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(11/06/14 12:45am)
The Mercer University Men’s Lacrosse Team has been working on the field in the fall in hopes of acquiring success equal to that of last season. After only their third year of competitive play, the team managed to win the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship. Unfortunately, the Bears came up short, losing in the semi-finals of the conference tournament.
Last season, the Bears finished with an overall record of 7-7 and 4-1 in conference to grasp the regular season title. In addition to winning conference, the team had six members named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference team, and head coach Kyle Hannan was named Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year.
Of the six Mercer players receiving honors, four will return this spring. Senior Timmy Geran, Juniors Chris Baxa and Mike Nugent and Sophomore Colin Massa all earned end of the season distinctions and will remain vital in the success of this upcoming season.
The off season for the team has included practice, weights, yoga and a few preseason scrimmages as the team continues to prepare for the spring season. As a vital part of the 2014 team, Mike Nugent, goalkeeper for the Bears, explains that the team has been working hard.
“For the off season, we have been in the weight room working hard, in yoga on Mondays and Fridays trying to increase flexibility, and on the field we have been out been competing and trying to make each practice intense and competitive,” said Nugent.
After having three scrimmages this fall and having success in all three, the Bears were able to measure all their hard work in the off season and know they have prepared the right way for the spring season.
The Bears played two home scrimmages against Coker and Tampa, defeating both teams. The Bears then traveled to play Jacksonville University and were victorious again.
“Our scrimmages this fall were a great way to measure where the team is at right now,” said Nugent. “It is great to get a win versus one of our rivals, Jacksonville, but at the end of the day, we have to keep it in perspective that its scrimmage, and we have to continue working hard to keep getting positive results in the spring.”
Teammate Timothy Geran was also pleased with the team’s performance.
“The scrimmages went well, and we were able to win all three, but we definitely made mistakes that we need to work on, but we have plenty of time before season starts,” said Geran.
Last year’s success for the team has paved the way for high expectations for the lacrosse team to repeat success in this upcoming season.
“Last year's success was great; I think it has provided us with a good atmosphere in the locker room, and as a result, it has made our guys more excited to compete and get better day in and day out,” said Nugent.
The Bears have welcomed 15 newcomers to the squad, with several newcomers having the opportunity to compete for spots on the field.
“I believe that the fall went really well. We have a handful of freshmen that are all going to make a huge impact,” said Geran. “After losing seniors who were a big part of our team, we need some guys to step up.”
This team has set a goal to go out and win the Southern Conference tournament this spring, and Nugent is ready to see how the team performs.
“We expect every player to contribute to our success we can’t get better unless everyone is all in,” said Nugent. “At the end of this season, I would like for us to walk away with a SOCON championship and an NCAA bid to the tournament.”
(11/06/14 12:33am)
Sara Elliot, a Mercer graduate student, is a dedicated and loyal fan of a number of Mercer’s sports teams. She has been involved and interested in Mercer athletics for over seven years. From taking road trips all over the southeast to see Mercer teams play to cheering them on at any home event, it is safe to say that Elliot loves the Mercer Bears.
Elliot attended Mercer as undergrad and was a member of the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team. After graduating, she moved on to become the graduate assistant for the team. She is currently finishing her master’s degree while assistant coaching the team.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Elliot attended Woodward Academy, where she played softball, soccer and basketball starting at the age of four. She continue to play all three sports all the way through high school. Although she enjoyed both softball and basketball, she chose to pursue her collegiate athletic career in soccer. When offered a spot to play at Mercer, she jumped at the opportunity and has been in Macon ever since.
During her time as a Mercer athlete, the team won a regular season championship and a conference championship. In 2010, she helped put her team in the NCAA tournament. Elliot has many wonderful memories as a Mercer soccer player, but she has one that continues to stick out in her mind.
“My favorite memory is definitely beating Kennesaw State 1-0 in overtime with five seconds left during the 2010 regular season,” said Elliot. “It earned us a bye in the first round of the Atlantic Sun Tournament.”
Her passion and love for sports is evident through her endless support of many Mercer sports teams. She makes an effort to support and keep track of all Mercer athletics. Elliot’s involvement in Mercer athletics is something that she takes very seriously.
Elliot admits that she does not enjoy professional sports and that her passion lies in college athletics.
“I have no ties to professional sports and never got into the professional sports scene,” said Elliot. “I grew up watching college sports team, specifically Georgia Tech, and professional sports have never appealed to me.”
Elliot loves all of the Mercer sports teams, but she has a few that stand out to her.
“I like men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball the best here at Mercer,” said Elliot.
Elliot will often be found watching whatever Mercer sporting event is taking place on her phone or on her computer. She knows the results of every contest and is dedicated to keeping up with the performances of all Mercer sports teams.
While she has memories of her own, Elliot also has favorite memories of memorable wins by other Mercer teams.
“When first asked this question, my immediate thought was in 2009 when the Mercer Men’s Soccer team beat UNF in the Atlantic Sun semi-finals 3-0 in Jacksonville. Eight of my teammates and I drove down and painted up ‘Go Bears!’ for the game. It was really exciting. The away games are a lot of fun,” said Elliot. “Anytime I have the chance to catch a Mercer game on the road, I do. In 2012, I went and watched the baseball team play at Mississippi State in the NCAA Regional Tournament. They ended up losing, but it was fun. More recently, I traveled to watch the volleyball team play in Chattanooga. They won the game in five sets. It is, so far, my favorite Mercer game this year.”
Elliot is also looking forward to basketball season. She enjoys the luxury of watching an indoor sport, especially now, because it is getting cold out. She is also looking forward to spring sports. She loves baseball but finds softball more exciting because it is more fast paced and does not take as long.
Her passion for Mercer sports in evident as she is often seen wearing gear from numerous sports teams. She is rarely seen not wearing Mercer orange. You can find Elliot at most sporting events proudly cheering on the Mercer Bears!
(11/06/14 12:30am)
Men’s Soccer
In another overtime game, the Mercer Men’s Soccer Team came out victorious against the Wofford Terriers 3-2.
In the exciting Tuesday night matchup, the Terriers scored first, making the score 1-0 in the 27th minute. The Bears did not answer until 40 minutes later, when Will Bagrou found the back of the net. Four minutes later, the Terriers fired back, making the score 2-1. The Bears did not lose hope, as Jordan Duru scored 20 yards from the goal with a score of 2-2.
After a full 90 minutes of play, the Bears finished off the Terriers with another goal by Bagrou.
Later in the week, the Bears overwhelmed the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 3-0.
The only player who scored throughout the matchup was Bagrou, giving him his first hat trick of the year. Mercer completely outshot the Keydets 21-5 in the win.
Greg Ranjitsingh, goalkeeper for the Bears, registered a total of five saves, with a number of the saves late in the second half.
In a midweek game in Greenville, S.C., the Bears took on the Furman University Paladins and were defeated 2-1.
In the 15th minute of the game, the Bears were up 1-0 after an own goal by the Paladins. Th remainder of the first half remained scoreless. The Paladins were determined to make up their own goal and scored in the 53rd minute, making the score 1-1. While the Bears were tough defensively, they could not stop the Paladins from scoring again off of a penalty kick in the 83rd minute. The Paladins overpowered the Bears offensively, outshooting them 12-5.
Even though they received the loss, the Bears still remained first in the Southern Conference for the conclusion of their regular season.
In their last Southern Conference game of the season, the Bears defeated the Buccaneers of East Tennessee State University 1-0. This win placed the Bears first for the conference tournament and crowned them the regular season champions.
Early in the first half, Ashani Samuels found the back of the net, making the score 1-0. The Bucs could not overcome the Bears defense, while goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh registered six saves and his ninth shutout for the season.
By taking first place in the Southern Conference, the Bears receive a bye for their first game and they will play Nov. 13 against the winner between the four and five seeds.
Women’s Soccer
On their final road trip of the season, the Bears first traveled to Chattanooga, Tenn., to take on the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs. In the contest, the Bears drastically overwhelmed the Mocs with a score of 8-1, and Mercer regained the number one spot in the conference.
The Bears outshot the Mocs 26-10 while six different players scored for the Bears throughout the game. These players included Washida Blackman, Sydney Brogden, Brianna Stampler, Lauren Gassie and Kim Murphy. Both Gassie and Murphy registered two goals in the second half.
Maggie Cropp and Cristina Mursuli, goalkeepers for the Bears, only allowed one goal and combined for two saves in the contest.
To remain in number one place and be crowned regular season champions, the Bears had to defeat the Samford University Bulldogs in their last Southern Conference game of the season. The Bears were unable to do so and were defeated by the Bulldogs 1-0.
The only goal in the game was scored before the fifth minute in the first half. Although the Bears outshot the Bulldogs 11-7, Mercer could not find the back of the net throughout the contest.
With the win, the Bulldogs took first place in the conference, attaining the regular season championship, while the Bears took third place overall.
In the opening game of the Southern Conference tournament, the Bears defeated the Catamounts of Western Carolina 2-1.
The first half of the game remained scoreless, but Sarah Daane managed to find the back of the net in the 64th minute. The Catamounts answered back less than two minutes later to tie the game. With only eight minutes left in regulation play, Lauren Gassie headed it into the goal, giving the Bears their first win of the tournament.
Volleyball
In their second Southern Conference win of the season, the Mercer Women’s Volleyball Team defeated the Wofford Terriers 3-2 (26-24, 18-25, 25-19, 23-25, 15-8).
In the midweek win, three Bears recorded double doubles: Hannah Noon, Cara Tripp and Molly Locke. Noon dished out 45 assists with 11 digs while Tripp tallied 10 kills and 10 blocks in the win. Noon also had four kills, five block assists and two service aces.
In her 12th double double of the season, Locke tallied 14 kills and 10 digs. Tori Penrod, sophomore Libero for the Bears, collected 24 digs in the five-set match.
Starting their weekend, the Bears hosted the Furman University Paladins in Hawkins Arena on Friday, Oct. 24. Although the Bears were able to take a set from the Paladins, they were unable to come out victorious, falling 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-16, 25-6).
In the match, Emily Krogman, freshman right side for the Bears, collected 14 kills and came out with an impressive .500 hitting percentage. Caroline Carlton also tallied double digit kills with 11 in the loss.
Finishing up their weekend, the Bears defeated the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Mocs 3-2 (25-16, 21-15, 25-27, 25-23, 15-12).
In the five-set thriller, sophomore Jordan Gollon shined for the Bears. She collected 14 kills out of 24 attacks with only one error. Gollon’s hitting percentage, .542, is the best of her career thus far. The middle blocker also had five blocks, two digs and an assist in the winning effort.
Locke collected her 13th double double of the season with 16 kills and 27 digs. Carlton also registered double digit kills, tallying a total of 12. She also had six blocks, four digs and an assist.
In a midweek game, the Bears traveled to Savannah, Ga., to take on the Savannah State University Tigers. In the second meeting of the two teams, the Bears came out victorious once again, 3-0 (25-17, 25-17, 25-18).
Leading the Bears, Carlton tallied 14 kills with only three errors. Locke was just shy of her 14th double double with 13 kills and nine digs.
Defensively, Tori Penrod and Bailey Noon led the Bears with 11 digs each.
To open up homecoming weekend, the Bears defeated the Keydets of The Citadel 3-1 (25-19, 25-7, 17-25, 25-21).
Penrod led for the Bears with a total of 10 service aces and 14 digs, which was her second double double of the season. Locke also registered a double double with 17 kills and 14 digs.
On Saturday’s match, the Bears defeated the Samford University Bulldogs in a five-set thriller (25-22, 31-29, 20-25, 8-25, 15-13). Before the Bears’ win, the Bulldogs were 10-1 and first in the Southern Conference.
Carlton led for the Bears with 13 kills, which is the fifth time this season that she has gotten double digit kills. Cara Tripp was right behind her with 12 kills and also added five blocks. Defensively, Penrod led the Bears with 19 digs in the five-set thriller.
Mercer won the fifth set 15-13, and Bears fans went crazy by storming the court following game point.
Men’s Golf
In its last tournament of the fall season, the Mercer Men’s Golf Team finished fifth out of 13 teams in the Bridgestone Golf Collegiate in Greensboro, N.C. The Bears finished with a total score of 878 for the tournament and with a team score of 293 in the final round.
In the fifth place finish, sophomore Emmanuel Kountakis and senior Trey Rule tied for 10th with a total score of 216. The next best finish for the Bears was 35th for Jerry Ren with a total score of 224.
The Bears will begin their competitive spring season in February.
Women’s Golf
The Mercer Women’s Golf Team finished their fall season with an 11th place finish out of 13 teams at the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational in Starkville, Miss. The Bears tallied a total score of 924, which was 66 points shy of the first place finish.
Finishing in 11th place, Katy Harris collected a total score of 220 in the three-day tournament. Sophomore Marin Harris finished next best for the Bears with a total score of 229, taking 39th place.
(11/06/14 12:26am)
Gary Guyer, coach of the Mercer University Women’s Golf Team, is the winningest coach in the program’s history. The program has been extremely successful since he came to the team in 2008. As of his arrival, the team has climbed national rankings and was ranked in 55th among 256 division one programs in the 2013-2014 year.
In his six seasons at Mercer, Coach Guyer believes that he brings “vision” to the program that this asset can push his players to compete to the best of their abilities.
“I envision the Mercer Women’s Golf program competing at the NCAA finals. I remember a speaker coming to Mercer and talking about how a young basketball coach at Duke, Mike Krzyzewski, told him about his vision to compete at the highest level. Duke had never been to the NCAAs at that time. It turned out well for him,” said Guyer. “It boils down to convincing top recruits of what we want to do at Mercer and that they can be a part of something special. I have worked really hard to develop and nurture our relationship with The Idle Hour Club. There are few places better than the facilities at IHC. The instructors are the best in the country, so we have everything a player needs to become extremely successful and reach our vision.”
Coach Guyer’s vision has taken the Mercer Women’s Golf Team to new heights in his six seasons here. In the fall season, Katy Harris took first place in the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Tournament and is continuing to improve her scores.
“Katy won the UNCG tournament beating 90 players. She was actually the tournament leader in four of our first five rounds of the year. Katy has all the physical qualities to compete at the highest collegiate level and compete on the LPGA tour. She has length off the tee and is a confident putter. She needs to get her approach shots closer to the flag so she can have solid chances at 8-10 birdies per round,” said Guyer. “She will continue to get better as she is maturing. She has come a long way. Marin has a lot of talent, and with some hard focused work over the next three months, she could push Katy. Keep your eye on Sarah Brown. She has a new instructor, and she will be amazing if she trusts him and believes in herself.”
In this fall season, the team has taken three top-ten finishes, but Coach Guyer believes that the team as a whole can perform better.
“The fall season could have been better, as we did not play up to our potential. We started well in our first tournament by shooting an even-par round of 288,” said Guyer. “We didn’t close like we usually do and finished third. In the other three tournaments in the fall, we just did not get a consistent effort to post four quality scores.”
Although the team has not done as well as Coach Guyer had hoped, his expectations have not lowered going into the spring season.
“We have a high-quality schedule in the spring, so we have a chance to make a run and do something special. We have three months to prepare, so we will see who works the hardest and wants it the most. We have an incoming freshman joining the team in the spring, and she has the potential to be an impact player,” said Guyer. “My only expectation is for them to give Mercer and the rest of the team their best effort. At the end of the day, all you can do is commit to be the best you can be; learn from the results and have some fun. It is a game.”
Opening their spring season, the Bears will travel to Athens, Ga., to compete in the Old Waverly Bulldog Individual Championship on Feb. 8.
(10/22/14 9:10pm)
Women’s Soccer
After a full 90 minutes and two overtimes, the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team could not overpower the Furman University Paladins, tying the team 0-0.
In the Oct. 5th contest, the Bears outshot the Paladins 16-12 but could not find the back of the net. Senior Tess Patton led the Bears with four shots on goal while Washida Blackman registered three of her own. Maggie Cropp, goalkeeper for the Bears, tallied seven saves, which was a season-high for her.
After the hard-fought contest, the Bears sat at second place in the Southern Conference and were looking to take the first place spot in their next game.
In another double overtime battle, the Bears came out victorious against the East Tennessee State University Bucs, who previously sat in the first place spot.
Early in the game, the Bucs took the lead and held onto it for most of the game. In the 88th minute, senior Stephanie Giangiuli found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1. After 90 minutes and the first overtime, Maddie Clark scored the game winning goal for the Bears, making the final score 2-1.
In their final game of the weekend and their senior night, the Bears defeated the Western Carolina Catamounts 1-0.
Just before halftime, Washida Blackman found the back of the net to put the Bears on top. Goalkeeper Maggie Cropp registered four saves along with her fourth shutout of the season.
Nearing the end of their SoCon play, the Bears overwhelmed the Citadel Bulldogs 3-0. The first half was scoreless, but that changed almost immediately going into the second half when the Bulldogs scored in their own goal. From there, it was only going to go up for the Bear. Both Emma Chandlee and Washida Blackman registered goals for the Bears. Maggie Cropp tallied her fifth shutout of the season.
Men’s Soccer
After traveling to Johnson City, Tenn., the Mercer Men’s Soccer Team overcame the ETSU Bucs 1-0.
In the 67th minute of play, Jourdan Gooden recorded the single goal of the game off of a pass from teammate Thomas Glennon. In the victory, goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh tallied some solid saves, including a one-on-one shot. He registered four total saves for the contest.
With an impressive crowd at Bear Field, the men’s soccer team defeated the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Spartans 3-2.
The Spartans were the first to score, but the Bears answered back almost immediately. Will Bagrou scored in the 12th minute and again just before halftime.
After the break, the Spartans fired back, making the score 2-2, but the Bears were not settling for a tie. In the last 10 minutes of the game, Max Poore scored off of a penalty kick, securing the win for the Bears. Ranjitsingh registered five total saves for the Bears, with four being in the first half alone.
After a full day for Mercer Athletics, the men’s soccer team concluded the day with a victory over No. 24 the Furman Paladins.
In the 3-0 victory, Carson Brooks, freshman starter for the Bears, tallied two goals while Ian Antley scored one. All three goals came late in the second half, as the Bears continued to remain perfect in Southern Conference play.
In their first conference loss of the season, the Bears were defeated by the Wofford Terriers 2-1. The first half remained scoreless, but the Terriers soon took the lead in the second with a goal in the 47th minute. The Bears answered back in the 65th minute with a goal by Carson Brooks. The Bears were unable to hold onto the tie as the Terriers scored with four minutes left in the game.
In an exciting double overtime game, the Bears defeated the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Spartans. In the first half, Mercer held onto the lead with a goal by David Murtaugh in the 25th minute. The Spartans answered back with a goal off of a free kick in the 58th minute. Both teams were unable to find the back of the net for the rest of the game until the 104th minute. Thomas Glenn scored the game winning goal and Ranjitsingh recorded seven saves.
The Bears remain first in the conference with a record of 5-1 in conference play.
Women’s Volleyball
In a midweek road contest, the Mercer Women’s Volleyball team faced the Samford University Bulldogs. Continuing to struggle with injuries, the Bears fell to the Bulldogs 3-0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-20).
In the match, Bailey Noon, freshman defensive specialist for the Bears, registered a team-high of 10 digs with one service ace. Returning to play after a severe concussion, Monica Johnson tallied six kills while teammate Molly Locke tallied seven. Hannon Noon and Claire Walizcek, setters for the Bears, added 27 combined assists.
Returning home, the Bears were defeated by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs 3-1 (25-20, 20-25, 25-23, 30-28).
In the hard fought battle between the two teams, Junior Molly Locke led the Bears with 25 kills on 59 attempts with only eight errors. Cara Tripp, middle blocker for the Bears, also contributed double-digit kills with 11 on the day. Before injuring her knee early in the third set, junior Monica Johnson tallied seven kills as well. Setters Noon and Walizcek added a combined 45 assists in the contest.
In a midweek non conference game, the Bears overcame the Savannah State University Tigers 3-0 (25-12, 25-16, 25-15).
In the contest, Molly Locke led the Bears with 14 kills while Tori Penrod led defensively with 14 digs. Hannah Noon, redshirt sophomore, registered 21 assists in the win.
In a five-set thriller, the Bears fell to the Western Carolina Catamounts 3-2 (25-16, 21-25, 17-25, 25-15, 15-10).
In the contest, Locke led the Bears once again with 19 kills and 30 digs. This is Locke’s tenth double-double of the year while setter Hannah Noon tallied an impressive 52 assists in the loss. Also, Caroline Carlton tallied 14 kills with only one error, receiving a .361 hitting percentage.
Battling a longtime rival, the Bears were unable to overcome the ETSU Buccaneers and fell to the team 3-1 (25-16, 25-15, 19-25, 25-13). Both Locke and freshman Emily Krogman registered 12 kills in the match, with Locke also tallying 14 digs. This is Locke’s eleventh double-double for the year, and it was a season high for Krogman.
Men’s Golf
In the AutoTrader Classic located in Duluth, Ga., the Mercer Men’s Golf Team was cut short in finishing the tournament because of cancellation due to heavy rain and tornado warnings. Before the cancellation, the Bears finished the first day in sixth place out of 12 teams with a score of 572.
Sophomores Emmanuel Kountakis and Sean Smothers led the Bears on the first day. Kountakis finished the day with a total score of 140 and was in fourth place. Smothers registered an overall score of 140 and finished in ninth place.
Women’s Golf
Traveling to Daytona, Fla., the Mercer Women’s Golf Team participated in the LPGA Xavier Invitational. In the three-day tournament, the Bears placed eighth out of 13 teams with a total score of 952, just 14 strokes high of seventh place.
Leading the Bears, sophomore Katy Harris took 14th place with an overall score of 229. Senior Meredith Owens had the next best finish in 44th place with a score of 241.
(10/22/14 9:07pm)
To kick off the Mercer Men’s and Women’s Basketball seasons, Mercer Madness was once again held in Hawkins Arena on Friday, October 17. Students were invited to attend the pre-party on the intramural courts to receive free T-shirts and pizza. After the pre-party, the Macon community was invited to Hawkins Arena to be a part of the “madness.”
Tj Hallice, a senior on the men’s team, was excited about the turnout and thinks that Mercer Madness was a great way to kick off its season.
“I think it brought an early excitement to our program and an awesome way to introduce the new players to the Mercers fans,” said Hallice.
During Mercer Madness, both new and old players were introduced to the crowd. Then, Bob Hoffman and Susie Gardner addressed fans and informed them about the upcoming seasons.
The men’s and women’s teams also competed in a dance-off, for which the fans were able to choose the winner. Although both teams brought their best dance moves to the floor, the crowd voted the women’s team as the winner of the contest.
Continuing with the contests, Mercer basketball players and a Mercer student competed in a dunk contest. There was no question about who won when Ike Nwamu leapt over his teammate to dunk the ball into the basket.
After the dunk contest, both squads held their own scrimmages to give the fans a preview of what is to come in the upcoming seasons. Hallice was impressed with their scrimmage and thinks that it was a great way to show what is to come this season.
“I think our scrimmage went really well,” said Hallice. “I wish we could’ve played longer because five minutes was not long enough to truly show how ready we are for the upcoming season.”
(10/22/14 9:02pm)
Alex Lakes, redshirt freshman, has had a huge impact on the field for the Mercer Football team in the 2014 season thus far. He wears jersey number 27 and is a running back for the Bears.
Lakes is from Newnan, Ga., and attended Northgate High School, where he participated in both football and track. When offered the opportunity to play at Mercer, Lakes could not refuse the offer.
“I chose Mercer because it is close to home, and no matter what, my parents will always get to see me play,” Lakes said.
So far this season, Lakes has played in all eight games. This season, he has scored 11 touchdowns and had a total of 107 rushes adding up to 698 yards.
“I feel good about my performance this year, but I would not be able to do it without the help from my team, from the offensive line and receivers blocking to the play calling by the coaches,” he said.
Lakes was also named Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Month for the month of September. During this month, he was a key player in the Bears’ going 3-1. Lakes was also named freshman of the week after the Bears defeated Stetson 49-0. He was among the first of Mercer student-athletes to receive recognition from the conference for his performances. Lakes currently leads the conference in rushing, is second in the conference in scoring and has scored an average of 9.4 points per game.
After being named the Southern Conference’s Offensive Player of the Month, Lakes was placed on the Watch List for the Jerry Rice Award. Twenty-one newcomers in the FCS were placed on this list and was joined by freshman Chandler Curtis. The award is named after Jerry Rice, who played wide receiver in the FCS at Mississippi Valley State. It is given yearly to a standout first-year player in the FCS. A panel of esteemed members nominate and select the winner, who will be announced December 15.
The team is currently 5-3 with losses to Samford, Furman and Western Carolina, who were among the top teams in the Southern Conference last season. Despite the losses, Lakes stays positive about his team.
“Our team has done really well this year,” Lakes said. “I feel as though we had chances to win the two close games against Furman and Samford.”
Many players have specific pre-game rituals and routines before contests, and Lakes is no different.
“Before games, I just like to joke around and listen to music. I am not one of those people who has to get all serious before games,” said Lakes.
While at Mercer, Lakes studies sports business and wants to pursue a career that involves football.
“My dream job would be to play for the NFL because I would be getting paid to play the game that I love,” he said. Lakes would also be interested in being a college football coach or an athletic director.
Lakes really enjoys spending time with friends and teammates and trying to have a good time. Most of his weekends are spent playing, but when he is free, he likes to listen to music and be with friends.
“I love to hang out with my friends and just have a good time,” Lakes said.
Off the field, Lakes is a pretty shy although he enjoys social media such as Twitter and Instagram, like most college kids. He also loves listening to music, and his favorite artist is J. Cole.
(10/13/14 1:53pm)
After two weeks on the road, the Bears returned to Mercer to compete against the Austin Peay Governors following the road loss to Samford the previous week.
Immediately after the opening kick-off, the Bears marched down the field, as the Governors had no answer for Alex Lakes on the ground as he plowed his way into the end zone on a 12-yard touchdown run. The Governors, unable to get anything going, were forced to punt to the FCS leading returner Chandler Curtis. Curtis made them pay as he returned the punt 61 yards to put the Bears on top 14-0, only minutes into the first quarter.
The Governors were unable to mount any offense against Mercer on the next drive and were forced to punt again. John Russ wasted little time as he hit Tee Mitchell for an 80-yard strike on the first play of the drive.
The Bears defense once again held strong as they forced yet another punt. Russ completed his second touchdown pass of the game this time with Avery Ward on the receiving end.
After the teams traded punts, the Governors finally found the end zone in the early part of the second quarter as Malik Boyton caught a pass from Micky Macius to cut in to the lead by 6 after a missed extra point. Mercer would answer back quickly as Russ found JT Palmer for Russ’s third touchdown pass of the game, putting the Bears up 35-6 going into halftime.
Austin Peay did manage to score coming out of the half as the found the end zone for the second time, but Mercer would answer with two fourth quarter touchdowns by Alex Lakes and Derek Owings.
The Governors’ late touchdown and two point conversion was not enough to overcome the Bears. The Mercer Bears defeated the Austin Peay Governors 49-21 to move to 5-2 on the season as the remain undefeated in non conference play.
(10/10/14 8:24pm)
Senior Lauren Gassie has been a standout player on the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team since her first season in 2011. As a four-year starter in the midfield position, Gassie has always had a prominent role on the team.
Gassie is a native of Winter Park, Fla., where she played club and high school soccer since she was four years old. She verbally committed to Mercer her sophomore year after being recruited early in high school. After visiting the campus, she knew she wanted to play here.
“I visited the campus, loved the team and committed,” said Gassie. Conveniently, her favorite colors were already orange and black.
Gassie’s impact on the Mercer Women’s Soccer team has been evident throughout her three years of competition. In her freshman season, she made the Atlantic Sun Academic Team. Her sophomore year, she had a total of 19 points, six goals and seven assists. She was honored as a member of the Atlantic Sun Academic Team. Her junior year, she led the Mercer team in shots, scored four goals and tallied seven assists. She was named Atlantic Sun player of the week September 3 and was also named to the Atlantic Sun All-Conference Team.
Already this season, Gassie has started in all 11 contests, scored five goals, made three assists and has a total of 13 points. After her performance in the team’s 2-1 win over Presbyterian, Gassie was named Southern Conference Player of the Week for the week of September 16.
Gassie’s biggest goal for this season is to win conference and she hopes to help her team in any way she can.
“After being in the conference finals for two years, the senior class wants to finally get a ring and make it to the NCAA tournament,” said Gassie. “It is tough coming into a new conference because we don't know as much about the teams, but hopefully we can use our senior-heavy team to win it all.”
Coming into a new conference for her last season is challenging.
“The Southern Conference is strong, but the top teams in the SoCon are similar to the top teams in the Atlantic Sun,” said Gassie. “Samford and Furman will be our biggest competition.”
Both teammates and coaches value Gassie’s ability to score and work hard on the field. Donnie Gumble, strength and conditioning coach, is constantly impressed with her persistence on the field.
“Gassie has an uncanny ability to score on the field, which in unusual and impressive for her position,” said Gumble.
Although she is great player, she admits that she is not fond of running.
“I hate and I am awful at running and fitness,” said Gassie. “My coach says I have a west coast mentality.”
Roommate, friend and long time teammate Rachel Buffalo, another senior on the Mercer squad, is confident in Gassie’s abilities on the field.
“She’s been the spark in our offense this season and has been playing really well,” said Buffalo. “It’s been great living with her the last three years, and I’m glad I’ve found a friend that will last a lifetime.”
Although Gassie admits that her favorite thing to do on a Saturday night is play under the lights at Bear Field with her teammates, she is more than just a soccer player. Although athletics have taken up a majority of her life, she has many goals, hobbies and interests that are not sports-related.
Gassie enjoys seafood, especially seafood gumbo, blue crab and crawfish. Her guilty pleasures include Mountain Dew and Taco Bell. She also loves candy with her favorites being Reece’s Pieces and pink Zotz.
She enjoys listening to all music but her favorites are Justin Timberlake, Sam Smith and Dave Matthews. She enjoys going to Broadway shows, and her family has season tickets every year.
Besides being a fan of the Mercer University Bears, Gassie also cheers for the Louisiana State University Tigers. Her grandfather, dad, and uncles all went to school at LSU, so Gassie has been a long time fan of the Tigers.
Gassie majors in psychology with a minor in chemistry. In the future, she wishes to be a forensic psychologist. She also hopes to move back to Florida (or somewhere that is not cold) after she is finished with school.
(10/10/14 8:22pm)
Margaritas in Mercer Village is a great place to hang out and eat with friends. Mercer students have indulged in the convenience of its placement since it was built. Anyone who has ever eaten there can clearly see that Margaritas loves Mercer and loves celebrating Mercer Athletics.
Brad Cork, co-owner, is the reason for Margaritas’ faithful support of all Mercer Sports teams. From displaying jerseys and memorabilia on the walls to showing regular season and high stakes matches for customers, Margaritas and Cork always maintain support for Mercer’s teams.
Cork grew up in Macon and went to Georgia College, which is now called Georgia College and State University. He married into the family that had owned Margaritas since 1988.
“I quit my real job to work in the family business some years ago. My next-door neighbor works for the developer of the Lofts, and he told us they were planning some lofts at Mercer a year or so before they were built,” said Cork. “He said that the students all wanted a Mexican restaurant to go in the retail space and asked if we were interested.”
Cork and his wife Valerie jumped at the great opportunity to run the Mercer Village location. They have been running Margaritas in Mercer Village since 2011, when it opened.
“I became involved in Mercer Athletics after opening here in 2011 and getting to know all the various members of the different teams,” said Cork. “Coach Hoffman was one of the first people from Mercer to introduce himself to us. He brought a Jersey to us to put up on the wall shortly after we opened, and we have had a great relationship since.”
Cork is devoted to attending Mercer sporting events, getting to know both athletes and coaches and supporting the teams however he can.
“I really enjoy every aspect of running this location,” said Cork. “It has been a pleasure being a part of Mercer and getting to know everyone here.”
Mercer Athletics have become a way of life for Cork and his family. His whole family enjoys watching and tailgating for Mercer sporting events.
“I truly enjoy every sport here, but I must admit that I have a special place for soccer. My son plays it, and he enjoys coming to the men’s and women’s games,” said Cork. “We also enjoy loading up on the ‘Margaritas shuttle’ golf cart (AKA Taco One) and tailgating on the golf cart in right field of the baseball games. All my kids enjoy coming to the various sporting events here.”
Although Cork was more of a working man growing up, he has always been around sports.
“I enjoyed playing all sports growing up but did not play organized sports,” said Cork. “I started working at 16 and decided that I liked making money more than playing sports.
I really don’t follow many other sports teams very closely anymore.”
While Cork does not support other teams, owning the restaurant has really enabled him to become involved.
“I want to support Mercer Athletics as much as I can not only because it is good for business but because I enjoy doing what I can,” said Cork. “Most of the teams and their families have been very good to us, so naturally, I would like to help out in return. Admittedly, before opening this location, I did not follow Mercer very much at all.”
During his time running the Margaritas at Mercer Village, Mercer has had some of the greatest sports seasons in Mercer history, and Cork has had the opportunity to enjoy them.
“I think my best memory is one that is shared by thousands of others: the basketball win over Duke,” said Cork. “What a magical day that was, and hopefully we can experience something similar in the future!”
Cork and family are most excited for Mercer’s upcoming homecoming festivities.
“I look forward to the homecoming weekend games,” said Cork. “That should be a fantastic day on campus and at Margs!”
(10/10/14 8:20pm)
Women’s Soccer
In its last non-conference game of the season, the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team overwhelmed the University of South Carolina-Aiken 5-0.
Four of the five goals in the contest were scored in the first half. Maddie Clark, Tess Patton, Brianna Stampler and Lauren Gassie all found the back of the net in the first 40 minutes. In the second half, Liz Hopkins was the only player to find the net, resulting in the final score of 5-0.
In their first Southern Conference game of the season, the Bears tied with the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, 1-1.
In the third minute of the game, Sarah Daane scored off of a free kick to make the score 1-0. After 85 minutes, UNCG Spartans fired back, making the score 1-1. Following two overtimes, the Bears and the Spartans could not determine a definite winner, leaving the game at 1-1.
To conclude their first conference weekend, the Bears came out victorious against the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 4-0.
The Bears completely overpower the Keydets, outshooting them 28 to seven. Four different Bears scored throughout the game: Brianna Stampler, Lauren Gassie, Katelyn Dimopoulos and Washida Blackman.
For their next contest, the Bears traveled to Spartanburg, S.C., to play the Wofford University Terriers on Oct. 3. After a grueling first half, the Bears did not find the back of the net until the 85th minute. Lauren Gassie finally scored after intercepting a pass near the Terriers’ goal.
Soon after, Patton also scored, making the final score 2-0. In the winning contest, goalkeeper Maggie Cropp made a season high of seven saves.
Men’s Soccer
In the conclusion of the ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic, the Mercer Men’s Soccer Team fell to Bradley University Braves 2-1.
In the first half, the Bears were unable to find the net while the Keydets made the score 2-0. Jordan Duru, a transfer from FGCU, scored for the Bears in the 81st minute, but it was not enough for a win. Both Duru and Ashani Samuels were named to the All-Tournament Team.
In their first Southern Conference match, the Bears defeated the VMI Keydets 1-0.
Mercer completely overpowered VMI, taking 24 shots while the Keydets only took four. In the 21st minute, Duru found the back of the net, which was the only goal in the game.
After practicing for a full week, the Bears took on the East Tennessee University Buccaneers in their only match of the weekend. Although the Buccaneers outshot the Bears 10 to seven, the Bears received their second nonconference win 1-0.
Off a pass from Thomas Glenn, Jourdan Gooden was able to find the back of the net in the 66th minute. Goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh had four saves throughout the match and played a crucial role for the Bears.
Volleyball
The Mercer Women’s Volleyball Team opened its Southern Conference Play with a win against the Citadel Bulldogs 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-18).
Molly Locke, outside hitter for the Bears, recorded her ninth double double, with 13 kills and 16 digs. Monica Johnson only registered one error in the match for a .444 hitting percentage. Both Caroline Carlton and Ellie James added over seven kills in the victory. Also, Tori Penrod notched a match-high of 22 digs in the winning effort.
In their opening home match of the season, the Bears fell to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro 3-1 (25-17, 20-25, 14-25, 24-26).
After overpowering the Spartans in the first game, the Bears were unable to win another set.
In her 32 attempts, Carlton registered 10 kills, which is the fifth time she has reached double-figure kills for the season. James was one kill shy of a double double, with nine kills and 13 digs. In the four-set match, Penrod averaged 5.0 digs per set, which gave her 20 kills overall in the match.
After waiting a week to play, the Bears faced the Wofford University Terriers in their third non-conference match of the season. After suffering a number of injuries before and during the game, the Bears fell to the Terriers 3-0 (25-14, 25-14, 25-20).
Offensively, Jordan Gollon led the Bears with six kills and only one error. Gollon also added four blocks throughout the contest.
Both Monica Johnson and Cara Trip, starters for the Bears, were not able to play due to previous injuries. During the game, Ellie James, starting outside hitter, was also taken out due to an ankle injury. With three starters unable to compete, the Bears struggled throughout the match and were not able to overpower the Terriers.
Men’s Golf
In the Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio, the Mercer Men’s Golf Team finished fifth place overall. In a strong final round, the Bears pushed past Charlotte University and Michigan State University with a score of 300. Overall, the Bears posted a score of 880 for the weekend.
In the fifth-place finish, senior Trey Rule and sophomore Emmanuel Kountakis both placed within the top ten.
After traveling to Baton Rouge, La., to compete in the David Toms Intercollegiate, the Mercer Men’s Golf Team placed third overall out of 12 teams.
In the final round, the Bears scored 286 while their total score for the tournament was 902, only 11 points shy of first place
Kountakis, sophomore for the Bears, had a boisterous final round and finished second place overall with a score of 217. Along with Kountakis, freshman Jerry Ren and senior Trey Rule also placed within the top ten.
Women’s Golf
The Mercer Women’s Golf Team competed in the University of North Carolina-Greensboro Forest Oaks Fall Classic on Sept. 29 and 30. Overall, the Bears placed ninth with a score of 919.
Although the Bears’ finish was not ideal, sophomore Katy Harris took first place out of 95 other competitors. Along with her overall score of 73, Harris also got a hole in one during the tournament.
Sophomore Marrin Hanna was next behind Harris, placing 29th overall with a score of 230.
(10/10/14 8:17pm)
While head and assistant coaches for specific teams are important, many people often fail to recognize the coaching that takes place behind the scenes. In the early hours before the sunrise and in the late hours after the sunset, you can find Donnie Gumble, strength and conditioning coach, in the weightroom.
For over a year now, Gumble has been working for Mercer Athletics while receiving his master’s degree in Higher Educational Leadership. Before Mercer, Gumble had an internship with a large division one school.
“Mercer was a unique opportunity that I discovered while I was interning at the University of Florida,” said Gumble. “I was looking for a position as a Graduate Assistant, and it just felt like the right place to be. A Master of Education in Higher Education Leadership, along with the potential to work with the various teams here, was too good to pass up.”
Before his internship at the University of Florida, Gumble graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a Bachelor of Science in Human Performance. During his undergrad, Gumble gained a great deal of knowledge.
“Eric Krause, assistant strength and conditioning coach at FGCU, was my mentor throughout my undergraduate courses,” said Gumble. “I gained even more invaluable knowledge from him, which I am incredibly grateful for.”
While at Mercer, Gumble has had the opportunity to work with most of the athletic teams. Now, he specifically works with volleyball, soccer, golf and tennis. Caroline Carlton, a senior on the volleyball team, has seen great improvements since Gumble has worked with her and is appreciative of his hard work and dedication.
“It is nice having a strength coach that cares about your sport and is so specific when it comes to the exercises he chooses in workouts,” said Carlton. “Donnie has traveled with our team a number of times, and we are so appreciative of his overall support.”
Also, while Gumble has been at Mercer, he has improved the University Center athletic weight room in a number of ways.
“We basically opened up the space so that the student athletes would be able to effectively move around the weight room,” said Gumble. We removed all of the nonessential machines, took down privacy panels (that served as an office cubicle) and arranged the room in a way that makes sense for the type of strength and conditioning program we wanted to build.”
Although equipment is an important part of strength and conditioning training, Gumble’s main focus at Mercer has been to make his athletes better in all aspects of their respective sports.
“I want my student-athletes to thrive in all aspects of their lives, but keeping them injury-free and putting them in position to perform their sport at the highest level is my primary goal in the weight room,” said Gumble. “We focus on many different ways to teach and improve mobility, stability, and movement pattern efficiency while increasing strength, power, and endurance.”
After Gumble completes his master’s, he wants to stay within strength and conditioning but has bigger goals later in life.
“I plan to continue to coach collegiate athletes in a similar capacity for a long time,” said Gumble. Eventually, I would like to move into a role as an athletic director when I'm older and tired of coaching.”
(10/06/14 8:55pm)
The rings of British accents chanting “Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole” echoed on the golf course, as Martin Kaymer, playing for Europe, and Steve Stricker, playing for the United States, began the penultimate match on the afternoon of the final day of the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois.
The Americans headed into the final Sunday with a comfortable lead of 10-6 against the tough English competition. It looked like it was all wrapped up for the United States, but the Europeans took the first four points of the day and were off to the races.
As Kaymer took a look at his final hole of the match, he knew he needed to sink the putt for par in order to retain the cup and make the match between Tiger Woods and Francesco Molinari irrelevant.
Kaymer wasn’t thinking about missing the putt or the importance of the next swing. He was just extremely happy to be in the position he was in.
“It’s a feeling I’ve never had before,” Kaymer said in an interview after the match.
The differences between individual and team golf is an interesting aspect to the game, and sports enthusiasts and researchers have searched for the reasoning behind this difference.
Lauren Bigham is a sports psychologist consultant, and she is getting her doctorate in counseling psychology at The University of Georgia. She has studied and worked with golfers during her education, and she can give evidence and expertise about the differences in individual versus team performance.
“When you play as an individual you take the consequences of your own actions, and you are the one who gets hurt with failure,” Bigham commented. “But when you play on a team, if you blow up you are bringing down the team, and your performance enhancement is doubling the risk.”
Sports psychology is all about the thoughts in the back of athlete’s minds, whether they are debilitating or enhancing thoughts. Through different techniques you can drown out the debilitating and promote the healthy thoughts.
Bigham believes that the answer to the differences in mentality with individual versus team golf lies with the individual and their motivation.
“Not only does a golfer’s preparation and performance depend on the individual athlete, but it also depends on the atmosphere of the team,” Bigham said. “It can be a very healthy collegial team or a very cut throat in house competition, and either one can make a golfer dislike or enjoy the team aspect of the game.”
After gathering his nerve, Kaymer stepped back onto the green with the weight of Europe on his back.
He sunk the 8 foot putt to seal the comeback, and he was immediately engulfed in the pandemonium of his teammates.
“It was a level of ecstasy that I had never experienced,” Kaymer said. “The major win was just for myself, but I could see the guys behind me.”
Captain of the European team that year was Jose Maria Olazabal, and spectators said that he looked to the heavens as he broke down in tears while the English fans went mad.
“I’m glad I had the 12 men on my side ready to give their best for a whole week,” Olazabal said in an ESPN interview. “I think the players really believed in the team.”
The phenomenal comeback of the 2012 Ryder Cup will be one for the history books because it gives a prime example of a golfer’s mentality through a team victory.
Tom Watson is a veteran at the Ryder Cup, and he is a US captain for the 2014 competition. Watson specializes in the team aspect of the golf game, and he loves the team
competition.
In a recent article, Watson explained, “I am going to use every bit of information that I can use to both motivate and inspire the players and create the best team possible for a victory.”
There is a big difference for golfers when they play as a team and as individuals. There are altered expectations, pressures, and stresses.
In a PGA interview for the upcoming Ryder Cup, Watson talked about the mentality of these golfers and how he wants to coach them.
“Different people handle pressure better than others,” Watson said. “The track record shows that, whether [the golfers] can hold their own pressure playing individually; can they hold the pressure, hold it or succeed under the pressure when they are playing individually. That’s the only standard that I can go by.”
These varied mentalities and ways that golfers control themselves in competition is a source of study and discussion for sports psychologists.
Bigham also agreed with the comments that Watson made about team play, and she used Watson as an example of a golfer who “lives off team play.”
“Some play better and feed off the team’s energy, but it has been proven that team play provokes a lot of anxiety for athletes because of the shamefulness that comes with loss,” Bigham said.
(09/28/14 12:13am)
Many people are unaware that there is a town inside of a city here in Macon, Ga. Payne City is completely surrounded by Bibb County and is located off of Vineville Avenue. Inside of the city within a city, there is a quaint restaurant and bar called Twang.
Because of its lack of advertisements and remote location, many people at Mercer have not heard of the Southern eatery, which is a shame.
Located in a large brick building, Twang gives customers an old-timey feel. With its Southern décor and spacious seating, it is the perfect place for date night or a dinner with friends.
When we arrived at the restaurant, the hostess greeted my friends and me immediately. After being seated right away, our waiter, Trey Reece, came to our table within seconds to take our drink order. Throughout the dinner, Trey was extremely attentive to our table and was always asking if we need anything else.
When asked what his favorite dishes were, he did not hesitate to give us his answers.
“The most popular items, which happen to also be my favorites, are the Twang burger, fish tacos, shrimp and grits and fish and chips,” said Reece. “My personal favorite is the Twang burger.”
After hearing his testimony, two of the three of us decided to order the burger. With the burger, customers are able to add a variety of toppings, some more Southern than others. There are a variety of cheeses (bleu cheese, swiss, cheddar, smoked gouda and pimento), mushrooms, bacon, fried egg and fried green tomato. Each of these toppings costs a dollar, but they are well worth the money. After one bite, Elizabeth Tate, photography editor for The Cluster, was thoroughly impressed. She even thought that the burger rivaled that of The Rookery.
For my meal, I decided to go with the Finger Pickin’ Trio. This array of Southern delicacies included three fried macaroni and cheese bites, three fried green tomatoes and three fried catfish fillets.
This was my first time having fried macaroni and cheese bites, and Twang’s recipe did not disappoint. The bites were neither too fried nor too cheesy; they were the perfect balance between the two.
If you have ever experience the fried green tomatoes at The Rookery, then you should unquestionably make a trip to Twang to see what they have to offer. Their fried green tomatoes are aptly fried, battered in corn meal and served with a Vidalia onion vinaigrette.
The catfish fillets are battered the same way as the fried green tomatoes, but they are served with a chipotle remoulade. The dipping sauce is the perfect mixture of spicy and sweet. Overall, the trio was an enjoyable meal that is suitable as an appetizer for a large group as well.
Not only does Twang offer a unique variety of Southern food, but it also a great place to go to unwind and get a drink. Their happy hour, during which all drinks are half-off, runs from 4-7 and then from 9-11. Twang also has exceptional drink specials every night of the week, including happy hour all day on Sundays.
While it is a charming restaurant, Twang still remains busy throughout the week.
“Our busiest days are Thursdays through Saturdays, and on Saturdays, we always have a live band,” said Reece. “It may seem like a calm, relaxed place, but Twang is a lot more than that.”
Overall, our experience at Twang was more than enjoyable. I encourage all Mercer students to venture out to Payne City and to give this place a chance.
(09/25/14 6:22pm)
This week's fan of the week is Robert Swanagan, one of Mercer's favorite chefs. Many Mercer students know him as Mr. Robert, who can often be found in the caf working the grill.
Although many students know and see him daily, they may not know that he is a Mercer Athletics super fan. He is one of the most cheerful and reliable fans at all Mercer sporting events.
Since he began working at Mercer, he has been a dedicated and loyal fan of all Mercer Athletics. Swanagan has made a conscious effort to support athletics consistently. In his four years at Mercer, his attendance to various sporting events has been excellent.
It is not rare to see him at sporting events, cheering on the teams and even wearing his Mercer gear. Student athletes are never surprised to see him at their games. Swanagan adds, “I love coming to the games and seeing the athletes perform. Win or lose, I will always be a fan.”
In his time here, Swanagan has faithfully supported as many sports teams as he can. "Four years I have been here, four years, since October 2010, watching Mercer play,” he said.
When asked which sports are his favorite he answers with excitement," Football, basketball, soccer, and tennis," said Swanagan. "I am getting into the volleyball, but I have not gotten to see them as much. I love volleyball and I am trying to get out more to see them".
Mr. Robert is very proud of the success that Mercer’s sport teams have continued to have during his time here. He is thrilled for all the upcoming sports seasons and the opportunity to support athletics throughout the next year.
Mr. Robert enjoys most sports at Mercer, but he is especially excited for the newer Mercer sports teams. “This year, I want to see lacrosse build up because they are a new team and growing team," he said. "I am really excited for the track team, too.”
As such an avid sports fan, it is no shock that Swanagan participated in various sports while growing up. "I played football, a little bit of basketball, tennis and wrestling, and I love sports," said Swanagan. He played these sports as Red Devil while attending Owensboro High School in Owensboro, Ky. Swanagan has been a huge sport fan his whole life.
Every student athlete is constantly encouraged by Swanagan as he makes an effort to know the student athletes. Members of Mercer's athletics expect him to be a frequent fan at events all over campus.
He has worked hard to remain knowledgeable of upcoming competitions, which students are athletes and what teams they play for to ensure his superior fan hood.
His dedication does not go unnoticed, and as The Cluster's Mercer Fan of the Week, he promises, “Any free chance I get, I will be supporting Mercer in their events.”
(09/25/14 6:15pm)
Molly Locke, junior outside hitter for Mercer University’s Women’s Volleyball Team, has been a crucial part of the team since her first year as a freshman.
In her sophomore season, Locke led the team with 278 kills, averaging 2.40 kills per set. She also led the team with nine double-double performances throughout the season.
This year alone, Locke has already racked up six double-doubles in the team’s nine matches completed. She is only 265 kills away from reaching 1000 kills in her collegiate career.
Locke started playing volleyball when she was 11 years old. She played on her middle school’s sixth grade team. Soon after, Locke began playing club, and that is when she fell in love with the game.
“When I first started playing, it was so new and exciting, so I automatically loved it. It didn't take me but probably a year to realize it's the sport I wanted to pursue. When it started to become my ticket to school I kind of stopped loving it because I saw it as a job,” said Locke. “This past summer is when I started to really love it again. I started playing for fun and not just for competition, and it made me look forward to this season more than I had before.”
After competitively playing for a few years, Locke knew that she wanted to pursue a college volleyball career. Once she found Mercer, everything fell into place.
“I knew I wanted to play Division I volleyball, but I also knew it would have to be a smaller school. I liked knowing I would be a face and not just a number. I wanted to be a part of a program that I knew I could have an impact on. I also wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Locke. “Mercer Volleyball is headed toward big things, and it's going to be pretty cool to know that I was a part of that. Mercer always has been a great school and it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.”
While volleyball is an extremely important part of her life, Locke’s family is also a huge part of her life. Her parents are tremendously supportive of her, and she particularly looks up to her mom.
“My hero, as cliché as this is, would have to be my mom. My mom is the backbone of my family. She keeps everything together and ALWAYS puts those she loves over herself,” said Locke. “I've never met anybody in this world as selfless as her. I could be having the worst day of my life, and I could feel like I'm falling apart, but she seems to put me back together.”
After Mercer and her volleyball career, Locke plans to be a special education teacher. She is a part of the holistic child program at Mercer, and she is hoping to make a difference in the world.
“I feel like I have been called to help others, whether it's making someone's day a little easier or even something bigger. That's part of the reason I want to teach special education, because I want to help these children with disabilities understand their worth and their abilities,” said Locke. “I would hate to look back on my life one day and feel like I failed my students and also those around me.”
(09/25/14 6:13pm)
Women’s Soccer
On Sept. 7, the Mercer Women’s Soccer Team defeated the Houston University Cougars 3-2.
In the third minute of the game, Washida Blackman, senior forward for the Bears, scored off of a free kick from Sarah Daane. Just before halftime, junior Sydney Brogden increased the score to 2-0.
The Cougars fired back in the second half by scoring two more goals, making the score 2-2. Junior Maddie Clark ended the game by scoring in the seventy-first minute, just one minute after the Cougars’ last goal. The Bears won 3-2.
The highly anticipated game on Sept. 12 against the University of Georgia Bulldogs was cancelled due to severe weather.
The Bears were back in action against the Presbyterian College Blue Hose. Early in the game, the Blue Hose took a 1-0, but the Bears were not far behind. Senior Lauren Gassie scored the Bears’ first goal just minutes after the Blue Hose goal.
In the second half, Gassie recorded another goal in the sixty-fourth minute. The Bears defeated the Blue Hose 2-1.
In a hard fought battle between in-state rival Georgia State University, the Bears were defeated by the Panthers on Friday, Sept. 17. In the 1-0 loss, the Bears outshot the Panthers 14 to 10 but could not find the back of the net.
Maggie Cropp, junior goalkeeper for the Bears, had three saves while senior Bri Stampler had four shots on goal.
Men’s Soccer
On Sunday, Sept. 7, the Bears faced the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. Going into the game, the Gamecocks were rank No. 27 by Top Drawer Soccer, and South Carolina Player, Mahamoudou Kaba, is ranked among the top 100 players nationally.
Offensively, the Bears struggled throughout the game, in which they recorded only four shots on goal. The Gamecocks scored once in both the first and second half, defeating the Bears 2-0.
In the following weekend, the Bears participated in the Springhill Suites Invitational in Statesboro, Ga. After defeating both the University of North Carolina at Asheville Bulldogs and the Florida Atlantic University Owls, the Bears were named champions of the tournament.
In their Friday match against the Bulldogs, the Bears came out victorious with 3-0 win. Will Bagrou, Chandler Klemm and Jourdan Gooden registered goals. The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 15-6 and were offensively unstoppable.
In their Sunday match, the Bears overwhelmed the Owls 3-0. Max Poore, Jourdan Gooden and Chandler Klemm recorded goals.
After on overall terrific performance by the Bears, four team members were named to all tournament team: Will Bagrou, Ashani Samuels, Jordan Duru and Ian Antley.
In the opening game of the ProRehab Aces Soccer Classic, the Bears dropped a hard fought battle against the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville.
Early in the first half, sophomore Max Poore scored the first goal of the game off of a penalty kick. The Purple Aces tied the game in the thirty-second minute and then overwhelmed the Bears for the rest of the game. The Aces score two more goals in the second half, and the final score was 3-2.
Volleyball
In arguably one of their hardest tournaments of the season, the Mercer Women’s Volleyball Team struggled throughout the Magnolia Invitational hosted by Ole Miss University.
In their first matchup of the weekend, the Bears fell to the Ole Miss Rebels 3-0 (25-16, 25-16, 25-18). Going into the match, the Rebels were 8-0 overall.
In their second matchup of the day, the Bears faced the University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers. While the Bears took the first game, the Blazers took the match 3-1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-21). Molly Locke, junior outside for the Bears, collected her fifth double-double of the season with 16 kills and 13 digs. Cara Trip, senior middle blocker, led the team with seven total blocks.
In their last match of the weekend, the Bears took on the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks, and this was the second meeting between the two teams. In an extremely close game, the Gamecocks came out victorious, winning 3 games to 1 (24-26, 25-18, 26-24, 28-26). Molly Locke collected her second double-double of the weekend while Claire Walizcek, freshman setter for the Bears, also recorded a double-double. Jordan Gollon contributed with six total blocks while Tori Penrod recorded 18 digs.
In their final tournament before conference play starts, the Bears competed in the Lady Vol Classic at the University of Tennessee.
For their first game, the team fell to the University of Memphis 3-1 (27-29, 25-18, 25-23, 25-18). In the loss, junior Molly Locke piled up 17 kills and 11 digs. Tori Penrod, sophomore libero for the Bears, led the team with 18 digs.
In their second match of the day, the Bears fell to Austin Peay University in three straight sets (25-17, 25-23, 25-19). Ellie James, Monica Johnson and Molly Locke had seven kills while Penrod had 13 digs.
For their final match of the tournament, the Bears came to battle against the University of Tennessee Vols. After competing back and forth for five sets, the Bears fell to the Vols (25-21, 20-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-13).
Claire Walizcek had a double-double with 34 assists and 11 digs. Locke also had a double-double with 20 kills and 11 digs. Ellie James, outsider hitter for the Bears, had a match high of 21 digs.
Men’s Golf
In the 2014 Tar Heel Intercollegiate, the Bears finished 12 out of 18 teams. The tournament field included big-time teams such as North Carolina University, Boston College and Maryland University.
On the final day of the tournament, the Bears finished with a score of 296. Overall, they concluded the Tar Heel Intercollegiate with a score of 876.
For the Bears, freshman Jerry Ren and sophomore Emmanuel Kountakis finished tied for twenty-third with an overall score of 217.
With a score of 218, senior Trey Rule finished in thirty-second place.
For their next tournament, the Bears will travel to Toledo, Ohio for the Inverness Intercollegiate on Sept. 26.
Women’s Golf
In its first tournament of the season, the Mercer Women’s Golf Team traveled to Waynesville, N.C. to participate in the Great Smokies Intercollegiate hosted by Western Carolina University.
Overall, the Bears finished third with a score of 584.
Sophomore Katy Harris tied for third place overall with a score of 143. Freshman Hannah Mae Deems tied for seventh place while Marin Hannah finished in tenth place.
The Bears are back in action on Sept. 29 at the Proehlific Fall Classic in Greensboro, N.C.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country
On Sept. 6, both the men’s and women’s cross country team competed in the UGA Invitational in Athens, Ga., a tri-match among Mercer, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.
The men’s team ran in the 8000m race while the women’s team competed in the 5000m race.
With a time of 27:20.29, Junior Victor Kosgei led the men’s team. He placed sixth against the Bulldogs and tenth against the Yellow Jackets.
For the women’s team, junior Kami Orrender led the team with a time of 18:51.17. She placed sixth against Georgia and seventh against Georgia Tech.
For their next tournament, the Bears competed in the Asheville Cross Country Carnival in Asheville, N.C. The women’s team finished in fourth place and were led by fifth-place finisher Kami Orrender (18:08.14).
The men’s team finished in fifth place and was led by tenth-place finisher Victor Kosgei (25:43.52).
(09/09/14 4:00am)
After a memorable 2013-2014 season, one member of Mercer Men’s Basketball Team has decided to return. Kevin Canevari, known all over the United States for his “Nae Nae” dance after the team’s defeat of Duke, is currently back at Mercer to pursue an MBA and to be a graduate assistant for the men’s basketball program.
“I made the decision to come back to Mercer because it was a great opportunity for me to further my education and get my MBA while also building coaching skills at the same time,” said Canevari.
In his 2013-2014 season, Canevari registered a 41.5 field goal percentage while averaging 1.7 assists per game. He played in all 36 games last season, and he is excited to offer his expertise as a point guard to the new team.
“I am hoping to be able to contribute to the team as a leader and ex-player. I hoping to give the players a new perspective since I just finished playing and I know exactly how it is to play at Mercer as well as in our system,” said Canevari. “I am also hoping to be able to help the new point guards out a bunch in learning different things about playing at this level. We have a lot of new guys, so I hope to help the transition to Mercer be as smooth as possible for them.”
As a four-year veteran of the team, Canevari has the ability to offer a great deal of knowledge of basketball for the new players in addition to more general knowledge about the university as a whole.
While Canevari played for the Mercer Men’s Basketball Team for four years, he is excited to get the opportunity to sit on a new side of the bench.
“I am very excited about my return to Mercer and cannot wait to help the team. I am most excited about being able to see the team from a different prospective and watching the team come together and grow,” said Canevari. “I cannot wait to see how we measure up in the new conference and watch some of the returners as well as the new guys step into big time leadership roles. GO BEARS!”
While Canevari is just a regular guy at Mercer, people know him all over the country for his dance after the basketball team’s defeat of Duke University. Although many people think that the “Nae Nae” is just a dance, Canevari thinks of it as much more.
“My dance has shown me the power and beauty of showing emotion and how being yourself can open up many doors,” said Canevari. “For people that know me, they know that I am a very outgoing and I am full of excitement and emotions. Whether it is in sports, business, medicine, or whatever, it is important to enjoy life and have fun. My dance will always remind me of that. “
After his next two years as a double-Bear, Canevari is unsure as to what he wants to do, but he knows he wants to pursue a career in the field of sports.
“My plans for the immediate future are to get this MBA degree while furthering my coaching experience,” said Canevari. “Down the road, I think I want to coach and will hopefully know that more definitively in the days ahead. Being able to get my MBA gives me a great backup plan if I decide to steer away from coaching.”
(08/27/14 11:04pm)
Throughout the summer, players of the Mercer Bears’ football team have been collecting preseason awards for the upcoming season. In the 2013 season, the team went 10-2 overall and had a groundbreaking year for the new program.
This array of preseason awards proves that a number of Mercer players will be a force to reckon with this upcoming season.
On June 9, John Russ was named to the College Football Performance Awards Quarterback Watch List. Russ is just one of 36 FCS quarterbacks in the country to be recognized for this award. In January, a committee will chose a top quarterback from this elite list, and he will be presented with the top quarterback honor.
On July 15, the American Football Coaches Association nominated Russ for the Allstate Good Works Team. He is just one nominee of 182 to be considered for the award. This particular award involves excelling on the field and in the classroom while also attempting to create a better community.
While at Mercer, John Russ has been involved in charitable organizations such as the Backpack Ministry and the Ronald McDonald House. The finalists for the Good Works Team will be announced in September, and the public will be able to vote for their hometown nominees.
On June 16, Payton Usher, a running back for the Bears, joined John Russ on the CFPA Watch List. Usher is just one of 38 running backs to be named to the list. In the 2013 season, Usher rushed a total of 776 yards and averaged 86.2 yards per game.
“I feel honored to be on the CFPA watch list because it represents how much hard work my teammates and I put in everyday to be the best we can be. I wouldn’t be on the watch list without my teammates and coaches pushing me to get better everyday,” said Usher. “It starts from the top with our coaches, and as players we have to buy into the system and do our part. Being on the watch list is a reflection of the entire team believing in the system, and doing their part to make each other better.”
On July 2, Robert Brown continued to add to the preseason awards for the Mercer football team. He was the third member of the team to be added onto the CFPA Watch List. Brown is just one of 36 tight ends in the FCS to be named to the list. In his 2013 debut, Brown received Second Team All-Pioneer Football League honors and had over 20 receptions throughout the season.
On July 7, Tyler Zielenski was the fourth member of the Mercer Football Team to be named to the CFPA Watch List. The sophomore is just one of 36 kickers in the FCS to be named to this list. In the 2013 season, Zielenski totaled 77 points while going 47-of-48 on point-after attempts.
“It was really an honor to be one of 36 players to watch at my position for the upcoming season,” said Zielenski. “I was glad to see that all of my hard work and coaching that I have received over the years has paid off.”
On July 31, J.T. Palmer became the fifth Bear to be named to the CFPA Watch List. He is just one of 34 punt returners in the FCS to be named to the list. In the 2013 season, Palmer recorded seven touchdowns while also returning 10 punts. He also ranked second in the Pioneer Football League for yards per return.
The last preseason award was given to Tosin Aguebar, sophomore linebacker. Aguebar was named to the CollegeSportsMadness.com FCS Preseason All-America Third Team. He is just one of six players in the Southern Conference to be chosen for
the award. In the 2013 season, Aguebar was named to the Pioneer Football League First Team and was also selected as the Mercer’s Co-Defensive Most Valuable Player.
On Aug. 12, JeTarii Donald was the sixth Bear to be named to a CFPA Watch List. The sophomore running back is just one of 30 FCS all-purpose performers to be named to this list. Donald scored nine touchdowns in the 2013 season while also racking up a total of 1,444 yards.
Bobby Lamb, head coach of the team, explained that this awards are a direct reflection of last season’s successes.
“When you get preseason awards, it’s basically based off of last year’s performance,” said Lamb. “We had some guys that had some great performances last year, and it’s always great to see preseason rankings come out and preseason honors to come out because it gives your program credibility.”
(08/27/14 10:59pm)
Reinhardt University: Aug. 28 at 7 p.m.
In their 2013 season opener, the Bears defeated the Reinhardt University Eagles 40-37 in the last three seconds of the game.
For the majority of the game, the Bears and the Eagles traded the lead back and forth eight times before Josh Shutter, fifth-year senior, kicked the winning field goal to provide the Bears with their first victory of the season.
After the Eagles’ loss, the team went on to win six games, which included a five-game winning streak in the middle of its season. The team only lost three more games and came out of the season with a winning record.
Furman University: September 6 at 6 p.m.
In the second home game of the season, the Bears are scheduled to play the Furman University Paladins. This will be the first meeting between the two teams, and it will also be the first time that the Bears compete in a Southern Conference game. The game will also be televised on ESPN3.
In the 2013 season, the Paladins won eight games over admirable teams, including former Southern Conference members the Georgia Southern University Eagles and the Appalachian State University Mountaineers, while losing six games.
The team’s overall schedule has seemed to become more difficult year by year, and this competitive schedule has proven effectively to prepare the team to contend at a high level.
Stetson University: September 13 at 6 p.m.
For their first away game of the season, the Bears are traveling to Deland, Fla., to take on the Stetson University Hatters.
In the last contest between the two teams, the Bears defeated the Hat ters 41-14. As reflected in the score, Mercer’s offense overwhelmed the Hatters, and the team gained 455 yards in the game. After halftime, the Bears only held a three-point lead, but the team continued to overwhelm Stetson’s defense.
The Hatters’ loss to the Bears was the end to their difficult season. The team only won two games out of the 11 that they played.
Ave Maria University: September 20 at 6 p.m.
In the third week of September, the Ave Maria University Gyrenes will travel to Mercer University Stadium to battle with the Bears. This will be the first time that the two teams meet, and it will prove to be an exciting contest.
Although the Gyrenes started off losing their first two games, they finished off their 2013 season with an eight-game winning streak. The team proved to be a strong competitor in their away contests, going 4-0 on the season.
Also, the Gyrenes’ offense posted scores ranging from 27 to 56 in their winning contests. Their high scoring wins suggest that their offense will be a force to reckon with.
Virginia Military Institute: Sept. 27 at p.m.
For their second Southern Conference game of the season, the Bears will take on the Virginia Military Institute Keydets. Both the Bears and the Keydets are new members of the SoCon, and this will be the first time the two teams compete on the gridiron. The contest could prove to be especially challenging because it will be the Bears’ first Southern Conference away game.
In their 2013 season, the Keydets only won two games, but their schedule proved to be challenging. The team took on the Citadel University Bulldogs, a fellow Southern Conference member, and other top-notch teams such as the Charleston Southern University Buccaneers and the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers.
Samford: Oct. 4 at 3 p.m.
In their second away Southern Conference game, the Bears will face the Samford University Bulldogs. Year after year, the Bulldogs have proven to be a strong program, and the contest will be a difficult task for the Bears.
In their 2013 season, the Bulldogs lost only five games, two of which were to other Southern Conference members. Like the Furman Paladins, the Bulldogs posted wins over teams such as the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Although the Bulldogs’ season was filled with an array of exciting wins, the team could not overcome SoCon powerhouses the Citadel Bulldogs and the Furman Paladins.
The team’s upcoming demanding schedule has the ability to fully prepare the Bulldogs for a successful season.
Austin Peay State University: Oct. 11 at 4 p.m.
After two competitive weekends away, the Bears will face the Austin Peay State University Governors at Mercer University Stadium.
This will be the first time that the Bears and the Governors meet, and it will prove to be a tough test for both teams.
In the 2013 season, the Governors faced big-time teams such as the University of Tennessee Volunteers, the Vanderbilt University Commodores and the Ohio University Bobcats. With such a difficult schedule, the Governors were not able to come out victorious in any of their contests.
Because both teams have not competed against one another, they will need to fully prepare themselves for the unexpected.
Western Carolina University: Oct. 4 at 4 p.m.
On the third weekend of October, the Bears will meet the Western Carolina University Catamounts.
This will be the fourth Southern Conference contest for the Bears, and it will also be the midpoint of their conference schedule.
The Catamounts did not have a victorious season in 2013, but the team faced difficult competition such as the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders and the Auburn Tigers.
The Catamounts only won a single Southern Conference game last season against the Elon University Phoenix. The team also went 0-7 at their away contests, so this will be a definite advantage for the Bears at Mercer University Stadium.
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga: Oct. 25 at 12 p.m.
For one of their most difficult away games of the season, the Bears will travel to Tennessee to battle with the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs. This will be the second Southern Conference game to be televised for the Bears in the 2014 season.
Overall, the Mocs went 8-4 in the 2013 season and 6-2 in their Southern Conference schedule. For their non-conference losses, commendable teams such as the Alabama University Crimson Tide and University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks defeated the Mocs.
Their difficult schedule and their success in the 2013 season will prove to be a challenge for the Bears.
Citadel University: Nov. 1 at 4 p.m.
In their last home stretch of the season, the Bears will face the Citadel University Bulldogs.
This will be the Bears’ second-to-last Southern Conference game of the season.
The Bulldogs did not come out with a winning record in 2013, and the team went 5-7 overall. In their Southern Conference play, the team went 4-4 with commendable wins against the Samford Bulldogs and the Appalachian State Mountaineers.
In their non-conference schedule, the Bulldogs faced creditable teams such as the Charleston Southern Buccaneers and the Clemson University Tigers.
Warner University: Nov. 8 at 4 p.m.
In their last home game of the 2014 season, the Bears will meet the Warner University Royals.
In their 2013 meeting, the Bears’ offense completely destroyed the Royals, and the final score was 61-0. This was the Bears’ second win of 2013 and was one of the driving factors for the overall successful season.
Overall, the team went 1-10 and did not win a single home game. The Royals’ single win was against the Concordia University Cardinals, who also only won one game.
Because of last season’s overwhelming win over the Royals, this will prove to be an exciting final home game for the Bears.
Wofford College: Nov. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
For their final Southern Conference game of the season, the Bears will take on the Wofford College Terriers. This will also be the final regular season game for both teams.
Overall, the Terriers went 5-6 in their 2013 season. In their Southern Conference schedule, the team finished 4-4, recording wins over the Georgia Southern Eagles and the Elon Phoenix. The Terriers lost their last four games of the season, which is promising for the Bears.