Hoffman Named A-Sun Coach of the Year by CollegeInsider.com

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

It took Bob Hoffman only a season to turn the program around and for his efforts comes national recognition. The men’s basketball team had struggled the past few season, but Hoffman managed to guide the Bears to a 17-15 (11-9 A-Sun) record in his first season at the helm en route to being named Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year by CollegeInsider.com.

It started with a perfect 3-0 start to the season, the first for the program since 1984. Then came the upset wins over Alabama and Auburn. Mercer almost knocked off their third big conference opponent in the same week when they narrowly lost to Georgia Tech at home during homecoming. In fact, Mercer was featured in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major poll for two straight weeks after the victories, climbing to as high as 10th, the highest basketball ranking in school history.

Hoffman gave the program a much needed jumpstart, encouraging support from the Middle Georgia surrounding communities and students. In turn, he was rewarded for his effort, coaching his team in front of record-setting crowds in the University Center for much of the year. The day before big games, Hoffman could be spotted around campus in a golf cart handing out free pizzas to students and encouraging them to come to the next home game.

“I’m a firm believer that individual awards really reflect team accomplishments,” said the head coach. “We didn’t finish exactly how we wanted to at the end of the year, but we had a great start to the season,” Hoffman added.

Despite Mercer’s shortcomings near the end of the season, Hoffman was able to guide his squad to a 89-83 victory over A-Sun foe Belmont in late February, the team’s first in the last ten games with the Bruins. Who could forget the team’s nail biter win against Jacksonville on February 7th? For the first time in several years, Mercer was actually winning the close games at the end of regulation.

“It’s an honor to be mentioned as the Coach of the Year, especially with the great coaches that are in this league,” said the Oklahoma City native. He later added, “This award really just reflects the accomplishments and hard work of this team on the floor this season.”

Mercer Director of Athletics Bobby Pope was especially pleased with his first year coach, commenting on the school’s athletics website, “Bob is most deserving of this recognition. In just one year on the job he has brought our men’s basketball program to a level of competitiveness and I think even better days ahead. He has energized the basketball team as well as the campus and community.”

The proof is in the statistics. A 58% increase in attendance, six more wins than the year before, and top 100 rankings in the NCAA in scoring offense, free throw percentage, and 3-point field goals per game show just a small picture of the turnaround at Mercer.

For those who know Hoffman, the accolade isn’t really anything new. Hoffman was named NAIA Coach of the Year in 1989 and after coaching at Texas-Pan America for several years and now at Mercer, Hoffman ranks in the top 20 for active coaches in winning percentage.

After last season, expectations will be just a bit higher come basketball season in Macon. Following the regular season, the university will host the 2010 and 2011 General Shale Brick Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships in the UC for the first time in Mercer’s history.

Owls Sweep Bears in Weekend Series

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Deemed as the Atlantic Sun Series of the Week, the Kennesaw State Owls (21-14, 13-4) came into Macon to face Mercer as the hottest in the conference. The Owls haven’t exactly been a surprising team. Picked to finish first in the preseason A-Sun polls, Kennesaw has a more than able batting lineup and more importantly, strong and dominating pitchers.

Coming off two midweek wins over Florida A&M, Mercer looked to pull their record back up above the .500 mark against Kennesaw State, but were in turn swept in the three game series. The Bears (15-18, 7-11) battled in two of the three games, even sending one to extra innings, but ultimately their efforts came up short.

On Friday night, A-Sun Preseason Pitcher of the Year Kennesaw’s Kyle Heckathorn (4-1) almost threw a complete game in route to a narrow 7-3 win over Mercer. Striking out eight batters in 7.2 innings, Heckathorn would allow only four hits while giving up three runs on the night. “[Heckathorn] was up to the challenge,” said Mercer head coach Craig Gibson after the series. “He is a frontline guy and will be a high draft choice, yet we still had a chance,” he added.

Heckathorn wasn’t perfect in the opening game, but the Owl’s offense gave him plenty of support on their way to the four run victory. On the other side, Mercer’s Lath Guyer (1-3) pitched only five innings while striking out nine. Guyer would give up ten hits and four crucial runs in the fourth inning. Defensive miscues on bunt-singles allowed the Owls to grab an early lead before Mercer’s rally in the sixth inning. The Bear’s Thomas Carroll scored two runners with a single followed by another RBI-base hit by Steve Karwatt, but otherwise Mercer was held silent from the plate for a majority of the night. KSU’s top three batters in the lineup, Jacob Robbins, Tyler Stubblefield, and Ric Bishop would account for nine of the team’s fifteen hits in game one.

If the handful of MLB scouts in the stands thought Heckathorn looked good Friday night, junior Chad Jenkins (5-1), another potential draft pick looked even better Saturday afternoon. Kennesaw State looked dominate on the field in the early game of the doubleheader, winning 9-0. Allowing just four hits in the complete game and none in the final six innings, Jenkins finished the game throwing only 92 pitches. Offensively, catcher Jace Whitmer crushed two homeruns and four RBI in a 3-for-5 effort to propel the Owls to the win. Tyler Stubblefield would also homer in the sixth inning while going 2-for-3 from the plate. Notably, Mercer’s Dan April (2-4) would suffer the loss after working the first 5.2 innings of the game.

The second game of the doubleheader and the third of the series was the most exciting game of the weekend. It was a game Mercer should have won, but the Owl’s late game heroics made the difference in the 11-6 extra innings victory. The Bear’s starting pitcher, Justice French, put the team in a good position to win by throwing well into the eighth inning. French would give up five runs while striking out four but more importantly, his teammates gave him support from the plate.

Mercer scored early amassing six runs by the fifth inning on a two run homer by right fielder Thomas Carroll and by a Karwatt run following a wild pitch, but the Owls kept the game close. The score remained 6-4 until the eighth frame when Ric Bishop’s single scored a run. With little breathing room, Mercer reliever J.T. Odom gave up a game-tying solo home run to the Owl’s Drew Folkes in the top of the ninth inning.

Kennesaw State wasted little time in the 10th inning putting the game out of reach 11-6. It was a tough loss for the Bears in a game that was all but completed. Now, Mercer hopes to bounce back against A-Sun foes North Florida, Jacksonville, and Belmont in late April and early May before the Atlantic Sun Tournament starts May 20th in DeLand, Florida.

Jacksonville Advances over Mercer women in A-Sun

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Playing against the defending A-Sun Tennis Champions, Mercer fell just short of advancing to the second round of the tournament last week in Johnson City, Tennessee, falling to Jacksonville 5-2.

Hoping to avenge an early season 4-3 loss in Jacksonville, Mercer gave the Dolphins all they could handle by taking three of the six singles matches to the third set limit. “We came up here with an opportunity but came up just a little short,” said head coach Nick Stutsman after the match. He added, “It was a long match and a lot like the match down at Jacksonville where we were in it all the way. I’m really proud of the ladies. Asking two freshmen to step in is really tough, but everyone played hard.”

In the early doubles competition, Jacksonville took an early lead as Tatiana Soldatova and Iva Jaresova defeated Mercer’s Priscilla Dias and Anna Wieslander 9-7. The Bear’s Stephanie Cohen and Amalia Bugge also dropped a close match to Fernanda Carrero and Juliana Umeki 8-5 while the Bears’ doubles team of Angelina Herman and Jennifer Lada defeated Elvira Yusupova and Virginia Iwinski by the same margin.

Although Jacksonville picked up early victories against Mercer in the doubles competitions, freshman Jennifer Lada upset top seeded Tatiana Soldatova 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (1-0) in arguably the most exciting match of the day. Soldatova, one of the two first-team all A-Sun selections, defeated Lada earlier in the season, but lost in heartbreaking fashion to the freshman in the final set.

Unfortunately, the Bears would only score one more singles win as Anna Wieslander defeated Elvira Yosupova 6-3, 7-6 (4-0). The final four singles matches would go to the Dolphins as Umeki, Jaresova, Iwinski, and Carrero would notch wins over the Bear’s Bugge, Irys Citko, Cohen, and Dias respectively.

For the team’s lone senior Irys Citko, her loss to Iva Jaresova would be her final collegiate tennis match. “This year we really battled against Jacksonville. The match really could have gone either way,” Citko commented. She added, “We could’ve definitely won this match, but came up just short. Everyone really fought hard.” As for the end of her career, Citko leaves Mercer with positive outlook and plenty of tennis experience. “It’s something that I always wanted to do (on playing college tennis). I did it and I’m glad I did it. It’s over and now I’ve got to move on to the next thing,” the senior said.

The women fought hard in the first round draw against Jacksonville, but struggled mightily this year finishing with a 5-18 (1-10) conference record. Despite the rebuilding campaign, Mercer is a team to watch in future years with a skilled roster. This year’s freshmen class may be the best to come through Mercer for some time. Lada and Cohen grabbed many of the headlines over the year, but teammates Juliana Moscoso, Angelina Herman, and Sarah Hanna will help the program build for the future. Priscilla Dias and Anna Wieslander, the most experienced players, will return for their senior seasons in 2010.

Photo Courtesy of MercerBears.com

Men’s Tennis Falls in First Round

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Facing the 3rd seeded Belmont Bruins in the first round of the 2009 Atlantic Sun Tennis Championship, the Mercer men’s tennis team lost 4-0 to end their season. The loss was their second of the season to Belmont, a team who they had lost to earlier in April 6-1 in Nashville. The first round defeat also marked the third straight occasion the Bears have dropped a contest in the first round of the postseason tournament.

Mercer head coach Nick Stutsman commented after the match on MercerBears.com, “Give Belmont credit. They played well and never let us get anything going. They got all of the early momentum.”

The first round matchup against Belmont consisted of three singles and three doubles matches, none of which were really that close. Belmont’s Joao Paoliello defeated Ecuadorian Fernando Armendaris 7-5, 6-2 in the top rated singles matchup while Fausto Rocha dropped the Bears’ Dave Barton 6-3, 6-2. In the first singles match of the day, Felipe Cime Lima handed Chapman Mitchell a 6-4, 6-2 loss.

In the doubles competition, Justin Wimpee and Victor Dias made things close against Belmont’s Rocha and Renato Antun, but ultimately fell 8-6 in the closest matchup. Rafael Matos and Javier Rodriguez handed Armendaris and Mitchell a hard 8-1 loss in the second doubles matchup while Mercer’s Barton and Adam Hunt didn’t record a result against Lima and Paoliello.

The Bears improved in a rebuilding year, but struggled down the stretch, dropping six of their last eight matches. After a 3-1 start to the year with wins over Alabama State, Austin Peay, and UT-Martin, Mercer struggled against A-Sun opponents, recording a 3-7 record on the year. However, this year’s record of 8-15 (3-7) was a slight improvement over 2008’s 4-19 (2-8) finish. Stutsman will try to build the team around upperclassmen Jaron Bergeron, Matt Poleon, and Fernando Armendaris next season as well as the talented 2009 freshman class of Dave Barton, Victor Dias, and Adam Hunt.

Photo Courtesy of MercerBears.com

Mercer Women’s Golf Takes 8th in A-Sun

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

It wasn’t exactly how head coach Gary Guyer had envisioned the season ending, but nevertheless, he was happy with his team’s performance. The Mercer women’s golf program slipped two spots in the conference tournament after the second day, but would hold their position during the final round to finish 8th in the final tournament of the year. Finishing 13 strokes behind 7th place Belmont and 61 strokes behind the A-Sun Champion Stetson, the Mercer women saw their spring campaign come to a close.

“It’s disappointing that we didn’t win, but the girls played really well,” responded the Mercer head coach afterwards on MercerBears.com. He added, “We played the best that we can play. Our three rounds this week were the three lowest scores we’ve shot all season. It’s just the conference keeps getting better and better. We are continuing to improve also, but just today it wasn’t good enough to win.”

While the low finish wasn’t what fans had hoped for, the Bears improved their overall team score by six strokes since the November’s Holiday Inn Express/Hatter Invitational on the same course. Both Kelsey and freshman Alicia Poole saw improvements in their individual scores with Kelsey shooting three strokes better (+16) and Poole playing three consistent rounds to finish in a tie for 30th (+20).

Early in the tournament, Alex Quagliata grabbed the limelight for the Bears after a top-10 effort in the first round, shooting a 74 (+2). The beginning of her second round seemed to be a continuation of the first day until she ran into trouble on the 7th and 8th holes, triple-bogeying both to finish the round with an 83. The final day, the junior bounced back to card an 80 after a much more consistent round on the front nine. Quagliata would finish the tournament in a tie for 32nd at +21.

After two average rounds in the first two days, Monica Kelsey stepped up her game with a final round 75 (+3). Despite only two hiccups during the round, a bogey on the 2nd hole and a double bogey on the 8th, Kelsey shot par on the remaining 16 holes en route to her best round of the tournament. Her final score of 232 was identical to her A-Sun Tournament during her freshman year. In 2007, Kelsey finished 8th in the final standings after sharing the lead of the tournament following the first round.

Rounding out Mercer’s lineup was freshman Leslie Choucard (+24) and sophomore Kayli Wicker (+34). Sitting out the previous tournament after reporting back problems, Choucard had a troublesome first round (84) before bouncing back to hit 79 and 77 in the final two days. The native of France would eventually finish in a tie for 38th at +24. Wicker in her second tournament of the spring would finish in 47th at +34.

Stetson would claim their first A-Sun title in the school’s history as Danielle Jackson (-3)would finish the tournament with a 69 (-2) round to claim the individual victory. Campbell would finish a mere two strokes behind the Hatters while heavily favored ETSU would place 3rd in the final standings.

Looking at next season, the team will return every player without any graduating seniors. Kelsey, Quagliata, and Carolyn Levy look to lead the Bears next year in a vastly improving conference.

Photo courtesy of MercerBears.com

Live Strong or Live Tarnished?

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

He sat on the side of a small goat path of a road,  with his left shoulder slumping, grimacing in pain.  It was only the first day of the Vuelta a Castilla y Leon, a five-stage road race in northern Spain.  Near the end of the first stage, Lance Armstrong got caught in a funnel of riders jockeying for position, hit a rider in front of him and went flying over the handlebars.

As he sat there, he was told the Associated Press via a teleconference from Austin, Texas, “You're laying there, and you sort of ask yourself, 'What the hell am I doing here?' "  Indeed, after three years of the bike, coming back to the sport he once dominated was proving to be a tougher task than he originally thought. 

At 37 years-old, the body just doesn’t perform the same as it did in years prior.  Or at least that’s the way it should be.  Armstrong looked like his out-of-retirement comeback after a three year hiatus from the sport was on the right track.  After joining former manager Johan Bruyneel with the Astana cycling team, Armstrong had respectable 29^th place finish in his first race back, the Tour Down Under in Australia.  He then followed that up with a 7^th place finish in the Tour of  California.

But it was on that little rugged goat path where Armstrong’s comeback attempt got that much harder.  Using the Spanish-based race as a pre-cursor to the two races highlighted on his comeback schedule, the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France, a crash wasn’t supposed to be in the mix.

Just a few days removed from collarbone surgery in which 12 screws and a 5 inch metal plate were placed over the uneven breaks in the bone, Armstrong will continue his comeback, first on the stationary bike and then by racing (hopefully in time for the Giro d’Italia).  He’ll be in plenty of pain for quite sometime as cycling requires riders to place somewhat of a force on the collarbone area while riding, but Lance is used to the pain. 

Let’s not forget, Lance won seven Tour de France titles after overcoming testicular cancer.  He stayed active during retirement, running in marathons and riding his mountain bike quite a bit, but can Lance really pull off this comeback?

No one really expects him to win this year’s tour in the same way we didn’t expect Michael Jordan’s Wizards to win the NBA Finals when he returned to the sport in 2001 and 2002.  Why should we?  It seems that when an athlete retires, they’re not exactly the same player when they return.  Maybe they lose a bit of the competitive edge or maybe it’s the fact that those rounds on the golf course are now much more enticing than placing ravaging physical demands on the body. 

Lance said when he came back to the sport in September 2008, “After talking with my children, my family and my closest friends, I have decided to return to professional cycling in order to raise awareness of the global cancer burden.”  He will continue to raise awareness for cancer research as the world follows his comeback.  His website (Livestrong.org) and his Twitter feed keep the Lance-fanatics up-to-date on his every move, but will Lance’s return ultimately be disappointing in the end?

No one really wants to see this guy lose.  Except maybe the French.  Not Lance at least.  He’s the face of raising funding for cancer research and awareness and he’s probably the best athlete of his generation.  Physically, he’s a specimen.  His heart is 30% larger than the average person and his resting heart rate is 32-34 beats per minute.  Most of us never get below 55-60 bpm.

If there’s anyone who can pull this comeback attempt off, it’s Lance.  He’s beaten the odds before many times, whether it be cancer or an attack late in the Tour de France.  Just as Armstrong looked back at his opponents before he smoked them up Sestriere climb during the Tour de France in 1999, one has to wonder if Armstrong still has it in him?

Will a splintered collarbone set him too far back or will he break the odds once again?  More importantly, how will his image change?  Will he continue to LiveStrong or will his comeback attempt tarnish our previous memories of him dominating the sport for seven straight years?

As Americans, most of root for Lance.  The rest of the world watches in anticipation.  But quietly, we wonder….will he compete and win another Tour de France title come July?

FGCU Takes Two of Three From Mercer

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

In a midseason matchup of Atlantic Sun baseball clubs looking for crucial conference wins, the Eagles took two of the three game series that spanned the weekend.  The two wins bump FGCU (17-14, 10-5) up to a tie for 3^rd in the A-Sun standings while the series left Mercer (10-14, 5-7) slumping down to the 8^th spot.

Defense came at a premium for both teams during the series both clubs lit up the scoreboard all weekend long.  Mercer won a tightly contested game Friday night at Claude Smith Field 9-7 with a huge two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Bears the lead.  After missing the past four games with an ankle injury, second baseball Michael Langley’s bomb over the left-field wall brought the crowd to their feet as Mercer came from behind to secure the victory. 

The Friday night pitching matchup between Mercer’s Lath Guyer and FGCU’s Pete Woodworth lasted into the sixth inning, as both pitchers put together respectable, but not dominate performances from the mound. 

Offensively, both team’s bats were hot as the Eagles’ Josh Upchurch and Tim Roberson both went 3-4 from the plate with a home run and 2 RBI.  On Mercer’s side, Steven Karwatt’s 3-3 outing with 2 RBI and a run helped lead the way for the Bears.  Nick DiMauro (2-5, 2 runs), Tyler McCarty (3-5, RBI, run), and Casey Stuart (1-3, 2 RBI, run) also had timely hits during the course of the game for Mercer to capture its first ever victory over their Atlantic Sun rivals.

Saturday and Sunday afternoon were different stories.  Florida Gulf Coast fought off a late game rally by Mercer Saturday to preserve a 7-6 win.  Lefty Chris Sale (4-3) pitched a gem, giving the Eagles a 6-2 lead going into the eighth inning, but a pair of homeruns from McCarty and DiMauro pulled the Bears even heading into the final frame.  Mikel Alvariz executed a perfect bunt in the top half of the 9^th to score the winning run for FGCU.  Head Coach Craig Gibson used a ‘pitcher by committee’ approach, using up six arms during the course of the game as Mercer reliever J.T. Odom (1-2) would suffer the loss.

Sunday’s matchup was delayed for a few hours due to wet field conditions, but both teams finished up the series despite the gray and cloudy skies above Claude Smith Field.  In an offensive burst for both clubs, FGCU won 14-11 in a contest that saw a combined 41 hits on the day (FGCU 21, Mercer 20).  Although both teams scored plenty of runs, it was a six run second inning that propelled the Fort Meyers based school to victory. 

FGCU’s Tim Roberson showed once again why he’s one of the best in the conference, with a 4 for 5 day at the plate with four RBI and two runs.  His teammates, Alvarez and Brad Roberts would contribute a combined seven hits and six RBI as well.  Mercer leadoff hitter continued his hot streak against the Eagles, hitting two homeruns and batting in four runs. 

Needless to say, it was an ugly day for pitchers on both teams.  Middle reliever Craig Crumbly (3-1) earned the win, pitching four innings and only surrendering two runs while Mercer starter Justice French (1-1) would lose the decision after giving up seven runs in only three innings.

After the game, Mercer head coach Craig Gibson told MercerBears.com, “In game three in college baseball, you really have to be on your game.  Scores tend to get up there sometimes, but if you play clean, you have a chance.”  Gibson had to be pleased with the offensive response he saw from Michael Langley and Nick DiMauro despite the two losses and key injury to offensive weapon Jacob Tanis. 

Mercer continues conference play against Stetson in DeLand, Florida next weekend after hosting SoCon foe College of Charleston at home on Wednesday.

Mercer Women’s Golf Ready for A-Sun Finale

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

In their final tune-up of the season, the Mercer women finished eighth at the Larry Nelson Collegiate.  Held on the Chateau Elan course, the Bears struggled throughout the tournament, but junior Monica Kelsey raised a few eyebrows with a 10^th place finish (+22).  The Orlando, Florida native was 5^th after two rounds, but a final round 82 (+10) dropped her a few spots in the standings as the field battled tough conditions on the final day.

Head Coach Gary Guyer changed the lineup a bit for the final spring tournament before the conference championship, adding Kayli Wicker and Kathryn Cook to the lineup for junior Carolyn Levy and the injured Leslie Choucard.  Guyer saw mixed results from his players during the two day tournament as freshmen Alicia Poole would finish 30^th (+33), Wicker 34^th (+37), Alex Quagliata 36^th (+39), and Cook 37^th (+40). 

Now, the Bears will have to rely on their experience as they face a tough field at the DeLand, Florida based Championships.  “We’re really looking forward to this tournament,” commented Guyer.  “This is our chance to show who we are to everyone else in the Atlantic Sun.  Everything we do all year long leads up to this tournament.  Our goal is to go to the NCAA Tournament by winning the automatic bid that comes with the A-Sun Championship,” Guyer added. 

Mercer, currently ranked #194 in the nation by Golfstat.com will face tough programs at the Easter-weekend tournament that include #45 ETSU, #61 Campbell, and #93 Stetson.  However, Guyer feels like his team and momentum going into the tournament and a slight ‘home’ advantage.  Despite not knowing who his 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th spots will be on the lineup card yet, the third year head coach is certain that whoever he takes will play their best golf of the season at the conference championship.

“We’re facing a tough field, but I feel like we’ve really prepared to face these teams at this particular golf course,” said Guyer.  He also added, “I’m really excited for Monica [Kelsey].  She’s been playing great golf and this is almost a home course for her.”  Indeed, the Bears will have an advantage over several teams after playing at the Hatter Invitational in November, held at the same course exact course the Bears will be playing at next weekend.

The season comes down to this tournament.  For a team without any seniors, the Bears will need to get leadership and low scores from their upperclassmen in order to compete.  But as we all know, in golf, anything can happen on any given weekend.  

Photo Courtesy of MercerBears.com

Mercer with Momentum entering Men’s Golf Atlantic Sun Tournament

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Coming off the best regular season play in Mercer men’s golf history, the Bears look to perform well in one final tournament this season, the Atlantic Sun Tournament, in order to reach the NCAA Regional Tournament held in early May.

Andrew Tredway’s club is coming off a disappointing eleventh place finish at the competitive 63^rd Annual Western Intercollegiate in Santa Cruz, California, but senior Bill Jones III is playing the best golf of his career, earning the A-Sun Golfer of the Month award in March.  Jones has three top ten finishes this spring, almost winning the Linger Longer Invitational Tournament three weeks ago that featured the nation’s top two teams (#1 Georgia and #2 Oklahoma State). 

“Bill being named A-Sun Player of the Month is a tremendous honor to him and our golf program,” said head coach Andrew Tredway on MercerBears.com.  He added, “He went  on an exceptional run in March highlighted by his second place finish at the Linger Longer.  I’m really happy for him and am thankful to the A-Sun for taking notice.”

The Bears have taken many by surprise this season with top finishes in highly regarded tournaments featuring the best collegiate golf teams.  Still, despite the outstanding play from the Bears, they’re still looking for an elusive tournament victory.  A third place finish at the Mardi Gras Invitational and a fourth place finish at the Linger Longer Invitational gives Mercer momentum entering the A-Sun Tournament to be held in Buies Creek, North Carolina on April 20-22. 

Currently, the Bears are 83^rd in the most recent Golfstat.com rankings.  In order to win the conference title, they’ll have to battle several tough clubs including ETSU (28^th), North Florida (84^th), and Campbell (118^th).  While the Bears will certainly count on Jones, they’ll have to rely on their other experienced players, Ryan Blackburn and Matt Tribby.  Blackburn and Tribby have had a consistent spring season, but will need to play their best golf for Mercer to win the A-Sun title. 

Don’t forget about the freshman duo that surprised the golf scene during the fall.  Devin Patel and Andres Pumariega have struggled a bit in the past few tournaments, especially at the Western Intercollegiate, but their futures are certainly very bright. 

While it’s unlikely that more than one team will emerge from the Atlantic Sun to the NCAA Regionals held in Galloway, New Jersey, the Bears hope to play their best golf in Buies Creek en route to a first-ever NCAA postseason appearance.  

Photo Courtesy of Robert Matre Photography

Split Series in Battle of Best Offense versus Best Defensive

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

In a much anticipated doubleheader matchup between the best offense in the nation and the stingiest defense, late game heroics propelled both squads to late game wins.  Florida Gulf Coast entered the game ranked #19 in the nation in the most recent Ultimate College Softball Poll, boasting ten players on the roster with batting averages over .300.  Across from the Eagles, the Bears came into the doubleheader ranked as the best defensive team in the nation based on fielding percentage.  A large part of the Bears’ success early in the season can be attributed to 1-2 punch of dominate pitchers Jenni Holtz and Lacey Richardson.

With a modest crowd on hand, Florida Gulf Coast (38-6, 8-2 A-Sun) looked impressive early, belting four homeruns in the late stages of the game to pick up a win in the first game.  Holtz (16-6) held the Eagles scoreless through three innings, but a Courtney Platt solo homerun (8) broke up the shutout.  Runs then came by the bunches as FGCU picked up three more in the following innings with homeruns by Cheyenne Jenks (20) and Platt.

Mercer made things interesting, scoring four of their own runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Eagles pulled away with a Jessica Paez two run homer to seal the first win, 7-5.  Despite a gutsy pitching effort, Jenni Holtz suffered the loss while the Eagles’ Catherine McDaniel improved to 17-0. 

Many critics thought Mercer’s best chance to beat the top 25 squad would be in the first contest with Holtz in the circle, but Lacey Richardson (8-5) raised a few eyebrows in route to a complete game win in the nightcap.  Struggling in her past few appearances, Richardson appeared gathered and cool under pressure the whole game despite surrendering a three run fifth inning. 

Again, the second game started slowly for both teams from the plate as the game remained scoreless going into the fifth.  After FGCU moved three runs across the plate, the Bears responded with three of their own.  Amanda Santa Maria’s homerun to left field got things started for Mercer, followed by timely hits from outfielders Holly Oglesbee and Jenny Goodman.

With a tied game heading into the seventh inning, Richardson held off a FGCU rally while Mercer loaded the bases later in the inning.  Facing reliever Morgan Campen, Emi Sherrill waited patiently at the plate as four balls sailed by her, walking in the winning run for the Bears.

It was an anticlimactic way to win the second game, but Mercer will gladly take the win against the best team in the conference.  When it mattered most, the best players for both teams showed up and proved why both of their squads are near the top of the Atlantic Sun.  Despite giving up three runs, Lacey Richardson pitched a gem of a game against the A-Sun’s ‘Murderer’s Row’ while FGCU’s hitters launched a few homeruns during the first contest. 

Both teams continue conference play with Mercer playing eight games on the road before facing ETSU, USC-Upstate, and Samford at home later this month while FGCU wraps up the season, playing eight of their final ten games at home.

Former A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year Henry to Go Pro

- J. Andrew Lockwood -
Senior Editor of The Bear Zone/ Sports Columnist
james.andrew.lockwood@student.mercer.edu

Few basketball players from smaller schools entertain the idea of playing professional basketball after their four years of college eligibility.  For many, it’s a means to pay for school.  But for Mercer defensive star Calvin Henry, his goal has always been to play professional basketball. 

Coming out of Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, Henry earned all-city and all-state accolades after averaging 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in his final season for the Bears.  Henry then signed with Florida A&M and redshirted his first year before transferring to Miami-Dade College for a season.  It was former Mercer coach Mark Slonaker that got Henry to transfer to the Macon school to play with the Bears for the rest of his college eligibility. 

 In hindsight, it was a move that helped catapult the Bears to upset wins over Southern Cal, Alabama, and Auburn over the course of Henry’s career.  Henry averaged 10.4 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game in his final season at Mercer, but it was his jaw dropping ability to block shots that earned him the Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Year award in 2007-08. 

Unfortunately, a knee injury in a road game against Belmont cut his senior year short.  Tearing his MCL, Henry fought through rehab to make brief appearances in a handful of games near the season’s end, but he wasn’t the same player.

“Right now, I’m back to full speed and my knee is feeling pretty good,” said Henry.  He added, “My goal has always been to become a professional basketball player and now I’m in the process of picking an agent to sign with.”

The process of selecting an agent can be difficult.  “Coach Hoffman gave me the advice to pick someone that’s always truthful to me and that doesn’t give me the runaround.  Pick someone that will put me in a good situation,” said Henry. 

Henry’s sights are currently set overseas, preferably in England or South America.  If Henry signs with a pro team overseas, he’ll follow in the footsteps of former Mercer stars Scott Emerson, Andrew Brown, and Hrvoje Pervan. 

Each year, only a handful of college players get drafted into the NBA while others try to work their way up through the league’s minor league system, the NBDL.  Coincidentally, Mercer head coach Bob Hoffman’s last coaching stint was for the NBDL’s Rio Grande Valley’s Vipers.

“I’ve followed Josh Childress [Olympiacos – Greece] and Brandon Jennings [Lottomatica – Italy] in their careers overseas.  The money’s better over there and I’d love to travel for a few years,” said Henry.  His goals after playing?  He’s got a plan for that too adding, “I’d love to get into coaching…after I play as long as I can.”  

Around the Greens - All the Latest News from the World of Golf

- Adam Hunt -
Sports Columnist
hunty_5@hotmail.com

• Tiger Woods sank a sensational last-hole birdie putt to win his first tournament since his return to the PGA Tour. Woods holed a 15-footer to edge rival Sean O’Hair by a single shot in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida. He said afterwards: “It feels good, really good. It was great to feel the rush coming down the straight. It’s been a while.” His final round 67 put him five under on 275. It was only his third tournament since returning from an eight-month lay-off forced by knee surgery.

• Tiger Woods’ dramatic comeback in winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational on NBC produced the highest overnight TV rating for golf since his epic victory at last year’s US Open. It was also the highest rating for any regular PGA Tour event since January 2007

• By scrambling for a bogey on the final hole of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, American Pat Perez knocked fellow countryman Davis Love III out of the top 50 in the world rankings and cost him an exemption for The Masters. Love was 47^th going into the event but missed the cut and fell to 51^st. Perez, who won the Bob Hope Classic in January, shot a final round 69 and tied for fourth to move up to 48th. Matthew Goggin and Louis Oosthuizen are 49^th and 50^th respectively. The top 50 gain direct entry into The Masters which begins April 9^th.

• Spanish golf legend Seve Ballesteros has revealed the true extent of his grueling rehabilitation routine following four brain tumor operations. The five-time Major winner, who retired from the game in 2007, said last week: “I walk 20 minutes around the swimming pool, I exercise another 20 minutes on a gym bike and do six minutes rowing. Then I walk barefoot for 15 minutes. I follow specific exercises to do with the mobility and sensitivity on the left part of my body. I end up contrasting cold and warm — sauna and swimming pool. Some days the physiotherapist comes along and other days I have cognitive therapy instead.”

• Tiger Woods has agreed to appear at the Australian Masters PGA Tour event in Melbourne in November. John Brumby, governor of the state of Victoria, confirmed that the American star would play the tournament at the Kingston Heath Country Club. “We are delighted Tiger Woods has chosen to come to Melbourne, further cementing our place as the major events capital of the world,” Brumby said at a press conference last week.

• The LPGA Tour has cut another tournament from its 2009 schedule, trimming the total this year to 29 events, four less than in 2008. However, the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Mobile, Alabama is set to return in 2010.

Don’t forget to pick up the next issue of The Cluster for comprehensive reports from the 2009 Masters at Augusta National.

Photo Courtesy of the Charlotte Observer