2008 Woodie Awards
Headed in the right direction
Erik Johnson
Issue date: 5/9/08 Section: In the Spotlight
With this being the last column of the year, I thought I would take a stance that has not often been taken in this space over the past three years.
SBU sports, in general, are on the upswing. Are they perfect? Not by any means, but no school has a perfect program.
Heading into the 2008-2009 school year, the students should have plenty to cheer about. In the fall, the football team will begin their second season under Head Coach Keith Allen. In addition to fielding a more talented team, the football team will not face the grueling MIAA schedule they have in the past. Instead, the schedule is filled with regional opponents that present many "winnable" games. This easier schedule could lead to quite a few wins when you consider how many close calls the Bearcats had in the MIAA last year (the Emporia State, Missouri Southern and Fort Hays State games come to mind).
Also competing in the fall will be the men's and women's cross country teams who both placed in the top-three in the MIAA last year. The men return all of their top seven runners, including All-American Michael Pierce. The women return six of their top seven and their entire top five from the conference meet.
The women's soccer team loses Atefeh Heivary and Christina Swartz but returns most of one of the MIAA's top four teams. As usual, the team should get an infusion of talent from a new group of recruits from Head Coach Ben Wade.
The volleyball program still has many questions surrounding it, but they will be entering their second season under Head Coach Kelly Richardson, lose only two players to graduation and bring in seven new faces.
The winter sports brought much success this year, and next season should be no different, as the men's basketball team does not look to be totally overhauling their roster next year. Instead, the regular season conference champions come back mostly intact with the exception of the loss of Jim Grabowski.
The women's team returns a solid core of players but loses its leading scorer and coach. The main question surrounding this team is who will take over for Jim Middleton?
In the spring, the men and women's track teams will try to continue their ascent up the ranks of the MIAA as they collectively lose one all-conference performer Alyssa Maggart.
The tennis teams will try to continue their dominance and extend their reign as MIAA champions.
In all, the 2007-2008 school year saw the Bearcats bring home three conference championships, one MIAA runner-up trophy and at least one all-American.
Things are headed in the right direction. The next step would seem to be for the athletic department to get some financial help and upgrade the facilities so that the football and soccer teams have a nice playing surface, the baseball and softball fields have lights and the track team has adequate facilities.
If these upgrades were somehow made, it would be very interesting to see how much the athletic department's improvement might be sped up.
As it stands, the 2008-2009 athletic year could prove the best ever for SBU athletics.
SBU sports, in general, are on the upswing. Are they perfect? Not by any means, but no school has a perfect program.
Heading into the 2008-2009 school year, the students should have plenty to cheer about. In the fall, the football team will begin their second season under Head Coach Keith Allen. In addition to fielding a more talented team, the football team will not face the grueling MIAA schedule they have in the past. Instead, the schedule is filled with regional opponents that present many "winnable" games. This easier schedule could lead to quite a few wins when you consider how many close calls the Bearcats had in the MIAA last year (the Emporia State, Missouri Southern and Fort Hays State games come to mind).
Also competing in the fall will be the men's and women's cross country teams who both placed in the top-three in the MIAA last year. The men return all of their top seven runners, including All-American Michael Pierce. The women return six of their top seven and their entire top five from the conference meet.
The women's soccer team loses Atefeh Heivary and Christina Swartz but returns most of one of the MIAA's top four teams. As usual, the team should get an infusion of talent from a new group of recruits from Head Coach Ben Wade.
The volleyball program still has many questions surrounding it, but they will be entering their second season under Head Coach Kelly Richardson, lose only two players to graduation and bring in seven new faces.
The winter sports brought much success this year, and next season should be no different, as the men's basketball team does not look to be totally overhauling their roster next year. Instead, the regular season conference champions come back mostly intact with the exception of the loss of Jim Grabowski.
The women's team returns a solid core of players but loses its leading scorer and coach. The main question surrounding this team is who will take over for Jim Middleton?
In the spring, the men and women's track teams will try to continue their ascent up the ranks of the MIAA as they collectively lose one all-conference performer Alyssa Maggart.
The tennis teams will try to continue their dominance and extend their reign as MIAA champions.
In all, the 2007-2008 school year saw the Bearcats bring home three conference championships, one MIAA runner-up trophy and at least one all-American.
Things are headed in the right direction. The next step would seem to be for the athletic department to get some financial help and upgrade the facilities so that the football and soccer teams have a nice playing surface, the baseball and softball fields have lights and the track team has adequate facilities.
If these upgrades were somehow made, it would be very interesting to see how much the athletic department's improvement might be sped up.
As it stands, the 2008-2009 athletic year could prove the best ever for SBU athletics.
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