Sept. 12, 2016
Nine of the 10 members of Vanderbilt’s 2006-07 national championship bowling team returned to campus Sept. 10 to celebrate the 10-year reunion of that historic accomplishment. (Mandy Keily is the mother of three, lives in Colorado and was unable to attend) The 2007 Commodores became the first team in school history to win an NCAA championship and weeks later were invited to meet President George W. Bush in the White House. Here are some of their thoughts upon returning to be recognized during the football game.
Ashleigh Beamer
Resides: Charlotte, N.C.
Duke law school graduate.
Employer: DiscoverReady, a firm doing litigation support work
What she was anticipating on return: I was looking forward to seeing everyone, some of whom I hadn’t seen since I graduated. It was fun to see the campus, the new bowling lanes and how everything has grown and developed.
Ashley Belden
Resides: Denver, Colo.,
Employment: Business analyst, DISH Network
First return to campus since 2010 graduation
Reaction to campus bowling center: It was really awesome with all the technology. We would never have left it except to go to class!
What she recalls as a freshman on title team: I think of how naïve I was; what we were accomplishing at the time. I didn’t understand the significance of it until I graduated, what we had done as a team – how rare it was to get a group to come together like that to accomplish a meaningful goal. I miss that family relationship; the girls knew each other so well that we meshed really well and that contributed to our success.
Josie Earnest
Resides: Nashville
Occupation: Vanderbilt Assistant Bowling Coach
What championship meant to your career? It’s been one of the most important and proudest moments of my career. At the time we didn’t realize the magnitude of what we had done, we just knew we wanted it for each other. We knew how hard we had worked and how much we had leaned on each other throughout the year. Everything that followed was icing on the cake. Being the first national championship in school history is something that cannot be taken from us. It is something that will bond us forever.
Most vivid NCAA memory? My most vivid memory is probably two-fold. During competition it was the 10th frame of game 7, I was so excited when I came off the lane I missed a hi five and nailed Kaitlin in the face, cutting her eye! She eventually forgave me. The second was being so excited to email Coach Corbin to tell him all about it, but he had already emailed me a congratulatory email. He was in contact with me the entire week of the tournament, I thought that was so cool.
What seeing your teammates meant to you? It has been so awesome. We’ve done some alumni events in the past, but this is the first one with this group. It doesn’t matter how many years we’re apart we can always pick up where we left off. It was a pretty emotional day, realizing that it’s been that long since everything happened. We’ll always be tied to one another.
Karen Grygiel
Resides: Brick, NJ
Employer: Beginning her seventh year as head coach of Monmouth University bowling team.
Thoughts on the reunion: It is a huge honor to be invited back. This was one of the most memorable experiences as my life and now that I’m coaching that is my drive as I want that experience for my own players more than anything.
Finds surprising: I didn’t realize the championship had that much impact, even 10 years later
Keys to winning title: Team chemistry, trust in our coaching staff and belief we could do it.
Tara Kane
Resides: Somerset, Pa.
Employment: Outpatient therapist for local county mental health provider
Tournament memory: Teamwork is my memory. Something that is indescribable. Not thinking, being the clearest minded you have to be for a moment like that.
Why she’s returned to campus several times: “This feels like my second home and I like keeping the reminders fresh.”
Mallory Abbot Kiefer
Resides: Just moved from San Francisco to Atlanta
Just learned: She and her husband are expecting their first child
Employment: Has worked in health care industry to nearly 10 years with McKesson in multiple positions within the Human Resources Department. She keeps a photo of team’s trip to the White House on her work desk, a certain conversation starter.
Memories of the 2006-07 season: It was really special to be part of team when it started and see it grow from foundational when we were establishing routines and didn’t win anything to my senior year when we won the championship and had the great teamwork and bond within the team.
What she learned: On the bowling team I was in a supporting role. On teams you have supporting roles and leading roles and that is much the same in business when I’ve lead a process or served as a coordinator.
Kaitlyn Reynolds
Resides: Nashville
Employed by: Tennessee Department of Education for Achievement School District, which is tasked with turning around the state’s most under-performing school districts.
NCAA memories: I have two clear memories of the championship. One came in the semi-finals against FDU when I scratched on first ball – and I never scratch – and then converted the spare. We advanced to the championship match. Nothing can compare to being on tv, under the lights with the big scoreboard at the back of the lanes like you see on the PBA. Nothing compares to the drama, with Josie having to throw two strikes in 10th to win. Nothing will ever compare for me.
What it means 10 years later: It will always mean something to me. I still run into people who, when they learn I was on the championship team, say they watched it live. I think Vanderbilt has a lot of great fans all over the country. It is a very meaningful memory even 10 years later.
Michelle Peloquin Scherrer
Resides: Vernon, Ct.
Married with one son, Nathan
Emplopyment: Pharmacist
What she was looking forward to: I was excited to come back and see everyone. First time to come back because of my work cycle.
What being remembered as NCAA champion means to her: It makes me feel really good. You don’t think about it in your everyday activities; you might talk about it with your friends and family back home and think about it fondly but it’s so nice to come back here and realize you are remembered and appreciated.
What did her athletic experience teach her: Quite a bit in terms of team-building, leadership and how to work with different personalities
Christine Luce Teach
Resides: Charlotte, N.C.
Employment: Education researcher at South Piedmont Community College
Most vivid memory of the tournament: It’s hard to pick just one memory. Overall, the biggest thing that I remember is the team camaraderie. The entire team was focused on just one thing and it was like nothing else in the world existed. We were focused on winning, but comfortable with our teammates and having a great time in the experience of it all. It’s hard to create those conditions and we were lucky enough as a team to have that relationship at that moment.
Other memories: A few other fun memories were carrying the huge (at least to me) championship trophy around the airport in addition to all of our other gear and naming all the strikes with adjectives.
