Championships? So What!

Recently, I received my second conference championship ring. And as coach gave them out I felt, well, indifferent.

Don’t get me wrong, we worked hard for these rings. It was a tough season.

But after winning two conference championships in one year, and then losing two in the next, all I felt was obligation. I now EXPECT us to be in that championship game, in fact, we all do. Who can blame us? Let’s let the numbers do the talking:

4-6: that was our football record in 2005. In 2008, the team went 9-3. Adding two more games and five more wins in four years ain’t bad. Oh yeah, and the first ever bid to the NAIA Football Championship Series.

0: the amount of championships baseball won in 2005. 2: the amount of championships baseball won in 2008 (Region XII Region Championship and NAIA South Central Super Regional Championship), not to mention making into the NAIA World Series. And in between, the baseball team won the conference championship in 2006 and the region title in 2007.

.606: the winning percentage for woman’s basketball in 2005. During the 2007-08 season, the team had a .735 winning percentage, an AAC regular-season championship and AAC Tournament Championship to boot.

5: the number of championships, both conference and region won between 2005 and 2008. That’s averaging more than one a season.

Let’s not leave out the regular season AAC Championships won by softball in spring 2007 and volleyball in fall of 2007. Or Women’s tennis 6 championships (AAC regular season and tournament), including a Region XII Championship in only 3 years. How about the 9 individual AAC Championships won by our men’s outdoor track team? Oh, and there is the cycling team, who has won 3 conference championships, and one individual NCCA National Championship.

When I came in as a freshman, there were no expectations for either of the teams I played for. Yet here we are reaching the championship game year after year. Union has become the team to beat in the MSC and the AAC.

Who can we attribute this success to? Coaches? Some teams brought in new coaches, but others haven’t and have experienced this same success.

How about star athletes? Let’s take a look at the senior class, mine. There are a number of teams who are losing the largest number of seniors in years. We came, and we stayed.

Could it be thanks to Union President Edward de Rosset and the trustees? With the constant improvements made to not only academic, but also athletic facilities most students are bound to stay right?

Or maybe it’s the athletic director; can we give all of the praise to Darin Wilson? Wilson was honored by the Appalachian Athletic Conference in 2008 as the league’s Athletic Director of the Year. He wouldn’t take all the credit even if it was due solely to him.

It is the collaboration between all of these groups. It has become apparent that Union Athletics has become one well-oiled machine.

As the championship rings keep piling up, I’m excited to see how much farther the bulldogs can go from here. And judging by the numbers, it won’t take long for us to put a few more NAIA national championships under our belts.

November to February: Not Quite Volleyball, Not Quite Softball

It is a unique situation, being a dual athlete. When I initially signed, I was not primed for the amount of time I would be dedicating to volleyball and softball or the amount of time I would need switching from one season to the other. There are a few similarities and differences that have come with this transition:

· The teams are so different. With volleyball, I become exceptionally close with my teammates, especially with underclassmen, which could be attributed to those two weeks before season, known as death, or more formally, preseason. This condensed preseason is probably the chief variation between volleyball and softball. In softball I come in November, leave for December and return for 4 and a half months. It’s a bit harder to connect with underclassmen who have had time to get to know other players and acclimate themselves to school. So one of the hardest things to do in transition is become a part of the team again.

· There is a bond between coaches and their players. This has been one thing that hasn’t changed in four years of playing. I know with Union volleyball coach Whitney Erb, she expected me to set an example; she knew it was a hard to get back into volleyball. So helping me set a goal and focusing on it put me right back into volleyball-mode. When I go back to softball I Union softball coach Bubba Szary expects me to come in ready to work. He has never told me I am behind but pushes me to keep up. He always offers me a break after volleyball and in four years I never took it once. I always felt it would only benefit me to start back sooner. My relations with my coaches are consistent and it makes switching teams much easier.

· Being in season, there is a sense of urgency to learn and apply skills. There isn’t much time to fuss and prepare for particular situations. Though being in season is more fun, it is simply because there is less time to be picky. More games simply mean less practice, and who doesn’t want that? Being out of season has its perks as well; as a softball player I learn the most in my off-season hit groups. Here is where coach can break down my swing technique and work on it step by step. This sort of detailed correction doesn’t exist in season; there are far too many other particulars to address.

It is a funny position I’m in when finishing up conference tournament in November. I want to win because I want my team to go to the NAIA nationals but also because I wasn’t looking forward to those softball conditioning days. Or when we lost, I was upset that it ended our season but also excited to start on my next season. The feeling is always bittersweet.

With this being my last “transition” from volleyball to softball it is nice to sit back and say that it has always been smooth, with the help of good teammates and cooperative coaches. I think this kind of consideration can only be found at a place like Union.

Fan Power: Who are we really competing against?

When I heard that this year's Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament for volleyball was not going to be held in Bristol, Tenn., I was eager.

We have played at King (Tenn.) College the last few years, and their facilities are the best I've seen. However, it is a challenge to play against the Tornado in their gym, owed to their hefty fan base. So my eagerness can be understood as the conference tournament moved to Kingsport, Tenn.

Held in the Marriott Hotel's Convention Center, the two courts were squeezed, to say the least, into a single conference room. In our first match versus Covenant (Ga.) College the atmosphere seemed customary for a neutral location. A few parents from wither team here and there, but mostly the noise came from the players. In the second match, against Bryan (Tenn.) College there was a but more noise. Although it could be said that Bryan is a large rival for the Lady Bulldogs, so a more intense atmosphere could be expected. But as we pulled off the win I realized there weren't too many Bryan College fans either. 

We played our final match of Friday against King. No shortage of fans here, King fan lined the seats on both sides of the courts, except the 8 trusty parents who came out for Union. Upon starting this match, I thought to myself, "THIS is neutral?"

Suddenly Kingsport was feeling a lot like Bristol. 

With the way we left King College last month, a battle to five games and the match was decided in the last few points, there was bound to be some hype on this match. King's faithful rowdy fans are not their students, but their parents. As a player, it has become a part of athletics, hearing hoots and hollers from fans, you learn early on that all you can do is ignore it.

However, it was not that the fans were inappropriate, (THAT can be debated) but it was the amount of fans that were there. This created the feeling of playing at King.

The definition of neutral: not aligned with, supporting, or favoring either side in a war, dispute, or contest. My question is, if this game was held in Corbin, Ky., a neutral site, would that seem bias? It's only 20 minutes from Union and three hours from Bristol. Could this have affected the outcome of this tournament, or any other? In volleyball, the answer is yes.

Momentum is a huge part of volleyball and fans carry the majority of the burden. Even more so than other sports now that there is rally score. The game can change on any point. So what kind of power can fans have over volleyball games? A lot.

Fans have always been a hassle at King College, especially during conference tournament, but in the past the conference tournament didn't hold the weight it does now. Winning the tournament is the only berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament. Conference is bigger than ever.

So with the location so important now, lets take a second and ask ourselves, what is neutral?

Thanks for the support

The Bulldogs are now on the bus, headed back to Barbourville. It's been a long day to say the least. However, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to say "Thank you" to all the parents, friends, family, students and fans that came to Fort Wayne to support the Bulldogs in the NAIA playoffs.

By my estimation, there were between 200-300 Bulldog supporters there - a nice size crowd, in my humble opinion. I know the drive for us was 6-plus hours and I know others had greater distances to travel. Your support is very much appreciated.

Like I said in previous posts, I firmly believe this season was just a stepping stone of what is yet to come. I believe there are some good football yet to be played at Burch/Nau Field, and your support makes it possible and worth.

From the team, the coaching staff and the athletic department, I again say, "Thank you."

Just like that, it's over

I really don't know what to say after Union's 58-3 loss at Saint Francis today. I mean, Union didn't play that bad, but Saint Francis played very well.

The Cougars took advantage of great field position. They averaged started their drives on the Union 39 in the first half and finished the game with an average field position of Union 48. When a team is getting great field position like that, it's tough to beat them, I don't care who the team is.

The Bulldogs should be proud of all they've accomplished this season, and I really hope this loss doesn't sour that for them. Union did a heck of a lot more than anyone expected, but a lopsided loss like that tends to dampen things.

It's just a rough way to end the season.

Hopefully, the Bulldogs can take this feeling and use it for motivation heading into next season. Union has a good number of players returning, and this sour taste in their mouths could make them hungry next season.

Here are some things to think as the Bulldogs now close the book on 2008 and begin preparing for 2009:

• Union returns its entire offensive line, and there will be just ONE senior next year on the 0-line.
• Terence Pollock, Mike Brinkley and all but one wide receiver will return. Pollock ran for over 1,300 yards this year, Brinkley threw for more than 2,500 yards and 32 touchdowns and a band of young receivers will be back in the fold. How can you not be excited about that?
• The Bulldog secondary will return. With another year of maturity, the Union defensive backs should begin to shut down the opposition's passing game.
• Five of the six regularly-used defensive linemen return. The d-line did a great job this season making its way to the backfield and opening lanes for the Bulldog linebackers.
• Jacob Appleby still has three years left. The place-kicker booted 13 fields and made 46 PATs. I'll take 85 points out of my kicker any time.

While the loss does leave a bitter taste in my mouth right now, all is not lost.

In fact, this may just be the beginning.

At the half ...

It's halftime and the Bulldogs find themselves in a deep hole, down 24-3.

Saint Francis is a good, solid team and the Cougars will take advantage of an opponent's miscues. And that's pretty much the story of the first half.

A blocked puntm, penalties and poor field position put Union in a bind as the Cougars jumped out to a 24-0 lead. The Bulldogs struggled offensively as the Saint Francis defense kept consistent pressure on quarterback Mike Brinkley.

But after the Bulldog defense stopped Saint Francis deep in Union terrority, the Bulldog offense mounted a solid drive. Terrence Pollock broke many a tackle and gobbled up some nice yardage, and Brinkley was able to find a couple of receivers open.

However, the drive stalled and Union settled for a Jacob Appleby field goal.

Union is putting up a good fight and the team is keeping its head up.

The Bulldogs are a third-quarter team, so we will see how things go.

Go Bulldogs!!!

Game time is almost here

Well, it's just about time.

Game time.

Playoff time.

The Bulldogs arrived at the field a little over 10 a.m., and while the temp is cold, it doesn't seem to matter. I can't speak for the players and coaches, but I don't feel the cold. The excitement and anticipation is taking over and kicking it.

Right now, it's 10:45 a.m. - 1 hour and 15 minutes from kickoff. The players are getting ready and warming up. The crowd is slowly making their way in. (BTW, nothing like ice on a metal grandstand.)

Playoff time is here.

It's cold but who cares? It's football time

After a 6-plus hour bus ride, the Bulldogs have arrived in Fort Wayne, Ind.

As we began to cross the Ohio-Indiana border, we were greeted by a snow storm. Nothing real bad, just a lot of blowing snow to make visibility a little difficult. Fortunately, it didn't last long, and by the time the Bulldogs got to Bishop D'Arcy Stadium for their walk-through, only a few flurries were blowing around. And the snow was gone by the time we left the field.

It's been fun watching this team. The whole ride up, this was just another bus ride to yet another game. However, once we arrived at D'Arcy Stadium, the excitement quickly began to show.

A number of players ran around the field - some in just T-shirts, to get the feel of the field and of course the feel of the cool air.

You could see on every one's faces - The Bulldogs have made it the NAIA Playoffs. Union has arrived.

I don't know what the final outcome will be tomorrow, but I guarantee you this is going to be a memorable weekend.

Random thoughts

• It was kind of neat driving past Georgetown en route to Fort Wayne. I mean, for years, Georgetown has been THE hurdle that Union couldn't get over. A number of losses to the Tigers prevented Union from winning the conference title and kept the Bulldogs out of the playoffs. And now, Union has posted back-to-back wins over Georgetown, the Bulldogs are in the playoffs, and the Tigers are not. It's definitely a new day.


• Seeing Bishop D'Arcy Stadium in person made me realize how nice Burch/Nau Field really is, especially after the upgrades the past two years. Bishop D'Arcy Stadium is a nice facility, and how sports turf and is used for football and soccer. But the only thing I'll take over BDS over Burch/Nau Field is the home grandstand. BSD has a large seating area with the stands stretching 20-25 rows (maybe more) up and a covered concessions area under the grandstand. Yet, Burch/Nau Field has a much better playing area and I'm partially to the press box as well. And the little additions to Bulldogs' home turf - the fence, the golden bulldogs, the covered picnic area, the paved walking track - just set Burch/Nau Field apart.


• I'm excited about the future of the Bulldogs. Yes, I know the season isn't over yet, but I can't help to think about potential of this group. There are no seniors on the offensive line and just ONE junior on the two-deep. Union will lose just one player at the skills positions on offense. However, the defense is a different story as the Bulldogs have four seniors who either start or play a big role including three linebackers. Of course, Union had some big holes to fill this season and made its way to the postseason, so anything's possible.

And we're off ...

Well, the Bulldogs are FINALLY on the road en route to Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The buses were supposed to pull out the Centennial parking lot at 8 a.m. HOWEVER, departature was delayed nearly an hour after one of the buses didn't want to start up this morning. (Shoot, it's around 20 degrees this morning, I didn't want to get going this morning.)

But after waiting nearly an hour for the bus to arrive, we pulled out just before 9 a.m. and are headed north - to where it's colder.

Although the little hiccup with having to wait for a bus to arrive, the mood of the team is good. Everyone is just taking everything in stride, enjoying the ride and getting ready for the weekend of playoff football.

You got a player or two trying to sing along with their Ipod. The movie "Next" is now playing on the DVD player on our bus and folks are settling in for the trip.

For a program making its first-ever playoff appearance the team appears to be taking a very businesslike approach, like it's just another game on the schedule.

Me? I'm pumped. Like I posted a couple days ago, I've been looking forward to seeing the Bulldogs make the playoffs. Even back in the early- and mid-1990s when I was working at Corbin Times-Tribune, I've been pulling for the Bulldogs to make the playoffs. I recall watching the 1995 team come up just short.

And since then, it's been a rocky ride for the Bulldogs. (Yet, there is no need to rehash all that.)

The 2008 season has been nothing but magical, and now we're on our way to take on the No. 3 team in the NAIA playoffs.

Despite the 'bus' issues, this is going to be a fun ride.

More from the road later.

Comin' Around Again

So this is what it looks like around here, huh? So many things have changed, but a lot of things have remained the same. This is almost like a high school reunion for me.

For those of you who do not know who I am, I was the SID at Union from 1991-99. Back then, Larry Inkster was the man at UC, Darin Wilson was a Bulldog baseball player-turned coach-turned head coach, and some guy from the Corbin Times-Tribune named Jay Stancil was the only reporter we could get to come to Barbourville on a regular basis. Now, Larry Inkster's STILL the man, Darin is doing a great job in heading up the athletic department, and Union has one of the best SID's in the NAIA in Jay Stancil. The job that he and Gene Renfro are doing is just phenomenal. I'd like to think that I helped lay the foundation in the sports information office at Union, and Jay and Gene have built the Sears Tower on top of it. You all should be proud of what is going on at Union.

Now, back to the real reason I'm here. I've been following the Bulldogs from afar as a proud alum and former employee. The 2008 football season at Burch-Nau Field has been nothing short of amazing. I remember the two near-misses we had for playoff bids in 1992 and 1995, especially in 1995. We were on a six-game winning streak and led Lambuth (who was on top of the Mid-South Conference at the time) 24-7 at the half. Late in the fourth quarter it's 24-17 and the Eagles block a punt with around a minute to play. They score and tie the game at 24-24, then almost make a 43-yard field goal as time expires. That turned out to be the last tie game in Union history (since overtime went into effect starting in 1996), the Bulldogs finish 7-2-1 and ranked No. 16 in the NAIA. But we don't receive a bid because of a conference champ finishing lower than us in the polls. Talk about disappointment. Everyone on the staff kept thinking -- much like a Cubs fan -- "Wait until next year!".

Well, next year took 13 years, but it's been some wait. Tommy Reid came in before the 1996 season and has come from grad assistant to assistant to head coach. He has seen the ups and downs of the programs and has stayed the course. He has built the program back up from the mid-90s era, and we all saw a glimpse of what was to become this year's playoff run when the Bulldogs (FINALLY) beat Georgetown in the final game of the 2007 season. I was broadcasting our (McKendree University) season finale at Iowa Wesleyan College when Jay sent me the text. I'll be honest, I started to choke up during our game. Fortunately, we were up 35-0 with three minutes to go and probably no one was listening. But we all saw so many close calls during the 90s against G-Town that it was sweet to get that news.

The Union College Bulldogs are in the NAIA Football Championship Series. That has a nice ring to it. Now, it's time for a little bit of reality because their first-round opponent is no slouch. St. Francis (Ind.) is a perennial final four team, and I've seen them many times in Savannah at the championship game. They have a great facility, a super coach in Kevin Donley (former Georgetown head coach for those of you who may not know) and another great SID in Bill Scott. The Bulldogs will have their hands full, but if I know Tommy, he will have the Bulldogs prepared and ready to go.

If you have the chance to head north, I implore you to make the trip. Be a part of history for the Bulldogs. Make this magical ride last just a little longer. I wish I could be there.

GO BULLDOGS!!! You've made us proud.

Scott Cummings
Proud Alum (1991)
Former UC SID
Forever a Bulldog

Who Let the Dogs Out?!?!?!

Tonight, I went to Wal-Mart with my daughter in tow. And because my 5-year-old bundle of energy and joy was with me, she dedicated what channel my XM Radio got turned to. (What can I say, I'm a softee.)

On the way home, a song came on, one that I hadn't heard in a couple years. But yet, it was one that brought back a lot of memories.

Blaring through my speakers was "Who Let the Dogs Out" by the Baha Men.

Like many, when the song came out, I liked it. It was fun, catchy and it fit Union. After all, we are the Bulldogs.

Well, during the 2000 season - the year the Baha Men produced their version of the song, the song got played at Burch/Nau Field. Over and over and over.

We played it when the team ran out on the field before the game. We played it when the team scored. We played it when the team into to the lockerroom at halftime and when they came back out for the second half.

And when Union won, it got played REPEATEDLY.

"Who Let the Dogs Out" was played on average 10-15 times per game.

Needlesstosay, many of us got sick of the song and it didn't get played again anywhere on campus for a long time following the 2000 football season.

But hearing the song again tonight brought back some fun memories, and some painful ones as well.

You see, it was five games into the 2000 season that Union won a game. That win was the first win in THREE YEARS, snapping a 25-game losing streak.

After beating Lambuth 14-10 to end the 1997 season, Union went 0-10 in 1998, 0-11 in 1999 and started the 2000 season 0-4 before enjoying a three-game win streak.

I have always enjoyed Union football. Saturday's at Burch/Nau Field are a blast for me, win or lose. (Obviously, it's always more fun when the Bulldogs win.)

Yet, there's always been something keeping the Bulldogs from getting over the hump.
I can't tell you how many games I've seen Union battle, go toe-to-toe against the opponent, only to come up just short of getting the victory.

One of the most gut-wrenching losses I've witnessed in Union history (that's encompassing all sports) came on Homecoming 2006 when the Bulldogs fell to Frostburg State 7-3. It was an ugly game. Neither offense get anything generated for the field was an absolute muddy mess. (This was the final season of Union having a natural grass surface.)

With less than three minutes remaining, Union was up 3-0. Forced to punt, the feeling was good because the Bulldog defense had held strong ALL DAY. However, the punt was blocked and returned for a touchdown, sealing Union's fate.

I mention all this to just give you a sense of how fun, how amazing, how exciting this football season has been and continues to be.

The Bulldogs are 9-2!!! NINE WINS and just TWO LOSSES!!!

Since 1995, Union had not won more than four games in a season. In the three seasons prior to this year, the Bulldogs had just 11 wins.

And now Union is heading into the NAIA Playoffs!!!

How great is that?

Union has been blessed, especially in the past five, six years with some amazing teams. Women's basketball has been to three national championship tournaments. The baseball team went to the NAIA World Series and placed 5th. Women's soccer advanced to the Final Four in 2002, the same year the mountain biking team won the NCCA National Championship. The men's and women's tennis teams both have made back-to-back trips to the NAIA Sweet Sixteen, and the softball and volleyball teams each have won their first conference championships in program history.

Every program has enjoyed some sort of success this decade. All but football.

Until now.

So, tonight, as my daughter danced in the backseat to sounds of "Who Let the Dogs Out", I enjoyed the journey and the lengths the Bulldog football program has come over the years.

And the ride isn't over.

FORE!

Well, believe it or not, the Fall Golf season for Union wrapped up Tuesday. For the last event, both the men's and women's teams posted second place finishes at the Fall AAC Tournament. Now grant it, the two rounds were just the start and Union and the rest of the conference will play two more rounds in the Spring, but this has Eric Wyrick's squads in a good place.

It was good for Magnus Lundberg and Tiffany Willis to post impressive rounds as well. Willis finished second while Lundberg came in fourth. Both are in great shape for All-AAC honors come April.

By the way... the Spring portion of the AAC Championship will be hosted by Union at Wasioto Winds in Pineville! Hopefully the home course advantage will be kind to the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs. We will have to wait and see though.

Brinkley and his band of merry men

OK, I have waxed rhapsodic about how fun and amazing this football season has been thus far ... and the scary part is that there are still SEVEN MORE GAMES LEFT!!!

The Bulldogs have taken us - well, at least me - on a fun ride. And one of the problems at the helm of this thrilling ride is quarterback Mike Brinkley.

As with any new season, there are a number of question marks facing a team. For the Bulldogs, one of the big one was how to fill the void left by Joey Waters. He only threw for more than 3,200 yards and had 27 passing TDs last season. Not easy numbers to replace.

Yet, Brinkley has stepped in nicely.

The 6-foot-1 quarterback has not been flashy, has not racked up huge yardage, but more importantly he has held his composure and guided the team with limited mistakes. Through the first four games, Mike has thrown for 814 yards and 9 TDs and completed just under 61 percent of his passes. Against Georgetown, Mike managed the game very well as he threw for a season-high 253 yards and completed 77.3 percent of his passes.

And Brinkley has spread the wealth as well, hitting eight different receivers this season with only three registering double-digit catches. Ben Kelly leads the team with 19, while Kyle Callahan has 16 and Chris Thomas 13.

Additionally, there's been a different leading receiver each week. Callahan and Thomas led the team in week one with 7, then Kelly led the way against Malone and Faulkner with 6 and 4, respectively. Against Georgetown, the show belonged to Rolando Dyer, who hauled in a 6 catches for 98 yards and 2 TDs. Heading into the game, Dyer only had 2 catches for 32 yards.

Chew on this thought: Brinkley is just a freshman. With the maturity and composure he's showing in the pocket now, it gets me kind of jazzed to think about what's to come.

Here are some other random football tidbits:

• The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 34-0 in the third quarter this season.


• In addition to being on a 6-game win streak, Union has won its last 3 in a row on road, its last 3 in a row at Burch/Nau Field and its last 3 in a row versus ranked opponents.


• Union is 4-0 for the first time in program history. Other first-time 4-0 teams this season include the Tennessee Titans, who've never reached that mark even during the franchise's heyday as the Houston Oilers.

Riding to the Top

Another weekend and another successful run for the Union cycling team. This time it was up at the University of Michigan.

Rachel Millsop is making an impact with a pair of wins Sunday. She has five wins so far this year and could contend for the MWCCC Rider of the Year honor. She would be the third Union rider to ever win the award and it would be back-to-back years a Bulldog wins it.

Zach Winn is the defending MWCCC Rider of the Year and is not doing bad himself. He picked up a time trial win Sunday to lead a pack of Bulldogs in the event. What does that say about the Union team when the Bulldogs have four of the Top-5 finishers?

Grant it, the cycling travels north for most of the races, but if you get a chance, the NCCA National Championship is in Banner Elk, N.C. from Oct. 24-26. It should be an exciting event all weekend. Could Union capture the national championship to go with the 2002 title? Only time will tell, but first thing is first, reclaim the MWCCC Championship. That will be determined Oct. 11-12 at Purdue (Ind.) University.

Not the same ol' Bulldogs

In case you've been hiding under a rock, the Bulldog football team is off to one of its better seasons in years. Union is 3-0 for the eighth time in program history and the first time since 1994!

And as they go for its first-ever 4-0 start, the Bulldogs will square off against Georgetown in a battle of NAIA Top 20 teams - and Union is the higher ranked team at No. 16 with the Tigers coming in at No. 18.

Can the Union-Georgetown game be any bigger? It's the Mid-South Conference East opener for both. The Bulldogs snapped a 23-game losing streak against Georgetown with a 28-21 decision on the Tigers home field to end the 2007 season. (Oh, and by the way, that loss kept Georgetown out of the playoffs for the first time in 12 years and snapped the Tigers' streak of winning and/or sharing the conference championship at 11 years.) So, revenge will be on Georgetown's mind come Saturday.

These are certainly fun times. Don't know about you, but I can't wait until game time.

Here are some more random football notes:

• One player to watch for - because opposing defenses will be - is No. 26 Terence Pollock. All Mr. Pollock did last week was ripped of a 198-yard, 2-touchdown performance, earning him the MSC Offensive Player of the Week nod. On the season, he's rushed for 400 yards and is on pace to become just the third player in program history to rush for a 1,000 yards in a season. Also, he is only 223 yards away from becoming the third player to run for 2,000 yards in a career!!! Currently, Terence is ranked third in the NAIA in rushing yards per game at 133.3.
• Willie Williams is certainly making his presence felt as he ranks fourth, fifth and 13th in the NAIA in tackles for a loss, sacks and total tackles.
• Jacob Appleby has played just 3 games in his collegiate career, but he's already making an impact. Currently, he ranks third in the NAIA in Kicking Scoring with an 8.3 points-per-game average. At Faulkner last week, Jacob booted three field goals to tie the school record and scored 11 of the team's 23 points as he was named the MSC Special Teams Player of the Week.
• The Bulldogs have rushed for 608 yards and passed for only 561. The last time Union finished the season with more yards rushing than passing was in 2003 when it ran for 1838 and passed for 1370.
• In the previous seven seasons Union started the year 3-0, the team finished no worse than .500 (5-5 in 1993). The Bulldogs posted a winning record in the other six seasons.

Renata just helping out her friends

Union College has had its share of great women's soccer players.

The Lady Bulldogs have had on their roster the all-time leading goal scorer in collegiate HISTORY!!! And Union is the only school in NAIA history to boast of having TWO women's soccer players to score 100 goals during their careers.

But what Renata Peixoto is doing is on a whole other level.

Yesterday, the sophomore midfielder dished out five assists in the 6-0 win over Bluefield, narrowly missing tying the school record of six helpers in a game.

However, dishing out assists is what Renata has been doing all season. Through only nine games this season, she has scored eight goals and had 17 assists - one shy of tying the school record. At this clip, Renate could make a serious run at the NAIA record which stands at 29.

There is some history possibly in the making at Union. But if you're not careful, you could miss.

Just some random thoughts ...

It's kind of a quiet week here in the SID Office, so here are just some random thoughts and interesting tidbits - at least they're interesting to me, but I'm a stats geek so what do I know.

First, our women's soccer team lost 5-3 at Asbury. At first glance, it seems the Lady Bulldog defense had some issues. Well, they did but not the kind you might be thinking about. Asbury scored 3 of its 5 goals on penalty kicks!!!

I've been covering soccer for 15 years now, and this is the first time I've ever seen 3 PKs in one game let alone by one team. Brittany Puryear made 6 saves, but stopping a PK is not an easy chore.

On a side note, Ashley Hall is really burning up the back of the net!!! After yesterday's 2-goal performance, the sophomore now has 8 tallies on the season to tie her for second on the squad. Ashley had just 9 goals in 15 games last season.

Don't worry, the Lady Bulldogs will rebound from this.

Next, how 'bout the roll the Bulldog soccer team has begun the season on???

Union is 5-1-2 after yesterday's 3-1 victory over Berea. Had to do some digging for this tidbit, but the last time the Bulldogs began the year 5-1-2 was in 2001 when they ended the year 16-4-2, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA and missed advancing to the national tournament by ONE GAME - but we won't talk about that.

The thing I'm enjoying most about the Bulldogs is their balanced-scoring attack. There are literally 4 or 5 guys that can score at any moment with a number of other players able to chip a crucial goal when the need arises.

Watch out Appalachian Athletic Conference! Here comes the Bulldogs!

The Lady Bulldog volleyballers have a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde season early on. The start out the year going 3-1 against NCAA Division II schools, but open AAC play 1-2.

However, Union's turned things around with three straight AAC victories and sit third in the standing with a 4-2 league mark.

Scanning the Lady Bulldog stats, it's amazing how balanced it is. There are number of players leading the charge at the net, Monica Moreland and Christina Prindle are handling the assists and digs just fine, but two players really stand out to me.

First, junior Brooke Vinovich currently has nearly as many digs (92) as she does kills (94). I don't know why, but that's impressive to me. To be able to dominate the net like she does as well as get back and play defense just shows what kind of athlete Brooke is.

Also, freshman Amelia Cantrell is proving to be a valuable asset in her first season with the Lady Bulldogs. She's helped out with 41 kills thus far and is second on the team in blocks with 25 total blocks. All I can say is keep up the good work!!!

Lastly, the Bulldog cyclists are rolling, rolling, rolling. In their first two weekends of races, they have proven to be very strong unit and appear to be getting things in order for another NCCA National Championship run.

We're just four weeks into the fall sports season, and it's been a fun one thus far. Don't know about you, but I can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring.

How 'bout them Bulldogs!!!

WOW!!!

What else is there to say after the amazing football game this weekend?

The Bulldogs defeated the then-No. 24 team in the nation. They did it in an impressive manner, dominating ball control in the second half and just wore down Malone. It was a true team effort. The defense did all it could to keep the team in it in the first half, while the offense seized control of things in the second half.

Malone might've had more yardage and more first downs, but Union led in the category that matters most - the FINAL SCORE!!! 35-28.

In amongst the great team effort were some spectacular individual performances.

Kyle Callahan had just four catches all day, but he hauled in three TD passes - all three of which were SportsCenter worthy.

After a rough first half, running back Terence Pollock, Darrell Taylor, Tim Coffey and Ben Kelly did what they needed to do to eat up the clock and keep Malone's offense off the field. Quarterback Mike Brinkley did a commendable job of managing the clock and guiding the team to victory. And just think, Brinkley's just a freshman.

On defense, the line did a tremendous job getting pressure on the quarterback while the linebackers and secondary just did their thing.

The Bulldogs are now 2-0!!! It's been since 1994 that Union has been able to say that.

And now, the Bulldogs are ranked in the NAIA Top 25!!!

Union is currently tied for No. 18 in the latest NAIA Football Coaches' Poll. The last time Union was ranked the year was 1996 - and the ranking did not last long. The Bulldogs finished the 1995 season 7-2-1 and ranked 16th, just missing the NAIA playoffs. So, coming off the stellar, Union entered the 1996 season with high hopes and expectations and were ranked in the Top 25.

But things didn't go so well for Union in 1996. The Bulldogs finished the year 1-9 - with the only win being an 24-23 overtime victory over Cumberland (Ky.) College. (So, the year wasn't a total loss :-D )

The 1996 began a long, dry spell for the Bulldogs. Union has not had a winning season since 1995.

Twelve seasons and counting ...

Hopefully, the counting stops in 2008.

There's something special going on with this year's Bulldogs. The offense is relatively young yet overflowing with talent. The defense has strong senior leadership, especially in the linebacking corps. And it just seems everything is aligning just so, giving at least this old SID the hopes that a winning football season is just over the horizon.

I've been at Union since 1999, but I remember the winning seasons in the early 1990s. I was working at the local newspapers at the time, and football Saturday in Barbourville was an event - and it still is. The fans have always come out and supported the Bulldogs. Union football fans are among the most loyal and faithful. Yet, there was a certain buzz around Burch/Nau Field during those winning seasons.

And now, that buzz is starting to come back. Don't believe me? Then join me at Burch/Nau Field on Sept. 27 to see for yourself.

And the honors start rolling in ...

I must admit it. I tend to be a 'Proud Papa', if you will, when it comes to the student-athletes at Union. And when my student-athletes are honored, my chest swells.

Well ... today my chest nearly exploded.

This was the first week for conference player of the week awards and today was the first week for the NAIA Football Player of the Week honors. And Union College was very well represented.

In the Appalachian Athletic Conference, Christina Prindle was named the Volleyball Libero of the Week, Aaron Miller is the Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, Marcela Salum the Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week and Brittany Puryear the Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

In the Mid-South Conference, Union took two of the three Player-of-the-Week awards with Terence Pollock earning the offensive honors and Willie Williams taking home the defensive honors.

Willie took things a step further in picking the NAIA Defensive Player of the Week nod. (Here's a neat fact for all you Bulldog fans: Union has had the last two NAIA Defensive Players of the Week. Patrick O'Neal received the honor in the final week of the regular-season in 2007 after Union defeated Georgetown for the first time since 1938 - and no I don't get tired of writing/saying that last sentence.)

A total of seven honors (and six student-athletes honored) in ONE DAY!!!

Yes, Monday was a good day.

Does a 'Papa' proud ... :-D

Now, I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings.

Busy weekend comes to an end

Well, the wild and crazy weekend just finished up a matter of minutes ago. The Lady Bulldogs' soccer team won two games Saturday for the Union College Bulldog Soccer Classic crown. Finally someone scored on the Union defense. Through five games, Union has only allowed one goal, yes ONE goal! The team has one more non-conference meeting before the AAC season starts next Saturday.

It took penalty kicks, but the Bulldogs' soccer team kicked to the Golden Corral Bulldog Classic title over Cumberland (Tenn.) University. Congrats to the Bulldogs on the win! Jonathan Shaw was named the classic's MVP. Congrats to the tall Englishman!

The volleyball team had mixed results on Saturday. The shining light is that Union got a conference win over Covenant, but Shawnee State only needed three games for the win over Union. Tuesday will be an important contest for Union when King visits... The Lady Bulldogs needed the two wins over King to win the conference last year and it looks like the matches will be key this season as well.

Oh yeah... the football team kicked off the season in grand style with a 27-21 win today at Lambuth. Check out the story for more information and don't forget to come out for the home opener next Saturday against Malone.

Not to forget, the cross country teams went to Ohio on Friday. Two Bulldogs had Top-30 runs and newcomer Bethany Bowlin posted a great time in her first race.

In all on Saturday, Union went 5-1 and the cycling team up in Illinois. Tune back in for more information on Chuck Coffey's squad. Shew... it's been a busy day in Barbourville!

Don't forget to visit www.ucbulldogs.com for all the news and happenings from this past weekend!

Ahhh ... the maddness truly begins

It's now official. Summer's over and the fall sports season is now here ... IN FULL FORCE!!!

This weekend is going to be hopping with Bulldog and Lady Bulldog athletics.

Today, the men's soccer, volleyball and the men's and women's cross country teams are in action, while on Saturday, both men's and women's soccer, volleyball and cycling teams will be competing. Oh yeah, the football team kicks off the season Saturday as well.

I'm excited to see how each and every team will do this weekend. The volleyballers open up conference play against Bryan College tonight at 7 pm in Robsion Arena. This is a HUGE MATCH, especially since it's the Appalachian Athletic Conference opener for both teams. Although Union won the AAC regular-season championship last year in going 16-2 in league play, the Lady Bulldogs went 0-4 versus Bryan in 2007 - dropping both regular-season matches and losing to the Lady Lions in both the conference and region tournaments. Methinks, it's payback time.

The Bulldog soccer team is hosting the Golden Corrall Bulldog Classic and faces off against Johnson Bible College at 1 pm today. Should it win, Union will take on the winner of the Cumberland University-Emmanuel College game Saturday at 3:15 pm. (The losers will play at 1 pm)

Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldog soccer squad will look to extend its shutout streak Saturday with matches against Emmanuae College at 11 am and then Cumberland University at 5:30 pm, marking the first time Union has played TWO matches in the same day - truly a unique feat. Through the first three games of the season, Union has outscored its opponents 21-0. Marcela Salum has netted a team-high seven goals and has 17 total points, while Renata Peixoto boasts six goals, seven assists and 19 total points. Ashley Hall has chipped in four goals as well. And with those three being sophomores and younger, the future looks bright right now for Lady Bulldog soccer.

The men's and women's cross country teams will be opening their seasons Friday at the Shawnee State Invitational in Portsmouth, Ohio. It'll be interesting to see if the Bulldogs build on last year's success and excel as a team this year. Last year, Brandon Kibert qualified for nationals but has since graduated.

And the cycling team will look to improve on last week's strong showing. If it weren't for mechanical issues, the Bulldogs could've had four of the Top 5 riders in the cross-country race. Could be very exciting season the Ridin' Bulldogs!!!

Which brings us to football. Yes, the Bulldogs lost quarterback Joey Waters and middle linebacker Patrick O'Neal. They were great players and will be hard to replace. But I've got a good feeling about this year's team. However, the Bulldogs return a lot of talented players. There's just so much I could say, but I don't where to begin or when to end. I'm just really eager to see how the Bulldogs do at Lambuth this weekend.

Man, it's going to be a busy weekend, but it's going to be a fun one.

The quiet warriors

Seeing Autumn Combs break the career blocks record did my heart good. Finally, she can begin getting some of the recognition she has so long deserved.

Since her freshman season, Autumn has been a force to be reckon with at the net for the Lady Bulldogs. She's posted 200-plus blocks per season, been a constant pain in the side of the opponents, and yet has never really gotten the credit she has deserved for the Lady Bulldogs' success the past couple of seasons.

Part of that's been due to the fact others on the volleyball team has put up bigger numbers in other categories - the ones the majority of people pay attention to like kills, assists and digs. Another reason is that Autumn has just quietly gone about her business, never really seeking the spotlight.

But now, at the beginning of her junior campaign, Autumn is the career blocks leader in program history.

And if she continues what she's done her first two seasons, that number might be hard to reach. I wouldn't be surprised if she finishes with over 900 career blocks.

Autumn is someone I like to call a "quiet warrior" - a person who's a fierce competitor and just goes about their business without much fanfare. And every successful team has one or more quiet warriors.

For example, the 2008 Union baseball team had David Fairbanks. A fifth-year senior, he was generally overshadowed on the field by others putting up large numbers. But David was a model of consistency, playing every day. So much so, he set the program record for most games played. And on a team that averaged hitting .331, David batted a "quiet" .348 and had 31 RBIs, 54 runs scored and 22 stolen bases.

And there is no doubt that David was a key part the Bulldogs' NAIA World Series run. Sure he batted toward the bottom of the lineup, but he kept the innings going so bring the top of the lineup back up to the plate.

I realized I opened a can of worms by mentioning only two people here, but I could go on and on. My point in writing all this is point out the unsung heroes on the teams, the quiet warriors if you will.

They are out there. Just pay attention and you'll find them.

What a day!

Autumn Combs broke Union's career blocks record as a junior. Now the question is can she get to the single-season record of 273? She had 232 last season. Only time will tell.

Don't forget to come out Tuesday night to see Union host Cumberlands. Action gets underway at 7 p.m.

At Burch/Nau Field, Jason Lanham made his home debut as a head coach a memorable one. The Lady Bulldogs won 9-0 with two players posting hat tricks in the process. The thing about the two players with the hat tricks... one is a sophomore and the other is a freshman. The future and present are bright for the Lady Bulldogs.

The men's contest took a little while to unfold. But when it did, Union came out on top. No matter what happened with the stopping of play, coming back out, warming up, and then going back in, Union kept focused. Also, the team looked impressive with the mixture of new faces and experienced players on the pitch.

I was impressed with the attendance at today's games. It was great to see so many Union fans out supporting the soccer teams today. Everyone there gave Union a home-field advantage.

Well, it is time for a long weekend! Enjoy Labor Day and stay tuned for what's next.

Media guides, media guides and more media guides

One of the fun, but yet frustrating, parts of being a SID (sports information director) has to do with media guides. They really put a SID to the test.

It is always a challenge trying to figure out how to place stuff in them, come with a new and catchy cover design, get everything typed up and do it all in a timely manner and have the guides back from the printer before the season starts. To try to stay on top of things, we generally start working on a media guide months in advance. For example, we were working on the football media guide back in March and April.

And when you've got as many athletic programs like we do here at Union, it's a year-round process.

My favorite part of it all is the design aspect of it. I love looking at what other schools have done, borrowing bits and pieces of their designs and then recreating a new look for the Bulldog and Lady Bulldog media guides. The hardest part is developing a cover design that can easily translate from sport to sport. Since there are just two of us in the Sports Information Office, we don't have the luxury of developing a unique look for each sport. As much as I'd love to, we just don't have the time to do.

But the best is when you finish all the guides for a sports season and have them at the printers. There is just this nice sense of relief ... and that's where I'm at right now.

The football, men's soccer, women's soccer and volleyball media guides all have been printed and the cycling media guide is being printed right now. (And you can look at the all by clicking on the links. )

However, all that means is that I get a short breather from working on a media guide. Fortunately for me, it's Labor Day weekend and I can wait until Tuesday to start on basketball.

That time...

Well, it is that time again - the Fall sports are starting! The Union men's and women's soccer teams kick the 2008 season off later today at West Virginia Tech. This weekend, volleyball plays four times at a tournament hosted by Anderson University while the cyclist ride to the University of Missouri.

It's just hard to believe that classes start today. It seems like just yesterday we were relaxing and getting ready for the fall sports, well now the seasons are HERE. The great thing about the new seasons are the hopes and dreams of championships are alive for everyone.

The new season brings championship dreams for everyone. The volleyball team looks to repeat the 2007 AAC crown this season. The soccer teams should contend for the conference titles. The cycling team fell short of the MWCCC championship last season, but should contend for the program's fifth conference title.

Now, I didn't forget about football and cross country as both open next weekend. I'll have some notes and thougths on the teams next week.

This should be a great year once again for Union athletics and each of you can keep up with it at www.ucbulldogs.com.

It's an exciting time!!!

Well, it's just about official. Summer is over. At least for me it is.

You see, the fall sports season kicks off in earnest tomorrow when the Union men and women's soccer team open up at West Virginia Tech. From here on out, it'll be non-stop sports until mid-may - unless the Bulldog baseball team extends the season with another trip to the NAIA World Series. (Which wouldn't be a bad thing. I would like to make the trip Idaho again :-D)

But while life might get crazy now, I AM SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. It's been too quiet the past few months. Sure, Gene and I have gotten a lot done during the summer. The fall media guides all finished (and will be appearing www.ucbulldogs.com very soon!!!), and we've gotten a jump on the winter media guides as well. We've added a few new wrinkles to the web site as well, especially a new photo gallery which will get put the use VERY SOON. But we have to during the summer because once the season starts; it's anything goes from that point. And it feels like every day is game day.

But I love game day.

There is nothing like it. Watching two teams warm up for competition and then squaring off on the field of play, putting forth their best efforts as they strive for victory ... I can't wait.

And now I don't have to for the season, it is upon us.

Welcome to UC Bulldog Extra

Welcome to UC Bulldog Extra - the official blog for Union College Department of Athletics.

This blog will be maintained by the UC Sports Information Office and will give Bulldog fans some extra news and tidbits that won't necessarily make the UC Bulldogs athletics website (www.ucbulldogs.com). We will regularly add here interesting news and notes, as well as fun facts and oddities, from our 23 varsity athletic programs and, sometimes, some timely opinion by SID Jay Stancil and Assistant SID Gene Renfro.

In other words, think of this as the site for "The News That Didn't Make The News.

As always, we are open to suggestions you have for our online content. If you have a comment, feel free to drop us an email.