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Track To Compete at Championships

The Houghton Highlanders Indoor Track and Field teams will compete in the Empire 8 conference championships tomorrow at Utica College. Outcomes of the meet will determine eligibility for competition in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) indoor track and field championships.

“Right now, we plan to have 9 women and 7 men competing [at the NCCAA championships],” said head track and field coach, Patrick Hager. According to athletic director, Harold “Skip” Lord, track and field athletes must place in the top six of their event at the Empire 8 championships, or the top four in relay events, to participate in the national championships. In addition, athletes must meet NCCAA qualifying standards.

The team is in high spirits going into the meet, according to team chaplain Melissa Bell ‘17. Bell commented, “This past week we had about 90% of the team [reach personal bests], and hitting that again or surpassing that would be an awesome way to send the team into nationals.” Kasey Cannister ‘17, one of the women’s team captains, concurred. She stated, “Our meet this past weekend, really demonstrated how strong we are becoming with so many personal records occurring.”

Bell also noted men’s pole vaulter Leland Roberts ‘19 is currently ranked first in the conference. “It would be a huge win if he could onto that spot,” she said. Roberts broke the Highlander record in men’s pole vault earlier this season with a vault of 4.42 meters. He held the previous record as well.

Sprinter and long jumper Malik Bullock ‘19 said, “I’m really excited to see the men’s and women’s distance medley relays. Coach [Hager] has put together a solid set of athletes.” He continued, “I’m also interested in the men’s 4×200 relay because we competed all day [before running the relay] at Ithaca and did pretty well, so it’ll be interesting to see what we can do well rested and eager to compete.”   

Hager remarked, “Our men’s team is quite improved from previous years. In my first two years, we really had nobody who could score in the top 6 in the conference, Indoors. This year, we have several, and even broke the 4 x 200m school record. It’s really nice to have depth and ‘options’ on the men’s side.”

The women’s team features Rebekah White ‘18 and Nikki Garns ‘17, two returning members of the 4×800 relay team who received All-American honors last year at the NCCAA nationals. Garns and white will be “key runners” at this weekend’s meet according to Cannister. Garns will race in the 60 meter dash and 200 meter run, and White will race in the 800 meter run.

Cannister noted, “In our field events, we expect strong performances in High Jump, Pole Vault, and Long Jump by Gwen Stokes ‘20, Fiona Daloia ‘17, and Kalei Brautlacht ‘20, respectively.”

White, Garns, and Daloia  “continue to be athletes who compete at a high level” said Hager.  He continued, “On both teams we have several young athletes who have worked hard to develop a strong team culture. This type of culture will really help us improve and take steps forward as a team.”

The NCCAA nationals will be held at the Kerr-Pegula Field House on February 17-18. Since Houghton athletes will not incur extra costs from travel, hotels, and other incidental expenses, Lord stated that it may be possible for an athlete to use one of the NCCAA-permitted “at-large” bids. This would occur if an athlete has NCCAA qualifying marks but does not place high enough in his or her event at tomorrow’s meet.

“While some will continue on to the National Championship, this is the last meet of our indoor season for many members of our team,” Cannister said. “We strive to end our season with our best performances. We definitely anticipate and expect to see many personal records across our whole team.”

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Sports Update // Highlander Basketball Season Off To Strong Start

Photo courtesy of Jason Mucher

The Highlanders women’s basketball team came out strong in their first game against Alfred State. Led by captains Elle Reed ‘17 and Hannah Manwaring ‘17, the Highlanders beat the Pioneers 76-56. “We focused on details, especially on defense, which is great to see in the first game of the season,” said Reed.

Defense seemed to be a point of emphasis for the Highlanders who tallied 11 steals, and controlled the glass with 43 total rebounds. “Defense has always been top priority, as coach always says ‘defense feeds our offense.’ We have to be able to get stops in order to get the ball back to score and run our offense,” said Manwaring. Manwaring contributed 12 rebounds of her own to the winning effort.

After defeating Alfred State, he Highlanders then traveled to Buffalo State to take on the Bengals. It was a tightly contested game which featured seven lead changes, but unfortunately the Highlanders were beaten by a score of 64-59. “We need to limit our turnovers,especially ones that are unforced,” said Manwaring.  “If we can cut the number of turnovers in half, we should put ourselves in a much better position to win.”

One of the most encouraging aspects the Highlanders took away from the defeat was the emergence of freshman guard, Cori Beck. In her first collegiate start, Beck put up 12 points, two assists, and six steals in her 36 minutes of play. Beck took a total of seven shots, all from three-point range, and managed to hit four of them. “I just felt like I fit into the team as soon as I got here…I was a little nervous before the game but that’s usual for me,” she said.“[I] felt a little pressure before the game because I was scared to mess up, but when I started playing I just zoned into what I needed to do, and didn’t worry about anything else.”.

According to Reed, this is not the end for them. She said, “We know that we work harder in practice than any team we play, which gives us confidence no matter what the outcome of the games are.” The Highlanders will look to bounce back against Pitt-Brad at home on Tuesday, November 29.

Additionally, Coach Corky McMullen made his coaching debut for the Houghton College Men’s Basketball team, at home against Alfred State; winning by a score of 85-74, and then going on to beat Wells College by a score of 85-75. McMullen has earned nothing but praise from his captains. Captain Jonathan Stowe ‘17 said “Coach’s motivation” was key to the men’s 2-0 start. Strowe continued, “We started both games bad for the first 10 minutes, but Coach reminded us to play defense and to relax and let us run our offense smoothly”.

Fellow captain Phil Pellegrino ‘17 agreed, “He is a positive vibe to have around all the time.”He stated, “He not only impacts our lives on the basketball court but also in the classroom and in life in general…he brings a lot of experience and I am enjoying learning from him every day at practice.”

Unfortunately, Hilbert College proved too much, and  the Highlanders,  fell to the Hawks 84-69. “Rebounding and turnovers are the keys to success for us. If we can control the glass and not turn the ball over, we will be successful,” guard Jordan Scott ‘17 said.. The Highlanders accumulated  18 turnovers  in the loss.

The women will play at home on Saturday, December 3 to play the State University of New York (SUNY) Canton at 2 p.m. The men will resume home play on Tuesday, December 6 against Grove City College at 7 p.m.

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Campus News Sports

Cross Country Teams Finish Strong

The Houghton cross country team had great success on their home course at the Field of Dreams on Saturday, October 8. The Highlanders competed against six teams, with both the men and women taking second place.

Photo by: Nate Moore
Photo by: Nate Moore

According to head coach, Patrick Hager, almost everyone on the women’s side ran a lifetime personal record, and both teams beat Allegany County rival Alfred State. “Alfred’s beat us the past couple of years, so it’s nice to see us get a win over them,” said Hager.

The Highlanders of Houghton competed against Roberts Wesleyan, Penn State Behrend, Alfred State, Keuka, Finger Lakes Community College, and Elmira. Penn State Behrend took first place in both the men’s and women’s races.

The men and women had several athletes finish in the top 10, and both teams ran faster than they have in the past three years.

Reflecting on the team’s success, Rachel Hummel ‘16 said, “It was really rewarding for all of us to have months of training visibly pay off, especially at the last home meet of the season.”

Hummel finished sixth in her race, right behind teammate Ella Hotchkiss ‘18 who placed fifth. Gwen Stokes ‘20, finished close behind finishing eighth. All three competitors finished within 15 seconds of each other.

“Running alongside some of my closest friends is a huge motivator. We’ve been through alot together in training and I think we would all say that we couldn’t and wouldn’t do it alone,” said Hummel.

Stokes attributed their success to their committed mindset of racing as a team and not just as individuals. “Running together as a pack is really nice and motivational because it really makes you remember that you aren’t doing this for yourself, you are running for your teammates,” she said.

On the men’s side, Tyler Deuschle ‘20 was the first finisher for the Highlanders, placing sixth. Not far behind was Matthew Gostomski ‘19 placing tenth, Daniel Burdo ‘20 placing eleventh, and Cory McCarty ‘17 placing thirteenth.

“We have some very strong underclassmen guys who have really brought a lot of success to our team. I’m excited to see them led the team and keep improving over the next several years,” said captain Aaron Eisenhardt ‘17.

Hager commented, “This is the closest team I’ve had the pleasure of coaching. The freshmen really adjusted quickly and mix well with the upperclassmen personality. I think everyone will look back on this season with a big smile because of how close the team got.”

According to Hager, the meet resulted in the best overall races for the cross country teams in his three years as a coach. The meet was also the biggest home invitational they’ve hosted.

“We got confidence at this meet, and our athletes know that they’re fit and capable of running even faster in a few weeks. We pride ourselves on having a pretty consistent team, and peaking well at the end of our season. After competing so well, it’s fun that we still have a couple of championship races ahead,” said Hager.

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Fall Sports Off to Strong Start

A few weeks into the fall semester, and athletics are off to a good start. Both the women’s tennis team and field hockey team have seen improvements in their season and are fighting hard in competition.

According to Charlie Ellis, head coach of the tennis team, the team is a close-knit group which has a high level of respect for each other and the teams they compete against. It’s been a good season and although they have had some difficulties with illnesses and the high demands of the classroom, the team is holding together very well.

“The girls are an extremely humble group,” said Ellis. “It’s enjoyable to work with them because they really do care about the team and their reputation deeply.”

Ellis emphasized the positive culture his team has created between every player, “These girls enjoy each other’s company regardless of ability. They push each other everyday and work to help each other instead of trying to compete within their team.”

As a coach, Ellis likes to observe the girls who are not typically in the front line up. Their goal is to push the players at the top in practice everyday. “They always do a great job pushing and fighting to reach the top,” said Ellis. He explained how those girls have to work hard because they always have to be ready to be called upon to play in a game.

As a team, “They don’t press and get outside of what they are capable of doing and they don’t embarrass themselves. They make sure the other team has to play and really fight for their points. Even if a team beats us, they have to spend a long time fighting for it,” said Ellis.

Women’s tennis is a new team, just started 4 years ago by their current coach. Ellis attributes their success to the girls’ commitment to improving their tennis game. As a coach, he focuses on the skill sets of his athletes and seeing individual and team improvement each week and year.

Ellis said, “We are more focused on measuring the physical success of tennis skills compared to winning or losing. The skills of our team are better this year for sure.”

The team looks forward to their home match against Alfred University on Tuesday, October 4th. Ellis said, “It’s always a pretty even competition and it’s nice to enjoy a conference match with a team right down the road.”

Also showing success, with a 4-2 record, the field hockey team is one to look out for this season. According to Elizabeth Modesto ‘18, “This year’s team is primarily upperclassmen who have been playing with each other for several years. We’ve also gained some solid key players.”

Captain Kelsie Ashley ‘17 said, “Our team is unique in that we have a larger roster than years past. Even with some new players, our previously young team has transitioned into a veteran squad.”

Modesto commended their strong season to the team’s connectivity on and off the field. This strength is witnessed in their successful passing patterns up the field and their constant communication.

One of the team’s main goals for their season is to push each other to their full potential and raise the overall standard of play.  According to Ashley this is something they talk about regularly as a team.

Moving forward into a busy season, Ashley, Modesto, and their team look forward to more challenging conference games as well as continued growth in their learning and weakness on the field.

Field Hockey plays at home on October 8th and looks forward to redeeming themselves to Washington & Jefferson College after a tough loss last year.

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Sports Stories In Focus

Athlete of the Week // Abby Schmidt

Sophomore Abby Schmidt has been playing soccer since first grade.  After dabbling in basketball and track, she continued with soccer all through high school, ending her high school soccer career with her team winning the sectional championships; it’s one of her best memories.

Girls Soccer 14The following year, she arrived at Houghton and adjusted to the program’s style of play. Women’s head soccer coach, David Lewis, said “she has adapted well to” the “increased speed of play at the college level.”

Now on the Houghton college women’s soccer team, Schmidt jokes that she has a “one a season” pattern for goals, which she fulfilled on November 1st against St. John Fisher. She scored one of the team’s four goals in the final game of the season, contributing to the win on their home turf. The win was a “confidence booster,” Schmidt said, after they “struggled in midseason.”

“In practice and in games, Abby is one of the most determined and hardworking  players on the field. Her passion for soccer and for her teammates has been a great source of motivation for me the past couple of seasons that I’ve had the opportunity to play with her,” said senior captain Mary Strand of her teammate.

Schmidt enjoys every aspect of soccer at Houghton. She appreciates the focus on Christ. “It makes you want to play soccer better,” she explained. There is “more respect on and off the team,” and the relationships are strong. She loves how her experience has been “about building relationships with the team” and that the team “sticks together. We won and lost as a team.”

She practices with her friends in the racquetball courts when she is not doing in season or spring training. “She genuinely cares about people, I have seen it in the way she interacts with her teammates and friends,” said Strand.

Schmidt’s positive attitude is reflected on those around her. “Abby is contributing to the team’s dynamic,” Lewis said. “She exhibits genuine care for her teammates…has a great attitude and fits nicely with the mission of our team.” He echoed Abby’s own sentiments, that “her best moment[s] would include the lasting relationships that she is creating with her teammates.”

“One day, Abby would like to work in public relations for an athletics team or department, which is reflective of her passions for both sports and people,” said Strand.

Schmidt exudes hope and positivity. “We’re peaking at the right time,” she said. Soccer is a large part of her life, but she affirms positively that it’s “worth it.”

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Sports

Women’s Soccer Team Gears Up for Fall Season

The women’s soccer team has begun their second transitional year into NCAA Empire 8. This marks Coach David Lewis’s 22nd year coaching the lady Highlanders. Houghton alum, Katie Philips has returned as the team’s assistant coach along with Kevin Austin training the keepers.

Last year, the team was composed of 36 players. This high number was due in part to the termination of the JV soccer program. This year, the roster number remains high, but has dropped to 31. There are few overnight games this year, meaning that the whole team will travel for most of the games.

Womens_Soccer“I definitely think [having a couple less players] contributes to [doing better] because that is when we play as a team,” said junior Katherine Tomlinson, “It is a lot easier to be a team when there are less of us.”

“I like this year’s team chemistry. Not that last year’s was bad or anything, it is just really good this year,” said Lewis, “The overall team depth, the strength as we go deep into our line-up, is very good. It has improved.”

Coach Lewis highlighted senior captains, Alyssa Figueroa and Erin Miller’s play this season. The third captain, senior Amanda Zacchigna, has been injured from the start of the season, but is anticipated to contribute defensively with her recovery.

“Our bench was not as strong [last year], but our freshmen have come in and stepped it up. Our eleven seniors are holding their own on the field and giving us those wins,” said Tomlinson, “We are possessing well as a team and just working better as a team overall this season.”

“As a captain it is our job to…make sure the team is bonded on and off the field and also to continue pushing ourselves. Right now we are 3-0 and doing well, but we cannot afford to slack off,” said Miller, “So we have to maintain focus and also have fun on the field; not just be all serious all the time.”

Overall the team has a record of 4-0-0 thus far. Junior Danielle Lyndsley leads the team in total goals scored at three, while junior Stephany Ellison has the most points, shots, and assists, totaling seven, twenty-nine, and three, respectively. Senior Atalie Fite has also contributed to the attack statistics as she has stepped into the forward position this season.

Figueroa and sophomore Sarah Gabriele are noted for their defensive contribution to the team. Opposing teams have not scored against the Houghton women due to the women’s strong defense and sophomore Shawna Sprout and senior Michelle Mahoney playing in goal.

“Obviously we are still not eligible for qualifications for Empire 8, but we still want to compete with the top teams in the conference and finish with the top bracket,” said Lewis, “We want to finish with them as if it did count. We would also like to qualify for the national Christian tournament and…make a good run.”

“A goal, without a doubt, especially being a senior, is to go further than we ever have in nationals. I would love to win it,” said Miller, “Our next goal is to just continue going hard and winning each game. I would love to go undefeated this year.”

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New Tennis Teams are a Hit

Men’s and women’s tennis are welcomed this fall as the two newest teams on campus. Both teams are practicing hard as they begin their inaugural year headed by Coach Charlie Ellis.

“I have come from the corporate world of tennis club and fitness club management. My management of clubs has gone back as far as 18-20 years,” said Coach Ellis, “I feel very fortunate to be working with Skip Lord and Matthew Webb; those men have been extraordinarily supportive of me.”

Bethany Chesebro, sophomore, returns the ball to her opponent.
Bethany Chesebro, sophomore, returns the ball to her opponent.

Under Ellis’s direction, the women began their training two weeks prior to classes along with the rest of the fall athletes, while the men started training this past week. The women have competed in several matches already and are 2-3 overall. While there are thirteen women on the team, not all are able to travel for every match.

“This is a tennis team and even the ones that aren’t playing on that particular day are still important, even the ones that don’t go on the road trips,” said Coach Ellis, “This is a group of girls who have come together and they have established a relationship with each other that is unprecedented. They are extraordinarily supportive of each other to play as a team and to serve their Lord.”

“For almost all of us, it is our first time being a Houghton athlete,” said junior Molly Freihofer, “So while we have had to learn a lot, the process of forming the first women’s tennis team was something we were all excited about and have really enjoyed.”

At a tournament, six single matches are played and three doubles, each counting as one point. Thus, there is a total of nine points to be earned in a college tennis match. The winner must win five or more of those points.

The women were down 4-1 against Medaille on September 5th, but fought to win each subsequent game. The men have played one match thus far, against Penn State Behrend. It was a close competition, as the men lost 5-4.

Junior Brennen Campbell expressed the men’s goals: “To have the highest overall team GPA of Houghton Athletics, to make an impression on the opponents that we face throughout the season, and to build the Houghton tennis program to be one that will be recognized as a competitive Empire 8 program.”

Each player has come in with a different level of playing experience. While the teams are training athletically to improve and fine-tune their skills, they are also encouraging each other spiritually. The women have devotions led by chaplains and prayer partners, while the men emphasize prayer before and after they meet to compete.

“The team has been getting along really well. Everyone’s personality works together to form the disciplined team that we have this year,” said Campbell, “No matter the skill level, everyone is willing to help improve their fellow teammates.”

“They have responded very well to my coaching, my direction, as well as the understanding that we are about to embark on another journey, of Houghton tennis,” said Coach Ellis, “And we want to set a culture and footprint off the right foot. The girls and boys have responded very well to understanding the gravity of that.”

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Spring Sports Update

The end of another school year also marks the end of an athletic season and a collegiate career for the graduates. Although Houghton athletes were honored earlier this month for their accomplishments, some athletes are still working hard to finish their seasons.

“We are looking forward to getting into year two and continuing down this road with our involvement in Empire 8,” said Athletic Director Skip Lord. “We are excited about what is happening with the National Christian College group.”

The track team participated this past weekend at the Empire 8 Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Nazareth College. The women finished fourth and the men took seventh. Freshman Tim McGowan, sophomores Mary Strand, Marina Slavin, Cara Davenport, Andrea Melhorn, Danielle Lyndsley, Jordan Cady, and juniors Leah Williams and Alyssa Figueroa had notable performances.

At the Empire 8 Championships this weekend, men’s golf finished ninth out of nine teams. Junior John Carpenter led the team with the lowest score; however, it did not figure into the team’s overall score since he did not compete in the fall. Thus, sophomore Evan Castle’s score of 367 led the team.

Courtesy of facebook.com
Courtesy of facebook.com

Last week the women’s golf team beat Keuka at the Keuka College Spring Invitational on Wednesday. Sophomore Hannah Fink led the Highlanders with a score of 94. However, the team came in third at their home tournament last Saturday. Fink led the team again, shooting 109.

As a new program, women’s lacrosse has fought hard to earn their first win. The Highlanders defeated Hilbert 14-13. Junior Amanda Zacchigna had a career high of six goals and an assist, sophomore Tyler Reese contributed three goals and an assist, and sophomore Nicole Mason had two goals and an assist.

Men’s lacrosse has been struggling as well this season. Their top scorer, senior Tyler Kempney, has been out due to injuries. They conclude their season this weekend against Bryn Athyn. Unfortunately, neither lacrosse program can participate in postseason play through NCCAA because there are not enough teams.

“It is really hard to progress as a team made of a bunch of guys who have never played before, but considering we are a new program we have done really well,” said junior Shawn Schelble. “Everyone who is playing is there because they want to play. In practice everyone is intentional and deliberate in what they do.”

The baseball team continued their winning streak against Utica this past weekend. Sophomore Kevin Cassar earned Empire 8 pitcher of the week for striking out nine hitters and walking no one. The win was a team effort, with exemplary performances from seniors Kaiden Bowers, Jacob Bannerman, Ignacio Villalobos and sophomore Seth Cornell.

“Baseball is sort of ahead of the game [regarding the new programs]. They are winning some games and knocking some of the Empire 8 teams as a brand new program,” said Lord. “Softball, although they are still looking for their first win, tend to play competitively, usually struggling in one inning.”

Senior Megan Musser, junior Samantha Patoff and sophomores Sarah Beirne and Morgan York have all competed well on the softball field. It has been a challenge with both softball and baseball playing their home and away games on a different field.

“The fact that we are away so much, makes it so difficult to keep up with our tough academic loads,” said senior Cydney Blong. “It really tests our ability to stay focused every day.”

The softball and baseball fields should be completed by this July. There will be a special board meeting on May 3 regarding the progress of the field house. Potentially, they could break ground as early as this May, meaning the field house could be completed by next April.

More change will come as the transition to NCAA continues. Tennis will be added next fall, playing a full Empire 8 schedule. Coach Charlie Ellis has already been hired and is actively recruiting. As new players come in, seniors say goodbye to their collegiate careers at Houghton.

“I have learned a lot after four years as an athlete,” said Blong. “Coach Lewis helped me to develop my faith, Coach Dougherty taught me the importance of staying focused on the prize, and Coach Shepherd helped me to learn patience and perseverance in trying situations.”

 

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Golf Team Hosts Invitational

The women’s golf teams will be hosting the Empire 8 Invitational this Saturday. The tournament will take place on Houghton’s home course at Allegheny Hills Golf Course in Rushford. The women will be hosting both Nazareth College and Hobart and William Smith, both established programs.

“I am really excited because it is our first match on our home course,” said sophomore Hannah Fink, “So hopefully it will be a beautiful day to compete.”

This season the golf team had two tournaments cancelled in March. One was rescheduled for this coming weekend while the other was dropped. Overall, the team has five tournaments to compete in within two weeks.

“We practiced in the sleet and rain and 36 degrees on Saturday so this recent weather has been good, especially because we only have two weeks left,” said Coach Thomas Kettelkamp.

At the Westminster Invitational last week, Fink had a score of 98, ranking thirteenth out of forty-seven competitors. The other members of the travel team included freshman Breanna Smithley and Kourtnie Franklin, sophomore Taylor Button, and senior Andrea Ypma. The women returned to Keuka this Wednesday to defend their championship title earned at the Keuka Invitational last fall.

“Hannah has been very competitive, while the others are new at the game. It is their first year and I expect them to knock their scores down quite a bit,” said Kettelkamp. “So I would not be surprised if we did not win it again.”

The golf team rarely practices with each other because of the inherent individual nature of the sport. However, they still push each other to practice and do their best as only a certain number of members are able to travel and attend each tournament.

“Although practices are individualized for what you need to work with, like your swing, [golf] is very team oriented because we are always encouraging each other to meet our next goal and do well as a team,” said Fink. “Overall, we have really good team chemistry…and we have a lot of fun.”

Both the men’s and women’s teams have new additions this spring, including freshman Maggie Reynolds and sophomore Jordan Hobba for the women’s team and, for the men, junior John Carpenter and senior Michael Ball.

Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu
Courtesy of athletics.houghton.edu

Thus far, the men’s team has performed in one tournament, hosted by Utica College. The top performances came from Ball, Carpenter, and sophomores Evan Castle and Nathan Sircy at this match. Castle led the team with a score of 92, ranking 31st of 52 golfers. The men are currently preparing for the Empire 8 tournament this weekend in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

“Our goal for this season is to keep on improving,” said Sircy. “We are playing better than last season and we hope to keep doing so in the future.”

“Last year, we were last place in every contest. This year, the men were seventh of [nine] … and the women were eighth of [nine], that’s progress,” said Kettelkamp. “We are not going to start at the top, but I do expect to move into the mix a bit. This fall we were not, this spring I think we will be.”

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New Tennis Coach Selected

Next fall, yet another sport will be introduced to the athletic department at Houghton: tennis. Coach Charlie Ellis will lead both the men’s and women’s teams.

Courtesy of atheletics.houghton.edu
Courtesy of atheletics.houghton.edu

Ellis has over 30 years of experience within the tennis world. He began learning what he could at a young age until he joined the tennis program at the University of Georgia. Ellis was ranked eighth in college tennis and then went on to be first in the state of Georgia, earning a World ATP top-300 ranking. From there Ellis went on to coach and then settled into the field of club management, where he has stayed for over 20 years.

The nationwide search to find Houghton’s first tennis coach was extensive and competitive, in hopes of finding a near perfect fit to Houghton’s athletic program. Athletic Director, Harold Lord, said that Ellis was ideal for this position. Lord believes that Ellis will be a “quality member to the department, campus, and community”.

Up to this point Ellis has developed numerous tennis programs for all ages and skill levels ranging anywhere from toddlers to elite adult players. He also spent time as the general manager for Sportime Fitness in Schenectady, NY where he taught lessons to over 100 players. In addition, Ellis founded Fair Play Tennis, a company dedicated to helping young athletes create individual plans to enjoy and succeed at playing the game of tennis.

Ellis approaches this new opportunity with three principles in mind. He begins with the foundation of a faith based team with players who “show a godly respect for one another.” His next principle is that each athlete will have a particular group of people who will be devoted to promoting and maintaining his or her academics. Lastly, Ellis wants the team to “enjoy the journey of getting better at tennis.”

As Ellis looks forward to the upcoming season, he is eager to be working at a college level again. He said he wants to “get as many people involved and interested as possible in embracing the game of tennis.”

Lord said that the addition of tennis will hopefully create a different atmosphere on campus, spurring students to play recreationally. He said that, “tennis is an intercollegiate sport that will last a lifetime.”

As a result of the integration of NCAA tennis into the athletic program at Houghton, the first season will have an abbreviated schedule. The season is also split, with the women’s team beginning with their Empire 8 conference meets in the fall while the men’s team participates in non-conference events. The teams will then switch in the spring.

Each team will consist of approximately 12 to 15 individuals who will play both singles and doubles matches. The season will conclude in the spring with the NCAA National Championship.

Bethany Chesebro, freshman, began playing tennis sophomore year in high school. She chose Houghton knowing that there were plans to form a tennis team. Chesebro said she is excited “about being part of a team and being challenged at a more competitive level.”