Latest news with #TaylorUniversity
Indianapolis Star
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
From homeschool to NAIA to MLB Draft? Taylor pitcher develops with pro-level technology
UPLAND –— They say the scoreboard doesn't lie, but it's not as honest as Taylor University pitcher Gabel Pentecost. When the junior right-hander pumped a fastball past an opposing hitter this past season, the scoreboard behind him displayed his velocity: 96 mph. When every additional mile per hour has literal currency, it had to be satisfying to finally touch that number, right? 'Ninety-five point eight,' Pentecost clarified. He checked the computer system Taylor used to track his pitches. Pentecost takes goal-setting seriously. He was not interested in any shortcuts. Nearly every Major League Baseball organization sent a scout through Upland last season. There's a strong chance one of those teams calls his name in Monday's latter portion of the 2025 MLB Draft. Of course MLB teams took notice of a mid-90s fastball. At so many points, though, Pentecost could have fallen through the cracks. As a homeschool kid, he almost didn't play high school baseball. Up until the final baseball games of his senior year, he planned to play Division III basketball. His only offer came from this small NAIA school in rural Indiana. When other pro prospects might have jumped at the chance to transfer to a Division I program, Pentecost remained loyal to Taylor. In the winter of his sophomore season, while on the verge of his baseball breakthrough, he stepped away to marry his high school girlfriend. Taylor teammate Jake Boyer admits it was hard not to be awestruck when Major League scouts started showing up in Upland. But not for the guy they actually came to see. 'They're always watching his pregame bullpen and stuff, and he's never really worried about them,' Boyer said. 'He's just focused on winning the game and competing for us.' Pentecost fanned one overmatched kid after another in his local 10-under league. In the middle of one such game, an opposing player's mother couldn't contain her irritation. 'Why is this kid pitching in this league anyway,' she asked aloud. Indeed, the strikeout machine did not, technically, belong in that league. 'Well, he's only 8 years old,' Laura Pentecost, Gable's mother, said. Eric and Laura soon started talking about how they should handle a son, the middle child of five, with such obvious gifts. At the end of the season, Pentecost approached them with his own solution: He wanted to give up baseball. 'It turned out he did not like being the kid everybody was talking about,' Laura said. 'He didn't like being that guy. He wanted to fit in with his teammates and not be the one everyone was talking about.' That anxiety faded over time. Travel ball helped Pentecost find his competition level. In many other ways, though, Pentecost is not wired like your typical big league prospect. For starters, Pentecost, like his four siblings, was homeschooled. That decision was not motivated by the family's deep Christian faith, or a dissatisfaction with public education. Eric Pentecost taught for 32 years in Fremont Public Schools. Laura also taught physics and math in public schools before taking her lesson book home. The Pentecosts excelled both academically and athletically. Eldest son, Logan, played football at Hillsdale. Daughter Caitlin was an NAIA All-American at Bethel and holds the school's heptathlon and pentathlon records. Jonah, the third-oldest son, begins playing football at Taylor next year. Youngest child Micah already stands 6 foot, 200 pounds at 14 and told the Trojan coaches his goal is to come in and break all of his brother's records. The children attended at least one class per day at Fremont to be eligible to play on the school's teams, per IHSAA policy. When the school district briefly changed that policy to require homeschool athletes to attend for a half day, though, the children stayed home and went without those school teams. 'The biggest thing for us — yes, we wanted rigor and we wanted our kids educated, but we wanted to have a relationship with our kids and get to spend more time with them,' Eric said. 'We didn't want to just see our kids at the end of the day, either after school or after practice, when they had homework or other things to do. We felt all our kids were a gift from God and we were called to raise them up. We felt for us like homeschooling really fit.' That policy cost Pentecost one year of high school baseball. COVID-19 robbed him of another. That partially explains why Pentecost remained off the college baseball radar late into his senior year. Even when he played baseball, it was not his first priority. Pentecost's first college commitment went to Manchester, a Division III program located 50 miles west of Fort Wayne. That preference dissuaded some college baseball coaches from recruiting him. 'All of us constantly were telling him we think baseball is the way to go,' said Jason Bock, Pentecost's coach at Fremont and with the Indiana Sting travel program. 'He throws with such ease. You knew there was a lot of velo still in the tank.' Pentecost's velocity topped out in the mid 80s at Fremont. No big deal. He was playing 'just to have fun.' Sometime during that senior year, though, he fell back in love with the game; the competition, the camaraderie. Taylor coach Kyle Gould had once told Bock 'I like the way that kid throws the ball' when the Sting played a summer showcase at Taylor. He did not remember that comment when Bock emailed about Pentecost three years later. That communication came shortly before another high school coach texted a video of Pentecost to Gould. Sufficiently intrigued, Taylor's staff wanted to get eyes on this unsigned senior. Their first try was rained out before it started. With the season winding down, Gould tried again at the sectional championship against Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian. Taylor pitching coach Justin Barber was at another game that day when Gould called. Barber was confused by the timing. He knew Fremont's game had not yet started. Turns out, Gould saw what he needed to see from two warmup pitches in the bullpen. 'I'm signing this kid today,' Gould told Barber, 'and he's going to make you famous.' Pentecost's first pitch on May 12 zipped past Grand View's Brock Johnson at 94 miles per hour. Taylor hosted a first-round tournament for the NAIA World Series. Naturally, they went to their ace for the opener. Johnson fouled the second pitch off. On the third, he timed up another fastball and lined it back at the mound. Traveling at 102 miles per hour off the bat, the ball drilled Pentecost in the side of the head with a sick thud, ricocheting back across the foul line and resting near the Grand View dugout. Pentecost crumpled to the ground and laid on the mound for several minutes. He never lost consciousness, though, and walked off the field under his own power, holding a towel against his head. The impact left a bloody gash and ended his minor contribution to a 13-3 victory. By the second inning, Pentecost was back in the dugout with his teammates. He joined their between-innings jogs along the left field line. By the next morning, he was back on the mound as the starting pitcher in Taylor's game against Kansas Wesleyan. When rain postponed that game in the middle of Pentecost's first inning, he took the ball again the next day. He lost that game, despite eight strikeouts over 4 ⅔ innings. Taylor's season ended the next day with an 11-10 loss to Grand View. With that quick bounce-back, though, Pentecost showed MLB teams something about his makeup. "It showed how the level of tenacity I have is sorta high," Pentecost said. "I think I have a lot of grit to me. I push through things. In baseball, you'll never feel 100% all the time. You have to go out with what you have that day." That grit helped Pentecost bring out the talent scouts eventually discovered. Pentecost added two miles per hour of velocity soon after arriving at Taylor in the summer of 2022. By mid-August, he approached Gould and Barber and asked for a blunt assessment. Was a future in pro ball realistic? They gave it to him straight. He was a long way away from that goal. He had not yet faced college hitters. He needed to get stronger, which meant he needed to learn the right way to work out. He needed a little good fortune on his side to stay healthy. They also, in only a matter of weeks, saw enough talent and work ethic to know they should encourage that lofty aspiration, not extinguish it. In December of his freshman year, Pentecost threw 90 miles per hour for the first time. In May, he closed out the win which sent Taylor to the NAIA World Series. He closed out two more in the championship tournament in Idaho and started the Trojans' elimination game against eventual runner-up Lewis & Clark State. He began his sophomore season as Taylor's ace and finished it as the Crossroads Conference Pitcher of the Year. He repeated that honor this past season. Over those two seasons, he struck out 214 batters and walked only 50. A 90 mile-per-hour fastball once served as the identifier of an elite prospect. Six pitchers on Taylor's staff this past season touched that number. Still envious for many players, but also more common. Scouts told Pentecost his velocity needed to keep climbing. As it did, teams took note of his progress via the Trackman system Taylor installed in 2023. That system, which uses Doppler radar to measure the speed and motion of thrown and batted balls, is ubiquitous at the higher levels of college baseball. According to Trackman, Taylor is one of only nine NAIA programs using the system. Those gaudy strikeout and ERA numbers? Major League organizations could dismiss those as coming against lesser competition. They all have access to the Trackman data, though. Pentecost's numbers there could not be ignored. Velocity alone did not make Pentecost a prospect. He completed his freshman year with a fastball-curveball combination. Looking over the data, Barber showed Pentecost why he needed a better swing-and-miss pitch, especially against right-handed hitters. They talked about developing a slider in the fall. Pentecost did not wait. He watched YouTube videos to study slider grips of other pitchers. When he returned for the start of classes, he took Barber out and showed him his new weapon. He currently uses five-pitch arsenal. Combined with his smooth mechanics, teams can more easily project Pentecost's potential as a starting pitcher. 'Gabel is just really skilled,' said Keith Veale, coach at Olivet Nazarene, another solid NAIA program and annual Taylor opponent. 'It's not just his fastball, it's multiple pitches with ultimate confidence, ultimate location. His arm action is clean and consistent. Hitters have a hard time sitting on his stuff.' Pentecost did not choose Taylor for its ability to develop major leaguers. Athletically, the school is best known for its annual 'Silent Night' basketball tradition. The baseball program has become a frequent national tournament participant under Gould, a Taylor grad. Josh DeGraaf became the program's third MLB draft pick in 2015 and reached Triple-A with the Toronto Blue Jays. Major League teams drafted seven NAIA players last year — the most since 15 were chosen in 2019. Most of those came after the 20th round, though — spots which no longer exist after the draft was halved from 40 rounds to 20 in 2021. Several big leaguers came through NAIA. They include Blake Treinen, an All-Star relief pitcher with Oakland before winning two World Series with the Los Angles Dodgers. Hall of Famers Lou Brock, Harmon Killebrew, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro, Gaylord Perry and Don Sutton all spent time with current or former NAIA programs. Being selected in the draft would still leave Pentecost a long way from the majors. At the same time, Taylor's coaches look at a 6-3, 215-pound athlete with something of a baby face and a relatively low workload on his arm. They believe whatever his peak is, it's still coming. 'I think he shaves once a week,' Gould said. 'I mean, there's more in there.' Bock remembers that sectional championship game, too, but not only because of the scholarship offer. Fremont led 2-0 in the fifth inning, but Blackhawk loaded the bases with nobody out. Pentecost and Boyer — Blackhawk's best hitter and his future Taylor teammate — engaged in a long at-bat. Pentecost eventually put a changeup in the right place. Boyer grounded out to third and Fremont went on to win the sectional championship. 'In the dugout, we're sweating bullets,' Bock said. 'That's as nerve-racking an at-bat as I've had in 25 years as a coach. 'He sits down on the bench and looks up with a huge smile and says, 'Wow, coach. That was stressful!'' Pentecost always looked at things with a slightly different perspective. Eric Pentecost coached one of his son's teams during a summer All-Star tournament. In his pregame pep talk, he encouraged his son not to be nervous. 'He looked at me with a placid look on his face," Eric recalled, "and said, 'Daddy, why would I be nervous?'' He also takes a different perspective into the draft. On May 30, 2023, he started that NAIA World Series game as a freshman. Five days later, he dropped to one knee and asked Samarah to marry him. 'Being married actually kind of helps,' Pentecost said. 'So whatever decision I make, it's going to be for me and my wife, and not just me. It's kind of a group effort with that. Getting her feedback on a lot of things helps.' MLB draft hopeful: Despite working 3 a.m. shifts, Brownsburg grad won Big 12 Player of Year Major League teams offer signing bonuses to draft picks based on the assigned value of their picks over the first 10 rounds. If a player signs 'under slot,' below that assigned value, teams can offer above slot bonuses to players drafted later. Pentecost anticipates a lot of phone calls and real-time negotiations on Monday. If only offered a nominal bonus, he'll be back at Taylor for another year to complete that physical therapy degree. As a draft-eligible junior, he holds leverage in this process. Pentecost also let the NCAA transfer portal open and close again without trying to level up. 'I'm pretty content with where I'm at, though, so I think if it's gonna happen it's more of a God thing than anything,' Pentecost said in May. "I think if he wants it to happen, I can be anywhere and he'll make it happen.'
CNA
04-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
An institution that nurtures creative explorers, not just achievers
As Taylor's University continues to strengthen its standing in the QS World University Rankings, its vice-chancellor and president, Professor Barry Winn, is looking well beyond short-term gains. Core to his vision is a comprehensive 10-year plan aimed at transforming the Malaysian private university into a future-ready institution of global standing. A key part of this transformation is a RM1.2 billion (S$364.8 million) investment to further develop the institution, including revitalising its lakeside campus in Subang Jaya. Planned upgrades include new sports facilities, state-of-the-art laboratories and student residences designed to meet the needs of its multicultural community. Beyond infrastructure, the plan outlines strategic pillars to prepare Taylor's students for a fast-paced, tech-driven world. These include a focus on transformative technologies such as artificial intelligence, as well as addressing global challenges like sustainability and an ageing population. Prof Winn highlighted that the university's focus is on nurturing students to become 'creative explorers, not just achievers'. 'These days, you can pull out your phone and find answers instantly,' he said. 'Our job is to help students think critically about challenges and apply knowledge in innovative ways – to create new ideas, not just recycle existing ones.' Ranked the top private non-government-linked university in Southeast Asia, Taylor's is currently placed at No 253 in the QS World University Rankings 2026, positioning it among the top 1 per cent of universities worldwide. CHARTING NEW GROWTH Prof Winn shared that Taylor's growth in the years ahead will be driven by five strategic thrusts: delivering an exceptional student experience, advancing innovative teaching, producing impactful research, strengthening partnerships and pursuing quality-driven growth. One example is its well-established medical school. In response to Malaysia's ageing population, the university plans to introduce more allied health programmes, such as physiotherapy. 'As the population ages, we'll see more cases of strokes and dementia,' said Prof Winn. 'We'll need not just doctors, but also specialists like dietitians and advanced practice nurses to provide holistic care.' Taylor's also operates 11 Impact Labs, where students collaborate with faculty, industry professionals and corporate partners to create solutions to real-world problems – all guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Since 2023, these labs have delivered 230 projects with 210 partners, tackling issues in areas such as sustainable tourism, clean energy and community well-being. Among them is Project BacaBaca, a literacy programme for underserved communities led by Ms Hema Letchamanan, senior lecturer at Taylor's School of Education. Since 2021, the initiative has supported over 500 students across Malaysia and was awarded the 2024 Asia-Pacific SDG Initiative of the Year at the Triple E Awards. Another project, – led by Professor Anindita Dasgupta of Taylor's School of Liberal Arts and Sciences – provides women from marginalised communities with entrepreneurship training. To date, 110 women have completed the programme. DRIVING MEANINGFUL IMPACT THROUGH COLLABORATION To meet rising demand for research expertise, Prof Winn said Taylor's is exploring the launch of more postgraduate programmes and is actively recruiting academics from around the world to teach them. The university also aims to strengthen international collaborations to provide students with a truly global perspective. Prof Winn explained: 'How small-and medium-size enterprises operate in Kuala Lumpur is very different from how they function in cities like Manchester or Boston. To truly understand international trade, you often need local partners who can help you grasp the unique business dynamics of each region. Many business owners are especially interested in Southeast Asia, and Taylor's is pleased to support this mutual learning and exchange.' He added: 'We want to harness technology to offer joint courses that bring students from different regions together, enriching the learning experience across borders.' PUTTING STUDENTS FIRST To better equip its students for the workforce, Taylor's is developing immersive avatar-based simulations that allow learners to practise real-world scenarios in a safe environment. 'Clinical psychology students, for instance, could interact with an avatar exhibiting a mental health disorder,' explained Prof Winn. 'Or hospitality students might be placed at a virtual hotel reception. Our goal is to go beyond virtual reality – we want to be better than reality.' The university's growing emphasis on research is also driven by its goal to serve students. 'We want students to be taught by people who wrote the book, not just read it,' said Prof Winn. 'Our research isn't just about publishing more papers – it's about creating a rich learning environment led by engaged, knowledgeable academics.' Prof Winn said his proudest achievement thus far has been to improve staff engagement and giving educators a voice in shaping Taylor's academic culture. This people-first philosophy is reflected in Taylor's strong global rankings. 'If we do the right things, the rankings will follow,' Prof Winn said. 'They provide external validation and inspire confidence among employers, students and parents. Ultimately, we want to be known as a university that puts students first and gives every student the chance to improve their lives.'
CNA
23-06-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Study to evaluate 8 offshore islands' vulnerability to sea level rise
Singapore is studying how vulnerable eight of its offshore islands are to rising sea levels. This was announced at the opening of the Singapore International Water Week. In a pre-recorded message, Sustainability and the Environment Minister Grace Fu said strengthening the country's flood resilience and adaptation is an "urgent priority". CNA speaks to Dr Renard Siew, Climate Adviser at the Centre for Governance and Political Studies and Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at Taylor's University in Kuala Lumpur.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Taylor's University Continues Strong Global Performance in QS World University Rankings 2026
SUBANG JAYA, Malaysia, June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Taylor's University has secured the 253rd position in the latest QS World University Rankings 2026, reinforcing its status as the top-ranked non-government-linked private university in Southeast Asia. This achievement marks Taylor's consistent presence in the top 1% of universities worldwide. Taylor's strong global standing is underscored by its 92nd ranking for employer reputation, making it the top private institution in Southeast Asia for this indicator. This aligns with findings from the Ministry of Higher Education's (MOHE) 2024 Graduate Tracer Study, which reports a 99.5% graduate employability rate for Taylor's—well above the national average of 92.5%. This indicator highlight that Taylor's graduates are highly sought after for their industry-relevant skills and readiness to contribute effectively in the workforce. Equally important is Taylor's commitment to nurturing a globally diverse student community, as demonstrated by its 34th ranking for international student population, reflecting the university's success in attracting and supporting a vibrant, globally minded student body. "As a modern progressive institution, we are committed to building world-class education driven by innovation and real-world impact. We are growing our student community, investing in staff, and advancing capabilities to address global challenges through industry partnerships, AI-powered learning, and purpose-driven innovation. In line with our aspirations to facilitate nation-building efforts, we aim to empower students to reach their full potential, align research with national priorities, and foster local and global partnerships that drive meaningful change. In doing so, we support Malaysia's efforts to develop talent and strengthen its position as an education hub in the region," said Professor Barry Winn, Vice-Chancellor and President of Taylor's University. Taylor's University is committed to advancing purpose-driven education, reinforcing academic integrity across borders amid the rise of transnational education, and reimagining curricula to reflect diverse, globally relevant, and locally grounded perspectives. At the same time, the university is redefining faculty roles—empowering educators as mentors, innovators, and change agents—to deliver dynamic hybrid learning experiences that equip graduates to navigate the complexities of the future. For more information about Taylor's University and its programmes, please visit the website. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Taylor's University Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School presidents celebrate the value of faith-based higher education
WASHINGTON — Nearly 2 million students attend faith-based colleges and universities, a fast-growing segment of American higher education that now has a new tool to share its story. Over 50 college and university presidents gathered Monday at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the nation's capital and vigorously applauded after watching the first episode of a new BYUtv documentary series, 'Higher Ed: The Power of Faith-Inspired Learning in America." 'Faith-based institutions are the bedrock of American higher education, and we've not paid adequate attention to that role and to that responsibility,' said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education. ACE launched a Commission on Faith-based Colleges and Universities last year and Monday's event drew the presidents of dozens of commission member schools, including Notre Dame, Yeshiva University and Brigham Young University. The event also drew representatives of the U.S. Department of Education, the Faith Angle Forum, the American Enterprise Institute and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, as well as reporters from The Washington Post and other media outlets. The new BYUtv documentary highlights students and presidents at three faith-based schools — Catholic University of America, Taylor University and BYU-Hawaii. 'This is a way of saying, 'Faith institutions have a contribution to make,'' said Elder Clark G. Gilbert, the commissioner of education for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Two additional episodes will be released in August and will include students from other commission schools. Those schools amount to 10% of the nation's colleges and universities and are excited to tell their stories, four presidents said during a panel discussion. Their stories need to be told even to people of faith, said Ryan Burge, the event's keynote speaker and a well-known analyst of data on faith and religion at Eastern Illinois University. Burge said it's a myth that college is a place where students lose their faith. 'College is not antithetical to religion,' he said. 'In some ways, it accelerates religion, enhances religion.' Data shows that the more educated Americans are, the more faithful they are, Burge said. He has found that the more Americans are educated and faithful, the more they flourish in numerous data sets. 'To summarize, education is good. Religion is good. Education plus religion is good,' he said. 'It causes trust. It makes us more loving of our neighbors. It increases our income. It increases all these outcomes.' In the documentary, Isabela Barboza said she decided to attend Catholic University of America because she decided that 'if religion is part of my life, it has to be part of my education and formation.' Taylor University student Hannah Wylie, whose parents attended Harvard and Brown, said she struggled before turning down her own Ivy League offer to attend the small evangelical school in Upland, Indiana. She is grateful she did. 'I wanted to be taught to think deeply about things I was doing,' she said in the documentary. 'I wanted to do things for a purpose.' Every college and university president in America is grappling with data that shows students facing a crisis of meaning in their lives. Rabbi Avi Berman, the president of Yeshiva University, took a moment of gratitude during the panel discussion because he found the documentary powerful. 'Young people are looking to university to find themselves and their values because they are not seeing answers to their deep, existential questions in the ephemeral choices being offered them in other institutions,' he said. Lipscomb University President Candice McQueen said she was grateful the documentary illustrated what colleges and universities like her Churches of Christ school in Nashville, Tennessee, bring to the table. The Rev. Robert Dowd, president of the University of Notre Dame, said his school takes a both-and approach to the holistic growth of its students. 'Notre Dame is a place where we educate the whole person, where both faith and reason are engaged, where matters of the heart as well as the life of the mind are very much valued,' he said. 'We want our students to grow not only in understanding, in knowledge and in technical skills but in wisdom, and we want them to grow in faith, hope and love.' Among those in attendance were BYU President Shane Reese, BYU-Idaho President Alvin Meredith, BYU-Pathway Worldwide President Brian Ashton and Ensign College President Bruce Kusch. BYU-Hawaii President John Kauwe wasn't at the Kennedy Center, but he was seen in the documentary riding a skateboard on the Laie, Hawaii, campus in white Nikes with a black swoosh and a splash of blue. 'What faith-based institutions offer is another type of belonging,' Kauwe says in the 30-minute film. The presidents met in working groups in the morning to learn about best practices around issues like hiring people who fit a school's mission and how to share and elevate stories about their faith-based schools. Elder Gilbert said the Commission on Faith-based Colleges and Universities creates a friendship for every school. 'There is connectivity for those who always feel like the odd man out,' he said.
