of
BAND BROTHERS
–
­­ ——————
—
In one season, a Band of Brothers turned Bethel basket-
ball around.
“We took on that theme after last year,” says Mike
Lightfoot, head coach of the Pilots men’s basketball team.
“We went in with a whole different approach, work ethic and
attitude.”
And what the Band of Brothers accomplished, winning
region on the road,” Lightfoot says. “That was our goal. We
said, ‘Let’s win the region on the road.’ That was the first
step we needed to accomplish as a team.”
Once they made it to the national tournament, their next
goal was to simply win it all.
“They really started to believe in themselves and gain
the school’s seventh national championship in 2007, revealed
confidence,” says Lightfoot, whose sons Robbie, 22, and
their commitment.
Ryne, 19, both helped make it happen. “I told them they
But they didn’t just win the national championship. “[We
were] turning tombstones into stepping stones,” Lightfoot says.
Going from the worst season in the school’s history in 2006, the
team overcame some barriers that stymied previous teams.
Ending the season positively, 21-15, the last five games of
the season showed the Band of Brothers’ mettle.
22
“It was the first time in the school’s history we won the
BethelCollege.edu
were growing up right before my eyes.”
He called the entire team a group of brothers who
encouraged and lifted each other up.
“Through the long season, it was more than just a catchy
slogan,” says Lightfoot. “It really was a reality.”
—JENNIFER OCHSTEIN
SPORTS UPDATES
BC
Women’s basketball
fifth- and sixth-ranked teams on day
posting a third-place
one before beating the ninth- and 13th
finish, Lady Pilots
amazing season in 2007 that saw the
ranked teams. They ended the season
named to the NCCAA
Lady Pilots finish with a 28-7 record
at 45-10.
All-American team in
after making a run into the Elite Eight
singles were Abbie
round of the NAIA National Tournament
up a long list of accolades highlighted
Hostetler (2nd team)
in Sioux City, Iowa.
by being named first-team NAIA All-
and Sherra Milender
American.
(2nd team), while
Women’s basketball completed an
Senior Abby Noll ended her amazing
Sophomore Brittney Hire picked
Bree Oles and Missy
four years with exactly 2,000 points to
finish as the Lady Pilots’ career leading
Men’s Tennis
Vermillion were named
scorer. She owns eight school records
1st team NCCAA All-
and had her #10 jersey retired at the
fashion by advancing to the NCCAA
team banquet in April.
National Tournament in Greer, S.C. The
The Pilots ended the season in usual
Americans in doubles.
Abbie Hostetler
men ran into what was possibly the
Men’s Golf
leading scorer in
toughest field in tournament history and
the nation and was
finished seventh.
the fall, the men’s golf team spent the
named first team
spring preparing for a run to the NAIA
All-American by
American team in singles were Kiko
National Tournament. The Pilots turned
the NAIA.
Cortes (1st team) and Joel Dendiu (2nd
in several top-five finishes, including a
team). Together the pair were named
win at the Tri-State Invitational before
Junior Natalie Young was the second
Pilots named to the NCCAA All-
After a first-ever conference title in
1st team
heading to Indiana National Golf Club
NCCAA All-
in Plymouth for nationals. After battling
start to the season
Americans
for three days, the Pilots missed the
that saw the Pilots
in doubles.
third round cut by a single stroke to end
lose their first
In addition,
their season. Sophomore Eric Lebold did
10 games on the
Dendiu was
make the cut as an individual and tied
Florida spring trip,
voted by
for 47th place.
the baseball team
the coaches
finished strong by winning 11 of their
as the tour-
Women’s Golf
last 15 regular season games. The hot
nament’s
recipient
spring ranked in the top-10 of the
of the
NAIA poll with their eyes firmly fixed
Regional. It was there the Pilots’ season
Sportsmanship Award, marking the
on the NAIA National Tournament in
came to a close with a 22-29 final sea-
second time in three years that he has
San Diego, Calif. The team won three of
son record. Senior Jake Ringenberg was
earned that honor.
four spring tournaments, including the
named to the Conference and Region
NAIA Regional to head to California on
Gold Glove teams for the Pilots.
at the tournament, Dendiu concluded
a roll. Sophomore Shanna Page led the
his stellar tennis career at Bethel as the
tournament through three rounds before
school’s career leader in total overall
slipping to second after the final round.
wins with 110 (53 wins in singles and
As a team, the Pilots moved as high as
57 wins in doubles).
fourth before finishing in sixth place.
Baseball
After a slow
Jake Ringenberg
streak continued as they won the MCC
Joel dendiu
Tournament and advanced to the NAIA
Softball
2007 proved to be the finest season
in Bethel softball history as the Pilots
claimed conference and regional titles
while winning their second NCCAA
National Championship. The season culminated with the first-ever trip to NAIA
Nationals in Decatur, Ala. The Pilots
went 2-2 in pool play by losing to the
| sports
With his wins in singles and doubles
Women’s Tennis
It was another successful year for
women’s tennis that included a run to
The women’s golf team spent the
The team was also honored as
the 2007 Buffalo Funds Five Star
Champions of Character Award
winner by the NAIA.
the semi-finals of the NCCAA National
Tournament in South Carolina. After
continued on page 24
summer 2007
23
BC
| ns peowrst s
Bethel Alum Turns Pro
After Sept. 10, 2006, Eric Stults
In terms of his skills, Stults, 26, said he
remembered why he plays baseball.
continues to try to “pitch well, stay healthy
That’s when the 2002 Bethel gradu-
and put together quality starts” in AAA.
ate earned his first start and win in the
Stults came to Bethel in 1998 to play
“big show” with the L.A. Dodgers at Shea
basketball. He played baseball four years and
Stadium against the New York Mets. As
basketball two years.
pitcher, Stults held the Mets to one run and
“Basketball was my first choice, but after
two hits over six innings.
playing two years of baseball, I felt it was in
“I felt a little like a kid again,” said
my best interest to just play one (sport),”
Stults, drafted by the Dodgers organiza-
Stults said.
tion in 2002. “It reassured me of why I was
Stults grew up with raw talent that wasn’t
playing the game. Sometimes you get
molded until he came to Bethel.
discouraged. It was a sense of relief that all of the hard work
finally paid off.”
“I knew how to play, but I didn’t know how to hone my
skills,” he said.
In all, Stults played six Major League Baseball games in
2006—four games as a relief pitcher and two as a starter.
While he’s back down playing AAA ball with the Las Vegas
51s this season, Stults pays his dues.
It was at Bethel he learned the proper mechanics of pitching
and hitting.
Seth Zartman, Bethel baseball coach, didn’t coach Stults,
but the two have known each other most of their lives. And
“The biggest thing is that the Dodgers have a lot of veterans,” he said as to when he might get called up to the big
leagues permanently. “You almost gotta wait your turn and pay
Zartman has followed Stults’s career.
“Watching him work out here over the off-season, it’s
evident he’s earned everything he’s achieved,” Zartman said.
your dues.”
—JENNIFER OCHSTEIN
SPORTS UPDATES
continued from page 23
22
24
named Athlete of the Meet, but he was
vault), Jeff Hardman (javelin), Ann
also the winner of
O’Keefe (pole vault),
Track
the Wheeler Award.
Jessie Spearman
(100m), Brandon
Plenty of national champions and
In addition
All-Americans were to be found as the
to King who won
Thomas (4x100m,
track and field team saw another suc-
national titles in the
long jump, 400m),
cessful spring in sending a record num-
100m, 200m and
Chris Warhop
ber of athletes to NAIA Nationals.
the 4x100m relay,
(4x100m), Rod Waters
other Pilot track and
(4x100m) and Natalie
the roll of honor when he received two
field All-Americans
Young (javelin).
of the NCCAA track and field’s highest
were Kate Bishop
honors after winning three events at the
(400m hurdles),
national meet in May. King was not only
Caitlyn Gager (pole
Senior sprinter Geoffrey King led
—pete morey
(’99, ’05)
bethelcollege.edu
BethelCollege.edu
geoffrey king