June 2009

Home Team

Giving Her Best

On the basketball court, individuals are given every opportunity to shine. At its core, though, basketball is a total team sport. One player can achieve success, but without the support of teammates, individual success matters very little when it comes to wins and losses. Being part of a team isn’t just about individual improvement, but also helping others become the best that they can be. Throughout her career Maegan Fitzgerald ’09 not only fully understood and embraced that concept, but continues to work to apply it to every aspect of life.

“I am a perfectionist and when I commit to something I try to do the best I can,” said Fitzgerald. “This goes for both academics and athletics. When I commit to things it means I have to make sacrifices elsewhere and weigh what will be most beneficial, not only to me but to those around me.” Over the course of her Austin College career, Fitzgerald excelled both on the hardwood and in the classroom. Quickly earning a reputation as one of the top sharpshooters in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference, Fitzgerald was able to expand her overall game and become one of Austin College’s top overall players. 

In her final season this year, Fitzgerald was one of two players to average double figures and was honored by her teammates with their selection of her as Co-Most Valuable Player, an honor she shared with Katy Williams ’10.

“It was even more special to share what is normally a one-person award because it brings to the forefront the team concept of our sport,” said Fitzgerald. “If basketball was an individual sport we would not be discussing this award at all. For me, it is recognition for having contributed to the wins but also the losses. I was blessed this season to be part of a dynamic team that has an immense amount of heart, talent, and potential for next year.”

Fitzgerald has reveled in the opportunity to participate in so many diverse lectures, forums, and seminars, and she has especially appreciated the ability to “interact with professors and students at an  intimate level that would not be available at larger schools.”

Fitzgerald completed majors in environmental studies and religious studies, and long has “been fascinated with how the natural world functions,” she said. “I spent most of my time outdoors when I was younger and learned to appreciate the environment.”

However, it was an Austin College religious studies class that ultimately steered her onto the path she plans to follow next. “I found it very engaging,” said Fitzgerald of the course. “Religion is very important to me in understanding how the world has come to be as it is, including human interaction with the environment.” 

This fall, Fitzgerald will further her passion to better serve others as she attends seminary. “I traveled to Kenya to work at an orphanage for a little over a month,” said Fitzgerald of a summer experience. “I was awestruck by the joy present in the children, though there was so much pain and corruption all around them. I developed a strong passion to understand the impact that society and religion can have on youth. After further reflection on my experiences in Kenya and throughout my life, I knew that seminary could be a great place to study and apply my faith academically.”

Fitzgerald has not decided which seminary to attend this fall or what paths she may take in the future. “I have a passion for Christ, youth, international development, and the outdoors,” she said. 

“How these passions will culminate in the ‘real world’ I am not sure, but I am definitely excited.”

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Athletes Honored for Achievement, Effort

Kola Alade ’10 and Helen Heres ’09 received top honors as the Athletes of the Year at the 2009 Athletics Awards Convocation in May.

Alade, a three-year member of the ’Roos basketball team, received the Pete Cawthon Male Athlete of the Year Award after being named Second Team All-SCAC from his guard position and leading the basketball team to its second straight SCAC tournament appearance. Alade is a two-time All-SCAC honoree and finished the season among the leading scorers in the conference, averaging 15.9 points per game and adding 5.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He also was selected by his teammates as the 2009 Pat E. Hooks Most Outstanding Player.

Heres, a three-year member of the soccer team, received the Gene Day Female Athlete of the Year Award after being named Second Team All-SCAC in soccer in 2009. Heres proved to be the heart and soul of the ’Roos at her defensive midfield position, playing outstanding defense while scoring three goals and adding a team-best six assists. She is a three-time All-SCAC performer and was selected by her teammates as the Carole Lamongino Women’s Soccer Most Valuable Player.

Coaches will look to the outstanding freshman athletes for excellence this fall in soccer competition. Shelley Casey ’12 and Luis Castillo ’12 received the Tim Jubela Freshman Athlete of the Year Awards. Casey started 16 games and immediately proved to be one of the soccer team’s most reliable scorers, netting five goals on the year, including a team-best three game-winners. Castillo was named the SCAC Newcomer of the Year and a Second-Team All-SCAC selection, after leading the ’Roos in scoring with seven goals and four assists.

More than 40 athletes were honored by coaches and teammates at the annual awards program. In addition, the T. Ellis Lockhart Spirit Award for the most supportive faculty or staff member was awarded to President Oscar C. Page.

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Academic Success

The Bo Miller Scholar Athlete Award is given to the male and female senior athletes with the highest grade point average. This spring, tennis player David Shanafelt shares the title with Maegan Fitzgerald, center, of basketball and LeAnne Nguyen of soccer.

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Women’s Tennis Team Plays Solid Season, Men Falter

The Austin College women’s tennis team had a solid 6-5 season while the men had a bit of a tough year, finishing the regular season with a record of 1-10. The women were led by Kelly Lewis ’11 and Minnie Satyavada ’11, and the men featured the strong pairing of Nate Navey ’09 and David Shanafelt ’09 throughout the year.

The women opened the year with two wins in their first three matches, topping McMurry 5-4 and the University of the Ozarks 8-1 before dropping a pair of matches to fall to 2-3 overall. The ’Roos got back on the winning track with a big 5-4 victory over the University of Texas at Dallas and followed up with a 6-3 win over Schreiner. The ’Roos fell to Dallas Baptist before closing the regular season with a decisive 9-0 win over Millsaps.

The ’Roos fell 7-2 to Hendrix in the opening round of the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament, but, on day two, topped Oglethorpe University 6-3 to finish the season in ninth place in the conference. Catherine Dolan ’12 and Margaret Edwards ’12 earned All-Tournament honors for their strong play.

Lewis and Satyavada, who teamed to form one of the strongest doubles teams in the region and were equally strong as the team’s top to singles players, were named Honorable Mention All-SCAC.

On the men’s side, the ’Roos dropped their first five matches before picking up a dominant 6-3 home victory over Schreiner on March 13. The men dropped their final three regular-season matches against some strong opponents, including Dallas Baptist and Southeastern Oklahoma State, to head into the conference tournament with a 1-8 record. 

The ’Roos met Southwestern University in the first round of the conference tournament, and, after falling to the Pirates, faced Millsaps for the second time in the season. The Majors proved to be too much for the ’Roos, handing Austin College a 9-0 loss and ending their season with an 11th place finish.

The ’Roo women return a strong nucleus and should continue to rise up the standings in the SCAC next season, while the men will look to rebound and take a big step forward. Andrew Gannon ’04 has coached the ’Roos for five seasons.

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Baseball Squad Falls Short of Postseason Play

For the first time in four years, the Austin College baseball team found itself out of postseason play, finishing the year 15-24 overall and 5-15 in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference. The ’Roos played what was considered one of the most challenging schedules in the nation in 2009, including multiple games against nationally ranked opponents. 

After a slow start, the ’Roos won four of six games, including wins over Trinity University and Hendrix to get to 5-5 before a six-game losing streak left them at 5-11 and facing an uphill battle. The team battled back to an 8-11 record before a nine-game skid, which included three games against teams ranked in the top three nationally. Those losses put the record at 8-20 overall and ended players’ hopes of a berth in the SCAC tournament. The ’Roos did end the season on a high note, winning five of their last six games and ending the year with a 17-4 rout of East Texas Baptist University.

The ’Roos were led offensively by Bennett Herrick ’10, who batted .366 with 12 doubles, two triples, three homers, and 38 RBIs. He also scored 27 runs on the year. Jordan Robison ’10 and Patrick Ray ’09 also had strong years at the plate, hitting .364 and .360 respectively. Robison added nine stolen bases and Ray had 10 doubles on the year and drove in 21 runs. Bobby Schleizer ’09 finished among the conference leaders with seven home runs and added 25 RBIs.

Will Chermak ’10 led the ’Roo pitching staff all season, finishing with a 5-5 record and a 3.78 earned run average. He also led all SCAC pitchers with 85 strikeouts in 85.2 innings of work and threw three complete games. John Schulmeister ’12 had a solid first year for the ’Roos, picking up three victories while appearing in 17 games and striking out 24 batters. Tyler Steed ’11 picked up a pair of wins on the mound and struck out 50 batters in 14 appearances, including 11 starts.

The ’Roos look to rebound in 2010 and, between returning players and a strong recruiting class, boast the talent both offensively and on the mound to get back into the postseason and challenge for the top spot in the SCAC.

Patrick Ray ’09 and Bennett Herrick ’10 were named First Team All- SCAC. Bobby Schleizer ’09 was named Honorable Mention All-SCAC.

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Softball Team Loses Steam at Season End

After looking like a lock for a spot in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) tournament for the second year in a row midway through the season, the Austin College softball team faded down the stretch, dropping seven of its last nine games to finish 12-24 overall and 7-9 in conference play and miss a postseason berth.

The ’Roos started the season with a 4-12 record in their first 16 games but a four-game sweep of Colorado College, the first series sweep in the young history of the program, put the team at 8-12 overall and placed the ’Roos atop the SCAC West with a 4-0 record. However, the ’Roos took just one of four games from Southwestern, Hendrix, and Trinity to close the season, costing them their spot in the SCAC tournament.

Bobbi Schulle ’10 led the ’Roos with a .325 batting average and scored 30 runs, stole 13 bases, and had seven doubles on the year. Stefanie Faith ’11 hit .320 with a team-best six homers and added 25 RBIs and eight doubles. Suzanne Beltran ’12 made a big impact early in her career and finished the season with a SCAC-best 16 doubles. She added a .318 batting average and five home runs and finished among the conference leaders with 37 RBIs.

Also performing solidly in 2009 were Sam Smith ’11, who hit seven doubles, three homers, and knocked in 15 runs, and Carolyn Stone ’11, who added five doubles, a home run, and 17 RBIs. Kali Gossett ’10 led the team with 93 defensive assists and was among the conference leaders in turning 10 double plays.

Ashley Johnson ’11 won seven games on the mound while striking out 32 batters and threw 16 complete games. Early in the season, Johnson was named the SCAC Pitcher of the Week. Kiely Harrison ’12 performed well in her first year, winning three games and posting a team-best 4.31 earned run average in 10 appearances. Amber Pemberton ’12 added a pair of victories in 15 appearances, including 12 starts. She struck out 29 batters on the year.

Coach Edie Fletcher’s team returns everyone next year and will look to rise to the top of the SCAC West and earn back its spot in the conference tournament.

Stefanie Faith ’11 was named Second Team All-SCAC, and SCAC Honorable Mention recognition went to Sam Smith ’11, Carolyn Stone ’11, Kali Gossett ’10, Suzanne Beltran ’12, Abbey Hayes ’11, and Bobbi Schulle ’10.

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June 2009  

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Gage to Be Inducted to THSCA Hall of Fame

Austin College head football coach and Texas high school coaching legend Ronnie Gage has been selected for induction to the Texas High School Coaches Association (THSCA) Hall of Fame for 2009, the THSCA announced this spring. Gage is one of five inductees.

Gage, a two-time Texas 5A State Champion winner at Lewisville High School, will be inducted at the THSCA convention in San Antonio, Texas, in July. He served as the head coach at Lewisville from 1991 to 2005 and was named the District 5-5A Coach of the Year three times and District 6-5A Coach of the Year twice.

Before coaching at Lewisville, Gage earned District 5-4A Coach of the Year honors at Northwest High School, where he served as the head coach from 1987 to1990. Over the course of his 18-year high school head coaching career, Gage compiled a record of 137-60-9. His teams won five district championships, qualified three times as area finalists, and twice made it to the regional finals.

Gage served as the president of the THSCA in 2004 and 2005, and was the regional director in 1999. In that same year, he received the Fox Sports Coach Who Makes a Difference Award and twice was named the Texas Sportswriters Coach of the Year. In addition, Gage was a two-time Northeast Tarrant County Coach of the Year and was named the Dallas All-Sports Association Coach of the Year in 1996, after leading Lewisville to a perfect 15-0 season and a state title.

Gage became head football coach at Austin College in 2006, and in his first three seasons, the Kangaroos have led the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in rushing and finished among the national leaders each year.

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