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Spring Arbor Baseball head coach Sam Riggleman to enter ABCA Hall of Fame Friday

January 5, 2016

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Spring Arbor University head baseball coach Sam Riggleman will be inducted into the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Hall of Fame on Friday, Jan. 8 in Nashville, Tennessee. Riggleman will be honored alongside Bob Babb of Johns Hopkins University, Augie Garrido of the University of Texas and Ray Tanner from the University of South Carolina during the ABCA/Diamond Hall of Fame/Coach of the Year Banquet at the annual convention. "The ABCA recognition of Coach Riggleman is fantastic, but not unexpected," said Spring Arbor University President Brent Ellis. "Sam's career is stellar with few coaches even in the same vicinity of his accomplishments." "Beyond his baseball expertise, Sam's investment in the faith and character of student-athletes is inspiring and essential for other coaches to emulate," added Ellis. "I am thankful for the commitment to excellence Coach Sam Riggleman has demonstrated here at Spring Arbor University and at the previous institutions where he has served. God has blessed Spring Arbor with a true servant leader. Congratulations Sam, on your induction in to the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame." Riggleman, a two-time National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) National Coach of the Year,…

A star in every season

January 4, 2016

Concord’s Lehman has seen and done just about everything on the field of play By Mike Moore Staff Writer Concord – From as soon as she can remember, she’s been right there, the little girl on the sideline, just trying to fit in, the team manager with the parent as head coach. She’d help her mom in volleyball, her dad with the boys basketball team. That was before she actually had the chance to shine at Concord High. Since then, well, senior Lindsey Lehman has redefined individual success while serving as the integral part of some of the school’s best teams the past four years. “It’s been fun,” Lehman said about her upbringing around the Concord athletic department and her time as a main component of it. “I’m always busy, but it’s been a lot of hard work. The summers and offseason include so much work to get ready for everything I’ve done. But I’ve been in the gym with my parents ever since I was a baby. I never stopped playing something growing up.” It certainly paid off, as her athletic resume weighs heavily on the impressive end. As a freshman,…

Ring in the New Year

January 4, 2016

Lumen and Jackson boys set to begin 2016 with meeting on the hardwood By Mike Moore Staff Writer Jackson – A new year, a familiar rivalry. What better way to begin 2016 then with a little Jackson High-Lumen Christi boys basketball? “It’s always a big game,” Jackson coach Dan Crowley said simply. “Emotions will be high because of who it is.” “When you play your cross-town rival, it’s always a big game,” Lumen’s Pat Neville countered. “That’s going to be one of the best teams we see all year.” The rivalry obviously puts a little extra on the game, but the less-than-spectacular starts each team has limped to only adds to the importance. Lumen is 1-3 so far, dropping the season’s first three games before blowing a 21-point lead against Northwest, only to hang on for a 58-56 win on Dec. 18. Jackson, while playing four very close games, is also just 1-3, though should be a bit less rusty after playing Dec. 29, a 73-68 loss to a 5-0 Dowagiac team. “Every single game we’ve played has been hard fought and come down to the final minutes,” Crowley said. “All…