NEWS RELEASES
Dec. 19, 2011
Eleven University of Saint Mary Spires Named 'Scholar-Athletes' by the NAIA 

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Eleven University of Saint Mary students have been named as 2011-2012 Daktronics-NAIA 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 11 honored Spires come from a variety of USM Fall sports: three from football, five from men's soccer, two from women's soccer, and one from volleyball.

The award-winners from the Spires Football Team are quarterback Mike Keese, a senior from Olathe, Kan.; offensive lineman Evan Osborne, a senior from Conroe, Texas; and offensive lineman Derek Bauman, a junior from Atchison, Kan.

The honorees from the USM Men's Soccer Team are goalkeeper Preston Becker, a senior from Hays, Kan.; defenseman Michael Bille, a senior from Bonner Springs, Kan.; midfielderNick Alford, a junior from Topeka, Kan.; midfielder Nick Stevenson, a senior from Lansing, Kan.; and goalkeeper Alex Waite, a senior from Blue Springs, Mo.

Winning the Scholar-Athlete designation from the Lady Spires Women's Soccer team were midfielder Kathleen Hermesch, a senior from Lawrence, Kan.; and midfielder Claire Beebe, a junior from Wichita, Kan.

Shelby Titus, a junior setter from Ottawa, Kan., represented the USM Volleyball Team on the honor roll.

"All of these players are very deserving of this honor," said university Athletic Director Rob Miller. "These young men and women work as hard in the classroom as they do in their respective sports. Academics are always at the forefront at Saint Mary, and what these student-athletes accomplished is something that makes us all proud."

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.

Sept. 27, 2011
University of Saint Mary Spires Quarterback Named KCAC Offensive Football Player of the Week

Sept. 22, 2011
University of Saint Mary Junior Earns KCAC Volleyball Player of the Week Honors

Sept. 13, 2011
University of Saint Mary Junior Earns KCAC Volleyball Player of the Week Honors

Aug. 18, 2011
University of Saint Mary Mourns Spires Football Player Killed in Wyoming Motor Vehicle Accident
Tommy Ross Was to Start Senior Year This Month

(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.
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June 09, 2011
University of Saint Mary Spires Baseball Players Earn NAIA Gold Glove, Scholar-Athlete Honors

(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Eight University of Saint Mary Spires baseball and softball players have won awards from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for the recently-completed 2011 baseball season, including a coveted Rawlings-NAIA Baseball Gold Glove for Josh Barnes of Easton, Kan.

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. More >>

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. More >>

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. More >>

March 28, 2011
University of Saint Mary Spires Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players Earn NAIA Honors
(Leavenworth, Kan.)—Three University of Saint Mary Spires Basketball players—one from the men’s team and two from the women’s team—have earned awards from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) for their efforts on and off the court during the recently completed 2010-2011 basketball season.

From the men’s team, senior Brandon Coleman, a 6’3” guard from Kansas City, Mo., was named as an honorable mention to the NAIA’s Division II All-American Basketball Teams. Coleman—who led the Spires and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) in points per game this year with just over 17—was one of five KCAC players to earn the All-American nod.

From the women’s squad, Michelle Chrisman, a junior guard from Linwood, Kan., and Lauren Ceccucci, a senior guard and student manager from Flower Mound, Texas, were named as 2010-2011 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar Athletes.

Ceccucci and Chrisman are two of only 219 NAIA Division II women’s hoopsters to be selected for the honor nationwide. 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.

“I am proud of Brandon for his accomplishments on the court this season,” said USM Head Men’s Basketball Coach Jon Bishop. “Brandon also won a number of conference awards, including KCAC Newcomer of the Year.”

Mike Basler, USM’s head women’s basketball coach, added “Michelle is a great student-athlete and very deserving of this honor. She balances both academics and basketball and is successful at the highest levels in both.
“Lauren is a two-time recipient of this honor and has always been very dedicated and driven to be an academic all American. We are extremely proud of her.”

March 1, 2011
USM Spires Men’s and Women’s Basketball Players Named to All-Conference Teams

(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. More >>

Jan. 24, 2011
The university inducted three Saint Mary alums to the Spires Athletic Hall of Fame at a dinner and induction ceremony in Saint Joseph Dining Hall Friday evening. 

The 2011 Hall of Fame Class includes:

-- 2003 grad and Women’s Basketball player Kelly Day. During her Spires career, Day was named USM Female Scholar Athlete of the Year for 2002. She also was twice honored as an NAIA Academic All-American and was named KCAC All-Conference Honorable Mention for the 2002-2003 season.

-- Dallas Thompson, a 2005 grad, played on USM’s first ever varsity Football Team. During his time at Saint Mary—which saw him leave for a year to serve in the U.S. Army—Dallas was named KCAC All-Conference First Team in 2004, Second Team in 2003, and Honorable Mention in 2002.

-- Men’s Basketball player and Danville, Calif., resident Rob Williams, from the class of 2002. Rob won a number of honors during his two seasons with the Spires, including NAIA Academic All-American and KCAC Academic All-Conference nods in 2001, and NAIA and Verizon Academic All-American awards in 2002. He was also named Saint Mary Male Student Athlete of the year in 2002.

USM’s Athletic Hall of Fame is located in Ryan Sports Center. 

Monday, 2011
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