Inside:

Dave vitelmeet the man

behind the muscle

september results & highlights

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee makes an impact

October 2014

dobro'sdominance!Loyola’s netminder leads team to best start since 2002

Junior Tim Dobrowolski

Fresh StartLoyola freshman Summer Moser is off to a strong start to her career, earning Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week honors after claiming the top spot on the leaderboard at the Loyola Fall Invitational. Loyola captured the team title at the event, finishing 18 strokes in front of second-place UIC.

Champs honored at wrigleyHead men’s volleyball Shane Davis prepares to take the mound at Wrigley Field to throw out the first pitch before the Cubs battled the Cincinnati Reds on September 15. The Ramblers were honored by the Cubs for their men’s volleyball national championship in May. Davis, senior Cody Caldwell, junior Thomas Jaeschke, and 2014 graduates Peter Jasaitis and Dainis Berzins also led the crowd in the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

spirited performanceLU Wolf and Loyola’s cheer and dance teams participate in the inaugural Edgewater Back to School 5K Run/Walk on September 28. The 5K took place immediately before the Edgewater Fall Art Fair and benefited the elementary schools of the 48th ward.

Fall SportS UpdateS

Men's Soccer (4-3, 1-0 MVC)With victories over Dayton, Western Michigan, and Utah Valley to start the season, the men’s soccer team sprinted to its best start as a program since 2002. Goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski earned MVC Defensive Player of the Week honors in early September after posting three straight shutouts.

After dropping three straight road contests, including a tight 1-0 match against nationally-ranked Michigan State, Loyola opened Missouri Valley Conference play with a thrilling come-from-behind win against Bradley before a record-breaking crowd at Loyola Soccer Park. Loyola sophomore Kirill Likhovid knotted the game at 1-1 with only eight seconds remaining in regulation before junior Ryan Howe ended the game with an overtime goal four minutes into the extra session.

Howe, who shares the team lead in goals with freshman Elliot Collier, was named MVC Offensive Player of the Week this week by the conference. The Ramblers begin the month of October ranked 25th in the latest NCAA Men’s Soccer RPI rankings.

october Schedule :Oct. 1 - @DePaul, 12pmOct. 4 - vs. Northern Illinois, 7pmOct. 11 - @Drake, 7pmOct. 15 - @Wisconsin, 7pmOct. 18 - vs. Missouri State, 6pmOct. 21 - vs. UIC, 7pmOct. 25 - @Central Arkansas, 2pmOct. 29 - vs. Northwestern, 7pm

Women's Soccer (4-8, 1-0 MVC)Senior goalkeeper Monica Gonyo entered the Loyola record books last weekend in Loyola’s Missouri Valley Conference opener, a 2-0 victory over Indiana State. Gonyo picked up her third shutout of the season and 22nd of her illustrious career, moving her past Emily Peick on Loyola’s all-time shutouts board. The Wisconsin native was also named MVC Goalkeeper of the Week in early September after a three-save performance against Western Michigan and a clean sheet against Green Bay.

The win over the Sycamores ended a four-game skid for the Ramblers, who faced a tough non-conference schedule that included nationally-ranked Marquette and DePaul. Senior Valerie Gonyo and freshman Avalon Senn-Raemont lead Loyola with four goals apiece.

October Schedule: Oct. 4 - @Valparaiso, 7pmOct. 8 - vs. Drake, 7pmOct. 11 - vs. Illinois State, 7pmOct. 19 - @Northern Iowa, 1pmOct. 25 - @Missouri State, 1pmOct. 30 - vs. Evansville, 7pm

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 8 Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 9

Junior Ryan HoweSenior Valerie Gonyo

Fall SportS UpdateS

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 9

Women's Volleyball (5-8, 1-3 MVC)Two trends have emerged for Loyola over the first month of the season: slow starts and fast finishes. The Ramblers have dropped the opening set in nine of their 13 matches, with their three lowest-scoring frames all coming in the first set. However, Loyola has proven to be a resilient bunch, posting a 3-1 record in five-set matches, including victories over Delaware, Virginia and Drake.

With a team-high 205 kills, sophomore Morgan Reardon has been sensational for the Ramblers through the first half of the year, posting two 30-kill efforts already this season. The Joliet native leads the Missouri Valley Conference in both kills (4.10 kps) and points (4.72 pps). Reardon was also was honored last week by the conference as its Scholar-Athlete of the Week, the first time she has earned the academic honor.

Freshman Caroline Holt has anchored down the setter position since moving into the lineup during the second set of the Ramblers’ opening match. Holt narrowly missed her first career double-double in the win over Drake, handing out a season-high 62 assists to go with nine digs. Holt enters the month leading the Missouri Valley in assists (10.63 aps).

October Schedule:Oct. 3 - @Southern Illinois, 7pmOct. 4 - @Evansville, 6pmOct. 10 - vs. Indiana State, 7pmOct. 11 - vs. Illinois State, 6pmOct. 17 - vs. Bradley, 7pmOct. 24 - @Wichita State, 7pmOct. 25 - @Missouri State, 7pmOct. 31 - vs. Evansville, 7pm

Cross CountryA pair of Ramblers earned MVC Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors in September. Junior Sydney Steunkel claimed the award after placing second at the Illinois State Invite and clocking a personal-best 5K time of 17:33, which is currently the fastest time in the conference this season. Senior Sam Penzenstadler won the award after winning the Badger Season Opener in Madison, Wisconsin with a 6K time of 18:16. Five Ramblers posted personal bests, giving the Ramblers a runner-up finish. Penzenstadler, who maintains a 3.30 GPA as a math major, was also one of two Ramblers to earn MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors in September.

October Schedule:Oct. 3 – Notre Dame Invitational, South Bend, INOct. 17 – Bradley Classic, Peoria, ILOct. 18 – NCAA Pre-Nationals, Terre Haute, INOct. 24 – Illini Open, Urbana, IL

GolfThe Loyola women’s golf team claimed two team titles at events in September, first at the Chi-Town Shootout and then at the Loyola Fall Invitational at Flossmoor Country Club. Sophomore Logan Willis and freshman Jessie Staed shared medalist honors at the Chi-Town, while freshman Summer Moser topped the leaderboard at the Loyola Fall Invitational. All three golfers were recognized by the conference as MVC Women’s Golfer of the Week in September.

Freshman Garret Buckley impressed in his collegiate debut, claiming medalist honors and tying a course record at the Whistling Straits Intercollegiate in Wisconsin. Two weeks later, sophomore Ben Holm posted career-low performances during a runner-up finish at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate in Normal. Both Buckley and Holm received MVC Men’s Golfer of the Week honors for their efforts.

Men's October Schedule:Oct. 4-5 – John Dallio Memorial, Lemont, ILOct. 20-21 – Flyer Invitational, Kettering, OHOct. 28-29 – Rambler Roundup, Evanston, IL

Women's October Schedule:Oct. 13-14 – Rocket Classic, Catawba Island, OHOct. 20-21 – Flyer Invitational, Kettering, OHOct. 27-28 – Braun Intercollegiate, Boonville, IN

StUdent-athlete FeatUre

Tim DobrowolskiLike a RockTim Dobrowolski, a junior goalkeeper on the Loyola University Chicago men’s soccer team, is off to the finest start of his career for the Maroon & Gold. Dobrowolski, out of Rockford, Ill., opened the season with three-straight shutout performances and ranks near the top of the Missouri Valley Conference in multiple categories. His fast start hasn’t taken away from what he does off the field though. The junior is a member of Loyola’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and is now just three-plus semesters away from graduation. Tim sat down to talk about the men’s soccer team’s great start to the season and about some of his activities away from the pitch.

Q. You’ve gotten off to a great start this season. What have been some of your keys to success?

A. I think the biggest key to our success so far would be our defense. We have only given up five goals in seven games which is a testament to our dedication to getting numbers behind the ball, denying services and shots at any cost, and better goalkeeping. I also want to add that our energy and work rate have been higher than ever. I don’t think we have been out matched fitness wise at all this season.

Q. The team has played a challenging non-conference schedule to begin the season. How does that prepare the team for Missouri Valley Conference play?

A. In the Missouri Valley Conference, every game is a battle. Everyone is fighting for a spot in the conference tournament. Playing these tough non-conference games allows us to test our abilities, find out what formations or strategies work, and help us find ourselves as a team. Unfortunately we didn’t get the results we wanted in the last three games before Bradley, but conference play is going to be exactly like those games. Every game will be a battle to the very end, and if we keep up the energy and team defense we’ve developed thus far, we will do great things.

Q. Speak about your involvement in SAAC and how the group makes an impact in the community.

A. SAAC is the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and is one of the most fulfilling things I have been able to be a part of at Loyola. As a SAAC executive member, part of my duties is to help plan, organize, and execute various events and activities around Loyola. Another aspect of SAAC is that we are a voice for the student-athletes. Whether its complaints or suggestions, we are there to be a messenger and delegator to the administration. Most events we plan are tied with local charities or churches within the community. Our shoe drive

has all contributions going to a church on the south side, while our hygiene hijack delivers unused toiletries provided by hotels to Ronald McDonald House.

Q. You’ve just started your junior year and graduation is starting to get closer. What are some of your career plans for after Loyola?

A. It’s scary to think that next year I will be graduating when it feels like just yesterday I was a baby freshman checking in for preseason. To be 100% honest, I haven’t really given much thought to what will happen after Loyola. If the opportunity presented itself and I could continue playing soccer I would take that path in a heartbeat. When it comes down to it, I feel like I’m ready to pursue any opportunities in Information Systems or Operations Management.

Q. What does playing for Loyola mean to you? A. These last couple seasons have definitely developed my sense of pride for Loyola. I have come to realize there is more to soccer than just the wins and losses we have in the season. It’s the bond I’ve made with my teammates, the memories of each season on and off the field, and it’s the opportunity to continue the Rambler tradition each year. As my time at Loyola starts to come to a close I will cherish each moment more and more, because there will be nothing I miss more than the opportunity I have had while playing for the Maroon & Gold.

Junior Tim Dobrowolski

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 10

Service Spotlight

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 11

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Makes an Impact Loyola’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) has been active on campus early in the fall semester gathering goods and donations for local organizations. The committee, comprised of student-athlete representatives from each sport charged with developing positive relationships on campus, increasing community involvement, and promoting camaraderie among student-athletes, has partnered with the Ronald McDonald House and St. Procopius Catholic School on the south side of Chicago on two different initiatives this fall.

“As a Jesuit institution, we attempt to live with the ideas of social justice, the idea of giving back and striving to do good for those in need,” said Ella Tracy, a junior on the Track and Field and Cross Country teams and member of SAAC’s executive board. “As a committee, we believe it is important to be involved in order to help better our surrounding community.”

Members of SAAC recently organized a shoe drive during the month of September, gathering shoes from student-athletes and athletic staff and setting up collection boxes at Loyola soccer and volleyball games this fall. All shoes collected were donated to St. Procopius Catholic Church, where they are distributed to the church’s south side community.

In addition to the shoe drive, Hygiene Hijack is a yearlong SAAC-led initiative providing the Ronald McDonald House with toiletry items for its guests. Throughout the year, coaches and student-athletes are asked to gather unused soaps and shampoos from their hotels on team road trips to be donated to Hygiene Hijack.

“I’m really proud of the job SAAC has done this year uniting as one Rambler family, enhancing the student-athlete experience, and living out the core values of Loyola,” said Davon Robb, Loyola’s assistant athletic director for academic services and student development. “They have taken leadership of these two initiatives and have represented Loyola incredibly well at conference SAAC meetings in St. Louis and the National Jesuit Student Leadership conference in Boston.”

Some of the shoes collected by Loyola SAAC

StaFF highlight

Dave vitelBuilding strong bodies and minds

It’s mid-morning in late September and Dave Vitel, Loyola’s assistant athletic director for sports performance, has just finished guiding the men’s basketball team through another grueling, boot camp workout at the crack of dawn. The women’s team begins to file into the weight room, preparing for their training session and showing off some of their new gear. This is the energetic Vitel’s element, the weight room is his classroom.

The Elgin native is in his second stint with the Ramblers, having served as Loyola’s first full-time strength and conditioning coach from 2001 to 2006 before taking the head strength and conditioning job with the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves. Vitel returned to Rogers Park in 2011 during the NBA’s lockout season.

“When I first came to Loyola, I was 23 and I was thrown into the fire in a tiny weight room with 250 athletes. I was truly learning on the fly,” said Vitel, a Wisconsin-Whitewater graduate and four-year football letterman. “I came back to Loyola because the facilities were upgraded with the new weight room in the Norville Center and the department was committed to adding more sports performance staff.”

Loyola’s student-athletes are the beneficiaries of Vitel’s vast experiences working with some of the top athletes in the world. Vitel has trained multiple NBA draft picks such as David Lee, Luther Head, Luke Jackson and Dan Dickau, as well as NFL and MLS players. His efforts with Kevin Love helped transform the forward into an NBA All-Star in just his third season in the league.

“In the NBA, it’s all business. You’re dealing with agents, general managers, and tough personalities. There’s increased responsibility and pressure because you’re working with $100M worth of payroll,” said Vitel of life with the Timberwolves. “When I got back to Loyola, I wanted to mimic everything we did in Minnesota here at Loyola. I wanted to take the things we were doing from a sports psychology, nutrition, and technology perspective and create individualized total sports performance programs for each of our sports.”

Along with fellow staffers Angie Sorensen and Alex Sharon, Vitel has accomplished that goal, building total sports performance packages for Loyola athletes that go well beyond basic weight training and cardio exercise. These individualized plans include diet strategies, sleep needs, recovery tools, mental awareness, and sports psychology.

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 12

Vitel oversees a women’s basketball workout

StaFF highlight

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 13

Vitel has introduced massage therapy for athletes, created partnerships with Loyola’s Wellness Center for mental health consultation, and brought staff from the Adler School of Professional Psychology to lead Loyola’s coaches and student-athletes through workshops on vision, leadership, and mental toughness.

“One of the constant challenges of the job on the college level is helping our kids stay focused and motivated as they navigate life as a college athlete and the demands that are placed on them,” said Vitel. “As a staff, we are here for our student-athletes. We have to show them we care and create a positive atmosphere in the weight room.”

“I love this job. I’m in the weight room most of the day in a t-shirt and shorts. If I have a meeting, I put on a polo and dress pants,” said Vitel. “But my favorite part is seeing our kids mature, grow and develop during their time here on campus. Our goal is to create programs to help kids reach their maximum potential and it’s incredibly rewarding to see their hard work pay off.”

And what about those who aren’t top athletes in the world or training for a collegiate sport?

“Start slow, eat right, and stay consistent. There are so many ways to stay active – hiking, biking, swimming, tennis, even choosing the staircase instead the elevator,” suggests Vitel. “But remember, there’s no magic formula that replaces hard work.”

rambler varSity clUb proFile

Aaron Hunter (BA '06, MA '07)Season ticket holder

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Currently Resides: Chicago Occupation: Political consultant

Why I chose Loyola:

Coming from a Jesuit high school, I learned about Loyola at a college fair, and since I wanted to go to school in a bigger city, Loyola was a perfect fit. When I visited that spring I loved the campus and the people.

Favorite Loyola Athletics moment:

Senior Day in 2013, when Jordan Hicks scored 26 points in his last home game with his mom sitting courtside.

How my time at Loyola prepared me for life after graduation:

My wife and I started dating at Loyola, I made lifelong friendships at Loyola, and I learned from many people here that respecting people and taking the time to learn other points of view goes a long way.

Why I Give Back to Loyola:

I support Loyola Athletics because sports are a big part of the student experience, and I want to do everything I can to help the people working every day to make the Loyola experience for students and alumni the best it can be.

Rambler Report • October 2014 • Page 14

Aaron Hunter and Porter Moser at the Loyola Ramblers Golf Outing

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