THE PENDULUM
COMMENCEMENT ISSUE
SATURDAY. MAY 22, 2010 // PAGE 15
Senior golfer ends time at Elon
Sam Calvert
Sports Editor
When senior Jayson Judy was
in the ninth grade, he had to make
a choice. He had to decided which
sport to pursue into college —
equestrian or golf.
After much deliberation, golf
won.
“Growing up, it was always golf
and horses,” Judy said. “I was just as
competitive in equestrian as I am in
golf.”
Judy said he still rides, but there
weremore scholarship opportunities
for males in golf than in equestrian,
so he took that route.
He began playing at the age of
four in his hometown of Gibsonville
and hasn’t stopped since.
"It’s a family thing,” Judy said.
“It’s always been said that if you’re
a male Judy in the family and don’t
play golf reasonably well, there’s
something wrong with you.”
His uncle played professionally,
and his dad would have had he not
been in a motorcycle accident.
It was only natural that Judy
followed suit. In 2006, he began
competing on the Elon University
team after being redshlrted the year
before.
“I don’t know any other place
where I could get my undergrad
degree early, finish my graduate
degree and play golf,” Judy said.
Throughout his time at Elon, Judy
has played 47 tournaments, totaling
127 rounds. He averaged a score of
74.27 for each round.
In 2010, Judy saw his best finish
at the season-ending Southern
Conference tournament in the last
round April 20. He shot his lowest
score of the year — a 67 — on his
way to a second-place finish, tied
with Furman University’s Garland
Ferrell.
“He’s a hard worker, very
consistent, always wanting to do
better, wanting to be the best,” head
men’s golf coach Bill Morningstar
said.
Morningstar said Judy’s
leadership shaped who he was as a
member of the team. He also said
Judy would definitely leave behind a
strong legacy with the Phoenix based
on such leadership and execution on
the course.
But Judy said he wanted his legacy
to be something much simpler.
“I want to be someone that the
program looks back on fondly,” Judy
said.
Judy’s time at Elon was not just
spent on the golf course. He was also
a student who was able to finish his
undergraduate degree early and get
a graduate degree in Elon’s M.B.A.
program.
He also contributed to service
efforts, heading up Elon golf’s Eagles
for Haiti drive, raising $4,100 for Red
Cross relief after the earthquake in
Haiti in January.
“I think he’s been a big asset not
only for the golf program, but for
the student body also,” Morningstar
said. “He’s one of the finest
individuals to play for us.”
Judy described his time at Elon as
wonderful, having only one regret in
his five years at the university.
Judy never had the chance to
study abroad. Because of the golf
schedule, there was never a good
time.
“We’re playing in both the fall
and spring,” Judy said. “January was
always the time when we catch back
up.”
After college, Judy said he wants
to pursuer a career as a collegiate
golf coach. He said he after working
as a counselor at summer camps, he
really enjoys the opportunity to be a
mentor to kids.
He’s also getting married July
21 to Megan Thomas, a 2001 Elon
graduate.
Morningstar said Judy is a well-
rounded person who will succeed
after leaving Elon.
“He’ll do very well down the
road,” Morningstar said. “He’s truly
one of the most outstanding golfers
to play for Elon in the 38 years that
I've been here.”
FILE PHOTO
Senior goHer Jayson Judy played In 127 rounds of golf In his time at Elon.
Elon softball celebrates trip to NCAA tournament
SOFTBALL from Page 1
regional is determined through double elimination.
After two losses in the bracker, a team is eliminated.
For the Phoenix, sitting in the Fat Frogg Bar and Grill
last Sunday at the NCAA tournament viewing party, the
tournament announcement came_days after a dramatic
SoCon tournament victory.
On May 14 the Phoenix earned a come-from-behind
victory against the No. 4 seed in the tournament, UNC
Greensboro.
Heading into the top of the seventh inning of the game,
the Phoenix was down 2-1 to the Spartans. The inning
began with freshman outfielder Tomeka Watson's leadoff
double.
“Meka got us started with that hit, and that all started
to follow up on that,” junior second baseman Jackie
Gonzalez said. “She gave us that spark we needed to get
going.”
Following that, Gonzalez recorded an infield single,
and Watson scored on the next at-bat off of a Spartans
throwing error. Then, junior outfielder Emerald Graham
singled, sending Gonzalez home to put the Phoenix up
3-2. Elon added three more runs in the inning off of a
home run from sophomore cachter Kaitlyn Piazzolla. The
Phoenix entered the seventh inning up 6-2.
Junior pitcher Lauren Taylor surrendered one run
in the bottom of the inning but eventually halted the
Spartans’ come back. Taylor secured her 17th win of the
season, and the Phoenix secured its first-ever SoCon
tournament victory and its first-ever appearance in the
NCAA tournament.
“The character of this team is that we’re fighters,”
junior infielder Ashlee Crewe said.
Raduenz echoed this statement, saying this isn t the
first time this season the team fought back and won.^^
“That’s been our season all season, all year long,” she
said. “Our team has never given up. We have fought all the
way through against Carolina, Virginia and the games in
Chattanooga.”
University of Tennessee Chattanooga was the No.
seed in the tournament, and earlier in the season on April
17, the Phoenix swept a doubleheader against the Mocs
and won the series 2-1. The Elon wins were the first SoCon
losses of the season for the Mocs.
Gonzalez said the team is going to use the same fighting
mentality as they head to Athens to face the No. 6 team in
the nation. ,
“We’re just going to keep doing what we ve been doing
all season,” Gonzalez said. “We’re not going to change
anything.”
The two teams previously met March 6, when the then-
ranked No. 4 Bulldogs won 8-2.
“We’ve seen them and they are a good team, Crewe
said.
She also said the Phoenix may have a little more of an
advantage this time, having faced the Bulldogs already.
Heading into the regional, Raduenz said the main thing
the team needs to focus on is executing its sacrifice bunts.
But other than that, she said she doesn’t anticipate many
changes.
“They say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Raduenz said.
“We’re going to do what we’ve been doing all year long and
not change anything.”
I
f
I
Photo courtesy of Eton Athletics
The Elon softball team and supporters gathered at the Fat Frogg Bar and Grill on Sunday for an NCAA tournament viewing party.
Breaking down the Athens Regional
University of Georgia
The Bulldogs enter the post season as the No. 6 overall seed and
the host of the Athens, Ga.. regional. They have a 43-11 record.
The team has played seven of the sixteen No. 1 seeds in the
tournament, with wins against six of the teams. It's played both
Elon and Florida State during the regular season, with an 8-2 win
over Elon and a 3-4 loss against Florida State.
Florida State University
At the end of the ACC tournament, the Seminoles secured a 43-
16 record. The team lost to the No. 8 seed Georgia Institute of
Technology in its conference tournament. Florida State defeated
Georgia once already this season (3-4), but it didn t play either
Radford or Elon this season. The last time the Seminoles faced
the Phoenix was in 2003, when Florida State won - its second
win agsinst Elon in as many games.
Radford University
Radford will begin the tournament with a 36-15 record after
winning the Big South Championship. The most notable game
for the Highlanders was against the No. 9-seeded Univ^sity of
Missouri, where the team lost 6-7 in 10 innings. Radford hasn t
faced Elon since 2008, v»/hen it won the two-game series.
Player receives
diploma before leaving
for NCAA tournament
Most Elon University seniors will
receive their diplomas on Saturday
as they walk across the stage at
commencement. But for Ashlee
Crewe, this would not be possible.
Instead, she received her diploma at
her own separate ceremony.
Crewe, a senior infielder on the
softball team, will not be present
for graduation because the team is
playing in the Athens Regional of the
NCAA tournament.
Because of this, she received
her diploma Wednesday, May 19 at
the Woods Center. Elon President
Leo M. Lamtjert was present at the
ceremony
Crewe is the only member of
the softball team graduating. She
is majoring in leisure and sport
management.
/