Midnight Madness 2015

We would like to thank all of the students who came out last night to Midnight Madness. It was a fun event that raised money for the Wounded Warrior Project. With our first scrimmage tomorrow morning, Midnight Madness was a great way for our guys to let loose after a great week of competitive practices. Junior forward AJ Pulliam took home the dunk title with a well timed alley-oop assist from sophomore guard Nik Oakes (who threw it from the third floor).

King of the Court 2015

At the start of each season, we hold our annual King of the Court competition, which is a series of individual strength and conditioning tests. Our guys are awarded points based on how they finish in each test, as well as how much they have improved in each test from their prior year's testing.

Defending his title for the third year in a row, Senior grad Jimmy Clark showed that continued hard work pays off. Jimmy tested towards the top of each test, but more importantly improved in all but one. To put this into perspective, Jimmy had to make significant gains each season, while also testing towards the top each competition. He's setting a great example of what hard work really is!

Congrats, Jimmy!

Opening Weekend Practices

The 2015-16 Basketball Season has officially begun!!! On Thursday, our Trinity Tigers took the court for the first practice of the season. A lot has been covered these last three days, with the University on Fall Break and our practice schedule loaded with two-a-days. The guys have been eager to take on the challenge. The energy level is high and the muscles are very sore! With an emphasis on effort, focus, and communication, each day is a great opportunity for this young group to make strides to getting better. We are very excited and can't wait to see these Tigers' progress!

Successful Prospect Camp

Last Saturday we enjoyed hosting our annual Trinity Basketball Prospect Camp. This is always a great opportunity for interested prospective student-athletes to work out in Sam's Gym and get to know more about Trinity. With a nice manageable camp size, our staff enjoyed getting some quality time working with and evaluating each camper. We were extremely pleased with the energy and effort shown by the campers, who were all willing to try their best with the new drills and work out format.

SCAC Media Days

You know basketball season is almost upon us when the annual SCAC Media Days come out! This year, Coach Cunningham and senior guard William Young talk with the SCAC's James Hill about the upcoming season.

King of the Court 2014

Each year, within the first week of practice, Trinity Basketball also holds our annual King of the Court. This competition runs a series of tests (vertical, agility, sprint, bench, conditioning) and rewards the top performers, as well as those with the greatest improvements from prior years.

The 2014 King of the Court is junior guard Jimmy Clark. This is the first time in KOTC history we have had a multiple champion, as Jimmy won last year's KOTC as well. We are very proud of him, knowing the hard work he has put in to his off-season training to physically prepare himself for this season.

Congrats, Jimmy!

Baltimore, MD Weekend Wrap-Up

The Trinity Tigers covered nearly the entire United States last week, returning from Tacoma, WA on Monday and then traveling to Baltimore, MD Thursday for the 2013 D3Hoopsville Classic hosted by Stevenson University. The Classic brought together ten of the top teams across the country - a holiday gift for the true DIII fan. The Tigers played two games - Keystone College on Friday and Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday.

Keystone came out early doing what they do well - making 3 pointers. Our guys showed tremendous poise not allowing those 3's to take us out of our gameplan. Instead, the Tigers dug in and turned up their defensive efforts, while also showing off their shooting ability in the second half. We pulled away towards the end of the game, winning 82-67, but it was a close match for the majority of the 40 minutes. With a 17 point outing, senior guard Robert Kitzinger became Trinity's 24th player in history to reach 1,000 career points. We are excited to see where he finishes up after a great senior year!

On Saturday, the Tigers took on a very good Ohio Wesleyan team that was upset the night before. The first half was a chess match, as no team could really get it going on the offensive end. Coming out of half time in a tie ball game, the Bishops of OWU started to make, what felt like, everything and came away with a 64-75 victory over our Tigers. For his outstanding performance over the weekend, offensively and defensively, senior forward Jonathan Wilt was named to the All-Classic Team.

It was a first class event, thanks to the efforts of the Stevenson University and D3Hoopsville staff. Our student-athletes enjoyed the experience of competing against NCAA Tournament-quality talent, as well as seeing some other great teams battle on the court. While flying out of (a very cold) Baltimore with a weekend split wasn't ideal, it was another opportunity for our group to realize what it takes to win at the highest level - consistent effort and focus.

The Tigers were able to make it down to the Inner Harbor for dinner Friday night and enjoy the sites of Baltimore.

Tacoma, WA Weekend Wrap-Up

This past weekend, the Tigers traveled to Tacoma, Washington to participate in the Doug McArthur Classic hosted by the University of Puget Sound. Flying up Thursday and returning yesterday, the trip proved to be a roller coaster experience, which the team learned a great deal.

On Thursday, the team flew in to Seattle airport and drove down to Tacoma. Along the way, we stopped in for our first team meal in the Pacific Northwest...BBQ? Luckily, it was Famous Dave's and the food was terrific!

On Friday, we played our season opening game against Whitworth College. The Pirates came out making shots early and we never really got it going, dropping the game - 53-71.

Saturday proved to be a similar game, as the Tigers took on Pacific Lutheran University. Poor second half defense and another tough shooting night lead to a 49-67 defeat.

Something had to change on Sunday for the Tigers to get on the right track. The intensity and effort displayed by the Tigers was night and day in the final game against host University of Puget Sound. With a total team effort, the Tigers captured the first victory of the season - 77-56. It was a strong response to the prior two performances. A great way to finish a very competitive opening weekend of games. After Sunday's game, the Tigers were finally able to enjoy some Pacific Northwest seafood at Steamer's - a spot-on recommendation coming from our very own Coach McAdams of the Tiger Football staff.

Although it was raining all day yesterday (typical Seattle weather), the team still was able to do a little site seeing before flying out of Seattle. First, we made a quick stop by the Space Needle...

Afterwards, the Tigers enjoyed Pike Place Market and getting a cup of coffee at the first Starbucks...

Overall, the experience was positive for the Tigers. While dropping two games to start the season was not in the plans, figuring out the level of intensity and focus that is needed to achieve our goals was plainly laid out. A strong win against a good Puget Sound team, while being able to experience a different part of the country that the majority of our guys have never been, highlighted this weekend's trip to Tacoma, WA. Next up, the DIII Hoopsville Classic in Stevenson, Maryland!

Maroon Madness 2012

On October 25, Trinity University kicked off the 2012-13 basketball season with Maroon Madness - our version of the bigger school's "Midnight Madness". Sponsored by TU Cheer and ASR, there was an awesome turnout of students at the event. Lasting about an hour, Maroon Madness had it all - player introductions, dance team routines, shooting/dribble competitions, a costume contest, and of course, a dunk contest to finish it off. Thank you to all who were involved in putting this event together and for those that attended. Maroon Madness was a great way to get Trinity's campus excited for the season ahead!

King of the Court - Fall 2012

Similar to last year, King of the Court took place on the second day of practice, Tuesday, Oct. 16. While excuses of tired legs and fatigue from the first day of practice could have been made, our guys came out and posted the best overall testing scores we have ever had in the KOTC competition. This is a true testament to how hard the group worked over the off-season to put themselves in better physical condition coming into the season. The guys have truly set the tone early for this season and we are extremely excited for the season ahead.

This also proved to be the closest King of the Court we've ever had, with the winner taking the crown by a mere one point. This year's champion is junior forward Zach Lambert. Zach made major gains in every category but one, along with posting near the top on each individual test. Being named King of the Court is a direct result of Zach's dedication to his strength and conditioning routine.

Congratulations Zach!

DIII News Preseason Rankings

With opening week of practices on hand, the first preseason ranking has been released by DIII News. Here is the complete poll, with the Tigers coming in at #22 -

DIII News Men's Preseason Top 25

1. Va. Wesleyan
2. Wis. Whitewater
3. North Central
4. Wooster
5. Cabrini
6. Franklin & Marshall
7. Hope
8. Amherst
9. William Paterson
10. Ill. Wesleyan
11. Wis. Stevens Point
12. East. Connecticut
13. Capital
14. Washington (Mo.)
15. Middlebury
16. MIT
17. St. Thomas
18. Scranton
19. Farmingdale St.
20. St. Mary’s (Md.)
21. Ohio Wesleyan
22. Trinity (Texas)
23. Hartwick
24. Messiah
25. Birmingham-Southern

Others to watch:
R.I. College
Ithaca
Randolph-Macon
Oswego St.
Texas-Dallas
Chris. Newport
Staten Island
Wittenberg
Bethany
Transylvania
Rose-Hulman
St. Norbert
NYU
Coe
Whitworth

Opening Week Wrap Up

There were definitely ups and downs while going 2-1 in the opening week of this 2011-12 season. On Wednesday we traveled to Kerrville, TX and won a very exciting game against Schreiner University. Overcoming some mistakes down the stretch, two major plays were made by the Tigers within the final minute - John Boxberger '13 took a charge with 38 seconds left and the score tied, then Robert Kitzinger '14 knocked down a three-pointer with a few seconds left to give the Tigers the victory (as seen in the above clip). It was encouraging to see our guys regroup in the clutch moments at the end of a close and hard-fought game. On Friday, the team headed up to Georgetown, TX to take on Concordia University. We rarely face an opponent like Concordia in conference play, with their up-tempo style of play, full court pressure defense and tremendous athleticism. The guys really held their composure and handled Concordia's waves and offensive spurts through out the game, which resulted in a solid 14 point victory. On Saturday, we took on a very good Claremont McKenna and just didn't match the effort and energy of the opponent.

Overall, it was a good first week of the season and we have plenty to learn from - not only from the loss, but also from the wins. This upcoming week won't be any easier as the Tigers are on the road for three more games - Tuesday in Seguin, TX against Texas Lutheran, and Friday/Saturday in Ashland, VA for the ODAC/SCAC Classic against preseason #1 Virginia Wesleyan and host Randolph-Macon. These should be great games to prepare us for the following week's opening play of conference games against Hendrix College and Colorado College.

King of the Court - Fall 2011

Usually King of the Court takes place on the first day of practice (Oct. 15) to kick off the new season. With gym availability conflicts, this year's KOTC was pushed back a day to this past Sunday, Oct. 16. There could have been concern for tired legs for the testing, but after the results were compiled, the 2011 Trinity Tigers proved to have come back in spectacular physical condition this season. Team averages improved in every test! The personal and team dedication to working hard in the offseason is apparent, as every returning player made improvements from last year's KOTC. We couldn't be more excited!

While everyone gave a great effort and performance, only one individual can be crowned as the King of the Court. This year's champion is sophomore forward Jonathan Wilt. Jonathan placed in the top five in four of the five tests (1st in the sprint and 2nd in conditioning!), as well as recording high improvements in all but one test. It was a very close competition that was only determined by a few points, but in the end, Jonathan's consistency carried him to the crown!

Class of 2015 Commitments

Trinity Basketball has now received five commitments for next year’s incoming freshmen class. The following players will be wearing maroon come October 15:

Charles Allen 6’3 Guard – Second Baptist School, Houston, TX – Averaged 18 points and 6 rebounds for a Texas 4A TAPPS semifinalist. Voted First Team All-District and Second Team All-State. Charles is an athletic guard who rebounds/defends very well, while combining deep shooting range and the ability to score in various ways off the dribble.

Jimmy Clark 6’3 Wing – Rockford Lutheran School, Rockford, IL – Averaged 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists his senior season. Voted to the Big Northern All-Conference Team, Illinois 1A/2A All-State Fourth Team, and a Rock River Senior Classic All-Star Game selection. Jimmy is a very physical perimeter player with the ability to score the ball in various ways and willing to do the dirty work for his team’s success.

Matt Hopper 6’4 Wing – Rock Canyon High School, Highlands Ranch, CO – Averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 assists while shooting 40% from the three-point line. A three-time All-Continential League selection, while being named to the First Team his season year. Voted a Colorado 5A All-State Honorable Mention and Academic All-State selection. Matt brings tremendous athleticism to the wing position, with the ability to step out and make the deep three-point shot. He will also be playing on the Trinity Football team, where he was a First Team All-South Metro selection at the quarterback position.

Craig Saltarelli 5’11 Guard – Fairview High School, Boulder, CO – Averaged 14 points and 5 assists for a Colorado 5A State Runner Up. Named to the All Colorado State Tournament Team his junior season. Voted First Team All-Front Range League and Second Team All-Region, as well as, a two-time Academic All-State selection. Craig brings a great amount of versatility at the guard position, with the ability to score from anywhere on the court, along with a natural sense of finding open teammates.

William Young 5’10 Guard – St. John’s School, Houston, TX – William is transferring in from Arizona State where he was a redshirt freshman last season for the Sun Devils. In high school, he averaged 18 points, 8.5 assists, and 1.5 steals. A two-time TABC Large Private All-State and three-time All-Southwest Preparatory Conference selection. William is a gifted ball handler/passer and a true point guard with the ability to make big plays.

We are thrilled to bring in this athletic and skilled group of players, all of whom epitomize today’s “student-athlete.” Please join us in welcoming Trinity’s Class of 2015!

2011 SCAC Tournament Wrap Up

There was some terrific basketball played at this past weekend's SCAC Tournament in Jackson, MS. The Tigers came out of the gates on fire Friday against Rhodes, but came up two points short of making the championship game against DePauw on Saturday. It was a tough way to end the season, but our guys "left it all on the court" and we couldn't have been more proud. For our players that are returning, this will hopefully motivate them to continue to improve over the off-season and build on this year's successes.

It was amazing to find ourselves in position to make a run at the SCAC Title this season, especially considering the slow start we had; but, that is a testament to the type of players we have on our team. They bought into what we were trying to accomplish as a group and therefore were successful. That attitude and dedication to the team was apparent in Saturday's game against DePauw. We were down early by double digits and it would have been very easy for our guys to start trying to take over the game individually, but instead, they continued to play the way the coaching staff was asking them to and gave themselves a chance to win the game at the end. Collective efforts like that often go unnoticed when a team loses, but it was really a defining quality in this year's team.

Senior-Day Saturday

The last two seasons, Trinity Basketball has graduated a great deal of players (6 in 2009, 5 in 2010); each class leaving large holes to fill numbers-wise and talent-wise. This year's senior class is only comprised of two student-athletes, but will leave just as big of shoes to fill. Saturday's contest against the University of Dallas will be our annual "Senior Day," honoring the Tigers' Class of 2011. Now would be a good time to talk about these student-athletes.

#33 Sam Dworkin - 6'4 Forward - Portland, OR
Sam is definitely one of the most enjoyable personalities to come through Trinity Basketball. His light-heartedness and geniune ability to connect with his teammates through humor will never be matched, but don't let his smile fool you, Sam is also one of the hardest working players to wear the maroon and white. Seeing limited in-game minutes in his first three seasons, Sam came to work every day in AND out of practice. While others would sulk and lose motivation to better themselves as players, he jumped at every opportunity to develop his skills and athletic ability - some would call him a gym rat or workout junkie. Whatever you call him, Sam worked hard to become one of the conference's major three-point threats. This season, as a key contributor for the Tigers, Sam has kept defenses honest by being able to spread the floor and shoot with range. He is also a vocal leader on the floor - encouraging his teammates and generating enthusiasm every game. Off the court, Sam is a member of the Phi Sigma Chi fraternity and a double major in Business Marketing and Spanish.

#40 Luke Caldarera - 6'4 Forward - Houston, TX
Luke came into Trinity his freshmen year as a typical "Division III Tweener." Considered too short to play post, but not quick enough to play on the perimeter at the Division I level. Often high school players are passed up on athletic scholarships because of this "tweener" tag. The word "tweener" couldn't have sounded better to Trinity Basketball. Over Luke's career, he has been a key contributor to the success of the program through his ability to score and rebound the basketball. Having arguably the best midrange shot in all of Division III didn't come naturally to Luke though. He put in the hours (whether it was just him and a ball, on the shooting machine, or with coaches during the season outside of practice) and worked to become one of the most dangerous offensive threats the SCAC has seen the last four years (2-time First Team All-SCAC and 2-time NABC Second Team All-South Region). After Luke graduates, Trinity won't just miss a top 10 scorer in the history of the program,; we will be missing an energetic, passionate, and tremendous teammate. Off the court, Luke is a double major in Business Marketing and Finance.



Again, while it may appear that we are ony losing two players from this year's roster, what the Class of 2011 brings is so much more - work ethic, enthusiasm, dedication, passion (and always a great sense of humor, hence the above picture!). It will be exciting to see how they finish their already successful careers here in the next few weeks!

Tigers Clinch West's #1 Seed

Trinity Basketball collected two major wins this weekend over Colorado College and Austin College. With Southwestern beating Colorado on Sunday, the Tigers clinched the West Division's #1 seed in the SCAC Tournament on Feb. 25-27. The team will finish SCAC play with Southwestern Friday and then a non-conference matchup with future SCAC-member, University of Dallas, both at home.

SCAC Weekend Wrap UP

Trinity Basketball hit the road last weekend to two difficult places to play - Jackson, MS (Millsaps College) and Conway, AR (Hendrix College) and came out with two big victories, putting the Tigers a half game behind the top spot in the West Division of the SCAC. Everyone on the team gave a terrific effort and played as one unit. One Tiger was acknowledged for his performance - senior forward, Luke Caldarera, as he was awarded SCAC Player-of-the-Week, making it the second time this season, and third time of his career, that he has earned the honor.

Friday night's game in San Antonio against Colorado College will be crucial if the Tigers hope to earn that top West Division seed for the SCAC tournament in two weeks.

Getting On Track

Trinity Basketball took a much needed step in the right direction this past weekend in Georgetown, TX at the Southwestern University Holiday Classic. With two quality wins against Albion and Hardin Simmons, the Tigers showed signs of the group's potential. Although we are still not 100% where we COULD be, it was a great weekend grounded by an all around team effort. With contributions coming from every healthy player on the team, the guys appear to be getting on track as a unit and gelling together on the court.

One product of the successful weekend was the recognition of First-Year Robert Kitzinger's shooting performance. Kitz was a consistent threat from the three-point line in both games, knocking down eight total, and earned the honor of SCAC Player-of-the-Week.

The team is off for the holidays and will return to action next week to take on Nebraska Wesleyan at home on Dec. 29.

Midnight Madness - Halloween Edition

The past two seasons a strong Trinity Basketball tradition has been missing, but Midnight Madness made a great comeback last Thursday, October 28th. Sponsored by the sororities and fraternities, the student body really got behind this year's Halloween theme (the winner of the costume contest was a pregnant cookie monster - although there was a strong push for Monty Python's one armed Black Knight). The event began with the introduction of the Men's and Women's Basketball teams and consisted of a few dance routines (our first-years showing their moves), a faculty/student knock-out game, a short team scrimmage, and finished off with a dunk contest. First-year guard, Matt Selling, came away the winner with the most creative dunk of the night. It was an overall fun night and did a great job of raising excitement for the start of basketball season.