#TeamAU
AU Basketball Teams Enjoy Banner Seasons
The 2022-23 basketball season was exciting and successful for Asbury’s men’s and women’s teams, as both squads earned the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Mideast Regional Championship and a trip to the NCCAA National Championship Tournament March 15-17 in Winona Lake, Ind.
Men’s Basketball
Will Shouse ’02, the NCCAA Mideast Region Coach of the Year, guided Asbury to the top winning percentage in school history with a 21-7 record (.750). Seven members of the team, including four of the starting five, earned NCCAA Scholar Athlete honors. The recipients must be a junior, senior or graduate student with a cumulative GPA of 3.40 or above.
The Eagles were led by graduate student Nick Fort ’22 who is earning an MBA. The Shelbyville, Ky., native was named NCCAA First Team All-American and NCCAA Mideast Region Player of the Year for the second straight year. In his final season at AU, Fort was the NCCAA’s second-leading scorer at 23.9 points per game and led the NCCAA in rebounds per game (10.6). The six-foot-six forward also recorded 18 doubledoubles. Point guard Caleb Wallis ’24 was named to the NCCAA First Team All-Mideast Region Team. Wallis was the team’s second-leading scorer averaging 12.5 points per game. He also led the Eagles with 98 assists. Dakota Walden ’23 was named to the Second Team All-Mideast Region Team. He averaged 11.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Women’s Basketball
Coach Chad Mayes led the Eagles to a 19-11 record, including victories in nine of the last 11 games of the season. Four members of the Mideast Region Championship team were named NCCAA Scholar Athletes, while Mayes received NCCAA Mideast Region Coach of the Year honors.
Guard Trinity Shearer ’24 was named NCCAA Third-Team All-American and First-Team All-Mideast Region. She averaged 13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists per game, and finished the year with the second-most steals in a season (75) in AU history. Jaclynn Ruble ’23 was named to the NCCAA Second-Team All-Mideast Region Team. She led the team in three-pointers with 45 and joined the Asbury 1,000 career point club on February 14. Haleigh Releford ’25 was named to the NCCAA Second-Team All-Mideast Region Team. She led the Eagles in scoring (13.9 points per game) and rebounding (5.2 rebounds per game).
NCCAA Scholar Athletes
Men’s Team
- Bryce Beavers — Sr.
- Alex Carpenter — Jr.
- Nick Fort — Gr.
- Jason Law — Sr.
- John Shoulders — Sr.
- Dakota Walden — Sr.
- Caleb Wallis — Jr.
Women’s Team
- Megan Bellamy — Sr.
- Kayla Harlow — Jr.
- Jaclynn Ruble — Sr.
- Trinity Shearer — Jr.
AU Swimmers Earn Conference and Academic Honors
The Asbury swimming teams concluded the 2022-23 season competing at the Liberal Arts Conference Championship, Elsah, Ill., Feb. 8-11. Under the leadership of first-year head coach Graham Duncan ’16, several swimmers earned Conference Championships and recorded personal bests. The women’s team placed second overall and the men finished third in the expanded field from a year ago.
The College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) recently named its Scholar All-America Teams for the fall 2022 semester. The Asbury women’s swimming team was named a Scholar-America Team with a strong 3.55 overall team GPA, while the men’s team was also named a Scholar All-America Team with a 3.25 team GPA.
Women’s Conference Individual Champions
- 1650 FREESTYLE – Amber Schulte – Jr.
- 100 FREESTYLE – Sarah Finlayson – Fr.
- 200 BUTTERFLY – Maria Poll – Jr.
- 400 FREESTYLE RELAY – Amber Schulte – Jr., Claire Hentrup – Fr., Sarah Finlayson – Fr., Emily Poll – Jr.
Menʼs Conference Individual Champions
- 200 BREASTSTROKE – Ian Wang – Jr.
- 200 BUTTERFLY – Tommy Johnson – Sr.
Cervantes Captures 200th Win
Manny Cervantes earned his 200th career victory as the Asbury baseball head coach on March 30. Since becoming AU’s first full-time baseball coach in 2014, Cervantes has built a program that is committed to developing students athletically, academically, and spiritually. His thorough and consistent approach has resulted in the Eagles posting an impressive 96-42 record (.696) in the past three and half seasons.
“I’m humbled and grateful God has given me the opportunity to steward Asbury’s baseball program these past nine years,” Cervantes said. “The Lord has blessed the program with many good players, families, coaches, and staff over the years. I’m thankful for the wins and success, but I’m most grateful for allowing us to use the game of baseball to influence young men and others towards the abundant life and hope we have in Jesus. I’m excited to see what God has in store in the future for AU Baseball.”
Watch all TeamAU home events on the Asbury Sports Digital Network.
Asbury Breaks Ground on Outdoor Venue
Phase I of the facility will accommodate the new track and field program
On January 18, 2023, Asbury broke ground on the fully funded Phase I of the multi-use Outdoor Venue project that will allow for growth of the school’s new intercollegiate track and field program and provide a new field for men’s and women’s soccer. The $5 million initial phase includes an eight-lane track, turf field, lighting and fencing and is expected to be open during the 2023 fall semester.
“We are deeply moved by the generosity and support for this vision to build an outdoor venue that will serve the entire campus community and provide a place for student-athletes to train and compete,” said Vice President of Athletics & University Communications Mark Whitworth ’84. “God continues to work in the hearts of students at Asbury and this facility will create new opportunities for transformational change to take place. We are humbled and thankful!”
The University is still actively fundraising for the second phase of the project that will include spectator seating, locker rooms, public restrooms, and a press box/event space.
Visit asbury.edu/outdoor-venue for more information and to give to the project.