rambler report - november 2014

Senior Christian Thomas

Basketball preview issue

Ramblers Look to Pick Up Momentum in Second Valley Season

Introducing the Loyola Basketball Newcomers

Complete Schedules

Junior Becca Smith

NOVEMber 2014

Madness in GentileLU Wolf clowns around with Jeff White, Milton Doyle, and Joe Crisman during Midnight Madness in October. The Loyola community was introduced to the men’s and women’s basketball teams at the annual preseason event in Gentile Arena.

Chicago is ready for tip offTaylor Manuel, head coach Sheryl Swoopes, and Simone Law take a break from the Chicagoland Basketball Tipoff Luncheon at Maggiano’s to pose for a photo. The event featured coaches, student-athletes, and staff from all five Chicago Division I schools.

CURRENT MILITARY MEMBERS & VETERANS CAN RECEIVE FREE TICKETS, WHILE THEIR GUESTS CAN RECEIVE HALF-PRICE TICKETSPERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS SUCH AS TOOTHBRUSHES, SHAMPOO AND DEODORANT WILL ALSO BE COLLECTED FOR THE MIDWEST SHELTER FOR HOMELESS VETERANS.

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Men’s BasketBall Preview

Ramblers seek improvement in sophomore valley seasonLoyola’s top five scorers from a season ago – Milton Doyle (14.9 ppg), Christian Thomas (13.3 ppg), Jeff White (9.8 ppg), Devon Turk (8.7 ppg), and Joe Crisman (5.4 ppg) – return to lead head coach Porter Moser’s squad in 2014-15. Four freshmen and two junior college transfers will add to the depth for the Ramblers, who had three starters average over 32 minutes in 2013-14.

A big question heading into the season will be the health of Milton Doyle, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Freshman and Newcomer of the Year, who is battling a torn labrum in his right shoulder. Doyle is coming off a phenomenal freshman campaign that saw him become the first player in Loyola history to lead the Ramblers in scoring (14.9 ppg), assists (3.6 apg), steals (38) and blocked shots (23). His team-leading 478 points were just four shy of Alfredrick Hughes’ school record for a freshman.

“Obviously it would be a tough blow to lose a player like Milton,” said fourth-year coach Porter Moser. “He means a lot to our program but we are definitely going to do what is best for him long term. We added a lot of depth at the guard position this year, and this might give someone a great opportunity to step up.”

Senior leadership will be provided by Christian Thomas and Joe Crisman, who have been stalwarts in the Loyola lineup since arriving in Rogers Park, as well as former walk-on London Dokubo, who earned a scholarship in his final season as a Rambler. Thomas has increased his scoring average in each of his three years at Loyola and has led the Ramblers in rebounding each of the last two seasons. Crisman started all 32 Loyola contests a year ago and averaged 5.4 points and 3.2 rebounds a game, while often guarding the opponent’s best perimeter player.

In order to improve on its 10-22 finish from last year, Loyola will have to play better away from Gentile Arena. Last season, the Ramblers finished 8-6 at home but struggled to a 2-16 record on the road and at neutral sites. Outside of the conference schedule, Loyola will travel to Michigan State, Texas-San Antonio, Kent State and cross-town rival UIC, before heading west to take on Texas Tech and either Houston or Boise State in the Las Vegas Classic.

Loyola will enter its second season in the Missouri Valley picked as the tenth place team in the preseason poll. Milton Doyle was an honorable mention on the MVC preseason team, as determined by a panel of league sports information directors, coaches, and media. Defending champion Wichita State was tabbed as the top team in the conference and begins the season ranked No. 11 in the AP poll.

Following the conclusion of the regular season, the Ramblers will again head to St. Louis for the 25th anniversary of Arch Madness, the MVC conference tournament. The Ramblers had a memorable first appearance at Arch Madness a year ago, knocking off Bradley 74-72 in the first round with a buzzer-beating shot by Milton Doyle.

Rambler Report • November 2014 • Rambler Report • November 2014 • Page 9

Junior Jeff White and Coach Porter Moser

Sophomore Milton Doyle

Men’s BasketBall Preview

Rambler Report • November 2014 •

Meet the newcomers#0 Donte Ingram - Chicago, ILAt 6’6 and 215 pounds, Donte Ingram will provide the Ramblers with size, athleticism and toughness from the wing position. The Simeon High product averaged 15 points and five rebounds as a senior and was the sixth man on the Jabari Parker-led Simeon squad that took home the Class 4A state championship in 2013. Ingram is the brother of former Loyola men’s basketball player DaJuan Gouard and is the first Rambler from Simeon since Tim Bankston (1986-89).

#2 Earl Peterson - Raytown, MOPeterson, a 6’3 guard who can play either the point or shooting guard, comes to Loyola from Coffeyville Community College, where he was first team all-conference after averaging a team-high 16.7 points and 3.6 rebounds a game. Peterson can shoot from a distance, drilling a team-best 58 three-pointers last year, and can attack the rim, getting to the free throw line 173 times and converting 85 percent of his charity tosses.

#10 Jay Knuth -Johnstown, IAA multifaceted player who can score inside and out, Knuth led his high school team in rebounding all four seasons and scoring for his last three campaigns. The MVP of the Iowa Basketball Coaches Association All-Star Tournament, the 6’6 forward averaged 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds a game as a senior and earned all-state honors each of his last three prep seasons.

#12 Julius Rajala - Helsinki, FinlandRajala is a long, skilled big man with shooting range out to the three-point line. The MVP of the 2012 Nordic Cup, Rajala has a wealth of international experience under his belt. The 6’9 forward played for Finland’s under-20 national team for two years before getting his first call-up to the preliminary squad for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

#14 Ben Richardson- Overland Park, KSThe 6’3 guard is used to the big stage, after playing in four straight Kansas Class 6A State Championship games and capping his high school career with back-to-back titles. Twice named first-team All-State, Richardson averaged 12.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists as a junior and followed that season with a 11.4 scoring average in his senior year. Richardson, who led Blue Valley Northwest to a 71-4 record in his four prep seasons, is known as an exceptional defender and tremendous passer.

#22 Eric Porter - Deerfield, ILThe 5’11 walk-on guard is a sharpshooter, winning the regional and sectional three-point contests his junior and senior seasons. Porter was a two-time team MVP during his prep career and averaged 16 points a game in his final high school season.

#24 Montel James- Kenner, LAJames, who joins the Ramblers from Coffeyville Community College, is a versatile big man who can score in a variety of ways. The Louisiana native earned first-team all-conference honors in his first year at Coffeyville, averaging 17.1 points a game and 8.9 rebounds. James was a second-team honoree after posting averages of 13.4 points and 4.9 rebounds during his sophomore campaign.

Fri., Nov. 14 – vs. ROCKHURST, 7:30pmMon., Nov. 17 – vs. MCKENDREE, 7:00pmFri., Nov. 21 – @Michigan State, 6pmTues., Nov. 25 – @UT-San Antonio, 7pmSat., Nov. 29 – @Kent State, 6pmWed., Dec. 3 – vs. TULANE, 7pmSat., Dec. 6 – @Illinois-Chicago, 1pmSat., Dec. 13 – vs. JACKSON STATE, TBAWed., Dec. 17 – vs. ABILENE CHRISTIAN, 7pmFri., Dec. 19 – vs. SOUTHERN UTAH, 7pm

Mon., Dec. 22 – vs. Texas Tech, 7pm#Tues., Dec. 23 – vs. Boise State/Houston, TBA#Wed., Dec. 31 – vs. BRADLEY, 1pmSun., Jan. 4 – @Northern Iowa, TBAWed., Jan. 7 – @Evansville, 7pmSun., Jan. 11 – vs. WICHITA STATE, TBAWed., Jan. 14 – vs. DRAKE, 7pmSun., Jan. 18 – @Southern Illinois, TBAWed., Jan. 21 – vs. EVANSVILLE, 7pmSat., Jan. 24 – @Indiana State, 12pm

Wed., Jan. 28 – @Wichita State, TBASat., Jan. 31 – vs. ILLINOIS STATE, 1pmWed., Feb. 4 – @Missouri State, 8pmSat., Feb. 7 – vs. INDIANA STATE, 3pmWed., Feb. 11 – vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, 7pmSun, Feb. 15 – @Bradley, TBAWed., Feb. 18 – vs. NORTHERN IOWA, 7pmSat., Feb. 21 – @Illinois State, 7pmWed., Feb. 25 – @Drake, 7pmSat., Feb. 28 – vs. MISSOURI STATE, TBA

2014-15 Men's Basketball Schedule

woMen’s BasketBall Preview

Swoopes confident with healthy team and strong freshman classAlthough second-year head coach Sheryl Swoopes welcomes back five of the team’s six leading scorers from a year ago, the 2014-15 Loyola women’s basketball team will look very different from its predecessor. The new look starts with the return of Simone Law, Taylor Johnson, and Tiana Karopulos, three starters who missed the majority of last season with knee injuries.

Despite the graduation of first-team All-Conference forward Troy Hambric, the aforementioned trio’s health, along with five new freshmen and transfer, Taylor Manuel, will give the Ramblers more size and depth in 2014-15.

“Taylor (Johnson) and Tiana are our leaders and not having them last year was challenging, so I’m looking forward to seeing everyone back healthy again this year,” said Swoopes. “I am also really excited about the freshman class. There’s a lot of talent and potential here. Each one will have the opportunity to play this year and contribute.”

Senior Molly Crosby averaged 5.3 points and 5.8 rebounds a game last year and finished second in the conference with 54 blocks on the season. Crosby is joined by junior Becca Smith (8.0 ppg, 3.0 apg) and three-point sharpshooter Bailey Farley (9.1 ppg) as the other top returners.

Like a mid-season baseball trade, the Ramblers will get a boost when Taylor Manuel is eligible to hit the hardwood

after the fall semester. Manuel is a transfer from Purdue, where she earned Big Ten All-Freshman team honors in her one year as a Boilermaker. The 6’2 center averaged 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds for the Big Ten tournament champions.

The Ramblers will face a daunting non-conference schedule before Valley play begins in January. Loyola will be tested by the likes of Georgia Tech, Marquette, Missouri, Northwestern, Michigan State, and DePaul in the first two months of the season.

“One of my assistants asked me what I was thinking when I put this schedule together, but I want a competitive schedule,” said Swoopes. “Hopefully there’s a good mix here with games we’ll have to play really well to win, games that we should win and games that will probably come down to the wire.”

The squad was picked to finish seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason poll, as voted on by head coaches, sports information directors, and media. Wichita State, the defending MVC tournament champion, was tabbed as the league favorite, racking up 36 of the 40 available first-place votes.


Sophomore Tiana Karopulos

Sophomore Taylor Johnson

woMen’s BasketBall Preview


Meet the newcomers#13 Katie Salmon - Wauwatosa, WIA long athletic guard, Salmon is a cerebral and versatile player who can contribute in a variety of ways. A four-sport high school athlete, Salmon averaged 16.9 points and 4.0 rebounds her junior season and was twice named her team’s most valuable player.

#21 Ryaen Johnson - Lisle, ILA 6’2 forward, Johnson will serve as a strong and physical presence inside on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. Johnson averaged 11 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in her final prep season.

#22 Destiny Washington - Indianapolis, INWashington is an extremely athletic and dynamic player who will bring speed, quickness and length to the Ramblers lineup this season. Washington spent her first two prep seasons at Fishers High School before transferring to Lawrence North, where she averaged 10 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three blocks a game in her senior season.

#35 Cortney Williams - Southfield, MIAnother physical player who will help Loyola get tougher in the paint, Williams is a 6’0 forward who posted averages of nine points, eight rebounds, and four blocks a game during her senior season. Williams was an all-conference honoree and was named to Oakland County’s All-Defensive second team in 2013.

#50 Taylor Manuel - St. Louis, MOEligible to compete after the fall semester, Manuel is a transfer from Purdue, where she earned Big Ten All-Freshman team honors in her one year as a Boilermaker. The 6’2 center played in all 34 games, averaging 8.1 points and 3.2 rebounds for the Big Ten tournament champions. Manuel will provide a presence inside on both ends of the court, but also can handle the ball and provide opposing defenses with different looks. The St. Louis native was named Miss Show-Me Basketball for the state of Missouri in 2012 after her senior prep season.

Fri., Nov. 14 – vs. GEORGIA TECH, 5:00pmMon., Nov. 17 – @Marquette, 7pmSat., Nov. 22 – @Northern Kentucky, 3pmTues., Nov. 25 – vs. UAB, 7pmSat., Nov. 29 – vs. EASTERN ILLINOIS, 2pmWed., Dec. 3 – @Missouri, 6pmSun., Dec. 7 – @Northwestern, 2pmSun., Dec. 14 – vs. MICHIGAN STATE, 2pmWed., Dec. 17 – vs. DEPAUL, 11amSat., Dec. 20 – @Dartmouth, 11amTues., Dec. 30 – @Illinois-Chicago, 5pmFri., Jan. 2 – vs. DRAKE, 7pmSun., Jan. 4 – vs. NORTHERN IOWA, 2pmThurs., Jan. 8 – @Evansville, 7pmSun., Jan. 11 – @Indiana State, 1pmFri., Jan. 16 – vs. MISSOURI STATE, 7pmSun., Jan. 18 – vs. WICHITA STATE, 2pmSun., Jan. 25 – vs. BRADLEY, 2pmFri., Jan. 30 – @Southern Illinois, 6pmSun., Feb. 1 – @Illinois State, 12pmFri., Feb. 6 – vs. EVANSVILLE, 7pmSun., Feb. 8 – vs. INDIANA STATE, 2pmFri., Feb. 13 – @Wichita State, 7pmSun., Feb. 15 – @Missouri State, 7pmFri., Feb. 20 – @Bradley, 7pmFri., Feb. 27 – vs. ILLINOIS STATE, 7pmSun., Mar. 1 – vs. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, 2pmThurs., Mar. 5 – @Northern Iowa, 7pmSat., Mar. 7 – @Drake, 2pm

2014-15 woMen's Basketball Schedule

student-athlete sPotlight

Loyola Among Elite As NCAA Releases Latest GSR ReportLoyola continues to raise the bar for itself, recording its highest-ever Graduation Success Rate score according to the latest figures released by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Ramblers’ 96 percent GSR puts them in a tie for 16th nationally, is the highest among Missouri Valley Conference institutions and is 14 points better than the national average of 82 percent. In addition, it marks the fifth consecutive year that Loyola has improved its GSR score.

“Not only are our students excelling athletically, but they are successful in the classroom as well,” said Senior Associate Athletics Director for Academics and Student Services Betsi Burns. “As we continue to transition into a new era athletically as members of the Missouri Valley, we will still maintain our tradition of academic excellence and the expectation of graduation as we prepare our students to lead extraordinary lives. The GSR is a direct reflection of that expectation and we are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes in the classroom.”

Loyola’s men’s basketball program continued its exemplary work, compiling a perfect score of 100, the only MVC school with a grade higher than 90. They are also one of six programs to earn the highest score, joining women’s soccer, women’s golf, women’s volleyball, men’s cross country/track and field and national champion men’s volleyball.

The NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) was developed to more accurately assess the academic success of student-

athletes. The rate holds institutions accountable for transfer students, unlike the federal graduation rate. The GSR also accounts for midyear enrollees and is calculated for every sport. Under the calculation, institutions are not penalized for outgoing students who leave in good academic standing. The outgoing transfers are included in the receiving institution’s GSR cohort.

The most recent Division I Graduation Success Rates are based on the four entering classes from 2004-2007. The NCAA began compiling these figures with the entering freshmen class of 1995.

The NCAA also released updated Federal Graduation Rate data with Loyola also scoring favorably. The figures show that Loyola student-athletes entering in the 2007-08 academic year graduated at a 78% rate, compared to 71% among the general student body, with a four-year average that jumps to 81%.


student-athlete sPotlight


Men's Soccer Team Gives Back to the CommunityLast month, the Loyola University men’s soccer team completed a day of community service, taking a day out of their practice schedule to give back to the community at various events in the Rogers Park area. Zac Brown, a senior goalkeeper on the team, played a large role in helping to organize the day and enjoyed spending time away from the field with his teammates and giving back to the surrounding community.

“As student-athletes, we have a lot of opportunities provided to us and it’s very important to give back to the community,” Brown commented. “It felt great to take advantage of fall break and give back to Rogers Park community that supports us throughout the year.”

A group of players and coaches spent time at A Just

Harvest, a community kitchen on the northern edge of Rogers Park that provides meals 365 days a year for those in need. Student-athletes had the opportunity to act as waiters and busboys throughout the day. Another set of Ramblers were closer to campus at nearby Loyola Park, taking part in a program run by After School Matters, a non-profit organization that offers a variety of programs for area Chicago youth in areas that include sport, science and technology. The organization has been recognized nationally for its innovative and groundbreaking approach in delivering unique and diverse programs to students throughout the Chicagoland area.

“It’s great to see our guys take such an active role in the community,” Loyola head men’s soccer coach Neil Jones said. “We have an outstanding group of student-athletes who understand the importance of being role models and influencing others in a positive way. As a staff, we’re extremely proud of them and how they represent both our program and Loyola University Chicago.”

Fall sPorts uPdates

Men's Soccer (6-5-5, 1-2-2 MVC)Loyola men’s soccer fans have gotten used to watching the Ramblers in extra time, with seven of their eight matches in October going into overtime. Loyola went 2-1-5 in October with exciting victories over city rivals UIC and then-No. 20 Northwestern, its first win over the Wildcats since 1996. Freshman Elliot Collier and senior Brian Bement both earned Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week honors during the month of October.

Defensively, the Ramblers continue to be stout. Behind the efforts of junior goalkeeper Tim Dobrowolski, Loyola has only allowed 0.75 goals per game, good for second in the conference and 23rd in the nation in the category. The Ramblers currently sit at fifth in the conference heading into the final week of the regular season.

Remaining Schedule:Sat., Nov. 8 – vs. SIUE, 7pmWed., Nov. 12 – MVC First Round, Peoria, ILFri., Nov. 14 – MVC Semifinals, Peoria, ILSun., Nov. 16 – MVC Final, Peoria, IL

Women's Volleyball (7-15, 3-10 MVC)After a 2-6 month of October, the Ramblers currently find themselves eighth in the Missouri Valley standings and three games out of the sixth and final spot in the conference tournament. A bright spot over the past month has been the emergence of freshman setter Caroline Holt, who was recently named the conference’s Freshman of the Week.

Holt dished out a career-high 69 assists in just four sets again Evansville, a conference high on the season and highest by a Rambler since All-American Lauren Holbrook recorded 74 during a match in 2004. Holt leads the conference with 11.44 assists per set, which also puts her at 13th in the country in the category. Sophomore Morgan Reardon continues to lead the conference in kills with 4.06 per set.

Remaining Schedule:Fri., Nov. 7 - @Illinois State, 7pmSat., Nov. 8 – @Indiana State, 6pmFri., Nov. 14 - @UIC, 7pmSat., Nov. 15 - @Bradley, 7pmFri., Nov. 21 – vs. Drake, 7pmSat., Nov. 22 – vs. Northern Iowa, 7pmNov. 27-29 – MVC Championships, Cedar Falls, IA


Freshman Elliot Collier Freshman Caroline Holt

Fall sPorts uPdates

Women's Soccer (5-13-1, 2-3-1 MVC)An injury-plagued season for the women’s soccer team came to an end in the quarterfinals of the MVC tournament after a 3-2 loss at Drake. Loyola secured a spot in the tournament with an exciting 1-0 against Evansville to end the regular season. All three conference regular-season defeats were consecutive 2-1 overtime heartbreakers in mid-October.

Senior Valerie Gonyo led Loyola in the scoring column with five goals on the year, while freshman Avalon Senn-Raemont finished the year with four. Senior goalkeeper Monica Gonyo notched five shutouts on the season and ended her Rambler career atop the school’s all-time shutouts leaderboard with 24.

Cross CountrySam Penzenstadler added more accolades to his Loyola resume this fall with a personal-best time of 23:59 at the Missouri Valley Conference championships last weekend, good for second place overall and earning the senior first-team All-Conference honors for the second consecutive year. With standout junior Sydney Stuenkel sidelined with an injury, the Rambler women were led by freshman Lindsey Brewis, who recorded a personal-best time of 17:57 to place 22nd overall.

The women’s squad finished in sixth place, while the men took seventh overall. The Ramblers look to rebound at NCAA meets during the month of November in Peoria and Terre Haute.

Remaining Schedule:Fri., Nov. 14 – NCAA Midwest Regional, Peoria, ILSat., Nov. 22 – NCAA Championships, Terre Haute, IN

golfThe men’s and women’s golf programs wrapped up the fall portion of the schedule last month. Freshman Garrett Buckley continued the great start to his Loyola career in October with a team-best 10th place overall finish in the John Dallio Memorial and a team-best 18th at the Flyer Invitational. Sophomore Daniel Kim finished the fall season with medalist honors at the Rambler Roundup.

The month of October for the women’s team was highlighted by a third place finish in the Flyer Invitational’s 16-team field. The Ramblers were led by sophomore Logan Willis’ sixth place finish in Dayton, while freshman Summer Moser (15th place at the Rocket Classic) and junior Olivia Lindsley (third at the Braun Intercollegiate) led Loyola at its two other October events.


Sophomore Logan Willis

Senior Monica Gonyo

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rambler report - november 2014

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