Big Brothers Big Sisters join SMU baseball team to raise money for local kids

WINONA, Minn., — Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region Winona Office will be hosting a raffle with the Saint Mary’s University baseball team on Saturday, April 17. This event — free and open to the public — will take place during the doubleheader against Augsburg University, beginning at 1 p.m. at Max Molock Field.

Raffle tickets will be sold until the top of the seventh inning of the first game for a chance to win gift cards to Ground Round and Country Kitchen — totaling $50 — with all proceeds going to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the 7 Rivers Region Winona Office.

Tickets will cost $1 for one ticket and $5 for six, with no limit to the amount of tickets to be purchased. After the first game, raffle finalists will be drawn and will participate in a baseball bat spin race to determine the winners.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit organization whose mission is to effectively match children with caring mentors to share time, experiences, friendship and fun that will help children become caring, confident and competent adults.

For more information, contact David Timmons at dltimm07@smumn.edu or call (507) 398-3722.

Report shows Saint Mary’s athletes excel in classroom

WINONA, Minn. — For any student-athlete, statistics help tell the story of their individual or team successes.

Goals, assists, attack percentage, field goals made, split times, service aces, batting average … the list goes on and on.

For members of the 21 varsity intercollegiate sports at Saint Mary’s University, however, one statistic stands out above all the rest — 3.11. That’s the overall SMU student-athlete grade-point-average for Fall 2009 semester, as calculated by Saint Mary’s institutional research.

“I am very proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes on and off the field of competition,” said SMU athletic director Nikki Fennern, noting that 16 of the 21 varsity teams boasted a team GPA of 3.00 or higher, with the women’s track and field (3.53) and the men’s cross country (3.43) leading the charge. “Academic success is the main goal of all of our students. To achieve this while committing many hours per week to their sport, work, and other campus activities is even more impressive.”

Of the 325 current student-athletes — who make up 25 percent of SMU’s full-time undergraduate population — 15 had perfect 4.0 GPAs, while 73 were named to the Dean’s List with GPAs of 3.60 or above, and 182 finished the fall semester at 3.00 or higher.

Along with their successes in competition and in the classroom, several Cardinal teams have also been busy volunteering their time around the Winona community. Over half of SMU’s teams have spent time volunteering in the community or for special events such as cancer awareness and Gifts for Winona. More community service opportunities are scheduled for second semester.

“It is important for our student-athletes to give back to the community,” Fennern said. “These young men and women show great generosity with their time and energy.”

SMU Disc Golf Open scheduled for April 5

WINONA, Minn. — The first Saint Mary’s University Disc Golf Open tees off on Saturday, April 5, at 9:30 a.m. on The Woods at Saint Mary’s Disc Golf Course.

The Woods is an 18-hole course that winds through the bluffs surrounding the SMU campus. With narrow fairways and intricate hole placements, the course can be challenging for both beginners and experienced disc golfers.
The top three finishers will receive prizes.
• First place – portable disc catcher, disc bag, and three Innova discs
• Second place – Innova disc bag and three Innova discs
• Third place – three Innova discs

The tournament is sponsored by the SMU Office of Outdoor Leadership and co-sponsored by Innova Disc Golf. Proceeds will be used to maintain the disc golf course and for Outdoor Leadership Program funding.

Tournament fees are $15 for students and $25 for the general public. Each participant receives an SMU customized Innova putt and approach disc. To register, or for more information, visit www.smumn.edu/thewoods or contact Davey Warner at (507) 457-8740 or e-mail at outdoorleadership@smumn.edu.

Get set to scream at annual Saint Mary's Walk of Horror

WINONA, Minn. — This year's Saint Mary's University Walk of Horror is again guaranteed to give you goosebumps. New scares are planned around every corner.

The 11th annual hair-raising fundraiser for the SMU Cardinal fastpitch softball team will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 19-20 and 26, 27 and 31 in the SMU bluffs. Walkers are asked to meet on the lighted path between the SMU baseball and softball fields, where the haunted walk will begin.

Groups are then escorted through the dark bluffs surrounding the SMU campus for approximately 20 minutes.

The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for students with ID, and $4 for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available at the gate.

SMU head fastpitch softball coach Jen Miller said the event is fun for all ages. The scare level is toned down for younger children and turned up for groups bold enough to face their fears. Last year more than 1,000 brave souls took SMU’s Walk of Horror.

Proceeds from this event will be used for the softball team’s spring trip to California for a tournament.
For more information, contact Miller at (507) 457-6923.

Trustees approve new Saint Mary’s track/soccer complex

WINONA, Minn. — A plan to build an outdoor track and field/soccer complex was approved Friday by the Saint Mary’s University Board of Trustees.

The athletic facility will be built at the Winona campus, located near the front entrance along Hwy. 14 and Gilmore Valley Road. Construction will begin in summer 2008. The first phase of the project is estimated to cost $2.5 million. A second phase will add permanent viewing stands, concession area, press box and lights.

An on-campus track/soccer complex has been under consideration for several years, according to Chris Kendall, vice president for student development. He said Saint Mary’s is “confident the addition of an attractive, well-constructed facility will greatly benefit the university in a number of key areas, including visibility and marketing, enrollment, athletics and campus atmosphere.” Kendall added, "SMU is one of the few MIAC schools without an outdoor track. This will significantly sharpen our competitive edge and help with the recruitment of student-athletes."

A competition soccer pitch will be built in the center of the track, “making the complex the new home to Cardinal soccer and a training facility for cross country and other athletic programs,” according to Nikki Fennern, athletic director. “It will be a direct asset to six of our teams, as well as to other athletes, intramurals, recreational users and summer camp participants,” Fennern said.

A year ago, the Saint Mary’s Board of Trustees decided not to reinstate football as a varsity sport. Instead, the board directed the university to provide better support for existing athletic programs. A recent peer review of SMU athletics noted that an outdoor track/soccer complex would serve as a major step toward achieving that goal.

This past summer, Saint Mary’s completed the first phase of building new baseball and fastpitch softball fields. Future plans will address needs for athletic training facilities, locker rooms, and tennis courts.

SMU hosts SwimAmerica swimming lessons

WINONA, Minn. — School-aged children (ages 5 and older) are invited to take swimming lessons this spring at Saint Mary’s University through SwimAmerica, a national learn-to-swim program operated by the American Swimming Coaches Association.
Read more.

Session I will meet March 6, 8, 15, 20, 22, 27 and 29.
Session II will meet April 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26, May 1 and 3.
Session III will meet May 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29 and 31.

Lessons are from 6 to 6:30 p.m. or 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. in SMU’s Jul Gernes Pool.

The cost is $70, and a session swimsuit is included with the initial registration (one time only). Each child also receives a certificate with stickers for each level passed.

All participants must wear the provided SwimAmerica Finish suit. Girls will be provided a one-piece suit while boys will be provided a jammer suit. Additional suits are available for purchase. Suits will be handed out the first day of class; children should bring an extra suit on the first day to avoid any sizing problems.

Staff will include Eric Lindquist, the SMU men’s and women’s swimming and diving coach, and members of the SMU Cardinal Swim Team.

REGISTER and pay online at www.smumn.edu/sportscamps. For more information, e-mail smusportscamps@smumn.edu, or call (507) 457-6973 or 800-635-5987, Ext. 6973.