1. Sometime between Nov. 14, 2009 and March 31, 2010
The “Billikids” grew up fast
Once again, the Billikens men’s basketball roster was the youngest in the country. Not a single upperclassman played one minute of basketball for the Billikens in the 2009-2010 season.
This lack of experience led many to believe that the Bills would struggle. Saint Louis University was even picked to finish third-to-last in the Atlantic 10 preseason coaches’ poll.
Fortunately, someone failed to let the green Billikens know, as a feisty group of four sophomores and seven freshmen fought and scraped their way to 23 wins and a definitive fourth place in the A-10.
The Billikens even saw postseason play this season, reaching the finals of the College Basketball Invitational before falling to Virginia Commonwealth University in the best-of-three series.
The surprisingly successful season didn’t go unnoticed by the team’s head coach, either.
“I’ve had many great seasons, and this is as good a season as I’ve had. What these kids did was nothing short of sensational,” Rick Majerus said.
Majerus’ youthful team will have a lot of excitement surrounding it next year, as the team adds three impressive recruits and returns all but one player from last season.
2. Jan. 22, 2010 Donigan resigns
Something about Robert R. Hermann Stadium will seem a bit off when the 2010 SLU soccer season finally kicks off. For the first time in 13 seasons, Dan Donigan will not be stalking the sidelines in some capacity.
The former men’s soccer head coach announced his resignation on Jan. 22, 2010. Donigan left to accept the vacant job at Rutgers University in his native New Jersey.
While at SLU, Donigan compiled a 118-42-23 record and made seven NCAA tournament appearances.
Donigan first joined the staff as an assistant in 1997 and was named head coach in 2001. He led the Billikens to the national quarterfinals in two of his first three seasons.
He coached seven All-America selections and saw 13 players get drafted into Major League Soccer.
3. Nov. 15, 2009 Soccer wins A-10
Part of the reason that Donigan’s departure was so disappointing was the recent success that his Billiken teams had had.
The 2009 squad finished 15-7 and claimed SLU’s first Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament championship with a decisive 2-0 victory over Dayton on Nov. 15, 2009.
The Billikens had been among the top teams in the conference since joining the A-10 in the fall of 2005, even tying for the regular season crown in 2006. But the team had failed to capture the conference tournament crown.
However, the Bills, led by sophomore standout Mike Roach, were able to give their coach one last send off and bring home the tournament title.
4. Jan. 9, 2010
Ellis arrives
There was a definite difference between the non-conference and conference performances by the men’s basketball team. And it’s safe to say that the arrival of freshman Cody Ellis was a big part of this difference.
To the dismay of many Billiken fans, the Australian struggled to gain eligibility from the NCAA clearinghouse for the first 14 games of the season.
However, on Jan. 9, 2010, Ellis suited up for the first time as a Billiken and made an immediate impact. Ellis scored 10 points and chipped in a team-high five rebounds in one of the Billikens best wins of the season, a 63-58 victory over Richmond University.
Ellis became an essential part of the Billikens offensive onslaught as the freshman, along with sophomores Kwamain Mitchell and Willie Reed all averaged more than 10 points per game.
Ellis’ play and the win over Richmond catapulted the Bills into their successful conference campaign.
5. Aug. 29, 2009
SLU vs. Penn State
Head coach Anne Kordes has made the Billikens a force on the national volleyball scene. This was never more evident on the night of Aug. 29, 2009, when a record 6,106 fans piled into Chaifetz Arena to watch SLU battle the two-time defending national champions, Penn State University.
While the Billikens would eventually lose the match, becoming just another one of Penn State’s victims in their record streak, they certainly showed that they belonged with big dogs. SLU pushed Penn State to the limit in the first set, 29-27, and never looked intimidated.
The early-season loss wouldn’t dampen the Billikens spirits, though. The team went on to win a share of the A-10 regular season title and an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
6. Kwamain saves the game — twice
Billiken fans saw plenty of bonus basketball this season, as the Bills played in five overtime games, including three double-overtimers. As if seeing all of this bonus baketball weren’t enough, sophomore point guard Kwamain Mitchell threw in some heroics on the side.
Mitchell saved the day in two of the three double overtime victories.
The first came on Feb. 13, 2010. After trailing by as many as 14 points to a red-hot Dayton Flyers team, the Bills battled back to within three points in the final half-minute. The Bills failed to get an open look on the final possession, but it didn’t matter. The ball eventually ended up in the hands of Mitchell, who threw up a 30-footer in 6’8 Chris Wright’s face as the clock expired. The miracle shot banked in, sending the game into OT and eventually in the Billikens favor.
Mitchell’s next act of heroism came in the postseason, when the Bills needed it the most. With the Bills trailing 55-53 to Wisconsin- Green Bay in the opening round of the CBI, Mitchell made perhaps the best play of his young collegiate career. In a diving effort that left Mitchell in the front row of the stands, the determined point guard managed to flick Green Bay’s inbounds pass right to Willie Reed under the basket. Reed laid it in to send the game into overtime.
7. March 6, 2010
Bills win at Dayton
Mitchell’s heroics may have been exhilarating, but the best team effort that the Billikens dished out all season came in the regular season’s finale. Due to a Charlotte loss earlier in the day, the Bills were already guaranteed fourth place in the Atlantic 10 and a first-round bye in the A-10 tournament. They didn’t need to win—Dayton did.
An experienced and deep Dayton team desperately needed wins to bolster their NCAA resume after a disappointing campaign. They especially couldn’t afford to lose at home—something they very rarely do, anyway. Not to mention the fact that it was senior night, and a packed house.
But none of that mattered to the Bills. They jumped on Dayton early and had a double-digit lead at the half. Dayton battled back late in the second half, but SLU managed to keep its cool and secured its best, but not biggest, win of the season.
8. March, 20, 2010
Baseball slugs KU
The heart of the order has been huge for the Billikens all season. This fact was never more evident than when the Bills swept a double-header against No. 19 Kansas on March 20.
The three through five hitters for the Bills combined to go 14-for-23 with 16 RBIs in the pair of games.
But these games were just more of the usual for the Billikens corner infielders. Senior first baseman Danny Brock and junior third baseman Jon Myers slugged their way to the top of the Atlantic 10 leaderboards early this season, and they show no intentions of leaving it anytime soon.
Currently, Brock and Myers are tied for first with 15 homers apiece. The duo ranks first and second in RBIs, with Brock leading the way with 58 and Myers close behind 51. Myers leads the A-10 with 126 total bases and a .724 slugging percentage and is second in the league with 66 hits. Brock is second with a .723 slugging percentage, third with 112 total bases, eighth with 41 runs scored and 10th with a .466 on-base percentage.
9. Chaifetz rallies home crowds
Last year, Billiken fans became familiar with Chaifetz Arena, the new home of Billiken basketball. This past season, Billiken fans became familiar with the namesake of the building, Dr. Richard Chaifetz himself.
Chaifetz was an integral part of Billiken home games. He was always one of the Bills most passionate and vocal cheerleaders of the team, doing everything from lambasting referees to sprinting on to the court after Kwamain Mitchell’s three against Dayton. The student section quickly noticed Chaifetz’s enthusiasm. Signs featuring the namesake and chants of “Doc-tor Chai-fetz” became a staple of the Blue Crew, cementing his legacy in Billiken fan lore up there with a giant poster of Steve Urkel.
10. Jan. 14, 2010
Tim Ream goes pro
On Jan. 14, Tim Ream became the 13th Billiken coached by Dan Donigan to join the MLS. Ream became the 18th overall selection and second pick of the second round in the 2010 Major League Soccer Super Draft when the New York Red Bulls came calling.
Ream has already seen significant playing time with the Red Bulls, including playing the full 90 minutes in the first- ever match played at the new Red Bulls Arena and in the team’s season opener.
Ream led a stern Billiken defense during his four years at SLU and was a NSCAA first-team All-Region selection in 2009.
Ream is expected to compete for the MLS rookie of the year award.
