2013-14
LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY AT H L E T I C S D E PA R T M E N T ANNUAL REPORT
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2013 - 14 ANNUAL REPORT
Lindenwood University offers values-centered programs leading to the development of the whole person–anUNIVERSITY educated, responsibleMISSION citizen of a global community. LINDENWOOD STATEMENT - Providing an integrative liberal arts curriculum, - Offering professional and pre-professional degree programs, - Focusing on the talents, interests, and future of the student, - Supporting academic freedom and the unrestricted search for truth, - Affording cultural enrichment to the surrounding community, - Promoting ethical lifestyles, - Developing adaptive thinking and problem-solving skills, - Furthering lifelong learning. Lindenwood is an independent, public-serving, liberal arts university that has a historical relationship with the Presbyterian Church and is firmly rooted in JudeoChristian values. These values include belief in an ordered, purposeful universe, the dignity of work, the worth and integrity of the individual, the obligations and privileges of citizenship, and the primacy of the truth.
It is the mission of intercollegiate sports at Lindenwood University to advance learning, enliven campus life, develop leadership skills, and foster the personal growth of the student-athlete through offering a high-quality athletics program. Athletic Department personnel strive to provide model programs that develop meaningful standards of scholarship, athletic performance, leadership, community service, and sportsmanship conduct. Through sports, Lindenwood seeks to contribute to a sense of collegiate identity and positive perception in the community. The Athletics Department shall strive for excellence in the competitive environment in accord with the philosophy, rules, and regulations of the NCAA and other sports governing bodies in which Lindenwood has membership. The University is committed to sponsoring and promoting a gender-equitable sports program where the physical, emotional, and social well-being of the student-athlete is of primary concern.
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Dear Lion Fans and Supporters, I want to start by thanking each of you for your support during this three-year transition to NCAA Division II. This past year marked our first year as active members eligible for post-season championships as well as access to various types of grants and scholarships. It has been an exciting journey and Lindenwood is proud to be a member of the NCAA and our new conference families! We knew this step would be one requiring commitment to excellence academically and athletically and that the competition at this level would be higher than what we faced in the NAIA. We challenged our coaches and athletes to take our success to the next level, and they have responded. While each student-athlete and coach would love to win every game every year, we also know that success is measured over time. The next several pages will provide you a glimpse of what our programs accomplished over the past year, but not just from the athletics perspectiverather on par with the Athletics Department’s mission statement of succeeding beyond the court, rink, pool, or field. As you will see, this year’s class has created a strong foundation for the future. We hope that you continue to join us for that journey. Best Wishes and Go Lions! John Creer Hall of Fame Class of 2007
A LETTER FROM ATHLETICS DIRECTOR
JOHN CREER LINDENWOODLIONS.COM
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2013 - 14 ANNUAL REPORT
NINE teams participated in NCAA tournaments. The women’s lacrosse team was the first Lindenwood program to make it to an NCAA finals site.
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2013 - 14 ANNUAL REPORT
1. Grand Valley State 2. West Texas A&M 3. Central Missouri 4. Indianapolis 5. Ashland 6. Chico State 7. Augustana 8. Adams State 9. West Florida 10. LIU Post 11. Drury 12. Tampa 13. UC San Diego 14. Wayne State 15. Minnesota State Mankato 16. Alaska Anchorage 17. Edinboro 18. Saint Leo 19. Armstrong 20. Western Michigan 20. Shippensburg 22. Adelphi 23. LINDENWOOD 24. Wingate 25. Western State
Lindenwood University Athletics finished in the Top 25 among NCAA Division II schools in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup standings. Lindenwood was among the Top 10 percent of schools in its first season of postseason NCAA eligibility. Lindenwood finished with 472 points and came in 23rd overall in the standings that awards points for postseason competition. The Lions were second among the 14 schools in the MIAA. Lindenwood also had the most points among the 15 schools that were the most recent to go through the process to join the NCAA Division II level. Lindenwood had nine sports teams score points in the standings. The inaugural team to compete in an NCAA Division II National Championship event was men’s soccer. The Lions won the regional championship, and their quarterfinal appearance gave Lindenwood 73 points in the Directors’ Cup standings. In the winter, the men’s and women’s swimming teams and men’s wrestling all scored. Wrestling had a Top 10 finish by coming in seventh, which gave Lindenwood 72 points. Men’s swimming earned 54 points for its 12th place finish, and women’s swimming earned 55.5 points for its 18th place finish. Lindenwood had its best season in the spring with five teams scoring a total of 217.50 points. Leading the way was women’s lacrosse which was the first team to reach an NCAA finals site. The semifinal showing by the Lady Lions was worth 55 points. Both golf teams qualified for their respective regional championships, with the men’s team earning 49.5 points and the women’s team collecting 36. Both men’s and women’s track and field teams also scored. The women’s team 20th-place finish was worth 53.5 points in the standings, and the men’s track and field came in 49th and earned 23.5 points.
Lindenwood was named the winner of the NCAA’s Division II Award of Excellence for its efforts to raise money and awareness for the cause of Sterling Thomas, a Lindenwood football player who suffered a serious spinal cord injury in October 2012. A record number of Division II schools were competing for the award, which was presented to President Jim Evans and Athletics Director John Creer January 18 at the NCAA Convention in San Diego, Calif. The award is presented for an activity or event that exemplifies excellence in any of the areas covered by the six attributes of Division II—learning, service, balance, passion, sportsmanship, and resourcefulness. “We’re very honored to receive such a prestigious award,” said President James D. Evans. “I am proud of the service and compassion demonstrated by our students, staff, faculty, and the community. We have been able to help the Thomas family. And we hope that this award will help us continue to help them.” Lindenwood’s entry, called “Sellout for Sterling,” centered on a basketball promotion in February 2013. Hyland Arena was packed for a basketball game against Central Missouri, but football—and Sterling Thomas—was also on the minds of those in the crowd. Lindenwood told its student body and the community that they couldn’t afford to miss the game…to see a special video message at halftime from Sterling Thomas. The short video documented Thomas’ rehab at a facility in Atlanta and contained a special thank-you message. Creer said “Sellout for Sterling” was a labor of love for those who organized it. He said their many efforts included a series of promotional YouTube videos, lapel stickers, and sidewalk stickers to promote the game. Lindenwood receives a cash prize for winning the Award of Excellence, as well as a nationally-televised football game on CBS Sports Network in 2014.
PIERRE DESIR was named the inaugural winner
of the Cliff Harris Award which is awarded to the best small school defensive player. Desir was chosen from a group of more than 5,000 athletes representing almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities.
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FOOTBALL finished the 2013 season with a record of 3-6. The Lions played in one of the toughest conferences in the whole country and finished with a conference mark of 2-6. The eventual national champion, Northwest Missouri State, came from the MIAA.
CROSS COUNTRY
PIERRE DESIR earned an invite to the East/West Shrine Game and Senior Bowl. He became the first Lion drafted in the NFL Draft. He was picked in the fourth round by the Cleveland Browns.
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had a successful first season competing in the NCAA. The men’s team had two firstplace finishes and an eighthplace finish in the MIAA Championship. The women’s team also had a good season. The Lady Lions had a second and fourth-place finish during the regular season and placed ninth in the MIAA Championship.
2013 - 14 ANNUAL REPORT
FIELD HOCKEY continued to build upon last year’s success. The Lady Lions finished the regular season with a record of 7-8 and were the second seed in the ECAC DII Invitational Tournament. The Lady Lions closed the regular season with a four-game winning streak.
Alex Chappell
Kristi O’Connor
Linda Oberle
Carly Brengosz
Four members of the Lindenwood field hockey team were named to the ISA All-Conference Team. Alex Chappell was named the conference player of year, and was also named to the ISA First Team All-Conference. Kristi O’Connor, Linda Oberle, and Carly Brengosz were also named to the first team All-Conference.
VOLLEYBALL
had to compete in one of the best volleyball conferences in the country. The Lady Lions finished the conference portion of the schedule with a record of 6-10. After the season, three Lady Lions were named to all-conference teams. Kayla Guyot led the way, being placed on the third team. Shannon Doyle and Emma Brydels were placed on the honorable mention team.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
qualified for the MIAA Tournament in its first year of eligibility. The Lady Lions started the season winning their first five out of seven games. After the season, six team members were named to AllMIAA teams.
MEN’S SOCCER won the MIAA regular season and postseason championship for the second consecutive season. It finished the regular season unbeaten and earned the No. 1 national ranking heading into the NCAA Tournament. LINDENWOODLIONS.COM
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LINDENWOOD MALE AND FEMALE SCHOLAR ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
Student-athletes that attain this recognition must maintain a 4.0 cumulative grade point average with at least two terms of attendance at Lindenwood (excluding summer terms), along with being recommended by their coaches.
CoSIDA Academic All-Americans
Greg MaCaulay
Kendra Broad
Ben Coudret Baseball
Caroline Bourlioux Basketball
CoSIDA Academic All-Americans All-District Hernan Gonzalez, Yoshikazu Ysa David Poole, Courtney Opich
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Jordan Gnolfo
Trish Ishikawa
Kristin Burnett
Mallory Eitel
Aaryn Edge
Meredith Owen
Greg MaCaulay
Kendra Broad
Nicole Hensley
Baseball player Ben Coudret and women’s basketball player Caroline Bourlioux were named the 2013-14 NCAA Scholar Athletes of the Year for Lindenwood. The two student-athletes received their awards at the Lindenwood Honors Convocation. Coudret completed his third season as an infielder on the Lindenwood baseball team in 2014. He hit .357 for the season with 25 hits, seven runs, and seven RBIs. Among his season highlights were three hits, two doubles, a run, and a RBI in a 2-0 win over one of the top teams in the MIAA, Emporia State.
Nicole Hensley
PRESIDENTIAL ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AWARD
Bourlioux was a four-year letterwinner on the Lindenwood women’s basketball team. This past season, she was second on the team with 11.7 points a game and led the team with 6.4 rebounds a contest. She shot 47.1 percent from the field and collected 51 assists, 14 blocks, and 32 steals. Bourlioux finished her Lindenwood career with over 1,000 points.
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are many reasons for the improved LU ACADEMICS There GPA since the program moved to the
B Y T HE HE N NUMB U M BERS E RS
368 Lion Honor Roll Criteria for the Lion Honor Roll includes recommendation by a coach and a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in the previous term
NCAA level. Chief among them are the new Academic Success Center, which opened in fall 2012, and the new Pride Rock Life Skills Program. The Academic Success Center is already having an impact. It is open 83 hours a week and provides study halls and tutoring.
304 Conference Academic Awards
162 student-athletes were named to their More student-athletes were respective Academic All-Conference teams. named to the Lion Honor Baseball led the way with 23 members and Roll than in the previous year. women’s ice hockey led the way on the women’s side with 18.
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3.72 Women’s Basketball The women’s basketball team led all women’s programs and the entire department with an average GPA of 3.72.
106 LU Scholar Athletes
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More studentathletes 106 Lindenwood student-athletes were scholar earned the scholar athletes. The student-athletes have to have a athlete award in recommendation of a coach and a minimum 2013-14 despite cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher in at least two higher academic terms at LU. expectations.
235 MIAA Scholar Athletes 235 MIAA student-athletes were honored for having at least a 3.00 GPA.
3.44 Men’s Cross Country
The men’s cross country team earned the highest GPA of all men’s programs with an overall grade point average of 3.44.
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Academic Honor Roll
29 baseball players on a roster of 36 were named to the conference academic honor roll. That number was the most of any baseball team in the MIAA.
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MEN’S BASKETBALL made
KASSIDY GENGENBACHER was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year. Gengenbacher led the Lady Lions in scoring, steals, three-point percentage, and free throw percentage. She led the team in scoring 22 times in 26 games, and the future is bright for the Lady Lions.
the MIAA Tournament in the first year it was eligible. The Lions were tough at the Hyland Arena, finishing the regular season with a home record of 10-7. Tyler Ressel and Darris Smith were named to the All-MIAA Conference Team after the season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL had one of
the best turnarounds in the country. The Lady Lions won 10 more games than the previous season and finished seventh in the MIAA. The biggest win of the season came against nationally-ranked Central Missouri on the road. The team qualified for the MIAA Conference Tournament and also played in the ECAC Division II Women’s Basketball Postseason Championship.
ICE HOCKEY
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made the CHA Conference Tournament for the second straight season. The highlight of the season came in an upset win over nationally ranked Robert Morris. Sophomore Nicole Hensley had another dominating year in the net. She led all of NCAA Division I in saves.
2013 - 14 ANNUAL REPORT
GYMNASTICS earned its first ever bid to the USA
Gymnastics National Tournament. Five Lady Lions competed in individual finals at the national tournament. The team also finished third in the MIC Conference Championships.
Rachel Zabawa
Valeri Ingui
Emily Turik
Courtney Heise
Ajiea Hargrave
Five Lady Lions earned All-American honors in 2013. Rachel Zabawa had the highest finish for Lindenwood when she came in second in the vault. Valeri Ingui finished third in the beam competition. Emily Turik earned her All-American honors with an appearance in the finals of the bars, as did teammate Courtney Heise. Freshman Ajiea Hargrave started her career competing in the finals of the floor.
WRESTLING had two wrestlers win third-place medals at the NCAA National Tournament. The team finished the season ranked No. 7 nationally and had five All-Americans. Head Coach Chad Smith was also named the 2014 Winter CaptainU College Coach of the Year.
SWIMMING AND DIVING
won the NSIC Men’s Conference Championship, while both men’s and women’s teams finished the season ranked in the Top 20 nationally. Between the men’s and women’s teams 10 swimmers advanced to the National Championship meet. LINDENWOODLIONS.COM
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LIONS IN THE COMMUNITY The Lindenwood Athletic Department and its studentathletes spend numerous hours being part of and assisting the community. As a department, the student-athletes and coaches spent more than 2,700 total hours performing community service. Teams and their coaches helped out in numerous locations, including the Junior PGA, the St. Charles Crisis Center, Youth Gymnastics, Read Across America, St. Louis Food Bank, the Special Olympics, Rainbows for Kids, Food Packaging for Haiti, the Kids Against Hunger 5K, the YMCA Strong Community Campaign, the Crisis Nursery, the St. Charles Boys & Girls Club, the FCA Girls Weekend of Champions, SPENSA, and Southeast Missouri Hospital just to name a few. Over the next two pages we will highlight just some of the events the Lions helped out with over the past year.
Athletes from across several Lindenwood teams, along with several athletic staff members, took part in the Read Across America Program. Participating teams in the event included field hockey, women’s lacrosse, women’s volleyball, softball, gymnastics, baseball, and wrestling. The members of the Lindenwood athletic family took time to read books to the students at three local elementary schools.
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While at the women’s lacrosse national tournament, the Lady Lions visited South Salem Elementary School and spent over an hour with the kids at the school. The Lady Lions visited two classrooms and also hung out with kids during their lunch breaks. It was a toss-up on whether the players or kids were having more fun as the Lindenwood players interacted with the kids and signed autographs on everything from posters to napkins.
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More than 40 Lindenwood student athletes helped with the annual Kids in the Middle fundraiser auction at the Ameristar Casino Ballroom in St. Charles. Kids in the Middle is an organization that provides support and counseling to children whose parents are going through a divorce. Athletes from the Lindenwood men’s lacrosse, men’s soccer, football, women’s ice hockey, women’s soccer, and gymnastics teams spent time at the fundraiser helping however they could. Athletes assisted by guiding people to and from the event, monitoring auction items, and by helping with the bidding of the items. The Kids in the Middle organization raised $170,000 at the event, exceeding its original goal of $165,000.
Forty Lindenwood University student-athletes volunteered their time this spring in a joint community service project with the St. Louis Rams, sprucing up the football stadium at Roosevelt High School in St. Louis. Rams employees and volunteers, along with student-athletes from the gymnastics, football, wrestling, swimming, and men’s soccer teams painted the bleachers and stadium walls at Roosevelt. The event was coordinated by PHL, Inc.
ROCK CK
In fall 2013, the Athletics Department began a program initiative to encourage and acknowledge academic achievement, athletic success, and community outreach. Pride Rock is a comprehensive CHAMPS/Life Skills program that encourages student-athletes to promote, grow, and develop their skills and unity within the five values of CHAMPS/Life Skills. The five areas of CHAMPS/life skills include: personal, academic, athletic, and career development and community service. NCAA student-athletes and their respective teams will receive points for success on the field, in the classroom and in the community. At the end of the school year, teams will be awarded prizes based on their Pride Rock point totals.
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WOMEN’S LACROSSE
had one of the best seasons in program history. The Lady Lions finished the season with an overall record of 15-4 and an RMAC mark of 5-0. The team advanced to the NCAA Final Four and also won its third straight regular season conference championship. The Lady Lions pulled off a first-round upset of Limestone College in the NCAA Tournament. The win propelled Lindenwood to the Final Four in Salem, Va. The Lady Lions lost a heartbreaker in overtime in the semifinals to Lock Haven. Not only did the team have success, postseason awards poured in for the team. The biggest award went to junior Melissa Menchella, who won the Elite 89 award. The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA of the players competing at the Final Four. Senior goalkeeper Christine Hehmeyer was named second team All-American by Lacrosse Magazine. Four Lady Lions were also named ECAC NCAA Division II All-Stars led by Mencella who was first-team. Melissa Smith, Stephanie Tirman, and Savannah Phillips were all named to the second-team. The awards did not stop there as 10 Lady Lions were named to the RMAC All-Conference team.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GOLF both qualified for the NCAA regional tournaments. The men’s team finished in sixth place in the regional tournament while the women finished in ninth place. Greg MacAulay led the men’s team all season and was named to the PING All-Region team after a steller senior season.
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MEN’S LACROSSE finished the season with a record of 5-7 under new head coach Jimmy Lange. Graeme Hossack and Connor Laird were named to the ECAC All-Conference teams. Hossack was named the conference’s specialist of the year. LINDENWOOD ATHLETICS
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BASEBALL finished the season with a record of 19-31 and a conference mark of 1422. The highlight of the season came when the Lions swept a four-game series from the No. 18 Missouri Southern State Lions.
SOFTBALL made the MIAA conference tournament in its first year of eligibility. The Lady Lions went 2-2 in the MIAA Tournament before losing to conference champ Emporia State. TENNIS
had both men’s and women’s tennis teams competed in the MIAA Tournament. The men went 1-1 while the women fell in the first match to SBU.
TRACK AND FIELD had a
successful indoor and outdoor seasons. During the outdoor season, the Lions sent nine athletes to the NCAA Division II National Championship meet. Lindenwood’s track and field program also crowned the first AllAmericans in the teams’ NCAA history. Terah Fullman-Ege, Jerrell Jones, Maya Mason, Shamela Gray, Lindsey Blackwell, and Bryan Kertz all earned All-American accolades.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL had a successful season under first year head coach Kris Dorn. The Lions finished the season with an overall record of 19-12. Colin Hackworth was named to the second team All-MIVA after a great junior season. LINDENWOODLIONS.COM
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NCA A DIVISION II FACTS & FIGURES (S O U R C E : D I I F acts and Figures 2014)
NCAA DIVISION II ACTIVE MEMBERS: 292
ENROLLMENT FIGURES Average Enrollment: 4,209 Lindenwood: 6,599
Enrollment Less than 2,499
Percentage of Institutions 45.5%
2,500-7,499
41%
7,500-14,900
11.3%
15,000 and above
2.1%
Higher education can play a significant role in an individual’s future plans. Lindenwood Athletics within a Division II experience seeks to create a comprehensive setting that focuses on academic achievement, learning and gaining confidence from athletic competition, and development of a positive communal attitude in emphasizing service to the community. The Division II attributes of learning, service, passion, sportsmanship, resourcefulness, and balance exemplify similar goals. Like students, many Division II student-athletes pay for school through a combination of scholarship money, grants, student loans and employment earnings. Division II student-athletes consistently graduate at a higher rate than the overall student body at Division II schools. The athletics department seeks to manage the cost of athletics in a fiscally responsible manner within a highly competitive environment. Critical to that objective is the continued financial commitment of our donors and supporters.
(SCHOOLS WITH FOOTBALL)
1st Quartile of Schools (Avg. 14.8 Programs) 2nd Quartile of Schools (Avg. 14.8 Programs) 3rd Quartile of Schools (Avg. 14.8 Programs) 4th Quartile of Schools (Avg. 14.8 Programs) LINDENWOOD (27 Programs)
SCHOOLS WITH FOOTBALL 421 (265 MEN, 156 WOMEN)
50/50
MEDIAN TOTAL EXPENSES BY QUARTILE
Overall Median (Avg. 14.8 Programs)
AVERAGE NUMBER OF STUDENT-ATHLETES
PERCENTAGE OF PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS:
$8,024,000 $5,976,000 $4,766,000 $3,196,000 $5,260,000 $9,830,000
LINDENWOOD 593 (363 MEN. 230 WOMEN)
SPORTS SPONSORSHIP AVG. MEN’S: 6.9 WOMEN’S: 7.9 TOTAL : 14.8 LINDENWOOD MEN’S: 13 WOMEN’S: 14 TOTAL : 27
TOTAL ATHLETIC EXPENSES AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL INSTITUTION EXPENSE 25th Percentile
4.7%
50th Percentile
7.6%
75th Percentile
12.7%
LINDENWOOD
7.4%