2017-18 Lipscomb Athletics Annual Report

2017-18 ATHLETICS ANNUAL REPORT

Basketball and Men’s Soccer Gain First NCAA Bids, plus...

• Women’s Soccer Wins First ASUN Title • Men’s Cross Country Captures 4th Conference Crown in 5 years • Student-Athletes Excel in Classroom • Bisons Take Battle of the Boulevard

SPECIAL FEATURE: Andy Mizell Is a Life Changer

An Allen Arena crowd gathered to witness first-hand the announcement of Lipscomb’s first bid to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

2017-18 ATHLETICS STAFF ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT STAFF Philip Hutcheson ........................................................Director of Athletics Frank Bennett.......................................Associate A.D. for Internal Affairs Dr. Lin Garner ............Associate A.D. for Academics/Sr. Woman Admin.

John Ezell ................................Associate A.D. for Compliance & Budgets Andy Lane ..............................................Associate A.D. for Development Sherie Eubanks ...................................Assistant, Compliance/Academics W. Paul Nance ..............................................Director of Creative Services Grace Ann Miller.........................................Director of Academic Services Phillip Beeman........................Coordinator of Athletic Business Services Dr. Kent Johnson ....................................Faculty Athletic Representative Rhonda Lehmer ..................................................Administrative Assistant Shelby McCreary .................................................Administrative Assistant EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Jamie Gilliam..................Asst. A.D. for Communications & Broadcasting Kirk Downs....................................Assistant Director of Communications Logan Butts......................................................Communications Assistant William Bush..............................................Video Production Coordinator Bridget Perine ............................................Marketing Graduate Assistant BASEBALL Jeff Forehand ...........................................................................Head Coach James Ogden ......................................................................Pitching Coach Brian Ryman......................Operations Director / Recruiting Coordinator Brad Coon...........................................................................Assistant Coach Ryan Price.........................................................Volunteer Assistant Coach MEN'S BASKETBALL Casey Alexander ......................................................................Head Coach Roger Idstrom..........................................................Associate Head Coach Steve Drabyn, Sean Rutigliano .....................................Assistant Coaches Adam Notteboom ................................Director of Basketball Operations Kim Austin .................................Administrative Assistant for Basketball

CHEERLEADING Sherie Eubanks.........................................................................Head Coach Anthony Strode..................................................................Assistant Coach WOMEN'S BASKETBALL Greg Brown ..............................................................................Head Coach Clay Crothers .....................................................................Assistant Coach Aaron Holland ....................................................................Assistant Coach Hannah Phillips..................................................................Assistant Coach Kelsey Gregory .....................................Director of Basketball Operations CROSS COUNTRY (MEN & WOMEN) Bill Taylor ............................................................Director of Cross Country Marcus Evans, Benton Reed, Steven Mason..................Assistant Coaches Louisa Mason....................................................Volunteer Assistant Coach Tabetha Taylor ......................Team Building & Leadership Development GOLF Will Brewer .........................................................................Director of Golf Ben Pellicani ...........................................................Associate Head Coach Jesse Lawley............................................................Women’s Head Coach MEN'S SOCCER Charles Morrow ........................................................................Head Coach Stephen Lunney.................................................................Assistant Coach Garrett McLaughlin ...........................................................Assistant Coach WOMEN'S SOCCER Kevin O’Brien ...........................................................................Head Coach Leah Fortune ......................................................................Assistant Coach Shannon O’Brien ...............................................................Assistant Coach Brittanie McGee................................................Volunteer Assistant Coach SOFTBALL Kristin Ryman ..........................................................................Head Coach Megan Rhodes Smith..............................................Associate Head Coach J.J. Dillingham ...................................................................Assistant Coach

VOLLEYBALL Brandon Rosenthal .................................................................Head Coach Billy Ebel ..................................................................Associate Head Coach Todd Garvey ......................................................................Assistant Coach Lauryn Hyman..................................................Volunteer Assistant Coach STRENGTH & CONDITIONING John Hudy ......................................................................................Director Sean Johnson.....................................................................Assistant Coach Steve Mason .............................................................Track & Cross Country Clint Woods...................................................................Baseball & Softball Mark Forbing...........................................................................Men’s Soccer Ann Armes Toy ...............................................Director of Sports Nutrition Jon Flinn.....................................................Tennis Performance Specialist TENNIS Geoff Hernandez ...........................................................Men’s Head Coach Andy Veal ...........................................................................Assistant Coach Jamie Aid .................................................................Women’s Head Coach Dwight Dale......................................................Women’s Assistant Coach TRACK & FIELD (MEN & WOMEN) Bill Taylor .............................................................Director of Track & Field Marcus Evans, Benton Reed, Steven Mason..................Assistant Coaches SPORTS MEDICINE Will Ness ...................................................................Head Athletic Trainer Clint Woods, Hilarie Buck, Maggie Schweer .........................Athletic Trainers Kelsey Ferguson, Mark Forbing, Katie Bracken ATHLETIC OPERATIONS Brian Ryman ..........................................................Director of Operations Alex Ross ................................................Assistant Director of Operations Lint Smith .................................................Director of Grounds & Facilities Colby Ralls.........................................................................Groundskeeping

Best in the ASUN ATHLETICS

THE ASUN CONFERENCE HONORED THESE BISONS AS 2017-18 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR IN THEIR SPORTS .

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT

2 A NOTE from Lipscomb’s President 3 HONORS: The James R. Byers Award 5 A NOTE from the Director of Athletics 6 ACADEMICS: Lipscomb racked up full page of honors 7 FIRST DANCE: Bison Basketball enjoyed a year to remember 12 HIGHLIGHTS: 12 events that shaped the Athletics year 14 BATTLE OF THE BLVD: Bisons win first all-sports battle 15 THE LIPPY AWARDS: Student-Athletes take center stage

Dawson Amstrong

Loren Cagle

MEN’S GOLF

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

18 LEADING THE PACK: Men’s Cross Country wins the ASUN 20 CONTINUING THE CLIMB: Women’s Soccer is rollin’ 22 NEW HEIGHTS: Men’s Soccer earns first NCAA bid 25 TO CHINA AND BACK: Volleyball’s Carlyle Nusbaum 26 PORTRAIT OF A LIFECHANGER: Get to know Andy Mizell 29 SOCIAL MEDIA: Keep up with the Bisons your favorite way 32 A NEW DAY: Lipscomb Golf is on the rise 34 LIPSCOMB LIFER: Basketball’s Loren Cagle 37 LAW SCHOOL ON HOLD: Baseball’s Lee Solomon 38 TWO-SPORT STANDOUT: One isn’t enough for Chloe Rogers 40 SMASH HIT: Lipscomb Tennis has a bright future

Ellen Lundy

Jake Poyner

WOMEN’S SOCCER

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Carlyle Nusbaum

Wayne Newman

VOLLEYBALL

MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK

42 LOVING OTHERS: Lipscomb Athletics Spiritual Formation 46 HALL OF FAME: Eight new members were inducted 49 2017-18: Recap a memorable year at Lipscomb University ON THE COVER: Junior Garrison Mathews drives against North Carolina’s Luke Maye.

This Annual Report is produced by Lipscomb Athletics Office of Creative Services Director of Athletics Editor Proofing Writers

Philip Hutcheson W. Paul Nance Dr. Lin Garner, Janel Shoun-Smith Logan Butts, Kim Chaudoin, Kirk Downs, Lacey Klotz, Mark McGee Photography Kirk Downs, Grant Exline, Jamie Gilliam, Kristi Jones, Vicki Monteith, Jay Wilkinson

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 1

From the President L. Randolph Lowry PRESIDENT

O

perating an intercollegiate athletic program is often one of the more challenging charges facing a university president. And it can also be one of the most rewarding.

Controversy and chaos surrounding university athletic programs and their student athletes seem to be ever-present in today’s headlines. Even so, there are many compelling reasons for universities to invest in their athletic programs and to seek to compete at the highest level.

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Intercollegiate athletic programs provide many opportunities for students to grow physically as they hone their skills and talents on the playing field. Through many hours of practice, they not only strengthen their bodies, they are also preparing to do their best in competition. But they also grow in other significant ways. Deep within, they develop discipline, endurance, confidence, determination and perseverance — skills that serve them well on the playing field but more importantly in the classroom, in the workplace, in the home and in our communities.

These student athletes also represent the universities for which they play. There is a saying in higher education that athletic programs are the front porch of a university. Although a university’s primary endeavor obviously is to educate its students to prepare them to accomplish their life goals, there is a lot of truth to that often-heard anecdote. When these student athletes put on the jerseys with their school name on it they are bringing awareness of that institution to audiences all across the country. Millions of sports fans across the nation tune in to various collegiate sporting events on the myriad television networks and radio stations that broadcast the names of these schools during the course of the competition.

When a team has success in a post-season tournament, that creates even more national awareness and attention for an institution. Through this, many people hear of an institution sometimes for the first time or with such frequency that they want to learn more about a school so they look it up on the web and may even decide to visit or apply as a result.

Successful athletic programs attract student-athletes, but they also draw non-athletes. Many students not only want a college education — they want the college experience, including the fun of attending sporting events.

When Lipscomb University’s men’s basketball team made its first appearance in the NCAA national tournament in March, we experienced the “front porch” impact in a

significant way. Following Lipscomb’s win over Florida Gulf Coast University on March 4 to claim the ASUN championship and a berth into the NCAA tournament through our first-round game against North Carolina (which was televised live on CBS) on March 16, traffic on the university website nearly tripled, social media engagement across all of the university’s channels increased in triple digits and through broadcast interviews and stories alone brought a media audience over 200 million nationwide, that doesn’t include the multiple front page stories in the local newspaper and other print publications across the country, websites and other media outlets.

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So, the business of collegiate athletics is important and it involves an entire university administration to manage it well. It also takes collaboration with other institutions.

Lipscomb is a proud member of the ASUN conference. The presidents of the nine ASUN member schools, the newest member being Liberty University this spring, form the ASUN Presidents Council. We compete against each other on the playing field, but we also work together to make policy for our conference. Our common mission as presidents of these schools is to provide student athletes with opportunities to reach the highest academic standards and athletic achievements, while receiving a positive college experience.

At Lipscomb University, we are aiming for goals that are higher than 10 feet. While we are proud to be competing in the highest level of college sports as a member of a tremendous conference, the Bison athletic program is unique. Lipscomb Athletics build on what DI sports offer as a platform to build relationships, develop faith and transform lives. Student athletes and coaches participate in mission trips around the world, local outreach, mentoring and Bible studies. While we are building student athletes to be their best on the competition field, we more importantly are developing them into young men and women of character with a strong sense of faith and a solid foundation of values.

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In the following pages you will read about highlights from our exciting 2017-18 athletics year. You will learn more about the student athletes and teams that proudly put on the purple and gold and represent Bison nation throughout the year. I hope you will join us whenever you can in the stands, on the sidelines or online to cheer on these student athletes and this fine institution.

Go Bisons!

L. Randolph Lowry

The James R. Byers Award The James R. Byers Award is the highest award presented by Lipscomb Athletics.

The award is given annually to the top senior female and male athletes who display outstanding Christian leadership and show academic and athletic excellence.

Ellen Lundy

Lee Solomon

SENIOR / ROGERS, ARKANSAS

The ancient Greek concept of arete has

SENIOR / COLUMBUS, OHIO

her for a year and went on to become the

vant heart, and commitment to his team-

been a focus of Lipscomb Athletics in both

ASUN Player of the Year” – the first in the

mates. During his career he was named

the NAIA and NCAA eras. It generally refers

program’s history.

ASUN Second Team All-Conference twice

to any type of excellence but also includes

Another first is Lundy’s selection to the

and to the ASUN All-Academic Team three

the moral component of fulfilling one’s pur-

United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Re-

times, more than any other player on the list.

pose or full potential. From Homer’s time

gion team. During her redshirt junior year

Solomon was sidelined by injury this

on, the term was not gender specific and

she achieved ASUN First Team All Confer-

past season but battled back to earn these

thus it perfectly epitomizes the 2018 male

ence and All-Academic Team honors. In

stats: a .283 batting average (2nd on the

and female winners of the James R. Byers

2017 she led her team with eight goals, ex-

team) with 34 hits in 120 at-bats, 7 home

Award: Ellen Lundy from Rogers, Arkansas,

tending her program record to 34. She also

runs (highest for the ASUN and the Bisons),

led the team in points (16), shots (44), and

36 runs, 9 doubles, a .550 slugging per-

shots-on-goal (19) in what was a prolific

centage, a .416 on-base percentage, and 12

laud their character and contributions to

season for the defender-turned-forward.

stolen bases. His sophomore year he led

the advancement of their respective teams.

Lundy attained these athletic honors while

the ASUN in stolen bases (25) and the fol-

Coach Kevin O’Brien, head coach of Lundy’s

completing an undergraduate and master’s

lowing year finished 19th in the country with

soccer team, describes the forward as a

degree in Accounting with a 3.93 GPA.

23.

and Lee Solomon from Columbus, Ohio.

Both Lundy’s and Solomon’s coaches

“solid young lady who has a heart for others

Solomon’s head coach, Jeff Forehand,

Off the field, Solomon served on the

calls his second baseman “one of the finest

President’s Ambassadors Council and the

source of reliability and care. She loves the

people I know” and ranks Solomon’s char-

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as

Lord and she loves others.

acter and integrity “at the top of any stu-

well as being senior captain of his team. He

while maintaining maturity and being a

dent-athlete I have coached.” It was no

majored in Law, Justice, and Society and

surprise then that at the end of the 2018

minored in Political Science, and plans to

program and elevating the level of the team.

baseball season, Solomon was given the

attend law school after playing for the San

She overcame a concussion that sidelined

Ken Dugan Award for his leadership, ser-

Diego Padres who drafted him on June 6.

“She has played a significant role in helping to turn the culture of our soccer

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 3

The James R. Byers Award 1978

Mark Carter

2002 Shelley Sims

BASEBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

1979 Ralph Turner

Kyle Stephens

MEN’S BASKETBALL

1980 Mike Cunningham 1981

MEN’S BASKETBALL

2003 Kelley Wade

BASEBALL

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Chuck Hamar

Danny Norman MEN’S TENNIS

BASEBALL

1982 Alan Banks

2004 Kristin Peck

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SOFTBALL/VOLLEYBALL

1983 Andy Dukes

Jeff Maddux

MEN’S TENNIS

1984 Nina Pedigo

MEN’S SOCCER

2005 Lynn Roller

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

1985 Mark Joseph

Julie Holliday

BASEBALL

VOLLEYBALL

1986 Richard Beasley

Derek Berlin

TRACK

1987 Patti Bandy

MEN’S GOLF

2006 Ruth Mick

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

1988 Michelle Parker

Andrew Harris

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

1989 Kim Puckett

Ellen Lundy

MEN’S TENNIS

2007 Emily Ellis

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Keith Herston

Lindsey Rutherford

BASEBALL

VOLLEYBALL

1990 Kim Williams

Robbie Smithson

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Philip Hutcheson 1991

BASEBALL

2008 Rachel Davis

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Stephanie Shouse

Jason Hopkins

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Mike Carmody

MEN’S BASKETBALL

2009 Miriam McAlister

MEN’S TENNIS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

1992 Nina Hausmann

Andrew Mizell

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Dan Dragomire

MEN’S TENNIS

2010 Lauren Dortwegt

CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

SOFTBALL

1993 Kim Herron

Ryan Chastain

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Daniel Dennison MEN’S BASKETBALL

1994 Libby Burwell WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Eric Grogan MEN’S TENNIS

1995 Jennifer Wood WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Andy McQueen MEN’S BASKETBALL

1996 Lynn Randolph WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Justin Morgan MEN’S SOCCER

1997 Julie Grogan

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Josh Slater MEN’S BASKETBALL

2012 Whitney Kiihnl SOFTBALL

Justin Glenn MEN’S BASKETBALL

2013 Hannah Phillips WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Ethan Summers MEN’S SOCCER

2014 Caitlin Dotson VOLLEYBALL

Tessa Hoefle CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

John Holt

Tucker Peabody

1998 Susan Faulkner

TRACK & FIELD

2015 April Terry

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

TRACK & FIELD

Angela Shelton

Josh Lee

VOLLEYBALL

Andy Blackston MEN’S BASKETBALL

1999 Jennifer Bell WOMEN’S TENNIS

Tim Lavender CROSS COUNTRY

2000 Susan Bryant

BASEBALL

2016 Kelly Young SOFTBALL

Adam Lee BASEBALL

2017 Anna Buhigas SOCCER

Kayla Ostrom

WOMEN’S TENNIS

VOLLEYBALL

Josh Willeford

Wayne Newman

BASEBALL

2001 Jamie Gleaves

4 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Jenna Bartsokas

WOMEN’S TENNIS MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lee Solomon

CROSS COUNTRY/TRACK

2011

TRACK & FIELD

2018 Ellen Lundy

SOFTBALL

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Jim Maddux

Lee Solomon

MEN’S SOCCER

BASEBALL

From the AD: “What’s Next?”

Philip Hutcheson DIRECTOR of ATHLETICS

E

arly in almost every school year, I pose to our student athletes a simple question.

“What’s next?”

I start out by saying that there was most likely a time for every one of them when they decided that they wanted to be a college athlete. Starting from there, they answered that question in such a way so as to end up with a spot on our roster.

“I want to play this sport.” “What’s next?”

“I want to make the school team.” “What's next?"

“I want to be a starter.” "What's next?"

“I want to be an all star.” "What's next?"

“I want to be recruited.” "What's next?"

“I want to play in college.”

So here they now sit, thinking the question has finally been answered. Except that it hasn’t. Lately, I’ve reflected on the parallels in that journey to the one that Lipscomb Athletics has made.

15 years ago this year, we completed the transition to become a full-fledged NCAA Division I institution. Once the decision was made, it was only natural to ask “What’s next?”

And since that inaugural 2003-2004 NCAA DI campaign, the Bisons have successfully answered that question over and over again.

Since 2003, Lipscomb teams have earned: 23 ASUN regular season titles, 21 ASUN Tournament championships, 25 NCAA Tournament appearances and five different ASUN Academic championships. Close to 20 women and men have made individual NCAA Tournament appearances as well. And while they may have thought that a certain victory, moment or tournament berth was the answer, they soon discover that the “What’s next” question still lingers.

In that same time, outside of competition, we’ve seen coaching staffs grow, new facilities being built, improvements to existing facilities being made and experience-enhancing programs and services being created. Perhaps most rewarding, since 2012, when the first mission trip for student athletes was offered, we’ve witnessed over 600 young women and men make over 40 mission trips to places as far away as Malawi in southeast Africa and as close as the (90% immigrant-populated) Stonebrook apartments in southeast Nashville - providing some of the most memorable and meaningful moments of our students’ experiences at Lipscomb.

This year, more new high water marks were achieved as we continued to answer the “What’s next” question. Men’s basketball and men’s soccer both broke through to earn first-time bids to their respective NCAA Tournaments. Softball head coach Kristin Ryman (400) and men’s soccer head coach Charles Morrow (100) both surpassed significant win totals in their careers. Academic Advising integrated the YouScience™ platform in its career development services

and Athletics’ Spiritual Formation area successfully launched its first-ever all sports camp in the heart of one of the most diverse neighborhoods in all of Nashville.

But what’s next?

In competition, we’re not content to be in the hunt every once in a while. Many of our teams are now built to compete every year for ASUN championships and poised to keep climbing in their respective NCAA DI rankings to transcend state, regional or conference recognition and move regularly and confidently into the national spotlight.

In the classroom, it’s hard to improve on over 80% of our student athletes earning a 3.0+ GPA as happened again this year. However, we will keep pushing that bar higher academically and will continue adding a more robust career services, internship and life-skills component to this area, so that our student athletes are even better prepared for life after competition comes to completion.

In the community, we are already working to expand our Lipscomb Athletics community camps in 2019 and to continue to grow our Carter Lawrence after-school and neighborhood engagement work in the south Nashville area.

And in an effort to use our Athletics program as a more effective tool for sports ministry, we are actively positioning our Spiritual Formation team to serve as more of a hub and resource nationwide for those interested in approaching sports with a Kingdom perspective.

Much closer to home, within the realm of our facilities, a brand-new Allen Arena floor is being installed as this is being written and “What’s Next” is being answered with projects and plans for close to a dozen different ideas as we actively seek to match the passions of our people with the plans of our programs (If you want to know more, please let me know!).

But before we move on, back to our student athletes.

What’s next?

For some the answer has to do with earning a starting spot, winning a championship, or going pro. For others, it’s graduation, a job or another life goal. We don’t let them stop there, however. We press on and challenge them to take that question to its logical end. And then we ask it again.

What-Is-Next?

We encourage them, if they know the answer to that end-of-my-days last question, to order all of their plans, dreams and actions with that one answer in mind. And if they don’t know the answer, we encourage them to spend their time at Lipscomb exploring and thinking that one through.

Because that’s the question that matters the most. And because we continue to be a program seeking to unflinchingly compete at the highest level of NCAA competition, but always with the higher calling of our mission in mind.

To all of you who’ve already connected to the Lipscomb Athletics cause, we sincerely thank you and we look forward to enjoying another year together. And to those of you who may be new to our program, but who are intrigued by what you see, we invite you to keep your eyes on us. Because the answers to What’s Next at Lipscomb Athletics will certainly be worth watching!

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 5

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE CoSIDA Academic All-American Logan Paynter (Men’s Soccer) CoSIDA Academic All-District Jacob Poyner (Cross Country) Courtney Brenner (Track & Field) CoSIDA Google Cloud Academic AllAmerican Jacob Poyner (Cross Country) ASUN Winners for Life Team Kate Mason (Women’s Soccer) Ryan Speer (Track & Field) Lee Solomon (Baseball) ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year Jacob Poyner (Cross Country) Wayne Newman (Track & Field) Natalie DuBoise (Women’s Soccer) Eric Ansett (Men’s Golf) ASUN Postgraduate Scholarship Kacey Kemper (Women’s XC and T&F) Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Scholarship Nathan Morgan (Men’s XC and T&F)

2017-18 ASUN All-Academic WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Laure Assena Auriana Broughton Loren Cagle Kaylee Cotton Anna Hammaker Emily Kmec Meredith Lovelady Lexi Manos Riley Northway Kennedy Potts Lauren Rau Carleigh Short Morgan Turner 6 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

SOFTBALL Hannah DeVault Jenna Endris Abby Fenichel Jordan Fortel Megan Gray Sarah Higgins Amanda Jordan Jenna Pealor Caitlin Plocheck Chloe Rogers Caitlin Turner Peyton Ward Chloe Yeager

2017-18 ASUN All-Academic To qualify for ASUN All-Academic, a student-athlete must earn a GPA of 3.0 or better.

This year, 80.26 percent of Lipscomb student-athletes qualified for the honor.

MEN’S XC / T&F Ahmed Amaar Andrew Ayers Brody Beiler Christian Freeman Owen Glogovsky John Green Silas Griffith Chase Hampton Henry Hassell Kade Hinkle Jonathan Imes Zachary Israel Kyle Johnson William Kachman Brent Leber Bryant Loesch Grant Mason Kindrick McLemore Nathan Morgan Wayne Newman Psalm Ocampo Jared Peters Jacob Poyner Robert Rupp Jonathan Schwind Samuel Shaylor Patrick Smith Jacob Snyder Ryan Speer Jacob Vanderwell Mitchell Zabka WOMEN’S XC / T&F Chandler Bergeron Courtney Brenner Tia Calvin Elsa Cole Madison Colley Bridgette Doucet Kyra Drobny Madeline Enderle Lauren Flynt Avery Franklin Julia Fritz Cassandra Harasts Brianne Holland Haley Humphrey Kinzie Icayan Kacey Kemper Brooke Kingma Haley Kling Grace Lahey Clare Losito Pari Manoogian Lindsey Marriott Kayla Montgomery Kelli Nesky Grace Oetting Hannah Owens Frankie Perna Kayla Rudie Kailey Schuyler Katherine Sperry Jordan Stiewig

MEN’S GOLF Eric Ansett Davis Armstrong Dawson Armstrong Jacob Dines Isaac Noh Paul Swindell Jerry Zhu WOMEN’S GOLF Charley Benefield Lauryn Davidson Breanna Hanus Ines Konschewitz Jenny Muesing Hillary Reader Emma Wasson VOLLEYBALL Carli Anderson Lauren Anderson Ca'Layci Coffey Morgan Elmore Marcella Emmanuelli Megan Kuper Ashley Maher Maddie Phillips Samantha Rubal Megan Sullivan Brittany Thomas MEN’S SOCCER Anthony Bellini Cameron Botes Brandon Braumuller Austin Eager Samir Eldahan Bennie Harris Simon Holden Trystan Innes Javier Leija Benjamin Locke Scout Monteith Daniel Muehlbauer Logan Paynter Eduardo Reza Malik Shaheed Kyle Smith Austin Strout Luke Wilson John Wynia Christopher Zappia Jacob Zec MEN’S TENNIS Daniel Cardenas Gomez Jorge Ortegon Ruiz Francesco Tacconi Michael Tougher WOMEN’S TENNIS Madeleine Brooks Denise Buberl Viktoriya Dzyuba Hannah Gamage Kateryna Kandyba Kateryna Popova Thabile Tshatedi

BASEBALL Christopher Bashlor Caleb Brenczewski Chandler Chambers Joshua Colon Ezekiel Dodson Alex Dorso Jackson Furstace Coleman Goodwin Maddux Houghton Christopher Kachmar Kyle Kemp Joshua Martinez John Nierman Nickolas Ortega Jake Perry Lee Solomon Cade Sorrells Ryan Stevens Noah Thompson Von Watson Carson Wright MEN’S BASKETBALL Ahsan Asadullah George Brammeier Michael Buckland Greg Jones Aaron Korn John Matt Merritt Nathan Moran Eli Pepper Matthew Rose WOMEN’S SOCCER Jade Abarca Elise Andrich Audrey Beck Brooke Brenner Lindsay Brent Leah Cernicky Olivia Doak Natalie DuBoise Allison Dunn Kaitlin Echols Hailey Eck Selah Gilmore Melissa Gray Arielle Hansford Riley Henry Ellen Lundy Kate Mason Maycie McKay MaKayla Merryman Paige Miller Alliyah Parker Callista Pascarella Niamh Rawlins Madison Shea Gabriela Suazo Hannah Torbett Hope Van Ryckeghem Jordan Walsh

First Dance Coach Casey Alexander was pleasantly surprised that his Bisons earned their first trip to The Big Dance.

T

he 2018 basketball season was one for the ages for Lipscomb, but coach Casey Alexander admits he wasn’t convinced just how special it was until the very end.

The Bisons finished with a 23-10 record, the most wins in the NCAA era.

They finished second in the ASUN regular season with a 10-4 record behind Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). In the ASUN Tournament, they beat FGCU 10896 on the Eagles’ homecourt in Fort Myers to earn the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth.

“Those things are great on reflection,” Alexander, the 2018 Skip Prosser Man of the Year, said. “You don’t really realize you are putting together a season like that until it is over. You can look back and say that is the most wins, that is the first NCAA Tournament and the first this or that.

“It’s nice you can look back and see accomplishments and see improvements in the program. We would be foolish if we didn’t use that to help us keep getting better.”

Success “could happen” The ASUN championship win closed out an eight-game win streak, part of a 12-1 run to close out the season and put the Bisons on the fast track to the NCAA Tournament.

Coaches always start a season with optimism. Alexander thought 2017-18

could be good, and he even considered greatness could be the result.

“I didn’t expect to have this type of season, but I thought it could happen,” Alexander said. “We had crossed over a pretty big hurdle the year before, winning 20 games. We had postseason options we didn’t pursue.

“There were a lot of things going our way. We thought we could be good and should be playing for a regular season championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.”

It started with a win at Navy Alexander first allowed himself to consider this team could be special during the Christmas season after a 73-64 win over Navy.

“Navy was the last game before the Christmas break,” Alexander said. “Navy was playing well at the time with a lot of veteran guys.

“Because it was our last game before Christmas it was a great way to finish that segment of the season. We lost to five Power Five schools, but we beat five teams on an equal par with us. That was a good win on the road against a good team at Navy.”

After allowing himself to at least think about the possibility of a record season, Alexander admits there were still doubts that lingered, even during the late season surge.

“We never had great rhythm,” Alexan-

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 7

“We are living history. What an unbelievable moment.” – Casey Alexander

ASUN QUARTERFINALS

ASUN SEMIFINALS

ASUN FINALS

FEB 26 | ALLEN ARENA

MAR 1 | ALLEN ARENA

MAR 4 | FT MYERS, FL

#

2 Lipscomb 89 # 7 Stetson 73

#

2 Lipscomb 77 # 3 Jacksonville 62

#

2 Lipscomb 108 # 1 FGCU 96

This was the scene when the Bisons captured their first ASUN Tournament Championship, a 108-96 thriller at top-seed FGCU. Lipscomb built a 29-point lead by halftime and endured a furious Eagle rally that cut the lead to five in the second half. Solid free throw shooting down the stretch sealed the Bisons’ first NCAA automatic bid.

der said. “We never hit our stride or played incredible basketball.

“What it was more than anything was the cumulative effect of having pretty good balance across the lineup. We had a couple of guys have really special years.

Garrison Mathews and Rob Marberry could have both been the Player of the Year in the league. Those two guys carried us, but we had a lot of guys who did their jobs really well.”

and a great first half against Purdue, a top 10 team. The Bisons played Tennessee, a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, toe-to-toe.

“We had our moments and stretches where it all came together,” Alexander said. “But there was never really a time when I said this team is really good.

Thankfully, the results showed we were really good, but I never felt that way as a coach until the end.”

There were bright spots

Tourney run was special

While admitting he never really felt like it was “a miraculous team,” he did see many bright spots like the first half against FGCU in the championship game

Alexander also stresses the run by the Bisons in the ASUN Tournament did give him some reasons to think about just how good the team was.

8 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Junior Eli Pepper electrified Bison fans with this rim-rattling first half dunk.

Special thanks to Linwood Ferguson / Captive Photons

“I felt like it was just a good season until we beat Florida Gulf Coast in the championship game and advanced to the NCAA Tournament,” Alexander said. “We did play a solid three games in the ASUN Tournament.

“The Stetson and Jacksonville games weren’t things of beauty, but we were solid and really in control all 80 minutes in those games. And the game at FGCU speaks for itself, leading by 29 at halftime on the road against a great team.”

“Our experience took over.” – Junior Garrison Mathews, Tournament MVP

A jam-packed Alico Arena was the site of the Bisons’ first ASUN Tournament championship. The announced crowd of 4,633 saw ASUN finals scoring records, both for one team (108) and for combined points (204).

Junior Garrison Mathews was named tournament MVP with his 33-point, 9-rebound performance.

This is not the pinnacle Alexander has stressed all along the 2017-18 season is not a pinnacle for the Bisons, but a foundation for future greatness. He wants to leave a legacy of success for the program that will long be remembered.

“When we gathered for the first meeting this summer, my message was there were three or four people who were on the team last year who are no longer here. There are three new guys. The team in this locker room hasn’t done a single thing yet.

“They understand this is new and different, but they also understand that we had a successful season...we know what it takes to win. We should have expectations we have never had before, and we have to try to capitalize on them.”

Garrison Mathews (MVP), Kenny Cooper, and Rob Marberry were named to the All-Tournament Team.

A brave group of students made the trip to Ft. Myers on a bus and were treated to an ASUN Championship.

The Bisons return the top six scorers on a team that led the ASUN in scoring for the second year in a row with an 82.1 average. Nate Moran is also returning after sitting out last season with an injury, which gives Alexander another top player.

Mathews and Marberry, both members of the ASUN All-Conference First Team, are once again expected to be major contributors.

All the good news and accolades aren’t going to change the approach of Alexander and his staff.

“We are still trying to be as good a team as we can be every day,” Alexander said. “As long as we have that mindset

the result will probably be what we want it to be. We want to be competing for regular season and tournament championships on a regular basis.

“But, at the same time we must use our successes to our advantage in areas like recruiting and increasing our own levels of expectations about how we are going to play going forward. That is the benefit of winning. But it is hard to capitalize on.”

Where do we go from here?

Alexander wants a program that always expects to be in the running for league championships and NCAA Tournaments.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 9

“We plan on being back, that’s for sure.” – Sophomore Kenny Cooper

CHARLOTTE REGIONAL

LIPSCOMB SCORING

MAR 16 | SPECTRUM CENTER | CHARLOTTE, NC

KENNY COOPER 14 ROB MARBERRY 13 ANDREW FLEMING 9 GARRISON MATHEWS 8

#

2 North Carolina 84 # 15 Lipscomb 66

The Spectrum Center in Charlotte was the site of the Bisons’ first NCAA postseason appearance. Announced attendance for the game between #2-seed North Carolina and the #15-seed Bisons was 18,469.

Lipscomb’s Cheerleaders were right at home on the Spectrum Center floor.

The door has been opened and he wants it to stay that way.

“What I would want to see is incremental growth over the years,” Alexander said.

“I want to be able to look back in five years and see the residual effects on the program of the 2018 team going to the

10 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

NCAA Tournament.”

The NCAA Tournament berth capped off Alexander’s fifth season with the Bisons. He admits he expected to be where the team is today much sooner.

“It was slower than I expected, but I’m not surprised,” Alexander said. “We have always been concerned with doing it the right way however long it took. It has been a hard five years, but I also hope this is just the beginning.

“I don’t want to just have a team that goes to the NCAA Tournament. I want to have a program that is rock solid with a foundation that is built to last. We are not there yet. I want to be able to reflect on a period – whether it is five, 10 or 20 years – where Lipscomb basketball is in great shape.”

Sophomore Kenny Cooper led the Bisons with 14 points and several electrifying drives down the lane.

The benefits of winning The exposure of the Lipscomb program in the NCAA Tournament is already having a positive influence on recruiting. It is too early to see how many will one day sign with Lipscomb, but doors have been opened to talk with players who would not have considered Lipscomb in the past.

“We have name recognition,” Alexander said. “We have had a lot of players visit who have good opportunities out there.

“Our pool is better. We still have to close the doors. We still have to make sure we are getting the right fits.”

“It was incredible. I was really proud for the school.” – Junior Rob Marberry

Junior Rob Marberry took a shot to the cheek on the way to 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals.

Junior Eli Pepper worked hard against the taller Tarheels: 5 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 blocked shot.

Coach Casey Alexander and his assistants had their team ready. The Bisons jumped to a 21-15 early lead.

Sophomore Andrew Fleming came off the bench, scored 9 points, and grabbed 2 rebounds.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED: Three years ago, graduate Derek Smith designed and donated giant cheer flags “so when we go to the NCAA Tournament, everyone in the arena will know who we are and how to spell Lipscomb.”

It is expected there will be increased pressure on Alexander and the 2018-19 season. He wants to win. That hasn’t changed. He also doesn’t want to let Lipscomb fans and alumni down.

“So, there is pressure,” Alexander said.

“I carry that burden more than I should probably.

“But I have way more concern about our kids and what we are doing every day than I do anything else. I would feel that way whether we were 10-20 or 23-10.”

Alexander is hopeful the success of the season will increase the support of Bison fans both in attendance and in financial giving.

“Next to our players winning I was happy to see the fans celebrating and realizing what a season like this one can do for the entire campus,” Alexander said.

“We have a special thing here and the support we have is a big part of it.”

– Mark McGee

Bison fans were spirited, and Section 113 was alive with excitement for the program’s first NCAA run.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 11

STORIES OF THE YEAR These 12 events helped shape

NCAA BID

400 WINS

Men’s Basketball won at least 20 games for the second year, captured the ASUN Tournament and earned a first NCAA bid.

Softball coach Kristin Ryman won her 400th game Feb. 24. She has coached at Lipscomb since 2005-06.

ARMSTRONG GOES PRO Senior Dawson Armstrong won ASUN Golfer of the Year for the 3rd year and was named ASUN All-Conference all 4 years.

ASUN CHAMPS Men’s Cross Country captured its 4th crown in 5 years and advanced to the NCAA South Regional in Tuscaloosa, finishing in 6th place.

12 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

BISONS WIN BATTLE Lipscomb won the revamped Battle of the Boulevard over Belmont in the first year of competition involving all sports.

ASUN FINALISTS Lipscomb Women’s Soccer won the ASUN regular season crown and reached the tournament finals for the 3rd year in a row.

IN LIPSCOMB SPORTS 2017-18 for Lipscomb Athletics

NCAA BID

100 WINS

Men’s Soccer won its first ASUN crown and earned an NCAA Tournament bid, where they faced Butler in Indianapolis.

Men’s Soccer coach Charles Morrow won his 100th game at Lipscomb Nov. 5 with a 2-1 ASUN tourney win over FGCU.

RUNNERS ADVANCE

SOLOMON DRAFTED

Three Bisons earned spots in the NCAA East Region prelims: Ryan Speer, Wayne Newman, and Courtney Brenner.

Senior Lee Solomon became the Bisons’ fourth MLB draftee in two years, selected by the San Diego Padres on June 6.

OUR LOSSES FORTEL HONOR Jordan Fortell’s no-hitter against #14 Ole Miss earned her the program’s first D1 SoftballNews.com’s National Pitcher of the Week honor.

Lipscomb Athletics lost three family members this year: Hall of Famers Jennings Davis and Roy Pardue (left) as well as superfan Paul Shoun.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 13

Bisons Capture Inaugural All-Sports Battle In 2006, Student Government Associations from Belmont and Lipscomb implemented a competition to reinvigorate a rivalry that began more than 50 years prior.

A customized Battle of the Boulevard streetsign trophy was awarded each year to the winner of the alternating host's men's basketball game.

In 2017, both SGA's collaborated with the schools' athletics marketing staffs to enhance the program to include all sports competitions where the Bisons and Bruins face off against each other in the age-old rivalry.

THE RULES • Each time the Bisons and Bruins compete in any sport within the boundaries of Nashville,

one point will be awarded to the winner.

• A tie will result in one-half point for each program.

• The school that accumulates the most points in an academic/athletic year will win the trophy.

2017-18 RESULTS Men's Soccer • Did not play in Fall 2017 competition season, so Spring 2018 exhibitition game counts.

Women's Soccer Exhibition • LIP def. BEL, 2-0 | Fri., Aug. 11 @ E.S. Rose Park Women's Cross Country • LIP def. BEL | Sat., Sept. 2 @ Percy Warner Park (5K race) Men's Cross Country • BEL def. LIP | Sat., Sept. 2 @ Percy Warner Park (5K race) Men's Cross Country • LIP def. BEL in Vandy Invitational | Sat., Sept. 16 @ Percy Warner Park Women's Cross Country • LIP def. BEL in Vandy Invitational | Sat., Sept. 16 @ Percy Warner Park Volleyball • LIP def. BEL, 3-1 | Tues., Oct. 10 @ Curb Event Center Women's Golf • BEL def. LIP in TSU Women's Collegiate Invite | Mon.-Tues., Oct. 30-31 @ McCabe Men's Basketball • LIP def. BEL, 74-66 | Mon., Nov. 27 @ Curb Event Center Women's Basketball • BEL def. LIP, 91-59 | Mon., Dec. 4 @ Allen Arena Men's Basketball • LIP def. BEL, 69-54 | Mon., Dec. 4 @ Allen Arena Women's Tennis • LIP def. BEL, 5-2 | Fri., Feb. 9 @ Whitworth Indoor Center Men's Tennis • LIP def. BEL, 6-1 | Fri., Mar. 2 @ Lipscomb Baseball • BEL def. LIP, 8-7 | Tues., Mar. 13 @ E.S. Rose Park Men’s Soccer Spring Exhibition • BEL def. LIP | Sun., Mar. 25 @ E.S. Rose Park Men's Golf • LIP def. BEL, 865-907 | Mon.-Tues., April 9-10 @ Richland Country Club Baseball • BEL def. LIP, 8-6 | Tues., Apr. 24 @ Dugan Field Softball • LIP def. BEL, 13-2 | Tues., Apr. 24 @ Draper Diamond at Smith Stadium

FINAL SCORE: Lipscomb......11 Belmont..........6 14 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

5TH Annual Lippy Awards Honor Student-Athletes The brainchild of 2014 SAAC President April Terry and driven by Dr. Lin Garner and Women’s Director of Spiritual Formation Shannon O’Brien, the Lippy Awards bring together the student-athletes of Lipscomb like no other event.

Dawson Armstrong

Ahmed Amaar

Chris Klotz

Carlyle Nusbaum

Male Athlete of the Year Best Record-Breaking Performance

Master of Ceremonies

Master of Ceremonies

Female Athlete of the Year

Men’s Basketball was awarded Team of the Year and Best Record-Breaking Performance for a Team.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 15

Silas Griffith

Lauren Flynt

Vika Dzyuba

Kacey Kemper

Male Freshman of the Year

Female Freshman of the Year

International Student-Athlete of the Year

Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Casey Alexander

Adam Notteboom, Roger Idstrom, Steve Drabyn, Sean Rutigliano

Frank Bennett

Head Coach of the Year

Assistant Coaches of the Year

Athletics Administrator of the Year

Wayne Newman

Ellen Lundy

Lee Solomon

Ivan Sakou for Men’s Soccer

Matt Deery Award

James R. Byers Award

James R. Byers Award

Best Comeback Performance

16 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

THE LIPPYS AWARDS SUMMARY Allen Arena • April 25, 2018

Team of the Year Outstanding Performance in Academics, Athletics, and Outreach

Men’s Basketball

Scholar Athlete of the Year Highest GPA & Significant Athletic Impact

Kacey Kemper • WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY & TRACK

Female Athlete of the Year Best Female Athletic Performance of the Year

Carlyle Nusbaum • VOLLEYBALL

Male Athlete of the Year Best Male Athletic Performance of the Year

Dawson Armstrong • MEN’S GOLF

Destinee Brewer and Ca’Layci Coffey entertained in the “No Laughing” game.

Matt Deery Award Most Inspirational & Exemplary Contribution to Our Team

Wayne Newman • MEN’S TRACK

International Student-Athlete of the Year Best Overall Performance of an International Student

Vika Dzyuba • WOMEN’S TENNIS

Female Freshman of the Year Best Athletic Performance of the Freshman Class

Lauren Flynt • WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

Male Freshman of the Year Best Athletic Performance of the Freshman Class

Silas Griffith • MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

“Our Team” Award Serving Lipscomb Athletics Above and Beyond Your Call of Duty

Zach Olley (MBB), Parker Smith (WBB), Greg Van Maaren (Base), Caroline Wasserman (SB) STUDENT MANAGERS

“Don Meyer Head Coach of the Year” Inspirational and Exemplary Contribution to Our Team

Zach Olley and Caroline Wasserman (Parker Smith, Greg Van Maaren not pictured) “Our Team” Award

Casey Alexander • MEN’S BASKETBALL

Assistant Coach of the Year Inspirational and Exemplary Contribution to Our Team

Roger Idstrom, Steve Drabyn, Sean Rutigliano, Adam Notteboom • MEN’S BASKETBALL

Athletics Administrator of the Year Frank Bennett

Best Record-Breaking Performance INDIVIDUAL: Dawson Armstrong • MEN’S GOLF TEAM: Men’s Basketball

Best Comeback Performance Men’s Soccer team

The James R. Byers Award The highest honor awarded by Lipscomb Athletics to outstanding senior male and female student-athletes

Ellen Lundy • WOMEN’S SOCCER Lee Solomon • BASEBALL

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 17

Leading the Pack Lipscomb’s men captured their 4th ASUN Cross Country Championship, while the women missed their 7th consecutive title by a single point.

Four-time Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Cross Country Champions Kyle Johnson, Silas Griffith, Juan Gonzalez, Chase Hampton, Jake Poyner, Zach Israel, John Green, William Kachman, Owen Glogovsky

NCAA National Championship Track & Field Prelim Qualifiers Wayne Newman Ryan Speer Courtney Brenner

18 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

2017-18 Honors NCAA I National Championship Preliminary Round Qualifiers Wayne Newman 110m Hurdles (Outdoor) Wayne Newman 400m Hurdles (Outdoor) Ryan Speer 800m (Outdoor) Courtney Brenner 10,000m (Outdoor) Cross Country All-Conference Kacey Kemper 1st Team, All-Academic Lauren Flynt 1st team Katie Sperry 2nd team Kailey Schuyler 2nd team & All-Freshman Team Kayla Rudie 2nd team & All-Freshman Team Jacie Legois All-Freshman Team Bridgette Doucet All-Academic Team Jacob Poyner (see photo caption) Silas Griffith 1st team, Freshman of the Year Juan Gonzalez 1st team William Kachman 2nd team Chase Hampton 2nd team Zach Israel 2nd team Bill Taylor Coach of the Year Indoor Track All-Conference Jonathan Schwind

Courtney Brenner 5000m ASUN Indoor & Outdoor Champion 3000m ASUN 2nd team ASUN All-Academic

Jacob Poyner ASUN Runner of the Year Scholar-Athlete of the Year CoSIDA Academic All-American CoSIDA Academic All-District

Mile run (Conference champion)

Chase Hampton Ryan Speer

Outdoor Track All-Conference Wayne Newman

800m (Conference champion)

Most Outstanding Track Performer

Mile run (3rd team)

Jonathan Schwind

Jonathan Imes

800m (2nd team)

Most Outstanding Freshman

Jonathan Imes

Wayne Newman

400m (Conference champion)

110m Hurdles (Conference champion)

Randolph Wilkerson, Jonathan Imes, Jonathan Schwind, Ryan Speer 4x400m (Conference champion)

Zach Israel 5000m (2nd team)

Jacob Snyder High Jump (3rd team)

Zach Israel 3000m (2nd team)

Brody Beiler, Austin Ray, Ryan Speer, Jonathan Schwind DMR (Conference champion)

Courtney Brenner 5000m (Conference champion)

Courtney Brenner 3000m (2nd team)

Indoor Track All-Academic Kade Hinkle Ryan Speer Owen Glogovsky Ahmed Amaar Courtney Brenner Avery Franklin Katie Sperry

Wayne Newman 400m Hurdles (Conference champion)

Jonathan Imes 400m (Conference champion)

Wayne Newman, Ryan Speer, Jonathan Schwind, Jonathan Imes 4x400m Relay (Conference champion)

Wayne Newman, Grant Mason, Jonathan Imes, Ahmed Amaar 4x100m Relay (2nd team)

Ryan Speer 800m (2nd team)

Jonathan Schwind 800m (2nd team)

Grant Mason 100m (3rd team)

Grant Mason 200m (3rd team)

Robert Rupp 3000m Steeplechase (3rd team)

Courtney Brenner 5000m (Conference champion)

Julia Fritz 5000m (2nd team)

Katie Sperry 5000m (3rd team)

Katie Sperry 10,000m (2nd team)

Avery Franklin 10,000m (3rd team)

Clare Losito 3000m Steeplechase (3rd team)

Outdoor Track All-Academic Wayne Newman Scholar-Athlete of the Year Kade Hinkle Ryan Speer Owen Glogovsky Ahmed Amaar Courtney Brenner Avery Franklin Katie Sperry

Jacob Poyner 5000m (3rd team)

Silas Griffith 10,000m (3rd team)

Chase Hampton 3000m Steeplechase (3rd team)

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 19

CONTINUING THE

Climb

20 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

The Bisons earned their first ASUN regular season crown and, for the 3rd straight year, reached the tournament finals.

he Lipscomb women’s soccer team continued its ascent to the top of the ASUN in the fall of 2017. And although the season ended painfully short of earning the Lady Bisons’ first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament, the team still accomplished several firsts during the successful campaign.

T

KEVIN O’BRIEN ASUN COACH OF THE YEAR

“This team is special, and I love sharing this success with them. We are a family who enjoys the good news and accomplishments of each other.”

– Coach Kevin O’Brien

Lipscomb won the ASUN regular season crown for the first time in program history, something that would not have happened if not for a late-season victory over conference foe FGCU. The win over FGCU, ranked No. 25 in the nation at the time, was also the first-ever win over the Eagles as well as the first victory over a ranked opponent in program history.

talent our conference is producing,” Lipscomb women’s soccer head coach Kevin O’Brien said. “The recognition could not be given to a better person. She is the epitome of a team player and has always served this program in whatever capacity we’ve asked.”

“From making our program’s save of the season against No. 10 Auburn to scoring the game-winning goal vs. FGCU, the girl can and has done it all.”

Lundy and fellow senior stalwart Niamh Rawlins earned spots on the United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast Region Team, another first in team history.

DuBoise a two-time winner To further emphasize the all-around success of the senior class, Natalie DuBoise became the first two-time ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year in program history.

“Natalie is the epitome of what I call a both/and player,” O’Brien said, “successful both academically and athletically.

There does not need to be a tradeoff when pursuing excellence in the classroom and on the field, and Natalie is the gold standard.”

Despite falling in the ASUN Championship game to FGCU for the third consecutive season, the Lady Bisons have much to be proud of with their 2017 performance.

Even as another successful senior class departs, the Lipscomb women’s soccer team has built a solid foundation that points toward even greater success in the future.

– Logan Butts

2017-18 SEASON RECAP Results OVERALL: 9-7-1 ASUN: 5-5-1 ASUN Regular Season Champs ASUN Tournament runner-up

HONORS Ellen Lundy ASUN Player of the Year Lipscomb goals record (34) All-Region, 2nd team ASUN All-Conference, 1st team ASUN All-Academic

Natalie DuBoise ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Niamh Rawlins All-Region, 3rd team ASUN All-Conference, 1st team ASUN All-Academic

Jade Abarca ASUN All-Conference, 1st team

Olivia Doak ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team

Justis Bailey ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team

Kate Mason ASUN All-Academic

Brooke Brenner ASUN All-Academic

Leah Cernicky ASUN All-Academic

Lundy, Rawlins are deserving And the game-winning goal in that historic victory? Scored by none other than senior Ellen Lundy, who ended up becoming the first person in Lipscomb women’s soccer history to win the ASUN Player of the Year award.

“It was a great accomplishment for Ellen, especially considering the wealth of

ELLEN LUNDY ASUN PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Coach Kevin O’Brien ASUN Coach of the Year

All ASUN: Lundy, Jade Abarca, and Rawlins

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 21

With its first ASUN Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament under its belt, the Men’s Soccer team is reaching

NEW HEIGHTS

Senior Ivan Sakou turned it on in postseason play and was named ASUN Tournament Most Valuable Player.

22 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

t took 14 years, a penalty kick shootout, and a pair of 2-1 upsets, but the Lipscomb Men’s Soccer team finally found itself in the 2017 NCAA Tournament.

“It’s definitely exciting to see your name pop up, especially when it’s the first time,” Lipscomb Men’s Soccer head coach Charles Morrow said.

The team started out the postseason as big underdogs, heading into the ASUN Tournament as the lowest-seeded team.

In the first round, after tying NJIT 3-3 through regulation and overtime, Lipscomb prevailed in a penalty kick shootout. Redshirt-freshman Luke Wilson was the hero for the Bisons as he stopped all three NJIT penalties in his first action of the entire season.

In the semifinals, it was a 71st-minute header from Logan Paynter that gave Lipscomb a 2-1 win over FGCU and sent the Bisons to their first-ever ASUN Championship game.

In the final, Eduardo Reza’s 69thminute strike propelled the Bisons to an-

I

other 2-1 victory, their first ASUN title in program history, and a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

“It felt great,” Lipscomb head coach Charles Morrow said. “I am so happy for these guys and our coaches. The win was big for our program. It was a great feeling to finally be able to bring back a championship.”

Although Lipscomb fell to Butler 2-0 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the 2017 postseason will go down as the most exciting, successful, and exhilarating thus far in the history of the Purple and Gold men’s soccer program.

“It will take some time for these guys to sit back and reflect on what they’ve done,” said Morrow. “It’s not just this year but since their time began at Lipscomb and the impact they will have on future years. They’ve accomplished great things this year and left a legacy of excellence and commitment that is second to none.

The fruits of their labor will be seen by classes and classes to come.”

– Logan Butts

LOGAN PAYNTER

2017-18 SEASON RECAP Results OVERALL: 11-8-2 ASUN: 2-4-0 ASUN Tournament Champions

HONORS Logan Paynter Academic All-American, 3rd team All-Region, 1st team ASUN All-Conference, 1st team ASUN All-Academic

Ivan Alvarado All-Region, 2nd team ASUN All-Conference, 1st team

Joe Kerridge ASUN All-Conference, 1st team

Ivan Sakou ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team ASUN Tournament MVP

Daniel Muehlbauer ASUN All-Academic

Ihaia Delaney ASUN All-Freshman team

Ben Locke ASUN All-Freshman team

Coach Charles Morrow 100th win at Lipscomb

ASUN Conference Men’s Soccer Champions The Bisons entered postseason play as the #6 seed, but they came alive in the tournament – defeating NJIT, FGCU , and Jacksonville to capture their first ASUN Tournament Championship.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 23

ASUN QUARTERFINALS

ASUN SEMIFINALS

ASUN FINALS

NOV 3 | FT. MYERS, FL

NOV 5 | FT. MYERS, FL

NOV 11 | JACKSONVILLE, FL

#

#

6 Lipscomb 3 # 3 NJIT 3

6 Lipscomb 2 # 2 FGCU 1

#

#

6 Lipscomb 2 5 Jacksonville 1

F-2OT / BISONS WIN SO: 3-0

Charles Morrow has earned 101 wins in his 13 years as head coach of the Bisons.

Goalkeeper Christopher Zappia was a workhorse, logging 1,967 minutes in the 2017 season.

He had three saves in the NCAA tournament effort at Butler.

Ivan Alverado was a constant presence for the Bisons in their ASUN postseason run and their first NCAA tournament appearance.

FIRST ROUND

LIPSCOMB STATS

NOV 16 | SELLICK BOWL | INDIANAPOLIS, IN

SHOTS ON (GOAL) 16(4) SAVES 3 CORNER KICKS 10 FOULS 9

Butler 2 Lipscomb 0 24 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Nine valuable seniors powered the Bisons to their first NCAA tournament appearance at the Sellick Bowl in Indianapolis.

To China and Back

L

ipscomb’s Carlyle Nusbaum may have been the smallest player on the USA Collegiate National Team roster in China this summer, but she loomed large on the international stage.

At 5-foot-10 she was an inch shorter than the next smallest players. She was also one of only three on the 12-player roster from a non-Power Five school. As the USA team finished with a 4-1 record, Nusbaum was a major contributor to the team's success in a number of ways.

Illinois coach Chris Tamas, who served as the head coach for the USA team, praised Nusbaum’s contributions.

“If we needed a kill, we often looked to Carlyle or she always managed to come up with a big dig or a big block in key moments,” Tamas said. “She had a great all-around game. She attacked, passed, blocked, and played defense at a very high level.”

Bison senior Carlyle Nusbaum made the most of her coveted spot on Team USA.

Energy, consistency, and steady play Highlights in the China matches for Nusbaum, an outside hitter, were 14 points (10 kills, three blocks and one ace) against Hebei and eight points (six kills, one ace and one block) in a match with Beijing BAIC. “Carlyle also brought a lot of energy to the court and she was really a stabilizing force for us in some tough moments,” Tamas said. “She is very competitive. You can tell the passion she has for playing when she is on the court.”

Her consistency of play was a key to the success of the team, which played professional teams from the China Volleyball League.

“Carlyle was a steady performer, which is very important at that level of play,” Tamas said. “She played in a lot of matches for us.

“Whether she came off the bench or started the match, she always played at a very high level. She did everything well and consistently. That type of play was key because we were trying to win with a group that had never played together before and playing against teams that had played together since they were 12.”

Nusbaum is entering her senior season at Lipscomb where she has been named ASUN Player of the Year two times, earning Co-Player of the Year honors in 2017. She was a unanimous ASUN First Team All-Conference selection and also earned a spot on the AVCA All-South Region Team. Tamas expects Nusbaum to reach even higher levels.

“Volleyball is a true team sport, but Carlyle played a very important role for us on the trip,” Tamas said. “Her future will be bright in volleyball and beyond.”

by Mark McGee

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 25

LIPSCOMB ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

PORTRAIT OF A Bison tennis player Andy Mizell vowed to never teach.

In June, about ten years later, he was nominated for “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

– Henry Adams ormer Lipscomb tennis coach Lynn Griffith is a testament to this quote by educator Henry Adams. His many mission trips to Haiti not only have been of great benefit to the people of that impoverished island, but also have had a profound effect on many of his former players.

A prime example is Andy Mizell. An art major at Lipscomb, he never considered a future in education. But as a tennis player he made four trips in one year to Haiti on mission trips led by Griffith.

F

Not a teacher After those trips he still wasn’t considering being a teacher.

“I knew for sure I was NOT going into education,” Mizell said. “It was the only job I ever said out loud when I was younger that I would NEVER do. It just

26 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

didn’t fit my personality.”

But as often happens, the warning “never say never” rang true in Mizell’s life plans. While he didn’t want to be a teacher, his experiences in Haiti were always prominent in his mind.

“I will never forget landing in Haiti the first time and experiencing that week,” Mizell said of his first trip during the 2008 spring break of his junior year. “Immediately after that trip, my heart kept wanting to return and help those people.”

Mizell didn’t have to go as far as Haiti to be an influence on students and affect eternity through teaching like Griffith and Adams. He is preparing to start his ninth year in Metro Nashville Public Schools as an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher at Margaret Allen Middle School.

Most of us grow up with the belief that if you fail to plan, then you plan to

fail. Due to his experiences in Haiti, Mizell decided to deviate from his plans and from his previous belief that being an educator was not for him.

One word caught his eye When Griffith left his position as head tennis coach, he was succeeded

by Andrew Harris who coached Mizell his senior season and asked him to stay with the program as a graduate assistant.

With only business and education master’s degrees available at the time, Mizell balked. To fulfill a promise to search through the class catalog, he first looked at business and then, reluctantly, at education after deciding business courses didn’t fit his personality either.

“I decided to click on the education tab just so I could tell the coach that I

LIPSCOMB ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

LIFECHANGER

National Lifechanger of the Year ... by his students.

by Mark McGee

went to both pages,” Mizell said. “After the page loaded, I was still about to close it, but I decided to at least read the program at the top of the page because I wouldn’t have to scroll down.”

One word caught his eye: MATELL. “I thought, ‘MATELL? What kind of name is that?’”, Mizell said. “It was the Master of Arts for Teaching English Language Learners, and as I read the very short descriptive paragraph, I couldn’t believe that teaching English as a second language was actually a job.

“How can I help?”

“I couldn’t believe this was happening in this moment because I had spent an entire year traveling to Haiti while constantly asking myself ‘How can I help these people?’ And then this program, a sign from God, jumped

right out in front of me to answer that question.”

Mizell signed up and he has never looked back. He looks to the influences of Griffith and his experiences in Haiti to give him the inspiration to do his job each day.

“Every time teaching gets difficult, I always try to think about that first time in Haiti,” Mizell said. “My decision to be an EL coach is all because of Coach Griffith.

“Coach Griffith cared more about developing us as good people, and I feel like the life lessons that he bestowed upon us during my time at Lipscomb have stuck with me through the years.”

Mizell models his approach to his students in the same way he saw Griffith coach and teach.

“Surviving public middle school is difficult within itself,” Mizell said. “But

when I `teach to the heart’ of these kids just like Coach G did with us, I know that they are going to remember more than just the academics that they learn along the way.

“I try to create experiences for them just like the one I had because if I had never had that lifechanging experience in Haiti, I would definitely not be a teacher right now.”

Life-changing projects Mizell goes beyond the classroom to give his students what he is hopeful will be life-changing experiences for them. Some of his projects include: • A school-wide fruit donation program where students deliver uneaten fruit from the cafeteria

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 27

LIPSCOMB ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

HAITI IN 2011: Lynn Griffith and Andy Mizell (right) hosted a free tennis clinic in Cap Haitien as part of a mission effort, prompting Mizell’s urge to serve.

daily to the Nashville Rescue Mission and Room in the Inn, followed by one day of service at the mission at the end of that year.

• Transformation of the school courtyard into “Eva’s Kortyard” to be used as a memorial to Holocaust victims as well as a special area for students to hold restorative circles where they can solve personal conflicts with one another.

• His classes planned and designed a surprise party for the special needs class of Margaret Allen Middle School called “One Knight” to promote togetherness since throughout the school day, this class is self-contained.

• The students created the “What About Us” Project where they painted the wooden fence on the campus to raise awareness for every victim who has lost their life in a school tragedy since Columbine.

“I believe that these experiences are going to help us find the next great social worker, historian, conflict manager, special education teacher, youth activist, and more,” Mizell said. “Just like I will never forget the experiences Coach Griffith provided me, some of these kids aren’t going to forget the experiences at Margaret Allen Middle School, and I hope it opens their eyes to what they want to be when they grow up.”

The courtyard, with flowers and fountains, is a very special project for Mizell.

One of his students had a strong interest in the Holocaust and was also a talented artist as well. She died a year-and-a-half ago.

“She did not survive a tragic car accident,” Mizell said. “This loss hit me hard because I had provided this student with a very personalized experience after helping her win third place in a

28 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

NASHVILLE IN 2018: Mizell (center back) honored a deceased student with a project, “Eva’s Kortyard,” and hosted Holocaust survivor Eva Kor to speak to his students.

CADOUCHE, HAITI: Mizell taught English to Haitians in the day camp mission effort hosted by Griffith.

Holocaust Art Contest in Tennessee and taking the family to Memphis for the awards ceremony.”

Mizell invited Eva Kor, a twin who had survived medical experiments at the Auschwitz concentration camp, to speak at the courtyard’s dedication ceremony.

A speaker on human rights, Kor was the favorite speaker of the late student.

The power of influence Once again, the power of influence was at work. The death of the student has been and remains an impetus for Mizell to develop his students for good in all ways possible.

“After losing her, I knew I needed to provide as many of these experiences to my students as possible,” Mizell said.

“That is what I now strive to do.”

Mizell has gone back to his tennis roots for his latest project.

“My newest endeavor is an attempt to create a free after-school tennis program,” Mizell said. “It was tennis that took me places in life, and I want to offer the same to public school kids who wouldn’t have the same opportunity otherwise.”

WEDDING BELLS: Mizell and cross country runner Shannon Shoemake married in 2010.

Inspiration returned Mizell has been inspired by his first collegiate tennis coach, but Griffith freely admits he has been equally influenced by the work of his former player.

“The work that Andy has done at Margaret Allen Middle Prep has been an inspiration to Dianne, my wife, and me,” Griffith said. “The work he has done with Eva’s Kortyard inspires me and makes me very proud to say Andy was a Bison tennis player.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: On June 8, 2018, Metro Nashville Public Schools announced that Andy Mizell was nominated for the 2018-19 National LifeChanger of the Year award.

Sponsored by the National Life Group Foundation, the award recognizes and rewards the best K-12 educators in the United States. Mizell was nominated by Miriam Kalds, a former student.

“He has been an amazing help, not only to me, but to every student who has experienced having him,” Kalds said. “He always cared about students as individuals instead of how good their test scores were.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS YEAR ON LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS’

Social Media

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 29

Social Media

30 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Social Media

JOIN THE SOCIAL MEDIA PARTY • WEB: www.lipscombsports.com • FACEBOOK:https://www.facebook.com/lipscombbisons (@lipscombbisons) • TWITTER: https://twitter.com/LipscombBisons (@LipscombBisons) • INSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/lipscombbisons • SNAPCHAT: LipscombBisons

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 31

L

B

SCOM IP

GOLF

A New Day efore head coach Jesse Lawley arrived on campus last

B

summer, the women’s golf program at Lipscomb might have seemed like an afterthought to most. To her, she

saw potential.

It is a program that had never hired a full-time coach. It only had one all-conference selection…ever. And no player on the roster had ever won an ASUN Player of the Week award. To Lawley none of that mattered; she only saw what it could be.

“When I got here last July, I knew things were going to be tough,” Lawley said. “The road was rocky and changes had to be made in order for us to get righted on the path we wanted. I could tell this was a special place.”

When Lawley first met the team, she wanted them to understand that for things to be different there had to be change – a change in leadership, a change in their mindset and a change in their consistency. By being present with the girls at practice and at tournaments and emphasizing their success in the classroom, Lawley began to see signs of progress.

Junior Lauryn Davidson earned the program’s first ASUN All-Academic selection and Emma Wasson became the second Bison women’s player to be named to the ASUN All-Freshman Team.

“I really felt like in the spring that the heart and hard work

Women’s Golf coach Jesse Lawley

from my girls were evident. They took their work ethic to new heights this summer by playing in more tournaments to

brings a new energy to the program.

As she prepares for her second year, the progress is evident.

improve their games.”

In year one, Lawley laid the foundation. In year two, it’s time to begin laying the blocks. The recruiting class coming in for the 2018-19 season will be the highest-rated group ever signed, and it should position the Lady Bisons to take a big leap in the conference after finishing at the bottom a season ago.

“With the recruiting class coming in more experienced and more prepared and me having a year under my belt at Lipscomb, I expect this next season to be bigger and better and provide us with a launching pad. I can’t wait to get back on the links.”

– Kirk Downs

32 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

L

B

SCOM IP

GOLF

Eric Ansett Spokane, Washington 2018 ASUN Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Dawson Armstrong Brentwood, Tennessee 2018 ASUN Golfer of the Year

On Their Way They come from separate sides of the United States, but they’re headed to the same place: the PGA Tour.

E

ric Ansett and Dawson Armstrong have been the backbone of the Lipscomb golf program for the last four seasons.

While their college careers did not end in an NCAA tournament berth, both golfers are graduating with pro golf opportunities.

“They are transformational players because of their desire,” Lipscomb coach Will Brewer said. “Both of them could have gone to more established programs, but they chose to come here because of the vision we set out to compete for championships.”

Armstrong turned pro in early May

and made his PGA Tour debut one month later at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis. He will spend the rest of the season on the PGA Tour Canada – McKenzie Tour in hopes of moving up the pro golf ranks.

The Brentwood native earned ASUN Golfer of the Year honors three times (2016-18) and leaves Nashville as the program’s most-decorated player.

“Dawson has one thing on his mind, and that’s to play on the [PGA] Tour,” Brewer said. “It’s hard to say when he’ll make it, but he’s got all the intangibles to make it.”

Meanwhile, Ansett qualified for the

U.S. Amateur Championship in Pebble Beach thanks to a red-hot summer at the Dogwood Invitational, Sunnehanna Amateur, and the Sahalee Players Championship. The Washington native was named ASUN Men's Golf ScholarAthlete of the Year his junior and senior years and completed his journalism degree with a 3.52 GPA. “Eric’s got a lot of potential – he strikes it well and has a good mind for the game,” Brewer said.

Ansett plans to join the Web.com pro tour this summer following the US Amateur Championship.

– Russell Vannozzi

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 33

2018 ASUN Player of the Year Loren Cagle left her mark on Lipscomb Basketball as a player who scored, rebounded and passed well.

34 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

LIPSCOMB

LIFER* * Although she’s not technically a “Lipscomb Lifer,” Loren Cagle certainly bleeds purple and gold.

by Logan Butts

I

t’s a term that gets thrown around often on campus: “Lipscomb Lifer.”

It refers to a student who has been at Lipscomb Academy from the time they were in kindergarten all the way up through high school, and then moved on to Lipscomb University.

Former Lipscomb women’s basketball star Loren Cagle has her own version of “Lipscomb Lifer.” She came to campus in 5th grade and graduated from the university in May with her degree in Interdisciplinary Teaching. Her Lipscomb career will continue this fall as a middle school teacher and coach at Lipscomb Academy.

A leader and a player In leading the Women’s Basketball team to their most successful season in nearly a decade, Cagle was named ASUN Player of the Year, a first in program history.

“It says a lot about where she’s come in four years, how she represents us on the floor and off the floor, and her ability to maintain poise and composure through a lot of minutes and playing through a lot of pain,” Lipscomb Women’s Basketball head coach Greg Brown said.

The senior point guard led the ASUN in both points (17.6 per game) and assists (4.2 per contest) to earn the first all-conference slot for a Lady Bison in four years.

She not only led the ASUN in points and assists, but she was 10th in rebounds at 5.5 per game, the highest

CAGLE FILE

7

BY THE NUMBERS

TH

6

Player in ASUN history with 1,000 career points and 500 career assists

TH

1 4 11 22 23 2 Plus

1,000-point scorer in program history

Cagle was honored on Senior Night in Allen Arena with her parents, Sherry and Mark.

ranking for a guard. She was the only player in the conference to rank in the top 10 for all three categories. She was also third in the ASUN with 2.1 steals per contest.

“I think what made her unique this year was the stat lines,” Brown said.

“The rebounds, the assists, the steals, the blocked shots, it was all those things from that position and not just a scoring title.”

ST

in program history in assists

ASUN Player of the Week Awards

games this season with 20+ points

games with three or more assists

On the court and off And even with such a heavy load on the court, the point guard never faltered off the court, earning her second straight All-Academic honor by compiling a 3.60 GPA. “That shows how focused and hardworking she is on and off the court,” Brown said. “It’s always good to see a player rewarded for her effort.”

In the future, when an incoming athlete is referred to as a “Lipscomb Lifer,” the bar will have been set high thanks to Cagle.

games with four or more rebounds

times ASUN All-Academic Team

ASUN Player of the Year (first in program history)

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 35

Lee Solomon Columbus, Ohio 2018 ASUN Spring “Winner for Life” Award winner 2016 ASUN Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year 3-time ASUN Baseball All-Academic Team

36 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

LAW SCHOOL ON HOLD His plans were set ... until he got “the call.”

L

ee Solomon stepped on the

After only seeing action in a handful of

Team three times in his career while car-

Lipscomb campus for the first

games as a freshman, Solomon broke

rying a 3.61 cumulative GPA as a Law,

time in fall 2014 as a freshman

out in the spring of 2016. He hit .370 with

Justice and Society major.

walk-on infielder for the Lipscomb base-

Solomon's academic success off the

ball team. Four years later he walked off

diamond opened doors to the President’s

campus with a degree in hand and a spot

Ambassadors Council and the Student-

in the Moritz College of Law at Ohio State

Athlete Advisory Committee, where he

University, where he planned to pursue a doctorate degree.

Those plans were put on hold, however, when, on June 6, he was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 25th round of the Major League Baseball draft.

Lee is one of the finest young men that I have coached. He represents Lipscomb and everything about it.”

– Coach Jeff Forehand

“It was an intense day, for sure,”

served all four years. He also linked up with Project 658 on a mission trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he and other student-athletes from Lipscomb helped at-risk refugees.

For the moment, baseball might be Solomon’s avenue of choice, but there is

Solomon said. “I was scrolling through

no doubt he left a lasting impact on not

Twitter when I saw it, and then my mom

only his teammates and the Bisons

was blowing up my phone. Everyone

18 extra-base hits, 50 RBI and an ASUN-

baseball program, but also on the stu-

dreams of a day they can play profes-

leading 25 stolen bases in 58 games. His

dent body at Lipscomb through his lead-

sional sports, and to get that call is

performance garnered Solomon ASUN

ership and contributions on and off the

something special.”

Second Team All-Conference honors and

diamond.

After signing his first pro contract, Solomon was assigned to rookie ball in Peoria, Arizona, and one week later, he

helped lead him to a scholarship from head coach Jeff Forehand.

"It’s a blessing to go to a great school like Lipscomb and come out with a

“Lee is one of the finest young men

chance to play professionally,” Solomon

made his debut with the club on June 20.

that I have coached,” Forehand said. “He

said. “My law school plans are momen-

He started his career with a bang, going

represents Lipscomb and everything

tarily on hold. I will go back to school

2-for-4 with four RBI on a grand slam in

about it. He is a dynamic player that will

down the line, but for now, I’m going to

the seventh inning that helped his squad

have a great professional career on and

keep swinging the bat.”

to victory.

off the field.”

For those who know Solomon and fol-

He was also the first sophomore to

lowed his career, it is no surprise to see

ever win ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the

his early success as a professional.

Year and landed on the All-Academic

Whether it be on the baseball diamond or in the courtroom, one thing is certain the future is bright for Solomon.

– Kirk Downs 2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 37

TWO-SPORT STANDOUT 38 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Four years and two trips to the NCAA National Tournament would satisfy most of us.

For Chloe Rogers, however, there was more to be accomplished.

C

hloe Rogers, a 2018 graduate in Dietetics, recounts it like it was yesterday.

A senior at Blue Valley High School in Stillwell, Kansas, at the time, Rogers says she remembers deciding to hang up her softball glove for good to pursue her dream of playing volleyball in college.

“I played both sports my whole life, but figured there would be more opportunity to play volleyball in college,” said Rogers.

A difficult decision at the time, Rogers knew her heart was leading her to play volleyball. So she started looking at schools. At the time, both her club coach and former club teammate Lauren Ford (’15) had ties to Lipscomb.

Ford, who was a standout player on the Lipscomb volleyball team, told Rogers that she would be a perfect fit for the powerhouse program that was known for its intentional family atmosphere and would enjoy playing for head coach Brandon Rosenthal.

“Lauren told me the girls were awesome, but I didn’t learn this for myself until my appendix ruptured my senior year of high school, and I was in the hospital for a week. I remember getting a text from every single girl on the Lipscomb volleyball team and I thought that was so cool because I wasn’t even their teammate yet,” said Rogers.

It made a difference The right-side hitter had verbally committed to play for Lipscomb the previous year but said this act of kindness from the team further affirmed her decision to become a part of its 2014-15 volleyball roster. And although excited about the transition at the time, Rogers said she thought her days of pitching were over.

But after four successful years on the volleyball court and several NCAA appearances, Rogers retired her

kneepads for a spot on the roster of the Lipscomb Softball team.

“After our volleyball season ended, I approached the softball coaching staff to see if I could walk onto the team,” said Rogers. “Originally my intention was to see if I could play next year because I knew I wanted to get a master’s degree, but Coach Ryman came back to me and said I could join the team this year.”

One sport helped the other The two-sport athlete fully immersed herself as a member of the softball team but says she doesn’t believe this experience would be possible if not for the growth she experienced as part of the volleyball program.

“I am really grateful for the opportunity to have played for Brandon, not only because he was a great coach and we had a lot of success, but because he taught us so much about life and building relationships and gave us such an amazing college experience,” said Rogers.

Rosenthal, who has coached the Bisons for 15 years and has led the team to seven NCAA tournaments, says Rogers was not only a valuable asset on the court but also to the team as her lively personality and encouragement were inspiring to her teammates. He was excited for the new chapter for Rogers.

“I am so proud of Chloe and am her biggest fan,” said Rosenthal. “The funny thing about this situation is most people will think that the biggest component for this to happen is her athletic ability, but in contrast I think it is Chloe’s ability as a teammate that makes this all possible. Lipscomb Volleyball has benefited greatly from Chloe's work ethic and leadership as a teammate.

And to see her out there on the softball field truly made me smile because this has always been a dream. Lipscomb is

lucky to have such a special person as Chloe Rogers.”

This season, Rogers was one of three pitchers for Lipscomb’s softball, a program that has made two trips to the NCAA tournament (2010, 2014).

Just like her coach Rogers says she appreciates the opportunity to play under head coach Kristin Ryman ('04), especially because she had a similar story to Rogers.

Ryman, who has coached the Lady Bisons for 13 seasons and developed one of the top softball programs in the NCAA, was also a two-sport Lipscomb athlete playing four years for both Lipscomb’s volleyball and softball programs.

On the softball field Ryman was one of the most decorated players in program history. She excelled at shortstop and in center field, helping lead the Lady Bison softball program to 122 wins while earning All-Conference and AllRegion honors.

Ryman set numerous school records in volleyball as a four-year starter, also becoming the first Lady Bison to be named to the ASUN AllConference Team.

“It’s so cool that Coach Ryman also experienced this as an athlete, so she is very supportive,” said Rogers.

Rosenthal, who has now coached both Rogers and Ryman, says he hopes people realize what a unique accomplishment this is.

“There is a reason that you do not find multiple sport athletes in college – it is really hard,” said Rosenthal. “But bottom line is Chloe is a very unique person that is able to connect and create bonds with people very quickly. No doubt she is a tremendous athlete, but she also has had major success with us at the highest level, and for her to switch over and play a completely different sport is equally impressive.”

– Lacey Klotz

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 39

Smash Hit Coach Jamie Aid knew Kateryna Popova would be good, but she didn’t know how quickly it would happen.

by Russell Vannozzi

Freshman Kateryna Popova made an instant impact for the Bisons.

She posted a 17-2 singles record, went undefeated in conference play, and was named ASUN Freshman of the Year.

40 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Viktoriya Dzuba

“Kate’s been awesome this year. She’s made the transition to college really well, and we’re excited to see what she does in the future.”

2017-18 SEASON RECAP WOMEN OVERALL: 11-12 (4-2 ASUN) Lost in 2nd round of tournament

– Coach Jamie Aid

AWARDS

L

ipscomb women’s coach Jamie Aid realized she had a potential star on her hands when Kateryna Popova arrived on campus in August 2017.

What Aid didn’t realize was how quickly Popova would become one of the ASUN’s top players.

“You just don’t know with freshmen,” Aid said. “We knew she was a really good player, but making the transition from juniors to college tennis can be difficult.

But she has a ton of confidence and is very coachable.”

Popova made a quick splash in both non-conference and ASUN play, finishing her freshman campaign with a 17-2 singles record and a 6-0 conference record.

Her only losses came during indoor play at Alabama on Jan. 23 and at Xavier on Feb. 7.

“I didn’t expect [to contribute this much] as a freshman, but I really appreciate the opportunity I have here,” Popova said in April.

The Donetsk, Ukraine, native was named ASUN Freshman of the Year and earned First-Team All-Conference honors. She finished at 9-2 in the No. 1 singles spot and 8-0 at No. 2.

Popova, who goes by Kate, had visited the United States just once for a family vacation before making the trek to Lipscomb. With her adjustment to American life and her freshman season in the rearview, Popova and the Bisons are expecting even more success in 2018-19.

“Kate Popova is one of those players that’s just going to get better and better,” Aid said. “She’s a great competitor and she adjusts when needed.”

Kateryna Popova Manzanares

Chaw

Chaw and Manzanares Top ASUN Doubles

ASUN Freshman of the Year ASUN All-Conference, 1st team ASUN All-Freshman Team

Viktoriya Dzuba ASUN All-Conference, 1st team ASUN All-Academic Team

Madeleine Brooks ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team

Sophomore Victor Chaw and senior Alejandro Manzanares were named the top doubles duo in the conference - marking the first time the Bisons have ever had a doubles team earn All-Conference recognition.

The tandem posted a 12-3 mark in the No. 1 slot for the season, more than doubling every other No. 1 doubles in the conference.

In conference play, the duo went 5-0 and ended the season on a 6match win streak.

They were ranked the No. 90 doubles pairing in the country by the ITA National Rankings.

As an individual, Chaw led the Bisons and finished third in the conference with a 14-4 mark, all at the No. 2 slot. He posted a 4-2 record in ASUN play and finished the season 9-2 in his last 11 matches. Seven of his conference-high 14 wins at the No. 2 position came by way of a sweep.

Pedro Uribe

MEN OVERALL: 8-12 (3-3 ASUN) Lost in 1st round of tournament

AWARDS Victor Chaw ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team

Alejandro Manzanares ASUN All-Conference, 2nd team

Pedro Uribe ASUN All-Freshman Team

Daniel Cardenas ASUN All-Academic Team

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 41

LIPSCOMB SPIRITUAL FORMATION

LovingintoOthers a Greater Story

The Spiritual Formation team hosted its first All Sports Camp in July to reach out to children in Nashville neighborhoods.

Building disciples, living on mission and becoming like Jesus.

These are the pillars of the Great Commission of Jesus and of the Lipscomb Athletics Spiritual Formation team.

T

hrough the platform of sports, Chris Klotz, director of spiritual formation, and Shannon O’Brien, director of women’s spiritual formation, seek to build relationships and share the Gospel with more than 300 student-athletes and coaches within Lipscomb Athletics, and abroad.

“Spiritual Formation within Lipscomb Athletics exists to train student-athletes and coaches to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. We work to provide opportunities for our athletes and coaches to participate in the Kingdom of God, living in the unforced rhythms of grace,” says Klotz, who also serves as the athletic missions trip coordinator.

42 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

By providing opportunities for students to serve locally and globally, Klotz says students are able to see their lives in light of a greater story and become fully alive in the purposes of God.

“As the late Dallas Willard, a renowned Christian author, has said, ‘authentic transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the kind of practices and life Jesus led to be constantly receiving power and love from the Father,’” said Klotz. “In the same way, we seek to cultivate opportunities for students to live on mission with Jesus on Lipscomb’s campus, in Nashville, and throughout the world and are so humbled to have witnessed the Spirit of God transform lives in the process.”

God transforming a campus Since 2012, more than 80 student-ath-

LIPSCOMB SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Basketball assistant Adam Notteboom painting with a new friend in Uganda.

FCA President Hannah Hutcheson posing with her All-Sports Camp team.

Pari Manoogian tutoring at the after school program at Carter-Lawrence Elementary.

Trevor Gold, alumna Lacey Klotz, and LU Bison smile with friends in the neighborhood.

letes have given their lives to Jesus, have been baptized and are living in community together. Through Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), which is a student-led gathering each Tuesday night, hundreds of students are able to come together to worship, pray and encourage one another in their spiritual walk.

In fall 2017, former softball players McCarley Thomas and Taylor Neuhart had the vision to connect with fellow student leaders from Vanderbilt, Belmont and Tennessee State universities to launch a worship night for student-athletes titled One City, One God. Inspired by Lipscomb’s FCA chapter, Thomas and Neuhart wanted to gather local competi-

Spiritual Formation within Lipscomb Athletics exists to train student-athletes and coaches to know Jesus and to make Jesus known.

tors to worship God and grow in community with one another. Lipscomb hosted the ďŹ rst ever One City, One God FCA gathering, and nearly 150 student-athletes gathered in the Hall of Fame Room to worship, pray and encourage one another in their walks with God. Since then, each school has the opportunity to host the event during the year.

Staying is the new going Along with multiple international mission teams being sent out each year, Lipscomb Athletics Spiritual Formation has also provided several opportunities to serve vulnerable families in its own

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 43

LIPSCOMB SPIRITUAL FORMATION

The weekly play-and-tutor time at Carter-Lawrence Elementary School takes place just a few blocks from the Lipscomb campus.

“Authentic transformation is possible if we are willing to arrange our lives around the kind of practices and life Jesus led, to be constantly receiving power and love from the Father.”

– Dallas Willard

backyard. During Lipscomb’s fall break and spring break holidays, Klotz led two local Nashville mission trips for students to love and serve local refugee families.

“I am amazed what happens when one fully commits themselves to the Lord and the group of people around them,” said Kade Hinkle, track athlete and Nashville mission trip team member. “It was an exhausting few days, but also very restful at the same time. It never fails that these trips always bring me closer to understanding what it looks and feels like to be more like Jesus.”

As God has continued to allow for deep relationships and investments in this community through local missions and 44 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

service opportunities, the idea for the inaugural all-sports camp was born.

Lipscomb partnered with Carpenter’s Square and Christ for the Nations Church, June 25-29, to offer local children the opportunity to participate in the Nashville All-Sports Camp, a program that featured intentional Bible curriculum and encouragement by Lipscomb student-athletes.

During the camp, a group of 30 children age 7–11, including 10 refugees who received scholarships from local families, learned how to “Live A Greater Story,” inspired by the theme verse John 10:10.

A heart for the world Athletics Spiritual Formation seeks to provide environments for student-athletes and coaches to live into a greater story, and international mission trips continue to be a springboard for this effort.

In May, Lipscomb Athletics sent a team of 12 to Uganda to partner alongside Sports Outreach Institute for a general athletics mission trip to engage in sports ministry, trauma counseling, feeding programs, school and orphanage assistance, home visits and more.

“Words cannot describe the joy I felt going back to a place that is so dear to my heart,” said Hilarie Buck, athletic

LIPSCOMB SPIRITUAL FORMATION

Soccer player Olivia Doak and her friend in El Salvador

Hope Van Ryckeghem was baptized in Osman Fountain.

trainer for Lipscomb Athletics and Uganda 2016 and 2018 team member.

“Something I experienced in Uganda for the first time in my life was washing the feet of the staff and girls in the traumacounseling center. I didn't realize how powerful of an experience this truly would be, not just for those getting their feet

Austin Chitwood found two buddies at a fall break mission trip in the neighborhood.

The Uganda Mission Team washing the feet of Koro staff members in Gulu.

washed, but for those of us doing the washing. For me, I wasn't simply washing the dirt away, I was showing them my love for them and the love that Christ has for them as well. I was showing them that they are so precious in my eyes, but even more so in the eyes of the Father.

“I was showing them that no matter

what they have been through in the past it can be washed away through what Jesus did for us on the cross. This experience brought me to tears because of all that He was showing me in this simple yet powerful act.”

– Lacey Klotz

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 45

L

A

I P S C O M B

1986 Eugene Boyce ...................... Coach 1987 Will Brewer .......................... Athlete

1994 Don Meyer ............................ Coach

T H L E T I C S

2002 John Kimbrell ...................... Athlete

Tim Pardue .......................... Athlete

Carl McKelvey........................Meritorious Service

James R. Byers, Jr................. Meritorious Service

Carl Robinson ...................... Athlete

Bob Parsons.......................... Athlete

Ken Dugan ............................ Coach

Roy Sewell ............................ Athlete

Jonathan Seamon................ Meritorious Service

Tom Hanvey.......................... Coach

1996 Alan Banks............................ Athlete

ll a H e m a F

Herschel Priestley ................ Coach

Burton Elrod.......................... Meritorious Service

Jim Wood..............................Athlete/Meritorious

2003 Frank Bennett ......................Coach

1988 Lyn Baker .............................. Athlete

John Henderson .................. Athlete

Barry Brewer ........................Meritorious Service

George McIntosh .................. Athlete

Flip Jones .............................. Athlete

Patricia Hodgson..................Coach

Robert Neil............................ Coach

Jimmy Langley .................... Meritorious Service

John Pierce ..........................Athlete

Chuck Ross............................ Meritorious Service

1997 Ricky Bowers ........................ Athlete

2004 Chris Snoddy ........................Meritorious Service

Butch Stinson ...................... Athlete

Steve Fletcher ...................... Athlete

Stephanie Shouse Lane ......Athlete

1989 Mel Brown ............................ Athlete

Philip Hutcheson.................. Athlete

Walter Ward ........................Athlete

Willard Collins ...................... Meritorious Service

Ted D. Jamison...................... Athlete

Cheryl Smith ........................Athlete

Harry Moneypenny .............. Athlete

Kim Satterfield Van Atta...... Athlete

Darren Henrie ......................Athlete

Ralph Samples .................... Coach

Michael Santi ........................ Athlete

1990 Jim Bloomingburg .............. Athlete

OF

Axel Swang .......................... Coach/Meritorious

1998 Gary Colson .......................... Coach

Jerry Dugan .......................... Athlete

2007 Roy Pardue ..........................Coach

2008 Beth Stewart Stark ..............Athlete

Steve Potts............................Meritorious Service

Bob Draper............................ Meritorious Service

Kal Koenig ............................ Athlete

Ronnie Ferguson ..................Athlete/Meritorious

Cecil P. Major ........................ Athlete

Lee Marsh.............................. Meritorious Service

Kenny Perry..........................Meritorious Service

David Scobey........................ Athlete

Duane Slaughter .................. Coach

Elvis Sherrill.......................... Athlete

1991 Eunice Bradley...................... Meritorious Service

Rhonda Stewart .................. Athlete

1999 Bob Hooper .......................... Coach/Meritorious

2009 Jeff Guy ................................Athlete Buddy Harston ....................Athlete Phil Stinson ..........................Athlete

Jennings Davis...................... Athlete

Frankie Mayo Williams ........ Athlete

Bo McLaughin ...................... Athlete

Kim Puckett Scott ................ Athlete

John Friend ..........................Athlete

Charlie Morris........................ Coach

Ernie Smith .......................... Athlete/Meritorious

Farrell Gean ..........................Athlete

Willis Smith .......................... Athlete

Beth Willis Dolente ..............Athlete

Reggie Whittemore ............ Athlete

2016 Larry Breedlove....................Athlete

1992 Bruce Bowers........................ Athlete Nelson Burton ...................... Meritorious Service Steve Flatt ............................ Athlete

2002 Mary Hall Carrigan................ Meritorious Service

2011 Jim Allen ..............................Meritorious Service

Phillip Dickens ......................Athlete

John McCarley ...................... Athlete

Greg Chambers .................... Athlete

Glenn Eddins ........................Athlete

Farrell Owens........................ Athlete/Meritorious

Bob Hamilton ...................... Athlete

Trey Hartman........................Athlete

Nina Hausmann Massey ...... Athlete

Wayne Wright ......................Athlete

1994 Steve Liddle .......................... Athlete

Lipscomb University Athletics Hall of Fame inducted eight new members on Saturday, November 11, 2017 bringing the total membership to 101.

We’re pleased to present the class of 2017.

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Katherine Neely Murrie

Lynn Randolph Dearing

Deborah Spencer Garner

Kenyatta Perry

ATHLETE

ATHLETE

ATHLETE

ATHLETE

Katherine Neely Murrie played golf for Lipscomb from 2000-03, leading the newly formed Women’s Golf program to national significance. Upon arrival on the Lipscomb campus, Murrie made an immediate impact and established herself as an elite collegiate female golfer. During her outstanding Lipscomb career Murrie won the Cumberland College Invitational in Kentucky, the Blue Grass Classic in Kentucky, and the Gamecock Classic in Alabama. The highlight of her collegiate career was also one of Lipscomb’s most historical athletic moments: she captured the 2001 NAIA National Championship at the London Country Club in Kentucky.

Murrie was an outstanding Business Management major at Lipscomb, graduating magna cum laude. Since graduation she has excelled in the banking industry, currently serving as vice president in treasury management at Regions Bank, where she supports corporate and government sectors throughout Tennessee. Murrie holds a Certified Treasury Professional designation, has been honored as one of Nashville’s Emerging Leaders, and serves on a number of non-profit boards.

Katherine Neely Murrie will be long remembered for her role in placing Lipscomb Women’s Golf on the national map.

Lynn Randolph Dearing played basketball for Lipscomb from 1992-96, leading the program to its 125-23 record in her career. The amazing four-year run set a school-record winning percentage of 84.5%. Dearing will be remembered for helping to propel Lipscomb basketball to the national stage and establishing it as one of the nation’s top NAIA programs. In 1993 Dearing significantly contributed to the Lady Bisons’ Elite Eight finish at the NAIA National Tournament, and in 1994 the team advanced to the National Championship game, finishing as NAIA Runner-up. In her junior and senior years, 1995 and 1996, Dearing led the team to the NAIA National Championship Final Four. She finished her Lipscomb career as the ninth all-time leading scorer (1,492 career points) while tallying 593 rebounds.

Dearing was also an outstanding student who was named TCAC ScholarAthlete three times (1994, 1995, 1996) and NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete in 1996. In 1996 she was also presented Lipscomb’s top award for a studentathlete, the James R. Byers Award.

Since leaving Lipscomb, Dearing has been an outstanding administrator, teacher and coach at Goodpasture Christian School, winning five TSSAA State Volleyball Championships while recording an impressive 638-194 record.

Lynn Randolph Dearing is remembered as a student-athlete who led by hard work and example.

Deborah Spencer Garner played basketball for Lipscomb from 1988-92 and helped lead the Lady Bisons to a four-year record high of 99 wins.

As a freshman in 1989, she played a significant role in the program’s firstever TCAC Conference Championship.

The team followed that success in 1990, earning Lipscomb Women’s Basketball’s first-ever District 24 Championship and Tri-District Championship.

During that 1990 season Garner led the team on a memorable end-of-season four-game winning streak – all on the road – to dramatically advance to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time.

A prolific scorer, Garner established herself in Lady Bison record books as the second-highest scoring guard (1,494 points), placing her eighth all-time in Lady Bison scoring ranks.

She was more than just a scorer, though. Garner was a complete player who dished out 393 career assists to rank among the leaders in that category as well. She was named All-TCAC in 1991 and TCAC Scholar-Athlete three times (1990, 1991 and 1992).

In 2011 Garner was honored with induction into the Huntsville/Madison County (Alabama) Athletic Hall of Fame. Deborah Spencer Garner will be remembered for her role in building a solid foundation for Lady Bisons Basketball.

Kenyatta Perry played basketball for the Bisons from 1993-97 where he compiled a career many consider to be one of the greatest in Lipscomb Basketball history.

He began as a promising, hardnosed freshman from Clarksville and finished his career as Lipscomb’s fifth all-time leading scorer with 2,118 career points. For his play Perry earned a spot on the NAIA All-American Second Team in 1996 and NAIA All-American First Team in 1997.

Known as a complete player with his ability to score, defend, and share the ball with his teammates, Perry quickly became a crowd favorite with his amazing rebounding and rim-rattling dunks. His teammates praised his selflessness, his passing acumen, and his dedication to constant personal improvement.

Perry’s professional career has mirrored the effort he exhibited on the Bison basketball floor – he has devoted his life to helping young people as an outstanding high school coach and teacher.

Kenyatta Perry will always be remembered as one of Lipscomb’s alltime great players, teammates, and friends.

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2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 47

C

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2 0 1 7

Andy McQueen

Erin Hall Fletcher

Kelli Dobbins Hasley

Mark French

ATHLETE

ATHLETE

ATHLETE

M E R I T O R I O U S S E RV I C E

Andy McQueen played basketball for Lipscomb from 1991-95, and by the time the tall sharp-shooting guard from nearby Clarksville graduated, he had earned the title of college basketball’s all-time leading three-point shooter. He nailed an incredible total of 515 treys in his four-year career, including a school-record 11 in one game on Feb. 24, 1994 – a night also memorialized as the evening Bison teammate John Pierce became college basketball’s all-time leading scorer.

McQueen was deadly from behind the three-point line and a model of consistency throughout his career, hitting 112 as a freshman, 143 as a sophomore, 124 as a junior and 136 in his final season. During his stellar career he helped lead the Lipscomb program to 124 wins, an impressive average of 31 wins per year.

In the classroom McQueen, an NAIA Academic All-American, was just as outstanding. He graduated with a degree in accounting from Lipscomb in 1995 before earning his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2001.

Andy McQueen will be fondly remembered as a dependable long range scoring threat for the Bisons and one of the best all-around teammates imaginable.

Erin Hall Fletcher played softball for Lipscomb from 1997-2000 and is considered one of the greatest pitchers and hitters in program history. For Fletcher’s outstanding play she was twice named NAIA All-American, in 1999 and again in 2000. She was named All-Conference and All-Region all four years she competed, one of only four players in Lipscomb Softball history to earn that distinction.

A power pitcher with tremendous speed and movement on her pitches, Fletcher was named TranSouth Conference Pitcher of the Year twice (1997 and 1999) and Region Pitcher of the Year in 1998. She still holds Lipscomb Softball records for career ERA (1.03), career wins (116), innings pitched (919.1), and she stands in second place for career strikeouts (1,015).

As one of the nation’s top collegiate players throughout her career, Fletcher led the Lipscomb softball program to 181 wins in her four years, including three appearances in the NAIA National Tournament (1997, 1998 and 1999). Fletcher ’s success on a national level put her in elite company with pitchers who compiled significant totals in strikeouts and wins.

Erin Hall Fletcher will always be remembered for establishing the winning tradition for the Lipscomb softball program.

Kelli Dobbins Hasley played softball for Lipscomb from 1998-2001 and is considered one of the greatest players in Lipscomb Softball history.

Hasley was twice selected NAIA All-American (1998 and 1999) for her play as an outstanding hitter and for her excellent defensive tenacity at first base. She was also named All-Conference and All-Region three times – in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Hasley was named TransSouth Conference Player of the Year in 1998 and 2000, and she was chosen Region Player of the Year in 1998.

Considered one of the great hitters in Lipscomb Softball history, Hasley still holds three program records: all-time career batting average leader (.421), career RBI leader (189), and all-time hits leader (279).

During Hasley’s career she led the Lipscomb Softball program to 171 wins and two appearances in the NAIA National Tournament (1998 and 2000).

Kelli Dobbins Hasley will always be remembered for her outstanding athleticism and for her significant role in establishing a winning tradition for Lipscomb Softball.

From Byhalia, Mississippi, Mark French arrived in the fall of 1959 on the Lipscomb campus, where he played basketball for the Lipscomb Bisons. He studied in Lipscomb’s nationally known accounting program, serving as an officer in Alpha Kappa Psi, Lipscomb’s business fraternity.

A cum laude graduate, French began his business career with the accounting firm now known as KPMG, where he became a CPA and worked for nine years. For the next 27 years he fulfilled several financial and accounting roles at the national insurance brokerage Corroon and Black/Willis Group before retiring in 1999. After retirement, French and his wife, Mary, travelled the world “to spend their kids’ inheritance” but he never stopped supporting Lipscomb Athletics, both with his financial support and his attendance at Lipscomb games.

French became a founding officer of the Bison Club when Lipscomb Athletics formed the organization in 1977.

He also was thrilled to be at Lipscomb’s first team championship when the Bisons won the 1977 NAIA World Series in St. Joseph, Missouri, and has attended most other milestone moments in Lipscomb Athletics history.

Mark French will be long remembered for his unwavering support of Lipscomb Athletics.

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48 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

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LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

Lipscomb Announces Largest Gift in School History ... Again Imagine 2018 Guests Hear the News First.

Lipscomb University has received a $23 million pledge, its largest in institution history, president L. Randolph Lowry announced April 17 at its Imagine 2018 “The Power of Telling Nashville’s Story” event.

The $23 million gift has been made by donors who wish to remain anonymous. It is a lead pledge for Lipscomb University’s College of Business, which is celebrating 100 years of business education. The gift will be used to help fund new facilities for the College of Business; to support business programs, faculty and students; a parking structure; and global learning facilities in Florence, Italy, among other initiatives.

“This is a significant moment in the history of Lipscomb University,” said Lowry. “We are grateful to these donors for their commitment to this institution.

This pledge is an investment in our College of Business as a way to continue to elevate the image of the school as a leader in business education in Nashville and in the nation.”

Lipscomb President L. Randolph Lowry announced the $23 million pledge.

College of Business growth Lipscomb’s College of Business is one of the fastest growing in the university, with more than 600 undergraduate and graduate students and 16 undergraduate and four graduate programs, touting a 95 percent overall job placement rate for 2016 and thousands of alumni around the world. It has been rec-

Masterful story teller Tom Brokaw (right) captivated the crowd.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 49

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

“This is a significant moment in the history of Lipscomb University.

We are grateful to these donors for their commitment to this institution.” ognized nationally as a leader in business education.

The college has been named the No. 1 undergraduate business program in Tennessee two years in a row by Bloomberg Business Week and Poets & Quants and the No. 2 part-time MBA program in Tennessee in 2016 by Bloomberg Business Week. In addition it was named the No. 1 accounting program in Tennessee and No. 2 in the nation in 2017 by Christian Universities Online. 2018 College Factual ranked Lipscomb’s accounting program the number one accounting program in Tennessee for the second consecutive year and one of the top 50 programs in the nation. The Department of Accounting also earned a ranking of 12th in the nation and No. 1 in the state of Tennessee for the second consecutive year for best accounting programs for veterans.

“The College of Business continues to earn national accolades, and this incredibly generous gift helps us to build on our strong momentum,” said Ray Eldridge, dean of Lipscomb’s College of Business. “It is exciting for our students and faculty to see how many people believe in our mission, and it also attracts attention from others who want to be part of what we’re doing.”

Largest gift ... again This is the second consecutive year that university officials have announced the largest gift in institutional history.

“We are thrilled about the impact that this pledge will have in the lives of our students and in the community that we serve for generations to come,” said John Lowry, senior vice president for advancement. “These generous donors are very humble people who desire that the glory go to God, and they are passionate about

50 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Author Donald Miller spoke of the value of a story.

advancing the mission of Lipscomb University. This is an inspiration for us moving forward with generosity and service.”

At the 2017 Imagine event Lipscomb officials announced that the university had received a $15 million gift from George Shinn, former owner of the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets, who made the gift as an investment in Lipscomb University’s College of Entertainment & the Arts and to fund a new events center among other initiatives.

Brokaw shared impact In addition to the announcement about the university’s largest gift in school history, distinguished journalist and author Tom Brokaw was the featured speaker at Imagine 2018, where he shared stories from his career as well as the impact storytelling has on communities such as Nashville.

“Nashville has distinguished itself as one of the most popular destinations in America,” said John Lowry.

“Population growth is unprecedented.

Tourism is at an all-time high. The en-

The fabulous Gaithers entertained the crowd.

gine of economic prosperity is operating in high gear. What better time to have a conversation of significance about the power of storytelling — telling Lipscomb’s and Nashville’s story — with someone who has been a leader at shaping and telling stories for nearly 50 years?”

The history of “Imagine” In 2016, Lipscomb launched its Imagine initiative to convene conversations of significance bringing leaders from around the world to Nashville to engage the community in topics of local and global importance and to share their stories and unique perspectives. President George W. Bush was the featured guest in February 2016 for the inaugural Imagine convening. At last year’s event, Magic and Cookie Johnson led a discussion of “Prosperity for all corners of the city,” through which the Lipscomb community examined the ideas of faith, redemption, entrepreneurship and community transformation.

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

2017-18 Highlights f Good things to know about Lipscomb University

1 SECOND A+ ACCREDITATION REAFFIRMATION In December, Lipscomb University received its second reaffirmation with no recommendations for improvement of its Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation. To be reaffirmed with no outstanding issues to be addressed is an extremely unusual accomplishment to achieve twice.

2 LARGEST GRANT IN UNIVERSITY HISTORY Lipscomb University received its largest grant yet, $1.8 million from the Health Resources and Services Administration, to develop programs and education to create a more integrated approach to mental health needs in the health care system.

3 GRAMMY-WINNING PRODUCER COMES ON BOARD Brown Bannister, the 14-time Grammy winning producer for Amy Grant and Steven Curtis Chapman, brought his four decades of experience to Lipscomb to became director of Lipscomb’s School of Music.

4 LIPSCOMB MAKES MARK ON DOWNTOWN The university became part of Nashville’s bustling downtown district with the opening of its latest Spark location at the corner of 4th Avenue and Commerce Street. The university offers graduate classes, leadership development programs and event space in the downtown site.

5 CIVIL RIGHTS ICON SPEAKS AT HISTORIC WOOLWORTH SITE Lipscomb University’s Fred D. Gray Institute for Law, Justice and Society hosted Congressman John Lewis, U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 5th Congressional District and an activist in the civil rights movement, as the keynote speaker in their annual lecture series. The event was held In Nashville’s recently restored historic Woolworth store where Lewis and others were arrested in the 1960s.

6 SCHOOL OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES LAUNCHED The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences established the second physician assistant program in Middle Tennessee.

The first cohort of students will enter the program this fall.

7 FIRST LIPSCOMB BACHELOR’S AWARDED INSIDE PRISON Through the university’s unique LIFE program, Lipscomb awarded bachelor’s degrees to six women who have worked one night a week for 10 years attending class at Tennessee Prison for Women with traditional students. Lipscomb has been awarding associate degrees since 2013 to TPW students and recently launched a master’s program.

2017-18 ANNUAL REPORT 51

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

TOP 8 HONORS & AWARDS for 2018

1

5

The National Council on Teacher Quality ranked the College of Education’s graduate elementary teacher prep program as among the top 10 in the nation and one of only five programs in the country ranked in the 98th percentile or above.

The College of Business was ranked tops in Tennessee and among the top in the nation by Poets&Quants for Undergrads, the leading online publication for undergraduate business education news. Lipscomb was the only institution in Tennessee included in its second annual Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2017 ranking.

EDUCATION COLLEGE AMONG TOP IN NATION

2

ACCOUNTING IS TOPS IN TENNESSEE

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADDS TO HONORS

6

SEVEN FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS IN 12 YEARS

The Department of Accounting ranked as the No. 1 accounting program in Tennessee for the second consecutive year

by College Factual. The department also earned a ranking of 12th in the nation and No. 1 in the state of Tennessee for best accounting programs for veterans for the second consecutive year.

In 2018 Lipscomb University attained its seventh Fulbright Scholar in the past 12 years. The prestigious Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, places U.S. scholars in schools or universities overseas.

7

FILM PROGRAM TOP-RANKED IN TENNESSEE

3

VETERANS PROGRAM RISES IN THE RANKS

College Factual placed Lipscomb as the second-best program in the state of Tennessee for veteran friendliness, and in the top 13 percent for veteran friendliness in the nation. Lipscomb improved its national ranking by 38 positions from the 2017 list.

4

TEACHER PREP IS AT THE HEAD OF THE CLASS

This year marked the seventh straight year that state data on the effectiveness of new Tennessee teachers indicates Lipscomb’s College of Education is one of the most effective teacher preparation programs in the state, according to the 2017 Tennessee Preparation Report Card released by the Tennessee State Board of Education.

52 LIPSCOMB ATHLETICS

Lipscomb’s undergraduate film program was ranked the top in Tennessee and No. 26 in the nation in the 2017 College Choice Best Film Bachelor’s Degrees ranking.

8

LIPSCOMB IS A COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION

Lipscomb has once again been honored as a College of Distinction, a designation given to select schools to honor their excellence in student-focused higher education. The university is among about 370 institutions across the country named to the 2018-19 list.

BREAKINGNEWS Men’s Track & Field: #1 in Nation Women rank #2 in NCAA Division I for academics NEW ORLEANS – The Lipscomb track and field squad is adding another batch of awards to the 2018 trophy cabinet as both the men’s and women’s teams and a trio of individuals were honored with All-Academic awards by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

For the second consecutive year, the women’s team finished with the second-best GPA in all of Division I with a cumulative mark of 3.72, an improvement on last year’s 3.68 GPA. They placed behind San Francisco (3.76) for the second year in a row.

The men’s team finished with the highest cumulative GPA in Division I with a mark of 3.53.

They improved on their 3.48 GPA of last season, and moved up two spots from a third-place ranking on last season’s list. Marist also notched a 3.53 GPA on the men's side. * * * * * Both teams had the highest mark in the ASUN. Eight total teams from the conference were selected.

Women’s Tennis and Men’s Golfer Honored

ITA All-Academic Team Lipscomb Women’s Tennis INDIVIDUAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Wayne Newman earned his third straight USTFCCCA All-Academic nod. The former track star posted a 4.0 GPA while earning a graduate business degree.

• Newman won his record-breaking fourth ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for his outdoor performance this season.

• Rising juniors Ryan Speer and Courtney Brenner earned their first USTFCCCA All-Academic nods.

• Brenner had a 4.0 GPA as a Dietetics major, while Speer compiled a 3.81 mark as a Corporate Management major.

Alexander Named “Man of the Year” Skip Prosser Award honors wins and integrity SAN ANTONIO – Lipscomb coach Casey Alexander was named 2018 Skip Prosser Man of the Year at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet at this year’s Final Four.

“Alexander has built Lipscomb into a perennial contender and he has done it the right way,” CollegeInsider.com’s Angela Lento said. “His program has been strong both on the court and in the classroom and he has always conducted himself in a first-class manner. He is a very deserving recipient of this award, which extends well beyond the X’s and O’s.”

Alexander was one of 16 coaches named as a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award,

New Awards Laud Classroom Work

including Virginia’s Tony Bennett, Michigan’s John Beilein, Xavier’s Chris Mack and TCU’s Jamie Dixon among others.

The Skip Prosser Award was established Casey Alexander in 2008 to honor those who not only achieve success on the basketball court but who display moral integrity off of it as well. The award is named after the late Skip Prosser, who died suddenly in 2007 while the head coach at Wake Forest.

Alexander led the Bisons to a 23-10 record, their first ASUN Championship and a trip to the NCAA Tournament.

ITA All-Academic Scholars • Madeleine Brooks • Hannah Gamage • Kateryna Kandyba • Kateryna Popova • Thabile Tshatedi

Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar • Eric Ansett (2nd year)

Allen Arena Gets A New Floor Guests will notice a new playing surface next time they visit Allen Arena. At press time, the new wood floor is still being installed, but it is scheduled to be ready when the fall semester starts August 20.

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

Corporate Partners Scott Hall 615-370-5600 scotthall1@allstate.com

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BRENTWOOD

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