Tour guide Corey Dahl leads a group of prospective students around campus Oct. 14, 2009. (TommieMedia file photo)

St. Thomas has more confirmed deposits for next year’s freshman class than ever before.

For the 2010-2011 school year, 1,493 students have put down their class deposits to be Tommies. At this time last year, St. Thomas had 1,337 deposits.

“We always have a large number of students that have confirmed, but we usually lose over 100 students in the summer,” said Marla Friederichs, vice president of enrollment. “And during a typical summer we admit students, too.”

As for the economy affecting 2010-2011 freshman classes across the country, Friederichs said it has been a “real mix.” She said she hasn’t seen any schools that are really down, while others are “running way ahead in deposits.”

Even with a large amount of deposits, the problem enrollment has deals with applicants “double and triple depositing” with other schools and not being able to make up their mind,” Friederichs said.

Friederichs likened the guesswork of how many students will pull their deposit to “landing a 747 airplane on an egg.”

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

Jordin Sparks will perform from 10 p.m. to midnight May 8 in the OEC auditorium. (Associated Press photo)

STAR announced Thursday that “American Idol” winner Jordin Sparks and country singer Phil Vassar will headline the spring concert Saturday, May 8.

Chuck Wicks will open for Vassar at the outdoor concert, which is from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Lot O parking lot on South Campus. Sparks will perform from 10 p.m. to midnight in the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium.

The price tag for bringing Vassar and Wicks to campus is about $60,000, said Jese Ledbetter, assistant director of Campus Life. Ledbetter said Sparks will cost $50,000.

For senior John Busch, this year will feel a lot like 2007, the first time Vassar played at St. Thomas.

“Phil Vassar was the first country concert I’ve ever been to and one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to,” Busch said.

Country music fan Patrick Sullivan, a freshman, said he’s “down to have a country singer” come to campus.

Phil Vassar is set to sing from 7 to 9 p.m. at the outdoor concert on South Campus. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

As for Sparks’ performance, senior Bill Bergmann is excited about possibly catching up with an old acquaintance.

“She’s actually a nice lady as I met her at a Timberwolves game,” Bergmann said. “But her music isn’t my style. It’s good, but it isn’t my style.”

Junior Adam Holberg doesn’t vibe with Sparks’ musical genre either.

“I don’t think I’m going to attend her concert,” he said. “In my group of friends and on Facebook, when the last few candidates came out, there was a lot of dissatisfaction.”

But freshman Elle Haumersen is looking forward to seeing Sparks.

“I like Jordin Sparks because she has a great voice,” she said. “She’s from ‘American Idol,’ so she’s good.”

Busch is an even bigger fan of Sparks.

“I am a very big ‘American Idol’ fan,” he said. “I watched every episode when she won that year, and I was almost in tears when she won. I can’t wait. I have a crush on her.”

Vassar’s outdoor concert is free for St. Thomas students and has no limit on attendees. Six hundred free wristbands to attend Sparks’ indoor concert will be available at noon May 4 in the Box Office for St. Thomas undergraduate students only.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

Juniors Kevin Walker and Matt Bergstrom sat down with TommieMedia to explain how the men’s tennis team is undefeated in the MIAC (7-0) and why the team has a strong chance to win the conference for the first time since 1988.

Author Mitch Albom signs a fan's book after his speech Sunday night in the OEC auditorium. (Shane Kitzman/TommieMedia)

More than 200 people filled the O’Shaughnessy Educational Center auditorium Sunday night to hear best-selling author and columnist Mitch Albom talk about his latest book and how we are “all people of God.”

Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie” sold more than 14 million copies and was the reason junior Monica Jarvis attended the event.

“I read ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ and I knew he wouldn’t talk about the book but I thought it was great St. Thomas brought him to campus,” Jarvis said. “I’ll read this new book.”

Albom shared portions of his new book, “Have a Little Faith,” with the crowd. The book revolves around an eight-year journey for Albom about how community and faith unite people.

Sophomore Mo Berkowitz “loved” Albom’s 1-hour long speech, calling it “truly inspirational.”

“I had read ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ and ‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ in a mother/daughter book club,” Berkowitz said. “And I brought my parents tonight because Albom is Jewish and we’re Jewish.”

The Detroit Free Press columnist also hosts two radio shows and is a television commentator who appears regularly on ESPN and ABC. Albom has also founded three charities in the Detroit area.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

As Brady Field said, “It’s always tough against the Johnnies,” and the junior catcher couldn’t be more right as the Johnnies snapped the No. 1-ranked Tommies’ 13-game winning streak Wednesday afternoon at Koch Diamond.

“They’re always a pesky team,” Field said. “You love playing them and you hate playing them.”

St. Thomas (16-2, 3-1 MIAC) dropped the first game of the doubleheader 2-1. But in game two, the Tommies pieced together three runs in the fifth inning off a wild pitch and two sacrifice flies to sneak by the Johnnies (11-12, 3-1) for a 3-2 win.

Senior All-American Matt Schuld carried the Tommies in game two. He pitched a complete game giving up two runs early but settled down to scatter four hits and improve to 4-0 on the season.

“I just knew I had to buckle down and my arm loosened up a bit,” Schuld said. “It was those leadoff walks that really killed me. I knew I had to come right at them.”

Field said the team just came out flat in the first game and it wasn’t until the fifth inning in game two when the Tommie bats finally came alive.

Senior Tom Wippler literally took one for the team in the bottom of the fifth getting beaned in the hand by a pitch. Then after a Roy Larson double and a wild pitch, Wippler slid into home beating the tag to cut the Johnnies’ lead to 2-1.

A sacrifice fly from Charles Bruchu knocking in Larson and another sacrifice fly from Field that drove home Drew Creminsino put the Tommies ahead 3-2 for good.

“When you come from behind, you know how to win,” Field said. “It’s the senior leadership that gets things done and being able to win close games will help us further on down the road.”

The Tommies play a doubleheader 1 p.m. Saturday at Bethel.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

According to the police report, four others at the Marshall Avenue house were cited for underage consumption. The two women cited for the social host violation also received minor consumption citations. The report does not identify whether those cited are St. Thomas students.

No court date was listed on the report.

Under the ordinance, which went into effect Dec. 12, those who are deemed a “social host” in a situation where there are underage drinkers could get a maximum penalty of $1,000 and/or 90 days in jail. A violation of this ordinance is considered a misdemeanor.

John Hershey, St. Thomas’ neighborhood liaison, told TommieMedia in December that the social host ordinance is intended to hold people responsible for hosting events where underage people are drinking, even if they don’t provide the alcohol.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

With warm temperatures luring St. Thomas students to put on their running shoes and go out for jog, Tommie track and field distance coach Pete Wareham shares some pointers about maximizing workouts.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu.

All-American Peter Mullee placed fifth in the 100-yard backstroke preliminary and will advance to Friday night’s finals at the NCAA Division III National Swimming and Diving Championships.

Mullee, who is an academic junior but is in his last year of athletic eligibility, came in with a time of 49.59 seconds at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. His time was slower than his conference finish of 48.69 seconds.

“I couldn’t stay asleep last night and I didn’t feel strong in the water,” Mullee said. “I definitely need a nap. I swim better at night and swimming in the final will get me plenty pumped.”

Senior Jena Root placed eleventh in the 100 backstroke. She won’t make the finals but will swim in the consolation heat.

She finished with a time of 57.49 seconds, a slower time than her conference finish of 56.44 seconds.

Wrapping up Thursday’s events, the men scored in four consolation round events and moved back into 10th place in the team race.

The 400 medley relay team won the consolation heat with a new school record time of 4:22.77. Mullee, junior Grant Frost, sophomore Erik Huls and freshman Sam Rauchwarter made up the relay.

The Tommie men has 58 team points after two days of scoring. St. Thomas has a good chance to rack up more points as Mullee is seeded first in Friday night’s 100 back and Saturday’s 200 back.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

In the second day of the championships at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center, no swimmer made the 6 p.m. finals from the 10 a.m. preliminary races.

For the women, junior Becca Ney placed 27th in the 200 freestyle. She finished with a time of 1:53.71, one second slower than her conference time.

“The 200 is definitely one of the longer events and it’s tougher,” Ney said. “Since I only added a second I’m still happy about it. I gave it the best I could.”

As for the men, the 400-yard medley relay of juniors Peter Mullee, Grant Frost, sophomore Erik Huls and freshman Sam Rauchwarter finished 12th. The team came in with a time of 3:23.96, a time that was just fraction of a second slower than its conference time.

“It could have been better,” Mullee said. “Our conference time was faster. A couple guys were tired and that comes with swimming in the morning.”

Huls swam in the 100 butterfly and finished 15th. Rauchwarter also had a busy Thursday as he competed in the 200 freestyle and finished 12th.

Check out what the rest of the week will be like for the other Tommie men and women swimmers at the NCAA championships.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu

Mullee finished with a time of 20.50 seconds Wednesday evening at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

“I felt like my stroke was chaotic and forceful and not smooth like it should be,” he said. “It’s far off my best time from conference but I’ll take fifth in the nation. I feel great about it.”

His week is far from over however.

Mullee will swim in the 400 medley relay Thursday as the ninth seed. Then Friday he’ll compete in the 100 backstroke as the No. 1 seed. And Saturday he’ll swim the 200 backstroke as the No. 1 seed as well as compete in the 400 freestyle relay as an eighth seed.

Check out what the rest of the week will be like for the other Tommie men and women swimmers at the NCAA championships.

Shane Kitzman can be reached at smkitzman@stthomas.edu