Trojans achieve against bigger-spending foes

Numbers don’t lie when it comes to Anderson University’s 2016-17 sports season.

The Trojans' regular-season finishes matched or surpassed preseason South Atlantic Conference projections in 10 of 13 sports with coaches polls, and they matched or outperformed their 2015-16 conference finishes at the same rate.

Individually, AU athletes earned 15 first-team All-SAC designations, four conference freshman-of-the-year honors and 41 total honorees.

“These accolades don’t just happen by happenstance,” athletic director Bill D’Andrea said at Anderson's senior banquet. “They come by hard work, dedication and commitment.”

And they come by competing in a conference with haves and have-nots in funding and facilities, where Anderson falls in the latter category in several sports.

Like in track and field, where the school took home six wins with a SAC Championships squad dwarfed in scholarships and athletes by programs such as Queens and Wingate.

Anderson track and field coach Kevin Licht said prior to the season Anderson is 11th out of 12 SAC schools in women’s and last in men’s scholarship funding, in addition to the lack of an on-campus track.

Yet his group notched AU’s male and female athlete of the year honors with juniors Christopher Burton and Haylee Love, respectively. Going into the weekend, Burton had the second-fastest 200-meter dash time in NCAA Division II (20.84), qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships May 25-27 in Bradenton, Florida. Love made both the cross country and indoor nationals earlier in the season.

Licht said while he would love to have a track facility and increased resources, his group doesn’t focus on it – even turning their situation into motivation.

“We do want them to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder and believe that it actually benefits us because we don’t have the extravagances,” Licht said. “We really have to earn every accolade that we achieve.”

Julie Davis Carlson came to Anderson from a volunteer coach role in Clemson women’s soccer, taking on the women’s soccer head coach job last year as well as senior women's administrator duties.

Success comes in managing resources at any level, Carlson said.

“Some things that (Anderson) has are better and some things we continue to make better,” Carlson said. “Ultimately, to be successful here the same way you’re successful at Clemson, you have to be creative with what you have to work with.”

For a school with a smaller budget, teamwork from the top-down keeps the programs sharp.

“We all have to contribute,” Carlson said. “Not just within our own sport, but as a whole. We’re here for each other.”

More: Clemson transfer Tina Shakes embracing role at Anderson

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More: Love's journey off the track guides her on it

More: Burton takes run at 'best'

“I love working in an environment where I’m pushed by my peers, the other coaches here,” said Licht. “That’s definitely the case here at Anderson.”

Two full years in at AU now, D’Andrea credits “hand-in-glove” work with university president Evans Whitaker on incremental increases in funding for a variety of aspects to aid athletics.

Coaches value D’Andrea’s work in getting there.

“The success we’re having now is Billy D’s (D'Andrea's) vision,” Licht said. “Having him pour his heart and soul into the program overall is amazing. That’s what you want as a head coach.”

Follow Brandon Rink on Twitter @BRink_AIM