From Joe Hakes, the Director of Athletics:
Stay in the Game

The holiday season provides an opportunity for families to get together and catch up on the year with each other. Many of you experienced that extended family feel with the team that you played on as a Scarlet Hawk.

Reflection on what we gave our time and effort to is valuable. For many, that athletic experience was a tremendous learning experience, testing commitment to the team as well as the limits of accomplishment. The team family often provides some of the closest relationships that a college student makes; such relationships tend to stand the test of time.

Student-athletes at IIT today are forging those relationships as they have always done. As we move into a new phase of competition in the NCAA, we now see new potential rivals that will give us a common goal to perform at our best levels all the time. We watch new relationships being formed and strengthened, while all the time putting first things first. The student-athletes are driven, as they always have been, by a desire to succeed. Indeed, everyone admitted to IIT is already a success. They have worked hard in the classroom, the lab, the field, the court, and the pool to create the foundation to compete at the college level at an academic institution like IIT.

Every day, in every practice and competition, they are creating their stories. It is one of the very true things about athletics—that your story has some different twists than those who chose other things. There is a sense of accomplishment, not always measured by wins and losses, which provides that extra layer of education to make for a whole person.

We want to hear your stories, or the stories of your teammates and friends. We hope that this newsletter will bring back memories of games, and bus rides and late night dinners that made your college experience exciting. Those stories are what hold families together. Thanks for being a part of the IIT athletic family. Have a wonderful holiday season.

How he got into soccer: Colwell, who grew up in South Bend, Ind., says that his mom signed him up for a recreational soccer team when I was 6 or 7 years old. He fell in love with the sport and the rest is history.

How he got into coaching: “It happened by accident. When I was a few years removed from college, I called a former coach about working at his summer camp and he said he had an assistant job available. I took the job as an assistant at Earlham [College] where we had great success—16-3-1 one season and made the NCAA Division III Tournament in the other season.”

Why he chose IIT: “I enjoy being able to work with athletes that are driven to succeed in and out of the classroom.”

Favorite IIT memory: “In 2011, the women’s team upset nationally ranked Robert Morris 1-0 at home. The girls worked so hard for that win as we had a player receive a second yellow (sending off) in the game and had to hold on for 20 minutes with a player down.”

Future expectations: “I would like to continue to bring in high-quality student-athletes who graduate and find jobs in their respective fields. The athletic programs have transitioned from NAIA to NCAA Division III and I would like to see all of our teams be successful in this new organization.”

Current season recap: “The Men's soccer team is currently 10-3-1 and ranked fifth in the nation in the USCAA. The team has a chance to qualify to the national tournament with a strong finish to the season.”

Player spotlight: “It was great to see freshman Rogelio Salcedo score two goals in the first game that his parents could see live after traveling up from Mexico City.”

Years competed: 2007–11

Professional stuff: Salem currently serves as a financial analyst with the Target Corporation, her third different role since joining Target in 2011 as part of the company's Finance and Accounting Development Program. She is a member of the supply chain finance team and supports the food distribution network.

Personal stuff: Salem is originally from Maple Grove, Minn., and has four siblings, including a brother who plays basketball at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. She serves on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) Young Leadership Committee and the JDRF mentor program as well as the Next Generation mentor program at Church of the Open Door. Salem also sits on the IIT Alumni Board of Directors and takes part in the Alumni Admissions Committee.

Why IIT: Her scholarship, the university's academic rigor, and the school's Chicago location

Memorable athletic experience: “Cooking Lebanese food for some of my teammates after practice and/or games.”

Impact IIT and athletics had on her career: Salem gained invaluable analytical problem-solving skills from her time in the classroom and perseverance, the desire to achieve, and leadership abilities from the soccer field.

Major/graduation year: Biomedical Engineering/2015

Hometown: Lindenhurst, Ill.

Career aspiration: Nursing

Why IIT: “I chose IIT because it offered every quality I was looking for in a college. I was fortunate enough to play collegiate soccer here for four years while obtaining a world-class education. I also was hoping to have a diverse experience where I could learn a lot about cultures around the world. By attending school in Chicago, I was automatically submerged in a city full people from all over the world. By attending IIT, where there is such a high international student population, I now have friends from every continent. This has given me a unique college experience and perspective different from the average college student.”

Athletic background: McMahon has been kicking around a soccer ball since the age of five and played for Lindenhurst Area Soccer Club from ages 8 to 18. He also played varsity soccer for three years at Lakes Community High School in Lake Villa, Ill., where he was a member of teams that won their first regional and sectional titles. As a senior, McMahon was named to the North Suburban Conference All-Conference team and the Daily Herald All-Area team, and as an All-Sectional Player for Illinois. McMahon also played basketball from ages 10 to 18 and was a varsity player for three years in high school. Recruited to play basketball in college, hen ultimately chose to play soccer.

Why soccer: “I play soccer because it combines both the mental and physical aspects of competition; you have to be aware of all 21 other players on the field and understand what the game is telling you to do. It is a game that demands team discipline while encouraging individual expression. Soccer demands that you be extremely physically fit in order to compete at a high level against your opponent. It is that competition where you must outwork your opponent if you are going to win. For me, there is no sport that demands such a wide range of abilities as soccer does.”

Favorite Athletic/Academic Memories: During his senior year in high school, McMahon not only was valedictorian but also won his school's first sectional title in soccer in a double-overtime game.

Awards: High school—North Suburban All-Academic (2009, 2010), North Suburban All-Conference, soccer (2010), Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-Sectional (2010), valedictorian (2011); College—Dean's List (fall 2013, spring 2014), Athletic Director's Honor Roll (fall 2011, fall 2013, spring 2014)

The Illinois Tech women's soccer team finished its 2014 campaign with an 11-6 record, setting a new school record mark with 11 wins. The Scarlet Hawks fell short of their ultimate goal of competing at the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) National Championships. All season they were ranked in the USCAA top 20 poll but couldn't crack the top 10 list of qualifiers. They did, however, finish among the top seven teams for goals scored (seventh), shots (sixth), shots per game (sixth), and goals against average (third).

The Hawks kicked off their season with a trip to New York where they coasted to a 2-0 record with wins over College of Staten Island 2-1 and John Jay College 7-0. A couple of key 3-0 home wins against Dominican University and Anderson University helped them to a 5-3 record at the end of September. They also went 5-3 through October, including two impressive wins against Midwest Conference opponents Carroll College and Ripon College, both by scores of 1-0. Ripon later went on to the Midwest Conference Tournament Championship where they fell to the number 10 NCAA DIII team in the nation, Lake Forest College.

The Hawks enjoyed a good run at the end of the season winning six of their last seven matches. Besides an early 4-2 loss to Albion College in the beginning of September, the rest of their five losses were decided by one goal, with three of those winning goals coming within the last two minutes of each respective match.

Anida Phetchanpheng (ARCH 2nd year) led the way on attack for the team, finishing the season with 13 goals and four assists. Midfielder Veronica Torres (BME 4th year) finished one point behind her with 10 goals and nine assists. Torres was also named as a USCAA Second Team All-American for her efforts.

Giving up only 15 goals in 17 games, the back line of the Hawks was anchored by Kristen Barrett (ARCH 3rd year), who also added three goals and seven assists on the offensive side of the ball. Goalkeeper Roxanne Myers (ARCE 3rd year), also honored as a Second Team All-American, had a tremendous year in the net, finishing in the top five across all of the USCAA in goals against average (fifth), save percentage (third), shutouts (third), and minutes played (third).

“Reflecting on the season, I can only be encouraged by the outcome,” says second-year head coach Ahmet Kose. “We didn't meet all of our goals, but to go from being a four- and five-win program the previous two seasons to recording the most wins in our program's history is really remarkable. I'm proud of our players for what they have accomplished, and I am excited to see what is in store for us next season.”

On November 11, Illinois Tech joined thousands of athletes from collegiate, high school, and club swimming teams around the world in the Ninth Annual Ted Mullin “Leave it in the Pool” Hour of Power Relay for Sarcoma Research, sponsored by the Carleton College swimming and diving teams.

The Hour of Power event honors those who are fighting or have succumbed to cancer, including former Carleton swimmer Edward H. “Ted” Mullin, who passed away from synovial sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer, in September 2006. The annual swim relay, which now includes dry land teams as well, has grown from 15 teams in its first year to more than 160 teams and 8,000 athletes in recent years. Participating swim teams engage in continuous relays of any stroke for a full hour of all-out swimming. The all-out 60-minute relay is a challenging workout that fuels team spirit and fosters cooperation among team members.

The event aims to generate awareness of sarcoma, which disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults. In the first eight years, participating teams have raised almost $500,000 to support research into the causes and treatment of sarcoma at the University of Chicago. All teams are welcome to participate whether or not they fundraise. The Scarlet Hawks were proud to join this outstanding event, and enjoyed "leaving it all in the pool."

If you are interested in making a donation to the Ted Mullin Fund, please visitwww.tedmullinfund.org.

USCAA Announces Academic All-American Award Winners for Fall Sports

Tech Dominates North Central, Comes Up Short Against Carthage

Temple Leads The Way As Hawks Fall to NCC, IWU, and Carthage

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For more information about this e-newsletter and Illinois Tech Athletics, contact Kirk Lamitie at IITAthleticAlumni@iit.edu or 312.567.3239.