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Record-breaking year for Saints sports program
Ard and Sims sisters named athletes of the year
The Advocate
Student-athletes, family, coaches, staff and faculty filled the Visual Arts Theater Tuesday to celebrate a strong year for MHCC sports and an NWAACC title for the softball team.
Athletic Director Fred Schnell and Administrative Assistant Jan Sweet stood at the door welcoming everyone into the awards banquet, telling them to “get some food and drinks inside and to have a good time tonight.”
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Most of the athletes and coaches were dressed formally. However, the baseball team showed up in jeans and matching black shirts that read MHCC Saints Baseball. Before the event started, athletes of all sports (and coaches) mingled, greeting other student-athletes they had met during their careers at MHCC.
Schnell introduced members of the athletic department who helped the sports department all year long. “Without this group of people,” he said, “we wouldn’t have been able to accomplish everything we did this year.”
Track and field Head Coach Matt Hart was given the NWAACC women’s track and field coach of the year award for the third consecutive season. He listed his athletes’ names and their player accomplishments this season. The track and field team received 10 All-American honors.
Next up for recognition was the volleyball team. Former Head Coach Matt Hartner was not present, due to his new job as the head of volleyball operations for the University of Oregon program. Schnell spoke on behalf of Hartner.
“Even though they had a rough season, I would watch their practices and these girls never looked down. They always tried to get better and never gave up all season,” Schnell said. Sophomore libero Caitlin McCall earned second team all-NWAACC honors.
After talking about the women, Schnell introduced new coach and former saint Chelsea Freeman. Freeman served as an assistant to Lena Chan, the volleyball coach before Hartner.
Then women’s basketball Head Coach Larry Davis talked about what got him and other coaches through the season.
“Red Bull!” Davis said. “All of the coaches probably had at least one of these a day. Throughout the season it gets stressful, but Red Bull got us through the season.”
Davis talked about his players and about what they did as a team.
“If you look at most teams and take away their three best players, there goes 60 to 70 percent of their offense,” he said. “But with us, Alex was the only one who averaged double digits and was only 12 to 14 percent of our offense. Everyone else was in single digits. That shows how unselfish this team is.” The women finished fifth in the NWAACC tournament and it was their first appearance in 11 years at the NWAACC championship tournament.
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After the event, he talked more about his team. “I am just proud of these girls for what they accomplished this year,” he said. “They were a complete, close group. They were all unselfish and team players.”
Next to speak was former men’s basketball Head Coach Rob Nielson. He discussed how some of his players have decided to take a leave from their team and for religious reasons go on and do their mission and return once it is complete. As for the team that finished seventh in the NWAACC tournament, this was his last team as head coach for the MHCC Saints. Nielson described his coaching philosophy and recalled hiring the new head coach, Jeff Gibor, who served as assistant to Nielson.
“He came and applied for the job. I told him, ‘If you can bring them in, I am willing to coach them.’ That is the philosophy we have used since we started working together, Nielson said.
After the ceremony, Nielson said, “I am really sad that I don’t get to coach this group of kids. I am just sad that I can’t take a group of students and make them better players.”
After the round of applause for Nielson, Schnell asked baseball Head Coach Bryan Donahue to come talk about the team’s success this year as they finished tied for third in the NWAACC tournament.
Freshman Taylor Ard was named NWAACC player of the year, and Tuesday was announced as the Dutch Triebwasser Award winner. This award is given to the best male and female athletes of the year from MHCC.
Softball Head Coach Meadow McWhorter described her team and how they ultimately won the 2009 NWAACC softball championship.
“Watching the games, they always believed,” McWhorter said. “Even when we were down and losing, these girls never gave up. We knew we were better than the teams we lost to and we just never gave up. That was the best part of the season for this team — fighting all the way to the end.”
The female Triebwasser award was awarded for the first time ever to sisters. Catherine and Crystal Sims shared the honor. Catherine’s performance throughout the season was highlighted and that in the NWAACC championships she earned the most points for the team. Crystal is the NWAACC heptathlon champion and ranked fifth in the nation for all junior colleges in the event.
“We have had lots of good years here,” said Schnell. “If you look in the gym at all those banners, those are just championships won. We are a competitive school. At the NWAACC chairman meetings, a couple athletic directors came up to me and said, ‘You guys are tough in everything you compete in.’ That is the ultimate sign of respect and that is the way we want it to be for our programs.”
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