A Different View of the Game
For four years Wabash fans enjoyed watching Antoine Carpenter ’00 dishing out assists as the Little Giant point guard. Now they can watch him dish out instructions from the bench.
Carpenter re-joins the Wabash team as an assistant coach to Mac Petty, replacing Jason Mulligan who left to become the head coach at the University of New England. Carpenter brings a wealth of knowledge to the Wabash bench as a coach. In addition to his four years as a player for the Little Giants, including as a two-year starter and member of two Indiana Collegiate Athletic Conference championship and NCAA tournament teams, he served as an assistant coach at Franklin College for two seasons. Carpenter also worked at Brownsburg High School as an assistant coach.
"My experience at Wabash as a student and as a basketball player was tremendous," Carpenter says. "I’m amazed to have the opportunity to return to Wabash and be a part of this team once again."
Petty echoes those thoughts.
"I’m not only thrilled for (Antoine’s) return to campus, but for him being a part of our program. He understands what winning means and can relate that to our players."
Coming Together at 14,110 ft.
The current Wabash football team has made a habit of setting records, whether it’s senior Adi Pynenberg breaking for the career tackle mark held by Jim Kilbane ’84 or the offensive line trying to break the record for fewest sacks allowed in a season.
But another record set by this year’s senior class is equally impressive.
Each year the seniors get together before football practices begin for a "team-building" exercise, and this year’s 17 seniors decided to climb up Colorado’s Pikes Peak, repeating a trip the 2004 seniors had made.
Randy Kunkel, who has spent the past 28 years in leadership and human achievement training and has served as guide for several groups attempting the climb, knows what it takes to be successful.
"The adventure up the mountain generally takes nine to 10 hours and requires an unwavering personal commitment and extensive teamwork," Kunkel reported after spending the day with the Little Giants. "It was inspiring to be around your players. They were courteous, respectful, energetic, and even humble. They consistently spoke highly of Wabash College, its academic programs, and it’s overall atmosphere."
After starting the climb in the morning, the Little Giants completed their hike to the top in the afternoon and in record time—8 hours and 31minutes, 32 minutes faster than the previous record.
"We realized we could work together to overcome any obstacle put in our path," Pynenberg said after returning to campus. "We are a team. We care about each other and want to see each other succeed. It wasn’t about setting the record. It was about our sucess as a group."
Keep track of the teams and all the scores at www.wabash.edu/sports
"I Am a Wabash Man"
For the first time since 1972, the Wabash cross-country season was ready to begin and Rob Johnson H’77 had no responsibilities. The legendary coach began his retirement from the cross-country team, handing the reins to Roger Busch ’96. Johnson will coach the track and field squad this year before stepping away from the everyday duties.
What Johnson didn’t realize was the different turn the annual Charlie Finch Memorial Alumni Race would take this year. Greg Birk ’77 had spent months contacting former Little Giants runners whose lives had all been shaped by Johnson and the mantra he had taught them: "I am a Wabash man, and I know I can." And 29 of those men returned for the Alumni race, then even more celebrated Johnson’s career at a luncheon later that day.
"None of us can imagine what our lives would be like had we not met Coach Johnson," Busch said after the event. "He pushed us to be the best person we could be, then to be the best athlete we could be."