Volume 134 No 14

The Springfield Student Est. 1910

February 6, 2020

[springfieldstudent@springfieldcollege.edu]

Volume 134 No. 14

Find us online at scstudentmedia.com

Happy Birthday to “U!�

Photo courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications

See Page 4

On the Inside Ethics and Immigration

Right where she belongs

Super Bowl LIV Party

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February 6, 2020

News

The ethics behind immigration As part of a new Religion and Philosophy forum on campus, José Jorge Mendoza spoke on Tuesday night to discuss the ethics of immigration enforcement.

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By Caitlin Kemp @caitlinkemp09

Tuesday night, in the Harold C. Smith presentation room in Judd Gymnasia, José Jorge Mendoza gave a presentation discussing the ethics of immigration enforcement. He spoke to a full crowd of students in philosophy, ethics, and religion classes, professors of the studies, and other members of the Springfield College community who were interested in learning more about the highly controversial and currently debated topic.

This event is the first of a two-part spring forum on religion and philosophy. “The purpose of the Religion and Philosophy Spring Forum is to illustrate the importance of taking religious and philosophical perspectives toward contemporary social justice is-

See Ethics on Page 8 for the full story

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February 6, 2020

News

PAGE 3

Danielle Griffin (left) pictured with students at the Unity Fest from this past September. (Photo Courtesy of Danielle Griffin)

Happy is the place to stay Danielle Griffin has a positive impact on the Springfield College community each and every day.

By Katrina Parker @parker_katrina

Connections to people and to communities is something most people long for. Life was seemingly normal for Danielle Griffin, up until age 24 that is.

Griffin, administrative associate at Springfield College, remembers her life being flipped upside down very quickly. In

the raw moments of her last semester of college at Westfield State, Griffin dropped out of school to take care of her mother in her final days. While glancing at a small vintage polaroid of her Mother in her petite beige cubicle, tears dripped down her face.

Griffin credits

her Mom as being a monumental force in shaping her development. “My Mom was like our caretaker. She always had jobs that were around our [Danielle and her sister] schedule.

If we were in school then she would work and then she would always be there at night. She

taught us hard work and sacrifice.”

Being a commuter at Westfield State hindered Griffin’s sense of community. Griffin softly noted, “my biggest regret was being a commuter. I lived in Springfield went to school 45 minutes away and I didn’t have the connec-

tion to people, events or clubs.”

Dropping out heavily derailed her path to becoming an educator.

After losing her Mother and losing her education, her community crumSee Griffin on Page 6

News

February 6, 2020

PAGE 4

Campus Union turns 10 On Tuesday afternoon, the Springfield College campus union officially turned 10 years old and a celebration was held for all to enjoy.

The Richard B. Flynn Campus Union. (Danny Priest/The Student)

By Irene Rotondo @irenerrotondo

The Richard B. Flynn Campus Union sits at the heart of Springfield College’s campus.

It’s home to administrative offices, favorite places to eat, a bookstore, mailboxes, and so much more.

Students, staff, faculty, and administration alike all pass through the Union at least once a day, whether it’s to check out what new event is happening downstairs or just to grab a quick bite to eat.

On Monday, February 3, the Union celebrated its tenth anniversary of existence and Springfield College banded together to throw a “birthday party” in order to celebrate.

In proper Springfield fash-

ion, a row of past images of what the Union used to look like (over a decade ago!) was spread throughout its lobby.

Next to the pictures was a long maroon table filled with treats, including a specially-made birthday cake complete with Springfield College-themed cups and napkins.

When walking under the arch into the main area of the Union, those who attended the party were met with a cacophony of noise coming from an indoor artificial skating rink and an enormous inflated snow globe.

Students were eager to go inside the snow globe and take pictures with their friends, only to slip on a pair of free-rent skates and have their try at

becoming the next great figure skater.

Gabrielle Ward, a sophomore at Springfield College, stated, “The atmosphere in here is crazy… Everybody is just happy to be back and this is a great way for us to start off the week.”

Last, but certainly not least, the entire back glass window-wall of the Union was opened up into the patio area outside. A bonfire, encircled by students brandishing sticks with marshmallows and chocolate, was contained in black metal fire pit.

Students also had the option to grab a coffee or hot chocolate off of the side cart, making their chilly outdoor experience that much more fun.

The Richard B. Flynn Campus Union was named in honor of Springfield College’s twelfth president, who retired in 2013 after his 14-year tenure.

Redone over the course of 16 months, the Union was built to become a focal point of the campus that would feature stunning views of Lake Massasoit while still being one of the most accessible buildings.

Anyone who walks through the doors of the Union instantly will feel exactly what Springfield College is all about; from the POD, to the Student Activities Center, the Union stands for exactly what Springfield College is all about: family.

February 6, 2020

News

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A look at the inside of the Campus Union during its offcial ribbon cutting ceremony when it opened 10 years ago.

Check out some of the best pictures from the Union’s 10-year celebration.

All photos courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications

February 6, 2020

News

Griffin continued from Page 3

bled around her.

In the midst of picking up the pieces of her life, Griffin got the opportunity to work at Springfield College. 15 years later, Griffin still works for Springfield College, as an administrative associate for Multicultural Affairs.

Danielle’s face became blush pink when asked about her job.

“It’s not like a counselor position, but I am able to talk to students about everything really.

Whether it be living with a challenging roommate, managing the coursework load, or just emotional battles throughout their college experiences.”

Felicia Lundquist, director of Multicultural Affairs, notes that Griffin has the opportunity to work with a multitude of students. “she has the ability to work more closely with students, faculty and staff through collaboration across campus and community. As a result, this position offers opportunities to build authentic and meaningful relationships across the campus and greater community while cultivating change through a framework of social change leadership.”

Marcel Diaz, one of the many students Danielle knows on a personal basis reflects on the impact she has brought to his life. “Danielle being the first person you see in the office, is always there to uplift my spirits

Griffin and her family. (Photo Courtesy of Danielle Griffin)

and give me a hug. She knows when I am not myself and is always willing to listen to whatever issues are going on in my life. If it was not for Danielle, I do not know how I would have made it through these past two years at Springfield. Now a senior, she continues to be such a positive support for me and she is constantly encouraging me to be my most authentic self.”

Griffin sure doesn’t involve herself in this role because of the money. She does it for the inclusivity she feels by being a part of a community that helps her grow personally and allows her to help other people.

“I live in a two-bedroom house with three kids and a husband but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Everything that was meant to happen, has. And that’s why I wouldn’t trade it. Because I am where I am now, and I love my life.” Griffin reminds herself that as long as she has love to give, nothing can be that bad.

Love to give is especially up Griffin’s alley. She gave birth to a baby a few years ago and also fostered and eventually adopted two children from the Foster to Adopt program in Western Massachusetts just about ten years ago.

“What a great part of my life, to have a beautiful family. Everything truly happens for a reason. Because my first child was a still born, I was lacking a sense that everything happened for a reason. But being having children has been the most rewarding time of my life. Being a part of something again, that’s what keeps me going.”

Her still born baby girl was quite a difficult concept to grasp. Griffin remembers the day very clearly. “I can remember being in total and utter shock. It felt like everything meant nothing anymore. Like nothing actually mattered because I didn’t have my baby girl. But then I thought of my Mother, and I remembered I had to be strong.”

Griffin’s strength plays a huge role in her positive impact on Alden Street. She is a part of a family both at home and at Springfield College, something she desperately searched for after her 24th year on earth.

PAGE 6 Marcel Diaz notes how Griffin’s sense of community has grown. “I definitely believe that Danielle is amongst one of many staff members at Springfield who understand what it means to be part of such a community.

Every day, Danielle interacts with many students who have different social backgrounds, and with that each student in which she encounters always feels welcomed in the environment they are currently in. When it comes to building a stronger community, Danielle along with many others in the Office of Multicultural Affairs is always there to encourage students to use their strengths and passions to promote a more inclusive community.”

It is by no accident Griffin belongs at Springfield College.

Through her deep seeded devotion to her family, her students, and her life at Springfield, she exemplifies what it means to be a beautiful person both inside and out.

The connections she has built through the community have helped her grow through her struggles of losing her Mom and her child. A witty smile came into place when asked about her future.

“I don’t know where I’ll end up, but I know I’m happy here. And happy is where I want to stay.”

February 6, 2020

Super Bowl LIV

News

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By Ty Coney @tyconey_

For SuperBowl LIV, CAB hosted a party in the Union to give people a place to watch the big game.

This past Sunday, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) held a Super Bowl party for students and faculty in the Dodge Room of the Campus Union.

Given the lack of local teams playing in this year’s big game, the watching of the Super Bowl turned into more of a casual event instead of a pride-filled watching and celebration.

Either way, there was a definite turnout to see the San Francisco 49ers battle the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl as attendees filled up tables as the game started.

The event had many different choices for food as CAB helped to provide those in attendance with an assortment of football style options.

From buffalo wings to a dozen party size pizzas, there was something for everyone in attendance.

As the Super Bowl went on, the game was both exciting and filled with several highs and lows, with viewers in the room cheering and booing as big plays were made by their supported teams.

Carley Crain, a Communications/

Sports Journalism major, said she got more out of the even than she was expecting to heading into it.

“I didn’t expect there to be as much food as they had and with the game being put onto the projectors inside the Dodge room, it was a great way to watch the game.”

The biggest part of the party was, of course, at halftime when the entire room sang along and watched as Shakira and Jennifer Lopez took Miami by storm. It was a halftime show that people were talking about even as the performers left the stage.

Crain said that after going to this event she would consider going to more CAB events in the future.

“You hear about bingo and stuff like that but I never expected the smaller stuff like this to be so well-organized. I think that from now on if it’s something that sounds interesting, I’ll give it more of a chance than I used to.”

CAB has another big event coming this Friday inside the Campus Union as they host the 100-day celebration for seniors as the countdown to graduation continues.

Student’s looking on during Sunday’s game. (Photo Courtesy of Ty Coney)

MVP 26/42 Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs come-frombehind victory.

(Photo Courtesy of Complex)

282 yards 2 Tds

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February 6, 2020

News

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Ethics continued from Page 2

sues,” said Professor Robert Gruber, who introduced the speaker for the night.

Mendoza is the Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

He is also the author of the book, “The Moral and Political Philosophy of Immigration.”

Mendoza structured his presentation by contrasting both the positive and negative sides of the open border debate.

He posed the question, “Do political communities have a presumptive right to close their borders to non-citizens?”

There are multiple perspectives on this point, beginning with the Libertarian Position. “They’re concerned about human liberty, the rights particular of the individual,” Mendoza explained. “A strong argument says an individual has the presumptive right to move.”

“

The purpose of the Religion and Philosophy Spring Forum is to illustrate the importance of taking religious and philosophical perspectives toward contemporary social justice issues,” - Robert Gruber

The second position to this argument is the Egalitarian Position. Mendoza stated, “You can also argue for open borders from an egalitarian perspective where you say ‘look, I think freedom is cool, but my primary concern is equality.’”

Mendoza addresses the crowd during Tuesday night’s presentation. (Photo Courtesy of Springfield College Marketing & Communications)

Mendoza gave many examples similar to these, explaining the view on the open border concern. He made fair points to show how the open border policy can be negative as well, with the aspects that it could be considered too individualistic, could cause inequality, and potentially even prevent social justice.

He continued on to talk specifically about the enforcement of immigration. “It turns out that no matter what side of the debate you’re on, one of the more important aspects happens to be enforcement,” Mendoza said.

“Both proponents of it and opponents of immigration look at enforcement.”

Mendoza then went on to give an indirect argument that dealt with equal moral consideration for all people despite their race, gender, and ethnicity. He believes no citizen should be treated in an inferior manner, and when this happens it is often due to racial profiling. This can cause extreme trauma for families that truly are legal citizens.

He concluded his presentation by discussing the technology that is used in immigration control and how there could be a more effective way to use these technological advances to create open “smart” borders.

The Springfield College community was able to take away a unique insight from this distinguished professor and learned about a highly debated topic in today’s political climate. It is an important topic to discuss and Mendoza opened up that conversation in a positive and safe environment for students, professors, and community members to listen and gain knowledge.

The second part of the spring forum will take place next Tuesday, Feb. 11, in the Harold C. Smith presentation room in Judd Gymnasia at 7 p.m.

February 6, 2020

Serving up a rematch

Sports

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No.2 Springfield men’s volleyball prepare to face No.1 New Paltz at Morgan Classic __________ By Joe Arruda __________ @joearruda9

The 33rd annual International Volleyball Hall of Fame Morgan Classic will commence at Blake Arena for the 29th consecutive year on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8.

William G. Morgan invented the game of volleyball in 1895, just four years after James Naismith invented basketball. The game was invented just eight miles up the interstate at the YMCA in Holyoke, Mass.

Morgan graduated from Springfield College in 1894 and went on to work at the YMCA as a physical director. The first public exhibition volleyball match was played at Springfield.

Every year the event includes highly competitive teams, but this year is a little different.

The tournament sets off with one of the most highly anticipated matchups in the NCAA Division III this year. At 6:00 p.m. on Friday, the No. 2 ranked Springfield College Pride will host a match against top-ranked SUNY New Paltz.

No. 1 vs. No. 2 will always be a high power match in just about any aspect,

but this one is significant.

Last year, when the Pride were poised for a run at a third consecutive national championship, the Hawks defeated them in four sets in the NCAA Semifinals.

That came after the Pride had already taken down New Paltz twice in the regular season, once on the road, and once in Blake Arena.

The Pride just didn’t look right. With students live streaming the match that took place in New Jersey on their phones and computers, “Springfield College volleyball” is not what they saw.

It was an uncharacteristic match, the Pride struggled to keep their heads above water while the Hawks hitters pounded balls onto their side of the court.

After almost a complete lineup change, a shift in mentality, and the emergence of young stars, a chance at revenge is inevitable.

“We just want to be a different team than last year, we just want New Paltz to be like, ‘Wow, that’s a different team,’” Springfield head coach Charlie Sullivan said. “And we want to score

Junior Chris Parker about to serve the ball into play. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

more points than they do.”

After the first match, the competition will not drop too far. This year’s Morgan Classic also will bring in No. 6 Rivier and No. 12 Stevenson.

The Raiders and the Mustangs will follow the battle of top-ranked teams at 8 p.m. on Friday.

Saturday will begin with clinics for players and coaches in Blake Arena, led by the four participating teams from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.. A consolation match will follow at 6 p.m. and the Morgan Classic championship game is slated for 8 p.m..

“It’s always been – to the credit of coach Joel Dearing, who started it –

it’s always been an event that supports volleyball in the community and we get a large amount of the community supporting us and coming to the clinic,” Sullivan said. “It’s just a really complete volleyball activity that kind of grows the game a little bit. It’s a good opportunity for our players to give back.

Having the prestige of the Hall of Fame behind the tournament just makes for a special weekend.”

Between matches on Saturday, the International Volleyball Hall of Fame will host a spike/bounce competition where members of the four teams will compete in a light-hearted event to show off their

skills.

The Pride look for their fifth consecutive Morgan Classic title after defeating Vassar in four sets last year.

“We’re just going to play hard, play our level of volleyball, and focus on the process,” Sophomore standout Brennen Brandow said. “Going into those games we’ve got to focus on what our side’s doing and play hard.”

While the season is still young, the Pride can build onto their resume this weekend at home with some success over some of the most competitive teams in D-III, hoping for a bid into the NCAA tournament.

February 6, 2020

Sports

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‘The more you put in, the more you put out’ The story of Andy Endress

Endress mutually parted ways with the swim team to pursue his main passion of coaching.

(Photo courtesy of Andy Endress) ________________ By Ian Snowdeal _________________ @IanSnowdeal25

Andy Endress was sitting on a grey couch watching a Formula 1 race with his family, a typical Sunday afternoon affair.

His phone rings, it’s a former high school friend, one he hadn’t heard from since graduation. He tells his family he’ll be right back.

He has a weird feeling, so he walks up the stairs to his nicely lit yellow bedroom and answers the call.

Endress, now staring out of his window, listens.

“Hey, Caleb (Holmes) was found dead this morning. He overdosed

on heroin, they think it was laced with fentanyl.”

His first thought was, “How am I going to tell my family? How am I going to manage this?”

Making the walk back to the living room, he knew that he had to tell his family the news.

Keeping it short he said, “That was Jess, she just told me that Caleb was found dead. He had overdosed on heroin.”

Immediately, Endress’ mother and sister, Aubery, began to cry uncontrollably. His girlfriend of seven years at the time sat there and didn’t know how to process what just

happened.

“My dad and I, we just managed. I don’t think I really felt anything, I just managed,” Endress said.

It wasn’t until the day of Holmes’ funeral that he dealt with the fact that his friend was dead.

“I stopped managing and dealt with the fact that Caleb was gone, and that was the first time I cried,” he said.

Later that same day Endress’ life took another hit.

His girlfriend of seven and a half years broke up with him and moved out of their apartment above his parents’ garage.

“I realized how crazy fragile lives are that day.

My girlfriend of seven and a half years just left and everything was fragile and changing. I just sat there thinking all the things I said to you all the things my mom said to you, all of that was in my head and I didn’t know,” he said. “That was when the Buddhism really came and that was the moment that this iteration of Andy that you know was created.”

Endress had been around Buddhism for much of his life, and began studying it heavily throughout high school. During his sophomore year, he began to meditate nearly every day, and then would go weeks without it.

“It was kind of a cycle,” he said.

When his senior year hit, Buddhism became more and more a part of his life and his daily routine.

“It became a real way

for me to feel connected to the world in a way that wasn’t anxiety-producing,” he said. “I don’t think I could’ve made it through those times.”

The philosophy allowed him to handle such a difficult situation with a calm demeanor. He wanted to be there for his family and that’s why he kept managing until the funeral.

Now, at Springfield College, Endress uses many of his Buddhist practices to help his friends and former teammates. *** Endress didn’t have a typical path in his education. He went to the Hartsbrook School in South Hadley, Mass., a Waldorf school where the mission is “to develop pupils’ intellectual, artistic, and practical skills in an integrated and holistic manner.”

While at the Hartsbrook School, he had a hard time learning and working

February 6, 2020

with his teacher.

“At the Waldorf school you have the same teacher from first to eighth grade which can be problematic. They butted heads a lot,” said Endress’ mother Amy Stephens.

Stephens ended up pulling him out of the Hartsbrook School in the third grade following an incident between him and his teacher. She decided that it was ideal for her to start homeschooling her son.

At this time Endress was still having problems reading, and the two would have a tough time working together.

“What I began to realize is that his sense of self took such a beating that he felt that he was a bad kid, he was not good, and that he was stupid,” Stephens said.

Entering fifth grade, Endress and his mother made the decision that he would enroll in public school. When he arrived at the school, they had no idea of his background.

They were unaware of his problems at the Hartsbrook School or his difficulty learning to read. “(On the first day of school) he showed up and they gave him a test, and at his old school they never gave him tests,” Stephens said. “They said they needed to test him because they had no idea what was going on.”

When the results came back, it showed that Endress was dealing with processing issues. On some parts of the tests he took he would score very well, and on other things he would have issues. After the tests, he was given an Individual Education Program (IEP).

During the early part of his IEP, they would

Sports

Endress played lacrosse in high school before realizing his potential in the pool.

(Photo courtesy of Andy Endress)

remove him from his English class and send him to another room to learn. It was a tough time, but one that taught him to overcome obstacles and challenges.

“There were times when it was hard, but the harder I worked at it, the more I bore down, the less I had to be taken out of class,” Endress said. “(Eventually) he just started to make leaps and bounds where he just started getting stuff right, and I feel like that’s when he started gaining confidence,” Stephens said. *** In fifth grade, Endress began participating in athletics. He joined the Belchertown lacrosse team and was added to the B team. It was kind of a blow to Endress’ confidence, but he and his parents tried not to let it get to him.

“I told him it doesn’t

matter what team you are on. On the B team you’ll get more time to play and there is going to be more of a leadership role for you,” Stephens said.

“That’s when we saw his ability to rally people together as a team.”

He began to excel both on the field and in the classroom. By the eighth grade he was taken off of IEP services, enrolled in honors classes, and was working hard on his academics.

He was also producing on the field playing lacrosse year-round.

“This is when I had several people looking at me as a college recruit in eighth grade. That was cool, it gave me a lot of juice, I was excited about it,” Endress said.

He began to run cross-country in the fall to help with his conditioning, and then a family friend suggested that he pick up swimming so he

could build more muscle mass and make his passing and shooting faster and stronger. His mother approved of the idea as her other children were on the same swim team.

At the start, Endress wasn’t a natural. He took open turns, and had poor technique, but he was still fast.

His competitive nature allowed him to thrive in the pool, qualifying for the regional meet in his first year.

“The big change was I found people who worked the same way I did, the more you put in the more you put out,” he said.

Endress started to find a love for the sport, and began to realize maybe lacrosse wasn’t what he wanted to do. He wasn’t getting excited about it anymore. He wasn’t looking forward to the season, he just wanted to swim.

Being the type of person who acts quickly on his emotions, he decided to

PAGE 11

quit lacrosse and turn his focus to swimming.

Endress knew at that moment that he wanted to swim in college, and that he was going to work his hardest to achieve that goal. His decision came as a shock to his family. His father was the president of Belchertown lacrosse, and his mother was a big fan of the sport. It was one of the first big decisions he made without consulting anyone.

“He ditched lacrosse and that was one of the first decisions he made and just didn’t talk to us about it, and that was his statement,” Stephens said.

Endress found success in the sport he had grown to love, and was still succeeding in the classroom.

By his junior year, he had joined a USA level club and was swimming with some of the best swimmers in the area.

“I’m seeing where the ceiling of swimming is,” he said.

In his senior year, Endress added on 25 pounds of muscle after working out every day following a shoulder injury that made him unable to swim for months. He went from 135 pounds to 160 pounds over the summer and was ready and determined to get back into the pool.

After dealing with a negative relationship with his club team coach, Endress decided that he would swim independently against the club at the next USA level meet.

He knew he had improved and was ready for the test.

When he arrived, he was determined to get in the pool and swim his heart out. He placed 16th in See Endress continued on Page 15

February 6, 2020

Sports

PAGE 12

Posse’s triple threat:

Competition. Selflessness. Depth.

The Pride’s success stems from every player understanding her individual role and lifting others up together as one. (Lucy Hamilton/The Student) ___ By Gabby Guerard ___ @GabbyGuerard

Every day at practice, the women’s basketball players hit the court and compete. The coaches keep scores in everything: rebounding drills, shots, you name it – they count it.

And the teams are always switching. No one is ever sure who will come out on top.

“Out of my years here, these practices have been some of the most competitive,” senior Alex Goslin said. “Our coaches have created

an environment where we’re constantly competing against each other in practice and it’s hard and it’s good, because it makes us better for the games… We’re used to being in those high stakes situations.”

So far, all the competition in practice has paid off for the Posse when it matters most.

The Pride are currently 14-6 overall, and 5-0 in NEWMAC play.

While some may fear the constant in-house competitions could negatively impact the

chemistry of the team, that couldn’t be further from the case.

“It’s something I think our team really talked about and developed. I think their drive is that we were so close last year and we want to put ourselves back in that position,” head coach Naomi Graves said. “We can feel the chemistry.

We can feel the unity.

“I think it means giving up something valuable, something from yourself to somebody else, and I think they just bought in.”

After coming up short in the NEWMAC Championship last season, the team has its eyes set on one goal: getting back there and winning it all. But in order to do so, the players know they need to work as a unit.

That doesn’t mean getting upset if someone else starts. That doesn’t mean forcing a shot to buff up individual stats.

That means making the one-more pass – not because Coach says to, but rather, because it’s the better shot for

someone else. That means leaping off the bench and shouting when someone hits a shot – not because that’s how one is “supposed” to act, but rather, because of the genuine excitement for a teammate to succeed.

“It doesn’t matter who gets what, it’s that we get ours, and that’s all that matters at the end of the day,” Goslin explained.

But it’s not just the starters who have stepped up, either.

“We have a lot of

February 6, 2020 strong players coming off the bench and making an impact and I think it makes us really hard to scout and play against, because you never know who’s going to take over…”

Goslin added. “We’re hard to defend, like you can’t just stop one, two, or even three people.

Everyone can make an impact.”

It’s easy for athletes to get sucked into the selfish thinking about wanting more playing time. But the Posse is focused on the long term goal, and will do whatever it takes to be successful.

“There’s very few people and very few teams that can be totally like, ‘This is my role and I’m going to do it and this is going to make us be successful and I’ve got to stay in my lane,’” Graves explained. “’Like, if I stay in my lane, I’m good. If I start to want more, it’s like, I’m not so good, the team’s not so good.’”

It’s not just one player who’s responsible for the selfless attitude that the team has embodied.

It’s a full program’s effort.

When a player is having an off-day or struggling in a game, they’re not just met with encouragement from the players on the bench. They’re met by assistant coaches, team managers, a strength and conditioning coach, and an athletic trainer.

“You have this group of people that’s like, ‘You got it when you go back in, you’re going to do great, you’re going

to turn it around!’ like having that little message at the end of the bench from Coach Tommy or Max, we don’t ask for that, they just naturally do it,” Goslin said.

Though, the encouragement stretches far beyond the games. For example, the team’s strength and conditioning coach, Tommy Boyd, is at practice every single day, and doesn’t hesitate to hop into drills.

“Coach (Graves) will reference (Coach Tommy’s) running drills and then Coach Tommy, when we’re in lift, will reference what Coach (Graves) said during practice earlier, and it’s such a good connection and it helps us transfer everything from lift, to off the court stuff, to on the court stuff,” she added.

“Just the cohesion among (us) and the messages that are being relayed to us are just being consistent, which is so helpful and I think that’s also another reason why we’re ready to lift each other up, is because we have coaches and we have support off the court that’s lifting everybody up.”

But he’s not the only one. Max Mita, the team’s athletic trainer, has worked to keep players healthy and injury free – a daunting task considering the regular season alone stretches four months long. And well before the season even starts, the assistant coaches are hard at work recruiting kids to come play for Spring-

Sports

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The energy always starts on the bench and carries onto the court. (Lucy Hamilton/The Student)

field College. Without them, the talent that comes in every year could look drastically different than it does now: first-years Rachel Vinton and Sam Hourihan, who is also a starter, picking up consistent minutes each game.

Then it’s up to the players to work tirelessly creating a strong dynamic and unity among the group – something the leadership team of Amanda Carr, Lauren Rudolph, Emily Jacques, and Goslin, have all devoted themselves to doing. Though, leadership comes in many forms, whether it’s Taylor Hall setting the tone in the paint picking up offensive rebounds, Steph Lyons steadily outworking opponents game in and game out, or Grace Dzindolet coming in hot off the bench and making her minutes count

as an offensive threat.

Every single player on the roster has had an impact this season, and that depth and unity has created a versatile team that’s hard to stop.

“I really want this team to finish where they want to finish, but you can’t control that (from the sidelines),” Graves said. “So it’s all about the journey. It’s all about every one game.

You come out of the game and you’re like, ‘Wow, that was fun’ and then you go to the next game…”

And it’s clear how this team wants to finish: winning a NEWMAC Championship. But in order to get there, it’s going to need to be a full-program effort.

Because it’s not just “one thing.” It’s unity.

February 6, 2020

Sports

PAGE 14

Jake Ross breaks single-game scoring record in 2OT win

___ By Danny Priest ___ @dpriest3

Early in the first half of a Wednesday night NEWMAC Conference matchup between the Springfield College Pride and Coast Guard, it appeared as though the game was going to be a blowout victory for the Pride.

Another check in the win column on what had been a 16-3 mark for the Pride coming into the game.

The team had built up a 20 point lead with 5:50 left to play in the first half and it appeared as though it was business as usual.

By the time the 12 minute mark of the second half came around, the game was tied at 54 a piece and the Pride didn’t have their usual bounce in their step.

They needed something.

A spark – anything really.

What they got was history.

Senior guard Jake Ross scored a career high 55 points on the night to lead his team to a double overtime, historic 105-99 victory over Coast Guard.

Layups, fade away jumpers, post-ups, three-pointers, foul shots, just name the type of shot.

Ross took them and he made them.

All night long.

It’s one thing to score over half of a team’s points when the team eclipses 100 points on the night. It’s another to do it while shooting nearly 50 percent for the game.

Ross finished at 48.7 percent shooting on the night (20-41 from the field, 5-10

Semior Jake Ross drives to the basket against Coast Guard in Wednesday night’s win. (Joe Arruda/The Student)

from three) and on top of his scoring, he added 21 rebounds (also a career high), three assists, and five steals.

Coast Guard had no answer for Ross. Whether he was behind the three-point line, mid-range, or working inside; the Bears could not find any way to stop him.

For Ross, his previous career high had been 42 points in a game against Emerson last January.

He passed that mark on Wednesday night and then some.

Ross broke the long standing 50 year old record of 50 points scored in a game that was played back in the 1970s against Holy Cross.

After the game, Ross was happy to have made history, but he was less than pleased with his team’s performance against a team the Pride felt they were better than.

“I mean, it’s obviously something to be proud of and happy for, but we should have beat them team well and early in that

game. We had them by almost 20 in the first half and to let them get back into it at this point in the season is a little disappointing,” Ross said.

“The fact that it happened in a game like this is kind of take it with a grain of salt, it’s a little frustrating as well from a team aspect, I don’t think we really showed up. I’m happy, but definitely could have been better.”

Head Coach Charlie Brock has been coaching basketball for a very long

time, and still the performance by Ross was one of the best he’s ever seen.

However, like Ross, he was more focused on the team’s performance.

“I have not,” Brock said when asked if he’d seen a scoring performance like that before. “Quite frankly I had no idea what the scoring was, I just knew that we were playing very poorly and they played great, give them all the credit in the world. We weren’t ready to play and they very definitely were.”

February 6, 2020

Sports

Lost in all the history of Ross’s performance was the fact that Wednesday night’s game was very competitive. After letting their early lead slip, the Pride needed two overtimes to take down Coast Guard.

In total, Springfield finished the game shooting 40.2 percent from the field (35-87) and 29.6 percent from three point range (8-27).

Given the shooting struggles the Pride needed Ross, but in the second overtime, they did get some much needed help from other guys.

In the second and final overtime period several guys made big plays when they needed to most. Trey Witter, Heath Post, and

Noah Cummings opened the frame up with back-toback-to-back difficult finishes inside which helped the Pride mount a 103-99 lead.

That momentum was capped off when Heath Post threw down a dunk off the inbound with 19 seconds left to give Springfield a 105-99 win, improving their record to 18-3 on the season and 8-1 in NEWMAC play.

A historic performance and a big time win all wrapped into one.

For the Pride, the attention now shifts to their Saturday matchup with Emerson. A team that has beaten them the last two times they’ve played, including ending their season in last year’s NEWMAC Champi-

onship semifinal game.

For Ross, who was held to just 14 points on 2-13 shooting last time out against the Lions, he knows the game is a must win.

“Yeah definitely. I’ve struggled against them a couple games in my career and I think they do a good job making things hard,” Ross said. “It’s going to be important to get guys involved early and (get) guys confidence going. If they want to try to stop me and Heath, then we’ll have Daryl, Collin, Trey and all the other guys step up. I’m pretty confident that we’ll be ready for that.”

That game is scheduled to tip-off at 3:30 p.m. in Blake Arena this Saturday.

Endress continued from Page 11

However, that was not the case.

“I got this gut feeling like maybe this isn’t the right place for me right now. Not so much because it was wrong, but because it was the best option,” Endress said. “On paper, this place looked perfect, but when I was there I had the feeling it was the wrong idea.”

That was the second big decision Endress instinctively made. He decided that he would live in the apartment above his parents’ garage with his girlfriend and become a personal trainer. His family was again stunned by the decision, but supported him.

“One thing I know about Andy is he is super-resilient. People tend to really like him and he can sell anything if he wants to, and if any of my kids weren’t to go to college he was the best bet that he could make his way,” Stephens said.

He began working at the YMCA in Holyoke, Mass.

as a personal trainer and lifeguard. It was a quick rise for Endress at the YMCA. “I started doing personal training and lifeguarding, suddenly that turns into me working in the gym, then somebody needs something else and now I’m a swim instructor and then somebody needs something else so I give tours and that turns into the front desk, and then I’m asked to manage the building. Now I’m in a managerial position as a 19-year-old,” he said.

It was a quick turn around, but he was succeeding and doing something he enjoyed. *** About a year after graduation, he started to rekindle his relationship with Caleb Holmes, a good friend from high school and one who he had lived with for a summer. They saw each other two times, and Endress knew that something was going on with him.

The last time they had been with each other,

New England, second in the region and second in states, and beat everyone on his former team. It was a big moment for Endress because nobody knew about the time and effort he put into rehab and improving his skills.

After a successful high school career, he received five offers to swim at the collegiate level, one being from Division I Evansville.

He verbally committed to Arcadia University outside of Philadelphia to swim and for their Physical Therapy program.

During their visit, Endress’ family fell in love with the coach.

“He was super sweet with our kids and asked our daughter about her times,“ Stephens said. “We were super excited.”

Endress’ family left him for an overnight stay, thinking everything was sealed up and their son was committed to Arcadia.

PAGE 15

Jake Ross (Joe Arruda/The Student)

Holmes had been asked to be dropped off at a house, so Endress and his other friend complied. That was the same house Holmes later overdosed in, and was the last time Endress would ever see his friend.

It took a lot out of Endress dealing with the death of his friend and the departure of his girlfriend, but he had been faced with so many challenges before that he persevered. He decided he wanted to become a college swim coach and to get back in the pool.

“He went looking at schools. He met Jon Taffe and decided he wanted to get back in the water and pursue becoming a coach,” Stephens said. “I always have parents asking why he can’t coach. Why can’t he coach the USA team or the high school?”

Endress arrived at Springfield College and immediately began to struggle.

After taking two years off from swimming competitively and never being a great practice swimmer,

Endress was having a difficult time finding a groove.

Since then, he has found himself and has been able to embrace his Buddhism at Springfield. He is a helping hand to all his friends and teammates.

“He’s wise and everything he says I take it to heart,” teammate Eri Roba said.

When dealing with a concussion, Roba really began to take his advice to heart.

“When Andy sat me down and told me I had to take care of myself, I was like he does know what he’s talking about. He’s just a genuine guy,” Roba said.

This year however, Endress is facing another challenge.

A knee injury has sidelined him from swimming, and he has decided to mutually end his ties with the swim team. It was a tough decision, but he is now on another endeavor and one that he came to Springfield for – coaching.

“It’s just another chapter in the story of my life and I’ll just ride with it.”

SPORTS The Springfield Student

The Posse finds success and unity through competitive practices.

Andy Endress went through it all before exploring his future in coaching.

History.

Again.

Jake Ross breaks another record during the 2019-20 season.

[See inside]

VOL. 134 NO. 14

With the Morgan Classic looming, men's volleyball prepares for its toughest test.

(Joe Arruda/The Student)

FEBRUARY 6, 2020