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Women’s Golf; Bock and Denhard Conclude Patsy Rendleman Invitational

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Chrissy Popovich

The women’s golf team concluded play at the Patsy Rendleman Invitational. The course was a par of 71 from 5,900 yards for the women. There were eleven other schools competing. Normally golf courses have a par of 72, and each hole has a specific number of strokes to be attained. The lowest number of strokes in golf wins overall. The par for nine holes is 36, and the par for 18 holes is 72. The goal in golf is to be closest to par or under if possible.

Coach Katie Tomassoni led the women’s golf teams for the Patsy Rendelman Invitational. She assisted the team in course management and course advice. The A team was in contention to win the tournament on day one but was unable to finish out on the second day. Bock’s first-day score was her personal best in her college career.

Albany Bock scored 73, and Lauren Denhard shot 75 on the first day of the tournament at the Country Club of Salisbury. Bock was tied for first going into the second day. She ended up shooting 82 on the second day and placed 6th overall.

Lauren Denhard shot 80 on the second day and tied with Bock for 6th place. Denhard explained, “The golf course was in great condition, but was also a great challenge for us to participate in during the week. It was a special experience to be back on my home course”.

Belmont Abbey Women’s Golf placed 3rd for the A team and 8th place for the B team. The other players of the A team included Kaylee Ong, who placed 19th with a score of 81 and 79. Paeton Phillippi placed 25th with a score of 80 and 82. Lastly, Hannah Bailey placed 35th with 82 for both days.

The B team for women’s golf included Madison Srinivasa, Chrissy Popovich, Kate Nyers, Ashlan Tresca, and Kyleigh Whittemore. Srinivasa placed 19th with a two-day total of 78 and 82. Popovich placed 25th with a score of 82 and 80. Nyers shot 81 and 82, placing her 31st. Tresca scored 83 and 89, putting her at 45th. Whittemore placed 45th with 82 and 90.

Come watch us play during the Spring semester.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

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Belmont Abbey College Unveils $100 Million Campaign and Development Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Belmont, N.C. (February 18, 2023) –

Belmont Abbey College today unveiled a historic $100 million capital campaign to fund physical and academic improvements at the Catholic liberal arts college, announcing that generous donors have already committed $72 million toward the ambitious development plan.

The “Made True” capital campaign calls for a new monastery, performing arts center, academic enhancements, growth of the college’s endowment to reduce reliance on federal aid, and innovative stewardship programs to help students graduate debt free.

“This is one of the biggest events in the college’s history,” said Benedictine Abbot Placid Solari, who serves as chancellor and oversees the community of Benedictine monks on campus whose predecessors started the college nearly 150 years ago.

“We are humbled and grateful for the extraordinary support we have received through the silent phase of the campaign,” he said, “and we now invite alumni, students and families, and people across the region to help us close the funding gap and ensure that this type of education is available for future generations.”

College leaders presented their plans to supporters and civic leaders on Feb. 18 at an evening gala at Founders Hall in uptown Charlotte. Located 20 miles west of Charlotte, Belmont Abbey College has 1,500 students and has seen steady growth in enrollment and support over the past decade.

In 2019, Belmont Abbey struck a deal with CaroMont Health to build a hospital on the campus along Interstate 85. That building project is nearing completion, and a number of additional building projects are underway even as the “Made True” campaign reaches its final phase. The college is constructing two new residence halls, a sports complex, and making improvements to the science and nursing centers to accommodate growth and enhance the student experience. The new buildings are designed to blend in with the historic architecture and intimate setting of the Abbey campus, which still centers around the original Benedictine monastery built in 1888, home to the current generation of monks who serve.

Belmont Abbey College offers nearly 50 undergraduate, graduate, professional and pre-professional fields of study, and has a 95 percent acceptance rate into medical schools. About half the students are Catholic, the other half of different faiths.

“Belmont Abbey College appeals to students and families who want an excellent education on a vibrant campus that is grounded in faith and reason,” said Dr. William Thierfelder. “We have made it easier to access over the last decade by lowering tuition and providing creative student aid programs and partnerships with organizations who need talent and want to hire our graduates.”

The silent phase of the “Made True” campaign began three years ago and is expected to meet or exceed its goal in 2026, the college’s 150th anniversary. The campaign is a three-pronged effort to further secure, strengthen and free the college to live out authentic Church teaching and make Catholic higher education more accessible at the only Catholic institution of higher learning between Northern Virginia and Florida.

The $100 million campaign includes:

  • $15 million to help build a new monastery and performing arts center, as well as launch career and family programs aimed at building religious freedom. The funding will act as seed money to prompt partnerships, naming opportunities, and contributions beyond the campaign to bring the two high-profile buildings to fruition.
  • $30 million to fund new academic programs in nursing, public policy, and finance, increased advocacy for religious freedom, and enhancements to its successful Belmont House in Washington, D.C.
  • $55 million to boost the college’s endowment and reduce – eventually eliminating – federal aid, as well as provide the financial resources needed to become the employer of choice among its peers. It’s an effort to help secure the college’s ability to teach and live the Catholic faith without government mandates that might conflict with Church teaching. In addition, federal college loan programs have been unreliable and variable in their ability to make education affordable.

The new performing arts center will give The Abbey Players – the oldest performing arts group in North Carolina – an elegant new venue that can host larger audiences and be used by the local community for events and performances.

The new monastery is a gift to the monks who have served the college for well over a century. The existing historic monastery, constructed with bricks handmade by the monks, will be carefully refurbished and put to a new use by the college.

“Everything begins with the monastic community,” Thierfelder said. “They’ve come here seeking God, and they believe by living and praying and working together in community, they’re going to come to a deeper, more profound love of God. It’s a remarkable vocation and commitment they have made. With this campaign, we want to demonstrate our continued commitment as a college and a community to the work they began so long ago.”

Download the press release.

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Women Soccer Alum Returns to Coach

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Reagan Cullen

Cierra Skyers, former alumni of the Belmont Abbey women’s soccer team, has returned this 2022 season to help coach the team, along with Coaches Mike Lynch and Jaime Malilong. Skyers graduated from the Abbey in 2016. She juggles her time as a coach whilst working as a 5th-grade teacher at Jackson Day School. If her name doesn’t sound familiar, her face might as she is pictured on one of the billboards that surround Alumni stadium field. Skyers played as a forward on the field for the Crusaders. 

During her four years here, she left quite a mark on the program. She scored 33 goals, was selected for the All-Southeast Region Second Team, and was named the team’s most valuable player. After graduating from BAC, she went on to play for The Citadel for a season, where she scored seven more goals. Being on the Women’s soccer team myself, I had the pleasure of getting to know and personally interview the former alum to discuss her memories as a former player and as a coach now.

During our interview, I was able to learn a lot about Skyers and the Women’s soccer program over the years. It was both comforting and heartwarming to discuss her favorite memories she had whilst being a crusader soccer player. I found that in the four years, she was here, most of the team’s traditions have remained the same.

Along with personally interviewing her, I had some of my teammates ask her questions about what she enjoys most about returning to the crusader soccer environment, in which she responded, “It feels like returning home after a long time away.” She proceeded to tell the team how she was nervous that her young age would affect how we saw her but felt very respected and welcomed. She stated that “even though being a teacher and coach at once can be a lot to handle, she has become very invested in the team and program,” allowing her love for the sport to consume her once again.

Skyers continues to leave an even bigger mark on the program through her continuous positivity and dedication as a coach. The players and I were able to open up and see an even deeper side of Skyers that I hope will create a special player-coach relationship. It is apparent that Skyers has a deep connection with this school and program and has really influenced the women’s soccer team.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

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Business Major: A Breakdown

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Camden Phillips

Belmont Abbey has a great program for people who want to major in business. To pursue the business major, you’ll first have to take the core liberal arts curriculum, then from there, you can take the course requirements, which include:

15 lower division hours 

– Introductory economics 1 

– Introductory economics 2 

– Principles of financial accounting

– Principles of managerial accounting 

– Spreadsheet and database applications 

27 hours at 300 level or above

– Management

– Quantitative Analysis

– Marketing

– Finance

– Business communication

– Management Seminar

– Legal Environment of Business

– Operations Management

– International Business

– Internship

The Belmont Abbey business program will get you ready for things commonly found in the business world, like decision-making, problem-solving, communication, legal disputes, etc. There are also multiple internship opportunities to get some real experience.

Elena Duran, a recent business graduate, said, “my time at Belmont Abbey College has provided me with a rich and cultivating educational experience. As a business major, I’ve got to encounter some of the best professors the school has to offer. With their close guidance, I feel as though I’m prepared to step forth into a successful life”.

Come and major in Business at Belmont Abbey.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

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College is Like a Painting

Author: The Crusader Staff Writer, Helen Behe

College is like creating a painting. It’s not quite how you pictured it, a bit harder than you expected, and you’re halfway finished with it before you’ve got an idea of what you’re doing. But navigating the colorful college life is a skill acquired through experience, and each semester presents new adventures to learn from. As a Freshman, I knew that my Fall semester would be the first coat, and what I chose to depict would affect that painting for years to come. Hesitant at the outset, I picked a smaller brush and muted colors. But as the initial few weeks passed and classes began, I became more entranced with the world around me and wanted to put it on the canvas. I probably went a bit overboard, but I grabbed the biggest brushes and boldest colors and, best as I was able, depicted how I felt and why I felt. I remember looking back at my first semester’s creation during Christmas break of Freshman year. The result was not exactly fine-tuned, but beautiful all the same—an aggregate of assignments, midnights, wide eyes, and first times. Yes, I thought to myself. This is a good start. But I’d like to try some different colors too.

Sophomore year, I got a different color palette and new brushes. Best of all, I had good friends who were working on their own paintings, and we borrowed from one another’s paintings now and then. College is a picture from scratch, not paint-by-the-numbers, so even the mistakes I made gave the painting a distinctive flare. I’m not saying it was a good idea to nap instead of study, but it did splash a lovely indigo in an otherwise gray corner. One of the best parts about college is its mutability. Each new semester, and its subsequent additions to the painting, modified previous colors or added intricacies. I think the Basilica had a sturdy red shade to it when I first put it on my canvas, but many nighttime conversations in its shadow deepened it to a striking cobalt. The dusky pink of the cafe, though simply sketched, was nonetheless evocative. But it was a late September evening in my Junior year that added the pleasant alteration of starry black.

Senior year is a conglomeration of 6 semesters worth of painting, and I’m working on my 7th. I know my brush strokes are now the steadiest they’ve ever been, and I’m more attentive to the details. There are scenes repeated, layered like leaves, that hold the painting together and give it consonance: the same roommate, same professors, same campus, same traditions that come with the seasons. They are a gold webbing throughout. Even the flecks of blue I spilled Freshman year are not the nugatory contributions I assumed them to be. I can’t say I’m done with the painting yet, or what my last brush strokes will depict. But when I graduate this May and hold my work out at arms’ length, I will finally observe the big picture. Yes, I’ll think to myself. This is a good start.

This article was originally posted in the Fall 2022, Issue 2 of The Crusader Newspaper. Download the full issue.

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