Get to Know Your Raiders: Meghan Mahon

Meghan Mahon is easy to spot on the soccer field – the junior midfielder is a master of the flip throw-in from out of bounds.

Mahon – a midlevel elementary education major for grades 4-8 with a concentration in science and language arts – also excels on the pitch, as well. She has totaled five goals and four assists in her career as she’s appeared in all but five games over the last three seasons.

A Spring Grove native, Mahon suffered a knee injury last spring but managed to recover nearly in time for this fall. She missed the first two games of the season but played in every game thereafter and scored a goal at Mansfield on Oct. 3.

Get to know Meghan Mahon…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

I always have to put my right sock on before my left. I don’t know why I do this but it always has to be done. I also tape my ring to my right ring finger or put it in my sock/shin guard.  The ring is significant of my family and I wear it at all times in honor of them.

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

The campus itself. I spend so much time there and it’s where all my hard work is displayed whether it’s on the soccer field, in the classroom or in the library. 

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

I absolutely loved Adolescent Literature with Dr. Tom Crochunis. The class was so interesting and it taught me so much about myself and why I want to someday be a middle school teacher.  Dr. Crochunis is a great professor and really taught the course well. 

If you weren't majoring in midlevel elementary education, what would your major be?

I would have really liked to be a biology major so I could do something in a medical atmosphere. The medical field really interests me.

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

My favorite day of the week is GAME DAY. Just kidding, but I do love game day. I would have to say Thursday because that is my observation day for my little fourth graders at Ship Intermediate. 

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

I really enjoy competing against West Chester and East Stroudsburg. Not only are they both very intense games but also because I have played with many of the girls that play on both teams.

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

I feel like they would say that I work really hard and am a positive role model on and off the field. 

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

Last spring I tore some ligaments in my knee and sat out spring season. I worked extremely hard over the summer after my surgery to get back my strength and fitness. Coming back this fall season I was in great shape and placed first in one of our fitness tests (beep test).  It was a great accomplishment and I was very proud of myself. 

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

Time management, by far. It’s difficult during season because of away games and overnight trips. You tend to miss a great deal of classes, so getting homework done and being a good student is extremely difficult. 

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

As a student-athlete I’ve learned how to prioritize and realize what’s more important and less important. Being a student-athlete, “student” comes first, then “athlete.” 

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My dad used to always tell me, “No matter what, in everything you do, you give your best.” This is something that not only can relate to soccer but also to school, relationships, etc. 

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in soccer, what would you tell them they should focus on?
It’s said all the time, but focus on the aspect of soccer being “fun” and continue to have a positive attitude to improve every day.

What legacy do you hope to leave behind for future athletes at Shippensburg?
I hope to leave behind the passion that I have for the game. With my career here in soccer I’ve had ups and downs but when it all comes down to it, I’m playing soccer because I simply love it.  My best friend always says to me, “Whenever you’re on the field, you’re a different person. You’re happier.”

 

Get to Know Your Raiders: Avery Coleman

A lockdown cornerback on the No. 10-ranked Shippensburg University football team, Avery Coleman has started every game for the Raiders since his first full season in 2010.

This season, the junior from Media, Pa., is fourth on the team in tackles with 44, including two for loss, despite playing from his island in the defensive backfield.

A candy fanatic and accounting major, Coleman had a career day two weeks ago at Kutztown as he intercepted the first two passes of his career, broke up another pass and posted a career-high 11 tackles in the undefeated Raiders’ 73-35 victory over the defending PSAC Champion Golden Bears.

Get to know Avery Coleman…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Watching highlight videos of good cornerbacks from college and the NFL on YouTube, playing Temple Run on my phone and doing my pre-game handshake with junior safety Tyriq Kershaw that we’ve done every game since sophomore year of high school. 

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

I like the scenery, the mountains, back roads, farms and animals all around Ship. On campus, my favorite place is Kriner Dining Hall, especially on days when the chef is in there.

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

Any class I get an ‘A’ in is pretty good but if I had to choose, I would say Intermediate Macroeconomics with professor Hamid Bastin because I enjoyed the class discussions and learned a lot from him about more than just macroeconomics.

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

Economics or Spanish.

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

Saturday, because it’s the day when my teammates and I get to show off all our hard work from the offseason, film study and weekday practices to the Shippensburg community.

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

Kutztown, West Chester, LIU Post and Bloomsburg because they, along with Ship, are the top teams in the Eastern Division and you get to see who is really good when the best play the best.

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

That I work hard, that I love candy and that I talk a lot.

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

My game against Kutztown this season where I had my first 2 interceptions of my college career and had my career high in tackles. The best part about getting those interceptions was that they were off of a very good quarterback [KU’s Kevin Morton].

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

Getting enough sleep with such a busy schedule. It’s tough to manage your time wisely between football, classes, studying and having a social life. 

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

Even though it might be stressful at times, appreciate every second you have to be a student-athlete because you only have a certain amount of time that you can’t get back.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

Everyone I have ever talked to that played football and doesn’t anymore tells me to cherish it while I can because it’s over before you know it and there is no going back. I try to make sure to work as hard as I can and never take for granted how great of an opportunity it is to be here at Ship doing what I love playing football and having fun with my friends. No matter how hard classes are or whatever other difficulties come up, the whole Shippensburg student-athlete experience is worth it and will stay with me forever.

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

Never be satisfied and always work on improving in something. It can be doing drills, lifting or watching good players to try to pick up on what they’re doing right…just try to get better as often as you can. The biggest difference between good players and great players is the effort they put in behind the scenes when nobody is paying attention.

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

I want to help bring Ship football a national championship and leave here having the program known as one of the best in the country. I want the expectations for the program every year to be in the top 5-10 of the national rankings and to be in the playoffs and PSAC Championship hunt every season. I want to have game days in a crazy, packed stadium with a good college football atmosphere no matter who the team is playing against. I want to have every student on campus full of Red Raider Pride, bragging to their family and friends about how good the team is. I want to be a part of the team that started that kind of tradition for the football program. That’s how I hope my legacy ends up. 

Get to Know Your Raiders: Kayla Harshman

A senior defender on the No. 1-ranked Shippensburg University field hockey team, Kayla Harshman has earned a bit of a reputation from her teammates as a brick wall.

The Palmyra native leads the Raiders with three defensive saves this season and six total in her career. And in addition to patrolling the backlines, she’s chipped in offensively, too, totaling eight career assists and scoring her first career goal earlier this season at East Stroudsburg.

But in her final season, Harshman – a mathematics major with a concentration in statistics – has one final item that remains unchecked on her list of athletic accomplishments: a national championship.

Get to know Kayla Harshman…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Before big games while we are in the locker room, one of our assistant coaches will come in and read us a visualization script. It allows us to relax and visualize the things that we are going to do well that game. It also helps relieve us from nerves and focus on what we are going to do well during the game that day. 

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

I most enjoy the town of Shippensburg itself. When I am on my way back to Ship after being away for a while, it is always nice when I finally see that Shippensburg University, King St. exit sign. Shippensburg has become like a second home for me and it is always relaxing to finally arrive back in this small town. 

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

I would have to say my Observational Behavior class this semester. Dr. Hargrove really gets to know each of us individually and allows us to understand the concepts within the class by relating them to our individual lives, whether it is the sports we play or the clubs we are in. He also challenges us in groups and pushes us to work hard and understand concepts in our own way. 

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

Probably something related to business. I have been taking a few business minor classes for my major and I have really enjoyed the professors and the concepts involved in these courses. 

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

My favorite day of the week is Friday, especially during season. On Fridays after practice, we get together and have team bonding nights to focus on sticking together as a team to help us in our game the next day. 

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

Bloomsburg and West Chester are my two favorite teams to play. They are our biggest rivals and they push us to play our best. Before big games like these you can always feel the excitement throughout the team, and after beating teams like West Chester and Bloomsburg you get the best feeling of satisfaction. 

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

This year my teammates have been calling me "brick wall." Being one of the smallest defenders in the PSAC they always say I'm the smallest brick wall they've ever seen but they trust me 100 percent when an opponent is coming down the field. I also think they would say that I am the type of person that always tries to keep a smile on everyone's face. I try to keep the energy positive at all times and help my teammates keep their spirits up. 

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

One of my greatest athletic accomplishments in high school was making the Patriot News Big 11 team my senior year of high school. I battled an ACL injury in the middle of my senior year, but still managed to finish the season wearing a brace. It was a great accomplishment to be able to still make huge all-star teams even with a torn ACL and I was blessed to be able to finish out my senior year. 

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

Time management is very difficult being a student-athlete. You have to be able to keep up with your studies and still manage to get enough rest in order to compete at a high level in games and practice. It can become very stressful with all of the work and exams in-between games and practice, so you really have to manage your time and try to get work done ahead of time.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My older sister is a high school coach at my high school and she used to always say, "Don't get bitter, get better," and it always stuck with me. After hard games or even losses you have to be willing to get better and not dwell on the past. She always gives me the best advice when I am struggling with hockey or with school and she has really allowed me to keep pushing through everything and keep doing my best no matter what obstacles come my way. 

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

Have fun, especially at a young age. I coach a lot of hockey camps for young children and it's incredible to just see the children having fun no matter what their skill level is. You gain love for the game at a young age when you just have fun with it and allow yourself to improve by playing as much as you can and having a great time while doing it. 

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

I would love to finally win a national championship in my senior season and have our class remembered for years to come. 

Get to Know Your Raiders: Lauren Murphy

Shippensburg University women’s volleyball libero Lauren Murphy – otherwise known as “Teacher Murph” to her teammates – leads the Raiders with 401 digs this season and is just 76 short of setting a new career high in her senior season.

But when she’s not using her forearms to set up her teammates on the volleyball court, Murphy is working toward her degree in midlevel elementary education for grades 4-8 with concentrations in science and language arts.

A 2011 PSAC Scholar Athlete, Murphy – who can often be spotted in the classroom, in Heiges Field House or in Starbucks – is currently fourth all-time in school history with 1,365 career digs.

Get to know Lauren Murphy…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Team dinners with the team and team huddles before the first whistle.

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

Heiges Field House on game days. It's where I've worked the hardest and where I get to perform at my best. Starbucks, too, because it's delicious and I might have a minor addiction to it. My teammate Andrea Heimsoth and I go there on a regular basis.

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

Classes for my major because they are very interactive and fun to be in. I think that learning is all about being actively engaged and sparking interest and most of my major classes do that so I enjoy going to them. Plus, most of my professors are very fun and interesting to learn from so that makes a huge difference.

If you weren't majoring in mid-level education, what would your major be?

Something related to counseling children or working with children. I think that is the best scenario for me because I enjoy learning from them and watching the kids grow and learn. I think that being some type of counselor or social worker that deals with children would be fun. Or I would do something completely different and want to do something around sports. Maybe like athletic training or something along those lines.

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

Sunday because it's a day for me. I can take a break from the hectic week schedule and just focus on me and catch up and do whatever I want. I need Sundays in my week because I might just go crazy without them. Plus it's usually a day where delicious food is involved and some type of athletic event is on television or where shopping is a must. Sundays are the perfect days.

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

Lock Haven, simply because it's always a tough game. It's a battle to see who will win and I like the competition. Every year it's a fight with LHU to get the win and the challenge of beating them is the most enjoyable part of the game. Mercyhurst, too, because my good friend [Kiera Rebert] from my high school club team plays there and it's always fun to play against old teammates. It's business as usual on the court and then after the game it's great to catch up and see how she's been doing.

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

I think that if you asked them to describe "Lauren" they would all look at you in a confused way and refer to me as "Murph." Most of my teammates forget that my first name is Lauren. I think that they would say that I work hard in the gym and that I am fun to be around (or at least I would hope so). They would also say something along the lines about how I want to become a teacher. They often refer to me as "Teacher Murph."

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

Playing in college. It was always a goal of mine to play a sport in college. For most of my life I thought it would be soccer, but then I fell in love with volleyball and decided to try to play that in college. It took years of practices, running, games, tournaments and traveling to get here and now I'm in my senior year.

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

Time. It always seems like I'm running somewhere to meet with someone or to go to class or to go to practice. Time management is a must for student-athletes and it never really gets any easier. There will always be days where the stress level is sky high, but that's when you go to practice and forget about the world for a few hours. I don't think people really understand the life of a student-athlete. Most people only see the uniforms and the warm-ups and all of the positive stuff. But what they don't see is all of the hard work, sweat, time, stress and effort that go into each day. While most students go relax after class and see their friends, student-athletes are going to practice or traveling to a game. Time never slows down for anyone, and athletes have to get really good at managing time and making it all work.

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

Time management, persistence and confidence. I have become very good at knowing when assignments are due and getting them done before they are due because I have to. I have to know my academic schedules and my athletic schedule and I have to make them both work together. It takes a lot of practice and time to organize this much but once everything fits together, life becomes a little easier. Persistence because no one will ever be "perfect," and in the game of volleyball it's all about mistakes. The team that makes the least amount of mistakes wins. But the persistent team will win as well. It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s how you handle them that makes the difference. Volleyball has taught me a lot about mistakes. I usually do not like making mistakes at all, on or off the court. But I have learned through playing that if I have confidence in myself and never give up, then I can prevail.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My dad is always up for giving advice. But one of the best pieces of advice that he has given me is to look at the big picture. He is always telling me to look beyond what's right in front of me. I tend to get stressed out very easily and when I think of this advice I begin to become less stressed. I think about what is happening right now, and usually it's nothing as horrible as I am making it out to be. Then I picture the bigger situation that is going on like where this will take me and what I want to look back on and remember. He always tells me this for volleyball. He always says that if I have a bad game or a bad practice that’s okay, I usually am very hard on myself as a player. Then he says to look at the bigger scheme of things and think about how 20 years from now I will only remember the great games and my second family, my team. I carry this advice with me on and off of the court, everywhere I go.

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

The basics. Everyone wants to get right into playing but you cannot play if you don't have the basics. I coach a high school club team and my girls hate doing ball control and basic stuff during practices; all they want to do is play. But without practicing the basics of the sport, you'll have nothing to base off of and during a game things will go haywire. I would also encourage them to not get discouraged at first. Volleyball is a hard sport to learn to play and it takes time. I'm still learning and I'm a senior in college.

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

Just hard work and representing my school and team well. Ship has a great reputation in athletics and I want to be able to uphold that reputation.

Get to Know Your Raiders: Brian Quintrell

Brian Quintrell has excelled in the classroom and as a reliable runner for the Shippensburg University men's cross country team.

A Lansdale native, Brian was the Raiders’ fourth runner this past weekend at the Gettysburg Invitational, finishing 41^st with a 26:50 in the annual 8K race. Quintrell’s finish helped the Raiders finish third overall.

Brian transferred to Shippensburg after spending his freshman year eight hours from home at East Carolina University.

But Brian, whose parents both graduated from Shippensburg, decided not to transfer to SU because of his family’s lineage, but rather because of the multiple times he competed at Seth Grove Stadium in the PIAA state track & field meet in high school.

Head coach Steve Spence had a spot for him, and three years later, Quintrell is one of just two seniors on the team and prepared to graduate with a history degree and a minor in business.

Get to know Brian Quintrell…

What is your favorite pre-game ritual?

Before this year I would get extremely nervous before big races and I would listen to music to pump me up. This year I realized that there is nothing to be nervous about and that Coach [Steve] Spence has put us in the best position possible to race well when we toe the line. This year I usually just hang around with the guys and we joke around and have fun.
 

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

My favorite part of the campus has got to be the quad, particularly sitting in those red and blue chairs during this time of year. You get to people-watch while also enjoying the great fall weather.

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

My favorite class I have taken at Ship would have to be Political Science 141, Intro to International Politics with Dr. Sachleben. I genuinely looked forward to going to that class and I learned a lot.
 

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

Either finance or management. 

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

Friday by far. Generally on Fridays, practice consists of either a pre-meet (a short run before a meet the next day) or a workout. If we have a meet, I look forward to competing; however, if we do not have a meet, then I look forward to relaxing, getting some homework done and watching college football.
 

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

We never face any PSAC schools head to head so it is hard to say. Despite this, I have enjoyed competing against Lock Haven the past few years I have been here. They always have a great team and we have become somewhat close with some of the guys on their team so it is always fun to compete against them.

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

I think they would most likely say that I am sarcastic and that I love to joke around but also that I am a hard worker and know when to get serious.
 

Which individual athletic accomplishment are you most proud of?

I would say being part of the 2010 cross country team that scored 24 points and won Shippensburg’s first PSAC men’s title. It was unbelievable to watch the team’s hard work come to light in one absolutely dominating performance.
 

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

The most difficult part is juggling the academic, athletic, and social aspects of college. 

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

The most important thing I have learned in my time here is how exactly to manage those three aspects – the academic, athletic, and social side of college – and knowing when to put a little bit more emphasis on one or the other at certain times of the year. For example, in cross country we are coming into our championship part of the season with PSACs, regionals and nationals. This makes it difficult to manage the school work while doing the little, extra things as an athlete that will set me up in the best way possible for success in my next race.

What piece of advice stays with you at all times?

My high school coach always said, “If better is possible, good is not enough.” This means push yourself to the best you can be and don’t be satisfied with being only good or average--work to be great.
 

If you could talk to children who are just beginning to show an interest in cross country and/or track, what would you tell them they should focus on? 

Have fun with the sport. Learn to really enjoy running. Running is not just a collegiate sport, it is a lifetime sport.

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

I hope that I can just continue the long legacy of great student athletics that have come through the cross country program under Coach Spence. I want to show that it is possible to excel in both the classroom and on the cross country course.