Thanks to a strong
commitment by the board of trustees and the generosity of alumni and friends, Monmouth’s athletes enjoy training, practice and game facilities that are among the finest in the nation for a Division III college. Such advantages have helped Monmouth rise to national prominence in football, men’s and women’s track, men’s golf and water polo. Several programs are on the verge of joining them.
With a football program that goes back to 1888, and a baseball team that goes back even farther, athletics at Monmouth College have a rich and storied history. But, what have Fighting Scots teams done lately? Quite a lot!
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Enthusiasm for Fighting Scots athletics continues to rise. A talented marching band now joins the Pipe Band in thrilling the crowd at football games, where a lively new mascot named Big Red is part of the festivities. We hope you’ll want to learn more about why “It’s great to be a Scot.”
Football . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Track & Field. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Aquatics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Volleyball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Basketball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Soccer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
M ore than 400 students are active
in varsity athletics, while many more participate in club sports, intramurals and physical activities such as cheerleading and dance squad.
Baseball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Golf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cross Country. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Tennis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Softball. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
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“Being a student-athlete opens the door to leadership opportunities because of the experienc you gain from interaction with your peers. As a student, I was able to expand my intellect while also stepping into leadership roles such as president of the Coalition for Ethnic Awareness and a founding father, recruitment chair and president of my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta. I was then able to transfer my leadership abilities to the athletic field.� DeMarkco Butler Leadership Consultant Phi Delta Theta
2011 Led by record-setting quarterback Alex Tanney, the Fighting Scots won
their third conference championship in four seasons. Tanney completed his career with an all-divisions record 157 touchdown passes. 2009 Monmouth captured their second straight Midwest Conference football title with another 10-0 regular season. Quarterback Alex Tanney won the Melberger Award, which is presented to the top football player in Division III. He passed for 3,856 yards and 44 TDs and helped the Scots rise as high as No. 8 in the national rankings.
2008 After a 10-0 regular season, the
Fighting Scots football team won its first-ever postseason game, defeating Aurora 42-13 to advance to the second round of the NCAA playoffs.
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Football
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ne of the college’s oldest and most high-profile athletic programs is also one of its most successful. The Fighting Scots rolled to 10-0 regular season records in 2008 and 2009, the latter year led by the top player in Division III football, quarterback Alex Tanney, who was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2013. A $4.2 million stadium renovation project began in 2008 and was completed in 2010 when a state-of-the-art video scoreboard was erected. Improvements also included the installation of a synthetic turf field and lights, as well as the construction of a press box and new home and visitor seating. Monmouth hosted NCAA football playoff games at the stadium in 2008 and 2009. The field is named for Bobby Woll, a 1934 graduate and legendary coach, who is the only Monmouth football player to have his jersey number retired.
Monmouth football players also excel off the field. Former standout Scots quarterback Mitch Tanney, a 2006 summa cum laude graduate, made it to the NFL, but not in the conventional way. After earning his MBA, he was hired by the Chicago Bears to fill the newly-created position of director of analytics. He analyzes data to generate reports for individual game situations, scouting and player development. p hoto
by geo r ge ha r tmann
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“Monmouth College athletics give you an overall advantage because you are given ample opportunity to improve. When I was in high school, I never would have dreamed of being champion of anything, especially at the college level.” Tyler Hannam 2010 NCAA Division III High Jump Champion
Track & Field Monmouth’s track teams have
won a staggering 53 of the past 57 indoor and outdoor conference championships while the coaching staff has received national accolades. In 2007 Roger Haynes was named the Men’s National Coach of the Year while throws coach Brian Woodard was named the Women’s Indoor National Assistant Coach of the Year in 2013.
men’s: By all standards of measure, the men’s track and field program at Monmouth has enjoyed amazing success. Since 2005, Fighting Scots athletes have won seven national titles individually, and the team placed third nationally in 2007 and second in 2008. 6
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women’s: With All-American athletes in 17 of the past 20 seasons, as well as MWC team titles every year since 1999, women’s track and field at Monmouth is one of the top programs in the nation.
2013 Throws coach Brian Woodard was named the Women’s National Assistant Coach of the Year.
Long jumper James Wilson won the national indoor title.
2010 By coming within a half-inch of high jumping seven feet, Tyler Hannam brought home yet
another national championship for the men’s track team, helping the Fighting Scots place 10th in the nation.
2008 Pole vaulter Jonny Henkins cap-
tured not one, but two NCAA individual titles, winning his event at both the indoor and outdoor national championships.
The men’s team improved on their third place national finish outdoors in 2007, placing second at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships.
2007 Peter Sprecher won the national
championship in the outdoor pole vault, helping the Scots bring home the third place team trophy from the NCAA meet.
Roger Haynes earned the National Men’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year Award from the USTFCCCA.
2005 Zach Barr and Blake Boma
brought home national championships from the NCAA meet. Barr placed first in the steeplechase, while Boma claimed the 400-meter hurdles crown.
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“The leadership and team building experiences I had on the swim team set me up for success as president of the student body and of my fraternity. As I pursue my professional career, I know the skills I acquired through varsity athletics will help to distinguish me in today’s competitive work environment.” JOHN KAISER Student Laureate of Lincoln Academy all-district V swim team member
Aquatics
men’s: The men have continued to make a splash since the program was reinstated in 2004. The Scots have crowned an individual or relay conference champion 18 times since 2004. Women’s: Women’s competitive swimming debuted in 2004 and the women have since crowned a trio of individual conference champions. In 2012, the team earned their highest conference finish in the history of the program, placing third. 2013 Water polo was elevated to varsity status for both men and women.
2012 While still a club sport, men’s water polo won the Division III National Club title, defeating Washington University in overtime.
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Volleyball
Basketball
Men’s: The action is heating up in Glennie Gymnasium. Men’s basketball has multiple NCAA tournament appearances, making it one of the most storied programs in the annals of Fighting Scots athletics.
Women’s: The women have instituted an up-tempo, defensive-minded style and used that to earn their first NCAA Tournament berth in 2012. In the 201213 season, the Scots earned their first national ranking in program history and set the program record for wins.
The Huff Athletic Center, which opened in 2003, is a facility that serves the fitness and recreational needs of the entire campus community. The $22 million, 155,000-square-foot complex is built around the college’s original 1925 gymnasium and Glennie Gymnasium, constructed in 1983. The Pepper Natatorium features an eight-lane competition pool, a steam room and a sauna. The adjoining fieldhouse has a 200-meter track and four multi-use courts. The infield space accommodates jumping and throwing events for track and a dual tunnel batting cage for baseball and softball. The Trotter Fitness Complex boasts the latest cardio/aerobic machines, free weights, a rockclimbing wall and an aerobics/dance studio.
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Soccer Men’s: Monmouth was ahead of many of its Midwestern peers, fielding competitive teams back in the early 1970s. Well-organized defensively, the current Scots are looking for some offensive firepower to help them return to the NCAA tournament.
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Women’s: Since 2003, the Scots have been regular challengers for the Midwest Conference playoffs, and they captured postseason berths in 2010 and 2012. The squad regularly features nearly a dozen players who earned All-Sectional honors in high school.
“Monmouth gave me an opportunity to continue my love for soccer while strengthening my academic interest in the sciences through the physics department. The hard work and dedication that I have developed on the field translates into the classroom as I continue my education. Although I came to Monmouth for the strong academics, I found I was also able to participate in my sport at a highly competitive level.” MOLLY BALL Women’s Soccer Academic All-Midwest Conference
Baseball In 2000, the Fighting Scots opened the gates on a new state-of-the-art baseball and soccer facility. The $1.3 million addition to Monmouth’s sports complexes were the result of a generous donation from a longtime Scots supporter. Simply put, the baseball Scots’ home is a gem. Rainouts are nearly unheard of at Glasgow Field thanks to an excellent draining design which allows the field to be playable when other fields aren’t. It’s a great experience for fans, too, which includes plenty of baseline seating in addition to several different vistas from the hills in the outfield.
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he Fighting Scots play on one of the top diamonds in the Midwest, Glasgow Field. One of the oldest sports at Monmouth, the baseball team added a new chapter in 2002 when they won their 12th conference title since 1980 and played host to an NCAA Regional at Glasgow Field.
When it comes to soccer, Peacock Park ranks as one of the top collegiate facilities in the Midwest. The natural turf fields have drawn rave reviews from opposing players, coaches and officials. Maintained by a retired golf course superintendent, the playing surface has the look and feel of a fairway. Both the men’s and women’s programs have their own space allowing for simultaneous practice and games.
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“The nice thing about Monmouth is that they allow and even promote athletes to be part of more than one team. I wouldn’t have been successful in both golf and basketball without the encouragement of my coaches. My experience as a multi-sport athlete at Monmouth will stay with me throughout my life.”
Golf
Lynsey Barnard Two-Time All-American Scholar National Golf Coaches Association All-Midwest Conference in Basketball / Golf
men’s: The Fighting Scots have had three NCAA tournament appearances since 2007 and five Midwest Conference titles since 2002. During that time, two Monmouth players have won medalist honors at the MWC meet. women’s: Serious about golf? Then Monmouth is the place for you. The sport has a strong tradition on campus and in the surrounding community, which embraces competitive golf at all levels. The Scots aren’t far removed from a conference championship, and are looking to regain that form.
The home course of the men’s and women’s golf teams, Gibson Woods Golf Course is located approximately one mile from campus. A par-71, 6,362 yard course from the men’s championship tees, the course features tight, rolling fairways, plenty of timber and just enough sand and water hazards to make each round challenging.
2010 The Fighting Scots men’s golf team
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captured its second straight conference title to earn its second trip to the NCAA tournament in as many years. In 2009 the Scots placed 23rd in the nation.
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Scoring well at Gibson Woods requires accuracy and shot-making ability, two traits that serve the Fighting Scots well when they head to other courses. Gibson Woods was also the site of the 2010 Midwest Conference Cross Country Championships.
Cross Country men’s: The Fighting Scots have regularly competed at a high level in the Midwest Conference, placing in the top three four times since winning the league title in 2006. In 2004, Zach Barr became Monmouth’s first cross country runner to earn All-American status. women’s: One of Monmouth’s fastestrising programs, women’s cross country won its first-ever Midwest Conference title in 2008 and produced its first-ever All-American, Mary Kate Beyer, two years later. The team picked up its second MWC team title in 2012, as five women earned all-conference status.
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Built in 2002, the Monmouth College Tennis Stadium is a $1 million facility located at the northwest corner of the campus. The stadium features six lighted courts, a gazebo and a gallery area for viewing the Fighting Scots.
Tennis
Women’s: The women’s tennis program offers prospective student-athletes the opportunity to compete against some of the top NCAA Division III players. The Scots are looking for talented recruits to help them return to the conference playoffs.
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men’s: The Fighting Scots open their season with indoor home matches in the Huff Athletic Center and finish it outdoors at another impressive venue, the MC Tennis Stadium. Monmouth has had a Midwest Conference singles champion for three straight seasons.
Softball
“Monmouth College provides the perfect balance between education and athletic involvement. Through hard work and dedication, a student athlete has the ability to achieve all their goals. First-rate facilities, successful sports teams and a quality education makes Monmouth College the place to be.” Lauren Bergstresser Softball Academic All-Midwest Conference
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pposing teams have gone home disappointed more often than not since 2008, as Monmouth’s hard-hitting teams have won the majority of their games at their home venue. The former baseball diamond, located just west of April Zorn Memorial Stadium, received a facelift and was transformed into the new home of the Fighting Scots softball team. Improvements, including new dugouts, have occurred nearly every year, and the latest is a new warning track and fence in the outfield, installed following the 2010 season.
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Office of Admissions 700 East Broadway Monmouth IL 61462-1998 800-747-2687 or 309-457-2131 admissions@monmouthcollege.edu www.monmouthcollege.edu Monmouth College admits students of any race, color, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to Monmouth students.
Photog r a p h y: S cott S p it z e r 10/2013