U.M. Athletics Rising

By Jordon D. Semien

Montevallo A.D. Jim Herlihy 

    Being a small, state funded, Liberal Arts College located in the geographical center of the “Heart of Dixie”, it’s hard to imagine that the University of Montevallo could ever be regionally, let alone nationally, renowned for anything outside of either academic excellence or college night. And yet everyday, some of the best and brightest men and women in the nation are putting in the extra hours to give the university something else to cheer for.

   The Falcons of Montevallo, be they track and field, basketball, baseball, or any other athletic pursuit, are working feverishly to let the campus, community, state, and nation know that the little school that could, can and most certainly is.

   Athletic Director Jim Herlihy said that the department’s commitment to excellence starts not only with the attitudes of the student athletes, but that of the coaches and officials. “I guess just that everyday, when you show up; you give your best effort.” Herlihy said, “We talk a lot about, the staff and coaches, what can we do today to make athletics a better experience for the students, and I’d hope the students would do the same thing.”

Montevallo Pres. John Stewart

    The success is not just limited to Head Coach Danny Young’s Men’s Basketball program, Coach Cindy Hilbrich’s Women’s Basketball team, or Coach Chandler Rose’s Baseball squad, but is undoubtedly widespread across the department.

   From Men’s and Women’s Soccer to the upstart Track and Field team, the Athletic Department has seen drastic advances, proving to the doubters that the size of your college has nothing to do with a team’s will to succeed.

      University President John Stewart III added that with the achievements of the department both on and off the fields of play, Montevallo student athletes have met the ancient Greek model for a scholar athlete: “As learnt as he or she is talented on the field…”. In recent years, the University has seen the combined GPA of its student athletes climb higher than majority of its other departments.

    Sports Information Director Wes Hallman raves about the department’s staff, saying

Montevallo S.I.D Wes Hallman

“I think we have a dedicated administrative staff here at the University of Montevallo. A great coaching staff and a committed group of student athletes. I think that they separate themselves on the field and off the field by what they’ve accomplished”.

    For President Stewart, the conversation of the Athletic Program’s success begins and ends with Director Herlihy, as he attributes majority of the credit to Herlihy's hires and attitude toward the job, and looks forward to what the future may hold, saying that “…if we’re able to keep Jim Herlihy here, and I really will try and I hope we can, I anticipate that we’ll be known around the country as one of the most pure and effective athletic programs in Division II…”

 

   To check in with the falcons, be sure to keep up with the Athletic Department webpage, Facebook page, Twitter handle, and tune in for the latest Falcon Fever.