Pursuing Athletic Excellence ... Developing Christian Character
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Messiah Athletics at a Glance |
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Location: Grantham, Pa. |
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University Founded: 1909 |
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University Enrollment: 2,500 |
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Athletics Director: Sarah Gustin-Hamrock |
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Athletics Phone: 717-691-6018 |
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Affiliation: NCAA Division III |
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Conference: Middle Atlantic Conference (Commonwealth Conference) |
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Number of Teams: 22 |
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Colors: Navy and White |
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Team Name: Falcons |
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These are the two goals for which Messiah Athletics is known. Our student-athletes and coaches know our philosophy is that, if we don't accomplish both of these goals in a season, then we have not had a successful season. Doing one without doing the other is not good enough at Messiah, we hold each other accountable to meeting these goals.
This is intercollegiate athletics - not intramurals. There is a scoreboard. We compete against other institutions; one team will leave the event with a win, and the other with a loss. Conference standings are published. There are championships in every sport in which we compete. Pursuing Athletic Excellence is important.
But equally important is the way we compete. As we work at developing character, how do our student-athletes carry themselves during competition? How do they do in the classroom? Are our athletes serious students? Do they demonstrate sportsmanship as they compete? Does their faith impact the way they approach the game? Developing Christian Character is every bit as important to us.
We often talk about these goals. We want people to know that this is what Messiah Athletics is all about.
The Scope of Messiah's Program
Being NCAA Division III means that we do not offer any financial aid based on athletic ability. Our athletes are true amateurs, and they compete because they love the sport.
Messiah is in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC), a group of 18 Division III institutions. The MAC is divided into the MAC Commonwealth and MAC Freedom; Messiah is in the MAC Commonwealth with eight other colleges: Albright, Alvernia, Eastern, Hood, Lebanon Valley, Stevenson, Widener, and York (Pa.). In most team sports, the Falcons compete against those schools. In a few team sports, and in all individual sports, they compete in the entire MAC.
How Athletics Supports Messiah's Mission
Athletics is part of the cocurriculum and an integral part of the educational side of the University - and we believe that this is where Division III programs should be. We're housed in the Student Affairs Division at Messiah. Our coaches are members of the Community of Educators, and that supports our conviction that we are indeed educators. It's just that our classrooms and laboratories look different than the typical classroom and lab you might find in Boyer Hall or Jordan Science Center. Our classrooms are the soccer field, the track, the artificial turf field, the baseball and softball fields, the volleyball court, the basketball floor, and other indoor and outdoor venues. Our classrooms include the locker room, the training room, and practice fields as well.
And we know that the impact coaches have on their student-athletes is significant - student-athletes will see coaches and staff every day during the season for several hours; will travel with them in buses or vans; will see how they react to bad calls from officials; and will share tears of joy after a big win or tears of sorrow after a tough loss. The lessons taught by the coach over four years will last a lifetime.
Our mission in Athletics supports the University's educational mission: The Department of Athletics at Messiah University seeks to develop Christian character while pursuing athletic excellence. In doing so, the Department fulfills Messiah University's mission to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character, and Christian faith.
Marks of Athletics Excellence
