For the Journal Review

Recent Wabash College graduate Justin Santiago ’25 and rising seniors Sean Bledsoe ’26 and Xavier Tyler ’26 were named 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars by Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine.

All three were first-team selections, boosting the total to 13 Wabash student-athletes to be named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar since 2018.

Santiago, a native of Westfield, is a four-year letterwinner for the Wabash cross country and track and field teams. In his time with the programs, he helped the Little Giants win six conference championships (1 CC/5 TR). His collegiate best times include a 25:39.0 8,000-meter cross country effort at the 2023 NCAA DIII Great Lakes Region Championships to go with a 33:45.86 outdoor 10,000-meter run as a junior.

The financial economics major was active in the campus community as part of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and served as a production volunteer at his church. A Dean’s List honoree, Santiago was a summa cum laude graduate and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He served as an innovation consultant for Wabash College’s Center for Innovation, Business and Entrepreneurship and has a project management certification from the University of Adelaide.

Bledsoe, a native of Columbia City, is a three-year letterwinner for the Wabash golf team, posting a 75.44 scoring average in 66 career rounds played. He was the runner-up at the 2025 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championships, earning all-conference honors. He has seven rounds at par or better with a low of 69.

The English major is well connected on campus, serving as an advocate for ‘shOUT, the gay/straight alliance, working as a manager for the basketball team, and handling color commentator duties for the basketball livestreams. A Dean’s List honoree, Bledsoe also was named to the NCAC Academic Honor Roll.

Tyler, a native of Evansville, is a three-year letterwinner and a second-team all-NCAC honoree for the football team after leading the Little Giants with more than 1,000 yards rushing in 2024. His accomplishments included a career-best 199 yards on Nov. 9, 2024, at Wittenberg, as well as a long rush of 81 yards, tied for the eighth-longest in school history, set Oct. 21, 2023 at Kenyon.

The philosophy major has held multiple positions of leadership within his fraternity, Delta Tau Delta. He is the community service committee chairman for the Malcolm X Institute of Black Studies, has worked at a group home for people with severe mental and physical disabilities, and speaks regularly at inner-city middle schools to kids about attending college and how to positively carry themselves. Tyler is a Dean’s List honoree and has earned all-NCAC Academic Honor Roll accolades.

The trio joined Mawuli Nevis ’25 as Ashe honorees, as he was named the 2025 Arthur Ashe Jr. Wrestling Sports Scholar of the Year. A biology major from Cincinnati, he was a semifinalist for the Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar of the Year award. Nevis is the second Wabash student-athlete to earn national distinction from the publication in the last three years.

Since 1992, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars have demonstrated stellar athletic ability and academic performance (3.5 cumulative GPA or higher), in addition to a commitment to community service and student leadership. The award is inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.’s dedication to education as well as his love for the game of tennis.

ARLINGTON – Life in the Volleyball Nations League continues to be long on lessons and short on victories for the Canadian women’s team.

China, which entered Friday’s best-of-five match in seventh place, edged the 16th-place Canadians 25-22, 25-15, 22-25 and 25-23 at College Park Center in Arlington, Texas.

Outside hitter Abagayle Guezen and opposite spiker Anna Smrek were Canada’s top scorers with 14 points each, while Yushan Zhuan led China with 21.

China led in attacks (59-51), ace serves (7-3), sets (130-126) and digs (97-96).

Canada made four fewer unforced errors (27-23) and had more blocks (8-4).

Canada will play the host United States on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2025.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Published July 12, 2025

Alumni and Friends,

This week has made my start as the University’s 16th President feel even more official as Elizabeth and I moved into the Benjamin Prince House. In my attempt to learn more about our new home’s namesake, I came across the following on our website:

“For 68 years, Prince, who graduated with honors from Wittenberg’s Preparatory Department in 1865, devoted his life to Wittenberg, both as a student and in a variety of offices ranging from professor to collector of tuition to vice president. He knew every graduate of the university during his time on campus, and he founded the college’s first alumni association. He also played an instrumental role in the creation of the college’s annual alumni fund, and he knew and worked with every president of the college except the first one, Ezra Keller.”

Reading about Benjamin Prince’s legacy reminds me of the difference each of us can make when we connect passion to purpose — the very bridge we seek to create through our classes and extra-curricular engagements on our beautiful campus. Wittenberg is a place where we should — and do — know our students’ names, and in that spirit, I intend to follow in Prince’s footsteps as I get to know our students, along with our faculty, staff, families, alumni, and friends.

I am eagerly awaiting the fall semester to see the story that will unfold as students return. I also look ahead with joy and anticipation for how the Wittenberg Way will be blessed in the year ahead.

Fondly,
Mike and Sharon Frandsen

New Leader in Enrollment Management

Following a national search, Wittenberg is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael “Mike” Brown as its new vice president for enrollment management, effective June 23, 2025. A proven leader in strategic enrollment operations and multidimensional recruitment planning, Brown comes to Wittenberg from Ursuline College, where he has served as vice president for enrollment management since 2021.

Join us for some of the area’s most delicious local ice cream in celebration of a great Tiger Summer. Mingle with fellow alumni, meet members of the Admission staff and Wittenberg community, and tell future Tigers what you loved about your Wittenberg experience. Help us spread the word about Wittenberg by inviting a prospective student to join you!

Columbus: Graeter’s Ice Cream
2136 Bethel Rd.
Monday, July 14
5 – 6:30 p.m.

Cincinnati: Graeter’s Ice Cream
8533 Beechmont Ave.
Tuesday, July 15
5 – 6:30 p.m.

Cleveland: Mitchell’s Ice Cream
1867 W. 25th St.
Wednesday, July 16
5 – 7 p.m.

Springfield/Dayton: Young’s Jersey Dairy
6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd.
Yellow Springs
Thursday, July 17
5 – 7 p.m.

Please RSVP at least one week in advance of the event you plan to attend.

Outdoor Immersion

Combining nature with teaching is something that Charity Perry ’25 experienced firsthand through her recent FIRE Week experience at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont (GSMIT) near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. A biology major pursuing a minor in education from Garfield Heights, Ohio, Perry is one of three recipients of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Grateful Parent

Stephanie Morgan-White ’92 passed her love for Wittenberg on to her daughters, Morgan White ’23 and Shelby White ’27. Passionate about Wittenberg, Morgan-White continues to make an impact on Wittenberg by volunteering at college fairs, writing postcards to accepted students, promoting the University as a Commit to Witt ambassador, serving on the Alumni Association Board, and supporting Wittenberg with financial gifts. Learn more about her experience as a student and now a parent.

Interning at the 2025 Super Bowl

Four students had the experience of a lifetime working at Super Bowl LIX, Feb. 9, 2025, at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Leveraging their business and sport management courses, connections, and leadership skills, the students brought their A game to every facet of their time at the Super Bowl. Click on the image to hear what each found rewarding about their internship.

Oral History Project: Amb. Robert Perry ’67

We’re thrilled to share a few of the stories from our Oral History Project. Amb. Robert Perry ’67 credits Professors Robert Hartje, Melvin Laatsch, and Jeffrey Mao with sparking his interest in political science. Mao encouraged him to apply for a Ford Foundation fellowship, which included a State Department internship and an M.A. from American University. That introduced Perry to a 34-year career in the Foreign Service, beginning in Vietnam and including several posts in Latin America and Africa. We’re grateful for alumni like Amb. Perry, who have supported Wittenberg throughout the years with a gift to the University. To join him in supporting Wittenberg, make a gift now.

Spring Athletics Highlights

Wittenberg’s spring sports season concluded over Memorial Day weekend at the 2025 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships as Jack Kittle ’28 earned second-team All-America in the 200-meter dash and first-team All-America in the 400-meter dash. A day earlier, the Tiger men’s golf team finished 16th at the 2025 NCAA Division III Championships, led by Mitch Bolte ’28, who earned a spot on the national All-Freshman Team after placing 27th individually. As a department, Wittenberg finished third in the final 2024-25 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) All-Sports standings, in part thanks to outstanding spring performances from men’s golf (first), women’s track and field (second), baseball (second), men’s track and field (third), women’s golf (third), and softball (fourth).

There’s Still Time to Give Before Fiscal Year-End!

Since 1845, Wittenberg has provided students with an education that has challenged them to lead personal, professional, and civic lives of creativity, service, compassion, and integrity. We’re grateful to all who have supported Wittenberg with a gift this fiscal year. We thank them for their support of our mission. If you have not already made a gift, there’s still time. When you make a gift before June 30, you’ll impact the future of our students! Pass your light by making a gift today!

Wittenberg Bids Farewell to the Frandsens

Members of the Springfield community, the University’s Board of Directors, students, faculty, staff, and friends participated in a series of events last month to honor and thank President Mike Frandsen and Sharon Frandsen for their eight years of dedicated service to Wittenberg. President Frandsen will conclude his tenure as the University’s 15th President on June 30, 2025. Enjoy a special video from the Wittenberg community, which was shared at the final event, May 8, hosted by the Board of Directors. Additionally, President Frandsen reflected on his time at Wittenberg in a recent interview with the Springfield News-Sun that can be found here.

• The team includes outside hitters, middle blockers, setters, a libero, and a utility player.
• Players were selected based on their individual statistics, team accomplishments, and input from coaches.
• Many of the selected athletes continued their volleyball careers at the collegiate level.

The Providence Journal is taking on a new challenge this summer.

After three years away from competition, Randolph Ross is set to return to the track. The former HBCU standout and Olympic Gold Medalist from North Carolina A&T will compete in the men’s 400 meters on Sunday at the Meeting International de Marseille in France. The event is part of the World Athletics Continental Tour (bronze level) and marks his first race since receiving a suspension in 2022.

A Star Born at an HBCU

Ross, now 24, was once one of the brightest young talents in American track. While competing for North Carolina A&T, he became a two-time NCAA champion and helped the United States win gold in the 4×400-meter relay at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He trained under his father, former Olympian Duane Ross, and together they turned A&T into one of the most dominant HBCU track programs in history.

The Suspension That Changed Everything

That success came to an abrupt stop in July 2022. The Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) suspended Ross just before the World Championships in Oregon. The reason: three “whereabouts failures” within a 12-month span. These failures meant that officials were unable to locate him for required drug testing.

Later that year, the AIU made the suspension official. Randolph Ross was banned for three years, and the penalty included an added charge of “tampering.” During the investigation, he admitted to altering the date on a confirmation email related to his testing location. This misstep, while not a failed drug test, was treated as a serious violation.

A Complicated Timeline

In an interview with Track & Field News, Ross accepted full responsibility. “The whole thing came down to being my fault,” he said. However, he also expressed concern about how heavily administrative errors were punished. Ross explained that the missed tests occurred during a hectic period of his life. He competed at nationals, moved from North Carolina to Tennessee, and was preparing to transfer schools.

The first missed test happened in April 2022, when Ross forgot to update his location ahead of a meet in Gainesville, Florida. The second came during the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, where he defended his 400m title. Ross argued that anti-doping officials could have located him at the meet, but noted that the rules still required formal updates through an app.

The third failure was more complex. Randolph Ross had moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, but the AIU still visited his old address in Greensboro. While USADA had updated information, the AIU did not. In an attempt to explain the mix-up, Ross submitted a screenshot of an automatically generated email, but changed the date on it. That change triggered the tampering charge.

The Impact of the Ban

The AIU treated the missed tests and altered email as a single violation. Because Ross admitted fault and cooperated fully, the original four-year penalty was reduced to three. Still, the ban had significant consequences. Ross lost his spot on the U.S. team, his college eligibility, and a likely professional contract. He also missed the chance to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

During his suspension, Ross completed his finance degree at North Carolina A&T and began studying for a real estate license. He continued to train, though restrictions prevented him from working with USATF-affiliated coaches or athletes. One exception allowed him to continue training with his father due to their family connection.

A Measured Return

Now, as of July 1, Ross is eligible to compete again. Sunday’s race in Marseille will be his first test back. The result will be closely watched—not just because of the controversy that preceded it, but because of what it represents: the return of an HBCU athlete who once ran one of the fastest 400m times in history, and appeared poised for global stardom.

Related

Myah Conway, a 2021 Blue Mountain grad recently signed to play professional Volleyball in Sweden.

The Right Side hitter had a strong four years at Old Dominion University, an tallied 369 kills in her senior year, which ranked second in the Sun Belt conference. Conway also was named All-Second Team Sun Belt.

“I feel very proud in high school and college, I didn’t think playing professional volleyball would be an option for me,” said Conway.

“I am very lucky and grateful that I am able to continue playing the sport that I love. I can’t imagine stopping playing right now. I hope to play as long as I can.”

The former Lady Eagle signed to join Linkopings Volleyboll Club, who is a part of the Elitserien Volleyboll league in Sweden. Conway is represented by Athletes Abroad Management.

“After talking to the coaches, I thought it was the perfect place to start my professional career and just to develop more as a player,” Conway said.

Conway has never been to Sweden, but has done a lot of research on the country prior to her arrival.

To get the contract, Conway worked a lot with her coaches at Old Dominion who had connections at the professional level. Conway also did a lot of research herself before finding an agency.

Conway said she is always thankful for her time at Blue Mountain and will never forget it.

Conway shined for the Lady Eagles. She was a three-time All-State honoree, and finished her career with 850 kills, 570 digs and 220 assists. She was also named to the Under Armour All-America watch list as a junior and a senior.

“I loved Blue Mountain, especially after not having Volleyball in middle school,” Conway said.  “That was the first place where I saw myself grow. I made so many friends that I still cherish. The coaches there I really love helped me become the player I am getting into the college level.”

Conway wants to be the person the young players in Schuylkill County can look up to and offered some words of advice.

“Reach out, don’t be shy, talk to as many coaches as you can,” she said. “You have to put your name out there. It’s your job to do your work and get that exposure.”

Conway will leave for Sweden at the end of August. She said she is excited to meet new people and see the culture and the country.

When she arrives in Sweden, she has some goals for herself as a player.

“I want to grow as a player, “ she said. “I feel like I haven’t reached my peak yet. I want to see how far I can really go with this sport.”