NCAA DIII WEEK

GAMBIER, Ohio – This week (April 3-9) is NCAA Division III Week and the Kenyon athletics department, as well as the Kenyon Student-Athletes (KSA), has plenty of events lined up to help promote and celebrate the annual event.

The week-long occasion is an opportunity for all individuals associated with NCAA Division III to observe and celebrate the impact of athletics and of student-athletes on the campus and surrounding community. During the week, Division III institutions and conference offices are encouraged to conduct a type of outreach activity that falls into one of three categories: academic accomplishment; athletic experience; or leadership/community service/campus involvement.

NCAA Division III at Kenyon will not focus on just one of those areas. Instead, events have been planned to encompass all three categories.

Monday will start with a group discussion centering around life after athletics. Senior athletes will talk about their experiences participating in athletics and how it helped them prepare for life after college. The discussion, which will start at 6 p.m. in Pierce Pub, will be moderated by Assistant Athletics Director Justin Newell and Assistant Director of Career Development Lee Schott.

Tuesday will be the second annual Celebration of High Impact Practices (CHIPs), which will be held in the Kenyon Athletic Center (KAC) from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The campus-wide event celebrates student success on the Hill, shares information about the amazing things our students are doing and fosters intellectual discussion and creative engagement on campus.

At 4 p.m. Tuesday, the men's lacrosse team will host The College of Wooster. The game is set up as an Appreciation Game for Kenyon student-athletes to thank members of Kenyon's faculty and staff for their support throughout the year.

The Ladies softball team will then host Denison University in a Wednesday doubleheader that starts at 3:30 p.m. The games are being organized as a Purple Pride event and there will be a t-shirt give-away.

Following that, a Thursday Common Hour presentation will be held in Rosse Hall. The presentation will be given by Steve Graef, PhD. His talk will focus on the important role that psychology has in sport and performance, as well as in mental and physical well-being. Graef is a licensed counseling psychologist specializing in sport, performance and common psychological illnesses such as depression, anxiety and adjustment. He earned his bachelor's degree from The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the 2002 football team that won the NCAA Championship.

Friday, the sports information department, in conjunction with the Kenyon Sports Connection, will release a special video. The video will be centered on the role of athletics on a Division III campus and will feature interviews with student-athletes, coaches and staff. At 4:30 p.m. Ladies head coach Kelly Bryan will welcome local high school, middle school and youth soccer coaches to a two-hour open training session at the Ladies practice field. 

Saturday, the Lords baseball team hosts Hiram College in a doubleheader that will begin at noon. Those games are also designated as Purple Pride events and they'll be another t-shirt give-away. Additionally, the KAC will host the Relay for Life, the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. The Relay is staffed and coordinated by volunteers, who give of their time and effort to take action against cancer.

Finally, Saturday the Knox County Special Olympics team will begin practicing at Wilder Track in preparation for the Ohio State Special Olympics track meet in June. Kenyon student-athletes will be on hand to assist and interact with the participants.