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at the court The History of Court Tennis The beginnings of court tennis have been traced to the fertility rites of the Egyptians and Persians. Modern court tennis took shape centuries later as a pastime of monks and other ecclesiasts in France. Also the game of bishops and priests, court tennis eventually became the pastime of monarchs and the royalty surrounding them. Its popularity spread to gamblers who placed enormous wagers, and by 1369, public bets were so widespread that Charles V (who built a court in the Louvre palace) restricted the playing of the game in Paris. During the reign of the Tudors—Henry VII and VIII, Edward VI, Elizabeth I—tennis achieved its greatest vogue in England. (Showtime’s popular show The Tudors has shown scenes of Henry VIII playing the game.) In France, too, the game flourished in the 1500s and 1600s, and was embraced by the masses as it spread across Germany, Spain, Italy, and Southern Europe. Beyond being the sport of choice among rulers and royalty, the game has a place in history and literature. Court tennis was played at Versailles where, in 1789, the deputies of the Tiers Etat took the famous Serment du Jeu de Paume, or Tennis Court Oath, vowing never to abandon their efforts until they had given France a constitution. William Shakespeare mentioned the game in six of his plays, and literary greats like Chaucer, Rousseau, Ben Jonson, and John Locke made mention of court tennis. 32 | FALL 2009 REAL Tennis Tournament Returns to Georgian Court Just off to the side of the Casino Auditorium is a rare gem—one of less than 10 remaining court tennis courts in the United States today. The court, built in 1899 as part of George Jay Gould’s country estate, was once home to America’s finest-ever court tennis amateur, George’s son Jay Gould, who reigned as U.S. Amateur Champion from 1906 through 1926. In May of this year, the Jay Gould Cup tournament, which started as a club singles championship series when the court was renovated and returned to playable conditions in 1982, returned home for the first time in nearly two decades. Court tennis, also known as real tennis or royal tennis, differs substantially from lawn tennis, the game familiar to most people. While players hitting a ball over a net with a racquet is similar, and some of the scoring is familiar too, that’s where the similarities end. The rules of court tennis are so complex that many a world-class lawn tennis player (Pete Sampras included) have been baffled by this ancient game. The 2009 Jay Gould Cup was the first tournament to be played at the university since the United States tes Court Tennis Association (USCTA), the New Jersey Historical Society, and GCU partnered to renovate the court in 2004– 2005. The tournament, which had been played intermittently around the country since 1990, attracted 22 players, including Philip and James Zug pose after their exhibition match that launched the tournament. Liverpool native Philip Shannon, a club pro at Prince’s Court in McLean, Virginia, runs to return a ball during an exhibition match. Hitting the grille— the opening to his left—with the ball scores an immediate point. the five members of the Friends of Georgian Court, a committee created to promote play on the GCU court. Under the guidance of the USCTA, the Friends of Georgian Court seek to revitalize the GCU court by encouraging its usage, teaching others about the game, and pushing for intercollegiate and other matches. “Georgian Court’s court tennis facility is the only U.S. court located on a university campus, which provides a wonderful opportunity to reach out to students and share the academic nature and historical aspects of this game that dates back hundreds of years,” says Schuyler Wickes, a member of the Friends of Georgian Court, who notes that the GCU court is the second-oldest in the country. While GCU is the only American university to have a court, nearby Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania have clubs that play the sport. Outside of the United States, courts exist in only three other countries—England (where Oxford and Cambridge have courts), Australia, and France. “Playing on the GCU court provides a wonderful opportunity to reach out to students and share the historical aspects of the game,” says Mr. Wickes. “GCU alumna Dunja Dunda ’07 took court tennis lessons from a couple of our pros and is now honing her game at the famed Queen’s Club while she studies at the London School of Economics.” The Friends of Georgian Court are eager to share the court and hope others will take up the sport. Member James Zug, a USCTA board member and Washington, D.C.-based historian, says he and his fellow players are “jealous” of GCU students’ proximity to this rare court. “It’s amazing,” he says. “The women here are so lucky.”
GCU Lacrosse Joins the CACC The 2009 season ended for the GCU lacrosse team with a heartbreaking, 11–9 defeat to Philadelphia University in the inaugural CACC Lacrosse Championship game this past April. However, for all the disappointment the Lions felt at that moment, there are dozens of reasons these particular student-athletes will look back at this campaign with nothing but positive memories. Three short years ago, GCU ventured into the unknown when its lacrosse program took the field for the very first time. The Lions proved to be no ordinary “startup” as the team compiled two double-digit win seasons as an independent. On July 29, 2008, the CACC adopted lacrosse, giving the Lions the opportunity to compete for a conference title. And compete they did. GCU finished 2009 with a 15–3 record, which included a perfect 10–0 regular season mark vs. CACC foes. The roster was well recognized, as 10 different players earned a spot on the All-CACC squad, including four First- Team members, juniors Angelica Gero and Natalie Bermudez and sophomores Lauren Conaty and Ryan McGrath. Natalie also earned All-Region accolades when she was selected to the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Second Team. With a veteran roster consisting of 11 seniors, and an incoming class made up of Jersey Shore stars, GCU lacrosse looks athletics to continue its developing reputation as a perennial force within the CACC, while keeping the focus on taking home the crown in 2010. The GCU lacrosse team has averaged 12 victories per season over its first three seasons. Track & Field Toes Its First Line On November 1, 2008, Head Coach Brett Harvey and an eclectic group of young women came together as a team for practice and, in essence, launched the Georgian Court track and field program. With little time to train, a small but determined group had emerged by the end of December. The “team” had established a shared hunger and desire to compete. In early February, the squad traveled to an indoor meet at Pennsylvania’s Ursinus College, making its debut as a competitive program and pulling on the GCU jerseys for the very first time. Junior Ammy Gutierrez and sophomore Christie The track and field squad quickly gelled into a solid team. Gallant entered Georgian Court history as they toed the line in the 3,000m, the first race ever for the team. Things really started to blossom the following weekend. First, senior Emilia Lopez won both the mile and 3,000m and sophomore Krystal Belcher the 800m, marking the program’s first victories. Secondly, Coach Harvey succeeded in signing five recruits, including former New Jersey State Champion Lauren Calorel, marking the team’s inaugural recruiting class. With a solid foundation consisting of talent, heart, and grit, Coach Harvey and the Lions look to be building a long and proud tradition of GCU track and field. GCU Athletics Launches New Web Site With the recent construction of the stateof-the-art Wellness Center, as well as the plush playing fields, the Ellen Mullane Gallagher Tennis Center, and the track, the Georgian Court University athletics experience has truly gone through a complete metamorphosis. Adding to the enhancement of the program was the highly anticipated launch of the Lions’ first athletics-only Web site, www.gculions.com, which made its debut at the end of August. The new Web site design immediately gives the fans of Georgian Court athletics an opportunity to see their favorite teams and student-athletes like never before, while serving as their one-stop news source for anything and everything GCU Lions. Some of the newest features include a revolving calendar and scoreboard; eye-popping team rosters, schedules, and up-to-the-second results for all eight sports; live Webcasts of all home basketball and volleyball games; weekly e-newsletters, and interactive fan polls, just to name a few. “The development of www.gculions.com was an arduous process, but I couldn’t be more pleased with the result,” states Christopher McKibben, assistant athletics director. “With its mesmerizing color, userfriendly design, and interactive options, the GCU community will feel as if they are suiting up for the Lions themselves.” GEORGIAN COURT UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE | 33
Page 1: volume 7 | number 1 Georgian Court
Page 4 and 5: Lives Transformed T hroughout the a
Page 6 and 7: Doreen celebrated her long-awaited
Page 8 and 9: TheRoad LessTraveled GCU STUDENTS P
Page 10 and 11: This Appalachian resident was thril
Page 12 and 13: 10 | FALL 2009 Father Daniel Berrig
Page 14 and 15: Gail Holian, Ph.D., professor of En
Page 16 and 17: faculty Kudos Scott H. Bennett, Ph.
Page 18 and 19: faculty Cultural Conference. She al
Page 20 and 21: at the court Dr. Joseph M. Monahan
Page 22 and 23: at the court Centennial Commencemen
Page 24 and 25: at the court Georgian Court Granted
Page 26 and 27: at the court Lincoln Scholar Kunhar
Page 28 and 29: at the court Poetry in Ocean County
Page 30 and 31: at the court Court Shorts GCU place
Page 32 and 33: at the court Centennial Closing Spa
Page 36 and 37: athletics From the BASKETBALL Chris
Page 38 and 39: at athletics the court Softball Squ
Page 40 and 41: alumni Woman on a Mission, Includin
Page 42 and 43: alumni Centennial Reunion 2009 CLAS
Page 44 and 45: sClass alumni class notes 40 s Clas
Page 46 and 47: alumni class notes 70 s Class Agent
Page 48 and 49: alumni class notes Emily Anne Schae
Page 50 and 51: alumni announcements Engagements We
Page 52 and 53: Calendar Margaret Farley, RSM, Ph.D
Page 54 and 55: Dear Friends of Georgian Court Univ
Page 56 and 57: Board of Trustees & President’s A
Page 58 and 59: Year-End Highlights of 2008-2009 T
Page 60 and 61: Statement of Activities For the Twe
Page 62 and 63: Georgian Court University Honor Rol
Page 78 and 79: Georgian Court University Special G
Page 80: Office of Public Information and Un

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