In episode 6 of the Conversatio podcast, Dr. Joseph Wysocki discusses the relevancy of classical studies in the black community with Dr. Anika Prather.
Abbey News
Research Corner
Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Staff Writers
Lauren Denhard, Desislava Yordanova, Kira Zazzi, Jose Mejia, Timothy Shar, Julia Iseman, Tucker Hoeniges, Madison Mitchell, and Dr. Erin Jensen recently published an article titled “Engaging Undergraduate Student-Athletes in Research and Publication Opportunities.” The Sport Journal. https://thesportjournal.org/article/engaging-undergraduate-student-athletes-in-research-and-publication-opportunities/
This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 1 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.
Belmont Tennis: More than a sport, More than a team
Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Joseph Rowzie
Last year, Belmont Abbey tennis won the Conference Carolinas Tennis Tournament for the first time in the program’s history. It came down to a tight score of 4-2 against Mount Olive, a formidable opponent. In addition to winning the conference championship, Belmont Abbey tennis made its first appearance in the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional since 2001! Their opponent was set to be Columbus State, the number 1 seed of the region. Though the match ended in a loss, that year’s success set a path to a brighter future for the Belmont Abbey College tennis program. I asked returner Andy Golindano: “what was it like to win a conference championship?” And he responded by saying, “I have never felt so many different emotions just to be met with the greatest sense of relief.”
Behind every great team, there is a greater coach, and that coach’s name is Michael Solomon. I went around and talked to the returners of the Belmont Abbey tennis team and asked them a few questions about how Coach Solomon has impacted the program and this year’s team. One of the questions was: “if you could describe Coach Solomon in one word, what would it be?” The most popular words were hardworking and professional, and many would say that he took Belmont’s tennis to a higher standard of work ethic and play.
What makes this team more than your ordinary program is the steam standards. Out of the eleven, I have seen enforced the most: compete, respect, and have positive enthusiasm. To this team, respect is more than a thank you or please, in a competitive sense, respect is shown through honesty and competitiveness but on and off the court, treating everyone as images of God is key to our success. In all the matches, I always hear the coach telling the team and myself to “compete.” To compete is to play with your tools and bring the best tennis you can. I remember him telling me a story about one of his college matches where he was a set and, like, 4 or 5 games down; he found a way to win. And that’s when he started to believe there is always a chance to win.
We, as freshmen, have to recite these team standards if we want to receive tennis gear. And these standards apply to life, practice, and matches. Belmont tennis is brought to a higher standard through our coach and is carried on through each first-year class that has come to Belmont tennis. As a freshman entering a brand-new college environment, making friends and settling in can be a struggle. Believe me when I say I have never been more welcomed into a group in my whole life than this team in the Abbey. I believe that this team has had this much success because of the way they treat newcomers and each other. This team wins together, and they lose together with excellence.
This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.
Men’s Basketball
Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Saveon Falls
Belmont Abbey College first had a basketball team in 1928, but they mainly played against junior colleges and other small teams in the area. The Haid Gymnasium was completed in December 1930, and that is where the team was able to hold games and be a showplace for the team. The Abbey’s men’s basketball program has had a lot of success in the past couple of years, winning two out of the last three conference championships. They are looking to win another championship this upcoming season with a lot of new faces on the team and a new
coaching staff.
With the mindset of back-to-back another championship, Coach David Belfield is new but has a winning mindset. He cares about his players and how they carry themselves in the classroom and as a person as well on the floor. Coach Belfield will be the 18th coach in the program’s history and is seeking to continue the tradition of national relevance, academic excellence, and formation guidance. One quote that he tells his players is to “Assume Positive Intent.” If someone doesn’t trust you, it doesn’t matter how well you measure your words, the other person will misinterpret you. If someone trusts you implicitly, it doesn’t matter how poorly you phrase something, the other person will assume you meant well.
Also, the program welcomes Dave Matturro to the team. Where he’s just coming off a national championship from Randolph-Macon, where he helped them win the 2022 national championship. He brings the same hunger and passion to the Abbey program and looks forward to having a great season.
Come watch us play during the Spring season.
This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.
Insight on the Track Team!
Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Kenneth Jensen
Track and Field is one of the most popular individual sports, as it has many athletes going against each other to see who is the best! It is always fun to watch athletes compete because of the high suspense the people have before and after an event. The Belmont Abbey College Track and Field team is known for its many accomplishments. Last year, they competed in the 2022 Conference Carolinas Championship Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field. They came in fourth place with three athletes breaking the school record and making all-conference! But for the new starting season, they also have many incoming freshmen and a new coach in their lineup!
The new coach, James Thierfelder, is getting everyone ready to compete in the track meets. Coach James has excellent experience coming off as a Belmont Abbey Track and Field alumni. His input on the freshman is exciting as he says, “this new team that we formed this year is great. We have a lot of exciting freshmen with great times. I’m excited to see the growth of everyone on the team”.
The Track and Field athletes undergo challenging conditioning workouts to prepare for the upcoming season. They run 10-20 100-meter repeats for hard days, with only 25 seconds to recover before they run again. This workout is challenging because it usually takes about 2 minutes to recover from a sprint but to train our D2 athletes to the best of their ability, they have less time to recover to get their bodies in better shape. As for a follow-up the next day, they do bodyweight workouts, with light stretching exercises after. For team bonding, once every week, they play fun games, like kickball or football, to get everyone excited and loose.
Our other main Track and Field coaches, Dan Finanger and Tomas Cerdeiras, love to keep the team positive throughout every workout and session. The crew hangs with each other almost daily to keep that positive vibe, even in the classroom! But the question is, why should you support the track team? Our athletes are excited to watch as they compete hard to the best of their ability, and the track team is an outstanding team that positively impacts our school and our community.
Don’t be afraid to drop by the track and support us; we would love to have you guys!
This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.
