The Belmont men’s and women’s cross country teams were named to the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I All-Academic Teams, as announced late last week. It marks the fourth consecutive year both programs have received the honor.
The men’s team compiled a team grade point average (GPA) of 3.20 to garner the recognition. Kennesaw State (3.21), Lipscomb (3.37), and Mercer (3.43) gave the Atlantic Sun a total of four men’s programs making appearances on the elite list. A record total of 152 Division I men’s teams received USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, up from 2009’s total of 135.
The women’s team compiled a team grade point average (GPA) of 3.54 to garner the recognition. The Bruins join only three other Atlantic Sun teams making an appearance on the elite list this year. The others are Lipscomb (3.49), Mercer (3.57), and North Florida (3.18). A record total of 192 Division I women’s programs received USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, up from 2009’s total of 176.
For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, they must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Championship and also have a minimum 3.00 team cumulative GPA.
Cross Country Teams Earn All-Academic Honors
Fairytale Royalty Visits Belmont Mansion This Spring
Belmont Mansion invites Nashville families to mingle with fairy tale royalty at “Happily Ever After – A Tea Party” this March. Belmont Mansion goes enchanted on Sat., March 26, as famous fairy tale princesses and princes transform the mansion into a royal court. Hosted by Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother, “Happily Ever After – A Tea Party” invites local families to meet their favorite storybook princesses and princes, play games like “Pass the Poison Apple” and “Musical Carpets” on the mansion’s front lawn and decorate their own crowns.
“Happily Ever After – A Tea Party” will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. on Sat., March 26 in the grand salon at Belmont Mansion, located on the historic campus of Belmont University. Admission is $8 per person. Although it is general seating, space is limited, so guests are advised to register in advance by calling Belmont Mansion at 615-460-5459. Click here for more information.
Saunders Named Academic All-American
Belmont men’s basketball junior forward/center Scott Saunders (New Orleans, La.) has been named to the 2010-11 Capital One Academic All-America University Division Men’s Basketball Third Team.
Saunders, who ranks among league leaders in six statistical categories, has been an invaluable part of Belmont’s Atlantic Sun Conference regular season championship team. Named Atlantic Sun Player of the Week Dec. 21, Saunders has 15 double figure scoring games and three double-doubles this season for the Bruins. The 6-10 post man ranks among the NCAA leaders in points per 40 minutes played, and recorded a career-high 24 points vs. Marist Nov. 22. Click here to read more on this story.
Freshman Wins Semester’s Tuition with Half-Court Shot
Freshman Grayson Akerly (Coppell, Texas) sunk the AT&T Yellow Pages “Long Distance Shot” during the Belmont Bruins home basketball game on Feb. 19, 2011, winning a semester’s worth of tuition for his half-court basket.
“At first I sent my parents a text saying that I had won, and when I called them they said they wouldn’t have believed me if I didn’t include a picture of me and Dr. Fisher holding the giant check,” said the Audio Engineering Technology major. “They’re still excited even days after. They’ve been telling everyone, even people I don’t know about it. It’s honestly a real blessing because it’s released a huge part of the financial burden that comes with paying for college.”
The AT&T Yellow Pages “Long Distance Shot” took place at each home basketball game this season. As students entered the Curb Event Center, they signed up to be selected as contestants for in-game promotions, one of which was the Long Distance Shot. Belmont Athletics randomly selected students from the entries received each game. All previous contestants were invited back for one last attempt at the final home men’s basketball game on Saturday, since there had not been a winner during the season.
Thrailkill, Russell, Campbell Elected to Board of Trustees
Larry Thrailkill, Anne Russell and Reverend Vincent Campbell have been elected to Belmont University’s Board of Trustees.
Thrailkill ran a private law firm and served as Chief Operating Officer of the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation. During his tenure there, he served as President of the San Francisco 49ers NFL team for the 1998 season. Thrailkill, a former chairman of the university’s Board of Trustees, is an active member of Forest Hills Baptist Church.
Russell has practiced law in Nashville since 1984 and has served as an instructor in Wills, Probate and Trusts at the Nashville School of Law since 1995. In addition to Belmont, Russell serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Symphony Orchestra of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Nashville Symphony, the Cheekwood Museum of Art and Botanical Gardens, the Hermitage, and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center. Russell is also an active member of Forest Hills Baptist Church.
Rev. Campbell serves as pastor for Kayne Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. He previously served as the Dean of Student Affairs and Interim Dean of Chapel at American Baptist College from 2002-2004 and currently serves as a professor of religious studies. In 2010, Campbell began serving the Nashville community as a commissioner of the Metro Human Relations Commission.
School of Music Faculty Featured on Grammy-Winning Recording
The Nashville Symphony’s recording of Michael Daugherty’s Metropolis Symphony and Deus Ex Machina received three GRAMMY® Awards at the 53rd annual GRAMMY® Awards in Los Angeles Feb. 13. Music Director Giancarlo Guerrero and the orchestra won in the category of Best Orchestral Performance, while composer Daugherty won in the category of Best Classical Contemporary Composition for his piece Deus ex Machina. In addition, the recording’s engineers, Mark Donahue, John Hill and Dirk Sobotka, earned an award in the category of Best Engineered Album, Classical (in a tie with the engineers of Quincy Porter’s Complete Viola Works).
School of Music faculty members Chris Norton and Bob Marler are members of the Symphony, in addition to several School of Music adjuncts.
Alumnus Wins Local 5K for Third Year in a Row
Alumnus Ryan Snellen (’07) won the Predators Fangtastic 5K run on Feb. 12. He won in 2009, 2010 and again in 2011. On Saturday, he set the course record, 15:19, beating last year’s time of 16:07, and ’09 time of 15:51.
Belmont Chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau Celebrates Susan G. Komen
The Delta Eta chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau hosted its first annual week dedicated to the sorority and its local philanthropy Susan G. Komen. The sorority hosted a variety of events that were open for the entire campus, and the women raised more than $500 to donate to Susan G. Komen.
The week began with a convocation event with Stacey Parker-Nelson, the director of education at the Susan G. Komen greater Nashville affiliate, who spoke on behalf of the national philanthropy dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer. Colleen Coffey, chapter advisor and advocate for mental health rights, spoke on Wednesday at another convocation event on behalf of the movement Love is Louder and Active Minds. Love is Louder is a movement dedicated to eradicating bullying in schools. Anyone can participate by writing Love is Louder on the palm of their hand and sending a picture to the website. The women also hosted a bake sale with multiple locations across campus and raised $282.69 to donate to Susan G. Komen.
The final events included a sponsored philanthropy night with McDougal’s restaurant, a “pink zone” at a Belmont women’s basketball game, where homage was paid to survivors and presentations were made to increase awareness. The week concluded with the sorority-sponsored pink tie ball.
Alpha Sigma Tau is a national panhellenic sorority whose purpose is to promote the ethical, cultural and social development of its members. The Belmont chapter currently has more than 80 active members and an active alumna chapter.
Linked Cohort Classes Running Marathon
Dr. Charmion Gustke of the English Department and students from her “Representations of Disease and Wellness,” a linked cohort course taught with Dr. Nick Bacon of the Sports Science Department, will be running in the Music City Marathon. Inspired by works such The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne and Born to Run by Christopher McDougall, they will each be running to raise money for an organization of their choice. Collectively, their goal is to raise $8,500.
STEA Students Bring Valentine’s Cheer to Ronald McDonald House
Student Tennessee Education Association (STEA) faculty advisor Rachael Flynn-Hopper, along with Rhonda McKay and Joy Kimmons (Education), student members of STEA, and department of education students and interns created handmade Valentine’s cards for the children and families at the Ronald McDonald House. Each card was unique and represents the focus on service to the community which the Department of Education strives to instill in their candidates.
