May 2016 Commodore Nation by Vanderbilt Commodores

May 2016

LANDING OUR MAN Bryce Drew’s arrival in Nashville marks new beginning for men’s basketball

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CONTENTS P.8

P.21

Meet Bryce Drew

Coach’s Handbook: Travis Jewett

The new man at Memorial New head basketball coach Bryce Drew talks about his new hometown and his plans.

Associate head coach Travis Jewett discusses the Commodores’ recruiting process and the strategy that goes with it.

P.18 New Home Turf The football team has a new turf surface at the John Rich Practice Facility after the completion of a twomonth installation project by Shaw Sports Turf.

P.14 Soccer’s Mentoring Success Head coach Darren Ambrose is fostering a connection between current Commodores and former stars.

P.2 Compliance Corner

P.24 My Game Kristin Quah

P.3 National Commodore Club

P.7 Inside McGugin

P.23 It’s My Turn

Rod Williamson’s monthly column

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

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May 2016

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Inside McGugin

By The Numbers

Notes from the athletic department

SEC Pitcher of the Week awards this season for Vanderbilt’s Jordan Sheffield, with his most recent coming the week ending May 2 after he tossed seven shutout innings against Georgia.

with the men’s search, our committee is finding a number of highly successful coaches interested in our position and like with our men’s search, “fit” is also playing a key role. We truly believe our women’s program will regain its footing among the nation’s elite programs and that belief has been confirmed by the intense interest our search has experienced. We have every expectation that in our June issue we will be introducing you to another dynamic head coach. Commodore basketball is going to be fun. Anchor Down! —Rod Williamson

JOE HOWELL

his space last month mentioned that we were going to press on the cusp of hiring a men’s basketball coach and we would provide photos and information in the May issue. We are absolutely thrilled to have Bryce Drew as our new men’s coach. He has already been “out there” meeting folks and we have many upcoming events planned to get him introduced this summer. You will like him. Ironically, as the May issue heads to the printer we are zeroing in on the hire of a new head women’s basketball coach after Melanie Balcomb resigned after 14 good years at Vanderbilt. Just as

JOE HOWELL

Consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament by the Vanderbilt women’s tennis team. The Commodores, the 2015 national champions, earned a sixth seed for this year’s tournament and were awarded hosting duties in the first and second rounds.

Calendar

May/June Events May 24–29

June 8–11

The Commodore baseball team will participate in the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala. The tourney features 17 games over a six-day stretch.

The NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships will be held in Eugene, Ore. At last year’s Championships, Vanderbilt’s Simone Charley earned First Team All-American honors by taking third in the triple jump with a school-record mark of 44-3.25.

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Average wins per season by new Vanderbilt men’s basketball head Bryce Drew during his five-year tenure as head coach at his alma mater, Valparaiso.

C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

Drew Beginning Menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball ushers in new era By David Dawson Photos by Joe Howell

May 2016

ven before Bryce Drew’s introductory press conference on April 6 as the men’s head basketball coach, most Vanderbilt fans likely were at least somewhat familiar with “Bryce Drew, the basketball coach and former star.” For instance, many among the Commodore contingent probably knew about Drew’s success as a player at Valparaiso, including his iconic buzzer-beating shot against Ole Miss in the 1998 NCAA Tournament, and his seven-year NBA career. Likewise, most Vanderbilt fans were also likely aware of Drew’s success on the bench—as both an assistant and a head coach—at his alma mater during the past 11 years. But what about “Bryce Drew, the person”? Did you know, for example, that he writes with his right hand but swings a golf club from the left side? Or that he is a budding fan of country music … and Nashville cuisine? Well, here’s your chance to get a little better acquainted with the man who will soon be patrolling the baseline at Memorial Gym.

Finding a new tune in Music City Admittedly, the soundtrack of Drew’s boyhood wasn’t performed by Hank Williams—Junior or Senior. But that isn’t to say that Drew doesn’t like country music. In fact, he said he has a working knowledge of several country music legends. And, for the record, Drew said he is quickly beginning to take a shine to the genre as a whole. “I didn’t necessarily come in as a huge country music fan,” he said, “but just being here in Nashville, you warm up to it pretty quickly, because they have it playing at so many places. As I was growing up, there were always certain country songs—and certain artists—that I liked. And I am sure I will be diving into it even more now that I am here.” Drew said he believes Nashville’s ties to music can potentially come into play with selling tickets at Vanderbilt. “I recently went to a TobyMac concert, and I know he is a huge basketball fan,” Drew said. “So it would be really great if someone like him—or maybe some of the country music stars—could start coming to some games here,” said Drew. “That’d be a great tool to use.”

Bryce Drew—with his wife, Tara, and son, Bryson—deboard the plane after landing in Nashville.

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

THE BRYCE DREW FILE Age: 41 (Sept. 21, 1974) Family: Wife, Tara; Son, Bryson, age 2

Playing Career • College: Valparaiso (1994–1998); • NBA: Houston Rockets (1998–2000), Chicago Bulls (2000–2001), Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets (2001–2004).

Coaching Career • Assistant coach, Valparaiso, 2005–2006 • Associate head coach, Valparaiso, 2006–2011 • Head coach, Valparaiso, 2011–2016

Coaching Stat • Compiled a 124-49 record (.717 winning percentage), including a 65-19 conference record (.774) during his five seasons at Valparaiso • Won 20 or more games in four of his five seasons • Guided the team to the NCAA Tournament twice (2013 and 2015) • Led the Crusaders to four conference regular-season championships in five years • Took the team to the postseason in all five seasons at Valparaiso—two NCAA Tournaments, two NITs, and one CIT berth

Family Facts • Drew’s father, Homer Bryce, was the head basketball coach at Valparaiso (1998–2002, 2003–2011) and is now the Valparaiso associate director of athletics • Drew is the brother-in-law of former University of Toledo and Philadelphia 76ers basketball player, Casey Shaw. • Drew’s wife, Tara, is the daughter of former child actor Keith Thibodeaux, who played the role of “Little Ricky” on the TV series I Love Lucy and went on to have a career as a professional drummer • Drew’s brother, Scott Drew, is the basketball coach at Baylor

May 2016

Bryce Drew and his wife, Tara, chat with Vanderbilt chancellor Nicholas Zeppos.

Free time It is difficult for Drew to say what he most enjoys doing in his down time. Truth is, it’s difficult for Drew to find any. But when he does have a few hours free from basketball, he generally spends it doing something with his family. “This job is very demanding, especially from a time standpoint,” said Drew with a smile. “So, if I am not at work, I am usually spending time with my wife and my two-year-old.” Drew said he will occasionally dust off the golf clubs from his closet, but doesn’t consider himself to be an avid player. Or a very good one, for that matter, he said. “My dad is a big golfer, but I am not as into it as he is,” said Drew. “Every once in a while, I will get out and play, but I’d say it’s less than five times a year. I’m not very good at it, but I do enjoy playing—and I know there are some gorgeous courses in Nashville. I know it will be great to play around here whenever I do get to play.” Drew said there is one unusual twist, literally, to his golf game. “I play left-handed, which is kind of different because I do just about everything else righthanded,” he said. “So that’s unique.”

Sightseeing is on hold In the days ahead, Drew said he is excited about visiting some of the main attractions in Nashville—the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame and perhaps the Nashville zoo. But during his first few weeks, his entire

universe has essentially consisted of just two places: “Most of my time has been spent either at the office or at the hotel,” he said with a laugh. “So I haven’t hit the big spots just yet.” On the upside, Drew has at least been able to get a taste of Nashville, so to speak. “I know there is a huge array of great restaurants here, and we’ve been trying out a few them,” he said. “All of them have been great. In fact, I can already tell that I am going to start exercising a lot here because the food here is so good.”

Been there, done that Even before his introductory press conference, Drew was already quite familiar with Memorial Gym, thanks to a pair of firsthand experiences. During his junior season at Valparaiso, the Crusaders came to Nashville and suffered a 74-66 loss to the Commodores at Memorial Gym on Nov. 20, 1996. Drew endured a rare cold-shooting performance, going 3-of-14 from the floor— including 1-of-7 from 3-point range—while scoring nine points in 37 minutes of action. Eleven years later, to the day, Drew returned to Memorial Gym, this time while serving as an assistant coach on his dad’s staff at Valpo. That night, Vanderbilt saddled the Crusaders with an 87-78 loss. Those two experiences not only enabled Drew to get a feel for the building’s unusual design, but to also get a taste of the mystique— and yes, the magic—of Memorial. “It’s such a unique place with a unique

atmosphere, and I think that can really be a selling point in the recruitment process,” said Drew. “The theater arrangement, the benches on the end and even the way the baskets are connected to the floor, all of those things go into making this building what it is. And I think it’s a big positive for the program. Coaching from the baseline is something I will have to get used to, but I will get to do it a lot more often than the visiting coach, so hopefully we can use that to our advantage.”

The draw for Drew When looking at Vanderbilt as a possible career move, Drew said he was quickly drawn to the fact that Vanderbilt was a “full-package” school in terms of being committed to the classroom and athletic success. “Vanderbilt is such a prestigious school, academically,” he said. “It is a world-wide name, and a degree from Vanderbilt just opens so many doors. Plus, the basketball tradition that we have here—and with being a part of the SEC—those were some of the initial draws, the big draws, of the job. “Also, the positive feedback you get whenever you talk about Vanderbilt is a major plus,

along with the type of student-athlete that I will be able to recruit here was a big part of the equation,” he said. “I am really going to enjoy the process of going out and selling Vanderbilt.” Beyond his excitement for being at Vanderbilt, Drew said he believes his new hometown has plenty of advantages, too. “There was certainly some appeal in terms of Nashville itself,” he said. “We haven’t heard a single person speak poorly of the city; everyone seems to love their experience here. It’s a very family-oriented city.” Like any new coach, Drew knows there will be challenges during his tenure in Nashville. Still, he said he is extremely excited about what lies ahead. “All in all, the positives surrounding this job are just off the charts,” he said.

Embracing diversity Drew said one of the most fulfilling elements of his basketball career has been the opportunity to form relationships with individuals who have a wide range of backgrounds and beliefs. That in mind, there seems no better fit for Drew than to be at Vanderbilt, which truly is a University of Diversity.

“I have always enjoyed getting to know players from a variety of different cultures and different faiths,” he said. “During my time at Valparaiso, we had Muslims on our team, we had atheists on our team—and all of them had tremendous experiences. And it’s such a neat thing, as a coach, to have such a wide variety of players.” Drew is passionate about helping players foster their faith, beliefs and value systems. Drew said he personally experienced the most growth in those areas during his teen years and early adulthood. “When I was in high school, I had some health problems—related to my heart—and that is the period of time when I really was able to stretch my faith and grow my relationship with the Lord,” he said. “Then, during my NBA career, when I was truly on my own, I had the chance to grow in my faith even more, and really make it my own. It’s very important to my life.”

Looking ahead Drew is in the early stages of getting to know his current players, and he said he has been more than impressed with what he has seen so far.

Bryce Drew meets with the Commodores prior to his press conference.

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C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

“We’ve had a few meetings with the team, and wow, what sensational group of kids,” he said. “When you sit down and talk with one of them, it’s like talking to a professional in the business world, as far as how they present themselves and engage you in questions.” Soon, of course, Drew will begin working with his team more earnestly—and he said he is counting down the days until that happens. “I’m really looking forward to June, when we can get them on the court and start going with them,” he said. “The team has been a little injured, but hopefully by June, most everyone will be healthy and we’ll be able to get a real feel for what we have. “We have two incoming freshmen—Clevon Brown and Payton Willis—and we’re excited about getting them here and getting to know them a little more and have them start getting warmed up to life at Vanderbilt.” That, of course, is what Drew is doing, too. And enjoying every minute of it. n

“If I am not at work, I am usually spending time with my wife and my two-year-old.”

What they’re saying DEREK MASON Vanderbilt head football coach “I believe Bryce is going to be a tremendous fit at Vanderbilt. He’s smart and he understands the culture. He has a great knowledge of what we are trying to do in terms of basketball excellence and academic excellence. He also understands the brand of Vanderbilt athletics, and he is going to build his own brand within that brand. When you look at where he’s been, and what he’s accomplished, he obviously knows how to build culture. He’s somebody that can really connect the dots. He’s going to connect with the community and with the players inside the infrastructure of what Vanderbilt stands for. I’m looking forward to seeing what Bryce can do here. I believe in his abilities as a basketball coach and his abilities to shape the lives of young men—and I think he is going to take this basketball program to new heights.” SHAN FOSTER Former Vanderbilt star “Coach Drew has a proven track record of success and experience that we believe will translate very well in the SEC. Seeing him interact with his family speaks to his integrity and ability to mentor our kids. We look forward to supporting him as the new leader of Vanderbilt men’s basketball.”

May 2016

NICHOLAS ZEPPOS Vanderbilt Chancellor “It’s not just his outstanding record as a head coach that is really important to us, but it is who is going to help develop and coach these fine young men and who’s going to be a leader in the community. I became very convinced that Bryce Drew was our choice… When I sat down and talked to him and he said `I’m an intense guy, I run my practice a certain way, but this game is fun. This is a fun game for fans and the players,’ and that really attracted me to Bryce. So, he will be our new coach, our new leader, and a great representative of Vanderbilt.” DREW MADDUX Former Vanderbilt star “I am really excited about Coach Drew being at Vanderbilt and what he is going to do in terms of both educating and developing young men, and making sure they strive for excellence. I really believe that he understands Vanderbilt on all levels. In a world that focuses so much attention on the on-court success, Coach Drew is someone who understands that the true measure of success goes well beyond just winning. He believes in the principle of investing in others, and he believes in helping the players become successful fathers, husbands and community leaders. Today’s collegiate athlete is very different than before—even from when I played—and Coach Drew relates to that.”

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Soccer’s Mentoring Success By Catherine Hilley

hen soccer head coach Darren Ambrose packed his bags for Music City, he loaded up his playbook and fresh ideas to implement with his student-athletes at Vanderbilt. One of those ideas was a peer-mentoring program, which enables current Commodores to connect with former players and learn from their experiences, in terms of both their playing careers and their post-college path. “We were all really excited (about the program),” said Cristina De Zeeuw, a rising junior on the Vanderbilt soccer team, “because thinking about getting jobs in the future is scary, and I didn’t have any references or experience. So this is just a great way to gain experience and have someone help guide you who has been in your shoes.” While the program is new to VU, the thought behind it came about eight years ago when Ambrose was coaching at his previous school, Penn. Ambrose was inspired by one of his student-athletes at Penn who was having trouble tracking down post-grad plans. “One of my players came to me and said that she wanted to be a lawyer,” said Ambrose, “but she didn’t have much experience in the field on her rèsumè. I knew that one of our alums was working in a big law firm in New York so I put her in touch with her … (and) less than a month later she had an entry-level job. It was a very fulfilling feeling that through the commonality of their experience as a soccer athlete, we could help connect people and further their goals. “The idea kind of came together based around a really successful program Penn’s wrestling team started,” he said. “They had a formal mentoring program, which included software to track communication and other things—it was really advanced. We moved to that platform several years later and it was

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a great investment. The program took off and is one of the things I am most proud of from my time at Penn.” The mentoring program idea was quickly introduced to the alumni shortly after Ambrose’s arrival in Nashville. “We have some terrific alumni in this program who hold leadership positions in the world, all of whom went through similar experiences on and off of the field to those that our current players do. Wearing the jersey, the long bus trips, balancing school and soccer, feeling overwhelmed by the career process as real life approaches … those common experiences connect them,” Ambrose said. “I was so excited when the idea was so well received by the alums,” he said. “Who better to guide our kids up the mountain than someone who is already up there, someone who can see the pitfalls and obstacles below and how to handle them,” he added. “Plus, as we grow our culture, every alum is going to be confident that the kids they are helping are of the highest character and have the same kind of drive and team-centered attitude because they came from this program.” To help monitor and oversee the mentoring side of the program, Ambrose brought in Vanderbilt Hall of Famer and member of the newly formed Vanderbilt Soccer Alumnae Board, Tyler Griffin, to help kick start the initiative and create a checklist to ensure both the mentor and student-athlete could have the best experience possible. “Some of the girls who are younger don’t have an idea of what they want to do,” said Griffin, “so some of the checklist items are just about interacting in relation to different fields. So if they’re interested in nursing, they talk about the different aspects of that. Reading books together

Claire Anderson, a rising senior, said she is already enjoying the benefits of the mentoring program.

May 2016

Cristina De Zeeuw, a rising junior, is being mentored by former Commodore star Tyler Griffin.

JOE HOWELL

The close-knit Commodores—which include Claire Anderson (34), Andie Lakin (30), Megan Henry (28), and Hannah Menard (25)—are excited about the team’s new mentoring program.

about the industry they’re interested in is always a great conversation starter, and taking a personality test is also something that’s fun to help build the relationship.” Griffin is a peer-mentor herself, and talks every other week with De Zeeuw, who is a starting midfielder for the Commodores. Through their time together and common bond of business, Griffin has assisted the Overland Park, Kan., native by editing and refining her rèsumè, helping draft emails to companies and putting Tina in contact with companies using her business network. “My role is not only to build a personal relationship with her, but to help her with contacts and reaching out to my network to figure out if I know anyone and how can I reach out to someone and open up the doors,” said Griffin. Although the peer-mentoring program is just beginning to blossom, several members of the soccer team are already success stories. Rising senior Claire Anderson will be working in Charlotte, N.C., this summer with Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the Leveraged Finance group. While the economics and finance major locked down her internship

Vanderbilt soccer head coach Darren Ambrose has implemented a mentoring program for his players.

just after the Commodores’ appearance in the SEC tournament this past fall, the relationship she’s created with alum Kat Carroll goes beyond job searching, resume editing and chats about post-grad plans. Like many of the peer-mentoring pairings, Anderson and Caroll are now invested in numerous aspects of one another’s lives. “My mentor, Kat Carroll, is awesome,” said Anderson. “I would say we keep in touch pretty regularly. Because I already had this summer’s internship decided pretty early in the year, most of our conversations are just about life and getting to know each other better. When the time comes, however, I know that she will be a great resource to bounce career ideas off and to connect with other professionals.” Knowing the trials and tribulations associated with job hunting, the Vanderbilt soccer team was all ears when Ambrose introduced the program earlier this fall. “This is a great opportunity for someone like me, because I didn’t really have a feel for what I wanted to do just yet. So she’s (Griffin) trying to help me get in contact with different companies and has given me opportunities that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.” n

Tyler Griffin, who was a standout goalkeeper for the Commodores during her playing career (class of 2007), is now a part of the soccer team’s newly implemented mentoring program.

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New Home Turf with the benefit of a new sports turf surface at the John Rich Practice Facility.

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Shaw Sports Turf crews finished the two-month installation project in late March, just as Derek Mason’s Vanderbilt team concluded spring practice and began their offseason conditioning program. “This gives our team a first-class surface to train, practice and compete on,” Mason said. “I’m excited about the new synthetic turf at the Rich Practice Facility. “The practice field turf upgrade is a tremendous addition to our ongoing efforts to improve everything Vanderbilt student-athletes have at their disposal. This project also provides the added bonus of having similar surfaces at our stadium, outdoor practice complex, and indoor facility,” Mason added. The 70,500-square-foot Rich Facility synthetic surface virtually mirrors the Dudley Field surface in Vanderbilt Stadium. Features similar to both surfaces include black end-zones with “Vanderbilt” and “Commodores” lettering, midfield and end-zone “Star V” logos and SEC logos. The practice field also features “Anchor Down” lettering inside both 20-yard lines. The same element was removed from the Vanderbilt Stadium surface two years ago to meet NCAA requirements. The Rich Practice Facility is located directly behind McGugin Center, just steps away from the football squad’s locker room and weight room. It also includes a Bermuda grass practice field. The Rich Facility turf project comes just weeks after the department opened a vast expansion of the Athletic Training Room in McGugin Center. The state-of-the-art training room doubles the size of the program’s former facility, and features three hydrotherapy pools, dietary, examination and treatment rooms, two doctor offices, a conference room, and array of modernized equipment to benefit Commodore student-athletes. n

JOE HOWELL

he Vanderbilt football team entered its offseason training effort

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May 2016

Coach’s Handbook: Associate head coach Travis Jewett By Kyle Parkinson

Travis Jewett is in his fourth season as the Commodores’ hitting coach and recruiting coordinator. He was promoted to the role of associate head coach after helping lead Vanderbilt to the College World Series in each of the past two seasons, including the the National Championship season of 2014. Jewett coached in the Pac-12 for 11 seasons prior to his arrival on West End, spending five years at Washington State, three seasons at Washington and three at Arizona State. Here’s a closer look at the Commodore associate head coach, and an in-depth view of his approach to recruiting. Cape Cod—which is an elite summer league that a lot of our guys play in—or Team USA - which we’ve had some guys participate in, “Omahas,”— things that you can’t get playing professional baseball. You can always play professional baseball at some point. It’s not a re-recruitment, but an extension of the recruitment at the time. Let’s face it; fortunately and unfortunately, the players that we get commitments from, we’re not the only ones to like them.

What goes into the recruiting process in order to ensure a commitment? First and foremost is the evaluation part of it. Somehow, someway, we have to see this player perform and see his skill set. It could be camps, in high school games, in summer games. More often than not, it’s summer games because that’s the heavy recruiting part. The unlimited evaluations at that time help too because you can sometimes see kids more than once. So first is evaluation, then once the evaluation is made, it’s the visit. Do the homework, find out information about the kid, and get him and his family on campus so that they can meet us and we can meet them. Now, we start moving from just identifying the talent part to looking at if the talent part of the person—and the family—matches. It’s evaluate, visit and then offering a scholarship of some sort. Hopefully, they like us as much as we like them, so to speak, and if there’s a match then there’s a match.

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What on-field talents are you looking for in a recruit? Athletes are big. If you want a team full of shortstops playing on the field, I’d be fine with that. I like left-handed batters. Speed, athleticism, guys that can play more than one position, I like that. What about qualities off the field? Just be a good person. Be a good teammate. In recruiting that’s what we’re looking for. During that visit and through the recruitment process we’re trying to get to know them and their families as they’re trying to get to know us. We try to make sure that we’re getting good, selfless people, people that care more about the team than themselves. I like winners. People that have won know how to win and what it takes to win. People that have a high care level for wanting to be great at everything they do. If we get a roster or a clubhouse full of those people, it’s a pretty good combo. n

JOE HOWELL

After the draft, does the process repeat itself? There are three phases of it. There’s the recruitment before, where it’s as if major league baseball isn’t in the equation, even though they always are, especially at the ages that we’re doing it at now. So maybe MLB isn’t quite on the forefront. Once you get (the recruit), you’ve got to continue to communicate with him and build relationships. For instance, say we get a commitment from the kid and we evaluate, ‘visitate’, and ‘offerate.’ They accept, but it doesn’t stop. I continue to take calls from these people. It’s building relationships and doing stuff like that. Once the MLB time comes around, which is the June of their senior year, we have to add them into the mix. Not convince (the recruits) that major league baseball is bad, that’s not what we’re trying to do, but we show them both sides of the coin and they have to make their decision about what they want to do. Obviously, we hope that they like the experiences here and the things that they can get—whether it’s the culture, the growing up, the education, maybe it’s

How difficult is it to manage all the behindthe-scene of the recruiting, like making sure you don’t get six left-handed pitchers, and then throwing the draft in the mix and having the possibility of it all being ruined? It’s tough. In terms of getting too many alike players, I get it, but we just want to get the best ones. It’s a crystal ball. We’re always thinking about most of our juniors, not that we don’t have juniors coming back. They’re always welcome back and we like having that experience back, but most of the juniors sign. So there’s that with the current roster. Not only are there the recruits and what we see

going forward, but we’ve got to look at the current roster too. I’m looking at the committed (high school) junior, but I’m also looking at our current roster and who is going to be eligible for the draft. We’ve got to move both pieces of the chess board around, so to speak. There’s always going to be friction, whether it’s through the roster or the draft, whatever it might be. We want to make sure that we get all of our bases covered, but there’s no mathematical equation to give you. I like to stay in a certain range where when it’s all said and done, we have a good team full of good people and we’re not over the allotment of the roster size and/ or 11.7 scholarships.

Associate head coach Travis Jewett (second from right) has played a key role in the Commodores’ success.

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May 2016

Baseball Stars to play for USA Baseball Collegiate National Team By Kyle Parkinson

JOE HOWELL

anderbilt baseball stars Jeren Kendall and Kyle Wright have accepted invitations to play for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team this summer. The USA Baseball Collegiate National Team will train in Fullerton, Calif., this summer from June 28 to July 2 and follow-up with trips to Chinese Taipei, Japan and Cuba for International Friendship Series July 5–26. Kendall is in the midst of a breakout season for the Commodores, leading the team with a .348 average with eight home runs and 49 RBIs through mid-May. He was named the National Player of the Week for his performance during the Dores’ opening series against San Diego in which he went 10-for-15 with three home runs and 10 RBIs. The Holmen, Wisc., native put together a Freshman All-American season last year for Vanderbilt, hitting .281 with eight homers and 40 RBIs, including a walk-off home run in the College World Series against Cal State Fullerton. Wright’s move into the starting rotation this year has been a success with the right-hander going Kendall 5-3 with a 2.11 ERA through his first 11 starts this season. The Huntsville, Ala., native was slowed early in the year due to a preseason injury but has been a workhorse for the Commodores over the last six weeks with five of his six starts going at least six innings. Wright starred out of the bullpen last year for the ’Dores earning Freshman All-American status after going 6-1 with four saves and a 1.23 ERA in a team-high 29 games. Kendall and Wright join current teammate Bryan Reynolds as Commodores to wear the Red, White and Blue. Reynolds played for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in 2014 alongside Walker Buehler, Carson Fulmer and Dansby Swanson when the Commodores set a program record with four players on the squad. Other former Commodores to play for the Collegiate National team include David Price (2005–2006), Sonny Gray (2009–2010), Mike Minor (2007–2008), Pedro Alvarez (2006–2007), Ryan Flaherty (2007) and Tyler Beede (2013). Head Coach Tim Corbin led the National Team to a gold medal in 2006 at the World University Wright Championships in Cuba. ■

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It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson

hen David Williams asked Eddie Fogler to work behind the scenes during our men’s basketball search, he knew someone with Eddie’s background would understand the importance of “fit” when screening candidates. Fogler was a very successful basketball coach here 25 years ago and his son, Ben, graduated from Vanderbilt last year after an impressive run on our golf team. So when Eddie called a coach to inquire of his potential interest in our job and that coach replied “I’d have to know more about it,” Eddie knew there wasn’t a fit. End of conversation; you either see a high academic school such as Vanderbilt as a destination opportunity or you don’t. Bryce Drew on the other hand had turned down a bunch of seemingly attractive jobs because he knew what he wanted—where he would fit— and Memorial Gymnasium was on his short list. Years ago Tim Corbin felt the same as a Clemson assistant. We could name others; our coaches want to be here and see Vanderbilt, Nashville and the SEC as a huge advantage. Fit is vital, whether we are talking about marriage, a social club or the workplace. The fascinating thing is A coach that fits in at that fit comes in all shapes, sizes, colors and religions. Fit is a state of mind Vanderbilt is one with and at a complex institution such as a deep thirst for victory Vanderbilt, fit is often the difference but not at the expense of between laying a foundation or laying an egg. fudging on the rules. Fit has nothing to do with elitism. We have Vanderbilt men and women from all walks of life. I’m a farm boy with a state school degree, walking corridors with colleagues from subdivisions bigger than my hometown and armed with flashy diplomas. We appear incredibly diverse but we have a commonality of thought. In overly simplistic terms, a coach that fits in at Vanderbilt is one with a deep thirst for victory but not at the expense of fudging on the rules. A Vanderbilt coach wants to mentor real student-athletes and inherently understands that while some wonderful athletes don’t have the academic profile or interest to win “both ways,” they will spend their time finding those that do. Our most successful coaches don’t roam the halls whining about what others have that they don’t; they are optimists able to focus upon what is really important and articulating that to blue-chip prospects. It hasn’t always been this way, at least in my tenure. We’ve had some coaches who couldn’t understand how they could win if they didn’t have the same admission standards, the same facilities or the cushy budgets found elsewhere. They didn’t understand Vanderbilt’s advantages or how to promote them. Seldom were these coaches happy or successful on West End; credit recent administrations with doing an excellent job of understanding fit and identifying those who do. Our mission statement closes with the words “…by placing the highest values on integrity, character, sportsmanship and victory.” Our people thrive on that and it’s likely why you are proud to be a Commodore fan. The diversity of our experiences and our shared values form a powerful bond, a place where dreams have come true for over a century. A place called Commodore Nation. ■

C O M M O D O R E N AT I O N

My Game

Kristin Quah By Rod Williamson

Commodore Nation: Describe your drive to excel. Kristin Quah: No matter what I do—whether it’s bowling or studies—I really just want to put forth my best. I want to do my best in everything that I do. If I have my name on it, I want quality attached to it. Commodore Nation: Where does your drive come from? KQ: I guess it is competitiveness. I’ve always been a competitive person. I don’t like losing at all. When I taste some sort of failure, in my mind I know I don’t ever want to feel that way again. So I’m going to make sure that I put in as much effort as I can so that I will succeed in the future. Commodore Nation: You’re from Singapore; how hard was it to move halfway across the world to attend college? KQ: Oddly enough it was not that difficult of a decision to make. It’s been in my mind since I was 13 or 14. I always said, “I want to go to the U.S. and study and bowl.” I wanted to find means to study here without paying an extraordinary amount, so I had to find some sort of scholarship. It was my dream as a kid. So when I found this opportunity at Vanderbilt, that had both excellence in academics and bowling, it really was not that tough of a choice to make. Commodore Nation: What were the biggest adjustments you faced when coming to Nashville? KQ: Definitely the weather. I’m used to ninety-degree weather and humidity close to one hundred percent all the time. Winter here was rough. Commodore Nation: Let’s talk about food. What foods have you discovered here in Nashville that you might not have found at home and what are some foods that you miss? KQ: Let’s start with what I miss because there’s a lot. I miss broths—like soup-based food. Stuff like noodle soup. The closest thing here to that is chicken noodle soup, but that’s not even close. It was weird because I lost a lot of weight over first semester, maybe five pounds. This semester when I came back, I brought food from home to cook. So I’ve been cooking a lot this semester. Every other weekend I’m cooking. It’s been a lot better. I’ve been adjusting a lot better to that. Commodore Nation: Have you found any food you like that you didn’t know you did? KQ: It sounds weird, but bread. We pretty much get plain bread in a packet back home. But like when we go to restaurants, the bread here is a lot better. That’s something that I’m surprised I like.

May 2016

Commodore Nation: What has surprised you the most about Vanderbilt life, and what did you correctly predict? KQ: When I was about to come here, I had no idea of what I was getting myself into. I didn’t even know the format of how we were going to be bowling. I came in with a really open mind, deciding to take everything in stride. I take one step at a time and get myself acclimated to everything here. Commodore Nation: What do you like to do in your spare time? KQ: It sounds like a very Asian stereotype, but I enjoy folding straws— I wouldn’t call it origami because it’s not with paper—but it’s something that I picked up. When I’m stressed I like to do things with my hands. And so I just started folding them and it’s now become a habit whenever I’m bored or stressed out. It’s just become my thing. Commodore Nation: Let’s talk about bowling. How did you get interested in bowling to begin with? KQ: When I was younger, my parents made me try a new sport every year. Like I said, I’m a very competitive person. My brother got into bowling, and he started doing better than I was. I was like, “No I’m going to beat him, I want to do better than him.” I started taking lessons and that was the end of it. I quit every other sport because I loved it. Commodore Nation: You were on the Singapore national team. Are you still on it? KQ: I was on it for five years. I left it right before I got here because I wanted to commit to this opportunity that was given to me and put my full attention here rather than having it split between here and home. Commodore Nation: Was college bowling an adjustment from what you were used to? KQ: Definitely. Let’s start with the obvious, the Baker system. I had never bowled that before I came here. And then there’s the emphasis on the team versus an individual. Most of the events I bowled back home were more of an individual event. So if I made a mistake, it was “I’ll clean up my own mess.” Now it’s weird because you don’t have much control of what’s going on. You have to have full trust in what your teammates are doing. That was a really tough adjustment when I first got here. Whenever I made a mistake, I’d be letting the team down. I really beat myself up for those mistakes. I worked that out with the coaches and my teammates, and now I have to accept that everyone makes mistakes. n

JOE HOWELL

ristin Quah is bowling’s first international student-athlete, a freshman from Singapore. She was named NCAA National Rookie of the Year and earned second-team All-America honors. She posted a perfect 4.0 during her first semester.

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Commodore Nation: Have you been here long enough where some of your teammates feel like your best friends? KQ: Yeah, I do. I’ve made some really unexpected friends. When I first came on my visit, Giselle (Poss) was one that scared me. Now she’s probably one of my closest friends on the team. And of course there’s Jordan (Newham), who’s in the same class that I am, and we spend so much time together and get along so well.