GC Pride Campaign

Tomorrow the Pioneers will be hosting Cornell College for a 1:00 kickoff on Rosenbloom Field.  It is an important game, as it is our first divisional game, our first game that "counts", and a game against one of our closest rivals.  However, it is also a game that I hope will carry importance beyond the what happens between the lines, beyond what the final score shows.  Don't get me wrong, I want this one badly and I hope the Pioneers will play up to their full potential, but I hope this game also has deeper meaning to all who attend the game and all who hear about the game.

The GC Pride Campaign is the brainchild of Justin Thaxton, Coordinator for Diversity and Inclusion in Athletics, as well as student leaders from our varsity athletics teams, the Stonewall Resource Center, and Athlete Ally.  From the official release:

"The GC Pride Campaign is an effort formed out of the belief that athletics should represent the many identities of Grinnell College and the surrounding world.  With the NCAA core value of diversity through a commitment to create and support an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes in mind, we have partnered with the Stonewall Resource Center, Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Office of Intercultural Engagement & Leadership and Athlete Ally.  The athletics department is committed to presenting opportunities to compete and learn that are inclusive of individuals representing all sexual orientations, gender identities, races, religious and cultural beliefs.  The GC Pride Campaign offers to us a moment as humans, Grinnellians and global leaders to take action and set the tone for an entire cultural conversation.  Together, we are stronger!

The GC Pride Campaign enables the many voices of the Grinnell community to join together in solidarity under a single message: "Athletic fields, teams and competitions are a safe space for Everyone.""

Sometimes the meaning of things can get lost in the fancy language, so I'll just hold on to that last sentence, "Athletic fields, teams and competitions are a safe space for Everyone."  I hope we can all agree!

I'd like to thank Justin and all of our Pioneering students and student-athletes here at Grinnell College for dreaming of this event and for making it happen.  I'm lucky to be a part of it all.  Go Pioneers!
GC Pride!

Ternes Named D3 Impact Player of the Week

Ternes celebrates his sack for a safety with Rich Renteria, Riley Drexler, and TR Jones

Senior linebacker David Ternes has received yet more recognition from his big performance in last weeks game against Lawrence.  Ternes has been named the D3 Impact Player of the Week by USA College Football.  Ternes is the first Pioneer to have been recognized as the Impact Player of the Week, and as such he's been invited to the 2015 USA Football Bowl to be played in Jackson, MS.

Congratulations once again to David.

Honors Continue to Roll in for Ternes

Following a big performance in the Pioneers 29-7 victory over Lawrence, senior linebacker David Ternes has been recognized at both the conference and the national level.  On the strength of a game high 15 tackles, including 4.5 sacks, a single game record for the Pioneers, Ternes was named the Midwest Conference Defensive Player of the Week.  He's the first Pioneer to be recognized as a Player of the Week this season, and the eighth overall since 2010.  David was also named to the d3football.com Team of the Week.  A two-time all-conference selection, and two-time pre-season all-american, Ternes leads the conference with 60 tackles and is second with 5.5 sacks.

Late last week, Ternes was also named a semi-finalist for the William V Campbell trophy, presented to the top scholar-athlete in all of college football.  Ternes is the second Pioneer to be recognized as semi-finalist, TJ Schaid in 2012 was the other. 

The Pioneers look to build on consecutive solid defensive performances in their return home this Saturday.  The Pioneers will host the inaugural GC Pride Game this Saturday at 1:00 PM against Cornell College.  Stay tuned for details!