by Russell Vannozzi | Sep 15, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – There was never any doubt in John Pierce’s mind regarding his future after his basketball career ended. Following a record-setting collegiate career at Lipscomb and five seasons of playing professionally overseas, Pierce returned to Nashville to do what he had always dreamed of: coaching basketball. “All along, I knew I wanted to be a teacher and a coach,” said Pierce, a standout from 1990-94 under legendary Bison coach Don Meyer. Pierce amassed 4,230 career points with the Purple and Gold, which still stands as the all-time record in college basketball. The Nashville native has spent the last 14 years as head coach at nearby Franklin Road Academy, and he was also elected to the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. “I didn’t really keep up with all the records; I just loved Lipscomb and its basketball community,” Pierce said. “I learned what it meant to be a good teammate — Coach Meyer had a lot to do with that.” Almost 25 years later, Pierce’s impact on the Lipscomb basketball program is still felt in many ways. In addition to the memorabilia that fills trophy cases in the lobby of Allen Arena, two of Pierce’s former FRA players — Kenny Cooper and Rob Marberry — are now budding stars for the Bisons, despite taking different paths to Green Hills. Marberry earned Division II-AA Mr. Basketball honors as a senior at FRA in 2014 and finished his high-school career with over 1,500 points and 850 rebounds. “(FRA) is a small school, just like Lipscomb,” Marberry said. “The teachers and the coaching staff were both awesome. It was really the...
by Hannah Pipher | Sep 2, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
Lipscomb Women’s Volleyball (2-1) got off to a good start this past weekend as the team opened its season in Allen Area with a 3-0 win against ETSU (0-1). While ETSU was a strong opponent, the Bisons held their own throughout the match, never getting further than three points behind. Junior Carlyle Nusbaum, the reigning ASUN Player of the Year, led the team with fifteen out of the fifty-five kills during the three sets. Nusbaum also collected her first double-double of the season with ten digs in addition to her fifteen kills. Freshman Alyssa Zwolensky, Ashley Maher and Megan Kuper had the opportunity to join the team on the floor during the third set of the ETSU match. Out of the three freshman, Kuper made her first career kill. “I was definitely nervous because it was my first collegiate game, but I was smiling the whole time because I was so happy that I was in that situation,” Kuper said. “I just kept telling myself ‘Don’t let the nerves get to you and play your game’.” Head coach Brandon Rosenthal was pleased with his team’s performance, noting that the freshman especially put forth a strong first outing. “I am really impressed with how all three of [the freshman] handled that opportunity,” Rosenthal said. “I think what I was impressed about the most with our freshman play was their ability to get into the game and perform at a level that is expectant of them.” On Saturday, the Bisons took on Wichita State (1-0) where they were overcome 3-0. The first set remained close between the Bisons and Shockers as...
by Russell Vannozzi | Aug 30, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
When professional baseball scouts visit Nashville, they generally are bound for West End to see the powerhouse built by Tim Corbin at Vanderbilt. Who can blame them? The Commodores routinely churn out first-round draft picks and currently have 38 former players scattered throughout professional baseball. Despite the success of its of their neighbor, the Lipscomb Bisons have also contributed, though quietly, to the baseball pipeline running out of the Music City. Lipscomb currently has nine alumni in the professional ranks, including three who have appeared for major league teams in 2017. Below is a complete rundown of all of nine former Bisons in the pros, analysis for each player and thoughts from Lipscomb head coach Jeff Forehand: MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL (ONE PLAYER) Caleb Joseph, Baltimore Orioles 2017 stats: .274 batting average, 61 hits, 26 RBI, 12 doubles and eight home runs After a forgettable showing in 2016 that included zero RBI and a horrific groin injury, Joseph has bounced back in a big way. His .274 batting average forced Baltimore manager Buck Showalter to insert the former Bison into the lineup more often. For his efforts, Joseph will likely get a raise from his current salary of $700,000, as he is eligible to negotiate a new contract this offseason. Should Joseph and the Orioles fail to agree to a deal, the two sides will then go to arbitration, where a third party will decide how much Joseph will get. Joseph also paid homage to Forehand last weekend with a “Thank You” patch on his jersey as part of the MLB Players Weekend. “That was a very cool thing for Caleb to do,” Forehand said of the patch....
by LeBron Hill | Aug 28, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
For sports fans, heated debates are had over who is the “best of all time” — Michael Jordan or LeBron? Manning or Brady? Ali or Tyson? In the case of Mayweather vs. McGregor, fans got to see these two sporting giants fight to settle the discussion, with boxing veteran Floyd Mayweather taking home the victory of Conor McGregor. Saturday night, Sewell Hall held a watch party for the fight open for all Lipscomb students to view the historic event. Sewell Hall Residential Assistant Taylor Phillips planned the event and was excited to host a watch party for such an anticipated night. “We decided at the start of the year that our first event of the year should be the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather fight,” Phillips said. “This fight means a lot because I am a huge UFC and boxing fan. Boxing is such a well-known sport; everyone can jump aboard and enjoy the fight.” Sporting a Conor McGregor shirt, Phillips said that he was rooting for McGregor to win the fight. Philips noted that Sewell Hall typically doesn’t hold events, but the fight was a good opportunity for the residence hall to host something for all students at the beginning of the year. First year Head Resident and former Lipscomb student Jackson Smith looked at the event as a chance to bring people closer together. “I love creating opportunities for memories, and that’s exactly what this is,” Smith said. The former Lipscomb student was in favor of Mayweather, learning his lesson from when he rooted for Manny Pacquiao back in 2015. Smith said he was happy with the...
by Russell Vannozzi | Aug 10, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
Coach Casey Alexander understands that getting the Lipscomb basketball program on the map requires the Bisons to play brand-name programs. Thursday’s unveiling of Lipscomb’s 2017-18 season schedule showed that the Bisons will have plenty of chances to make a splash when the season rolls around in November. Included in Lipscomb’s impressive non-conference schedule are trips to Alabama (Nov. 15), Texas (Nov. 18) and Tennessee (Dec. 9). The Vols survived a scare from Lipscomb in Knoxville last December, although the Bisons gained some redemption by beating the SEC’s Missouri Tigers with an 81-76 road victory two weeks later. The Bisons will also pay a visit to the U.S. Naval Academy on Dec. 21 before closing out the calendar year with a trip to Purdue (Dec. 30), fresh off its Sweet Sixteen run in last year’s NCAA tournament. The non-conference slate also offers plenty of local flavor. The Bisons will make the short drive to Belmont for the storied “Battle of the Boulevard” rivalry on Nov. 27, before hosting the Bruins one week later on Dec. 4. Belmont has dominated the series in recent years, claiming victories in each of the last 11 meetings. The Bisons will also take on Tennessee State on Dec. 2 in North Nashville before hosting the local NAIA Fisk Bulldogs to open the new year on Jan. 3. Lipscomb set numerous program records in a 126-43 thrashing of the Bulldogs last season. Another interesting wrinkle to the schedule includes a home-and-home series with one of Lipscomb’s sister schools, Abilene Christian. The two institutions are connected through their affiliation with the Churches of Christ, but the series...
by Erin Franklin | Jul 23, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
As a heat advisory for Middle Tennessee has been issued until Sunday at 7 p.m., Lipscomb Athletics assistant strength and conditioning coach Sean Johnson discussed the necessary precautions to take when exercising or working outside in extreme heat. Johnson, who began working with Lipscomb Athletics the spring of 2016, said the most important thing to do when outside in extreme heat is to make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day and to consume electrolytes during exercise. Another precaution to take is to wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. For exercise specifically, moisture-wicking, quick-drying gear is best, such as Nike Dri-Fit, and wearing light-colored clothing will reflect the sun, rather than absorb it. Sunscreen is also essential for protecting one’s skin. Johnson said the guidelines for Lipscomb sports teams vary, but he recommends checking the weather beforehand and planning to exercise or practice during a part of the day when the humidity is low. “If we are going to train outside, it is best to do it early in the morning — 5:30 or 6 a.m. — before the sun gets too hot or late in the evening when the sun is going down,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of up to each coach as to when they want to practice, but they try to avoid the hottest parts of the day when they can.” This week has been one of the hottest of the summer. In addition to high humidity levels, the temperature reached 98 degrees in Nashville today. A 60% chance of rain is expected tomorrow, which will cool temperatures slightly, but the highs will stay in the...
