Rev. Richard “Dickie” Knight is the Marion District Superintendent for the South Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. He and his wife, Brenda, have three children and seven grandchildren.

1976

James S. Allen was appointed chaplain of the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department in Water Valley, Miss., in January 2009. He sends greetings to his former class mates and would like to hear from his friends. His e-mail is jimallen@ms.metrocast.net.

1978

Dr. Vashti K. Washington is the new superintendent of the Jasper County School District. Previously, she was an associate superintendent of the Charleston County School District.

1980

Rev. Bobby Byrd is the transitional pastor at South Hartsville Baptist Church. He is employed by the S.C. Employment Security Commission in Marion.

1981

Virginia Kirkland Hammond is the new minister of music at Elko Baptist Church. She is also a kindergarten teacher for the Aiken County School District.

1985

Tony Fountain has been appointed to the national Commission on Ethics in Aging Services to serve a three-year term. Tony writes, “The Commission identifies, analyzes and provides education for nonprofit providers and their affiliates as directly related to public policy and ethical implications surrounding the senior adult population and those nonprofit providers who offer related services across the country.” Tony is the president/CEO of Westminster Towers Senior Living Services in Rock Hill. Additionally, he is an International Accreditation Surveyor with the Continuing Care Accreditation Commission in Washington, D.C., is an instructor with Duke University’s Nonprofit Management Program, is chair-elect for the Board of Directors of Aging Services of South Carolina, is a House of Delegates board member for the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, and is on the CSU Board of Visitors and Alumni Board.

1997

Melissa Crowley Dean was named a distinguished education for the 2010 Trinity Prize for Excellence in Teaching, representing the Schertz-Cibolo Universal City Independent School District and John A. Sippel Elementary School. Melissa received a $1,500 cash prize, a certificate from the mayor of San Antonio and a Tiffany & Co. Crystal Apple Award from Trinity University. She is a fourth grade teacher at Sippel Elementary, where she was selected as its first teacher of the year in 2009.

2001

David Cobden writes, “The past 10 years have been somewhat of a whirlwind and have absolutely flown by. Immediately after graduating from CSU, I continued my education at Georgetown and Dartmouth, earning master’s degrees in biotechnology and public health economics. Thereafter, I began working in the pharmaceutical industry and am currently based in upstate New York covering a wide region of the eastern U.S. as a health economist working with large insurance companies. I’ve also been working toward completing a PhD in health policy and economics, which Lord willing, I’ll be able to complete sometime later this year. The Lord has been so unbelievably merciful and faithful to me and my family, it just leaves me in awe. I hope everyone from my class is doing well; unfortunately, I haven’t kept in touch as often as I ought, but look forward to remedying that – check me out on Facebook if you’ve got it.”

2002

Crissy S. Dillahey graduated from The Citadel Graduate College May 9 with a master’s degree in elementary administration and educational leadership. She is the communications and technology teacher at Chicora School of Communications in North Charleston.

Lili Gresham was named to the Charleston Regional Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 for leadership in business and community involvement. She is director of corporate relations and planned giving at Charleston Southern and is the daughter of Faye Breland Gresham ’73. Pictured with Lili, center, are Virginia Williamson ’99, ’06 MBA, and Juliana Londono Johnson ’08 MBA.

2004

Proud parents, Samantha Dyal and her husband, Buck, announce the birth of their third little blessing, Bradley Asher Dyal, born Oct. 28, 2009.

Kate Hayden Jackson, MEd ’05, and her husband, Eric, welcomed their first child, Kayden Grace Jackson, on Feb. 8. She weighed 6 lbs., 3 oz. They live in Brunswick, Ga.

Kristen Elizabeth Ward and Dustin Robert DeGoursey were married March 6 on Sullivan’s Island. She is an account executive with Amedisys Home Health. They live in Lexington.

2005

Charly Elizabeth Moore and Kevin Mitchell Pryor were married March 27 in Florence. He is employed by AT&T, and they live in Florence.

2006

Yonnick Hammond was recently featured in Roll Call as a new staffer with Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.). Hammond’s duties are covering health care, housing, small business and Social Security.

Casey Jean Locklear and Joseph Christopher Heard were married Feb. 20. Casey writes, “I am currently working as a Spanish/English bilingual accounts receivable representative for Synter Resource Group in North Charleston. My husband (a 2004 Clemson grad) is a systems engineer for ARINC, also in North Charleston. We are living in West Ashley and are expecting our first child at the end of September.

SuQuesta Williams and Tsgt. Monte Dixon were married April 10 in North Charleston. She is employed by the S.C. Commission for the Blind, and they live in North Charleston.

2007

Kathryn Leigh Beaty and Kevin Brooks Meetze were married April 3 in Rock Hill. She is a teacher at Eastover Elementary School in Charlotte, and they live in Huntersville, N.C.

Julie Lane Gunnin and David Goodwin Kopp Jr. were married April 17 in Marion. She is women’s director of mobilization for Campus Outreach Ministries. They live in Charleston.

2008

Katharine “Katie” Baxley and Anthony Pieretti Jr. ’09 were married Dec. 12, 2009, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Charleston. Anthony writes, “We are both graduate students. Katie is a master of arts in teaching early childhood education student at the College of Charleston, and I am a master of arts in teaching social studies student at The Citadel.”

Heather Kuehl recently had her second paranormal title released with Eternal Press, Promises to Keep. She writes, “…first release, Fade to Black, reached #1 on Fictionwise.com’s bestseller list for fantasy eBooks and has been praised as ‘one kick butt action-adventure ride from start to finish’ by Dark Diva Reviews. Fade to Black’s sequel, Malevolent Dead, is due out later this year.” For more about her books, visit www.heatherkuehl.com.

Kathleen Love, MS in criminal justice, has been promoted to sergeant with the North Charleston Police Department.

Kristina Nicole Steen and Bryan Gregory Sadler were married Oct. 9, 2009, at Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner. Bryan is a police officer with the North Charleston Police Department, and his wife is a medical assistant at Doctor’s Care in North Charleston.

2009

Navy Seaman Johann L. Dinoso, MBA, completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.

Christin Elizabeth Donnelly and Edwin Wilson Rogers III were married March 20 in North Charleston. She is employed by Berkeley County School District, and they live in Goose Creek.

2010

Jessica Lynn Wood and Randall Roscoe Carter Jr. were married May 1 in North Charleston. She is employed at Charleston Southern and is pursuing an MBA. He is employed by Berkeley County School District and is also self-employed. They live in Charleston.

The traditional kickoff to Homecoming Weekend, the 5k Fun Run and Walk, will commence on Thursday, Oct. 21, and Homecoming festivities will continue on through campus worship on Sunday, Oct. 24.

The Alumni Association is proud to be working with the Horton School of Music to plan a reunion concert for former choir members who were directed by the late Dr. David Cuttino. With two rehearsals and the concert planned, there will be many opportunities for choir alumni to reconnect.

For nonchoir alumni, there will be plenty of other events to keep you and your family busy. Events like the President’s Cup Golf Tournament, Fall Fest, the Alumni Tailgate party and Buccaneer Football will provide great opportunities to visit with classmates, professors and staff members from your time at Charleston Southern. Stay up-to-date on all Alumni and Homecoming events by logging onto www.charlestonsouthern.edu/alumni, or visit the CSU Alumni Association page on Facebook.

Thursday, October 21

5K Fun Run/Walk, 7:15 p.m., Field House Lawn
Alumni, students, faculty and staff are invited to join the 2010 5K Fun Run and Walk. This is the traditional kickoff to Homecoming Weekend. T-Shirts will be provided for student runners, and winners will be announced in various categories.

Elevate @ 8, Field House Lawn
Join Elevate, the weekly campus worship service, for a wonderful time of worship with our students and the Elevate Praise Band.

3rd Annual Fall Fest, 9 p.m., Field House Lawn
There will be plenty of games, food and music for the entire family as well as a pep rally to get us ready for the Homecoming football game. Beat VMI!

Friday, October 22

23rd Annual President’s Cup Golf Tournament, Noon, Crowfield Golf and Country Club
Alumni and friends are invited to join us for an afternoon of fun and fellowship at the 23rd annual President’s Cup Golf Tournament. The format is captain’s choice, and golfers will be arranged in teams of four. Register a team of four for $350, or golfers may register individually for $100. There will be prizes for the top three teams, longest drive, closest to the pin and more. An awards banquet will be held at the conclusion of the tournament, and nongolfers may attend the banquet for $10 each. Contact David Weiss at dweiss@csuniv.edu or at 843-863-7516 for more information on registering a team or becoming a hole sponsor!

Cuttino Choir Reunion Welcome Reception and First Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m., Charleston Room
The Reunion group will be gathering on Friday evening for a reception in the Charleston Room followed by a short rehearsal. Please visit www.charlestonsouthern.edu/alumni for the latest information on the Cuttino Choir Reunion or e-mail cuttinoreunion@gmail.com.

Saturday, October 23

Alumni Association Annual Meeting, 9:30 a.m., Science Building
Alumni are encouraged to attend the CSUAA annual meeting. Alumni Board members, Alumni Association officers, and University administrators will be on hand to answer your questions. Also at this meeting, new board members will be elected. Light refreshments will be served.

Cuttino Choir Reunion Rehearsal, 10 a.m., Lightsey Chapel Auditorium
This will be the second and final rehearsal for the Cuttino Choir Reunion.

Campus Tours, 10:45 a.m., alumni tent near football stadium
How much has the campus changed since your graduation? You may be surprised at how different your alma mater looks now! Alumni are invited to join our student tour guides for a first-hand look at the new buildings and campus improvements. Tours will originate at the alumni tent near the football stadium.

Alumni Tailgate Lunch, 11 a.m., Alumni Tent
Join us at the big tent for a wonderful time of fun, food and fellowship. Lunch tickets are available for $7 each. Register at the alumni table for a free Homecoming T-shirt, while supplies last.

Department of Criminal Justice Reunion, 11 a.m., Alumni Tent
All bachelor’s and master’s criminal justice alumni are encouraged to stop by the criminal justice table during lunch. Faculty as well as current students will be on hand and would love to see you.

Buc Walk/Homecoming Parade 2010, Noon, Alumni Tent
Enjoy the floats and displays from campus clubs and organizations, the ROTC cadets, cheerleaders and the Marching Bucs. Representatives from the Homecoming court will also be participating, along with President Hunter and First Lady Sissy Hunter. Parade will be visible from the alumni tent.

Football vs. VMI, 1:30 p.m., CSU Stadium
Watch as the Buccaneers take on Big South Conference opponent VMI at CSU Stadium. General admission tickets are available for $10 each. Watch your mailbox for the Homecoming Brochure to pre-order football and lunch tickets.

Cuttino Choir Reunion Concert, 7:30 p.m., Lightsey Chapel Auditorium
Dr. David Cuttino’s influence on the choral program will be recognized and his memory celebrated throughout this event. Please join us for a wonderful concert, followed by a reception with light refreshments in the Charleston Room.

Sunday, October 24

Campus Worship, 11 a.m., Lightsey Chapel Auditorium
Join our students and Summit Church for campus worship.

There are more events to come! Please be sure to visit www.charlestonsouthern.edu/alumni for the most up-to-date event listings.

For more information about the Cuttino Choir Reunion, e-mail the committee at cuttinoreunion@gmail.com. Don’t forget to join the facebook group, Baptist College At Charleston Concert Choir Alumni

“The Alumni Board is pleased to be able to honor these outstanding alumni,” said Association President Aaron Dunn ’82. “These four graduates are shining examples of how to take Christ into our community.” 

Distinguished Alumnus of the Year: O.L. Thompson ’70

The Alumni Association is proud to honor O.L. Thompson’s record of business success, community involvement, and service to the University by naming him the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year. Finding an open date in Thompson’s calendar might take a while….but that’s just how he likes it. Thompson, the winner of the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award, serves as the CEO of O.L. Thompson Construction, Thompson Trucking and Wando Concrete. He also is chairman of Santee Cooper, vice chairman of the Palmetto Economic Development Corporation, a member of the Coordinating Council for the S.C. Department of Commerce, on the boards of the Trident CEO Council, and the Southeastern Wildlife Expo and a member of the CSU Board of Visitors. Thompson has been involved in such high profile projects as the Arthur Ravenel Bridge, Google Berkeley County, Boeing, and Nucor.

Since graduating 40 years ago, Thompson has been heavily involved in the Charleston community. He has worked with the Windward Farm for Boys, the Roper/St. Francis Foundation, the S.C. Trucking Association, , and the Charleston Subcontractors Association. He has also found time to stay involved as an elder at Yeaman’s Park Presbyterian Church and as a coach in the Hanahan Recreation System. However, his proudest title is that of husband, father and grandfather. He and his wife, Toni, have three children and four grandchildren.

University Mission Award: Jan Mims ’82

As a longtime CSU employee and a member of the Class of 1982, you would be hard pressed to find someone more dedicated to the University. During her 17 years as an employee, Jan Mims has held many positions within the business office, currently serving as the associate vice president for business affairs. Over the years, she has logged many 12-plus hour days and has gone above and beyond her duties, helping steer her office through both good times and the more difficult times. Her humble and honest spirit is constant and displayed in her work, family and church life.

Mims is a wonderful ambassador for CSU both in her church and in the local community.

Alumnus Community Service Award: Bob Gray ’70

When you think of the Shriners organization in the Myrtle Beach area, you think Bob Gray. A member of the Class of 1970, Gray is an accomplished businessman and involved member of the Grand Strand community. He is the president and owner of Sunco Swimming Pool Company. He and his late wife, April, have four children and seven grandchildren.

Gray has served as president of the Myrtle Beach Jaycees, as a Paul Harris Fellow on the Myrtle Beach Rotary, as a member of CSU’s Board of Visitors and has served as the official tree-lighting Santa Claus for the City of Myrtle Beach. His main area of community involvement is through the Shriners organization. He is a Master Mason at the Seaside Masonic Lodge #419, a York Rite and lifetime Scottish Rite Mason, past president of the Myrtle Beach Shrine Club, past director and past president, Omar Shriners of Coastal S.C., and past president of the South Atlantic Shrine Association.

Young Alumnus of the Year: Dr. Tony Owens ’02

Humble may not have been how a teenage Tony Owens would have been described, but as a medical professional, his humble demeanor is one of the first things you will notice. During his youth, Owens became involved in drugs and alcohol, and this led to his incarceration at a juvenile facility in Columbia at the age of 15. Around this time, God began working in Owen’s life and changed his heart, leading to a recommitment of his life to Christ. Tony felt a call to join the medical field and attended medical school at MUSC. He is finishing his residency in anesthesiology at the University of Tennessee in 2010, and will be attending a fellowship in pain management at Wake Forest University after completion of his residency. Owens hopes to return to Charleston after the fellowship along with his wife and three kids, and they hope to start an orphanage in the Charleston area through a local church.

The 5K run/walk was Snipes’ idea after she found out her brother, David, serving in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, did not have the basic needs for survival. Snipes said the conditions they are living in are dangerous and unhealthy. Her cousin, Josh, who has been in Afghanistan since August, has gone months without a bath. The troops are using limited supplies of baby wipes and bottled water to clean themselves. At night, temperatures drop below freezing, and many of the troops are wet from the waist down.

“I was in Afghanistan myself, I know what the conditions are like,” said CSU senior Hadder Rendon. “You are always on the move. It is so dangerous it is difficult to get supplies.”

Snipes knew she had to do something to help. Through friends on campus, family and the local community, she organized the event using Facebook.

Dr. Michael Bryant, a professor in the religion department, who teaches Snipes’s New Testament Survey class and participated in the race said, “I want to support and encourage the work Chelsie is doing in any way possible. We are proud of what she has done here.”

The event raised supplies for care packages to be sent to the troops. Those who participated dropped off boxes of food, bottled water and folders of letters and photos drawn by students from Harvest Baptist Temple Elementary School in Medford, Oregon.

Will, a first grade student at Harvest Baptist Temple wrote:

Dear Marine,

I hope you stay safe. I pray for you. Thank you for all you do. – Will

Another student, Levi, wrote:

Dear Marine,

Thank you for keeping our country safe. I hope you have a good time in the Marines. I’ll be praying for you. — Levi

Four-year old Joshua drew a picture of a Marine in green and brown crayon to thank the troops. All the letters and pictures were packed in the supply boxes and sent to U.S. troops. The support from the supplies generated from Run for your Freedom will go a long way in the deserts of Afghanistan.

Just make a call anywhere on campus and ask. Debbie Williamson, vice president of enrollment, described Collins as “the person you often wish you could be.”

Walk the hall and strike up a conversation with an employee. “Karen’s service as an employee at CSU is truly admirable,” said Rex Nestor, assistant to the vice president of academic affairs. “Year after year she exceeds expectations. Her tenacious spirit and Christian perspective make her a pleasure to be around.”

Or, send an e-mail to a former coworker. Ken Gerlinger, sports information director from 1997-2000, wrote, “Karen was the person in the athletic department that everyone went to with everything. She was the person who could get things done. What made her so special to all of us was that she did it all while maintaining her humor and positive attitude. There was a lot on her shoulders, but she handled it with grace.”

This is the kind of thing that happens when you spend 16 years in one place. In fact, her reputation has earned her the Distinguished Service Award for her service to the University.

“I would not be where I am today as a person if not for Karen Collins,” said Hans Olsen, former CSU coach and current head women’s tennis coach at North Carolina State University. “She taught me about leadership. She taught me about mentoring and teaching young people. She taught me about how to work hard that one extra degree and how much of a difference that would make. Karen is a leader by the example that she sets each day.”

“Karen is always thinking about and doing for others,” adds Williamson. “It is a part of who she is as a person.”

Prior to coming to CSU, Collins worked for 12 years at College Park Elementary as a teaching assistant. Then, in 1994, she accepted a position in the admissions office at CSU. After one year she transferred to the athletic department, where she spent the next 10 years, where she earned the nickname “I’ll take care of that!” The phrase speaks for itself. One could count on a single hand the responsibilities Collins didn’t take care of.

“She has a servant’s heart and she will never stop giving to everyone around her,” said women’s volleyball coach Danyel Bellush. “Her entire life she has taken care of everyone IN her life. It is simply the way God programmed her … to serve. She serves CSU with such grace and loyalty that she sets the bar high for all of us.”

“She often sends the special card when you least expect receiving one,” said Williamson. “She sends the e-mail, or leaves a voice mail, when she knows you need a word of encouragement.”

When Collins started at Charleston Southern, Bellush was a senior student, who became head coach for women’s volleyball. Collins is godmother to her children.

“Karen is a beautiful mother, wife, colleague and friend that is a blessing to everyone she encounters,” added Bellush. “If you need something in a pinch, call her. If you need someone to talk to, call her. When you need someone to let you know they care about you, she’ll call you!”

That’s the reputation that earned her the Employee of the Year Award at CSU in 1997-98. In 2008-09, she was given the Distinguished Service Award from the CSU football staff (the first CSU employee to win the award).

“Karen reaches out and serves others with incredible care and compassion,” said Williamson. “It might be the student-athlete who has car trouble and doesn’t have the money to repair it, the work-study student who lost a parent, military families whose family member is deployed, a friend who has lost a loved one or someone she doesn’t even know but heard their parents didn’t have the money to buy Christmas presents.”

“Karen is a wonderful Christian woman with a heart of gold and strong faith in God,” said Nestor.

Collins has worked in the advancement office since 2005. Karen and Ed Collins have been married for 35 years. The couple has one son, Adam, who graduated from CSU in 1998 with a degree in history. He earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from IUP. He is the assistant athletic director and women’s basketball coach at the University of Texas Permian Basin. The Collins have two grandchildren.

The North Charleston police and CSU security have a long history of working together to provide a safe campus environment. “I am very proud of the partnership we enjoy with the North Charleston Police Department and the city of North Charleston. They have helped us in many areas such as training, emergency response and many routine matters,” said Little. “The donation of these vehicles is just another step in maintaining a wonderful professional relationship between departments dedicated to protecting the community.”

Captain Wayne Brown, with CSU, worked closely with Assistant Chief Butch Barfield of North Charleston to coordinate the donation effort. After receiving approval from the North Charleston finance committee and city council, the vehicles made their way to the campus. After a paint job, some minor mechanical repairs and a good cleaning by Kappa Phi Chi fraternity, the vehicles were branded, decaled and ready for action.

“We are proud to work with Charleston Southern; you are a real asset to the greater Charleston area and the state of South Carolina,” said Summey, a 1969 CSU alum.

Prior to his arrival at CSU, Baggs served as the assistant vice president for advancement at Cleveland State University in Ohio. He led the university’s efforts in advancement services, alumni relations, annual giving, development marketing and communications and corporate and foundation engagement.

“I look forward to joining the Charleston Southern University community and helping to strengthen the connections between the University and its alumni, friends and the greater Charleston region,” said Baggs. “CSU is an excellent university with strong potential for growing its development and alumni programs. I welcome this new challenge.”

Baggs began his fundraising career as the director of capital campaigns at Asbury College in Kentucky. He was later promoted to director of development. During his tenure Baggs facilitated the largest pledge in the college’s history.

Baggs also served as the regional director for major gifts at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Baggs served as the vice president of institutional advancement at Lake Erie College, where he played an instrumental role in the fundraising efforts that resulted in major campus renovations and a significant increase in giving.

“David has a wealth of development experience in both private and public higher education,” said President Jairy C. Hunter. “David’s commitment to Christian higher education will be invaluable to the university’s growth and vision.”

In 1990, Baggs graduated with a bachelor of science in education from Asbury College. He later earned his master of education in higher education administration at the University of Arkansas. While at William & Mary he also attended the National Planned Giving Institute. He is married to Kim, and they have two children, Aubrey and Camden.

The Buccaneers (17-4, 7-0 Big South) started the season on an 11-game win streak, which included 4-3 victories over No. 66 University of North Carolina Greensboro and No. 59 Winthrop University.

The Big South victory over the Eagles was the first time WU fell in a regular-season league duel since 2001. 

“Traveling to Winthrop and beating them on their home court was a great moment in our tennis history because they’ve been so dominant over the years,” head coach Mike Baker said. “There was great energy during the match and everybody was so excited afterwards. It was one of those moments of the year that was great for Charleston Southern tennis.”

After losing its first match of the season and defeating Coastal Carolina University 4-3, Charleston Southern rattled off four-consecutive 7-0 shutout wins. Two of those wins came against Radford University and Presbyterian College, wrapping up the regular-season championship for the Buccaneers.

CSU blanked the Highlanders in the conference tournament before falling 4-0 to Winthrop in the Big South Championship match. This was the second-straight year Charleston Southern advanced to the tournament finale before being ousted by the Eagles.

The Buccaneers climbed as high as No. 58 in the national rankings during the 11-game win streak, which was the highest during the Mike Baker era. Baker guided CSU to an unblemished regular-season conference record and was named the Big South Coach of the Year for the second time of his career.

“Winning the conference regular-season title was big for our program,” Baker said. “We had a really good season this year, and we’re just going to keep moving forward and hopefully win the conference tournament next year.”

Olga Makhova went 7-0 in league play during the regular season and was named the Big South Player of the Year for the second-consecutive year. The rising junior finished the season with an 18-2 record at No. 1 singles. She won the No. 1 singles flight championship and was named First-Team All-Conference.

Joining her on the All-Conference First Team was Andrea Schutte. Schutte finished the season 14-4, playing most of the 2010 campaign at No. 2 singles.

The Buccaneers claimed a Big South-best three of six singles flight championships, highlighted by Makhova at No. 1. Rising senior Brooke Pletcher was 7-0 in singles action during league play and was named the No. 4 flight champion. Fellow rising senior Angie Torres was named the No. 6 flight champion after posting a 5-0 mark in conference play.

“We have great depth on our team, and all the girls work really hard,” Baker said. “It tells you how good we are to have the player of the year two years in a row and also have three flight champions. It just shows that the girls are getting better each year that they are here.”

The doubles teams of Schutte/Torres and Pletcher/Susita Das both led the Buccaneers with identical 13-6 records.

Schutte is the only Buccaneer not returning for the 2011 season, and expectations will be high for Charleston Southern as the team heads into next year.

Rising junior Marija Dzakovic returns after posting a 15-6 mark in singles action. Rising sophomores Das and Andrea Gonzalez will also be called upon to add experience and depth on the roster.

In each of his first two years, Winkler has created a team motto heading into the season.  The 2010 motto: “Why not us? Why not now?”  The slogan turned out to be more than just words to this group of Buccaneers, who posted the most wins the program has seen since 1993.  

“I’m very proud of this year’s team and what they accomplished,” reflected Winkler.  “Only about one-third of the country has a shot at 30 wins, so that says a lot about this group of players.”

If there is one common theme in all sports, it’s that winning breeds winning.  Getting over the elusive .500 mark can be a struggle for some teams, as it has been for CSU softball for nearly a decade.  But the 2010 Bucs managed to break the seal with a winning season and now have no plans of looking back.  

“We took another big step forward by posting the first winning season since 2001 and that is only going to help with recruiting future players,” said Winkler.  “For the past two years we have sold the idea of being a part of a winning program, and now we have established that we are a winning program and only look to get better.”

CSU capped off the regular season with a five game winning streak, the longest win streak in the Winkler era.  The Bucs also posted some impressive individual wins on the season, with a 9-4 victory over No. 15 ranked Louisville and a 6-0 win vs. Virginia Tech.  CSU faced off with crosstown rivals College of Charleston six times on the year, taking five out of six wins vs. the SoCon member.  

These wins helped the Bucs to tally 56 wins over the past two seasons, compared to 33 wins in the two years before that.  Now the goal for this team has changed from being a Big South competitor, to a Big South contender.  
 
“We are all proud of what we’ve accomplished over the past two seasons,” said Winkler.  “The goal is going to remain winning a Big South Championship and making it into the NCAA Tournament.”

The Bucs didn’t get to a 30-win season by accident; they got there by hitting the cover off the ball, while breaking nearly every major team and individual batting record.  Megan Lombard broke individual season records for at bats, runs scored and total bases.  Jana Matthews chipped in with an outstanding freshman season, breaking the single season homerun record.  More of Matthews’ accomplishments are featured in the story: Matthews Makes the Most of Her Freshman Campaign at csusports.com
 
As a team, CSU set new program marks for homeruns, total hits, slugging percentage and total bases.  To sum it up, the Bucs broke so many records this year that there was a new record book created for them. 

Also contributing to the successful year were two seniors who stepped into leadership roles for the season.  Megan Hall capped off one of the best careers in CSU history by leading the team with a .369 batting average.  Hall finished her storied career as the all-time leader in runs scored, while finishing second in total hits, walks, on-base percentage and total bases. 

Caitlin Allen also had a career year as a senior, tallying a 7-3 record in the circle to go along with a pair of saves.  She finished her career tied for first in both single season and career saves.  Allen also was named Big South Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the first CSU softball player to receive the award.

“Our seniors were a very big part of our success this season,” added Winkler.  “They did a great job of leading our team both on and off the field as both Megan and Caitlin were great players and great students.  We are going to miss their contributions, but it is nice to only have to replace two seniors compared to six a year ago.  The experience that our young kids received will only help us as we move forward.

“I expect 2011 to be a very big year for Charleston Southern softball,” said Winkler.  “We will have an experienced team as well as many new faces that will come in and contribute immediately.  We will have competition at every position, which is only going to make everyone better as we will once again play a very challenging schedule.”

The new music and worship leadership major starting this fall will prepare worship leaders for current trends in worship and equip them with the tools to handle future change. “We want to prepare our graduates to facilitate an environment for worship. We also want to make their jobs easier by providing knowledge of the wide range of tools and techniques available for their use,” said Dr. Jim Colman, vice president for academic affairs.

The degree includes three core areas of emphasis: music, worship and Christian studies. The modern worship leader needs a solid musical foundation to lead worship teams, direct choirs and to create new music for worship. Vocal instruction will focus on establishing healthy technique while singing in a modern style. In addition, students choose either keyboard or guitar study to complement their voice training.

In the worship studies core, students will explore the rich heritage of music in worship and develop strategies for meeting the worship needs of multigenerational churches. Classes in worship technology, commercial music theory and arranging are included. An internship with a local church and a senior worship project will confirm the student’s calling and preparation.

The Christian studies core includes classes in Old and New Testament, theology, Christian leadership and evangelism. Growing churches require ministry team members to be thoroughly trained in sound Christian doctrine. This biblical foundation is designed to support worship planning, team ministry and church mission.

Allen S. Hendricks, Horton Endowed Chair of Church Music, leads the music and worship leadership program. “It’s exciting to see students exploring the rich biblical and historical foundations of worship while developing relevant and transformational worship experiences,” said Hendricks, who has more than 25 years of local church music and worship ministry experience. “I am personally driven to be a catalyst for students seeking God’s direction for their future and the future of music and worship in the church.”

For more information, visit: Charlestonsouthern.edu/worshipleadership.