December 2007 Archives
Once watching their respective teams rival each other for national scoring titles, David Arseneault and Gary Smith are now sitting on the same bench.
Arseneault (left photo) is in his 19th year coaching the Grinnell College men's basketball team, and the run-and-gun system he developed for the Pioneers in the early 1990s continues to make national headlines. Smith (right photo) is recently retired from a 37-year coaching career at the University of Redlands (Calif.). During that time he ran up-tempo offenses in two different stints, the second a direct offshoot of Grinnell's style.
Frequent meetings and a shared philosophy forged a friendship between the two coaches. That led to Smith's decision after retirement to move to Grinnell, where he lives with Arseneault's family while serving as a first-year volunteer coach for the Pioneers.
In fact, before Smith's retirement was official, the two coaches had managed to set up a game between their programs on Jan. 6, 2008, in California. Although still an anticipated battle for Grinnell, the contest won't feature the intended unique twist as Redlands has converted to a more traditional style of play this season.
Arseneault and Smith share equal praise for each other and what each brings to a basketball program. "David has a very intuitive sense and feel of the team," said Smith. "He does a great job of seeing how things are presented in practice and then making the necessary adjustments."
"You couldn't have two more different coaching styles," added Arseneault of Smith. "He's the most organized person I've met and I'm at the reverse edge of the scale. I think it's good for our players to see that other side rather than just my style."
Arseneault can still remember introducing his system a few years after starting at Grinnell. "We had a group of recruits who seemed really enthusiastic to play this style. They had a different mentality than the returning core of players, a group that maybe lost one too many games over the years. I tried to keep them apart for that reason, so we formulated groups. I didn't want the upperclassmen not to play, but also didn't want them to affect the exuberance of the newcomers. So that's kind of how it started."
As time went on, more and more coaches wanted to know the finer points of the system, which implements up-tempo play, plenty of 3-pointers, pressure defense and frequent five-player substitutions. "I'd say that's what a third of my job duties consist of, answering inquiries about our system from all over the country," Arseneault said.
Smith actually ran up-tempo ball at Redlands two decades ago. "We played fast before there was such a thing as the Grinnell system," he recalled. "Back in the late 80s and early 90s we were running, only that was more of the Loyola Marymount system. But we eventually went away from that due to personnel."
After some time back in the traditional mode, Smith longed for a return to the fast style. "I wanted to get back into it," he said. "I missed it and knew what Grinnell was doing back here. I like playing fast and our program needed a shot in the arm. We'd hit a down slope and I figured something different might work to turn us around."
That led Smith to track down Arseneault and learn what he could. "Gary contacted me and said he felt his kids could run, so he was wondering if he couldn't learn more about our system," said Arseneault. "He tried it for a year and it wasn't working very well … I could see that on the game film he sent me."
Smith agreed with Arseneault's assessment of the trial period. "Let's just say the first year was not very productive," Smith laughed. "In hindsight, I think I tried to complicate things too much. I sent David the game films and then came back here the next summer. That's when I got that close-up look and found out how to do it the right way."
That close-up look eventually paid dividends. After Grinnell won 11 consecutive Division III national scoring titles from 1994-2004, Redlands broke that string in 2005 with a still-record 132.4 points per game. Grinnell regained the scoring title the next season, only to have Redlands win it in 2007.
"Sure enough, once he got the hang of it he went on to break all of our records," Arseneault said with a laugh. "The one year his team averaged 132 points a game. I thought it was pretty impressive the year we scored 126, but 132 … I don't get it."
Smith will have mixed feelings when he returns to Currier Gym, the home court for Redlands. "It will be fun getting back there, but it will also be very different to be in that gym with my (former) team sitting on the other bench," he said. "I don't really know how to describe the feelings that will be going through me."
CARLEY NADDY
University of Redlands
Swimming
The lowdown: The 5-foot-8 senior excelled in the freestyle
events last year as a junior, contributing to a second-place team
finish in the SCIAC. Helped establish school records in the 200 free
relay (1:37.22), 400 free relay (3:32.19) and 800 free relay
(7:48.37). Was third in the 50 free (24.58) at the SCIAC and competed
in the NCAA National meet on four different relays. Helped the
Bulldogs to a No. 9 national ranking as a sophomore and set
a SCIAC record in winning the 50 free (23.83) and later placed 16th
at the national meet in that event.
Age: 21
Hometown: Danville, Calif.
High school: San Ramon Valley High School, 2004
Major: Business and psychology
Favorite team: Oakland Raiders
Favorite athlete: Natalie Coughlin
Favorite food: Mexican
Can’t miss TV show: Grey’s Anatomy
Role model: My grandpa
Most memorable sports moment: Setting the SCIAC and school record in
the 50 free at the SCIAC meet in 2006.
Last good book you read: At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
Celebrity you most want to meet: Patrick Dempsey
What’s in your CD player/iPod: Country (Rascal Flatts, Tim McGraw).
Favorite movie: The Wizard of Oz
Favorite vacation spot: Cannon Beach, Ore.
Best advice anyone has given you: You can race and win from any lane
(my mom).
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Rubbing my hands on the block and
dring the block off with a towel.
Other hobbies: Photpography and scrapbooking
What do you want to be doing in five years: Be settled in my career
and hopefully traveling.
 Redlands - After back-to-back losses, the University of Redlands women’s basketball team rebounded in fine fashion on Sunday with a decisive 71-55 victory over Division III opponent UC Santa Cruz. Despite late comeback runs by the Banana Slugs, the Bulldogs maintained their composure and continued to pull away with strong shooting and stifling defense.
The early part of the game saw a back-and-forth contest with UCSC gaining a five-point lead at 15:51 in the first half. However, Redlands responded with relentless defense that resulted in 23 points off of 23 Slug turnovers. Although UCSC moved within three late in the second half, the Bulldogs took advantage of opportunities and handled the ball well to hold the lead. Santa Cruz gained 14 points from senior point guard Talia Joyce (Carson City, NV) while sophomore forward Jessica Andrusaitis (Durham, CA) added 12. Junior forward Melissa Junge (Sunnyvale, CA) rounded out the double-digit figures for Santa Cruz with 10 points. |
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MONICA EMANUEL
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
Swimming
The lowdown: The talented senior is a three-time SCIAC champion in
1-meter diving, recording a score of 342.20 in the finals as a junior
in helping the Athenas to the team title. Has finished first in that
event in the last most recent two meets this seasons with a score of
214.75 in a dual meet against Caltech and a 225.45 in a win over
Occidental. Has helped the Athenas to a No. 11 national ranking.
Age: 21
Hometown: Walnut Creek
High school: College Park High School, 2004
Major: Neuroscience
Favorite athlete: Kristian Ipsen (Decorated junior national diver).
Favorite team: Oakland A’s
Can’t miss TV show: House
Favorite food: Stir fry
Role model: Eric Sargent (my physical therapist)
Most memorable sports moment: Winning the 1-meter diving at the SCIAC
meet by 0.6 points in 2006 when I was having really bad back problems.
Most embarrassing moment: Hitting my head on the diving board in 2002
and getting carried off the pool deck on a stretcher. I ended up
getting eight stitches and breaking my nose.
Person most influential in your athletic success: My older brother
Mark who also dove for CMS.
Last good book you read: Stumbling Upon Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
Favorite movie: A River Runs Through it.
Favorite vacation spot: Alaska
What’s in your CD player/iPod: Continuum by John Mayer
Celebrity you most want to meet: Lance Armstrong
Best advice anyone has given you: When you get frustrated or feel
like everything is caving in on you, just go outside, take a deep
breath, and say to yourself ‘it’s going to be alright.’
Pre-game ritual or superstition: I have to make sure my hands aren’t
too wet or too dry. so I wipe them on my swimsuit and my legs. I also
talk to myself while I’m on the diving board reminding myself of
things I have to remember to do in the dive.
Other hobbies: weightlifting, working as an athletic trainer
What do you want to be doing in five years: I would like to be
working as a physician’s assistant for a neurosurgeon or an
orthopedic surgeon.
- Compiled by Michelle Gardner
ROBERT HUGHES
University of La Verne
Basketball
The lowdown: Has been a spark coming off the bench for the Leopards,
averaging 10 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting .642 from the
field. Chalked up 19 points and five rebounds in an 84-81 win over
Willamette and had 14 points and nine rebounds in a 78-55 win over
Pacific Union as the Leopards (4-4) have already equaled their win
total of last season. Was second on the team in scoring (10.2 ppg)
and rebounding (5.6 rpg) as a junior and recorded a team-high 33
blocks.
Age: 21
Hometown: North Edwards
High school: Boron High School, 2004
Major: Business administration
Favorite athlete: Serena Williams
Favorite team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Role model: My parents
Most memorable sports moment: Beating my brother in teather ball in
the fourth grade because after that I knew anything was possible.
Most embarrassing moment: My string was loose in my shorts in junior
high and I went up for a layup and they fdel off to my ankles.
Person most influential in your athletic success: High school
basketball coach David and Brad Wiggs.
Last good book you read: The Road
Favorite movie: Three Ninjas Kick Back
Can’t miss TV show: Heroes, Brothers and Sisters
Celebrity you most want to meet: Jimmy Neutron
Favorite food: Orange chicken from Panda Express
What’s in your CD player/iPod: Destiny’s Child
Other hobbies: deep sea fishing, snowboarding, wakeboarding
Favorite vacation spot: Mammoth
Best advice anyone has given you: Just do what you do and have fun.
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Always eat a Snickers bar before
every game.
What do you want to be doing in five years: Managing a business of my
own or become a matador.
Ryan Kristensen (FR, Saugus) has been selected SCIAC Athlete of the Week for the weeks of November 26 - December 9.
He won five events as the Stags won at Caltech and beat Occidental at home. He won the 200 free (1:52.21) and anchored (22.44) the winning 200 free relay against Caltech. He won the 50 free (22.17) and 100 free (48.56) and anchored (49.42) the winning 400 medley relay against Occidental. Kristensen currently has the top times in the SCIAC in both the 50 and 100 free.
Occidental basketball player Stacy Roshon was named the top female performer.
It was announced today that the University of Redlands gained three players on the 2007 D3football.com All-West Region teams. Graduate student return specialist Kyle Godfrey (Apple Valley, CA) landed on the Second Team Offense while junior defensive tackles Gavril Gabriel (Downey, CA) and Brock Arndt (Valencia, CA) earned Second Team Defense honors.
Following his All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) First Team nod, Godfrey (Apple Valley, CA) gains his inaugural All-West Region accolade with a spot on the Second Team. During the 2007 season, he accumulated 433 yards on 23 kick returns to go along with 278 yards on 31 punt returns. In addition, Godfrey served as the Bulldogs’ primary receiving target. In 10 games, he made 59 catches for 816 yards, which included the second-most receiving yards for a single game with 239 during Redlands’ 53-23 win over Pomona-Pitzer Colleges. Overall, he led the Bulldogs with 1527 all-purpose yards.
Joining Godfrey on the Second Team, Gabriel adds to this year’s accolades with his initial All-West Region award. In 2007, he led the Bulldogs with 15 tackles for a loss of 69 yards, including nine sacks for a loss of 58 yards. Overall, Gabriel tallied 52 tackles to rank third on the team while recording eight quarterback hurries.
Beyond his All-SCIAC award, Arndt continues to build upon his solid career with a spot on the All-West Region Second Team. This season, he competed in nine games and tallied 48 total tackles, which included 10 tackles for a loss of 53 yards and five sacks. He also earned nine quarterback hurries to rank first on the team. He tallied three pass breakups, recovered two fumbles for 10 yards, and forced one fumble.
Redlands (8-2, 5-1 SCIAC) earned a share of the SCIAC title with Cal Lutheran University and gained the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA playoffs. This marked the Bulldogs 28th SCIAC Championship and fifth postseason appearance in the history of the program.
For a complete list of the All-Region Teams, please log onto www.d3football.com.
VALARIE KATAYAMA
University of Redlands
Basketball
The lowdown: The 5-foot-5 senior point guard is averaging 9.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists for the Bulldogs (4-2). Was named SCIAC Female Athlete of the Week Nov. 28 for her showing against San Diego Christian. In that game she scored her team’s last 10 points in 25 seconds to send the game into overtime, finishing with 24 points and 11 assists. Averged a team-high 12.3 points as a junior with 110 assists, ranking her sixth in school history for a single season. Named team Most Valuable Player and selected to the all-SCIAC first team. Transferred to Redlands from Orange Coast Community College.
Age: 20
Hometown: Huntington Beach
High school: Edison High School, 2004
Major: Business administration
Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan
Can’t miss TV show: Grey’s Anatomy
Most memorable sports moment: Winning a five-overtime game. Making it to the semifinals of a state tournament at my junior college.
Last good book you read: Anything by Nicholas Sparks
Favorite movie: Love and Basketball
What’s in your CD player/iPod: Kelly Clarkson
Favorite vacation spot: Hawaii
Best advice anyone has given you: Play every game like it’s your last.
Pre-game ritual or superstition: Each year I have a new one. Last year I wore the same socks, same pink hair rubberband. Always wear my hair in a ponytail.
What do you want to be doing in five years: Be in a career and able to support myself.
- Compiled by Michelle Gardner
Offensive Player of the Year - Dan Selway, QB, Redlands
Defensive Player of the Year - Josh Richards, DL, Cal Lutheran
Newcomer of the Year - Jacob Caron, QB, Pomona-Pitzer
John Zinda Award - Zach Landman, LB, Pomona-Pitzer; William Wagner, Claremont-Mudd Scripps
First team offense
QB Josh Scurlock, Whittier
RB Zach Shafer, Redlands
RB Jason Haller, Occidental
TE Jake Lacey, Redlands
WR Kyle Godfrey, Redlands
WR Rocky Ciasulli, Occidental
WR Jesse Matlock, Cal Lutheran
OL Matt Rosen, Cal Lutheran
OL D.J. Tano, Redlands
OL Chris Kyles, Occidental
OL Max Hodge, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
OL Jared Schwass, Redlands
K Connor Pearce, Cal Lutheran
SPT Kyle Godfrey, Redlands
First-team defense
DL James Sabo, Occidental
DL Gavril Gabriel, Redlands
DL Brock Arndt, Redlands
DL Daniel Lopez, Whittier
LB Arlo Castelo, Whittier
LB Kris Richardson, Redlands
LB Ashton Clarke, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
LB Zach Landman, Pomona-Pitzer
DB Conor Drake, Redlands
DB Garett Redd, Cal Lutheran
DB Eddie Pickett, Pomona-Pitzer
DB Jerel Garcia, Redlands
P Alex Groh, Occidental
Second-team offense
QB Jericho Toillolo, Cal Lutheran
RB D.J. Lillard, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
RB Tom Romaine, Redlands
TE Anthony DeJager, La Verne
WR Shawn Briggs, Whittier
WR Colin Regan, Pomona-Pitzer
WR Danny Hernandez, Cal Lutheran
OL Chris Anderson, Whittier
OL Jeff Briscoe, Cal Lutheran
OL Joe Manfre, La Verne
OL Tom Gonzalez, Occidental
OL Brett Henderson, Occidental
K Neil Martin, Occidental
SPT Grady Thomas, La Verne
Second-team defense
DL Jacob Calderon, Cal Lutheran
DL Tim Creamer, Occidental
DL Victor Lopez, Occidental
DL Mitch Crocco, Redlands
LB Jared Izidoro, Whittier
LB Branamier Courtney, La Verne
LB Jason Carpenter, La Verne
LB Eddie Stamm, Redlands
DB Dan Picciotto, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
DB Sean MacNeil, Whittier
DB Daniel Tromello, Occidental
DB Chris Denton, Cal Lutheran
P Bryan Downs, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps
The Bulldogs (3-3) never really threatened as they were outscored in the first half 42-19, shooting just 33 percent. They managed just 34 percent for the game and were outrebounded 42-27.
Justin Sobczyk led Redlands with 13 points but was the lone Bulldog player in double figures. Matt Loretz had nine points and a team-high five rebounds.
The Pirates (4-1) had four players tally double figures with tournament MVP Ryan Symes netting a team-high 20 with eight rebounds and three assists. Nate Montgomery chipped in with 16.
The all-tournament team also included Colin Willemsen of Whitworth, Dave Thomas of Redlands, Jabarri Reynolds of Pomona-Pitzer, Jawaan Rubin of Cal State East Bay and Miguel Bennett of Chapman.
The Sportsmanship Award went to Daniel Stanton of UC Santa Cruz.
