A lot of travel is hard on any team, but a young team without much experience can struggle to find success. That’s the case for the AU’s volleyball team. The lady Ravens are 5-10 in the early part of their season. “The month of September in the world of volleyball is difficult on all players, freshmen through seniors alike,” said head coach Tami Miller. “The good news is that we have a great coaching staff that is willing to work with us, but it definitely wears on you.” The season … [Read more...]
For the love of the game: Why athletes choose to play D-III sports
Concussions, hamstrings, Achilles, quads, biceps, traps, delts, hand, knee: the list goes on for injuries on the mind of any athlete. When coupled with school, the increasing pressures of day-to-day classes, social lives and deadlines, why should students even bother with sports? Do the risks outweigh the rewards? AU is, after all, a Division III school, meaning athletes willing to compete in sports are not compensated with athletic scholarships or any other form of financial … [Read more...]
Wortham embraces second chance at football
Most football players spend the offseason lifting weights and conditioning. But Johnell Wortham had been spending his time off working the graveyard shift in a Walmart freezer just to make ends meet. Originally from St. Rose, Louisiana, Wortham was a running back at Anderson University in 2013 before leaving school a year later to work full time. During his lone season at AU, he led the team in rushing and gained 840 total yards in 10 games. Now 26, Wortham is back on the Ravens’ squad to … [Read more...]
Men’s leading goal scorer tears ACL playing soccer in free time
Junior forward and leading returning scorer Wes Erny tore his ACL over the summer and will miss the upcoming soccer season. Erny scored six goals and assisted on five more for the Ravens a season ago. He trailed only Jacob Pokorski for the team lead, but after Pokorski’s graduation the team was planning to rely on Erny to pick up some of the offensive slack. “I was just playing soccer in the backyard with my family,” Erny said. “I went to go one way, planted my foot, then … [Read more...]
Fantasy Football Forecast: Draft sleepers you need
Welcome to the Fantasy Football Forecast, a fantasy football column I will be doing throughout football season aimed at giving AU students some last minute advice before they set their weekly lineups. As the preseason comes to a close and the regular season inches closer, fantasy football drafts are kicking off around the country. For the casual football fan, it is easy to spot the top players at each position and target them for your team. The issue most team owners face is … [Read more...]
How good can the ‘unlucky’ Colts be?
The dust is still settling and Andrew Luck is still retiring. In one of the most shocking and unexpected sports moments in recent history, the 29-year-old quarterback announced his retirement from the NFL. Where does that leave the Colts? At the beginning of their Saturday night preseason game against the Chicago Bears, the Colts were viewed as a favorite to win the Super Bowl. Luck was given the fifth-best odds to win the league’s MVP award by Bovada, a leading online sportsbook. By … [Read more...]
Opinion: Ravens pitching could be key to HCAC championship
The Raven baseball team has secured a spot in the postseason for the second straight season after sweeping Earlham this past Saturday. It is also the second season for head coach Matt Bair, who has found success due to his superior starting pitching so far this season. The team has several starters it can put on the mound, but none have been more successful than junior Joe Moran. Moran has made nine starts for the Ravens with an impressive 7-0 record. In 51 innings pitched, he has … [Read more...]
Pinyot takes advantage of life’s second chances
CJ Pinyot wasn’t supposed to play lacrosse this year. She wasn’t even supposed to be alive. The senior women’s lacrosse player suffered her fourth severe concussion more than a year ago and was told by doctors that she may never play sports again. Pinyot is used to taking advantage of second chances. Before she was born, she was almost aborted by her mother, who changed her mind at the last minute and decided to give her up for adoption. “My parents told me a story … [Read more...]
Ravens set their sights on a postseason berth
Guest Writer: Zac Tallent The AU softball team is 11-9 this year with more than half of their season still to come. The team is in its thirteenth year under head coach Tony Holloway and is looking to win their third HCAC championship, the right to play in their third NCAA tournament and compete for a national championship. The team had the opportunity to go to Florida over spring break and went 6-2 to start off their season. The Ravens are led by starting pitcher Hadley … [Read more...]
Lacrosse teams aren’t bothered by this season’s win-loss record
Both the men’s and women’s lacrosse programs have had slow starts in the win-loss totals, but neither program is worried about their record this season. Men’s head coach Jacob Ashton and women’s coach Colin McSharar accepted their positions knowing it would be a while before their teams were competitive on a nightly basis. As is the case with most start-up teams, it takes a few years of recruiting and developing before the teams have the depth and talent they need. This is the case with … [Read more...]