by Logan Butts | May 21, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
The greatest lessons the late coach Don Meyer taught his players had nothing to do with how to play the game of basketball. Although they did learn countless strategies, schemes and tips for the game from Meyer, the most important lessons he taught his teams dealt with how to perform off the court. “Coach Meyer didn’t just influence me when it came to basketball, he influenced everything in my life,” former Bison Alan Banks said. “He influenced the way I do business. He even influenced the way I raise my kids.” Banks played at Lispcomb from 1978-1982 and has a daughter, upcoming junior Alex Banks, playing for the Lady Bisons’ basketball team “My daughter will hear something Coach Meyer said, and she will say that my dad tells me that all the time,” Banks said. Meyer first became known across the country for his impressive 923 wins totaled throughout his prolific career. However, the legendary coach stuck in people’s minds because of the life values that he instilled in his players. “He’s affected probably every area of my life,” former Lipscomb basketball player Wade Tomlinson said. “It would really be hard to narrow down to the best piece of non-basketball advice that he gave me because there were so many. But, mainly I guess for me, when bad things happen to you, look to help other people. I lost a son early on, and Coach Meyer did the service. He helped me out through a tough time.” During his 24 years at Lipscomb, as well as during his stints with Northern State and Hamline, Meyer took struggling programs and...
by Logan Butts | May 20, 2014 | Sports
The Lipscomb baseball team ended their season with a three-game home stand against the first place team in the Atlantic Sun, Florida Gulf Coast. With the number one seed in the Atlantic Sun Tournament in sight, the Bisons won their first game against Florida Gulf Coast on Thursday 11-6, keeping their hopes alive for one more day. Junior center fielder Jonathan Allison led Lipscomb with three hits in the game. Junior left fielder Josh Lee was one of many Bisons with two hits during the explosive offensive outing. Due to expected inclement weather on Saturday, the Bisons and Eagles played a doubleheader on Friday. Needing to win twice to have a shot at first place in the conference, Lipscomb split the games, dropping the first game 3-2 and winning the second match-up 7-1 to take the series. Junior shortstop Grant Massey led the Bisons in the first outing by batting 2 for 4, while junior designated hitter Griffin Moore paced Lipscomb by going 3 for 4 and belting a home run in the second game. The two victories helped to solidify the Bisons’ fourth place finish for the season in the Atlantic Sun, a position which matches them up against fifth place Jacksonville (13-13 conference record, 20-31 overall record) in the opening game of the A-Sun Tournament. Lipscomb defeated Jacksonville at Dugan Field in two out of the three games that they played in March. Lipscomb heads into the tournament with a 17-10 conference record and a 30-26 overall record, both big improvements on the 2012-13 season. Photo courtesy of Lipscomb...
by Logan Butts | May 13, 2014 | Sports
Caleb Joseph, a former standout player for the Lipscomb baseball team, made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night. Lumination spoke with Joseph on his experience with the Orioles and his time at Lipscomb. Q: What was it like when you found out you were being called up to play for the Orioles? A: It was quite surprising. We didn’t know that Matt (Wieters) was even having some discomfort, so it was definitely a shock. The first 24 hours were pretty crazy. It went by really fast. We had a great time. It was a lot of fun. Only very few people get to achieve a dream that they had as a young child. Q: What was the actual game like? Was it different than other games you have played? A: Well, the atmosphere was obviously different with major league fans and a major league stadium. The game itself was no different because the same players were hitting the same pitches with the same counts and missing the same pitches with the same counts. The speed of the game was a little bit different, but it wasn’t anything that was overwhelming. My teammates were able to help kind of slow it down a few times. Q: How does it feel to join Rex Brothers and Bo McLaughlin as the only other former Lipscomb players to play in the MLB? A: Really good. And since I’ll be the first position player because Rex and Bo are both pitchers, that’s quite an honor. When I was young I use to go to [Lipscomb] games. I’m...
by Logan Butts | May 12, 2014 | News Slider, Opinion, Sports
After months of anticipation for prospects both highly regarded and barely known, as well as NFL die-hard fans, the 2014 NFL Draft has finally come to a close. Thanks to a 2013 campaign that saw a fifth consecutive playoff miss, the Tennessee Titans roster went through an overhaul in the offseason, leaving plenty of holes to be filled by the draft. Having been a Titans fan for the franchise’s entire existence, I can say that this draft, like many before it, had both highs and lows. Here are my thoughts on the Titans’ 2014 Draft selections. First Round, 11th pick: Taylor Lewan, Offensive Tackle, Michigan: Easily the most baffling selection in an otherwise solid draft haul for the Titans. With the team’s two most glaring needs being a quarterback and a defensive back, the Titans chose an offensive tackle despite having two starters entrenched in that position already. I, personally, was hoping for Texas A&M star quarterback Johnny “Football” Manziel. Even if he does not live up to his ultra-high expectations, he will be an entertaining player who draws crowds to the stadium. The Cleveland Browns sold 2,000 season tickets in the first 24 hours after selecting Manziel in the draft. Second Round, 54th pick: Bishop Sankey, Running Back, Washington: After a historic drought for running back selections, the Titans made Sankey the first back chosen in the 2014 draft. Sankey was an extremely productive player in college and will be a solid replacement after losing Chris Johnson in the offseason. Fourth Round, 112th pick: DaQuan Jones, Defesnive Tackle, Penn State: The Titans have always seemed to make good...
by Logan Butts | May 11, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
For the second time in school history the Lady Bisons softball team will be competing in the NCAA Division 1 Softball Championship. After Lipscomb was shut out by Stetson and USC Upstate in last week’s Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament at Draper Diamond, there were doubts as to whether the Lady Bisons would make the field of 64. However, Lipscomb’s name was called on Sunday night during the selection show. The Lady Bisons (39-13) will be heading to the Knoxville Regional, where they will be joined by host and No. 10 Tennessee, Virginia Tech (35-21) and Charleston Southern (27-31-1). They will open up tourney action at 3:30 p.m. EDT Friday, when they will play Virginia Tech. The Lady Bisons defeated Tech 2-1 at home during the opening game of the regular season, thanks to a walk-off home run by senior Kristen Sturdivant. The Lady Bisons were among three Atlantic Sun Conference teams to make the tournament. It was the first time in conference history that multiple teams made the NCAA Tournament. Tournament champion Stetson will play in the regional hosted by No. 5 Florida, and USC Upstate will play in the regional hosted by No. 2 Alabama. The NCAA Tournament appearance, the team’s first since playing in the Tuscaloosa Regional in 2010, will give the seniors a second chance to go out on a good note. Friday’s Lady Bisons game against Virginia Tech will be followed by Tennessee’s 5 p.m. showdown with Charleston Southern. The double-elimination regional ends Sunday afternoon. Photo courtesy of Lipscomb...
