Basketball
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Love Signs with Suns
Former Saint Louis University Billiken Justin Love has signed a one year contract with the Phoenix Suns. Love had been playing in the Rocky Mountain Revue Summer League for Phoenix.
During his time there, Love averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 21.8 minutes per game and went 10-10 from the free throw line.
Love said in an interview with Suns.com, “There’s been a lot of learning, a lot of discipline and I’m adapting to the new rules. It’s just been a good experience.”
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Women Return To U.S.
The Saint Louis University Women’s Basketball team has been in Europe playing exhibition games. Their trip took them to Paris, France; Milan, Italy; Barcelona and Pamplona, Spain.
Their opponents included Pamplona C.B., B.C. L’Hospitalet and C. B. Santa Rosa Delima-Horta. Their last game was a rematch against Barcelona B.C. this past Monday. The team will return home Aug. 25.
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Awards
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Arthur Ashe, Jr. Award
Four Saint Louis University Student Athletes were honored by receiving this year’s Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Award.
The award is given to those minority student-athletes who combine athletic and academic excellence.
Ismahan Mohsen of the women’s soccer team, Gerardo Aue of the men’s tennis team, Go Ozeni of the men’s swimming team and Christian Shelton of the women’s basketball team were those honored.
Candidates must be at least an academic sophomore and maintain a 3.2 GPA.
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Swimming
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Coach Beeson Retires
This summer, Saint Louis University Swimming and Diving coach Dr. Richard “Doc” Beeson announced his retirement. Beeson is stepping away from his duties as coach and as Associate Professor of Research Methodology. Beeson began coaching the Bills back in 1983.
Beeson stressed not only athletic excellence but also academic. In April, the College Swimming Coaches Association of America named the women’s team an Academic All-America Team. The team posted a 3.5 GPA this past season that ranked seventh in the nation.
Beeson was named Midwest Collegiate Conference Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year in 1989 and 1991.
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Baseball
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Adam Shea Goes Pro
Former Saint Louis University Catcher Adam Shea has signed with the Valley Vipers of the Western Baseball League. Shea joined the Scottsdale, Ariz. team on August 10 and recorded a hit in his first at bat.
Another former Billiken, Ryan Warnecke has been playing for the River City Rascals in the Frontier League. Warnecke is 1-1 with three saves, 25 strikeouts and six walks in 37 innings.
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Soccer
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Transfers Join Bills
SLU men’s soccer coach Bob Warming has two new weapons in his arsenal.
David Beck and Mike Kirchoff have joined the Billikens this year and hope to make an instant impact.
Beck comes from Butler and will have two years of eligibilty beginning this fall.
Kirchoff comes from UM-St. Louis and will have three years of eligibilty beginning this fall.
Beck was named first-team All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference as a sophomore after being named the MCC All-Newcomer team as a freshman.
He left Butler as the Bulldogs seventh-leading all-time scorer with 39 points and goal scorer with 14. His 22 points puts him fourth on the Bulldog’s career list for freshman scoring.
Kirchoff brings some size and experience to the Billikens’ defense which has been depleated by Tim Tedoni’s career ending knee injury.
Kirchoff played all but 30 minutes of the Riverman’s 19 game schedule last year and scored one goal.
“Mike has terrific size is good in the air, plays well with his feet and is a good passer,” Warming said.
“We would have recruited him out of high school if we had been looking for backs that year.”
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Academics
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SLU Wins For Fifth Time
Conference USA has named SLU as its recipient of the Institutional Excellence Award for the fifth-consecutive year.
The award is given to the school with the highest grade point average(GPA) during the current academic year for all student athletes in conference-sponsored sports.
SLU posted a 3.09 GPA for all student athletes.
“As a department we are excited to continue our success in academics,” Saint Louis senior associate director of athletics Lori Flanagan said.
“It has become a competitive issue within our department to stay at the top of our league in this category.
“By earning the award again this year, it is evident that we put academcis at the forefront of our athletics program,” Flanagan said.
The Bills led C-USA in baseball with a 2.94 GPA and men’s soccer with a 2.99 GPA.
