Nominations for the 2012 class are now being accepted.
Golf Outing Wrap-up
More than 100 golfers enjoyed a beautiful day of golf and camaraderie at the annual M Club Golf Outing at Tannenhauf Golf Club. Special thanks to the hole sponsors and those who participated in the outing!
Open Division Winning Team
- Kurt Miller '72
- Patrick Miller
- Emma Janel
- Sean Gulick
Senior Division Winning Team
- Dave Wolpert '69
- David Lakso '69
- Roger Crowell '72
- Jeff Phillips '68
- Bill Dessecker
Complete list of event winners and sponsors
Mark your calendar for next year's golf outing - Saturday, July 7, 2012!
Fall Sports Preview
Football
An experienced roster returns for the Mount Union football team as 49 letter winners and 18 starters look to continue a run of 19 consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championships (1992-10) while contending for a record 11th NCAA Division III National Championship.
Head coach Larry Kehres returns for his 26th year on the sidelines as one of only 11 coaches in college football history to win over 300 career games as his career record stands at 303-22-3.
Most of the experience returns on a defense that brings back nine starters from a unit that was No. 1 in scoring defense in the nation allowing just 8.93 points per game last year. The No. 2 ranked total defense (212.33) brings back the entire starting secondary in seniors Chaz Jordan, Alex Ferrara and Cameron West along with juniors Nick Driskill and Isaiah Scott. Jordan and Ferrara were All-OAC First Teamers and All-North Region, while Driskill was an All-OAC Second Team selection. Senior Arthur Smith is lone starter back at linebacker while up front senior Chris Favazzo, junior Charles Dieuseul and sophomore Matt Fechko are back on the line.
On offense things start right in the middle with senior center Brett Ekkens who was an All-OAC First Team and All-North Region pick. He is joined on the offensive line by junior left tackle Antonio Tate and in the backfield, junior running back Jeremy Murray, who totaled over 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns a year ago, is back along with senior fullback Wes Ryder. Junior signal caller Neal Seaman is back after a late season injury and off-season surgery as he tossed for 3,190 yards with 28 touchdowns on his way to All-OAC honorable mention honors. While Seaman's top target in Cecil Shorts III has gone to the NFL, a talented group of receivers are back led by All-OAC honorable mention junior Jasper Collins along with seniors Brandon Brown and A.J. Claycomb, who missed the entire 2010 season with an injury.
The Raiders have six home games in 2011 and enter the season with a 53-game regular season win streak that starts on Saturday, September 10 at 1:30 p.m. against the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh at Mount Union.
Volleyball
Over the last few years, the Mount Union volleyball team has set a record for wins in a season, made the NCAA Volleyball Tournament and been in the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament semifinals for seven straight years - they hope this year they can add OAC champions to that list.
Leigh Ann Swartz enters her sixth season as head coach with another veteran group and hopes to build on all that past success.
Headlining the returners is lone senior on the roster - setter Julie Radigan. Radigan is a two-time All-OAC selection that was second in the conference in assists and fifth in hitting percentage a year ago.
Also returning letter winners include juniors Christine Frazier, Riley Galant, Deanna Glass and Kristen Gromes along with sophomores Laura Coxe, Jackie Profera and Taylor Webb.
Men's Soccer
Mount Union's men's soccer team looks to build off the momentum of making the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2003 as nine starters return in 2011.
Head coach John Witkowski returns for his fifth year with the Purple Raiders with a more experienced team trying to better their 10-6-3 record from a year ago.
Five players that have earned All-OAC honors are back on the roster led by senior defender Anthony Grenga and junior Joey Merlo. Grenga started all 19 games last year and anchored the defense while Merlo tallied 10 goals and four game winning goals.
Other top returners include two-time All-OAC goalkeeper Jon Critell along with forward Kevin Cindric and midfielder Thomas Beck, who were also All-OAC picks. Also back is junior Leo Hicks, who tallied 10 points a year ago, with Anthony Mara, Bran Schonauer and Phil Spagnolo.
Women's Soccer
A new field in Mount Union Stadium and a new coach signal a new era for the Purple Raider women's soccer program.
After spending the last two years as an assistant coach, Kelley Clark moves up to the head coach spot and will have five starters back to help her begin the process of moving the Raiders up the Ohio Athletic Conference standings.
Leading the group of returners is All-OAC junior forward Kylee Kolesar, who tallied a team-best 19 points and seven assists a year ago.
The other returning starters include forward Jackie Lowdermilk, a pair of midfielders that started every game last year- Jennifer Sprandel and Ashley Kuhn- while senior Kaleigh Stanley is back to lead the defense.
Other top returners include senior Lauren Schollaert and juniors Shannon Guernsey and Sydney Mihailoff.
Men's and Women's Cross Country
For the first time in three decades someone new will lead the men's cross country program as Kevin Lucas, the women's coach the past two years, takes over for longtime coach John Homon.
Lucas inherits a men's team that is coming off its Ohio Athletic Conference record 25th conference championship in 2010 but must replace its top three runners in 2011. The leading returners are junior Matt Miller and sophomore Josh Clemence.
On the women's side, Lucas brings back his entire roster and the Raiders look to improve on their fifth place OAC finish from a year ago. Top runners back include senior Christin Handley along with sophomore Caitlin Goggin and Rachel Smith.
More athletic information including podcasts from current student athletes.
Membership Gifts
M Club membership gifts enhance the Club's ability to provide support to the current athletic programs at the University as well as continue to fund the functions of the club. Gift Levels are designed to promote enthusiasm and financial support for Raider athletics at a level you are comfortable with.
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White Raiders Club
$50-$249
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Grey Raider Club $250-$999
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Purple Raider Club
$1000+
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Last fiscal year (July 1 - June 30) M Club provided funding for the men's and women's basketball teams to host a 2011 tournament, purchased new warm-ups for the men's soccer team, purchased additional new mats for the wrestling program, donated $5,000 to the Dan Gorman Sophomore Prize, assisted with facility signage and contributed to the Mount Union Stadium's new turf. This was all made possible through your generous membership gifts!
Athletic News
Emily Fisher Hired as New Women's Lacrosse Coach
The University of Mount Union has named Emily Fisher its new head women's lacrosse coach. Fisher will be the first-ever women's lacrosse coach at Mount Union. The newly-added women's team will be a club sport in 2011-12 and then begin as a varsity sport in the 2012-2013 academic year. Read more.
P.J. Kavanagh Hired as New Men's Lacrosse Coach
The University of Mount Union has named P.J. Kavanagh head men's lacrosse coach. Kavanagh will be the first-ever varsity men's lacrosse coach at Mount Union. The sport has been a club team on a couple of occasions in the past and will be restarted as a club team in 2011-2012 then begin as a varsity sport in the 2012-2013 academic year. Read more.
Nate Kmic Named IFAF Tournament MVP as Team USA Wins Gold Medal
Nate Kmic '09, NCAA college football's all-time leading rusher with 8,074 yards, was joined on the national team by offensive lineman and former Raider All-American Luke Summers '09. Mount Union head coach Larry Kehres '71 was the offensive coordinator and former Raider player, assistant coach and current Wabash College head coach Erik Raeburn '94 was the offensive line coach. USA Football, the national governing body of the sport, assembles America's national teams in the sport for international competition. Read more.
Five Mount Union Football Games on TV
Five regular season home games will be broadcast on television on regional cable sports network SportsTime Ohio and locally on WIVM-TV (Canton/Stark County). The games will be broadcast on a tape delay basis, produced by Image Video of North Canton while Joe Tait and Harry Paidas return to call all the action. Broadcast times.
Upcoming Athletic Alumni Events
All former Purple Raiders are encouraged to come back to campus to participate in an alumni game and to socialize! For more information and to register, contact the coaches directly.
Men's and Women's Swimming
Saturday, October 8
Noon
Coach Eric Mojock: mojockea@mountunion.edu
Baseball
Sunday, October 9
1 p.m.
Coach Paul Hesse: hessepr@mountunion.edu
Men's Soccer
Saturday, October 15
Coach John Witkowski: witkowjm@mountunion.edu
Women's Basketball
Saturday, February 4
Coach Suzie (Venet) Pietz: venetsm@mountunion.edu
Volleyball
Saturday, March 31
3 p.m.
Coach (Matesich) Swartz: matesila@mountunion.edu
Get Involved - Join Us at an M Club meeting!
All members of M Club are encouraged to get involved by attending meetings, joining a committee, attending sporting events and more. Our next meeting is Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m. in the M Club Room of the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex (The MAAC).
I would like to first thank all those who participated and contributed to our 6th annual M Club Golf Outing, with a special thank you to Tiffany Hogya for bringing it all together. We had 119 of participants this year, which was a definite improvement from last year. We hope to increase the number of participants again next year as there was a tremendous response to the new and lower price - so be sure to mark your calendar for Saturday, July 7! Overall this year's event was a tremendous success including many participants, nice weather, occasional good shots and a lot of fun!