Shaun Vandiver | ESU Bulletin

Posts Tagged ‘Shaun Vandiver’

Written by Rocky Robinson
Friday, 16 November 2012 13:08
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Pulling away in the final five minutes of the game, the Emporia State men’s basketball team won their home opener Wednesday night, 74-60, against the Tigers of Central Christian College.

“It was a game of runs. I don’t think we came out and played our best ball,” said Head Coach Shaun Vandiver. “We can’t come on and put it on in two or three minute spurts – you have to come out and turn it on. You got to have long runs to knock people out.”

Kaleb Wright, junior guard and physical education major, led the team in the first half with 14 points, five rebounds and three assists. Chris Sights, senior guard, added five points, four assists and two rebounds to help the Hornets gain a 36-23 lead at the half. The Hornets dominated Central Christian on the board, out-rebounding them 23-10 in the first half.

“Defensively, our guards get caught up in standing around watching the ball, and we forget that we have to help the bigs like the bigs help us,” Wright said.

The second half started off slow with neither team scoring in the first few minutes. Fouls became an issue for the Hornets, racking up four in the first four minutes compared to the Tigers’ one.

Following the Lady Hornets’ 16th home opening win the previous night, the men were able to pull out their 14th home opening win, shooting almost 50 percent from the field. Daniel Shaw, forward and sophomore economics major, added 13 points with three rebounds, making 5-5 from the free throw line.

“We had a game last week and we needed to work on our free throws after that, so we have been doing a lot of free throws,” Shaw said. “We just need to keep working on what we have been doing and work on defensive principals. The defense is what keeps fueling us.”

Wright also made three shots beyond the arc, helping the Hornets finally get a confortable lead in the last five minutes. Wright was player of the game.

“I have to tip my hat to my team – they trusted me with the ball,” Wright said.

The Hornets travel to Monmouth, Ore. this weekend to take on Saint Martins University and Western Oregon State University.

Hornet men fall short to Bearcats

Written by Bulletin Staff
Friday, 27 January 2012 14:41
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Junior guard Chris Sights dribbles down the court during the game against Northwest Missouri State at White Auditorium. The Hornets fell to the Bearcats 45-71 on Sunday. Audrey Millard/The Bulletin

The Emporia State Hornets squared off against the Northwest Bearcats for their 57th time at William L. White Auditorium on Sunday. In a disappointing performance, the Hornets lost to the visiting Bearcats, 71-45.

“Shots did not fall,” said Head Coach Shaun Vandiver. “We need to put this back in the rear view, and get ready for Missouri Western. We need to get in the gym, get some shots up and get our confidence back.”

The Hornets failed to make a field goal for the first four minutes of the game until a two pointer from senior guard Tola Lawal, who ended the game scoring 12 points, the only Hornet to score in double figures. Junior guard Chris Sights followed with two of his own, tying the game.

Emporia fell short early as they could not get defensive stops against the Bearcat offense, giving up many offensive rebounds and second chance points. There was miscommunication on the offensive side for the Hornets as they struggled to capitalize on their offensive possessions.

“We could not hit our shots. Everything counts in the first half,” Lawal said. “We just have to bounce back and work hard.”

Lawal and Sights continued to put points on the board for the Hornets. With a low scoring first half, the Hornets trailed going into the locker room, 27-14.

Junior guard Taylor Euler swished a three pointer to start off the second half. The Hornets struggled to stop Bearcat penetration in the lane. Euler drained another three to pull Emporia within 10 points, 22-32, with 15:15 left in the game.

“We did not come ready to play,” Euler said. “They beat us in every aspect of the game tonight.”

Emporia called a timeout at 7:18, being down to Northwest Missouri 30-53. Lawal drove to the lane multiple times, getting many repetitions at the free throw line. Emporia struggled offensively on getting shots to fall as they fell short to the Bearcats and finished the game with 26.1 percent from the field, the worst of the season.

“We just have to go back to working hard,” Euler said. “We need to be locked in and focused every time we take the floor.”

Chelsie Slaughter

Hornet men disappointed in Turnpike Tussle

Written by Bulletin Staff
Friday, 20 January 2012 17:00
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The men’s basketball team took to the road last Saturday for the 197th edition of the Turnpike Tussle against the Ichabods of Washburn University. The first ever meeting between these two teams occurred in 1905.

But the Hornets struggled on the road as they fell 48-67. Their overall record now stands at 8-7.

“We just did not come locked in and focused,” said Shaun Vandiver. “When you come into an atmosphere like this, and you are not ready to play together as a team and share the ball and do the little things to help you win, this is what happens.”

The Hornets struggled early offensively running the shot clock down on multiple trips down the floor. Defensive pressure was pursued by Emporia as they got back into the game with driving and dishing. A timeout at 9:20 allowed both teams to recover as the score was 15-12, Washburn. Many turnovers occurred for the Hornets allowing the Ichabods 18 points off of turnovers alone.

“I don’t think we took this game as personal as we should have,” junior guard Chris Sights said. “We hung our heads which is something we usually do not do.”

Junior forward Justin Ikhide helped the Hornets with some buckets in the paint. Going into the locker room at half time, the Hornets trailed 33-21.

“They pressed up, caused turnovers, and took over the game,” senior guard Tola Lawal said. “We need to learn from our mistakes.”

To begin the second half Emporia struggled immensely to put the ball in the hoop. A combination of missed opportunities and stout Washburn defense allowed the lead to be stretched. Washburn came into the game leading the league in steals and forced turnovers, which was no surprise to the Hornets.

“We need to focus and lock in from the beginning,” Sights said. “Washburn did a good job defensively. They are the number one team in the league in forcing turnovers and we knew that coming in.”

Vandiver said he was disappointed the Hornets did not put out a better effort to win the game, but the team has to learn from the experience.

“We need to emphasize the team right now and just stick together and we will be fine,” Vandiver said.

Chelsie Slaughter

Wrestlemania 23: Belts, bulging biceps — and big bucks.

The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL) April 1, 2007 Byline: Mark Schlueb Apr. 1–DETROIT — Don Campagna is sitting on a stool in a sports bar a couple of blocks from Ford Field, where Wrestlemania 23 will be held today. He’s trying to explain why he would take a week off from his job with a minor-league hockey team, spend $2,000 on a “platinum” ticket package and travel 550 miles from his home in Albany, N.Y., to watch muscle-bound wrestlers body slam each other in the Motor City. His explanation about fan access and obscure rivalries may be a good one, but it’s hard to follow; the glint from the 10-inch-wide, leather-and-gold-plated souvenir championship belt he’s wearing is distracting. Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: When Wrestlemania 24 comes to Orlando next year, Campagna — and 60,000 or 70,000 other die-hard wrestling fanatics — will be here. “You can expect an awesome spectacle unlike anything Orlando has ever seen,” Campagna said. “I can’t wait. With an outdoor venue at the Citrus Bowl, it’s going to be huge.” It’s no mystery why Orlando’s hospitality industry was excited by the announcement two weeks ago that professional wrestling’s showcase event was coming to town in 2008. If guys like Campagna are willing to shell out big bucks to go to Detroit, a city known for its cold weather, they’ll be plenty eager to empty their wallets in Orlando.

The Central Florida Sports Commission, which persuaded World Wrestling Entertainment to come to Orlando, predicts the event will dump $25 million into the region’s economy. Sports Commission President John Saboor said the impact will be “historic.” “It will quite likely transform our community for the week that it’s here,” he said. “This is a very, very devoted fan base.” Judging by the Wrestlemania fans filling hotels and bars in downtown Detroit in the past week, Saboor has a gift for understatement. There’s William Bawn, for instance. At a pre-Wrestlemania event at a mall Wednesday — part of five days of fan hoopla leading up to the main event — the 24-year-old carpenter decided that getting wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s name spray-painted on his forehead wasn’t quite enough to show his dedication. So he muscled his son’s baby stroller up to the tattoo artist and unbuttoned the boy’s jumper. Until the ink wears off in about a week, 2-month-old Damien’s belly will bear the name “Batista.” (For the uneducated, Batista is the ring name of David Bautista, the world champion who lives in Tampa.) The baby branding triggered a heartwarming sense of nostalgia in Damien’s mom, Nicole O’Brien. “When I was his age, every Sunday, Mom would take my brothers and me and put us in her bed and we’d watch wrestling,” she said wistfully. Wrestling is apparently wildly popular among infants. At another fan event, Melissa Desalliers of Windsor, Ontario, thrust her baby into the arms of wrestler Johnny Nitro, who had just finished talking about his aspiration to one day fight atop scaffolding suspended over a tank of leopard sharks. detroitlionsticketsnow.net detroit lions tickets go to website detroit lions tickets

“Every time wrestling’s on, she’s watching it,” Desalliers said of 4-month-old Marissa. “Half of it’s fake, but I just love it. I cried when Rey Mysterio got hurt — I literally cried.” About 70,000 people will watch Wrestlemania today at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions. Tickets, which sold out, range in price from $30 nosebleeds to $700 seats on the floor near the ring. Many fans paid much more for packages that include their hotel, as well as tickets to the main event and entry to limited-access events such as Saturday’s WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Platinum-ticket holders such as Campagna even get to keep their folding chairs, which, as any fan knows, can easily be used to pummel an opponent.) Tickets have been bought by residents of all 50 states and 23 countries, according to WWE officials. Others will pay $50 to watch the pay-per-view broadcast. Many Detroit hotels are booked solid. Matt Jones, marketing director for the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center, said that on a typical March night, hotel occupancy would stand at about 40 percent. Now it’s sold out.

“We expect guests from all parts of the globe. There’s a following in Japan and Europe,” said Jones, who added there had not yet been any folding-chair brawls among guests. It’s big money, but it’s a far cry from the Disney-style family entertainment found at Central Florida theme parks. The WWE melds professional sports with soap opera, complete with complex story lines that inspire fierce fan loyalty.

At today’s Wrestlemania, wrestlers representing Donald Trump and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will face off in what is billed as the Battle of the Billionaires, with the losing rich guy getting his head shaved. That kind of drama is hard to imagine in any other sport; Magic fans aren’t likely to see team owner Rich DeVos in a slap-fest anytime soon.

Still, WWE reported $415.3 million in revenue last year and has built a massive fan base in part by routinely making its stars available for autographs, usually for much longer than pro athletes from other sports. And fans seem to be everywhere. For days, Detroit hotels and restaurants have been awash in WWE loyalists, easily identifiable by their black T-shirts, autograph books and replica championship belts.

Even Mayor Buddy Dyer was reportedly giddy to meet with McMahon at WWE headquarters last fall when he made the pitch for Orlando. Of course, a few years ago, Dyer left a news conference announcing his own candidacy to go hog hunting. “It’s almost like magic,” said Michael Harvey, trying to explain the allure of pro wrestling. “They’re like superheroes, like cartoons come to life. People think it’s lower class, but I’ve seen a range of ethnicities and classes. When you’re by the water cooler, nobody wants to admit it.” Harvey, a 29-year-old child-support enforcement worker from Kansas City, Mo., took a week off and paid more than $1,600 to go to Detroit with his mother. “Our fans are passionate,” said Carl DeMarco, president of WWE Canada. “They live, breathe and sleep WWE, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.” And next year, they’re going to bring that passion to Orlando. Along with a bunch of big, shiny championship belts. Mark Schlueb can be reached at mschlueb@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5417.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.

He’s Got Game: Sports lover won’t let wheelchair hold him back

Written by Bulletin Staff
Monday, 12 December 2011 17:21
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Freshman history major Ace Finch keeps track of stats during ESU’s home game Saturday evening in White Auditorium. Finch was excited as men’s basketball team was victorious against the Central Missouri Mules, winning 74-72. Julie Thephachan/The Bulletin

Never missing a KU basketball game, Ace Finch, freshman history major, parks his wheel chair in the lobby, the only place that has cable TV in his dorm.

From the small town of Council Grove, Finch dreams of following in the footsteps of his father, Daryl Finch, who teaches science and coaches football and basketball at Council Grove High School.

“He is the type of kid that doesn’t like being told he can’t do something,” Daryl said. “I remember how angry he was at me when I wouldn’t let him play football. Like any parent, you only want the best for your child and going off to college has always been his goal, and unlike football, college was in his physical ability.”

Finch said that coaching basketball and teaching history at the high school or college level would be his dream job, “since playing is out of the question.”

Born with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that affects body movement and muscle coordination, Finch is limited to a wheel chair, which he uses to get around campus, and a walker he uses when he is in the dorms.

Finch could never play sports, but he said he has always done his best to stay active. Since sports were such a large part of his life during high school, taking stats for the football and basketball teams and running the 100 meter dash and throwing discus, Finch said that getting involved in ESU athletics was a major priority for him. This inspired him to contact head basketball coach Shaun Vandiver.

“I enjoy stat taking and that is what I do for the basketball team here,” Finch said. “It is what I have always done, besides running my mouth to officials during the games. I do what I can help out.”

Not being able to travel with the team upsets him, but Vandiver said that by next year arrangements will be made for him to attend away games.

“I enjoy it because it’s a challenge for me to keep up,” Finch said. “I had never been to an Emporia State basketball game before, and then here I am taking stats.”

Finch said that the teams both in high school and in college have made him feel like such a part of the team that not being able to play has never bothered him too much.

“There have always been times that I wish I could play, but the times when we are down by 30 points, I feel bad for the guys that are stuck on the field,” Finch said. “I have always known my role on the team – keep kids positive and take my stats.”

With only the help of his stepsister, Taylor Morgan, who is also a freshman at ESU, Ace now lives independently in the Towers Residence Hall. Morgan helps him put his shoes on in the morning and does his laundry for him, a job that Finch pays her $50 a month to do.

“Not adapting well was what I worried about most,” Finch said. “It wasn’t really the school work or not making friends because I knew I was going to do that – it was all the physical challenges. The first night I got here, it was hard. It took me like two hours to take a shower because the seat in the shower was higher than anything I have ever used before.”

Finch said he wanted to have the real college experience, and this motivated him to join the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity. Finch’s residential assistant, Jordan Yulich, junior elementary education major, is also a member and encouraged him to join.

“I think Ace is the reason the floor is so close,” Yulich said. “During the first few days they seemed to bond around him, doing the little things like pushing him to lunch. I wasn’t told I was going to have a resident with a disability, but the only thing that worried me was coming up with programs he could participate in.”

Being in a wheel chair did not stop residential life from putting him on the fifth floor of the Towers. Finch said the only thing that he worries about is both elevators malfunctioning. In the case of a fire, Finch is supposed to wait in the stairwell for firemen to come get him.

“For the most part, the campus is handicap accessible,” Finch said. “I know if I do need anything, all I have to do is ask. No one is going to turn me down because they would feel like a jerk. I want to try to maintain my independence, but for some reason my wheel chair battery always dies whenever a cute girl walks by.”

Rocky Robinson/The Bulletin

Vandiver dives in as new Hornet coach

Written by Bulletin Staff
Thursday, 14 April 2011 09:18
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Shaun Vandiver expresses his excitement about being named the new head coach of the Emporia State men’s basketball team Monday afternoon at the Sauder Alumni Center. Vandiver said that he has ties to Kansas and is glad to be back once again. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

Three weeks after former Head Coach David Moe’s resignation, Emporia State named former Boise State assistant coach

Shaun Vandiver as the Hornet head men’s basketball coach.

“I’m very excited to be coming back to Kansas as the head coach at Emporia State,” said Vandiver. “This is a state with some great memories for me – I met my wife here, our first child was born in Kansas, and I was part of a national championship team at Hutch.”

For the ESU basketball program, Vandiver brings a resume that includes six years of professional basketball overseas in Italy and Spain as well as a 1991 first round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors.

Originally from Bolingbrook, Ill., Vandiver attended Hutchinson Community College leading them to the 1988 NJCAA National Championship before transferring to the University of Colorado where he was the 1989 Big Eight Newcomer of the year as well as a two-time First Team All-Big Eight selection.

After his days at Colorado, Vandiver was selected 25^th overall by the Golden State Warriors before playing six years of professional ball in Europe.

He has been in the coaching profession for the past ten years working as an assistant coach for Division I programs such as the University of Wyoming and most recently Boise State University.

ESU Director of Athletics Kent Weiser noted that after a plethora of applicants for the job, the Hornets found what they were looking for in Vandiver.

“I think the thing that made him stand apart was the personal experience he had playing basketball at such a high level, and the fact that he made his living with that,” said Director of Athletics Kent Weiser. “I’m just very anxious to see him bring those lessons to the college game today.”

From the start, it was clear that recruiting the right type of student-athletes would be a focus of Vandiver’s future at ESU.

“In my mind there’s nothing like going out and going into young men’s homes and recruiting and connecting with them, and convincing them to come all the way out to Emporia, Kansas and see them have success, see them graduate and win,” Vandiver said.

Along with recruiting comes hard work for the current Hornets. Vandiver said that they should be prepared to work hard for the upcoming season.

“You guys are with me,” Vandiver said to the current Hornets. “We’re going to work. We’re going to get after it, and win some games and try to bring a title.”

One of those current Hornets, sophomore Taylor Euler, commented on his excitement for the upcoming seasons with the former first round draft pick.

“Anytime you can play for a guy with that experience, that has been around basketball like he has – he’s seen a different kind of basketball than I’ve ever seen,” Euler said. “He’s been a part of it, so you can tell he knows what he’s talking about.”

Despite taking over a team that loses a number of players, Vandiver is ready to start work as a recruiter.

“It is a mixed blessing,” Vandiver said of inheriting a team that loses eight seniors. “But, at the same time, it’s a challenge we’re ready to take.”

Brandon Schneeberger