game. The elder Peters was a longtime college basketball coach, including six years (1993–1999) as head coach at Youngstown State. He also was an assistant at Ohio State and on Bob Huggins’s staff at Cincinnati.

“He gave me access—from letting me work out with guys on the team, to teaching me how to watch film, to talking to the team before and after the game,” Peters says. “I saw it at a super young age. And I think that put me ahead of someone learning about coaching for the first time at age 24.”

Is there anything in particular he’s looking forward to this season?

“Just getting fans back [after the pandemic],” Peters says. “The Cintas Center is special. There are not a lot of places like it in the country. I’m excited to return to the real game-day experience, to have the crowd behind us. I’m excited to experience that at Cintas.”

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

OLYMPIC CONNECTIONS

THREE MUSKETEERS HAVE REPRESENTED THE UNITED STATES OVER THE YEARS IN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS. XAVIER NATION CAUGHT UP WITH ALL THREE TO SEE WHAT THEY ARE UP TO.

JULIE ISPHORDING

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JASON PARKER

THRINE KANE

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Julie Isphording speaks to roughly 1,000 Christ Hospital employees about her recovery from back surgery and how she got a second chance to run again.

LEAVING A MARK // JULIE ISPHORDING CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK TO THE GREATER CINCINNATI RUNNING COMMUNITY. — K E V I N G O H E E N

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JULIE ISPHORDING

ANT TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE JULIE ISPHORDING LAUGH?

Ask her if she’s slowing down. That’s a sure way to produce a burst from the belly.

“I’ll always have that spirit around me, that spirit of trying to fi nd new challenges, always,” says Isphording, a 1983 Xavier graduate and 1995 Xavier Hall of Fame inductee who has been on the move ever since she can remember.

These days she’s in her 20th year of running Cincinnati’s annual Thanksgiving Day race. She also speaks to groups small and large about life’s continuous journey and offers her marketing and writing skills to various clients, including the UC Health Barrett Cancer Center. “[Dr. William Barrett] is the best person I’ve ever worked for in my life, bar none,” says Isphording. “The work itself is so meaningful.”

Oh, yeah, she also teaches Pilates and yoga while still fi nding time to run a few miles each day.

Isphording, now 59, made her fi rst big mark on the Cincinnati community when she earned a spot on the 1984 Olympic marathon team. The race ended for her be-

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tween miles 10 and 11 when she suffered a back injury that would require surgery.

Her running career includes wins in the Los Angeles and Columbus marathons as well as high-end fi nishes at the New York City and Boston marathons.

She has long been an advocate for the running community, and her role with the Thanksgiving Day race is a continuation of her passion for the sport.

“It’s a year-long thing because you have to raise so much money, and putting on a race is very hard, from the Port-O-Lets, to the publicity, to the safety pins on the bibs, but it is so meaningful,” Isphording says. “I cry every year when they sing the national anthem. There is silence in downtown Cincinnati, and 12,000 people are just standing there and you’re looking out from the stage. It is the most beautiful scene. It never gets old.”

She admits to making several mistakes and learning on the fly during her fi rst couple of years at the helm, but that’s just part of life. Isphording incorporates these experiences in her speeches. She was the keynote speaker this summer at an annual cross country camp Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine hosted at their farm in Cedarville, Ohio, for runners from Thomas Worthington High School in the Columbus area.

The DeWines’ son-in-law is the team’s coach.

“I love to speak. I have a talking issue. We’ve always known that,” says Isphording. “With kids, you’ve got to be on your game. I’m serious, because the minute they get bored, they get on their phones, so you’ve got to capture them.

“I do a lot of video, I do a lot of props. I bring luggage. In the luggage, which is my journey through life, I have everything from my Olympic uniform to my old diaries with what I wrote, my old running log from 1984. I’ve got a fi nish line tape from when I was in the hospital with complications from back surgery. I show them that fi nish line tape that the nurses put at the end of the hallway one day when I learned to walk again. For kids, it’s really different. It’s hard. But it’s fun, and it was fun to be in-person again.”

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

TAKING AIM

// FOUR-TIME OLYMPIAN AND U.S. ARMY VETERAN JASON PARKER SETS HIS SIGHTS ON CYBERSECURITY. — K E V I N G O H E E N

is good for Jason Parker. The 1996 Xavier graduate and 2002 Xavier Hall of Fame inductee, known for his exploits on a national championship rifle team, is now 47 years old and four years removed from his career in the U.S. Army.

What’s a marksman to do in retirement? Find a new, of course.

In Parker’s case, that new target is on the internet instead of at a shooting range. He started taking a cybersecurity course at nearby Columbus State University this past January and believes he’s found his next calling.

“It is, especially in light of current events,” Parker says. “I was looking for a second career path after leaving the army.

This struck me as interesting. I got started January 4, and it’s lived up to everything I thought. It’s fun and challenging.”

Parker joined the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit as a Sergeant First Class one year after graduating from Xavier.

He both served and represented the country for two decades; a concept Parker believes he can continue doing with computer skills as the world combats the constant threat of cyberterrorism and hacking.

Parker was a part of Team USA in four consecutive Olympics—Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, and London 2012—as well as multiple World Cup competitions, Pan American Games, and World Championships.

“I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world,” says Parker.

Parker and his wife Andrea have two sons, 17-yearold Tom and 14-year-old Wyatt. One of Parker’s fondest memories is from the 2012 Olympics, when his family, including his parents, traveled to London for his competition, as well as watching other events. Grandpa Parker took Tom to the swimming venue one day where they witnessed Michael Phelps, the most-decorated Olympian of all-time. Tom immediately proclaimed his desire to top Phelps’s feats and, upon returning home to Georgia, the family signed him up for a local swim club.

“That’s what the Olympics do. It brings out the best in people, makes you want to strive to be better,” says Parker. “[Tom]’s not going to be an Olympic swimmer, but the fact that he did it for so many years and he’s better off for it is one of the coolest lessons of what the Olympics can bring.

“All of those attributes don’t have to just apply to athletes. It’s inspiring, and it

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Jason Parker gets a hug from son Tom while at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Son Wyatt is in front.

carries over into real life. The CEO of a company, it could be anything. It’s digging in. A common buzzword in sports now is grit. It’s having the grit to get through the tough parts.”

Like a cybersecurity class? “I think I enjoy this a little too much [for it] to be considered grit,” Parker says.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREA PARKER

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IFE IN COLUMBUS, GEORGIA ,

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SERVING OTHERS // FROM OLYMPIC RIFLE TO STAND-UP COMEDY? THRINE KANE LIVES XAVIER’S MISSION. — K E V I N G O H E E N

I

T’S LATE JULY IN THE OFFICES OF A CONSULTING FIRM IN NORTHERN Vir-

ginia, near Washington, D.C. The Summer Olympic Games are playing out half a world away in Tokyo, and the Games are the topic of conversation for a couple of Thrine Kane’s colleagues, close enough for her to overhear.

Kane’s coworkers are imagining how great it would be to be an Olympian, to be among the elite athletes on the planet. They have no idea that they’re in earshot of someone who has experienced the thrill and achievement they’re describing until the 2004 Xavier graduate lets them in on her history. “ ‘Did you guys know that I was on the 2000 team?’ ” Kane says she told them. “They were like ‘You were? That’s even cooler!’ ” It’s been 21 years since Kane, then a 19-year-old freshman, earned a spot on the U.S. team in Sydney tin Three-Position Rifle. It’s a moment she says she’ll always cherish, but not as much as the four years she spent at Xavier, where she earned undergraduate degrees in Spanish and international affairs while leading XU to four consecutive topfour national finishes as an eight-time All-America honoree.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THRINE KANE

Thrine Kane participates in the 2000 Olympic Trials in Atlanta.

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Xavier is where she found her path in life, which she now dedicates to helping others through personal and business development as a full-time meeting facilitator.

“It basically goes back to the Xavier motto of serving others,” says Kane, a 2009 Xavier Hall of Fame inductee.

“It all comes back to serving others, to helping others grow and develop. I’m not behind a desk. I’m running around to different locations, working with different groups, understanding who they are, what their goals are, what they want to accomplish, and then helping them get there.”

Kane, 40, is reuniting with Alan Joseph, her former Xavier coach, this year as a volunteer assistant at Morehead State University. She spent more than a decade coaching youth and Junior Olympic competitors at the Optimist Acorns Junior Rifle Club in Arlington, Virginia, but put that aspect of her life on pause a couple of years ago to pursue other interests such as learning karate and stand-up comedy.

Sitting still and resting isn’t high on Kane’s life agenda.

“I work, I punch things, and I make people laugh,” she says.

The chance to coach with Joseph offers Kane another way to serve others.

“I’ll be able to bring in my shooting expertise, and I’ll be able to help them with mental management, goal-setting, and life development,” says Kane. “I’ll be able to help them get to a place where they can achieve their highest performance, whether that’s athletics or whether it’s something like getting a job. It’s a big deal, especially for college athletes.”

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ALL SPORTS

Caption.

The women’s golf team won the BIG EAST championship for the second consecutive season in Fort Myers, Florida, last April. Xavier finished 13 strokes ahead of second-place Seton Hall and earned an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships. Senior Morgan Tinsley won the individual BIG EAST title. The Musketeers finished 17th in the Louisville Regional in the NCAA.

PROGRAM UPDATES BASEBALL COACH: Billy O’Conner (Xavier ’09) NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers finished 28–26, 15–11 in league play in 2021, earning the No. 4 seed to the BIG EAST Tournament. Xavier advanced to the championship series after forcing a deciding game seven against eventual champions UConn, finishing as runners up. Four Musketeers were named to the All-BIG EAST Team as voted on by the coaches. Senior left-handed pitcher Nick Zwack, senior catcher Natale Monastra, and

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junior shortstop Jack Housinger earned first-team honors, while junior outfielder Andrew Walker earned a spot on the second team. Zwack was selected by the New York Mets in the 17th round of the 2021 MLB FirstYear Player Draft, becoming the 18th Musketeer selected since 2005, with at least one Xavier player selected in six of the last eight years.

BASKETBALL MEN’S COACH: Travis Steele (Butler ’04) NOTEWORTHY: The top

seven scorers from last season are back, including junior Zach Freemantle and senior Paul Scruggs, both BIG EAST second-team selections. Freemantle led XU in scoring (16.1 ppg) and was fifth in the BIG EAST. He also led the league in rebounding (8.9 rpg). Scruggs led the BIG EAST and was 20th in the nation in assists (5.7 apg) while ranking second on the team and 11th in the BIG EAST in scoring (14.0 ppg).

Also back: 2021 BIG EAST AllFreshman Team selection Colby Jones and senior Nate Johnson, one of the nation’s top 3-point shooters, who missed the

home stretch last season due to injury. In all, Xavier welcomes back nine scholarship letterwinners, including four starters from last year’s team, and welcomes four newcomers.

Six of the returnees started at least four games last season, including sophomore Dwon Odom and senior Adam Kunkel.

A pair of transfers, 6-foot-8 junior Jerome Hunter from Indiana and 7-foot junior Jack Nunge from Iowa, are expected to make an impact.

WOMEN’S COACH: Melanie Moore (Siena, ’99)

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PHOTOGRAPH BY BRAD YOUNG PHOTO, LLC.

XAVIER UNIVERSITY HAS ROUGHLY 300 STUDENT-ATHLETES THIS SCHOOL YEAR. HERE IS A LOOK AT EVERY TEAM FOR 2021–2022.

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NOTEWORTHY: Xavier went 5–10 in a COVID-19 shortened 2020–2021 season.

The Musketeers return three starters from last year’s team: Nia Clark, Kae Satterfield, and Ayanna Townsend. Clark ranked second on the team in scoring (11.5 ppg) and steals (26). She also led the team in 3-pointers made (16) and ranked 126th in the NCAA in steals per game (2.0). Xavier returns six letterwinners and welcomes seven newcomers, including five transfers. Xavier’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a trip to Pac-12 member Utah (Nov. 13) and Cincinnati (Dec. 12) at Fifth Third Arena.

CROSS COUNTRY MEN’S AND WOMEN’S COACH: Sam Burroughs (Buffalo ’00)

P H O T O GR A P H S B Y A . J . M A S T ( T O P) A N D D R E W H O R T O N / R O O T E D C R E AT I V E (RI GH T )

NOTEWORTHY: Xavier competed in its first fall season under Burroughs, who took over the program in January 2021. Burroughs welcomed the program’s first-ever full-time assistant with the arrival of Lauren Etheridge in the fall to pair with returning graduate assistant Abbie Hetherington.

Xavier returned a strong group of veterans on the women’s team, including seniors Jenna Clayworth, Courtney Klatt,

The Xavier women finished fourth at the Butler Twilight cross country meet in September. The men finished sixth at the meet in Carmel, Indiana. Rachel Butler (2366), also a women’s soccer player, won her first-ever cross country competition. Also pictured, Sydney Kapral (371, behind the Ball State runner), Parker Hopkins (2370) and Robyn Blackwell (2365).

and Hannah Russell, as well as junior Emily Sienna and sophomore Ashleigh Prugh.

Senior newcomer Rachel Butler, who came over from the soccer team, won medalist honors in her first-ever cross country meet at Butler. The men’s team will be led by senior Brady Harless, sophomore Adrian

Stuphan, and several impressive underclassmen.

GOLF MEN’S COACH: Brian Arlinghaus (Dayton, ’99) NOTEWORTHY: Arlinghaus was named coach June 18, 2021, after spending the previous four seasons as head coach at Wright State. The fall season has been highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the Valparaiso Fall Invitational.

Michael Prebles posted his first career top-10 finish at the tournament, recording a 217 (+1) to tie for eighth. His 4-under-par 68 in the final round was the lowest round score of any golfer during the tournament. Arlinghaus led Wright State to the 2019 Horizon League championship, the program’s first conference title since 2004.

WOMEN’S Natale Monastra celebrates a home run with Tyler DeMartino (33) in Xavier’s 5-4 victory over Connecticut in the BIG EAST Championship last May. The Musketeers forced a deciding game seven but lost 10-6 and finished second in the league tournament.

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keteers won their second straight BIG EAST championship, capturing the tournament with a 54-hole total of 891 (+27)—finishing 13 strokes ahead of Seton Hall.

Senior Morgan Tinsley won the individual title with a score of 221 (+5), the first tournament title of her career. Xavier claimed the individual title for the second straight conference championship (Mikayla Fitzpatrick won the 2019 title).

Xavier returns Abby Kiefer and Emma McMyler. McMyler was named BIG EAST Freshman and Player of the Year.

She was the first golfer to earn both awards in the same season since Notre Dame’s Lindsey Weaver in 2013. Jenco and her staff (David Patz) picked up Coaching Staff of the Year honors for the third time in her career.

LACROSSE WOMEN’S

COACH: Breanna Jenco (Xavier ’13)

COACH: Meg Decker (Loyola University Maryland, ’11)

NOTEWORTHY: The Mus-

NOTEWORTHY: Decker was

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named coach in July 2021.

She joined the Musketeers after serving as head coach at Hartford from 2016 to 2021.

The Musketeers will play their inaugural season in 2023 as an independent before playing as a BIG EAST member in 2024.

SOCCER MEN’S COACH: Andy Fleming (Marist ’97)

Xavier captured the BIG EAST Conference men’s swimming and diving championship in Geneva, Ohio, last April. It was the third consecutive title for the Musketeers. Andrew Martin was selected Most Outstanding Swimmer. The XU women finished third.

Karsen Henderlong who each had three.

WOMEN’S COACH: Nate Lie (Miami ’00)

Xavier sophomore forward Sonia Vargas maneuvers around two Northwestern players during the Musketeers’ 2-1 victory over the Wildcats in August.

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NOTEWORTHY: Xavier defeated Big Ten opponents Northwestern and Illinois and crosstown rival Cincinnati. Its eight-match unbeaten streak is the longest such streak to start the season since going 8–0 to begin 1990. Xavier’s eight straight matches without a loss is the longest unbeaten streak since the 2019 squad won eight straight on a run to the BIG EAST championship and NCAA second round.

Xavier moved up to a programbest ranking of 17 in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll in week four (9/14/21) after making the first appearance of the season in week three (9/7/21), entering at No. 23.

It marked the first time the Musketeers have been ranked in the USC National Poll since finishing the 2019 season at No. 24. Xavier also moved up to the No. 1 spot in the East region in week three, after being No. 3 in week two.

SWIMMING MEN’S COACH: Brent MacDonald (Valparaiso ’03) NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers won their third-straight BIG EAST championship in Spring 2021. Xavier collected 11 event championships and had 17 all-conference performances in individual events to take over first on the second day of the meet. It won by more than 170 points over second-place Villanova. Xavier won 11 of 18 racing events, including four of five relays. Andrew Martin and Christian Thomas each won three gold medals, and Alex Sironen claimed his first gold to help secure the championship. Martin was named Most Outstanding swimmer on the men’s side. The championship marks Xavier’s sixth title in the eight years since joining the BIG EAST, also winning in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2020.

WOMEN’S COACH: Brent MacDonald (Valparaiso ’03)

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NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers wrapped up non-conference action with a 6–1 mark, including wins over Big Ten foes Ohio State and Northwestern.

Xavier only allowed three goals in non-conference action as goalkeeper Matthew Rosenberg recorded a 0.43 goals against average, the third-best mark in the BIG EAST. Xavier had four different players score a goal in non-conference action, paced by Jerome Jolly and

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Ahmeir Kyle, a unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST selection in 2021, became the first Musketeer earn a spot in the 64-player NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships. She lost to Paris Corley of LSU in the first round 6-2, 6 (5)-7, 6-3 last May. The women’s tennis team won its second BIG EAST championship last spring.

together an eight-match win streak leading up to the NCAA tournament. It was Xavier’s second trip to the NCAA (it also won the BIG EAST and earned an automatic bid in 2016). Ahmeir Kyle and Anna Roggenburk were unanimous selections to the All-BIG EAST first team, with Roggenburk earning Freshman of the Year.

Kat Lyman earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST second team.

Xavier’s coaching staff was named BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year by the other league coaches. Kyle became the first Musketeer to earn a spot in the 64-player NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Championships, as selected by the NCAA Division I Women’s Tennis Subcommittee. She is 10–3 in singles action, all played in the No. 1 spot, and has a 2–0 mark against ranked opponents.

TRACK & FIELD

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MEN’S AND WOMEN’S NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers finished third at the 2021 BIG EAST Championships.

Xavier had 11 competitors earn all-conference honors and collect an event win. Xavier opened the meet with Brooke Atkins, Lydia Schaeffer, Lorelei Gaertner, and Kali Fischer tying Villanova with a time of 1:41.74 in the 200 medley relay. It’s the second BIG EAST championship in the event for the Musketeers, with Xavier also winning in 2019. Fischer also set a school record during the meet with a time of 2:02.39 in the 200 IM to collect a bronze medal. Xavier collected 535 points total, finishing third behind Villanova and UConn.

TENNIS MEN’S COACH: Doug Matthews (Xavier ’09) NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers wrapped up the 2021 season in the BIG EAST quarterfinals, falling to St. John’s to finish 2–12, 0–3 in conference action. Senior Srdan Pejic

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earned a spot on the All-BIG EAST second team. Pejic went 6–7 in singles action in 2021, including a 6–5 record at the No. 2 spot. His six singles wins led the Musketeers. Pejic also picked up five wins in doubles play, including three with Shashank Reddy and a pair with Cambell Nakayama. The Musketeers return eight letterwinners for 2021–2022, including Brett Winters, who competed primarily in Xavier’s No. 1 singles spot, as well as Nakayama, Reddy, and Aaron Thompson.

Xavier added five newcomers, including a three-person freshman class, Ryan Cahill, Marco Pennelli, and Charlie Temming, and transfers Nick Loudermilk and Diego Nava.

COACH: Sam Burroughs (Buffalo ’00) NOTEWORTHY: Xavier returns junior Parker Hopkins, who earned a spot in the finals of the BIG EAST Conference meet in the 400-meter hurdles.

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Two members of Xavier’s school-record-setting 4x800meter relay team are back, Hopkins and senior Hannah Russell. On the men’s side, Xavier returns sophomore Liam Willman, who earned a spot in the finals of the BIG EAST Conference meet in the 110- and 400-meter hurdles as a freshman. Burroughs welcomed the program’s first-ever full-time assistant with the arrival of Lauren Etheridge to pair with assistant coach Tevin-Lloyd Thompson.

VOLLEYBALL COACH: Christy Pfeffenberger (Dayton ’05) NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers posted a 5–5 record in non-conference play, highlighted by a three-set win over in-state rival Miami on Sept.

17. Xavier is led by All-BIG EAST performers Carrigan O’Reilly and Delaney Hogan. O’Reilly was an AVCA All-Region selection in the spring season and currently ranks 87th in the NCAA in assists per set (9.65). Hogan was named the BIG EAST Freshman of the Year during the spring and currently leads the team in blocks (34), while ranking second in kills (80).

WOMEN’S COACH: Doug Matthews (Xavier ’09) NOTEWORTHY: The Musketeers earned the program’s second BIG EAST championship in Spring 2021, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Musketeers finished 17–4, putting

Xavier right-side hitter Moriah Hopkins tries to avoid two blockers from Charlotte.

The Musketeers lost a four-set match to the host team at the Charlotte Invitational in August. Hopkins led the Musketeers with a match-high 17 kills.

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POSTGAME INTERVIEW

MADAM

PRESIDENT // DR. COLLEEN HANYCZ, THE UNIVERSITY’S NEW LEADER, LOVES HER MAPLE LEAFS AND BLUE JAYS, “ALL THINGS EQUESTRIAN,” AND, OF COURSE, COLLEGE BASKETBALL.

Were you an athlete growing up? At best, I was a mediocre volleyball player, but I enjoyed playing the game and being part of a team.

is Toronto, my siblings and I grew up cheering for the Maple Leafs and the Blue Jays. There was nothing better than an afternoon spent at the ballpark or an evening cheering in a frosty arena.

Great childhood memories.

Favorite sport to watch? I have always loved watching all things equestrian. Growing up, our family was very involved with horse racing and competitive equestrian events, so that has always been a love of mine.

However, especially since arriving in the United States six years ago, my family crew have become big fans of college basketball.

Favorite sports movie? It’s a toss-up between Field of Dreams, Bull Durham, Tin Cup, The Perfect Game and Draft Day. The fact that these are all Kevin Costner movies is not lost on me.

If you had to wear a player’s jersey, whose would it be?

Picking just one would be tough. Going back, a Leafs’ sweater—maybe Darryl Sittler—comes to mind. On the college basketball front, La Salle had some

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great players in its history, but the one “almost” would’ve been interesting.

Kobe Bryant’s dad, Joe, was an assistant with La Salle and Kobe was going to play for La Salle if he went to college.

How much do you know about Xavier’s basketball history? I am approached almost daily, whether on campus or out in the community, by alumni who typically recognize me from recent media coverage and who want to share with me their remarkable Xavier experiences.

Many of them also take a moment to tell me something I may not have already known about our history in basketball and to share their hopes for the program. I am certainly a work in progress when it comes to all things Xavier basketball, but let’s just say that I am enjoying the course and can’t wait for the final exam.

What’s important to you about Xavier athletics? You will often hear me speak about the position of athletics as the “front porch” of any university. It is not the most important thing that we do, but it is certainly the thing that folks see when they drive by the house. If that porch is well-built

and well-maintained, it enhances the value of the house. But if that porch is sagging with paint peeling, it hurts the entire impression of the house. In fact, it may even be a fire hazard that threatens the integrity of the house.

For me, Xavier Athletics needs to continue to be a porch that strengthens the rest of the house. And how do we do that? By running programs that are competitive, clean, mission-aligned, and that encourage our students in achieving their goals, within and beyond their sports.

Have you been made aware of a little thing they call the Crosstown Shootout? I was deep into the presidential search process last December, so I was keen to watch the Crosstown Shootout. What a great game! I have since had a number of conversations—with alumni, faculty, staff, and Father Graham—to gain a better picture of the long history of that rivalry and I am thrilled that Xavier will host this year’s game. I look forward to making it three wins in a row on December 11 in the Cintas Center and will need to stock up with a signature Father Graham sweater vest to help celebrate that night.

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What teams, if any, did you root for? Given that my hometown