Reflecting on a great year

Dear Bobcat Nation –

There comes a time when you reflect on the past year and think about the great successes and achievements made/achieved by our student-athletes, coaches, staff and department. For me it is when the school year has ended, graduation is but a memory and the dust has settled on another academic year.

The women’s soccer team punched the program’s first-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament this past fall.

And while doing reports for different groups on campus, I am still quite proud of the fact we had our five fall sports teams make the NCAA Tournament, our basketball teams both made the Conference Carolinas Tournament and the rebuilding efforts of our spring sports.

But, something even better stands out to me and I must share it with you and shout it from the mountaintop.

We had 162 student-athletes make the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll! To make this list one must have a grade point average of at least 3.20. To place this into a proper perspective, over 60% of our student-athletes had over a 3.2 GPA.

I will give you more numbers to give you an idea of the great and rewarding success this is. We had 10 teams with over a 3.0 GPA in the spring semester, our busiest. We also had 10 teams who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.

For the fall we had a 2.95 GPA; then a 3.01 in the spring to give us a cumulative grade point average of 2.98!!!

Taking into account that these teams are practicing, competing and traveling 20 hours a week, this is a tribute to hard work and dedication. I would be foolish not to mention the great work of our Challenging Athletes to Success (CATS) program and how it has helped with time management, writing, math and general study skills.

So as you think about this special place in the mountains of western North Carolina, realize this: we put more emphasis on the classroom success than we do the great athletic accomplishments as we prepare young people for a prosperous life after their days in Banner Elk.

Have a great summer.

Best wishes

Craig

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Senior Pride

2012 Men's Lacrosse seniors (from left to right): Danny Ives, Bryan Bosley, Shaun Strodel, Derin Vacca, and Brett Yusiewicz

What is Senior Day for a student-athlete? What emotions surface – happiness, joy, sadness, relief? Is it a signification of the end of one journey and the beginning of another? A proud ceremony for friends, and family who have supported, encouraged and endured through a lifetime of athletic events, is that what it is?

For me it is a very special moment, as I shake the hands of the student-athletes, congratulate their parents and take part in a very unique time in their lives. It is the end of a collegiate athletic career, and for some, this is bittersweet as it signifies the end of being a student-athlete and the future of adulthood, real world and great responsibilities.

Over the past two weeks, I have seen a lot of Senior Days and all have been so gratifying. Watching proud parents make one more trip up the mountain to cheer on their son or daughter, see classmates come out and support their friends, and watch coaching staffs honor the efforts of those young people.

And Banner Elk has not disappointed as we have had cloudless skies, moderately warm temperatures and great crowds both of the student body, faculty and staff, and also the community.

2012 Softball seniors (from left to right): Amanda Leonard, Lindsey Huntsinger, Kim Coley, and Laurel Gregg.

For me, watching these young people grow up and mature in front of my own eyes is what gets me. I remember shaking their hands on their recruiting visits, telling their parents this was a great place for them to spend their college careers, and letting them know the coaches would be watching over their special treasures for the next four years.

While it will indeed be sad to see our seniors graduate and depart, the impact they have made will not be forgotten. They have experienced some of the greatest success of any Bobcat athletic teams ever, and for this, I am hoping they will reflect on this experience with a great deal of pride.

I know I will.

Thank you for letting me share what the last two weeks have been for me as we prepare for another group of seniors to rise in the position soon.

Until next time,

Best wishes,

Craig

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Mac and Yackey prep for senior weekend

Senior Anna DeLuke

The Lees-McRae College athletic department will honor 15 members of its 2012 senior class this coming weekend, as Mac and head softball coach Merritt Yackey make preparations in the event of a rainout. The Bobcat women’s lacrosse team will honor seniors Anna DeLuke and Tiffany Rodman on Friday night, as they take the field against Belmont Abbey College in their regular season finale at 7 p.m.

Senior Alexander Hayes

The Lees-McRae tennis teams will host Belmont Abbey on Saturday, and will celebrate the careers of seniors Graham Battle, Houston Callaway, Alexander Hayes, Marcelo Tatai, Skylar Warren, Raven Harris, Kelsey Hiatt, and Lyndsey Peagram prior to first serve at noon.

Senior Lindsey Huntsinger

The Bobcat softball team will honor seniors Amanda Leonard, Laurel Gregg, Kim Coley, and Lindsey Huntsinger prior to the first pitch against Belmont Abbey on Saturday afternoon.

Coach Mac shared a rather amusing conversation with head softball coach Merrit Yackey this morning, as the two unwittingly experienced a Milli Vanilli moment while discussing the possibility of a rain-out this weekend. As luck would have it, my colleague Phillip Greene and I were there, video cameras in hand, to capture the moment on camera. The evidence is below for all of Bobcat Nation to enjoy!

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Is there a better backdrop in college athletics???

I went out to our softball field last night as the sun was setting on a cloudless sky, and realized there might not be a better backdrop in collegiate athletics. After mowing the field and watching our softball coach Merritt Yackey drag the field, I was left with a vision of absolute perfection.

 

With the brick backstop, a full-fence banner, and the profile of the mountain ranges in the background, I am certain there is a purpose for all of us and what we do by admiring that beauty.

 

Having a new fence, foul poles, painted scoreboard, and yellow fence curbing also helps, but seeing the transformation has been fun for me and I can imagine when Coach Yackey brings recruits over to see the field, he does not have much trouble convincing them that Lees-McRae is the place for them.

 

So, if you are ever in the area, please come by and see what I am talking about. Last night, as the sun went down behind me, I was touched by the realization Lees-McRae is set in an absolute beautiful location and we have been blessed by this.

 

Best wishes,

Craig

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It may not be spring training, but it’s close!

When I came to work this morning, I couldn’t believe how many girls I saw attending Coach Merritt Yackey’s softball day camp! I can only imagine how much they are learning and the quality of training they are receiving.

Did I mention it is currently 63 degrees out on the field!! Just another reason to spend some time at the camps here at Lees-McRae College.

Oh and another item I forgot to pass along, this year Conference Carolinas softball coaches named Merritt Yackey Coach of the Year, so I think the camp is legit!

Thanks

Craig

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