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Statesmen Men’s Bowling Takes Fourth at NAIA Invite

(HIGHLAND, Indiana) – The William Penn University Men’s Bowling Team made a deep run, but fell shy of a national crown as it competed at the NAIA Invitational Friday, March 23 through Sunday, March 25.

William Penn rolled in 24 Baker qualifying games before facing off against the NAIA’s best in bracket play. The navy and gold finished fourth out of 20 teams with 5,132 pins (213.8 average), while Webber International (Fla.) and Robert Morris (Ill.) tied for the most pins with 5,457 (227.4 average). Webber international won the tiebreaker to claim the top seed.

By finishing in the top 12, the Statesmen bowlers received a bye in the double-elimination format and took on #20 seed Lindsey Wilson in the second round. The program won its first match 3-1 by scores of 216-196, 193-215, 215-174, 191-187.

Unfortunately, in a foreshadowing of the future, WPU was dropped to the consolation bracket with a 3-0 loss to #5 seed St. Ambrose (160-213, 163-223, 202-247).

However, William Penn rebounded after the setback by winning three consecutive matches to get to the consolation quarterfinals. First, the navy and gold dropped #16 seed Concordia (Mich.) 3-1 (184-214, 217-163, 210-181, 201-156) and then defeated #9 seed St. Francis (Ill.) by the same 3-1 tally (162-189, 206-169, 246-231, 235-194).

WPU claimed its biggest win as it eliminated #2 seed Robert Morris in five games (234-227, 136-243, 199-202, 257-231, 222-215), but the road to the biggest trophy ended in the next round as St. Ambrose slipped past the Statesmen 3-1 (203-209, 237-221, 233-280, 171-246). WPU finished the tournament with a 4-2 record, tying SAU and Lawrence Tech for the second-best record in the field.

The Fighting Bees eventually reached the final and actually forced an ‘if necessary’ match, but Webber International held its seed for the crown.

This is the final year the NAIA will have an Invitational as next year the sport moves to Championship status.

Team members included Quincy Bruce (Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, General Accounting), Braxton Coble (Jr., Ottumwa, Iowa, Business Management), David Decker (So., Peyton, Colo., Physical Education), Bret Keimig(Sr., Davenport, Iowa, Physical Education), Aleksander Kostric (Fr., Koper, Slovenia, Sports Management), Rok Kostric (Fr., Koper, Slovenia, Sports Management), Curtis Majka (Sr., Elgin, Ill., Mechanical Engineering), and Nick Walker (Jr., Zeeland, Mich., Business Management).

For his efforts, Rok Kostric was named to the five-person all-tournament team.

William Penn will try for an even bigger national crownthe ultimate crownas it competes in the USBC Intercollegiate Team Championships in Lincoln, Neb. from April 1621.

This story was provided in a news release sent on behalf of William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Strong Bench Keys LSU Alexandria’s Semifinal Victory Over WPU

Story By Chad Waller | NAIA National Office

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – (Box Score) Powered by a game-ending 29-19 run, No. 4 seeded LSU Alexandria (La.) eliminated No. 1 William Penn (Iowa), 84-75, in the second semifinal of the 81st Annual NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball National Championship, Monday evening inside Municipal Auditorium. The Generals face tournament newcomer No. 5-seeded Graceland (Iowa) in the national championship title contest on Tuesday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m. CDT, broadcast live on ESPN3.

NOTES

  • LSU Alexandria improves to 29-7 and heads to its first-ever title contest on Tuesday
  • The Generals are playing in their fourth season of varsity competition
  • William Penn ends its season with a record of 30-5
  • This marks the first year since 1961 that a team from Louisiana played in the title game (Grambling)
  • The higher seeds are 15-15 through 30 games, while 24 games have been decided by 10 points or fewer including 14 by six points or less

Oskaloosa Man Charged with 2nd Degree Murder After Fatal Stabbing

(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – The stabbing death of William Penn University student Marquis Todd has been ruled a homicide, officials said during a press conference held on Wednesday, March 14.

Official autopsy results concluded Todd’s cause of death to be a stab wound to the chest. As a result of this ongoing investigation, Luke VanHemert, 23, of Oskaloosa, has been taken into custody “without incident,” according to Iowa DCI investigator Mike Motsinger, and charged with one count of Murder in the Second Degree. VanHemert is currently being held in the Mahaska County Jail with a cash only bond set at $500,000.

This ongoing investigation is being worked by the Oskaloosa Police Department, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office, and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

No further information has been released at this time.

-Photo provided by the Iowa DCI. To view a full video of the press conference held at 1:00 PM on March 14, click here. To view the full news release sent from the Iowa DCI, continue reading below.


DES MOINES, Iowa — On March 14, 2018, members of the Oskaloosa Police Department arrested Luke VanHemert, 23, of 603 North 3rd Street, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. VanHemert was charged with one count of Murder in the Second Degree. VanHemert is currently being held in the Mahaska County Jail. VanHemert was taken into custody without incident at his place of employment in Pella, Iowa. VanHemert is being held on $500,000 cash only.

The Office of the Iowa State Medical Examiner has ruled the cause of death as a stab wound of the chest and the manner of death a homicide.

This is an ongoing investigation being worked jointly by the Oskaloosa Police Department, Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.


Previous Press Release from March 2, 2018:

At approximately 10:50 p.m., March 1, 2018, the Mahaska County Law Enforcement Center received a 911 call in reference to a fight that was occurring at 603 North 3rd Street in Oskaloosa. Upon arriving to the area, Oskaloosa Police Officers found a male needing medical attention at 315 A Avenue East at the Jiffy Mart gas station. The male, later identified as Marquis Todd, 22, of Woodridge, Illinois, was transported to the local hospital. Todd was treated for a stab wound and later died from the injury. Todd was attending college at William Penn University in Oskaloosa.

Todd has been transported to the Office of the State Medical Examiner located in Ankeny, Iowa. The autopsy has been scheduled for March 3, 2018.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Oskaloosa Area Chamber & Development Group Seeks Award Nominations

(MAHASKA COUNTY, Iowa) – The Oskaloosa Area Chamber & Development Group (OACDG) will again be presenting several civic awards at their annual meeting to be held Thursday, May 10 at the cafeteria located at William Penn University. Chamber members as well as area residents are urged to submit their nominations for these awards. The categories are as follows:

Retail Business and Service Business of the Year–The most outstanding retail or service business in the Mahaska community during this past fiscal year must be in business for minimum of two years, demonstrate success, with evidence of commitment and contribution to the community.

Industry of the Year–The most outstanding industry in the Mahaska community during the year will have a stable employment history, will have been in business for minimum of two years, showing evidence of commitment and contribution to the community and a commitment to sound management practices.

Business Person of the Year–This individual will have demonstrated those qualities which have distinguished him/her in business: proven commitment and contribution to the community, a commitment to ethical business practices, recognized within their profession, a Mahaska County resident, a history of success in their business.

Citizen of the Year–This individual will have demonstrated outstanding involvement in and support of his/her community over an extended period of time.

Community Improvement Award–This commercial or industrial property will have made improvements which enhance the appearance and /or economic vitality of the Mahaska community through new development or through the redevelopment of an existing property.

Educator of the Year–This individual from a Mahaska County school will display a true passion and devotion to the betterment of students.

To make any nominations or to contribute an innovative idea for a “special award” pertaining to exceptional achievement in a category not mentioned, call 641-672-2591, email dbruxvoort@oacdg.org with “OACDG Award” in the subject line, or fax 641-672-2047. Nominations must be received by Friday, April 6.

Mahaska County Ruritan Soup Supper

The Mahaska County Ruritan Soup Supper will be held at Central United Methodist Church on Thursday, March 15 from 4:30 – 7:00 PM. Serving: Potato Soup, Chili Soup, Grilled Cheese, Relish & Dessert. Proceeds will go towards William Penn University scholarships. Adults – $7; Children (12 and under) – $3.

Update: Death Investigation Underway in Oskaloosa

Update: This article has been updated to reflect information provided during a news conference with the Oskaloosa Police Department at 11:30 AM on Friday, March 2.

(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – An investigation is underway after a man died last night following a stabbing incident in Oskaloosa. Oskaloosa Police Chief Jake McGee, along with Iowa DCI investigator Mike Motsinger, have confirmed the death of William Penn University student Marquis Todd. Officials said during a news conference that Todd was stabbed after a minor vehicular accident on North 3rd Street in Oskaloosa on Thursday night. Todd’s friends then took him to the Jiffy gas station in Oskaloosa. No one has been taken into custody yet and the investigation is ongoing. Law enforcement did not provide any names of persons of interest during the time of the news conference.

University officials confirmed the death of Todd via a letter signed by University President John Ottosson, which was published by KCCI:

Dear Penn Family,

I write this note with a heavy heart. Last night, there was an incident in town that led to the death of a member of one of our family, student Marquis Todd. Details of the incident are still unfolding and under investigation. It is known that the other individuals in this incident were not affiliated with the University.

The University is cooperating fully with the Oskaloosa Police Department with their investigation and in turn, the OPD is keeping the University apprised of the situation as details unfold.

William Penn University Counseling Services, Campus Ministry, and Crisis Intervention Services will be on campus today and will be available to students, faculty, and staff. For more information regarding these resources, please contact Tyne Smith at smitht@wmpenn.edu or 641-673-1703. Her office of located on the main floor of the Dana M. Atkins Memorial Union. To contact Campus Ministry for support, please call Ron Bryan at 641-660-9717.

Sincerely,
John Ottosson
President
William Penn University

The Iowa DCI is assisting the Oskaloosa Police Department in the investigation.

By Hailey Brown & Emery Songer, KBOE/KMZN

Oskaloosa Police Chief Jake McGee and DCI investigator Mike Motsinger hold a press conference on March 2, 2018. Photo by Emery Songer.

William Penn Student Projects Place in ICMA Contests

(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – William Penn University Digital Communication students received five awards from the 2017 Better Student News Media and 2017 Better Student Television contests. The Iowa College Media Association (ICMA) hosts the annual contests. Students were honored at the yearly ICMA convention held in Des Moines on Feb. 1–2.

2017 Better Student News Media Contest
• First Place: Best Sports Feature (Print)
o Hidden Injuries by Sabrina Bryant
• Third Place: Best Sports Story (Print)
o Statesmen basketball makes a statement at NAIA national championship by Miranda Keeler
• Third Place: Best Page 1 (Print)
o The Chronicle April 2017 edition by Chronicle Staff

2017 Better Student Television Contest
• Second Place: Best Corporate Video
o #WPDay 2017 – How Far We’ve Come
-Produced by Markesha Yarbrough, Courtney Bottorff, Mason Shrader, Arthur Luz, Dino Landucci IV
• Third Place: Best Newscast
o William Penn News Now (March 24, 2017)
-Produced by Miranda Keeler, Alyssa Kerry, Sabrina Bryant, Kadeem Ellington, Jasmin Sonnenschein, Becky Kopp

“The contest was judged by industry professionals, so it’s nice to see our students’ work get some external validation. I am proud of their accomplishments and hope this serves as motivation to continue producing quality content,” said Matt Wagner, Director of the Digital Communication Program.

Winning projects can be viewed on the WPU Digital Communication webpage by clicking here.

—This article was a news release provided by William Penn University.

‘Lyrical Iowa’ Deadline Approaching

(MAHASKA COUNTY, Iowa)–The deadline for entering Iowa Poetry Association’s (IPA) 73rd Annual “Lyrical Iowa” is fast approaching, with a due date of Wednesday, Feb. 28.Lyrical Iowa” is an annual anthology comprised of poems written by Iowa writers of all ages. Each year, top-ranking poems are awarded cash prizes in each category and age-level while many are showcased in the perfect-bound book. The 2018 edition will be printed and made available for public purchase later this year.

“Entries for the 2017 book came from 68 of Iowa’s 99 counties,” says Pam Blomgren, IPA’s representative for Mahaska County. “There were 341 poems chosen for publication from 2,026 entries.”

Mahaska County had two individuals published in last year’s book: Blomgren herself as well as Keegan Joel Vandevender, a student at William Penn University.

Blomgren encourages any Mahaska County resident who writes to consider entering this year’s contest. She said there are no entry fees, and the contest is open to anyone with an Iowa residence. Students whose homes are in Iowa but are studying outside the state are eligible to enter as are out-of-state students attending Iowa schools. As with any writing contest, rules and guidelines must be strictly adhered to. Complete information is available on Iowa Poetry’s website, www.iowapoetry.com.

Up to five poems can be entered and each poem must be 20 lines or less. Cash prizes and Honorable Mentions will be awarded in each category: Adult general, sonnet, national/world events, haiku, poems for children, humorous verse; College, Division; High School Division; Grade School Division (K-8). There are additional student and undergraduate opportunities as well. With the exception of the adult division, which has a preferred email submission method, all poems must be mailed and postmarked by February 28. Each division has their own mailing address so it’s important for those submitting poems go to IPA’s web site to make sure submissions are sent to the correct address.

Visit www.iowapoetry.com complete contest rules, guidelines, and submission information.

Blomgren says she’s also happy to answer questions and can be contacted via email at blomgren@mahaska.org.

Iowa Poetry Association is a non-profit organization whose sole objective is to promote interest in and appreciation for better poetry by Iowans of all ages. Membership is open to any individual or group with an Iowa address.

William Penn Women Hot from Perimeter in Wire-to-Wire Victory

Cedar Rapids–Guided by one of, if not the best three-point efforts in school history, the Statesmen women’s basketball team blitzed Mount Mercy 83-59 in Heart of America Athletic Conference play Wednesday.

WPU (16-5, 10-2 Heart) won its third-straight contest by going 13-for-19 (68.4{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}) from behind the arc and shooting 62.5{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} overall to complete the season sweep of the Mustangs (6-17, 3-9 Heart).  The win, coupled by losses to Baker and Benedictine, leaves just William Penn and MidAmerica Nazarene atop the Heart standings at 10-2.

It is the fourth different winning streak of at least three games this year for WPU.

The teams traded buckets in the opening minute, but then the navy and gold tallied 10 unanswered and led 16-5 after the first period.

Another 10-0 run in the second quarter pushed the edge to 20 points and the rout was on; the visitors eventually went ahead 40-17 by the break.

After shooting only 29.2{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} in the first half, MMU warmed up to 55.6{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} in the latter half (43.1{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b} overall), but the Statesmen were even hotter at 66.7{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}.  WPU missed just once from deep following intermission, going 7-for-8 (87.5{99cd714f394079a7f0ed2eb1518dd31342ff3ceb5b6c267c3ad8acd5b5a7d66b}).

William Penn was Webster’s Dictionary’s definition of ‘on fire’, led by Kate Ylitalo (So., Maple Plain, Minn., Biology) finishing 7-for-9 overall and 5-for-6 from beyond the arc.  The sophomore led all scorers with 19 points.

As incredulous as it may seem considering Ylitalo’s stats, Jenna Santi (Jr., Oak Creek, Wis., Elementary Education) was even more efficient at 5-for-6 (3-for-3 3-PT; 2-for-2 FT) to tally 15 points.  The junior also dished out 10 assists to post a double-double.

Sarah Hansen
(Sr., Kewanee, Ill., Psychology and Human Services) was not left out of the mix, knocking down half of her eight trifectas en route to 12 points.

Contrary to how her teammates found success, Vashti Nwagbaraocha (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis., Exercise Science) did great work inside for 12 points, while Tyra Johnson (Jr., Calumet City, Ill., Undecided) joined the double-digit scene as well with 11 points off the bench.

Both Nwagbaraocha and Johnson, as well as JeAnn Hiraldo (Sr., Frisco, Texas, Industrial Technology), pulled down five rebounds apiece as WPU topped Mount Mercy 33-22 on the glass.  Johnson also matched Ylitalo with a pair of steals.

Morgan Neeley (Sr., Flint, Mich., Exercise Science) sunk seven free throws in the waning minutes to contribute seven points as well.

William Penn overcame three more turnovers (19-16) than Mount Mercy.

“I thought we played as a team tonight, led by five players in double figures,” Head Coach Steve Williamson said.  “Our defense set the tone to start the game and we built from there.  In addition to our starters, we received a great contribution from Tyra Johnson off the bench.  We still need to learn how to play a complete game, but I thought we played really well tonight.”

Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa Saturday to face Graceland in Heart action at 2 p.m.

Motivational Keynote to Speak At William Penn University

(OSKALOOSA, Iowa) – Author and Motivational Speaker, Antonio Neves, will be on William Penn University‘s Oskaloosa campus on Tuesday, February 6 at 7 p.m.

Neves has written “50 Things Every College Student Should Know” as well as “50 Ways to Excel in your First Job… and Life”. As a career service coach, he helps people navigate new positions and responsibilities, prepare for interviews and become better leaders. Throughout his career, Neves has helped teams connect with one another, collaborate to improve results and foster a culture of allies.

He has delivered hundreds of keynote speeches to thousands of people at conferences, top companies, corporations, trade associations and universities. Neves has worked for 10 years as a correspondent and producer in the television industry in New York City with networks including NBC, PBS, BET, Nickelodeon and more.

Neves will be speaking to students, staff and faculty in the Penn Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 6 at 7 p.m. Learn more about Neves and his leadership or empowerment tactics at www.theantonioneves.com.

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