2016-17 Year-In-Review
圀䔀ᤠ刀䔀 倀刀伀唀䐀 吀伀 䈀䔀 吀䠀䔀 匀䄀一䐀 匀䠀䄀刀䬀匀ᤠ 䴀䔀䐀䤀䌀䄀䰀 吀䔀䄀䴀
䐀䄀一 匀吀刀伀䠀䔀䌀䬀䔀刀Ⰰ 䄀吀䌀
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䬀䤀刀䬀 䨀伀䠀一匀伀一Ⰰ 䴀䐀
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䐀伀唀䜀䰀䄀匀 匀䌀伀吀吀Ⰰ 䴀䐀
刀攀猀椀搀攀渀挀礀 伀爀琀栀漀瀀攀搀椀挀 匀甀爀最攀爀礀Ⰰ 匀瀀漀爀琀猀 䴀攀搀椀挀椀渀攀Ⰰ 䘀爀愀挀琀甀爀攀 ☀ 吀爀愀甀洀愀 䌀愀爀攀 愀琀 匀琀⸀ 䰀甀欀攀ᤠ猀⼀刀漀漀猀攀瘀攀氀琀 䠀漀猀瀀椀琀愀氀 䌀攀渀琀攀爀Ⰰ 一攀眀 夀漀爀欀 䌀椀琀礀 䘀攀氀氀漀眀猀栀椀瀀 吀爀愀椀渀攀搀 䈀爀漀眀渀 唀渀椀瘀攀爀猀椀琀礀Ⰰ 倀爀漀瘀椀搀攀渀挀攀Ⰰ 刀⸀䤀⸀ 䈀爀漀眀渀 唀渀椀瘀攀爀猀椀琀 匀瀀攀挀椀愀氀椀稀椀渀最 椀渀 匀栀漀甀氀搀攀爀 ☀ 䔀氀戀漀眀 匀甀爀最攀爀礀 愀渀搀 䬀渀攀攀 䤀渀樀甀爀椀攀猀
䠀䤀䰀吀伀一 䠀䔀䄀䐀 䤀匀䰀䄀一䐀
㈀㈀ 䈀攀琀栀攀愀 䐀爀椀瘀攀 䠀椀氀琀漀渀 䠀攀愀搀 䤀猀氀愀渀搀Ⰰ 匀䌀 ㈀㤀㤀㈀㘀
䈀䰀唀䘀䘀吀伀一ⴀ伀䬀䄀吀䤀䔀
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䜀䔀一䔀刀䄀䰀 伀刀吀䠀伀倀䔀䐀䤀䌀 䌀䄀刀䔀 ☀ 匀唀刀䜀䔀刀夀 簀 䌀䄀刀吀䤀䰀䄀䜀䔀 刀䔀匀吀伀刀䄀吀䤀伀一 簀 䨀伀䤀一吀 刀䔀倀䰀䄀䌀䔀䴀䔀一吀 ☀ 刀䔀䌀伀一匀吀刀唀䌀吀䤀伀一 簀 倀䔀䐀䤀䄀吀刀䤀䌀 䤀一䨀唀刀䤀䔀匀 䄀刀吀䠀刀伀匀䌀伀倀䤀䌀 ☀ 䴀䤀一䤀䴀䄀䰀䰀夀 䤀一嘀䄀匀䤀嘀䔀 匀唀刀䜀䔀刀夀 伀䘀 䬀一䔀䔀匀 ☀ 匀䠀伀唀䰀䐀䔀刀匀 簀 匀倀伀刀吀匀 䴀䔀䐀䤀䌀䤀一䔀 簀 吀刀䄀唀䴀䄀 簀 䘀刀䄀䌀吀唀刀䔀 䌀䄀刀䔀 簀 倀䠀夀匀䤀䌀䄀䰀 䴀䔀䐀䤀䌀䤀一䔀
2016-17 year-in-review
from the ad
uscB athletics annual report
Sand Shark Family, The 2016-17 season was another great year to be a Sand Shark, as our teams and student-athletes excelled on and off the field. Led by Sun Conference championships for our men’s and women’s track & field teams, USCB finished fourth in the Sun Conference Commissioner’s Cup standings – our best finish ever – despite fielding fewer conference sports than all but two of our conference opponents. Our own Bernard Gaither was named the Sun Conference Coach of the Year for both men’s and women’s track & field, while Sand Shark student-athletes racked up numerous conference and national honors that you will read about in the pages of this annual report.
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We Are sand sharks by the numbers top 10 moments Academic highlights Champions of character
Sport Highlights 13 Baseball 14 Men’s Cross Country 15 Women’s Cross Country 16 Men’s Golf 17 Women’s Golf 18 Women’s Soccer 19 Softball 20 Men’s Track & Field 21 Women’s Track & Field 22 corporate partners
All nine of our teams qualified for postseason play, with six of them competing in the NAIA national championships. In the classroom, six of our nine teams posted team GPAs of 3.0 or better, with 22 student-athletes earning Sun Conference All-Academic honors, 11 NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes, and seven CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees. Our teams and student-athletes also give back to the community through various service projects. During the 2016-17 school year, Sand Shark Athletics recorded more than 1,400 hours of community service, and we once again were named a Five-Star Champions of Character institution by the NAIA. None of this happens by accident. A hearty Sand Shark thank you to everyone who contributed to our success this season, from the student-athletes and coaches to the faculty and staff members and fans. We’re all working together to provide a positive collegiate athletic experience not only for our student-athletes, but for our campus and community. Thank you for being a part of the journey. FINS UP!
Quin T. Monahan Director of Athletics uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
We are
sand sharks VISION
Developing champions and leaders who inspire Sand Shark pride on our campus, in our communities and among our alumni
MISSION
To enhance the collegiate experience and gain local and national recognition by: • Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment; • Providing diverse opportunities and programs that promote healthy lifestyles and personal growth; • Building strong programs that allow students to compete at the highest possible level while achieving individual goals; • Fostering academic success and leadership development; • Embodying the Five Core Values of the NAIA’s Champions of Character initiative
VALUeS
Integrity: Sand Sharks strive to know and do what is right Respect: Sand Sharks treat others the way we wish to be treated Responsibility: Sand Sharks embrace opportunities to contribute Sportsmanship: Sand Sharks bring our best to all competition Servant Leadership: Sand Sharks are committed to serving the common good
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uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
sand shark athletics by the numbers
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all-Sun Conference performers
35
naia All-americans
52
cosida academic all-district honors
63
naia-daktronics scholar-athletes
8 22 uscbathletics.com
in 2016-17
since 2011
since 2011
since 2010
cosida academic all-americans since 2012
Sun Conference all-academic honors in 2016-17
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Top
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2016-17 year-in-review
moments of 2016-17
WENTHE SMASHES USCB HR RECORD
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INAUGURAL LK5K A ROUSING SUCCESS
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he end of an era brought a new beginning for USCB Athletics this spring. With the announcement that longtime track & field and cross country coach Larry Kimball – the longest-tenured member of the athletics department – would retire in June, USCB announced the creation of the Larry Kimball 5K (LK5K) presented by Mortgage Network to honor Kimball’s legacy and support his passion. With the help of Rob Fyfe at Palmetto Running Company, the USCB Athletics staff organized the details of the inaugural race without Kimball’s knowledge and invited numerous friends, family members, and alumni to a surprise reveal on campus. As soon as the group dispersed, Kimball went to work routing a 5K course on campus and inviting practically everyone who has crossed his circuitous path over the years. The result was tremendous. About 150 people participated in the 5K race and 1-mile fun run, including a large number of alumni who ran for Kimball in the early years of Sand Shark cross country and track, with proceeds from the race going toward fundraising efforts to build a first-class track & field complex on campus. The second annual LK5K is scheduled for Oct. 14.
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obby Wenthe arrived on campus in August with a big personality and a bigger bat, having smashed 21 home runs in his first two collegiate seasons before transferring to USCB. Wenthe announced his presence in the Sand Sharks’ lineup with authority when he hit two home runs off preseason NAIA All-American Cade Wagner in USCB’s second game of the season. By March 10 – just over a month into the season – Wenthe had blasted seven home runs, putting him within one of tying Ashly Morris’ single-season school record. After a home run drought of nearly a month, Wenthe went wild in April, hitting five homers in a span of eight games to smash Morris’ mark. Wenthe hit his final bomb of the season on April 29 against Georgia Gwinnett, tying Erik Armstrong’s USCB career mark with 13 homers. Wenthe’s nine home runs in Sun Conference play tied for the league lead and helped him land a spot on the All-Sun Conference First Team. And best of all, Wenthe and his bat will be back in the middle of the Sand Sharks’ lineup next season.
uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
top 10 moments of 2016-17 PIÑA REWRITES USCB SOCCER RECORD BOOK
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hen Hayley Piña arrived at USCB in the summer of 2014, the Sand Shark Soccer coaching staff knew she had the potential to be a program-changing player. Three years later, her name litters the program’s record book.
BECKER TAKES DOWN CAREER HITS MARK
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arissa Becker thought her softball career was over when the summer following her high school graduation rolled around and she still didn’t have a place to play. At the last minute, she found herself with an offer to become a Sand Shark and jumped at the opportunity. Four years later, she walked away as the program’s all-time leader in hits (202), triples (9), and stolen bases (47). Becker smashed the records for triples and stolen bases early in her senior season, but the hits record of 200 shared by Taylor Triplett and Missy Hughes seemed out of reach. She would need 68 hits in her final season to tie the mark, a total only two Sand Sharks had reached in the program’s first five seasons. After going 1-for-11 in the first Sun Conference series of the season at Ave Maria, the odds of were long, but Becker came back the next weekend and went 6-for-13 in three games at Webber International, beginning a stretch of 21 games in which she batted .468 (36-for-77) with 11 multi-hit games. The record-tying and breaking hits came April 22 – on Senior Day – against Sun Conference champion Warner. Becker beat out an infield single to tie the record, then slapped a single into left field for the record-breaker as her teammates chanted “2-0-1, 2-0-1” from the dugout. Perhaps the most impressive element of Becker’s feat is the fact that she did so after recording just 21 hits in 62 at-bats as a freshman. After earning a full-time starting role at second base, she collected 49 hits as a sophomore and ended up with a remarkable 132 hits over her final two seasons.
uscbathletics.com
Piña’s sensational junior season was one of the many highlights of the 2016-17 school year for USCB Athletics, as she broke her own single-season records for goals (11) and points (26) and charged to the top of the career charts for goals (23), assists (13), and points (59). As a result, Piña became the first player in Sand Shark Soccer history named to the All-Sun Conference first team, and she helped USCB set the program record for wins (10) and tie the mark for conference wins (5). Nearly every game of the season seemingly brought a new record for Piña, who broke the career record for points with two goals in a 4-2 win over Middle Georgia State on Sept. 10 and continued rewriting the record books during Sun Conference play. The Culver City, Calif., native tied the career marks for goals and assists in a thrilling 4-3 overtime win over St. Thomas on Sept. 30 and became the Sand Sharks’ all-time leading goal scorer two days later with a pair of goals in a 3-0 win against Florida Memorial. Piña’s assist in a 1-1 draw with SCAD Savannah on Oct. 20 broke the career record, and with two goals in a 3-2 loss against Thomas on Oct. 22, Pina broke the single-season points record and tied and broke the single-season goals mark.
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2016-17 year-in-review
top 10 moments of 2016-17 SOCCER BEATS SCAD FOR 1ST PLAYOFF WIN
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n its first three trips to the Sun Conference Tournament, the USCB women’s soccer team gradually advanced from lopsided losses to
a two-goal defeat that was tied until the final nine minutes of regulation. With each step in the right direction, the Sand Sharks gained a level of confidence that they could compete with the upper tier of the league.
MEN’S GOLF TOPS D1 FIELD IN MYRTLE BEACH
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he USCB men’s golf team has never been afraid to take on the big boys, often competing in tournaments with NCAA Division
I fields and holding its own. The Sand Sharks had never won a Division I event, though, until last March. At the Bash At The Beach in Myrtle Beach, USCB topped a 16-team
On Nov. 5, they proved it. With a dominant defensive effort, USCB earned the first postseason win in program history, defeating rival SCAD Savannah 1-0. “What a great win for our program and this team,” coach Ed Heberling said after the game. “I am very proud of this team and thankful for all the alumnae and fans who came out to support us.” Karen Pimentel converted a penalty kick in the 74th minute for the lone goal, and the defense took care of the rest, limiting the Bees to five shots – three on goal – as Moa Johansson notched her fifth shutout of the season. The Sand Sharks’ season ended with a 3-1 loss to top-seeded
field that included 14 Division I schools, edging George Washington
and third-ranked Keiser in the semifinals, but USCB finished with
by one shot. Junior Keith Murphy and freshman Newport Laparojkit
single-season program records for wins (10), goals scored (40), and
both posted top-five finishes in the event.
fewest goals allowed (34).
The win wasn’t a huge surprise to anyone familiar with the Sand Sharks’ track record. USCB had won its previous event – the Sand Shark Classic at Oldfield Golf Club – over a field loaded with top NAIA teams after finishing second at another NCAA Division I event earlier in the spring. “Winning any event is a great accomplishment, but winning an event against an NCAA Division I field is a special accomplishment that gives the team confidence for the rest of the spring,” coach Danny Allen said at the time. “Knowing we can compete with teams of this caliber every week is going to help us accomplish our ultimate goals of a conference championship and a national championship.”
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uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
top 10 moments of 2016-17 WILLIAMS BEST IN USCB WOMEN’S TRACK HISTORY
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n the first eight years of the USCB track & field program’s existence, the Sand Sharks produced four NAIA All-Americans, none of
them sprinters. Then Jhari Williams came onto the scene. Williams put together a freshman season in 2017 that easily surpassed anything USCB’s program had ever seen. She ended the season with four school records – in the 100 (11.62 seconds), 200 (23.64), 400 (56.03), and long jump (5.66m) – and helped the Sand Sharks claim their first Sun
DOUGLAS ENDS STELLAR SEASON AS ALL-AMERICAN
Conference championship.
ntering her final season of cross country competition, Betsy Douglas already was the most-decorated runner in USCB history. She added plenty more honors to the list last fall.
honors in three events in a span of less than three hours.
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Douglas’ special season began with individual titles at the Palmetto State XC Festival and the Winthrop Adidas Invitational, where she outpaced runners from four NCAA Division I teams – including the entire University of South Carolina lineup. Douglas finally found a race she couldn’t win at the USC Upstate Invitational, where she finished fourth overall behind three NCAA Division I runners. Douglas shattered her own school-record 5K time by 32 seconds when she finished second at the Asics Sand Shark Invitational presented by Mortgage Network with a time of 17:18, and she easily won the Sun Conference Championship two weeks later on the same course. After being named the Sun Conference Runner of the Year and Champion of Character Award winner, Douglas earned NAIA All-America honors for the second consecutive year when she ran a remarkable time of 17:21 on a difficult course in Elsah, Illinois, to finish fourth overall. “What can you say about Betsy?,” USCB coach Larry Kimball said at the time. “She did awesome. She was running ninth with a kilometer to go, and she turned it on. The last 250 meters she was in full flight and reeling in third.” Douglas finished her three-year cross country career at USCB with the seven fastest times in program history and eight of the top 10, but she will return for one more season of track & field eligibility. uscbathletics.com
The season culminated in a remarkable final day at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships, as Williams earned All-America The Thomasville, Ga., native anchored the Sand Sharks’ 4x100 relay team to a fifth-place finish in 47.38 seconds – the first relay team to score at nationals in program history. She then raced to runner-up finishes in the 100 (11.72 seconds) and the 200 (23.67) to become the first athlete in program history to score in multiple events at nationals. “The contributions she made on the track have elevated everybody’s game and made everybody push harder and work harder,” USCB coach Bernard Gaither. “And the best thing is there’s so much more that she’s going to do next year.”
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2016-17 year-in-review
top 10 moments of 2016-17 USCB TRACK & FIELD SWEEPS TSC TITLES
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hen Bernard Gaither made the move from part-time assistant to become USCB’s full-time head track & field coach, he had only one goal in mind, and he didn’t plan on waiting long to achieve it.
WOMEN’S GOLF PLACES 3RD AT NATIONALS
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or a few hours in May, the first national championship in USCB athletics history was within reach.
That elusive national title slipped away on the back nine at PGA National, but the USCB women’s golf team posted a third-place finish that day at the NAIA Women’s Golf National Championships – the highest finish in program history and tied for the best national championship finish by any USCB team. Rain threw a wrench into the schedule throughout the week, but it didn’t derail the Sand Sharks, who carded a team score of 316 on the opening day and were tied for third when the rain-delayed first round concluded the next morning. USCB got off to another strong start in the second round and had pulled into second place when play again was halted early for the day. The Sand Sharks maintained their second-place standing when the round was completed and entered the final round just three shots back of Oklahoma City. The possibility of a national title loomed for most of the final day for USCB, which briefly grabbed a one-shot through six holes but hovered three to five shots behind the Stars for most of the round. The Sand Sharks were three shots off the lead with everyone through 15 holes, but Oklahoma City pulled away over the final three holes to win their eighth women’s golf national championship. The impressive finish provided a glimpse of the future for the Sand Sharks, who were the only team to place all five players in the top 30 and return all five starters next season. “I’m very excited for next year and hope the newcomers will come in and raise the level of competition amongst the team,” head coach Brittany Dabule said. “With hard work and dedication, I’m confident this upcoming season will include more team top finishes, tournament wins, and hopefully a Sun Conference championship and another chance to bring home a national title.”
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Gaither hit the recruiting trail hard and began bolstering the roster in hopes of bringing the track & field program its first Sun Conference championship. He did better – the Sand Sharks won two. Over two days in April, USCB established itself as the new powerhouse program in the Sun Conference, as the Sand Shark men and women both easily outpaced the competition to claim team titles and Gaither was named the conference Coach of the Year for both genders. USCB’s women steamrolled the competition at Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Fla., piling up 257.83 points to easily outpace second-place Keiser (137) and third-place Webber International (129.16). USCB won 10 of 15 events on Sunday, sucking any drama out of the race for the team title. In all, the Sand Sharks claimed 12 individual titles and two relay victories in a dominant performance. Freshman Jhari Williams took home Outstanding Track Athlete honors after winning three individual titles and anchoring the winning 4x100 relay team. The Sand Shark men used their superior depth in the field events – particularly the throws and the pole vault – to pull away from the field, finishing with 201 points to defeat second-place Keiser by 59 points. Freshman Malik Paul earned Outstanding Field Athlete honors with wins in the hammer throw and discus and a fourth-place finish in the shot put. In all, the Sand Sharks had 20 athletes earn All-Sun Conference honors, and nine of them were freshmen, setting the stage for USCB to continue its reign for years to come.
uscbathletics.com
academic highlights
2016-17 year-in-review
Champions
in the classroom 2016-17 Academic Highlights • 34 USCB student-athletes earned their degrees • Six of USCB’s nine teams posted team GPAs of 3.0 or better, with women’s golf (3.86), softball (3.38), women’s cross country (3.37), soccer (3.22), men’s golf (3.06), and women’s track & field (3.02) reaching the benchmark • 22 Sand Sharks earned Sun Conference All-Academic Team honors • 7 Sand Sharks were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team in their sports, with baseball senior Nick Payne earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for the second straight year • 11 Sand Sharks were named NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes
uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
Champions
of character
community involvement Highlights • USCB was named a Five-Star Champions of Character institution by the NAIA for the fifth consecutive year •Sand Shark student-athletes recorded more than 1,400 hours of community service in 2016-17 • Team service projects included participating in the May River Clean-Up, volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse to aid Hurricane Matthew cleanup efforts, and serving at the Savannah soup kitchen
Steak & Bacon Melt
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8/3/17 8:18 AM uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
Baseball
HEAD COACH
JEREMY CHRISTIAN 1ST YEAR AT USCB
HIGHLIGHTS •Sand Shark Baseball posted its third consecutive 30-win season and topped 30 wins for the sixth time in nine seasons all-time, and USCB qualified for the Sun Conference Tournament for the eighth time in nine years • Senior C Nick Payne was Sand Shark Baseball named to the CoSIDA Academic BY THE NUMBERS All-America Team for the second consecutive year, the first student-athlete in USCB history to Stolen bases for Career RBIs for Strikeouts by land on the Academic All-America USCB in 2017, the senior INF USCB pitchers in Team twice second-highest Brandon Joyce, 2017, a • Four USCB pitchers tied the total in program surpassing RJ single-season history Neal as the school record school record with 12 strikeouts in a program’s allgame, as seniors Wade Arduini, time leader Justin Kortessis, and Julio De Pena, and junior Zac Burke each whiffed 12 in a game • Sophomore JoJo Markle swiped 26 bases, breaking Matt Kianka’s single-season school record set in 2016 • Junior OF Alex Murphy was a magnet for opposing pitchers, as he was hit by a pitch 14 times, breaking Armstrong’s single-season mark of 13 in 2013 • Junior OF/1B Bobby Wenthe put up the biggest power numbers in program history, smashing 13 home runs to break the single-season school record and tie Erik Armstrong for the career mark, and setting the single-season record with a .731 slugging percentage • Wenthe ranked first in the Sun Conference during league play with a .374 batting average, tied for the lead with nine home runs in conference play, and ranked second with 39 RBIs in 24 league contests • Payne and Charlie McGinnis were named NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes for the third consecutive year
106 134
413
2017 SUN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
TEAM......................... TSC....... OVR Keiser......................................19-5............39-18 Southeastern............................18-6............50-9 Webber....................................16-8............39-17 St. Thomas...............................16-8............35-19 USCB....................................... 13-11...........32-22 Thomas................................... 10-14...........24-31 Ave Maria................................7-17............20-31 Warner...................................5-18-1........ 21-32-1 Florida Memorial................... 3-20-1........ 10-30-1
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
Bobby Wenthe..................... 1st Team All-Conference Nick Payne.........................2nd Team All-Conference Thomas Estopare................2nd Team All-Conference Alex Murphy......................2nd Team All-Conference Michael Grunder......................... All-Academic Team Charlie McGinnis......................... All-Academic Team Daniel Mills................................. All-Academic Team Nick Payne.................................. All-Academic Team
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NICK PAYNE
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BRANDON JOYCE
“OHANA” AWARD DANIEL MILLS BOBBY WENTHE FIRST-TEAM ALL-SUN CONFERENCE
uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
men’s
cross country HIGHLIGHTS • USCB hosted more than 40 teams from throughout the Southeast for the 10th annual Asics Sand Shark XC Invitational presented by Mortgage Network with several of the top NAIA teams from the region competing. A total of 462 runners (246 women, 216 men) completed the race. • Nic O’Neill qualified for the NAIA National Championships and finished 238th among 331 runners with an 8K time of 27:02. • O’Neill finished eighth at the Sun Conference Championships on USCB’s home course in Hardeeville, running an 8K time of 26:48 to claim a spot on the All-Sun Conference second team and earn one of the conference’s four individual at-large berths to the NAIA National Championships. • O’Neill finished his career as the second-fastest individual in USCB men’s cross country history and owns the fifth-fastest 8K time in program history. • Joel Norras was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team for the second consecutive year.
SAND SHARK XC TOP 10 MEN’S 8K
25:08 25:14 25:22 25:28 25:31 25:36 25:42 25:44 25:49 25:49
Anthony Vecchio Anthony Vecchio Anthony Vecchio Anthony Vecchio Nic O’Neill Marshall Meyer Anthony Vecchio Anthony Vecchio Marshall Meyer Anthony Vecchio
Sand Shark Invitational (2013) Sand Shark Invitational (2014) Sand Shark Invitational (2012) Sun Conference Champ. (2013) Sand Shark Invitational (2014) Sand Shark Invitational (2010) Furman XC Classic (2013) Queens Royal Invitational (2013) Charlotte Invitational (2010) NAIA National Championship (2014)
HEAD COACH
LARRY KIMBALL 10TH YEAR AT USCB
2016 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM................. POINTS 1. SCAD Savannah....................16 2. Southeastern....................... 68 3. Ave Maria..........................101 4. Warner..............................105 5. Webber International.........127 6. Keiser................................191 7. USCB..................................195 8. St. Thomas.........................196 9. Johnson & Wales............... 234
2016 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
Nic O’Neill............................2nd-Team All-Conference
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES MVP NIC O’NEILL
COACH’S AWARD AKIRA DURST
GPA AWARD JOEL NORRAS
NIC O’NEILL
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uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
WOmen’s
HEAD COACH
cross country HIGHLIGHTS
• Betsy Douglas earned NAIA All-America honors for the second consecutive year with a fourth-place finish at the NAIA National Championships with a time of 17:21 on a difficult course in Elsah, Illinois. • Douglas shattered her own school-record 5K time by 32 seconds when she finished second at the Asics Sand Shark Invitational presented by Mortgage Network with a time of 17:18, and she easily won the Sun Conference Championship two weeks later on the same course. • Douglas was named the Sun Conference Champions of Character Award winner and the conference Runner of the Year. • At the Winthrop Adidas Invitational, Douglas won the individual title by outpacing runners from four NCAA Division I teams, including the entire University of South Carolina lineup. • USCB hosted more than 40 teams from throughout the Southeast for the 10th annual Asics Sand Shark XC Invitational presented by Mortgage Network with several of the top NAIA teams from the region competing. A total of 462 runners (246 women, 216 men) completed the race. • Jaime Thomas and Hannah Johnson were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and earned NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athlete honors.
LARRY KIMBALL 10TH YEAR AT USCB
2016 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM................. POINTS 1. SCAD Savannah................... 30 2. Southeastern....................... 43 3. St. Thomas.........................103 4. USCB..................................121 5. Ave Maria..........................130 6. Webber International.........158 7. Keiser.................................192 8. Warner..............................193 9. Johnson & Wales............... 267
2016 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
Betsy Douglas........................Runner of the Year Betsy Douglas................. Champion of Character Betsy Douglas................1st-Team All-Conference Jaime Thomas...............2nd-Team All-Conference Jaime Thomas........................All-Academic Team Hannah Johnson....................All-Academic Team
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES
SAND SHARK XC TOP 10 WOMEN’S 5K
17:18 17:21 17:50 17:50 17:50 18:08 18:10 18:19 18:24 18:26
Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Betsy Douglas Joyce Miller Joyce Miller Betsy Douglas
Sand Shark Invitational (2016) NAIA National Championships (2016) Sun Conference Championships (2016) Sand Shark Invitational (2015) NAIA National Championships (2015) USC Upstate Invitational (2016) Sand Shark Invitational (2014) Sand Shark Invitational (2014) Sun Conference Championships (2013) Sun Conference Championships (2015)
MVP BETSY DOUGLAS
COACH’S AWARD & GPA AWARD JAIME THOMAS
BETSY DOUGLAS
uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
men’s
golf HIGHLIGHTS • USCB started the spring season with three consecutive outstanding performances, finishing second in an NCAA Division I field at the Invitational at Savannah Harbor before earning back-to-back wins at the Sand Shark Classic and the Bash At The Beach, where the Sand Sharks topped another D1 field. • Newport Laparojkit was named a third-team NAIA All-American and a first-team AllSun Conference performer. • Riley Schank was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and earned NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athlete honors. • USCB posted an excellent final round to claim a second-place finish at the Sun Conference Championship at Fripp Island Resort, as Laparojkit tied for fifth overall. • The Sand Sharks qualified for the NAIA National Championships for the third consecutive year and finished in a tie for 20th. • Laparojkit earned his first collegiate victory at the Sand Shark Classic.
HEAD COACH
DANNY ALLEN 2ND YEAR AT USCB
2017 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM...................SCORE 1. Johnson & Wales............... 873 2. USCB................................. 904 3. Keiser............................... 909 4. Southeastern......................913 5. Webber International.........914 6. St. Thomas........................ 925 7. Thomas............................. 944 8. SCAD Savannah................ 953 9. Ave Maria......................... 982 10. Warner............................ 996
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Newport Laparojkit........ 1st Team ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM Bobby Dunphy Riley Schank
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES MVP NEWPORT LAPAROJKIT
COACH’S AWARD JONATHAN SUNDSTROM
BEST TEAMMATE BOBBY DUNPHY
NEWPORT LAPAROJKIT
16
HIGHEST GPA RILEY SCHANK
uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
WOmen’s
golf HIGHLIGHTS
• The Sand Sharks posted a program-best third-place finish at the NAIA National Championships, tied for the highest national championship finish by any USCB team, and USCB was the only team to place all five players in the top 30 overall. • Franzi Knoetsch was named a first-team NAIA All-American for the second consecutive season, becoming the second student-athlete in USCB history to earn first-team All-America honors more than once. • Blanca Porta earned third-team NAIA All-America honors – the first freshman to be named an All-American in USCB women’s golf history. • Vanessa Schloo was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District team, and Knoetsch, Moa Kristenson and Emily Turner were named NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes. • USCB earned two victories, winning the Converse Fall Shootout in September and opening the spring season with a win at the Lady Cougar Classic. • Knoetsch earned individual titles at USCB’s first two events of the season, winning the rain-shortened Coastal Georgia Fall Invitational and the Converse Fall Shootout.
HEAD COACH
BRITTANY DABULE 1ST YEAR AT USCB
2017 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM...................SCORE 1. Keiser................................ 908 2. SCAD Savannah.................914 3. USCB................................. 922 4. Southeastern..................... 930 5. Thomas..............................976 6. Ave Maria........................1054 7. Webber International........1083
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Franzi Knoetsch.............. 1st Team Blanca Porta.................. 1st Team ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM Moa Kristenson Franzi Knoetsch Vanessa Schloo Emily Turner
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES MVP FRANZI KNOETSCH
COACH’S AWARD EMILY TURNER
FRANZI KNOETSCH
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR BLANCA PORTA
HIGHEST GPA FRANZI KNOETSCH MOA KRISTENSON VANESSA SCHLOO
uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
soccer
HEAD COACH
ED HEBERLING 6TH YEAR AT USCB
HIGHLIGHTS • USCB claimed the first postseason victory in program history, as the fifth-seeded Sand Sharks went on the road in the Sun Conference Tournament quarterfinals and knocked off No. 4 seed SCAD Savannah 1-0 with a dominant defensive effort and a penalty-kick goal from Karen Pimentel. • Hayley Piña broke her own single-season program records for goals (11) and points (26) and took over the top spot on the USCB career charts for goals (23), assists (13), and points (59) en route to becoming the first Sand Shark soccer player to earn first-team All-Sun Conference honors. • The Sand Sharks finished with single-season program records for wins (10), goals scored (40), and fewest goals allowed (34). • USCB posted two thrilling comeback wins in Sun Conference play, rallying for a 4-3 win over St. Thomas and a 2-1 win at Webber International, both in overtime. Against the Bobcats, Sam Satterlee scored the equalizer in the 86th minute and the game-winner in overtime. In the regular-season finale against the Warriors, Taylor Superior scored the tying goal in the 89th minute, and Piña netted the game-winner with less than three minutes remaining in the second overtime. • Brittany Lorentz, Bridgette Noonan and Superior were named NAIA-Daktronics Scholar-Athletes.
2017 SUN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
TEAM......................... TSC....... OVR Keiser.......................................9-1........... 18-2-1 Southeastern.............................9-1........... 17-1-1 Thomas.....................................8-2..............9-9 SCAD Savannah...................... 6-3-1.......... 8-10-1 USCB....................................... 5-3-2.......... 10-8-2 St. Thomas................................5-5.............11-7 Ave Maria.................................3-7.............5-11 Johnson & Wales..................... 2-7-1.......... 4-11-2 Webber International.............. 2-7-1........... 3-9-1 Warner.....................................2-8.............4-11 Florida Memorial.................... 1-8-1.......... 2-10-1
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Hayley Piña................................... 1st Team Elin Sturesson.................Honorable Mention ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM Brittney Neser Claudia Doll Brittany Lorentz Bridgette Noonan Taylor Superior
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES MVP HAYLEY PINA
SAND SHARK AWARD BRITTANY PACIFICO
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR ELIN STURESSON HAYLEY PINA
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HIGHEST GPA BRIDGETTE NOONAN uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
softball
HEAD COACH
LAURA HEBERLING 4TH YEAR AT USCB
HIGHLIGHTS
• Marissa Becker became the program’s all-time record holder for hits (202), triples (9) and stolen bases (47). • USCB recorded five wins over top-25 teams, including victories over then-No. 6 Campbellsville and then-No. 7 William Carey in the NAIA Southeastern Challenge. • Sophomore CF Kayla Boyle recorded a program-best 20-game hitting streak from Feb. 25 to March 28 and hit safely in 40 of 50 games throughout the season. • Becker recorded a single-season school-record six triples and finished the season with 70 hits, tied for the second-most in program history. • Boyle was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team.
2017 SUN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
TEAM......................... TSC....... OVR Warner....................................16-5............43-17 Southeastern............................16-5............29-15 Thomas....................................14-7...........35-14 Ave Maria................................14-7...........30-16 USCB........................................8-13............26-24 Keiser......................................7-14...........17-23 St. Thomas...............................5-16............10-30 Webber International...............4-17............13-22
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Marissa Becker............. First Team Abby Pac...................... First Team Taylor Boykin............... First Team ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM Alex Adams Kayla Boyle Abby Pac
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES ABBY PAC
MARISSA BECKER
OFFENSIVE AWARD MARISSA BECKER
DEFENSIVE AWARD ABBY PAC
FOR LOVE OF THE GAME AWARD HALEY HAWKINS
HIGHEST GPA ALEX ADAMS
uscbathletics.com
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2016-17 year-in-review
men’s
HEAD COACH
BERNARD GAITHER
track & field HIGHLIGHTS • USCB claimed the first Sun Conference title in men’s track & field in program history, racking up 201 points to defeat runner-up Keiser by 59 points. • Freshman Malik Paul earned Outstanding Field Athlete honors at the conference meet after winning the hammer and discus and placing fourth in the shot put. • Paul (discus) and fellow freshmen Dementris Davis (110 hurdles) and Chris George (100) qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. • Eight men’s track & field school records were reestablished in 2017 (see inset). • Bernard Gaither was named the Sun Conference Men’s Track & Field Coach of the Year. • Joel Norras was named the Sun Conference Men’s Track & Field Champion of Character Award winner.
1ST YEAR AT USCB 2017 SUN CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
2017 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM................. POINTS 1. USCB................................. 201 2. Keiser................................142 3. Warner..............................103 4. Florida Memorial................ 98 5. Webber International.......... 97 6. Southeastern....................... 53 7. SCAD Savannah................... 36 8. Johnson & Wales................... 1
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Terrance Bryant, Dementris Davis, Akira Durst, Chris George, Dylan Harris, Jacob Hutchinson, Joseph Hutchinson, Malik Paul, Bobby Williams CHAMPION OF CHARACTER Joel Norras
SAND SHARK TRACK & FIELD
NEW RECORDS IN 2017 100 200 400H 4x100 4x400 Discus Hammer PV
OUTSTANDING FIELD ATHLETE Malik Paul
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES
Chris George 10.63 Chris George 21.78 Dementris Davis 55.07 Davis, Bruno, Folston, George 42.19 Lewis, Bruno, Simmons, Williams 1:31.95 Malik Paul 48.81m Malik Paul 46.13m Jacob Hutchinson 4.27m
TOP DISTANCE RUNNER CRISTIAN SLATON
TOP FIELD EVENT AKIRA DURST
TOP SPRINTER CHRIS GEORGE
CRISTIAN SLATON
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HIGHEST GPA JOEL NORRAS
uscbathletics.com
2016-17 year-in-review
WOmen’s
HEAD COACH
track & field HIGHLIGHTS • USCB claimed the first Sun Conference title in women’s track & field in program history, nearly doubling the next team in the standings. The Sand Sharks finished with 257.83 points to easily distance themselves from runner-up Keiser (137). • Freshman Jhari Williams earned Outstanding Track Athlete honors at the conference meet after winning individual titles in the 100, 200, and long jump and anchoring the Sand Sharks’ win in the 4x100 relay. • Williams earned NAIA All-America honors in the 100 and 200 meters with runner-up finishes, and the 4x100 relay team of Williams, Taylor Superior, Faith Calloway, and Corta’Nasha Mutcherson claimed All-America honors with a fifth-place finish. • Williams (100, 200, 400, long jump), Superior (100 hurdles, 400 hurdles, heptathlon), Calloway (200), Maiya Cooper (100, 200), and Betsy Douglas (10,000) qualified for the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships. • Seventeen women’s track & field school records were reestablished in 2017 (see inset). • Bernard Gaither was named the Sun Conference Women’s Track & Field Coach of the Year.
SAND SHARK TRACK & FIELD NEW RECORDS IN 2017
60 100 200 400 10,000 60H 100H 400H 4x100 4x400 4x800 HJ LJ TJ Discus Hammer PV
JHARI WILLIAMS
uscbathletics.com
Faith Calloway 7.86 Jhari Williams 11.62 Jhari Williams 23.64 Jhari Williams 56.03 Betsy Douglas 37:12 Taylor Superior 10.24 Taylor Superior 14.80 Taylor Superior 1:02.95 Calloway, Superior, Mutcherson, Williams 47.13 Superior, Tregoning, Mutcherson, Calloway 3:51.83 Pacifico, Thomas, Bell, Douglas 9:54.13 Taylor Superior 1.67m Jhari Williams 5.66m Jaslyn Joseph 11.37m Lexis Saunders 38.53m A.J. Rivers 37.50m Lauren Tregoning 3.25m
BERNARD GAITHER 1ST YEAR AT USCB 2017 SUN CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
2017 SUN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS
TEAM................. POINTS 1. USCB.............................257.83 2. Keiser................................137 3. Webber......................... 129.16 4. Florida Memorial................ 79 5. Warner............................... 65 6. SCAD Savannah.................. 60 7. Southeastern....................... 51 8. Johnson & Wales................... 4
2017 SUN CONFERENCE HONORS
ALL-SUN CONFERENCE Lauren Bell, Faith Calloway, Betsy Douglas, Hunter Dye, Jaslyn Joseph, Corta’Nasha Mutcherson, Brittany Pacifico, Lexis Saunders, Taylor Superior, Jaime Thomas, Jhari Williams ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM Hannah Johnson, Jaime Thomas OUTSTANDING TRACK ATHLETE Jhari Williams
SAND SHARK SUPERLATIVES TOP DISTANCE RUNNER BETSY DOUGLAS
TOP FIELD EVENT TAYLOR SUPERIOR
TOP SPRINTER JHARI WILLIAMS
HIGHEST GPA JAIME THOMAS
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2016-17 year-in-review
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