GROVE CITY COLLEGE 100 CAMPUS DRIVE GROVE CITY, PA 16127

Winter 2009 Vol 3. No. 3 Swim team records historic finish The Grove City College Inside ... men’s swimming and diving Harris earns coaching honors 2 team recorded the program’s Hall of Fame honors standouts 3 best-ever national finish at the NCAA Division Gibson joins 1,000-point club 3 III Championships in Swimmers dominate PAC 4 Minneapolis March 18-21. Cagers earn All-PAC, ECAC 5 Grove City accumulated 168 Carter receives NCAA award 6 team points over the four-day event to finish sixth. Eleven Grove City athletes earned Quick Click... Bookmark these links on NCAA All-America honors. the Grove City College Senior Caleb Courage Web site, located at highlighted the four-day www.gcc.edu. event for Grove City by Caleb Courage ’09 ended his Grove City career as an 18-time NCAA All-American. capturing the national title in n Sports Carter recognized by NCAA for sportsmanship the 100 freestyle March 21. 100 free with a 43.60 clocking. finished second in the 50 free www2.gcc.edu/sports n Dept. of Physical Education The NCAA honored traught meet worker and Courage won the NCAA Courage won the 100 free with a Grove City-record www.gcc.edu/ crown with a time of 43.62 national title in 2006 and 2007. time of 19.97 seconds and Grove City College senior assured her that she was not Physical_Education.php cross country runner Kristen upset by the error. seconds in the finals. In the He also earned All- also placed 10th in the 100 n Alumni & Friends Carter with the organization’s PAC Executive Director preliminaries, Courage set a America honors in two other backstroke. www.gcc.edu/alumni 2007-08 Division III Sports- Joseph M. Onderko nominated new Division III record in the individual events. Courage See NATIONALS, page 4 n News & Media manship Award Feb. 7, dur- Carter for the Sportsmanship www.gcc.edu/news ing the College’s Award after witnessing her doubleheader with Thomas actions. Honorees inducted into Hall of Fame grove city college More College. In his nomination, Grove City College inducted its halftime of the men’s basketball Varsity G Carter received the honor Onderko wrote, “It was third class of honorees into the game against Thomas More College. See page 3 for Editor for her compassionate actions one of the most refreshing College’s Athletic Hall of Fame on More than 200 guests attended more info and Ryan Briggs ’01 following the 2007 Presidents’ and heartwarming acts of Feb. 7. the dinner and induction ceremony Sports Information Director Athletic Conference Cross individual sportsmanship I photos of the Cross country runner Kristen Carter ’09, right, receives the Division III Retired head coaches John Barr that evening. College President Country Championships in have personally witnessed in Feb. 7 festivities Design Sportsmanship Award from Fredina Ingold, Penn State Altoona athletic (men’s basketball/cross country) and Richard Jewell ’67 served as master Rebecca Miller ’04 Latrobe, Pa. director, on Feb. 7. over 15 years as a full-time Patti Zbell-Henry (women’s tennis) on campus. of ceremonies. Communications Associate Carter owned a sizeable lead athletic administrator.” joined former standout athletes Ross The College has now inducted 29 Printer and appeared to be on her The meet director real- got back on track. Penn State Altoona ath- Emerson ’57 (soccer), John “Dutch” total individuals and one team into Sharon Commercial Printing & Mailing way to setting a new course ized the error and re-directed Carter recovered to win the letic director Fredina Ingold Leonard ’59 (basketball), William McGarry ’66 (swim- the Athletic Hall Fame. Sharon, Pa. record. With about a half-mile Carter onto the proper race and after learning that represented the NCAA and ming), Charles Purdue ’70 (football/wrestling), Jerry In June 2006, Grove City established an Athletic Varsity G is the official newsletter remaining in the race, a meet course. Carter’s lead had the meet worker had been ad- presented Carter with her Smoyer ’62 (football/track) and Natalie (Sutyak ’83) Hall Fame to honor men and women who have of the Grove City College Department worker inadvertently pointed diminished significantly and monished for her error, Carter award. Carter is the first of Physical Education and Athletics. It is Watkins (volleyball/basketball) to make up the Class achieved excellence in the field of athletics or coaching published three times a year following each Carter in the wrong direction any shot at a course record sought out the employee. Grove City student-athlete of 2009. at Grove City College or who have made a significant athletic season: winter, spring and fall. on the course. evaporated by the time she Carter consoled the dis- to receive that honor. The College recognized the eight inductees during impact on its athletic program. Harris earns honors Basketball players earn All-PAC Women’s basketball head coach Sarah Harris earned Coach of the Year recognition from the Welcome to ‘Varsity G’ Three Grove City College men’s honor. He led Grove City in scoring Presidents’ Athletic Conference and D3Hoops. basketball players earned All- average (12.8) and rebounding (4.6) Dear alumni, parents, friends and athletes, com after guiding Grove City to its best PAC Presidents’ Athletic Conference while finishing second on the squad season since 2005. recognition from the conference’s head with 57 assists. O’Keefe also blocked a We recently completed a very successful winter The Wolverines finished fourth in the PAC, coaches while two members of the team-high 23 shots this year, helping sports season here at Grove City College and are with a 7-7 record in conference play, and women’s basketball program received the Wolverines lead the conference in enjoying the start of spring sports competition. hosted a PAC Championship Tournament postseason recognition. field-goal percentage defense. Both the men’s and women’s swimming and game for the first time since 2004, despite Senior guard Ryan Gibson earned O’Keefe started all 25 games this diving teams won Presidents’ Athletic Conference having just seven healthy First Team All-PAC honors while year and shot 59.0 percent from the titles in February after three days of record-breaking players for the majority junior center Andy O’Keefe is field, which ranked second in the action. The men went on to record a historic sixth- of the season. a Second Team selection. Senior conference. He also placed fourth in place finish at the NCAA Division III Championships. Harris, who completed Donald L. Lyle guard Joe McCoy earned Honorable the conference in blocked shots. The men’s basketball team qualified for the ECAC her third year as head Mention. McCoy led the conference in foul Championship Tournament for the third straight year, and the women’s coach, is the first Grove On the women’s side, sophomore shooting by draining 90 percent (74 of basketball team finished 7-7 in the PAC. The women also hosted a PAC City women’s basketball forward Christine Slater earned 82) of his attempts at the line. For the Championship Tournament game for the first time in five years. coach to earn PAC Second Team All-PAC and head coach season, McCoy fired in a team-high 48 Our , softball and golf teams all traveled south in late February Coach of the Year since Sarah Harris captured the conference’s three-goals this year and averaged 11.0 Sarah Harris and got off to promising starts in the spring season. Melissa Lamie received Coach of the Year award. points per game. He shot 46 percent We inducted our third class of honorees into the Athletic Hall of Fame the award at the end of the 2002-03 season. Gibson averaged 12.4 points per from the field. on Feb. 7. The inductees were recognized during halftime of our men’s Grove City opened the season 0-5 but game this season for the Wolverines, Slater is a Second Team All-PAC basketball game with Thomas More during the afternoon. rebounded by winning six of its next nine which ranked second on the squad. He selection for the second consecutive That night, the College also presented the inaugural Grove City College games. The Wolverines (11-15 overall) swept also led Grove City in assists (62) and season. This year, Slater led the Athletic Heritage Awards in conjunction with the Hall of Fame induction longtime rivals Geneva and Westminster this minutes played (791) while starting all conference with 11 double-doubles. Christine Slater ’11 led the Presidents’ Athletic ceremony. year. Grove City also defeated North Coast 25 games. She ranked third in the league in Conference with 11 double-doubles and ranked In addition, the College dedicated its newly-refurbished Heritage Hall, Athletic Conference runner-up Allegheny. Gibson is 17th all-time at Grove scoring, averaging 15.4 points per third in scoring. which is located in what many of you remember as the mail hall. Heritage Senior guard Raeann Szelong led the City with 1,079 points. His 325 game. Hall contains numerous photos, news clippings and other memorabilia of conference in minutes played, averaging 36.5 career assists are fourth in Grove City Her 9.9 rebounds per game ranked This year, Slater became the fifth our athletic history going back to the 19th century. per game. The Wolverines allowed just 58 points history. He earned Second Team All- second in the conference. Slater Grove City player to score 400 points It was a truly exciting, successful and memorable day for the College per game this year. PAC honors in 2007 after helping the also ranked third in minutes played, or more in a season. Her 400 points and the Athletic Department. Szelong led Grove City with 52 assists while Wolverines earn the PAC title. averaging 34.5 per game. She drained this year is the eighth-highest single- Although the Class of 2009 has just entered the Hall of Fame, we are four other players had at least 41 assists during O’Keefe is earning his first All-PAC 20 three-point goals. season total in program history. already making preparations for the Class of 2010. If you would like to the season. Grove City finished 6-5 on the road. nominate someone for Hall of Fame or Heritage Award consideration, please contact me via phone at (724) 458-2122. You may also e-mail me Women lead All-Sports at [email protected]. Men’s basketball makes Nominations also will be accepted through the Hall of Fame and Heri- Grove City’s women’s sports teams tage Award pages on the College’s athletic Web site, www.gcc.edu/sports. currently lead the race for the Presidents’ third straight ECAC trip Additionally, we are looking for any trophies, pins, pictures, awards or Athletic Conference Women’s All-Sports Trophy. Grove City has earned 37½ points memorabilia that you would like to loan or donate to the athletic depart- The Grove City men’s went 6-6 in the Presidents’ through the end of the winter sports season ment for display. It has been a real thrill to be able to piece together our basketball team made its Athletic Conference this and owns a one-point lead over Westminster. athletic history, which dates back 125 years. Any items that you could third straight appearance winter. Grove City also Grove City surged into the lead after a share verbally or tangibly would be greatly appreciated. in the Eastern College swept longtime rival strong winter season. Grove City earned eight Please stop in when you are on campus. You are always welcome. Athletic Conference Geneva for the second points for winning the conference title in Southern Championship consecutive season. swimming while the women’s basketball team Tournament March 4 as the The men’s basketball captured five points. Wolverines earned the No. program has now made 12 On the men’s side, Grove City is third with Best regards, 7 seed in the eight-team postseason appearances tournament. since joining the NCAA in 25½ points. Washington & Jefferson leads Donald L. Lyle, Ed.D. Grove City (12-13) fell 1956. with 30½ points while Westminster is second Director of Athletics at 27. W&J earned five points for finishing to second-seeded Catholic Senior Joe McCoy’s 95 third in the three-team PAC Wrestling in the quarterfinal round career three-pointers ranks Center Andy O’Keefe ’10 led the team in scoring average and rebounding. Championships. 75-59. The Wolverines sixth in Grove City history.

Page 2 Page 5 Men, women sweep PAC swimming crowns Grove City College Athletic Hall of Fame Grove City’s men’s and women’s swim- athletes surpassed NCAA Championships ming and diving teams both captured 2009 qualifying standards at the meet. Presidents’ Athletic Conference titles in The women’s team also broke 13 school February at the Grove City College Pool. records at the Championships. Eight swim- The men earned their second straight mers surpassed NCAA qualifying standards conference title after accumulating 949 team and head coach John Richards earned the points during the three-day conference cham- Invitational’s Coach of the Year award. pionships, which was held in conjunction The conference championships capped with the Grove City College Invitational. outstanding regular seasons for both teams. Meanwhile, the women’s team won its The men went 12-2 in dual-meet competition first PAC title since 1999. The women earned and clinched their 58th consecutive winning 833½ team points to out-distance longtime season. The women’s team broke 13 school records at the rivals W&J and Westminster. Meanwhile, the women’s team set a new Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championships Senior Caleb Courage earned the program record with 12 dual-meet victories Invitational’s Most Outstanding Performer Head coach Dave Fritz earned PAC Coach during the 2008-09 season. Grove City’s award on the men’s side. He also earned of the Year honors for his efforts. Grove City 12-3 record is the program’s best record MVP honors from league head coaches for swimmers broke 13 school records during percentage-wise since the 1996-97 team his performance. the three-day competition. Fifteen Grove City went 11-1. The eight-member Class of 2009 was inducted into the Hall of Fame Feb. 7. Pictured from left are: President Richard Jewell ’67, John “Dutch” Leonard ’59, Jerry Smoyer ’62, Ross Emerson ’57, Charles Purdue ’70, Patti Zbell-Henry, William McGarry ’66, John Barr, Natalie (Sutyak ’83) Watkins and Director of Athletics Don Lyle. Athletic Heritage Awards presented Grove City College presented its inaugural Athletic Heritage Awards Feb. 7 to Trustee Emeritus Harvey Miller ’40 Clay Beckner ’12 Ben Bowser ’12 Cam Coppelli ’11 Caleb Courage ’09 Kirk Gagliardo ’12 Nick Hamilton ’12 and to the families of posthumous hon- orees Dr. James Loveless and Benjamin This year’s 11 All- Jones ’23. Americans include seven first-time Miller played on the College’s first honorees. Grove varsity soccer team in 1938 and lettered City now has a on the 1939 squad. He also played tennis total of 58 NCAA and competed on the swim team as a All-Americans. student-athlete. Miller began a career in President Richard Jewell ’67, left, and Athletic law after graduation and became a long- Director Don Lyle, right, honored Ryan Gibson Peter Larsen ’09 Nate Nielsen ’11 Bennett Keefer ’11 Drew Snyder ’09 Tim Whitbeck ’09 ’09 as the 23rd 1,000-point scorer. time Trustee of the College. Loveless coached football, basketball, Harvey Miller ’40 and the families of the late Dr. Kirk Gagliardo teamed for a All-America status. The All-America honors. Snyder James Loveless and Benjamin Jones ’23 accepted NATIONALS from page 1 swimming and track and field at Grove the inaugural Heritage Awards. third-place finish in the 200 400 medley relay team graduates as a six-time All- Join the club City from 1937 to 1954. He also worked Senior Tim Whitbeck free relay. of Courage, sophomore American while Larsen has Senior guard Ryan Gibson became as assistant athletic director until leaving to an 11-0-1 record and the NFL title. captured All-America Courage, Whitbeck, Bennett Keefer, freshman four All-America citations to Grove City’s 23rd men’s basketball to become athletic director at DePauw He also won NFL titles with the honors in the 50 free by Gagliardo and Peter Larsen Ben Bowser and Whitbeck his credit. player to surpass 1,000 career points on University, his alma mater. in 1924 and the finishing third. Whitbeck combined for a third- placed eighth. Beckner, Bowser, Feb. 7. Gibson fired in a team-leading 20 Jones played football at Grove City Frankford Yellow Jackets in 1926. Jones also achieved All-America place finish in the 400 The quartet of sophomore Coppelli, Gagliardo, points in a 73-59 home loss to Thomas from 1919 to 1922 and helped Grove led the Yellow Jackets with nine touch- in the 100 free with a free relay while Courage, Cam Coppelli, freshman Hamilton, Keefer and More. The Feb. 7 game was marked by City to a 20-9-3 aggregate record during downs during their title season. 15th-place finish. Gagliardo, sophomore Nate Clay Beckner, Larsen and Nielsen all made their Senior Day festivities and the Hall of his career. The Athletic Heritage Award is Grove City’s five relay Nielsen and freshman Nick Whitbeck finished 12th in debut at the national meet Fame ceremonies. He then became a pioneer in the early designed to honor players, coaches, ad- squads also all earned Hamilton earned 12th in the 200 medley relay. this year. Grove City now Gibson finished his career as No. 17 days of the . ministrators and those individuals who All-America distinction. the 800 relay. Courage finishes his career has a total of 58 NCAA in Grove City’s 1,000-point club with Jones spent six years in the NFL from have contributed to the inception and/ Courage, Whitbeck, senior Grove City’s two as an 18-time All-American All-Americans in men’s 1,079 points. 1923 to 1928. As a rookie, he earned All- or growth of the Grove City College Drew Snyder and freshman medley relays also earned while Whitbeck owns 14 swimming and diving. NFL after helping the athletic program.

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