Author Archives: tmiles

Golf

The Truman women’s golf team participated in five tournaments for the first half of the 2016-17 season and its fall portion. The Bulldogs took third out of five at William Jewell, seventh out of 15 at Central Missouri, fifth out of eight at UMSL, third out of 14 at William Penn and 13th out of 13 at Trevecca Nazarene.

So far, Nicolle Barmettler has set the pace with two finishes in the top five, four in the top 20 and five rounds under 80. Now in her career, she has placed in the top five 11 times and the top 20, 22 times with 24 combined rounds with a score under 80. Her top finish of the young season was second at the William Jewell Fall Tune Up in the first event of the year when she came in second.

For all five events, Truman used the same five players to score including Barmettler (79.4 average), Stephanie Hulett (84), Lindsey Repp (86.3), Brooke Kelley (87.5) and Amanda Ressel (88.9). Two have played a couple rounds each as individuals and they are Peyton Sandfort (92) and Clare Munie (89).

Volleyball

Despite just three wins in their first 14 matches, the Truman volleyball team didn’t let that start ruin what they set out to accomplish before the 2016 campaign started. The Bulldogs got hot at just the right time, were winners in seven of their final nine regular season matches and entered the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament as the No. 2 seed out of the West Division. Truman then proceeded to dispatch Drury (3-1), upset No. 15 Lewis (3-2) and sweep McKendree in the finals for the program’s second GLVC title in three years.

Overall, the purple and white turned in a final record of 18-17 including a mark of 12-6 in conference play. Those 35 matches included 10 against teams ranked in the top 25 and four against teams who received votes according to the weekly American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II coaches poll. That includes a season opener against this year’s national champion, Concordia-St. Paul.

Even though Truman won just one of those 10 matches against a top-25 opponent, it may have been the most important win of the season. Entering the GLVC tournament semifinal match against then-No. 15 Lewis, the Flyers had won nine in a row, which included a sweep against Truman, Nov. 4, in Illinois. However, as head coach, Ben Briney preaches to his players, there are no big moments, and the match against Lewis just over two weeks later was just another match for the Bulldogs.

After the 3-0 stretch of the GLVC tournament, Truman was given the No. 8 seed in the Midwest regional and matched up against host and top-seeded Ferris State, ranked No. 15 at the time. Ferris State’s win over the Bulldogs in that match was its 25th in a row before its run ended in the Midwest region championship against Lewis (3-0).

At the conclusion of the regular season, Kayla Bastian and fellow outside hitter Jasmine Brown were named to the All-GLVC second team. For the year, Bastian notched 13 double-doubles to put her career total at 42, and she sent home her 1,000th career kill, Oct. 28, against the University of Indianapolis. That successful attack made her the 17th player to reach the 1,000-kill mark in program history. Meanwhile, Brown finished her junior season with some of the best play of her career. In the team’s last nine matches, the striker had 108 kills (15 more than the next-closest Bulldog) to just 26 errors on 284 swings for a red-hot hitting percentage of .289.

Soccer

The most successful, consistent program over the past 20 years at Truman has to be Mike Cannon’s soccer team. For the 10th time, they won a conference regular season championship, made their 12th NCAA postseason tournament and, in typical Truman soccer style, were one of the nation’s stingiest teams in goals allowed and shutouts posted.

Truman opened the season with a 1-1 draw at home to Ashland (Ohio) but then reeled off 11 straight wins, 10 by shutout, to take control of the Great Lakes Valley Conference. A hiccup in the middle of the season with a pair of ties and a road loss allowed Rockhurst (Mo.) to tie Truman for the regular season title with a 12-1-2 conference record.

After failing to advance in the GLVC tournament semifinals due to a loss in penalty kicks, Truman earned the No. 2 seed in the Midwest region for the NCAA tournament and had a rematch with McKendree from that GLVC semifinal.

Freshman Hanna Burke scored three minutes into the match and junior keeper Katie Mattingly recorded her record-setting 15.5 shutout of
the year in the 1-0 win over the Bearcats.

Truman moved into the regional championship game against No. 1 Grand Valley (Mich.) State, but the Bulldogs were dealt a 2-0 loss from the three-time defending national champions.

Mattingly had a slew of postseason honors thrown her way. She was named: an All-American by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association; an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA); the GLVC Defensive Player of the Year; and she was a four-time GLVC Defender of the Week winner. She finished with a school record 0.32 goals against average and was among the national leaders in goals against and save percentage.

The postseason honor roll also included all-region selections of seniors Megan Whitehead, Allison Lockett, Stephanie Williams, junior Caity Schmitt and sophomore Laura Ney. Cannon was named the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Midwest Region Coach of the Year and the GLVC Coach of the Year.

Katie Mattingly

Megan Whitehead

 

 

Craig McLaurine

The Truman men’s soccer team finished year number 12 under head coach Duke Cochran with an overall record of 6-7-4, which included a Great Lakes Valley Conference mark of 4-7-3. The Bulldogs longest winning streak of the year was two, Sept. 13 and 16, against Southwest Baptist (3-2) and Bellarmine (1-0) in the home opener. Their longest streak without losing lasted from Oct. 7-14 with contests against Saint Joseph’s (1-0), Indianapolis (1-1) and Wisconsin-Parkside (1-1).

Three of Truman’s 17 matches came against ranked foes, the first two of which were against then-No. 16 Drury (2-3) and then-No. 1 Rockhurst (0-2). The third time was the charm for the Bulldogs as they sent their seniors out on Senior Day with a 2-1 win over then-No. 18 Missouri-St. Louis. In that match, Craig McLaurine put the home team up 1-0 and senior Tyler Luebbert sealed it in the 74th minute with his first goal of the year.

McLaurine was tied for the team lead in goals with four next to a standout freshman in Matt Yankowitz. McLaurine also led the squad in assists with five, three more than the next-closest Bulldog. His 13 total points were also first among the Bulldogs while Yankowitz was able to put more than 38 percent of his shots on goal (5 of 13). In goal, Zac Suazo started 15 matches and Jory Knernschield was the starter in the other two.

Football

For the first time since 1988, the Bulldog football team can call themselves “conference champions.” Truman won its first Great Lakes Valley Conference football title and the 27th overall conference title this past season.

The Bulldogs were in contention for an NCAA playoff berth until the final week of the regular season when McKendree University spoiled the party with a 41-14 loss to the Bearcats in Lebanon, Ill. That loss to McKendree dropped the ’Dogs out of the playoffs and into a share of the GLVC championship with Southwest Baptist University. The Bulldogs earlier defeated SBU 26-16 in Bolivar, Mo., Oct. 8.

Truman lost the season opener at home to Midwestern (Texas) State, ranked No. 17 in the preseason poll, 31-19, but then reeled off five straight wins ending with that victory over the Bearcats in Bolivar. The Bulldogs stumbled in a non-conference game against No. 2 Grand Valley (Mich.) State, Oct. 15, but rebounded with three straight conference wins, including a 23-3 win at Saint Joseph’s to capture a share of the league title.

Youth was served on the Truman team this year as eight true freshman earned significant playing time and 60 percent of the players that took the field were either true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jaden Barr was named the GLVC Freshman of the Year and was a second-team All-GLVC performer. Barr was responsible for 27 touchdowns this season with 17 through the air and 10 rushing. He completed 59 percent of his passes for 1,905 yards and rushed for 339 yards.

A total of 15 Bulldogs were named to the All-GLVC team, the most since the 1990 squad. On the first team were senior defensive back Austin Zoda, junior linebacker Ben Wellman, senior center Brad Wellman and freshman defensive end Sam Reeves. On the second team were Barr, freshman running back Jordan Salima, senior wide receiver Joey Schenck, sophomore offensive lineman Nick Verbeck, senior defensive lineman Kyle Leckrone, junior defensive back Jordan Brown and redshirt freshman linebacker Bryan Edwards. Freshman receiver Drew Slager, junior defensive end Isaiah Hinton, junior defensive back D’Anthony Knight and sophomore punter Brock Rohler were honorable mention.

Cross Country

Seniors Brice Pavey and Laura Tarantino will probably have to expand their trophy cases following their season.

Tarantino was the individual race winner in the four regular season meets the Bulldogs competed in this fall. She was fifth at the GLVC championships to become the first Truman runner on the women’s side to earn All-GLVC honors and just missed a national championship spot when she finished 18th at the NCAA Midwest regional. She was named to the all-region team.

Behind Tarantino’s finishes at conference and regionals, the Truman women finished fifth in the conference team standings and 15th in regional team standings.

Pavey was first individually in the first two meets of the year and was third at the Division II showcase meet in Nashville, Tenn., hosted by Trevecca Nazarene.

The men earned an eighth place finish at the conference meet with senior Andrew Gordon leading the way for the Bulldogs in 39th position. At regionals, Truman was 18th with Pavey crossing the line first for Truman in 89th position.

Gift Annuity Offers Further Scholarship Support

Jack and Val Reiske celebrate at a family wedding with their five grandchildren.

Jack and Val Reiske chose to support the needs of the University and its student by funding a charitable gift annuity with a $25,000 gift to the Truman State University Foundation.

“With each passing year we become more and more aware of the debt we owe those that contributed to our education,” Jack said. “This is a debt that can only be repaid by investing in the future of those students following us.”

The couple made the gift as part of Truman’s “Pursue the Future” campaign, specifically the “Thanks a Million, Dr. McClain!” fundraising initiative. As a former member of the Truman faculty and current member of the Mid-Missouri Regional Campaign Committee, Jack has a keen understanding of the economic conditions that have lent a sense of urgency to the fundraising efforts on behalf of the University and its students.

“As state support for higher education continues to fall, it becomes increasingly vital that private support be increased,” he said. “For many prospective University students the cost of a degree has become an economic burden which many families cannot carry.”

This planned gift arrangement allows Jack and Val to receive fixed payments throughout their lives while providing generous support for the fund they chose to support, the Charles J. McClain Scholarship Endowment.

“I was fortunate during the course of my career to serve under a number of able administrators, but none more able than Dr. McClain. His service to the University and the state of Missouri is incalculable,” Jack said. “Few leaders in any field possess the leadership skills and intuitive insight that that Dr. McClain brought to northeast Missouri. The Truman State University of today is his legacy to Missouri and Truman students, past, present and future. I can think of no better way to honor Dr. McClain than to support future students of Truman by making a contribution to the scholarship fund established in his name.”

The “Thanks a Million, Dr. McClain!” fundraising initiative has raised $1.2 million in support for the ABC/Charles J. Scholarship, the Charles J. McClain Scholarship and the General John J. Pershing Scholarship Endowment.

Charitable Gift Annuities Allow You to Support Truman and Receive Fixed Payments for Life
If you are 55 years of age or older, establishing a charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a wonderful way to secure steady payments for yourself and receive valuable tax savings while providing for Truman’s future.

Sample Maximum Gift Annuity Rates for One Person
Age    Rate
55    4.0%
60    4.4%
70    5.1%
80    6.8%
90+    9.0%

For more information and a customized CGA illustration, contact Truman’s Advancement Office at (800) 452-6678.

#BulldogsGiving

The second annual #BulldogsGiving gave donors the chance to compete for matching funds from Truman alumna Colleen Ritchie (’84). Donors could support any area of campus important to them during the weeklong campaign (Nov. 14-18) with matching funds available in four featured campaigns: Athletics, the Black Alumni and Attendees Scholarship, the Greek Letters Today, Leaders Tomorrow Scholarship and the Truman Band Fund.

The featured areas took their campaigns to social media, increasing exposure and attracting donations from alumni, parents, students and friends of the University. A spirit of competition fueled the challenges, attracting even more donors this year – 340 people contributed $20,405 to the featured campaigns. With 118 donors, wrestling won the Athletics challenge and the $2,500 match. The Truman band met the most challenging tier of the participation goals and was rewarded with a $2,500 match. The Black Alumni and Attendees Scholarship and the Greek Letters Today, Leaders Tomorrow Scholarship each received $500 in matching funds. With match money, the total contributed to featured #BulldogsGiving campaigns reached $26,405 – surpassing last year’s totals by 34 percent.

This year’s #BulldogsGiving highlights the importance of community coming together to impact the Truman experience of current and future Bulldogs. The featured funds were selected based on the history of camaraderie that defines these groups, and the continued investment of a community of loyal donors helps the funds to grow and support more students.

Donor Honors Mother and Sister with Scholarship

John Millemon — Photo courtesy of DCCCD, Photographer Kathy Tran

John Millemon (’73, ’80) established an endowed scholarship in 2016 in memory of his mother, Claire (Swingle) Millemon (’44), and sister, Mary Jane (Millemon) Merrill (’68).

In 1931, Claire graduated from Mercer High School and her parents sold their farm for gold, which, according to family lore, still had dirt on it. They moved their family 60 miles east to buy a farm near Kirksville so that Claire and her siblings could attend the University.

When Claire had earned enough credit hours, she began teaching in small schools in northeast Missouri, including many one-room schoolhouses. She continued her education in the summers and received a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in mathematics in 1944. Her children, Mary Jane and John, followed in their mother’s footsteps and enrolled in the education program at Truman.

Mary Jane earned a B.S.E. in elementary education in 1968 and taught for more than 40 years, primarily in Merriam, Kan.

John earned a B.S.E. in geography/social studies in 1973 and a master’s degree in counseling in 1980. After working in banking, finance and human development, he taught and mentored students at the Dallas County Community College District in Texas for many years. He retired in 2015 as the assistant dean of the Learning Center of Richland College and program facilitator for the Center for Renewal and Wholeness in Higher Education.

Claire and Mary Jane passed away in 2002 and 2010, respectively. John established the Claire Swingle Millemon and Mary Jane Millemon Merrill Memorial Endowed Scholarship in loving memory of his mother and sister and the impact they had on his life and that of countless young students throughout the course of their careers.

The inaugural recipient of the scholarship is Hannah Smith, a junior from O’Fallon, Mo., majoring in mathematics and education. She intends to teach high school math.

New Scholarship Supports Business Students with Rural Backgrounds

President Susan L. Thomas presents an award to Captain Norman Keith Motter (’60) and his wife Patricia Motter.

Captain Norman Keith Motter and his wife Patricia Motter have established a new scholarship for Truman students majoring in business and who also grew up on a rural Missouri farm.

Captain Motter graduated from Kirksville High School in 1956 and from Truman State University in 1960 with a degree in industrial arts education. He became a Naval aviator and went on to a long and distinguished career as a Captain with American Airlines. Originally from rural Adair County, he retains his roots in the area through management of the family farm on the Chariton River, which has been in his family more than 165 years.

Currently, Captain Motter continues to support students in the education program at Truman through a scholarship established in memory of his teacher mother, Anna Catherine Brown Motter (’34). Recently, he and wife Pat established the Captain Norman Keith Motter Endowed Scholarship to support Truman students with financial need, majoring in business, who grew up on a farm in rural Missouri. The scholarship may be renewable with satisfactory academic progress. This scholarship will honor Captain Motter’s rural Missouri upbringing and support students from farming families.

Greenley Legacy Gift Creates $1.2 Million Scholarship Endowment

Grace Hortense Greenley

Grace Hortense Greenley, a lifelong educator, understood the value of education and its importance to society. The former teacher and administrator made a major legacy gift to help area students continue their education at Truman.

Fueled with an estate distribution of approximately $1.2 million, the Grace Hortense Greenley Scholarship will provide substantial resources to students interested in pursuing a degree in business and accountancy, with preference given to students from Knox and Shelby counties in Missouri.

“This impactful gift will provide remarkable opportunities for Truman students for generations to come. It is a very fitting and lasting tribute to the educational career of Miss Greenley,” University President Susan L. Thomas said.

The gift is invested in Truman’s endowment pool, and when sufficient earnings have accrued, awards will commence. When fully endowed, the value of annual awards is estimated to total $50,000.

Born on the family farm near Novelty, Mo., Greenley graduated from Novelty High School in 1936. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business education from the University in 1940 and later returned to earn her master’s degree in 1956. She taught for 36 years in Missouri secondary schools in Laclede, Edina, Brentwood, La Plata, Novelty, La Belle and St. Louis. For 10 years she served as basketball coach and had outstanding teams at several high schools.

In 1963, she was selected principal of the newly formed Knox County R-I High School in Edina, a position she occupied until her retirement in 1976. During her educational career, she had memberships in national, state, district and local professional organizations.

As a memorial to her parents, Greenley donated the family farm near Novelty to create a research center. She was recognized by the Missouri Preservation Organization and the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation.

Greenley passed away Dec. 21, 2014, at the age of 96.