COMMODORE NATION State oƒ
October 2013
SPECIAL
ISSUE LEADERS AND CHAMPIONS
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A WELCOME FROM DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS David Williams
B:11.125”
S:10”
T:10.875”
OUR COMMODORE FANS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE BEDROCK OF OUR PROGRAM, and this year more than ever we are grateful for their loyalty and support. It has been a remarkable year in many ways, and we have good reason to be proud of the moments and milestones that we together have achieved through patience, conviction, hard work and teamwork. Progress has been made on multiple fronts and we will outline those in the upcoming pages. I, too, am proud of the past year but we are more focused upon the audacious goals we have set to push Commodore Nation to even greater accomplishments. It is invigorating to be a Commodore. As we review our accomplishments and look toward our future, we want to acknowledge the deeply disturbing allegations surrounding an incident that occurred on our campus in late June, and resulted in the indictment of five football players for sexual assault and related crimes. When we became aware of certain facts and before indictments were issued, we immediately dismissed four players and they were placed on interim suspension from the university and barred from campus. We subsequently suspended an additional player from the team after he was indicted for a related crime. We want you to know we are focused as a university on giving the victim the support she needs and also on ensuring we do everything in our power to prevent something like this from happening again. We appreciate the support and concern we have heard from our friends and fans. As members of the university community, we have rededicated ourselves to upholding Vanderbilt’s time-honored values and high standards of conduct. Our summer concluded with 21 student-athletes and accompanying staff traveling to Tanzania to deliver shoes and messages of hope to secluded villages. These unselfish students, who represented most of our teams, exemplified the best values of Vanderbilt University and the United States—spreading joy in addition to footwear. Images from that remarkable service trip, to our knowledge unique among NCAA schools, are featured in this publication, including on the cover. When alumni come back to visit our department, they are astounded by the new and outstanding facilities. Within the past year we have completed work on a teaching facility and clubhouse for our golf teams, we put the final touches on an enlargement of McGugin Center that features meeting rooms and new locker rooms that impact every one of our 350 student-athletes, and our topflight baseball team played on a totally turfed field that kept some games from being rained out. Everyone is eagerly awaiting the completion of our multipurpose facility, which includes an indoor track and field set-up capable of hosting major championships in addition to a 120-yard turfed field for our teams to use during inclement weather. This facility connects to the Recreation and Wellness Center, which also is undergoing numerous upgrades including a high-tech bowling practice center that rivals any such facility in the sport. This complex will be shared with members of the university community. Much of this was possible through your generous philanthropy. We were gratified when our National Commodore Club reported school-high watermarks with annual giving, and it will be this passion and generosity that will help us achieve future needed upgrades. We will also share the good news of our competitive successes in the pages to come. Many know that our football team had the first nine-win season since 1915 and that our baseball team was ranked No. 1, but many of our Olympic sports also had banner seasons. Our student-athletes achieved these successes while at the same time producing strong academic results. We have expanded our normal distribution of this report by using it as the October issue of Commodore Nation. I hope you enjoy its contents. Anchor Down! DAVID WILLIAMS II Vice Chancellor and Athletics Director
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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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LEADERS AND CHAMPIONS in Life The fundamental values and aspirations that Vanderbilt University’s Department of Student Athletics has held dear for more than a century remain steadfast in a shrinking, changing world that challenges one’s core beliefs on a seemingly daily basis. The Vanderbilt Commodores still place the highest value on academic achievement, sportsmanship, integrity and victory as evidenced by the activities and scoreboards of the 2012–13 school year, one that began with the most football wins since 1915 and wound down with 26 student-athletes and staff unselfishly donating nearly two weeks of their summer by flying thousands of miles to remote villages in Africa to quietly spread joy and personally deliver shoes to children and their needy parents. It was a year when records toppled, facilities rose and dreams became reality.
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OCTOBER 2013
SARAH TUSTIN (lacrosse) and GRANT RAMSEY (football) were two of the 21 Vanderbilt student-athletes that participated in the remarkable Soles4Souls trip to Tanzania, the first international travel for Vanderbilt athletics in which the student-athletes did not participate in any scheduled athletic competition during the trip but solely provided service.
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EXPERIENCING the World By the end of August 2013, Vanderbilt
Team travel is more about the
Athletics had sent five teams or groups
educational experience the students
outside the continental United States.
realize than the competition, which is
The swim team did its annual training trip in Puerto Rico. In the summer months,
usually low key. “Winning a national team championship
the women’s soccer team traveled to Rio
would be the ultimate thrill for me but
de Janeiro, Brazil, our lacrosse team went
nothing will ever have the profound
to Italy and a collection of student-athletes
impact on my life that the Tanzania trip
made the unforgettable trip to Tanzania.
has made,” said Brandon Barca, associate
Just prior to the start of school, men’s
director of athletic communications, who
basketball traveled to Greece and Italy.
was a member of the contingent that traveled to Tanzania on the Soles4Souls trip. “It was an eye-opening experience; we were treated as heroes when we didn’t deserve to be. A pair of shoes became the best Christmas morning ever. “I’m blessed to have been chosen
a part of this journey stands as a defining
to represent Vanderbilt and thankful to
moment in my life. It was worth every
David Williams for giving us this once-in-a-
penny. Every mile. Every second.
lifetime opportunity to serve others. Being
“I wish every Commodore could feel the spiritual sensation of when we arrived at our first orphanage in Kigoma. The music, the love, the raw emotion displayed by children living in poverty circulated in my soul at a feverish pace, and only grew stronger with each visit. Call it an epiphany. Tears of joy mighty enough to build a
Tanza community. Grief painful enough to break down your foundation.
“It’s a power too deep to translate, but
it’s a moment we will share forever. That’s what it truly feels like to be a champion.”
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OCTOBER 2013
Brazil Italy The SOCCER TEAM traveled to Rio de
Janeiro in June and a month later the
LACROSSE TEAM experienced Italy for the
first time. The trips emphasize education over competition with well organized tours led
by the best local guides taking precedence
over the competitions that are often friendly encounters with national teams.
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Greece The MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM saw Greece and Italy first-hand in August while getting some early practice together with a series of games during the 10-day trip.
England China
STUDY ABROAD Is a Commodore Tradition In keeping with its tradition to encourage new experiences, 13 student-athletes from the Department of Student Athletics studied in five foreign countries during the summer of 2013. Breaking that total down, the traveling Commodores were from six sports—football, women’s soccer, women’s track and field, men’s cross country, men’s basketball and women’s swimming. Destination locations were England, China, Denmark, Austria and South Africa.
Denmark Austria South Africa
Football’s DARIEN BRYANT (shown here, second from left, at the Great Wall of China) was among the Vanderbilt student-athletes taking advantage of the opportunity to study abroad. Vanderbilt Athletics is one of the few major university programs that have figured out how athletes that train year-round can still have the same academic opportunities as the rest of the student body.
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OCTOBER 2013
ACADEMIC Excellence
ERIC SAMUELS (football) is currently playing in the Canadian Football
During 2012–13, 196 Commodores made the SEC’s Academic Honor Roll and 242
League, but during the school year
(71 percent of our total population) made the department’s 3.0 Club. Perhaps
the special education major
even more impressive, 126 student-athletes earned Dean’s List distinction, which
was putting a different set
requires a minimum grade point average of 3.50 for a semester.
of skills to work while
Our student-athletes combined to achieve a CUMULATIVE 3.068 GRADE POINT AVERAGE. This marks the seventh consecutive year that student-athletes have topped the 3.0 mark while competing successfully on
Commodore GPA Average
3.
the fields of play.
8
student-athletes earned Dean’s List distinction
06
126
student teaching.
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cumulative grade point average
Baseball 2.91 Men’s basketball 2.60 Women’s basketball 3.024 Bowling 3.22 Men’s cross country 3.53 Women’s cross country 3.474 Football 2.81 Men’s golf 3.31 Women’s golf 3.576 Lacrosse 3.263 Soccer 3.406 Swimming 3.332 Men’s tennis 3.093 Women’s tennis 3.162 Track and field 3.166
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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PARTNERS in the Community
During 2012–13, Vanderbilt student-athlete
Student-athletes also participated in local
donated several hours on a Saturday morn-
service ranged from hosting the annual
elementary school “Read to Me” initiatives.
ing to educate interested parties in a vari-
Trick or Treat and Holiday Party events to writing letters of encouragement to the families of Sandy Hook Elementary victims.
In total, Vanderbilt student-athletes donated approximately 1,200 hours of their valuable time to help make the Nashville
Additionally, the Student Athlete Advisory
area community better. The football team
Committee (SAAC) initiated an internal
registered the most service hours while the
competition in which each team chose a
bowling team had the most hours of ser-
charity and raised money for that cause.
vice per team member.
The women’s lacrosse team won the friendly competition, raising $3,743.59 for the Yeardley Reynolds Love Foundation. In all, $12,499 was raised from 184 generous donors through 14 different fundraising activities.
Vanderbilt Athletics partners with many community organizations and assists with many quality community activities and events every year, including Special Olympics, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, ald House, elementary school and youth
the Commodore teams were the Ronald
program fundraisers, Vanderbilt University
McDonald House, Pulmonary Hyperten-
Medical Center’s Heart Walk, YMCA’s Men-
sion Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of
tor TENNISsee and the Shade Tree Trot.
TennisSee, Nashville Rescue Mission, Oasis Center, Tennessee Golf Association, Boys and Girls Club of Middle Tennessee, Kay Yow Cancer Fund and the American Heart Association.
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the differences in the various NCAA divisions to academic eligibility requirements to basic recruiting protocols. The session was intended to be useful for key constituencies not necessarily in the normal NCAA communications loop and not geared to promoting Vanderbilt Athletics. The bowling team was awarded the coveted Tolbert Cup as the team with the best combination of service, academic achievement and athletic success.
Salvation Army Angel Tree, Ronald McDon-
Among the other charities pinpointed by
Middle Tennessee, Susan G. Komen, Mentor
ety of NCAA-related topics ranging from
The Department of Student Athletics compliance office also began a community service seminar aimed at helping high school counselors, coaches and parents of prospective collegiate student-athletes. Three members from our compliance staff
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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DEVELOPING Leaders PAIGE CAHILL, Lacrosse “We know we have so many other opportunities as athletes to reach out and affect other people’s lives. We created a fundraiser that fit into every athlete’s schedule and brought our athletic community together with the Nashville community for one goal: to make a difference.”
Like many of Vanderbilt’s student-athletes, PAIGE CAHILL has a passion for service. But the May elementary education and child studies graduate noticed that the student-athletes’ busy schedules sometimes limited their abilities to give back. Working with the Student-Athlete Advisory Council, Cahill created “Commodores Compete for a Cause,” which last spring encouraged each team to select a charitable organization and fundraise for that group. The endeavor raised more than $12,000 for causes from the Yeardley Reynolds Love Foundation to the Ronald McDonald House.
“I believe in perseverance; you can’t get anywhere in life if you give up on things you love. My goal is to run a full season at Vanderbilt and at least one year professionally before I start thinking about a career in physical or occupational therapy. I believe my own experiences will help me relate better with my future patients as I will have encountered many of the same challenges they will be going through.”
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OCTOBER 2013
ERIN EDMOND, Track and Field ERIN EDMOND understands the definition of comeback and the meaning of hard work. The former high school All-American track star has fought to return to form in both the jumps and the sprints after undergoing two surgeries on her legs since arriving on campus. The daughter of an FBI agent, Edmond has not only been a positive force on the team, she was a member of the Tanzania service trip that made such a valuable contribution.
KENDRA HENDRIX, Soccer KENDRA HENDRIX came to Vanderbilt to make a difference. Growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas, the public policy major knew that she wanted to empower underprivileged communities. She also wanted to make an impact on the soccer field. Since walking onto the squad in her sophomore year, Hendrix has made 23 starts and become a mainstay on the Commodores’ back line. She remains active throughout the community, volunteering time with Vanderbilt’s Alternative Winter Break and Alternative Spring Break, Alpha Phi Omega and the Girl Scouts.
“My major is public policy on a community development track. I’ve always had a group of people helping me out, pushing me along the way, so I really think it’s important that people have a support system. I want to go into communities and help them become sustainable on their own.”
CAREY SPEAR, Football CAREY SPEAR is a record-setting placekicker on the football team but did you know he is also an accomplished pianist and an SEC Academic Honor Roll member who finds time to serve the Nashville community with his “great teammates” by gardening at women’s shelters, helping with construction at recovery centers and serving food at missions. Instead of relaxing on spring break like most college students, Spear chooses to take Alternative Spring Breaks,
“When I came to campus I was basically unaware of what strong, faithful people do to reach out and help others. But I have grown under great leaders like Coach Franklin and Brother [Lance] Brown. I want to be a person that gives back, a person who is thankful for what I have been given and shares those gifts with others.”
where he seeks to serve others. He has traveled to Haiti, Mexico and Peru on spring service trips.
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by compiling a 26-3 regular season record. It was Vanderbilt’s third
ATHLETIC Highlights
regular season title during the Tim Corbin era.
H Baseball wins SEC and sets record for
2013 Commodore baseball set a Southeastern Conference record
most league wins (26)
TEAM
SEC Champions
H Tony Kemp is voted SEC Player of the Year
H Bowling is NCAA championship game finalist
H Men’s tennis jumps into NCAA Tournament Sweet 16
H Football’s nine wins are the
most since
the 1915 season
H Department breaks into top 50 in Directors’ Cup with 46th place finish
H Both golf teams are rated in the top 20 H Ten teams are named in the top 10 percent of their sport by the NCAA based on APR scores
H Kemp and Jessica Earnest (bowling) are named the school’s Athletes of the Year
SEC Coach of the Year TIM CORBIN was honored by the conference for the second time after leading the Commodores to the league and NCAA Regional championships and the top of the national polls.
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OCTOBER 2013
H High jumper Brionne Williams earned All-American honors in indoor track and field
NOTEworthy
Men’s basketball coach KEVIN STALLINGS is one win away from becoming the school’s winningest basketball coach.
Men’s tennis coach IAN DUVENHAGE taught a semester on the topic of South Africa while women’s tennis coach GEOFF MACDONALD taught a semester with Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss.
Women’s basketball coach MELANIE BALCOMB registered her 250th Vanderbilt victory.
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Football coach JAMES FRANKLIN was
First-year men’s golf coach SCOTT
a finalist for the Bear Bryant Award after
LIMBAUGH led his team to its best
leading his team to its most wins in 97
season in school history. He was
years and victory in the Franklin American
named Vanderbilt’s Coach of the Year
Mortgage Music City Bowl.
along with Ian Duvenhage
C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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Nation on the Rise
H
H
Commodore baseball attendance
H
Royalty income from the sale of
passed the 100,000 mark for the
licensed Vanderbilt merchandise was
first time despite one of the wettest
up 11 percent compared to our last
springs on record.
fiscal year.
Corporate marketing partner IMG
H
Large chains such as Cracker Barrel
experienced a record-breaking year
and Costco have put more Vanderbilt
with double-digit percent increase in
licensed product into their inventory.
advertising revenue.
H Ticket revenue for all sports was at an all-time high.
SOCIAL MEDIA SUCCESS
H
Doubled our social media presence since April 2012
H
Tripled our Facebook Fandom since April 2012
H
Commodore YouTube videos were mentioned on ESPN and USAToday. com, with nearly 150,000 views of Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl preparation videos
H
vucommodores.com received nearly 90,000 page impressions the day of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, making it one of the highest trafficked days in site history
SIGNS OF THE TIMES Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl victory capped a record-setting season.
VANDYVILLE IS THE PLACE There were a record-number 58 Vandyville tents in 2012, a total that has already been eclipsed with early 2013 reservations.
FACILITIES
The VANDERBILT GOLF HOUSE (above) gives the MEN’S and WOMEN’S GOLF programs one of the finest facilities in college golf.
BASEBALL’S NEW SPORTS TURF field allowed the Commodores to play ball despite one of the wettest springs on record.
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OCTOBER 2013
New MEETING AND LOCKER ROOMS in McGugin Center and enhancements such as a NEW VIDEO BOARD and SPORTS TURF in Vanderbilt Stadium echoed the rise in Commodore athletics.
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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N
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The spectacular MULTIPURPOSE FACILITY and renovated RECREATION AND WELLNESS CENTER will soon allow Vanderbilt teams to flourish as well as providing the university community with enhanced recreation and fitness options, even in times of adverse weather. The new facility, due for completion the end of October, features a 120YARD TURF FIELD and an INDOOR TRACK that will allow major track meets to come to Nashville. The upgraded Recreation and Wellness Center includes a STATE-OF-THE-ART BOWLING CENTER that will allow Vanderbilt’s powerful bowling program to practice on campus for the first time.
A sparkling new VIDEO BOARD has enhanced the atmosphere at Commodore soccer and lacrosse games.
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GENEROUS Alumni and Friends A combination of generous alumni and friends, new giving programs and outstanding athletic success led to several high-water marks for athletics development during the 2012–13 fiscal year. With contributions coming from nearly every state in the union and five countries, National Commodore Club unrestricted annual giving to support student-athlete scholarships reached a record high. The NCC welcomed more than 1,600 new members and reached another record high with 6,674 members. Restricted giving also increased by 26 percent as NCC members supported excellence through sport-specific giving. Capping off a great year, the completion of the $2.3 million capital campaign for our golf programs’ sparkling new facilities at the Vanderbilt Legends
26% Restricted giving grew 26 percent from FY12 to FY13
Club was also a special achievement.
6,674 NCC Members
(including 1,682 new members) in
45
states and
5
countries
(states not included are Alaska, Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota)
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OCTOBER 2013
FY13
$3.7M
FY12 FY11
$3.7M
$3.2M
$2.9M
$2.7M
FY10
FINANCIAL Health Other Income 5%
REVENUE (FY13)
Sponsorship 3%
NCC Unrestricted Giving in 2013
EXPENSES (FY13) Plant Expense 5%
Ticket Income 15%
Debt Service & Reserves 5%
IDS, Supplies & Expenses 12%
Salaries 40%
Gifts 7% Endowment Income 4%
University Investment 27%
A I
Scholarships 22%
SEC Revenue 39% Recruiting, Uniforms & Team Travel 11%
Game Expenses & Guarantees 5%
A I
Athletic’s 2012 Revenues In 000’s vucommodores.com
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800.336.3335 | LOEWSHOTELS.coM
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OCTOBER 2013
MAKING A Difference
A recent economic impact study indicated approximately 625,000 people come to Vanderbilt’s campus annually for sports-related events and activities. DAVID WILLIAMS and senior women’s administrator CANDICE LEE led a Nashville forum on the role of athletics in higher education, sponsored by Vanderbilt’s Office of Community, Neighborhood and Government Relations.
DAVID WILLIAMS traveled to Switzerland to meet with officials from the International Olympic Committee and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Vanderbilt’s Athletic Compliance office hosted “College Athlete 101” for all area high school athletes, parents and high school coaches and administrators.
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OCTOBER 2013
THE Future COMMENCEMENT is the biggest day on the Vanderbilt campus and the most important goal of every Commodore, including ZAC STACY, Vanderbilt’s record-breaking running back (shown here second from left). This happy day marks the successful end of one episode in the life of Vanderbilt students and the beginning of the rest of their lives.
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TEAM Reviews DIRECTORS’ CUP
• Clarke was fourth in the SEC in scoring,
Vanderbilt Athletics finished the year in 46th
third in field goal percentage and third in
place in the Directors’ Cup standings, its high-
rebounding, the only player in the league to
est finish in six years and third best on record. The Directors’ Cup is the all-sports standings of
rank in the top four in all three categories. • Clarke was named National Player of the
hundreds of NCAA institutions and measures the
Week by espnW after scoring a career-high
finishes of up to 20 sports in NCAA post-season
30 points in an upset of 10th-ranked Texas
tournaments. Vanderbilt has just 16 varsity sports.
A&M and 26 points in a road win at Florida. • Jasmine Lister (second team) and Heather Bowe (freshman team) also earned All-SEC
BASEBALL • The team matched the school record with 54 wins. • The Commodores shattered the SEC mark for league wins, going 26-3 in the SEC. • The team set the school record for wins in the regular season with 48. • VU hosted an NCAA Regional for the third time in school history and Super Regional for the second time. • Tony Kemp became the second Commodore in VU history to be named SEC Player of the Year. • Kemp and Tyler Beede were named first-team All-Americans, with Kemp a consensus choice.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • The Commodores made the NCAA Tourna-
honors on the season.
MEN’S BASKETBALL • The Commodores, who won six out of their last eight games to end the 2013 season, advanced to their fourth consecutive SEC Tournament semifinals. • After losing their top six players at the end of 2012, Vanderbilt played with a very young squad in 2012–13. • Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings finished his 14th season as head coach with 277 career victories and trails all-time leader Roy Skinner by only one win. He notched his 400th career win of his 20-year overall career and is also the all-time wins leader at Memorial Gym with 187 wins. • Coach Stallings has had seven 20-win seasons in the last nine, with six NCAA
ment and won at least 20 games for the 14th
tournament appearances and two Sweet 16s
consecutive season.
(2004 and 2007). He has the most 20-win
• The team reached the second round of the
campaigns in Vanderbilt history, and is the
NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in 11
first Commodore coach to lead Vanderbilt to
years under Melanie Balcomb.
three consecutive NCAA Tournaments (2010,
• Melanie Balcomb became the program’s alltime winningest coach, earning her 257th straight win on February 28 against Auburn. • Tiffany Clarke earned honorable mention All-America and All-Region honors from the
2011, 2012). • Vanderbilt has made a 3-pointer in 865 consecutive games, which ranks second only to UNLV for the longest streak in Division I basketball.
WBCA, as well as being named first-team AllSEC by both the league’s media and coaches.
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BOWLING
paced by Kristen Findley (ninth), Hannah
• Vanderbilt made the NCAA championship
Jumper (11th) and Liz Anderson (16th).
game for the third time in program history despite a starting lineup that had but one
team from the U.S. Track and Field and Cross
senior.
Country Coaches Association, posting a team
• Senior Jessica Earnest earned first-team All-American honors after three years as a second-team honoree. • Freshman Robyn Renslow was named national Rookie of the Year and second-team All-Amer-
NCAA South Regional.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY • Commodores earned USTFCCCA All-Academic honors after recording a 3.377 team GPA
third-team choice.
and starting a full field at the NCAA South Regional.
medal competing for the United States at the
• Vanderbilt placed 12th at the SEC Champion-
Pan-American Bowling Congress tournament.
ships, hosted by the Commodores at Percy
• Goodman placed third in the summer Junior Gold Tournament and repeated as a member of Junior Team USA. • Senior Kim Carper earned two post-graduate scholarships for her exceptional service work and also her journalistic skills. • Nicole Chanin and Liz Saffold were part of the Vanderbilt contingent that went to Tanzania on the Soles4Souls trip.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY • Commodores qualified for the NCAA Championships for the second straight year and second time in program history. • Vanderbilt placed 27th in the nation, second in the South Region and third in the SEC. • Redshirt freshman Hannah Jumper placed
Warner Park, edging LSU by 12 points. • John Ewing paced the Black and Gold at the meet, running the 8K in 25:31.58 and improving on his top time at the distance by over a minute. • Ewing also paced the Commodores at the NCAA South Regional, finishing 42nd at the 10K race in 31:57.0.
FOOTBALL • The Commodores’ appearance in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl was Vanderbilt’s third bowl appearance in the past four years and first back-to-back. • Zac Stacy became the school’s all-time rushing leader. • Stacy, Richard Kent, Jordan Matthews,
seventh overall at the SEC Championships,
Andre Hall and Casey Spear earned All-SEC
which were hosted by Vanderbilt at Percy War-
recognition.
ner Park, earning league Freshman of the Year honors and a spot on the All-SEC First Team. • Senior Kristen Findley joined Jumper on the All-SEC team, making the second team with an eighth-place finish at the league meet. • The Commodores secured three top 16 fin-
OCTOBER 2013
GPA of 3.412 and starting a full field at the
ican, and fellow freshman Amanda Fry was a • Natalie Goodman and Renslow earned a gold
28
• Vanderbilt earned All-Academic honors as a
• The team ended the year with seven straight wins, the longest streak in the SEC and school’s best since 1948. • The nine victories were the most by a Commodore team since 1915. • The Commodores began the 20-20-20 Club:
ishes at the NCAA South Regional to secure an
20th in final poll ranking, 19th-ranked signing
automatic berth in the NCAA Championships,
class and 17th-ranked university.
WOMEN’S GOLF
MEN’S GOLF
LACROSSE
• The Commodore women’s golf team finished
• The Commodores enjoyed what many observ-
• Senior Carly Linthicum was a second-team
ninth in the final Golfstat rankings of 2012–13,
ers felt was the finest season in program his-
All-West/Mid-West Region selection by the
played in 11 tournaments in 2012–13, and
tory with three tournament victories and two
Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches
finished outside of the top five only twice.
second-place finishes.
Association.
• Vanderbilt had three runner-up finishes and
• Vanderbilt cracked the top 20 of the NCAA
also finished third at the NCAA West Regional
Coaches’ Poll at one point during the year and
at Stanford.
finished the season ranked No. 36, approxi-
• The Commodores made their fourth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance, a pro-
mately twice as high as the prior year. • Vanderbilt made its first NCAA Regional
gram best for consecutive appearances, and
appearance since 2010 in Tempe, where it
finished 18th.
placed 10th.
• Sophomore Kendall Martindale finished the 2012–13 season as the team’s stroke leader and had six top finishes on the season.
• Vanderbilt claimed their first team championship since 2010 in its own Mason Rudolph Championship in the fall and proceeded to
• Linthicum was joined by classmate Paige Cahill on the All-American Lacrosse Conference team. • Linthicum led the Commodores in scoring with 49 goals, VU’s highest single-season total since 2009. • The young Commodores’ freshman class scored 88 goals on the season, nearly half of the team’s offensive output. • A total of 20 members of the squad were
win two more team titles in the 2012–13
included on the Southeastern Conference’s
tion All-American by the NGCA while she and
campaign, the most for a Vanderbilt team in
Spring Academic Honor Roll and First-Year
freshman Jenny Hahn were named to the
a single season in the history of the program.
• Martindale was named as an honorable men-
NGCA All-West Region team. • Rene Sobolewski was named to the NGCA All-Scholar team for the second consecutive season. • Vanderbilt finished in fourth place at the SEC Championships.
The Commodores also won the ASU Fall Beach Classic and the Jim West Intercollegiate. • The Commodores tied for seventh at the 2013 SEC Championship. The finish marked the first time in the 73-year history of the champion-
Academic Honor Roll. • The team traveled to Italy following the close of the season, playing against the Irish national team and hosting a clinic for local youth. • Ally Carey, a three-time All-American who
ship that they have finished in front of Florida
graduated in 2012, was a starter on the Team
and Georgia. The 2013 result equaled the
USA squad that won the 2013 FIL World Cup.
school’s third-best finish at the event (2007). • Sophomore Hunter Stewart was Vanderbilt’s leading golfer and won his first collegiate individual championship. • Most of Vanderbilt’s starts this season came from freshmen and sophomores.
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SOCCER • Freshman Cheyna Williams was named to the All-South Region team by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and
• Two players were named to the SEC first-year academic honor roll and four were named to the spring honor roll. • Courtney Colton and Lauren Mira (ranked No.
the All-Freshman team by the Southeastern
12) represented Vandy in the NCAA doubles
Conference.
championship.
• Williams’ six goals and six assists led the Commodores in both statistical categories. • The team suffered only one loss in its first seven SEC matches. • Senior Kate Goldin was named to the 2012 SEC Community Service Team. • The Commodores earned the Team Academic Award from the NSCAA for the 10th straight season. • A total of 27 members of the squad were included on the SEC’s Fall Academic Honor Roll and First-Year Academic Honor Roll. • In May the team traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, playing a pair of games against local professional teams.
MEN’S TENNIS • The Commodores were one of the nation’s best come-back stories, starting preseason ranked No. 37. • The team made their 12th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, earning the chance to host. • Vanderbilt advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2004, marking the program’s third Sweet 16 appearance. • Ryan Lipman became the fourth Commodore to earn ITA All-American honors. • Four players were named to the Spring SEC Academic Honor Roll and one to the first-year SEC Academic Honor Roll.
SWIMMING • Freshman Jenn Mann broke two school records in 100 and 200 breaststroke in Octo-
TRACK AND FIELD • Vanderbilt had its first track and field All-
ber, and she went on to break her 100 breast-
American since 2005 when Brionne Williams
stroke record in early December.
qualified for the NCAA Indoor Champion-
• Jenn Mann was named SEC Female Freshman of the Week in October. • The team established 16 school records at the SEC Championship. • The team set five school records while competing at Texas A&M: 200 Medley relay, Chrissy Oberg, Sarah Lynch, Lauren Torres and Caroline Thomas; 200 Freestyle relay,
ships in the high jump; she finished 15th and earned second-team honors. • The Commodores posted their best team score at the SEC Outdoor Championships since 2005. • A record 11 Vanderbilt athletes qualified for NCAA competition. • Kristen Findley qualified for the USA Track
Caroline Thomas, Sarah Lynch, Melissa Rob-
and Field Championships after setting a
erts and Hannah Martin; 800 Freestyle relay,
school record in the 1,500 meters (4:14.74).
Lauren Torres, Hannah Martin, Erika Deardorf
• Seven Commodores (Liz Anderson, Sara Bar-
and Elly Faulkner; 200 IM, Elly Faulkner; 50
ron, Hannah Jumper, Grace Orders, Allie Scalf,
Freestyle, Caroline Thomas.
Ellie Tidman and Lily Williams) were named All-Academic selections by the US Track and
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
• The Commodores earned their 19th straight
for posting at least a 3.25 GPA during the
NCAA Tournament bid. • Junior Lauren Mira was named the ITA Ohio Valley Region Player to Watch.
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OCTOBER 2013
spring and achieving a minimum national ranking in one event.
STAFF NEWS & Achievements Director of Athletics DAVID WILLIAMS serves on the NCAA Division I Academic Cabinet. He also chairs the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee, is a member of the NCAA Enforcement Working Group and served as a member of the SEC team that negotiated the recent ESPN and CBS television partners contracts. In the community, Williams contributes through work with various organizations including Nashville Public Television Board of Directors, Nashville Symphony, Nashville Sports Council Board of Directors, Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Adventure Science Center, 100 Black Men of Middle
TIM CORBIN serves as president of the American Baseball Coaches Association, is on the
Tennessee, Community Foundation,
ABCA’s Board of Directors and was the SEC Coach of the Year.
Special Olympics of Tennessee, Center for Nonprofit Management, and Rotary Club
Ticket Manager ERIC JONES was
of Nashville.
elected treasurer on Vanderbilt’s Faculty/ Staff Council. He will head up the Kroger Employee Assistance Program (EAP), a university-wide effort that helps make a difference in the lives of fellow Vanderbilt employees dealing with a variety of personal and family issues. Associate Director of Athletics KEVIN COLON has become a member of the
Academic counselor NATE BELL
NCAA Bowling Committee.
received his education doctorate
New Manager of Operations and Facilities
from Peabody College in May 2013.
JAMIE HOPKINS was a 30-year veteran of the United States Navy, becoming a commanding officer and rising to the rank of Captain.
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was inducted into her high school’s athletic hall of fame.
JOHN WILLIAMSON is president of the collegiate bowling coaches association, the National Ten Pin Coaches Association. Academic counselor NEAL CLARK is working on his doctorate and teaching at Trevecca University.
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OCTOBER 2013
ACHIEVEMENTS& Accolades
Academic counselor CHRISTY HOGAN
COME TO HARPETH HALL
Go Beyond YOUR EXPECTATIONS!
ADMISSION OPEN HOUSE For Parents and Daughters Sunday, November 3 • 2 p.m. Registration begins at 1:30 p.m.
www.harpethhall.org
3801 Hobbs Road | Nashville, TN 37215 | 615-346-0126 Financial Aid Available
All Vanderbilt Alumni will receive a special discount on initiation fees.
The city’s hottest spots, all under one roof.
Discover a variety of culinary delights and escape to one of the only full-service spas downtown. We’re getting ready for you, Nashville — like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Opening fall 2013. Located on 5th Avenue South adjacent to the Music City Center
ALUMNI in the Spotlight BOBBY REYNOLDS, who led VU to the 2003 NCAA title game, continues to enjoy a quality career on the ITA circuit; his upset win at Wimbledon had him on Centre Court on international television. HILLARY HAGER CARTER (’04 basketball) majored in cellular and molecular biology and neuroscience and is now a policy fellow with AAS Science and Technology. AMANDA FISH (’07 tennis) is an assistant director in the Office of University Advancement at Boston College. BRANDT SNEDEKER (’03) won the 2012 FedEx Cup and continues to be one
ANJARAE WASHINGTON (’08 track and
of the top 10 professional golfers in the world.
field) majored in civil engineering and is now an associate consultant with Bain & Company in San Francisco. KARI BOERSMA PALMER (’06 soccer) is an actuarial analyst at The Hartford. ANDREW NISKAR (’00 tennis) is Crown attorney for the federal government at the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. CARTER HAWKINS (’07 baseball) is assistant director of player development for the Cleveland Indians. MARK DONNELL (’05 and ’11 VU Law, golf ) is an associate at MGLAW.
Vanderbilt celebrated the 20th reunion of its 1993 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FINAL FOUR TEAM.
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Alumni in the Spotlight
MORE
Recent stars FESTUS EZELI, JOHN JENKINS and JEFF TAYLOR completed their first season in the NBA and returned as fans for a Vanderbilt game last winter.
COMMODORES
BARA COLA (’02 football) is an assistant
DAVID PRICE of the Tampa Bay Rays won the Cy Young Award as the American League’s
professor of mechanical engineering at
best pitcher.
Georgia Tech.
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OCTOBER 2013
TRADITION of Excellence
Vanderbilt Athletics HALL OF FAME
Class of 2013
BILLY JOE ADCOCK Basketball 1946–1950
JAMIE DUNCAN Football 1994–1997
JESS ROGUSKI ONHEISER Lacrosse 2001–2004
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JOSIE EARNEST Bowling 2007–2010
CAROLYN PECK Basketball 1984–1988
DR. A. BRANT LIPSCOMB Basketball and Baseball (1939–1941) Team Medical Consultant (1948–1990)
JEREMY SOWERS Baseball 2002–2004
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Making Strides, Changing Lives The Soles4Souls service trip to Tanzania was life changing for SCOT AIELLO (football) and his FELLOW COMMODORES. The experiences that Vanderbilt student-athletes have around the world, in Nashville, on campus, and on the playing fields all nurture the values and skills that will help them become leaders and champions in life.
Time drives change. People drive success. U.S. Bank was established on July 13, 1863. Since that time we’ve been establishing ourselves in cities and communities all over America. Focused on serving you... with good, honest, old-fashioned trust backed by the innovation and progress that moves us ahead, together. Old and new combine. Values rooted in history. Advancements untethered by possibility. We were established to lend. To volunteer. To lead. To serve. All 63,000 U.S. Bankers are committed to establishing relationships with people, not numbers or SIC codes. Relationships that will help establish the course of the next great chapter in our continuing story.
Proud sponsor of the Vanderbilt Athletics
Member FDIC Š2013 U.S. Bank
MISSION STATEMENT We prepare student-athletes to become leaders and champions in life by placing the highest values on integrity, character, sportsmanship and victory.
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Vanderbilt University is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action. “Vanderbilt� and the Vanderbilt logo are registered trademarks and service marks of Vanderbilt University. Produced by Vanderbilt University Creative Services and Vanderbilt Printing Services, 2013. This publication is recyclable. Please recycle it.
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Proud Supporter of Vanderbilt University Football.