After a long string of tough seasons that didn’t end how the Spartans wanted, the MBU women’s basketball team achieved heights of success it hasn’t experienced in over 10 years and broke recorded program history as the threat of COVID-19 loomed ominously over the year. Now, the team is already looking ahead to how it can build on its achievements this year.
A group photo of the players, coaching staff and parents taken on Feb. 20 for Senior Day before defeating Stephens College, 97-47. Photos by MBU Athletics
Front row, left to right: Kim Shaw, Rose Wassef, Caroline Rogers, Joelle Atkins Center row, left to right: Grace Burrows, Kamryn Mack, Tionne Taylor, Taylor Norris, Kenzie Burt, Sara Hermosa, Vinnie Winters, Samuel Pearson, Peyton Greenlee, Nicholas LeGrand Back row, left to right: Stephen Allen, Larry Rogers, Jennifer Atkins, Lauren Ebert, Alexis Allstun
The women’s volleyball team at Missouri Baptist University has used this season during COVID-19 to grow as a team and as individuals. Led by Coach Chris Nichols, the team quickly approaches competing in the postseason as one of the best teams in the nation.
Balancing homework and sports is challenging for any student-athlete, especially during a pandemic. The women’s volleyball team at MBU has successfully learned to adapt and have found success on and off the court. Photo courtesy of MBU Athletics
Being an athlete comes with no shortage of challenges and Coach Ben Johnstone recognizes that. Throughout his time at Missouri Baptist University, Johnstone’s goal for the MBU women’s soccer team has been to inspire players to not only be the best athletes they can be, but the best people they can be.
Coach Ben Johnstone is known at MBU, Whitfield High School and various additional club soccer teams for his honest approach to the game, both encouraging and inspiring players to reach their best and settle for nothing less. Photo courtesy of Hannah Leahy
Orlando Olivera is among a small percentage of athletes who have found success in a game of failure, and he added consistency to his success by being named first-team All-American twice during his college career. Along the way, he established himself as one of the best players to wear the Spartan uniform.
Orlando Olivera watches a hit during a game. During his tenure at Missouri Baptist University, Olivera won consecutive All-American awards and set multiple school records before being drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. Olivera returned to MBU as an assistant coach for the 2019 season. Photo courtesy of MBU Athletics
Here are some interesting facts about MBU Timeline, the student newsmagazine of Missouri Baptist University, in St. Louis:
*Our mission statement is: MBU Timeline is the student news network of Missouri Baptist University, a private Christian university that embraces the essential core value of “social change through service and leadership.”
*The Bible verse that drives our mission is 2 Timothy 2:15 (Worldwide English Version): “Tell the true message in the right way.”
*The WordPress website has been up since late-fall 2013. We average about 3,000 sessions and about 5,000 pageviews per month.
*Our stories and galleries get as few as 40 or 50 hits, or as many as 8,000 hits.
*We have readers in every state and more than 90 countries around the world. We have several readers in South America, the United Kingdom, India and Australia.
*Most of our readers are in Missouri, followed by Illinois, California and Texas.
*We do not accept advertising as we are a not-for-profit online newsmagazine.
*We welcome contributors from all walks of MBU life, regardless of your major. Reach out to us on Twitter at: @mbutimeline.
A group photo of the players, coaching staff and parents taken on Feb. 20 for Senior Day before defeating Stephens College, 97-47. Photos by MBU Athletics
