by Aaron Schmelzer | Mar 12, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Bison volleyball players Lauren Ford and Jewell Dobson attended the U.S. Olympic Volleyball tryouts late last month and came home with memories and important lessons. The two juniors were selected to represent Lipscomb at the tryout and said the atmosphere was almost unreal. “It really didn’t hit me; it really didn’t set in with me until I walked in,” middle blocker Jewell Dobson said. The women said the tryouts were fast-paced and constant. Each session was two hours and consisted mostly of drills. “The style of play was just different. It was very intense. We were always running around playing [volleyball], so in a way that was fast paced,” Dobson said. “It seemed surreal to us that we were playing with the best of the best,”outside hitter Ford added. Through those drills, outside hitter Lauren Ford says she learned valuable lessons that she plans on taking into her senior year. “One thing I saw was just a passion from the defenders. They always had this ridiculous energy that you don’t normally see in a lot of defenders,” Ford said. She also explained that she wants to be more vocal with that passion as well. Dobson agreed saying she wants to carry that same passion into the aspects of her play and also highlighted the value of teamwork. “We both have more of this appreciation for our own team; more so than we even did before. The only way a team is great is if everyone’s connecting and working together,” Dobson said. Dobson and Ford also said that the presence of assistant coach Billy Ebel helped them stay comfortable at the...
by Aaron Schmelzer | Feb 19, 2014 | News Slider, Sports
Junior volleyball players Lauren Ford and Jewell Dobson will represent Lipscomb University in the tryouts for the United States Volleyball Team, an honor given to only two other athletes in school history. The others, Jake Pease and Alex Kelly, played together from the 2007-08 season to the 2010-11 season. “I grew up looking up to Alex Kelly and Jake Pease, who have been in this position before,” outside hitter Lauren Ford said. “I would look up to [Pease and Kelly], hoping to be as good as them.” “They’re the type of players who have left a legacy at Lipscomb, and to be in the same position they have been in says a lot,” middle blocker Jewell Dobson said. “It just says a lot about our success and the success that the program has had.” The tryouts begin Feb. 21 and go until Feb. 23 at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Volleyball head coach Brandon Rosenthal said that the difference between Pease and Kelly and Dobson and Ford is that the girls this year are going together. In the past, Pease and Kelly traveled separately to the tryouts. This time around, Dobson and Ford will travel together, although Rosenthal doesn’t know if they’ll room together. “I just want them to go and have a great time and just do their best,” Rosenthal said. Rosenthal also said that the only difference the girls will see at the tryouts is the increase in altitude. He mentioned that the ball flies through the air a bit differently, but it will not make a huge difference. The coach, who just finished his...
by Cory Woodroof | Dec 3, 2013 | News Slider
By Bridgette Begle and Brianne Welch The ninth annual Lighting of the Green brought rich tradition and holiday spirit to the Nashville community Tuesday night. Show regular Amy Grant was joined tonight by Ben Rector, David Phelps, Brenda Lee, Nicole C. Mullen, Hymns for Hunger & Friends (feat. Cindy Morgan and Andrew Greer) and the Stella family, including Nashville‘s Lennon & Maisy, for a night of music, merriment and plenty of bright Christmas lights. Fourth and fifth grade students from Lipscomb Academy, as well as the high school chorus, joined the University chorus on stage throughout the performance. The younger chorus tipped off the night with a medley of holiday classics, and the University chorus sang “Deck the Halls.” “We came here to hear one of our children sing in the chorus,” parent Heather Duncan said.” Our daughter is in the fifth grade at the campus school, so we’re looking forward to hearing everyone sing tonight.” About halfway through the show, Brenda Lee, singer of holiday classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” came onto the stage and ignited enthusiasm throughout the crowd. She asked for “eight really good singers,” and ended up with about 15 children, ranging from ages five to 20, to join her in the Christmas classic “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” Lee shared her delight in being a part of the night’s fun. “You know, when miss Amy Grant asks you to do something, it’s just awful hard to say no,” Lee said. “So I’m awfully proud to do this for Lipscomb. It’s a wonderful event.” Christian artist Nicole C.Mullen insisted the crowd stand during her song “365.” People...
