by Erin Franklin | Jul 12, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
Coach Don Meyer is an undisputed legend at Lipscomb. Meyer coached Lipscomb basketball from 1975 – 1999 — back when the school was still NAIA — and led the Bisons to 13 NAIA national tournaments, three Final Fours and won the 1986 NAIA National Championship. One of his star players was Philip Hutcheson who played for Meyer from 1986 – 1990, broke college basketball’s all-time scoring record at the time, scored 4,106 points during his career and was selected as the 1990 NAIA Player of the Year. This fall, Meyer will be adding yet another accolade to his prestigious career, as he’ll be posthumously inducted into the Small College Basketball Hall of Fame in Evansville, Indiana. Hutcheson said the organization was established to recognize coaches and players who played for universities that weren’t a “Power Five” school, or a larger institution. “It was created because there was a feeling that there were a lot of great athletes and coaches whose contributions to basketball weren’t recognized nationally as much as they probably should’ve been,” Hutcheson said. “Maybe the people who know the game well would know them, but the casual sports fan would not know them as much. And so I think this organization was kind of created to help tell the stories of these people who otherwise might not be recognized as they probably should have.” Meyer is already a member of the NAIA Hall of Fame, the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, the South Dakota Hall of Fame, the Lipscomb Athletics Hall of Fame and the Northern State Athletics Hall of Fame. However, Hutcheson noted how Meyer is...
by Erin Franklin | Jun 15, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
If there was ever a person who epitomized the term “student-athlete,” it would be Carson Panovec. The senior molecular biology major has kept busy by playing tennis for the Bisons, working as a member of Lipscomb’s Presidential Ambassador Council, serving as Vice President for Student Government Association (SGA) and recently being elected as SGA President for the upcoming 2017-2018 school year. “I don’t watch a lot of TV,” Panovec joked. The Tennessee native played for the Bisons his freshman, sophomore and junior years, but after this past season decided that he wouldn’t be returning to the court his senior year because the student body elected him as SGA President. “I wouldn’t be able to play tennis and be SGA President and do a good job at both, so it’d be a disservice to both of them if I tried to,” Panovec said. “Running for SGA President, I was like, ‘All right, if I get this, I’m not going to be able to play next year.’ And I got it.” In high school, Panovec was homeschooled and attended a homeschool tutorial (a one-day-a-week class cooperative). Although because of this he didn’t serve on a traditional SGA in high school, he served on a Student Leadership Council, which focused on creating a service-oriented environment. He came to Lipsomb partially because it had always been his dream to play Division 1 tennis. His older sister played tennis at Lipscomb as well, and although he considered attending Harding University, he ultimately decided that Lipscomb was the place for him. This was part of the reason it was such a hard decision to stop...
by Olivia Waldorf | Jun 5, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
Along with Lindsey Nance, the Nashville Predators have the rest of the city on the edge of their seats. “This has the potential to be the biggest moment in Tennessee for professional sports ever,” said Nance, the newest WKRN Sports Intern. Led by team captain Mike Fisher, the beloved Nashville Predators fought their way through many NHL powerhouses as an eight seed all the way to the Stanley Cup and are currently trailing two games to one, ready for a second home game in Nashville tonight. Nance noted that multiple players have shared the spotlight this season, with Viktor Arvidsson being a model of consistency for the Preds. Drafted by the Preds in the fourth round of the NHL draft in 2014, Ardvidsson was expected fit in the rotation as more of a complimentary piece but has quickly proven otherwise. With 16 even-strength points and the most shorthand points in the NHL, Arvidsson’s aid has demonstrated to be instrumental. “I knew that big things were happening in the franchise with the addition of P.K and the way Coach Laviolette has rebuilt this team,” Nance said. “He has instilled an offensive mindset into the team from top to bottom, so everyone on the team can score. I knew the Preds had the pieces to the puzzle, but I had no idea the Preds would work their way from wild card to Stanley Cup finalist.” Nance stated a woman in a predominantly male environment hasn’t been easy. But dealing with double standards and bosses saying that “she’s in the business just to get on camera” doesn’t stop her from proving people...
by Erin Franklin | May 29, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
The Nashville Predators’ historic season has sparked new growth in the hockey community in Nashville, with Lipscomb’s own club hockey team eager for the transformation. The Preds’ inaugural season was in 1997, while Lipscomb’s team is less than a year old. The Nashville Predators are racing towards the Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins this week, and the Lipscomb Bisons, although young, capped off this past season with a strong 4-2 victory over MTSU. Army veteran, Lipscomb engineering student and Defensemen Nick Morris is one of the founding members of Lipscomb’s club hockey team. Although not a Predators fan, he said he’s excited to see what the Preds’ Stanley Cup quest will do for the hockey community in Nashville. “I’m always excited for hockey to take a little bit more of a forefront because it’s an absolutely fantastic sport,” Morris said. “I would like to continue to see Nashville become more of a hockey town and more of a hockey community.” Lipscomb coach Ryan Patterson started playing hockey at the age of 7 and has since devoted himself to the sport, serving as Lipscomb’s coach, and as a coach for Blackman high school the past two years and also working for the Predators for the last 12 seasons as a video coach assistant. “I actually stepped away from my job with the Preds to start a new adventure with this team, and feel it’s the most positive and goal-oriented team I’ve ever been a part of,” Patterson noted. “It’s refreshing actually, and something that you don’t see everyday.” Patterson added that he is glad people are recognizing Nashville...
by Erin Franklin | May 18, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
The Lipscomb men’s golf team put up a historical fifth place finish with help from Dawson Armstrong who clinched the first place individual title in the College Grove Regional at the Grove Club on Wednesday. The team will advance to the 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf Championship next week at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois. “For those guys to do what they’ve done in four years — it’s phenomenal for the school, the university and our golf program,” said Lipscomb director of golf Will Brewer. “I can’t be prouder.” Lipscomb came in fifth overall; UCF clinched first, with Vanderbilt, Clemson and Kennesaw State all tied for second place. “I’m probably most excited about checking the box off and doing something I’m not sure the school has ever done before,” Brewer said. On the individual leaderboard, Armstrong posted a first place finish. Mikey Feher tied for 17th individually; Eric Ansett tied for 34th as did Stoney Crouch, and Hunter Howell tied for 57th. “It’s been a long time coming, getting to live a dream that we have had for the last two years,” Armstrong said. “It’s been hard fought, and it’s been a grind. The coaches have really prepared us well, and we’ve taken initiative to make sure that we’re prepared for any situation that comes our way. I’m sure that we’ll be ready when nationals comes around next week.” Brewer noted that back in August, he didn’t necessarily expect for his team to clinch such a high seed going into the tournament, but he believed their stellar spring season helped them succeed. “We had such a great...
by Joel Clinger | May 15, 2017 | News Slider, Sports
Junior golfer Eric Ansett picked up his game on the course this season, but he was recently recognized for his work in the classroom as well. Ansett was given the honor of the Atlantic Sun’s Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year at the Golf Championship banquet. He becomes the first Bison to ever win the award in men’s golf. Ansett currently has a 3.71 grade point average as he finished out his third year as a Journalism and New Media major at Lipscomb. The Spokane, WA, native was a member of the All-Academic team last year, but he laid claim to the top academic honor this year. Despite last year’s selection, Ansett was still surprised to receive the award. “I was not expecting the award at all, but it was still an honor to receive it,” Ansett said. “I think it’s something to be proud of, to excel on the course and in the classroom, but to be recognized for it is just an extra bonus. There were probably plenty of other guys who deserved it just as much.” Ansett kept this attitude as he discussed how he keeps his grades up. “I wouldn’t say I have a secret formula or anything, but when you miss so much school, I have found two things to be crucial,” Ansett said. “First, don’t be afraid to meet with your teachers to go over things. They are always there to help. And second, pick good friends who will always take good notes for you. Those two things will literally save your life.” Ansett wants to be a sports journalist one day and...
