Pioneer Club celebrates its 20th anniversary

One part of the Tusculum Fund is celebrating its 20th anniversary of providing support for students and programs.

The Pioneer Club was formed in 1991 and provides athletic scholarships and program support to all athletic programs at Tusculum. Donors who wish to support Tusculum’s student athletes through scholarships or support the athletic programs in the opportunities they provide to students can designate their gift to the Pioneer Club.

All Pioneer Club members are invited to attend Pioneer Club events, such as tailgates and hospitality suites. Members who join at the Pioneer Level ($300 – $499) or above are admitted free to all Pioneer Club events. Members may also receive discounts at the Tusculum College Bookstore, game passes and public address announcement recognition during games, depending on their level of giving.

This year’s Pioneer Club Campaign has begun. The goals for the 2011-2012 campaign are $100,000 and 350 members.

Larry Coughlin, a long-time supporter of the College, is serving as Chairman of this year’s campaign. Assisting Coughlin in the campaign are a committee consisting of  Bill Henry, Thom Wood, a 1989 alumnus; Ken Earl, a 1998 and 2000 alumnus; Jackie Rose, a 1974 alumna; Doug DeBusk, a 1995 alumnus, Ray White and James Smith.

The committee members will promote and attend special Pioneer Club events and will seek to encourage others in the community to support the program and the student-athletes at Tusculum College. The committee members were selected because of their willingness to support the Pioneer Club programs and the students of Tusculum College.

For more information about the Pioneer Club, visit the Tusculum College Pioneer Athletics website at http://www.tusculumpioneers.com/page.asp?articleID=1575 or contact Kim Kidwell ’99 at 423-636-7303 or at kkidwell@tusculum.edu.

2011-2012 Pioneer Club Committee members are from left, Doug DeBusk, James Smith, Chairman Larry Coughlin, Thom Wood, Jackie Rose and Bill Henry. Not pictured are Ken Earl and Ray White.

 

 

 

Eighty-one Tusculum student athletes named to SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Eighty-one Tusculum College student-athletes have been named to the 2010-2011 South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Commissioner’s Honor Roll announced league officials on August 9.  The conference had 799 student-athletes honored for their achievements in the classroom.

The SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognizes those student-athletes who carry at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average and have completed at least one season in the sports of football, women’s volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s golf.

Tusculum’s 81 honorees are the fourth-most of the 10 league members.  Newberry College led the way with 130 honorees, Lenoir-Rhyne University (88), Mars Hill College (82), Tusculum, Wingate University (80), Catawba College (74), Carson-Newman College (72), Lincoln Memorial University (71), Brevard College (67) and Anderson University (54).

 

The SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll showcases the SAC member institutions’ commitment to achieving high levels of success both academically and athletically, as multiple sport-related award winners also garnered the distinction.

 

Tusculum honorees include two-time SAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year Simon Holzapfel (Nuremberg, Germany), who was also the recipient of the prestigious SAC Presidents’ Award.  He was also a two-time SAC Scholar Athlete for his sport.

 

Pioneer volleyball setter Ashley Sarmiento (Dayton, Ohio) is also a member of the Honor Roll, while also earning SAC and Southeast Region Freshman of the Year accolades last season.

 

Holzapfel and Sarmiento boasted a perfect 4.00 GPA, along with fellow Pioneers Jenny Grant (Franklin, Tenn. – women’s cross country) and Luis Zamora (Santiago, Chile – men’s tennis).

 

2010-2011 South Atlantic Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll

Ashley Bagley                    Softball

Clint Biggs                            Baseball

Janik Bold                            Men’s Soccer

Katie Brennan                   Softball

Lindsay Bridges                 Softball

Kim Brown                          W Soccer/W Cross Country

Alesha Buckner                 Softball

Aly Carrino                          Women’s Soccer

Gui Carvalho                      Men’s Tennis

Nathan Carver                   Men’s Cross Country

Cody Coffman                   Baseball

Tyler Collins                        Baseball

Courtney Conley              Women’s Tennis

Eric Conley                          Baseball

Jillian Corum                       Women’s Golf

Blair Cowley                       Baseball

Katie Doane                       Women’s Golf

Paulo dos Santos              Men’s Tennis

Claire Duncan                    Women’s Soccer

Luke Fullen                         Men’s Golf

Lawson George                Men’s Golf

Melanie Gibson                Volleyball

Andy Goellner                   Men’s Soccer

Craig Goodman                 Baseball

Jenny Grant                       Women’s Cross Country

Dionte Grey                       Men’s Basketball

Sam Groeneveld              Men’s Tennis

Justin Harvey                     Men’s Golf

Staci Hicks                           Women’s Basketball

Pat Holleran                       Baseball

Simon Holzapfel               Men’s Cross Country

Dean Hopewell                 Men’s Soccer

Payden Houser                 Baseball

JD Howard                          Baseball

Sara Howard                      Women’s Golf

Clay Jarrell                           Men’s Soccer

Rachael Jennings              Women’s Soccer

Jacob Kadel                        Football

Drew Kiser                          Men’s Tennis

Jessica Lee                          Women’s Soccer

Steven Lin                           Men’s Tennis

Jonathan Lyons                 Football

Taylor MacDonald            Softball

Devan McIntyre               Women’s Soccer

Michelle Meade               Women’s Soccer

Sam Miller                           Women’s Soccer

Amy Morford                    Women’s Soccer

Jessica Figler-Morrow    Women’s Cross Country

Jacob Norris                       Men’s Soccer

Dakota Norton                  Men’s Golf

Daniel O’Conner               Men’s Basketball

Brittni Oliver                       Women’s Basketball

Monica Perez                    Women’s Soccer

Aly Pugh                              Women’s Golf

Taylor Rakes                       Baseball

Alyssa Raterman              Volleyball

Sean Rowe                         Men’s Basketball

Haley Rye                            Women’s Golf

Ashley Sarmiento            Volleyball

Erin Searcy                          Softball

Jason Seaton                     Men’s Cross Country

Brittan Shaw                      Baseball

John-Austin Shepard      Baseball

Billy Sivyer                           Baseball

Jamie Smith                        W.Soccer/Cross Country

Justin Steigerwald           Men’s Basketball

Cody Stites                         Baseball

Katy Stuckwish                  Softball

David Talley                        Men’s Golf

Blake Thompson              Women’s Tennis

Rob Troutman                   Men’s Basketball

Lindsey Umberger           Softball

Sam Underwood              Volleyball

Daniel Vick                          Baseball

Adriana Vizcarrondo       Women’s Golf

Kassie Voelker                  Volleyball

Andrea Wilcox                   Softball

Taylor Wood                      Volleyball

Luis Zamora                        Men’s Tennis

Michael Jones named Tusculum men’s basketball coach

New Head Men's Basketball Coach Michael Jones

Tusculum College has named Michael Jones as its new men’s basketball coach announced Tusculum College Director of Athletics Frankie DeBusk.  Coach Jones will be introduced to the College and Greeneville communities at a press conference Wednesday afternoon at 1 p.m. at the Niswonger Student Commons on the Tusculum campus.

Jones comes to Tusculum after serving the last 12 years as head coach at South Atlantic Conference (SAC) member Brevard College.  Jones replaces former Tusculum coach Jim Boone, who resigned last week after six seasons on the Tusculum  sidelines to accept a similar position at West Virginia Wesleyan College.

Jones led Brevard to a historic campaign in 2009-2010, as the Tornados finished the season 21-10, while capturing the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament title and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament. Jones was named the SAC Coach of the Year as the team set or tied 27 individual and team records.

The Maysville, Ky. native has amassed 214 victories in his 14 years as a collegiate head coach, including 175 in his 12 seasons at Brevard.  Jones has led his programs to three national tournaments, including two with the Tornados. Jones has also seen five of his players offered professional basketball contracts, including two in the NBDL.

“I am very excited to welcome Michael Jones to Tusculum College,” said DeBusk. “I am absolutely confident that he will lead our program to success, both on and off the basketball court, while positively representing our College, the South Atlantic Conference and NCAA Division II.  Michael is a well-respected member of the coaching community, an accomplished recruiter and in a short time, has made a positive impact within our conference. There are exciting years ahead for Tusculum basketball.”

 

While at Brevard, Jones’ teams have accounted for 20 wins or more on four occasions.  In 2001-02, his squad was ranked as high as No. 12 nationally (NAIA), while posting an impressive 22-11 worksheet.  The Tornados captured both the Appalachian Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles that season, led by All-American and AAC Player of the Year David Evans.

 

But most impressive with his programs is the 98 percent graduation rate during Jones’ tenure.

 

He has mentored 10 All-Conference performers at Brevard, including this past season with Josh Roper, the 2011 SAC scoring champion.  Roper, a 2011 First Team All-SAC selection and 2011 Daktronics All-South Atlantic Region Second Team selection, finished up his senior season at Brevard leading the league with 21.2 points per game and 2.56 steals per contest.

 

Also among the list of outstanding BC players coached by Jones is the program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder in All-American Jonathan Whitson (2006-2010).  Whitson is Brevard’s career leader in points (2,028), rebounds (942) and blocked shots (122).

 

“I am so happy and honored to work at such a great institution as Tusculum College and to have this opportunity,” Jones said.  “Tusculum has a great academic and athletic history and I would like to thank (President) Dr. Nancy Moody and Coach DeBusk for affording me the opportunity to lead the Pioneers.  I am excited about the support for our program and the resources we have to achieve our goals at the highest levels.”

 

Coach Jones came to Brevard from Jackson, Ky. where he was the head coach at Hazard Community College from 1997-1999.  There he led the Division III junior college to a 21-9 record in his first year as head coach, while facing a Division I-laden schedule.  In the 1998-99 season at Hazard, the team began with a preseason No. 8 national ranking.

 

Before his three-year stint at Hazard, Jones was on the coaching staff at his alma mater at Eastern Kentucky University, where was on the Colonels’ sidelines from 1994-1996.  Jones earned his Bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1994 from Eastern Kentucky and followed that with his Master’s degree in physical education & sports administration in 1996 from EKU.

 

Coach Jones is married to the former Lori Mason and has a 10-year-old daughter, Rheanna and twin girls Lilly and Caris.

 

 

Boone resigns as Tusculum Men’s Basketball Coach

Coach Jim Boone

After spending the last six seasons at the helm of the Tusculum College men’s basketball program, Pioneer head coach Jim Boone will be stepping down to accept a similar position at West Virginia Wesleyan College (NCAA Division II) in Buckhannon, W.Va.  Boone replaces Jeff Price, who recently resigned to take the position of associate head coach at NCAA Division I South Alabama.

While in Greeneville, Boone’s teams posted an 88-86 record, including the program’s first 20-win campaign as a Division II member, which came in the 2008-09 season.

Boone, a native of Winfield, W.Va., has over quarter of a century of collegiate coaching experience, including the last 26 years as a head coach. He has recorded 409 victories, including 316 wins in his 16 years at the NCAA Division II level.  His 409 wins are currently ranked 28th among NCAA II active coaches.  In his 16 seasons at the NCAA II level, his teams are averaging nearly 20 wins per year.

“I would like to thank Coach Boone for all he has done for Tusculum College these last six years,” said Tusculum director of athletics Frankie DeBusk.  “Coach Boone has left the program in very good shape and I’m very excited where we are in regards to Pioneer basketball.  I want to wish Jim and Stephanie all the best in the future and we will miss them very much.”

DeBusk indicated that a search for Boone’s replacement is currently underway.  “We are looking for the right person for this position.  Tusculum basketball has a very rich and storied tradition and it is very important that we continue the progress that has been made.”

During the 2008-09 season, he guided the Pioneers to a 20-11 record, the program’s first 20-win season in 16 years.  Tusculum posted a 10-6 worksheet in the South Atlantic Conference to finish second in the league race.  Tusculum made a strong late season run, posting an eight-game winning streak, while advancing to the championship game of the SAC Tournament.  Tusculum’s late-season surge earned the program its second trip to the NCAA II Tournament and first at-large berth to the “Big Dance.”  The Pioneers nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the tournament as Tusculum dropped a 62-60 decision to top-seeded and fourth-ranked Augusta State University.  TC fought back from a 17-point, second half deficit, coming up a bucket shy of completing the rally.

The following season, Tusculum posted a 16-12 record, including 10-6 in SAC play to finish as league runner-up for a second straight season.

Over the past two years, Tusculum has posted a 28-22 league record, the second-best conference mark of the SAC’s member institutions.

This past season, Tusculum went 12-18 overall, but 8-10 in league play to tie for fourth-place in the conference.  The Poineers pulled out a triple-overtime victory over Newberry College in the opening round of the SAC Tournament, before falling top-seed and eventual tournament champion Lincoln Memorial University in the SAC Tournament semifinal.

“It is with very mixed emotions that I have accepted the coaching position at West Virginia Wesleyan College,” said Boone.  “I am very excited to be going home to West Virginia, where Stephanie and I will be much closer to both our families. I am also excited to have the opportunity to lead a program such as Wesleyan that has such a rich and storied tradition of success in its men’s basketball program.”

“This has been a very difficult decision for the entire Boone family, due in large part to the greatest people we have ever been associated with, the people of Tusculum College,” Boone added.  “We will dearly miss our Pioneer family.”

Boone mentored one of the best players in school history in guard Kyle Moore.  Moore scored over 1,800 points in his three seasons in a Pioneer uniform, while becoming the most prolific three-point shooter in South Atlantic Conference history.  Moore was named the SAC Player of the Year twice (2009, 2001) and was a two-time All-America selection.  He was also named to the Daktronics and NABC All-Southeast Region squads in his last two Tusculum campaigns.

Over the last three seasons, the Pioneers led the South Atlantic Conference in scoring defense (63.4 ppg – 5,577 pts. in 88 games) and free throw percentage (.762, 1442-1892) each season.

In his first year in Greeneville, Boone guided the Pioneers to a 14-15 record, including the program’s third trip to the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament semifinal in four years.

While at Tusculum, Boone has mentored eight All-South Atlantic Conference selections, including Moore (three times). Douglas Tshomba, Chris Poore, Jordan Lear, Ryan Troutman and Rob Troutman.  Poore was also the recipient of the prestigious SAC Scholar Athlete for Men’s Basketball Award in 2006-07.

His 228-71 record at the California University of Pennsylvania gives Boone a .763 winning percentage, which at the time was the second best success rate of active Division II coaches.

In his 10 seasons at California, Boone led the Vulcans to seven postseason appearances. California advanced to six NCAA Tournaments, posting an impressive 12-4 record, including a pair of NCAA Final Four appearances.

His 1992 team went 31-2 and was the No. 1 ranked team in the final NCAA II poll. That squad captured the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship and moved onto the first of two NCAA Final Fours.

Boone spent five seasons as the head coach at NCAA Division I Eastern Michigan University where he compiled a 48-96 mark. His squads continued to make progress each year during his tenure, including the Eagles 14-14 mark in 2002-03 an eight-win improvement from the season before.

Prior to coaching at EMU, he served four years as the head coach at Robert Morris University. He built the Colonials into a winner following seasons of 4-23 and 8-19, as he guided Robert Morris to a 15-12 mark in 1998-99 and 18-12 in 1999-00. That 2000 squad advanced to the NEC Championship Game and came up one step shy of advancing to the NCAA Tournament.

During his career, his teams have recorded 17 or more wins on 13 occasions, including six conference championships, four tournament titles and seven post season appearances.

From 1990-96, his California teams recorded over 20 victories for six consecutive years tallying an impressive 150-33 mark during that span. His 94-24 league record in the PSAC is still the best of any coach in that conference’s history.

He has been named PSAC Coach of the Year on three occasions (1988, 1992, 1996) and NCAA Region Coach Year twice (1992, 1996).

In 2005, Boone was inducted to the California University of Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Boone played his collegiate basketball at West Virginia State College where he was a four-year letterman. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from WVSC in 1981 and followed that with a MBA from the University of Kentucky in 1982 with a concentration in Marketing.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater where he served as the head assistant coach from 1982-85. Boone spent one season as the head assistant coach at Charleston Southern University as the Buccaneers won the 1986 Big South Conference Championship.

He is married to the former Stephanie VanVranken and they are the parents of two sons, Jimmy and Joey. Jimmy serves as a student assistant on the Pioneer coaching staff following a four-year playing career at Tusculum.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of 10 colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

 

2011-2012 Pioneer Club Campaign Committee named

Tusculum College has announced the committee members for this year’s Pioneer Club Campaign, according to 2011-2012 Pioneer Club Campaign Chairman Larry Coughlin.

Named to this year’s committee are Bill Henry, Thom Wood, a 1989 alumnus; Ken Earl, a 1998 and 2000 alumnus; Jackie Rose, a 1974 alumna; Doug DeBusk, a 1995 alumnus, Ray White and James Smith.

The newly formed committee will work with Coughlin to support student-athletes through the Pioneer Club. They will promote and attend special Pioneer Club events and will seek to encourage others in the community to support the program and the student-athletes at Tusculum College.

According to Coughlin, the committee members were selected because of their willingness to support the Pioneer Club programs and the students of Tusculum College.

The Pioneer Club is the college’s vehicle to provide athletic scholarships and program support to all athletic programs. The program began in 1991 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. According to Coughlin, with the help and support of friends of the college, every year in the history of the program the goals have been met in both membership and dollars raised.

The goals for the 2011-2012 campaign are $100,000 and 350 members. Members of the Pioneer Club, depending on their level, are invited to tailgates, hospitality suites and other special events prior to selected home games, matches or tournaments. Members may also receive discounts at the Tusculum College Bookstore, game passes and public address announcement recognition during games. For more information about the Pioneer Club, visit the Tusculum College Pioneer Athletics website at http://www.tusculumpioneers.com/page.asp?articleID=1575 or contact Kim Kidwell ’99 at 423-636-7303 or at kkidwell@tusculum.edu.

 

2011-2012 Pioneer Club Committee members are from left, Doug DeBusk, James Smith, Chairman Larry Coughlin, Thom Wood, Jackie Rose and Bill Henry. Not pictured are Ken Earl and Ray White.

Five women golfers named NGCA All-American Scholars

Five Tusculum College women’s golfers have been named to the 2010-2011 National Golf Coaches Association Division II All-American Scholar Team.  Selected from Tusculum are Jillian Corum, Katie Doane, Sara Howard, Haley Rye and Adriana Vizcarrondo.

 

Tusculum’s five honorees were tied for the most in the nation, along with Drury University.

 

Criteria for the NGCA All-America Scholar Team includes having a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 and competing in at least 66 percent of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year.

 

The Pioneers boasted an impressive 3.52 team grade point average, which was the second highest of Tusculum’s 14 intercollegiate sports.

 

Jillian Corum

Corum, a rising junior from Knoxville, Tenn., led the Pioneers with her 80.42 stroke average, which is the third best in school history and a new Tusculum mark for sophomores.  She captured two medalist titles this past season, winning at the Anderson Invitational and Maryville Invitational.  The two wins ties a school single-season record, while her three career victories are a new Tusculum mark.

 

She finished seventh at the 2011 South Atlantic Conference Championship to earn a spot on the SAC All-Tournament Team.  Corum lowered her career scoring average to 81.79, which is presently the best in Pioneer history.  Last month, she advanced to the round of 16 at the Tennessee State Amateur.

 

The Fulton High School graduate is a member of the South Atlantic Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Tusculum Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and Dean’s List with a 3.52 GPA while majoring in business.  She also becomes a NGCA All-America Scholar for a second time in her career.

 

Katie Doane

Doane, a rising senior from Sevierville, Tenn., returns to the NGCA All-America Scholar Team for a third straight year.  She posted an 87.29 scoring average as she played in nine tournaments and tallied two top 20 performances.  She finished ninth at the Anderson Invitational and the Maryville Invitational.  The Pigeon Forge High School graduate was named to the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.  She has a 3.86 GPA while majoring in education.

 

Howard, who just completed her first season with the Pioneers, finished second on the team with an 82.25 stroke average, which is a new Tusculum freshman record and tied for the seventh lowest seasonal average in school history.  The Knoxville, Tenn. native played in all 10 tournaments, including six top-25 performances.  She placed with the Maryville Invitational and also finished seventh at the Tusculum Fall Classic.  At the Tusculum College Classic, she opened with a career-best 72, the fourth-lowest round in Pioneer history.  She tied for 10th place at the Anderson Invitational in her collegiate debut.  She also tied for 15th at the Myrtle Beach Intercollegiate and 20th at the Pinehurst Challenge.

 

Sara Howard

Howard has a 3.58 GPA and is a pre-medicine major.  The South Doyle High School graduate is a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the Dean’s List.

 

Rye, a rising junior from Cumberland City, Tenn., makes her inaugural appearance on the NGCA All-America Scholar Team.  The Montgomery Central High School product finished fifth on the team with an 85.47 scoring average, while playing in all 10 events.  She tallied four top-30 appearances, including an eighth place showing at the Maryville Invitational.  Rye also finished 27th at the Tusculum Fall Classic and 28th at the Anderson Invitational.  Her 86.77 career average is currently 10th in the Tusculum record book.

 

Haley Rye

Rye has a 3.54 GPA while majoring in elementary education and is a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll and the TC Dean’s List.

 

Vizcarrondo, a native of Anaco, Venezuela, graduated from Tusculum in May with a degree in business management. She earned NGCA All-America Scholar accolades for a third time.   She tallied an 85.69 scoring average while playing in six events. Vizcarrondo tied for 13th place at the Tusculum Fall Classic with a two-day score of 157, including a career-best 77 in the final round.  Her 61 career rounds are tied for the ninth most in school history, while her 88.08 career stroke average is the 13th best ever by a Pioneer.

 

Adriana Vizcarrondo

She finished her Tusculum career with a 3.70 GPA and is a member of the SAC Commissioner’s Honor Roll, Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List and Charles Oliver Gray Honors List.

 

Tusculum accounted for over half of the nine honorees representing the South Atlantic Conference on the Scholar Team.