Toledo Tough: Final Edition

If you would have asked me 11 months ago if I would be writing this post, I would have said absolutely not! However, in this world of college basketball, I have quickly learned that one must never say "absolutely not." Before marrying Jason, my father, a former professional football player, tried his best to consult me on the life that I was embarking on. One in which entails frequent moves and living in all parts of the country. Two years ago, when we were still engaged, I kind of shrugged off my dad's comments, seemingly thinking that Jason and I would not fall into that category of "frequent movers." Well, maybe I should have read all the articles he sent, asked a few more questions, and took those conversations more seriously!

Now, I am very proud of my husband and the 10 strong years he has spent in this business, and I knew when I signed that wedding certificate on August 11, 2012, that I was embarking on the roller coaster of being a coach's wife. But, I did not know I was buckling in the Kingda Ka !

Source

In my final edition of "Toledo Tough" I must graciously thank a few of the amazing individuals that I have had the pleasure of befriending.

I have been really lucky to meet some awesome coach's wives with the two staffs that I have been a part of, thus far. I am so enthused that I will be rejoining Nicole Phillips and Emily Ryan who I knew well while at NDSU, and the ladies at Toledo did not fall short on amazingness.

First, I have to thank Julie Kowalczyk, wife of our head coach Tod Kowalczyk. She showed an energy and enthusiasm for making all of our families feel at home. Her kindness was evident from the time we left for our trip to Greece in early August.  She should definitely be complimented for consistently dressing Race and Rose to the tee at all Rocket games!  Most importantly, she has supported the wives and shown us togetherness, which made a great season of Rocket basketball even more enjoyable.  Such a sweet lady!

A lady I knew well, prior to even meeting in person was Allie Kalsow. I have spoken fondly of Allie in a previous post, but we bonded instantly especially since our husbands have been friends for like 12 years. Allie introduced me to Renegade, and we all know how much I love Renegade. Before she had to head off to her job as the Cleveland Cavaliers Sideline Reporter, yeah she is kind of important in the state of Ohio, we frequently went on runs around the city. She introduced me to the many parks and trails that Toledo is known for. She was my workout/running buddy while we vacationed in Greece. I have fondly lived through her as she beautifies and dresses for her job! Ok, so obviously I sometimes wish I had reasons to get all glammed-up on a more frequent basis!

My game-time BFF because of her crazy, in-game commentary is hands down the lovely Rebekah Bennet! It must have been interesting this season watching the two of us during games. Rebekah accurately yelling at the refs/players for various reasons, and me just yelling complete nonsense! Ha, gosh watching games was so much fun sitting next to Rebekah! I have been quite honest to my ignorance to the sport of basketball; Rebekah was my "ace boon koon" because she knew what she was yelling/talking about! Although we were both high school cheerleaders, she was obviously way better at following the game than I. Did I also mention that she has three of the most adorable boys around! She "allowed" me to get a little parenting practice, which I am forever thankful because I am predicting my doom luck of having only boys! Oh, and she is an educator, so many conversations were had about public education, students academic progress, etc. Overall, Rebekah was my buddy for education-related conversations as well as topics about Toledo Basketball!

And last but certainly not least is the beautiful, LaTisha (Tish) Carr, wife to Jordan Mincy! I knew the minute I met this DIVA, that we would have a connection! We first met after her late night flight into Toledo for her first visit which also happened to be my first visit as well. She was dead tired, but still rocking her Louis Vuitton and Gucci! The Kowalczyk's hosted a welcome BBQ, and somehow the ladies conversation was on beauty and fashion, and Tish's expertise in this area is insurmountable. Not only is Tish a beauty, but she is also a thoughtful, caring person. We both had a few emergency situations when the husbands were out of town, and it was very reassuring that we were both able to rely on each other for support. Being a coach's wife can be stressful and lonely, and knowing you have others to assist you in times of need is wonderful.

The coach's wives impacted my stay in Toledo, but I also must thank a few additional Toledo folk for their generosity and kindness.

First, to Ed and Janet Schofield who we were introduced to by the AD at NDSU, Gene Taylor. Who would have thought that we would have had a Fargo connection in Toledo, but one was waiting for us! Ed and Janet opened their home to Jason and I, invited us to various events, and have just been simply kind. Hoping I am able to see them and their children one last time before I head south!

I too need to thank Brian Jones, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, and his family. Brian welcomed Jason and I upon my arrival, and has just been awesome this entire year. And I have a special place in my heart for his daughter Avery. Her bedroom is purple (my favorite color) and she also loves pink. Uhm, she could be my daughter, and is adorable! Zach is pretty handsome too :)

I would be remiss if I did not thank Larry Burns, Vice President for External Affairs. Wow! I have been so impressed with him from his dress, to his personality, and to his commitment to the university. Larry has such an infectious personality; I am always glad when I see him. When I first moved to Toledo, he took me on a personal tour of the university. On that tour I was most impressed with the friendliness that he showed to all the students we passed while riding in the university golf cart. We would pass students, and he would great them, ask then how they were, and even knew many by name. I was completely taken aback, and hope that the students realize how fortunate they are. And of course there is his dress, which is dapper for all occasions. If you aware about the Toledo MBB Tie One On fundraiser for prostate cancer was the brainchild of Larry Burns! He wears bow ties on a daily basis, and I always look forward to his suit and dress shirt combinations!

Thank you all for all the Toledo memories!

Michelyn

March Madness: Toledo Tough Style

Well, hello. Sorry for the late post this evening. I try to write my blog posts the night before and have them post some time in the day, but yesterday was a little hectic in the Kemp Household. While we were in Cleveland for the MAC conference tournament, we boarded Prince at his veterinarian's office. I absolutely adore our vet and all of the assistants but Mr. Prince simply does not bode well with being cooped up in a dog cage for long, even though they are large at the vet's office. When I got him early Monday morning, he was not in the best of moods, had an irritable stomach, and was being overly aggressive. I had to take many breaks Monday to hold/cuddle him and get on the floor, just to be close. I went for an 8-mile run after my work day, so was gone for about 1.5 hours, and upon my arrival Prince was crying miserably even though Jason had returned home from work by that time. We are aware that Prince suffers from separation anxiety, which is common is small-breed dogs, and I am certain that my work-from-home job only compounds the issue.  It's probably a safe estimate that Prince and I are in each other's company at least 20 hours/day. I have read a few websites that touch on the matter, but many of them are more relevant for dog owners who work away from the home. When I was at the natural food store a few weeks ago, I did find some natural remedies that I think I am going to try. It's a little difficult because for the most part, I am here with the dog, so he is not traumatized on a continual basis. We have decided that for our next away trip, we will board him at Sit Means Sit, our dog behavioral trainers. They have a package in which they board the dog plus do some additional training for a few hours/day. Of course this is more expensive, but the peace of mind that Mr. Prince will get out more is very comforting, plus he could use some more training, as he only gets some of the basics with us!

Ok, I know there are a few of you that just rolled your eyes at my explanation above. I do realize that Prince is just a dog! I can't help but treat him like my child, at times.

I mean, look at that face... Can you blame me?

Many people are already aware, but I did want to share my excitement for the Toledo Men's Basketball program for getting a bid into the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The guys already headed out to Mississippi and will be playing on Wednesday verse Southern Mississippi on ESPN3! 

Let's hope the guys can pull out a W! Here is the NIT bracket:

Question of the Day: Are you following the NIT?

Michelyn

Toledo Tough: Week in Review & Preview

Weds, Feb. 26th @ Nothern Ill 66-74

Losses are never fun, but sometimes occur towards the end of a great season. What is best about this loss is that the player's were able to turn it around later in the week!

• Toledo leads the all-time series vs. Northern Illinois by a 41-24 margin. The Rockets are 5-7 at NIU’s Convocation Center with five losses in their last six visits to DeKalb
• Toledo was held under a 45.0 FG% for just the ninth time this season and is 6-3 in those contests.
•  UT lost for the first time in 17 games when leading at halftime.
• Toledo’s 12 steals marked a season high against an NCAA Division I opponent.
•  Pearson grabbed a season-high six offensive boards to give him a team-best nine in the contest. He has also led the Rockets in scoring nine times this season to rank second on the team.
• Junior guard Julius Brown tallied four assists to move into third place on UT’s all-time helper list with 520.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

Sat, Mar 1 vs Western MI 96-85 (OT)

If you were not at Savage arena or if you were one of the many fans that left early, welp, you missed the BEST GAME of the season, hands down! Oh, and if you wanted to observe any of the behaviors that I discussed in my post about taking over the reigns for Coach Kemp, well they were all on display plus much more! Wow! And the video highlight:

• Toledo now leads its all-time series vs. Western Michigan by a 79-58, including a 52-14 mark vs. the Broncos in Toledo.
• Toledo’s 96 points were its most in Savage Arena vs. an NCAA Division I team since a 103-66 win over Wright State on Dec. 22, 2003.
• Junior guard Justin Drummond scored a career-high 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He also notched career bests in free throws made (12) and free throws attempted (15) and a season-high eight field goals.
• Junior guard Julius Brown registered his eighth career double-double and his fourth of the season with 18 points and 10 assists. He also sank 9-of-10 free throws to raise his team-best percentage to 87.8 percent.
• Freshman guard Jonathan Williams scored nine points and was perfect on his five free throw attempts. He is now shooting 83.6 percent from the charity stripe.
• Sophomore center Nathan Boothe scored 13 points and tied for the team lead with eight rebounds. He also hit his second three-point field goal of the season and fourth of his career.

Notes courtesy of the University of Toledo Athletic Department

This Week

Tues, Mar 4 @ Central MI

Sat, Mar 8 vs. Eastern MI

Question of the Day: Are you excited about March Madness?

Toledo Tough: Week in Review & Preview

Thurs, Feb. 20 @ Bowling Green 60-58

The Bowling Green game was televised on ESPNU at 9:00pm! Did you catch the game? If you did, you may have caught me after the game cheering ecstatically with Rebekkah Bennet, haha. It has been reported that we were both quite comical with our jubilant celebrations! She is observed fist pumping, and I am jumping up and down like a cheerleader - arms in a wide V, screaming! Wow, what a game is all I can say! It is probably a good thing that I am in overall good health, if not I would have had a heart attack, Jesus! 

I am also glad we won because it was Race's birthday, eldest son to Coach Kowalczyk. He made a sign, and it was on TV! 

Sun, Feb. 23 vs. Ball State 85-74

• Toledo leads the all-time series vs. Ball State by a 45-40 margin. The Rockets snapped their three-game home losing streak vs. the Cardinals and swept BSU for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign.
• The Rockets extended their home court win streak to 14 games dating back to last season. UT is one shy of its longest home win streak since winning 15 in a row from Jan. 26, 2006-Feb. 17, 2007.
• Toledo is 21-1 when holding its opponent under 80 points.
• Toledo is 16-0 when outshooting its opponent and when leading at halftime.
• UT put five players in double figures for the fourth time this season.
• Junior guard Julius (Juice) Brown scored 20 or more points for a team-high seventh time this season. He has scored in double digits on 21 occasions and has topped UT in scoring a team-high 10 times. Juice tied his season high with four three-point field goals and has a 50.0 3PTFG% (11-of-22) in his last four contests.
• Senior guard Rian Pearson grabbed four steals in each of the Rockets’ games vs. Ball State this season. He scored 13 points and has tallied double-digit point totals in a team-high 22 games.
• Junior guard Justin Drummond tied his career best with a season-high 34 minutes. He scored 17 points and dished out five assists.
• Junior forward J.D. Weatherspoon established career bests for three-point goals (2) and three-point field-goal attempts (3).
• Sophomore center Nathan Boothe tied his season high with 17 points.

Highlights courtesy of University of Toledo Athletics Department

This Week

Weds, Feb. 26 @ Northern Illinois

Sat, March 1 vs. Western Michigan

Toledo Tough: Week in Review and Preview

Feb. 5: Toledo vs. Bowling Green (83-76)

Tie One On, started by the Vice President for External Affairs Lawrence (Larry) Burns, was inspired by the Coaches vs. Cancer effort. Instead of tennis shoes, UT Men’s Basketball Coach Tod Kowalczyk and his coaching staff wear bow ties to support the fight against cancer. A huge notes of admiration is warranted to Larry Burns and his team! This year's event raised over $30,000 for prostate cancer care, research, and outreach. Congratulations and thank you to everyone who supported such a wonderful cause. 

This year's bow tie was reversible, one could wear it as a yellow or navy bow-tie. I forgot to take a picture of Coach Kemp's ensemble but he wore a navy suite, yellow shirt with white stripes, and these neat brown and navy dress shoes. He was pretty dapper, if I do not say so myself! Here are a few highlights from the Win!

• Toledo has won 2 straight games vs. BG for first time since winning 3 in a row in 2006-07.
• The Rockets now lead the all-time series vs. the Falcons by an 85-79 margin.
• Toledo had four players in double figures for the 18th time in 22 games.
• Bowling Green’s 25 assists were the most against UT since Temple had 26 on Nov. 14, 2010.
• Toledo’s 29 free throws made were its most in league play and tied for its 2nd most this season.
• Senior guard Rian Pearson moved into 10th place ahead of former Rocket Nick Moore (1,384 pts., 1999-2003) on UT’s all-time scoring list with 1,394 points.
• Junior guard Justin Drummond led the team in scoring for a team-high eighth time. He also has scored in double figures a team-high 19 times and is the team’s leader with 14.7 ppg
• Junior forward J.D. Weatherspoon’s double-double was his 3rd this season and the 10th by a Rocket.
• Freshman guard Jonathan Williams scored eight points and is 4-of-6 from three-point range in his last two games.

Feb. 8: Toledo at Ball State (80-73)

After our win verse in-state rivals Bowling Green, the men's team then headed to Indiana to play against Ball State. Overall, the boys played a tough game on the road. The one downside about being the conference leaders, is that you are playing with a "target on your back" at all times! 

• Toledo leads its all-time series vs. Ball State by a 44-40 margin and has won its last three games in Muncie for the first time since winning five in a row from 1976-80.
• The Rockets are 7-3 in road games and 3-2 in MAC road contests this season.
• Toledo has scored 80 or more points in five straight games.
• The Rockets are 18-0 when holding their opponent under 80 points.
• Toledo’ 11 steals were its most vs. a Division I opponent this season.
•  Senior guard Rian Pearson notched his first 20-point game in MAC play this season. He has led UT in scoring on seven occasions.
•  Freshman center Zach Garber tied his season high with 19 minutes played and also blocked a season-high two shots.
• Junior forward J.D. Weatherspoon grabbed a team-high 11 boards for his fourth double-digit rebounding effort this season. Weatherspoon is now averaging 6.8 rpg for the Rockets and 8.2 rpg in league play.

This Week:

Weds, Feb. 12 vs. Ohio

Sat, Feb. 15 at Eastern Michigan

Good Luck to the Rockets this week!

Michelyn