by Todd Lamberth | Sep 25, 2016 | News Slider
For years, Nashville has been called a “melting pot” due to its diverse citizens. Going into the 2016-17 school year, Lipscomb can share that claim with its most diverse student body to date. Lipscomb now has a student body in which nearly one-fourth of all students come from a diverse background. That student body includes students from 49 states and 47 different countries. Lipscomb’s Director of Intercultural Development Lisa Steele has helped in the school’s effort to grow the rate of diversity on campus. “It has definitely been a conscious effort,” Steele said. “We have grown 350 percent since 2005. Every year our diversity numbers have grown.” Nashville, where one out of every ten citizens comes from a diverse background, attracts diversity due to the many opportunities that can be found in the city. Similarly, Lipscomb attracts many as students from diverse backgrounds are not only given opportunities but are also helped every step of the way. Steele thinks it speaks volumes about the school as a whole to be a place where these students want to come. “We are not just wanting students here, but are also willing to support them with services,” Steele said. “A lot of universities bring these students to campus, but then they’re on their own. Here we supply them with encouragement, advocate and support them.” Included in those different opportunities is the various on-campus organizations that have been started to help international and students from diverse backgrounds connect with each other. Senior political science student Carlos Ruiz Oyala is the current president and co-founder of Lipscomb’s chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens...
by Todd Lamberth | Sep 14, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
This summer, Lipscomb men’s tennis player Philippe Courteau had the rare opportunity to work with some of the top women’s tennis players in the world. The junior was chosen to be a hitting partner for the players at the Rogers Cup in his home of Quebec, Canada. The Rogers Cup is one of the top tournaments for women. The players were partnered with hitting partners to begin the tournament and could request to continue hitting with them throughout their stay at the tournament. One of the players Courteau was partnered with throughout the nine days was Simona Halep. Halep is currently the fifth-ranked player in the world and would go on to win the tournament. “It was extremely nerve-wracking,” Courteau said, adding, “It was a great experience. Every time we were practicing we had six or seven hundred people there watching.” For Courteau, the experience was about more than just getting to meet and play with professional players. It was about learning from them. The next step for Courteau is taking what he learned in Canada and applying it to not only his game, but also bringing it back to campus and helping his teammates at Lipscomb. “It’s just a lot of self-confidence,” Courteau noted. “They were saying I could go pro, but we have seven other guys here playing at my level. “Just the professionalism, being very serious and dedicated to your craft — I think those are things that can help our program.” Bison head coach Mario Hernandez said that anytime a player gets an opportunity such as Courteau’s, it can make a lasting impact on the...
by Todd Lamberth | Sep 8, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb baseball program has experienced its share of success over the last decade, in large part due to the quality of players brought in. That quality was evident over the summer as three Bisons found success playing in the Cape Cod summer league. The Cape Cod league is the most prestigious summer league for college baseball players. Multiple future Major League Baseball All-Stars and Hall of Famers have played for the league. Junior centerfielder Michael Gigliotti and classmate-pitchers Brady Puckett and Jeffrey Passantino participated in the league this summer and played for the Falmouth Commodores. This marked the first time Lipscomb has ever sent more than one player to the league. For Gigliotti, getting a chance to play in the league was a dream come true. “It’s a lot of kids’ ultimate goal to play there for the summer,” Gigliotti said. “To finally go there and have a full summer there and have success is unexplainable.” The members of the Bison trio were all named All-Stars of the league and recruited to the “All-League” team at the season’s end to help Falmouth get to the league championship series. “That was the best part,” Gigliotti said. “To go there with my two other teammates and them have success too. We went and represented our school really well, but it was more than just for ourselves.” Gigliotti posted a .310 batting average during the summer and accounted for 18 RBIs, ranking him third and second respectively in the league. His play helped him earn the ranking as the eighth-best player in the league according to D1baseball.com. Puckett picked up the most wins for a pitcher...
by Todd Lamberth | Apr 21, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb softball team used strong pitching and a four run first inning to take the 6-0 win over Murray State on Wednesday at Draper Diamond. In her first career start McCarley Thomas allowed just four hits on her way to a complete game shutout. The junior pitched four no-hit innings to start the game before surrendering her first hit to the first batter of the fifth inning. “McCarley, certainly, great performance out of her,” Lipscomb head coach Kristin Ryman said. “It was exactly what we needed in a midweek to get a big performance out of someone who maybe hasn’t had as much time. Really, really proud of what she did tonight.” Despite only having two strikeouts, Ryman said she liked the way her pitcher was able to gets outs and stay composed on the mound. “She only had two strikeouts but was still extremely effective,” Ryman said. “When you don’t have many strikeouts but are still able to be effective. She’s worked so hard to get to this point.” The top of the order boosted Lipscomb’s offense as their first two hitters, Brittany Elmore and Destinee Brewer, reached base a combined six times, scoring three runs. Lipscomb (23-22, 7-8) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning as they sent 10 batters to the plate. With a big lead after the first inning, Thomas was able to pitch with confidence the rest of the night. “Any pitcher, whether it’s their first start or not, that’s going to be a huge relief to you,” Ryman said. “For her especially, I think any nerves she did have...
by Todd Lamberth | Apr 3, 2016 | News Slider, Sports
After dropping the first game of the series by seven runs, the Lipscomb softball team bounced back to take the series against Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday afternoon. Florida Gulf Coast exploded for nine runs in game one of the series on Saturday, but the Lady Bisons (20-18, 5-4) outscored the Eagles 15-1 in the final two games. Reigning Atlantic Sun Pitcher of the Week, Riley Randolph from FGCU, was able to stifle the Lipscomb hitters in game one, but the Lady Bisons found some success against her on Sunday. “I think it is huge when we can make those adjustments,” Lipscomb head coach Kristin Ryman said. “Saturday night the girls watched their bats against Randolph. That was smart for them to see what she was throwing and what adjustments they needed to make this time around.” At the plate, sophomore Abby Fenichel went four of eight at the plate with three RBIs and a homerun in Sunday’s win. Senior pitcher Kelly Young allowed just one run during the 13 innings she pitched, including allowing just one hit in Saturday’s win. “I thought Kelly really did a nice job. We had some nice defensive plays behind her,” Ryman said. “Kelly is throwing with so much confidence right now. As coaches we know what kind of pitcher she is. She has really picked up steam and is trending upwards. She is throwing well and that is what we need.” With the series win, the Lady Bisons move into a tie for second place in conference standings. Ryman wants her team to keep playing with confidence in a conference she believes will remain very tight. “Our feet have to stay...
