Grinnell Set To Host NCAA Indoor Track Meet

While nearly everyone has attended an outdoor track and field meet, that’s not necessarily the case for the indoor version of the sport.

Fans will get a chance to do exactly that, though, when the NCAA Division III National Indoor Track and Field Championships come rolling just over five weeks. The event is slated for Friday and Saturday, March 9-10, at the Charles Benson Bear ’39 Recreation and Athletic Center Field House.

Fourteen individual events and two relays will be contested in both the women’s and men’s divisions. The men’s championship field will consist of 13 qualifiers in each individual event and 10 teams in each relay. For the women, it’s 15 qualifiers in individual events and 10 teams per relay.

Overall, approximately 500 athletes are expected to compete during the weekend.

-Ted Schultz, Grinnell College SID

See the full information page here.

Pioneer Hoopster Named Central Iowa College Sports Athlete of the Year!

Grinnell College men’s basketball player Griffin Lentsch ’13, who made a big name for himself this season, has been rewarded for his efforts by being named the Central Iowa College Sports Male Athlete of the Year.

The award was presented Sunday by the Des Moines Area Sports Commission, which serves under the umbrella of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Other finalists in the contest were Iowa State wrestler Jon Reader, Iowa State football player Kelechi Osemele and Drake football player Mike Piatkowski.

Lentsch, a 6-4 guard from Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake), made national headlines in November when he erupted for an NCAA Division III national record 89 points in the Pioneers’ 145-97 victory at Principia College.

See the full release here.

Two More Reasons Why Grinnell College Is Awesome!

From a couple recent media pieces...

Grinnell College is seeing a 52% increase in applications for the Class of 2016, twice the improvement as any other school on this list, published by The New York Times Blog.  And more than U of Chicago, Claremont-McKenna, Northwestern, Tufts, and Yale combined!

Also a USA Today story on the success of liberal-arts educated graduates over the rest of college graduates:
(The study) found that students who had mastered the ability to think critically, reason analytically and write effectively by their senior year were:

•Three times less likely to be unemployed than those who hadn't (3.1% vs. 9.6%).

•Half as likely to be living with their parents (18% vs. 35%).

•Far less likely to have amassed credit card debt (37% vs. 51%).

Three Pioneers Make Dean's List

Three Pioneer Football players were named to the Grinnell College Dean's List for the Fall Term 2011:

 

        Trent Baker '15                    Drew Blumberg '13                          TJ Schaid '13

These intelligent guys were three of 62 Pioneer student-athletes named to the Dean's List.  Congrats men!

A Note From Grinnell's President

On Monday, Grinnell College's President, Dr. Raynard Kington, posted an editorial in the Des Moines Register to clarify some misinformation about the College's tuition and financial aid packages:

The Jan. 8 Sunday Register story regarding the “list of things that will be more expensive in 2012” exemplifies the widespread misunderstanding about the published price of college tuition, room and board versus the much lower net price that most students actually pay.

At Grinnell College, thanks to generous financial aid policies, our price is “discounted” by an average of 64 percent because of college-funded aid and grants.

Only 15 percent of our students pay the full tuition, room and board. Overall, although our fees may be greater, Grinnell graduates have a much lower average debt ($18,578) than do graduates of either the University of Iowa ($27,391) or Iowa State University ($30,062), according to The Project on Student Debt .

— Dr. Raynard S. Kington, president, Grinnell College, Grinnell

Chris Jarmon Keeps Blogging!

Senior offensive guard Chris Jarmon is quasi-famous for his blog The D3 Experience where he wrote about playing small college athletics and his time at Grinnell, following his collegiate start at Colorado College.

Now Chris is at it again!  He's started a new blog, Blind Side Blog, where he'll analyze and dissect the game of football from a lineman's perspective.  For example, here's a part of his take on Monday night's BCS National Championship Game:

Everyone on the left side is still doing their job, but the right side is in DEFCON-1. The right tackle over-set his feet because he knew he had help to the inside, and he had to respect Hightower's outside rush speed. Now he's realizing his only help will come from the center, and the help won't make it in time. Jefferson has the bubble open, but it's well-covered and won't get enough yards for the first. He's looking for something deep to come open, but there isn't nearly enough time.

Gifts From Pioneer Football!

Last year Grinnell Football raised $324 for the Susan G Komen Fund to support breast cancer research.  In 2011, the Pioneers continue to be in the giving spirit.

We recently donated $275 to deliver youth sports equipment, primarily soccer balls and volleyballs, to a high school in Sabce, Burkina Faso.  We are providing support for the work started by former Grinnell citizen Wendy Munyon, who has joined the Peace Corps and is teaching in Sabce.  Right now the group of Grinnell College students and faculty, led by Judy Hunter, are the only source of athletic equipment for the schools in Sabce.

If anyone would like to help us support these great people and causes, please don't hesitate to contact Head Coach, Jeff Pedersen at pedersej@grinnell.edu.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays from the Pioneer Football program!

Granera and Seer in Mexico for Tomorrow's All-Star Game!

The Honor G logo stands out among the crowd
Tazon de Estrellas photo

From the D3Football.com feature story:

A group of 53 D-III college seniors currently enjoying the sunny climate of Mexico’s Free and Sovereign State Puebla thought their exit from the playoffs or last game of the regular season was the final time they would strap on the pads and helmet.

Then, as the realization that competitive football was suddenly and abruptly in their past, an invitation arrived to play in one more game south of the border.

On Saturday, standouts from 28 schools will fire up that competitive spirit once again to compete in the Tazón de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars) in Puebla as members of Team Stars & Stripes. Some might well follow in the footsteps of the game’s alumni from its time as the Aztec Bowl and emulate the likes of London Fletcher, Fred Jackson and Jason Trusnik in heading to the NFL. But for the majority, this will be an enjoyable and memorable way to bring down the curtain on their football career.

Logan Granera #2 and Rob Seer #82

Grinnell is one of 28 Division III schools to have a representative at the Tazon de Estrellas and the Pioneers are one of 14 schools with at least 2 players selected.

Good luck to Logan and Rob!  And Go Pioneers!

Seer Set to Play in D3 Senior Classic!

Robert Seer ’12, who has earned numerous honors in his Grinnell College football career, has another achievement to add to that list.

The 6-3, 205-pound wide receiver from Saukville, Wis. (Port Washington) will play in the third annual D3 Senior Classic All-Star Game in Salem, Va., on Friday.

Division III seniors nationwide were selected to participate based on their performance during their senior year. The game, presented by the Collegiate Development Football League (CDFL), will give pro scouts a chance to size up small school talent as the nation’s best Division III seniors battle in a head-to-head North vs. South contest. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Central time.

Fans will have two options to watch the action. Television coverage will be available on Fox College Sports. Fans may choose to watch from on their computer by logging on to http://www.knoxivi.com/.

Go Pioneers!

Pioneer Awards Announced!

This past Sunday night, the 2011 Grinnell Pioneer football team gathered together for one final time at the team banquet. Along with great desserts (provided by Missy Dostal) and some bad jokes, the 2011 Pioneer football awards were announced.

Dick Ullrich '33 Award (Most Valuable Offensive or Defensive Back): Robert Seer '12

Abe Rosenbloom '34 Award (Most Valuable Offensive or Defensive Lineman): Chris Jarmon '12

Steve Kriegel Award (for dedication, desire, and determination): Ryan Creps '12

Troy Barboza Award (Most Inspirational): Tom Brinkman '13

Offensive Backs/Receiver Player of the Year:  Robert Seer '12

Defensive Backs Player of the Year:  Drew Blumberg '13

Offensive Linemen of the Year:  Chris Jarmon '12 and Morgan Kinsinger '14

Defensive Lineman of the Year:  Tom Brinkman '13

Special Teams Most Valuable Player: Max Jacobson '14

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Isaac Chadri '15

Defensive Rookie of the Year: David Ternes '15

Following the most successful back-to-back campaigns since 1999-2000, the Scarlet & Black are poised to make another jump into the very top of the MWC in 2012.  We open on September 1st, 2012 versus Carleton College!

Go Pioneers!

Chris Jarmon Named All-Region!

Pioneer left guard Chris Jarmon ’12 has been named to the D3football.com All-West Region Team.
Jarmon, from Boulder, Colo. (Boulder), was a third-team selection.

He was earlier named to the All-Midwest Conference Team for the second time while anchoring an offensive line that passed for more than 3,000 yards, second-best in the league.

Jarmon was also recently named to the Academic All-District first team and selected as a candidate for the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award.

Grinnell Hoopster Scores Record 89 Points in One Game!

Grinnell College junior, Griffin Lentsch '13, scored an NCAA Division III record 89 points in the Pioneers 145-97 win over Principia College.  The point total tops former Grinnell College star, Jeff Clement, who held the previous D3 record with 77.  Lentsch's 89 puts him 3rd all-time in all divisions of college basketball!

The Pioneer men are off to a 4-0 start on the season and host the conference opener this Friday against defending MWC champs St. Norbert.

Check out some of the news coverage from around the country:
ESPN.com
The New York Times
Fox Sports
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Los Angeles Times/Bleacher Report

Granera and Seer Selected to Play All-Star Game in Mexico!

Grinnell College’s Robert Seer ’12 (left) and Logan Granera ‘12 (right) have been chosen by a panel of NCAA Division III football coaches to represent Team Stars & Stripes in the third annual Tázon de Estrellas (Bowl of the Stars).

The D-III All-Star team’s contest against the CONADEIP All-Stars from Mexico is slated for Dec. 17 at El Tempo del Dolor (The Temple of Pain) in Puebla, Mexico.

Seer, a 6-3, 205-pound wide receiver, was recently named to the All-Midwest Conference Team for the third time in his career. He established Grinnell career records for touchdown receptions (46), receptions (232) and receiving yards (3,262) while tying the school mark for receptions in a season (84). In 2011, he ranked second in the conference in receptions and scoring (108 points) and was fourth in receiving yards (1,152). For his career, he ranks in the top five in the MWC in four categories.

Granera, a 5-11, 185-pound wide receiver, has also earned All-MWC honors during his time at Grinnell. He was second on the Pioneers in receiving with 55 catches for 676 yards and four touchdowns. He also returned punts and kickoffs, punted and made a pair of field goals.

Seer, Jarmon, Taylor Named All-MWC!

Three Grinnell College players have been named to the 2011 All-Midwest Conference Football Team.
Earning second-team honors were wide receiver Robert Seer ’12, left guard Chris Jarmon ’12 and defensive end Brian Taylor ’13 .

Seer (left), a three-time All-MWC selection, established Grinnell career records for touchdown receptions (46), receptions (232) and receiving yards (3,262) while tying the school mark for receptions in a season (84). In 2011, he ranked second in the conference in receptions and scoring (108 points) and was fourth in receiving yards (1,152). For his career, he ranks in the top five in the MWC in four categories.

Jarmon (center) is an All-MWC selection for the second time in his career. He anchored an offensive line that passed for more than 3,000 yards in 2011, second-best in the league. Jarmon was recently named to the Academic All-District first team and was selected as a candidate for the National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award.

Taylor (right) ranked fifth in the conference in sacks with seven, and was sixth in tackles for loss with 11.5. He was also among the top 20 in tackles with 68. Taylor had 3.5 sacks in a game against Lawrence University, just a half-sack shy of the Grinnell school record.

See the official MWC release here.

Jarmon and Blumberg Named Academic All-District!

Grinnell College safety Drew Blumberg ’13 and left guard Chris Jarmon ’12 have been named to the District 8 NCAA Division III Academic All-District football first team.

The award is presented by Capital One and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). By being named to the first team, Jarmon and Blumberg are eligible for Academic All-America honors.

Jarmon is an English major from Boulder, Colo. (Boulder) with a 3.68 GPA, while Blumberg is a biological chemistry major from Bishop, Calif. (Bishop Union) boasting a 3.75 GPA.

See the official Capital One release here.

College Is Cheaper Than You Think!

From The New York Times Economix Blog:

"What has been buried in much of the resulting coverage is that while colleges’ published tuition and fees have indeed increased, these so-called “sticker prices” are not all that informative. For the average full-time student, net tuition – which subtracts grants and tax-based aid – is less than half of the published price at private nonprofit four-year schools."

Grinnell College prides itself on its promise to meet 100% of demonstrated financial aid combined with a yearly loan cap of $2,250, which means that most of the financial aid awarded comes from scholarships and grants and is not required to be paid back by the student!

Yahoo! Finance listed Grinnell as one of the top 10 value colleges in the country noting the College's average grants/scholarships package is $30,577! 

Use Grinnell College's Net Price Calculator to determine what your financial aid package might look like!

Pioneers Fall in Season Finale

It was Senior Day and the Season Finale this past Saturday at Rosenbloom Field and the host Pioneers fell short against the visitors from Carroll University, 31-21. 

Despite gaining more total yardage (403-282) and winning the turnover battle (3-1), Grinnell wasn't able to over come the field position battle and fell behind early before the late rally fell short.

Offensively, Robert Seer '12 and Logan Granera '12, one last time, paced the Scarlet & Black with a combined 256 yards receiving and 1 TD among their 14 catches. 

Defensively, the Pioneers were about as balanced as possible.  Drew Blumberg '13 led the unit with 11 tackles, but 10 players had at least 5 tackles AND at least .5 TFL.  The Pioneers also had 2 INT (Andrew Clark '14 and Max Keller '14).

Drew Blumberg (#44) '13 and Max Keller (#20) '14 combine for a tackle

Players of the week:

Offense: Logan Granera '12
Defense: Matt John '12 and Ryan Creps '12
Practice: Harpreet Singh-Mann '12

The Pioneers finish the 2011 campaign at 5-5 (4-5 in MWC) good for 6th in the league.  The last two seasons have been the most successful back-to-back years since the 1999-2000 seasons that combined for 12 victories.

We bid farewell to Jimmy Borrasso, Ryan Creps, Kelsey Davis, Logan Granera, Chris Jarmon, Matt John, Stephen Hudak, Robert Seer, Harpreet Singh-Mann, and Brian Westerlind!  Thank you for all that you have done for Grinnell College Football.  You will be missed!

2011 Senior Profiles: Brian Westerlind

Each week this season we will highlight a member of our 2011 senior class, and last but not least is senior defensive end, Brian Westerlind!

Name: Brian Westerlind
Hometown: Aspen, CO

High School: Aspen High School

Major:  Biology/Pre-Med

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?
I came on a visit for the academics and football game against St Norbert back in 2008, having heard very little about Grinnell. I fell in love Grinnell immediately, bringing me to apply early decision and make my choice. 

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?

Beating Monmouth at Monmouth our junior year who was ranked 14th preseason.

Plans after graduation?
Medical School, and eventually be a Orthopedic Surgeon, fixing all the injuries my teamates and I have sustained through the years... well maybe not myself, i fear that may be unethical.

Favorite Professional Sports Team:
Denver Broncos! Especially when they are winning back to back Superbowls

Favorite Division I team:
Colorado Buffaloes Football, especially remembering back when we beat Nebraska bad during thanksgiving when their Heisman winner didn't stop us from stomping them. 

Favorite Song/Book/Movie/Food:
While having many songs I am a fan of from a variety of genres, my favorite book may be Deception Point. My favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, gotta love Morgan Freeman. For food I enjoy a plethora of meals, however who doesn't enjoy a good juicy half lb burger with a tomato thinly sliced with a toasted bun and melted cheddar cheese on top... dill pickle spear on the side, with a big plate of perfect sweet potato fries spiced with a hint of ginger and allspice, all with a side of ranch of course. 

Favorite Course at Grinnell: 

Animal Physiology was quite interesting and I enjoyed it despite being quite difficult. 

Interesting facts about you:

I enjoy long walks on the beach during sunset, a nice glass of wine, fine art... but seriously, Hiking, biking, the mountains! (mountains of colorado of course), and just doing amazing things and seeing beautiful sights! Life is fun!

2011 Senior Profiles: Harpreet Singh-Mann!

Each week this season we will highlight a member of our 2011 senior class, up next is senior wide receiver, Harpreet Singh-Mann!

Name: Harpreet Singh-Mann

Hometown: Stockton, CA

High School: Cesar Chavez High School
Major: Biological Chemistry

Why did you choose to attend Grinnell?

Grinnell gave me the opportunity to receive a top notch education and continue what I love doing which is playing football.  Note to mention, the financial assistance they presented me was also lovely.  When I came to visit on my recruiting visit, I was sold on the “Self-Gov” policy that people went by here which was definitely a culture shock and the great athletic facilities. Deciding between the corn fields and Cali weather was definitely a hard decision, but I think I made the right decision.  Grinnell has allowed for me to get out of Cali, and do something that nobody back home is doing.

What is your favorite Pioneer football moment?

My favorite Pioneer football moment would definitely have to be the win over Monmouth last year.  The upset was set up so well.  It was their homecoming (or something like it), it would have been a milestone victory (100^th career victory) for their head coach, we hadn’t scored on them in 3 years, their fans were talking a lot of trash, and the “icing on the cake” (like Creps would say) would be the fact that it was my birthday.  Not only did we obviously score on them, but we came out there…on their home field, played hard and left with a big DUB.  Everybody was so happy; the look on the Coach P’s face captivated everything.  The bus ride home was probably the shortest ever because everybody was just having a good time.  We pulled up at Grinnell to peers popping bottles and having a great time.

Plans after graduation?

Wherever the Lord takes me.

Favorite Professional Sports Team: 

Don’t have one; I’m a fan of the sport.  College football is way better

Favorite Division I team: 

University of California Berkeley (Cal)……swag

Favorite Song/Book/Movie/Food: 

Favorite Song: Today Was a Good Day by Ice Cube

Book: The Holy Bible and Where the Red Fern Grows

Movie: Remember the Titans

Food: Spaghetti

Favorite Course at Grinnell: 
Organic Chemistry II……oh and Coaching Methods of course haha

Interesting facts about you:

I can solve a Rubik cube in 48 seconds.