The California Maritime Academy - News

[Men's Basketball] Lionel Poole Commits to the Keelhaulers

Bryan Rooney — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:30:00 -0600

California Maritime Academy men's basketball coach Bryan Rooney has announced the signing of Lionel Poole for the 2013-2014 season.

Lionel joins the Keelhaulers after transferring from the College of the Canyons where he helped lead the Cougars to a conference championship as the team also advanced to the third round of state playoffs. Poole scored a career high in Canyons' second round victory over Allan Hancock College. The 6'4" Poole also enjoyed a stellar high school career at Moorpark High School. During his senior year, Poole averaged 12.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He also collected an impressive 4 blocks per game as he led Moorpark to a 19-9 record. Poole, an excellent student, will be an International Business and Logistics major at Cal Maritime.

Coach Rooney expressed excitement over the commitment, "Lionel embodies what our program is about on and off the floor. He plays the game passionately and with great energy. He is also a team first guy who takes great pride in being a great teammate and most importantly he is a dedicated student. Lionel was part of an outstanding junior college program led by Coach Fisher and he has a very bright future at Cal Maritime."

Lionel joins Cal Maritime as the program comes off the best season in school history as the Keelhaulers set the school record for wins with 25, won the California Pacific Conference tournament and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

"I'm extremely excited! It's a whole new ball game and I'm ready to work hard with my new teammates and hopefully continue the winning tradition Maritime has built. The deciding factor for me was my comfort level with the school and the team. By the time I left the campus on my visit it already felt like home. It's not every day you can you walk into a completely new surrounding and mesh so well with the people there. I'm very excited for what my future has in store!" explained Poole regarding his commitment.

The 2013-2014 season begins as the Keelhaulers host Cal Maritime Invitational starting November 1st.

[Men's Basketball] Dominique Barnes Commits to Cal Maritime

Bryan Rooney — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:55:00 -0600

California Maritime Academy men's basketball coach Bryan Rooney has announced the signing of Dominique Barnes for the 2013-2014 season.

Dominique joins the Keelhaulers after transferring from Holy Names University where he redshirted. The 6'5" Barnes also played at NCAA Division 2 Benedict College and San Joaquin Delta College. Prior to his collegiate career, Dominique completed a standout high school career at Manteca High School where he helped lead the Buffaloes to a Valley Oak League championship during his senior year. Barnes will be an International Business and Logistics major at Cal Maritime.

Coach Rooney commented on the signing, "Dominique's commitment is a good example concerning the importance of quality relationships. We have known him for several years and his decision illustrates his desire to be part of something bigger than himself. His skill set and versatility match well with our identified needs with this recruiting class. Most importantly, Dominique is a quality student who will earn a tremendous degree at Cal Maritime."

Dominique joins Cal Maritime as the program comes off the best season in school history as the Keelhaulers set the school record for wins with 25, won the California Pacific Conference tournament and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in school history.

"I'm really excited about being a Keelhauler and having an opportunity to win a championship. The deciding factors for me were the opportunity to play for a great coach and the ability to play on a team with a high character teammates," Barnes said when asked about his decision to come to Cal Maritime.

The 2013-2014 season begins as the Keelhaulers host Cal Maritime Invitational starting November 1st.

[Keelhaulers] Keelhaulers Make a Positive Impact in Community

Bryan Rooney — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:10:00 -0600

The California Maritime Academy men's and women's basketball teams conducted a free basketball clinic at Vallejo's Grace Patterson Elementary School on April 26th. 180 students from Grace Patterson participated in the three hour clinic. The clinic focused on fundamental skills including passing, dribbling, and shooting and gave the students a great opportunity to interact with the student-athletes from Cal Maritime.

In addition to the basketball skills that were taught and practiced, the clinic also introduced and emphasized the NAIA Champions of Characters values of integrity, respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, and servant leadership. The students of Grace Patterson not only came away with increased basketball skills but also gained the importance of playing the game with class.

Daniel Eberhardt, the student leader of this event, remarked, "We hope we made a positive impact on these students because we certainly know they made a very positive impact on us. The genuine energy and enthusiasm shown by the students of Grace Patterson was infectious. This was a great day as the Keelhauler Family grew by 180 today."

Head men's basketball coach Bryan Rooney remarked, "There were so many positives from this event and a main one is that this event was completely driven by the leadership of Cal Maritime students. We are fortunate to work with tremendous students on our campus and it is phenomenal to see the partnership of our students with Grace Patterson and the Vallejo community ."

As a reward for the great effort shown by the students of Grace Patterson, each student will receive free admission to Cal Maritime basketball games during the 2013-14 season.

[Women's Basketball] Joann Valdivia Decides to Post up at Cal Maritime

Patrick Hollister — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:05:00 -0600

On Thursday the Keelhaulers added 6'2 Center from Imperial Valley College Joann Valdivia to the roster. Joann shot just under 50% for the season and did a good job of clogging up the paint on the defensive end. "We as a coaching staff are very excited to add Joann join our program for the next 2 seasons. She will bring some much needed size to the center position for us," stated coach Covell about Joann joining the Cal maritime family. Joann will be earning her degree at Cal Maritime in International Business and Logistics. After committing to Cal Maritime Joann said "I am thankful for the opportunity to continue my basketball career and studies at Cal Maritime. I cannot wait for this upcoming season as a Keelhauler."

[Women's Basketball] Keelhaulers Sign Bianca Hussein

Bryan Rooney — Sun, 05 May 2013 13:50:00 -0600

The Keelhaulers bolstered their interior attack with the signing of 5'8" forward Bianca Hussein. Bianca comes to Cal Maritime from Skyline College where she led her Trojans in scoring (11.5 points per game) and Rebounding (5.5 rebounds per game). Her scoring and shooting percentage (42%) were top ten in the conference. "We are excited to have Bianca commit to being a Keelhauler for the next two seasons with her ability to hit the open shot and shoot the ball at such a high rate," stated Coach Covell. Bianca will be studying International Business and Logistics at Cal Maritime. " I am excited and thankful for the opportunity to play at the next level and as a Keelhauler," Bianca said about committing to Cal Maritime.

[Rugby] Rugby Ranking, Cal Maritime is #9 !

Patrick Hollister — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:15:00 -0600

[Keelhaulers] 2D takes Divisional Slo-pitch Softball Tournament

Patrick Hollister — Wed, 01 May 2013 14:05:00 -0600

2D beats 3E in the championship divisional softball game by a score of 8 to 5.

[Keelhaulers] 2013 4 on 4 Divisional Basketball Champs - 2E !

Patrick Hollister — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:15:00 -0600

[Men's Basketball] Huntington Beach Standout Commits to Keelhaulers

Bryan Rooney — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:30:00 -0600

California Maritime Academy men's basketball coach Bryan Rooney has announced the signing of Huntington Beach High School forward Harley Ruder for the 2013-2014 season.

Harley joins the Keelhaulers after a standout career for Huntington Beach. The 6'6" Ruder led the Oilers in scoring (17.5 points per game) and rebounding (7.9 rebounds per game) while shooting an impressive 55% from the floor. For his play, Harley was honored as a Division 1A All CIF performer and selected to participate in the prestigious Orange County All Star. Also a top notch student, Harley will major in the International Business and Logistics program.

"We are thrilled that Harley has decided to join the Keelhauler family. We love his passion for basketball and his commitment in the classroom. He had a fantastic career at Huntington Beach and his best basketball is absolutely ahead of him. We have had, and continue to have, special student-athletes in our program. We truly believe Harley follows that tradition and is an individual the entire Cal Maritime community will be proud to call one of our own ," commented Head Coach Bryan Rooney.

Ruder was equally excited stating, "My excitement level is through the roof. I am so excited and honored to become a Keelhauler. I look forward to getting a top notch education while playing basketball. Education is the number one factor that led to me committing to Cal Maritime. The International Experience and internship programs are very appealing to me. Coach Rooney and the team also influenced my decision tremendously. I had a great experience when I visited and enjoyed spending time with both the coaches and players. I feel like Cal Maritime is a perfect fit for me. Go Keelhaulers!"

Harley joins Cal Maritime as the program comes off the best season in school history as the Keelhaulers set the school record for wins with 25, won the California Pacific Conference tournament and advanced to the NAIA National Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. The 2013-2014 season begins as the Keelhaulers host Cal Maritime Invitational starting November 1st.

[Women's Basketball] Cheyenne Shepherd Commits to Cal Maritime

Bryan Rooney — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:20:00 -0600

Solano Community College sophomore Cheyenne Shepherd has decided to take her basketball and academic skills to the California Maritime Academy. Cheyenne helped lead her team to two top three finishes in the Bay Valley Conference. "Cheyenne's ability to step out and hit the three as well as attack the rim with no fear will help us as a team in our scoring attack. She is also a very tough post defender who does not mind the dirty work," said Coach Dave Covell on Cheyenne and her joining the Keelhauler family. Cheyenne will be studying Global Studies and Maritime Affairs at Cal Maritime. Cheyenne stated, "It is an honor to have this opportunity to join the Keelhauler family."

[Keelhaulers] End of the Year Faculty / Staff vs. Students Softball Game

Patrick Hollister — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:45:00 -0600

The Annual Staff vs. Student Softball game drew an enthusiastic crowd on Wed. April 24. The game went back and forth with the students finally pulling ahead and winning 11-9. Both teams were treated to barbecued hotdogs after the game.

[Women's Crew] Keelhaulers Take Second at Rowing Championships

Bryan Rooney — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:20:00 -0600

April 28, 2013 - The Cal Maritime men's crew team finished off the spring season in strong fashion at the WIRA (Western Intercollegiate Rowing Association) Championships at Lake Natoma in Sacramento this past weekend, with all three boats racing in the finals, and the men's pair taking home the silver medal in their event. This year marked the first time in over a decade that the Keelhaulers have participated in the WIRA Championships, and they took advantage of that opportunity, fielding a novice four, a lightweight novice four, and a pair. In the first day of heats, the novice four of Heather McFarlain (coxswain), Sebastian Grant, Sean Abbott, Serge Balian, and Erin Bloom took second in their heat (the second of three for the event), outpacing Santa Clara, Sonoma State, Chico State, and Seattle University in advancing to the Sunday finals. The men's pair of Holden Peck and Kellen Parrish took first in their Saturday heat (the first of three for the event), finishing ahead of UC Davis, Sonoma State, Pacific Lutheran, and University of the Pacific en route to the finals.

On Sunday morning, the Keelhaulers took to the finals. The men's lightweight novice four of Kevin Sweeney (coxswain), Jamin Parker, Matt Catchings, Kellen Becker, and Mitch Calder had a solid race against a very fast field and finished fourth behind Washington State University, Orange Coast College, and Loyola Marymount University. The novice four competed next and, again, had a very solid performance, but finished in sixth in their finals. In the last final of the morning for Cal Maritime, the men's pair raced to silver, finishing behind first-place Seattle University, but outrowing UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, Loyola Marymount, and UCLA.

With a very strong performance by all three crews at the championships behind them, the Keelhaulers thank all the families and friends who supported them throughout the year look forward to an even better 2013-2014 campaign.

[Men's Crew] Keelhaulers Take Second at Rowing Championships

Bryan Rooney — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:10:00 -0600

[Keelhaulers] End of the Year Keelhauler Sports Banquet

Patrick Hollister — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:45:00 -0600

The Athletic Department officially said good bye to the 2012-13 academic school year on Thursday April 11 in Mayo Gymnasium. The annual sports banquet featured speaker President Tom Cropper, Athletic Director Marv Christopher and a host of Coaches.

Dinner was catered by Louie Bones and his staff from the Cal Maritime Dining Hall. The entrees featured were prime rib and fish.

The Coaches from all 12 sports honored their 185 athletes at the podium and focused on highlights of the year. Awards earned were MVP, Coaches Award and 2 sport participation.

[Keelhaulers] Shave and Save a Success!

Patrick Hollister — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:45:00 -0600

The California Maritime Academy Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC) organized a cancer awareness day last week to support Markie Cosca, an 11 year old boy battling leukemia for the second time. Markie is the son of Mark Cosca, a manager in the Cal Maritime dining hall. Markie recently finished a round of chemotherapy treatments and is currently waiting for a bone marrow transplant. The event encouraged individuals to shave their heads and show Markie that he is not alone in his fight against cancer. The day also gave individuals the opportunity to donate to "The Mark Cosca Leukemia Fund", a fund set up to help defray the costs associated with Markie's care. A bone marrow donor station was included to allow people to register for the "Be the Match" bone marrow registry.

The event was held in the Cal Maritime quad. This all day event began 7:45 am with Captain Buckey, the Commandant of Cadets, shaving the first cadet's head. There was a steady wave of students, faculty, and staff waiting to get their heads shaved through out the day. Some participants waited up to an hour to get the chance to show their support for Markie. The last head was shaved at 4:30 in the afternoon.

The committee's goal was to have 50 people participate. At the end of the day, a total of 175 heads were shaved. "It was an incredible sight to see the campus community pull together for a single purpose" said Women's Basketball Coach Dave Covell. The goal was to raise $500 dollars. At the end of the day, over $2200 dollars was donated. The bone marrow registration campaign attracted 100 new registrations from Cal Maritime students, faculty, and staff. These registrations represented 100 additional opportunities to provide hope for those fighting Leukemia.

Several members of the Cal Maritime Athletic Department participated in the event. Men's Basketball coach Bryan Rooney, Women's Basketball coach Dave Covell, and Cross Country coach Jeff Ward all shaved their heads in support of Markie. Coach Rooney remarked, "I was driving Markie around in the golf cart during the day and he asked me 'Coach, is this all for me?' I said 'Markie, this is absolutely all for you.'" Rooney went on to say, "The campus was able to get Markie's mind off the stress of having cancer and allow him to escape for a moment of happiness."

The Student Athletic Advisory Committee had help form numerous departments on campus. The Housing Department stepped in and purchased wrist bands to support Markie and the fight against Leukemia. The Student Health Center organized the "Be the Match" bone marrow donor registry. The Leadership Department gave merits to those who volunteered and to those who shaved their heads. They also offered formation off to the division with the most participants. The Student Health Advisory Committee gave their support by providing literature on leukemia and cancer research. The Center for Community Engagement offered community service hours to those who participated as well. Marv Christopher, Cal Maritime's athletic director commented,"It was amazing to see the support of the entire campus community come together for such a noble cause. Cal Maritime is a place where relationships are forged, memories are engrained, and lives are enriched."

Markie is much more than an eleven year old boy battling cancer; he is a hero in the eyes of many students, faculty, and staff members. Freshman cadet Blaine Shively commented, "Family is the essence of togetherness and bringing our campus community together for this cause is much bigger than raising money or shaving heads. The opportunity to put a smile on a child's face that is battling something that no person should ever have to experience is priceless."

*For those who wish to read more about Markie and his courageous battle, please visit the website below.*

http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/little-mark-markie-cosca-s-journey-to-beat-cancer-the-2nd-time/40526