MEMORIAL UNIVERSITY INSIDE THE Lions’ Den

During the women’s volleyball match against Florida National University, Florida Memorial’s Athletics Director honored nearly 60 scholar-athletes for their academic achievements as well as revealed the newly branded court in the Wellness Center on Thursday, September 19. Pg. 6

INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER WWW.FMULIONS.COM Staff Directory ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION Ernest T. Jones, Athletic Director Chevonne Mansfield, Deputy Director of Athletics/SWA Strada Joseph, Associate AD, Corporate Sponsorship Jakeem Perry, Asst. AD, Compliance & Operations Stephanie Anderson, Assistant to the Athletic Director

SPORTS INFORMATION Jordean Matthews, Sports Information Director Taylor Payne, Assistant Sports Information Director

WELLNESS CENTER Rodney Carter, Director of the Wellness Center

ATHLETIC TRAINING Amra Mujagic, Asst. Athletic Trainer Tamara Jacob, Asst. Athletic Trainer Mid-South Conference Commissioner Eric Marc Mendez, Asst. Athletic Trainer Ward and his wife visit Florida Memorial CHEERLEADING/DANCE University, Friday, September 6. Kalyn James, Head Coach Ayana Harris, Asst. Coach Alicia Archer, Asst. Coach Alexis Archer, Asst. Coach

FOOTBALL Timothy Harris, Head Coach Benedick Hyppolite, Offensive Coordinator

MEN’S BASEBALL Florentino Burgos, Head Coach Andre Payne, Asst. Coach Antonio Alfonseca, Asst. Coach Ricardo Gonzalez, Asst. Coach

MEN’S BASKETBALL Ansar Al-Ameen, Head Coach Andre Thomas, Asst. Coach Ruddy Boutin, Asst. Coach Model/Activist Clementine Desseaux visited Jason Gillam-Alexander, Asst. Coach the FMU cheerleaders to talk about body image MEN’S SOCCER and more Wednesday, September 18. Edil Pavon, Head Coach Horacio Ramos, Asst. Coach Alejandro Addeo, Asst. Coach Marcio Carranza, Asst. Coach

MEN/WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD Marlon Baugh, Head Coach

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Gregory Stanback, Head Coach Joy Al-Ameen, Asst. Coach Taylor Payne, Asst. Coach

WOMEN’S SOCCER Marino Torrens Jr., Head Coach Anna Maliszewska, Asst. Coach Dillon Vallejo, Asst. Coach

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL/BEACH VOLLEYBALL Marrita Crockett-Moulton, Head Coach Jeffrey Hardman, Assistant Coach

Strength Coaches Aaron Thompson, Head Strength & Condititioning Coach Ryan Huffman, Assistant Strength & Condititioning Coach AD Jones poses with FMU student Kevin Sine who won a pair of Adidas during Summer Jam. Equipment Manager Clavens Charles, Equipment Manager Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 3

Lions Family -

The sights and sounds of a new academic year are all around us and I am excited to welcome everyone to, what is sure to be, another successful athletic season here at Florida Memorial in 2019-20. In fact, we in the athletic department are well underway as men’s and women’s soccer have hit the field for their first matches of the year while women’s volleyball is nearing conference play.

Since I joined the University last February, it has been a whirlwind of activity here in the department. We have ushered in a new era in our women’s soccer program with the hiring of head coach Marino Torrens Jr. as well as seeing another first-year head coach, Marrita Crockett-Moulton, begin the process of building the volleyball program into a national contender.

We also hired Marlon Baugh to take the reigns of our men’s and women’s track and field programs, Kalyn James as our head cheerleading coach, and Timothy Harris as our football coach. Our football program will re-launch in 2020 after a 61-year hiatus and we are excited to play our home games at Betty T. Ferguson here in Miami Gardens.

I’ve experienced Florida Memorial competing at high levels. I was in Gulf Shores, Alabama in May as women’s track competed at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Our women’s basketball program reached the Final Four of our Conference Championship last year. This season, we expect more from all of our programs.

There is no reason we cannot compete for Sun Conference championships every year across the board in all sports. We are in one of the most talent-rich areas of the country when it comes to athletics and we strive to put the “student” in “student-athlete,” recruiting those who shine in the classroom, in the community, and on the court and fields of play.

That being said, we will try to win every game every year and we will put forth our best effort. We are committed to out-working our competition and doing things the “best way” in order to be successful. Not only are we coaches, administrators, and staff, we are educators. While we strive to be successful on the field and on the court, we are preparing our young men and women for their years beyond college, providing them with the life lessons of prepara tion, teamwork, and dedication, that athletics teaches so well and arming them with traits that serve everyone throughout their life no matter their career path.

We have tremendous scholar-athletes on our campus in all of our sports, all striving to become greater on and off the field. Our athletes are recognized twice a year, in the fall and spring, in the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. We invite everyone to join us in celebrating our student-athletes throughout the year and join us at one of our athletic events. While you’re at it, bring a friend… or three. We’ll see you in the stands.

GO LIONS!

Ernest T. Jones Athletics Director INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 4 Conference Players Of The Week

(MIAMI GARDENS, FLA) -- Volleyball defensive specialist Keisha Santana has been voted as the Sun Conference Defender of the Week, Monday, September 16.

Players of the Week are voted on by all the Sports Information Directors in the conference based on the athletes performance on the field or court.

The junior libero collected 44 digs in the teams two wins over St. Thomas and .

She collected a career-high 30 digs in the 3-1 win over the Gyrenes over the weekend, four more than her previous record. Santana also added nine assists in the wins to help the Lions finish the week 2-0.

(MIAMI GARDENS, FLA) -- Men’s soccer player Jose Isaac Romero has been voted as the Sun Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Monday, September 30.

Players of the Week are voted on by all the Sports Information Directors in the confer- ence based on the athletes performance on the field or court.

The senior forward scored two goals in the teams first conference game of the season against Ave Maria.

Romero’s first goal gave the Lions a 2-1 advantage over the Gyrenes but another goal from their opponent tied the score and put the game into overtime.

He would score the game winning goal after the 90-minute mark to win the match 3-2. Romero took four shots in game of which three were on goal.

His goals provided the Lions with four points and gave them a 1-0 record in conference play.

INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 5

Where were you on 9/11?

“It was something that really changed my life and I think it’s obviously changed the way we live here in America.” -Florentino Burgos, Head Baseball Coach

“It’s crazy to believe that was 18 years ago but I remember vividly how much that changed New York in general and the whole nation.” -Chevonne Mansfield, Deputy Director of Athletics & Senior Women Administrator

“I remember [...] seeing the first plane, and then watching as the second plane flew into the building, and thinking ‘Are we under attack?’ I mean I said it out loud. It was probably one of the most horrifying moments in American history.” -Kalyn James, Head Cheerleading Coach

“A lot of people had lost their lives so it was just a very catastrophic day.” -Jeffrey Hardman, Assistant Volleyball Coach

“I just remember thinking like, what is the world coming to, what is going on?’” -Jordean Matthews, Sports Information Director

“Even being in Miami, that far away from New York, we were still worried about if it was any- thing else out there.” -Timothy Harris, Head Football Coach INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 6

Florida Memorial University Athletics Reveal Floor Branding

(MIAMI GARDENS, FLA) -- During the women’s volleyball match against Florida National University, Florida Me- morial’s Athletics Director honored nearly 60 scholar-athletes for their academic achievements as well as revealed the newly branded court in the Wellness Center on Thursday, September 19.

Before the teams took the court, Athletics Director Ernest T. Jones addressed the crowd of over 200 people to thank them for attending and to reveal the freshly branded court with the help of Memorial Sports Medicine Center.

Memorial Sports Medicine Center recently became a partner of the athletics department and the center has also secured naming rights of the athletic training room in addition to naming rights of the court.

“We are proud to welcome Memorial Sports Medicine Center as a partner of FMU Athletics,” said Jones. “They are one of the most prominent healthcare systems in Florida, have excellent standards in sports medicine and physical therapy, and currently provide medical support services for our sports programs.”

Representing Memorial that evening was Ray Shipman, Director of Business Development, and Dr. Christopher Ramsaran, one of the athletic department’s team doctors.

Shipman spoke briefly to those in attendance about the partnership and posed for photos with AD Jones, Dr. Ramsaran and University President Dr. Jaffus Hardrick.

“Memorial Sports Medicine Center supports Florida Memorial Athletics because of the exceptional educational and athletic opportunities offered to their student-athletes,” said Shipman. “Florida Memorial’s values and mission are all things we stand behind at Memorial.”

STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

The Florida Memorial Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) held their first-ever meeting of the year to discuss the organizations mission, goals and plans to implement the program into the rest of the university.

The organization is advised by Deputy Director of Athletics and Senior Woman Administrator Chevonne Mansfield and Assistant Athletic Director of Compli- ance and Operations Jakeem Perry

INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 7

FMU Day With The Dolphins

Athletic department staff tailgate with Members of the baseball team pose for a board members and alumni President Hardrick & AD Jones pose with retired NFL player Keyshawn Johnson picture near the field Florida Memorial University’s student-athletes, alumni, faculty and staff celebrated FMU Day at Hardrock Stadium for the Dolphins vs. Chargers game on Sunday, September 29.

INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue 4| pg. 8 Lions In The Community

On September 21, 2019 the men’s basketball team completed a community service event at East Greynolds Park, 16700 Biscayne Blvd., North Mi- ami Beach. The team took part in National Cleanup day, where they picked up litter along the Oleta River bank at an Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) program preserve. They participated in a free tour of mangrove restoration areas led by a county ecologist and learned more about programs that helped restore Biscayne Bay. The team was excited about the bonding time they had with one anther which made for a very successful community service event.

Florida Memorial’s women’s volleyball team joined the Global Empowerment Mission at Sacred Space Miami to help pack and load donation boxes, Saturday, September 7. The boxes contained relief aid for the Bahamas, which were loaded onto trucks and taken by Delta Airlines. The airline donated a plane toward the relief effort and the team worked hard to ensure the plane was packed up in enough time to make their deadline.

The men’s soccer team volunteered with Miami Warriors Blind Soccer along with the United States Association of Blind Athletes. The team worked with athletes who suffer from different levels of blindness including B-3 (seeing shades) B-2 (recognizing the light and darkness) and B-1 (complete blindness). FMU’s student-athletes played with the athletes and also tested out a navigation system that allowed them to see what it would be like to be blind.

INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Volume 1|Issue4| pg. 9

Palm Beach Rebirth Reception September 24, 2019

Convocation September 26, 2019

Athletic Director Ernest T. Jones walking with the Men’s soccer student-athlete Grant Peebles as President Jaffus Hardick poses men’s soccer president’s cabinet. Mr. FMU leading the way from convocation. player and Mr. FMU Grant Peebles and the court after convocation. INSIDE THE LIONS’ DEN SEPTEMBER 2019 www.fmuathletics.com Coming Up in October Follow Us On Social Media Tuesday, October 1: Thursday, October 17: Facebook: Florida Memorial Lions MSOC at Barry, 6PM VB at Florida National, 7PM WBB vs. Virgin Islands, 7PM Instagram: @GoFMULions Wednesday, October 2 : WSOC vs. Webber, 1PM MSOC vs. Warner, 3PM Saturday, October 19: YouTube: Official FMU Lions VB vs. Ave Maria, 2PM VB at Keiser, 7PM Twitter: @GoFMULions MBB vs. Game Changers, 6PM WSOC at Southeastern, 7PM Saturday, October 5: MSOC at St. Thomas, 7PM WSOC at Savannah College of Art/Design, 2PM WBB vs. ASA College, 2PM Wednesday, October 23: WSOC at Warner, 4PM Wednesday, October 9: VB vs. Johnson & Wales, 7PM MSOC at Keiser, 11AM WSOC at Keiser, 1PM VB vs. Southeastern, 6PM Saturday, October 26: Follow Our Teams MSOC at Thomas, 12PM VB at Webber, 2PM On Instagram Thursday, October 10: VB vs. Trinity, 4PM WBB vs. She Hoops , 7PM (at Webber) Volleyball: @fmulionsvolleyball Saturday, October 12: Monday, October 28: Men’s Soccer: @fmulionssoccer WSOC vs. Beaufort, 12PM WSOC at Florida National, 6PM MSOC vs. Savannah College of Art/Design, 2:30PM Women’s Soccer: @fmuwsoccer VB at Southeastern, 6PM Wednesday, October 30: Track: @fmutrackandfield MSOC at Webber, 3:30PM Tuesday, October 15: VB vs. Warner, 7PM Men’s Basketball: @fmu_mbb MSOC at Barry, 6PM WSOC at Ave Maria, 7PM Women’s Basketball: @fmuwbb Wednesday, October 16: WSOC at Johnson & Wales, 1PM Cheerleading: @fmucheer MSOC vs. Johnson & Wales, 2PM Baseball: @lionsfmubaseball VB at St. Thomas, 7PM Football: @fmulionsfb

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