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Stories In Focus

Feature: Carolyn Miller

By Anna Catherman ('24)

When Carolyn Paine left the Houghton to go to Vietnam in 1961, she “didn’t cry until she was on the plane.”

“I’m not a person who made unusual, brave, or wild decisions,” Carolyn claims. But when John Miller telephoned her to propose, she agreed.

John had stayed in her family’s home during his years at Houghton College, which she also attended. Wycliffe Bible Translators had assigned him to Vietnam. 

A month after Carolyn’s arrival, they were married. They lived in a thatched house among the Bru people, and started translating the Bible. John and Carolyn began raising a family together; all four of their children were born in Vietnam. 

In 1975, their work came to an abrupt stop. Just as the Millers were finishing typesetting and proofreading, they were captured and held as prisoners of war for eight months. Their youngest daughter, LuAnne (five years old at the time), was with them. Their older children, Gordie, Nate and Margie, had been evacuated. They were sent back to Houghton to live with their grandparents.

John, Carolyn and LuAnne were shuffled from one camp to another before ultimately being released – without their manuscripts.

“When we had to leave without the translation, that seemed like the end,” Carolyn said. 

But she and John were able to continue their work long-distance. In 2014, their team finished translating the entire Bible into Bru. 

Today, retired, Miller continues to translate. She works on one chapter of the Tang Old Testament each day. Currently, she’s back-translating the book of Esther to ensure accuracy. She sits at her desktop computer with a four-language translation screen open, fingers trembling slightly. Surrounding her are framed Bible verses and shelves of other translations she has worked on. 

Four times a week, she shares meals with her daughters, LuAnne Brubaker and Marge Doty, and their families. Miller sits on two church committees. Paul Shea, a retired pastor at the Houghton Wesleyan Church, serves aside Miller on the church’s mission committee. He called her service on the missions committee “invaluable.” Despite the difficulties on the war-torn mission field, “[s]he doesn’t ask for sympathy, she asks for service,” he added.

She hosts Bible studies and organizes potlucks when missionaries come to visit. And Miller keeps up with her friends across the world. Using the convenience of Facebook messenger, they communicate from time zones twelve hours apart.

“I’m at the hospital with a little girl who’s sick. Pray for her,” one friend asks, a picture attached of a tiny child curled up on a cot. 

Another asks for prayers for his son, who has eye problems.

She is grateful for the technology that has allowed her to keep translating while living close to family, and to remain connected with the people she and her late husband ministered to.

She’s also glad that her friends have “learned to call not in the middle of the night, I think.” ★

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Opinions

The Constant Pursuit of Something Greater

By Evelyn Simanowski

What is a Vocal Performance major’s art? Short answer: I spend a lot of time singing songs I think are pretty. That probably seems like a rhetorical question and an even more obvious answer, though it’s not an answer I’m adverse to giving. I could say “I spend hours in a tiny practice room every day,” or “I’m taking 19 credits before ensembles,” or best yet, “I’ve shaped my entire lifestyle to meet the physical demands of being a vocalist.” Are these answers dramatic? Absolutely; but they hold just as much truth within them as they hold drama. I wouldn’t be in this major if these truths weren’t worth it.

I consider the art of singing to be one of complete connectivity and a far more dynamic art form than it appears at surface level. My career as a vocalist relies almost entirely on my ability to interpret and bring life to song, requiring me to view the piece through its historical, cultural, and artistic contexts. This idea of connection begins when I start studying a new piece of music. I’m first connecting with the notes and rhythms on the page, that’s a given, but during that time I also consider myself to be connecting with the composer and their intent. Despite having never met any of these composers, there’s a real closeness I feel with them when I consider what inspired them to write this music and exactly what they were trying to share with their audiences. There’s no guarantee that the circumstances and narrative they were writing in will fit my own; they hardly ever do. There is, however, a guarantee that each of these composers I’m honoring is an image bearer that shared in the human experience and used their God-given talents to express such experiences. 

My connection with the piece only grows as I spend more time with it and begin pouring my own personal experiences into the piece. The art of song, like any art form, requires interpretation. In this case, I the performer can interpret the piece in a way that is personally meaningful to my story and maintains the integrity given to it by the composer. Most of the music I choose to sing is by composers from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. While they’re not working with me in person, the intentional time and consideration I spend interpreting their work makes it feel as though there’s active collaboration going on between the two of us. They spent hours writing these pieces and now I have the privilege of spending hours working them in the practice room to bring them their due respect.

Any time I perform a piece of music, I believe that life is truly breathed into it when it’s shared with others and given what my voice professor and I call “people energy.” The exchange of energy that happens at this point in the process is electrifying and quite frankly what keeps me coming back for more. Within a single song, I’m exerting pure energy in my performance, exchanging energy with my collaborator(s), and feeling reciprocated energy from the audience. This dynamic energy exchange grants me the opportunity to share the meaning I’ve found in the composer’s piece with a group of individuals that can receive the meaning and interpret it through their own personal experiences and convictions. Standing on the stage and baring a little bit of my soul to an audience is, of course, a vulnerable experience. But in that vulnerability, there’s an even greater opportunity to share the joy and meaning I’ve found in the music.

My job doesn’t end when I step off the stage, nor is there any discernible goal or finish line I’m trying to reach. There are goals I have along the way, each of them indicative of a certain accomplishment or level of progress, but none of them representing perfection. It’s a grim thought, honestly, that no matter how hard I work or how talented I am, I will never achieve perfection in my performance, just as I will never be a perfect Christian. Still, I strive for excellence in all that I do, reminding myself that it’s okay to never achieve perfection. I remain conscious of the fact that I am honing the gifts God has given to me to be used to the best of my ability for His glory. I recognize the gift it is to bring new life to the work of my predecessors and to connect with countless individuals through a language that only He could create. I thank God for the art He has given me and the course He has set before me so that I may be in the constant pursuit of something greater. Soli Deo gloria. ★

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Campus News

Lambein’s Got Talent

Lambein's Got Talent poster - Courtesy of Caleb Welker
By Isabella Bratton ('26)

Lambein’s Got Talent will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17, from 8-9 p.m. in the CFA Recital Hall.

11 Lambein Hall residents will be showcasing their unique talents with the potential to win up to $100. At the end of the show, the audience will have the opportunity to choose a winner to receive the prize. 

Senior Nuri Park (‘24), the Assistant Resident Director, explained that they took the name “Lambein’s Got Talent” from both the famous show “America’s Got Talent” and “Britain’s Got Talent.” The talent show was started last 2022-2023 school year by the male Resident Assistants (RA) of Lambein.

All of Lambein’s RAs have been involved in the preparation process in different ways; advertising, emailing, hosting and judging.

Park said that, although the audience will be choosing the winner, the RAs have a part in making sure it’s a fair competition. 

“The RA’s,” Park stated, “mediate the votes to make sure there is no audience bias, but the audience ultimately decides the winner.”

The performers will provide a wide variety of entertainments for the audience, such as singing, poetry recitation, dancing, playing instruments, a weather forecast and more. Park mentioned an exciting act called “Master of balance,” although he wouldn’t divulge the details about it. At last year’s show, Junior Ethan McCarthy (‘25) remarked that groups played kazoos, the piano and danced.

“Guys are excited to show off to the school,” McCarthy, a judge for the event, said, “we have put a lot of work into this, and it will be a fun night.”

It won’t just be one person walking away with $100. There is a second place award of $50 and third place will receive $25.

Students are highly encouraged to attend, and the hosts are sure audience members will walk away entertained. 

“I think the campus needs an event where people can just have fun and relax,” Park stated. ★

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Campus News

Houghton Baseball Team’s Double Header

Men's baseball team practicing - Courtesy of sophia templeton
By Caleb Welker ('26)

Houghton University’s baseball team is scheduled to open the season with a Double Header in the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 12 p.m. and then at 3 p.m. against the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The team will then travel to Florida for the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational Tournament over Winter Break.

Last season the baseball team finished in third place with a record of 19 wins and 20 losses (11 wins and 7 losses in conference play) and clinched a spot in the Empire 8 Conference Playoffs. Although the Highlanders fell short in the double-elimination tournament, they look to bounce back and work their way into the playoffs again this semester. 

After ten seniors graduated last Spring 2023—including the leader in batting average (Zach Parr), the team’s ERA Leader (Hunter Kendall) and the program’s all-time stolen base leader (Jason Kauffeldt)—the Highlanders welcomed in twelve new players: ten freshmen and two transfer students.  

Another addition to the team includes the new Graduate Assistant Pitching Coach Nick Pettit. Coach Pettit graduated in the Class of 2023 after four years at Covenant College in Georgia, and joined the team in Aug. of 2023. His wife, Riley Pettit is the Graduate Assistant Coach of the women’s volleyball team.

Freshman pitcher, Marshall Cummings (‘27) commented, “Coach Pettit, has brought a new sense of life and rejuvenation to the pitching staff and has helped us tap into our full potential, both mentally and physically.”

Senior Captain Chris VanCheri (‘24) noted that many upperclassmen, and even sophomores, have been stepping up into leadership roles after pivotal players graduated from the team. VanCheri pointed out that this highlights the Highlander baseball team’s ideals.

“We always say in our program that as you progress through your four years, each year you have to start putting others before yourself,” VanCheri stated.

“Nothing excites me more than taking the field with my brothers,” VanCheri expressed. “At the end of the day, we truly are a family. We have a tight-knit group that I see only getting closer as the season progresses. I’m excited for the younger guys to get their first taste of college ball, and I’m excited to see the challenges we will face and how we will overcome them.” 

“Pitt-Bradford is returning off of a decent season, and we know they’re going to be competitive,” noted Senior Captain and pitcher, Ethan Cetton (‘24). “This game is going to be our first stepping stone to finding success as a team with lots of raw talent.” 

Houghton lost to Pitt-Bradford (8-3) at the beginning of last season, so they look to push back and take two wins against the Panthers on Saturday. ★

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Campus News

Senior Composition Recitals

By Jiana Martin ('26)

Two senior composition recitals are coming up with Citlali Sanchez-Acosta’s (‘24) occurring on Monday Feb. 19 and Kaitlin Kleinau’s (‘24) recital on Wednesday Feb. 21. Both will be in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall at 6:30 p.m., and each hour-long performance will feature the artists’ original works.

Sanchez-Acosta is a music composition major who transferred to Houghton University from her local community college and has enjoyed her time in the Greatbatch School of Music program.

“It’s a really good program. It’s pretty close-knit, which is really nice and everyone supports each other,” Sanchez-Acosta reflected.  

Her recital will include eight to nine pieces, most of which she has written while at Houghton, which will be performed by around 20 performers. It will be a mix and match of solo instruments, smaller ensemble pieces and vocal songs.

Inspiration for her music comes partly from need-based occasions and partly from pure inspiration. 

“Inspiration comes and goes and sometimes I just start messing around. This recital is a little bit of both necessity and inspiration,” Sanchez-Acosta commented. 

Although there is no overarching theme, identifiers for the pieces are developing skills and time passing. The recital is a culmination of everything she has written.

“The pieces themselves are not a series of anything,” Sanchez-Acosta explained, “there are a bunch of different themes and motifs. I’m bringing back a lot of my old works. One thing I know I’m definitely going for in this recital is seeing the progression.”

She likes keeping the original versions of her old works and then later refine them to see how she’s progressed and improved. During her time at Houghton, the community and her professors have greatly influenced her.

“My professors have definitely been a part of [influencing me]. Dr. Magin and Professor Ashbaugh have been super helpful in guiding,” Sanchez-Acosta thoughtfully said, “and community has definitely helped motivate.”

Kleinau is also a transfer student pursuing a music composition major with an additional vocal performance minor. The theme for her recital is “Woman Becoming: Love Letters” which deals with the idea of love in different forms, especially grief and love. Her inspiration for this theme came from an interest in different types of love such as familial and agape love, and wanting to explore more of it. 

“I usually come up with a cool title and see how that works out,” Kleinau explained.   

One of the pieces, “Echo” talks about a lost love and begging him to return while another piece, “Daffodils Never Die” is about her grandmother who passed away.  

Kleinau’s recital will include eight pieces that are both vocal and instrumental ranging from choral pieces to a piano solo to a flute piece, and more. She will be performing in “Daffodils Never Die” and many classmates will help bring her music to life. 

“Most of them have been so gracious and willing,” Kleinau gratefully said. 

Reflecting on her time at Houghton, Kleinau considers it being a sort of rebirth as she has grown so much since she started. Kleinau attributes inspiration for her music to classes, professors and music she has listened to. Helpful advice she received from Dr. Carrie Magin was to listen to a hundred pieces before writing an original. 

“Theory classes and music history are helpful. A lot of times it [composing] comes from listening and from what you want to write and hear. It is creativity paired with prior knowledge,” Kleinau noted. 

For Kleinau, a valuable part of being in the Greatbatch School of Music program is that she is seen as a person first and a musician second. She’s experienced grace and care as a person and has been encouraged to become the best musician she can be. 

“I see music as an expression of one’s soul; therefore, you want to do it in a way that honors God,” Kleinau expressed. “You want God to be a part of that. It’s not for my own glory, but for God’s glory.”

Dr. Magin, Associate Professor of Music Composition and Theory, has enjoyed working with both Sanchez-Acosta and Kleinau, and watching their growth. As a professor, she loves hearing how audiences react to her students’ compositions.

“I look forward to the final product as their work is shared with our community,” Dr. Magin commented. “It’s a unique gift to be able to create something that moves people, and even more special to help bring that ability out in student composers. These students have worked very hard to put on their recitals, and it’s a great joy seeing and hearing it all come together.” ★

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Campus News

Houghton Chamber Choir

Chamber Choir Spring 2023 - Courtesy of Dr. Sharon Johnson
By Josey Ikker ('24)

On Friday Feb. 9, the Houghton Chamber Choir will present their concert titled “Christ With Me” at 6:30 p.m. for Greatbatch School of Music’s upcoming Preview Day. 

Every semester, Houghton hosts a School of Music Preview Day for prospective students who are looking to either major, minor or have a concentration in music. This preview day consists of a tour around the Center for the Arts, sitting in on a classroom setting, such as Music Theory, observations of Houghton Choir, interacting with current students and faculty, a student recital and a featured ensemble performance.

The Chamber Choir is a fourteen-member select ensemble. In order to audition, students must be at least a sophomore who is also in the Houghton Choir. 

The Chamber Choir was started in Dec. 2022 by Dr. Kevin Dibble, conductor of the Chamber Choir, Men’s Choir and Women’s Choir, and the Associate Director of Choral Activities. 

The Chamber Choir as Dr. Dibble described, “is a unique organization. It’s small, it can fit in different spaces. It can take advantage of different things.”

Recently, the ensemble participated in a Choir retreat before the first day of classes in which they learned a list of repertoire in less than a week and had the opportunity to perform for a Senior’s Luncheon at Family Life Ministries on Jan. 11.  

The ensemble’s repertoire consists of Renaissance music and traditional hymns, and the works featured for the upcoming Preview Day performance are by composers such as Gjelio, Flummerfelt, Paulus, Fleming and Stroope. 

Dr. Dibble explained the theme of the concert as “a representation of different stages in life in which these songs are used to inspire and remind us that Christ is with us.” 

One of Dr. Dibble’s favorite pieces in the concert is “The Deer’s Cry” by Arvo Pärt because, “that’s where the title of the concert [Christ with Me] comes from. Musically, seems to not do a lot but textually is very powerful.” He also shared that, “the simplicity of the music drives the listener and the singer to the significance of the text.”

Another factor for this concert is the location which will not be in the Recital Hall but in the atrium. 

“Visually the atrium presents a different aesthetic than a typical concert hall,” Dr. Dibble stated, “and this is the Chamber Choir’s first stand-alone concert…let’s do a little something out of the ordinary.” 

Dr. Dibble has expressed his enjoyment of working with the Chamber Choir, because they are a group of high-level, talented singers who “move quickly and make really great music.” 

Rachael McVeigh (‘23), a first-year graduate student, will be featured as another conductor for the concert. She will be conducting “O Radiant Dawn” by James MacMillan and “Estoy Les Digo” by Kinley Lange. 

“I like doing these two pieces together because they’re so different that I can work on two different skillsets,” McVeigh explained. “Estoy les Digo has a lot of slow and legato versus O Radiant Dawn which has a lot of sharp dynamic contrasts with similar interesting chord progressions.”

McVeigh has been singing with many of the Chamber Choir members for the past four years.

“It’s fun to get to conduct with my friends,” McVeigh said, “and have that support as I step into this new role.” 

All are welcome to attend and listen to the Chamber Choir in “Christ With Me” in the Center for the Arts Atrium. ★

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Campus News

Voice Recitals

Evelyn Simanowski (Courtesy of Hannah Sturdivant) and Sophia Pantea Posters
By Juliana Schmidt ('25)

On Monday Feb. 12 in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall, Sophia Pantea (‘24) will perform her Senior Recital at 6:30 p.m. and Evelyn Simanowski’s (‘25) Junior Recital will begin at 8 p.m., respectively. 

Professor Kimberly Prins Moeller, the Associate Professor of Voice, disclosed that Pantea’s recital will be full of beautiful and romantic music. It will involve a lot of “soaring melodies” and “heartfelt moments.” 

The title Pantea chose for her recital is “Fill My Heart.” She chose this partly because it is from her favorite musical “The Sound of Music”, but also because of the people at Houghton who have inspired her. 

“I am so blessed to be at Houghton and I have grown so much thanks to my loving teachers,” Pantea said. “This recital is a thank you to my friends and professors for helping me through [these] past few years.” 

As this is Pantea’s senior year at Houghton, she has worked very hard to get to this particular recital. While she is nervous, Pantea expressed that she is also super excited. 

Simanowski chose a French title for her recital called, “Scenes de Nuit” (translated as “Night Scenes”). She shared that the overall feelings for her recital are ones of excitement. 

Professor Prins Moeller revealed that there will be some unexpected twists and a few laughs to look forward to in Simanowski’s recital. 

“I’ve been present for many of her countless hours she’s put into practicing her French and it’s been quite a journey to get here,” Hannah Sturdivant (‘25) commented. “Getting to see her vision come to life in her recital hearing, photos, and poster has been uplifting to experience.” 

Simanowski confessed that it was very personal picking her own program, rehearsing and then presenting. She shared that her recital is her “passion project” and that sharing it with an audience will give her a feeling of satisfaction. 

“I’m expecting it to be a pretty vulnerable experience,” Simanowski admitted, “but I’m hoping in that vulnerability I can share the joy and meaning I found and this music with whoever comes.”

Professor Prins Moeller said that recitals are her favorite part of being an applied voice instructor. 

“I get to know these wonderful singers over several years of working together, then walk with them through the recital preparation process and witness their determination and growth, and finally get to see them bring all of the elements together into a cohesive evening that celebrates their talent, skill, and artistry,” Professor Prins Moeller commented. “It’s incredible!”

With both Pantea and Simanowski performing on the same night, it will prove to be an evening full of ups and downs, heartfelt lyrics and perhaps a few laughs. Overall, not a recital to be missed! ★

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Stories In Focus

Feature: Mercy Seat and Koinonia

By Rebecca Dailey ('25)

Both Mercy Seat and Koinonia (Koin) are just two of several ways students can participate in worship on Houghton University’s campus, with each bringing its own unique forms of fellowship. Mercy Seat first began in 2001 and Koin was originally called Celebration in 1978, until it was renamed Koinonia in September of 1999. 

Mercy Seat is flexible but is held on Mondays through Thursdays at 8 p.m. and on Fridays at 7 p.m. in the Wesley Chapel basement. Different teams form the Mercy Seat gatherings, with some participating in worship music and others using the time for silence and prayer.   

Susannah Denham (‘26), who is on the Mercy Seat Cabinet states, “It’s really a great chance to worship and pray with friends or with people that you don’t know too.”

Mercy Seat worship is open to all students who wish to take part. Teams are also always looking to fill open spots.

“Mercy Seat,” Isabella Matton (‘24), the Mercy Seat president, says, “is a club for students to lead their own worship to serve fellow students. It’s leadership based and gives the opportunity for students to serve Houghton and build character.”

Mercy Seat holds many events throughout the semester, such as caroling in the local area during Christmas, hymnal night and The Cry during finals. 

Matton also explains, “We are working on an event with International student Alliance (ISA) as a multicultural night with songs from different cultures.” 

Koinonia is Greek for fellowship among believers, and occurs on Sundays at 7 p.m. as a worship concert including both music and prayer. Four teams rotate throughout the semester and often partner with the Houghton Wesleyan Church for events such as Sunday services. 

Kayleigh Verspoor (‘24), one of the student directors of Koin and a music leader for her team, explains, “Some sit, some dance, some sing but they all come seeking the same thing, the atmosphere of worship.” 

Each week of Koin has a theme for music and the devotion, which are rehearsed throughout the week.

A music team leader, Matthew Arndt (‘25) says, “We try to create an atmosphere of worship, share our musical abilities and bring people closer to God. We do the best we can to serve students through fellowship and reaching out with prayer baskets and prayer leaders.” 

Dr. Sharon Johnson has been the faculty advisor for Koin since the Spring of 2021. She is uniquely positioned as both a member of the Houghton Wesleyan Church and a faculty member at Houghton.

“I’m there as a resource and encouragement for them,” Dr. Johnson explains. “I might give them ideas about music but, they really rehearse on their own and choose the passage of scripture and devotions. Part of supervising is letting them make their own decisions.”

In the spring, Dr. Johnson sits in on interviews for the team leaders, co-directors and the band interviews and auditions. She meets with the Koin members  before the service to talk about their weeks with the music team for that night and the sound team and prays with them.

“I see it as worshiping God,” Jackson Collins (‘27), a band member of a team states, “I don’t see it as a performance but a way of worshiping with the audience and exalting God. Worship starts early in the day and goes on throughout the week as we receive the spirit and go out serving God.” ★

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Opinions

Volleyball: The Sport For Life

Lindsay Seddon

I remember my first day of modified volleyball practice when I was in 7th grade. My mom, who played volleyball in high school and here at Houghton, encouraged me to give it a try. I remember the majority of my friends heading to the soccer field while I headed to the outdoor makeshift volleyball court since the girl’s varsity team had priority for gym time. I remember in those first few days of practice finding the sport really hard, but I wanted to keep trying since it captured my interest. I couldn’t get my serve over the net, passing and setting to target was nonexistent, and a “kill” wasn’t even in my vocabulary at that point. However, volleyball was different from other sports I played throughout my life, and it was the beginning of what became (and still is) a huge part of who I am. 

You see, volleyball is so positionally technical, yet each member of the team has a very important role in the sequence of the game. You can’t get a swing without a set, and you can’t get a set without a pass. Everyone needs to work together to make an organized play happen. Culturally, it’s always been a very polite sport since it’s non-contact, yet the power and aggressiveness especially when going up for a swing or serve can be brutal. When you break it down, volleyball is all about being organized as a team, dominating your position, and keeping the ball in play on your side at all times. I love that. 

They say volleyball is a lifetime sport, and I agree. For example, our assistant coach for the HUMVB team, David Bourne, plays for a 55’s and over team who qualified for nationals this past fall. The game changes as you get older, but that doesn’t mean you can’t play. Often you see older teams beat younger teams because their game IQ is so high from playing for so many years. They know how to change up the pace and read the opposing offense which keeps them one step ahead, positioning exactly where they need to be on the court at all times. Another example is our very own Men’s Volleyball team. We have a range of experience levels as a beginner program. However, when they brought home their first win in program history this past weekend, it proved you can pick up the sport and succeed when you train hard and work together as one unit. 

Someone once said that watching our high school varsity volleyball team play looked like a ballet. Not because of its delicate nature, but how we flowed and synced as a team on the court. That’s how organized we were as six individuals behind a 7’4” net working close together in a 30x30ft perimeter court. We knew each other’s tendencies and thought processes. Our setter tailored sets perfectly to each hitter for a flawless swing resulting in a kill. We knew when we were going flat how to reset and pick one another up; finishing what we started together. If we were out of system on the court, we knew as a team we had each other’s backs to better the ball for the next person to keep it in play. I had full faith in our defense because I knew they would never let a ball touch the floor. As a team we weren’t perfect, and we had our losses, but we built trust and respect for one another through it all, and that took us to heights we never imagined. I can see why this person thought it looked like a dance, because we knew how to work together.

After modified volleyball, I began the pursuit of earning an athletic scholarship when making the varsity team my freshman year. During those four years we won sectionals, regionals, and went to states. I played club volleyball all year round where we participated in tournaments across the country, and a dream was fulfilled when I received an athletic scholarship to play for the women’s volleyball team here at Houghton (this is when we were NAIA). To say I loved every minute of it all would be a lie, but how do you learn to work with others and grow in character when you aren’t challenged or go through setbacks? Sports in general are a great teacher of that. However, there is something about volleyball that is so unique. 

Volleyball is a game that takes you on emotional and mental highs and lows. In soccer or basketball a mistake can be quickly erased by stealing the ball back, etc., since the game is in constant motion. If you shank a serve in volleyball, that’s it. The point is gone forever and given to the other team. Between every point in the game of volleyball is the opportunity to mentally train yourself to keep moving forward or dwell on mistakes that can bring a whole team down. Momentum, communication, anticipation, and organization are key, and if you lose it, a team needs to work fiercely to get it back.

Seeing the sport grow over the last decade is proof that it’s rapidly capturing the interest of generations to come. 2023 saw the highest number of men’s volleyball programs added in the NCAA (including Houghton!). In August, a Nebraska Women’s Volleyball match broke the world record for the largest crowd ever in a women’s sporting event, beating the Women’s Soccer World Cup final crowd record just a few months earlier. And last week was the launch of the Pro Volleyball Federation, a professional league for women’s volleyball here in the USA. I love sports, but I love volleyball the most. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think volleyball is the sport for life, and I’m so thankful to know it. ★

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Campus News

Houghton’s New Men’s Volleyball Team

Houghton's men's volleyball team practicing - Courtesy of Svannah Stitt
By Abigail Bates ('26)

Houghton’s new men’s volleyball program began playing in 2023-2024, under its Head Coach Lindsay Seddon and Assistant Coach Dave Bourne.

“When I decided to attend Houghton,” Elijah Sproull (‘26), a setter and rightside hitter, commented,  “I had accepted that I was leaving Volleyball behind, it was hard but I felt that this was where the Lord wanted me to be. I know now he has many reasons for having me here and being a part of this team is one of those.”

Lindsay Seddon, a volleyball alumna of Houghton University, returned in May of 2023 to serve as the program’s first Head Coach, with Coach Bourne later joining her in August. While women’s volleyball has strong roots at Houghton, men’s volleyball was only an active club sport during the 1990s and early 2000s. The current team consists of 14 players—Jerry Buno, Devin Burns, Luke George, Caleb Holscher, Gabriel Lucena, Thomas McGlynn, Anthony Panboon, Jonah Sissel, Elijah Sproull, Jase Stone, Elijah Studt, Devin Tullar, Jared Wright and Luke Yelle—who all entered the program with different levels of experience.

“Coach [Lindsay],” outside hitter Caleb Holscher (‘26) stated, “has done an incredible job of getting our program off the ground. She was tasked with taking a team of competitive volleyball players, athletes who had only played pick-up and Athletes who had never played the game and she made a team out of us.”

Due to the program being new, the coaches have been developing its foundations during the current season.

“Our focus this season is to cultivate who Houghton Men’s Volleyball is: and that’s representing Jesus by doing good work in all that we do, together,” Coach Seddon emphasized. 

Holscher put it as a motto of “More of Him,” which he explained as focusing on more of Jesus and less of themselves. He has expressed pride in how his teammates have embodied this attitude through honoring Christ first, building one another up, working hard to improve, preparing the program for future athletes and their brotherhood that encourages one another to be better men of God.

“The team has been amazing,” Sproull declared, “it has been awesome to see the exponential improvement from every player. We are the fastest improving team and that is so cool to be a part of.”

The team’s daily practices begin by warming up and stretching, and then they do partner control drills that focus on refining technique. Coach Seddon explained that when she and Coach Bourne spot weak points during their review of matches from the day prior, they will implement drills during practice to help the team perform better in those areas.

“Our guys are the best!” Coach Bourne expressed. “There is a great deal of cohesiveness and respect amongst all players. They value their relationship with God first and foremost. They work very hard and we can also share some laughs and lighter moments, too. We have many first time volleyball players that have taken learning the game very seriously. This is evidenced by the amazing improvement we have seen by all. All this has been nourished by Lindsay’s coaching and leadership.”

Holscher and Sproull both commented on how amazing their coaches have been this season, with Coach Seddon starting the program and Coach Bourne bringing his vast knowledge and experience to the team. Holscher added that a quote of Coach Bourne’s is “the ball doesn’t hit the floor without a body hitting the floor with it,” exemplifying how Coach Bourne keeps the atmosphere of the team light, while never being afraid to push Holscher and his teammates to give their best, no matter the circumstances.

“When the team [is] dialled in and focused, they are a force to be reckoned with and can keep up with teams who are more established,” Coach Seddon remarked.

The men’s volleyball team had their first match win against Maranatha Baptist this last Saturday Jan. 27 and will be up against Roberts Wesleyan on Saturday Feb. 3. While the team has played Roberts Wesleyan twice without winning yet, Holscher explained that they are excited to get “another shot at it” this weekend.

“So be at Nielsen at 2:00 this Saturday,” Holscher stated, “cause if we beat Roberts you’re gonna wish you had been in the building.” ★