Sports Illustrated
Tim Layden
September 12, 2011
…Someone like Christa Horrocks. Her father, Michael, once the quarterback at West Chester (Pa.) State and later a Marine, was the first officer on United Flight 175, the second plane flown into the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. He was one of 65 people killed aboard that flight, including five hijackers and eight other crew members. Michael left behind a wife and two children in the Philadelphia suburb of Glen Mills, Pa. One of them was a nine-year-old named Christa.
Since she was seven she had loved to run. Her mom tried to get her to ride a bike, but she ran instead. And on some days her dad would run alongside and then outkick Christa at the end, reminding her that somebody wins the race and everybody else loses. "He was very competitive," says Christa, "which is where I think I got my edge."
After her father was killed, Christa, her mother and younger brother didn't go home for a week, instead staying with an aunt and uncle. When she did return home, the pain of her dad's absence was so powerful that she would simply go outside and run. And find him there. "It was my way to be a part of him," Christa says. "In my mind, [the attacks] made running more important, because I felt like I was doing something for my dad." Such a little girl, and she would run for as long as 90 minutes. Slowly, something she did to escape the pain of losing her father was transformed into a goal to chase.
She became a sprinter at Penncrest High, specializing in the 200 and 400 meters. She runs upright, with her chest a little too high, and that's just the way her father ran too. When Christa was a freshman, her aunt Jennifer watched her run and was so reminded of Michael that she began to cry. Now Christa is a sophomore on partial scholarship, running for the track team at the College of Charleston—and never alone. "I feel because he's gone," Christa says of her father, "it's the only way I can give glory to him. It's the only connection I can have. I want to make him proud, still, and he really is with me."
NCAA.com
Charleston runner honors fallen father
Amy Farnum
September 11, 2011
Christa Horrocks was just an average 9-year-old girl when her world changed forever and she lost her father. Her hero, playmate and confidant, Michael Horrocks was the co-pilot of United Airlines Flight 175 on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.
Horrocks’ flight to Boston was hijacked and diverted to New York City where it hit the South Tower of the World Trade Center, the second plane to crash into the twin skyscrapers.
The news was devastating for the Horrocks family, and like for the thousands of other victims’ families, life was never quite the same again.
The father and daughter shared a special bond through athletics, something that helped Horrocks initially deal with her grief, and eventually earn a partial scholarship to the College of Charleston as a sprinter on the track team. Her father Michael was also a collegiate athlete, and quarterbacked West Chester to its first win against Delaware in 23 years in 1983. The victory was his first career start, and Horrocks went on to compile a 14-7 record as the Golden Rams’ starting quarterback.
“My dad and I always used to run together,” Horrocks said. “He really got me into sports. I played soccer starting at the age of five, and he would always take me to the practices. He instilled a competitive edge in me and my brother. He loved to go out in the backyard and kick a soccer ball around or teach us how to play softball or baseball. He really loved to be active.”
Post and Courier
September 11, 2011
GREENVILLE -- Sean de Silva's 104th-minute goal in double overtime gave the College of Charleston a 2-1 win over UNC Asheville and earned the Cougars the title in the Furman Invitational men's soccer tournament on Sunday.
The Cougars (3-1-1) had a 31-11 edge in shots on the Bulldogs.
Andy Craven scored for Charleston in the 18th minute. The Bulldogs tied it 10 minutes into the second half. In the second OT, Francis Twohig assisted de Silva on the game-winner.
Cougars keeper Kees Heemskerk, who had four saves Sunday, was named tournament MVP, and teammates Craven, Shawn Ferguson and Tony Kattreh also were all-tournament.
--Two goals from McCallie Jones lifted the College of Charleston women to a 2-1 victory over Old Dominion in the final game of the C of C Cup.
Jones scored for Charleston (4-3-0) in the second and 77th minutes, and Old Dominion scored on a penalty kick in the 88th minute. Charleston's Hannah Gmerek, Katie Kerr and Sarah Schaidle made all-tournament.
Post and Courier
Cougars fall to USC, Clemson in volleyball
September 11, 2011
South Carolina and Clemson both outlasted the College of Charleston (3-6) for 3-2 volleyball victories on Saturday's final day of the C of C Invitational at TD Arena.
The Gamecocks beat the Cougars, 25-12, 25-22, 20-25, 19-25, 15-12.
Later, Clemson also beat Charleston and ended up as the tournament champion. The Tigers won, 15-25, 25-12, 20-25, 25-15, 15-13. Clemson earlier defeated Winthrop, 3-1; and USC beat Winthrop, 3-0, in its finale.
The Cougars' Sloane White made all-tournament.
Cross country
The host College of Charleston men and women placed first and second, respectively, in the C of C Invitational at Trophy Lakes on Johns Island.
The Cougars' Adam Seften ran 25 minutes, 49 seconds, to place third in the six-team men's race, and Hayley McMahon (18:48) was sixth for C of C in the eight-team women's field. For The Citadel, the men took fourth, the women fifth.
Post and Courier
GOLF NOTES: Cougar Classic tees off today
Tommy Braswell
September 11, 2011
The Cougar Classic women's college golf tournament that begins today at Yeamans Hall Club has a solid contingent of teams from the Palmetto State as well as a number of top national teams.
Nine of the 22 teams participating in the 54-hole event are in Golf World's preseason top 25 and the field will also include the No. 1-ranked individual, Georgia's Marta Silva Zamora as well as the NCAA individual champion, LSU's Austin Ernst of Seneca, ranked third in the country.
Host College of Charleston is joined by Charleston Southern, Furman and South Carolina. Also on hand are No. 3 Alabama, No. 4 LSU, No. 7 Duke, No. 9 North Carolina, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 14 Wake Forest, No. 15 Vanderbilt, No. 16 Florida, No. 17 Georgia, along with Maryland, Miami, Minnesota, N.C. State, Ole Miss, Penn State, Richmond, UNC Greensboro and Wisconsin.
Tee times run from 8 a.m.- 1:20 p.m. today and Monday, with an 8:50 a.m. shotgun start scheduled for Tuesday's final round. The presenting sponsor is Piggly Wiggly, and the tournament is open to the public.
D1 Nation Prep Report
D1 Nation Alumni Update: Alex Ellis
September 8, 2011
The Class of 2010 D1 Ambassadors squad coached by Jon Lindsey was one of the most feared teams on the circuit. As back to back winners of the Houston Kingwood Classic they sent many a big name squad back hone scratching their heads as to what happened. Some great players off that crew went on to play Division One basketball including Cody Doolin (San Francisco), Daniel Alexander (Texas A&M), Trey Lindsey (Louisiana-Monroe), J.J. Avila (Navy), Jordan Clarkson (Tulsa) and Chris Clements (Princeton).
Perhaps the purest shooter of that group, Alex Ellis of Austin High took a different route. He is the first D1 Ambassadors alumni to earn a scholarship to play Division One golf. He's at the beautiful College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. He may be the smartest one of the bunch as he's picked a lifelong sport in golf, a game that opens up many doors and the links are reknowned as the best place to close business deals.
