Mount Mercy University - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Mount Mercy women eye next step

Aaron Jennings never wrote down "women's basketball coach" when he was asked for his career goals while attending Northwestern University.

He knew he wanted to coach when his playing days were over, but women's basketball? It never entered his mind.

Now Jennings is beginning his seventh year as the women's basketball coach at Mount Mercy and loves it. "Honestly, I don't think I ever thought about being a women's basketball coach until I applied for the job," he said Tuesday.

Jennings was not being chauvinistic at the time. He spent four years as an assistant coach for the men's basketball team at Mount Mercy and figured he'd become a head coach for a men's team somewhere when the time was right, but he enjoys working at Mount Mercy and saw no reason to move when the women's basketball job became available.

He has compiled a 119-76 record with the Mustangs, including a trip to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Division II national tournament in 2012.

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4 Mustangs earn league honors

Four students from Mount Mercy University have been named Athletes of the Week in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Kevon Farquharson, a sophomore from Jamaia, was named the Offensive Player of the Week in men's soccer. He collected seven goals and an assist against Grace for 15 points, setting school records for goals and points in one game.

The seven goals and 15 points are season-highs in the NAIA this season. He also had an assist against William Penn.

Mount Mercy goalkeeper Goar Kempf-Heitlinger, a sophomore from Germany, was named the Defensive Player of the Week in men's soccer. He made 10 saves in a 1-1 tie with William Penn.

Tyler Keith, a senior from Muscatine, was named the Athlete of the Week in men's cross country. He finished 22nd out of 194 runners at the Mt. Marty Invitational, covering the 8K course in 26 minutes, 34 seconds.

Liz Mosbach, a junior from Ladd, Ill., was honored in women's cross country. She placed 21st out of 192 runners at the Mt. Marty Invitational.

Mustangs tie Penn in 2 OTs

OSKALOOSA - The Mount Mercy men's soccer team battled to a 1-1 tie with William Penn in double-overtime Saturday in a Midwest Collegiate Conference match in Oskaloosa.

William Penn (7-7-3, 2-1-3) scored in the fifth minute of the game, but the Mustangs (11-6-1, 2-3-1) responded in the 13th minute on a goal by Jamie Booth and an assist from Kevon Farquharson.

They played for a long time after that, but nobody scored again.

Goar Kempf-Heitlinger made 10 saves for Mount Mercy.

Mount Mercy falls twice in Clinton

The Mount Mercy volleyball team dropped a pair of matches Saturday in the Clinton Tournament.

Huntington (Ind.) came out on top in a close match, winning 19-25, 25-16, 28-26, 23-25, 15-13. The Eagles followed that up with a 25-18, 25-22, 25-12 loss to Ashford.

Cori Peterzalek and Leslie Hoffman led the Eagles against Huntington with 21 and 19 kills respectively. Abbie Perez had 59 assists while Samantha Meyer had 29 digs.

Peterzalek had 10 kills to lead the offense in the loss to Ashford. Perez had 23 assists and Meyer had 10 digs.

The Mustangs are now 13-20