Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/330716
CREATIVE DIRECTOR : Edward R. Johnson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Chris Kowalczyk EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE: Scott Day, Zach Reynolds PHOTOGRAPHS : Edward R. Johnson ยท Scott K. Brown ADVERTISING SALES : Robby Robinson 4 THROUGH THE LENS JOJO MOJO 6 THROUGH THE LENS REWARDED RAM 9 ALUMNI PROFILE BILL SCHWARTZ 11 RAMS IN THE COMMUNITY NATIONAL GIRLS & WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY 12 BY THE NUMBERS MEN'S BASKETBALL 15 PICTURE PERFECT 50 SELLOUTS 16 LIFE THROWS CURVEBALLS SETH GREENE 20 JENNIFER O'BRIEN JOURNEY BEGINS FOR O'BRIEN, VCU WOMEN'S LACROSSE 24 BY THE NUMBERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL 29 YORAM MWILA MEMORIAL FUND 30 PRACTICE FACILITY FIRST LOOK 33 ALUMNI DAY MEN'S BASKETBALL 34 KHALID KHAMIS A JOURNEY TO 1:42 36 STAFF SPOTLIGHT RYAN MCLANE FEATURES RamReport THE Junior Kiara Porter, an NCAA All-American last season, now owns every VCU sprint record, indoors and outdoors, between 60 and 500 meters. A L E T T E R F R O M : enjoy so many aspects of my job as Director of Athle cs at VCU, but one aspect stands out among the others. I love interac ng with so many different people, all connected in some way by VCU Athle cs. I could talk for hours about the friends I've made, the rela onships we've built and the personal stories shared. I enjoy all these interac ons, but possibly none more than the ones with former VCU student-athletes. These men and women are products of what we value so dearly at VCU, the student-athlete experience. The student-athletes you read about in this edi- on of The Ram Report someday will transi on into the same proud fraternity of VCU Athle cs Alumni. They will become engineers, doctors, lawyers, business owners, teachers, coaches and more. We help them prepare for those life experiences. Of late, I've had a number of chances to learn more about these outstanding men and wom- en. We have made connec ng with VCU Rams past and present a major priority. Events like the recent VCU Basketball Alumni Day and the annual VCU Baseball golf ou ng play a cri cal role in reaching our goals. They provide an opportunity to build rela onships with the people who laid the founda on at VCU. When I meet former student-athletes, my message to them is simple. We want you back. To our former student-athletes reading this le er, know that you always have a home at VCU and we want you to remain invested in the future of the Rams. We want this program to con nue to be a source of pride. We want you to share your experiences with us so we can use them to enhance the lives of our current student-athletes. We want VCU Athle cs to become a community of lifelong members. You may not wear the jersey anymore, but you're s ll a member of this team. We challenge ourselves every day in this department to provide a student-athlete experi- ence that prepares the young men and women of VCU Athle cs for successful lives in a short period of me. We want to provide an experience they will remember fondly. We launched a new sport-specific fundraising ini a ve for that reason. This campaign will allow VCU Athle cs alumni to give directly to the program where they chased championships, made lifelong friends and grew into young adults. You will find more informa on on our sport-specific fundraising ini a- ve in this issue. We encourage you to consider inves ng in the VCU student- athlete experience. Rams, we want you back. Thank you, Ed McLaughlin VCU Director of Athle cs Dear VCU fans, I f you'd like to become a part of VCU Athle cs' sport-specific giving program, contact Assistant Athle c Direc- tor for Development Russell Grimm by phone at (804) 828-4771 or via email at rgrimm@vcu. edu. Thank you for your con nued support of VCU Athle cs. THE RAM REPORT E D M C L A U G H L I N