When does the Cornerstone University volleyball team play, anyway?

Now, without taking the time to look up the schedule online, Head Coach Ryan Campbell and his team are attempting to increase campus awareness of when the games are.

This year, on game days, the CU volleyball players can be seen wearing bright green T-shirts. On the front, the shirts say “CU Volleyball” while on the back they read “Game Night 7 p.m.”

The coach and his players wanted to bring more attention to this year’s team in order to encourage fans to come out and increase support on game days.

“Coach Campbell really wants to promote our team. He has come up with some good ideas that will help us do that,” freshman player Marissa Bliss said.

Campbell is the one who came up with the idea to wear the shirts on game days. He felt that the team should help promote their games. He wanted something that would easily draw attention to his players on game days so that other students on campus would be aware that the volleyball team would be playing that evening.

“The green shirts are for standing out and promoting our game days,” Campbell said.

The idea for the bright green color was thought of by Marci Blacquiere, a senior for the Golden Eagles volleyball team.

Blacquiere thought that the bright green color would be good for the T-shirts because the color would more easily draw attention to what the T-shirts say.

In addition to the green T-shirts, Campbell thought of theme nights for the team’s home games this year.

Each home game will have a different theme, in which the fans that come to the game are encouraged to wear a certain color or type of clothing to help support the team and have some fun.

These theme nights are supposed to create a fun and energetic time for the fans attending the game.

The nights will vary from Hawaiian night to camouflage night.

Campbell thought the theme nights would be a good way to encourage students and other fans to attend the games, as well as serve as a good way to get the fans at the game to become actively involved.

“The theme nights are just to create a fun atmosphere,” Campbell said.

There are flyers placed around various places on campus so that students are able to check when the home games are taking place and also to tell what the theme for the upcoming games will be.

Also, the team has been giving away different things on these theme nights, such as free Hawaiian leis to the first 144 fans that came to the game on Sept. 29, or a pair of sunglasses for the first 36 fans that came out to support the team on Homecoming for 80’s night on Oct. 7.

Campbell hopes that these theme nights along with the green T-shirts will help to promote the volleyball team and draw more people to more of the team’s games this year.

Staff Writer

Each week the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference chooses one student from each competing sport who has helped his or her team in a significant way. WHAC honored two of Cornerstone’s star female athletes as Player of the Week, September 14, 2009.

Marcie Blacquiere has been playing volleyball with Cornerstone for four years and has previously played since the seventh grade. “It was a huge honor,” said Blacquiere, who is a record-breaking setter for the team.

 The previous weekend the girls played in the McKendree Tournament where they were proven undefeated. “It was a good weekend,” said Blacquiere. The players, excited about the new season, were on top of their game and Blacquiere was able to get plenty of assists. 

 Although honored for the award, Blacquiere said she could not have done it on her own. Under the new coach, Ryan Campbell, the team works in perfect unison and everyone gets along great. “We all bonded in California, it was a really cool experience,” said Blacquiere.

 When asked what she thought about the team being red-shirted, she said she feels they could have done without it, but she is excited for what the season has in store. Blacquiere, throughout her many years of playing, has managed to never sustain a serious injury. Upon graduation Blacquiere plans to major in Business Marketing where she hopes to get a job in the medical field. 

 Blacquiere does not stand alone in receiving this honorary title. Ashleigh Lund, who plays defense on the soccer team, also received the award.

Lund has played soccer with Cornerstone since her freshman year and has been playing ever since the age of 6. “When I was little my sister played,” said Lund, “I always knew I was going to play.”

Lund can’t wait for the chance to defeat Aquinas this season. Like Blacquiere, she is extremely honored for having won the award, but could not have done it without her teammates. “We are a young team with lots of potential,” said Lund.

Recently, the team took a trip to New York where they had plenty of time to get to know one another.  “Some of my favorite moments are from the trip,” said Lund.

One moment in particular was the night all the players gathered in a Subway and sang worship songs with a man from Brazil. “It was awesome. He just sat down at the piano and started playing and we all joined him,” said Lund.

Lund plans to major in Exercise Science and pursue a job in physical therapy. She loves music and can always be seen with fun, flashy fingernails. 

 When asked what they are most looking forward to this season the girls answered “nationals,” with a matter-of-fact grin. Both girls are off to great starts this season, and hope to continue growing with their teammates.

Staff Writer

Ben Vanbiesbrouck, a sophomore at Cornerstone University, scored his first hole-in-one on hole 17 in the season’s first WHAC Jamboree at the Stonewater Country Club.  

 The golf team practices about two hours each day, seven days a week. They play games even more than that.

Vanbiesbrouck had high expectations for himself in the competition. He was 175 feet away from the hole when he made his hole-in-one.  “[The ball] didn’t even hit the ground, it just went right in,” he says, “I just didn’t expect to do that, I was so surprised, I was all smiles two hours after.” His final score was a 71, which is a good score for that competition. 

 Although the competition went well, our team did not win. The Golden Eagles finished third with a 292, one stroke behind Davenport and Madonna finished first with a 284.

On September 15, at the first chapel this school year, Dr. Joe Stowell, president of Cornerstone University, honored Vanbiesbrouck for his accomplishment and gave Titleist Pro V1 golf balls with the Cornerstone logo as a gift. However, Vanbiesbrouck was at an away meet at Wesleyan University and did not get to attend chapel.  His roommate, Steve Gentzler, accepted the gift on his behalf.
Vanbiesbrouck has been golfing competitively for about eight years, and non-competitively for about ten. 

He started golfing when his father retired from hockey and took up golf to pass the time.

Your LIfe Editor

 Enthusiasm and anticipation drew around campus for Thursday, Oct. 8.

At 11:00 p.m. in the Hansen Athletic Center, the men’s and women’s basketball teams celebrated the kick off of their upcoming season with Midnight Madness.

Every year the event follows Mudbowl and lasts about two hours. It includes free games, prizes, and events throughout the night. The first 500 students in the door receive free T-shirts. 

Junior Grace Knott said, “Last year it showcased the Cornerstone community very well.”

Midnight Madness showcased both 2009 basketball teams for the first time in action this season. At midnight, a five on five inner squad scrimmage was included as one of the events during Midnight Madness.

“Playing [at] midnight [during Midnight Madness] is a huge adrenaline rush,” said senior point guard Corbin Donaldson. “It has really gotten [the team] excited for the season. It gets the whole Cornerstone community excited for the season.”

Dave Grube, athletic director, and his sports management class started preparing for the event weeks in advance. “Each person in the class is part in charge of different responsibilities,” said Midnight Madness staff member Nick Tolsma.

The school budgets the money spent at Midnight Madness every year but sponsors such as Applebees and Krispy Kreme also make the event possible.

A few changes are in store from last year’s Midnight Madness. Last year the basketball team made their entrance with music playing in the background that each player chose themselves. This year however, the introductions are being changed up.  Freshman point guard Kathy DeYoung said, “We get to have a ten second video when we run out.”

“I am ready to get going,” Donaldson said.

 The girls on the basketball team have the same feeling.

 DeYoung said, “I am pretty much just ready to tear it up.”

Oct. 9 marks the day practice begins for both the men’s and women’s basketball teams and an official start to the season.

The weekend of Sept. 25, both of the basketball teams went on a retreat. During that time, they discussed their overall goals for this upcoming season.

The men’s basketball team has set high goals for this season. “Our overall goal is to make it to the national championship in Missouri. We want to be the best in Grand Rapids and the best in conference.  We want to be champions every day in practice,” Donaldson said.

 Freshman point guard Alexa Hensler said, “Our goals are pretty much the same.”

The first men’s game takes place on Nov. 6 at the Goshen Tournament against Grandview at 7pm and the women’s team opposes Hungington College Nov. 3 for their first game of the season at 7pm.

guest columnist

Former Detroit Tigers’ manager Sparky Anderson might not have been an expert in grammar and syntax, but the guy was always able to get his point across.

We were sitting in the third base dugout at Old Tiger’s stadium a couple of years ago, contemplating the closing days of the regular season. The Tigers were not going to make the playoffs. In fact, they had hit their “magic number” sometime in late July that year, and just played out their string for the final nine weeks.

“Hey Skip, glad to put this one behind you?” I asked. He looked at me as if I had two heads.

“No man,” he said. “Nobody wins nuthin’ all the time. This was just one season and it was our turn. We’ll be back.

“That don’t change things. I love baseball, but I love football and basketball and golf and all them other sports. And it just don’t get no better than this time of year.”

My man Sparky was right on both counts. The Tigers have come back, and it really “don’t get no better than this time of year”.

Pro football is in full swing, and the Lions have more wins that they’ve had in the past 13 months.  The

Pistons will be in Grand Rapids next week, and the Red Wings are set for another Stanley Cup race. Tiger just banked $10 million for having pro golf’s best season…big surprise…while gear-heads aren’t finished talking about NASCAR.

And once again Michigan State’s football fans are wondering where their season went. Thank God for Tom Izzo!

You can make an argument for any sport being your favorite.

It is hard to compare anything with the color or pageantry of big-time college football,  and pro football features the best of the best.

I’m not a big fan of pro basketball because it seems as if the more money a guy makes, the less he is required to play by the rules. Next time you watch an NBA game, see how many steps a guard takes driving the lane.  And when the coach barks from the bench “D up!”, everybody grabs everybody else’s jersey.

Hockey would be better if they’d score every once in awhile, and if I had a buck for every time a guy missing his front teeth said “Good game, eh?” to me in an NHL locker room I’d be a rich man.

I love Tiger because he’s the only guy in pro sports who can show up at an event and drive the rest of the field to see if they can get into that week’s Hooter’s Tour event somewhere else.  Anywhere else.

But I have this evil streak buried deep inside me that breaks out every October when Major League Baseball begins its annual rite of picking teams for the World Series.

Used to be two leagues, no playoffs and afternoon World Series games that forced us to try to smuggle radios into our classrooms decades before anybody thought of inventing ear buds. If you told the teacher you didn’t feel good he’d tell you to put your head down on your desk and rest. Those little hand-held’s fit right into the crook of your arm, and you could get away with it if you kept the volume down.
And the girl in the next row didn’t rat you out.

I’m not particularly concerned about who actually makes it into the World Series, though it would be nice if the Tigers were there. Most people root for favorite teams. Assistant track coach Paul Kouts, for example, is a St. Louis Cardinal fan who tends to whine when the Red Birds lose…which is fairly often.

 Personally, I don’t want the Cardinals in the Series, even if it would take till next April for Paul to get over it. I don’t want the Dodgers in the series either. Or Tampa Bay, Oakland, Toronto, Florida, Houston, San Diego or Arizona.

If you play in a warm-weather locale, or inside a domed stadium, then I want you to have the bats and balls packed away by mid-October.

My “perfect” Series would involve Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, Colorado or Milwaukee.
Any combination.

Why? Because we are now into October, the playoffs stretch almost into November. It gives me a perverse pleasure to watch guys making a bazillion dollars trying to play baseball in a blizzard.

Forget batting gloves, I want to see those big, thick mittens. Plus ear muffs under the batting helmets and turtle neck Under Armor so think they can hardly move.

I want to see smoke coming from their mouths every time they take a breath, I want to see guys in the dugout wrapped up like mummies and jumping up and down to keep warm, and I want to see hitters feel that tingle in their hands when they apply a frozen bat to a frozen ball.

And best of all, I like to watch it while sitting in my easy chair with the fire place going, knowing that for at least two hours, those over-paid so-and-so’s  were wishing they could change places with me, rather than the other way around.

That’s when Sparky Anderson’s lyrical pronunciation really hits home: Things truly don’t get no better than that!

New leadership has changed the face of Cornerstone woman’s volleyball. This year, Ryan Campbell received his first position as a head coach at the college level.

Campbell has climbed from high school coaching to college coaching at a very early age. He is nationally honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association “Thirty under 30 Award,” which was published in an issue of the “AVCA Coaching Volleyball” magazine.

As part of his new responsibilities, he has to plan strategic plays for the team at crucial points and handle the team finances with scholarships and the budget.

“[Coaching is] awesome!” Campbell said. “It is nice to coach Christian athletes.”

“I developed a love for volleyball at a young age, but it was not until college that my passion for volleyball transformed into coaching.”

“I found my passion for volleyball growing up and watching my sister play. Her high school team won two Illinois state championships,” he said. “Also, in Illinois I had the privilege to compete in boy’s volleyball. I played from eighth grade until I was a senior in high school.”

The steps Campbell has taken to get where he is today, he explains with this advice: “If a person wants to achieve more, they must be willing to volunteer their time and effort. A person should start building their resume during college, take every opportunity that comes their way and do exceptional work even if it is unpaid.”

Campbell graduated from CU, majoring in physical education and minoring in both coaching and health education. He was hired as an assistant by Steve Burmaster four years ago.

Campbell sasid, “I majored in physical education, but I have a stronger passion to coach volleyball. Right now I plan on coaching volleyball as my career.”

For the past four years in the off season, Campbell has coached AAU U-16 for both Carpe Diem and Far Out Volleyball Clubs.

He said, “I believe the prime reason why I was chosen as the head coach is because I had been with the program for three years and I had a good understanding of the program.”

Campbell has also served as a camp coach at the University of Hawaii, Penn State University, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame and Bowling Green State University.

In more than one way “he’s a promoter,” said freshman defensive specialist Larissa Deshetsky. “Coach wants to have a lot of students involved,” but also “he is encouraging.”

Freshman middle hitter Kate Zwier said, “He is a definitely a coach that wants to win so he tries to put the best people on the court.”

Campbell plans to have give aways, where there will be opportunities to win free stuff during matches. A new Facebook group named the Cornerstone University Women’s Volleyball Fans currently has about 400 members.

Campbell’s humor has stood out to his volleyball players. “He is hilarious,” Zwier said. “We have a good time. It’s funny because Coach randomly mixes up his words and [the team] starts laughing.”

Campbell “would like to thank Dave Grube, Mike Riemersma, Phil Keith, Layne Kreh, Rebecca Baker, and the rest of the Cornerstone Athletic staff for helping with the 2009 season. I also want to say thank you to my parents-Tom and Pam Campbell for helping me get this far. Finally, I thank God for given me this opportunity. ‘In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps’ (Proverbs 16:9).”

Staff Writer

Sports may be seasonal, but Pete Rusticus’ job is year-round. Rusticus, Director of Corporate Sponsorship at Cornerstone University, is in charge of promoting the Golden Eagles and finding sponsors for the Athletic Department.

Marketing for the Athletic Department is a hands-on job and there’s no better man to do it than Rusticus.

“If I’m in my office it means I’m not doing my job,” Rusticus said.

Constantly on the go, he meets with a wide variety of both locally and nationally owned businesses.

His goal, he says, is to off-set any costs for the Athletics Department with corporate sponsorship.

He writes contracts for sponsors who are looking to expand their clientele while simultaneously sharing the news about Cornerstone University with the community.

Examples of his work are on display in the Hansen Center, with a number of banners on display representing businesses in our community.

Before coming to Cornerstone, Rusticus worked with the Grand Rapids Hoops where his love for sports and sales grew.

Rusticus also works with the Advancement Committee to raise money for Cornerstone.

He helps to host a number of fundraisers in the community including Champions of Character, a basketball tournament that brings together high school, college, and professional athletes.

“I love my job and this University,” said Rusticus, who believes he was sent here by God to be a role model for students.

A graduate of Davenport Institute of Business, Rusticus has worked in sales for 45 years, until six years ago he was asked to join the Cornerstone team.

Rusticus loves interacting with the students on campus. “They make me feel young again,” he laughs.

Serving as Director of Corporate Sponsorship is not Rusticus’ only job here on campus.

On game nights he can be heard on the loud speakers as the announcer for both Cornerstones men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as women’s softball.

In addition to his work at Cornerstone Rusticus plays an active role in our community as the announcer for local high school sports.

He is also very involved at church, and loves to be a light to his community.

On anybody’s Big Man on Campus list, Florida quarterback Tim Tebow would rank No. 1.

The guy is 6-6, weighs 240, has movie star good looks and can throw a football through a wall. He won a Heisman Trophy in 2007, is odds-on favorite to win another this year and is about to run out of fingers for National Championship rings.

A lock as a No. 1 pick in last year’s National Football League draft…and at the millions of dollars that selection would bring…Tebow instead opted for yet another year of college ball.

Why? Because he likes playing college football, and he had an obligation to his teammates.

Money never entered the equation, because Tebow firmly believes that the reward that awaits him in heaven is way beyond any amount he can earn on earth.

Tebow is a Christian, and he doesn’t try to hide his faith. Instead, his relationship with Jesus is the center point of his life, and he lets his words and actions be his testimony.

Where other stars luxuriate in the spotlight, Tebow spends much of his free time spreading the Word, talking to prisoners or taking missions trip to South America.

He knows that as a national figure he can touch many people, so he makes a point to be straightforward about his faith, letting his actions talk louder than his words.

“He wants people to see what he believes through his actions,” Florida senior wideout David Nelson told a Sports Illustrated reporter. “He wants them to say, ‘I see the way you live your life, the passion you have, the fun you have, and I want what you’ve got’.”

What he has is a walk with the Lord. And he wants to share it.

On game days, Tebow notes his favorite verse (Phil 4:16) in the sun block under his eye: “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

Last year, in the hours before the Gators were set to play Oklahoma in the BCS championship game, more than a dozen regulars were missing from their rooms. The Florida coaches, doing a bed check, started going wild when they couldn’t find the bulk of their stars.

And then they heard singing coming from Tebow’s room. He had called the players together because he had read a passage in Matthew (11:28) that touched him and helped him overcome his pre-game jitters. He wanted them to share his peace: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humbled in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

The players were so moved by the Word that they started to share their testimonies, and eventually a hymn-sing broke out. Florida won the game and the National Championship.

Last week Tebow startled a mid-week press conference by announcing that he believes in abstinence, and that he has vowed to save himself for marriage. The reaction was immediate and disbelieving.

There is no Tim Tebow on the Cornerstone campus, nobody whose picture will grace the cover of Sports Illustrated or whose future includes a seven-figure pro sports income upon graduation.

But every athlete here could be LIKE Tim Tebow, turning their lives into living testimony, and that is important.

By definition, athletes stand out, because they do what they do in a spotlight, and they do what they do as representatives of Cornerstone. People know that Cornerstone is a Christian university, and they are watching to see how much of our lives is talk, and how much is real faith.

The greatest compliment any Cornerstone athlete can receive is to have an opponent or fan come up after a game and say “I don’t know what you have in your life that I don’t, but I want to find out!”

Testimony through deeds can be very inspiring. Humbleness after a win or big play, calmness in the face of a bad call, peace after a disappointing loss.

Tim Tebow plays to win, but he does it to bring glory to God. He lives in a glass house far larger than anyone here, but is comfortable there because he relishes the opportunity that gives him to spread the Word through his deeds.

If people leave a Cornerstone game unimpressed by our actions, then we have lost, no matter what the scoreboard says.

“We are good friends, minus one day a year.”

These are the words of Associate Provost Tim Detwiler. He and Associate Professor of Bible Andy Smith have both enjoyed rooting for University of Michigan and Notre Dame football teams, respectively.

Ever since 1991, the men have recorded wins, losses and one tie on a plaque and a football.

These items are traded every year depending on which team wins the game that year.

Smith started keeping the tally many years ago on a small plastic football. He wrote in white-out, but the football soon became too small.

Now every year Smith records the win on a plaque that is currently in his office.

Michigan and Notre Dame are among the two best teams in college football so the rivalry is not a stale one.
The two men discovered by accident that they both rooted for separate teams and their longing to see their team beat the other has only gotten stronger.

This rivalry and tradition is in its 19th year.

Both of the men have many reasons why their team is the best.

“How can anyone root for a secular state school? Notre Dame is a faith based community of scholars,” joked Detwiler.

Smith’s son grew up a Michigan fan, however, after working at Notre Dame, he has “converted to a full blown fan of the Irish.”

“There is hope for his family now,” Detwiler said.

This year’s game took place on Saturday, Sept. 12. Powering through the doubts against them, Michigan walked away with the victory, with a score of 38-34.

The football and plaque have found their home in Smith’s office for the year.

That game was the 37th game played between the two teams since 1887.

The longest period of time that the two teams have played, uninterrupted, was a ten-year stretch from 1985-1994. From 1943-1978, the teams did not compete at all resulting in a 45 year hiatus.

Despite their college football rivalry, Detwiler and Smith have never watched a game together.

“Maybe next year,” Detwiler said.

They agree.

“It is a lot of fun seeing our teams win and getting the bragging rights for the year.”

Staff Writer

By now, most students have seen or heard of Cornerstone’s new provost, Rick Ostrander. However, furthering the academic success of CU’s students and faculty is just one of Dr. Ostrander’s passions; another is cycling.
When asked how he became involved in cycling, Ostrander said it wasn’t something he started until later in life. His first passion was basketball. Though he continues to play basketball on intramural teams, college injuries, ankle trouble and the normal wear and tear of an aging body lead him to pursue different ways of staying active.

 
Initially, he began with mountain biking, but soon discovered that his favorite part of biking was the speed.

“Once I got on a road bike, I was hooked,” Ostrander said.

Ostrander has been riding for eight years. He rides both on his own and with groups, and has competed in some races. In order to train for these races and biking expeditions, he said his workouts of choice are hill training and interval training.

While living in Arkansas, he would train by climbing the hills on his bike, turning around and climbing them all over again. Each of his training rides consists of 30 to 40 miles at a time.

Ostrander explained that interval training involves varying your heart rate. This can be achieved by 45 minutes or so of riding, resting, riding and so on. He also said one of the best ways to prepare is simply “to get in lots of miles.” For him, this means over 6,000 miles a year.

Ostrander’s cycling has taken him across the globe, combining his love of travel with his love of biking.

While directing international programs at John Brown University, he had the opportunity to take several oversea adventures. These biking adventures include the busy streets of Rome, the beach on the northern coast of Ireland and Spain. He has even biked to the top of the Austrian Alps.

In 2004, he and his family lived in Germany for half a year, where he taught at a university through the Fulbright Fellowship program. “That’s when I did most of my European traveling,” Ostrander said. One of his all-time favorite places to bike through was Tuscany, “where biking originated on the back roads in wine country,” he said.

He admits that though biking teaches joy, especially on a Tuscan “summer evening with no wind,” it also teaches perseverance and discipline. This discipline proved especially useful while competing in a Texas race called the “Hotter than Hell 100″. He shared that one of the years he rode in the race, a sign, marking the direction of the path, had been removed. That year, instead of the standard 100 miles, he rode 120 miles in 110 degrees, with no water.

Ostrander said that, while biking, “you’re trained not to always listen to your body.”

He adds that biking is “one of the best ways for me to connect with God,” and becomes a time of extensive prayer. He also shares that being in nature is his favorite place to worship God.

As driven and passionate as he is about his work at Cornerstone and his time spent cycling, Ostrander says his priority remains with his wife and four children. After dropping off his son at college this fall, he reflects on “how brief and how valuable these years are.”

Michael Stevens, professor in the Humanities department, said “Rick Ostrander really wants to do the things to make the experiences of students and teachers here better.”

Good teachers and leaders are always willing to go the extra mile; Rick Ostrander does it on a bike.

by Cachell Clay

Though the Cornerstone basketball season is over, recruiting continues the entire year.

The women’s team has been trying to replace the five seniors they’ve lost and has already found three. The men’s team is looking for just a few players, and since they are not losing anyone, recruiting has been going slow.

Women’s basketball coach Carla Fles is fine with the way the recruiting process is going, but is still looking for another post player, as well as another shooter.

“I think it’s been going well,” Fles said. “We lost five girls and three of our returners are fall sport athletes, and I want to have enough to practice. We already have three girls signed, and we’re looking to bring on two or three more.”

Senior Jenna Plewes has visited high school basketball games with Fles on recruiting efforts and loves staying in touch with recruits, even if they don’t end up attending Cornerstone.

“I love when recruits ask why I chose Cornerstone, because I could go on forever to tell them about how much I love it here,” Plewes said. “I have built many friendships through the recruiting process, even if the players haven’t chosen to come to Cornerstone. As far as the girls that didn’t choose to come to Cornerstone, I spent a lot of time going to games or calling them on the phone.”

Fles asks herself certain questions about the players she recruits, especially if the program fits the player. Fles understands the program is not right for everyone. She includes everyone in the recruiting process, and likes to bring some of the girls from the team along.

“I get everyone involved,” Fles said. “Especially the players, because who better than the players to tell of their experiences themselves. Even the alumni help. If they coach a high school team they call me up and say, ‘Hey, we played against a girl and she was tough; you should look into it,’ or ‘We have someone on the team that you should take a look at.’”

Plewes, who has been helping recruit all four years she has been on the team, thought about how nice it was when some of the college players came and watched her play her junior and senior years in high school.

“I enjoy going to games with coach, my assistants, other players or just by myself,” Plewes said. “I remember when players like Ashley Velzen, Cathi Powell and Mindy Rader would come to my games. It felt so cool to have college athletes at my games that I looked up to and still do.”

While the men’s team hasn’t signed anyone yet, they also do not have many spots open on the team. Men’s basketball coach Kim Elders has been visiting all the local high schools as well, and listening in for players from far away.

“We haven’t landed anybody yet,” Elders said. “If they’re local we’ve already heard about them; if it’s somebody from afar it’s usually word-of-mouth. I have stuff coming across my desk every day.”

Assistant coach Lance Roark helps with the men’s team recruiting efforts, and similar to the women’s team, he often receives help from alumni.

“Our approach is to keep lines of communication open with athletes,” Roark said. “Be they Cornerstone campers, high school players or outgoing seniors looking for a place to play. We have alumni and friends who are coaches all over, in Michigan or abroad, that are constantly throwing us leads as well.”

Elders looks to bring in at least two players per year, even though this year the team isn’t graduating any players.

“We usually bring on two to four a year,” Elders said. “We want to bring on three for next year if we can. I just look for a post player that’s big; if they’re big and good they are usually going somewhere else. We’re also looking for a shooter and an athletic three-man type player.”

Roark described the recruiting process as a year-long endeavor that never stops.

“Recruiting for basketball is like recruiting for business,” Roark said. “If someone is good, you can find a place for them. If you have needs, you have to fill those needs. You are looking for the best person and the best player that fits our system and our mission at Cornerstone.”

by Jorge Jaramillo

Aaron Bauder, a former semi-professional football player and current Cornerstone student, never played football in school until 10th grade.

Football was a game that Bauder enjoyed. By the time he retired his jersey for the last time to do what God called him to do, he had played in stadiums with several thousand people roaring in their seats, hit players who played professionally and even signed his autograph on a few footballs.

Before donning shoulder pads and football cleats for Boyceville High School in Boyceville, Wis., Bauder first tried his hand at other activities, including basketball, soccer and baseball. After joining the Boyceville football team, he became a one-sport athlete focusing all his attention on football.

After high school, Bauder said he had no intention of playing football professionally or semi-professionally. He said he did not care much, and it was not a big deal to him.

“The only reason I played in college is because I love the game,” Bauder said.

His parents desired that he attend a Christian school. So long as he did, they would pay for all his college expenses.

The first collegiate stop for Bauder was Maranatha Baptist Bible College.

“It’s a totally different game than in high school — a lot more intense. Regardless of what division you’re in, it pretty much controls your life,” Bauder said. Sunday was his only day to rest and do homework.

In college, Bauder said the practices are a lot more mentally tough than in high school. The coaches expect the athletes to stay in shape by themselves. In college, you have different defensive schemes each week for different teams, because college football is so complex.

During his freshman year, he was redshirted due to a serious illness. He spent that year working out in the weight room.

“I went to play football, but I wasn’t even thinking about my life or what I wanted to major in,” Bauder said.

As a sophomore, he was in the starting lineup on defense.

“Coming out of high school, I wasn’t good enough to get a full ride anywhere. I was getting the best football program as far as Christian schools go, and getting it for free because my parents were paying for it,” Bauder said.

Even though he did not know what he was going to do, he said he knew that he needed to get away from Maranatha because it did not have his major. He said it was more of a business and Bible school, but Bauder was falling more and more in love with sports.

When Bauder decided to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-Stout, he thought his football days were over. Unexpectedly, he received an e-mail invite to the combine (a place where they do testing and training and decide who makes the cut) of the Chippewa Valley Predators, a semi-professional team, but that fell through due to class schedule conflicts.

After reading an online article, he discovered the Northwest Wisconsin Wolverine’s. He could not make their combines, either. Instead, he got invited to their mini-camp where he made the team, also semi-professional, without trying out.

At that point, Bauder was officially part of the NEFL (Northern Elite Football League). The NEFL had a deal with the NFL that players could not be paid salaries. A lot of guys wanted to play in the NFL, but Bauder said he did not think that way.

The crowds at each game would vary from a few hundred to several thousand fans. The Chippewa Valley Predators ironically turned out to be the Wolverine’s arch-rival.

Player’s received perks like 20 percent off at Dunham’s, and one time they received $10,000 to go out to eat. The team would even sign footballs that would be auctioned off at halftime.

“It feels weird to sign your name on something just to sign it,” Bauder said. “Nothing made me more important or better than the person I was giving it to. It was never going to be worth anything.”

Bauder managed to start every game except for one due to injury. He said there was a big steroid issue in the NEFL, because players did not have to be tested.

“There were originally 53 guys [on the team], and because of steroids and the recklessness of the league, we ended the season with only 30-something guys,” Bauder said. “Some people were so ‘roid raged that they would hit people so hard, they would hurt themselves.”

The owner of the Northwest Wisconsin Wolverines, Lee Metheny, had this to say about Bauder: “Aaron is a very outgoing hard worker who doesn’t know the word ‘quit.’”

Bauder said he eventually got sick of the atmosphere of driving his drunken friends around. He also did not want to go back to another Christian school with football and feel obligated to play.

“I wanted to do what God wanted me to do, and go where He wanted me to go. And it actually worked out down to the dollar that I was able to go here [Cornerstone University].”

He said his parents are not paying for his college expenses anymore, but they are helping out. He is currently majoring in exercise science and has a double minor in biology and coaching.

“I plan on coaching on the side when I can [after college],” Bauder said. “But I don’t want to make a living as a coach. My dream job would be a strength and conditioning coach at a Division I college. I want to train athletes.”

CU student, guest writer

2009 NFL Mock Draft

(Round One)

1) Lions — Jason Smith, OT, Baylor

With the uncertainty about Stafford being successful in the NFL, the Lions look to improve their porous offensive line. This follows the recent trend of OTs going in the first few picks and those teams having success.

2) Rams — Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia

Orlando Pace was sent away so there is a hole in the offensive line. Monroe should be able to step in and improve the pass protection to keep Mark Bulger on his feet.

3) Chiefs — Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest

Kansas City got their QB of the future in Matt Cassel and addresses their defense that is switching to a 3-4 system. Curry should be able to provide a sure tackler with pass rush and coverage skills.

4) Seahawks — Matt Stafford, QB, Georgia

With Stafford dropping a little from where he was expected to go, Seattle jumps at the chance to snag their QB of the future. Stafford will sit for a year as Matt Hasslebeck teaches his replacement. Holmgren retired as head coach so Jim Mora Jr. wants his own QB.

5) Browns — Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State

Malcolm Jenkins’ draft stock has slipped some, but Cleveland will look at the film and see a tough, physical corner. Mangini gets a solid CB to fit his 3-4 scheme, while taking a local product for an instant fan favorite.

6) Bengals — BJ Raji, DT, Boston College

The Bengals have struggled to stop offenses the past couple years, so they plug in the top-rated DT who should provide a spark in the run defense and pass rush.

7) Raiders — Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas

Al Davis loves speed. Orakpo, with his speed, will fit in and help generate a pass rush that the Raiders defense has been lacking. With a better pass rush, the Raiders could catapult their defense back to the top 10 in  the NFL.

Jaguars — Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech

The Jaguars just released Matt Jones and have yet to draft a WR in the first round in the last decade that has been successful. Here they get arguably one of the best players in the draft and a surefire stud at WR in Crabtree. Crabtree will make whoever plays QB look good.

9) Packers — Everette Brown, DE, Florida State

The Packers are transitioning to a 3-4 defense and need a pass rusher opposite of Aaron Kampman. The Packers were hoping Raji would fall to them to fill the middle, but instead they get a pass rush specialist in Brown.

10) 49ers — Mark Sanchez, QB, USC

San Francisco says they are good with Shaun Hill at QB, but who are they kidding? Sanchez has improved his draft stock in the offseason and should be able to step in mid-season for the 49ers after catching up to NFL speed.

11) Bills — Andre Smith, OT, Alabama

Andre Smith’s stock slipped in the offseason, but he shouldn’t fall too far. When his game tape is put on, all you can see is a dominant OT. The Bills got a go-to receiver in Terrell Owens for Trent Edwards, and now they pick up a bookend tackle.

12) Broncos — Rey Maualuga, LB, USC

The Broncos still are struggling defensively. Maualuga will fit in nicely in the middle of the 3-4 system. He is a tackling machine who will help the Broncos finally stop the run.

13) Redskins — Michael Oher, OT, Mississippi

The Redskins tried to go after Cutler, but will be content with Jason Campbell under center. They fix their aging line that has not been able to get a push in the second half of the season. Oher is a mauler in the run game and has nimble feet in the pass game.

14) Saints — Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois

The Saints have struggled in their pass defense, and they finally fix it by drafting Davis. His character is a concern, but he is a playmaker and potentially the best talent at CB in the draft.

15) Texans — Brian Cushing, LB, USC

The Texans have spent first round picks on the defensive line the past couple years and now move to the second level. Cushing is a dominant LB who is extremely versatile. Tyson Jackson was an option here but they opt to improve the linebacking core.

16) Chargers — Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU

The Chargers have one of the most talented teams, but have not put it all together yet. They decide to go with Tyson Jackson to fill in a need at DE in their 3-4 set. Jackson should do well as he is a run-stuffer, allowing Merriman to be unleashed once again. Jackson can also occasionally get to the QB.

17) Jets — Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia

Thomas Jones is starting to wear down, so the Jets get the most complete RB in the draft. Moreno should help keep the defense guessing as he is in the mold of Brian Westbrook.

18) Broncos — Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi

The Broncos get this pick from the trade of Cutler. Once again, the Broncos work on their defense. Jerry is a little small for the NT position in the 3-4 system, but he can play DE as he is a good pass rusher while going against double teams.

19) Buccaneers — Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri

Tampa Bay signed Byron Leftwich at QB so Josh Freeman is not on their radar as they look elsewhere for their team. Jeremy Maclin is a fast receiver who should help the Buccaneers since their receiving core could stand for an upgrade.

20) Lions — James Laurinaitis, LB, Ohio State

The Lions addressed the offense with the top pick, so now the defense gets addressed. CB got addressed in the offseason, and with no DT worthy of the No. 20 pick they snatch Laurinaitis to help in the second level. With the addition of Julian Peterson and Ernie Sims on the team already, the Lions go from one of the worst linebacking cores to one of the top ones.

21) Eagles — Percy Harvin, WR, Florida

Donovan McNabb has wanted a big fast WR to throw the ball to ever since TO left. Finally, the Eagles agree with McNabb and give him a big target to pair with last year’s DeSean Jackson providing McNabb with a couple options. They got their need at OT filled with Jason Peters.

22) Vikings — Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut

The Vikings have a dominant run defense, but still struggle against the pass. Josh Freeman was an option along with Percy Harvin, but it seems they have not given up on Tarvaris Jackson and spent big money last year getting Bernard Berrian. Thus, they get the top CB on the board to try to help the pass defense.

23) Patriots — Chris Wells, RB, Ohio State

The Patriots have an all-around good team, but Maroney can’t seem to stay healthy during an entire season. Wells will give the Patriots another weapon on offense with a big back that has the ability to break away for the home run when he touches the ball.

24) Falcons — Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Okla. State

The falcons will continue to give Matt Ryan weapons to help in his development. Pettigrew should be a perfect safety outlet for a young QB. Pettigrew slipped a little due to his slow 40-yard dash time, but his catching and blocking skills can’t be denied.

25) Dolphins — Clay Matthews, LB, USC

The Dolphins had a surprise turn around last year. It seems that WR could be an option, but they are young at that position. It might be a little early for Matthews, and you can never have enough LBs in the 3-4 system, especially one that could provide some pass rush.

26) Ravens — Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers

The Ravens got a solid QB last year, and like the Falcons, the Ravens will try to give Flacco weapons to work with. Britt is a big,  quick player that can be used to fill the primary receiver option. He will soon become Flaccos favorite target.

27) Colts — Evander Hood, DT, Missouri

The Colts have yet to find a DT to plug the running lanes. Evander Hood is the guy to do it. He is big and should be able to plug a hole on the defensive line improving the Colts defense.

28) Bills — Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee

The Bills started strong last year but faded down the stretch. A lot of this had to deal with the defense struggling. Ayers adds a force at DE to provide a little more pass rush and is also stout in the run defense.

29) Giants — Darius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland

The Giants are looking for a replacement for Plaxico Burress. Darius Heyward-Bey is the guy to do it. At 6’2” and 4.3 speed, Heyward-Bey has big play ability to stretch the field for Eli Manning and the Giants.

30) Titans — Hakeem Nicks, WR, UNC

The Titans have had a hole in the defensive line since  Haynesworth left, but teams also knew there were not many receiving threats allowing them to key in on the run. Nicks provides an option to help alleviate the pressure on the run game.

31) Cardinals — Eben Britton, OT, Arizona

The Cardinals were a surprise team last year making it to the super bowl. Their defense needs help, but if they hope to repeat a solid year, they need to make sure Kurt Warner stays clean. Britton is a solid lineman that should start relatively early.

32) Steelers — Sean Smith, CB, Utah

The Steelers do not have many holes. Some think he may do better at safety, but either way he will keep the Steelers physicality.

(Round Two)

33) Lions — Ron Brace, DT, Boston College

The Lions need to fix their defense and add size to the defense. Brace fits both of these categories and will take some double teams to free up the linebackers to make plays.

The distant melody of “When You Wish Upon a Star” echoed down the barren concrete halls as Duke Yeager navigated through the outer workings of the Van Andel Arena.

“‘Disney on Ice’ is in town,” he said, shaking his head. “Long, long weekend when Disney’s in town.”

But even as Yeager told of how he had worked a 40-hour work week by the time he had come to the arena to begin work for the production, he could not help but smile as he looked out at the ice.

“I have a great job,” Yeager said. “It’s almost better to call it a hobby.”

Yeager has manned the Griffins’ Zamboni ice resurfacer — a machine that scrapes the ice and smoothes it with a fresh layer of water — all 13 years of the organization’s existence.

But even though Yeager says Zambonis are merely tractors for ice, he said that children are mesmerized by the sight of the enormous apparatus moving slowly across the surface.

“It’s like a mystical machine,” Yeager said. “When you’re at intermission as a kid, you just sit there and just watch it go around and around and around. You can’t take your eyes off it.”

But as the man in the driver’s seat, the laps around the rink might feel more repetitive than mystical. Not including overtimes and shoot-outs, Yeager resurfaces the ice five to six times per game.

For Yeager, boredom is not a problem.

“The Griffins keep it interesting,” he said. “Since I’ve been here so long, I’ve been able to see them develop promotions, and it’s interesting to see how they change things up.”

Yeager said that watching the development of the promotion “The Human Hockey Puck” was particularly entertaining. In the game, contestants from the crowd are placed on sledding saucers and are launched across the ice by a rubber band functioning as an oversized slingshot in hopes of landing inside a goal.

“Oh, the first time was a disaster,” Yeager said. “They would hit the goal and go right into the boards — no padding, no nothing. They didn’t even put padding on the goal.”

After a few people were, as Yeager put it, “slightly injured,” the Griffins reworked the game to include more padding and less bruises.

Now, the only people in danger during intermissions are the Griffins dancers.

Although the dancers know to stay out of the Zamboni’s way, Yeager said some new dancers do not pay attention to the machine that cannot stop on the ice.

“The other driver, Jesus Rivera, he’s nice — he honks,” Yeager said. “I’m not as nice. I’ll give them a little nudge and scare them a little.”

In a recent game, Griff, the Griffins’ mascot, was the one who received a Yeager Zamboni love-tap.

“It freaked him out for a while,” Yeager laughed.

But Yeager’s antics on the ice are not the source of his fame with Griffins fans.

Griffins’ announcer Eric Zane, of a WGRD-FM (97.9) morning radio show, made it his personal mission to make Yeager a household name among fans the best way he knew how — through the arena’s PA system.

“The first time, he made a joke that the mascot Griff and I designed the T-shirt gun in the bowels of the arena,” Yeager said. “You don’t hear anything on the ice, so when I came off the ice and fans started asking me about it, I asked Zane if he said anything, and he goes, ‘Oh yeah, and I have a lot more coming.’”

Within months, Zane had added a slew of fictional occupations and achievements to Yeager’s resume, including Golden Gloves boxer, New York Rangers player, mayor of Peoria and dog groomer.

“The funny thing is, people believe him,” Yeager said. “I’ve had reporters asking to interview me about the things Eric has said. They’re pretty disappointed when they find out it’s not true.”

But do not discard Yeager’s “Renaissance man” reputation just yet. Aside from manning the Zamboni 40 games a season, Yeager also juggles a career as a project manager for a site acquisition company with being a family man.

“It’s hard to come in sometimes,” Yeager said. “When you’re working till 5 at one job and coming here at 7, it’s hard to be away from the family.”

Yeager said that he has been fortunate that his two children — Jarrett, 11, and Katy, 9 — have made Zamboni-driving a family affair.

“They’ve ridden the Zamboni more than anybody,” Yeager said, adding that Jarrett was the first child to ride the Zamboni with him. “In fact, he would get upset when he was young and someone else would get a ride. He was convinced that they were in his seat.”

Yeager said the Zamboni rides were one of the most fulfilling parts of his job — especially when children from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital came to the arena for a spin around the ice.

“It really struck a chord with me,” Yeager said. “It really makes you take stock in what you do when kids with cancer come, and it’s their wish to ride the Zamboni.”

Although humbled by the children’s request to ride the Zamboni, Yeager said it does not surprise him — his childhood dream was to ride the Zamboni as well.

“When I was growing up, if I could have ridden the Zamboni … that would have been huge for me,” he said. “Going to games with my dad and grandpa, I thought the Zamboni was the coolest thing.”

Yeager, who learned how to drive the machine while in college, said he was elated when the Griffins approached him. However, instead of merely driving the Zamboni, he was given the title “operations manager” and was required to work long hours with ever-changing shifts.

After two years, when he started a family, he decided to step down as operations manager — putting his Zamboni-driving days at risk of coming to an end.

“I fully expected to lose the Zamboni job, but, luckily, they asked me to stay on,” he said. “Every time there’s ice, I’m there.”

And that is why he works ‘Disney on Ice’ weekends, he said. However, his first experience with Disney was one of his least favorite memories.

“The first time ‘Disney on Ice’ came to town, it took me over 30 hours to try and paint the ice white and they still weren’t happy with how it looked,” Yeager said. “Times like that, working isn’t always fun.”

But even as Yeager begins his 40-hour ‘Disney on Ice’ weekend, he knows as soon as the hockey season wraps up in April, he will be itching to get back on his Zamboni.

“Once you’ve been here for a while and you’ve got it in your blood, there’s a smell in the air — ice does have a smell — and you miss it,” Yeager said. “After being gone a long time, to shake the hands of people you haven’t seen in a while and to watch the puck drop — it’s good to be back.”

Cornerstone juniors Darren Bennett and Tim Devaney have started a Wiffle Ball league known as Wiffleball Wednesdays.

Devaney said it’s that time of year again. He can remember the days when he was young and his dad was teaching him to play baseball.

“I’m ready to embrace it again,” he said. “I’m excited to get some fresh air and swing the bat and pitch and shag pop-flies.”

The obvious problem with playing baseball is that Cornerstone doesn’t have a baseball team. For this very reason Bennett and Devaney decided they would try and do something about it. Their solution is Wiffle Ball.

Devaney said everyone loves Wiffle Ball even if they don’t love sports, because it’s fun and laid back. He figured people would jump at the opportunity to play, especially since Cornerstone is a baseball-deprived community.

Bennett and Devaney met and talked specifics. Then they created a CUBE posting and a Facebook group promoting the league.

“Basically, it was just a matter of sending out e-mails to RAs and having RAs send e-mails to everyone in their section,” Bennett said. “Eventually people just started showing up and it just became like a weekly get-together for students who wanted to play Wiffle Ball in a positive atmosphere.”

First, Devaney was worried that people would put Wiffle Ball aside, but he said it’s been a nice surprise to see rapid growth. The first week gained the interest of around eight people and in the second week the size nearly doubled. Devaney said they’ve even developed a large fan section.

“We didn’t pull a random time and place out of a hat,” Devaney said.” We were strategic about the Wiffle Ball planning, because we knew we would already have an uphill battle to fight to get support for a brand new activity, so we wanted to give it our best shot possible. We purposely play in front of Quincer at 4 p.m., because Quincer is the best spot on campus to play since it’s a central location at a prime time.”

The hope is that students heading to dinner will stop and play.

“I actually think it will catch on better than any intramural sport because it’s Wiffle Ball and everyone loves Wiffle Ball. You don’t have to be a jock to play it, or even like sports. It’s just a game. It’s fun,” Devaney said.

If Wiffle Ball gains strong interest Devaney would like to compete against other schools in the future.

There has been a lot of word-of-mouth promotion and they are trying to make strategic alliances with people like Dave Murdoch, Director of Student Leadership Development.

“He’s done wonders for similar student activity sports at Cornerstone like hockey and broomball that have been raised up at an underground level, and we figure he can do the same for us,” Devaney said.

Though similar to baseball, Wiffleball Wednesdays has different qualities. It calls for a plastic ball and bat. If the runner hasn’t made it to first base and the pitcher retrieves the ball, the runner is out. Stealing bases is not allowed and strikes are only called if the batter swings. These are the most basic rules, but some of the rules are made up as necessary to adjust to the setting of each game. Keep in mind that Wiffleball Wednesdays is a variant of the official Wiffle Ball game, not all the rules are the same.

The turnout each week has been large enough for two teams to go head-to-head and each week the players switch around for the sake of competition.

“We’ll probably keep going until the end of the semester. Unfortunately, that’s only a few weeks away. I love Wiffle Ball and would love to play more and I think the other players would too, but we can only do it as long as people are here. My hope is that we will get a strong enough turnout now so we can easily start up a strong league once again when we get back for the fall semester,” Devaney said.

The equipment needed to play is provided by Bennett and several other players who bring their own bats. Bennett went to Meijer and bought a few Wiffle Balls, bats and bases.

Not many Cornerstone students would spend their spring break playing Dodgeball, but one student passed on the idea of going to Florida or Mexico so he could do just that.

CU student Jon-Michael Cake competed in the Detroit Cup in Novi, Michigan on March 6, 2009. Cake joined his brother’s Dodgeball team, which has been playing for the past nine years together since meeting at Trinity International University in Chicago, Ill. He joined because they were short players for the tournament.

The guys chose the name Team Ballstein from the movie “Zoolander.” After the team won nationals five years ago, they met Ben Stiller’s father who played the character Ballstein in Zoolander, and for whom the team was named after. Stiller’s father is an avid Dodgeball fan.

Cake earned his spot on this nationally ranked team. Team Ballstein is ranked third in the nation in the National Amateur Dodgeball Association (NADA) and is on its way to the outdoor nationals in June in Schaumberg, Ill., after winning in the tournament in Detroit.

The Detroit Cup consisted of 16 teams from around the Detroit area. The teams were split into four groups and every team in the group played each other once. Then the top four teams moved on to the knockout round. The top two teams from that round moved onto the championship round.

“I didn’t take it seriously at first,” Cake said.

But he quickly changed his mind.

“They sat me down and said this is serious and legitimate and we are here to win the whole thing,” Cake added.

The winner of a match is determined by the best out of five games, which are each five minutes long or the first team to eliminate all of the players from the other team. Team Ballstein glided through the tournament with ease, Cake indicated.

At the beginning of the tournament Cake sat back and watched his team’s strategy to take the tournament in, but his mindset on Dodgeball quickly changed.

“I hated losing a game,” he said. “I had a lot of fun.”

The next step for Team Ballstein is a warm-up tournament in Chicago on April 18 to prepare the team for nationals.

To personally prepare for nationals Cake plans to play Dodgeball as much as possible here and “think about the strategy all the time,” he said. “I’m really interested in getting a team together here.”

The format for the NADA Outdoor Nationals is different than the usual school “gym” rules. Each team consists of 10 players, six on the court at a time. Each team starts out with two balls and then there is one in the middle, compared to having all five balls lined up across the center of the court.

There are two different types of Dodgeball: outdoor and indoor. Cake’s team will be competing in the outdoor nationals this summer.

“Outdoor isn’t as fun as indoor because there aren’t any barriers so you are always chasing the ball a pretty good distance,” Cake said.

When a ball is thrown it goes anywhere and to get it you must leave the back of the court. If you exit out of the side of the court to get a ball you are out. When outside the court chasing a ball and you get hit you are not eliminated.

Although the team qualified for the NADA Outdoor Nationals before Cake joined the team, he is nothing but a part of the team.

“I’m stoked like nothing I’ve ever done before,” he said.

His road with the team will not stop after the national tournament. Cake plans to continue to play for as long as he can.

Driving to the basket was Plewes' signature move during her time at CU.

After leading the Golden Eagles to a 27-8 record and the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, Jenna Plewes was named First Team All-American.

“I couldn’t be any more proud of Jenna, and I’m just so pleased that she is getting recognized in this way,” head coach Carla Fles said.

Plewes willed Cornerstone to win several games late in the season, hitting go-ahead baskets with the game on the line against Davenport in the WHAC Tournament Championship and against Aquinas during the final game of the regular season.

“She plays so hard,” Davenport coach Mark Young said. “I probably don’t have any more respect for any player that I’ve ever coached against than her. She brings it every single night.”

“She’s not a great shooter, and she’s not the fastest, but she plays so hard,” he added. “For someone to be as successful as she’s been it all comes down to her work ethic.”

Plewes averaged 17.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during the conference season, but Fles said it was her hustle plays that made the difference for the team.

“She’s a gamer,” Fles said, comparing her to North Carolina star Tyler Hansbrough. “Sometimes we called her the one-man-full-court-press because she’d just stay back there all by herself, she’d pick someone off and score a layup.”

“She’s probably the hardest worker that I’ve coached here,” Fles added. “She just really loves to run and she works on her game all the time. She always puts her whole heart into every game and she hustles, and it’s great to see someone who works so hard get that recognition.”

Fles said she saw the All-American list when it was released on Tuesday night, and she was hoping Plewes, who received an honorable mention the previous two seasons, would make the second or third team. So she was “overjoyed” to learn Plewes was named to the first team.

“I just couldn’t wait to tell her,” Fles said. “When I told her she was really surprised.”

But Plewes, being the team player that she is, said she would trade her All-American status for a national championship in a split-second.

“For sure. Without a doubt. I just wish we could have went further,” Plewes said. “That would have been way more important than individual honors. I would’ve rather made a bigger run at the tournament.”

No one understands her devotion more than her teammates, who saw her hustle day-in-and-day-out.

“Jenna is a one-of-a-kind player,” teammate Krista Vink said. “She is constantly pushing and encouraging you. She led by example. I think she is a great player and person. She deserves the All-American nomination because she gives 110 percent all the time, and you can always count on her.”

Plewes praised her team, saying she wouldn’t have done it any other way.

“I can’t describe how much this team has meant to me,” Plewes said. “Everyone knows I love Cornerstone so much. The biggest thing is playing for God, and playing with teammates and coaches who just care about you, love you and represent God. That’s about the best feeling ever. I’ve absolutely loved it.”

Plewes was named to the All-American Team along with nine other NAIA Division II athletes around the nation, including Davenport’s Kallie Benike, who was the WHAC Player of the Year. Benike averaged 14.85 points and 7.38 rebounds per game.

The other All-Americans include Morningside’s Dani Gass, who was the NAIA Player of the Year, and Autumn Bartel, Ozarks’ Kayli Combs, Northwestern’s Becca Hurley, Concordia’s Whitney Stichka, Hastings’ Lindsay Ducey, Shawnee State’s Becky Babione and Dickinson State’s Kia Herbel.

Madonna’s Kim Olech and Aquinas’ Josyln Narber were named Third Team All-Americans. Davenport’s Kristi Boehm, Indiana Tech’s Hannah Thieke and Aquinas’ Carrie Abdo were named honorable mention.

Young hopes having two All-Americans in the conference will start to turn eyes toward the WHAC.

“It’s great for the present of our conference, and it’s great for the future,” he said. “People are starting to understand. We’ve got a legitimate claim…We’re becoming a legitimate No. 2 conference. It was great to see.”

Courtesy/Andi Owens

After spending most of the winter season injured and racing only once to hit a qualifier, sophomore Janelle Brown finished sixth in the race-walk event with a time of 16:06.13 at the NAIA Indoor National Championships to earn All-American honors.

“Since she had been injured for so long, the goal was simply to get in there and compete and see what happens,” said Nate Van Holten, who coaches men’s distance as well as CU’s race-walkers. “I wanted to see her get All-American to keep her streak alive but was not sure how fit she was to accomplish that goal.”

Brown has earned All-American honors in the race-walk event three consecutive times, beginning with her first trip to nationals as a freshman last March, where she finished fourth. During outdoor nationals last May she finished fifth.

Coming into the season, Brown’s expectations were high.

“I was actually expecting to do a lot better,” she said. “I got injured shortly after the beginning of the season, so I haven’t been able to train nearly as much as I had hoped.”

Although her place was better last year, Brown raced a full minute faster at nationals this year.

“I feel satisfied,” Brown said. “I am really grateful that I was able to come through the injury and compete at nationals this season. Getting All-American was my goal, but I had my doubts going into the race that I could achieve it.”

Van Holten was also worried.

“Road blocks, like constantly nagging injuries, left no room for training,” he said. “But I think she has a unique talent. She has a real drive to do well no matter what the situation is. If she can get healthy and stay healthy, she can be one of the best in the nation at her event.”

A three-time All-American definitely ranks her among the best, but Brown is already looking toward the future.

“I am going to use this season as a learning experience to propel me through the rest of my collegiate career,” she said.