Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
32<br />
Sports<br />
Sports<br />
Men’s Basketball<br />
The 2006-07 Trojan Men’s Basketball program held their own<br />
in a very competitive American Midwest Conference. The Trojan<br />
men concluded their season with an overall 12-15 record finishing<br />
5-7 in the conference. According to Trojan Head Basketball Coach<br />
Jason Durst, the team played their best basketball at the end of the<br />
season. “Our program took great strides in establishing ourselves as<br />
one of the stronger teams in the AMC,” said Durst.<br />
Some of the highlights of the season were besting rivals Missouri<br />
Baptist <strong>University</strong> and Columbia College for the first time in eight<br />
years. These experiences were a result of a large core of returning<br />
players for the 2006-07 season. Durst believed these seasoned<br />
players created a strong sense of team chemistry between players<br />
and coaches.<br />
Durst credits the 2006-07 team touting camaraderie,<br />
experience, sacrifice, and teamwork among the team’s strengths.<br />
“Our players are expected to focus on three areas of their life<br />
as athletes in our program—spiritual, academic, and athletic,”<br />
continued Durst. “With this commitment comes sacrifice. They<br />
give up social time (weekends, holidays) in order to be a college<br />
athlete, and we want to create a balance of all areas during their<br />
college experience. We want to be able to succeed from our<br />
commitment to being well-rounded student athletes.”<br />
Durst is also proud of the individual honors awarded to<br />
his team. Josh Pickett was selected to the AMC First Team All-<br />
Conference, and Wayne McPike was awarded AMC All-Conference<br />
Honorable Mention. Several team members received allconference<br />
academic awards. (See a full listing of all HLG athletic<br />
awards on page 31.)<br />
Durst will see another large core of returning players for the<br />
<strong>2007</strong>-08 season. “We return over 20 players to our program, and<br />
we will retain nine players on the varsity team.<br />
The men’s basketball coaching staff is proud of the hardworking<br />
and dedicated student-athletes involved in the Trojan<br />
basketball program. “As coaches, we emphasize the importance<br />
of becoming triple-threat individuals—spiritual growth, academic<br />
achievement, and athletic performance,” said Durst. Armed with<br />
values of sacrifice, teamwork, and experience, the <strong>2007</strong>-08 Trojan<br />
Men’s Basketball team will be more than a threat; they will be an<br />
unstoppable force.<br />
Women’s Basketball<br />
The 2006-07 <strong>Hannibal</strong>-<strong>LaGrange</strong> Lady Trojans’ theme “ARETE”<br />
was the cornerstone for their hard fought season. ARETE, a Greek<br />
word meaning “the best,” carries the idea of doing exactly what it<br />
was designed to do in life.<br />
Third-year head coach, Tiffany Hill states, “The vision of the Lady<br />
Trojans basketball team is to be the best possible for the glory of<br />
God alone! Our approach with every opportunity is to give more<br />
than the day before in order to maintain a lifestyle of discipline and<br />
excellence. As a result of this dedication we know that we will reach<br />
our team goals because of our daily commitment.”<br />
The tradition of the AMC and scheduling of tough nonconference<br />
opponents provided the competitive edge for this<br />
season. The Lady Trojans entertained seven top NAIA teams and an<br />
NCAA Division I opponent early in the season. Once again, the<br />
AMC Conference action included three teams that made it to the<br />
<strong>2007</strong> NAIA Div. I National Tournament. The Trojan women posted<br />
an overall 13-17 season record.<br />
Hill anticipated a great year for the Lady Trojan basketball<br />
program. “Our team this year housed a large majority of veteran<br />
players who have maintained a high level of excellence on and off<br />
the court each year. They were not only savvy and competitive, but<br />
also passionate about leaving their mark on our great Lady Trojan<br />
basketball program at HLG,” said Hill.<br />
The program graduated six seniors who have provided strong<br />
leadership for this year’s team. Two seniors, Megan Martin and<br />
Theresa Goodwin, were recognized as AMC All-American First<br />
Team members. The AMC and NAIA recognized a number of the<br />
<strong>Hannibal</strong>-<strong>LaGrange</strong> Lady Trojans for their excellence not only on the<br />
basketball court, but in the classroom as well. (See a full listing of<br />
all HLG athletic awards on page 31.)<br />
With a year in review, the <strong>Hannibal</strong>-<strong>LaGrange</strong> Lady Trojans look<br />
ahead to new challenges and high expectations. As the Lady Trojans<br />
prepare to take the court next fall during the <strong>2007</strong>-08 season, the<br />
future is bright for the HLG women’s basketball program.
Change language