Senior Errick McCollum II

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – After leading the Mid-Central College Conference in scoring and compiling the best statistical career in the history of Goshen College basketball, senior Errick McCollum II was named the MCC Player of the Year this weekend.

A 6-foot-1 guard, McCollum averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game over the 30-game regular season.

McCollum was the only player in the conference to finish with more than 20 points a game and was in the top 10 in the MCC in all five of the above categories.  In addition to leading in scoring (#6 in the country), McCollum also led the MCC in steals (4th in the nation).  From the guard spot, McCollum was also second in blocks (#12 in country) and fifth in rebounding.

“E is obviously one of a kind,” said head coach Gary Chupp.  “It has been a pleasure, not only having the opportunity to coach him, but also to be a fan and watch what he was able to accomplish night in and night out.  The thing that I appreciate most about E is how he carried himself off the floor.  He is a young man that has always had his priorities straight, and he has had an unbelievable influence on our younger guys.”

Having clearly asserted himself as one of the best offensive players in the conference over the last four years, McCollum took his all around game to the next level this season.  His athleticism and quickness caused fits to opponents and opposing coaches recognized his work putting McCollum on the MCC All Defensive Team.

McCollum broke the single season (795) and career (2,789) Goshen College scoring records during his senior campaign.

#15 Nate West Jr.

Also recognized by MCC coaches this weekend was McCollum’s long-time teammate Nate West Jr.  West played with McCollum for four years at Goshen after standout careers together at Canton GlenOak High School.

A 6-foot-4 forward, West Jr. was picked All MCC Honorable Mention after averaging 8.3 points and 6.2 rebounds a night.  A vital part of the Maple Leafs high-pressured defense, it was West’s first All MCC selection at Goshen.

The Leafs begin the MCC Tournament on Wednesday as they head to fourth-seeded University of Saint Francis.

Nominate a Champion of Character

Dr. Roman Gingerich

2009 Recipients: Lynn Williams (‘60) and Marty Kelley (‘71)
2008 Recipients: John Ingold (‘59) and Trinda Bishop (‘69)
2007 Recipients: Henry Zehr (‘78) and Sue Conrad (‘92)
2006 Recipients: Don Jantzi (‘72) and Sally Hunsberger (‘86)

In order to recognize and honor those individuals who have gone on to exemplify and demonstrate the core values of Goshen College, the NAIA and the Mennonite Church, the Maple Leafs Athletic Club established the Champions of Character Awards in 2006.

Each year one woman receives the Dr. Ruth Gunden Award and one man receives the Dr. Roman Gingerich Award.

Dr. Ruth Gunden

The Maple Leafs Athletic Club Board requests nominations for this year’s honorees. Anyone may submit a nomination for either award. In order to be eligible for the award, the nominee must be a former Goshen College student-athlete, manager or trainer. It must have been five years since the completion of their athletic eligibility.

Want to nominate someone for the 2009 Champions of Character awards? Simply fill out the nomination form.

The Champion of Character Core Values:

Respect: Respect is treating yourself and others according to the highest standards of conduct. It implies civilized and gracious behavior to everyone.

Responsibility: Responsibility is being accountable for your actions. This includes making decisions in the areas of Role-modeling, self-control, respect and personal conduct.

Integrity: Honesty is telling the truth by conforming words to our reality, integrity is keeping commitments of conforming reality to our words. Integrity means developing an integrated character that includes,
but goes beyond honesty. It also implies not lying, cheating or stealing.

Sportsmanship: Sportsmanship is a matter of being good (character) and doing right (actions) in sports. Sportsmanship, in essence, is the conduct of educational sports according to the highest standards. Sportsmanship is also called fair play and refers to high standards of justice in the sports setting. Fairness and equity is expected in all contests and relationships. Sportsmanship means conducting athletics, while adhering to the highest principles of respect or civility, responsibility, integrity and justice/fair play.

Servant Leadership: Servant Leadership is putting others first, as we take responsibility for personal and group roles. Leadership implies managing yourself well, becoming a good follower as well as inspiring others to follow you. There is a primary purpose of serving others while striving to become a personal leader. Role modeling is an essential tool to the servant leader who provides a critical service to society with the great gift of a good example.

Goshen College Core Values: Christ-Centered, Passionate Learning, Global Citizenship, Compassionate Peacemaking, and Servant Leadership.

Doug Yoder

UPDATE (2/3): The Elkhart Truth ran a feature on Doug Yoder and the upcoming event.  Check out their website to read the article and see video from the feature.

GOSHEN, Ind. – For the second-straight year, Goshen College head cross country coach Doug Yoder will be hosting an indoor marathon with the purpose of raising funds for charities.

This year, proceeds from the event will be split between Haitian Earthquake Relief and local charity LaCasa, Inc.  With nearly $1,000 raised a year ago, Yoder would love to continue to see the event grow and bring in more than $3,000 this year.

The Second Annual Maple Leafs Indoor Marathon will take place on Saturday, February 27 at the Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center on the campus of Goshen College.  Contestants will complete 204 laps on the 210-meter upstairs track in the venue.

Registration forms are currently being accepted by contacting Yoder at (574) 535-7495 or dougy@goshen.edu.  The cost of to run in the event is $50 if registration is received by January 31 and $60 up to the event date.  The field will be limited to the first 25 paid registered runners.

As part of the Goshen College Athletics program Leaf Relief, all proceeds from the event will go to LaCasa, Inc. and to relief work in Haiti following the recent devastating earthquake.  LaCasa provides housing and other human services for the benefit of Goshen’s low-to-moderate income households.  Some of their programs include: training, counseling and loans for first-time home buyers, community and neighborhood building and organization projects, and immigration and language services.  For more information, visit www.lacasagoshen.org.

Runners will begin their 204 laps at 7:00 a.m. and will have six hours to complete the marathon.  All participants will receive an official Maple Leaf Indoor Marathon shirt and all finishers will get a 2009 Finisher’s Medal. The first two males and two females will be presented with unique awards.

Yoder, however, will once again go beyond the 204-lap threshold.  He will attempt to go even further than his 242 laps (50K) of a year ago and see how many laps he can complete in the event’s six-hour time limit.  Pledges are being accepted for each lap he completes past the marathon distance.

GOSHEN, Ind. – Senior men’s basketball player Errick McCollum II has excited the Goshen College crowd for years with his athleticism and scoring ability.

The all-time leading scorer in Maple Leaf history finally got his chance to display his skills to a national audience as he was featured on ESPN’s Top 10 Plays during Friday’s Sports Center broadcast.

The 6-foot-1 guard had his highlight-reel slam dunk from last week’s game against Grace College on the nation’s leading sports program.  It was the No. 6 highlight of the night as his dunk was right alongside the best from the NBA, NHL, and NCAA DI action.

It has continued to receive national attention since.  In today’s edition of the Elkhart Truth, McCollum was interviewed and discussed the play and the buzz that it has created.

The video has more than 25,000 view (as of 1/19/10) and has been embedded into basketball sites across the country with some hailing it the college basketball dunk of the year, so far.  It has been featured in Slam Online as the Slamaday -- Dunk of the Day, NBC Sports Out of Bounds Blog, Intentionalfoul.com, MidwestSportsFans.com, and several other blog and news related sites.

You can view the dunk  on the Goshen College Athletics YouTube page.

BY THE NUMBERS:

43 – Individual Contest Victories
10 – All Mid-Central College Conference Selections
3 – Event Team Titles
2 – Individual Event Titles
1 – NAIA All American

TOP 10 STORIES OF THE FALL:

Relieve some of the best moments and honors of the fall. Fans on Facebook voted in an online survey for what was the best of the best for the Maple Leafs over the past four and a half months and here are the results. View the top 10 moments of the fall.

SEASON REVIEWS

Volleyball (17-16, 4-4 MCC)
In a year full of ups and downs, Goshen lost twice to conference foe Marian in the Earlham College Classic and once more in Mid-Central Conference play, then rebounded to defeat the Knights in the MCC semifinals and advanced to the first conference championship game in program history. Junior Peni Acayo was named MCC Player of the Year and NAIA First-Team All American. Complete Review

Men’s Soccer (12-7-1, 6-2 MCC)
The Maple Leafs overcame a string of early-season injuries to run off six consecutive wins in September and October, gaining the second seed in the MCC tournament. The campaign ended with a loss to #3 seed Indiana Wesleyan – whom Goshen had defeated a week earlier – in the semifinals. Four players were named to the All MCC First and Second Teams; ten were named NAIA All American Scholar-Athletes. Complete Review

Women’s Soccer (5-11-1, 0-7-1 MCC)
Goshen’s 2009 season started auspiciously, as the team won five of its first eight games. Then the Mid-Central Conference schedule struck, and the Maple Leafs dropped seven straight contests, only salvaging a tie on senior night against Huntington. The team was named an NSCAA All Academic Team for the sixth straight year, and four players were named NAIA All American Scholar-Athletes. Complete Review

Men’s Tennis (5-7, 2-5 MCC)
The Maple Leafs finished 2009 with a 5-7 record, with three losses by a 4-5 tally. The season was highlighted by a 5-4 victory over Bethel, the first win over the Pilots in the 11-year tenure of Goshen coach Stan King. Benjamin Basnet was 13-3 at No. 5 singles, the second-best mark at that position in school history, and advanced to the finals at that position in the MCC tournament. No. 2 singles player Aaron Sutter was named to the All MCC team following the season. Complete Review

Women’s Tennis (4-8, 1-7 MCC)
After some tough early-season losses, Goshen took a four-match winning streak into the season-ending MCC tournament. The Maple Leafs were drawn against No. 1 and No. 2 seeds by virtue of their regular-season performances, and were eliminated on the first day of play with a seventh-place finish. Junior No. 1 singles player Rachel Lanctot was named to the All MCC team. Complete Review

Cross Country
The Maple Leafs battled illness and injury throughout the 2009 campaign. The men’s team saw senior Ben Bouwman take medalist honors in the first two meets before the team was saddled with injuries, finishing sixth in the MCC championship meet. Depth was an issue for the women, who started out similarly strong and finished fifth in the conference meet. Goshen graduates 12 seniors, including two former NAIA National Championship qualifiers, from this year’s team. Complete Review

Men’s Golf
Goshen will hit the links in both semesters of the 2009-10 academic year, with the MCC Championships moving to the spring. Undeterred by the switch, the Maple Leafs played in four matches this fall, where they were led by junior Phil Shenk with a scoring average of 87.25. The 2010 spring season will see the team playing in at least one additional meet before the conference championships. Complete Review

Senior Nate West Jr.

GOSHEN, Ind. – Just weeks after high school teammate Errick McCollum II broke the Goshen College all-time scoring record, senior Nate West Jr. reached a milestone of his own.

The 6-foot, 4-inch forward became the 21st member of the school’s 1,000 point club on Wednesday in the opening game of the Bluffton University Tournament.

West came into the match just three points short of the mark.  He then went over 1,000 points with a layup at the 1:24 mark in the first half of the Goshen win.  He concluded the tournament with 1,015 career points.

West has been the Maple Leafs second leading scorer in each of the last two seasons at 10.3 and 12.2 points a game.

To All Goshen College Maple Leaf Fans:

As we take time off to celebrate this holiday season with our friends and family, we want to take time out to thank you for your support.

To all the parents, friends, alumni, sponsors, professors, staff, and other family members, we wish you a safe and wonderful Christmas and New Year! We hope you enjoy the many blessings of the season with your friends and family.

From our Maple Leaf Family to yours, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Go Leafs!

Junior Cassie Greives

GOSHEN, Ind. – Goshen College women’s basketball junior Cassie Greives is a testament that consistency pays off.

Since the 6-foot post first put on the Maple Leaf uniform as a freshman in 2006, she has been a mainstay in the paint.  In each of her three seasons she has never averaged fewer than 12.7 points and never higher than 13.8.

The consistency paid off for Greives as she became the 11th member of the Lady Leafs to ever reach the 1,000 career points mark Tuesday night.  The Rochester (Ind.) native scored 18 points in a 77-61 road win over Calumet College of St. Joseph’s as the Maple Leafs led wire-to-wire.  She now has 1,006 career points.

Twelve short of the milestone heading into the contest, Greives got her 1,000th career tally on a pair of free throws with 7:14 remaining in the second half.  She also managed to register her fifth double-double of the season as she also grabbed 15 rebounds.

Greives now sits just outside the program’s all-time top 10 list for scorers and is also rapidly moving up the rebounding charts.  Over the weekend, Greives moved into third place all-time in rebounds and currently has 646.  As a sophomore, Greives sets the program’s single season mark with 289 boards.

Congratulations to Cassie Greives, the latest member of the 1,000 point club!

Career Stats

GOSHEN, Ind. – The wait is over.

Since arriving on campus in 2006, senior Errick McCollum II has been on a fast track to becoming the program’s all-time leading scorer.

On Tuesday, he reached that milestone.  A free throw with 1:18 to play in a 82-63 win over NAIA DI #10 Saint Xavier University gave McCollum the Goshen College scoring record.  He finished the night with 24 points and 2,279 career tallies, so far.

The previous record holder Eric Walsh (2,277) graduated in 2006 after an incredible four-year run in a Goshen College uniform. Walsh is still the only Maple Leaf player to ever be named NAIA Third Team All American and was selected to the All Mid-Central College Conference First Team three times.

The name Eric Walsh is littered throughout the Goshen College record book, including the top spot in career points (2,277), rebounds (947), field goals (947), and free throws (788).

McCollum has been putting his name alongside Walsh since his arrival on campus. Coming into his senior season, McCollum had already placed himself second on the program’s scoring charts and less than 300 away from Walsh. He became just the second Maple Leaf ever to reach 2,000 points in the team’s season opener against Indiana University -- South Bend.

A Canton (Ohio) native, McCollum has two of the top three scoring seasons in Goshen history with 732 as a sophomore and 708 as a junior. He has been named NAIA All American Honorable Mention in each of his three seasons. His complete career stats are below.

Follow the game-tracker below:

Game Date – Opponent – Points – Career Total – To Break Record

11/3 – IU South Bend – 21 – 2,015 – 263
11/6 – Holy Cross – 15 – 2,030 – 248
11/7 – Grand View – 25 – 2,055 – 223
11/13 – Walsh – 21 – 2,076 – 202
11/14 – Malone – 21 – 2,097 – 181
11/20 – Hanover – 25 – 2,122 – 156
11/21 – Denison – 28 – 2,150 – 128
11/24 – Ind. Wesleyan – 22 – 2,172 –106
11/28 – Ind. Tech – 17 – 2,189 – 89
12/5 – Bethel – 24 – 2,213 – 65
12/12 – Siena Heights – 28 – 2,241 – 37
12/14 -- Davenport -- 14 -- 2,255 -- 23
12/15 -- Saint Xavier -- 24 -- 2,279 -- broken

Career Stats (as of 12/14)

GOSHEN, Ind. – While many college student are looking forward to the Christmas break as a time to catch up on sleep and visit with family and friends, the student-athletes of Goshen College have a much bigger goal, raising money to fund a Well and provide fresh water for an entire village in Africa.

Teaming with The Water Project, a non-profit organization committed to providing clean water to those who need it most, the Maple Leafs are hoping to raise enough money to buy a community its own well.

Through a fundraising opportunity with ESPN the Magazine, student-athletes are selling magazine subscriptions to raise money for this well.  With each subscription – $40 for two years of ESPN the Magazine – the Maple Leafs will get back $30 toward the project.  With a goal to raise $4500 to pay for the Well, that’s only 150 subscriptions.

As you consider what gifts you’re giving this Christmas, consider giving a gift that also gives the gift of life to others.  By ordering ESPN the Magazine through the Maple Leafs, not only will they receive a two year subscription to a great sports magazine, but you’ll also be a part of something that will change the lives of an entire community.

To order a two year subscription for only $40:

1. By mail: Download and complete an ESPN order form and mail to:
Goshen College Athletics
1700 South Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526

2. By Credit Card: Complete the order process on the ESPN site.  Note: For security reasons, you will need to create a login account when ordering by credit card

For more information on The Water Project, visit their website. The Water poject is also on Twitter, Facebook,  you can view photos of completed projects on Flickr, and videos on Youtube.

The project is the latest in a series entitled Leaf Relief,  a part of Maple Leaf Athletics that seeks to make a difference both internationally and in the local community through participation in service projects, raising awareness of important causes and raising funds for various projects.

For more information of Leaf Relief and Maple Leaf Athletics, visit the Leaf Relief page of GoLeafs or contact Athletics Director Tim Demant at tdemant@goshen.edu or at (575) 535-7491.