Lady Statesmen Ranked 32nd

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. William Penn is unofficially ranked 32nd (14 votes) in the nation. Here are the polls:

RANK	LAST WEEK	SCHOOL (1st PLACE VOTES)	2010 RECORD	TOTAL POINTS
1	1	Northwestern (Iowa)(15)	11-0	436
2	2	Davenport (Mich.)(1)	11-0	422
3	3	Morningside (Iowa)	9-0	408
4	6	Indiana Wesleyan University	8-1	387
5	8	University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)	9-1	368
6	5	Cornerstone (Mich.)	10-1	351
7	10	Kansas Wesleyan University	9-0	348
8	4	University of Saint Francis (Ind.)	8-2	346
9	9	Black Hills State (S.D.)	8-3	334
10	7	College of the Ozarks (Mo.)	7-3	308
11	11	Saint Ambrose (Iowa)	7-1	299
12	12	Sterling College (Kan.)	7-1	295
13	13	Cedarville University (Ohio)	5-3	268
14	15	Iowa Wesleyan College	7-3	247
15	14	Minot State University (N.D.)	6-2	238
16	19	Concordia University (Ore.)	10-3	227
17	24	Daemen College (N.Y.)	8-1	186
18	RV	Taylor University (Ind.)	8-3	176
19	RV	Mount Marty College (S.D.)	8-3	163
20	20	Brescia University (Ky.)	8-1	162
21	21	Milligan College (Tenn.)	10-3	155
22	16	Bethel College (Ind.)	7-4	141
23	17	Walsh University (Ohio)	5-4	134
24	RV	Eastern Oregon University	9-1	100
25	18	Dordt College (Iowa)	7-3	97

Others receiving votes: Union (Ky.) 73; Southwestern (Kan.) 60; Huntington (Ind.) 56; Cardinal Stritch (Wis.) 46; Valley City State (N.D.) 31; Concordia (Neb.) 20; William Penn (Iowa) 14; Montreat (N.C.) 11; Notre Dame (Ohio) 9; Peru State (Neb.) 6; Bethel (Kan.) 5; Concordia (Mich.) 4; Saint Thomas (Fla.) 4; Jamestown (N.D.) 3; Cincinnati Christian (Ohio) 3; Marian (Ind.) 1; Menlo (Calif.) 1; Grace (Ind.) 1; Tennessee Wesleyan 1; Northwest (Wash.) 1; Northwestern Ohio 1.

Cross Country 2010 Season

Cross Country Video

The video is provided by Nicole Rogge.

For Further Information on the Cross Country Team follow the link below:

William Penn Cross Country

Schuler Heads to Nationals

Below is a quick interview with Men's Cross Country National Qualifier, Kipp Schuler.

Kipp Schuler finished in 5th place with a time of 27:25 at the Midwest Collegiate Conference which qualified him to advance to the NAIA Nationals this coming Saturday, November 20. The race will take place in Vancover, Washington.

How does it feel to qualify for the NAIA Nationals?

Kipp: I have to give all of the credit to God and my friends on the team during the season. It’s a great feeling to be able to compete at that level. This is my 4th national competition. One learns very quickly that without the people around you, it means nothing.

How are you feeling going into this Saturday’s Race?

Kipp: I’m feeling great heading in. I just simply want to compete the best I can with where I am at in my conditioning. I know I am capable of more from experience, but as long as maximum effort is given, it will be satisfying. It is still nerve racking though. No matter how experienced, that part never goes away.

What is your time goal going into the race on Saturday?

Kipp: Last year at the national race I place 119th with a time of 26:45. I would like to better either placing or time from the previous year. Both would be great.

Looking back on the season do you feel you have achieved your season goals thus far? What were your goals?

Kipp: I believe that I have achieved some seasonal goals. I knew coming in, due to lack of preparation, I wasn’t going to be able to achieve the level of competitiveness of the previous year. The itch is always there to better myself. I had to come in ambitious, but realistic. I simply wanted to make it to nationals. A conference championship would have been nice, but it just wasn’t my day and I was running against some great guys.

Can you give me a quote about the season and/or upcoming race?

Kipp: I’ve had the pleasure of a good coach and great teammates. That is worth more than any competition. “Shake and bake”

Know Your Football Opponent St. Francis (Ill.)

Today we quickly look at this week's football opponent St. Francis (Ill.).

But first a look back over the week…

Women's volleyball defeated Clarke in the first round of the tournament on Saturday (3-1) advancing them to semifinals on Wednesday, November 10. The Lady Statesmen upset #1 seed, Viterbo (3-1) in the semifinals advancing them on to the championship game against St. Ambrose that will take place this Saturday, November 13th at 7 p.m (in Davenport).

Men's and women’s cross country competed in the Midwest Collegiate Conference Championship this last weekend with the men finishing in 7th place and the women finishing in 6th place. Kipp Schuler for the men’s team will go on to compete in the NAIA National Championship this weekend.

The bowling teams competed at the Warhawk Open this last weekend. The men finished 2nd out of 30 teams, while the women finished 4th out of 20 teams. Both teams’ finishes were the programs highest finishes in the school’s history. The bowling teams head to SI Elite Tournament in Fairview Heights, Ill. on November 13th and 14th.

Wrestling has competed in one open tournament to start the season, where Eric Burgey (133) finished in third leading the season with 61 points and in second is Taylor Louie (125) with 34 points. Wrestling team will compete at the Dakota Wesleyan Open on Saturday, November 13th.

The men's basketball team is off to a decent start with a record of 2-1 and a ranking of fourth in the Midwest Collegiate Conference preseason bids. The Statesmen have defeated Crossroads and Faith Baptist; and lost to Graceland so far this season.

Women’s basketball is 1-2 on the season, and ranked fourth overall in the preseason conference rankings. They defeated Graceland and lost to Peru State and Concordia (Neb.) in two close matches.

Both basketball teams play at home on Friday, November 12th. Women play Central Methodist at 6 p.m. and the men play Hastings at 8 p.m. The games will be broadcasted on the stretch internet radio.

Now on to know your opponent this week for the 1 p.m. (Central) kick off between William Penn and St. Francis (Ill.). The contest will be carried locally by MCG 22 TV and also broadcast on KBOE local Radio.

1.) St. Francis (USF) was founded in 1920 by the Congregation of the Third Order of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate for the education of its own members.

2.) Across all sports, USF has made 63 NAIA National Tournament appearances, claimed 73 District 20/Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) national qualifying tournaments, won 60 CCAC championships and produced 79 NAIA All-Americans

3.) The Fighting Saints run a spread zone offensive formation with a 33 stack defensive formation.

4.) The Fighting Saints are ranked number 15th in the NAIA for PAT Kicks (39 points), and also ranked 15th in punt returns per game with 11 returns for 142 yards.

5.) St Francis (Ill.) overall defense is ranked 37th in the Nation. The Saints rushing defense is ranked 18th giving up an average 108 yards per game and their pass defense is 63th in the Nation giving up an average 221 yards per game.

6.) The Fighting Saints are 18th in scoring offense with 33 points/game. Also, the team is 14th in rushing offense with 1,788 yards for the season and 18th in rushing offense per game with an average of 198.7 yards/game.

Penn, now 9-1,13th in Nation

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #13 in the nation. Here are the polls:

NAIA Football Rating #9 - November 8, 2010
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)

1. Sioux Falls (S.D.) (15)
2. Carroll (Mont.) (2)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1)
4. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
5. Lindenwood (Mo.)
6. McPherson (Kan.)
7. Morningside
8. Ottawa (Kan.)
9. Dickinson State (N.D.)
10. St. Francis (Ind.)
11. Marian (Ind.)
12. McKendree (Ill.)
13. William Penn
14. Missouri Valley
15. Northwestern
16. Northwestern Oklahoma State
17. Cumberland (Tenn.)
18. Georgetown (Ky.)
19. Midland (Neb.)
20. Walsh (Ohio)
21. St. Francis (Ill.)
21. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
23. Langston (Okla.)
24. South Dakota Mines & Tech
25. Kansas Wesleyan

Others receiving votes: Cumberlands (Ky.) 21; Benedictine (Kan.) 5; Webber International (Fla.) 4; Campbellsville (Ky.) 3; Minot State (N.D.) 1; Friends (Kan.) 1; Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 1; Black Hills State (S.D.); Sterling (Kan.); Grand View 1.

Know Your Football Opponent Peru State

Today we quickly look at this week's football opponent Peru State.

But first a look back over the week…

The men's golf finished their last tournament of the season by placed 6th out of 19 at the Lindenwood Fall Invitational which took place on Monday.

While men’s and women’s bowling is off to a decent start finishing 16th out of 36 teams this last weekend at Kegel/ISBPA Collegiate Tournament and the women’s bowling team placed 10th out of 28 teams.

Women's volleyball picked up a 2 wins over the weekend at the Clarke Tournament to improve their overall record to 22-19. Then on Tuesday the Lady Statesmen won in 5 games to Iowa Wesleyan making them fourth in conference with a record of 4-3.

Men's and women’s soccer continue their fall season action. The WPU men were defeated by William Wood on Tuesday 3-2. The women's soccer team remained scoreless on Tuesday against Coe moving them to 5-9-3 on the season. The soccer teams will finish the rest of their season on the road.

Now on to know your opponent this week for the 1 p.m. (Central) kick off between William Penn and Peru State. The contest will be carried locally by MCG 22 TV and also broadcast on KBOE local Radio.

1.) Peru State was founded in 1865 making it the first and oldest institution in Nebraska.

2.) Third school to open a teacher education program west of the Missouri River.

3.) The Peru State football team won the 1990 NAIA Division II National Championship, defeating Westminster (Pa.) 17-7. Nate Bradley was Peru's offensive player of the game and Bob Hansen was Peru's defensive player of the game. Tom Shea was also named the 1990 NAIA Division II Coach of the Year

4.) The Bobcats run a pro-set offensive formation with a 4-3 defensive formation.

5.) The Bobcats are ranked number one in the NAIA for Field Goal Percentage (1.000).

6.) Peru State overall defense is ranked 43rd in the Nation. The Bobcats’ rushing defense is ranked 46th giving up 151 yards per game and their pass defense is 49th in the Nation giving up 191 yards per game.

7.) The Bobcats are 39th in total scoring offense with 204 yards, and 44th in total pass offense with 1,490 yards for the season.

Penn, Now 7-0, 11th in Nation

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #11 in the nation. Here are the polls:


NAIA Football Rating #6 - October 18, 2010
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Sioux Falls (S.D.) (15)
2. Carroll (Mont.) (2)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1)
4. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
5. Lindenwood (Mo.)
6. McPherson (Kan.)
7. St. Francis (Ind.)
8. Morningside
9. Missouri Valley
10. Ottawa (Kan.)
11. William Penn
12. South Dakota Mines & Tech
13. Dickinson State (N.D.)
14. Marian (Ind.)
15. Northwestern
16. McKendree (Ill.)
17. Webber International (Fla.)
18. Kansas Wesleyan
19. Walsh (Ohio)
20. Black Hills State (S.D.)
21. Langston (Okla.)
22. Friends (Kan.)
23. Northwestern Oklahoma State
24. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
25. Cumberland (Tenn.)

Others receiving votes: Georgetown (Ky.) 44; Midland (Neb.) 11; Cumberlands (Ky.) 4; Taylor (Ind.) 3; Eastern Oregon 3; Montana Tech 1; St. Francis (Ill.) 1; Shorter (Ga.) 1.

Statesmen Jump up Three Spots

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #12 in the nation. Here are the polls:

NAIA Football Rating #4 - October 11, 2010
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
(Iowa Institutions bolded)
1. Sioux Falls (S.D.) (16)
2. Carroll (Mont.) (1)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1)
4. Morningside
5. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
6. Lindenwood (Mo.)
7. McPherson (Kan.)
8. St. Francis (Ind.)
9. Dickinson State (N.D.)
10. Missouri Valley
11. Ottawa (Kan.)
12. William Penn
13. Walsh (Ohio)
14. Kansas Wesleyan
15. South Dakota Mines & Tech
16. Cumberland (Tenn.)
17. Northwestern
18. Marian (Ind.)
19. McKendree (Ill.)
20. Benedictine (Kan.)
T21. Montana Tech
T21. Webber International (Fla.)
23. Langston (Okla.)
24. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
25. Friends (Kan.)


Others receiving votes:
Northwestern Oklahoma State University 34; Black Hills State (S.D.) 32; Georgetown (Ky.) 11; Lambuth (Tenn.) 4; Minot State University (N.D.) 4; Midland University (Neb.) 3; Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; University of St. Francis (Ill.) 1

Know Your Football Opponent – St. Ambrose

Today we quickly look at this week's football opponent St. Ambrose.

But first a look back over the week…

The women's golf team placed 5th out of 7 at the Mount Mercy Donald Ross Collegiate which took place on Monday while the men finished 3rd out of 14 after the two-day Statesmen Classic.

Women's volleyball picked up a 2 wins over the weekend at the Culver Stockton Tournament to improve their overall record to 17-10. Then on Tuesday the Lady Statesmen lost in 5 games to Clarke making them a 3-2 in conference.

Men's and women’s soccer continue their fall season action. The WPU men defeated Clarke over the weekend 4-1. The women's soccer team lost against Clarke moving them to 1-4-1 in conference. The soccer teams will compete at home Saturday the 16th at 5p.m. and 7 p.m. (Central) against Waldorf, and will be broadcasted on the stretch radio.

Now on to know your opponent this week for the 1 p.m. (Central) kick off between William Penn and St. Ambrose. The contest will be carried locally by MCG 22 TV and also broadcast on KBOE local Radio.

1.) St. Ambrose started out a school for young men in 1882. Then in 1933 they allowed the first female on campus.

2.) SAU most notable program includes one of the only undergraduate criminalistics programs in Iowa, an ACCEL program for adult learners.

3.) For the first 50 years, SAU was known as the saints before changing to the bees in 1937 when the students mounted a campaign to change the name.

4.) Lester Hearden and Dave Zuidmulder , St. Ambrose Alumni, both are NFL players for the Green Bay Packers.

5.) The Fighting Bees run a multiple offensive formation with a 3-4 defensive formation.

6.) The Bees are 26th in total offense with 381.3 yards, and second in the Mid-States Football Midwest Conference to William Penn.

7.) St. Ambrose’s overall defense is ranked 14th in the Nation. The Bee’s scoring defense is ranked 10th giving up only 270 yards per game and their pass defense is 2nd in the Nation giving up only 124.5 yards, which is second to Grand View in the Conference.

Interview with Coach Eric Reed

Here is a quick interview with Head Wrestling Coach Eric Reed on the upcoming season.

K.C.: How do you feel about the upcoming season?

E.R.: I am very excited about the upcoming season. We have several returners that have national tournament experience who will give us a solid foundation, but we also have several redshirt freshmen and true freshmen who will make a big impact for us right away.

K.C.: What are some of the goals for the team?

E.R.: Our main goal for the season is to improve every day. With several young guys in the line-up we will be a little inexperienced the first half o f the season. But as our young guys get that experience and continue to improve we should be very solid by the end of the season. If our guys do what they are capable of, I think we could be a top 10 team by the end of the year.

K.C.: How will the newcomers impact the team?

E.R.: Our young guys have been working extremely hard in the pre-season. If they continue working the way that they have been we could have several of them in the starting line-up by the end of the season.

K.C.: What did you focus on this pre-season?

E.R.: Our main focus during the pre-season was to get the team in shape and to get the young guys to buy into our system of training. For most of the new guys, they have been pushed harder than they have ever been pushed before and they have responded well.

K.C.: How does the competition look to be on your schedule?

E.R.: We will have a very competitive schedule again this year. We will see a lot of the top NAIA, Division 2 and 3 teams throughout the season and we will also see some Division 1 competition.

K.C.: How has the team prepared to improve upon last year’s season?

E.R.: One of the biggest changes we have had since last year is the dedication that the guys have made to the weight room. We have spend a lot of time in the weight room during the off-season and the pre-season and I think that will have a major impact on our success this season.

Penn Football make Top 15

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #15 in the nation. Here are the polls:

NAIA Football Rating #4 - October 4, 2010
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
(Iowa Institutions bolded)
1. Sioux Falls (S.D.) (16)
2. Carroll (Mont.) (1)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1)
4. Morningside
5. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
6. Lindenwood (Mo.)
7. McPherson (Kan.)
8. Walsh (Ohio)
9. St. Francis (Ind.)
10. Dickinson State (N.D.)
11. Missouri Valley
12. McKendree (Ill.)
13. Ottawa (Kan.)
14. Marian (Ind.)
15. William Penn
16. Langston (Okla.)
17. Kansas Wesleyan
18. South Dakota Mines & Tech
19. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
20. Northwestern
21. Cumberland (Tenn.)
22. Montana Tech
23. Benedictine (Kan.)
24. Webber International (Fla.)
25. Hastings (Neb.)
25. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
25. Campbellsville (Ky.)

Others receiving votes: Friends (Kan.) 18; Black Hills State (S.D.) 16; Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 15; Northwestern Oklahoma State 9; Lambuth (Tenn.) 5; Shorter (Ga.) 3; Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; Eastern Oregon 1; Georgetown (Ky.) 1.

The Fight Against the Saints

Senior Krista Petit(Grundy Center, Iowa)updates all the fans about the game versus Ashford University. Here is her inside scoop:

Facebook/Athletic Website


Away, away, away! All we seem to have are away games. Last Wednesday though, we finally had our first home game, and what a thriller it was! From the moment we walked into the gym to the time we left we knew how important it was to get a win at home. Ashford was a tough competitor, and gave a fight early on to pull ahead 2-0 in the match. The game for the Lady Statesmen, however, was not over. Instead of buckling under the pressure, we rose to the challenge and, one point at a time, we were able to win game three to take us to extra games. As soon as we set foot on the floor in game four, the intensity was high and ready to be unleashed. All guns were firing at one and it seemed like we were unstoppable. We had finally turned it around, and ended up beating the Saints 25-7 in game four, which gave us the confidence we needed to secure the match in game five.

As a senior and a captain, I am extremely proud of how we fought to stay alive and end up winning the match. We really showed the heart that we have for the game and our relentlessness to defend our home court. All of the Lady Statesmen played hard and pushed themselves to their full potential. Many players stepped up and made smart plays that helped us win the game.

As a result of this conference game, we are now 3-0 in the conference, and all of us are looking forward to each conference game as we strive to climb to the top. We would also like to send out a special thanks to all of our fans who came out to support us. The loud gym and packed bleachers really get us pumped up and excited for the game. You can catch us at our next two games at home which are Tuesday, September 22 (JV @ 5:30 and varsity @ 7:30), and also Wednesday, October 6 (varsity only @7:00).

Statesmen Football Ranked 16th

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #16 in the nation. Here are the polls:

NAIA Football Rating #3 - September 27, 2010
(Number in parentheses is first-place votes)
1. Sioux Falls (S.D.) (15)
2. Carroll (Mont.) (1)
3. Saint Xavier (Ill.) (1)
4. Morningside
5. MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.)
6. Lindenwood (Mo.)
7. McPherson (Kan.)
8. Walsh (Ohio)
9. St. Francis (Ind.)
10. Dickinson State (N.D.)
11. Missouri Valley
12. McKendree (Ill.)
13. Ottawa (Kan.)
14. Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
15. Marian (Ind.)
16. William Penn
17. Northwestern
18. Langston (Okla.)
19. Lambuth (Tenn.)
20. Benedictine (Kan.)
21. Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)
22. Kansas Wesleyan
23. South Dakota Mines & Tech
24. Menlo (Calif.)
25. Cumberland (Tenn.)

Others receiving votes: Montana Tech 22; Hastings (Neb.) 9; Friends (Kan.) 6; Campbellsville (Ky.) 6; Southern Nazarene (Okla.) 5; Sterling (Kan.) 4; Saint Ambrose 3; Black Hills State (S.D.) 1; Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; Belhaven (Miss.) 1; Webber International (Fla.) 1; Shorter (Ga.) 1.

Volleyball Blogging from Beloit, Wisconsin

Senior Emily Stanton (Oskaloosa, Iowa) updates all the fans about the trip to Beloit, Wis. Here is her update:


Facebook/Athletic Website

The weekend started off in a six hour long bus ride!! Practically the whole trip up, everyone was asleep (Thanks Morgan). Our competition in Beloit was not very strong. However, we went to win and we did that. We got to work a lot of girls in the rotation and move people around into different positions. All of the girls have a fun time staying in the hotel together and bonding. We were already playing the late game on Friday night when the lights went out while we were playing. It was around 10:00 and we were almost done playing. We were all starving and ended up having to wait about 20 minutes for security to turn on the lights. We had orderd in some catering and thank goodness Coach Kelly brought us some garlic bread during the break. The highlight of the weekend was stopping at Hardee's to eat on our way back. (Thanks Coach Wise!)

The newest NAIA National Polls have come out and William Penn University is making their presence known. Football is #19 in the nation. Here are the polls:

2010 NAIA Football Coaches’ Top 25 Poll – (Sept. 20)

RANK SCHOOL 2010RECORD TOTAL POINTS

1 University of Sioux Falls (S.D.)(13) 3-0 412

2 Lindenwood University (Mo.) (4) 3-0 405

3 Carroll College (Mont.) 3-0 386

4 Saint Xavier University (Ill.) (1) 4-0 372

5 Morningside College (Iowa) 3-0 354

6 MidAmerica Nazarene University(Kan.) 3-0 338

7 McPherson College (Kan.) 3-0 313

8 Walsh University (Ohio) 3-0 293

9 University of Saint Francis (Ind.) 2-0 273

10 Lambuth University (Tenn.) 2-1 269

11 Dickinson State University (N.D.) 3-0 260

12 Missouri Valley College 2-1 231

13 Marian University (Ind.) 3-0 229

14 McKendree University (Ill.) 3-1 195

15 Ottawa University (Kan.) 2-1 187

16 Benedictine College (Kan.) 3-0 165

17 Azusa Pacific University (Calif.) 3-0 164

18 Northwestern College (Iowa) 2-1 137

19 William Penn University (Iowa) 3-0 132

20 Langston University (Okla.) 1-1 117

21 Montana Tech 3-1 89

22 Hastings College (Neb.) 2-1 83

23 Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) 2-1 67

24 Southern Nazarene University (Okla.) 3-1 53

25 Sterling College (Kan.) 2-0 25


Others receiving votes:

Georgetown College (Ky.) 17; Dakota Wesleyan University (S.D.) 12; Kansas Wesleyan University 9; Cumberland University (Tenn.) 7; Friends University (Kan.) 5; Belhaven University (Miss.) 3; Webber International University (Fla.) 1; University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 1; South Dakota Mines & Technology 1; Menlo College (Calif.) 1; Southern Oregon University 1

Did You Know... PGA Tour Caddy Mike "Fluff" Cowan Played Golf at WPU?

Many of you may know Mike Cowan as the white mustache guy who is always on national television during golf tournaments, strolling up and down the fairways with the likes of Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk. Yet, Fluff continued his early success, before caddying professionally, as a collegiate golfer for William Penn University from 1969 to 1970.

Fluff was an accomplished golfer for the Statesmen finishing second in the Iowa Conference Championship in 1969 and winning the tournament the following year. He was also a part of the 1969 IIAC team championship, one of the two team championships that the Statesmen Golf program has won in its history.

After his time at Penn golf remained in his life and he found himself caddying professionally for Ed Sabo in 1978. A few years later he was carrying the bag of PGA Tour star Peter Jacobsen, a job he did for 18 years. However, Fluff’s status really began to take off when he was hired to caddy for PGA Tour great and one of the best golfers of all time Tiger Woods. Woods and Fluff worked together for three years in which he helped Tiger win his first major championship in the 1997 Masters. After parting ways with Woods he was signed by Jim Furyk, a consistent winner on the PGA Tour, in a partnership that still exists today. Again, Fluff was responsible for helping with another Major championship when Furyk won the 2003 US Open.

In the fall of 2008, Mike “Fluff” Cowan came back to William Penn to be inducted into the athletic hall of fame and participate in the Statesmen “Fluff” Classic Golf Tournament. The tournament had over a hundred participants and all proceeds went to the Statesmen and Lady Statesmen Golf teams. I, and many other members of the Statesmen Golf Team, had the unique opportunity of meeting Fluff during this time. We found him to be one of the most down to earth and friendly individuals. He took time out of the busy PGA Tour season, with only weeks left of preparation until the Ryder Cup, to come and raise money for a program that is always in need.

Mike is yet another famous alum that has accomplished so much after his time at Penn. Next time you see Fluff on National Television, just remember he was hitting drives and sinking putts wearing Statesmen gold and blue.

A Few Good Minutes with... Lady Statesmen Basketball's Rachael Butler

Today is February 24th, 2009 and I have the pleasure to here at the Penn Activities Center with Rachael Butler, a member of the Lady Statesmen Basketball team. This is Rachael’s first year at William Penn, but her impact has been profound, both on the court and off, in her short time here which is why she is our next participant in our “A Few Good Minutes With…” segment.

Nik Rule: First of all, where are you from?
Rachael Butler: Orange County, California and the city I live in is Anaheim.
NR: Do you have any siblings?
RB: There are six of us, two are younger than me and three are older.
NR: Any sibling rivalries?
RB: Oh yeah, back when we were younger definitely. I used to go out with second oldest brother all the time and me and my sister were always attached at the hip. But since those three have moved out, and I went to a JUCO near home, the younger three got really close. So it ended up being kind of the younger three versus the older three.
NR: Did you have some serious 3 on 3 games?
RB: Well we always played knock out and got my parents out there and all that… But I don’t want to say that we competed that much against each other, but if one of us made a nice shot we would remind each other.
NR: You mentioned your family, who are always emailing and listening to the games we broadcast which I enjoy, but did ever get advice from them that helped you athletically?
RB: I was homeschooled, so I am very close with my family and hold them in the highest regard. Anything my parents tell me I always look back and think oh my gosh, I got to do. I know at the time it is different (when you’re younger), but they have always been there for me and have helped me through everything. They would do anything for all six of us, they would bend over backwards and any time we got into trouble they were fair with consequences and were always there to help… But overall there wasn’t anything specific that they told me but emphasized God first. My dad always told me “BBB,” which stands for Bible, books, basketball.
NR: Did any of your other siblings end up playing college sports?
RB: My sister ended up playing college basketball for Vanguard in Costa Mesa, which is an NAIA school. Then she went to Bethany in Santa Cruz. My brother was also a good baseball player.
NR: So in high school was basketball always your favorite and best sport?
RB: I started with basketball, but then went into track and fell in love with that. After a while I kind of got bored doing just those two, so then I did volleyball and swimming and soccer.
NR: Which one did you enjoy most?
RB: I loved swimming, I think it was just because I did it with my best friends but wasn’t the best at it… Which is maybe why I enjoyed it the most.
NR: Let’s talk about William Penn and your season. This is your first year with Coach Speilbauer because you came from a Junior College. What is the biggest difference between Junior College and NAIA basketball?
RB: William Penn has definitely changed my views on University ball, because watching people growing up I always thought it was intense NCAA stuff. Now that I am here I think that my JUCO players had something to prove and had more raw talent. Yet, at a four year school the recruiting is more strategic… It’s not just getting the best players but players that can do a lot of different things… Like recruiting a shooter and expecting them to become great at that talent. So it’s different and I think JUCO ball is more let’s pick up and go… This is fun it’s just different systems.
NR: We have talked about the past at William Penn and the success the Lady Statesmen had in the 80’s and the struggles of the 90’s and 2000’s. This year you have really turned it around, a winning record, how do you guys feel about that and what are your expectations for the future?
RB: I think it’s great. I don’t go off the past too much and it was a little discouraging at the start to always here oh we have to be better over and over. Looking at being better than the past rather than just being good. I am really glad for Coach Speilbauer because obviously a season like this means a lot to him especially after the struggles in past years. It has been great because the attitude has been different and I am happy and glad that I am a part of it and hope it continues to get better.
NR: Do you guys think it’s setting the bar to low in just having a winning season?
RB: I definitely do, definitely.
NR: So just winning isn’t enough, then what is the goal or mindset within the team?
RB: For those of us that will be coming back next year it would be to build the program for the future. Just continuing to improve and not being satisfied with just a winning season, not that we are now.
NR: I know you have a game tomorrow, but if you had to put together won goal for next year what would it be?
RB: Continued team unity and playing every game like it is our last, whether it is preseason or postseason.
NR: Okay you got a game tomorrow against St. Ambrose, a team that has beat you twice this season. It is tough for a team to win three games against an opponent in a season, so what are you girls thinking for tomorrow?
RB: Exactly that. There has to be pressure on them which takes the pressure off us… Coach has got a whole game plan for us so we’re confident that will work very well for us. I just think we need to go hard, we have played with them for half the game we just got to relax and we will be okay.
NR: Being a college athlete, what are your top priorities?
RB: Well school, I am here for school. I am not all about basketball; I won’t pick that over class. I like to study, I enjoy my classes but I want to get my degree and I want to finish strong with my sports.
NR: What are your plans for the future?
RB: Well I am a PR major, but I want to do a lot of things job wise. I want to be an event coordinator, I kind of wanted to be an athletic trainer and today I had an epiphany to be a nurse. So I don’t know I like helping people, but I want to have a family, a house, and not struggle with money.
NR: If you’re having trouble in a class, who on your team do you turn to for help?
RB: Sam (Samantha Darly), my roommate.

NR: If you have boyfriend problems, who do you go to?
RB: Carleigh (Hobson).
NR: Someone in the locker room that you know will cheer you up without even trying?
RB: Definitely, Jacelynn (Smith) or Shalimar (Davis).
NR: You’re down by 2 with seven seconds to play. Who do you want to have the ball for that final shot?
RB: Recently, it would be Nancy because of that drive she took to send it into overtime against Mount Mercy and I feel like if she had the ball with her she could create something for someone else.
NR: Now this is our rapid fire round, so to start things off Lebron or Kobe?
RB: Uhm, Kobe and it’s not because I like the Lakers because I don’t.
NR: Favorite NBA team?
RB: I don’t know. Hmm, well I just don’t like they hype so I don’t like the Lakers just too much hype. Everything is put on Kobe and he’s an awesome player but I don’t like that everything is put on one person.
NR: NBA or NCAA?
RB: Definitely NCAA!
NR: Winter or summer Olympics?
RB: Summer because of swimming. I like Phelps, Natalie Coughlin, and Dana Torres.
NR: Megan Fox or Angelina Jolie as an actress?
RB: Angelina Jolie
NR: Brad Pitt or Channing Tatum?
RB: Channing Tatum because I just saw “Dear John.” That is the only reason why I just said that.
NR: Lost or American Idol?
RB: I am going to say Lost, I know you were just talking about it in class but my sister and I sat on the couch one week in the summer and just watched Lost. So good memories with Lost!
NR: Your boyfriend or your dog?
RB: Well my little sister has a dog and my boyfriend has a dog but you’re putting me on the spot! I am going to say boyfriend, but ask me in a week and I would probably say dog (Laughing).
NR: You’re from Anaheim, home of Disneyland, so Universal Studios or Disneyland?
RB: Disneyland, it’s like 15 minutes from my house.
NR: Dodgers or Angles?
RB: Dodgers even though the Angles are right next door.
NR: Back to your team real quick. Who is the prankster on the team?
RB: Jacelynn and Shalimar.
NR: Who is most likely to have ten kids?
RB: Oh gosh. Tricia, she juggles a lot of stuff and I think she could do it.
NR: Who is most likely to become a great basketball coach?
RB: Sam Darley.
NR: Most likely to play some type of professional basketball?
RB: Professional basketball huh… Shoot I don’t know… I know Nancy is probably going to play professional soccer.
NR: Not that this is a bad thing at all, because I love Oskaloosa, but who is most likely to live in Oskaloosa the rest of their lives?
RB: Hmm, I am trying to think of someone who is from an area really close to here. Maybe, Christa (Subbert).
NR: Who is most likely to be a college student for the rest of their lives?
RB: For the rest of their life, but Raven House because she has changed to nursing so she is going to be in school forever.
NR: Well Rachael it has been a pleasure, thank you for sitting down with me today and I will give you the last word.
RB: Shout out to the family and I just want to tell you thank you. I feel like this brings athletics as a fun thing and I appreciate the work you do… But just can’t wait to play tomorrow.
NR: I will see you there tomorrow.
RB: I think we got a little edge on them.
NR: Well you and I got a class together in three minutes, so I will see you in three minutes.
RB: (Laughing) Yes, class, I think we’re going to be a little late. Thanks everyone for your support!

Live Blogging from the Conference Tournament... William Penn at Mount Mercy

9:01 pm - Statesmen Nation, thank you for following our live blog tonight and thanks to all of you that were listening online. It always nice to come into an opponents gym and leave with a big win. Not a lot can top quieting a loud and rowdy home crowd.

Goodnight everyone and stay tuned!

8:58 pm - What a ball game! What a win for the Statesmen! A team playing like this can do anything in the conference tournament, we saw shades of consistency that we came so used to seeing at the start of the year. With Viterbo's big win over Waldorf the Statesmen will head up to Wisconsin for a big game Friday.












8:29 pm - Shout out to Mary Lou Sedrel who is listening online. She is one of the most dedicated supporters of William Penn Sports and we all appreciate her uplifting attitude.

8:20 pm - What a game! Back and forth, up and down, couldn't ask for much more... WPU 80, MMC 72 with 4:30 left.

8:04 pm - Got to love the support from Statesmen Nation. Lots of faithful supporters here including a large group from the WPU women's team.

7:55 pm - Both teams are now back on the floor! It's time for some second half action in the MCC Conference Tournament. Statesmen up 49-38.

7:48 pm - I can't think of anything better than a little Michael Jackson at halftime! RIP MJ.

7:43 pm - What a great half by the Statesmen! This is the basketball team that I have been so used to watching over the past 4 years. Unselfish, controlled (yet fast paced), confident, and creative basketball. They were struggling in the early going, but a key timeout by Coach Henry really changed the attitude of the team. Early on this week I was worried about the moral of the team, some of the guys seemed dejected due to the inconsistency that has been so apparent during the conference season. However, there seemed to be a point in that first half where they decided to put it all behind them and just play WPU basketball again.

7:24 pm - Whatever Coach said it resonated with the team, Penn is back in it.

7:22 pm - The Statesmen have fallen flat, while Mount Mercy is on fire. Coach Henry is not happy, takes a timeout to try and get his guys on the same page.

7:13 pm - Definitely a playoff game, what a furious pace!

7:05 pm - Opening tip!

7:00 pm - That was the best live vocal performance of the National Anthem that I have heard this season. Well done Jane Doe!

6:50 pm - Statesmen just left the court for final preparation with Coach Henry. They look motivated, focused, and ready to go.

6:45 pm - Parking lot is packed, be ready for a big crowd.

Gerst More Than Just a Student Assistant for Men's Basketball Team

Oskaloosa--He knew he couldn't make it as a player, so as the old saying goes: if you can't play, coach. Brennan Gerst has taken that to heart and become a staple in the William Penn men's basketball program.

Gerst, though coming in a small package, has made a huge impact on the Statesmen cager program, assisting the team to a 95-34 record, three Midwest Collegiate Conference regular season titles, two MCC Tournament crowns, and two NAIA Division II National Tournament appearances in his tenure.

Gerst's road to Oskaloosa was similar to Wapello great Jacob Spielbauer, who played at Penn from 2004-2007. Ken Spielbauer, Jacob's father and head coach at Wapello High School, contacted Penn Head Coach John Henry to tell him of a kid that was a ‘must-have' for the Statesmen program.

"Ken told me ‘this kid will help you win 20 games a year for four years,'" Henry recalled.

Having seen, first-hand, Wapello's crop of young players, Henry was not amused by Spielbauer's comment.

"It was common knowledge that Jacob was an absolute stud for us and that the only future Penn player from Wapello HS we were planning on was his little brother Davis," Henry said. "Davis was advanced and we had targeted him at a very early age."

Ken was not talking about Davis, though, but instead about Gerst.

"Brennan was a solid baseball player at Wapello, but a star hooper, he was not," Henry said.

Four years later, Henry is grateful for that crazy phone call he received from Coach Spielbauer. Last Wednesday, Penn defeated Waldorf 95-70 to secure its 20th victory of the year. It also locked up Penn's fourth-consecutive season of at least 20 wins!!

"Coach Gerst has everything to do with our success here the past four years," Henry said. "He is as important to me and the team as any All-American player is. He does so much for the program."

"He is a selfless and tireless coach and worker," Henry added. "He handles many behind-the-scenes duties that most outsiders overlook--the scorebook, the starting lineup, laundry, equipment, foul and timeout charts, as well as most of our player development drills in practice and academic progress reports."

"Coach Gerst makes me a better coach and he makes us all winners," Henry said. "Thank you Wapello, Iowa!!!"

Stouts, North Mahaska Leave Mark on Statesmen Hoop History

A dozen years ago, Statesmen Basketball Head Coach John Henry, then an assistant boys' basketball coach at Oskaloosa High School, was working at an Indians' boys' basketball summer camp. He was ‘awarded' the opportunity to work with the third and fourth grade campers that week.

"I'm still mad about it and I still feel like I got hustled," Henry joked.

There were approximately 20 third and fourth graders at the camp with half from Oskaloosa the other half from the surrounding area.

"I was assigned the Oskaloosa kids and Andy Pickering, then the North Mahaska coach, said he would take all the ‘other' kids," Henry said.

"I was thrilled at first because I knew the best player at the camp was from Osky, a kid named Tyler Sash (now playing football for the University of Iowa)," Henry added.

As the teams prepared to play on the first day of camp, Henry noticed that the ‘so-called' area kids at camp all seemed to know each other, all wore red shirts, and all seemed to be related! The North Mahaska Warhawks and future state champions were ready for action!!

It was soon apparent to Henry and third-grader Sash that they were severely overmatched.

"The Osky kids and I were too proud to give up, but it didn't stop them from giving us four straight days of extreme beatings," Henry said. "The Osky kids were good, but it was like North Mahaska had its own version of an elementary school Dream Team. I have never seen anything like it at such an early age."

The relationship between Henry and Pickering, another Penn alum, was built with those summer camp games.

"Coach Pickering has been a big brother and mentor to me since those days and I owe so much to him," Henry said.

Henry was hired as the seventh grade boys' coach at North Mahaska soon thereafter and his connection to the school only grew stronger.

"I loved my one year as a Warhawk coach and I guess I never stopped being a Warhawk," Henry said.

Years later, Henry watched closely as the North Mahaska phenoms won a state hardwood championship.

"You could see it coming," Henry said. "The foundation was built ahead of them and the title group finally followed through with the plan."

"I wasn't able to attend the championship game, but I watched it in my basement," Henry added. "I remember crying tears of joy. I left a message on Coach Pickering's phone as they won the game."

An hour or two later, Pickering returned Henry's call.

"That's Pick for you--during the best moment of his coaching career, he finds time to call a former seventh grade coach back," Henry said.

As the North Mahaska dynasty was at its peak, the William Penn hoops program was still in a rebuilding stage with Henry, a 1997 alum, at the helm and he was in need of the best recruits from the area.

Enter Joel Stout and, soon thereafter, cousin Caleb Stout.

Last Wednesday night, the duo played their final regular season home game in the Statesmen navy blue and gold, a contest Penn won 95-70 over Waldorf. The victory was Penn's 20th of the year and gave the program its fourth-straight 20-win campaign. In 103 years of Penn men's basketball, only ten squads have won 20 games or more, five of which have come under Henry's direction.

"We were having success before the Stouts arrived, but they were integral in making winning a norm here," Henry said.

Joel Stout recently became the 18th player in Statesmen history to surpass the 1,000-point threshold. He has started 58 of 125 games in which he has played and is a potential first-team all-Midwest Collegiate Conference selection this year. The senior has knocked down 140 three-pointers in his career and is averaging 15.5 points this season.

"Joel is as mentally and physically tough as any player we have ever had here," Henry said. "He has played and practiced with urgency and passion every day for four years."

Caleb Stout has tallied 480 points and 436 rebounds in a Penn career that has seen him start all 30 of the team's games. Currently averaging 7.6 points and 7.9 rebounds this season, he is tied for second in the league in total rebounds and is tied for seventh in NAIA Division II in offensive rebounds.

"Caleb is the greatest rebounder I have ever coached," Henry said. "At just 6-4, he has a nose for the ball that is untouchable. He has played out of position, but has always been appreciated for how great he is as a player and as a warrior."

"Time truly does move too fast," Henry said. "I cannot believe these guys are about to move on and become grown men."

"I want to thank them both, their families, and all of New Sharon for what they have given to me, my family, William Penn, and all of us who have had the great pleasure of watching them play ball and grow up," Henry added. "Personally, I am forever a Warhawk and a Stout. I am a better person for knowing Joel and Caleb Stout."

Live Blogging from the Wrestling NAIA Central National Qualifier

8:55 pm - Well ladies and gentlemen I am going to wrap things up tonight. Thanks for following our first official live blogging event, it was an interesting and long day in the gym. We had broken bones, strained ligaments, pulled muscles, black eyes, and three trips to the emergency room before the day was over. However, one thing is apparent... Wrestling fans are some of the most dedicated followers of any sport. A majority showed up at dawn and still haven't left the gym, I however will be heading out in the cold of winter after a day of wrestling I won't soon forget.

For all results, check out the WPU Athletic Website. Congratulations to Matt Chustz on his individual championship.

8:45 pm - The results are in but not without a bit of controversy. Grand View was awarded the overall championship, but Missouri Valley immediately said that the score was wrong. After nearly twenty minutes of analysis Grand View was still on top, however the results remain unofficial.

8:03 pm - Grand View and Missouri Valley are in a heated battle for the tournament title. Both teams have a group of wrestlers in the finals for each weight.

8:00 pm - Today's tournament is now in its 12th hour of competition. I thought soccer tournaments were long, but wrestling trumps them all.

7:49 pm - William Penn's Matt Chustz came up with a big upset win against #3 nationally ranked Paulie Hansen of Missouri Valley. Chustz jumped out to the lead early with a take down 25 seconds into the 1st period. Hansen then closed the gap to 2-1 at the end of the period. Chustz continued to execute a perfect strategy against Hansen as he slid away from a number of take down attempts. In the final minutes both athletes added a point and Chustz was on top as the buzzer sounded. It was a sweet win for Chustz who lost to Hansen at home a few weeks ago.

I admit I don't know a great deal about wrestling, but this was by far the best match of the tournament.

7:26 pm - We're about ten minutes away from the much anticipated final at 125 between Matt Chustz and Paulie Hansen (Missouri Valley). Chustz tournament ranking is #2 while Hansen is the top seed.

7:04 pm - Updated team scores: 1. Missouri Valley (142), 2. Grand View (137.5), 3. Oklahoma City (114.5), 4. Waldorf (93), 5. Baker (67), 6. William Penn (47), 7. Bacone (28.5), 8. York (22), 9. Hannibal-LaGrange 21.

6:58 pm - Dustin Howa takes 5th with win over Delich (Baker). It was a tight first period with neither athlete gaining a huge advantage until Howa's take down with less than ten seconds to go. He got up by as many as 4 in the second period and ended the match by pinning Delich with 5o seconds left to go.

6:51 pm - Dustin Howa is on deck for his 5th place match...

6:48 pm - We're getting down to the nitty-gritty now ladies and gentlemen. Taylor Louie just secured a fifth place finish at 125 after pinning Ohnemus (Waldorf). Louie jumped ahead early with a 3-0 lead only to find himself tied after the first period 3-3. In the second period he found himself up 6-4 with one minute left, then made a late push to finish the period up 8-4. In the final stanza, Louie was up by 5 before he pinned Ohnemus with 21 seconds left in the match.

6:21 pm - Ryan Groom has pulled out of the tournament due to an injury. So that leaves only Chustz in the championship at 125, Louie in the fifth place match at 125, and Howa in the fifth place match at 141 as the only WPU wrestlers left.

6:15 pm - Team standings update: 1. Missouri Valley (142), 2. Grand View (134), 3. Oklahoma City (112.5), 4. Waldorf (85.5), 5. Baker (63.5), 6. William Penn (43), 7. Bacone (28.5), 8. Hannibal-LaGrange (21), 9. York (18.5).

5:44 pm - Just a quick update. It looks like the only WPU wrestler that will be battling for an indvidual championship will be Matt Chustz at 125.

5:41 pm - Dustin Howa loses match Williams (York) and will settle for 5th place match in 141.

5:34 pm - Taylor Louie falls to Rene (Waldorf) and will wrestle for 5th place in 125.

5:15 pm - Ryan Groom defeats Lloyd (York) and will be in the semi-finals of the consolation bracket.

4:31 pm - The excitement is starting to build as the medal rounds are just a few minutes away.

4:25 pm - Jesse Buchanan (WPU) falls to Wheatley (York) in consolation bracket.

3:50 pm - Great news from Wisconsin! Lady Statesmen basketball beat Viterbo 71-62.

3:48 pm - Updated teams standings: 1. Grand View (97.5) 2. Missouri Valley (95.5) 3. Oklahoma City (82) 4. Waldorf (36.5) 5. William Penn (36.5) 6. Baker (30.5) 7. Bacone (23) 8. Hannible-LaGrange (12) 9. York (8)

3:39 pm - As I was walking up the bleachers I nearly stepped on a wrestler that was sleeping. To my surprise there are wrestlers everywhere sleeping in between the aisles of the bleachers. This may not be surprising to some, but I am shocked. Not only will they eat anything after weighing in, but they will sleep anywhere!

3:33 pm - Burkart from Bacone College seems to have something seriously wrong with his leg and will forfeit the match against Valdez (Waldorf)in the consolation bracket at 157. College athletes train so hard and you never want to see someone come down with a serious injury. Hopefully, he is okay!

3:28 pm - All these athletes deserve a lot of respect. They compete in their matches and in some cases are forced to wait hours before their next match. In my opinion, that is pretty impressive.

3:10 pm - Howa falls to Graham in a close one 6-4. Every match I have seen Dustin wrestle is always a nail biter, he is a fun athlete to watch.

3:03 pm - This is the match I have been really anticipating. #3 Dustin Howa against #2 Graham (Missouri Valley) at 141 pounds....

2:45 pm - David Crow falls to Chatman (Bacone) 14-4 in the consolation bracket.

2:34 pm - Matt Chustz defeates Gomez (Oklahoma City) by a 12-7 decision. Chustz will go against Louie for the 125 pound championship.

2:14 pm - Taylor Louie falls to nationally ranked Hansen (Missouri Valley) on a questionable takedown call. The decision then went to Hansen on a 6-3 decision.

1:46 pm - Quarterfinals have finally concluded with the team scores staying the same. The following WPU wrestlers are in the semi-finals of the championship bracket: 125 pounds: #5 Louie will take on #1 Hansen (Missouri Valley), #2 Chustz will face #3 Gomez (Oklahoma City). 141 pounds: #3 Howa will take on #2 Graham.

12:26 pm - Updated team standings with 8 matches left in the quarters:
1. Grand View (68.5) 2. Missouri Valley (55.5) 3. Oklahoma City (38.5) 4. William Penn (23.5) 5. Waldorf (20.5) 6. Baker (13.5) 7. Hannibal-LaGrange (11.0) 8. York (4.0) 9. Bacone (0)

12:19 pm - Quarterfinals are coming to a end very soon... This is where things begin to get interesting. Update coming soon!

12:00 pm - You will find it rare to ever see me post something positive about our arch rival Grand View. Yet, one has to give a lot of respect to their wrestling program which is in its second year. Not only are they second after the first round today but they by far have more fans than anyone here.

11:55 am - We have a break in the action here at Penn Gymnasium. However, Curling is on and Team USA is beating Sweden 2-0. USA USA USA

11:54 am - Wade Steinlage has informed me we are almost 3/4 of the way through the Quarterfinals. As soon as I have an update on the Penn wrestlers and team stats I will let you know!

11:49 am - It's been almost an hour since my last post, I must apologize for that. I have been trying to make myself useful since I am useless when it comes to taking stats. So I have been the lunch boy, that's what I get for being an intern.

10:50 am - In the most exciting match thus far, Dirt Howa comes back from a 10-5 deficit to pin Brett Delich with 5 seconds left in the 2nd period.

10:44 am - Lots of people are watching Dirt Howa (WPU) as he wrestles for the first time today.

10:42 am - There is a lot going on at William Penn today. Not only are we hosting the wrestling qualifier but the PAC Center is also jam packed with a Women's Soccer 5 v. 5 tournament.

10:14 am - WPU Sports Information Director Wade Steinlage just posted a updated bracket on our website: http://www.statesmenathletics.com/index.php

10:12 am - Updated team standings after the first round:
1. Missouri Valley (13 points), 2. Grand View (12), 3. Oklahoma City (9) 4. Waldorf (7), 5. WPU (5.5), 6. Baker (3), 7. Bacone, Hannibal LaGrange, York 0.

10:10 am - A few minutes ago Taylor Louie won an 8-6 decision.

9:57 am - WPU's Taylor Louie is now on mat 2.

9:56 am - WPU's Bobby Proffitt pins Nathan Trumbo of York in the 1st period.

9:52 am - This is my first wrestling tournament and I have noticed the food of choice for these athletes is cereal... Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, Fruity Pebbles, you name it and it's here.

9:51 am - WPU's Josh Stutting pinned by Justin Rau (Grand View).

9:43 am - Just got done talking to WPU Assistant Wrestling Nate Stirgus about his team this year. He said, "We're very young and make young mistakes, but we're wrestling well right now. There are a lot of good teams here, like Missouri Valley who is #3 in the nation."

9:32 am - Lots of blood coming from a wrestler from Waldorf on mat 1. The William Penn Athletic Training staff is doing a great job cleaning things up.

9:31 am - Diaz is pinned by Bradshaw.

9:24 am - WPU's Chis Diaz is on mat 2 against #3 DW Bradshaw (Missouri Valley).

9:12 am - Matt Chustz beats Jared Steinbach (Bacone) on a technical knockout.

9:04 am - William Penn's Matt Chustz is on mat two...

9:00 am - Technical difficulties with the Star Spangled Banner... So in an event I have never seen before a group of wrestlers began singing it on their own. It wasn't the best rendition and I hope they never try out for "American Idol," but in this case it did the job.

8:55 am - PA System is playing "Zombie Nation," I have never seen so many wrestlers dance at once.

8:45 am - Penn Gymnasium is packed with over 90 wrestlers. Today's qualifier will take place on two mats and will last well into the evening.

A Few Good Minutes with.... Statesmen Basketball's Deon Bergeron

A few hours ago I had the chance to sit down with Statesmen basketball player Deon Bergeron about growing up, playing basketball, the Super Bowl, his team, and much more. He is known for his laid back and amusing personality that made for an entertaining interview:

Nik Rule: We're here at the Penn Activities Center which many believe is the pride and joy of Penn Athletics. I am here with Deon Bergeron, a member of the men's basketball team at William Penn University.

NR: To start things off Deon, I must ask you where you're from?
Deon Bergeron: Lake Charles, Louisiana.

NR: So I got to ask, are you a Saints fan?
DB: Duh! What kind of question is that (laughing)?

NR: What does it mean to the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana having the Saints win on Sunday?
DB: Well, I can speak more for the state than the city... But it means a lot because they have stunk for so long. They have been pretty terrible, between the Aints and the Paper Bags, I don't remember that because I was little but my dad told me about the tough times. I mean we had an NFC Championship game three years ago, but ever since then... With Drew Brees, well it's just good to have a Super Bowl.
NR: I am a Niner fan, we need another one it's been rough...
DB: I'm sorry; they're bad man (laughing).

NR: It's no secret that Louisiana has been hit hard by Hurricanes in recent years. I have to ask, have you ever experienced a Hurricane?
DB: Hurricane Rita, in the same year as Katrina, I think it was September. But I actually went to school only two and a half days a week because we had to share our school with another high school. So every school in our Parish was pretty much destroyed except for ours. It was pretty interesting to go through that, we missed probably a month of school right off then did the whole two and a half day a week thing.

NR: How long did it take you to rebuild everything in your town?
DB: It probably took us about three weeks just to be allowed back in and probably about two or three months for things to get back to normal... I mean some areas came back and others didn't come back at all.

NR: You mentioned your high school, did you play any other sports and was basketball your favorite sport?
DB: Actually baseball, I was a big into baseball. I mean I wasn't very good at hitting... I like baseball probably just as much, if not more, than basketball. I played golf, I did track... I actually went to state in track; it was the only thing I went to state in (laughing). I wasn't very good at it, but I could throw a discus... Yeah, I did pretty much everything besides Cross Country, it was a small school.

NR: What was your best athletic moment during high school?
DB: We beat Latassine High School, a team that we hadn't beaten in ten or eleven years. They had already beaten us twice that year, once by thirty, and it was a big deal for us... We beat them by one point.

NR: Do you have any siblings?
DB: Two brothers...older.
NR: Any sibling rivalries and competitiveness as far as athletics?
DB: (Laughing). Yeah! Pretty much in everything we did whether it was video games, or athletics, or anything. I was the little one and was always trying to hold my own with them until I got to be in middle school which is when I started to catch up with them in basketball. We actually played on the same baseball team in high school; I was in eighth grade... We had a senior, a junior, and an eighth grader. It was pretty interesting growing up, I was always the little munchkin trying to hold my own.
NR: Are they all taller than you?
DB: Not anymore! I am the biggest one now (laughing)... It's a different story now.

NR: What was the best advice you got growing up?
DB: Oh wow... I can't exactly say one that has helped me more than another advice wise. I know that my dad and high school coach Derek Robideaux helped me out a lot in helping me try to realize my college dreams; I always wanted to play a college sport... So they helped me out a lot and were probably my biggest influences.

NR: You mentioned college and trying to reach your potential, so what made you decide to come to William Penn?
DB: (Laughing) Well that's kind of funny... It was really my only offer I ever had. There is not a lot of recruitment going on for Louisiana athletes. There are about three or four tryouts around the state each year and Coach Lenhart in 06' called me and I mean once he called I was pretty much in. It was one phone call and I was here, not much recruitment needed on me.

NR: Now you and I have known each other for a while now and I remember after your freshman year you left and went home. Then you decided to come back. What about Penn and the basketball program made you want to come back?
DB: Well I went home and it was a lot of the same things I was doing growing up in high school. The same old place I had lived in, I ended up going to McNeese St. like everybody else and I figured that not many people get the opportunity to play college sports. I don't regret going home, but I am glad I came back... Yeah, I just missed basketball and missed Coach Henry and all the guys. It is very rare to get a group of guys that are as close as this basketball team.

NR: The men's basketball program has built quite a reputation in the past decade. You have been here for a few years so I have to ask, what is your best memory since being a part of the Penn basketball program?
DB: Definitely, winning the conference championship my freshman year and going to nationals. That was Henry's first time going to nationals, so it was a pretty big deal for him and for us... Getting a ring and everything and cutting down the nets... It was a good time.

NR: Let's talk about this season. You guys started out on fire, reaching as high as #8 in the nation, but recently you have had some struggles in conference play. In your mind, what is the main difference between Penn at the start of the season and Penn basketball now?
DB: I think after the last loss we, this week, have had great practices. I think when we started that losing streak; well what we call a losing streak, losing five out of eight I think... We kind of lost our way a little bit, as far as practice goes and the games. We haven't been working as hard and we've got that back in the past week. I think we've got things back on track.

NR: Athletes on campus admire and envy the way Coach Henry conducts your practices and makes you guys work. Take us through a normal practice with Coach Henry?
DB: Well usually we shoot around a little bit and get our legs warmed up before practice, waiting for Coach to get to the court... He's rarely on time by the way; you can put that in there (laughing). So once he gets here we get our straight faces on and we stretch, do some warm up drills, and it just depends on the part of the year... Usually some pretty intense drills and conditioning stuff, maybe some scrimmaging... Basically, whatever he feels like putting us through. Things are pretty tight laced, you ask to get water and you don't do anything you’re not told... You don't even burp out loud, it's pretty disciplined.

NR: We've talked about you being a college athlete, but you're also good in the classroom as well. What are your top priorities as a college athlete?
DB: Good question... Hmm, top priorities as a college athlete. Well first of all you come here to graduate. Now I think I have a bearing on what I think I want to do (teaching) and I want to keep my grades as high as possible while balancing a social life and athletics. Academics come first, even though sometimes it doesn't happen (laughing).

NR: When do plan on graduating and what do you plan on doing after graduation?
DB: Next May... I actually have given some heavy thought as to becoming a Marine officer and going to OTS for that. If not I would like to find a field in the marines, if I don't do teaching back home in Louisiana.

NR: Describe yourself in three words?
DB: Three words huh... Passionate. Unathletic. Well hopefully funny too!

NR: This is the part of the interview that we're going to call circumstances. I am going to ask you a question, you tell me who or why you picked that person.

NR: To start things off, if you're having trouble in class which one of your teammates would you pick to help you out?
DB: Ooooh... Well not so much a teammate, but Luke Letzring. He's a coach now and used to be a teammate. So yeah, Luke.

NR: You're stranded on deserted island, which teammate do you pick to stay with you?
DB: Oh man, probably Coffey because he's funny.

NR: Mardi Gras is right around the corner, pick one teammate to come with you?
DB: Joel, because he's never been to Louisiana or seen anything like it.

NR: You're having a bad day and you need someone to cheer you up, who in the locker room is most likely to do that?
DB: (Laughing) Either Terry Coleman or Jesse DeGeest. There just always in a good mood. Just good upbeat guys who are hilarious.

NR: Life or death situation. Which teammate would you trust to have your life in their hands?
DB: Walter Herron. He's just hard core, he's just crazy and tough. I'd trust him.

NR: You're down by one point with seven seconds left. Who on the team do you want to have the ball in their hands?
DB: For real Nik? You don't even have to ask that... It's Kris Miller.

NR: We will end things with a segment I like to call "Rapid Fire". I'll ask you a question and you respond with a quick and short answer?

NR: Lebron or Kobe?
DB: Lebron.

NR: NBA or NCAA basketball?
DB: NCAA.

NR: Winter or summer Olympics?
DB: Summer.

NR: Who will be the greatest player of all time? Lebron, Kobe, or MJ?
DB: Jordan.

NR: Megan Fox or Angelina Jolie?
DB: Megan Fox!

NR: Mountain Dew or Pepsi?
DB: Dr. Pepper.

NR: Lost or American Idol?
DB: Can I say neither?

NR: Leno or Conan?
DB: Conan. It sucks him leaving, he got the shaft.

NR: Boxers or briefs?
DB: Well... Boxers.

NR: Favorite NBA team?
DB: Hornets.

NR: World Cup or the Masters? I know you're a golfer too and you enjoy soccer.
DB: Geeze... Both man, they don't come at the same time so both.

NR: Republican or Democrat?
DB: Republican! (Laughing)

NR: Your girlfriend or your dog?
DB: Don't have a dog. So my girlfriend, that makes it easy! (Laughing)

NR: Your girlfriend or your mom?
DB: Oh no! Man... Ohhhh! (A long silence)... Ah, girlfriend or mom. Let's see, Mother’s Day and Chanon's birthday aren't on the same day... Dang, uhm both.
DB: Geeze man, you can't put me in that spot again!

NR: Who’s the prankster on the team?
DB: Prankster, prankster, prankster... Hmm either me or Coffey I guess. We don't pull to many pranks or we get in trouble.

NR: Who is the shy guy on the team?
DB: Walter, once get to know him he turns around but "Shoog" for now.

NR: Who is most likely to have ten kids?
DB: Probably, Jesse.

NR: Who is most likely to become a great basketball coach?
DB: Hmmm... We will give that one to Kris Miller.

NR: Who is most likely to live in Oskaloosa for the rest of their lives?
DB: Oh man... Kris Miller or Joel. We call both of them "Osky Lifers," that's there nickname.

NR: Who is most likely to be a CEO of a major corporation?
DB: Who is a smart guy? Hmmm. No one, well I guess we'll give it to Luke.

NR: Who is most likely to become a life-long college student?
DB: (Laughing) Well Kris has already been here for like 16 or 17 years, so I can see another 20 in his future.

NR: Who is most likely to be a bachelor the rest of their life?
DB: Caleb Stout. That one is easy.

NR: Last question. I got to get your pick for the NCAA tournament coming up?
DB: Kansas. Yeah, I'll have to go with Kansas.

NR: I'll give you the last word.
DB: This interview has been great, I hope it is insight to the basketball program and I look forward to reading many more about all the other programs you guys cover.

Did You Know... Iowa State Women's Basketball Coach Bill Fennelly is a WPU Grad?

Current Iowa State University Women's Basketball Coach Bill Fennelly is an alumn and former assistant coach at William Penn University.

Fennelly, who graduated from Penn in 1979, was raised in Davenport, Iowa and received bachelors degrees in Business Management and Economics at Penn. After graduating, he was signed on as an assistant coach for the Lady Statesmen and was a part of there national championship season in 1980-81. He then went onto assist at Notre Dame and Fresno State before landing his first head coaching job at Toledo in 1988.

While at Toledo, Fennelly compiled a 166-53 record and earned three berths to the NCAA Tournament.

In 1995, he was hired as the head women's basketball coach at Iowa State University. During his time he has a record of 324-145, which also includes nine appearances in the NCAA tournament. His teams made it to the Sweet 16 twice (1999-00, 2000-01) and to the Elite 8 last year and also in 1999 after upsetting perennial powerhouse Connecticut.

Iowa State University has shown their confidence in Fennelly by signing him to a lifetime contract in 2007.

Check out Coach Fennelly's biography at the Iowa State University Athletic website at: http://www.cyclones.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=46668&SPID=4253&DB_OEM_ID=10700&ATCLID=508203&Q_SEASON=2009

Segments to come within this blog

As noted by our Sports Information Director Wade Steinlage, we are continuing to expand our horizons in today's technological world by starting a William Penn University Athletics blog. Before things begin to take off I want to give you a little insight on what you will see posted in the near future:

"Did you know?..." - This column will focus solely on characteristics and information that most do not know about William Penn and our athletic history. We will focus on past triumphs, alumni, and anything else that we come across that will leave all of you saying... "Wow, I never knew!"

"A few Good Minutes with ....." - This is a column that we are very excited about! Each week we will sit down with an athlete or coach to get insight on their season, their college life, and interesting stories that have developed them into who they are today. Additionally, we will have some entertaining questions that we will call our "rapid fire round" where we will ask them to respond with a short answer.... An example being: Between the two who would you pick on your team, Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter? We will have all that and many more fun and interesting questions with our first athlete Deon Bergeron, a member of the men's basketball and golf teams, who will be interviewed tomorrow.

"A Day in the Life of...." - Just as it sounds, we will follow an athlete around for a day and see what goes on in their daily life on campus.

- We will also have posts that will be formatted like a normal news story that will provide interesting analysis and perspective on a team or individual competing in one of our many athletic programs.

- Finally, from time to time, we will blog live from interesting events at the University.

Stay tuned! We're excited and we hope you are too!