A special weekend of events has been planned as Cumberland University prepares for Homecoming 2010 on October 2.
This year's Homecoming festivities will offer an opportunity to connect with former classmates, friends and faculty as well as members of the Lebanon community. Make plans to visit campus for a fun and event-filled, family friendly weekend! There will be something for everyone to enjoy during Homecoming 2010 - children's activities, reunions, tailgating, Bulldog football and two new events, the Dawg Dash 5K Run/Walk and the LIVE on the Lawn Homecoming Concert!
Homecoming morning kicks off with the University's inaugural Dawg Dash 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, Oct. 2 with registration beginning at 7 a.m. and the start at 8 a.m. Members of the community, as well as alumni and friends, are encouraged to participate in this run/walk benefiting student scholarships. Tickets are only $15 for CU students and children ages 8 to 18 and $20 for everyone 19 and over. If you are interested in taking part in this event, please register at www.active.com.
After the Dawg Dash 5K, everyone is invited to tailgate outside of Kirk Field/Lindsey Donnell Stadium prior to the kick-off against the Blue Raiders of Lindsey Wilson College. Beginning at 11 a.m., numerous campus and community organizations will have booths set up so that guests can enjoy games, food and drinks before the Bulldogs take on the Blue Raiders. There will also be a live band and family activities for all to enjoy.
After the game, the weekend will conclude with a concert on Memorial Hall Lawn. Great bands and entertainers will perform for the first-ever LIVE on the Lawn Concert. The event begins at 5 p.m. on Oct. 2 and 
will feature Capitol Nashville recording artist Walker Hayes as he performs his new hit single, "Pants." Other performances will include singer/songwriter Jessica Campbell and her band, Rye Mouth, who recently had one of her songs featured on ABC's "Ugly Betty." Chris Burke, who was selected from a contest sponsored by American Songwriter Magazine, will also perform at the concert as well as two local bands affiliated with Cumberland students - Flamingo and Sleepy Eyed Fox. Feel free to bring your blankets and lawn chairs as you relax on CU's historic campus. Advance tickets for LIVE on the Lawn are available at Wilson Bank & Trust locations and through the Cumberland University Alumni Office at 615-547-1253 for $10 per person. Tickets at the gate will be $15 per person, so be sure to purchase your tickets early! The concert will be free to Cumberland students with a valid student ID and to children 10 and under. LIVE on the Lawn is presented by Cumberland University, American Songwriter Magazine and WANT Radio.
For information about any of these events or to register or purchase tickets, please contact Meredith Thomas, Alumni Relations Coordinator, via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or by phone at 615-547-1253.
For the Lebanon and Wilson County community, Homecoming 2010 represents a great time to come and see what is happening at your university. Whether you are an avid runner, enjoy watching college football or just want to relax and listen to some great music, make plans to be a part of this year's Homecoming festivities. You may be surprised by all of the improvements and enhancements taking place. For example, did you know Cumberland now has a Papa John's pizza restaurant on campus? Come by and check it out.
And the events listed above are just the tip of the iceberg ... Cumberland will also mark Homecoming Weekend with a baseball alumni game, an art exhibit and the groundbreaking ceremony for a new residence hall! Here's a complete SCHEDULE OF EVENTS. Hope to see you there, and GO 'DAWGS!
Aaron Tippin, a country music legend and a crusader for working men and women across America, will headline an exciting concert set for Nov. 13 at The Mill in Lebanon. Tippin will be joined by local National Guardsman Darby Ledbetter, best known for his song "I Won't Let My Guard Down," and talented newcomer Nathan Young.
Tippin, a proud Middle Tennessee resident, stormed onto the country music scene in 1990 with the mega-hit, "You've Got to Stand For Something." In the years that followed, Tippin quickly became known for his honest lyrics and impassioned vocals, building a large and devoted audience with such singles as "There Ain't Nothing Wrong with the Radio," "My Blue Angel," "For You I Will," "Kiss This" and "Where The Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly." Tippin has seen five of his albums certified as 'Gold' and a sixth, Between the Lines, reach 'Platinum' status.
The upcoming concert will be presented by a newly formed local musical event promotion group called Vision Music, Inc. Founded by John Mires and Caleb Brock, the new company intends to coordinate, promote and execute musical events at both the regional and national levels.
Brock, a graduate of both Mt. Juliet High School and Cumberland University, said he and Mires are ecstatic to hold their first major event in Wilson County and to be able to showcase talents such as those of Tippin, Ledbetter and Young. Brock described Young as "a 17-year-old country newcomer with loads of talent."
"We're excited to team up with The Mill and WANT Real Country FM 98.9 to make this happen," Brock said of the Nov. 13 show.
Tickets for the concert will go on sale on Oct. 1 and may be purchased at www.visionmusicinc.com. The show kicks off at 6:30 p.m., and doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Cumberland University's Woody Hunt has been named the Rawlings-NAIA Coach of the Year after leading the Bulldogs to the second national championship in school history.
It marks the second national Coach of the Year honor for Hunt during his 29-year career as head coach at Cumberland. He was named the Rawlings-National Coach of the Year after the Bulldogs lost in the NAIA World Series title game in extra innings, according to a news release issued by Cumberland University.
The award will be presented at the 2011 Rawlings-NAIA Awards Luncheon in Nashville on Jan. 7. The luncheon is part of the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Convention which runs from Jan. 6-9 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.
"This is a very prestigious honor, but it's really a team accomplishment," Hunt said. "Everything we get as coaches reflects on our team. We were such a singular unit as a team this season, and I'm more proud of our team than any individual accomplishments."
Hunt is one of only six coaches in history to register 1,000 career victories in the NAIA and owns a career record of 1,284-523-3. The Bulldogs have appeared in 11 NAIA World Series, including five in the last seven seasons, claiming the national championship in 2004 and 2010 as well as runner-up finishes in 1995 and 2006.
Cumberland has won 17 conference championships during Hunt's tenure, including 10 in the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference (TCAC), five in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) and two in the TranSouth Conference (TSAC). CU has four district championships, 12 NAIA regional titles and has played in five super regionals as well.
The program has posted 21 seasons with 40 or more victories in 27 years as a four-year program, including 17 of the last 18 campaigns, while registering 50 or more wins eight times, all since 1997. The 2004 squad set the school record for victories with 59, followed closely behind by the 2010 club with a 58-9 mark.
The Bulldogs have produced 56 NAIA All-Americans, including 2010 National Player of the Year Matt Greener and Steve Green, the only three-time All-American in program history. Seventy-four of Hunt's former players have signed professional contracts.
Hunt has also achieved individual success in the awards category, claiming 17 Coach of the Year honors. He is a seven-time Southeast Region Coach of the Year and has also been a finalist for the National Coach of the Year Award five times.
Cumberland University was picked fourth in the Mid-South Conference (MSC) West Division in a recently released poll of league coaches.
Fifth-year head coach Dewayne Alexander returns 17 starters and 45 letter-winners from last season's 5-6 club. The Bulldogs suffered three one-point losses and a 13-3 setback as well during the 2009 campaign.
The University of the Cumberlands (9-2, 5-1 MSC) received six of the seven first-place votes and tallied 36 points in earning the moniker of division favorite. Shorter University (6-5, 3-3) was picked second with 27 points, with Bethel University (5-6, 4-2) third with 23 points.
Cumberland (5-6, 3-3) was tabbed fourth with 19 points, with Belhaven University (6-5, 4-2) receiving the other first-place vote and rated fifth overall with 18 points. Union College (4-6, 3-3) tied for fifth with Belhaven and Faulkner University (2-9, 0-6) was seventh with six points.
Campbellsville University (7-4, 3-2) received three first-place votes and Georgetown College (7-4, 4-2) collected two first-place votes, as the longtime rivals tied for the top spot in the East Division with 32 points. UVA-Wise (5-6, 4-2) obtained the other two first-place votes and was tabbed third with 29 points.
Pikeville College (3-8, 1-5) received 20 points and was fourth, while West Virginia Tech (3-8, 0-6), Kentucky Christian (1-9, 1-5) and Lindsey Wilson (first season of football) rounded out the poll.
Cumberland University opens the season on Thursday, Sept. 2 at Austin Peay before entertaining Campbellsville University in the home opener on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 1:30 p.m. The Bulldogs also host West Virginia Tech (Sept. 25), Lindsey Wilson (Homecoming, Oct. 2), Shorter University (Oct. 9), Union College (Oct. 30) and Belhaven University (Nov. 6) at Lindsey Donnell Stadium-Kirk Field in 2010. Click here to view the Bulldogs' 2010 Football Schedule.
Less than a month after most of its students left campus for the summer, Cumberland University is making plans for a new residence hall. The facility is scheduled to open in the fall of 2011.
Recognizing a desire to increase the number of students living on campus, the Board of Trust - at its summer meeting - voted unanimously to secure funding and begin the process of constructing a 150-bed residence hall.
"This hall will create a unique residential experience for our students," said Dr. Harvill Eaton, president of Cumberland University. "We feel the facility will increase the quality of life and create a greater sense of community for our students on campus."
The residence hall will be located on the southeast edge of campus on McClain Avenue and will feature four-person suites with double bedrooms, full wireless access and a learning space for instruction and group study.
The University hopes that the new residence hall will help foster better and more successful students, which will result in higher graduation rates.
"The design of the new residence hall will give the University the flexibility to better address the living-learning needs and expectations of the new generation of college students," said Kristen Gray, director of residence life. "The University strives to equip students with academic and personal skills that enable them to be successful not only in college but in their professional careers as well. This facility was intentionally designed for that purpose."
The construction of the residence hall and the renovations to the current dining facility are part of a strategic plan to provide Cumberland University students with the best in new facilities for living, learning and recreation. Long-term plans include the construction of the Cumberland Cafe for its students and the community as well as a state-of-the-art nursing/science facility and an expansion to the June & Bill Heydel Fine Arts Center.
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) contributed $1,000 to Cumberland University's Science Camps held recently at the school's campus in Lebanon. The week-long camps provided an opportunity for students in sixth and seventh grades to participate in hands-on activities designed to promote critical thinking skills and spark interest in science. The camps were held from June 7 through 11 and served students from Wilson and other Middle Tennessee counties.
Speakers included Bill Hunt, environmental program administrator for TVA's Gallatin Fossil Plant. Hunt discussed TVA's power generation and environmental stewardship programs. "Science education is extremely valuable for our future," said Emily Reynolds, senior vice president of Government Relations. "We think it's important to support the communities TVA serves."
TVA's donation was used to purchase supplies to upgrade some of the science experiments during the camps. Jonathon Hawkins, executive director for Development & Alumni Relations at the University, said, "This gift helped provide a terrific opportunity for young girls and boys to experience science education in a fun and exciting way. We truly appreciate TVA's partnership with Cumberland University."
The Tennessee Valley Authority, a corporation owned by the U.S. government, provides electricity for 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states at prices below the national average. TVA, which receives no taxpayer money and makes no profits, also provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists utilities and state and local governments with economic development.
As the weather heats up, the Nashville Symphony is getting out of the concert hall and heading back to Lebanon for the annual "Symphony on the Lawn" concert on Memorial Lawn at Cumberland University. Thanks to Regions Bank, there is no charge for admission to this great local event this year.
Hosted by the Cumberland University Fine Arts Council (CUFAC) and sponsored by Regions Bank and the Cracker Barrel Foundation, the Tuesday, June 15 event will see Conductor Kelly Corcoran lead the Nashville Symphony through a range of favorite selections.
Gates open at 5 p.m., and guests are encouraged to bring picnic blankets and chairs for the concert on the lawn. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, or guests may bring their own to enjoy. Pre-concert entertainment begins at 5:30 p.m., and the Nashville Symphony's performance begins at 7 p.m.
The NBA and NHL playoffs are in full swing, the MLB season is well underway, and the Cumberland Bulldogs are in Lewiston Idaho. All is right in the world of sports. The Bulldogs finished the season 53-9, the most wins of any team in the nation, NAIA, NCAA DI, DII, or DIII. This Bulldogs team also has the most wins of any Cumberland team, and will also finish with the fewest losses of any previous Cumberland team. They have only lost back-to-back games once this season, and ended the regular season on a 17-game win streak.
Expectations are high as the Bulldogs enter the NAIA World Series as the number two seed after finishing the season ranked behind only Lewis-Clark State (47-3).
Cumberland punched their ticket to the World Series by first winning the TranSouth Conference, finishing with a 17-2 record in the TSC. The Bulldogs then entered the TSC tournament as the number one seed, defeating Union University 9-5 in the championship for Cumberland’s sixth straight year of winning either the regular season championship or tournament championship, and twenty-one straight years that the Bulldogs have won either a regular season or tournament championship (CU previously played in the Mid-South Conference as well as the Tennessee Collegiate Athletic Conference).
The Bulldogs followed the TSC tournament by winning a National Championship Opening Round tournament, the second year the NAIA has used this format. Cumberland defeated Campbellsville 3-0 in the tournament finale to make their first trip to the World Series since 2007.
Cumberland has dominated nearly all season, outscoring their opponents 554-253 on the season. The Bulldogs have hit 126 homeruns on the season, led by Matt Greener’s 25 and Chris Miller’s 23. CU has seven players with at least 11 homeruns. The Bulldogs pitching staff hasn’t been too shabby either. Lead by Shawn Schaefer (13-0 2.71 era) and Aaron Wilkerson (12-1 2.13 era), the Bulldogs have a team era of 3.77 and have thrown eleven shutouts on the season.
Cumberland also dominated in the TranSouth awards this season. Cumberland won 13 of a possible 22 TranSouth Conference Player and Pitcher of the Week awards with Matt Greener and Shawn Schaefer winning four each. The Bulldogs also had eight players named to the TranSouth All-Conference First Team including David Fanshawe (C), Greg Appleton (1B), Sam Kikla (SS), Matt Greener (3B), Troy Frazier (OF), Kris Miller (OF), Shawn Schaefer (SP) and Aaron Wilkerson (SP). Matt Greener was also named Player of the Year, and Coach Woody Hunt was named Coach of the Year.
The Bulldogs will be making their 11th NAIA World Series appearance. As the number two seed in the World Series, Cumberland earned a bye in the first round, and will take on some familiar faces in the second round taking on number seven seed Embry-Riddle University. Brothers Randy (head coach) and Chuck Stegall (assistant coach) are former Cumberland Bulldogs. Cumberland and Embry-Riddle will play Saturday at 5 pm central time. Shawn Schaefer will likely take the mound in game one, with Aaron Wilkerson, and Adam Sprague pitching games two and three respectively later on in the tournament.
Statistics courtesy of www.cumberland.edu and www.transouth.org
Photo courtesy of Jason Frost
The fifth annual 'Tee It Up for Sean' Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 14 at Five Oaks Golf & Country Club in Lebanon. All proceeds from the tournament benefit the Sean Putman Memorial Scholarship at Cumberland University.
The day includes a recreational tournament for youth at 8 a.m., lunch, a silent auction; and the four-man scramble tees off at 1 p.m.
The Sean Putman Memorial Scholarship fund commemorates the life of courageous young Sean Westin Putman, who died at the age of eight in August of 2005 after heroically battling illness whilst spreading a pervasive joy for living. According to information provided by Cumberland University, Sean was first diagnosed as a toddler with Ewing's sarcoma in the form of a sizable tumor on his spine. After extensive surgery and over 40 weeks of chemotherapy, the cancer was deemed in remission. Eighteen months later, a small tumor reappeared and, again, chemotherapy was successful. Sadly, however, the disease would return for a third and final time.
For months in remission, Sean - the second of three sons of Troy and Beth Montgomery Putman - became an excellent athlete. He excelled in golf, soccer and T-ball. He had a particular fondness for golf and had a natural golf swing that was the envy of many adult golfers.
During his six-year-long struggle, Sean was admired for his courage and unwillingness to complain. He became a familiar sight in the halls of Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and endeared himself to nurses, doctors and technicians who loved him and his quiet, smiling way.
For more information on the tournament and the Sean Putman Memorial Scholarship, please visit www.seanputman.com.
Cumberland University, in partnership with the Predators Foundation and TVA, will host an exciting, hands-on science camp for sixth and seventh-grade students. The camp will take place June 7 through 11, 2010.
Designed to be an introduction to science, the five-day camp will give students the opportunity to learn about a variety of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, geology and physics. Students who attend will participate in science experiments as well as group activities. Guest speakers include CU Associate Professor of English, Dr. Michael Rex, who will share his knowledge of gemstones and Mr. Danny Bryan, Assistant Professor of Biology, who will discuss herpetology.
CU Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Engineering Science Dr. Sarah Pierce, who serves a camp director, has a strong passion for science and says the camp will offer a unique learning environment.
"The camp is unique in that it will offer an exciting blend of dynamic, interactive and creative learning," she said. "The students attending the camp will participate in exciting, hands-on projects and gain an understanding of how science impacts our world."
Thanks to grants from the Predators Foundation and TVA, the camps have been expanded to include rising sixth and seventh-grade students. The grant will also reduce the cost for attending the camp by more than half.
The camp is another example of how Cumberland University maintains a commitment of service to the community by encouraging students to learn more about the field of science.
"Hosting the science camp is a part of Cumberland's commitment to our community," said Camp Director Kim Atwood, Biology Instructor and Science Lab Coordinator for CU. "Our goal is to foster an interest in science and to give students the opportunity to participate in a science camp locally at a reduced cost."
Camp registration is taking place now, and space is limited. The deadline to register was recently extended to May 21st. The cost is $35 per camper. The sixth-grade camp will take place from 9 until 11 a.m., and the seventh-grade camp will take place from 1 until 2:30 p.m. Sixth-grade registration forms are available here, and seventh-grade registration forms may be accessed here.
For additional registration information about the science camps, visit the CU website at www.cumberland.edu or contact Dr. Sarah Pierce at 615-547-1233 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Mrs. Kim Atwood at 615-547-1262 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
