rambler report - may 2015

maroon & gold ramblersTrio of student-athletes selected to prestigious maroon & gold society

MAY 2015

inside:Men’s Volleyball set to defend: ncaa championship preview

4X800 relay team with historic drake relays title

time to defend our title!The Loyola men’s volleyball team

celebrates after defeating Ohio State in the last regular-season match of the year. The Ramblers went on to capture

their third consecutive MIVA tournament championship and now have their sights

set on defending the NCAA National Championship this week in California.

Loyola'sLaunching PadFreshman shortstop Brooke Wyderski launched 12 home runs this season, most by a Rambler freshman and one shy of Lauren Moore’s overall school record of 13 set in 2013. In addition to roundtrippers, Wyderski led Loyola in almost all other offensive categories including average (.302), slugging (.580), on-base percentage (.348) and RBI (37).

A Program On The RiseFor the first time in 52 years, the Loyola men’s basketball program captured a postseason tournament championship after claiming the College Basketball Invitational title last month. The Ramblers defeated Louisiana-Monroe 65-58 at Gentile Arena and 63-62 on the road to bring home the trophy in the best-of-three championship series. Other champions in the tournament’s eight-year history include the likes of Pittsburgh, VCU, and Oregon.

Student-Athlete ProfileS

Rambler Report • May 2015 •

Three Loyola student-athletes were among the 25 members selected for Loyola’s prestigious 2015-16 Maroon & Gold Society as announced during the University’s Weekend of Excellence. Mitch Baum (Cross Country/Track and Field), Owen McAndrews (Men’s Volleyball) and Ashley Rogers (Softball) were chosen for demonstrating a commitment to leadership, academic excellence and service to others.

The Maroon & Gold Society honors students who personify the efforts of Loyola to prepare people to live extraordinary lives and, in doing so, embracing the Jesuit ideal of Magis, which is the constant pursuit of excellence. Members will participate in approximately 20 university events throughout the course of the year and are expected to uphold a standard of leadership for students by maintaining leadership roles in various groups around campus.

MITCH BAUMBaum has been a steady performer for the Ramblers’ cross country and track & field teams and has had his best season to date so far in 2015. He recorded a pair of personal-bests (800m, mile) during the indoor season and has already notched PRs this outdoor season in the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase. Meanwhile, off the track, Baum is a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council Executive Board, a member of the Cross Country/Track & Field Christian Life Community and was a primary organizer of a three-day mission

trip to St. Procopius in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood for the cross country/track and field team.

“Mitch truly is a person for others,” said cross country/track & field head coach Randy Hasenbank. “We are very fortunate to have Mitch as a member of our program. He is one of the most caring young men that I have been around and is just a tremendous person with many great qualities. Not only is he a great athlete, he has also become a leader on our team and within the department. Mitch is an education major and some school somewhere is going to get a terrific teacher and role model. This is a great honor for Mitch.”

oWEN MCANDREWSMcAndrews was a major contributor on last season’s national championship men’s volleyball team, finishing second on the squad in blocks and fifth in kills. He was a two-time Off the Block/Springbak, Inc. National Freshman of the Week a season ago and posted seven kills and three blocks as Loyola capped a 29-1 season with a four-set victory over Stanford to claim the national title.

THREE STUDENT-ATHLETES SELECTED to MAROON & GOLD SOCIETYbAUM, MCANDREWS, ROGERS PART OF PRESTIGIOUS CAMPUS LEADERSHIP GROUP

Student-Athlete ProfileS


A cancer survivor, McAndrews has spearheaded Loyola’s Movember movement the last three years, raising approximately $15,000 for cancer research, and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business fraternity in addition to being a two-time Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) Academic All-Conference pick.

“Owen’s commitment to academics, service and his willingness to give back to others are just a few of the many leadership qualities that he possesses,” said men’s volleyball head coach Shane Davis. “He has the ability to lead by example, both on and off the court, and relates very well to many different types of people and personalities, making him an ideal leader not just for our volleyball team but also for the Loyola community. I am extremely proud of his selection to such an elite leadership group.”

ASHLEY ROGERSRogers was one of Loyola’s most reliable pitchers this season, posting season-highs in appearances (40), innings pitched (163) and strikeouts (71). She allowed just two earned runs in a victory over Wright State this

spring and gave up just a single earned run in seven innings against Mount St. Mary’s. Rogers was an Honorable Mention Missouri Valley Scholar-Athlete Team pick last season and has participated in service projects with Misericordia Heart of Mercy, the Chicago Marathon and Special Olympics while volunteering at University of Chicago and MacNeal hospitals.

“Ashley works very hard in the classroom and manages her studies with her time commitment as a Division I athlete very well,” said head softball coach Jeff Tylka. “Her dedication to her studies is commendable while being a large contributing member on the softball team. We are very proud to have another member of the softball team make it into this prestigious group that is made up of some of the very best that Loyola has to offer.”

ramblers honored with mvc leadership & service awardsThe Missouri Valley Conference recognizes 10 student-athletes three times annually (fall, winter, and spring) with the MVC Leadership & Service Award, honoring the achievements of exceptional student-athletes in the conference. Three Ramblers were recipients of the award this year: Eric Schoendorf of the men’s soccer team, Sam Penzenstadler of the track and field and cross country program, and Annie Korth of the softball team.

Schoendorf, a native of Delafield, Wis., sports a 3.76 GPA as an accounting major and has been a member of the Dean’s List in every semester of his undergraduate career. In addition to being a starter on the Ramblers’ backline, the junior is a Loyola 360 retreat leader and a volunteer for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Cycle for Survival event.

Sam Penzenstadler has become one of the most decorated Loyola track athletes, but the senior is also a standout off the track. The Oshkosh, Wis. native owns a 3.30 GPA with a mathematics and computer science major and a statistics minor. Penzenstadler became the first Loyola men’s cross country runner to garner national All-Academic honors and has been an active volunteer in several organizations including Relay for Life, Christmas on Campus, the Chicago Marathon, and the Kind College Prep math tutoring program.

The third honoree is Annie Korth, a consistent producer in the Loyola softball lineup while maintaining a GPA north of 3.0 as a biology major and biostatistics minor. Korth has volunteered her time with Special Olympics, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, Misericordia Heart of Mercy and the St. Thomas of Canterbury Soup Kitchen.

Men’S VolleybAll uPdAteS


Ramblers collect third straight miva tournament titleEntering the MIVA conference tournament, Loyola’s only two marks in the loss column were at the hands of its longtime rival, Lewis. The Ramblers rolled to the tournament finals with victories over Quincy and Ohio State before meeting the Flyers for the third straight season in the tournament’s final match. Loyola once again got the better of Lewis, winning 16-25, 25-15, 29-27, 25-20, to capture its third consecutive MIVA tournament title and the automatic bid to the NCAA championship.

Junior Thomas Jaeschke led the Ramblers with a match-high 20 kills on a .486 hitting percentage, while also adding three assists and two aces. Freshman Ricky Gevis, who has replaced injured opposite hitter Ben Plaisted in the lineup, and senior Cody Caldwell also recorded double-digit kills. The trio, along with setter Peter Hutz, were named to the MIVA All-Tournament team.

Loyola earned the third seed in the NCAA Championships at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA and began its national title defense with a sweep of sixth-seeded Pfeiffer (25-20, 33-31, 25-15) in a NCAA tournament play-in match last night. The Ramblers now face two-seeded UC-Irvine, which knocked Loyola out of the tournament in 2013.

jaeschke repeats as all-americaN, miva player of the yearThe individual honors have begun to roll in for Thomas Jaeschke, who has had a terrific season leading the Ramblers in several categories including kills (347), kills per set (4.08), digs (172), digs per set (2.02), and aces (49). For the second consecutive year, Jaeschke was selected as both the MIVA Player of the Year and a first-team AVCA All-America. It is only the fourth time that a Rambler has earned a first-team selection. The numbers suggest Jaeschke will also be a strong candidate for AVCA Player of the Year, which will be announced tonight.

Hutz, who is second in the nation with 11.30 assists per set, was honored as a second-team All-America along with freshman Jeff Jendryk, who also earned AVCA Newcomer of the Year. Jendryk is tied with Hutz for the most sets played this year for Loyola and has registered 166 kills with a .495 hitting percentage.

AVCA National RankingsRank School (First Place Votes) Points Record1 UC Irvine (12) 260 28-42 Lewis (2) 249 26-33 Loyola (4) 241 25-24 Pepperdine 214 24-65 Hawaii 205 24-66 Penn State 177 20-97 BYU 154 17-107 Southern California 154 19-99 UC Santa Barbara 124 18-1010 Ohio State 105 22-911 Long Beach State 98 15-1312 UCLA 71 13-1413 CSUN 47 10-1814 Stanford 25 10-1815 George Mason 14 15-13


Scouting the ncAA chAMPionShiP

#1 Lewis flyers2015 Record: 26-3NCAA Tournament Appearances: 5 (2015, 2014, 2004, 1998, 1996)NCAA Tournament Record: 0-4NCAA Championships: NoneAbout the Flyers: Lewis earned one of two at-large bids by virtue of its regular-season MIVA crown and its strong 5-1 record against the rest of the tournament field. The Flyers are led by a powerful pair of seniors in Geoff Powell, a first-team All-America with a 3.25 kill average, and Greg Petty, a second teamer who sports a 3.39 kill average. Junior Bobby Walsh is a force inside, leading the country with 1.53 blocks per set.

#2 UC-IRVINE Anteaters2015 Record: 28-4NCAA Tournament Appearances: 6 (2015, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2007, 2006)NCAA Tournament Record: 8-1NCAA Championships: 4 (2013, 2012, 2009, 2007)About the Anteaters: UC-Irvine was the regular-season and conference tournament champion out of the MPSF and enters the championship on a 10-match winning streak. The Anteaters feature three first-team All-Americas, including senior libero Michael Brinkley, a three-time honoree of the award and the NCAA active career leader in digs. Opposite Zack LaCavera, the MPSF Player of the Year, and outside hitter Tamir Hershko join Brinkley on the first-team. LaCavera and Hershko lead UC-Irvine offensively with a 3.88 and 3.55 kill average, respectively.

#3 Loyola ramblers2015 Record: 25-2NCAA Tournament Appearances: 3 (2015, 2014, 2013)NCAA Tournament Record: 2-1NCAA Championships: 1 (2014)About the Ramblers: See page 10.

#4 hawaii rainbow warriors2015 Record: 24-6NCAA Tournament Appearances: 3 (2015, 1996, 1995)NCAA Tournament Record: 1-3NCAA Championships: NoneAbout the Rainbow Warriors: Hawaii was awarded one of the two at-large bids into the NCAA tournament after a season with a 16-match winning streak and a second-

place finish in the MPSF regular season. The Rainbow Warriors are led by senior middle Taylor Averill, who was recently named to the AVCA All-America first-team for the second consecutive year. Averill hit .483 on the season with 2.85 kills per set. Senior Brook Sedore provides the punch on the outside, leading the team with 353 kills. Hawaii stumbled a bit down the stretch, losing three of its last four matches.

#5 penn state nittany lions2015 Record: 20-9NCAA Tournament Appearances: 30 (2015-1999, 1997-91, 1989, 1987-86, 1983-81)NCAA Tournament Record: 15-29NCAA Championships: 2 (2008, 1994)About the Nittany Lions: Penn State, the representative out of the EIVA, started the season with six straight losses and found itself with an uncharacteristic 4-9 record in late February. The Nittany Lions haven’t lost since, however, and enter their 17th straight NCAA tournament as one of the hottest teams in the field. Senior Aaron Russell is second in the country at 4.70 kills per set from the outside and earned his second consecutive spot on the AVCA All-America First-Team. Penn State played five of the six teams in the tournament during the regular season, but dropped all six of those matches.

#6 pfeiffer falcons2015 Record: 21-3NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1 (2015)NCAA Tournament Record: 0-0NCAA Championships: NoneAbout the Falcons: Pfeiffer captured the NCAA automatic bid after sweeping Erskine to wins its third Conference Carolinas tournament championship in the last four years. The Falcons are led by a pair of juniors in Jonathan Martinez and Sonny Hirini, who have registered 292 and 248 kills on the season respectively.The NCAA Championships will present a challenge for Pfeiffer, which only faced one team from the MPSF, MIVA, or EIVA conference during the season - a 3-1 loss to Ohio State.

Men’S bASketbAll recAP

Coming off a 10-win season a year ago, the Ramblers headed into the 2014-15 campaign with their backs against the wall. The squad was picked last in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, it faced an injury to its only preseason all-conference team selection in Milton Doyle, and they had the challenge of welcoming six newcomers into the regular rotation. How did Loyola and fourth-year head coach Porter Moser respond? By overcoming all those odds and exceeding every outside expectation.

The Ramblers collected a Las Vegas Classic tournament title early in the season with wins over Texas Tech and Boise State, reached the MVC tournament semifinals after beating Indiana State by the largest margin of victory in the tournament’s history, and captured the College Basketball Invitational championship in its first postseason appearance in 30 years. With a 24-13 overall record, Loyola won its most games since the 1984-85 season and finished with an RPI of 87, a 205-place improvement from the previous season.

questions answeredSophomore Milton Doyle battled through a shoulder injury, and then later an ankle injury, to play in 25 games, averaging 11.4 points and 4.2 assists per contest. Those six new faces of the program provided valuable contributions throughout the entire season. Junior Montel James, a transfer from Coffeyville Community College, started 34 games and averaged 9.4 points and 4.3 rebounds a game,

while fellow junior-college transfer Earl Peterson capped his season off with a CBI MVP award in recognition for his 14 points per game during the tournament run. In addition, freshmen Donte Ingram, Ben Richardson, Jay Knuth, and Julius Rajala gave Porter Moser strong play at both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

road warriorsAfter a winless road record last season, Loyola was much tougher away from Gentile Arena this season, finishing with a 8-6 road record and a 3-1 ledger on neutral courts. A big early season win at Kent State, a buzzer-beating victory at Evansville, and an overtime triumph at Drake that gave the Ramblers a coveted first-round bye at Arch Madness were examples of Loyola’s resilience in hostile environments this season. The Ramblers also rallied from a four-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining at Louisiana-Monroe in game two of the CBI championship series to pull out a 63-62 win and the CBI title.

setting the foundationThe program says goodbye to three seniors this year who will be difficult to replace. Christian Thomas had another fine season, ending his career as one of only 10 Ramblers to score more than 1,300 points and grab 600 rebounds for the Maroon & Gold. Thomas ranks 18th and 15th all-time in the two categories respectively. Joe Crisman was a stalwart in the Loyola lineup during his four seasons, starting 98 games in his career and providing a high level of leadership and tenacity. The Ramblers will also lose London Dokubo, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship in his senior season.

Despite the graduation losses, the Ramblers return a strong and balanced nucleus next year with 78 percent of both points and minutes returning to the floor from this season. Loyola will also welcome a pair of big men to the rotation next year with Maurice Kirby, a 6’9 235-pound forward from Coffeyville Community College, and Pernell Adgei, a 6’7 forward out of Virginia, joining the team.


Surprise Season Ends with cbi championshipThomas, Crisman, Dokubo end careers on high note

trAck & field uPdAteS

Racing against some of the top teams in the nation at the prestigious Drake Relays, Loyola’s 4x800m relay team of Jake Mazanke, Peter Archibald, Ryan Van Portfliet and Sam Penzenstadler came out on top with a school-record breaking time of 7:25.12 to capture the program’s first relay title at the meet in 52 years.

“We felt like we could win this event and the guys executed perfectly,” said head coach Randy Hasenbank. “The goal was to set it up to give Sam a chance as the anchor leg. Ryan had a tremendous carry and kept us close, and Sam took the stick at least ten meters back and started hunting and ran everybody down. It’s a huge win for Loyola.”

Another men’s relay team, the 4x100m squad of James McLachlan, Chris Strup, Jaz Hayes, and Kevin Glastetter, clocked a time of 40.53 to set another school record at the Mt. SAC Relays in California earlier in the month.

Penzenstadler also shined at the Mt. SAC Relays, placing fifth in his heat of the 5,000m with a personal-best time of 13:58.24, the second-fastest time in school history and the No. 2 time in the Valley so far this season. Penzenstadler and McLachlan’s efforts at the Mt. SAC Relays garnered them co-Missouri Valley Conference Track and Field Athlete of the Week honors. Penzenstadler, who holds a 3.30 GPA as a mathematics major, also earned his fifth MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week award in April.

“Sam joined another exclusive club with his 5,000m performance,” said Hasenbank. “Not many guys in the history of collegiate track can say they ran a 1:48 in the 800m, a 3:58 mile and and now a sub- 14 minute time in the 5,000m. It’s just incredible.”

On the women’s side, junior Rebecca Stearns captured an event title at the Drake Relays as well, winning the 800m with a personal-best time of 2:08.20. The time ranks second all-time at Loyola and currently leads the Valley.

Senior Alison Szykowny continues to set and break her own school records, including three last weekend at the Redbird Invitational. Szykowny placed first in the discus with a mark of 55.91m, number one all-time at Loyola and currently 11th in the nation, before notching a runner-up finish in the shot put with a school-record toss of 15.12m. The Palos Heights native also shattered her own school record in the hammer throw with a mark

of 57.42m.

“I’m really proud of Rebecca. She took a big step and I’m fairly confident her mark will get her to the NCAA West Preliminary Round,” said Hasenbank. “Alison is also now ranked in three events in the NCAA West region. With two weeks to go, she is on the verge of qualifying for the

first round in all three, which is pretty amazing. Alison is really dialed in and confident.”

Upcoming ScheduleMay 8-9: Dr. Keeler Invitational, Naperville, IL May 15-17: MVC Championships, Normal, ILMay 28-30: NCAA West Preliminary Round, Austin, TXJune 10-13: NCAA Championships, Eugene, OR


4x800 relay team wins historic drake relays titlesquad sets school record in thrilling fashion

Junior Rebecca Stearns

SPring SPortS recAPS

buckley takes second at mvc championshipsFreshman Garret Buckley was recognized as an All-Missouri Valley Conference selection after a runner-up finish last week at the MVC Championships hosted by Missouri State. The Novi, Mich. native put an exclamation point on a breakout rookie campaign with an even-par round of 72 to conclude play with a two-under-par 214. Buckley also sank 13 putts for birdie during the tournament, tying for the overall lead in the category.

Junior PJ Riner (79-76-75) capped off a productive two-day stay in the Ozarks with his top individual round of the tournament, carding a three-over-par 75 that earned the Johns Creek, Ga. product a share of 24th with a 230. Following close behind was senior Nick Dennis who tied for 36th place after firing an 80 in his final round as a Rambler, bringing his three-round tally to 238 (76-82-80).

“I’m proud of Garret and the work he has put in this year,” Loyola Director of Golf Kyle Stefan commented. “He was relentless in practice and preparation and led by example. Riner played well, especially his last nine of the event. Dennis finished a four-year career this week and also should be recognized for his contributions to the golf program.”

Loyola posted a team score of 921 (307-306-308) at the three-round event to claim seventh-place after being projected for a tenth-place finish by the conference coaches before the tournament.

The Rambler women’s program also claimed a seventh-place finish at the MVC Championships in Burlington, Iowa. A pair of freshmen led the attack for Loyola, with Jessie Staed (73-85-81) taking 15th place and Summer Moser (79-82-80) placing in a tie for 18th overall. Senior Alexandra Meyers, competing in her final round as a Rambler, notched a total of 247, putting her in a tie for 34th.

“I’m proud of this team for getting us in a position that we have never been in during our time in this conference,” Stefan commented. “We played in the final group for the last two days and ultimately can take a lot away from the week. I’m also proud of Alex and her career and contributions that she has made to our program.”

softball rebuilding year ends on high noteTrailing Wichita State 7-1 in the final game of the season, the Ramblers rallied for six runs in the final frame, capped off by a two-run single by senior Jessica Balzano in her final at-bat for Loyola, before walking-off in the eighth with an RBI-double by freshman Ashley Parenti. The Ramblers finished the season at 15-35 and in ninth-place in the Missouri Valley Conference.

The 2015 campaign was filled with a few big injuries, which forced several young players to assume key roles in the Loyola lineup. Freshman Brooke Wyderski started all 50 games at shortstop and led the Ramblers in nearly every offensive category including average (.302), slugging (.580), on-base percentage (.348), home runs (12), and RBI (37). The 12 long balls were a Loyola record for a

freshman and one shy of the overall school record set by Lauren Moore in 2013. Two other freshman – Jamie O’Brien and Parenti – started all but two games between them and were fourth (.276) and fifth (.264) on the team in hitting, respectively.

Balzano ends her Rambler career with a fine season, hitting .289 with seven doubles, three home runs and 18 RBI. Sophomore Erica Nagel slid into the leadoff role midway through the season and put together a nice year with a .286 batting average.

Eight Ramblers who saw significant action in the starting lineup will return in 2016, in addition to both starting pitchers.


Freshman Garret Buckley

Senior Jessica Balzano

(773) 508-WOLF WWW.LOyOLarambLers.cOm

#OnWardLU

rambler report - may 2015

Documents