Lehigh University Athletics
Designing woman
9/17/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Senior Anne Tierney eats, sleeps, dreams and lives on the courts – either dominating them as arguably the top women’s basketball player in Lehigh history, or designing a complex of them as part of her unique academic coursework. Tierney recently completed a semester in Lehigh’s Integrated Learning Experience Program (ILE), a distinctive academic offering that challenges students from across majors and colleges to work on real world projects. A double major with a 3.9 grade point average in finance and economics, Tierney participated in an ILE offered in partnership with the athletics department, though ILE projects run the gamut from accounting to athletics, earth and environmental science to electrical engineering. "I wanted to take a ‘different’ class – one where I wasn’t just sitting in class every day and taking notes," said Tierney. "And I love sports of all kind so being able to take a class about sports was extraordinarily intriguing to me." Tierney and her eight senior classmates researched the feasibility of building a "center court" structure on Lehigh’s existing bank of varsity tennis courts, addressing a pesky sinkhole problem, and augmenting the tennis facility with seating, a coaching tower, wind screens and fencing. Students analyzed environmental impact, did a complete cost and benefits analysis, built an architectural rendering of the complex, proposed traffic flow patterns and offered suggestions for fencing and landscaping. "I learned that working in groups is often stressful, complicated and frustrating, but the end definitely justifies the means," said Tierney. "When you have a group of student minds working together with our teachers (director of athletics Joe Sterrett, Ed.D. and professor of economics Vince Munley, Ph.D.) a lot can be accomplished. Oh yeah, and procrastination is the devil!" As an accomplished student athlete at Lehigh, Tierney understands the value athletics brings to an institution, as well as the impact the proposed tennis complex could have on recruitment should the project be approved and funded. Tierney was responsible for analyzing the benefits of the tennis complex, poring over admissions data, surveys, and comparing Lehigh’s facility to peer institutions. "Facilities are the key to recruiting and instilling pride in athletics," said Tierney. "The project that we proposed would help bring the best tennis players to Lehigh and will aid in rejuvenating the sport of tennis both at Lehigh and in the college ranks." Since Lehigh already boasts extensive tennis facilities, including a four-court indoor structure and 13 outdoor courts, the proposed center court complex would position Lehigh as one of the top tennis facilities in the east. The area would reside not far from the Ulrich Sports Complex, a lighted, natural grass and artificial turf field that was designed by ILE students and publicized in Sports Illustrated and The New York Times. Ulrich hosted Lehigh’s first NCAA Tournament game this November, when the men’s soccer team earned an at-large bid to the national tournament. "Through my years at Lehigh, I’ve seen the soccer/lacrosse/field hockey field become a reality and the evolution of the teams along with it," said Tierney. "I think it’s absolutely amazing for students to be able to say ‘I helped build that’ and see their work bring enjoyment to others and help instill pride in Lehigh." When she’s not off designing athletics structures, Tierney spends time setting school records and earning Academic All-America accolades and Dean’s List status. The Hawthorn Woods, Illinois native is Lehigh’s career scoring and rebounding leader, and is the Patriot League career rebounding champion. She is one of only two players in Patriot League history to score 1,500 points and pull down 1,000 rebounds. "What more can you say about Anne?" quipped Lehigh head coach Sue Troyan. "She has done it all for us as a leader on the floor and has been instrumental in our success." Thanks in large part to Tierney, Lehigh has been on a roll of late. The Mountain Hawks have won their last five contests, and are tied for first place with a 7-1 record in league play, having already defeated both perennial champion Holy Cross and defending champ Bucknell on the road. Tierney is a two-time Patriot League Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year and is on track to become the first female in league history to earn first team All-Patriot League status in four consecutive years. Oh, and she earned a 4.0 GPA last semester. "It’s all about managing time," said Tierney. "It is a given that between practice, treatment, lifting, shooting, and watching film, basketball consumes at least five hours of my day at a bare minimum. I learned long ago to have a planner and schedule my day to the last minute. I welcome the challenge rather than let it stress me out."
