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CPASS graduate Lindsey Blom was inducted into the Georgia Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. Blom was honored in July for her athletic accomplishments and impact on Georgia Southern University as a student-athlete, coach and supporter.

“I am humbled and a bit in shock still. I enjoy the ability to be active, learn new skills, and work with others; this is why I still play soccer several times a week,” Blom said.

 WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences hosted its second annual student and faculty research day on April 24 at the Coliseum, lower level. The event involved input from students, faculty members and the College’s Visiting Committee members who were on campus for their spring meeting. CPASS students and faculty members displayed research that they have presented at state, national and international conferences during the academic year to allow them to share projects with colleagues and guests.

West Virginia University hosted a series of individual, personalized ceremonies for each school and college at a variety of venues on the Evansdale Campus and around Morgantown, including the WVU Coliseum, Creative Arts Center and Morgantown Event Center from May 9-11.

Ashley Morgan, a sports and exercise psychology junior, is one of four students at WVU who has been selected as a candidate for the Truman Scholars Program.

Coach Matt O’Neil, ACE May 2013 graduate, has grown his career in the last six months as the coach of multiple competitive and high school swimming teams in the Cleveland area. O’Neil credits his success to the inspiring lessons the professors at CPASS provided him while earning his degree.

After graduation O’Neil was offered a position as the head swim coach at a country club where he coached 80 kids during multiple practices per day.

Leigh Alison Bryant, sport and exercise psychology graduate student, was recently elected as the student representative for the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.

The AASP, founded in 1986, is an organization that promotes the ethical practice and development of science in the field of sports psychology. Bryant assumed the position at the organization’s recent annual conference in New Orleans.

Scott Link, current CPASS Sport and Exercise Psychology student, has been competing in Mountaineer Idol for the last three years. In 2011 Link placed 6th place over all, then in 2012 finished 2nd in the competition following Paris Winfrey.  Redemption was a key initiative for competing again in 2012 after his upsetting early exit from the competition in 2011.

“I am naturally a competitive person and want to bring my best to each round of the competition and therefore put a lot of time into it,” said Link. “I wanted to do it again because I had a great experience the first time but went home a lot earlier than I would have liked. I knew that I could have done better and therefore wanted to try again.”

Landon Johnson, a sports management major, has spent the 2013 fall semester interning at University of Maryland under the Deputy Athletic Director and Chief Operating Officer Kelly Mehrtens. Mehrtens has been working for twenty-three years in the athletics administration. She also serves as the chief liaison to the President’s Office, Vice-President for Administration, Controller’s Office and Legal Affairs. Working with Mehrtens has made this experience rewarding for Johnson, who recently began the sports management program.

“On a daily basis I attend internal operation and leadership meetings, assist with the student-athlete advisory committee’s leadership development program and research different information pertaining to the ACC and The Big 10.”

Army veteran John Housby is the first West Virginia University student to receive the Esther L. Crane Endowed Scholarship for student veterans. Housby was awarded a $1,000 scholarship that will help support his final year at WVU as a CPASS athletic training student. 

The Esther L. Crane Endowed Scholarship is funded by Robert Crane and his wife, Sharon, who established the scholarship in his mother’s name to help support West Virginia’s student veterans. Robert Crane’s inspiration for creating the scholarship was the continuous support his mother provided him with his transition from the military and continuing his education. After nine years of serving in the Army and Army Reserve, Crane earned his bachelor’s and master of business administration degrees.

Tyson Thompson, sport management MS 2010 graduate, was honored by a national tennis magazine for his contributions to the United States Tennis Association. Thompson is the USTA community program and training coordinator in North Carolina. 

Racquet Sports Industry magazine recently released their annual “30 Under Thirty” list recognizing members in the tennis community who are helping the industry grow.

Melissa Baus arrived at West Virginia University as a freshman with a few ideas, but no concrete plan for college.

“I was not quite sure what I wanted my major to be,” Baus said, “I knew I was very sports orientated and liked the field of teaching so I decided to enter into the PETE program.”

CPASS is honored to announce that Tyler Elvin, senior Sports Management major, has been elected to the 2013 Homecoming Court. Elvin is very active throughout campus participating in the American Red Cross Blood Drive and Trunk or Treat. He is a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity, currently serving as president this year. Elvin serves on the Greek national board of governors. In the 2012-2013 school year Elvin was named Greek Man of the Year for his outstanding work in the Greek community. Elvin is an active member of Alpha Lambda Delta, College Republicans, Sport Management Club and Ski/Snowboard Club. Homecoming King and Queen will be announced on October 19 at half-time during the WVU football game against Texas Tech.

James C. Jenkins, a Physical Education Teaching Education graduate, has become a jet setter since earning his degree. Jenkins, certified in both physical education and mathematics, has been teaching internationally for nine years.

“I spent two years in Bangkok, Thailand, two years in Tel Aviv, Israel, and five years in Hong Kong,” Jenkins said.

Jack Marucci, CPASS athletic training grad, and director of athletic training at Louisiana State University, was featured recently in USA Today about how his company, Marucci Bat Company, is rivaling the Louisville Slugger.

Jack Marucci’s hobby of making baseball bats in his backyard led him to start his company in 2002 to meet the demand of big league hitters. What no one knew was how successful the bats would become and that they would rival the infamous Louisville Slugger.

Michael Jackson, West Virginia University sports management major, recently completed a summer internship with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, a professional baseball team in the Atlantic League, Waldorf, Maryland.

Michael is a fifth year senior at WVU and transferred from Liberty University in 2011 where he played football. Jackson learned in November 2012 that he got the internship.