Mercer Bears

Mercer Bears
University	Mercer University
Conference(s)	Atlantic Sun Conference Pioneer Football League (football 2013)
NCAA	NCAA Division I
Athletics director	Jim Cole
Location	Macon, GA
Varsity teams	9 men's & 10 women's
Football stadium	TBD
Basketball arena	The University Center (3,200)
Baseball stadium	Claude Smith Field (500)
Lacrosse stadium	Bear Field (300)
Mascot	Toby
Nickname	Bears
Fight song
Colors	Orange and Black
Homepage	www.mercerbears.com

The Mercer Bears are the athletic teams of Mercer University, Mercer is an NCAA Division I member competing in the Atlantic Sun Conference for most sports, Mercer rifle and lacrosse teams compete as NCAA Division I independents, football will compete in the Pioneer Football League when the program begins in 2013, and sand volleyball is considered an emerging sport by the NCAA. Mercer joined the Atlantic Sun, formerly called the Trans American Athletic Conference, in 1978 and is the only charter member remaining with the conference. Mercer is currently the only private university in Georgia with a NCAA Division I athletic program. The university fields eight men's, nine women's, and one co-educational varsity sport teams, rifle.

New athletics director

Bobby Pope retired on June 30, 2010 after 21 years as athletics director.^[1] Pope was affiliated with Mercer for 40 years starting in 1970 as a radio announcer, and in 1980 became sports information director.^[2] He became athletics director in 1989 and oversaw construction of the University Center and renovation of the baseball, softball, and tennis facilities. Jim Cole, a Mercer graduate and a former professional baseball player in the Milwaukee Brewers system, is the new athletics director. Cole, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, served as Governor Sonny Perdue's floor leader in the House and was selected to become Georgia Secretary of State in December 2009.^[3] He declined the appointment to become Mercer athletics director.^[4]

Sports

The Mercer University Athletic Department sponsors the following sports:

Men's intercollegiate athletic teams Baseball Basketball Cross Country Football (2013) Golf Lacrosse Rifle (Co-ed) Soccer Tennis

Women's intercollegiate athletic teams Basketball Cross Country Golf Lacrosse (2011) Rifle (Co-ed) Sand Volleyball (emerging sport) Soccer Softball Tennis Volleyball

Football

On November 19, 2010, Mercer announced the reinstatement of intercollegiate football beginning in the fall of 2013.^[5] Mercer will compete as a NCAA Division I, non-scholarship program and has applied for membership in the Pioneer Football League. Reinstatement comes after a 70-year hiatus; the university suspended football during World War II and did not revive it. The final game was in 1941.^[6]

Mercer had announced in 2007 it would study reinstatement.^[7] Mercer President William D. Underwood indicated support if the program could be financially viable, if it enhanced the academic mission of the university, and if it could be competitive within those financial and academic constraints. After extensive study, Underwood recommended reinstatement to the Mercer board of trustees; the trustees agreed and approved plans to hire a coaching staff, to recruit players, and to construct an on-campus stadium.^[8]

The reinstatement of football revives a storied university program. Mercer and the University of Georgia competed in the first football game in Georgia; UGA won 50-0 on January 15, 1892.^[7] Later the same year, Mercer played Georgia Tech in GT's first football game; Mercer won 12-6 on November 5, 1892.^[7] Mercer football alumni include Wally Butts, one of the greatest personalities in Georgia sports history.^[7] After his playing days at Mercer, Butts served as the head coach at the University of Georgia from 1939 to 1960 and as UGA athletic director from 1939 to 1963; he is a member of the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame. Other notable alumni are Joseph "Phoney" Smith and Bill Yoast. Smith was an All-American halfback and is Mercer's all-time leading scorer; he scored 176 points and later played for the semi-professional Ironton Tanks.^[9][10] Yoast is the high school coach made famous in the movie Remember the Titans.

On January 20, 2011, Mercer announced the hiring of Bobby Lamb as its new head football coach.^[11] Lamb compiled a record of 67-40 in nine seasons as the head coach at Furman University from 2002-2010. He played quarterback at Furman from 1982-1985 and was the Southern Conference player of the year in 1985.^[12] Lamb was an assistant coach at Furman from 1986 until he became head coach in 2002.^[12] He resigned from Furman after compiling a record of 5-6 for the 2010 season, his only losing season in nine years.^[13] Lamb is a Georgia native; he was born in Augusta and graduated from high school in Commerce.^[12]

Men's basketball

Bob Hoffman was named men's basketball head coach in March 2008. Hoffman replaced Mark Slonaker who served as head coach for ten seasons and who was the 2002-03 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year. Slonaker received that award after leading Mercer to the best one season turnaround in NCAA history, improving from 6-23 to 23-6. The team won the Atlantic Sun regular season championship with a 14-2 conference record and made school history for number of wins (23); Mercer won 22 games in 1923-24 and 1984-85. The season ended with a loss in the Atlantic Sun tournament. Slonaker was the first National Coach of the Year to receive the award after it was named in honor of Jim Phelan. The four other finalists were Lute Olson (Arizona), Skip Prosser (Wake Forest), Bo Ryan (Wisconsin), and Tubby Smith (Kentucky). Mercer did not maintain this level of success, which prompted the university to hire a new head coach. Prior to Mercer, Hoffman was head coach of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, a National Basketball Association developmental league team. As of the start of the 2008-09 season, Hoffman's overall record as a head coach at the collegiate level is 400-171. When his first Mercer team takes the court, he will rank among the top 25 active collegiate coaches in winning percentage. Hoffman and Mercer president William D. Underwood are both graduates of Oklahoma Baptist University.

Mercer's basketball alumni include Sam Mitchell, a retired NBA player who became head coach of the Toronto Raptors. Mitchell was drafted with the seventh pick of the third round (54th overall) by the Houston Rockets in the 1985 NBA draft. He scored nearly 2,000 points at Mercer, the leading scorer in team history, and led Mercer to the 1985 Trans-America Athletic Conference regular season and tournament championships. Mitchell is a current member of the university board of trustees.

More recent alumni include Will Emerson, a forward on the men's basketball team, who was the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Atlantic Sun Conference Male Student Athlete of the Year, only the third person to be selected twice for the award. Emerson was also named to ESPN the Magazine's Academic All-American first team in 2005 and 2006.

Mercer received national attention in November 2007 when they defeated the University of Southern California, which was ranked 18th in the nation at the time of the game. In November 2008, Mercer again received national attention by defeating Auburn University and the University of Alabama.

Women's basketball

Susie Gardner was named women's basketball head coach in June 2010. She replaced Jannell Jones who resigned to become the head coach of California State University, Los Angeles.^[14] Jones compiled a 35-56 record during three seasons at Mercer.^[15] She resigned when Mercer refused to give her a new contract for more than one year after failing to advance beyond the first round of the 2010 Atlantic Sun Conference tournament.^[16] Gardner, former head coach at the University of Arkansas and Austin Peay University, was most recently an assistant coach at the University of Florida.^[17] She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and compiled a 64-54 record in four seasons at Arkansas and a 112-93 record in seven seasons at Austin Peay. Gardner is the tenth head coach in Mercer's 41 years of women's basketball.^[18]

Baseball

Mercer fielded its first baseball team in 1871.^[19] Cy Young coached the team in 1903 leading it to the Georgia State Championship.^[7] In recent years, Mercer has won four Atlantic Sun Conference championships, the last in 2010.^[20] Since the program began in 1871, ten Mercer players have advanced to the Major Leagues.^[19]

In 2010, Mercer won the Atlantic Sun Conference baseball championship for the first time since 1983.^[21] Mercer, with a 37-22 record, advanced to the NCAA Division I Atlanta Regional where the team defeated Elon University, but lost to Georgia Tech and the University of Alabama.^[21][22] The team finished the season with a 38-24 record, one of the most successful in university history.^[23][24]

Lacrosse

Mercer announced in June 2009 it would add men's lacrosse for the 2010-11 academic year and women's lacrosse beginning in the 2011-12 academic year.^[25] The programs are the first in Georgia at the NCAA Division I level. The men's lacrosse team picked up the program's first NCAA win on March 19, 2011 against Carthage College 17-13.^[26]

Facilities

Mercer opened the University Center on the Macon campus in 2004. The $40 million 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m²) center houses Mercer's athletics department, a 3,500-seat basketball arena, an indoor pool, work-out facilities, intramural basketball courts, an air-rifle range, offices, a food court, and numerous meeting facilities. Mercer's Claude Smith Field (baseball), softball, and intramural fields are next to the center along with the university's tennis complex. In 2007, a 101-room Hilton Garden Inn opened on university-owned land adjacent to the University Center.

As of August 2011, the university is evaluating locations for construction of a new lacrosse/football stadium with several sites in Macon, both on-campus and near campus, under consideration.

Championships

Mercer teams have won 10 Atlantic Sun Conference championships (as of November 2010): four baseball, two men's basketball, three men's soccer, and one women's soccer. The most recent championship was the one in women's soccer achieved in November 2010.

Atlantic Sun Conference (A-Sun) Championships:

Baseball	1979, 1981, 1983, 2010
Basketball (M)	1981, 1985
Soccer (M)	1992, 1999, 2001
Soccer (W)	2010

References

1. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-15). "Pope decides to retire at end of month - Mercer". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/15/1162518/pope-decides-to-retire-at-end.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. ^{[dead link]}
2. ^ "News & Features 4-19-2006 Pope Inducted into Macon Sports Hall of Fame". .mercer.edu. 2006-04-19. http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/2006/060419pope.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
3. ^ 3:30 pm December 31, 2009, by James Salzer (2009-12-31). "Rep. Jim Cole will be new Secretary of State | Gold Dome Live". Blogs.ajc.com. http://blogs.ajc.com/gold-dome-live/2009/12/31/rep-jim-cole-will-be-new-secretary-of-state/. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
4. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-01-06). "Rep. Jim Cole to become Mercer athletics director - Politics". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/01/06/974960_rep-jim-cole-to-become-mercer.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
5. ^ http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/2010/101119Football.htm
6. ^ Robert E. Wilder, Gridiron Glory Days: Football at Mercer 1892-1942, Macon: Mercer University Press, 1982, ISBN 0-86554-052-7, p. 202
7. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Fun Facts : Our College Town, LLC - Go Bears!!". Ourcollegetown.net. http://ourcollegetown.net/index.php?main_page=page&id=4#12. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
8. ^ "Mercer Board of Trustees Approves Reinstatement of Intercollegiate Football". Mercer University. November 19, 2010. http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/2010/101119Football.htm. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
9. ^ Garbin, Patrick (2008). About them Dawgs!: Georgia football's memorable teams and players. United States: Scarecrow Press. p. 48. ISBN 0-8108-6040-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=LdDCq3ybJPwC&pg=PA43&lpg=PA43&dq=phoney+smith+mercer&source=bl&ots=aQtBrwGPKF&sig=2o3SJlowQsOuREjNxF4_BllIx2M&hl=en&ei=dSXoTLeNEJKusAP5hKixCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CCgQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=phoney%20smith%20mercer&f=false. 
10. ^ Bryant, James C. (1993). A gift for giving: the story of Lamar Rich Plunkett. United States: Mercer University Press. p. 51. ISBN 0-86554-430-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=T64TrTPQ3-oC&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=phoney+smith+mercer&source=bl&ots=RqrK8WNV6Z&sig=KrbQDDCl9BSU1m3rUOGcX_7piSk&hl=en&ei=dSXoTLeNEJKusAP5hKixCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CBkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=phoney%20smith%20mercer&f=false. 
11. ^ "Bobby Lamb Named to Lead Mercer’s Return to the Gridiron". Mercer University. January 20, 2011. http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/2011/110120Football.htm. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 
12. ^ ^{a b c} "Furman Bio". Furman University. http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/lamb_bobby00.html. Retrieved February 16, 2011. 
13. ^ "Bobby Lamb Resigns Football Post At Furman". Furman University. November 19, 2010. http://www.furmanpaladins.com/sports/m-footbl/2010-11/releases/201011191xx6se. Retrieved February 16, 2011. 
14. ^ "MercerBears". MercerBears. 2010-06-09. http://www.mercerbears.com/sports/wbkb/2009-10/releases/jonesresignation. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
15. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-10). "Jones resigns from Mercer - Mercer". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/10/1156830/jones-resigns-from-mercer.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
16. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-11). "Jones says contract issues led to departure - Mercer". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/11/1158026/jones-said-contract-issues-led.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. ^{[dead link]}
17. ^ "MercerBears". MercerBears. 2010-06-24. http://www.mercerbears.com/sports/wbkb/2009-10/releases/gardnerhire. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
18. ^ "Susie Gardner Named Mercer Women's Basketball Coach - Atlantic Sun Conference Official Site". Atlanticsun.org. 2010-06-24. http://www.atlanticsun.org/news/default/115/4567/et. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
19. ^ ^{a b} "Mercer University Baseball Players Who Made it to a Major League Baseball Team". Baseball-almanac.com. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/college/mercer_university_baseball_players.shtml. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
20. ^ http://www.atlanticsun.org/media/2008-09/pdf/Records-Baseball.pdf
21. ^ ^{a b} Lough, Michael A. (2010-05-31). "Bears earn NCAA berth with A-Sun title - Sports Top Story". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/05/31/1145813/bears-earn-ncaa-berth-with-a-sun.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
22. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-06). "Mercer rebounds, eliminates Elon in Bears’ first-ever NCAA Regional victory - Mercer". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/06/1152060/mercer-rebounds-eliminates-elon.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
23. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-07). "Mercer’s regional run comes to end - Mercer". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/07/1153010/mercers-regional-run-comes-to.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. ^{[dead link]}
24. ^ Lough, Michael A. (2010-06-13). "Peach State baseball teams enjoy banner spring - Georgia College & State University". Macon.com. http://www.macon.com/2010/06/13/1160310/peach-state-baseball-teams-enjoy.html. Retrieved 2010-07-23. ^{[dead link]}
25. ^ "News & Features 6-18-2009 Mercer to Add Lacrosse". .mercer.edu. 2009-06-18. http://www2.mercer.edu/News/Articles/2009/090618Lacrosse.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-23. 
26. ^ "Mercer Lacrosse Nets First-Ever Program Victory". Mercer University. March 19, 2011. http://www.mercerbears.com/sports/mlax/2010-11/releases/03_19_11_CARTHAGE. Retrieved April 15, 2011. 

External links

• Official website