Senior Profiles: Mike Tricoli

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

This Saturday is Senior Day, so we will run the last two profiles here this week. Last but not least, is senior center Mike Tricoli!


Name: Mike Tricoli
Hometown: Lake Mary, FL
Major: History and Art History

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
Education and Football

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
My first college win - beating Knox 35-34 my freshman year.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
Education/Business Administration

Favorite Professional Team: New York Giants

Favorite Division I team: Florida State University, West Virginia University, Iowa

Favorite Song: "Man In The Box" by Alice in Chains

Favorite Food: Hot Buffalo Wings with a side of potato skins

Favorite Movie: The Godfather

Favorite Book: The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Medieval Cathedrals

Other hobbies: Playing guitar, traveling, eating

Senior Profiles: Jake Thompson

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

This Saturday is Senior Day, so we will run the last two profiles here this week. Let me introduce you to senior defensive lineman, Jake Thompson!

Name: Jake Thompson
Hometown: Rockwell City, IA
Major: History/Education

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
It's the best academic college in Iowa and one of the best in the country.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
Our game against St. Norbert this year.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
I plan to attend law school in the fall, but I will also graduate with a teaching license, so that is a possibility down the road.

Favorite Professional Team: Miami Dolphins, Houston Rockets, Chicago Cubs, in that order.

Favorite Division I team: Iowa Hawkeyes

Favorite Song: "I Touch Myself" by the Divinyls

Favorite Food: Casey's Pepperoni Pizza

Favorite Movie: The Land Before Time

Favorite Book: The Animorphs by K.A. Applegate

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Mao Zedong with Professor Hsieh, also anything taught by Rob Lewis

Other hobbies: Video games, movies, wikipedia, reading if I have time.

Pioneers Fall to Blueboys

On a gorgeous late October Saturday, the Grinnell Pioneers lost a shoot-out to the Illinois College Blueboys by a final of 55-34. Both teams combined for over 1,000 yards of total offense, and we ran 105 offensive plays total. We also had 68 pass attempts which is a school record. For the second straight week, we showed great heart and fight after coming back from a 41-13 deficit midway through the third quarter to close the gap to 47-34 with 3:00 remaining in the game before a late interception dealt the final blow.

Next up is Ripon College and our last home game of 2009. It'll be Senior Day at Rosenbloom Field as we see the 14 seniors on the home turf one final time. Should be a great day to be a Pioneer!

Road Trip!

We are leaving within the hour for our second overnight trip this fall, this time to Jacksonville, Illinois, home of the Illinois College Blueboys. After a four-plus hour bus ride, we'll get some dinner at the Olive Garden, go to the hotel where we'll meet briefly and then get a good night's sleep before tomorrow's game. It should be a good contest, and another challenge for us as defensively we face a pretty good aerial attack and will start our freshman quarterback for the second straight game.

For those of you who don't regularly check the links on the right side of this page, please check out Chris Jarmon's personal blog about being a Division III football player. He started the blog when he was a player at Colorado College and has continued writing about his experiences since transferring to Grinnell this year. He's a great writer and offers up a great perspective on the game at this level.

Senior Profiles: Joey Snyder

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

Next up, is senior tight end, Joey Snyder!


Name: Joey Snyder
Hometown: Reserve, New Mexico
Major: Economics

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
Grinnell College gave me the opportunity to see a different part of the United States, while offering me the chance to play two college varsity sports and receive a top-ranked liberal arts education. In addition, the faculty and students at Grinnell are all good people.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
I have numerous favorite moments, but I think my favorite was the fourth quarter and the excitement that prevailed during last year's first game against Cornell. The quarter was full of nothing but suspense, especially the final play. When Marquis Bradley swatted down a desperation pass into the endzone as time expired, I immediately ran onto the field as did the rest of the team. The excitement shown by the fans and players is unforgettable.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
I am in the process of pursuing a career in finance, such as a financial advisor. I am also trying to apply to graduate schools, preferably the University of New Mexico's Anderson School of Management in hopes of receiving an MBA in finance.

Favorite Professional Team: Chicago Bulls

Favorite Division I team: North Carolina Tar Heels

Favorite Song: "Life Goes On" by Tupac Shakur

Favorite Food: My grandma's red chili enchiladas!

Favorite Movie: Friday

Favorite Book: L.A.byrnth

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Lunch, haha. No really, I enjoy economics classes focused in finance, such as Investments and Public Policy, or U.S. Financial Systems

Other hobbies: I regularly snowboard. Hang out with friends - mostly the "PALS". Ride ATVs, hunt, eat my mom and grandma's home-cooked Mexican food. Listen to my parents, grandparents, and family friends childhood stories. Most of all I love just being in the great state of New Mexico with my family.

Senior Profiles: Tim McDonald

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

Next up, is senior wide receiver, Tim McDonald!


Name: Tim McDonald
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Major: Art (Studio)

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
I chose to come to Grinnell for the academics, great environment, and its unbeatable corn on the cob.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
My first year was a very special season for me, and I really got along well with the seniors on that team, so when we won our last game at home against Beloit it was a great feeling to be able to send those guys off with a win.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
Travel the world.

Favorite Professional Team: Indianapolis Colts

Favorite Division I team: Iowa Hawkeyes

Favorite Song: Tuesday's Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd

Favorite Food: A Taylor's Maid-Rite Sandwich with everything on it accompanied by a vanilla shake

Favorite Movie: O Brother, Where Art Thou

Favorite Book: The Sun Rises Also by Ernest Hemingway

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Art 310 - Hybrid Media

Other hobbies: Discussing politics, hanging out with my family, and getting into trouble with friends.

Comeback Falls Short

After staking the visiting Lake Forest Foresters out to a 28-7 halftime lead, the Pioneers rallied furiously in the second half before ultimately falling 35-28.

This was a tough loss in a lot of ways, but we can hold our heads up high for continuing to battle and fight for a victory and we just weren't able to get it done late in the game. This is the fourth loss this season by a touchdown or less and this gives us hope and encouragement that we are in fact climbing the ladder and progressing as a football team.

It's fall break this week, so we've got a great opportunity to spend some extra time on football and make sure we are 100% ready to travel to Illinois College on Saturday and come home with a Win!

Go Pioneers!

Athletics at Grinnell

Students race towards the finish line in an early Grinnell track meet, 1911.

Photo courtesy of Grinnell College Archives

In celebrating the 150th year of the College's existence here in Grinnell, the College is highlighting the athletic experience over the years on the school's homepage. Below is a snippet of the article. To read the whole story, go here.

"Today, nearly one-third of all Grinnell students participate in intercollegiate sports, and many more enjoy club and intramural sports. Grinnell continues its membership in the Midwest Conference to this day, and has led the league in the total number of Academic All-Conference honorees for the past five years. Through it all, Grinnell’s athletic programs continue to promote the “interdependence of mental and physical culture” that started so long ago."

Alumni Weekend at Grinnell!

This weekend is Alumni Weekend at Grinnell College and we are excited to have a bunch of former Pioneer football players back on campus to reminisce about their glory days and watch the current edition of GC Football take on Lake Forest. These reunions are always a blast, hearing old stories, plenty of tailgating and good food, and a lot of camaraderie between the generations make it a special time to be on campus.

As for the game, we are anxiously anticipating the matchup against the Foresters from Lake Forest. They are unquestionably a dangerous team capable of big plays at any moment and we'll have to bring our "A" game to withstand their charges. But we are excited for the opportunity to use this game as another step up the conference standings and continue our climb from the bottom of the totem pole into one of the most respected and feared teams in the MWC.

Go Pioneers!

Game Highlights

Enjoy a couple highlights from Saturday's 27-12 victory over Knox College.

Senior Profiles: Curtis McCoy

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

Next up, is senior defensive end, Curtis McCoy!


Name: Curtis McCoy
Hometown: Lake Forest, IL
Major: Biology with an Environmental Studies concentration

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
I wanted a small college where I could get to know people, but I also wanted a break from the homogeneity of Lake Forest, IL; when I came to visit it just felt right.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
My freshman year (2006) beating Knox College 35-34 with the help of a 30 yard pass from Sean Pfalzer to Todd Doleshal for a two-point conversion and some clutch kicking from our newly recruited, Grinnell soccer player turned Grinnell football player, Scott Koenning.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
After graduating from Grinnell, I plan to take some time off to go abroad, possibly in the Peace Corps, before attending graduate school likely in Environmental Science/Environmental Public Policy.

Favorite Professional Team: Chicago Cubs and Chicago Bears

Favorite Division I team: University of Notre Dame Fightin' Irish -- GO IRISH!!

Favorite Song: That's a really tough one. Since I like so many different types of music, it really depends on the day. If I had to chose one, I would probably go with Pearl Jam's Yellow Ledbetter, especially the live version.

Favorite Food: A well-seasoned New York Strip Steak with mashed potatoes

Favorite Movie: Rudy

Favorite Book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

Favorite Course at Grinnell: A tie between Aquatic Biology with Peter Jacobson and Organic Chemistry II - Lab with James Lindberg.... But seriously you do some really interesting things in these courses.

Other hobbies: I'm a member of the campus environmental group, FTP. I throw discus on the Grinnell Track & Field team. I really enjoy watching movies and listening to music. I always enjoy watching Seinfeld, the greatest show ever...own every season. I also enjoy reading, mostly non-fiction, novels.

Marquis Bradley Named MWC Player of the Week!

For the second time this fall, a Pioneer defender has earned the recognition of Midwest Conference Player of the Week. Marquis Bradley's efforts in the 27-12 victory over Knox College were crucial to the team's success. Bradley totaled 16 tackles, 4.5 of which were for a loss. But his two biggest plays were in the first two minutes of play. Bradley forced a fumble and then recovered it for a TD on Knox's first play from scrimmage before causing another fumble on the ensuing kickoff that the Pioneer offense punched in for a quick 14-0 advantage.

See the MWC release here.

Pioneers Beat Knox!

On a cold blustery fall day, the Grinnell Pioneers defeated Knox on the road by a final of 27-12. Knox proved to be a good challenge, as their triple-option offense did a great job of working the ball down the field, but the Pioneer defense was strong enough to withstand the charge. Our offense did a nice job of keeping the Prairie Fire defense on its heels and putting points on the board when it mattered most.

Next week we are back at home taking on the Foresters of Lake Forest. We look forward to a great game and another opportunity for a W.

Grinnell Takes on Knox!

For the second consecutive week, the Pioneers travel to west central Illinois to battle a conference foe. Beyond that, things figure to be much different this week as the Knox College Prairie Fire are winless on the year and run the triple option as opposed to Monmouth's undefeated spread out attack.

We've had a great week of practice and are excited for the opportunity to rebound and prove that we are still a very good football team. Knox is one of our biggest rivals and they will be a great foe by which we will measure our progress.

Go Pioneers!

Athletic Facilities Progress

Less than one year from now, Grinnell College will open two new athletic facilities to go along with the new gymnasium and fitness center that were finished in 2005.

A $75 million expense, the new athletic facilities will be state of the art in both design and function. A couple weeks ago you saw some of the concept photos. Today, enjoy photos showing the most recent progress on the buildings.

You can continue check up on the progress using our live camera feeds here.

The College is still working towards the fund raising goal for these projects and would appreciate your support. To donate please visit the College Development Office here.

The field house's west side as seen from the football stands.


Looking to the northwest into the field house. The coaches offices are at left.

Looking south into the field house from the track.


The front entrance way of the natatorium. Looking northwest.


The view of the natatorium from 10th Avenue.

Senior Profiles: Mike Martinez

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

Next up, is senior wide receiver, Mike Martinez!

Name: Mike Martinez
Hometown: Colorado Springs, CO
Major: Economics

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
I chose Grinnell for three reasons:
1) Community - The college as well as the town are very opening and welcoming
2) Academic Challenge - classes are challenging and interesting
3) Sports - many athletes play more than one sport

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
Beating Knox 35-34 my freshman year (2006).

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
After Grinnell, I hope to work with a company in the financial sector and after getting a few years of experience, return to graduate school for an MBA.

Favorite Professional Team: Dallas Cowboys

Favorite Division I team: Texas Longhorns

Favorite Song: "Juicy" by Notorious B.I.G.

Favorite Food: Shrimp Scampi

Favorite Movie: Training Day

Favorite Book: The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Empirical Methods in Economics with Bradley Graham

Other hobbies: hanging out with friends, bird watching, video games, sunset picnics

Pioneers Lose to #11 Monmouth

The Grinnell College football team ran into a buzzsaw on Saturday afternoon. In a cool drizzle in western Illinois, the 11th ranked, and defending conference champions, Monmouth Scots won handily 59-0.

The Scots displayed great offensive balanced putting up 240 rushing and 270 passing yards on the day and defensively they forced us into 5 turnovers. Heading into this game, our defense was holding opponents to 17.5 points a game and only 118 yards passing. So it's a testament to the Scots that they could move the ball so effectively against our stout defense.

We have no doubt Monmouth is the best team we've played in years here at Grinnell and we wish them the best of luck as they likely head into the NCAA Playoffs and represent the Midwest Conference all the way to the national title!

Senior Profiles: Kyle Lobaugh

Throughout the season we will run profiles on each of our 14 senior players. We've asked them to tell us why they chose to attend Grinnell, what their favorite moment as a Pioneer football player was, among other fun facts. Please enjoy getting to know a little more about these guys before they graduate this spring!

Next up, is senior defensive end, Kyle Lobaugh!


Name: Kyle Lobaugh
Hometown: Bishop, Texas
Major: Political Science/Theater

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
After 18 years in South Texas, I decided to experience a new environment/culture in the Midwest. Grinnell offered the opportunity to attend a great academic school while also playing football.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?
St. Norbert senior year. It was by far the proudest I've ever been to be a part of a defense.

What are your career ambitions and/or future plans?
Upon graduation I plan to enter the Navy Reserves as an officer, while simultaneously attending Law School at the University of Texas. I also aspire to enter politics as a United States Senator.

Favorite Professional Team: Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Indians, San Antonio Spurs, Pittsburgh Penguins

Favorite Division I team: The Ohio State Buckeyes!!!

Favorite Song: "Amarillo By Morning" George Strait

Favorite Food: My mom's chicken and rice

Favorite Movie: Top Gun

Favorite Book: Any book by John Grisham

Favorite Course at Grinnell: Period Acting Styles with Craig Quintero

Other hobbies: sports, reading, and politics. I am also the co-chair of the Republican Party.