Lindenwood - Your Alumni Connection - Fall 2017

CAMPUS NEWS FACULTY SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS LINDENWOOD SPORTS ALUMNI EVENTS AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS ALUMNI PROFILE LINDENWOOD Fall 2017 19 Christian Cavaness Lindenwood University-Belleville SPORTS CAVENESS MAKING HIS MARK IN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LYNX FOOTBALL IS SET FOR A SUCCESSFUL SEASON Lynx Nation is in for a treat this fall as the football team kicks things into high gear for the 2017 season. With new ideas on and off the field, new Head Coach Kevin Turco and his dedicated staff have been hard at work this summer spreading the word about Lynx football and the positive strides made in the program. After going 0-10 in the 2016 season, senior offensive lineman Oscar Reyes is ready to hit the field for redemption. “This year is about doing better than I ever have in my years here at Lindenwood- Belleville,” Reyes said. “Winning is great, but getting the opportunity to start working as a team and having that bond as a family is something that will make this year better than the past.” As for preseason, Reyes has said that the first couple days of preseason have always been the hardest, but Turco is taking a different approach when it comes to getting the guys in shape. “Coach takes in to consideration our safety and our bodies and being able to build into practices,” Reyes said. But it’s not just the players who are in for a new atmosphere this season. Turco and his team have been avidly posting on Twitter their commitment, not just to the team but to the school and the city of Belleville. “Fans can expect a more disciplined and family feel from the team,” Turco said. “You can feel the amount of commitment from the guys standing next to you. The atmosphere is more family-oriented than it has ever been.” Lindenwood Belleville is known for exceptional athletes, but one that stands out is taking his career to the next level. Former Lynx baseball player Christian Cavaness has played for the Minnesota Twins minor league program for the past three seasons and is currently a member of the organization’s Cedar Rapids Kernels. Cavaness began his professional career in the summer of 2015 in the Gulf Coast League. He moved up to the Kernels from the Gulf Coast League Twins last season, where he batted .201 with 44 hits and 13 runs batted in. This season, he is batting .242, is sixth on the team with 65 hits, and has hit five homeruns. The 6-foot, 2-inch Cape Girardeau, Mo., native says that he is grateful for his time at Lindenwood Belleville, and not just from the athletics side. “I’m grateful for the opportunity I had to play for the Lynx and face better competition, but it helped me to learn to live on my own and, essentially, become an adult,” Caveness said. While at Lindenwood-Belleville, Cavaness posted a .340 average and hit 20 homeruns in his three seasons with the Lynx. He still holds the team record for most triples in a season (11), total bases in a season (129), and RBIs in a season (48). During his junior season, Cavaness was named to the All-American Midwest Conference First Team and was also named a National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American for his record-breaking 2015 season. Cavaness said this offseason he hopes to catch a Lindenwood Belleville game and even work out with the team. “I still keep in touch with Coach (Logan) Johnson and some of the guys, and I’m excited to get back to meet some of the new guys and even maybe catch a game,” Caveness said. “There is so much potential for the team this year, and if they bond and come together, they have great possibilities ahead of them.”