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Extending class times sparks semester debate

Keiko Miller named Educator of the Year

Opinion: Economy prompts seniors to prepare

2010-11 athletic year one for the ages

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NEWS
Federici noted that even most graduate classes are not that long. Mercyhurst has been out of compliance with the required 42 hours per class for at least three years, but prior to applying for university status, the PDE did not notify the college of this, Vice President for Academic Affairs Phil Belore, Ph.D., said. Even if the college was not applying for university status, the number of contact hours would change. Once aware we are out of compliance, we would want to change, Belore said. To be in compliance with hours, classes should meet for the required time, even though faculty will be more tempted to let their classes out early, Federici said. Class times will not change for fall term. We couldnt do it in the fall, Belore said. Syllabi were already set. Students were already registered. It wouldnt be fair. The contact hour change is simply a solution for winter and spring terms of this year. I dont see it as a long-term solution, Belore said. Lets just do it this way for now and think of better solutions. One down side of this change, according to Belore, is that it makes the day longer. Classes will end at 4:10 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and at 5:10 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This is a change from 3:20 and 4:10 respectively. The later ending to the day interferes with athletics and extracurricular activities, Belore said. Other possible solutions to solve the contact hour issue without extending the day include extending the school year, reducing reading days, making breaks shorter and adding course activities that are outside of class time. These required activities could include case studies, speaker series or interactive online assignments such as blogging, Belore said. I think compared to some of the other solutions, extending class time would probably be the best choice, junior Danielle Vaccaro said. Junior Brady Greenawalt agreed. I wouldnt really mind staying in class for a few extra minutes, but cutting into our Christmas and summer breaks would certainly be annoying, he said. I feel like we already dont have very many reading days as it is, so if they were reduced there would practically be no reading days left. The trimester system is a large factor for the colleges contact hours being short of the requirement. The trimester is what really gets us to this point, Belore said. If we went to semesters there would be very little issue with contact hours. Federici favors switching to semesters because students do not have to digest as much information at once and semesters would allow for shorter class times. No other college or university in Pennsylvania, besides Mercyhurst, is on the trimester system, accord-

September 7, 2011

Extending class times sparks semester debate

By Kelly Luoma
Editor-in-chief
Longer class times are in store for Mercyhurst College students when the winter term begins. The college administration learned its class contact hours were out of compliance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in early July. To comply with these standards, the colleges class contact hours will change for winter and spring terms of the 2011-12 academic year. Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes will be 10 minutes longer each day. Tuesday and Thursday classes will be 15 minutes longer. Although 15 minutes might not seem that much longer, Political Science Department Chair Michael Federici, Ph.D., pointed out that a Tuesday/Thursday class will be two hours and 10 minutes long, which is absurdly long for an undergraduate class, he said. ing to Federici. Theres probably a good reason for that, he said. Semesters seem like the simple solution, but students may not favor this option. If adding 10 minutes to my class could keep the trimester system at Mercyhurst, I will gladly go to class for a few minutes longer, Vaccaro said. I think changing to semesters would take away one of the things that makes Mercyhurst academics unique and steer away students who enjoy focusing on only a few classes. Greenawalt was more willing to part with trimesters. I have always preferred Mercyhursts trimester system to the standard semester system, but if it would mean keeping our breaks and reading days, I wouldnt be opposed to switching to semesters, he said. The college council will meet in the fall to discuss the best way to comply with the required contact hours.

Larceny Tuesday, Aug. 2 Larceny Monday, Aug. 22 Burglary Monday, Aug. 22 Larceny Thursday, Aug. 25 Sexual assault/ harassment Monday, Aug. 29

Weber Hall Case closed Lewis Avenue Case closed Lewis Avenue Case closed Lewis Avenue Case closed Rec Center Case closed

Intelligence grad program now offered to public

By Mike Gallagher
Staff writer
The Mercyhurst College Institute for Intelligence Studies (MCIIS) graduate level counterintelligence certicate, which is part of the larger Applied Intelligence Certicate offered at Mercyhurst since 2004, will now be accessible to all qualied individuals in the Washington D.C. area. The certicate will no longer be restricted to employees of corporate partners as it was in the past. The course description for the graduate certicate in counterintelligence says that the certicate is designed to prepare students to identify and evaluate foreign security intelligence threats and espionage organizationstheir objectives, their structure and their techniques for collection and analysis. Linda Bremmer, the coordinator for all students and faculty participating in the graduate certicate programs at MCIIS, said that the program was initially requested by, designed for, and offered solely to Booz Allen Hamilton Inc. employees in 2004. However, the program was so popular that it was soon requested by other companies, which resulted in

Aug 2 - 29, 2011

expansion of the program to Systems Research and Applications Corporation (SRA) and Northrop Grumman. Bremmer explained that the program will serve many more working professionals due to its expansion outside the college itself. She pointed out that these counterintelligence classes will be a blended offering, with some of the courses offered online. Bremmer added that the online component allows students to have instructors from all over the world. Many people take these classes just because of the instructors. They are very well known and widely respected professionals, and what we teach is something that can be transferred to many different and diverse elds and applications, not just national security, Bremmer said. A certicate in counterintelligence is awarded upon the successful completion of three courses: The Evolution of Counterintelligence, Counterintelligence Events and Concepts, and Counterespionage and Policy Making. Each course costs $1,926, which is similar to what a graduate would pay for a course at Mercyhurst. Bremmer said that to date, we have had 420 students graduate from the intel certicate program since 2004.

September 7, 2011

NEWS

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New recycling machines lead to points, rewards

By Stacy Skiavo
Staff writer
The Green Team has installed machines around campus in order to make recycling easier, more fun and rewarding for students and faculty alike this year. Dream Machines were installed at the pavilion between Briggs and Lewis avenues, as well as in the lower level of the Herrmann Student Union. The program is a collaboration of Waste Management, Keeping America Beautiful and Pepsi Co. These organizations have been working together with businesses, universities and communities to bring the recycling machines to varrious places. We started the conversation with help from Parkhurst Dining Services back in December of 2010 and were able to nally install two Dream Machines on the Mercyhurst Campus at the end of July 2011, Sustainability Coordinator Brittany Prischak said. If the two machines are successful, additional machines will be considered for campus. The North East campus also has the potential of installing the machines if they are seen to be productive. I really like that Mercyhurst is continuing to get involved in being green. The machines were a great idea to keep everyone recycling, junior Kylie McCormick said. For now, the machines only accept aluminum cans and plastic, but in the future they may accept glass or steel cans. Students can also benet from recycling their goods with the points system that the machine provides. Each items UPC bar code recycled is worth one to ve points, and these points can be redeemed for coupons. In order to earn points, students have to register and pick up a member card, where the points will be automatically registered. In order to acquire points, each item must be scanned prior to depositing it. Registering is not required for one to recycle, but members have

New building on track to open for fall 2012

The Center for Academic Engagement is on track to be nished in August 2012 and ready for the 2012-13 academic school year. The plan is still as it was in the spring, Vice President for Academic Affairs Phil Belore, Ph.D., said. Hospitality management, intelligence studies, the Center for Applied Politics and the Evelyn Lincoln Ethics Institute will move into the new building. It will also have computer labs, a boardroom, a reception area, a caf and kitchens. We arent sure what will be moving into the current Intel buildingit might be interior design, Belore said. As can be seen when walking around campus, construction of the building has begun. Over the summer the foundation was put in, along with the walls and the elevator shaft from the ground to the rst oors. When the main elevator shaft is done, people will be able to get a sense of how tall the building will be, Vice President for Advancement David Livingston, Ph.D., said. The exoskeleton for the building will be done during the fall term.

People can earn coupons by recycling with the new machines, located at the pavilion between Briggs and Lewis avenues.
the option of printing their receipts for the redeemable code to get their points. Currently the machines are out of member cards, but they can be picked up either in the sustainability ofce in Egan 305 or in the lower level of the Student Union. Green Team Leader Chris Magoc, Ph.D., said, By offering incentives to students, faculty and staff for recycling their cans and bottles, the Dream Machine program represents a tremendous opportunity for Mercyhurst College to increase our recycling rate and reduce the waste stream of the campus. Recyclers can use their recycling points for local discounts and coupons on entertainment, food and travel at greenopolis.com. Each coupon is worth 100 points on the site. Most folks want to recycle, knowing that recycling holds environmental benets and that it is the ethically responsible thing to do. The cash-value rewards of the Dream Machine will serve to augment those more familiar reasons and provide additional, individual motivation for recycling, Magoc said. The program also benets veterans. For each container recycled, Pepsi Co. and Waste Management will donate money to Business Boot Camps for veterans to acquire the skills to open their own business.

Jill Barrile photo

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FEATURES
to nd the desire to learn themselves. Junior Elizabeth Abernathy took Millers Far Eastern Ideographs course based on the use of Chinese calligraphy in the Japanese writing systems. With Keiko-sensei, it is less the how and more the why, which is an interesting take on learning languages, Abernathy said. She forces you to make connections on your own while learning sentence structure and grammar, which allows the student to better understand the reasons behind the language structure in the rst place, added Abernathy. This is a story that is repeated by many students who take her class. Students are engaged in learning and having fun while doing it. Junior Molly Gavin, who also took Far Eastern Ideographs, said, She was kind of relaxed, and you

September 7, 2011

Keiko Miller named Educator of the Year

By Faye Clark
Staff writer
Keiko Miller, associate professor of World Languages and Cultures, will be receiving the Educator of the Year award from the Pennsylvania State Modern Languages Association (PSMLA). Miller, known as Keiko-sensei to her students, has been teaching Japanese language and culture at Mercyhurst College for 23 years, as well as volunteering in the community with English as a Second Language in Head Start, Literacy and Adult Education Programs throughout her career. As a teacher of the foreign languages, I get a joy when I see students engaged, Miller said. Millers teaching philosophy is centered on authenticity, guiding students in a way that allows them could tell she really enjoyed what she did, so she made it easier for the rest of us to become enthusiastic. Many students not only learn the Japanese language from Miller, but they also enjoy her stories about growing up in Japan. I feel that in modern times we dont have the kind of struggle that we used to have, so when the student comes in to learn a language, you have to create a medium space for them to have some kind of bodily struggle, Miller said. When asked about receiving this honor, Miller said, I am completely surprised by this award because I dont have any expectation for what I do, but when I see the task complete that I was part of that, then I feel rewarded. Miller will receive this award on Oct. 21 during the PSMLA conference at State College.

Keiko Miller will be receiving the Educator of the Year award from the PSMLA in October.

Jill Barrile photo

Freshman Danielle Carlson: Adjusting to college life

By Liz Zurasky
Features editor
Freshman year is a tough adjustment period for any person entering college. Everyone can remember a difcult situation that they might have dealt with for the rst time in their rst year of school. It can be a very confusing experience, but freshman Danielle Carlson seems to be handling it quite well. Carlson is from Ridgway Pennsylvania, and is studying music education with a concentration in percussion. She chose Mercyhurst because of the scholarships she received and because of outside advice from her friends. I auditioned and was accepted at Mercyhurst, Edinboro, Penn State University and West Virginia University. Scholarship money was denitely a main decision factor for me, Carlson said. When she arrived on campus, Carlson said she felt very welcome at Mercyhurst because of the RAs and other welcome week helpers that really strive to make a freshman feel part of the community. Feeling at home and comfortable is a good way to prevent homesickness, which can be quite an issue for college freshmen. According to collegeoutlook. net, one in two college freshmen will experience homesickness, a fact that most upperclassmen know well. When asked about her feelings about being away from home, she said, I like being away from home. Im used to traveling because of different musical competitions throughout high school so homesickness really hasnt been an issue so far. Carlson, like many others, is also enjoying the bigger city feeling of Erie. Ridgway is much more of a rural area. The closest attraction is fteen minutes away, and thats Walmart. With the rst week of classes under her belt, Carlson is enjoying the academics provided at Mercyhurst. I really like the small class sizes. One-on-one attention is a great thing. I also like the trimester system. Another perk of Mercyhurst, according to Carlson, is the music department. Most of the faculty is there for you, and their door is almost always open. They will try their hardest to make whatever you want to happen, happen, she said. Carlsons future plans involve eventually obtaining her doctorate in music education. With the help of the college community and the excellent academics at Mercyhurst, Carlson is denitely on her way to reaching this goal.

Five things every college student should have:

1. A 4 GB ash drive 2. A reusable coffee mug and water bottle 3. A hard laptop case 4. A detailed planner 5. Winter boots and rain boots
Source: lavendersbluee.blogspot.com

September 7, 2011

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

On Screen/In Person series that runs in conjunction to the Guelcher Film Series. This series is composed of six movies throughout the year, in which someone who was involved with production of the lm in question will come to the screening for discussion. The rst On Screen/In Person lm is Trust: Second Acts in Young Lives, and it will run on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 2:15 and 7:15 p.m. One great thing that Mercyhurst provides for its students is free and reduced ticket pricing. With a Mercyhurst ID, students can attend the Guelcher Film Series as well as all performances in Walker Recital Hall for free and the PACs various other performances for a price ranging from $1 to $15. With 15 performances in the PAC series alone, this year is one full of music and dance. Take advantage of the opportunity that this center of creative activity provides.

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A&E season promises something for everyone

By Alexandra Stacey
A&E editor
If you are a lover of the arts, Mercyhurst College is indeed the place. With an exciting season scheduled at the Mary DAngelo Performing Arts Center (PAC), a new addition to the popular Guelcher Film Series, a new year in the Met Opera HD Live series and dozens of performances coming from the dance and music departments, there are always shows to be seen. The season includes something for every preference. Acts range from classical music and dance, to jazz and blues, to cutting-edge contemporary performances. Some highlights this year include the ever popular Yamato, the renown Paul Taylor Dance Company and the Grammy award-winning Robert Cray Band. One new and exciting addition to the PAC program this year is the

File photo by Tyler Stauffer

Yamato returns to Mercyhurst to perform its new, exciting program Gamushara. Yamato is the most popular show performed at the PAC and usually plays to sold out crowds.

Trust opens On Screen/In Person program

By Alaina Rydzewski
Managing editor
Trust: Second Acts in Young Lives, is the rst lm to be shown in the Guelcher Film Series and the rst lm to be in the On Screen/In Person program. The Mary DAngelo Performing Arts Center (PAC) was chosen out of 250 applicants to be a venue for a new program from the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation called On Screen/In Person. According to the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation funds programs in the Mid Atlantic region in order to provide richness and diversity within the regions resources and to promote access to a wider range of people. The foundation worked closely with PAC Director Michael Fuhrman to select the six movies that the PAC will be screening this year. Two will be shown each term. This program and these lms will be benecial to students depending on their interest in participating, Fuhrman said. In addition to screening these movies, the directors and actors will come to Erie when their lm is being shown.Filmmaker Nancy Kelly will visit the Mercyhurst College campus Wednesday, Sept. 7. Having been a student at Mercyhurst College, I think these lms can be transformational. The students are emerging as young adults and are more impressionable. Because of that they will be more open to challenging what they think and feel. That is the purpose of these lms, Fuhrman said. They will only be successful if the faculty and students invest the time, and I believe they can have a tremendous impact. Sophomore Seth Pezar said he will be more likely to go to the lm because of the On Screen/In Person perspective. It is always more interesting to see a lm knowing the director is watching it nearby, he said. Kellys lm Trust follows 18-year-old Marlin, a Honduran immigrant living in Chicago who has undergone many hardships in both Honduras and the United States. Her counselor encourages her to join the Albany Park Theater Project (APTP), a group founded to help underprivileged teens stay out of trouble and to give them emotional support. APTP takes the teens stories and turns them into plays, giving them a second act. This documentary focuses specically on Marlin and the play based on her story, called Remember Me Like This. It documents the struggles Marlin went through simply to be able to tell her story and all that follows, including the characters cast, lines rehearsed and costumes made. APTP is made up of teens between the ages of 13 and 19 who have been through hard times and need a support system. They each have a story, and many of these stories have already been turned into plays. Fifty plays have been put on thus far, with many more to come. These plays help the teenagers deal with what they have been through, transforming them from helpless, adrift children to empowered, emotionally stable young adults. It is an amazing transformation to watch, and seeing and hearing what some of these teens have been through will make you count your blessings and appreciate the life you have. Remember Me Like This ran for seven weeks at APTP to a full house at each showing. Trust: Second Acts in Young Lives will be shown at the PAC today at 2:15 and 8:15 p.m. Tickets are free for Mercyhurst College students.

Online

Discussion, interaction expected from new PAC series

Look for a full calendar of www.merciad.mercyhurst. edu/arts_entertainment A&E events

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OPINION

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

September 7, 2011 September 3, 2008

Mercy care in Somalia needed

By Jaslyne Halter
Contributing writer

Mercyhurst has been working hard on its green efforts. Two recycling Dream Machines were installed over the summer, and the to-go containers in Egan are reusable.

Imagine residing in a rural part of our country, where life revolves around the land that provides everything a heart could desire. Add to this scenario, a terrible drought lasting far too much time, a drought that devastates the entire rural region, ruining the lives of many hard-working men and women. These hardships alone spark tales of woe, but there exists even worse fates for farmers and those who depend on them in some parts of the world. Present in Southern Somalia, Djibouti, parts of Ethiopia and in refugee camps in Kenya exist some

12 million people, equivalent to half the population of Canada, who face death. In Somalia, the number has hit crisis levels, with 4 million at risk as a result of drought and the civil war that plagued the area for so long. The cause of this famine is reportedly a drought, a drought caused by economic turmoil and the worlds problems. Most famines occur in third world countries, where governments mismanage and rob citizens of the fruits of their labors. However, in the case of Southern Somalia, they must cope with an infestation of private armies and militias that prevent the rural Somalian citizens access to basic necessities like food, water and shelter. In the cities, people can eat

canned food and a range of other food products, but for farmers in East Africa, the normal foods are lentils and the bread made out of local grains. If the grain crop is destroyed by drought, locusts or undue human intervention, the Somalian people lose their main foodstuff. The nomadic cattle ranchers have their own herds, and the livestock die for lack of pasture, are stolen or have to be sold, ruining their livelihood. The biggest question that I have is why is it that relief efforts arent being publicized? Yes, I am aware that Somalia just ended a war, but did we not as Americans ask for help throughout history, help that was always granted? Much still needs doing to aid

the Somalians, much that we may do. Though there are organizations such as Samaritans Purse and World Vision, what are we as a Mercy College doing to promote awareness of these devastating circumstances? As a school focusing on Mercy, are we not supposed to be Socially Merciful, Globally Responsible, Compassionately Hospitable, Intellectually Creative and Reectively Aware? Are we not locally recognized as Ambassadors of Service? Although I am new to campus, I issue a challenge to anyone interested in contributing to this cause. I rmly believe that we, as a community, can come together as one and make a difference.

Penn State is now a dry campus, and Behrend will be dry as of fall 2012. Lets hope this policy doesnt spread to any other college campuses.

Economy prompts seniors to prepare

By Katie Vogtle
Staff writer

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.

Editors Kelly Luoma Alaina Rydzewski Liz Zurasky Caitlin Handerhan Spencer Hunt Alex Stacey Chrissy Mihalic Kaitlin Badger Jill Barrile Ethan Johns Max Rivera Bill Welch Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad News Editor newsmerciad Features Editor featuremerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Sports Editor sportsmerciad A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Graphics photomerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Web Editor ejohns89 Ad Manager admerciad Adviser wwelch

Erie city government strikes again. Briggs Avenue is closed for two days this week and again next week to repave it. Couldnt this have been done over the summer? With an entire street closed, an underground garage closed and a parking lot closed, where will students park?
Please e-mail any suggestions to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Friday morning, the Department of Labor released its much-anticipated monthly job report. The results were sobering. For the rst time in a year, there was zero job growth reported for the month of August, and unemployment remains at 9.1 percent. Further information presented by NPR revealed that 40 percent of those who are unemployed have been so for 27 weeks or more. As college students, we live in a bubble. In a pinch, we would all be able to go weeks without leaving campus. Yet outside the wrought-iron gates, the American way of life continues to be shaped, for better or worse. Are we prepared to enter it? When the bubble is effectively popped at graduation, and we are fully exposed to the chang of the world, outside the protective circle of academia, will we be able to handle it? I am a senior this year. For the class of 2012 and me, the bubble will pop in a few short months. With this in mind, we look at the job market, the recessed economy, the piddling of our government representatives, the fading hope of retirement and the dissolving of the middle class. We look at the state of America and wonder what we are inheriting and how we can ever possibly hope to x it. Americans need to wake up and start taking responsibility. I am beginning to think that the Mayans, in some insane stroke of foresight, were correct: that a new age is approaching, because humanity cannot possibly hope to sustain itself as it exists today. When the Sisters of Mercy founded Mercyhurst College, they wove into it their core values, including those of being socially merciful and globally responsible. In attending Mercyhurst, we have also signied that we believe and are willing to act out these values. In the 21st century, the values of the Sisters of Mercy desperately require application, and it is our responsibility to do so.

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst College. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376. The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

September 7, 2011

Sports

Page 7
play against a familiar foe, C.W. Post. Mercyhurst had lost the previous two meetings against C.W. Post, but this time things were different. The second Post game everyone was loose and ready to play. We scored quick, and it changed the momentum right away and that was huge for us, junior Kyle Kallay said. Kallay was right. The Lakers beat C.W. Post 14-4, making a statement that they werent to be taken lightly. It absolutely was a statement game. Not many people gave us a chance going into that game, Ryan said. The Lakers then knocked off Adelphi on May 29 in a thrilling 9-8 battle on, for the right to call themselves National Champions. The hallmark of last years team was that a different guy stepped up every game right when we needed them. Looking back, thats the sign of a great team, Ryan said. Helping the team along the way was massive support from Mercyhurst fans. Laker fans packed the stands for the title game. The support was huge for us, Kallay said. The team would like to thank the Advancement Ofce for setting up and running the tailgate and representing Mercyhurst with the highest quality, Ryan added.

Mens lacrosse wins 2011 National Championship

By Spencer Hunt
Sports editor
In most sports, a 13-1 record would earn an at-large bid to an NCAA tournament. However, the 2009-10 Mercyhurst lacrosse team found out the hard way that this isnt always the case. Last year, the Lakers returned a number of key players from that 131 squad and set out to make up their post-season snub. Mercyhurst shot out of the gate with four victories to start off the 2011 Spring season. The team then faced their rst setback, losing to an unranked Chestnut Hill team. Just like that, the Lakers could not better their 13-1 mark from the previous year and were on the outside looking in at the NCAA tournament. The 2010-11 team was on pace to be the rst team in Coach Chris Ryans tenure to not make the postseason. I viewed that as unacceptable. I take that personally, and we recruit under the tradition that we will get the opportunity to play in the postseason, Ryan said. The team went back to work, reeling off four straight wins with two coming over ranked opponents. The

Sports Information photo

Mens lacrosse are the 2011 Division II Lacrosse National Champions. The Lakers won a thrilling 9-8 title game over Adelphi on May 29. Junior Ian Wild scored four goals and was named the games most outstanding player.
Lakers then faced one of the biggest challenges of the year: defending champion C.W. Post on the road. The Lakers fought hard but fell 4-3, their second loss of the season. The rst Post game was a condence boost. We began to believe we were one of the best teams in Division II, Ryan said. Sure enough, the Lakers went back to playing as one of the best teams in Division II. They nished off the season on a ve game winning streak, including a landmark victory over then number one Limestone. The team capped off the regular season with a 12-2 record. The 12-2 mark was enough to lift the Lakers into the NCAA tournament. Mercyhurst began postseason

Football hopes to repeat as PSAC West champs

By Spencer Hunt
Sports editor
The Mercyhurst football program is defending the PSAC Championship for the rst time. The Lakers enter the season coming off of a 10-3 campaign with the 10-win total as a program rst. But following up the stellar 2010 season may be a daunting task. A look at the roster shows numerous reasons to think the Lakers may have a hard time getting back to the PSAC pinnacle. The team returns with only four starters on a defense that many considered the backbone of the team. Laker graduates, Bryan Boyce, who was PSAC west defensive player of the year, and Fred Hale, who was rst team ALL-PSAC defensive Coon, who nished second in receiving yards last season. Despite the losses on both sides of the ball, the Lakers are still condent heading into 2011. This is a brand new team, and we just want to play hard. We had a great camp and are happy with who we have here, Coach Marty Schaetzle said. We arent necessarily going to replace guys, but people will emerge and make plays and get better. The Lakers quarterback Travis Rearick, who set the school record for passing yards for a season will return to the eld as a 5th-year senior. Rearicks leadership and experience will be tested early and often with a young group of receivers and running backs around him. Taking some of the burden away from Rearick is receiver and return

Jill Barrile photo

Sophomore Ricky Mathews rushed for 92 yards in his rst collegiate start, helping the Lakers to a 24-23 victory.
end, left two tough holes to ll. On offense, graduation left the team without 1,300-yard running back Gerald Anderson. Adding to the challenge is the academic ineligibility of sophomore Terrence

man Trevor Kennedy. He is a preseason rst-team All-American selection and will be the most experienced receiver. On defense, the Lakers return arguably their most important part, senior linebacker Ian Wild. Wild, a two-sport star, will take over Boyces role in the middle of the defense. We will move him around and play with the best personnel possible, Schaetzle said. Wilds ability has never been questioned, and the defense will rely on him to be the leader. The new position took some getting used to, but I feel like I am making a smooth transition. We can control what we do, and thats all that matters, Wild said regarding the new season.

For more of the story, please go to merciad.mercyhurst.edu/sports.

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Sports
Womens Frozen Four at nearby Tullio Arena. The football team won the PSAC West and hosted its rst ever NCAA playoff game. The baseball team won the PSAC conference tournament and went deep into the NCAA playoffs. To top off the year for Mercyhurst, the mens lacrosse team won the Division II National Championship. With mens and womens hockey being the only two Division I programs it is even more difcult to bring recognition to the year Laker athletes had. The football team set the tone with two program rsts, a 10-win season and a PSAC Championship. Led by 1,300-yard running back Gerald Anderson and PSAC West defensive player of the year Bryan Boyce, the Lakers knocked off three-ranked opponents before losing in the NCAA Quarternals. The trend continued with mens soccer landing the top spot in the Atlantic Region with a 13-3 overall record. Christoph Hampel was the rst Laker since 2006 to be named to the Division II All-America Team. Arash Fahandezh, Alex Mane and Hampel were named rst team All-Atlantic Region. The Lakers werent done in the fall. Senior Andy Sekulski, mens water polo, was named the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Player of the Year. The team nished with an 18-10 record, the most victories in program history. Despite the snowy winter that swept over Erie, nothing could cool off the Lakers. Mens basketball began the season 8-1. Enjoying an 11-game winning streak, the Lakers nished the season with a 20-7 record. Coach Gary Manchel was named Coach of the year, and star Heiden Ratner earned All-PSAC honors and was named to the NABC Atlantic rst team. Continuing the trend was womens hockey. Heading into the season, expectations were high with the Frozen Four coming to Erie. The Lakers responded with a 29-6 record, while going undefeated in conference and capturing the CHA title. Senior captain Meghan Agosta broke the NCAA record for goals in a career and was a Patty Kazmaier nalist for a record fourth time. Despite not making the Frozen Four, it was another dominant season for the team. The beginning of the year was excellent, but the best was yet to come. The softball team posted their best season since 1991. With the addition of Samantha Eimers, AllPSAC rst team, the team nished with a 24-20 mark despite 32 games on the road. Eimers was one of many Mercyhurst women to make rst team in their respective conferences in the spring. Joining her were womens

September 7, 2011

2010-11 athletic year one for the ages

By Spencer Hunt
Sports editor
Mercyhurst is known nationally for having one of the top intelligence studies programs in the country. One thing not commonly associated with Mercyhurst is dominant athletics. Until last year, there were a handful of solid teams from year to year, but not across the board. That all changed during the 2010-11 athletic year. Sixteen Mercyhurst teams made their respective league playoffs while six coaches were named Coach of the Year winners. These numbers do not even include countless rst team all-conference winners. By all accounts, the 2010-11 athletic year was one of the best in school history. Mercyhurst hosted the 2011 lacrosse players Kimberly Masterton, Ally Keirn and Maggie Yackel; tennis star Kim Ezzo; and water polos Rachel Griepsma. There were also numerous second and third team selections across each sport. The men nished the year equally as decorated. Baseball nished with a program best 42 victories, earning coach Joe Spano Coach of the Year honors. The mens lacrosse team provided a tting end to an amazing year: the Division II National Championship.

Former basketball player dies

Former Mercyhurst College basketball player T.J. Mathis was shot and killed Sept. 3, in New Haven, Conn. Mathis played two seasons for the Lakers. He averaged 13.5 points his senior season.