Get to Know Your Raiders: Rachel Haupt

Rachel Haupt is a junior hurdler on the women’s track & field team.

A psychology major, Haupt improved her personal record in the 400 hurdles last May at the PSAC Outdoor Championships. Haupt recorded a time of 1:03.81 to finish fifth place and help contribute to the Raiders’ third consecutive conference outdoor title.

At the Bison Opener for the outdoor season earlier this month, the Montoursville native finished 12^th in the 60 Hurdles with a time of 10.06 and was part of a 4x400 team that finished sixth.

Get to know Rachel Haupt…

What is your favorite pre-meet ritual?

The Sprinter Squad Pasta Parties. Every Friday before a meet, the sprinter girls get together at a teammate’s house, eat dinner together and paint our nails.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

Starbucks. Oh, and the track of course.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

Childhood and Adolescents with Dr. Suzanne Morin. Dr. Morin is an excellent teacher and is really good at making students learn the information they need to but in a fun and interesting way.

If you weren't majoring in psychology, what would your major be?

Something in the business field, like Supply Chain Management.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Friday is my favorite day of the week because I don’t have class so it gives me a chance to either relax or catch up on work.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

Slippery Rock is probably my favorite PSAC team to compete against because they are our biggest rival in track.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

They would probably say I am not afraid to be bluntly honest but that I’m also very motherly.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I am most proud of placing fifth in the PSAC Outdoor Championships in the 400 Hurdles last year that allowed me to contribute points for our team to win another PSAC Championship title.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Staying motivated to get work done after a tough practice.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

I’ve learned the importance of hard work, dedication and staying mentally tough. I’ve also learned what it’s like to have true friends by being surrounded by a group of girls who truly care for and encourage each other.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” – Proverbs 3:5-6.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in hurdling, what would you tell them they should focus on? 

Hurdling is a really hard skill to master, my coach is always critiquing my form and telling me how I can improve. So I would tell them to not get discouraged and constantly practice their form. Being a good runner can help you become a good hurdler but having good form can allow you to become an excellent hurdler.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I hope when people look back at my time here at Ship they see me as a role model and a well-rounded student that was involved in different clubs at school and ran on the track team, but was also a driven student academically.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Mike Treese

A senior runner on the men’s track & field team, Mike Treese is a three-time PSAC placewinner.

Last season, Treese, an Altoona native, was part of a 4x100-meter relay squad that finished sixth in the PSAC Outdoor Championships – improving upon his and the squad’s seventh place finish in 2011 and ninth place finish in 2010.

A geography major seeking a geographic information systems certificate, Treese ran the 400-meter leg of the DMR squad that won the PSAC indoor title in 2011.

Get to know Mike Treese…

What is your favorite pre-meet ritual?

The night before a meet, I like to eat pasta with my sprinter teammates and we goof around and have a good time. Before bed, I listen to some music that just puts me in the right zone before the competition the next day. Right before my race I also listen to music to get focused and pumped up, then minutes before I step on the track, I say a prayer and get ready to run my race.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

I really enjoy the CUB because the food is good and it’s a lot faster than the dining halls. I’m always on the go or in a hurry, so grabbing food there is very convenient for me.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

So far it has been Geographic Information Systems (GIS) II. Dr. Scott Drzyzga is a fantastic professor who really taught me a lot about GIS. I will be taking GIS III this spring with Dr. Drzyzga so hopefully that class is even better.

If you weren't majoring in geography, what would your major be?

Exercise science.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Saturday, because it’s the weekend. When I’m in-season it’s the day of a meet, and when I’m out-of-season it’s a day full of college football.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

Our rivals Lock Haven and East Stroudsburg, because they are our biggest competition and always provide us with a challenge.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

I think they would say that I’m hardworking, a good friend, a good teammate and just fun to be around.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

Being named a high school All-American as a senior.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

There is just not enough time in a day. It always feels like there is something I need to be doing, whether it be school work or track stuff. It’s pretty difficult trying to balance those things.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

That being a student comes first. No matter how good you are or you think you are at a sport, the whole reason why you are in college is to receive an education. Grades come first and being an athlete is just a really nice privilege added on to being a member of this fine university.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My dad told me before my last high school race, “Mike, your athletic career will not last forever. This could very well be the last time you ever get to compete for the rest of your life. God willing you will get another chance in college but remember this, you need to run with a purpose. Every single time you step on the track you need to run like you will never get another chance because you never know when it will be taken away from you. Make the most out of the talent you were blessed with so you won’t ever look back and say, ‘what if.’ ”

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in sprinting, what would you tell them they should focus on?

They would need to focus on their form. At a young age, it is key to learn the proper running/sprinting form so they can get into a good habit of running smoothly. I personally learned that the hard way, and as I got older it was harder and harder to correct my running form. To this day I still don’t have the best running form, so for kids that are looking to compete in track they should really get used to running with good form.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

All I ask is for the underclassmen to look up to me as a positive leader. I want to help everyone be the absolute best they can be on and off the track. So that way when I'm gone they too will look upon what I have taught them and hopefully do the same or even build on that to make the new members of the track team even better.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Sarah Brotzman

A Resident Assistant in Mowrey Hall, intern in the Women’s Center and thrower on the women’s track & field team, senior Sarah Brotzman certainly has a lot on her plate.

But Brotzman has managed to excel both on and off the field during her career at Shippensburg.

A native of McAlisterville, Brotzman placed fourth in the weight throw and eighth in the shot put at last year’s PSAC Indoor Championships. An art major while seeking a graphic design certificate, she was named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic team last season.

As a sophomore in 2010, Brotzman placed second in the discus at the PSAC Outdoor Championships, and after a year studying abroad in South Korea during the 2010-11 school year, she performed even better at last year’s outdoor meet. Brotzman won the discus and finished runner-up in the hammer throw.

Get to know Sarah Brotzman…

What is your favorite pre-meet ritual?

I don't have any superstitions that I have to do in order to believe that I will throw well, but I have several traditions that I do when going into a meet. I always wear socks that don't match and there always has to be a pink ribbon in my hair, because in high school, I had classmates say that if you were a thrower you were very manly and I want to show that I can still be feminine and be a strong competitor. When we’re about 30 minutes from arriving at our meet, I listen to three songs that encourage and mentally prepare me for performing well: “Anthem” by SuperChick, “Unbreakable” by Fireflight and “Free” by Ginny Owens. But the most important and meaningful tradition is calling my mom and dad and having them pray with me to not only perform my best that day, but remember that I am performing for an audience of One and that it truly doesn't matter how I do because He is in control.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

Being a Resident Assistant, one of my favorite places to be is in my room and hanging out in my hallway in Mowrey Hall with my residents. A very close second is the discus/hammer circle in the throwing area. I not only enjoy competing and practicing there, but I also love going and sitting there at sunset when I am having a hard day, being quiet and watching as the sun takes a rest from the day.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

By far it’s my Digital Fine Art Printing class with professor William Whiteley from the Art & Design Department. The whole class is designed to focus on capturing, editing, developing and printing high-end images on archival paper. As an individual that loves being behind a camera, this class has allowed me to grow and turn my hobby of photography into a talent of capturing digital imagery.

If you weren't majoring in art, what would your major be?

If I had to choose it would be Event Management and Hospitality. There are only a few schools in the country that offer this as a major, but it would help me develop knowledge for another passion of mine which is wedding photography and wedding planning.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Sundays, by far. They are a day of rest for me and just a day to take the focus off of academics, athletics and all of the other groups and activities that I am involved in and focus on God, who is in control.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

The other women throwers in the PSAC are spectacular individuals. We compete against each other but we also cheer for each other and are there for each other when someone is having a bad day. We compete like rivals, but we also bond like sisters do. The schools that I most enjoy competing against are Lock Haven, Kutztown and Millersville. The women on those teams have so much talent and ability, but also their personalities are just a joy to be around. When I go to a meet knowing that they will all be there, my energy is much more positive, and my excitement for the weekend is much higher.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

I would hope that they see the passion I have for the sport and my dedication not only to our events in the field, but also to the individuals on the team and my academics here at Ship. I would also hope that they would see me as a leader, but know that in being a leader I want to be there for my teammates and be their fan as they continue to learn the techniques and skills needed to be a thrower, and be their support through any difficulties they may face and to rejoice with them through every triumph.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

By far my favorite accomplishments happened last year at the PSAC Outdoor Championships. Not only did I place first in the discus and second in the hammer, but I also hit NCAA provisional marks that qualified me to as the first Academic All-American in my throwing coach's career here at Shippensburg.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Time management. Being someone who is busy all the time, I have to over-organize my schedule to fit it all in. Not only am I a Dean's List student, an athlete and a Resident Assistant, this past semester I was also an intern for the Women's Center and also for the Women and Gender Studies Minor, plus I was involved with three other organizations to help make their programs a success. Without knowing how to manage my time, nothing would ever get done and I would be letting down many groups of people.

                                
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

Time management and considering the needs of others first (still learning that one).

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

Push yourself to your limits and to achieve your goals, but the most fulfilling way to do that is with your teammates supporting you through it all.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in throwing, what would you tell them they should focus on?

Mental preparation and focus. My coach in high school and my current club coach, Troy Hess, ingrained this into my training during every practice and every meet. It doesn't matter how strong you are, how talented you are or what your PRs and achievements are, if you are not focused and "in the zone," more than likely your performance will be very poor. No matter how far you throw, it still won’t be enough, and the negativity will slowly creep in and corrupt your daily performances.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

That although throwing is an individual performance, I am competing against myself every day and want to do my best because track & field is also a team sport and when one member struggles, the team is not complete. I would like to be known as a servant leader who not only looked after my needs and my performance, but also tried to help and encourage my teammates to do their best and meet their goals in being the better thrower/runner/jumper that they personally can be.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Dylan Edgar

The only junior on a 2012-13 team with just one senior, center Dylan Edgar has taken on a leadership role this season to help adjust the team’s nine freshmen to the collegiate game.

A native of Shiremanstown, Edgar has been a regular starter thoughout his career, averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds as a freshman and 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game as a sophomore.

Through five games this season, Edgar, a finance major, is posting career averages with 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest. In the Raiders’ 68-63 loss to Kutztown over the weekend, Edgar scored a career-high 24 points and tied his career high with 12 rebounds for his first double-double of the season.

Get to know Dylan Edgar…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Relaxing and listening to music, usually something calming but at the same time empowering.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

I enjoy the whole area. Personally, I’m more of an urban/city guy, but I’ve got plenty of time in the rest of my life to reside in a city. Ship’s a great, little college town.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

Economics or Accounting courses.

If you weren't majoring in business administration, what would your major be?

I’m actually declaring finance now. It’s what I’ve been interested in since my freshman year but I just wanted to take some time and really be sure about my decision.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

The weekend. During season, Saturdays are game days and in the offseason, the weekend is time to kick it with my teammates or family from back home.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

A lot of the PSAC schools have guys from my home area, guys that I played against in high school or play with in summer leagues so I like going against those teams. It’s cool still being able to play against those guys.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

As far as on the basketball court, they’d say I’m hardworking and a good leader. Off the court, I always have their backs and I’m one of them so they’d say I’m a good friend.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

Basketball’s been my whole life and my goal was always to play in college and get a scholarship so accomplishing that is probably what I’m most proud of. My teammates and I have a lot more goals that we want to accomplish as a group though, so that’s what’s next on my list.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

Time management.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

Maturity, leadership and responsibility. All characteristics that I’ll carry with me beyond my college career.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

Live life to the fullest and do what makes you happy.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in basketball, what would you tell them they should focus on?

Having fun. If you’re not having fun, or are playing because someone expects you to, then you should be doing something else with your life.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I hope to have an impact on the underclassmen below me, just as upperclassmen that I’ve played with have had an impact on me. Then those underclassmen can pass that knowledge onto the underclassmen below them. So in a way, the things that I say and do continue to be passed on long after I’m gone.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Tyler Erdman

A two-time Division III All-American at Elizabethtown before transferring to Shippensburg, senior wrestler Tyler Erdman hopes to make the most of his lone season on the mat for the Raiders in 2012-13.

A native of Herndon, Erdman is 2-2 this season – including a pin last week against Millersville – while wrestling up at 141 pounds. As a 125-pounder at E-Town, Erdman finished seventh at the NCAA Championships in 2009 before earning runner-up honors in 2010.

Erdman is active in SU’s ROTC and plans to commission as an Army Officer in the spring when he graduates with a degree in English. He also finished fourth at at the 2011 U.S. Greco-Roman Team Trials and hopes to continue his Greco-Roman career after graduation.

Erdman and his teammates get back on the mat this Saturday at the 70^th annual PSAC Wrestling Championships from Kutztown’s Keystone Arena. More information on the championships can be found here.

Get to know Tyler Erdman…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

I like to pace back and forth before matches and just try to relax while preparing myself mentally. I wrestle best when I control my adrenaline and keep my composure in matches. 

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

I enjoy my apartment just off campus. It’s close enough that I can walk to classes but far enough to have some peace and quiet at the end of the day when I’m done with school and practice.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

As geeky as it sounds, my favorite class I have taken while at Shippensburg probably has to be ENG 376 – Studies in Medieval Literature. We read about dragons, knights, magic, chivalry, monsters, sword fights, comedy and other topics related to that time period. We even got to read some Old English, too. It’s cool stuff you probably won’t experience in other English classes or any other classes while at Shippensburg.

If you weren't majoring in English, what would your major be?

I would probably be an education major with an English concentration. I have a few education credits but I had to switch to a straight English major to graduate next spring. Another possibility was biology – I originally started out as a bio major while I was at Elizabethtown, but changed over to education while I was there.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

My favorite day of the week is usually Friday. On Sunday I know classes and a new week will be starting again. On Friday, once my last class is over and I finish practice, I know I get to relax and slow down the tempo from a usually busy week.      

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

I would have to say Millersville is one of them because I went to Elizabethtown and those schools are only about a half-hour apart. Kutztown and East Stroudsburg are big rivals and our matches against them always go back and forth each year.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

They would probably say something along the lines of me being “Captain America” or “G.I. Joe” because they know I take ROTC seriously and that I’m getting ready to commission as an Army Officer in May.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I would say my fourth place finish at the U.S. Open in Greco-Roman wrestling is one of my favorites. I lost my opening match 1-0, 2-0 to the guy that went on to finish second and then I won four straight matches in the wrestle backs before losing 1-0, 2-0 in the third-place bout to finish fourth. It was one of my best performances in Greco and I gained a lot of respect from some of the best Greco wrestlers in the country. I also made my Greco coaches Gino Frank and Brad Brosius proud because they put a lot of time and effort into my training so I could succeed.   

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

A lot of people say time management is the hardest part of being a student-athlete, but I disagree with that. The hardest part is making sacrifices to succeed. One of my favorite articles to read is “The Art of Sacrifice” by Jim Gruenwald. Choosing to do homework or extra workouts over video games, going out with friends or just hanging out isn’t time management, its commitment. That’s what separates student-athletes from students and great athletes from athletes.   

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

The biggest thing I’ve learned and am still learning while being a student, an athlete and a cadet here at Shippensburg is to be confident in your abilities. If you go to class, study hard for an exam and put total effort into a paper, you will succeed academically. If you train hard, listen to your coaches and commit to your individual athletic skills, you will succeed in sports. If you present yourself respectfully, professionally and well-poised to your peers, you will succeed as a leader.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

In high school one of my coaches told me to always “let it fly” on the mat. Basically, it means to always go out, have fun and leave nothing on the mat. The other advice I always keep with myself is to “lead from the front.” I try my best to set a good example and help my teammates and fellow cadets become successful.  

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in wrestling, what would you tell them they should focus on? 

To just have fun. While winning is important, you need to learn to have fun and enjoy the sport. Aside from that, the next most important thing is detail. The difference between having a good takedown and the best takedown in the country may be adjusting your hand two inches on your opponent’s leg. Listen to your coaches and train for perfection.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

This is my one and only season wrestling for the Raiders. Our team has a lot of talent this year, so I am going to help push my teammates and myself to place high at nationals in March. The team placed third back in 2006, which was its highest finish ever. Individually, I hope to get a third All-American plaque while at Ship and then continue my Greco-Roman wrestling career once I graduate in the spring.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Kyle Dickinson

A veteran jumper on the men’s track & field team, Kyle Dickinson kicked off his senior indoor season this past weekend with PSAC qualifying marks in both the long jump and triple jump at the Bison Opener from Bucknell University.

The Harrisburg native placed second in the long jump and third in the triple jump on Saturday, and at the PSAC Indoor Championships in February, Dickinson hopes to follow up his impressive performance from last season when he placed fourth in both events.

Dickinson, a criminal justice major, also placed eighth in the triple jump at the PSAC Indoor Championships as a freshman in 2010 and has placed three other times at the PSAC Outdoor Championships: sixth in the long jump in 2010, sixth in the triple jump in 2011 and fourth in the long jump last spring.

Get to know Kyle Dickinson…

What is your favorite pre-meet ritual?

Sitting by myself, listening to music and collecting my thoughts.

What part of Shippensburg, either the campus or the town, do you most enjoy?

I enjoy being on campus the most, just seeing all the different types of people at the school.

What is the best class you've taken at Shippensburg?

Research Methods with Dr. Matthew Fetzer.

If you weren't majoring in criminal justice, what would your major be?

Exercise science/pre-physical therapy, what I did before changing majors.

What is your favorite day of the week, and why?

Friday, because it’s the last day of classes and it’s usually a pre-meet practice for track.

Which are your favorite PSAC schools to compete against, and why?

I like competing against East Stroudsburg because they usually have the best athletes to compete against.

If we asked your teammates to say a few words about you, what do you think they would say?

They would say I’m usually quiet but can also be a jokester.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

Placing in both long and triple jump at the PSAC Championships.

What's the most difficult part of being a student-athlete?

The most difficult part of being a student-athlete is trying to give 100 percent effort to school and 100 percent to sports as well. It can be very stressful at times.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned being a student-athlete?

Always focus on your grades first, because if you fall behind then you can’t compete until they get up.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

Always stay humble and respectful.

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in jumping, what would you tell them they should focus on?

The technique first and foremost, and once they master that, the sky is the limit.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?

I want my legacy to be imprinted as one of the greatest jumpers ever to graduate from Shippensburg University.