Women’s Basketball Ends Winless Streak with Victory Against Nichols (Mass.) College

SALEM, MASS. — Senior guard Brittany Mayle (Mantua/Crestwood) scored a season-high 18 points as the Hiram College women’s basketball team defeated Nichols (Mass.) College, 52-49, today (Wednesday, Dec. 30) in the consolation game of the Salem State College Holiday Classic in Salem, Mass. The Terriers claim their first win of the season and end a 13-game winless streak dating back to the 2008-09 season. [Game Stats]

Following today’s win, Hiram is now 1-10 overall and the Bison are now 5-4 overall for the season.

Nichols scored the first four points of the first half, but six unaswered points by Hiram on back-to-back three-pointers by Mayle and freshman guard Chelsea Kovach (Lakewood) gave the Terriers their first lead of the game, 6-4, at the 17:02 minute mark. The Bison later regained the lead and led by as many as five points, 14-9, with 10:37 left in the period. An ensuing 5-0 scoring run by Hiram knotted the game at 14-14 at the 8:14 mark. Both teams exchanged leads again in the final minutes of the half as Nichols took a slim 24-22 margin heading into the locker rooms.

Both teams continued to exchange leads in the second half and recorded the 10th tie of the game at the 5:44 mark with the teams deadlocked at 48-48. The Terriers tallied the only points in the final 5:44 that included a pair of free-throws by Mayle with 20 seconds left to seal a 52-49 victory.

Nichols was led by Jessic Nelson with 15 points on seven-of-12 shooting (58.3 percent). She also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Ashley Robidoux was the only other Bison player in double figures with 12 points.

Hiram was led by Mayle’s game and season-high 18 points on five-of-12 shooting (41.7 percent), including three-of-five from the behind the three-point line (60.0 percent). Senior All-North Coast Athletic Conference forward Ashley Drum (Parma/Valley Forge) and junior forward Caitlyn Ruese (Strongsville) rounded out the Hiram high-scorers with 10 points each. In addition, senior forward Alex Dellas (Willoughby Hills/South) pulled down a game-high eight boards.

Hiram will return home and continue its NCAC schedule on Friday, Jan. 8 when it travels to Springfield to take on Wittenberg University. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Shooting Woes Results in Women’s Basketball Loss Against Salem State (Mass.) College

SALEM, MASS. — The Hiram College women’s basketball struggled from the field as the Terriers shot 16.4 percent (nine-of-55) from the floor in a 59-30 loss today (Tuesday, Dec. 29) against Salem State College in the first game of the Salem State Holiday Classic in Salem, Mass. [Game Stats]

Following today’s game, the Terriers drop to 0-10 overall, while the Vikings improve to 4-4 overall for the season.

Hiram fell behind 14-4 at the 11:33 minute mark of the first half, but would score four straight points on back-to-back layups by freshman forward Amy Geisman (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) to get to within six points, 14-8, with 10:56 left in the period. Salem State then outscored Hiram 9-2 to reach its largest lead of the half, 23-10, with 4:43 to go before halftime. Neither team would score in the final 4:43 as the Vikings maintained their 23-10 margin at the intermission.

Salem State began the second half with an 11-0 scoring run to take a commanding 34-10 lead at the 16:29 mark and never looked back. The Vikings led by as many as 34 points in the half en route to the 59-30 final.

Salem State shot 45.6 percent from the field (26-of-57) and was led by Daniell Jenkins with game-highs of 15 points on six-of-13 shooting (46.2 percent) and eight rebounds. Brianna Wilson and Erica Batchelder each added 10 points to round out the Viking high scorers.

Hiram was led by Geisman and senior guard Brittany Mayle (Mantua/Crestwood) with six points each.

Hiram will return to action tomorrow (Wednesday, Dec. 30) against Nichols (Mass.) College in the consolation game of the Salem State Classic. Tip-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. in Salem, Mass.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Men’s Basketball Falls Short of Muskingum University in Overtime

NEW CONCORD, OHIO — Junior All-North Coast Athletic Conference guard Chris Roberts (Cleveland/Kennedy) scored a season-high 30 points in an 89-86 overtime loss against Muskingum University tonight (Tuesday, Dec. 29) in a non-conference game in New Concord. [Game Stats]

With the loss, the Terriers are now 5-4 overall, while the Fighting Muskies improve to 5-7 overall for the season.

The game remained close throughout the first half with five ties and nine lead changes. Hiram recorded its largest lead of six points, 36-30, just before the end of the first half on a layup by junior guard Glenn Campbell (Akron/Buchtel) with 21 seconds left in the period. But a Muskingum three-pointer to end the scoring, cut the Terrier lead in half, 36-33, at the break.

Hiram looked to gain some breathing room early in the second half, beginning the period on a 10-4 scoring run capped by a layup by junior forward Babajide Eniola (Washington, D.C./Seed Charter) making the score 46-37 with 15:14 left to play. The Muskies battled back and narrowed the gap to 61-59 with 7:46 to go, before Hiram would build its lead back to a more comfortable 73-65 margin thanks to a layup by junior guard Deon Milton (Oxon Hill, Md./Seed Charter) at the 1:00 minute mark. But Muskingum fought back again, outscoring Hiram, 10-2, in the final minute of play that included a foul on a three-point attempt with one second left in the game that sent Muskingum’s Colin Bass to the free-throw line. Bass connected on all three free-throws, tying the game at 75-75, forcing overtime.

Muskingum continued its momentum in overtime and led by as many as six points, 84-78, with 1:32 on the clock. Following a triple by Campbell and a pair of free-throws by Roberts, the Terriers cut the deficit to 84-83 with just over a minute left. The Muskies captalized on three straight free-throws to extend the lead to 87-83, but a triple by Roberts to answer the Muskingum points, cut the lead back to a point at 87-86 with five seconds left. Muskingum would again connect on a pair of free-throws in the final seconds and the final three-point attempt by Hiram to tie the game missed its mark, allowing the Muskies to hang on for the 89-86 victory.

Both teams shot well from the floor with Hiram shooting 45.8 percent (33-of-72) and Muskingum shot 43.9 percent (29-of-66). The Terriers won the rebounding battle, 45-37.

The Muskies were led by Nick Hershberger with a game-high 34 points on 13-of-20 shooting (65.0 percent). He also grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Cory Bourquin was second with 16 points followed by Josh Brindley with 10 points.

Hiram was paced by Roberts’ 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting (66.7 percent). He also grabbed a team-tying high seven boards. Campbell was second with 12 points to go along with seven rebounds. Milton finished the game with 11 points and shot three-of-five (60.0 percent) from behind the arc. Eniola rounded out the Hiram top scorers with 10 points to go along with six rebounds.

Hiram will travel to Arlington, Va. for the Marymount University Holiday Classic on Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 2-3. The Terriers will take on Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday with tip-off scheduled for 2 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Senior Softball Player Whitney Dropsey Part of “Streaks” Exhibit in NCAA Hall of Champions

HIRAM, OHIO — Hiram College senior softball player Whitney Dropsey (Ashland/Hillsdale) added another unique milestone to her career as a Terrier having been included in an exhibit sponsored by the NCAA Hall of Champions in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Hall of Champions has created a “Streaks” exhibit, which opened on Nov. 20, that showcases amazing and at times unusual streaks that were featured in Champion magazine. Dropsey’s streak of 354 at-bats without a strikeout is one of the streaks highlighted in the exhibit.

Dropsey has had a record-setting career at Hiram as a two-time All-North Coast Athletic Conference winner and was the 2009 NCAC Player of the Year. She also helped the Terriers to a school-record 27 victories (27-16 overall) last season including winning the program’s first-ever NCAC Tournament Championship and a first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament. Individually, she batted .375 at the plate (18-of-48) in conference play with a double, 10 runs scored and seven runs batted in. She also stole four bases in five attempts and had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage with nine putouts and 14 assists. As a pitcher, she led the league in conference wins with seven (7-2 overall) and had a 2.35 earned run average.

Overall in 2009, Dropsey was fourth on the team in hitting with a .339 batting average (43-of-127) with five doubles, 27 runs scored and 18 RBI. She was second on the team in stolen bases with 11 (11-of-12 overall).

Dropsey recorded her first career strikeout during the NCAC Tournament which ended her streak of 354 at-bats and nearly three seasons, without a strikeout. After three complete seasons, she has now gone 370 at-bats with only one strikeout while posting a .343 career batting average (127-of-37).

On the mound, she set single-season records in games pitched (34), wins (18), strikeouts (137) and innings pitched (182.1). She also pitched 15 complete games with four shutout victories and had a team-best 2.11 ERA.

Heading into her final season this spring, Dropsey is already the program’s all-time leader in wins with 30 as a pitcher.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Dyer’s Latest Memoir “Goosetown: Reconstructing an Akron Neighborhood” Released

Joyce Dyer, director of the Lindsay-Crane Center for Writing and Literature and John S. Kenyon Professor of English at Hiram College, has recently had her latest memoir released by the University of Akron Press. “Goosetown: Reconstructing an Akron Neighborhood” (2010) is a prequel to “Gum-Dipped: A Daughter Remembers Rubber Town,” telling the story of the first five years of Dyer’s life growing up in a part of town once marked by ravines, caves, glaciers and stone quarries on every corner. It is a book about a physical location in Akron, Ohio, that has largely disappeared–vanished from the Akron map, as well as from the author’s memory.

The book is an investigative memoir and grapples with the hard question of how to discover a place and a time that seem impossible to retrieve. Can the past be discovered? Are memories only someone else’s recollections? Can we draw out the shadows deep within the crevices of our brains? Accompanied by her uncle, the self-proclaimed “Mayor of Goosetown,” the odd couple travels to unearth the lost years. Together they search for signs and symbols to jar recollection. Dyer weaves her story from the traces that remain: memories of relatives, public records (criminal, as well as civil), letters and diaries. Facing a present with streets and buildings that have changed with urban progress, can Dyer ever find her real home? Can anyone?

Dyer is the author of three books, “The Awakening: A Novel of Beginnings,” “In a Tangled Wood: An Alzheimer’s Journey” and “Gum-Dipped: A Daughter Remembers Rubber Town,” and the editor of “Bloodroot: Reflections on Place by Appalachian Women Writers.” She has published essays in magazines such as “North American Review,” “cream city review” and “High Plains Literary Review.” Dyer has won numerous awards for her writing, including the 1998 Appalachian Book of the Year Award and the 2009 David B. Saunders Award in Creative Nonfiction. The book, which contains 28 photographs, is available at the Hiram College Bookstore, as well as on Amazon or through BookMasters.

Hiram College announces tuition freeze for 2010-2011 academic year

Hiram College officials today announced that they will not increase tuition for students entering Hiram for the 2010-2011 academic year. The zero percent increase is in addition to the institution’s Tuition Guarantee, which was established in 2004 and locks in a student’s tuition for four years.

Under Hiram’s Tuition Guarantee, each entering class paid a slightly higher rate for tuition than the previous class, and those costs were locked in for four years. With a zero percent increase for the entering class, traditional students coming to Hiram next fall will pay tuition costs equal to traditional students who entered Hiram in 2009, and those costs will be guaranteed not to increase.

“We believe this is the right thing to do for our prospective families,” said Hiram College President Thomas Chema. “In this economic environment, and with college costs nationally spiraling out of reach of many families, we’re fortunate to be in a position of strength and to be able to take an additional step to demonstrate our affordability. We are confident that we are appropriately priced as one of the most respected liberal arts institutions in the country and we do all that we can to make a Hiram education affordable and predictable for our students and their families.”

Hiram’s tuition is among the lowest in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Institutions in the conference include Wooster, Allegheny, Earlham, Wittenberg, Ohio Wesleyan, Denison, Wabash, Oberlin and Kenyon.

According to Chema, Hiram’s effort to control college costs for prospective families is one of the reasons the institution has achieved substantial growth in the past four years. Classes entering Hiram in that time period have been among the largest in the history of the institution. Additionally, the College has invested more than $45 million in campus improvements including construction of a new residence hall, dining center, townhouse apartment complex, nursing suite, and meeting house, home to the James A. Garfield Institute for Public Leadership.

“We believe keeping tuition costs at the 2009 level, and then guaranteeing those costs for four years as part of our Tuition Guarantee, will be an attractive option for students and their parents,” said Chema. “It is also a profound statement reflecting our historic commitment to affordability.”

Men’s Basketball Player Glenn Campbell Tabbed This Week’s NCAC Player of the Week

CLEVELAND, OHIO — Hiram College men’s basketball player and junior guard Glenn Campbell (Akron/Buchtel) has been named this week’s North Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

Campbell helped lead the Terriers to an overtime victory against Bluffton University, 71-64, in their only game this past week. Hiram is now 5-3 overall following the win against the Beavers.

Individually, Campbell scored a team and season-best 17 points against Bluffton on seven-of-13 shooting (53.8 percent) from the floor. He also grabbed nine rebounds, recorded two asssists and had one steal defensively.

Campbell, who is also a member of the Hiram football team, missed the first two games of the season in transition from football to basketball and is currently third on the team in scoring with a 9.8 points per game average. He is shooting 47.1 percent from the field (24-of-51) in six games and is averaging 4.0 rebounds per game. In addition, Campbell is third on the team in assists with 13 and has tallied three steals.

Hiram will travel to New Concord on Tuesday, Dec. 29 to take on Muskingum College in a non-conference matchup. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The Terriers will resume NCAC play on Tuesday, Jan. 8 against Wabash (Ind.) College. Hiram currently has a 2-0 record and is one of four unbeaten teams in conference play.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Men’s Basketball Defeats Bluffton University in Overtime

BLUFFTON, OHIO — The Hiram College men’s basketball team defeated Bluffton University, 71-64, in overtime this afternoon (Saturday, Dec. 19) in a non-conference game in Bluffton. [Game Stats]

With the win, the Terriers improve to 5-3 overall, while the Beavers fall to 0-10 overall for the season.

The game remained close throughout the first half with Hiram leading by as many as five points, 8-3, early in the opening period on a three-pointer by junior guard Deon Milton (Oxon Hill, Md./Seed Charter) at the 15:30 minute mark. Bluffton responded with seven unanswered points to regain the lead at 10-8 with 11:59 left before halftime. The two teams went back-and-forth the remainder of the half and were deadlocked at 31-31 heading into the locker rooms.

Hiram looked to be in control in the second half, building its lead to as many as nine points on two occassions, including a 56-47 margin thanks to a pair of free-throws by junior forward Hassan Muhammed (Akron/Buchtel) with 8:41 left in the game. But the Beavers would not go away quietly as Bluffton went on a 10-1 scoring run to tie the game at 57-57 with 3:38 to play. Bluffton had a one-point lead, 62-61, with 21 seconds to go when Hiram junior All-North Coast Athletic Conference guard Chris Roberts (Cleveland/Kennedy) sank one-of-two free-throws to even the score at 62-62 with 15 seconds left. The Beaves final shot to win the game, that came on a layup attempt, was blocked by Roberts keeping the score at 62-62 and sent the game into overtime.

It would be all Hiram in the overtime period as the Terriers outscored Bluffton, 9-2, with six of the team’s nine points coming from junior forward Babajide Eniola (Washington, D.C./Seed Charter) to secure a 71-64 victory.

Hiram shot 41.2 percent from the floor (28-of-68) for the game and Bluffton shot 42.3 percent (22-of-52) from the field. The Terriers out-rebounded the Beavers by a convincing 48-28 margin.

Individually for Bluffton, the Beavers had two players score in double figures led by Mychal Hill with a game-high 28 points on nine-of-12 shooting (75.0 percent). Brent Farley added 10 points to go along with a game-high 11 rebounds.

Hiram was led by junior guard Glenn Campbell (Akron/Buchtel) with a season-best 17 points on seven-of-13 shooting (53.8 percent). He has grabbed nine rebounds. Milton finished the game with 14 points and sophomore forward Chris Meyer (Chagrin/Kenston) added 12 opints. Eniola pulled down a team-high 10 boards to go along with seven points.

Hiram will be until Tuesday, Dec. 29 when the Terriers travel to New Concord for a non-conference game against Muskingum College. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Women’s Basketball Suffers Loss Against Thiel (Pa.) College

GREENVILLE, PA. — The Hiram College women’s basketball team was defeated by Thiel College, 52-48, tonight (Saturday, Dec. 19) in a non-conference game in Greenville, Pa. [Game Stats]

With the loss, the Terriers drop to 0-9 overall and the Tomcats improve to 3-6 overall for the season.

Hiram led throughout the majority of the first half and led by as many as seven points on two occassions with the last one coming at the 7:12 minute mark on a jumper by junior forward Caitlyn Ruese (Strongsville) that made the score 19-12. Thiel then outscored Hiram, 19-8, to end the period, including an 8-0 scoring run that gave the Tomcats their first lead of the game since scoring the first points of the contest, and led to a 31-27 advantage for Thiel at halftime.

Hiram later regained the lead in the second half on a layup by sophomore guard Kelsey Durichko (Brunswick) making the score, 37-36, with 9:46 left to play. But the Tomcats came right back to retake the lead and a late 8-0 run gave Thiel a seven-point lead, 49-42, with 46 seconds left to play. A successful three-pointer by Durichko on the ensuing Hiram possession, cut the deficit to 49-45, but a Hiram turnover and a pair of free-throws by Thiel increased the Tomcat lead to 51-45 with 26 seconds remaining. Ruese tallied the final points of the game for the Terriers with a triple that made the score 51-48 with 13 seconds left. Thiel would connect on one more free-throw in the final seconds to secure a 52-48 victory.

Thiel had four players score in double-figures led by Rianne Thornton with 14 points of five-of-eight shooting (62.5 percent) to go along with eight rebounds. Kelly Barzak was second with 13 points and grabbed a team-high 11 boards. Nina Gabrelcik scored 12 points and Ashley Davis rounded out the Tomcat high-scorers with 11 points.

Hiram had two players in double-digits led by senior guard Brittany Mayle’s (Mantua/Crestwood) 12 points on five-of-nine shooting (55.6 percent). Durichko finished the game with 10 points. In addition, senior forward Alex Dellas (Willoughby Hills/South) grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.

Hiram will travel to Salem, Massachussetts for the Salem State College Tournament on Tuesday-Wednesday, Dec. 29-30. The Terriers will take on host school Salem State on Tuesday with tip-off scheduled for 5 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please contact Hiram College Sports Information Director Jeff Hoedt by phone at (330) 569-5495, by FAX at (330) 569-5392 or by email at hoedtjm@hiram.edu.

Hiram College Names Randy Moore Head Football Coach

HIRAM, OHIO — Hiram College officials today appointed Randy Moore, 50, to the position of Head Football Coach. Moore comes to Hiram from Otterbein College where he served as defensive coordinator for the past seven years. He replaces Bob Wolfe who retired at the end of the 2009 season.

“Randy is a seasoned and successful coach with extensive experience at the NCAA Div. III level,” said Hiram College Director of Athletics Tom Mulligan. “He is a relentless recruiter and an excellent tactician who has spent the majority of his 27-year coaching career representing selective liberal arts institutions. He is a good fit for Hiram. We’re excited to be able to attract a coach with his experience and energy.”

At Otterbein, Moore was part of the staff which led the 2008 and 2009 teams to 17 victories and the institution’s first berth in the NCAA playoffs. Prior to joining the staff at Otterbein, Moore served as defensive coordinator at Hope College, head coach at Lake Forest College, defensive coordinator at Wartburg College, assistant coach at Michigan Technological University, and assistant coach at New Mexico State University. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in educational administration from New Mexico State University.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to work with outstanding people who have made me feel very positive about the future of Hiram College football,” said Moore. “There are so many good things happening here at Hiram right now, you can feel the momentum when you step on campus. I’m anxious to get started and to build a program that everyone associated with Hiram will feel positive about.”

Moore and his wife, Teri, have two children, son, Matt, and daughter, Megan.

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