Whitworth University

This article is about the college in Spokane. For the defunct women's college in Mississippi, see Whitworth Female College.

Coordinates: 47°45′13″N 117°25′02″W / 47.753665°N 117.417197°W / 47.753665; -117.417197

Whitworth University
Former names
 Whitworth College (1942-2006)
Motto Education of Mind and Heart
Type Private
Established 1890
Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA)
Endowment $98.9 million[1]
President Beck A. Taylor
Academic staff
 127 (full-time)[2]
Students 2,886[3]
Undergraduates 2,628[4]
Postgraduates 258[5]
Location Spokane, Washington, United States
Campus Suburban
200 acres (809,371 m²)
Colors

Crimson & Black

         
Athletics Division III (NCAA)
Nickname

Bucs

Pirates
Website Whitworth.edu
George F. Whitworth around the time he founded the college

Whitworth University is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Spokane, Washington, United States, that offers bachelor's and master's degrees in a variety of academic disciplines. The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers 60 undergraduate and graduate programs.[6]

History

In 1883 founder George F. Whitworth established the Sumner Academy in Sumner, a small town in Washington Territory.  The school was incorporated in 1890 as Whitworth College.  In 1899, the college moved to Tacoma.  When a Spokane developer offered land just before World War I, the college moved once more. In September 1914 classes were held for the first time in Spokane. In 1942, Whitworth merged with Spokane Junior College when the latter shut down due to financial difficulties during World War II.[7] The board of trustees voted to change the institution's name to Whitworth University in 2006, which became effective July 1, 2007.[8]

Student life

Residence halls

There are 10 residence halls for undergraduate students[9]

In addition to its 10 residence halls, Whitworth sponsors a variety of theme houses each year.[11]

[12]

Dorm life

The Resident Assistants hold a "primetime" from 8pm to 10pm each night in each dorm — a free opportunity for students to escape the books and relax, play games or partake in some other activity.

Additionally, Whitworth students are given the opportunity to set their own rules regarding their dorms. In the beginning of the year, every student has the chance to meet in their dorm lounge and decide on the rules for their dorm for the year. Decisions include but are not limited to deciding if students from other dorms can always enter the dorm; if there will be specific times when the dorm will be closed off to others; choosing the dorms' quiet hours, etc.

Other members of dorm leadership who are unique to Whitworth include Cultural Diversity Advocates (CDA), who encourage students to value individual differences and respect the diverse opinions and cultures of all residents and Small-Group Coordinators (SGC), who lead prayer groups and other programs to nurture the spiritual well-being of dorm residents.[13]

Athletics

Whitworth's athletics teams are the Pirates (or, unofficially, the Bucs). The university offers 20 varsity sports and competes in the Northwest Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Men's sports include cross country, football, basketball, swimming, track and field (indoor and outdoor), golf, tennis, soccer and baseball; women compete in soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming, track and field (indoor and outdoor), golf, tennis, and softball.

Whitworth has won a total of nine Northwest Conference McIlroy-Lewis All-Sports Trophies, including the last eight in a row (2008-2015). The Northwest Conference All-Sports Trophy recognizes athletic excellence among Northwest Conference institutions across all fields of competition.

Whitworth offers a variety of intramural sport activities: ultimate frisbee, volleyball, soccer, tennis, etc. Club frisbee is also offered to all students.

Men's basketball

The Whitworth men's basketball team has a history of successful seasons since Warren Friedrichs was hired as the head coach in 1986. In his tenure as the coach he led the school to five conference titles and was named Coach of the Year five times. During his 16 seasons, the Pirates made the NAIA national tournament three times—including an overtime loss in the 1996 NAIA Div. II National Championship game. At the conclusion of the 1995-96 season, Friedrichs was named NAIA Div. II National Coach of the Year.

Upon Friedrichs' retirement from coaching basketball, Whitworth hired Jim Hayford who built the Pirates into a Northwest Conference power. Since 2000, Hayford led the Pirates to eight 20-win seasons, six appearances in the NCAA Div. III Tournament (2007–2011), five Northwest Conference titles (2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011), three NCAA Div. III Sweet 16 appearances (2008, 2010, 2011) and one Elite Eight appearance (2011). The 2011 team reached No. 1 in the national polls twice, including the final poll of the regular season, but still were not selected as a campus host for the NCAA Div. III tournament past the second round. Instead the Pirates had to travel to Ohio where they were eventually beaten in the Elite Eight. The 2010-11 team also featured Michael Taylor, who was named the NCAA Div. III National Player of the Year.

Hayford was named Northwest Conference Coach of the Year five times and was named National Association of Basketball Coaches as the West Region Coach of the Year twice (2009–10, 2010–11) and coached two West Region Players of the Year (2009–10: Nate Montgomery, 2010–11: Michael Taylor). During Hayford's tenure, Whitworth also accumulated a 217-57 record (.792 winning percentage) and was home to six NWC MVP's during the 2000s (2003: Bryan DePew, 2006: Lance Pecht, 2007: Bryan Williams, 2008: Ryan Symes, 2010: Nate Montgomery, and 2011: Michael Taylor).

After the 2011 season Hayford left Whitworth to coach at NCAA Div. I Eastern Washington University. He has been replaced by Matt Logie, who grew up in Mercer Island, Wash., before attending Lehigh University where he played and eventually coached as the top assistant.

In 2012, they were once again Northwest Conference Champions with a 15-1 record (26-4 overall) and went to the NCAA Div. III Tournament where they made a good showing. In the first three games they beat McMurry and Trinity before losing to Virginal Wesleyan 74-71. Senior Felix Friedt from Germany received honors as the All-West third team center of the year. In the three seasons since taking over from Hayford, Logie's teams have won all three regular season and conference tournament championships, posted a combined 75-14 record, made two appearances in the Sweet 16, and he has been named NWC Coach of the Year twice (2012, 2014)

NWC Conference champions: 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1998, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

NWC MVP's since 1990: Doug Loiler (1992), Bryan Depew (2003), Lance Pecht (2006), Bryan Williams (2007), Ryan Symes (2008), Nate Montgomery (2010), Michael Taylor (2011), Dustin McConnell (2014) [14]

Football

The Pirates were 2006 and 2007 NWC champions.[15] Head coach John Tully was named NWC Coach of the Year in 2001, 2006, 2007.[16]

The 2006 Pirate football team had an 11-1 record, its best ever[17] finished the season ranked 9th in the nation, and made it to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Tight end Michael Allan was a top scorer in the year and later was drafted to the NFL Kansas City Chiefs.

Tully resigned at the conclusion of the 2013 season, and Whitworth replaced him with former Wheaton College defensive coordinator, Rod Sandberg.

In 2014 new Head Coach Rod Sandberg led the Pirates to a 6-4 record in his first season at Whitworth.

Senior QB Bryan Peterson set an NCAA DIII single season record for pass completions per game (34.0) and NCAA single game records for pass completions (58) and pass attempts without an interception (82) in a win at La Verne.

Track and Field

Dr. Toby Schwarz, the head coach of the men and women's Track and Field program has transformed the Whitworth Track & Field team into one of the top programs in the nation. Since the 2008 season Whitworth has sent 84 student-athletes to the NCAA Division III outdoor track and field championships and come home with 43 All-America (top-8) performances. Schwarz has coached Pirate athletes to eight individual national titles over the same time frame (seven outdoor and one indoor). The Whitworth men have finished among the top 20 teams in the nation six times since 2008, including a third place finish at the 2008 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, a third place finish at the 2009 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships and a sixth place finish at the 2009 outdoor meet.

Schwarz has built a powerhouse program at Whitworth, sweeping the Northwest Conference men's and women's title in 2001 and 2015. The Pirate men have won six straight NWC championships and seven in the last eight years. Over the last ten seasons more than 60 athletes per year (over 75% of the team) have qualified for the NWC championship meet. And over the last 13 years Schwarz coached Kristin Shields to a national championship in the 100 meter dash in 2004, and two time national champions Emmanuel Bofa (800 meters) and Cody Stelzer (High Jump) in 2008 and 2009. Coach Schwarz added his sixth national champion with Carter Comito winning back-to-back-to-back national titles in the men’s discus in 2011, 2012 and 2013. This past spring (2015) Kerry Wright claimed her own national title in the women's javelin throw.

Schwarz has earned 29 Coach of the Year awards, including the 2015 NCAA West Region men's outdoor award and 2015 Northwest Conference honors (men and women). In 2009 Schwarz was selected as the NCAA Division III Men’s Coach of the Year. Members of Schwarz’s coaching staff have also won the NCAA DIII West Region Assistant Coach of the Year awards for the past six years including the 2015 outdoor men’s assistant coach of the year (Joe VanHoomissen).

Following the 2006 season, a decision was made by the coaching staff to cease the continuous growth of the program and move to a philosophy of a smaller, more focused and committed group of student-athletes. Through a process of tryouts and cuts, a more streamlined group of student-athletes make up the current and future Whitworth program.

With a smaller, more committed group of student-athletes, the level of excitement at practice is high, leading to a national championship caliber program. Whitworth finished fourth in the inaugural Al Carius Men’s Program of the Year award that was based on the team’s overall finish at the NCAA DIII cross country, indoor and outdoor Track & Field national championships in 2008-09. The men’s team finished 9th in the Al Carius Program of the Year standings in 2011. The Pirate program was also honored as the Scholar Team of the Year in 2008 and 2009 which is based on team overall GPA and national team finishes.[18]

Other

Ranking

In 2013, U.S. News and World Report ranked Whitworth as the 9th best regional university on the West coast.[20] Forbes ranked Whitworth as the 40th in the West in America's Top Colleges rankings.[21]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ↑ As of June 30, 2011. "U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2011 Endowment Market Value and Percentage Change in Endowment Market Value from FY 2010 to FY 2011" (PDF). 2009 NACUBO-Commonfund Study of Endowments. National Association of College and University Business Officers. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  2. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page provides full-time faculty numbers
  3. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page provides enrollment numbers
  4. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page provides undergraduate enrollment numbers
  5. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page provides graduate enrollment numbers
  6. ↑ Fall 2011 press releases boilerplates identifying enrollment, program numbers
  7. ↑ "Junior College Joins Whitworth." Spokane Daily Chronicle, February 20, 1942
  8. ↑ Press release details Whitworth's name change
  9. ↑ Whitworth Residence Life and Housing site lists university residence halls
  10. ↑ http://news.whitworth.edu/2015/04/whitworth-board-of-trustees-renames.html
  11. ↑ Whitworth residence halls http://www.whitworth.edu/administration/studentlife/residencelife&housing/livingoncampus/residencehalls/index.htm
  12. ↑ http://www.whitworth.edu/Administration/StudentLife/ResidenceLife&Housing/LivingOnCampus/PrimeTime.htm
  13. ↑ http://www.whitworth.edu/Administration/StudentLife/Residence
  14. ↑ http://www.nwcsports.com/sports/mbkb/NorthwestConferenceHistory.pdf
  15. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page details football championships
  16. ↑ Facts About Whitworth University page details Tully's coaching awards
  17. ↑ Athletics department press release details 2006 season
  18. ↑
  19. ↑ Athletics department release details 2005 season
  20. ↑ http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/whitworth-university-3804
  21. ↑ Forbes http://www.forbes.com/colleges/whitworth-university/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ↑ "The 2008 Time 100". Time. April 30, 2009.
  23. ↑ Additional Whitworth Facts: http://www.whitworth.edu/GeneralInformation/WhitworthFacts/AdditionalFacts.htm#Alumni
  24. ↑ Maben, Scott (2013-06-17). "Ray Stone, former Coeur d’Alene mayor, dies". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2013-07-14.

External links

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