The Chandlers remain impressed by Elon鈥檚 commitment to sound strategic planning and doing what鈥檚 best for students. It鈥檚 what inspired the couple鈥檚 gift to Slattery Center, the university鈥檚 new hub for health and wellness that will integrate academics, wellness, campus recreation and fitness programs to ensure students gain the skills they need to succeed on campus and throughout their lives.

Scheduled to open later this year, Slattery Center is located within Elon鈥檚 Innovation Quad, home to the university鈥檚 engineering and other STEM programs. The center is part of the university鈥檚 broader HealthEU initiative to serve students, faculty and staff.

鈥淚t adds value and is beneficial when you can provide a place where students can go to be in community, exercise, receive counseling and focus on their well-being,鈥� said Bob Chandler, former executive vice president of Chandler Concrete Co. 鈥淭his facility shows that the university is aware of the challenges students face and how to help them in all aspects of their health.鈥�

The HealthEU initiative focuses on six dimensions of health and wellness: community, emotional, purpose, financial, physical and social. The three-story Slattery Center will feature new classrooms, student-faculty research spaces, multiple floors for wellness and fitness activities, and the Mark and Kim Tyson Counseling Center, which will provide individual and group therapy, as well as workshops and outreach programs.

Through coursework, as well as workshops and training programs focused on health and wellness, Slattery Center will impact all students as they progress through their education and learn essential skills and practices related to wellness and well-being. The center is a key priority of the Boldly Elon strategic plan that will guide the university to 2030.

The couple鈥檚 gift will also endow the Chandler Family Global Experience Fund, strengthening Elon鈥檚 commitment to provide each of the university鈥檚 17 varsity teams with a global experience every four years.

鈥淕lobal experiences are a cornerstone of an Elon education, and thanks to Bob and Amy Chandler, our student-athletes will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of the world while sharing their sport across cultures,鈥� said Jennifer Strawley, director of athletics. 鈥淏ob and Amy are truly special people who value the holistic development of our student-athletes and their generosity will be felt for generations. I am deeply grateful for their many years of dedication to this university and for the profound difference they make in the lives of our student-athletes.鈥�

鈥淥ur family has been sports fans for as long as I can remember. We love the energy and excitement athletics brings to campus and the opportunities it provides to students,鈥� Bob Chandler said.

鈥淓lon is a national leader in global study, and we are thrilled to help provide this experience for student-athletes,” he added. “It鈥檚 essential that students have the opportunity to witness other cultures and encounter the differences and similarities of the people there. It provides tremendous growth for a person and a deeper understanding of the world.鈥�

The Chandler family is among Elon鈥檚 most generous and devoted donors, helping to shape one of the finest learning environments in the nation through their gifts to Belk Library, Rhodes Stadium, Ernest A. Koury, Sr. Business Center, Gerald L. Francis Center, Alumni Field House, Richard W. Sankey Hall, Schar Center, The Inn at Elon and Innovation Quad.

Bob Chandler鈥檚 parents, Tom and Lynn Chandler, also endowed the Chandler Family Professional Sales Center in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business. Tom Chandler was the chairman and former CEO of Chandler Concrete, which he founded in 1973, and he served on Elon鈥檚 Board of Trustees for more than two decades before being elected Life Trustee in 2021. In 2023, Tom Chandler received the Elon Medallion, the university鈥檚 highest honor.

鈥淓lon鈥檚 trajectory shows remarkable advancement,鈥� Bob Chandler said. 鈥淓lon has a vision of what鈥檚 to come and how to keep the university moving forward. It is a vibrant and thriving university that is gratifying for the students, faculty and community.鈥�

The university鈥檚 influence extends far beyond the campus.

鈥淭he impact that Elon has on Alamance County and the region is significant, and we feel it鈥檚 important for our family to support the university,鈥� Bob said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a community that we are proud to be part of.鈥�

She will also tell you Edison, New Jersey, her hometown, has a tower honoring Thomas Edison. She has visited once.

鈥淚t was electric,鈥� Carlsen joked.

That quick humor is part of what makes Carlsen easy to talk to. But underneath the wit is a student-athlete with a clear sense of purpose, a sharp analytical mind and a deep interest in work that keeps people at the center.

Carlsen came to 福利亚洲国产精品 with one season of volleyball eligibility, a public health background and a question she was still working through: What comes next?

The answer, as it turned out, involved a familiar coach, a new team and a graduate program that helped her see how data could support the kind of mission-driven work she had always cared about.

Carlsen, a Master of Science in Business Analytics student, earned undergraduate degrees in public health and environmental science from Johns Hopkins University. She had spent much of her academic and professional experience drawn to work with a clear purpose, especially in public health and environmental science.

鈥淲hat stayed consistent for me was wanting to do work that felt mission-driven,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淚 wanted to be part of work that had a clear purpose and could make a meaningful difference for people.鈥�

After completing her undergraduate degree, Carlsen was considering her next step when she reconnected with Matt Troy, who had coached her at Johns Hopkins and was named Elon鈥檚 head volleyball coach in December 2024.

Carlsen still had one year of athletic eligibility remaining after an injury earlier in her college career, and Troy saw an opportunity for her to help shape a new chapter for Elon volleyball.

For Carlsen, the possibility of coming to Elon was about more than playing one more season.

鈥淚 knew I wanted to continue my education eventually, but I wanted it to feel purposeful,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淭he MSBA program felt like something I could fully invest in.鈥�

Carlsen said the one-year structure, technical focus and support for students from different academic backgrounds made the program feel like the right fit. She saw it as a way to build the skills she wanted while staying connected to work that keeps people at the center.

鈥淗opkins gave me a strong foundation,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淎t Elon, I saw an opportunity to build on that with technical skills that would help me become a stronger employee and decision-maker.鈥�

Carlsen found that Elon鈥檚 MSBA curriculum paired technical skills with practical application. In one trimester, she studied Python and Tableau in Assistant Professor Long Xia鈥檚 data visualization course while also taking 鈥淏usiness for the Greater Good鈥� with Associate Professor Elena Kennedy.

For Carlsen, the pairing helped her understand analytics as more than numbers or software. It was also about how information is shared, understood and used.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e getting the technical foundations,鈥� Carlsen said, 鈥渂ut also learning how to translate those findings in a way that is ethical and makes sense to other stakeholders.鈥�

That connection became clearer through her internship with Cone Health, where she worked on patient experience projects. The role helped her see how health care organizations can use data to identify gaps in care, understand patient experiences and make more informed decisions.

鈥淚 got to work on a whole bunch of different projects and figure out how every part of health care touches patient experience,鈥� Carlsen said.

The experience helped confirm the direction she hopes to pursue after graduation.

鈥淚deally, it would be a role that is people-centric, but also uses analytics to make decisions and hopefully make their lives better,鈥� Carlsen said.

Carlsen鈥檚 Elon experience also helped her understand leadership in a new way.

In a course taught by Brittany Mercado, associate professor of management and chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship, Carlsen examined her own leadership style, practiced negotiation and worked through real-world scenarios involving conflict, influence and decision-making.

The timing was meaningful. She was coming off her final collegiate volleyball season and beginning to think about how the leadership skills she had built as an athlete could translate into professional settings.

鈥淚t was a class based on identifying your own leadership strategies and the way that you lead,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淚t was very tangible.鈥�

Carlsen said Mercado brought leadership concepts to life by creating a discussion-based environment where students could connect course material to their own experiences.

鈥淵ou can lecture all day long about leadership,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淏ut what made the class meaningful was the way she shared real examples and encouraged us to think about how leadership shows up in our own lives.鈥�

Carlsen had spent more than a decade learning those lessons on the volleyball court.

She began playing around age 11 after watching her older sister play. She was drawn to the communication, shared responsibility and constant movement of the sport.

鈥淭here are six of you on the court. Everyone is touching the ball at some point,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淓verything is a team effort.鈥�

At Johns Hopkins, Carlsen competed on a successful Division III team that regularly reached the NCAA tournament, including a Final Four appearance during her senior season. At Elon, she stepped into something different: a new team, a new coaching staff

For Carlsen, coming to Elon was never about stepping into an established program. It was about being invited into one.

“Coach Troy gave me an opportunity I will always be grateful for,” Carlsen said. “I got to come here, work alongside an incredible group of players and help build something we could all be proud of. And I got to do it while getting an education that genuinely changed how I think. I couldn’t have asked for more than that.”

One of Carlsen鈥檚 favorite Elon volleyball memories came at Towson, the CAA leader that entered the weekend on an 18-match winning streak.

After dropping the opening match of the weekend, the Elon team came back the next day with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

“When you’re building something new, there’s a freedom to it. Every match is a chance to show people, and yourself, what you’re capable of,鈥� she said.

The Phoenix pushed Towson to five sets and won the final set 17-15, snapping the Tigers鈥� winning streak and giving Elon its first win over Towson since 2022.

鈥淚t felt really good to beat someone that hadn鈥檛 been beaten in a long time,鈥� Carlsen said.

That same mix of grit, humor and initiative carried through her graduate year. Carlsen moved to Elon knowing Coach Troy and almost no one else. The cohort structure of the MSBA program helped change that. Students took classes together, worked through the same challenges and built friendships through the intensity of a one-year graduate program.

A January study abroad experience in Madrid and Milan became a turning point for the cohort. The group visited companies, learned about international business practices and spent enough time together outside the classroom to become more than classmates.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e going out to dinner, you鈥檙e exploring a city, you鈥檙e in it together,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淭hat was the point where we were all like, 鈥榃hy not be friends?鈥欌��

The trip also gave Carlsen a broader view of how culture shapes business. In Spain, the group met with a U.S. commercial diplomat who discussed adapting to a more relationship-driven business culture. In Italy, students learned about the significance of 鈥淢ade in Italy鈥� goods and the role of craftsmanship, pace and cultural identity in business.

For a student interested in how decisions are made, the experience reinforced that analytics does not exist in a vacuum. Data helps people make choices, but those choices are always shaped by context.

Carlsen also found support through the Porter Family Professional Development Center, especially from Amanda Traugutt, senior associate director of career services 鈥� Love School of Business.

Carlsen reached out shortly after moving to Elon, bringing what she described as 鈥渁 ton of really big ideas鈥� about life after graduation. Traugutt helped her narrow them down, polish application materials and think more intentionally about possible career paths.

鈥淪he will walk with you where you are, but a few steps ahead to help lead you in the right direction,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 your biggest cheerleader.鈥�

As graduation approaches, Carlsen is looking forward to sharing the moment with the people who understand what the year required. The MSBA program is fast, intense and, for Carlsen, layered with practices, lifts, games, travel, classes and an internship.

Her advice to future students is simple: take initiative.

鈥淭he best things that have come up for me have been direct products or byproducts of taking initiative,鈥� Carlsen said.

That includes building relationships with professors, using career resources, connecting with classmates, and paying attention to the opportunities that appear along the way.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 come in with a business background,鈥� Carlsen said. 鈥淏ut I am leaving more confident in my ability to hold my ground in conversations about business and analytics.鈥�

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As the spring semester at 福利亚洲国产精品 draws to a close, the campus remained vibrant and full of energy throughout April. The 2025鈥�26 Elon Speaker Series wrapped up with a visit from bestselling author Frank Bruni, while nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors. Progress also continued on the new Roberts Academy, and Elon hosted its largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

Take a look back at April through the lens of the University Communications team.

A new life for Holland House

University leaders and student-athletes celebrated a new era for Elon鈥檚 Holland House on South Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that debuted a preeminent home for the Phoenix men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 golf programs. Before the latest renovation, the building was home to two Elon presidents and administrative offices 鈥� and even moved across campus.

The Montagues in McCrary

福利亚洲国产精品 Performing Arts brought history’s most famous love story to McCrary Theatre with “Romeo and Juliet.” The Shakespearean tragedy tells the tale of Romeo, from the House of Montague, and Juliet, from the House of Capulet, who secretly fall in love and get married, despite their families disapproval.

Stargazing for mental health

Students were encouraged to engage with nature in support of their mental wellness through the Star Gazing for Mental Health event at Lake Verona. The Astronomy Club, Counseling Services, the Dr. Jo Watts Williams School of Education and the Office of Sustainability sponsored the event.

Trollinger’s new look

Renovations have started on Trollinger House, which was once a small residence hall but will soon serve as the temporary location for Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品, an all-day private school for children with dyslexia that opens in August.

Established in 2025 through a gift from philanthropists Hal and Marjorie Roberts of Lakeland, Florida, the Roberts Academy at 福利亚洲国产精品 will be the fourth in a series of successful university-based private elementary schools the couple also supported at Vanderbilt University, Mercer University and Florida Southern College.

A Holi Celebration

On April 10, a warm and sunny spring afternoon, nearly 200 students, faculty, and staff gathered on the lawn of the Lambert Academic Village to celebrate Holi, the Hindu Festival of Colors.聽This year marked the 14th anniversary of Holi at Elon, a tradition led by the Truitt Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Escaping the ‘age of grievance’

Journalist and bestselling author Frank Bruni delivered a sold-out Frank P. Elder Lecture in Whitley Auditorium on April 9. He explored how Americans are聽living in what he calls an 鈥渁ge of grievance,鈥� a time where more people believe they are losing because someone else is winning. The Elder Lecture marks the final event of the 2025-26 福利亚洲国产精品 Speaker Series.

A record-breaking SURF

福利亚洲国产精品 held its largest-ever Spring Undergraduate Research Forum on April 28, featuring 384 presentations, including 229 poster presentations, 155 oral presentations, and performances.

SURF Day is an annual event at the university, during which other campus activities are suspended to celebrate the academically centered creative endeavors and research efforts of Elon students.

Double CAA Champs

Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams took home CAA titles in April.聽The conference title was the , when the Phoenix also took down UNCW. This was Elon’s fifth straight CAA championship match, all of which were against the Seahawks. With the victory, Elon secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship.

The women have , with both championship match victories coming against William & Mary.聽With the win, Elon secured the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship.

Go baby go!

For the first time, Elon students brought the Go Baby Go initiative to campus, adapting ride-on toy cars for children with mobility challenges.

The collaborative effort between the Elon Engineering Club, Phoenix Racing and the Department of Physical Therapy brought the Go Baby Go Initiative to Elon鈥檚 campus for the first time. Founded in 2012 at the University of Delaware, Go Baby Go is a national initiative that modifies ride-on toy cars to meet the individual physical needs of young children who experience mobility challenges.

The top-seeded Phoenix took the doubles point over the No. 2 seeded Tribe with wins on Courts 1 and 3.聽Simone Bergeron聽and聽Mariana Reding聽won at the top spot to set up the clinching victory by Kranec and聽Cornelia Kack聽on Court 3. Elon then then won three singles matches, with victories from Kack, Reding and Kranec, who clinched at the No. 5 spot.

Elon has won back-to-back CAA championships, with both championship match victories coming against William & Mary.聽With the win, Elon secured the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championship.

The Rundown

• Elon won a crucial doubles point with victories at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots.
• On Court 1, Bergeron and Reding went down an early break but stormed back for a 6-2 triumph against the Tribe’s top tandem of Sia Chaudry and聽Francesca Davis. It was their fifth straight win together and their 13th of the season. The duo improved to 4-0 together in the last two CAA Tournaments.
• Kack and Kranec聽seized early control of their match on Court 3 on the way to a decisive 6-2 win that clinched the opening point for the Phoenix. The pairing is 14-5 together this spring and won matches in both of Elon’s CAA Tournament victories.
• This was the second time Kack and Kranec clinched the doubles point for Elon against William & Mary this season, as they also did so on April 3 in Williamsburg.
  Madison Cordisco聽and聽Alexis Nyborg聽trailed 5-3 on Court 2 when the doubles point was clinched.
• The Tribe evened the score with a win at the No. 4 spot.
• Kack nudged the Phoenix back in front with a convincing 6-1, 6-1 result over Chaudry on Court 1. It was Kack’s 13th win of the spring, 10 of which have come in straight sets. Kack is 6-1 since moving to the No. 1 singles position and went 4-0 against conference opponents this spring.
• William & Mary again pulled even with a victory on Court 6.
• In a back-and-forth battle on Court 3, Reding won the final four games in a final set to deliver a crucial point for the Phoenix. Reding came from an early break down to win the opening set against Tilda Larsson but found herself in a deciding frame. Reding fell behind 4-2 in the final set but broke back for 4-3 in the next game.
• Looking to consolidate the break, Reding fell behind 0-40 in her next service game. However, she dug her way out of the hole and won a deuce point to hold for 4-4.
• Reding broke in the next game to go ahead 5-4 and successfully served out a 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory in the ensuing service game. The win extended Reding’s winning streak to 12 matches as her 15 singles victories lead the Phoenix this season.
• This was just Reding’s second completed match to reach a third set this season and was the second three-set victory of her CAA Tournament career.
• Bergeron fought back to force a deciding set after dropping the first on Court 2 against Davis, breaking serve in the final game of the second set to push the match into a third. The match stayed on serve with Bergeron missing on a break point chance at 4-4. With Bergeron serving to stay in the contest in the next game, Davis won another deuce point to close out a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 for the Tribe that leveled the match at 3-3.
• While Bergeron’s match was finishing, Kranec was engaged in a dramatic tussle on Court 5 that proved to be the final match on court. Kranec dropped the opening set against聽Rebeka Svabikova but held serve four times in the second to get the score聽to 4-4. In the ninth game, Kranec won a deuce point to break聽Svabikova’s serve and then served out the set to sent the tilt into a third.
• Kranec took early control聽in the decider, going ahead 3-0 after a hold, break and another hold. However,聽Svabikova got the break back and pushed the match set to 5-5. In the 11th game, Kranec manufactured a crucial hold of serve to go ahead 6-5 and force聽Svabikova to serve for a tiebreak.聽Svabikova successfully held to force the contest into a championship-deciding tiebreak.
• In the tiebreak, Kranec sprinted out of the gates, winning the first point on her own serve before winning the next two points on聽Svabikova’s serve. Kranec then won both of her next two service points and took a 6-0 lead into the change of ends.聽Svabikova saved the first of six championship points but missed wide on a ground stroke on the second as Kranec secured the clinching 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1) win for the Phoenix.
• The win was Kranec’s second of the spring to come in a third set and the first of her career in a third-set tiebreak. The sophomore improved to 3-0 in completed CAA Tournament matches with the triumph.
• It was Kranec’s聽10th victory of the spring and the eighth to come at the No. 5 spot. She has now won two dual singles matches in her career after dropping the opening set, both coming in CAA championship matches against William & Mary.
• This was Elon’s second 4-3 victory over the Tribe in Williamsburg this season, as the Phoenix also defeated William & Mary by that scoreline on April 3.
• The Phoenix has now won four straight matches against the Tribe, a streak that started in the 2025 regular season. Elon won both matches against the Tribe in Williamsburg this season after losing its first five road matches in the sereis.
• The victory was Elon’s first to come by a 4-3 score in a CAA Tournament match since 2022 in the semifinals against College of Charleston.
• Elon has now won back-to-back conference championships for the first time as a Division I program.聽The title was Elon’s third under head coach聽Elizabeth Anderson, who also guided the Phoenix to the 2014 SoCon championship.
• The match was played indoors due to afternoon rain in Williamsburg.

Up Next

Elon will return to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season and for the third time as a Division I program. The NCAA Selection Show is set for April 27.

Results

Singles
1.聽Cornelia Kack聽(Elon) def. Sia Chaudry (W&M) 6-1, 6-1
2. Francesca Davis (W&M) def.聽Simone Bergeron聽(Elon) 6-3, 4-6, 6-4
3.聽Mariana Reding聽(Elon) def. Tilda Larsson (W&M) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4
4. Mira Kernagis (W&M) def.聽Alexis Nyborg聽(Elon) 6-1, 6-0
5.聽Lisa Kranec聽(Elon) def,聽Rebeka Svabikova (W&M) 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1)
6.聽Ale Gonzalez-Galino (W&M) def.聽Madison Cordisco聽(Elon) 6-0, 6-2

Doubles
1.聽Simone Bergeron/Mariana Reding聽(Elon) def.聽Sia Chaudry/Francesca Davis (W&M) 6-2
2.聽Ale Gonzalez-Galino/Mira Kernagis (W&M) vs.聽Madison Cordisco/Alexis Nyborg聽(Elon) 5-3, unfinished
3.聽Cornelia Kack/Lisa Kranec聽(Elon) def.聽Emma Pell/Yaelle Vaissaud (W&M) 6-2

Order of finish: Doubles (1,3); Singles (4,1,6,3,2,5)

The Phoenix took the doubles point with a pair of tiebreak wins on Courts 1 and 3. Elon then won three singles courts, with victories by聽Oskar Antinheimo,聽Jack Curtis聽and聽Rafael Ymer聽to clinch the match. Ymer clinched the title with a three-set victory on Court 2.

The conference title was Elon’s first since 2019, when the Phoenix also took down UNCW. This was Elon’s fifth-straight CAA championship match, all of which were against the Seahawks. With the victory, Elon secures an automatic bid to the NCAA Men’s Tennis Championship.

The Rundown

• For the second straight day, Elon made an escape in doubles, coming from a break down at the Nos. 1 and 3 spots to win both courts in tiebreaks.
• The Seahawks took the first doubles match to finish on Court 2, forcing the Phoenix to win the last two courts.
• On Court 1,聽Veljko Krstic聽and聽Nikola Parichkov聽overcame an early break deficit against聽Brady Hussey and Alex de Gabriele, getting the match back on serve and eventually into a tiebreak. Elon’s top tandem fell behind 3-0, but rallied to level the score at 3-3 at the change of ends. They took their first lead at 4-3 and never looked back, winning the next three points to take the tiebreak, 7-3.
• The tiebreak win was the second in as many days for Krstic and Parichkov, who clinched the doubles point in yesterday’s semifinal victory against William & Mary by coming through a breaker. It was the pairing’s fourth tiebreak win of its seven triumphs this spring.
• The doubles point came down to聽Oskar Antinheimo聽and聽Nick Fisk聽on Court 3, who went down a break on two occasions, including a break that allowed UNCW’s team of聽Jordi Domenech and Tomas Marin to serve for the match at 5-3. However, Antinheimo and Fisk broke serve and then held to level the contest at 5-5. Both teams added another hold to send the contest into a decisive tiebreak.
• Antinheimo and Fisk raced out to a 4-0 lead and led 4-2 at the changeover. Elon again pulled away after the change of ends, winning the next three points to secure the match and a 1-0 lead. It was the first victory of the season for Antinheimo and Fisk in their third appearance together.
• This was the first time the Phoenix won the doubles point against the Seahawks in the CAA title match in any of the last five years.
• Antinheimo put the Phoenix up 2-0 with a 6-2, 7-5 victory on Court 4 against Oscar Baumgartner. Antinheimo聽cruised through the first set but trailed by an early break in the second. He quickly got the match back on serve and held a 6-5 lead in the frame entering the final game. The senior took a 15-40 advantage in聽Baumgartner’s service game and won the next point to clinch the match.
• The victory was Antinheimo’s聽seventh of the spring and his first in four CAA championship match appearances.
• UNCW pulled back within one with a victory at the top singles spot.
• Curtis moved Elon to within a point of the title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Domenech on Court 3. Curtis led by a break early in the second set but Domenech got the score back to 5-5. Curtis responded, breaking Domenech for a 6-5 lead before serving out the win in the ensuing game. It was the second straight season Curtis has won in singles in the CAA title match. The junior now has six singles wins this spring.
• For the second straight match, Ymer clinched victory聽for the Phoenix, coming from a set down against de Gabriele to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-1. It extended the junior’s winning streak to nine matches as he has won 16 singles contests on the season. The sophomore improved to 6-1 in deciding sets this season with the victory, with three of those triumphs coming from a set down.
• Parichkov also led 4-1 in a third set when his match was halted on Court 5, with聽Charles Pilet聽up a break in his third set at the No. 6 spot.
• Elon has now won two CAA championships, with both coming via wins in the final against UNCW. It is Elon’s first conference title.

Up Next

Elon will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 and its fourth as a Division I program. The NCAA Selection Show is set for April 27.

Results

Singles
1. Lukas Steffen (UNCW) def.聽Veljko Krstic聽(Elon) 7-5, 6-2
2.聽Rafael Ymer聽(Elon) def. Alex de Gabriele (UNCW) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
3.聽Jack Curtis聽(Elon) def. Jordi Domenech (UNCW) 6-2, 7-5
4.聽Oskar Antinheimo聽(Elon) def. Oscar Baumgartner (UNCW) 6-2, 7-5
5.聽Nikola Parichkov聽(Elon) vs. Tomas Marin (UNCW) 6-2, 5-7, 4-1, unfinished
6.聽Charles Pilet聽(Elon) vs. Brady Hussey (UNCW) 6-7 (3), 6-4, 1-0, unfinished

Doubles
1.聽Veljko Krstic/Nikola Parichkov聽(Elon) def. Brady Hussey/Alex de Gabriele (UNCW) 7-6 (2)
2. Lukas Steffen/William Dean (UNCW) def.聽Jack Curtis/Rafael Ymer聽(Elon) 6-1
3.聽Oskar Antinheimo/Nick Fisk聽(Elon) def. Jordi Domenech/Tomas Marin (UNCW) 7-6 (2)

Order of finish: Doubles (2,1,3); Singles (4,1,3,2)

Members of the Board of Trustees joined with President Connie Ledoux Book and Director of Athletics Jenn Strawley on April 10, 2026, to rededicate a building that has served multiple purposes for more than half a century and two separate locations on campus.

Alumni, parents and friends have contributed $3 million to the expansion of the university鈥檚 golf complex, which also includes the W. Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center. The expansion represents a significant investment in the future of both men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 golf and places the university鈥檚 training facilities among the best in collegiate golf.

Holland House now provides student-athletes with a premier clubhouse environment to learn, train and compete, with new practice and team spaces, and state-of-the-art technology that allows students to pursue excellence academically and athletically.

The complex expansion project also encompassed renovations to the driving range, including the creation of a 17,000-square-foot tee box, and renovation of the short-game area with reconstruction of the bunkers.

Holland House was renovated to create a centralized home base for the golf program. The clubhouse includes locker rooms, coaches鈥� offices, quiet spaces for academic study, team engagement spaces and player meeting rooms, strengthening team culture and promoting student growth off the course.

The final phase of the project includes upgrades to the existing W. Cecil Worsley III Golf Training Center, a dedicated indoor practice facility that allows players to train in adverse weather conditions. The center opened in 2009 and includes multiple indoor heated hitting bays, a computerized swing analysis center, indoor putting facility and an outdoor lighted driving range.

Worsley, a 1986 Elon graduate and former member of the golf team, served on the Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2023. He and his wife, alumna JoAnna Sutton Worsley 鈥�87, are the parents of W. Cecil Worsley IV, a 2014 Elon graduate.

Another critical component of the project was the addition of Trackman Range, a technology that tracks every shot hit by a golfer, giving coaches and student-athletes immediate access to data to improve performance and create greater practice efficiency.

“The repurposing of Holland House marks a transformational moment for Elon Athletics. It is special to take a building rich with institutional history and create a best-in-class home for our golf student-athletes that honors our past while boldly investing in our future,鈥� Strawley said. “Facilities like this represent our aspirations brought to life, and they only become possible through the generosity of many. I am profoundly grateful to everyone who made this possible, and equally excited for the impact this will have for our golf student-athletes.鈥�

Built in 1963 as the official residence for President Earl Danieley and his family, Holland House stood along Haggard Avenue as a symbol of leadership, hospitality and community at Elon. The home quickly became part of campus lore, including a memorable student protest led by Student Government Association President and future Elon Trustee Noel Allen 鈥�69 and joined by Danieley himself.

In 1973, President Fred Young and his family continued the tradition of welcoming students, alumni and distinguished guests, making the house a center of connection and celebration. In 1985, trustees honored longtime supporter Shirley Thomas Holland by naming the building in his memory, cementing its place in Elon鈥檚 history.

After the presidential residence moved in 1988 to today鈥檚 Maynard House, Holland House entered a new phase, serving a variety of campus needs, from development and alumni relations to academic programs and student engagement. In 2009, the building was carefully relocated across campus, where it served as home to the Catholic Campus Ministries Newman Center. Work is now under way to build a new Newman Center.

鈥淭oday is a wonderful moment for Elon, for Phoenix Athletics, and for our investment in golf and the futures of these student-athletes,鈥� Book said in her dedication remarks. 鈥淎nd it holds a special distinction: this is the first new athletics facility opened under Athletics Director Jenn Strawley.鈥�

Book described the renovated Holland House as a testament to the strength of the programs built by men鈥檚 head coach Don Hill and women鈥檚 head coach Chris Dockrill.

鈥淎nd to our student-athletes: I know that every donor agrees that this is for you,鈥� Book said. 鈥淓very locker, every building, every asset here was about creating a championship home for Phoenix golf, and we鈥檙e very excited for the next chapter to unfold and to cheer you on as you make history.鈥�

Jennings Glenn 鈥�25 G鈥�26, a member of the men’s golf team, and Elon Trustee Debra Del Vecchio P鈥�22 P鈥�24 also delivered remarks during the ceremony, which was held on the front lawn of Holland House.

鈥淭hese past five years have been super special to me. I鈥檝e met so many incredible people and built such lasting relationships and created memories I鈥檒l carry with me for the rest of my life,鈥� said Glenn, who thanked donors on behalf of the team. 鈥淭his is really the best place in the world to be a student-athlete and that鈥檚 because of you. Thank you. It鈥檚 been amazing to watch this program grow and for me to be a part of it all.鈥�

Del Vecchio thanked Book and the Board of Trustees for their unwavering commitment to students and for an institutional decisiveness that led to the expansion project. She then praised the golf teams for their dedication to the sport and to the university.

鈥淚t is all or nothing, a commitment and true discipline needed to be a student-athlete,鈥澛� Del Vecchio said. 鈥淎t times I’m sure it can be quite challenging, juggling classes, assignments, and a rigorous playing schedule. But here you are. Know that we recognize and are extremely proud of all of you. You are the face of Elon, especially when you walk out on the golf course. You are not only representing yourself but Elon as well.鈥�

Women鈥檚 team captain Ashley Lafontaine 鈥�26 of Ottawa, Canada, delivered remarks during a dinner program that followed the ribbon-cutting.

鈥淭his space gives us something we鈥檝e never truly had before: a home that鈥檚 entirely our own,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a space where we can train, study, connect, and grow together all under one roof. It creates an environment where everything we need to succeed, both as athletes and as people, exists in one place.

鈥淏ut more importantly, it sends a message. It tells every current and future Elon holder that they are valued. That their experience matters. That this program is worth investing in. And for future players, I hope this becomes more than just a facility. I hope it becomes their safe space. Their meeting place. Their place to celebrate wins, work through losses, and build the kind of relationships that last far beyond their four years here.鈥�

arrived at Elon without knowing a single role inside a broadcast control room 鈥� not the technical director, not the replay operator, not even how the production itself came together. Four years later, the cinema and television arts major now operates at the highest level, having stepped into an NHL television broadcast.

鈥淪ince my first year, I鈥檝e tried to immerse myself in Elon Sports Vision as much as possible, attempting to absorb and learn if 1, this is what I wanted to do, and 2, if I found it fun,鈥� Doherty said. 鈥淯ltimately, I fell in love with broadcasting sports.鈥�

That immersion opened the door to a rare opportunity: Doherty served as technical director for a March 12 St. Louis Blues NHL broadcast, managing the live production from a FanDuel remote truck outside Lenovo Center as the show was delivered back to St. Louis. Assistant Professor Max Negin, who worked the same game as a replay operator and editor, said the opportunity reflects just how unique Doherty鈥檚 rise has been.

鈥淚t鈥檚 truly rare for someone this early in their career to work a professional hockey game for a regional network,鈥� Negin said.

Even more remarkable, Negin noted, was how Doherty prepared for the role 鈥� teaching himself to operate one of the industry鈥檚 most complex switchers while learning to manage the pace and precision required at the professional level.

鈥淟earning a very complicated switcher, basically on his own, is something I’ve never heard of anyone doing in my 30-plus years of television,鈥� Negin said. 鈥淏ut beyond the equipment, Philip also was able to build a show and work in a high-pressure environment without making any major mistakes 鈥� again, something that seasoned and very experienced TDs don’t do.鈥�

Doherty鈥檚 path to that moment was built through hands-on experience and initiative. After gaining early experience with Elon Sports Vision and working as a technical director for Elon football broadcasts, he began building connections that opened doors to freelance opportunities on college football broadcasts across ESPN platforms.

鈥淭he biggest thing I learned at Elon isn’t my technical skill, but rather the people skills,鈥� Doherty said. 鈥淏uilding connections and relationships by far has been the most important component. If I hadn’t attempted to talk to people in the real world, I wouldn’t have been able to do anything I have gotten to do.鈥�

Doherty credited a group of Elon mentors and collaborators 鈥� including Quintin Brenner, John Spitznagel, Annika Cronin, Patrick Cunningham and Negin 鈥� for helping him develop his skills and navigate the industry.

鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 have gotten to where I am today without the people at Elon helping me out along the way.鈥�
鈥� Philip Doherty 鈥�26

Those connections became critical in preparing for his first NHL assignment. After being hired, Doherty reached out to the broadcast鈥檚 director in advance, studying materials and workflows so he could step into the truck prepared.

Instead of focusing on visual flair, he concentrated on the fundamentals 鈥� building the elements needed to get the show on air 鈥� from sponsored segments to in-game transitions.

By the end of the broadcast, the feedback was immediate. Negin said professionals on site 鈥� from crew members to network leadership 鈥� were impressed not only with Doherty鈥檚 performance, but with how seamlessly he operated.

鈥淓veryone involved said he did a great job and wants him back the next time St. Louis comes to town,鈥� the professor said.

For Negin, Doherty鈥檚 trajectory is almost unheard of. 鈥淭o me, this is like an Elon baseball player jumping from Division I baseball games, and within a year, starting in the major leagues and making an all-star team,鈥� he said.

Now, with his first NHL broadcast complete, Doherty sees it as confirmation he鈥檚 on the right path.

鈥淭his NHL show only confirmed that this industry is for me, and I am stoked to continue onward,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 cannot wait to see what comes down the road.鈥�