Gerdin named Synchronized Swimming interim head coach
Gerdin (center) assists Cardinal Madison Delgado with her suit at a synchronized swimming competition.
Elizabeth Gerdin ’12 BA, after serving as UIW’s Synchronized Swimming assistant coach for the past two years, has been named the interim head coach for the 2016-17 season. She played a key role in the program achieving a pair of top four national finishes and two regional titles as the assistant coach under former head coach Megan Deatherage. Gerdin is a former UIW synchro student-athlete who last competed in 2011. She graduated in 2012 from UIW with a Bachelor of Science double major in athletic training and rehabilitative sciences.
A Minnesota native, Gerdin competed at the FINA World Trophy Cup in 2009. As a Cardinal, she helped the team achieve a national third place finish and numerous regional championships. She was named Rookie of the Year, earned the Dwyer award for encompassing team values, and was the squad’s team captain for two seasons.
Wick and Tavarres UIW’s first to sign with NFL
Wick
In April, UIW’s budding football program celebrated the first players in its history to be drafted into the National Football League (NFL). Former Cardinal tight end Cole Wick ’16 BS and linebacker Myke Tavarres ’16 BA each signed free agent contracts with NFL teams. Wick signed with the Detroit Lions while Tavarres signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Wick played as a four-year member of the Cardinals and a three-year starter. He was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior and earned first team honors in 2015.
Tavarres
Tavarres was with UIW’s program for two years and set school records for single season tackles, tackles for loss and sacks in 2015.
Tavarres was included on the College Football Player Awards (CFPA) FCS Linebacker of the Year Award watch list and the STATS FCS Defensive Player of the Year watch list. He was awarded the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year award and earned First Team All-Conference honors as well as a three-time All-American honors by STATS, the Associated Press and the American Football Coaches Association.
In 2015, Wick and Tavarres helped lead the Cardinals to a fourth place finish in the Southland Conference.
Jordan competes in U.S. Open
Jordan
Austin Jordan ’15 BBA, former UIW men’s golfer, qualified for and competed in the 2016 U.S. Open by firing a 7-under par score over 36 holes in the Houston Sectional at Lakeside Country Club in June. Jordan qualified for the Houston Sectional thanks to his play at the local qualifying tournament played at Hurricane Creek Golf Course just north of Dallas. The sectional included 51 players and only the top three advanced to the U.S. Open played at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa., on June 16. Jordan finished with a score of 84 at the competition.
Jordan holds the school records for lowest career scoring average (74.36) and single season scoring average (72.54) during his senior year. He won three tournaments in his college career. He earned second team All-Lone Star Conference and first team CoSIDA Academic All-District VI honors as a sophomore when he was also the Lone Star Academic Player of the Year while leading the team to the NCAA Division II Regional Tournament. He took home honorable mention All-Southland Conference honors as a junior and second team honors as a senior. During his senior year, he finished as the runner-up or one shot out of first place in each of his first six tournaments.
Photos courtesy of Cardinal Athletics.
