Lindenwood Magazine - Fall 2021

18 FALL 2021 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD 19 FALL 2021 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD LINDENWOOD ATHLETICS LINDENWOOD ATHLETICS 2021 HALL OF FAME CLASS BASEBALL WINS GLVC CHAMPIONSHIP Lindenwood Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics Brad Wachler revealed the names of the five inductees for the Lindenwood Athletics Hall of Fame. Nicole Hensley, Melissa Menchella, and Terrel Wilbourn are the three individuals to earn the honor, while the 2015 Lindenwood gymnastics team and the 2015–16 men's ice hockey team will also be enshrined. The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is scheduled to be held on campus at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on Saturday, January 29, 2022. Lindenwood Athletics will be celebrating both the 2020 and 2021 Hall of Fame classes at the ceremony. Nicole Hensley , a four-time all-CHA performer for the women's ice hockey team, finished her four-year career in 2016 as the all-time NCAA Division I leader in saves with 4,094. Hensley appeared in 123 games, compiling a .921 save percentage. The Lakewood, Colo. native was a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-American and a four-time CHA Student- Athlete of the Year. Hensley represented the United States as a member of the U.S. Women's National team that won Gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. During her four-year tenure as a member of the Lindenwood women's lacrosse program (2011–15), Melissa Menchella appeared in 74 games and made 73 starts for the Lions, while also setting the school record in goals scored (183) and total points (233). A product of St. Louis, Mo., Menchella was the recipient of several accolades including the NCAA DII Lacrosse Student-Athlete of the Year, NCAA Elite 89 Award, Lindenwood's Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a two-time IWLCA All-American, including first-team honors in 2015, and a first- team Academic All-American. Terrel Wilbourn was a member of the Lindenwood wrestling team for three seasons (2013–16) and concluded his career as one of the most decorated wrestlers in Lindenwood history. Wilbourn, originally from St. Louis, Mo., was a three-time All- American, three-time national finalist, and a one-time national champion. Wilbourn became the first undefeated national champion in Lindenwood history with a 25–0 record in 2015– 16, which culminated with him winning the NCAA Division II National title at 157 lbs. Following his perfect season in 2015–16, Wilbourn was named Central Region Wrestler of the Year by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association. In 2015, just its third season as a program, Lindenwood women's gymnastics captured its first ever MIC Conference title and the first ever USAG Collegiate Gymnastics National Championship title. The Lions captured the title with a team score of 195.550, which at the time was the second- highest score in program history. Through the end of the 2021 season, Lindenwood has now completed its ninth season as a program and has captured six consecutive MIC Conference Titles and are three-time USAG Collegiate National Champions. The success that Lindenwood gymnastics continues to achieve today, is built off the foundation that was set by the 2015 team. The 2015–16 Lindenwood men's ice hockey team was crowned the 2016 American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Men's Division I National Champion with a 2–1 victory over Iowa State in Bensenville, Ill. For the Lions, the title was the third overall for the program and the first since 2010. The Lions finished the 2015–16 season with an overall record of 27–10–0. Six Lions were named to the ACHA Men's Division I National Championship All-Tournament Team. Freshman netminder Michael Hails was selected as the Most Valuable Player at the ACHA National Championship. A program that had a strong foundation found the right people to play their role. A culture built on care and love paid dividends on the field and is certain to create outstanding alumni when the time comes. Less than a month after the title game, the coaching staff sent packages to program alumni containing a championship shirt, a piece of the championship game net, and a note. The note expressed gratitude to each graduate who made a sacrifice for the program during their time at Lindenwood—a true testament to the importance of building a strong foundation to help young women grow as people. The women’s lacrosse program has seen great players come through, but the great people make the program successful. On September 24, the Lions received their championship rings at a first-class dinner. The night featured an ice sculpture of the NCAA trophy, stylish decorations, and continued support from the Lindenwood community. While the memories will last a lifetime, the ring ceremony might have officially closed the door on the 2021 season. “We don’t want Lindenwood lacrosse to just be a lacrosse program, we want this to be a life program. Creating unforgettable experiences will go a long way in life, and we want to help these student-athletes in life after the final whistle blows,” Cribbin said. The women’s lacrosse team will continue building the program, as the Lions prepare for the 2022 season. While winning a championship is not an easy task, the goal remains the same. Lindenwood will look to defend its title, and what a better way to do it than to have the 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship game occur at Hunter Stadium in St. Charles, Mo. on May 22, 2022. Number 1 in DII Women’s Lacrosse. Photo Credit: Ryan Hunt JACK CRIBBIN We don’t want Lindenwood lacrosse to just be a lacrosse program, we want this to be a life program. Creating unforgettable experiences will go a long way in life, and we want to help these student-athletes in life after the final whistle blows. The Lindenwood baseball team had a great season in 2021, as the Lions claimed the GLVC Championship and made an appearance in the Midwest Regional. Lindenwood closed out the season with an overall record of 34–9, including a 25–7 mark inside conference play.