Mike Keese

Amelia Noll

Alex Rist

Tommy Ross

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary is mourning one of its own. Senior Tommy Ross died in a car accident on Interstate 80 in Wyoming on Sunday, Aug. 14.

Ross, 21, was a Fremont, Calif., native and a wide receiver for the Spires football team. He transferred to USM in 2010 after earning his associate’s degree from Laney College in California. He was majoring in sports management at Saint Mary.

Ross and his family were en route to USM for the beginning of the new academic year at the time of the wreck.

“The loss of Tommy has shaken our tight knit community, particularly our football team,” said USM President Sister Diane Steele. “Tommy was a loved and respected member of the Saint Mary community.”

In the classroom, Ross will be remembered as a strong student, said his academic advisor, Jim Zimmerman, head of USM’s sports management program. Zimmerman described Ross as “a good student, very responsible, and very dependable.”

On the field, Ross will be remembered for his high-impact plays. He was instrumental in one of the USM Football Team’s biggest victories, making a key fourth-and-long reception during USM’s narrow upset of nationally-ranked Friends University in October 2010.

“He made some great catches,” said Lance Hinson, USM’s head football coach. “Tommy had a dry sense of humor. He’d make you laugh sometimes without even trying that hard. He was a great guy to have around the program.”

The University of Saint Mary football team gathered Sunday afternoon with President Sister Diane Steele and USM Chaplain Father Bill McEvoy to pray for Ross and his family and to support one another. A university-wide service will be held to remember Ross after all of the university’s students return to campus.

The Rawlings-NAIA Gold Glove Team is selected by the NAIA-American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-American Selection Committee. Nine players are selected each year based on their fielding success.

“This award is really as good as it gets,” said Rob Miller, USM’s head baseball coach and athletic director. “That Josh won is a testament to all of the hard work he puts into his game. I’m proud of him, and everything he and the team accomplished this season.”

Barnes was also among four USM Baseball players named as 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for their efforts both on the field and in the classroom
                                 
The honored Baseball Spires are:

• Andrew Hashman, from Shawnee, Kan.
• Barnes, from Easton, Kan.
• Stephen Maurin, from Kansas City, Kan.
• and Winston Hines, from Dodge City, Kan.

Four Lady Spires Softball players also were named as 2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes by the NAIA. They are:

• Amie Riddle, from Tonganoxie, Kan.
• Emily Gripka, from Tonganoxie, Kan.
• Jacquelyn Kerr, from Colmesneil, Texas
• and Jessica Zoglman, from Garden Plain, Kan.

The USM baseball honorees are four of only 228 NAIA baseball players to be selected for the honor nationwide. The softball honorees are among 326 NAIA softball players nationally named to the list. To be considered, nominees must be in at least their junior year academically and maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

USM was one of only two member schools of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference represented on the NAIA’s list of Scholar-Athletes for baseball.

“I’m proud of my guys,” Miller said. “They played hard this year, and they still did great when it came to academics.”

“I am proud of our players for everything they’ve accomplished, both in softball and in the classroom,” said USM Head Softball Coach Lori Lorenzen. “USM players are dedicated to their sports, but they don’t ignore their studies.”

News Release
May 18, 2011
USM’s Lady Spires Softball Players Named to All-Conference Teams by KCAC

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Three University of Saint Mary Lady Spires Softball players were named to All-Conference teams by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference this week for their strong play during the recently-completed spring 2011 softball season.

The Saint Mary players honored with All-Conference team designations were:

• Victoria Toplikar, a freshman from Olathe, Kan., named to the All-Conference Second Team as a utility player
• Renee Brammer, a junior from Tina, Mo., named as a third baseman to the KCAC’s Honorable Mention Team
• Amie Riddle, a senior from Tonganoxie, Kan., named as a pitcher to the KCAC’s Honorable Mention Team.

“I’m very proud of the efforts of Victoria, Renee, and Amie—and of all my players—this season,” said USM Head Softball Coach Lori Lorenzen. “They’re the kind of student-athletes you hope to have on a team. They played hard, and they didn’t shirk their academic responsibilities. They showed true character.”

The Saint Mary Softball Team qualified for the KCAC Championship Tournament as a nine seed. The Lady Spires bowed out of the tournament with a 9-8 loss to Sterling College and a   7-2 loss to Tabor College. USM finished the season with a 2-14 conference record and a 4-31 mark overall.

Saint Mary has 12 varsity sports programs—football, volleyball, baseball, softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, cross country, and track & field—along with co-ed cheerleading and dance.

May 11, 2011
University of Saint Mary Coaches Host Boys and Girls Summer Basketball Camps
Camps Begin in June; Registration Underway

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Utilizing their years of experience coaching college hoops teams, the head Men’s and Women’s Spires Basketball coaches at the University of Saint Mary are hosting a series of youth basketball camps this summer.

The multi-day camps emphasize the fundamentals of the game, and will give all participants a solid grounding in offensive and defensive skills, including shooting, ball handling, passing, and rebounding. Camp leaders will provide individual instruction.

The camps are held at the Ryan Sports Center and McGilley Field House on the Leavenworth campus of the University of Saint Mary, and campers will meet and work with USM’s top-ranked basketball players.

The first camp is the Lady Spires Basketball Summer Skills Camp hosted by Michael Basler, head USM women’s basketball coach. The camp runs from 10 a.m. to noon June 6-9, and is open to girls in grades 3 through 8. The registration fee for Coach Basler’s camp is $65. Call (913) 758-4339 to reserve a spot or for more information.

Jon Bishop, head men’s basketball coach, will hold a camp for boys and girls ages 4 to 14  from 8 a.m. to noon July 18-21.  The registration fee for Coach Bishop’s camps is $85. Call (913) 758-6311 for more information or to reserve a spot.

“Camp participants will benefit from our staff’s deep knowledge of coaching and teaching, and our extensive experience,” Coach Bishop said.

May 10, 2011
University of Saint Mary Spires Baseball Players Earn KCAC All-Conference & Gold Glove Awards

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Seven University of Saint Mary Spires Baseball players have been honored by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), earning designations to the KCAC’s      All-Conference teams and winning KCAC Gold Glove awards.

The USM Spires had a particularly strong showing in the conference’s Gold Glove awards—which recognize outstanding individual fielding performance—winning four of the nine possible nods.

The Saint Mary Gold Glove winners were:

• Travis Quick, a freshman catcher from Kansas City, Kan.
• Lucas Murphy, a senior first baseman from Overland Park, Kan.
• Devin Hupp, a junior third baseman from Leavenworth, Kan.
• and Josh Barnes, a senior outfield from Easton, Kan.

The Spires honored with All-Conference team designations were:

• Hupp, named First Team All-Conference as an extra infielder
• Steven Maurin, a senior from Kansas City, Kan., named as a shortstop to the KCAC’s Honorable Mention Team
• Cody McCary, a junior from Redding, Calif., named as a designated hitter to the KCAC’s Honorable Mention Team
• and Evan Faulkner, a senior from Osage City, Kan., named as a starting pitcher to the KCAC’s Honorable Mention Team

“I can’t say enough about the effort and dedication our players showed this season,” said USM Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Rob Miller. “Like an ideal Saint Mary student-athlete, they work hard both on and off the field.”

The Saint Mary Baseball Team qualified for the KCAC Championship Tournament as a four seed. The Spires won their first round game against No. 5 Ottawa University last week, before bowing out of the tournament with losses against eventual finalists Kansas Wesleyan University and Tabor College. The Spires finished the season with a 15-13 conference record and a 24-33 mark overall.

News Release
March 1, 2011

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Three University of Saint Mary Spires—two from the USM Men’s Basketball Team and one from the Lady Spires squad—have been named to the Kansas Athletic Conference’s (KCAC) All-KCAC teams for the 2010-2011 basketball season.

From the men’s team, senior Brandon Coleman, a 6’3” guard out of Kansas City, Mo., was named KCAC Newcomer of the Year and as a unanimous selection to the All-KCAC First Team. J.E.B. Greenberg, a 6’2” sophomore guard from Leavenworth, Kan., was named to the All-KCAC Honorable Mention Team.

From the women’s squad, senior Samantha Ciani, a 6’0” forward out of Glenwood Springs, Colo., earned an Honorable Mention All-KCAC nod.

“I am proud of both Brandon and J.E.B. for their accomplishments on the court this season,” said USM Head Men’s Basketball Coach John Bishop. “These honors come to individuals because the team has success and both of those guys know that more than anyone. J.E.B. has been a very productive player, and Brandon is the third consecutive Newcomer of the Year for USM.”

Mike Basler, USM’s head women’s basketball coach, added “Samantha’s game has really grown in her time here at Saint Mary. She led the KCAC in rebounding this season from start to finish, which is a really great accomplishment… I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with her on a daily basis.

The honorees were recognized at the KCAC Tournament championship game on Monday, Feb. 28.

The KCAC member schools also honored their respective KCAC Champions of Character during the championship games. USM’s selections for the Champions of Character awards for the 2010-2011 basketball season are J.E.B. Greenberg from the Men’s Team and Michelle Chrisman, a junior guard from Linwood, Kan.

The Spire Men qualified for the KCAC Championship Tournament with a 10-8 conference record. Sixth-seeded USM fell to No. 3 Bethany College in a 69-66 overtime battle on Feb. 23

USM News Release
Jan. 20, 2011

Artist’s Reception Set for 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, in USM’s Goppert Gallery

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary presents “Parts to a Whole,” an exhibition of collages and other artwork by Kansas City, Mo. artist Caleb Taylor. The show opens on Friday, Feb. 4, 2011, and runs through March 5 in USM’s Goppert Gallery on the Leavenworth campus, 4100 South 4th Street. An artist’s reception for Taylor will be held from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, in Goppert Gallery.

During the month-long show, the gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission to the exhibit or reception is free.

Taylor is a Charlotte Street Foundation Fellowship winner and a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant. He earned his bachelor’s of fine arts from Northwest Missouri State and his master’s of fine arts from Montana State University. His works have been exhibited everywhere from Clarkdale, Ariz., to New York City.

“Caleb is a prolific artist, and his commitment to his work is remarkable,” said Alexandra Robinson, associate professor of art at USM. “He is continually pushing his visual language. In his new body of work, Caleb utilizes cutouts and scribbles layered in a way that is both visually striking and unexpected. His show will not disappoint.”

Contact Prof. Robinson at (913) 682-5151, ext. 6608, or email RobinsonA@stmary.edu for more information.

USM News Release
Dec. 23, 2010

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary has named David Dominguez as head coach of the new men’s and women’s cross country and track & field programs, scheduled to begin competition in fall 2011.

Dominguez—a New York native—comes to USM from Cuyamaca College in El Cajon, Calif., where he coached cross country and track. He’s also coached at Alliant International University, Alfred State, and Erie Community College. Dominguez earned his master’s in education administration from National University, and his bachelor’s from Kansas State University, where he competed in Big 8 and Big 12 track.

The cross country and track & field programs are brand new additions to the USM campus, and Dominguez will help shape their development, including hiring two assistant coaches in the coming months. USM previously was the only school in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference to not field track and cross country teams.

“I want to build a great new tradition at Saint Mary,” he said. “I want to build a competitive program, and my goal is to bring in student-athletes who are just as strong on the academic side as they are on the athletic side.”

USM Athletic Director Rob Miller said the university was thrilled with the hire, and that the first priority for Dominguez would be to focus on recruiting.

“David really shows a lot of enthusiasm,” Miller said. “He’s really focused on the academic aspect of college athletics, and that’s a nice fit for us.”

The addition of the new programs—along with the creation of a new dance team to support the efforts of the USM Cheerleading squad—is in direct response to student demand, Miller said. He projects that the addition of cross country and track & field will bring in about 25 new student-athletes to USM.

For facilities, USM has an indoor track at Ryan Sports Center that could be used for indoor practices. The university will likely rent a facility from a neighboring public school for outdoor events.

The last time USM saw such a significant expansion to its athletics program was in 1999, with the addition of football and baseball teams. Since that time, USM added a cheerleading team in 2009.

USM News Release
Dec. 15, 2010

Brandon Coleman

Dec. 09, 2010
Three University of Saint Mary Student-Athletes Named KCAC Champions of Character

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Three University of Saint Mary student-athletes are among the names on the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) slate of coach-nominated All-Conference Champions of Character award winners.

The honored Spires are women's soccer player Jessalyn Sadler, a senior defender from Bondurant, Iowa; men's soccer player Michael Bille, a junior defender from Bonner Springs, Kan.; and volleyball player Shelby Titus, a sophomore setter from Ottawa, Kan.

Each school in the conference has a designated Champion of Character in each sport. Nominations are made by the respective head coaches. The selectees have demonstrated the Champion of Character core values as put forth by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)—respect, responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship, and servant leadership.

The All-KCAC Champions of Character Award winners also must meet several criteria: they must have participated in intercollegiate athletics for a minimum of one full academic year and must be currently participating in a varsity sport program; they must be a full-time student in good standing; and they must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

"USM student-athletes epitomize the ideals behind the NAIA's Champions of Character program," said USM Athletic Director Rob Miller. "Our student-athletes excel on the field and in the classroom, and they pride themselves on performing service in the community.

"Our athletic program instills important values like service and sportsmanship, and our athletes embrace those values. We're very proud of our Champions of Character."
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Dec. 09, 2010
Eight University of Saint Mary Students Named 'Scholar-Athletes' by the NAIA

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Eight University of Saint Mary students have been named as 2010-2011 Scholar Athletes by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for their efforts both in the classroom and on the field of play.

In order to receive the NAIA scholar-athlete award, students must be nominated by their head coach, must have achieved junior standing academically, and must maintain at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. The eight honored Spires come from a variety of fall sports: three from women’s soccer, four from men’s soccer, and one from volleyball.

The award-winners from the Lady Spires soccer team are Jessalyn Sadler, a senior defender from Bondurant, Iowa; Kathleen Hermesch, a junior midfielder from Lawrence, Kan.; and Michelle Lighton, a senior midfielder from Arlington, Texas. Nationally, 446 women’s soccer players were selected for the award.

The honorees from the USM Men’s Soccer Team are Alex Waite, a junior goalkeeper from Blue Springs, Mo.; Michael Bille, a junior defender from Bonner Springs, Kan.; Nick Stevenson, a junior midfielder from Lansing, Kan.; and Preston Becker, a junior goalkeeper from Hays, Kan. They are among 284 players to win the award across the country.

Brittney Atchison, a junior defensive specialist from Lansing, Kan., represented the USM Volleyball Team on the honor roll. Atchison is one of 387 volleyball players in the nation to earn the award.

"Besides working their hardest on the field or on the court, USM athletes can always be counted on to shine in the classroom," said university Athletic Director Rob Miller. "Despite all of the remarkable effort our players put forth in practice and on gameday, academics never take a back seat at Saint Mary. These eight student-athletes are a credit to the university."
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Oct. 15, 2010
NAIA Names University of Saint Mary A Five Star Champions of Character School Award Honors USM Commitment to Building Student-Athlete Character

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—The University of Saint Mary has been named a Five Star Champions of Character institution by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), an award that recognizes USM's dedication to excellent athletics and producing outstanding student-athletes.

The program honors NAIA member institutions for instilling in their student-athletes the five core Champions of Character values: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. USM is an NAIA Division II school.

According to the NAIA, member schools were graded on demonstrated commitment to the program and earned points in five categories: character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion. Schools earned additional points based on exceptional student-athlete GPAs and having no game ejections during the academic year.

"We're proud of this honor," said USM Athletic Director Rob Miller. "This award speaks to the high caliber of our student athletes, and our coaching staff's efforts to help mould them into well-rounded adults. Champions of Character has been around for five years, and we were one of the pilot schools. I like the direction the NAIA has gone in with the program. They've added some very high standards to be met, and we're proud to say we met them."

Over 70 percent of the NAIA's member schools made the cut, and winners earn the right to display a banner on their websites. School presidents, athletics directors, and conference commissioners also will be recognized at the 70th Annual NAIA National Convention in April.

According to the NAIA, the Champions of Character program was built to monitor schools' progress towards advancing character-driven intercollegiate athletics. The initiative supports performance-driven athletics while defining expectations and standards that drive successful teams and athletics departments.

"It is rewarding to see NAIA colleges, universities and conferences taking a leadership role in the NAIA's mission to advance character-driven athletics," said Jim Carr, NAIA president and CEO.

Saint Mary has 12 varsity sports programs—football, volleyball, baseball, softball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, cross country, and track & field—along with co-ed cheerleading and dance.

Visit www.ChampionsofCharacter.org for more information on the NAIA's program.

June 23, 2010
Hit the Links for Student-Athletes at University of Saint Mary
Annual Golf Classic
11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, Leavenworth Country Club

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Swing away for University of Saint Mary student-athletes at USM's annual Golf Classic, 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 12, at GreatLife Golf & Fitness at Leavenworth Country Club.

This year's edition of the annual charity event benefits the university's athletic department, and participants have the chance to enhance the college experience for Saint Mary student-athletes, and help USM improve its sports facilities and better support its athletic department.

Entry into the tournament costs $150 per person or $600 for a foursome. Other sponsorship levels are available. Call USM Athletic Director Rob Miller at (913) 758-6160 for more information or to register. Registration deadline is July 31.
Besides playing a round of golf, attendees will also be treated to lunch and given the opportunity to win prizes in longest drive, longest putt, and hole-in-one competitions.
Sign-in and lunch begins at 11 a.m. on Aug. 12. The round of golf kicks off with a shotgun start at noon.

"Expect a fun day, good camaraderie, and a great round of golf," said Rob Miller. "And this year, you'll have the chance to support our Spires athletes. Saint Mary athletes are among our best and brightest, and they deserve the best college experience they can possibly receive."

Register for USM Golf Classic

Visit www.stmary.edu, call (913) 758-6160, or send email to MillerRo@stmary.edu to register or for more information.