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University of Saint Mary Baseball and Softball Players Earn Multiple End of Season Conference Awards
Eight players from the University of Saint Mary Baseball Team and three from the USM Lady Spires Softball Team have been honored by the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC), earning designation to the KCAC's All-Conference teams, Gold Glove awards, and honors as conference Champions of Character.
The Spires Baseball Team had a particularly strong showing in this year's KCAC Gold Glove Awards—which recognize outstanding individual performance—winning four of the nine possible slots. The USM honorees were:
- Joe Haak, a junior first baseman from West Seneca, N.Y.
- Michael Ferracuti, a junior third baseman from Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
- Devin Hupp, a junior shortstop from Leavenworth
- and Travis Quick, a sophomore catcher from Kansas City, Kan.
Other Saint Mary honors included All-KCAC Second Team designations for Haak and Doug Caldwell, a junior starting pitcher from San Lorenzo, Calif. Three spires were also named KCAC Honorable Mention: Quick, outfielder Jesse Castro, a junior from Kansas City, Kan.; and pitcher Jake Wolf, a junior from Goodyear, Ariz.
Honorees from the Lady Spires Softball team included Steeli Norton, a sophomore utility player from Pocatello, Idaho, who was named First Team All-KCAC. And Victoria Toplikar, a sophomore utility player from Olathe, Kan., was named All-Conference Second Team.
The KCAC also named USM's baseball and softball Champions of Character winners for the 2012 season. The honorees were: from the baseball team, Stephen Malisa, a junior pitcher out of Goodyear, Ariz., and from the softball team, Kristina Hoffman, a junior utility player out of Pocatello, Idaho.
The All-KCAC Champion of Character Award recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated the five core Champion of Character values of Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership both on and off the field. Winners must be a full-time student in good standing and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
"We're very proud of all of our award winners," said Rob Miller, USM's athletic director and head baseball coach. "These students represent the commitment to excellence, drive, and dedication we love to see in our Spires athletes. The high character of our players fuels their accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom."
University of Saint Mary Names New Head Coach for Lady Spires Volleyball Team
 The University of Saint Mary has picked Sarah Johnson, a past assistant coach with the university's volleyball program, to head up the Lady Spires Volleyball Team.
Johnson is an Atchison, Kan., native and Leavenworth resident. She's a Pittsburg State grad and earned her Master of Arts in Education from the University of Saint Mary in 2010. Johnson was a record-setting volleyball setter during her college days, has coached club volleyball in the Kansas City area, and was an assistant coach at USM for the 2008 and 2009 volleyball seasons.
"I'm very excited about being back on the campus and court at the University of Saint Mary and about the opportunity to be working with a great group of players…
"I want to serve as a positive role model for our student-athletes, and help them succeed both on and off the court," she said. "I want to build a winning program, and, at the end of the day, I want my players to graduate with the tools, the confidence, and the value system they need to be successful."
Johnson was most recently working in fundraising with metro area schools for the American Heart Association.
USM Athletic Director Rob Miller called Johnson a perfect fit for the university.
"She's very enthusiastic about being our volleyball coach," Miller said. "In her time here, we appreciated her enthusiasm, her passion for the sport, her desire to teach, and her work ethic."
Miller said Johnson's top priority will be "to recruit quality, high-character kids for the program."
"Sarah's education, volleyball background and professional experience make her the ideal candidate for Saint Mary," added Ibraheem Suberu, Johnson's coach at Pitt State. "As a collegiate stand-out at Pittsburg State, she captained our team to success on and off the court. She is always dedicated to improving everyone around her. Coach Johnson will be a great ambassador for Saint Mary and will mentor each and every player on the volleyball team to achieve higher goals."
University of Saint Mary Basketball Players Cap Strong Seasons with NAIA Honors
Spires Guard JEB Greenberg is All-American Honorable Mention
March 27, 2012
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| JEB Greenberg |
University of Saint Mary Spires guard JEB Greenberg was one of two USM Basketball players honored by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) at the close of the 2011-2012 season, earning a place on the NAIA's Division II Honorable Mention All-American team.
Also earning honors this month: Lady Spires senior guard Michelle Chrisman, of Linwood, Kan., was named a 2012 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete.
Greenberg, a 6'2" junior from Leavenworth, Kan., helped lead the Spires to the best record in school history, going 25-6 overall with a 15-3 mark in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC). Saint Mary was ranked 22nd in the final NAIA Division II coaches' poll and finished in second in the KCAC. The Spires made both the KCAC conference tournament championship game and the NAIA DII National Tournament this season.
"I'm excited that JEB received this national honor," said Jon Bishop, USM's head men's basketball coach. "He's truly a rare player, and exactly the kind of kid that coaches love to have in their program. Any recognition that comes his way is completely deserved."
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| Michelle Chrisman |
In his third season at USM, Greenberg averaged 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. He also shot 54.6 percent from the floor, good for second in the KCAC, and 81.2 percent from the free-throw line, good fourth in the conference. Greenberg scored his 1,000th career point this season and currently ranks third on USM's all-time scoring list.
Greenberg is the fourth Spire named an NAIA DII All-American during Coach Bishop's tenure.
Chrisman was one of only 162 DII women's basketball players nationwide to earn the Scholar-Athlete designation this year. 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.
Earlier in the year, the KCAC named her a Champion of Character.
Head Women's Basketball Coach Mike Basler praised Chrisman.
"I'm proud that Michelle was again named a Scholar-Athlete" he said. "Michelle has had a fine career at USM, and she's been a joy to coach."
The Lady Spires finished the season with a 5-13 conference record, good for the eight seed in the tourney, where USM lost a tightly-contested game to Friends University in the opening round.
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. Go to www.GoSpires.com for more information on USM sports.
March 9, 2012
USM Men's Basketball Team's Season Ends in the NAIA National Tournament
The Saint Mary Men's Basketball Team played a tough game, but ultimately fell short against Indiana Southeast in the first round of the NAIA DII National Championship Tournament in Point Lookout, Mo., on Thursday, March 8. The Spires lost a hard-fought contest, 76-66.
It was a great season by the Spires. Trips to the KCAC championship game and the NAIA tournament gave Saint Mary fans a lot to cheer about. Thanks for the great year, guys.
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March 5, 2012
USM Men's Basketball Team Ready for NAIA National Tournament
The Saint Mary Men's Basketball Team is headed for Point Lookout, Mo., this week and the NAIA D II Men's Basketball Championship Tournament! The Spires' first-round matchup is at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, March 8, against 14th-ranked Indiana Southeast.
The Spires trip to the nationals comes on the heels of their appearance in the KCAC conference championship game last week. In the finals on Tuesday, Saint Mary dropped a tightly-contested game to No. 1 seed McPherson College, 86-79.
Spires named NAIA Champions of Character
 In other hoops news last week, two Saint Mary players were named Champions of Character by the KCAC. The award recognizes student-athletes who best live out the core values of the NAIA Champions of Character Program
The honored Spires are senior guard Michelle Chrisman, of Linwood, Kan., and senior guard Quinten White, of Kansas City, Kan.
"Quinten embodies the type of student-athlete we want representing our program here at the University of Saint Mary," said Saint Mary Head Men's Basketball Coach Jon Bishop. "He has been a quality young man with great character since the day he stepped onto our campus as a freshman and it's been my pleasure to coach him every day."
 Head Women's Basketball Coach Mike Basler praised Chrisman. "Michelle's one of the most dedicated players I've ever coached," he said. "She's a perfect example of a high character student-athlete, and sets a high mark for others to meet."
The NAIA Champion of Character program honors students who display five core values: integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. Honorees must be a full-time student in good academic standing, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, and participate in a varsity sports program.
Feb. 28, 2012
USM Men's Basketball Team Falls in Hard-Fought Championship Match-Up
The USM Spires Men's Basketball Squad turned in an inspiring performance in the KCAC Championship Game in Park City, Kan., Monday, Feb. 27, but lost a tightly-contested game to No. 1-seed McPherson, 86-79. The team may yet qualify for the NAIA Division II Championship Tournament in March. Tournament selections will be made the weekend of March 3-4.
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Men's Basketball team wins 10th straight, earns title shot
Feb. 27, 2012
The second-seeded University of Saint Mary men's basketball team earned a spot in the KCAC Tournament Championship game on Feb. 25 with a convincing 87-70 win over six-seed, Ottawa University. The Spires now travel to
Park City, Kan. to take on McPherson College, the No. 1 seed in the tourney. Check out the championship preview here.
USM men win quarter-final playoff matchup against Friends University
Feb. 24, 2012
The USM men's basketball team notched their ninth straight win and survived a hard-fought battle over Friends University to advance in the KCAC playoffs. The final score was 85-81 at Ryan Sports Center.
USM now takes on Ottawa University on Saturday for a chance to advance to the finals.
JEB Greenberg led the Spires with 18 and Jordan Wilcox had 16.
Read the whole story here.
NEWS
RELEASES
Nov. 21, 2011
USM Spires Football Team Picks up Multiple End of Season Awards from the KCAC
The KCAC last week named 11 Spires Football players to all-conference teams for their strong play during the recently-completed season, and named USM's Head Football Coach Lance Hinson as co-winner of the conference's Football Coach of the Year award.
Coach
Hinson, who's served as USM's head coach since 2005, shares the Coach of the Year award with Kent Kessinger, coach of KCAC regular season champs Ottawa University.
"I was honored and humbled by our conference coaches electing me as the co-Coach of the Year along with Coach Kessinger," Coach Hinson said. "It is truly an award based on the hard work and efforts of our team, coaches, and athletic department staff. Coaching is just like playing the game of football—it's a team sport, and you're only successful if you're surrounded with people who work and care about the team's success as much as you do."
Earning First Team All-Conference designations were: quarterback Mike Keese, receiver Fred Edison, receiver Billy Owens, and linebacker Cris Basch.
Defensive lineman Opetia Tuiava was named to the KCAC's Second Team All-Conference.
Spires named as Honorable Mention were: running back Kameron Ridley, offensive lineman Alan Gudka, offensive lineman Logan Fritz, defensive lineman Jacob Stout, defensive back Nick Ruiz, and kicker/punter Bobby Schattle.
"We broke a lot of records this year: most wins, most passing and receiving yards, and most conference players of the week," Coach Hinson said. "This was a great year for Spires Football, and we should all be proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes."
The Spires finished the season second in the KCAC with a 7-2 conference mark and a 7-4 record overall |
University of Saint Mary Mourns Spires Football Player Killed in Wyoming Motor Vehicle Accident
