The Next Chapter - Erin Conroy

These past four years have come and gone faster than I can say “Lady Hawks”. On May 22, 2011, six of us graduated and began new chapters of our lives. Sadly enough we all seem to be heading in different directions; whether it is continuing our education in Graduate School, beginning a career in nursing or accounting, or heading out to a fashion forward place of California, we all have our roads paved out in front of us. For me, my path does not stray too far from where I already am. Beginning next week I start my classes for my Master’s degree in Education Leadership from yet again, Quincy University. While taking these classes, I will be the new graduate assistant for the Quincy University Athletic Department in which I will be able to learn the “behind the scenes” events and doings of what makes a success athletic department and program. However, I am not through with our soccer program yet. I plan to also assist Dave and Katie and try to help the Lady Hawks along their road to a GLVC Championship and a National Championship.

Now being a college graduate I have set new goals for my life and want to accomplish many things, but I will never forget the times that I have spent with my former teammates, roommates, and best friends.

Erin Conroy
2011 QU Lady Hawk Graduate

Catching Up With Alumni - Rachel Poepsel Grohmann

Hometown: Wentzville, MO

High School: St. Dominic

Position: Midfielder and Forward

Graduation Year: 2007

Major: Marketing

Awards: First Team All-GLVC

What was your favorite game at QU and why?
There are so many memorable games but my favorite was against Northern Kentucky my senior year. It was a Friday night under the lights and tied 0-0 until late in the second half. In less than 1 minute we scored 3 times and ended up winning 3-0. Everyone was so excited after each goal and the momentum was awesome!

What was your favorite memory as a QU Lady Hawk?
My favorite memory as a QU Lady Hawk was finding out we were going to the NCAA tournament my senior year. The whole team worked so hard all year so it was really rewarding to have the opportunity and extend our season even longer.

Being an attacker, what was your most memorable goal at QU?
My most memorable goal was against Rockhurst my senior year. It was the first round of the GLVC conference tournament and we were losing 1-0 with less than 2 minutes in the game. I scored off a pass from Becky Fleming to tie the game 1-1. We ended up winning in OT which advanced us in the tournament. It was so exciting!

What is special about being a QU Lady Hawk?
I loved being a QU Lady Hawk! I liked how all of the teams supported each other. Since QU is a small school you get to know the athletes on the other teams. We would go to a lot of basketball, baseball, volleyball, and football games and they would come to our soccer games. Most Division II teams don’t have the same support.

What was your favorite pregame activity?
The music and dancing in our locker room before home games!

Who was your Hawk-Mate…any thoughts?
Jenna Boyko (a.k.a. Deer) was an awesome Hawk-Mate! We went to high school together so it was really neat to play with her again! DOMINATORS!!!

What are you doing now four years after QU?
I can’t believe it has been four years since graduation! I graduated with a Marketing degree and I currently work in the Finance department at The Boeing Company in St. Louis. A business degree from QU helped open the door for me at Boeing. I graduated with my M.B.A. from Missouri Baptist in 2009.

QU Women's Soccer Alumni Game Video (Click The Picture To Watch)

http://www.twitvid.com/QAQXU

Summer Days Ahead

As we enter finals week, our Lady Hawks are focusing on finishing the Spring Semester on a positive note by achieving good grades. Our women’s soccer program was very fortunate to win the Team Academic Achievement Award at the Mart Heinen Awards Banquet for the third straight year. This award is given to the women’s program at QU with the best Team GPA. We had an outstanding 3.56 Team GPA. Congrats to our players for managing their time, working hard, and producing in the classroom just as they do on the field.

Our players are heading home next week with their summer workout programs. Our players are doing various activities such as playing club soccer, WPSL, involved in personal workout programs, and also following our H.A.W.K. Summer Program. This is a 12 week program divided into 4 phases set up to prepare our ladies for the fall. It involves cardio, strength, ball work, agility, speed work, playing, etc. Training and preparation is now up to the players by attacking each day with the “Fit For Life” attitude. Every year I’ve been at QU our players have always reported to preseason super fit, focused, and hungry for success. It’s key for our players to report fit so we can use that limited time to shape our team quicker focusing more on team tactics.

We will have more blog updates soon so please keep checking. We are in the process of posting our Alumni Game Day Video (which is awesome!!!), but we are having difficulties with this blogspot site. We will post videos, interviews of our newcomers, and other updates from players throughout the summer. Thank you for following and supporting our Quincy Lady Hawk Program.

- Dave Musso

2011 Alumni Game Photo

Click the Picture to Enlarge

The Quincy University Lady Hawk Alumni Game Saturday April 30 was a huge success. A big thank you to the 25 Alumni Hawks that came back to enjoy the event. We are currently putting together a very neat alumni game video which will be coming soon. Please check back later.

Lady Hawks Springin to Next Fall!

Lydia Disseler

Spring season has been a great success! Everyone is working hard in practice and staying positive which is what has been leading to our success in our games. Our team chemistry is great on and off the field, which also contributes to our success. Every time I go to practice I can count on a good laugh, but staying focused when needed. We have been attacking practice like it will be our last and receiving maximum benefit in each practice to make us better players. The last game we played, on April 16th, was against Western Illinois at their place. It was very cold and windy but that did not stop us from scoring on them within the first twenty minutes! We played well together and had each other’s backs. We played our game passing to each other’s feet and kept our cool when the Western players tried knocking us off the ball. The referee gave out seven yellow cards! Brittany Casey scored the first goal in the first half and Lori Mannion with the game winner with less than ten minutes to go resulting in a 2-1 win! We showed the classiness of the Lady Hawks with a strong win while showing respect to our opponent.

The next game to come is the Alumni game on Saturday April 30th at 4 pm. I am very excited to see the players that have graduated and get more touches on the ball. I am also very excited to see how well this 2011 group will do in the fall. We did great last year, but there is always room for improvement in everything you do. We are a team that has good potential to achieve a winning and successful season through great enthusiasm and determination. In order to prepare myself for this battle, I will continue to lift twice a week to stay strong so I do not get pushed off the ball. Each day I will think to myself, “what can I do today to make me a better and stronger player?” I will do an extra 5% everyday to get my body at top performance level. I plan on running at least three miles daily, various types of sprinting, lifting, ball touches, and cross fits weekly to keep my touch and stamina at a high level. In order for me to accomplish this, I have to eat well and drink a lot of water to stay energized and hydrated. I have confidence that our whole team will keep up their hard work and determination in the summer, and push themselves so we may all unite in preseason and benefit from each other’s efforts. The word for the upcoming fall season: ANTICIPATION!

IT’S A GREAT DAY TO BE A LADY HAWK!!!!!

Lydia Disseler
Junior Back

Spring Update: Catching Up with Head Coach Dave Musso

Drewett's Spring Update!

Spring season has been amazing so far! It feels great to get back outside on our AMAZING practice field. Last weekend we played Truman State in our first spring season game. The outcome was a 0-0 tie; however I feel that our team played very well for the first game of the season. Practices this week have also been really good, consisting of possession, and small field games. The drive and passion in the team this spring has been amazing! Everyone comes to each practice ready to play and compete. Everything this week has been in preparation for our games against Evansville and Maryville this weekend. I know everyone is super pumped to be able to play in St. Louis in front of many of our family and friends. Time for us to shine this weekend and score some GOALLSSSSS. GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Lauren Drewett
Junior Back

Spring Update!

Lady Hawk Soccer got the chance to catch up with Sophomore Tori Champagne, Freshmen Maddie Torretta and Jaclyn Mastroianni on how the winter off-season went and what they are looking forward to this spring. Check it out! 

GO HAWKS!

Spring Time – “Let ‘Em Play!”

Hello again for another off-season update. We are off to a great start for this 2011 year. The winter conditioning phase is complete and it's time to begin our spring season training. January and February were full of off-season activities such as Cross-Fit, various conditioning activities, lifting, technical ball skills work with small groups, agility, plyos, Pilates, etc. We are focusing on getting stronger and building individual confidence. The off-season is for player development and we are seeing a lot of players step up their level. It’s fun to see how hard this group works together.

We also had our 2010 Team Awards Banquet in February. Here are the team award winners voted by the players…

Most Improved – Sr. Annie Sokolich
Best Defender – Sr. Meghan Roberts
Best Midfielder – Jr. Megan Wingenbach
Best Attacker – Jr. Aimee Ubriaco
Best Newcomer – Fr. Jodi Chapie
Most Valuable Player – Sr. Becky Fleming
Best Student-Athlete – Fleming, Ubriaco, Wingenbach

Injury Update: Our team is pretty healthy coming off 2010. The two main injuries are sophomore defender Sam Andert and freshman defender/midfielder Molly Costello. Sam tore her ACL mid season against Bellarmine. She is doing outstanding with her rehab and has recently been doing cardio fitness, strength, agility, and ball skills. She was cleared last week to play so a big congratulations to her. Obviously we are going to ease her back slow but she is really coming back strong. Sam is an impact player and will be key to our backfield in fall 2011. Molly Coz broke her leg last spring during her Incarnate Word high school season. Coz is coming along well too and doing all the conditioning and ball skills sessions. This type of injury usually takes a full year to be back 100% so we are being careful with her recovery and return too. It’ll be a big bonus getting Coz back next fall for our back line and midfield. During these spring games we will be limited with our subs but the bonus of that is everyone will play a lot and get quality game time experience.

Spring Games and Training: We have some awesome games this spring as we play Truman, Evansville, Maryville, Western Illinois, Hannibal and our Alumni. Hopefully this spring weather will be cooperative and let us play a lot. Click the picture to enlarge the spring dates and times.

Spring training will be very valuable for player development. Again our focus is on individual development and there are a lot of open spots to be filled in 2011. This is a hungry group which creates a spirited atmosphere. Who wants it? The competitiveness helps push each other which will eventually raise the entire level of our team and program. 2011 spring training is here…Here We Go!

- Dave Musso

Lady Hawk Dodge-ball Tournament!

The Lady Hawks have been working really hard this off-season and we decided to let loose and have a little fun! A little over a week ago we had a dodge-ball tournament and the girls (including the 2010 seniors) were divided up into teams and were told to come up with a team name and outfits. Each team was voted by random QU Athletic Staff and well....here is the outcome! The girls had a blast, check it out!

GO HAWKS!

Catching Up With Alumni - Laura Gentry



2006 All-American Defender and
GLVC Defender of the Year

Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.

High School: Notre Dame St. Louis

Club Team: J.B. Marine

Position: Centerback

Graduation Year: 2007

Major:  Elementary Education

What was your favorite game at QU and why?
Ahh, so many to think of!! It is really hard to think of just one favorite game, but I would have to say the game against Rockhurst when we won 2-1 in OT. I remember it was a Friday night game and one of our last games of the season. We really needed the win in order to help us get to the NCAA Tourney. It was such an awesome feeling when we scored. I just remember everyone was so excited and we really came together as a team that night to put every effort into winning that game.

What was your favorite memory as a QU Lady Hawk?
My favorite memory as a QU Lady Hawk was waiting to hear if we were going to the NCAA Tournament my senior year! The anticipation and excitement going through our heads was endless. It was such a great feeling when we found out we were heading to the tournament. What a great way to end my QU soccer career!

What's special about being a Lady Hawk?
The team chemistry was a special thing to be a part of as a QU Lady Hawk. We were all so close, whether you were a freshman or a senior, we all got along so well. Every girl felt welcomed and excited to be a QU Lady Hawk. Whether on the field or off the field, we were all there for each other and were proud to say we were part of the QU community and the QU Lady Hawk soccer team.

What was your favorite pregame activity?
I loved home games and being in the locker room before the game. Every girl would have their own pregame ritual, but the best part was the music and the dancing! We all know, I wasn't part of the dance parties as I have no sense of rhythm, but everyone was hilarious and it was a great way to get pumped for the game.

Who was your Hawk-Mate…any thoughts?
Becky Fleming was my Hawk-Mate!!!!!!! Becky and I were able to form a special bond which carried over into post-college years. I believe she still refers to me as Papa Bear, haha! Becky and I still keep in touch and I really enjoyed watching her play after I graduated. It was also really neat to see her win so many awards throughout her soccer career at Quincy.

Did you have any “Team Song” that still reminds you of QU?
Definitely! "It's a Beautiful Day" still sticks in my head and reminds me of Quincy Soccer. I remember after every game we would gather in a circle and that song would be playing. I love hearing that song to this day because it reminds me of Quincy.

What was your favorite “bring it in” cheer at the end of practice?
Nuts and Bolts!!!! (Shout out to Laurie and Shannon!!!)

What are you up to now with post-QU career?

I am currently teaching kindergarten at St. Gabriel the Archangel School in South St. Louis. This is my 3rd year teaching at St. Gabe's and I enjoy every minute of it. I am also about to graduate with my Masters in Education from Lindenwood. I am finishing up my last two classes and will be finished in May of this year! I owe QU's education department for allowing me to get such a great education. I truly believe I enjoy and succeed at my job because of the quality of education I received at Quincy University.

2011 Dodgeball Tourney Group Picture

2011 Winter Conditioning Pictures

During this Off-Season Winter Phase our Lady Hawks do a lot of conditioning.  Today was an example of some of the many activities we do as a team to help with speed, strength, endurance, etc. 

7:55am Group Doin Work! - Click Picture to Enlarge

9am Group Attackin it! - Click Picture to Enlarge

Kickin It With Erin Thomas!

Off season training is going great!! The team is coming together and supporting one another more than ever in these off season training practices. Every girl has a hawk partner where they get together two times out of the week and lift to help improve their overall strength on top of meeting 4 times a week as a group to get some good, hard conditioning in together. We are doing activities such as running timed miles, cones, cross-fit (which everyone loves haha), and multiple different forms of sprinting as a type of conditioning. Being a senior this year, and probably speaking for my other classmates as well, this past season flew so quick that we barely had time to enjoy it. It is crazy how this is going to be our last off season practices of our career but it is also exciting knowing that we won’t have to do it next winter ha. This being our last winter conditioning, it makes us realize that we have nothing to lose.

I am super excited to see what our senior year has to bring me and the rest of the team and to see how far and how well us seniors can lead our team into the next season. Every single one of us is stepping up this off season to show our underclassmen that they can believe and trust in us to help lead them in the right direction. I'm super excited to play our spring season games because they will help not only me but our entire team see where we stand with other super talented teams. I think that these spring games will help to bring our team even closer, not only just playing better together but also our team chemistry. Overall, I am super excited to finally be a senior and am super ready for our season to begin. If you can, come out and support our team at these spring season games because we also look for you fans to help us bring home a win!!

Thanks and let's go Hawks!!!!!!!

Erin Thomas

Junior Mid/Forward