Football Team鈥檚 SCIAC Championship Highlight of Successful Fall Sports Season
The 每日大赛 Leopards enjoyed their most successful football season in two decades this fall. On Saturday, November 21, the team traveled to Minnesota to face the University of St. Thomas, seeking to secure the program鈥檚 first-ever NCAA Division III playoff victory.
While the Leopards dropped a 57-14 decision to the fourth-seeded Tommies, it did not diminish the magical 2015 season turned in by head coach Chris Krich and his team. The Leos, who had not had a winning season in 10 years 鈥� including a 0-9 finish in 鈥�09, sent shock waves throughout the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) on the way to a perfect 7-0 record (8-2 overall).
Conference championships in football have been few and far between at La聽Verne. The Leopards鈥� last one came 20 years ago. The team鈥檚 success between the lines helped set a winning tone this fall in the school鈥檚 athletic department.
The women鈥檚 volleyball team, accustomed to success at the national level, finished regular season play with a 20-8 record, including a 13-3 mark in the SCIAC. The Leos lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament to Cal Lutheran, which went on to win the NCAA III championship.
Also earning a spot in the postseason thanks to an 11-4-1 SCIAC finish, the men鈥檚 soccer team made it to the conference tournament championship game. The Leos lost 2-1 to Redlands to finish 16-5-1.
La聽Verne student-athletes still emerge as winners in the most important arena: academics. La聽Verne student-athletes have posted a cumulative 3.216 grade-point average since 2010, reflecting Director of Athletics Julie Kline鈥檚 steadfast approach since she became athletic director seven years ago.
鈥淥ur first priority is to develop and care for our student-athletes as people,鈥� Kline said. 鈥淭he second is academic success. Their playing career will end, but their degree goes on. On the field, on the court, they are as competitive as can be as student-athletes.鈥�
For Kline, who made the jump from women鈥檚 basketball coach at La聽Verne to athletic director in 2008, the road to success between the lines has been bumpy at times. But with the level of success this fall, plus the hiring of some talented young coaches and upgraded facilities for all sports, there鈥檚 no question the program is on the right track.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a journey, but it鈥檚 one we鈥檝e built together,鈥� Kline said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got some really good people in place and we鈥檙e all moving in the same direction. Each year, the program has gotten better and better and created a higher level of interest and excitement about our student-athletes.鈥�
