by Vanessa Medina | Mar 29, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb’s softball team didn’t take a spring break mission trip, but tried to make a difference in another fashion. The team decided to try to raise $6,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the organization that makes dreams come true for terminally ill children. The idea came from sophomore Lacy Walker, native of Hendersonville, Tenn., who first brought it to the team’s attention in the goals meeting at the beginning of the semester. “We got involved [with Make-A-Wish] with my church group, and since we don’t have a lot of free time I thought this would be something we could do throughout the semester,” Walker said. How will the team raise money, in between road games, morning games, classes and tests? Softball players split up into eight pairs of fundraisers. Each pairing is responsible for planning and coordinating two events during the semester. To help out there will be donation buckets around campus, at chapel and at the concession stands during the baseball and softball games. The team will also host bake sales at many of the softball games. “I think it would be great if we can raise it all before the end of our season,” said Mollie Mitchell, junior and team captain from Suwanee, Ga. “However if we don’t, it doesn’t mean we are going to stop. We would all like to fulfill someone’s dream as soon as possible and we know that all means giving our best effort.” This season features a lot of home games the team are hopes the crowds will want to help a child in need. (Writer Vanessa Medina is a member of the softball team at Lipscomb and is participating in this fundraising...
by Vanessa Medina | Mar 22, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
Alex Kelly is the only Lipscomb student who can lay claim to spending a part of her winter playing professional volleyball in Germany. While she’s now back on campus getting ready for graduation, she got her chance to sample the world of professional volleyball over Christmas break after signing a contract with a team in Germany. It started when volleyball coach Brandon Rosenthal called her about a team from Germany that needed a middle hitter. The trip got off to something of an uncomfortable start after the airlines lost her luggage and didn’t locate it for six days. “That was a struggle,” Kelly said. The team there was exactly what she expected from a pro team, with winning being their only focus. This was an entirely different mindset from college athletics in which homework, papers and GPA are all important. Kelly said she loved almost everything about Germany, from the culture to the freezing cold weather. She didn’t like the management of her team, though. “I didn’t feel like I was treated with the respect that you expect and deserve,” Kelly said. “The team was run like a business and the players were not looked at as important. I had so much going for me here at Lipscomb, it was too hard to give it up and be treated that way.” With all those things behind her, Kelly decided to come back to Lipscomb and finish up her studies. She plans on graduating in May with a degree in marketing and a minor in communications. Once she gets her diploma, Kelly plans on trying her hand at professional volleyball again in Europe. While she...
by Vanessa Medina | Mar 15, 2011 | News Slider, Sports
If you drive out to a Little League Ballpark and ask any little kid what they want to be when they grow up, most will answer “a professional baseball player.” Caleb Joseph, who was one of those kids before his time at Lipscomb, is living that dream, aiming for a roster spot with the Baltimore Orioles when spring training breaks. The former Bison star got the call to join the big league team in Florida when the Orioles opened camp this winter. Joseph is one of seven catchers in the rotation, meaning he will catch about every three games until the dust settles and the roster is filled. This will give him the opportunity to wear the official Baltimore Orioles jersey. He comes by his baseball love naturally. Mom and Dad both graduated from Lipscomb and were involved with athletics. His dad, Mark, played baseball for the Bisons during the NAIA days. Caleb’s sister, Carly, currently cheers at Lipscomb. Caleb’s younger brother, Corban, is also in the minor leagues and is working out with the New York Yankees. The young Joseph has been working with the major league stars after being called upon twice in the past week to play alongside Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira. He also gets to learn from one of the best second basemen in the league, Robinson Cano. Corban was drafted out of Franklin High School and bypassed college ball to try his hand in the majors. While the Joseph brothers are both in the minor league stages, they work out together and push each other. Caleb finally got to see Corban in action on the field last summer. “It’s...
