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assistant director ofstudent life for club andintramural sports. “It’s areally great program,”says Ericson, “and we’vehad a lot of success in thepast couple years.”After graduating fromRMU with a degree in sportmanagement, Ericson,a native of York, Pa.,managed a YMCA in themiddle of the state for twoand a half years. He thenmoved on to the LowellSchool in Washington,D.C., where he oversawthe school’s aquatics andsummer programming.Then, after coachingbasketball at Key School,a private high school inAnnapolis, Md., Ericsonreturned to RMU in Sept.2006 to head the university’sclub sports program.RMU provides somefunding annually to eachclub team to supportnecessary team expenses;though, all teams areencouraged to conductfundraising activities tosupplement their budget.Coaches receive a stipendfrom and work for the Officeof Student Life underEricson’s supervision.Club sports providedifferent options forstudent athletes, and theyalso contribute to thestudents’ academic,personal and professionaldevelopment. “Thesesports enhance the qualityof student life on campus,”says Ericson. “And we’rereally proud of our teamsand their high levelof success.”Last year, the programlaunched four new teams:men’s soccer, women’ssoccer, paintball, and cycling.This year, the program hopesto add men’s lacrosse andcoed ultimate frisbee to thelist. They’re also adding ashort-track speed-skatingteam in 2009, which willbe one of the first suchcollegiate teams inthe country.“Our club sports programis wonderful because itgives students a chance tocontinue their athletic career,even if they choose not to bea Division I athlete,” saysJohn Michalenko, M.Ed.,chief student life officer anddean of students. “We takestudents suggestions andcreate the club sports theywant; that’s why so manystudents participate.Athletics and academicsfit together at RMU, andthis adds to our students’quality of life.”The bowling team hasexperienced much successin recent years, thanks toathletes like Pfeifer. Asa sophomore in 2006, heearned a spot on the JuniorTeam USA, and, in 2007,he and teammates BenGalloway ’08 and KevinSenko ’10 were namedUSBC Academic All-Americans. The teamended the 2007 campaignas National runner-up at theUSBC’s Intercollegiate TeamChampionships. This pastseason, the team just missedqualifying for the nationalchampionships, finishingin fifth place at theNational Bowling CongressRegional Qualifier inChattanooga, Tenn.25