​The Tiffin Football team poses for a team picture after the first day of workouts.

By Isaiah Cole
Student Writer

Tiffin’s football team kicked off the 2020 campaign with spring ball workouts this week. 
The 98 Players who are currently on the roster had to be up early as they had to arrive before 6 a.m. and were met with high intensity workout stations before finishing with a team competition exercise at the end.

 “I feel good,” said redshirt junior corner Justin Williams.”It's getting us prepared for the upcoming spring ball season.” 

First year head coach Cris Reisert preached “Attention to Detail” before the workouts began. Players who failed to do so had to do up downs and were forced to redo drills. 

Expectations are high this year for the Dragons who were the 2019 GMAC Champions last season finishing 9-2 before their season ended after losing to Kutztown University in the playoffs. 

The football team switched conferences last year from the GLIAC to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. 

Tiffin will field a strong team next season with D2 honorable mention All-American JaQuan Hardy, GMAC offensive player of the year Nick Watson and defensive Linemen of the Year Charlie Cleveland. 

“I want my team to realize we are national contenders,” said senior receiver Devin Butler. “It's important to realize that as soon as possible so everyone could reflect on last year to the memories they have where they didn’t feel like they worked hard or gave 110 percent effort, cheated a repetition and know that that’s not going to cut it to get where we know we deserve to be.” 

Devin Butler, who finished top 10 in the conference for receiving and is a first team kick returner will also be returning for the fall 2020 season. 

Spring ball will give many players who flew under the radar during the year and transfer students a chance to become impact players and start fighting for spots in the fall. 

“I plan to compete everyday and make the best of this opportunity” said Transfer receiver Marcus Frierson.

The Tiffin Football team will continue to run and lift until the end of February and will begin spring ball practices in early march. 

​

This was an historic season for your very own Dragons football team! They have finished the season undefeated in conference play and beat long time rival Findlay in the GMAC championship game breaking a 20+ year losing streak and on top of all that they’ve made the NCAA division 2 playoffs which has never been done in school history. After all those great accomplishments the Dragons have also earned themselves a championship ring and the seniors get to choose the ring design. 

​

TU women's indoor track and field team is jubilant after its big wins at the G-MAC conference at the University of Findlay Feb. 22-23. 

by ASHLIN LINDSEY
Staff writer 

Tiffin University's women's indoor track and field team won first place in the Great Midwest Athletic conference held at the University of Findlay on Feb. 22-23. 

The women hit a fantastic score of 188.50 overall, reaching five short-term marks in the conference, two all-time, and hitting two personal records. This event is the first time the indoor track and field team won the G-MAC conference. 

Freshman Marisa Gwinner, hit her NCAA personal record in the high jump and took first place, setting an all-time personal record of 1.75 meters. 

Senior Brittany Holbrook placed first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.72 seconds.

Junior Shalbe Evans took first place in the long jump with 5.61 meters.

Senior Kirsten Camp won the pentathlon with 3.459 points. 

Gwinner said she tells herself to never forget why she started competing, "Sometimes, being a college athlete you get so tired of doing the same things everyday, but I just sit back and think I started track because I wanted to compete in college. I want to be All-American all four years of school," she said. "I want to be so many things that I can't let my mind get stuck on being tired. I always like to think during competitions to "focus, breathe, compete" because sometimes emotions can get the best of us and can throw us off focus and that's never good, you have to be mentally strong in any sport. 

Coaches Keith Reiter and Dennis Martin said they were happy for the team and all its accomplishment and are honored to be coaching at Tiffin University among a great group of athletes. 

by NICK WATSON 

​Taking the pledge to spread the word to end using the word retarded. That is what the students at Tiffin Columbia did Wednesday after attending a presentation by TU athletes who urged them to be more sensitive toward people with disabilities. 

About 74 Tiffin University athletes who are members of the Student athlete advisory committee gave gave a short presentation to classes to get the high school students to join the campaign to end using the word retarded. 

The athletes showed the students a short video pf how some of the people with disabilities felt when hearing the word used in a disrespectful way. 

The high school students joined the campaign but using their phones to go to the website and follow the campaign. 

The athletes then asked the students who had twitter to make a tweet following the hashtag #takethepledge

When asking the president of SAAC, Dominique Wagner, on what made her decide to bring the spread the word to end the word here at Tiffin, she replied, "Its something that I've always been passionate about, and being president this year I had the platform to be able to do something that I was passionate about."

if you want to learn more about the campaign and take the pledge click the link below and follow the spread the word to end the word website. 
https://www.spreadtheword.global/

​

by MACKENZI RICKMAN
Staff writer
​
​The final four for the NCAA women’s basketball which was held in Columbus over the weekend, and a number of Tiffin University students represented the college, giving up their free time on Easter weekend in order to help out at the event.

The Final Four of women’s basketball is always a huge event. Wherever the event is held it always produces a good outcome and this year it lived up again to its expectations, with two semifinal games on Friday night and the final game on Sunday going down to the wire.

The two finalists Notre Dame and Mississippi State ended with one player rising above the rest by shooting two clutch shots to win the championship. It really could not have got much better than this.

Dr Bonnie Tiell, professor of sports management and business decided to involve the college and contribute her free time along with a few students to offer some helping hands at the event.

Six students were chosen and took part in the event where they would help out with mini games, mingle with the public at the event and even have a chance to meet some of the future stars gracing the WNBA.

“Being able to hear about the athlete’s side of the story and how they dealt with fame was beneficial,” said Tiffin University student Chris Herlily.

The city of Columbus was packed full of people and even had WBA legends, including non-other than Kobe Bryant at the event, not only watching the games but taking part in everyday the activities as well as games, interviews and a chance to meeting the fans.

Senior TU student Jenna Huffman attended the game separately from Dr. Tiell’s group.

“It was a good game," Huffman said. "And we received front row seats."

A great day for students who had traveled many hours to Columbus to support their team. 

by DIANA ODUHO
​Staff writer

photo courtesy of TIFFIN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

by: AMANDA TRAXLER

After two days of hard competition, our Tiffin University Men’s Indoor Track team placed second overall to be named the National Runner-up’s at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track meet in Pittsburg, Kansas.
 
"I am really proud of the way these guys handled themselves throughout the weekend," said Head Coach Jeremy Croy.

Tiffin University was in second behind Pittsburg State with two events left in the competition. The Dragon’s were behind by only one point going into the 4x400 relay and the triple jump.

Pittsburg did not have a 4x400 team so the Dragons had a chance to win their third national title if they placed. The Dragons were not able to get any points as their relay finished ninth and Jalon Monigan finished 11th in the triple jump.

“It was a great opportunity to be able to compete with schools from all across the country,” said senior Mackenzie Rickman.

In order for athletes to compete they have to be top 16 in their event out of all the schools in their division.

“TU has the most qualifiers representing for most of the men’s track events,” Rickman said. “We have been so successful at the national level because we have had the most qualifiers in our division.”
 
Tiffin University (March, 2018). Dragons finish 2nd at Nationals. The Official Athletics Site of
Tiffin University. Retrieved March, 2018 from http://www.gotiffindragons.com/sports/mtrack/2017-18/releases/20180310z3lgdn

photos by AMANDA TRAXLER

by AMANDA TRAXLER

Tiffin University's men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the cheerleading squad, celebrated the careers of their graduating senior's on Saturday.

The men's basketball team celebrated seniors Alex Brown and Trent Lucas, while the women's team celebrated lone senior Kiley May.

Tiffin University cheerleading also celebrated the career of senior captain Jessyca Toland.

Both the men's and women's team fell short in the final game of their season. The men's team lost in overtime 88-86 to Saginaw Valley. The women's team fell to Saginaw Valley 67-66.

video excerpt from ESPN archives
​by Mackenzi Rickman
Tiffin University athletes, senior Mackenzi Rickman and sophomore Erick Snell race the 60m hurdles at Grand Valley University in Grand Rapids, Mich. Feb 25. At the finish of the race, Snell made an impressive effort as he dives at the line to achieve a second place finish behind teammate Rickman. Thanks to his effort the team racked up the most points.