IntroducingSteve WatsonNew Athletic Director readyto take the reins

december 2014

inside:Penzenstadler Competes at Nationals

November Basketball Recaps

This Month in Rambler History

Champs Honored inSpringfield

The men’s volleyball team was honored last month at the State Capitol for its 2014 NCAA National Championship.

The team met with Governor Pat Quinn, Senate President and Loyola graduate John Cullerton, and Republican House

Leader Jim Durkin.

Speedy SamSenior Sam Penzenstadler became the first individual to represent the Loyola men’s cross country program at the NCAA Championships since 2002. Penzenstadler qualified for the meet by placing third at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a 10K time of 30:11, more than a minute faster than his previous personal-best.

Thank you!The Department of Athletics at Loyola is grateful to Susan Malisch (far left),

Loyola’s Vice President and Chief Information Officer, for her service as Interim Athletic Director. Malisch led

the department for eight months, and her proven leadership experience of a complex and significant division of the

University brought increased vitality to the athletics department. Thanks to Susan Malisch for her dedication and

commitment to Loyola Athletics!

Steve WatSon

Loyola Names Steve Watson Director of AthleticsOn November 12, Loyola University announced the hiring of Steve Watson as the school’s Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Watson comes to Loyola after seven years as the Director of Athletics at St. Bonaventure University. A well-rounded, well-respected administrator, Watson has 16 years of experience in intercollegiate administration under his belt.

“When I first spoke with Tom Kelly (Sr. Vice President for Administrative Services) about Loyola, I knew very quickly that this could be the perfect fit,” said Watson. “It is a great school, in a great city, with great people. Much like the Atlantic 10, the Missouri Valley is an outstanding conference with a reputation for high-level basketball. I cannot thank Loyola President and CEO Michael J. Garanzini, S.J. and Tom enough for this opportunity and I am really looking forward to getting started.”

Named to his post at St. Bonaventure in 2007, athletics has thrived under Watson’s leadership. The men’s basketball program, under one of Watson’s first hires, Mark Schmidt, has enjoyed a renaissance, winning the first Atlantic-10 Conference title in school history in 2012 and returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 12 years. The women’s program has also taken off, reaching the postseason five times in seven years, including a watershed 2011-12 season that saw the team finish with a program-best 31-4 record, complete with a trip to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. As important, the Bonnies have been able to maintain a high level of competitiveness in one of the country’s top basketball leagues.

“Steve Watson brings tremendous experience and enthusiasm to Loyola,” said Father Garanzini. “He impressed us with his ability to build and sustain a successful intercollegiate athletic program, especially in basketball. We look to him to lead our University

efforts to engage and energize the campus and the community in our Ramblers’ success.”

While the basketball programs have taken center stage, several other programs have enjoyed a tremendous amount of success under Watson. St. Bonaventure’s women’s soccer team has qualified for the conference tournament in six straight seasons and its men’s and women’s cross country teams have enjoyed their best-ever seasons.

Academic success has come hand-in-hand with the school’s on-field improvement, as St. Bonaventure’s graduation rates and Academic Progress Rate (APR) numbers have continued to climb.

In addition, Watson has been instrumental in helping with facility improvements for Bonnies athletics, most notably spearheading a $2 million upgrade to the university’s multi-purpose field for soccer, lacrosse and club rugby that was unveiled this fall. That project was part of St. Bonaventure’s athletics strategic plan entitled “Your Teams, Our Extraordinary Future” that Watson co-chaired in 2012. He has also overseen the construction of a new $300,000 women’s basketball locker room, a $200,000 renovation of the men’s basketball locker room, and the unveiling of Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center, which featured a new court, scoreboards and sound system while also serving as a tribute to St. Bonaventure’s most famous alumnus.

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 8

LoyoLa BaSketBaLL UpdateS

Ramblers Snap Road Losing Streak En Route to 4-1 StartLoyola finished strong in the month of November with a pair of victories away from Gentile Arena, snapping a 20-game road losing streak that dated back to January 2013. In a 71-57 victory over UT-San Antonio, sophomore Milton Doyle scored 17 of his season-high 27 points in the second half and guided the Ramblers to a commanding 17-4 second-half run. Senior Christian Thomas reached the 1,000 career point mark in the win, becoming just the 19th player in Loyola history to score 1,000 career points and grab 500 career rebounds.

The Ramblers continued the road momentum with a 69-61 triumph at Kent State to close the month. Loyola, which led by as many as 20 points in the game, featured a balanced offensive attack with four scorers in double-figures: Thomas (16), Devon Turk (15), Jeff White (13), and Montel James (11). Loyola

also clamped down defensively in the two road wins, holding both UTSA and Kent State below a 40 percent shooting clip.

The season began with a pair of home wins over Division II opponents Rockhurst (71-58) and McKendree (78-68). Junior Montel James led the way for the Ramblers in the opener with a 19-point, 8-rebound effort, while Doyle and Thomas each scored 21 to keep McKendree at bay. Loyola’s lone setback in the month was a 87-52 defeat at the hands of then-No. 19 Michigan State in East Lansing.

With its three-game road swing complete, Loyola faces four of its next five opponents in Gentile Arena before heading to Las Vegas for the Continental Las Vegas Classic featuring the Ramblers, Texas Tech, Boise State, and Houston. All-session tickets in the Loyola section for the Las Vegas Classic are available now at loyolaramblers.com or by calling 773.508.WOLF.

december Schedule:Dec. 3 – vs. Tulane, 7pmDec. 6 - @UIC, 1pmDec. 13 – vs. Jackson State, 7pmDec. 17 – vs. Abilene Christian, 7pmDec. 19 – vs. Southern Utah, 7pmDec. 22 – vs. Texas Tech, 7pm#Dec. 23 – vs. Boise State/Houston, TBA#Dec. 31 – vs. Bradley, 1pm # in Las Vegas, NV

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 10

Sophomore Milton Doyle

Senior Christian Thomas

LoyoLa BaSketBaLL UpdateS

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 11

Challenging Schedule Tests Ramblers in NovemberWith five freshmen set to contribute and three starters returning to play after missing the majority of last season due to injury, the Ramblers knew they would be challenged early with its tough non-conference schedule. Loyola finished the month of November

with a 2-3 record, with v i c t o r i e s o v e r N o r t h e r n K e n t u c k y and Eastern Illinois.

In a 92-57 s e a s o n -o p e n i n g defeat to G e o r g i a Tech, senior Simone Law returned to the Rambler lineup and led Loyola with 16 p o i n t s and seven rebounds .

The Ramblers also welcomed back sophomore Taylor Johnson, who has made her presence felt in the first five games. Johnson is averaging more than 33 minutes a game and leads the team in scoring (14.8 ppg) and assists (2.6 apg).

After falling to Marquette in Milwaukee, the Ramblers used a stifling defensive effort to grab its first win of the season, a 45-38 win at Northern Kentucky. Loyola held the Norse to only 18.3 percent shooting from the

field. The Ramblers have used their increased size this season to block a whopping 31 shots on the year, led by senior Molly Crosby’s eight swats. Loyola then dropped a 10-point decision to UAB before downing Eastern Illinois 63-52 to finish the month.

Loyola will get a boost this month when Purdue transfer Taylor Manuel is eligible to compete after sitting out the fall semester due to NCAA transfer regulations. The 6’2 center earned Big Ten All-Freshman honors in her one year as a Boilermaker, averaging 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds for the Big Ten tournament champions. The challenging schedule continues in December with tests against Missouri, Northwestern, DePaul and Michigan State.

december Schedule:Dec. 3 - @Missouri, 7pmDec. 7 - @Northwestern, 2pmDec. 14 – vs. Michigan State, 2pmDec. 17 – vs. DePaul, 11amDec. 20 - @Dartmouth, 11amDec. 30 - @UIC, 5pm

Senior Molly Crosby

Sophomore Taylor Johnson

thiS Month in RaMBLeR hiStoRy

2004 - Holbrook, Amberg Lead Loyola into NCAA Tournament after Horizon League TitleAfter a roller-coaster regular season in which seven of Loyola’s 10 Horizon League wins were in the minimum three games, the Ramblers entered the 2004 conference tournament as the No. 3 seed, missing out on a bye into the semifinals by virtue of a late-season setback at Butler. However, their position in the bracket did not matter as seniors Lauren Holbrook and Nichol Amberg led the squad on an impressive run through the tournament.

After a sweep of Green Bay in the quarterfinals, the Ramblers exacted a measure of revenge on Butler in the semifinals, holding off the Bulldogs in five competitive games to advance to the championship match where fourth-seeded Cleveland State awaited. Loyola had taken

the two regular-season meetings from the Vikings but CSU played inspired volleyball early, racing out to a 2-0 lead at intermission.

Instead of folding, the experienced Ramblers battled back in game three, fending off eight championship points against before securing a 41-39 win, and took game four to send it to a decisive fifth game. A late LU charge made the comeback complete and gave the Ramblers their fourth NCAA Tournament berth in the last 10 years.

Loyola drew Wisconsin in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and despite a valiant effort, fell to the Badgers 3-0 (30-27, 30-26, 30-25). Loyola, in defeat, actually outkilled Wisconsin, 48-46, for the match but 18 Badger blocks helped contribute to 36 LU hitting errors, which proved to be the difference in the match. The Ramblers closed the season with a 22-9 record.

Amberg was named the Most Valuable Player of the Horizon League Championship while Holbrook went on to earn Honorable Mention All-American honors, becoming the first Rambler All-American since Julie McShane in 1991. In addition, Holbrook also closed her career as the school’s all-time leader in both assists and digs.

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 12

knoW yoUR RaMBLeRS

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 13

favorite chicago restaurant

favorite tv show

hidden talent Best dancer on your team

favorite cartoon as a kid

FaLL SpoRtS RecapS

Men's Soccer(8-6-5, 2-2-2 MVC)After a 6-11-2 finish in 2013, the Ramblers took a step forward in 2014 under the guidance of second-year head coach Neil Jones, whose staff was recognized by the conference as the Coaching Staff of the Year. The squad posted the program’s first winning record since 2008 and won its first Missouri Valley Conference tournament game, a 3-1 decision over Drake. The future continues to look bright for Loyola as five of the seven Ramblers named to All-Missouri Valley Conference teams return in 2015.

Leading the way on the All-MVC first team was junior goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski, who was also named the conference’s Goalkeeper of the Year. Dobrowolski put together one of the finest seasons in school history, leading the Valley in save percentage (0.810), tying for the lead in shutouts (8), and ranking second in goals against average (0.70) during the regular season. Junior Eric Schoendorf claimed first team honors as well, contributing to a defense that ranked in the top-20 nationally in goals against average.

Three Loyola freshmen were recognized on the All-Freshman team, with Kyle Thomson earning Freshman of the Year honors. Elliot Collier and Brody Kraussel rounded out the Ramblers on the All-Freshman team, while seniors

Brian Bement and Brian Lunar were honorable mention All-Valley selections.

Most impressively, the men’s soccer team excelled in the classroom, posting a Valley-best 3.36 team GPA. Schoendorf and junior Daniel Hare were also recognized on the conference’s S c h o l a r - A t h l e t e teams.

Women's Volleyball (9-19, 5-13 MVC)The women’s volleyball squad jumped out to a 4-3 start on the 2014 season with two wins at the Delaware Invitational and a victory over Virginia in the Wildcat Challenge. The team struggled to find its stride the rest of the way, however, finishing seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference for the second consecutive year.

Several Ramblers posted impressive individuals numbers on the year. Morgan Reardon finished her sophomore campaign with a team-high 392 kills and a 3.77 kills per set average, good for third overall in the conference. Reardon had two matches with 30 or more kills, including a career-high 32 put-aways at Drake, which puts her in a tie for third on Loyola’s all-time, single-match list. Caroline Holt showed promise as a freshman, finishing second in the Valley with 11.09 assists per set. Senior middle Libby Bresser hit .288 on the season, good for ninth in the MVC.

Two Ramblers were honored by the conference on its All-Academic Team. Reardon, who is enrolled in the School of Business, and junior Kathleen Vogel, a nursing major, both placed on the honorable mention list. It was the second consecutive year for Vogel on the All-Academic Team.

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 14

Sophomore Morgan Reardon Junior Eric Schoendorf

cRoSS coUntRy/tRack & FieLd

Penzenstadler Competes at NCAA Cross Country ChampionshipsSenior Sam Penzenstadler closed out his Loyola cross country career by competing at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Terre Haute, becoming the first individual to represent the men’s program at the NCAA Championships since 2002. Penzenstadler qualified for the meet by placing third at the NCAA Midwest Regional with a 10K time of 30:11, more than a minute faster than his previous personal-best. Against 246 other competitors in the NCAA meet, Penzenstadler finished 104th with a time of 31:34.1.

“Overall, I am really proud of Sam for making the commitment over the summer to get to this meet,” said head coach Randy Hasenbank. “Sam’s shoe came off just past the one mile mark. His heel was stepped on and popped the shoe off. It’s hard to tell how much he was affected by that. It wasn’t the result we wanted, but we expect big things ahead during both the indoor and outdoor track seasons.”

The program now turns its attention to the indoor season, which begins this Friday at the Grand Valley State Laker Early Bird. The Ramblers will then have over a one-month break in competition before traveling to Champaign, Illinois for the Illini Classic on Jan. 17. The squad will then spend back-to-back weekends in Bloomington, Indiana for the Gladstein Invitational on Jan. 23-24 and the Indiana Relays on Jan. 30-31 before splitting up for a pair of meets on Feb. 6-7. The Ramblers will send a full squad to the GVSU Big Meet on Feb. 13-14 before once again parting ways on Feb. 21 for meets in South Bend, Chicago and Madison.

Loyola will end the regular season at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships in Cedar Falls, Iowa on Feb. 28-March 1, while the NCAA Indoor Championships will take place in Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 13-14.

“Our meet schedule is very, very competitive again this year,” said Hasenbank. “I feel that the strength of our schedule has led to many of the terrific performances that our athletes have posted during the past three years, including seven All-American certificates, 62 school records and 304 new all-time top-10 marks. I am confident that the schedule will once again prepare our men and women to battle not only for conference titles, but for coveted spots in the national championship meets, as well.”

Rambler Report • December 2014 • Page 15

Coach Randy Hasenbank and the cross country team

MEET US IN

ST. LOUIS

Hundreds of Loyolans

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Rambler Glory

ARCH MADNESS!

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MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCEMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

MARCH 5–8, 2015

ALL SESSION PASSES $135

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RENAISSANCE GRAND ST. LOUIS HOTEL $145 + tax per night