Xavier University Athletics
AD Greg Christopher: A Letter to Xavier Nation
10.09.14 | General
Oct. 9, 2014
Athletic Director Greg Christopher addresses Xavier Nation in the second installment of his bi-monthly letter. Look for his next letter in December during the start of the 2014-15 men's and women's basketball seasons.
Xavier Nation,
Campus is bustling again, the leaves are changing and fans are itching for basketball. It's definitely fall. This also means all of our sports are in full swing - some in-season, others in workouts and training. There's a lot of ground to cover, so here's the rundown...
Fall Sports Notes
Soccer, volleyball and cross country started the new sports year for Xavier, while several other teams are getting into action this month. Two exciting wins over UC highlighted the month of September: volleyball beat the Bearcats 3-0 and men's soccer won by the same score in front of a school record crowd of more than 2,200 on Victory Parkway. An interesting note on the XU/UC soccer match - more than 700 students attended - a number that rivals student attendance at men's basketball games, an impressive count that reflects the growth trajectory of soccer in this country.
The men's golf team opened October in notable fashion as they placed second at the Firestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Freshman Jose Montaño finished 4-under to take home the individual title.
The Next Generation
Back to volleyball for a minute: two months ago I mentioned the highly-ranked freshmen in Mike Johnson's volleyball class. One of those new players is Kristen Massa from St. Ursula Academy here in Cincinnati. Many of you will recognize the Massa name - Kristen's mom, Mary (a UD grad, but don't hold that against her), spent several years in Cincinnati TV news. Her dad, Gary, is Xavier's vice president for university relations. Perhaps more notably, Gary played hoops for XU from 1977-81 and is a member of the 1,000 Point Club. Gary's sisters - Laurie and Barb - were also connected to Xavier Athletics. Laurie served as a volleyball and women's basketball coach, along with administrative roles. Barb (aka Pep) was a standout multi-sport athlete for the Musketeers, particularly in volleyball.
Team Massa is the latest in several family trees within Xavier Athletics. The most famous might be former baseball player Jim Gruber and his daughters, former soccer standouts Amanda and Annette. All three have been inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame. More recently, men's basketball walk-on Tim Whelan's dad, Jeff, was a terrific baseball player at XU. One other very notable one is Ann Marie (Hubbard) Sunderhaus, a former soccer standout who will be a part of the next Hall of Fame class, whose mother Kathleen Hubbard is a former Xavier swimmer and was the first female inducted into Xavier's Athletic Hall of Fame. I'm sure there are others that go back in time as well.
Just Around The Corner
By the time you read this, the basketball teams will have started practice. There's plenty of excitement surrounding the teams evidenced by the increases in season ticket sales for both the women's and men's teams - thank you. If you haven't secured tickets yet, the two schedules are particularly fan-friendly this year. On the men's side, 11 of 17 games are played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The New Year's Eve headliner against Georgetown will open BIG EAST play. On the women's basketball front, 12 of 16 home games are weekend dates.
Five Minutes
Sometimes an unexpected conversation can help validate why you go to work each day. At last month's home cross country meet, I had a chance conversation with one of our track runners who was there to support her teammates. In five minutes you can get a pretty good sense of how a person is wired, and I'd say that Onya Edwards has a bright future ahead of her.
Scoring points for us at each of the conference championship meets the last two years and being honored as BIG EAST Track Athlete of the Week last winter, Onya's track achievements are notable, but her leadership on campus and within her team is more impressive. While track may have been a vehicle for Onya to find Xavier, the university is now a stage for Onya to develop her future. It's clear Onya is taking advantage of what Xavier has to offer - whether it's through her team, SAAC, campus connections like helping lead Manresa, study abroad, or plans for a Fulbright scholarship and service after school. Onya is just one example of the young women and men you support who are doing great things on campus, in the community and in competition.
Point, Counterpoint
Later this month, the All For One Fund will mail out to all donors and ticket holders information about the new Musketeer Points system. Musketeer Points is our version of a priority points system. Like many Xavier things, this has been talked through and in the making for a long time - a nearly three-year baking process. Our ticket office has been using a semblance of the points system for at least 15 years unbeknownst to ticket holders. With the introduction of Musketeer Points, ticket allocation will be transparent - you will know exactly where you fit within our overall ticket group. Look for the information in the mail. Going forward, Musketeer Points will be used for allocating tickets - like seating upgrades, BIG EAST Tournament tickets and any postseason allocation.
Hall of Fame
It was my pleasure over the past few weeks to call and congratulate the five Xavier graduates who will comprise the next Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame class. Ken Blackwell ('70) may be best known for his contributions to public service and the political world, but he was known at Xavier as a standout football player who was later drafted by the NFL. Romain Sato ('04) helped Xavier basketball reach its first Elite Eight and has since won major championships playing for teams in Greece and Spain.
Tim O'Connell ('68), a standout basketball and baseball player, was a member of the 1967 baseball team, the first XU baseball squad ever offered a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Ann Marie (Hubbard) Sunderhaus ('99) was the goalkeeper on the XU women's soccer team that won a PK shootout vs. Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Championship match at UD to capture the program's first-ever NCAA berth. Alan Joseph ('80) competed in rifle as an undergrad, but stood out as a coach that built a national program that produced Olympians and numerous All-Americans. Congrats to all five - a very deserving honor. We hope you can join us before the Butler game on Feb. 21 to introduce this distinguished Hall of Fame class.
Every Single One
This is pretty cool: new AFO Director Seth Breitenstein approached our student-athletes about a 100 percent giving challenge. The group embraced the idea and every single one of XU's student-athletes - 286 in total, across all 18 sports - donated to All For One to help create the new 'fuel station' that's been added in our Cintas weight room. Personal gifts ranging from $1 to $15 totaled up to almost $2,000. The fuel station provides post-workout fruit and snacks (sans the Snickers bars) for the student-athletes. A great leadership example directly from our student-athletes.
Not Surprising
If you haven't been up to University Station and the new bookstore yet, make sure you stop by before one of the upcoming basketball games. In one word - impressive. Fantastic space, even more selection of Xavier gear - and a Starbucks to boot. The bookstore opened last week to great fanfare here on campus. Guess who made the inaugural purchase? Greg Theisen, Mr. Xavier, was first in line and christened the cash register.
Calendar Items
Cross check these items with your calendar...
October 15 - Cavs vs. Pacers
Our first basketball game of the fall will actually be the NBA version. It will be exciting to have David West and James Posey back in the building. Think about this: the hottest ticket for any Cincinnati sporting event in 2014 is an exhibition game. The power of LeBron.
October 24 - Musketeer Madness
Make your way to Cintas for a first glimpse of the teams.
October 30 - Tip-off Reception
New to our calendar this fall is a tip-off reception where you can meet the coaches and student-athletes from both teams.
November 1 - Xavier Nation Magazine Release
Watch your mailbox around for the first edition of Xavier Nation, a magazine about Xavier Athletics. Former Enquirer writer (and X beat reporter) Michael Perry is editor for the magazine. Our plan is to publish a couple of editions annually, with the second coming out next spring.
November 24 - Sr. Rose Ann Fleming Bobblehead Night
November is also when Sr. Rose Ann Fleming's book Out of Habit goes on sale. Make sure you attend our game against Murray State on Nov. 24 as a Sr. Rose Ann bobblehead will be given away. Stay tuned for another Sister-related highlight that will take place that evening.
Finally, you might set your DVR for 3 p.m. on Feb. 18. That's the date a taping of the Bill Cunningham Show will air in Cincinnati on the CW Network. Bill hosted a Xavier group at the taping of one of his shows last March when we were in New York for the BIG EAST Tournament. If you haven't seen Bill's show, think Jerry Springer and then turn it up a notch. I'll just say it was fascinating people-watching...not sure Mary Lynn Sunderman has stopped blushing yet. And you should also tune in for no other reason than to see the Jim Gudmens' Groove, as Jim put on a pre-show dance routine on the set.
As always, thank you for all you do for Xavier Athletics.
Archive Letters
August Letter to Xavier Nation
Athletic Director Greg Christopher addresses Xavier Nation in the second installment of his bi-monthly letter. Look for his next letter in December during the start of the 2014-15 men's and women's basketball seasons.
Xavier Nation,
Campus is bustling again, the leaves are changing and fans are itching for basketball. It's definitely fall. This also means all of our sports are in full swing - some in-season, others in workouts and training. There's a lot of ground to cover, so here's the rundown...
Fall Sports Notes
Soccer, volleyball and cross country started the new sports year for Xavier, while several other teams are getting into action this month. Two exciting wins over UC highlighted the month of September: volleyball beat the Bearcats 3-0 and men's soccer won by the same score in front of a school record crowd of more than 2,200 on Victory Parkway. An interesting note on the XU/UC soccer match - more than 700 students attended - a number that rivals student attendance at men's basketball games, an impressive count that reflects the growth trajectory of soccer in this country.
The men's golf team opened October in notable fashion as they placed second at the Firestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio. Freshman Jose Montaño finished 4-under to take home the individual title.
The Next Generation
Back to volleyball for a minute: two months ago I mentioned the highly-ranked freshmen in Mike Johnson's volleyball class. One of those new players is Kristen Massa from St. Ursula Academy here in Cincinnati. Many of you will recognize the Massa name - Kristen's mom, Mary (a UD grad, but don't hold that against her), spent several years in Cincinnati TV news. Her dad, Gary, is Xavier's vice president for university relations. Perhaps more notably, Gary played hoops for XU from 1977-81 and is a member of the 1,000 Point Club. Gary's sisters - Laurie and Barb - were also connected to Xavier Athletics. Laurie served as a volleyball and women's basketball coach, along with administrative roles. Barb (aka Pep) was a standout multi-sport athlete for the Musketeers, particularly in volleyball.
Team Massa is the latest in several family trees within Xavier Athletics. The most famous might be former baseball player Jim Gruber and his daughters, former soccer standouts Amanda and Annette. All three have been inducted into the Xavier Hall of Fame. More recently, men's basketball walk-on Tim Whelan's dad, Jeff, was a terrific baseball player at XU. One other very notable one is Ann Marie (Hubbard) Sunderhaus, a former soccer standout who will be a part of the next Hall of Fame class, whose mother Kathleen Hubbard is a former Xavier swimmer and was the first female inducted into Xavier's Athletic Hall of Fame. I'm sure there are others that go back in time as well.
Just Around The Corner
By the time you read this, the basketball teams will have started practice. There's plenty of excitement surrounding the teams evidenced by the increases in season ticket sales for both the women's and men's teams - thank you. If you haven't secured tickets yet, the two schedules are particularly fan-friendly this year. On the men's side, 11 of 17 games are played on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. The New Year's Eve headliner against Georgetown will open BIG EAST play. On the women's basketball front, 12 of 16 home games are weekend dates.
Five Minutes
Sometimes an unexpected conversation can help validate why you go to work each day. At last month's home cross country meet, I had a chance conversation with one of our track runners who was there to support her teammates. In five minutes you can get a pretty good sense of how a person is wired, and I'd say that Onya Edwards has a bright future ahead of her.
Scoring points for us at each of the conference championship meets the last two years and being honored as BIG EAST Track Athlete of the Week last winter, Onya's track achievements are notable, but her leadership on campus and within her team is more impressive. While track may have been a vehicle for Onya to find Xavier, the university is now a stage for Onya to develop her future. It's clear Onya is taking advantage of what Xavier has to offer - whether it's through her team, SAAC, campus connections like helping lead Manresa, study abroad, or plans for a Fulbright scholarship and service after school. Onya is just one example of the young women and men you support who are doing great things on campus, in the community and in competition.
Point, Counterpoint
Later this month, the All For One Fund will mail out to all donors and ticket holders information about the new Musketeer Points system. Musketeer Points is our version of a priority points system. Like many Xavier things, this has been talked through and in the making for a long time - a nearly three-year baking process. Our ticket office has been using a semblance of the points system for at least 15 years unbeknownst to ticket holders. With the introduction of Musketeer Points, ticket allocation will be transparent - you will know exactly where you fit within our overall ticket group. Look for the information in the mail. Going forward, Musketeer Points will be used for allocating tickets - like seating upgrades, BIG EAST Tournament tickets and any postseason allocation.
Hall of Fame
It was my pleasure over the past few weeks to call and congratulate the five Xavier graduates who will comprise the next Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame class. Ken Blackwell ('70) may be best known for his contributions to public service and the political world, but he was known at Xavier as a standout football player who was later drafted by the NFL. Romain Sato ('04) helped Xavier basketball reach its first Elite Eight and has since won major championships playing for teams in Greece and Spain.
Tim O'Connell ('68), a standout basketball and baseball player, was a member of the 1967 baseball team, the first XU baseball squad ever offered a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Ann Marie (Hubbard) Sunderhaus ('99) was the goalkeeper on the XU women's soccer team that won a PK shootout vs. Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Championship match at UD to capture the program's first-ever NCAA berth. Alan Joseph ('80) competed in rifle as an undergrad, but stood out as a coach that built a national program that produced Olympians and numerous All-Americans. Congrats to all five - a very deserving honor. We hope you can join us before the Butler game on Feb. 21 to introduce this distinguished Hall of Fame class.
Every Single One
This is pretty cool: new AFO Director Seth Breitenstein approached our student-athletes about a 100 percent giving challenge. The group embraced the idea and every single one of XU's student-athletes - 286 in total, across all 18 sports - donated to All For One to help create the new 'fuel station' that's been added in our Cintas weight room. Personal gifts ranging from $1 to $15 totaled up to almost $2,000. The fuel station provides post-workout fruit and snacks (sans the Snickers bars) for the student-athletes. A great leadership example directly from our student-athletes.
Not Surprising
If you haven't been up to University Station and the new bookstore yet, make sure you stop by before one of the upcoming basketball games. In one word - impressive. Fantastic space, even more selection of Xavier gear - and a Starbucks to boot. The bookstore opened last week to great fanfare here on campus. Guess who made the inaugural purchase? Greg Theisen, Mr. Xavier, was first in line and christened the cash register.
Calendar Items
Cross check these items with your calendar...
October 15 - Cavs vs. Pacers
Our first basketball game of the fall will actually be the NBA version. It will be exciting to have David West and James Posey back in the building. Think about this: the hottest ticket for any Cincinnati sporting event in 2014 is an exhibition game. The power of LeBron.
October 24 - Musketeer Madness
Make your way to Cintas for a first glimpse of the teams.
October 30 - Tip-off Reception
New to our calendar this fall is a tip-off reception where you can meet the coaches and student-athletes from both teams.
November 1 - Xavier Nation Magazine Release
Watch your mailbox around for the first edition of Xavier Nation, a magazine about Xavier Athletics. Former Enquirer writer (and X beat reporter) Michael Perry is editor for the magazine. Our plan is to publish a couple of editions annually, with the second coming out next spring.
November 24 - Sr. Rose Ann Fleming Bobblehead Night
November is also when Sr. Rose Ann Fleming's book Out of Habit goes on sale. Make sure you attend our game against Murray State on Nov. 24 as a Sr. Rose Ann bobblehead will be given away. Stay tuned for another Sister-related highlight that will take place that evening.
Finally, you might set your DVR for 3 p.m. on Feb. 18. That's the date a taping of the Bill Cunningham Show will air in Cincinnati on the CW Network. Bill hosted a Xavier group at the taping of one of his shows last March when we were in New York for the BIG EAST Tournament. If you haven't seen Bill's show, think Jerry Springer and then turn it up a notch. I'll just say it was fascinating people-watching...not sure Mary Lynn Sunderman has stopped blushing yet. And you should also tune in for no other reason than to see the Jim Gudmens' Groove, as Jim put on a pre-show dance routine on the set.
As always, thank you for all you do for Xavier Athletics.
Archive Letters
August Letter to Xavier Nation
INTERVIEW | Gabriel Kuffel vs Siena
Sunday, September 14
INTERVIEW | Coach Higgins vs Siena
Sunday, September 14
HIGHLIGHTS | Men's Soccer vs Siena
Sunday, September 14
HIGHLIGHTS | Women's Soccer vs. Chattanooga
Thursday, September 11