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Let's Go Vikes!
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CSU Wins McCafferty Trophy
June 9, 2008
By Ryan Aroney
After a strong finish during the spring sports season, Cleveland State jumped from fifth place to capture the James J. McCafferty trophy, which is awarded annually to the Horizon League’s All-Sport champion. It was the first McCafferty Trophy for CSU since joining the Horizon League for the 1994-95 season.
It was a banner year for the Vikings program that finished last in the standings in seven of the previous 14 seasons. In basketball, the men and the women both showed dramatic improvement. The men jumped from last place in 2006-07 with a 10-21 record to second place in 2007-08 with a 21-13 record. The women moved from seventh in 2006-07 to fourth in the 2007-08 regular season before winning the conference tournament and making the program’s first ever NCAA Tournament appearance.
The improvements did not stop at basketball for the Vikings. CSU captured titles in men’s golf and tennis while also winning titles in volleyball and softball on the women’s side. The Vikings also received points from the men for a second place finish in swimming and a fifth place showing by the baseball team. The women rounded out the scoring with fourth place finishes in golf and tennis.
CSU finished with 46 points, three points ahead of second place Milwaukee and Butler. The men earned 25 of the 46 points to earn the Men’s All Sports Award for the first time in school history. The women finished in third place with 21 points. The Viking’s previous best in the McCafferty standings was a fifth place finish in 1998-99.
CSU will make a strong run at repeating the feat next season, as the Vikings return numerous top performers that were underclassmen in 2008. All-Horizon League athletes returning next season for the Vikings include Junior Brad Buell (Baseball), Juniors J’Nathan Bullock and Cedric Jackson (Men’s Basketball), Sophomore Mitch Boyer (Men’s Soccer), Sophomore Jakub Dobies (Men’s Swimming), and Sophomores Phill Orno and Ryan Hamning along with Freshman Robert Fox (Men’s Tennis). Dobies was an NCAA qualifier for the swimming team and Orno was Horizon League Men’s Tennis Player of the Year.
All-Horizon League players returning on the women’s side include Sophomore Kailey Kline (Women’s Basketball), Junior Jennifer Wieand (Women’s Soccer), Junior Christa Coppus and Sophomore Amanda Macenko (Softball), Freshman Melissa Holzinger (Women’s Tennis), and Sophomore Beth Greulich and Freshman Amy Benz (Volleyball). Macenko was the Horizon League Pitcher of the Year in softball while Benz was the Newcomer of the Year for Volleyball.
The McCafferty Trophy has been awarded each season since 1979-80. Oral Roberts and Notre Dame each have won the award seven times. Butler leads all current Horizon League members, winning the trophy six times.
Colorado Rockies Draft CSU's Josh Hungerman in 50th Round
June 9, 2008
By Tom Mieskoski
The Colorado Rockies selected Cleveland State junior left-handed pitcher Josh Hungerman, with the 1,499 pick in the 50th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.
Hungerman, 6-2, 200-pounds, started 11 games for Vikings in 2008, going 5-3 with a 5.11 ERA in 79.1 innings. He was second in the Horizon League in strikeouts (64) and batters struck out looking (26).
His best season was his sophomore season, when Hungerman went 2-7 with an ERA of 3.82, which was fourth in the Horizon League. He struck out 61 batters (fourth in Horizon League) and only walked 34 in 77.2 innings. Six of his 13 starts in 2007 were quality starts (at least seven innings pitched with three earned runs or less), including eight of his first 10 starts he allowed three earned runs or less.
Being drafted as a junior, Hungerman has two options. He can sign with the Colorado Rockies, or return to CSU for his senior season and try to improve on his draft stock for next year's draft.
Horizon League Draft notes:
Four other Horizon League players were selected in this year's draft. Wright State had three players drafted, junior first baseman Jeremy Hamilton (Horizon League Player of the Year) was selected by Philadelphia Phillies in fifth round ( 166th); junior infielder Justin Parker was selected by Arizona Diamondbacks in sixth round (198); and senior Ross Vagedes was selected in the 35th round (1,061) by the Chicago Cubs.... UIC junior catcher Kevin Coddington was drafted in the 44th round (1,319th pick) by the Cincinnati Reds.
Men Sign Two, Women Add a Fourth During Spring Signing Period
April 23, 2008
By Tom Mieskoski
Men Sign Montgomery and Woods:
On the first day of the late signing period (April 16) Cleveland State coach Gary Waters announced the signings of two high school standouts to national letters of intent.
Joining the Vikings in the fall are Jeremy Montgomery, a 6-2 guard from Chicago (Lincoln Park High School) and Charlie Woods, a 6-6 forward from Lansing, Mich. (East Lansing).
"The addition of Charlie and Jeremy is a great start to our recruiting," Waters said through a press release. "These are two great players for the future of our program. They will not only help to make us better next year, but will be in the lineup for the next four years."
Montgomery was selected third-team all-state after averaging 21.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists for Lincoln Park. He shot 61 percent from the field, including making 75 three-pointers (41 percent) and making 87 percent of his free throws.
Montgomery, a three-star prospect by Rivals.com, was also being recruited by Akron, Northern Iowa, Northern Illinois, Bradley and several other programs.
"I first saw Jeremy when we were looking at his brother last year and I was impressed with his basketball mind," Waters said. "He is a combo-guard who can do it all on the basketball court, especially score from the perimeter. I expect that he'll add something to the team this year."
Woods, the Lansing State Journal Player of the Year, averaged 17.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.6 block shots, helping East Lansing reach the state semifinals for the first time in 50 years. He shot 44.3 percent from the field, making 53 three-pointers (43 percent) and shooting 78 percent from the free throw line.
PrepSpotlight.com ranks Woods as the third best wing prospect in the state of Michigan. He was a special-mention all-state selection by the Associated Press.
"Charlie has the most potential that I have seen in a long time," Waters said. "He's grown four inches in the last two years and I think that he is going to keep growing. He's 17 years old and wears a size 15 shoe.
"He's very long and athletic, can run the floor and is a good three-point shooter. He also has great timing which helps him to be a great shot blocker."
Women Sign Elyria's King:
CSU's women's basketball coach Kate Peterson Abiad announced Wednesday (April 23) the signing of Elyria's 5-9 guard Honesty King.
King was named Lorain County Miss Basketball and the Plain Dealer Lorain-Medina Player of the Year, after averaging 19.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.0 steals. She also led the Pioneers with 35 three-pointers and holds the school record for points in a game with 34.
She led the Pioneers to the Division I district championship game.
"Landing a player of Honesty's caliber from the area is a great step for our program," Peterson Abiad said in a press release. "Honesty is a heady guard who is offensive minded and comes from a winning program. She pushes the pace offensively and is the complete package because she can score, but also has the ability to create scoring opportunities for others."
King joins Janelle Adams (5-9, G, Milwaukee), Destinee Blue (6-3, C, Milwaukee) and Kaila Montgomery (6-1, G/F, Ontario, Canada), who signed during the early signing period to form CSU's class of 2008.
"We have a lot of diversity in this class," Peterson Abiad said. "We have added much needed height, as well as quickness, scoring and rebounding. As a whole, I think this is the most versatile class that we have signed.
"These players will help us at every position on the floor and when you combine them with the group that we have coming back, they will give us a much deeper lineup to be able to work with."
Waters Set to Shoot Atop Horizon in 2009
April 9, 2008
By Gavin Keenan
After leading CSU to its first postseason appearance in two decades, head coach Gary Waters made it clear he had no intentions of stopping there. While many may view the NIT berth as an event that comes around about as often as a lunar eclipse, Waters has already begun thinking of ways to improve upon his veteran team.
It was clear early in the year that the Vikings would turn heads when they opened the campaign in Florida with key wins over South Florida and ACC member Florida State.
“Those wins showed everyone this team was something to be reckoned with,” Waters said.
As the Vikings got in to Horizon League play, it was feast or famine for the cast of new faces getting acclimated with each other. They opened league play with a six game winning streak, which included home wins over Butler and Valparaiso. However, the winning streak was promptly followed by a five game losing skid that saw the Vikings fall to teams they had handily beaten a few games prior.
It was how his team responded to the losses that impressed Waters. The Vikings regrouped and proceeded to win seven out of their next eight games. The strong finish resulted in the Vikings reaching the finals of the Horizon League Tournament, where they ran out of gas down the stretch against Butler.
With this season’s success under his belt, Waters is looking to add some outside shooters in this year’s recruiting class. He stressed the lack of a consistent outside shooter as one of the glaring voids this past season.
“If you want to get better the next year, you have to add personnel,” Waters said. “Right now I think we’re pretty close but there’s still room to improve.”
Waters also went on to mention his desire for an inside post presence with the ability to score around the basket. While he doubts there will be a post player in the 2008 recruiting class, he believes we will see one in 2009.
“We’re working this thing in stages. Right now our focus is all-around players and then we will look for someone down low,” Waters said.
Off-season preparations continue this summer when Waters will take his team to Spain for a 10-day trip. The NCAA allows schools to travel abroad once every seven years. While in Spain, the Vikings will be practicing and playing against European competition.
The next order of business Waters would like to address for the upcoming season is finding a way to fill the seats. There were actual signs of life this season when the Vikings drew large crowds for the games against Butler and Valparaiso.
“It would be nice to get that curtain down,” said Waters, referring to the portion of the arena that is curtained off to remove the eyesore of thousands of empty seats.
The Wolstein Center has a capacity of around 13,000 and with the curtain it has been reduced to about 8,000. Currently, it is a small miracle to draw half of that, but Waters has a vision of fans packing the venue in the not so distant future.
Clearly, the only way to make that dream a reality is to schedule big name opponents and fill the win column.
Next year, the Vikings will again be hosting Butler and Valparaiso, but they have also added Kansas State and Kent State to the slate of home games. Both teams appeared in the NCAA Tournament this year and should be able to help with some attendance problems in 2008-2009.
NCAA Bid Erases Bad Memories
April 9, 2008
By Gavin Keenan
Coming on the heels of six consecutive losing seasons, no one in his or her right mind would have suspected anything different out of the Vikings in 2008. The media certainly expected more of the same when they picked CSU to finish eighth in the 10-team Horizon League in a preseason poll. Not many could dispute the pick, with the Vikings lacking both size and winning experience.
However, the Vikings answered their critics by finishing fourth in the regular season and snapping off three straight wins in the conference tournament to receive the program’s first NCAA Tournament berth. In fact, only once had the Vikings so much as reached the conference tournament finals.
“This was always a goal but no one really knew if it was possible,” said head coach Kate Peterson Abiad.
Having only won a total of 16 games in their previous three seasons, Peterson Abiad and her staff decided to appoint four sophomores as team captains and allow them to develop their leadership skills both emotionally and in their play on the court. The strong sophomore class was headed by Kailey Klein, who was a main contributor to the team’s success with her balanced attack of scoring, defending, and rebounding.
With a youthful team, Peterson Abiad also found some much needed production from senior guard Brittany Korth.
“Brittany was one of those players who had gone through the rough times and saw this as an opportunity for success,” Peterson Abiad said. “Once she saw it was in her grasps she refused to give in and let it slip away.”
Peterson Abiad was quick to point to the middle of the season as a defining moment for her team. The Vikings strung together five straight victories, which in itself was a remarkable accomplishment considering in recent memory the only notable streaks they put together appeared in the loss column.
“This was huge because in previous years I am hard-pressed to remember just winning two games in a row,” Peterson Abiad said.
However, it wasn’t the five-game streak that convinced Peterson Abiad that her team was a contender. Instead it was the six straight wins they snapped off following a brief two-game losing stretch.
“Sometimes when you fall into a rut you can stay there forever and they just didn’t allow that to happen after those two losses,” Peterson Abiad said.
Following the back-to-back winning streaks, Peterson Abiad saw that as all the proof her team members needed to believe in themselves throughout the remainder of the season. Despite losing six of their final eight regular season games, the Vikings stormed through the Horizon League Tournament as they defeated Butler, Green Bay and Wright State by double-digit margins en route to the title.
On a personal level, Peterson Abiad admitted the season was a great culmination of what she had been striving toward for her entire coaching career, which began at Indiana University as an assistant coach. After serving 12 years as an assistant coach at Indiana, Eastern Illinois and Wisconsin, she was finally able to land the head coaching position at CSU in 2003.
Peterson Abiad struggled with her team through four losing seasons here, constantly making adjustments but never deviating from what she believed it took to turn the program around. Finally, this season, she was able to see tangible evidence that her hard work was beginning to pay off.
The success of this season came at a very opportune time for Peterson Abiad as her husband Phil Abiad is an assistant coach for the CSU volleyball team that also made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament this year.
“It’s very special for us to feel like we’re making a difference here at CSU,” said Peterson Abiad.
Next year the Vikings plan on returning eight members of this year’s team and adding much-needed height in the incoming freshman class, according to Peterson Abiad.
CSU Baseball Showing Positive Signs
April 9, 2008
By Nick Camino
The Cleveland State baseball team is already 17 games into the 2008 season under second-year head coach Kevin Kocks and with wins over College World Series qualifier Louisville, strong MAC opponent Central Michigan, and Horizon League foe Valparaiso, the squad is confident for the rest of the year, but knows they are even better than their 7-10 record may illustrate.
A losing record is never something to brag about, but the Vikings have been in virtually all their contests to win, but somehow could not come away with victories. However, the overall quality of play that Kocks' squad is boasting on the field is something CSU baseball has not seen for a number of years.
Rain and bad weather have cancelled their games of late, but prior to the bad weather spell the Vikings fell to Kent State 9-7, a game in which CSU led 6-1 and Alex Kerins hit two home runs and drove in three runs. After their game at Kent State, the Vikings traveled to Athens, Ohio to take on the Bobcats of Ohio University. Although behind the entire contest, Cleveland State scored six runs in the top of the ninth inning all with two outs to knot the game up at 8-8, but in the bottom half of the final inning, the Bobcats got a sacrifice fly from Chris Klimko that drove in the winning run to prevail over CSU 9-8.
Despite some setbacks early on to some very quality opponents, the Vikings took two out of three games from the Valparaiso Crusaders winning by scores of 4-2 and 7-5. In the final game juniors Josh Hungerman and John Foco combined to go 7-for-9 scoring three runs and driving in three runs. The Vikings are 2-1 in Horizon League Conference play.
Kocks expressed that the team feels confident that they can do well in conference play. "To get two out of three to open conference play feels good," he added.
Ahead for the Vikings are road games at Eastern Michigan and Canisius, followed by a home game against Malone. Kent State visits the Pipe Yard on Apr. 15 when the Vikings will look to avenge their frustrating loss to the Golden Flashes.
Even when they have not won this season, good baseball is all one can ask for, and that is exactly what the 2008 CSU team is putting out onto the diamond, great players and quality baseball.
Who is Cleveland State's Greatest Athlete Ever?
April 1, 2008
By Nick Camino
Have you ever wondered who Cleveland State University's greatest athlete of all time is?
I've often thought about it, but never researched the topic as I did for this piece. Since 1929, Cleveland State (Fenn College until the year 1964) has had thousands of student-athletes represent this fine institution in a variety of sports.
To put together a top ten list is obviously very objective, the final decision being mine. Explore this list I have conducted, perhaps knowledgeable readers or long term professors may question my choices. While we all hope Cleveland State has many more winning teams and great athletes in the foreseeable future, it is important to reflect on those special athletes who proudly represented this college and may have been the best ever at it.
10.Dave Zahoransky, Wrestling, 1984-1988: The list kicks off with Dave Zahoransky, the first of three wrestlers in this Top 10 list. While wrestling for the Vikings, Zahoransky compiled a career record of 73-36-1 and qualified to wrestle in three NCAA Tournaments. The three-time NCAA qualifier earned All-America honors in 1986 and 1988.
Interestingly, Zahoransky is the only wrestler in Cleveland State history to qualify for the NCAA Championships in three different weight classes, 134 lbs., 142 lbs., and 150 lbs. He was inducted into the Cleveland State Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004.
9.Tenille Whiteside, Softball, 1994-1997: Whiteside is hands down the best softball player to ever play for Cleveland State University. She is the career leader in putouts (1,156) and batting average (.355) for the Vikes and her name is ever present through the CSU record books. In 1997 she hit for a .417 average and led the team in hits on two occasions with over 58 in 1995 and 1997. As a freshman in 1994 Whiteside had 48 RBI's and is the Vikings all-time leader.
Whiteside is also in the top tier of the CSU record books for triples, home runs, at bats, runs scored, and even walks drawn. Whiteside's balanced play of both hitting and fielding qualifies her as the best softball player of all-time, and one of the elite athletes in Cleveland State history.
8. Ali Kazemaini, Men's Soccer, 1980-1984: Many may know him as the current head men's soccer coach here at CSU. But in the early 1980's Kazemaini helped lead the Vikings to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with the team fashioning a record of 45-25-10 during his four seasons with Cleveland State. Kazemaini's name prominently appears in the CSU record books five times for points, goals, assists, games played, and games started for the Vikings.
In 1984 the current coach was selected to play on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and in 1985 he was drafted in the first round of the Major Indoor Soccer League Draft. In his first season, Kazemaini was selected as the league's Rookie of the Year. Coach Kazemaini played professionally for 11 years.
7. Dianne Foster, Women's Basketball, 1979-1984: The second female athlete to make this Top 10 list is the greatest women's basketball player ever in CSU history. Foster is first all-time in points scored with 1,851 and second all-time for the Lady Vikes in steals, snatching 355 in her career. Her ability to score from anywhere on the court while being a strong defensive presence makes Foster the best overall women's basketball player for Cleveland State ever.
She also leads the Vikings with field goals made, sinking 801. The next closest is CSU great Audra Cook with 693. Foster is sixth all-time in field goal percentage shooting a respectable 46.7% in her career.
6. Tony DiGiovanni, Wrestling, 1972-1976: When I hear the adjective "tough", I think of former Cleveland State 134-pound wrestler Tony DiGiovanni. Yes, I confess he coached me and my brother in high school, but nevertheless his accomplishments during the early 70's and his aggressive wrestling style may never again be witnessed on this campus. DiGiovanni qualified for the NCAA Championships on three occasions and took fifth place in the country as just a freshman. However, his senior season is one to be remembered and what makes him the sixth best CSU athlete of all time. In his final campaign DiGiovanni broke three Viking season records, tied two others, and broke five career records during the 1976 season. In his final year DiGiovanni went 30-3-1 (.909 winning percentage), including a 16-0-1 mark in dual meets. DiGiovanni is a two time College Division All-American, a two time Cleveland State "Most Outstanding Wrestler" award winner, and as a head coach at Solon High School has won a State Championship team title, coached numerous individual state champions, and is a member of the Coaches Hall of Fame.
5. Jerry Dybzinski, Baseball, 1973-1978: Let's be real, men's baseball at Fenn College and Cleveland State has been around since 1932 and there have not been too many seasons or even players to remember. But in 1973 the Vikings made their first trip to the NCAA Tournament losing in the Super Regional round. The team put together impressive records from 1973-1978 of 20-10, 19-11, and 22-13. Sure baseball is a team sport, but much of the success during this time was due in part to former major leaguer Jerry Dybzinski.
Dybzinski, who was inducted into the CSU Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 graduated as the school's all-time leader in runs (83), hits (112), and triples (7). The former Viking is one of four CSU players to play in the major leagues. Dybzinski played as a utility player for three seasons with the Cleveland Indians, two with the Chicago White Sox, and one with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
4. Vito Colonna, Men's Soccer, 1968-1972: Should Colonna be higher? Probably. The top four on this least are almost in a separate league of their own and their order interchangeable. Ever look in a CSU men's soccer record book? You'll think Vito Colonna is a misprint because his name appears so much. Greg Murphy, of the Cleveland State Sports Information Department ensures me that it is not. Colonna is the all-time career leader in points with 163 and goals scored with 65. He also owns those records for a single season with 50 points and 22 goals.
Similar to Dybzinkski, Colonna played for a winning program. During his four seasons at Cleveland State, the Vikings compiled an overall record of 38-13-5 including two NCAA Tournament appearances. In 1969 the squad advanced all the way to the national quarterfinals. During Colonna's senior season the Vikings team claimed a 12-game win streak throughout the year and also scored an unheard of 24 goals as a team in one game against Wright State, the most in NCAA soccer history.
3. Ken "Mouse" McFadden, Men's Basketball, 1985-1989: McFadden was the floor general during the Cleveland State Vikings run to the Sweet 16 in 1986 and still stands as the all time leading scorer in CSU history with 2,256 points. The versatile point guard also leads all former Vikings in assists, trips to the free-throw line, as well as free-throws made. In his career the "Mouse" had 245 steals, second all-time in Cleveland State history.
During Head Coach Kevin Mackey's tenure at CSU he ran the 'run and stun,' a defensive attack which was virtually a full court press against the opposing team defensively, while running and getting baskets in transition on the offensive end. In an interview with Mackey, he told me it would not have been possible without "Mouse" McFadden. From 1985-1987 McFadden started every single game for the Vikings and during his senior season averaged 22.9 points per game.
2. Matt Ghafarri, Wrestling, 1980-1984: Ghafarri is a rare athlete in that as he grew older, he continued to get better. Ghafarri wrestled for legendary Cleveland State Head Coach Dick Bonacci, and during his senior season qualified for the NCAA Tournament. That feat, however, was just the beginning of the road ahead for Ghafarri's success.
After his graduation from Cleveland State, Ghafarri, a heavyweight wrestler went on to make the Olympic team twice and in 1996 he won the silver medal at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia for his second place finish in the Greco-Roman division. The former Viking is the only wrestler to ever win four World and Olympic Medals. Ghafarri, who is now a professional motivational speaker, also is a four-time World Cup Champion and seven-time Pan-American Champion.
1. Franklin Edwards, Men's Basketball, 1977-1981: Standing atop all the elite athletes of Cleveland State University is current basketball analyst for Sports Time Ohio, Franklin Edwards. Edwards leads all former Viking hoops players with a 21.9 points per game scoring average for his career as well as field goals made with 906. That is 106 more baskets than McFadden had in his career as a Viking. In 1979, during his junior campaign, Edwards broke the individual-single game scoring record scoring 49 points against Xavier. Remember, he played prior to the inception of the three-point line. Imagine how many more points he could have scored.
As a result of his excellent four seasons with the Vikings, Edwards was selected in the first round (22nd overall) by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1981 NBA Draft. The former Viking continued his career with the Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings in seven seasons of NBA action. For his NBA career, Edwards scored 1,802 points seeing action in 296 games. Edwards' best season came during the 1985-1986 season (same year CSU made the Sweet 16) when he played for the Clippers, appearing in 73 games and averaging 9.0 points per contest. Edwards and McFadden are the only two players to have their jerseys retired for men's basketball at Cleveland State.
My final thought: Is this list subject to change? Certainly. I would be happy to one day add basketball players J'Nathan Bullock, Kailey Klein, and softball ace pitcher Amanda Macenko to this list. That can only signify the success to which they have led their respective programs.
Seniors Appreciate Making NCAAs
March 22, 2008
By Tom Mieskoski
When No.15 Cleveland State (19-13) makes its first ever appearance in today’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament against heavy favorite No. 2 Stanford (30-3), no one will appreciate being there more then CSU’s two seniors, Brittany Korth and Robyn Hoying.
Before this season started all Korth and Hoying ever knew about was losing, 16-71, was CSU's record in their first three seasons.
Despite all of the losing and several players deciding to leave the program, neither senior said they ever thought about leaving.
"We all got recruited by some bigger schools, but we all chose Cleveland State for a reason to play for coach (Kate) Peterson (Abiad)," said Korth, who was Peterson Abiad’s first recruit at CSU. "Now we turned around (the program) and Cleveland State will never be the same."
Hoying added, "We believed in coach Pete. She had faith in us so why not put faith back in her," she said. "With all the recruits coming in we thought they were going to help us (turnaround the program)."
Both seniors played a key role in helping the Vikings win three games in the Horizon League Tournament and claiming CSU's first-ever tournament championship.
Hoying (6.4 points and 3.5 rebounds) has averaged 15 points and 4.0 rebounds during CSU’s last four games, shooting lights out from beyond 3-point distance (13-of-19). It was Hoying who carried the Vikings past the hated first-seeded UW-Green Bay by scoring a career-high 22 points and grabbing seven rebounds in CSU’s 90-66 upset victory.
Korth (9.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists) was voted to the All-Horizon League Tournament team after averaging 11.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists.
"What the seniors bring is a never quit attitude," said Peterson Abiad, whose 47-100 in five years as CSU's head coach.
Before the season started the women’s basketball team had a meeting at coach Peterson Abiad’s house. At the meeting, Peterson Abiad said somebody in this room will reach the (Horizon League) Championship.
"I was in tears," said Korth, who is CSU’s all-time leader in games played with 119. "It was like she was doubting us. We gone through all of (the losing) and she doesn’t think we can pull it off this year. It just made us work harder."
The hard work has finally paid off for the lady Vikings, who will have their hands full against a Stanford team that’s ranked No.4 in both polls and many experts are picking the Cardinal to be a Final Four team.
"Nobody thought we would beat Green Bay on their home court. Nobody thought we would come home conference champions and be playing in the NCAAS. We like to be the Cinderella team," said Peterson Abiad.
It was about 22 years ago when everyone in the nation thought Kevin Mackey’s CSU men’s team had no chance against Bobby Knight’s Indiana Hoosiers, who some experts were predicting would win the championship.
Mackey’s squad run-and-stunned the nation by reaching the Sweet 16 in 1986 in the men’s only tournament appearance in school history.
Just maybe, the lady Vikings could find some of that magic and pull off the major upset tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
Congratulations to the Lady Vikings
March 18, 2008
The CSU women won the Horizon League championship on Saturday, securing the program's first ever trip to the NCAA tournament. The Vikings were awarded the 15th seed and will travel to 2nd seed Stanford on Saturday. Congrats to the women and good luck!
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A Resurrected Program
March 18, 2008
By Nick Camino
The 2007-2008 Cleveland State men's basketball team had their hopes of reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 22 years ripped away from them at historic Hinkle Field House after losing to the Butler Bulldogs 70-55 in the Horizon League Tournament Championship game. While they may have lost the game, they held their heads high as they came ever so close to reaching "The Big Dance".
Yes, the Viking faithful who made the 344- mile trip were sad while a number of CSU players openly wept, but it was not merely because the team fell short to the 10th ranked team in the nation. It was more because their miracle season was brought to a sudden halt, in a season where nobody ever gave them a chance. Remember, before the season began they were chosen to finish ninth in the ten team conference. Wow!
At the beginning of the season, Head Coach Gary Waters instilled a motto into the team that he hoped could help establish a great foundation. It was crucial for a program that had not had a winning season since 2001. It was simple: "Flip the Script".
The new motto, an attempt to put an end to the 12 losing seasons and four coaching changes since Cleveland State's miracle Sweet 16 run in 1986. It reflected upon Coach Waters' first season, in which the Vikings went 10-21, and to invert those numbers this season to attain a 20-win season. Finally, the motto represented changing the losing culture mindset that has surrounded Cleveland State basketball for 19 years.
Well, it worked. Cleveland State finished the season with a record of 21-12, ended up with the second best regular season conference record, reached the Horizon League Championship final, and had some of the best attendance numbers in over eight years.
Team leadership: In covering over 20 out of the team's 33 games, it was evident throughout the entire season who the team leaders were. It all began with First Team All-Horizon League forward J'Nathan Bullock and Second Team All-Horizon League choice and All-Newcomer Team point guard Cedric Jackson.
All season, Bullock used his ox-like strength to overpower most forwards grabbing rebounds, playing in the post, and even squaring up and knocking down jump shots and occasional three-pointers to lead the team the entire season with 15.0 ppg. While Bullock gave the team its offense, Jackson provided a cat-like spark that Cleveland State basketball has not seen since Ken "Mouse" McFadden. "C-Jack", as his teammates call him, averaged 14.0 ppg and had 163 assists. The St. John's transfer led the Horizon League Conference with 86 steals as well.
Two valuable freshmen: In two years freshmen D'Aundray Brown and Norris Cole will be the leaders of this Viking program. This season they settled for helping propel CSU basketball to another level by having an instant impact at the guard and forward positions. While Cole saw his minutes at guard increase as the season progressed coming off the bench, Brown started at forward in the Vikings last 12 games and did not disappoint. Cole's ability to consistently score from anywhere inside the three-point arc coupled with Brown's tenacious defense and unselfish offensive mindset makes these two freshmen integral pieces for Coach Waters' plan in building a powerhouse basketball program.
It begins with coaching: All season long six individuals stuck with this team through many great moments while attempting to forget the not-so-great ones. Of course Waters deserves the credit for bringing in a number of new players and while winning basketball games this season, which may never be forgotten. Everywhere he has been as a head coach, Kent State, then Rutgers, and starting now at Cleveland State, successful teams have seemed to automatically follow with Coach Waters at the helm. There are a number of other coaches who work tirelessly in practice to make the players CSU puts on the floor prepared and ready to play. These coaches who seldom get the credit they deserve are Associate Head Coach Jayson Gee, assistants Larry DeSimpelare, Jermain Kimbrough, and Bill Buck, as well as graduate manager Kevin Sapara. All of them work hard devoting endless hours and time into making CSU a winner once again on the hardwood.
Frustrating times: As bad as the final loss to Butler may have been, there were some other moments this season that left people wondering, "What the heck is going on here?" The worst of these may have been a 78-68 home loss to Cal State Northridge; strange because the Vikings played well at home all season. Another damper to this unforgettable season was losing four conference games in a row on the road after starting a perfect 7-0 in the Horizon League. Perhaps the most frustrating of these was an 80- 63 loss to Ohio State at Quicken Loans Arena. The Vikings played their worst game of the season, while Jon Diebler of the Buckeyes had his best game of the season going 5-of-6 from threepoint range. Nevertheless, the Vikings were able to rebound from these funks very nicely, and made the season one to be remembered.
Don't forget the managers: Also with the team on a daily basis in Cleveland and on the road were managers David Amata and Eric "E" Whetstone who did everything from running the time clock in practice to making sure the clean team jerseys made it to wherever the team was playing at the time.
Farewell to seniors: Neither forward Kevin Francis nor Breyohn Watson played four years at Cleveland State, nevertheless their leadership on and off the floor during their senior campaign will never be forgotten. Both Francis and Watson came in last season having transferred from other schools. Their impact was felt immediately from the moment they downed Viking jerseys.
In two seasons with Cleveland State, Francis came off the bench more than any other player besides sophomore Joe Davis, and gave the Vikings a lift any time he was called upon. Watson started at shooting guard this season, using his long, athletic body to shut down some of the most prolific scorers in the country including Ohio State's Jamar Butler, Central Michigan's Giordan Watson, and Butler's A.J. Graves. While being a great defensive presence, Watson still hit memorable shots when his team needed him to. His three-pointer against Florida State lifted the Vikings over the Seminoles. His three-pointer against Valparaiso in the semifinals of the Horizon League Tournament helped CSU get by the Crusaders for the third time in just one season.
Quality wins: This season the team enjoyed wins over some top teams nationally as well as a number of quality conference victories. After beating Big East Conference foe South Florida 73-70 in the first game of the season, the Vikings defeated yet another ACC opponent, just as it had done the year before, shocking Florida State 69-66 in overtime. In conference play the Vikings had perhaps their biggest victory of the season defeating then No. 12 nationally ranked Butler 56-52 in Cleveland. Another memorable victory came when Kevin Francis hit a three-point shot with nine seconds left to defeat Wright State 65-63 in Fairborn, Ohio. In the ESPNU BracketBusters contest, Cleveland State destroyed Marist 59-44. They also defeated Valpo three times, once at home, once at Valparaiso, and once at Hinkle Field House.
Next season: Can anyone fault the Vikings for being excited for next season already? Despite losing Watson and Francis, the team returns everyone else and more. The team already landed California blue-chip recruit Trevor Harmon and returns leaders Bullock and Jackson, freshmen sensations Brown and Cole, and impact players Joe Davis, Chris Moore and George Tandy.
The team will host the # 22 nationally ranked Kansas State at the Wolstein Center as well as # 25 Kent State. Other non-conference games are still being scheduled, but rumors are flying around of possibly playing West Virginia, Cincinnati, and even Michigan State.
The reality: College basketball has finally returned to downtown Cleveland. With crowds of 17,540 and 5,640 coming out this season to see the Vikings play, it is evident that Cleveland will support a winner. Well, Waters delivered over 20 wins this season and was one win away from his team playing in the final field of 65.
The men's basketball program has been resurrected at CSU, now it's time for this once sleeping giant to come alive into something this institution has never had, a consistent winner.
Win and We're In
March 11, 2008
By Ryan Aroney
Check your calendars. Although it may seem like 1986 with Cleveland State playing important basketball games into March, it is not. This is a new era of Vikings basketball that represents the resurgence of the often overlooked urban campus in the heart of Cleveland. The similarities to the magical run two decades ago are there, with the well dressed coach stalking up and down the sidelines, arms flailing with each swing in momentum, and the Vikings stunning the opposition with their swarming defensive pressure. Even the do-everything east coast point guard and the workman-like strongman in the paint are there. But this time it's not Mouse McFadden, Eric Mudd and the rest of Kevin Mackey's Run ‘n Stun crew. This year's Vikings are powered by Cedric Jackson and J'Nathan Bullock and they've led CSU to the brink of the Big Dance.
After a whirlwind last week of the season that saw CSU gain two-and-a-half games in the standings in the season's final three days, thus securing a double-bye into the Horizon League tournament semi-finals, the Vikings are on a mission to continue the ride. The mantra for Gary Waters and his Vikings all year has been to flip the script. Last year, in Waters' first season in Cleveland, CSU finished 10-21. The goal for this year was to finish 21-10 while ridding the players of the losing culture that had taken over the program after years of humility. Thanks to Saturday's victory in the semi-finals, the Vikings enter Tuesday's championship game with Butler at 21-11.
The script has been flipped. The Vikings are no longer the downtrodden program that was picked to finish ninth in the Horizon League's preseason poll. These Vikings come with a reputation of being well coached, hard-nosed and determined. Butler fans openly cheered against CSU in the semi-final game, opting instead to support in-state rival Valparaiso. This wasn't a sign of Hoosier brotherhood, it was Butler fans hoping their Bulldogs could avoid the inevitable dogfight that a rubber match with CSU was sure to bring.
The actions of the fans showed the respect that Waters has earned for his program in two short seasons. Now comes the championship game. The Vikings have a chance to tell their story to a national audience on ESPN, putting the finishing touches on this year's script, and proving that the January upset of the Bulldogs was no fluke.
Butler, and its fans, will be ready. The 10th ranked Bulldogs won what amounted to a no-holds-barred rematch in February. In this day-and-age of freshman phenoms and early entries to the NBA, Butler is as battle-tested a team as you'll ever see. Four seniors start for a Butler team that won last year's pre-season NIT before advancing to the NCAA sweet 16. All five starters returned this year to win the Great Alaska shoot-out en route to its current 28-3 record.
The intense match-up for Butler and CSU comes from opposing styles of play. Success for the Vikings comes from the defensive end of the floor, while Butler prides itself on its smooth flowing offense and potent outside shooting. Butler's Mike Green was named the Horizon League Player of the Year after averaging 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Green is supported by sharpshooters Pete Campbell and A.J. Graves and big man Matt Howard. Campbell killed CSU last year with a Wolstein record eight threes while Graves is coming off a 14 point (4-10 from three) effort in the semi-final match-up with UIC. Howard, a highly touted freshman from Connersville, IN, bullied the Vikings in the February rematch to the tune of 17 points and 8 rebounds. Three of CSU's big men committed two fouls a piece trying to stop Howard during the first five minutes of that contest.
CSU will have to slow down the Butler offense and keep the crowd from taking over the game. It won't be easy. Green is a wizard in the open court. Campbell, Graves and the rest of the Butler marksmen don't miss open shots. Howard is a bull in a china shop. With each made Butler basket the crowd noise escalates and bounces off the tin roof inside the 80-year-old Hinkle Fieldhouse until it amplifies to an excruciating crescendo.
Of course it won't be easy. Nothing for Cleveland State ever has been. If these new Viking heroes are successful in challenging every Butler shot while quieting the crowd, it will be 1986 all over again.
Watson Takes Pride in Defensive Role
January 24, 2008
By Tom Mieskoski
Cleveland State’s head coach Gary Waters believes defense wins championships. One of the biggest reasons for CSU (14-5, 7-0 Horizon League) being in first-place, one-and-a-half games ahead of Butler, is because of their tough in-your-face pressure defense.
One player in particular has played a key role by taking on the challenge of guarding every team’s best scorer. Breyohn Watson, a former walk-on, has taken on the role of CSU’s defensive stopper and he takes pride in it.
Because Watson is not a scorer he seldom gets his name in the paper like Cedric Jackson or J’Nathan Bullock. There are few statistical categories that measure Watson’s success on the court. For Watson, he will do anything to help his team win games.
"Every team needs somebody who can stop somebody. That’s a really big part of the team and I just took over the role," said Watson, who averages 4.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.2 minutes per game. "I take every challenge personally and I give 100 percent. I’m going against their best offensive player and I consider myself to be one of the best defensive guards on our team."
Last season, Watson walked-on to CSU’s program after playing two seasons at Mott Community College in Michigan. His first-year at CSU got off to a slow start. He came off the bench to play in 30 games, but was limited to 15.2 minutes per game.
During practice coach Waters gave him the nickname "bull’s eye" because he said everyone shot in his face (and constantly made baskets against him).
"On the first day of practice (this season) someone hit a shot and I told Breyohn, do you want to be called "bull’s eye," again? And he said, no, because that’s not going to happen this year," said Waters. "I got to give him a lot of credit he’s done a fabulous job defensively. His goal is to shut down their best defender and he takes pride in it."
When asked about being called "bull's eye," Watson laughs at the nickname and says it just motivated him to work harder.
Watson realized since he is not the best shooter the best way to get more playing time was to improve on his defense.
So in the off-season Watson said he worked on a lot of agility drills to keep in shape. His hard work paid off when he earned a scholarship during the summer.
"Defense is a lot of instinct and effort. If you put a lot of effort you will be able to stop somebody," said Watson, who has started every game this year. "I listen to what the coaches have to say. They have a lot of years of experience. So I listen to them and follow our game plan. I also watch a lot of film. So I see a lot of visuals on (the person I am guarding). I try to pick-up everything I can."
During CSU’s upset of No.12 Butler last week Watson was matched-up with Butler's sharp-shooting guard, A.J. Graves, who came into the game averaging 14.6 points per game. Watson held Graves to five points, shooting 2-for-11 from the field.
His next challenge will be to slow down UW-Green Bay’s 6-8 junior guard Ryan Tillema, when the Vikings travel to Green Bay today at 8 p.m. Tillema is averaging 11.9 points per game and is 14th in the Horizon League in 3-point shooting (.420 percent, 29-69).
Catching Up With: Victor Morris
November 2, 2007
After playing four years at CSU, Inkster, MI native Victor Morris recently graduated and signed a professional contract to play in Germany. Ryan Aroney caught up with Morris just before he left to catch his flight to Europe.
Ryan Aroney: What have you been up to since the season ended?
Victor Morris: After the season ended I took some time off to rest and catch up on my school work. I got to enjoy the college life a little. I started back working out like two weeks after the season ended. Me, Carlos (English), Raheem (Moss), Tristan (Crawford), and Bahaad (Russell) all worked out together.
RA: Which team did you sign with and in what city?
VM: I will be playing for TS Goeppingen in Goeppingen, Germany.
RA: What are your thoughts on becoming a professional basketball player? Was this a lifelong dream?
VM: Playing professional ball has always been a dream of mine since I was a kid. I have always dreamed of playing in the NBA. Of course, I’m not there yet but I’m going to use playing ball overseas as a stepping-stone to make it to the League.
RA: How did the process play out with you getting signed to a professional contract?
VM: I met a coach from Gannon University through Tristan and he got me into this senior showcase in Louisville, Kentucky and I got a chance to play in front of American and international scouts. I did real well at the camp and ended up getting several offers from agents to represent me. I signed with Michael Stinnett at Hoops Sports Management.
RA: Have you talked to the coaches of your new team? What are they expecting of you?
VM: Yes, I talk to them. They expect me to come in and create off the dribble, lead the team, knock down open shots and defend. Pretty much what any coach would expect from their point guard.
RA: Are you excited about moving to Germany and fitting in with a new culture?
VM: Yeah I’m excited but nervous also. I mean, it is a whole other country! I’m going to have to do a lot of adjusting but I’m sure I will be fine.
RA: What are your personal goals for the upcoming season?
VM: My goals for the season is to go over there and win of course, but I also want to establish myself as a dominant player in the league, make it to the play-offs, win the championship, and earn some post season accolades while doing all that.
RA: How did it feel to finish your degree at CSU? Out of all your accomplishments in life, including the basketball awards, where does graduating rank?
VM: It feels great to have a degree. This ranks at the top of my list of all the awards I have won. Where I’m from not to many people have a chance to do what I did, so it is really a blessing. By having my degree I have opened a million other doors that I can walk through when I’m done playing ball.
RA: You were a psychology major at CSU and there have been many references to you being a coach on the floor during your career at CSU. Do you feel like your academic major helped you in becoming a leader and is coaching something that you would like to do in the future?
VM: I definitely feel psychology helped me in basketball. I learned so much in the classroom that helped me on the court. Like how to motivate others, motivate myself, leadership skills, short-term memory, the list could go on for days. And yes, when my career as a player is all done, I would like to be a coach. Hopefully I can come back to CSU and coach.
RA: While you were at CSU, you were able to play under two different head coaches. Talk about the difference between the two and what you learned from each one.
VM: Playing under coach (Garland) you had to be tough physically and mentally. There were so many rough times back then. It was also a learning process for me. I enjoyed playing for Coach G. Playing for coach Waters was a little bit different. Coach has a system that he uses to help mold his players and it was hard at times to get used to, like not wearing hats or earrings in the buildings or class, and no cursing (laughing). It was hard! But coach Waters is a great coach. He knows how to bring out the best in his players. I really feel my game went to another level under him. Not only did he help expand my game on the court, but in life as well. Anytime coach Waters speaks it's beneficial to you whether it’s in his office, the focus room, or just a general conversation. He has a lot of knowledge to pass on. I enjoyed playing for Coach Waters. It was probably my best season there. I wish I had another year under him.
RA: What was the process like with your recruitment to CSU? What were your initial thoughts of Cleveland and how do you feel about the city now?
VM: I had never heard of CSU until I got contacted by the coaching staff. When I came on my visit I realized that this was a place on the rise. The school was downtown surrounded by everything including the Cavaliers organization. I felt like Cleveland was a good fit for me. Cleveland is no longer a sleeping city today. The Cavs went to the finals last year, the Indians had a good year, so good things are happening here. I also like what the president is doing on campus. This school is on the come-up quick.
RA: Talk about your days at CSU. What were some players that you learned from during your time at CSU and who were some of your closest friends on the team?
VM: Some of the players I learned from my first couple years at CSU were Jermaine Robinson, Walt Chavis, Omari Westley, Frashon Mcgee, Justin Henderson. I learned a little bit from everyone. I was pretty tight with everyone on the team. Especially the guys I came in with. PT (Patrick Tatham), Heem (Moss), and Luke (Murphy). Over the years though I developed close bonds with Frashon Mcgee, Tristan Crawford, who is like my little brother, Carlos English who I have known since we were in high school, J'Nathan Bullock, Bahaad Russell, Joe Davis. I cant forget my boy Breyohn Watson. Me and Brey been tight since he got here, we are so much alike it’s crazy (laughs).
RA: Who was the best player you played with?
VM: The best player I have played with would probably be Omari. My honorable mention is J-Nate.
RA: Are there any funny stories you can share from your playing days?
VM: As far as funny stories go, all I’m going to say is ask Joe Davis. (laughs). Joe made me laugh everyday.
RA: Where do you see Coach Waters taking this program?
VM: This program is headed to the top. They have a good coaching staff, good players, and all of them are ready to be successful. I see nothing but good things happening at CSU.
RA: What would you like to see from this year’s team?
VM: Just for them to go out and play hard every night, lock the opposing team up on the defensive end and run them ragged on the offensive end. I know there are going to be plenty of highlights this year. I want to see them bring a championship to Cleveland State.
RA: You played a few different roles on the team in your career. You played the 6th man role and gave instant offense off the bench, you were a back-up point guard and you were a starter at both guard spots. Which role did you enjoy the most and why?
VM: That’s easy (laughs). I enjoyed being a starter. I felt like it was my job to come out and get the team going at the beginning of the games. I always tried to set the tone. I liked starting at both guard spots because I loved having the ball in my hands. I felt like I could always make something happen.
RA: You were arguably the team’s MVP for the early part of your senior season before going down with a foot injury at Ohio State. Do you look back at what might have been for you and the team if you didn’t suffer that injury?
VM Yeah (pauses). I look back at it and I get mad about it. I felt like I had just found myself my senior year, I really felt like I was one of the best players in the league and that I could have helped my team win a championship. Then when I broke my foot it was heart breaking. The hardest thing to deal with when I broke my foot was watching my team from the sideline. But everything happens for a reason and I feel it only made me stronger as a person.
RA: What is your favorite memory of your career at CSU?
VM: My favorite memories at CSU would have to be playing North Carolina my freshman year, playing at North Carolina my sophomore year, playing at Michigan State my junior year, beating Miami in Evansville, beating Kent State last year, and Mid-Vike Madness.
RA: How do you want to be remembered by the fans of CSU?
VM: As a player who came to play hard every night. A player who was proud to put on a CSU uniform and someone who will be forever grateful for the opportunity Cleveland State gave me and the love the fans showed me.
Good Things for Lets Go Vikes
August 30, 2007
Since the last update I've been hard at work trying to improve the site. The last 24 hours have been a success. Let's Go Vike's good friend over at the Disappointment Zone has linked our site. Any true Cleveland sports fan has to make the disappointment zone a regular stop. Be sure to check in over there to say thanks.
The Disappointmentzone
The hard work has also payed off with the addition of two powerful partnerships. Both CSU campus newspapers, The Cleveland Stater and The Cauldron, have signed on as partners. Expect to see articles from both papers on Lets Go Vikes, as well as original content from the paper's sports writers.
Taking advantage of modern technology, we have also formed a group over at facebook.com. This group will allow for mass communication and it will keep the students up-to-date on what's new at Lets Go Vikes. Facebook members can check the group here:
Lets Go Vikes Facebook Group
If you're not already a member, be sure to join and invite all your CSU friends to do the same.
We also have a myspace profile. Check it out here:
Lets Go Vikes Myspace Profile
That's all for now, keep your eyes on the front page for more breaking details.
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