Cougar Connection
September/October 2007
Attention Alumni: Play in the Alumni Games and Receive Free Entry to the Hall of Fame Banquet!
Join Cougar Athletics and each of your former teammates on October 13 for what is sure to be an outstanding conclusion to Homecoming week at CCU.
The men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams will be joining the women’s volleyball team in combining the annual alumni games into a one-day extravaganza!
Volleyball will tip off the action at 11:00 a.m., followed by women’s basketball at 12:00 p.m., men’s basketball at 1:00 p.m. and capped off by men’s and women’s soccer beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Plus, if you participate in an alumni game you will receive FREE entry to the Hall of Fame Banquet on Saturday evening. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. with a formal dinner served at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s Hall of Fame honorees include former volleyball coach and athletic director, Dave Foster, along with former soccer standout Tammy Wishard and women’s basketball all-American Brooke Carrigan. The keynote speaker for this year’s event will be Denver Nuggets chaplain, Bo Mitchell.
Please contact Aimee Davison at 303-963-3185 for more information, or register online for the Hall of Fame Banquet today.
Men’s Golf Surges to Second Place at Fall Invite
Coach Mark Hull’s men’s golf team continues to impress, building on last year’s success and earning a 
second place finish at the Regis/Colorado Mines Fall Invite on September 10 and 11.
The Cougars were paced by sophomore Jon Klingensmith, who dominated the two-day event, finishing in first place at one under par (71, 67,74), and earning recognition as Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference men’s golfer of the week.
Also earning a top-ten ranking for the men was freshman Clifton Sebra, who finished in eighth place at ten over par, and sophomore Patrick Kent who finished tenth at twelve over par.
CCU blew opponents away on day one of competition, racking up combined rounds of 287 and 286 to finish with a 13-stroke lead over second place Fort Lewis. Fortunes turned slightly for the men on day two, and a disappointing round of 309 by day’s end meant that the Skyhawks were able to sneak into the lead by a mere two strokes.
Still, the second place finish proves that the men have come a long way from their humble state a short three years ago. Hull’s strong recruiting and technical expertise have the men representing well in one of the toughest Division II conferences in the nation.
Men’s Basketball Bolsters Roster with Late Addition
The Cougar men’s basketball team recently strengthened an already stalwart lineup with 6-4 senior wing Rory Morgan of San Diego, California.
Morgan, a transfer from San Diego Christian, is a proven scoring machine with an unlimited shooting range. Playing last year in one of the toughest NAIA conferences in the country, Rory averaged 15.6 points per game, including a 42% touch from three-point range, while leading the Hawks to a top ten national ranking and a Golden State Athletic Conference championship.
Successful at every level, Morgan joined San Diego Christian after a stint at Portland Community College, where he was an all-conference player in the NWAAC. A native of Encinitas, California, Rory earned first-team all-conference honors and represented La Costa Canyon High School in the San Diego County All-Star game.
Morgan caps off one of the biggest and most talented lineups Cougar basketball has assembled in years. Last season’s RMAC playoff team lost only one senior to graduation and has literally stacked the roster with the addition of Morgan, 6-4 swingman Brendan Puckett, and 6-6 post Eric Long. With the return of all-region selection, Brian Stamer, all-conference point guard, Jordan Long, and the 6-11 RMAC Freshman of the Year, Justin Neuhaus, the Cougars are looking like a legitimate NCAA tournament team heading into the 2007-08 campaign.
If you haven’t been to a CCU basketball game lately, this is definitely the year to jump back on board. The Cougars will match their stacked roster with not only the RMAC elite, but also Division I powerhouses Colorado and Air Force. So grab a schedule, come out to the games, and cheer on Brian Stamer, Rory Morgan, and the rest of the men all season long!
Women’s Basketball Announces Schedule for Disney Tip-Off Classic
The inaugural Disney West Coast Basketball Tip-Off Classic schedule has been finalized, and CCU women’s basketball looks to face some of the nation’s elite in Anaheim, California.
Each team will play one game per day; with action commencing on November 2 when the Cougars square off against defending CCAA and West Region champion UC-San Diego at 2:05 p.m.
The following evening CCU will gear up for one of the powerhouses of the GNAC, the Western Washington Vikings, in the evening’s feature event at 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday, November 4, the Cougars wrap up the weekend with an 11:00 a.m. date against Augustana College.
UC San Diego, Western Washington, and Augustana were all regional championship contenders last season with UCSD winning the west and advancing to the Division II Elite Eight.
For 10 years, the Disney Tip-Off Classic tournament at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, has featured the country’s top men’s and women’s Division II programs. This year the tournament has been expanded to the west coast to provide additional teams with access to the early season event.
The eight-team tournament—four men's and four women’s teams—will be played at the Anaheim Convention Center Arena in Anaheim, California. The California Collegiate Athletic Association will serve as the host conference for the event. The Anaheim Convention Center is directly across the street from the Disneyland Resort.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE – 2007 DISNEY’S DIVISION II TIP OFF CLASSIC
Friday, November 2
Session One – Women
12:00 p.m. – Western Washington (H) vs. Augustana (V)
2:05 p.m. – UC San Diego (H) vs. Colorado Christian (V)
Session Two – Men
4:30 p.m. – Metro State (H) vs. Montana State-Billings (V)
Athlete of the Month
Jon Klingensmith – Men’s Golf
In his first ever NCAA competition, Jon Klingensmith (Denver, CO) / Cherry Creek HS) went head-to-head with the conference elite and came out on top. Klingensmith topped a strong 40-player field and finished the event as the only golfer under par (-1).
His scores of 71, 67, and 74 helped the Cougars to a 13-stroke lead on day one, and ultimately the second place overall finish.
Jon and teammate Patrick Kent tied for the lowest round score of the meet, shooting an amazing four under par at 67.
For his efforts, Jon was recognized as RMAC Player of the Week for September 13.
Women’s Soccer Rolls Adams State for Win Number One
The CCU women’s soccer team refused to lose this past September 9, when they overcame a variety
of obstacles to down Adams State 2-1 in Alamosa, Colorado.
The ladies were missing four starters versus Adams and still recovering from a draining 1-2 loss two day’s prior at New Mexico Highlands University. Still in search of their first conference win of the season, the ladies came out of the gates determined to succeed, and the Grizzlies paid the price.
CCU got on the board quickly when sophomore Samantha Dean floated a perfect cross to freshman Amber Carey fifteen yards out. Carey headed it past the ASC keeper, and just like that the ladies were ahead 1-0 at the 21-minute mark.
With no let down in sight, the Cougars tacked on another goal in the second half, when sophomore Carly Nixon zipped home her patented free kick from t
he top left corner of the box to put the ladies up 2-0.
The Grizzlies finally snuck a goal past Alison Cox at the 74 minute mark, but it was far from enough as the Cougars tightened back down defensively and left town with the 2-1 decision.
The win improved CCU’s record to 1-3-0 on a young season in which every game has been determined by a narrow one-goal margin (as of September 13).
Cougar goaltender Alison Cox has been stellar for the ladies as of late. Versus Highlands she nabbed a career-high 17 goals, and over a one-week period combined to grab 36 shots on the net. She currently leads the RMAC in saves (10 per game) and ranks fifth with a 1.48 goals against average.
