Boston

For the past few years, senior point guard Cassondra Boston has dominated the basketball scoreboard at Emporia State. The Des Moines, Iowa, native has spent her whole life being groomed for the sport her entire life by none other than her father, Haywood Boston – a high school basketball coach.

“My dad is definitely a big influence,” Boston said. “He started me playing at a young age. He’s been coaching all his life, and I’ve been around basketball all of my life because of him. My brother and I always had to be at the gym with him while he was coaching. When I got to high school he started coaching girls, so I started playing for him.”

As a junior, Boston earned first-team All-MIAA and second-team Daktronics All-Region for her stellar performance a year ago. ESU Coach Brandon Schneider recognizes her abilities on the basketball court and what they mean for the team.

“She’s obviously extremely skilled on the offensive end – the complete package,” Schneider said. “She makes almost every right decision. Defensively, she’s playing tough. She’s playing with energy. She is now a leader by both example and vocally.”

Boston has been successful away from the court as well. She graduated this past December with a business degree and is currently pursuing a MBA. In high school, Boston was an academic All-State selection and was her class’ valedictorian.

As a freshman at Emporia State, Boston quickly noticed the vast differences between playing Division II basketball and playing at Hoover High.

“It’s a lot more competitive than high school,” Boston said. “The pace of the game’s a lot quicker. It’s just something to get used to, coming from high school to college – it’s a big difference…I think it’s a lot more fun, too.”

Boston roomed with teammate Jamie Augustyn her freshman year, an experience that led the two to become friends and led Augustyn to appreciate Boston’s presence as a teammate.

“She’s a great teammate,” Augustyn said. “She’s fun on and off the court.”

Schneider remembers a slightly different Boston than we know today when she first came to the program.

“She was really skilled,” Schneider said. “She was really shy and timid…I think she’d be the first to admit that she wasn’t always the best practice player. Now, she never takes a possession off in practice, whether it’s offensively or defensively. She expects the same out of her teammates.”

Boston recalled her days of timidity and commented on her acceptance of the team leader role as her time in the program continued.

“My freshman year, I didn’t speak up as much,” Boston said. “I was a lot quieter. As the years have gone by, I realized that I have to step up and be more of a vocal leader. I think I’ve really embraced that role this year.

Since I’ve been here, something Brandon has talked to me about is being more of a leader. Obviously he’s had trouble with me in the past speaking up. I just realized that it’s my senior year – it’s going to be my last chance. I just want to give it my all.”

According to Schneider, Boston’s progression on and off the court is a testament to her as a person.

“She’s just grown and matured a great deal as a player and even a lot as a person,” Schneider said. “She’s much more assertive on and off the court than she was early in her career.”

The epic of Boston has hit center stage at Emporia State this season, as she has been named MIAA Player of the Week four times and is a sure fire lock for first team All-MIAA honors – and maybe more.

While the rest of the season waits to unfold, Boston’s future also seems somewhat cloudy. One thing is for sure though – basketball hasn’t exited the scene just yet.

“Playing overseas is still an option,” Boston said.

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Holthaus

As the late resurgence of the Emporia State men’s basketball team continues, the Hornets are led by a big-time presence in the paint. Adam Holthaus, junior forward and computer systems information major, repeatedly comes off the bench and flat out produces – Holthaus’ 13.6 points per game are second-best only to teammate Tim Niles. The Topeka native looks to improve his game while his team continues to step up in MIAA play.
Q: When did you start playing basketball?

A: I have been playing basketball as long as I could pick up the ball.

Q: What are your strong points and weak points as a player?

A: Personally, I feel like my strong point is my offensive ability. I
feel like I have good post moves with both hands which allow me to do
different things depending on what they give me. I feel like a weak
point would be my defense and rebounding. I need to get more aggressive
when rebounding and also need to get better overall on defense.

Q: What assets do you bring to the team?

A: I feel as though I bring a spark from inside. I feel like I bring the
ability to score in the paint which opens up many different options for
our team.

Q: Why did you decide to come to Emporia State as opposed to Washburn since
you’re from Topeka?

A: I decided to come to Emporia because of the wonderful opportunities that
they offered me both athletically and academically.

Q: What’s it like being a student-athlete at ESU? What are the greatest
challenges?

A: I love being a student-athlete at ESU. It is a great environment for
both athletics and academics. Everyone here is very supportive of the
athletic teams and the university. The hardest thing about being a
student-athlete would be, in season, when you have practice, games and
homework, all going on at the same time, while missing some classes.
Being able to keep up with everything is definitely the hardest part.

Q: Who would you say influenced you the most to play basketball?

A: My parents always encouraged me and supported me throughout the years.

Q: If you could choose one person as your role model or hero, who would it
be?

A: My parents would probably be my role models or heroes because they
brought me into this world and are very supportive in everything I do.

Q: What do you plan to do after college? Is coaching an option for you after you get done playing for ESU?

A: This is not my dream or in the plans of my future, but if an opportunity
would arise I would definitely look into it.

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Setter Ting Liu, with teammate middle hitter, Brianne Boner, jump to block a spike by a Washburn opponent earlier this season at White Auditorum. Kellen JenKins/The Bulletin.

Junior setter and business major Ting Liu isn’t hard to miss on the volleyball court. Standing at 6’1,” Liu is the tallest setter in the MIAA.

But that’s not the only reason why Liu is a prominent figure in the league and around the country.

A season ago, Liu was selected First-Team AVCA All-American, First-Team All-South Central Region and First-Team All-MIAA. In her freshman year, Liu was selected the South Central Region Freshman of the Year and the MIAA Freshman of the Year.

Postseason awards have been plentiful for Liu. She both appreciates them and hopes that more are on the way.

“It was a very big honor for me and it made me feel good,” Liu said. “I hope to get more.”

A native of China, Liu attended a different high school than most at the Beijing Fifth Sport School. Her dedication to volleyball brought her to the U.S. to play for Emporia State – something that head coach Bing Xu is grateful for.

“We are really fortunate to have her on the team,” Xu said.

Xu would also go on to talk about how she has adapted to the American style of volleyball.

“I think mentality wise, she’s getting stronger,” Xu said. “In her first couple of years, she was trying to adjust to a different playing style, and now she’s really getting used to it.”

Senior outside hitter and marketing major Arica Shepard knows Liu pretty well – they’ve been playing together since Liu was a freshman just two years ago. Shepard attributes Liu’s success to her stifling defense and quick hand-eye coordination.

“She has quick hands – that’s what we definitely need for our volleyball team,” Shepard said. “That’s what Bing has always stressed on is trying to quicken our defense every year, and she’s just adapted really well in doing that. If you ever watch it, they (Liu’s hands) are fast compared to a lot of setters. Plus, she’s six-foot something, and that’s always helpful when you know you have a little bit of an overpass and she can bring it back.”

Liu has some added responsibilities this year being a captain for the Hornets – a responsibility that Xu felt comfortable placing on her.

“She’s one of our captains right now,” Xu said. “Now she has more responsibility – as a coach, I try to put something more on her shoulders. We know she can carry it.”

Xu went on to mention how important a piece Liu is to the Hornets’ volleyball puzzle.

“She’s kind of like a quarterback – she’s running the offense,” Xu said. “Every ball with probably go through her hands. She knows the game very well – we need someone who knows the game very well and runs the game pretty smoothly. She’s doing very well. Also, she’s very tall up front, which is a huge advantage.”

Thus far, Liu has enjoyed her experience playing volleyball in America. It also helps that Liu’s teammates have helped her acclimate to the American lifestyle.

“I think our team plays very good, and that gives me a very good experience playing volleyball in the U.S.,” Liu said. “All of my teammates are really nice to me.”

Xu echoed the sentiment.

“All of the players trust her, and she trusts everybody,” Xu said.

The volleyball team has been dominant this year, earning a 26-3 record throughout the regular season. Liu’s skills, both mentally and physically, have been an invaluable asset to the team during their run for another MIAA Championship, according to Shepard.

“You don’t see very many setters her height, so if we do have an overpass we can bring that back,” Shepard said. “She’s extremely consistent. There’s not very often that she doesn’t get the ball where she wants it to go.”

Liu believes that accountability is something that has helped the team achieve their current success.

“Our team plays together really smoothly right now,” Liu said. “I think everyone does their own job – that’s why we can play well together.”

Shane Wilson/The Bulletin

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Miller

Brittney Miller, junior nursing major, knows a little bit about time management. Miller plays both volleyball and basketball for the Hornets and is also going to school full time in an effort to obtain a nursing degree. With clinicals, class and practice, Miller will sometimes spend from six in the morning to very late at night working and studying.

“It’s difficult, and a lot of people tell me I can’t do it,” Miller said. “I will never give up and will prove to everyone and myself that it can be done, but it is difficult to try to time manage, do my clinicals, come to practice and use a small window to get my studying done.”

Miller, a right side hitter for the #6 ranked Hornets, is second on the team in kills with 164 and is a big part of a vicious attacking team that has the Hornets at a 14-1 record. Miller is an important piece of a puzzle that has kept the Hornets volleyball team a national contender, said head volleyball coach Bing Xu.

“She’s a smart player and very athletic,” Xu said. “She’s a big threat on the net. I think no matter who we play she’s the one they’re trying to stop.”

Jenna Snook, junior nursing major, is also in Emporia State’s nursing program in addition to playing volleyball. Snook explained that it’s nice to have someone to study with on road trips and not have to be the only one to miss class. She said she is glad to have Miller as a teammate as well as a fellow nursing student.

“She is very team oriented, and she can get you excited if the team is down,” Snook said. “She has good time management skills.”

Miller is aware that she gets an abundance of support from both her coaches and teachers at the nursing school. She admits that it is very helpful.

“The coaches have been a lot more supportive than I thought they would be…I always thought that one would make me quit one or the other, but they all have been helpful not pushing me one way or the other,” Miller said. “At Newman division, all the instructors are helpful – they’re very understanding.”

On occasion, Xu notices that Miller is drained from a long day of classes and practice, but still commends her for knowing the team needs her and always putting her best foot forward no matter how tired she is.

“Whoever I talk to thinks she’s crazy,” Xu said. “Not only does she do two sports, she does two really intense sports, and she’s a nursing major. “We really respect her, and also we’re straight with her – we ask that when she’s here, she focuses on volleyball, when she’s at basketball focus on basketball and when she’s at nursing school, focus on that. She sacrifices a lot, but she’s a tough one and can do it. We are just really excited that she comes here to give it her all every single time.”

Miller would like to graduate in four years while still playing both volleyball and basketball. She strives to be a good teammate and said she wants to help her team make it as far as possible in the postseason each year.

As for which sport is her favorite to play, it all depends on what time of the year it is.

“I’ve been playing basketball since the 3^rd grade, and I just started playing volleyball in the 7^th grade,” Miller said. “I like volleyball better during volleyball season, and I like basketball more during basketball season…They’re both my favorite sports.”

Austin Wagoner/The Bulletin

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Left: Samiah Raquel Webb. Center: Angelo Webb, senior recreation major. Right: Raquel White, senior biology major. KELLEN JENKINS/THE BULLETIN

Raising a family in the current economic recession can be difficult, but imagine doing it while you are going to school – imagine doing it while playing a college sport. The stresses of academics and the fatigue induced by athletics, combined with the efforts needed to raise a child might seem unbearable to some, but not for current ESU student-athletes Angelo Webb, senior recreation major and football player, and Raquel White, senior biology major and soccer player.

For Webb, there is something far more difficult.

“I cried when I dropped Samiah off for day care the day we had to leave (for South Dakota),” Webb said. “That’s the first time she’s ever had to be without both of us. I always tell Raquel that it’s fine when she leaves because I’m here. I think that was first time I felt the way Raquel feels when she leaves her.”

Webb and White have a soon-to-be two year old daughter, Samiah Raquel Webb. The decision to raise a child, stay in school and compete in university athletics is not one that is made often. It’s a decision that can lead to hardships and struggles, as White understands, on and off the field.

“It wasn’t hard when I found out I was pregnant. I think it helped having Angelo there and him not being upset or freaking out,” White said. “It helped that the both of us were ready to take it in stride. Actually, coach (Schneiderhahn) was the first person I talked to after Angelo, and he was really supportive, which made it a lot easier.”

Some student-athletes might think about quitting, not only their sport, but possibly school altogether.

Not these two.

“If I quit, how could I tell my daughter to give it everything she has? How could I tell her to never give up if I quit?” Webb said. “It’s hard, and I have to make some sacrifices, but as hard as it gets I’m not going to quit – I’m going to keep going.”

After their decision to have Samiah, the two faced even more difficult decisions – one of the scariest was when they had to tell their parents.

“The first thing that went through my head was ‘What’s my mom going to think?’ I didn’t panic and I wasn’t disappointed. I was just worried that my mom would be mad at me. She was surprised, but she wasn’t mad,” Webb said. “I think that took the weight of the world off my shoulders when I realized she wasn’t mad or disappointed.”

White and Webb give credit to the coaching staff and the help from their teammates that have given them the tools they have used to succeed thus far.

“The two coaching staffs of football and soccer have been very supportive,” White said. “They understand that there are times that we just can’t find a babysitter. If we need to, we can bring her to practice and bring her to a game.”

White and Webb also influential players on the field. Webb enjoys the brotherhood of football and his favorite thing is to talk with his teammates when they travel.

Mike LoPorto, Webb’s defensive line coach, speaks very highly of Webb.

“Angelo is surprisingly athletic and very powerful,” LoPorto said. “He’s a player that gives me a hundred percent every time and I know what I’m going to get from him every play. Mentally, he’s smart and he’s consistent.”

White, who has played soccer for 12 years, enjoys the sport for the freeness-aspect. She enjoys the fact that soccer isn’t as structured as basketball or softball, for example. Jim Schneiderhahn, head coach of the soccer team, realized White’s love for freeness, making the decision to move her to center-midfielder last season.

“Raquel is very dynamic as an athlete,” Schneiderhahn said. “She is physical and fast. She has the unbelievable knack of the ball finding her. The ball bounces off of her in the strangest ways and things are created by that.”

Students and fans alike can see White and the Hornet Soccer Team in action at 4 p.m., Sept. 24 against Southwest Baptist. Webb and the Hornet Football Team will face Central Missouri for ESU’s Family Day at 1 p.m., Sept. 12 at Welch Stadium.

Austin Wagoner/The Bulletin

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By Austin Wagoner

Something has been missing. Something Emporia State hasn’t been able to find for quite some time. The Hornets have not had a winning season since 2003, but with the addition of Coach Bryce Saia, ESU looks to have found its missing piece to the winning puzzle.

Travis Lee, senior sociology major and cornerback, shares the sentiment.

“He’s been around nothing but winners. Everywhere he goes, they win,” Lee said. “You can kind of feel victory when you’re around him.”

Saia, assistant head coach and secondary coach, last coached for the Arizona Rattlers, an Arena Football League team that made the playoffs a season ago. He was also a defensive line coach for the NCAA Division I Northern Illinois Salukis from 2003-2007.

“Due to the economy, that whole league folded,” Saia said. “Coach Higgins and I knew some mutual people…the word got out and he heard I needed a job, so he called me. The rest is history.”

Coach Saia has been coaching around the country for 14 years, gaining valuable experience by coaching every position on defense. Saia focuses mostly on the defensive backs for Emporia State, and his players know he is devoted to making them better every day.

Kameron Gee, cornerback and sophomore health promotions major, appreciates the attitude Saia brings to the team.

“He wants us to have that swag,” Gee said. “I think it important to have that in the secondary, our play on the field should reflect what Coach Saia teaches.”

Lee, who is in his fourth year with the ESU football program, has worked with four different secondary coaches. In his tenure at Emporia State, the team has won a total of 11 games, one of which includes last Thursday’s romping of Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Although the last several years haven’t been the brightest for the team, Lee has definitely bought into Saia’s new philosophy – a philosophy that will hopefully propel the Hornets over the .500 mark.

“His philosophy is strong and it builds a good foundation; it holds you accountable,” Lee said. “It’s ‘no excuses,’ and its ‘everyday, let’s get better.’”

Even though the Hornets secured an easy win their first week, Saia still sees room for improvement.

“I think overall we played good. A win is a win; we only get so many of these a year,” Saia said. “Always take a win, and at the same time there are always things we can improve on.”

Lucky for Saia, those improvements can be spotlighted next week, as the Hornets travel to Sioux Falls, S.D., to do battle with Augustana College.

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SHEPARD

For senior outside hitter Arica Shepard, personal goals and team goals are completely interchangeable.

“My personal goal is pretty much the same as the team goal – we want to make it to Nationals,” Shepard said. “It would be great to do it my senior year.”

Shepard is no stranger to success. Coming off an impressive 34-3 record, Shepard and the Lady Hornets look to repeat as MIAA Champions again this year.

But being a champion doesn’t always translate to perfection. Self-improvement is always on Shepard’s to-do list.

“Blocking’s probably not my best ability, so I want to improve my blocking this year,” she said.

A native of Rossville, Shepard’s admiration for volleyball blossomed at an early age.

“I started playing volleyball when I was in sixth grade and I fell in love with it,” she said.

However, she said she understands the difficulty of balancing athletics with school. Her major is business marketing.

“It does take quite a bit out of you,” Shepard said. “I mean, you’ve got practice everyday and then you still have to study for your classes and read all of the books that your teachers want you to. Sometimes it seems hard to micromanage it all.”

Head volleyball Coach Bing Xu enjoys having Shepard on the team.

“She’s really athletic and also really smart,” Xu said. “She has a lot of passion and heart for the sport.”

Xu also has high expectations for Shepard, who earned Third-Team All-American honors this past season.

“She’s not a captain, but she has a leadership role,” he said. “For her, I want to see more leadership.”

Amy Byfiel, senior health promotions major and libero, has known Shepard since joining the team four years ago.

“She impacts the team in a big way,” Byfiel said. “She’s one of the most competitive girls on the team.”

Shepard attributed teammate personalities and an aggressive attitude on defense to the team’s recent success.

“We (the team) have really good chemistry together,” Shepard said. “Bing always tries to recruit people that have the same personality as the rest of us so that we mesh well as a team.  And defense, too.  If we don’t have our defense, we’re screwed.”

For Shepard, Emporia seemed to be a good fit, both academically and athletically.

“I originally chose Emporia State my junior year – I verbally committed here because I wanted to be a teacher, but I ended being a business major.  I wanted to be far enough away that I could still come back home if I wanted to incase I got homesick,” she said.

The ESU Volleyball team opens the season at the Nebraska-Omaha Showcase on Aug. 28 in Omaha, Neb.  The team’s home debut is Sept. 18 against Missouri Western.

Shepard said she hopes the team’s high level of play will draw more spectators to White Auditorium this season.

“I hope we get a lot of support this year from our fans,” she said. “We’d like to see more of the student body come. That would be nice.”

Shane Wilson/The Bulletin

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PAGE

Newcomer La’Darrian Page, junior physical education major, is no stranger to success on the gridiron. After rushing for 1,254 yards and 14 touchdowns as a freshman for Missouri Western, and rushing for 1,340 yards and 10 touchdowns at Hutchinson Community College, Page said he looks to improve on his numbers as a Hornet.

“He brings great work ethic,” said Gary Manuel, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach. “That’s the reason why he’s been a successful football player at every school he’s been to. At Missouri Western, he was a good football player there.  At Hutchinson Community College, he was Offensive Player of the Year for the Jayhawk Conference.  Everyday he comes ready to work, regardless of how he feels.”

Page was optimistic about the start of the season.

“As long as we start off fast and on the right track, once we get going we should have a pretty successful season,” Page said.

Ben McKaig, sophomore offensive lineman and secondary math education major, said he enjoys throwing blocks for Page and what Page brings to the team.

“He’s got a great personality and is a fun-loving guy,” McKaig said. “As far as on the field, he’s a great player and explosive athlete. He’s fast.”

Page does not believe that mediocrity will be on the team’s agenda.  Page and the rest of the Hornets have set the expectations high for themselves this year.

“Obviously we want to win a conference championship and go deep in the playoffs,” Page said. “We feel like we have a different team than last year.  As far as myself, I want to have a successful season.”

Page is confident he has what it takes to lead not only himself, but his team to victory.

“I want to rush for 1,000 yards and help the team win,” he said.

Although it took some time, Page found his niche at Emporia. The coaches and the school itself played a major role in bringing Page to ESU.

“I felt confident in the coaches. I felt like they would keep their word.  I felt like they were the coolest group of coaches that I visited with,” Page said.

It would also appear that the transformation from a junior college to a Division II school was a walk in the park.

“For the most part, it’s been successful,” he said. “I like Emporia. It’s a great school and a great program.  It’s a notch up from the JUCO level.”

Page, however, is not all business.  He does enjoy kicking back and relaxing when he can.  In his free time, Page enjoys picking up the “sticks” and playing an occasional video game or two.

“I like playing Call of Duty and NBA 2K9,” Page said. “I’m an Xbox guy.”

The Hornets look to improve on last year’s 2-7 MIAA record, along with their 4-7 combined record.

The team opens the season with a home game against the Southwestern Oklahoma State Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Welch Stadium.  Coaches and players said they encourage all students to come out and show their support for the Hornets this season.

Zac Burt/The Bulletin

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Honeycutt

Sophomore long jumper Josh Honeycutt is ranked first in Division II with a jump of 53 feet.

“It is great to know that you’re number one right now is a great feeling,” Honeycutt said. “I still have to compete in nationals but it I feel good right now.”

But for Honeycutt, competing in track and field is more than just a hobby – it’s tradition.

“My grandfather was one of the fastest men alive,” Honeycutt said. “His name was Charlie Tidwell and he holds records at KU and the 100 meter dash at the KU Relays is named after him… I always wanted to be like him. I wanted to be a sprinter but I found out that jumping is my thing so that’s what I am doing.”

Honeycutt is a 20-year-old sophomore recreation major who is also pursuing a minor in coaching.

“I want to be a track coach if I don’t go into professional track,” Honeycutt said. “I just like to help people out and there are a lot of things I can do with a degree in recreation.”

Honeycutt was born in Iola, Kan. where he also attended and graduated high school. Emporia was a welcome change for Honeycutt.

“Emporia is bigger compared to my hometown,” Honeycutt said. “It was great coming from a smaller town to a slightly bigger one. Emporia is just right.”

When Honeycutt first began competing in track and field events at Iola High School, his athletic career was much different than it is now.

“At first they thought I was going to be a sprinter and they wouldn’t even let me jump,” Honeycutt said. “In my sophomore year I tied the school record in the long jump and went to state… I have a lot of league records, stadium records and school records. When I won state during my junior year it was a crazy experience and it was amazing being number one.”

Despite being heavily recruited by Division I colleges, Honeycutt chose to attend Emporia State.

“Track and field programs do not receive a lot of scholarship money and the Division I schools were not offering me that much to attend their schools,” Honeycutt said. “Emporia State was consistent in recruiting me and that was what made me decide to go here.”

Head coach David Harris said that Honeycutt is one of the most talented jumpers on the team, despite the fact that he is only a sophomore.

“He has brought tremendous talent,” Harris said. “He has made very quick improvements from a high school jumper to a really good national class jumper at the college level… He played two sports in high school to one that starts in September and continues through the entire year. He has adjusted to the bigger workload and he has shown that he can handle it well.”

Honeycutt has also developed a connection with his fellow teammates.

“We are friends off the track,” Honeycutt said. “We all hang out, watch television and go to games and I feel we are family.”

Freshman hurdler Vincent Howze said that Honeycutt often inspires him to succeed.

“It is fun to compete with Josh,” Howze said. “He pushes me to compete even though we are in different events and I look up to him. He inspires me because he went to nationals last year. I learned from what he did last year and he sat me down and talked to me about what I need to do to get better.”

And Howze isn’t the only one of Honeycutt’s teammates that admires his competitive drive.

“He is well liked by everybody and he is a good kid,” Harris said. “He is looked up to by the team for both his achievements and just being a good person on our team and that means a lot to me.”

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WEMPE

Sophomore third baseman Kevin Wempe doesn’t have trouble remembering his greatest sports moment.

“My greatest moment would have to be from last year’s team,” Wempe said. “I was a part of the 35 game winning streak.”

But in the sport of baseball, not all moments are great ones.

“You fail a lot on the baseball field,” Wempe said. “It really eats me up when something goes wrong but I just tell myself to make that play next time.”

Wempe is a 21-year-old finance major.

“It is an area that really interests me,” Wempe said. “I believe I can help people in this area.”

Wempe was born in Topeka, Kan. and lived there for most of his life. He attended Hayden High School and then chose to attend Emporia State.

Wempe said that the baseball program and the coaching staff were major factors in his decision to attend ESU.

“I really like playing for coach (Head Coach Bob) Fornelli and they were coming off a World Series appearance,” Wempe said. “I knew I was getting into a good program that was going to win a lot of games.”

Fornelli said that Wempe is big contributor to the team.

“You know what you are going to get out of him every day,” Fornelli said. “He practices hard and he is a leader because of his work ethic.”

Wempe said Fornelli has made adjusting to the college level of play much easier.

“We all love the coaches here,” Wempe said. “They treat us like men and they put us in a good position to win every game.”

His teammates are also an important part of Wempe’s success.

“We have a good group of guys here,” Wempe said. “They work hard every day and they are a good group of guys to be around I could not ask for better teammates.”

Wempe credits his family for his work ethic and desire to excel in the classroom and on the field.

“My father was a college athlete and I learned a lot about work habits from him,” Wempe said. “I have an older brother who played baseball and we spent every day playing in the backyard and I have been playing baseball ever since.”

For Wempe, hard work goes beyond athletics.

“I am a pretty average joe all the way around,” Wempe said. “I try to do the right thing and I work hard at whatever it is that I am doing.”

Matthew Pierce/The Bulletin

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DETROIT (AP) — It’s his program now, the one that Roy Williams loved since he was little, played his heart out for as a young man, but could only admire from a distance for most of his career. Even after he was handed the keys, Williams still didn’t dare believe it would ever belong to anyone but Dean Smith.

A second national championship in four years changed all that. Williams is not just the caretaker anymore. He IS Carolina basketball — no matter how many times he says otherwise.

“Coach,” Williams said, setting down the trophy, and looking straight into the camera to address his mentor, “I hope you’re watching. I hope you’re enjoying it at home.”

And really, what was there not to love?

When the final buzzer went off Monday night to seal North Carolina’s 89-72 win over Michigan State, there were a few flaws you could point to. The Tar Heels shot just 37 percent in the second half. They surrendered the slim rebounding edge they held at halftime, even took their foot off the gas for a stretch late in the game to let the Spartans climb back to within 13 points with just under five minutes left.

But if being the man at Carolina means collecting the most talented players from every corner of the country, bringing them to Chapel Hill, and then grooming them to be at their best in the biggest games, Williams is all that — and more. Plus, he’s getting better at keeping them there.

The team that got clobbered by Kansas in the Final Four only a year ago, like the one that nabbed Williams his first championship in 2005, could have been busted up by NBA dreams. But senior Tyler Hansbrough never wavered in his decision to return. Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green followed suit, convinced their chances of giving themselves a title and Williams his second was a better bet than their prospects as pros. Now, they can have both.

“Hard work pays off,” said Ellington, who scored 17 of his 19 points in the opening period as Carolina effectively put the game out of reach.

Williams learned to work not just hard, but efficiently the moment he set foot on the Carolina campus as a hotshot freshman. Smith ran the most structured practices in basketball, each drill detailed down to the minute and every player, no matter how good, required to perform like cogs in a machine.

Once he became Smith’s assistant, Williams learned how to bring those plans to life. When he struck out on his own at Kansas in 1988, he adapted them to fit his own philosophy, though he never strayed far from his teacher’s principles. The more he succeeded — the Jayhawks reached the Final Four twice in his first five years and twice more after that — the more he acknowledged his debt to Smith.

He wasn’t about to stop Monday night, even though he now has as many as the master himself.

“Somebody told me if I win, I’d be the 13th coach to have more than one,” Williams said. “I have a hard time believing that. …

Roy Williams and Dean Smith don’t fit in the same sentence. I really believe that.”

No matter how hard a selling job Williams was doing, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, a pretty good coach himself, wasn’t sure he was buying.

“Maybe when I watch the film, I’ll realize it was 90 percent Carolina and not 60 like I think,” Izzo said. “If it was 90 percent Carolina, maybe I’ll go fishing or golf or something, and feel good about it.”

When Williams struggled to break his own championship drought, he often told the story of how Smith sweated through seven Final Fours to get his, and how the first thing Smith did afterward was turn to him and say, “I’m not that much better a coach now than I was two and a half hours ago.”

In the closing seconds against Illinois in 2005, Williams walked down the sideline as the final seconds ticked off, adjusting his glasses so he could see the scoreboard for himself. This time, with about a minute left, he started clearing his bench, then pulled a pin off the lapel off his jacket so it wouldn’t get knocked off and lost in the celebration.        Just before walking toward Izzo to shake hands, he folded up the glasses and stuffed them into the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

Maybe he wasn’t a better coach at the end of the game than when he began it, but he was certainly a more comfortable one. Williams will never be Dean Smith, at least not in his own mind, but there’s no question that he’s earned the right to sit on the same throne.

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