Thursday, March 27, 2008

Free Kids Tennis Clinic at Oberlin

The Oberlin women's tennis team is hosting a free tennis clinic for kids aged 6-15 on Saturday, April 5.

The clinic begins at 12:00 p.m. and will run for two hours on the outdoor courts of Philips Gym.

Participants will be provided with free pizza from 12 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. while they enjoy watching the Yeowomen in action during the GLCA tournament. From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. kids will have the opportunity to meet and play with the Yeowomen.

The clinic is subject to cancellation due to weather. For more information please contact head coach Constantine Ananiadis at 440-775-6752 or via email.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

2008 WBCA All-America Teams

2008 NCAA Division III State Farm Coaches’ All-America Basketball Team

Honorable Mention Team
Anne Dugan, Kenyon

2008 NABC All-America Awards

Selected and voted on by member coaches of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, these student-athletes represent the finest men's basketball players across America.

2008 State Farm Division III All-America Second Team
James Cooper, Wooster

2008 NABC All-District Awards

2007-08 NABC Div. III All-District Awards

Eighty-eight student-athletes, from eight regions, are selected and voted on by member coaches of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and are eligible for the State Farm Division III All-America teams.

Great Lakes
- First Team
James Cooper, Wooster
Dustin Rudegeair, Ohio Wesleyan

Coach of the Year
Mike DeWitt, Ohio Wesleyan

2007-08 D3hoops.com All-America Teams

2007-08 Men's All-America Team

First Team
James Cooper (WOO) - Senior - Guard

Fourth Team
Dustin Rudegeair (OWU) - Senior - Forward

Hiram's Rice Named Asst. Coach of the Year

Veteran Hiram Assistant Football Coach Larry Rice will cap his successful career with the 2007 Assistant Coach-of-the-Year Award from the Northeastern Ohio Chapter of the National Football Foundation.

Rice, who will be retiring in early May, has coached at Hiram for the past 27 years. He has had many titles and duties and has coached both on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. For the last several seasons, he has focused on the defensive line. In the off season, he has served as the team’s strength and conditioning coordinator.

He became a Terrier in 1981 under Joe Malmisur (1969-82). Rice then served under Don Charlton (1983-91), Bob Thomas (1992-2000), Mike Meyer (2001-03), Mike Lazusky (2004-06) and current head coach Bob Wolfe.

In addition to coaching at Hiram, Rice served as an assistant and head coach at a number of high schools including Mentor, Lorain Clearview, Fairport Harbor, Garrettsville Garfield, and Chardon.

Off the field, Rice is a teacher and instructor in the Health and Physical Education Department.

He will receive his award at the Chapter’s 20th Annual Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet that will be held on Monday, Apr. 28 at LaCentre in Westlake. A reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner at 6:30 p.m. The awards program will follow.

Monday, March 24, 2008

OWU to Celebrate Men's Basketball Team

Ohio Wesleyan is hosting a pep rally tomorrow, March 25, at 4 p.m. in Branch Rickey Arena to pay tribute to the 2007-08 OWU men’s basketball team.

All are invited to show the 2008 NCAC tournament champions and “Sweet 16” participants appreciation for their hard work and success in the 2008 NCAC and NCAA basketball tournaments.

The rally will begin at 4 p.m. in Branch Rickey Arena, followed by a reception with the team and coaches.

Wittenberg to Host Pam Evans Smith 5K Memorial Walk/Run

Members of the Wittenberg community will come together again to honor the memory of former Women's Basketball Head Coach and Associate Director of Athletics Pam Evans Smith, class of 1982, with the first Pam Evans Smith 5K Memorial Walk/Run on Saturday, April 5.

All proceeds from the event will go toward the Pam Evans Smith '82 Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded annually to a deserving female senior who has demonstrated leadership and academic abilities.

Pam's husband Roger will fire the starting gun at 10 a.m. on Alumni Way, in front of the Benham-Pence Student Center. The cost of participation is $25 for the general public and $10 for Wittenberg students. Participants who sign up prior to Wednesday, March 26, will receive a T-shirt. Registration will continue until the day of the event, but there is no guarantee of a T-shirt after March 26.

To register for the Pam Evans Smith Memorial Walk/Run, contact Ellie Stonecash by e-mail, or download a registration form.

Follow Along on Oberlin Spring Break Trips

Fans can get a taste of what a spring break trip is really like for student-athletes thanks to Oberlin's Brian Verne, Kimiko Glynn, Michelle Zanni and Ruth Allanbrook. They have all volunteered to share stories from this year's spring trips via blogs:

Verne’s Words: Inside the 2008 spring break trip to Phoenix for the Oberlin College baseball team

Sanders Speaks: An inside look at the 2008 spring break trip for Oberlin lacrosse

Serving It Up with Kimiko Glynn: Spring break trip to Hilton Head for the Yeowomen

Outside the Box w/Michelle Zanni & Ruth Allanbrook: Oberlin College softball spring break

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

D3hoops.com All-Region Awards

D3hoops.com All-Region Awards

Players were nominated and voted upon by the sports information directors within the eight different regions. This year was the first D3hoops.com presented a Rookie of the Year award along with the All-Region teams.

Men's All-Great Lakes Region Team

Individual Awards
Player of the Year: James Cooper, WOO
Rookie of the Year: Kodey Haddox, KEN

First Team
James Cooper, WOO
Dustin Rudegeair, OWU
Andrew Zimmer, WAB


Women's All-Great Lakes Region Team

Third Team
Anne Dugan, KEN

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Around the NCAC

** Former Allegheny quarterback Jeff Filkovski, who led the Gators to the 1990 NCAA Division III championship, has been named head football coach at Marietta.

** Kenyon junior attack Devin Catlin was named Inside Lacrosse Division III Nike Player of the Week after helping the Lords to one of the biggest wins in their history.

The Lords were behind five goals to 12th-ranked Roanoke College when Catlin sparked a seven-goal run. Kenyon went on to win the game, 14-11. He had three goals during the run and finished the game with four goals and two assists.

Kenyon is off to a 2-1 start this spring.

** UPDATE: Photos from Rob Johnson's Retirement Banquet

The 2007 outdoor track & field season is something of a farewell tour for Wabash head coach Rob Johnson. This season will be the last for Rob, a coach, mentor, and friend of the Little Giants for the past 37 years. He will be honored at a retirement banquet on Saturday, April 19. For more information or to make reservations, contact Michele Tatar in the Wabash Alumni and Parent Relations Office by email or phone (765-361-6369).

Rob took over the Wabash track and field and cross country programs in 1972 and coaches both sports up until this past fall, when he handed over the reins of the cross country program to one of his many former All-Americans, Roger Busch ’96.

In addition to his storied career with the Little Giants, Rob was the first NCAA Division III coach to serve as an assistant coach with the United States Olympic team when he served the team at the 2000 Sydney Games. He has long been involved with the Olympic Development Committee and helped coach two US Junior National Teams. For more click here.

** Former Wabash basketball player Joshua Kendrick has led the Brownsburg (IN) boys basketball team to their first IHSAA state championship game.

** Wabash football player Mitch Brown will present "The History of the Brown County Art Colony" at Rockville (IN) Public Library at 7 p.m. March 25. His presentation will focus on prominent artists who took up residence in Brown County and helped establish a century-old outlet for artists to showcase their work.

** For the 10th consecutive year, the Wittenberg football program will host a golf outing to raise funds for the program. This year's event is scheduled for Saturday, June 14, at Reid Memorial Golf Course in Springfield. The event will be a four-person scramble with a shotgun start, and it will include prizes, raffles, dinner and awards. The cost of participation is $75 for those who pre-register, $85 on the day of the outing, and $50 for those only attending the dinner. All proceeds from this year's event will go toward the purchase of audio-visual equipment, computer software and field equipment for the football program. The registration deadline is Friday, June 1. For more information or to request an entry form, contact Head Coach Joe Fincham at (937) 327-6498.

Cross Country Academic Honors

2007 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Men's and Women’s All-Academic Teams (Individual)

To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must carry a minimum 3.5 cumulative grade point average and must finish in the top 25 percent of the field at their respective NCAA regional meet.

Allegheny
Tony Dipre,
Rachel Hutchinson
Eva Weyers

Kenyon
Jim Boston
Lauren Brady
Jessica Francois
Kaleb Keyserling
Chrissy Ostrowski

Oberlin
Marie Barnett
Conor Doss
Joanna Johnson
Nicky Ouellet

Ohio Wesleyan
Laura Binkley
Leah Schmelzer
Sarah Shinn

Wabash
Seth Einterz


2007 NCAA Division III USTFCCCA Men's and Women’s All-Academic Teams (Team)


For a team to be considered for the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team award, they must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional Meet. The team must also have a minimum 3.10 team cumulative grade point average.

The NCAC Men's Teams to earn the award:
Allegheny
Kenyon
Oberlin
Wabash
Wittenberg

The NCAC Women's Teams to earn the award:
Denison
Kenyon
Oberlin
Ohio Wesleyan
Wittenberg

2007 NFHCA National Academic Honors

2007 ZAG/NFHCA Division III National Academic Squad

Student-athletes who earned a 3.3 grade point average or better through the first semester of the 2007-08 school year were eligible to receive the honor. Additionally, Kenyon, Oberlin and Wooster were recognized for having team GPAs of 3.0 or higher.

Denison

Kim Havens
Liz Hubbard
Emily Marshall
Katie Partridge
Kristen Schneider

Kenyon
Kelly Adams
Holly Bacon
Elizabeth Dow
Jenny Howard
Perrin Legg
Lauren Keiling
Karen Thompson

Oberlin
Ashley Allen
Sheera Bornstein
Claire Cheney
Grace Eginton
Samantha Kyrkostas
Rosemary Mudry
Holly Sloofman
Molly Johnston

Ohio Wesleyan
Christa Cocumelli
Katie Goodman
Katie Jones
Jessica Wright

Wittenberg
Erin Berger
Victoria Casanta
Florine Dunki Jacobs
Whitney Marshall
Hannah Scheckelhoff

Wooster
Anna Hurley
Elizabeth Maffetone
Kate Persing
Kate Quinlivan

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Wittenberg Volleyball Featured in CBS Video

The Wittenberg volleyball team was recently featured by CBS on NCAA sports. The video clip features Head Coach Paco Labrador and senior Emily Bell in short interviews about the NCAA Division III Volleyball Final Four.

Great Lakes Region Women's Track Coach of the Year

The USTFCCCA selects the top track athlete, field athlete and coach for the eight regions in Division III track and field. Ohio Wesleyan head coach Kris Boey was named the Great Lakes Region Women's Coach of the Year after leading the Battling Bishops to their second straight NCAC Indoor Track & Field championship. Boey was also named NCAC Men's and Women's Coach of the Year.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Who’s taking care of your kids?

Who’s taking care of your kids?

If your kids are college athletes, more than likely, the answer to that question is the athletic trainer.

March is National Athletic Training Month, organized by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA), a not-for-profit organization based in Dallas, Texas, to highlight the importance and value of athletic trainers to patients, clients and athletes.

Although most of us are familiar with the athletic trainer rushing to the aid of an injured athlete, the fact is that these men and women perform much wider duties in their day-to-day work. They are unique health care professionals who work in a variety of settings and with all kinds of people — not just athletes. They can be found just about anywhere that people are physically active and are experts in injury prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

In college athletics alone, they spend countless hours working with their athletes. Athletic trainers must be present for team practices and games, which are often in the evenings and on weekends, and their schedules can change on short notice when games and practices are rescheduled. As a result, athletic trainers may work 6 or 7 days per week, including late hours, on a regular basis.

Unfortunately for me (and perhaps for them) I spent quite a bit of time with the athletic trainers over my four-year soccer career at Wheeling Jesuit. I got an up-close look at their dedication to their profession, as well as the depth of concern they have for their athletes. Our Wheeling athletic trainers were probably the biggest reasons that I was able to play my sport all four years of college - or at least walk under my own power all four years. I'm sure I was quite a challenge to them! I owe a huge thanks to John Tagg, John DeBlasis and Herb Minch to name a few.

For more information: National Athletic Trainers Association

Kenyon Women Swim for 50

UPDATE: Event-by-Event Results

The Kenyon women are heavy favorites to take home a championship at the NCAA Division III Women's Swimming & Diving championships, which start tomorrow at Miami of Ohio. Why?

Maybe it's because they are the defending national champions.

Maybe it's because they are the only team to qualify the max. 18 swimmers for the meet.

Maybe it's because they return four individual event champions from last year's meet, as well as three fully intact winning relay teams.

Maybe it's because they've already accomplished the feat an amazing 21 times.

The Ladies are gunning for their 22nd national championship. No other women's team in NCAA history - any sport - any division - can claim that many titles. They won 17 straight titles from 1984-2000 - the longest consecutive women's streak in NCAA history.

A title for the Kenyon women this weekend would also be the 50th combined swimming championship for Kenyon men's and women's swim programs.

Kenyon currently owns 52 overall championships - more than any other Div. III school: 21 in women's swimming, the last 28 straight in men's swimming and three in women's tennis.

One of the big reasons behind the success of the swim programs at Kenyon is head coach Jim Steen. He talks about his unique philosophy with Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch.
"Is there such a thing as too much success?" Steen asked. "If we took success seriously, I would agree."
Championship links:
Live Results
NCAC Championship Preview
Kenyon Women's Championship Page
NCAA Championship Site

Monday, March 3, 2008

Wabash Athletes Travel to Botswana

Twenty-one Wabash student-athletes (20 members of the football team and one member of the soccer team) are spending spring break in Botswana as part of a missions trip. The students will be providing updates on their adventures throughout the week on a daily blog.

The student-athletes, who raised all of the funds for their trip, will be joining OneWay US and African staff members in Maun, Botswana, Africa, to boost the evangelism outreach efforts of the OneWay team.

The men will be expected to prepare for and play an important role in reaching out to a culture suffering through poverty, illiteracy and AIDS. They will be responsible for leading a group of Botswana children and teens in an array of activities and study, including the administration of sports camps and games, supporting a team of Botswana missionaries who minister to the physical and spiritual needs of these villages on a full-time basis.