TMU YEAR IN REVIEW

If you were to walk into The Master’s University gymnasium, you would see a re-finished and smoothly polished playing surface with new logos and graphics, just a couple months after the men’s basketball team went a perfect 14-0 on the home court.

Losing two games in the regular season almost three months apart, the men’s basketball team, coached by Kelvin Starr, deserved to be mentioned amongst the top NAIA programs in the country.

With scoring contributions from Lawrence Russell, Hansel Atencia, Timothy Soares and Brock Gardner, who between them averaged 58.9 points out of the 93.2 points per game that the team averaged, the Mustangs managed to defeat Menlo College 106-101 in the Golden State Athletic Conference semifinals and punch a ticket to the title game, where they defeated Westmont College 88-73 to repeat as GSAC Champions.

Earning the No.1 overall seed in the NAIA Division 1 National Championship tournament, the Mustangs lost 106104 in overtime to Peru State College in the first round.

The women’s basketball team also earned a ticket to the NAIA Division 1 Women’s National Championship tournament as a No. 8 seed after going 19-10 overall and 7-7 in GSAC play.

Facing off against top-seeded

Freed-Hardeman in the first-round the Mustangs fell 71-51, bowing out in the first-round.

The men’s cross country team finished 19th at the 2017 NAIA Cross Country National Championships, led by Skyler Mikesell who finished in 21st place with a time of 25 minutes, 18 seconds.

Winning its first-ever Golden State Athletic Conference championship, the 2017 women’s cross country had runners Abigail Frankian, Mikala Fairchild and Rachelle Nelson finish

one-two-three atop the podium in the Mustang sweep.

The women’s soccer team made it to the NAIA Round 16 after shutting out Olivet Nazarene 1-0 in the opening round of play. Falling to Tennessee Wesleyan 3-0 in the following round, the Mustangs finished the season 15-6-1, the best finish since 2014.

Matching the success that The Master’s athletics programs has had this year will be quite a feat to take on, but just like their motto reads, they will continue to develop wisdom, establish convictions and produce leaders.

try un co s os cr d/ el d n a k c a tr , n ia k n ra F l ai ig Ab

ll ba et sk ba s n’ e m , ia c n te A l se an H

P re st o n W hi te , ba se ba ll

File photo Lawrence Russell ranked third on the men’s basketball team in terms of rebounding and was named an NAIA Division 1 first-team All-American at the end of the season.