Representative Bam Carney (L), Governor Steve Beshear, and the Campbellsville University volleyball team

Story provided by Campbellsville University. See original story with additional photos.

FRANKFORT, KY - Campbellsville University’s 2009 Lady Tiger volleyball team continued to celebrate its National Christian College Athletic Association National Championship with a visit to the Capitol on Wednesday, February 17.

“You’ve made your university, community and the Commonwealth very proud,” Governor Steve Beshear told the Campbellsville team as they gathered for a photo in the Capitol.

After meeting with Beshear the team was presented to and honored by both legislative houses. Rep. Bam Carney (R-Campbellsville) presented the team in the House, while Sen. Ken Winters (R-Murray), former CU president, did the honor in the Senate on behalf of Sen. Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon).

“It was a good day. I don’t know if the girls knew exactly what to expect,” said Randy LeBleu, head coach of the 2009 CU Lady Tigers. “It was a great opportunity to showcase the sport of volleyball, and it was good to see the senators and representatives not from our area go out of their way to recognize us and shake our hands. Being on the floor of both the Senate and House was a great experience.”

Though unable to make the trip, Campbellsville President Dr. Michael V. Carter was grateful for the state’s recognition and proud of the team’s experience.

“We are all very proud of the Campbellsville University national champion volleyball team. The recognitions of the team by Governor Steve Beshear, Representative Bam Carney and the Kentucky House of Representatives, and State Senators Jimmy Higdon and Dr. Ken Winters and the Kentucky State Senate, are noteworthy experiences for the members of the Lady Tigers volleyball team and coaching staff,” Carter said. “We appreciate the support by our state officials for Campbellsville University and our student-athletes.”

In the Senate, the Lady Tigers were brought to the floor by Winters, who served as Campbellsville’s president from 1988-1999.

“I really am honored to have been allowed to do it. Sen. Higdon, knowing my connection to the university, yielded to me to make the award,” Winters said. “Many years of my life were spent there with the school. I’m proud of this team effort and our first national championship. It was a real exciting time. I’m very, very proud of the team, as I am of Campbellsville University as a whole.”

Higdon said it brought satisfaction to see Winters make the presentation.

“You could tell he was bubbling over with joy today when he made the presentation,” Higdon said. “Out of respect for him and his deep love for the university, I wanted to present this opportunity to him. He’s so proud of Campbellsville University, and so am I…. It was a thrill to have a national champion visit us today.”

Carney presented the team in the House and was present for photos in the House chambers and with Beshear.

“We were honored to have them in Frankfort to celebrate a milestone for the university. It’s a very impressive group of young ladies, and it was a joy to have them there,” said Carney, who received his teaching certificate from CU. “It was an honor and privilege on my part, being from Campbellsville, to share their accomplishments with the other representatives across the state. It’s a historic moment for our community and the school.”

John Chowning, Campbellsville University’s vice president for church and external relations and executive assistant to the president, worked with the governor’s office, the offices of Sen. Higdon and Rep. Carney and CU Athletic Director Rusty Hollingsworth to organize the event.

Campbellsville captured the NCCAA Division I Championship on Dec. 5, 2009 in Kissimmee, Fla., and completed the season with a school record 38 wins.

Congratulations to all of these AIKCU student-athletes on their postseason accomplishments!

Campbellsville volleyball wins NCCAA national championship

Georgetown College volleyball makes first trip to NAIA title match

Lindsey Wilson College men’s soccer wins 8th NAIA title

Georgetown President Bill Crouch greets Muhammad Ali

This is an excerpt. The original photo and article originally appeared on www.georgetowncollege.edu

Surprise Visit From Legendary Muhammad Ali Inspires Bengals, Tigers & Georgetown College

What better way to wind up the 13th summer training camp Monday (Aug. 17) for the NFL Cincinnati Bengals than to have “The Greatest,” three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali, show up for a big jolt of inspiration just before the final horn.

Ali – through Greg Roberts, President/CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville – got word to President Bill Crouch that he’d like to pay a visit to Georgetown College and take in some of the filming of Bengals camp for the HBO documentary series “Hard Knocks.” The timing couldn’t have been better as Brian Evans, director of the College’s Office of Diversity, and Dr. Crouch are developing a partnership with the Ali Center that will create greater access to higher education for African American males.

En route to the Thomas & King Conference Center, Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr in 1942), made a brief, but significant stop  by the GC football Tigers practice.  That the boxing legend perseveres with Parkinson’s disease only added to the moment. “What a great honor it was for Muhammad Ali to surprise us during these very tough two-a-days…so appropriate,” said Georgetown coach Bill Cronin, appreciative of what “The Greatest” might mean to his players. “To achieve greatness and be a champion, you have to have a work ethic (like his). He was the best-ever…no question.”

Continue reading the complete story, including Ali’s visit to the Cincinnati Bengals camp at Georgetown’s Toyota Stadium.

Grayson, KY – The Kentucky Christian University Lady Knights recently captured the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division II National Championship on their home court in Grayson. This is the 12th national title for the Knights and the 11th under head coach Ron Arnett.

With this year’s title Coach Arnett surpassed UCLA legend John Wooden as the coach who has captured the most national championships at any level in college basketball. Wooden coached the Bruins to 10 NCAA titles during his 29 year coaching career.

Congratulations to KCU and Coach Arnett! See more about KCU and Coach Arnett’s amazing accomplishments at wymt.com

KCU’s Ron Arnett Surpasses John Wooden With 11th National Championship (wymt.com)

Pikeville beats Wichita 2-0 for second crown. 3 Lady Bears named All-Americans, including national player of the year and rookie of the year   

WICHITA, Kan. — Coach Ron Damron’s Pikeville College Lady Bears won their second national championship on April 19, knocking off defending champion Wichita State two games to none.

The wins, coming by scores of 184-171 and 183-158, give the school and program the second team national title in school history. The Lady Bears won the championship in 2004 in Tulsa, Okla., also over the Shockers.

Pikeville is ranked second (coaches) or third (writers) depending on which poll you choose to follow. In its run to the championship, the Lady Bears defeated No. 4 Lindenwood, the other 2/3 in Central Florida and then top-ranked Wichita State. And, for good measure, it knocked off Maryland Eastern-Shore, which won the previous weekend’s NCAA national title in St. Louis.

“I actually think making it through our bracket helped us in the finals,” said Damron, whose team trailed Lindenwood 3-1 before rallying for a 4-3 win and was behind Maryland-Eastern Shore 2-0 and 3.5 to 2.5 in the morning’s bracket finals. “We were challenged along the way and were confident that when the pressure was on, we were going to get it done.

“Tonight, we did just that — we did what we had to do to win.”

The win capped an eventful week in Wichita for the Lady Bears, who had both the national player of the year in senior Kayla Bandy — for the second straight year — and rookie of the year in freshman Ashley Galante. Both were named first-team All-Americans, while teammate Jennifer Wright was named to the second team.

Furthermore, with this year’s championship, every young lady who has spent four years as a part of Ron Damron’s program has won a national title.

In the opener, Pikeville opened with back-to-back spares by seniors Kayla Bandy and Michelle McKay and then got consecutive strikes by Becky Sulligan and Jennifer Wright and led 85-64 after four frames.

Pikeville’s lead was down to seven by the sixth frame and Wichita posted a spare in the seventh. The next bowler, Sandra Gongora, rolled a seven to give the Shockers a one-pin lead but was called for a foul, wiping it off. She picked up a rare 10-pin spare, but the damage was done, and when Wright — a transfer from Wichita — rolled a strike in the ninth, it sealed the win.

Pikeville opened strong in the second game, opening with strikes from Bandy, the national player of the year, and Sarah Germano and, after a spare by Sulligan, again picked up consecutive strikes by Wright and tournament MVP Galante. Pikeville led 118-84 after five frames, and cruised home with the win.

Wright led Pikeville, posting three of its seven strikes in the match. Bandy and Sulligan had a strike and three spares apiece.

Wichita was led by first-team All-American Emily Maier, who rolled strikes on her first three frames.

Article courtesy of Pikeville College. Original here.

See the Lexington Herald-Leader’s coverage.

Congratulations to the Kentucky Christian University women’s basketball team, who recently won their 11th National Christian College Athletic Association Division II Championship. The Lady Knights defeated Hillsdale Free Will Baptist College 76-68 in overtime on Saturday, March 15. The NCCAA tournament was held on KCU’s campus.

Read more and see a video clip of KCU coach Ron Arnett reflecting on the team on the website of WV television station WSAZ: KCU Women Win 11th National Title (wsaz.com)