Five Minutes With ... Jon Cripe

DePauw senior Cross Country and Track & Field student-athlete Jon Cripe

Name: Jon Cripe

Hometown/High School: Belleville, IL/Belleville West

Institution: DePauw University

Majors: Physics and Math

Sports: Cross Country and Track & Field

I am originally from ... Belleville, IL, which is near St Louis.

Why did you choose to attend a NCAA Division III institution? I wanted to go to a school with good academics and have the opportunity to be involved in multiple activities. In addition to athletics, I am involved in music, a resident assistant (RA) and president of our SAAC.

How would you describe the philosophy of NCAA Div. III? Being a student first but still having the opportunity to compete and excel in athletics.

How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at DePauw? I actually think having the structure of daily practice helps my academics. I have improved my time management skills and know how to prioritize the things I need to get done. Also, exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.

How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level? I.e. What do you do all day? Wake up and go to class during the day. In between classes I get as much homework done as possible. Practice is from 4-7ish. Then I make dinner and start on my homework again. A few days a week I do supplementary training like lifting, core, bike, etc, so I have to fit that into my schedule too. I also have a few meetings each week for the clubs that I am involved in that I need to attend.

Favorite thing about DePauw? The people

Favorite thing about the NCAC? The competition, friendly nature and professionalism of the student athletes.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Not entirely sure yet. Next year I will be in Germany doing physics research at the Albert Einstein Institute. Then I return to the states and continue graduate school for my PhD in physics. I will be a professor one day, but not sure at what point in my life.

What has been your most memorable moment in athletics during your collegiate career? Making the regional cross country team this year after battling Achilles injuries for the past two years. There were a lot of days when it hurt a lot, and I would ask myself if it was worth it or not. I wasn’t able to train as much as I wanted to. It was really hard knowing that an injury was keeping me from reaching my potential. I had to change my training to be able to continue running, and it paid off in the end!

What would be your advice for someone that is considering enrolling as a student-athlete at a NCAA Div. III institution? Do it!

Are there any major obstacles that you’ve had to overcome when as a Div. III student-athlete? Just like any other activity, if you want to be good in athletics you have to sacrifice other things. I could not be in the band or orchestra or other clubs that I might have joined. You also have to give up part of your social life. But if I had to do it again I would still be a student-athlete. The memories last forever.

What's the most impressive meal you've ever cooked? I’m not sure what my single most impressive meal is, but I cook all of my own food, and I would say it’s all pretty good. So I tend to invite people on the team or other friends over for dinner a lot.

What’s your favorite sports team? St Louis Cardinals!

First job? Working on an orchard during the summers of high school. My friend and I worked in the fields all day. It was hot, but a lot of fun.

Best/worst summer job? Physics Research assistant

Five Minutes With ... Seri Retrum

DePauw sophomore cross country and track & field runner Siri Retrum

Name: Siri Retrum

Hometown/High School: Columbus, IN/ Columbus North

Institution: DePauw University

Major: Kinesiology

Sports: Cross Country and Track and Field


•    I am originally from ... Anderson, IN

•    Why did you choose to attend a NCAA Division III institution? I was looking for a school with a competitive sports program and challenging academics.

•    How would you describe the philosophy of NCAA Div. III? Being able to excel as a collegiate athlete while pursuing high academic goals.

•    How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at DePauw? Having practice nearly everyday of the year keeps me on a strict schedule. Fitting in running, lifting, classes and studying makes my schedule very regimented which helps me manage my time to accomplish everything.

•    How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level? I.e. What do you do all day? Depending on the day I wake up at 7 a.m. and run a few miles, shower and go to class. After lunch I will go lift before I go to the rest of my classes. Then at 4 pm I go to practice until 6 pm. After dinner I will study until I get my work done then I go to bed.

•    Favorite thing about DePauw? The close- knit nature of campus. Walking to classes it is common to see at least 10 people I know that I can say hi to.

•    Favorite thing about the NCAC? The friendly and competitive spirit at all sporting events.

•    What do you want to be when you grow up? A nurse

•    People may be surprised to know that …… My name is Norwegian.

•    What’s currently playing on your I-Pod? Keith Urban

•    Who do you look up to? My sister Becky, she started her own business by herself.

•    if you could excel at any competitive sport (other than your own) which would you choose? Triathlons

•    What's the most impressive meal you've ever cooked? Grilled salmon, roasted rosemary sweet potatoes, salad, and grilled asparagus

•    What’s your favorite sports team? The Colts

•    Favorite hobbies outside work/school? Cooking, spending time with family and friends, biking, swimming, reading, and playing on the lake

•    First job? Life guard

•    Favorite ice cream? I love all ice cream!!

Five Minutes With ... Travis Wall

Ohio Wesleyan senior men's soccer player Travis Wall

Name: Travis Wall

Hometown/High School: Columbus, OH/Upper Arlington

Institution: Ohio Wesleyan University

Major: Sports Management

Sport: Soccer

I am originally from ... Columbus, Ohio

Why did you choose to attend a NCAA Division III institution?

I chose to attend OWU because I knew that a Division III experience offered up the best combination of academics and athletics than any other school I could have found. Also, playing for Jay Martin was a huge factor in coming here.

How would you describe the philosophy of NCAA Div. III?

I think the philosophy is academics first with athletics a very close second. If there is a conflict though, academics always come first and I think that is an important message to get across.

How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at (your school)?

My experience has been great. When we have to miss classes for games, the professors have always been very accommodating and worked with me to help make up the work or notes I missed.

How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level? I.e. What do you do all day?

I wake up at 8 a.m. to get ready for my 9 a.m. class. I go to two of my classes, then go to lunch with the soccer team. After lunch I go to my last class at 1 p.m. Following that I will hang out in the coaches office with other members of the team or I will head home to try and catch a quick nap before our 4 p.m. practices that we have every day.

Favorite thing about Ohio Wesleyan?

Playing soccer for Jay Martin and the academic reputation that comes attached with a degree from Ohio Wesleyan.

Favorite thing about the NCAC?

The competitiveness of it

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I would like to be a college athletic director or a college head soccer coach.

If you could trade places with someone for a day, who would it be and why?

I would love to be Larry David for a day. Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm are my two all time favorite shows and Larry David is the comedic genius behind each one. I think his outlook on everyday awkward situations is hilarious, I often times find myself telling somebody that “that was a Larry David moment” or “I’ve seen this in Seinfeld” because he covers just about all there is to cover in everyday occurrences.

People may be surprised to know that …

My mom went to Denison. I am the youngest of three children and we all chose Ohio Wesleyan to go to school and play soccer. My mom has been pretty happy cheering us on over the years though.

If you are stranded on an island, you would like to be with …

Natalie Portman. I think she is the best looking woman on this planet.

What is the life of a student-athlete studying sports management like at Ohio Wesleyan?

The life of a sports management major at OWU is an interesting one. You get a really nice mix of taking business classes like accounting, economics, marketing management, etc., that cause you to think about the financial aspect of sport but we also get to take classes dedicated solely to the sports industry and the mental and philosophical approach to athletics which I particularly enjoyed wanting to head in the direction of coaching. Our professors encourage us to get hands on experience before entering the real world so next semester I am scheduled for two internships, one with the Columbus Crew and one with a local soccer club and I am really looking forward to those.

Do you have any hidden talents that very few people know about?

I can quote movies and TV shows better than most people. My friends and I at OWU consistently relate every day happenings to movies we have seen and try to quote those movies.

I also have an annoyingly bad habit of remembering the slightest details about any team we have ever player. Whether it be an opponent’s stats, the cleats he wore, his hometown, his number….you name it I most likely have it memorized.

What aspect of being a student-athlete at the Div. III level, do you hope to take with you into your professional life?

I think playing at a Division III level has taught me to prioritize. In life, my working career will come before any athletic interest I will have and I think going to OWU has just helped reinforce that.

What has been your most memorable moment in athletics during your collegiate career?

Although it just happened, I will never forget this years comeback against Ohio Northern in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament and the goal I scored to win the game. Jay told us after the game that he has never coached a team who has been down 2-0 in and NCAA game and come back to win which made us feel special. But to be down 2-0 with 20 minutes left in the game, most teams would start to panic and get out of their style but we did the opposite, we began to assert ourselves more and the goals finally started coming. I will never forget that game.

What would you like to accomplish, both in academics and athletics, before you graduate?

I would like to graduate with a cumulative GPA of above 3.2. I am currently at a 3.19 so I am close. In athletics, before it was to make a final 4, now that we have done that, I think it would be great to win the whole thing!

What’s currently playing on your I-Pod?

Drake’s new Take Care album

Do you have one coach and/or professor that has impacted your career the most at Ohio Wesleyan?

Jay Martin. It doesn’t get much better than playing for him. OWU has been spoiled to have him here for 35 years. Our assistant Brandon Bianco is a close second. He was a first year coach my freshman year and in 4 years, he has turned into a great coach. I’m sure he will be an ever better head coach in a few years wherever that may be. The best thing about our coaching staff is that they never stop trying to get better. It would be easy for people in their position to sit back and be content with their careers and this season but they are always striving to get better which is their most admirable quality.

In your opinion, what is the most important life lesson you learned while competing at the NCAA Div. III level?

Academics > athletics

How many hours a week do you spend on Facebook?

What would be your advice for someone that is considering enrolling as a student-athlete at a NCAA Div. III institution?

Do it, the lessons you learn are more rewarding than you could imagine.

Who do you look up to?

As a role model in life, my dad. As a coach for who I would like to emulate when I am older, I would have to say University of Akron head coach Caleb Porter. He is so confident in everything he does and he plays soccer the way it is suppose to be played.

If you could excel at any competitive sport (other than your own) which would you choose?

Basketball

Which historical sporting event would you have liked to witness?

Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier.

What's the most impressive meal you've ever cooked?

Ramen Noodles

What’s your favorite sports team/Who’s your favorite athlete?

My favorite sports team is Ohio State in every single sport. My favorite athlete in the world is Leo Messi

My favorite sports memory is…?

Sweet 16 win vs ONU in 2011

Any Pet Peeves?

When people end sentences with “and yeah…..” or “sooo….”

Favorite hobbies outside work/school?

Family time

First job?

Paper boy for the SNP Upper Arlington News.

Favorite ice cream?

Coffee

Wabash to Honor Petty

Long-time Wabash men's basketball coach Mac Petty announced he will be retiring at the end of the 2011-12 season. With his Little Giants in the hunt for playoff berths in the NCAC and NCAA Tournaments, that end could come much later than today's final regular season home game. Wabash will honor Mac today as the team hosts Oberlin.

Read more in today's papers:

The Paper of Montgomery County: WABASH BASKETBALL: Little Giants look to honor coach, seniors with win

Indy Star: On Campus: Wabash to honor basketball coach Petty

And here's a series on Mac from the Journal-Review - his memories and recollections of others from his 38-year career:

Thanks, Mac

Petty Recalls the Best of the Best

Petty's Former Players Share Thoughts

Other NCAC Coaches Talk About Petty

The Mac Petty Era

In the News

Several NCAC stories have appeared in the news recently:

** The Springfield News-Sun's Dave Jablonski tells the story of Wittenberg basketball player Chris Sullivan's dedication to gym time.

** In the Wooster Daily Record, Mike Plant talks up Wooster post Bryan Wickliffe, a key starter in the undefeated Fighting Scots' lineup.

** Wabash AD Tom Bambrey announced he will retire at the end of the 2010-11 academic year. The Paper of Montgomery County's Candice Rohrman has the story.

** Wooster's Ian Carlin, a former Fighting Scot football player, was in the January 31 roundup of Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd. Carlin, a senior wicketkeeper, received American College Cricket's award as the country's top U.S.-born cricket player and was named one of the five collegiate cricket players of the year for 2010.

All-America Recognition

Denison senior forward Jen Clemmer became the 12th player in Big Red women's soccer history to receive All-American honors. The senior forward was named a second-team All-American by the NSCAA after leading DU in goals (14), assists (6), points (34) and game winners (7), and being named the 2010 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, just the sixth player to received "Offensive Player of the Year" status in program history. Clemmer was also a 2010 NCAA Division III All-Great Lakes Region first-team selection after earning second-team all-region honors a year ago. Clemmer, pictured above, center, accepted her award at the recent NSCAA Convention in Baltimore, MD. She had plenty of support from head coach Gail Murphy, left, and assistant coach Tiffany Pins, right.

Three With Ties To North Coast To Be Inducted to Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame

Pam Evans Smith, Scott Tedder and the Ohio Wesleyan University 1988 Men’s National Championship Team will represent the North Coast Athletic Conference in the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame's (OBHOF) class of 2011. The class will be inducted on Saturday, May 21st at the Columbus Convention Center.

Smith will become the fifth Wittenberg alum or team to be elected to the OBHOF since its inception six years ago. Smith joins Don Henderson, class of 1954, and Frank Shannon, class of 1940, who gained entry in 2010, Eldon Miller, class of 1962, who was elected in 2009, and 2008 inductees Al Thrasher, class of 1964, and Ray Mears, who coached the Tigers from 1956-62. In addition, the 1961 Wittenberg men's basketball team, which captured the university's first national championship in any sport, and the 1977 national championship men's basketball team were both inducted in 2006 as part of the inaugural class.

During her 21-year coaching career, Smith became one of the most recognized coaches in NCAA Division III history as she compiled an overall record of 401-170, including twelve 20-win seasons, 11 NCAC regular season championships and eight trips to the NCAA Tournament. She was also named NCAC Coach of the Year on seven different occasions.

Smith’s accolades reached further then just coaching as she also enjoyed a record- breaking career as a player at Wittenberg. She earned the team’s Most Valuable Player award in three-straight seasons and was also a second-team Academic All-American selection in 1982. She was the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer (855) until 1989 and still holds the school record for season scoring average (17.0 ppg).

Also a tenured faculty member in Wittenberg's department of health, fitness and sport, Smith passed away in June 2007 after a lengthy battle with cancer.

Tedder, a member of the 1988 National Championship Team, is recognized as one of the most decorated athletes to ever compete at Ohio Wesleyan. He ended his career as the all-time leading scorer at both OWU and the NCAC, totaling 2,501 points in four years, good for 13th all-time in NCAA Div. III.

The 1988 season was particularly special to Tedder as he was named the Division III Player of the Year and the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four. He also saved two of his most memorable performances for his senior season, as he scored a career-high 50 points in the Battling Bishops 122-115 victory over Div. I Ohio University, and then exploded for 27 points in OWU’s 92-70 rout of Scranton in the National Championship Game.

Tedder, who was the first athlete in school history to earn first-team, All-American honors twice, led the NCAC in scoring three times and was twice named as the conference Player of the Year.

His talents were not just limited to basketball, as he was also an All-American baseball player and played professionally for seven years after being drafted by the Chicago White Sox.

The 1988 Ohio Wesleyan men’s basketball team, led by head coach Gene Mahaffey, was the first team in OWU history to win a national championship. The Battling Bishops finished the season with an overall mark of 27-5 and cruised to the national title, beating Nebraska Wesleyan, 87-71, in the semifinals, and Scranton, 92-70, in the championship game. The 22-point defeat of Scranton was a record margin of victory for the first 13 years of the championship.

The Bishops dropped their NCAC opener against Allegheny, but would reel off 11-straight victories to share the regular season title with the Gators. After defeating Kenyon and Allegheny in the NCAC Tournament, the Bishops were selected to host the Great Lakes Regional as the No. 1 seed in the region.

Among numerous accomplishments made throughout the season, one game emerged as a marquee victory for OWU after it defeated Div. I member Ohio University, 122-115, behind Tedder’s career-high 50 point performance.

Tedder along with classmate Lee Rowlinson were both key factors in OWU’s historical 1988 season. Tedder led the Bishops in scoring (31.6 ppg), while Rowlings averaged a double-double (24 ppg, 10.7 rpg). Tedder was honored as the Div. III Player of the Year, while Rowlinson was recognized as a second team All-American.

The Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame & Museum was created to preserve Ohio basketball history from the ranks of high school through the professional level. It is an effort to celebrate the past, present and future of basketball in the state and recognize the contributions of the athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, media and fans of the sport.

Tickets for the induction dinner and ceremony are available for purchase at http://www.ohiohoopzone.com or by calling (614) 792-7748. Corporate and private tables and sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Denison's Crawford, Wittenberg's O'Rourke Honored for Citizenship

Denison senior Dan Crawford has been selected as one of five finalists for the 7th annual Coach John Wooden Citizenship Cup. The award is presented to the most outstanding role model among college athletes and recognizes athletes who make the greatest difference in the lives of others.

Joining Crawford among the impressive list of finalists are University of Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, University of Oklahoma defensive back Quinton Carter, Amherst College basketball player Sarah Leyman, and Agnes Scott College basketball player Kimberly Reeves.

The winner of the 2010 Wooden Cup will be announced on January 25, 2011 at the East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga.

The Wooden Cup is named in honor of John Wooden. Wooden's legacy as a person of integrity, high moral character, compassion, and civic-mindedness continues to make him one of the most revered coaches in the history of sport. The Cup recognizes those athletes whose character represents the highest and best in sport, and who make the greatest difference in the lives of others. Since it is open to all athletes, all sports, it is regarded as the highest award in all of college sports.

Crawford, a co-captain for the Big Red football team in 2010, capped off his career with 433 yards rushing and 242 yards receiving and five total touchdowns this season. Since 2007 he has rushed for 1,404 yards and has scored 16 touchdowns. Crawford is the current president of the Denison Student Athlete Advisory Council and boasts a 3.66 grade point average while majoring in biochemistry.

In November, Crawford was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District squad and he will represent Denison at the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Awards Banquet in February. He received the 2010 Dale Googins Commitment Award which is given by the athletic department to a student-athlete who best demonstrates a commitment to self discipline and excellence.

In addition to all of the accolades on the field and in the classroom, Crawford has done extensive work in the community. In the fall of 2009 he organized the Salvation Army's Christmas Cheer Adopt-a-Child holiday toy drive, which raised $2,700 to provide gifts for 54 local children. He also established a "Pay it Forward" challenge, named in honor of Denison alum Woody Hayes '35 who coined the phrase "You can never pay back, but you can always pay forward." The challenge issued by Crawford encouraged athletes from all 23 of Denison's varsity teams to become involved with an individual and team-based community service initiative.

Crawford has already received a position with the highly selective "Teach for America" program. He will begin a two-year teaching assignment in the fall of 2011.

Wittenberg senior Conor O’Rourke was named one of 13 semifinalists for the award. O'Rourke, a member of the swim team who is one of the Tigers' top competitors in the butterfly events, began doing volunteer work with orphaned boys in Haiti during his summer vacations as a high school student, and he has continued those efforts during various breaks from studies at Wittenberg. The devastation caused by a 7.0 earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010, only increased his motivation, so he organized a fundraising event that became part of the first-ever "Hope For Haiti Weekend" at Wittenberg University less than a month later.

A history major at Wittenberg, O'Rourke organized a concert titled "In Harmony for Haiti" on Feb. 6 that featured performances by Wittenberg a cappella groups Wittmen Crew and Just Eve, a raffle and a T-shirt sale. All proceeds went to CRUDEM-Hopital Sacre Coeur, one of many overwhelmed medical facilities operating in parts of Haiti not directly impacted by the earthquake.

He returned to Haiti in May 2010 to volunteer at CRUDEM-Hopital Sacre Coeur for nearly three months, helping to develop infrastructure for the hospital by installing renewable energy sources to generate the freshwater pumps, and also working alongside physical and occupational therapists who are rehabilitating earthquake victims by building walkers for injured children.

He hasn't limited his efforts to the Haitian people, teaching kindergarten in a small fishing village in the African nation of Ghana in 2006, working with his Wittenberg fraternity to organize a fundraiser for victims of persecution in Darfur in 2008 and raising money for cancer research with his swimming and diving teammates through the annual Ted Mullin Leave it in the Pool, Hour of Power Relay each of the last four years.

Along the way, O'Rourke was voted Most Improved Swimmer by his teammates following the 2007-08 season and Most Dedicated following the 2008-09 season.

The award is presented annually to distinguished athletes that display character, teamwork and citizenship by Athletes for a Better World. The recipient is chosen by a screening committee, a national group of electors, and a committee chaired by Vincent Dooley, former University of Georgia athletic director, and other distinguished individuals involved in athletics across the country.

OWU's Martin To Be Inducted Into Ohio Soccer Hall Of Fame

Ohio Wesleyan’s 34-year head men’s soccer coach Jay Martin will be inducted into the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame on September 18th at Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

Martin will be joined by Chanka (Ken) Baldeosingh, Carl Del Corral, John Gyekenyesi, James McDowell, Al O’Campo (posthumous), Blaz Pesorda, Chris Rolfe and Kalman Toth as the fourth class to be inducted into the Hall.

Martin, who was named the NSCAA national Coach of the Year in 1991 and 1998, is the winningest active coach in NCAA Division III with an .814 winning percentage, collecting 566 wins in 33 seasons. He is also fourth on the all-divisions, all-time wins list.

He helped guide the 1998 Battling Bishops to the NCAA Div. III title to go along with two runner-up finishes and seven semifinal appearances. OWU has won 12 regional titles under Martin’s direction, including nine in the last 15 seasons. The Bishops also hold NCAA records in playoff appearances (31) and playoff victories (51).

Among Martin’s most distinguished feats at OWU lies his streak of consecutive playoff appearances, which reached 18-consecutive seasons (1978-95). Martin has also guided the Bishops to 21 conference titles.

In the midst of the Bishops’ impressive playoff streak, Martin and the OWU men’s soccer team were the most dominant team in the country during the 1980’s regardless of division as they compiled an .815 winning percentage.

Martin became the fastest coach in college history to reach the 500-win plateau after reaching the feat in the 2005 season. He is one of only seven college coaches to eclipse 500 career victories.

In addition to his numerous coaching accolades, Martin also served as the president of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and served a six-year term on the NCAA Div. III selection committee, serving as the committee chair for four of those seasons. Martin has also served as a color analyst for the Columbus Crew of the MLS for the past nine seasons.

According to the Ohio Soccer Hall of Fame website, coaches must meet the following criteria in order to receive consideration: Shall be those who have served the soccer community in a coaching capacity over an extended period of time, exhibiting exceptional coaching and teaching ability, as well as coaching success at the League and State Level, as well as, instructing others involved in coaching. Candidates should also have contributed to the promotion and growth of a positive image for soccer and its programs.

Allegheny's Zipf Named to Fred Mitchell Award Watch List

Allegheny junior Ryan Zipf was one of 40 kickers named to the Fred Mitchell Award Watch List. The award is presented to the nation’s top collegiate placekicker among more than 600 FCS, Division II, Division III and NAIA football teams.

The award is named for Fred Mitchell, the record-setting place-kicker, Wittenberg Athletic Hall of Famer, author, philanthropist and Chicago Tribune sports columnist. The recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award will be chosen based on excellence on the football field and in the community. The Award’s Watch List is released in August, top performers are recognized monthly during the college football season, and the winner (who is not required to be on the Watch List) is announced in mid-December.

Notes on Ryan Zipf: Junior from Cranberry Township, PA....2009 Fred Mitchell Award Finalist....led the Gators in 2009 scoring with 60 points from 24 of 26 PATs and 12 of 14 FGs including a 40-yard FG against Wabash on October 3....made six straight FG’s before going 3 of 4 in the last game of the 2009 season....game-winning 39-yard FG on October 31 in 24-21 win over Wooster....four game winning streak for the Gators included 5 of 5 PAT's in wins over Carnegie Mellon and Denison and 3 of 3 PATs in wins over Kenyon and Wooster....2009 All-North Coast Athletic Conference Team Honorable Mention....volunteers at the Active Aging senior center in Meadville

2010 Watch List

Ohio Wesleyan Receives Presidential Award for Excellence in General Community Service

Ohio Wesleyan fosters among its students, faculty and staff a daily commitment to community service. The efforts undertaken by the University were recently recognized as OWU was one of three schools nationwide to be honored with a Presidential Award in General Community Service and one of six schools individually honored overall.

The award is part of the the 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, the highest federal recognition a college and university can receive for its commitment to service-learning and fostering civic engagement.

The Corporation for National and Community Service, which administers the annual Honor Roll award, recognized the university and its students in the category of “General Service” for their impact on issues from poverty and hunger to human rights and environmental justice. Nearly 1,800 OWU students committed more than 45,000 hours in service work, including tutoring economically disadvantaged children, mentoring at-risk youth, repairing hurricane damage, and serving food in area soup kitchens. The university’s students also earned recognition with the Community Stewardship Award and the Keep Delaware County Beautiful program for their community service work. Click here to read the complete description of OWU’s service work.

“Community service is part of the foundation and fabric of Ohio Wesleyan University,” said Rock Jones, Ph.D., OWU president. “Our students spent more than 45,000 hours last year working to help people locally, nationally, and around the world. This recognition by the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is not the end goal of their collective effort, but a wonderful validation of it.”

The Corporation administers the Honor Roll in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Campus Compact and the American Council on Education. Honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors including scope and innovation of service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses. In addition to the top honorees, 115 institutions have been named to the Distinction List and 621 were listed on the Honor Roll. Click here for a full list of Honor Roll recipients.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that engages more than five million Americans in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps State and National, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), Senior Corps, and Learn and Serve America programs, and leads President Obama’s national call to service initiative, United We Serve. For more information, visit Nationalservice.gov.

Boardman and Wenz Named Jostens Trophy Finalists

Wittenberg's Stephanie Boardman and Wooster's Kym Wenz are two of 12 women's finalists for the prestigious Jostens Trophy.

The national award was created 13 years ago by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., to honor the most outstanding men's and women's NCAA Division III basketball players of the year. From a record number of nominations in 2010, the committee employed a numerical rating to narrow the list of finalists to 10 men and 12 women.

The trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service above Self" by recognizing the ideal of the well-rounded NCAA Division III student-athlete. The winners will be announced at a banquet on Thursday, March 18, at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the Men's Basketball NCAA Division III Championship hosted by the City of Salem, Va., March 19-20.

Click here for additional information on the award.

2010 Women's Finalists
Molly Ariail, Randolph-Macon College
Stephanie Boardman, Wittenberg University
Colleen Clarke, Cazenovia College
Chelsea Edwards, Univ. of Texas at Dallas
Claire Ely, Univ. of Puget Sound
Julia Hirssig, Univ. of Wisconsin-Stout
Jessica Laing, SUNY Cortland
Lyndsie Long, Elmhurst College
Margo Muhlbauer, Buena Vista University
Christina Solari, Illinois Wesleyan Univ.
Kym Wenz, College of Wooster
Mary Wilkowski, Hamline University

2010 Men's Finalists
Brandon Altmann, Univ. of Mary Washington
Zach Ashworth, Univ. of Scranton
Josh Hoch, Carroll University
Corey McAdam, Nazareth College
Daniel McKeehan, Thomas More College
Cameron Mitchell, Willamette University
Danny Noll, Centre College
Ben Panner, Wheaton College (Ill.)
Blake Shultz, Williams College
Aaron Trigg, Gordon College

OWU Men's Lacrosse - Good Sports

When Ohio Wesleyan men’s lacrosse coach Sean Ryan received an unexpected package from US Lacrosse, the men’s college lacrosse governing body, he was surprised.

Ryan’s surprise turned to delight when inside the package was a letter and a plaque announcing that the Ohio Wesleyan team had received the James “Ace” Adams Sportsmanship Award at the US Lacrosse National Convention in January.

Ryan, who did not attend the national convention, says he was ecstatic when he received the package and had no idea that the team had won.

The award is bestowed by US Lacrosse and the US Lacrosse Men’s Division Officials Council. The award is given to programs from Division I, Division II and Division III that show sportsmanship from players, coaches, administrators, and fans. The Ohio Wesleyan team also will be featured in Lacrossemagazine.

“To receive this award is a complete honor because it comes directly from (game) officials,” Ryan says. “For the University and our program to be recognized by the officials is a huge honor. The award itself shows the amount of positive support we have received from the student body and game-day administration that ensures an excellent game-day experience for everyone.”

Ryan says his coaching staff, the team members, and their parents were very excited because many of them did not know such an award existed.

Director of Athletics Roger Ingles says the award is a big honor for the team and the University because it shows the team’s commitment to sportsmanship.

“It is very important to me personally that we do things first-class and that when our teams compete against others they do so with respect and honor for their opponents,” he says. “I would much rather we lost a contest with class than to win without it.

“Lacrosse is a physical and very rough game,” Ingles continues. “It takes a strong-willed personality to play it and to play it successfully. This award says a lot about our kids’ ability to compete at the highest level and to do so with honor, integrity and class.”

– Michelle Rotuno-Johnson ’12

Article courtesy of Connect2 OWU, Feb. 25, 2010

Wittenberg's Maggie Amorello and Denison's Kimmi Oshita picked up their All-America awards at the recent NSCAA Convention.

Amorello, who started all 21 games in which she played, earned third-team honors. She was the central defender on a unit that allowed just 13 goals in 22 games in 2009. The Tigers recorded 15 shutouts, good for No. 2 in the conference and No. 12 in all of NCAA Division III in team shutout percentage.

Oshita became the 11th player in Denison women's soccer history to receive All-American accolades. The junior forward was named a second-team All-American by the NSCAA after leading the Big Red in goals (15) and points (31), and being named the 2009 NCAC Offensive Player of the Year, just the fifth player to receive "Offensive Player of the Year" status in Big Red history.

Earlham's Gage an All-Star

Earlham's Cassie Gage has had her season extended by one game. The senior has been selected to play in the 2009 NFHCA Division III Senior All-Star Game.

She is one of 38 players selected, and the is only representative from the NCAC.

“It is very exciting,” Gage said. “I’m nervous and really surprised. I’m in shock and all I can do is grin. It’s great because I never thought that I would be playing in a national all-star game.”

The match is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, 2009 at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. The contest begins at 9:30 a.m.

Gage has 88 points in her career and is one away from tying Margaret Kerrick (1983-86) for the all-time Earlham record. She has 37 goals and 14 assists in her time with the Quakers.

She is second in career goals behind Kerrick’s 42, while her 14 assists have her tied for third. Rebecca Aldred (2000-03) holds the all-time assist mark with 18.

Owens Earns Good Works Honor

Earlham's Chris Owens gets plenty of attention for his performance on the football field. The senior is in the hunt for Quaker records in receptions (142, record: 177), receiving yards (2,135 yards, record: 2,543) and touchdowns (19, record: 27).

His performance off the field may be even more impressive. Owens was named to the Allstate/AFCA Good Works Team which honors dedicated and hard-working student-athletes for their off-the-field achievements and selfless contributions to their communities.

A part of the Bonner Scholars Program at Earlham, Owens has completed over 1,500 hours of community service since coming to Richmond in 2005 with organizations such as Townsend Community Center, Reid Hospital and Health Services, Pauline Trueblood Nursery School, Richmond State Hospital, Wernle Children’s Home, Make-A-Wish Foundation, March of Dimes Foundation, United Way, Galileo Charter Schools, Habitat for Humanity, Upward Bound and Earlham Explore-A-College.

The two 11-member Good Works teams – one composed of players competing in the NCAA® Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) and a combined team representing the NCAA® Football Championship Subdivision (I-AA), Divisions II, III and the NAIA – honor players that embody the true spirit of “teamwork” and “giving back” through commendable acts of kindness and community service.

In order to meet the criteria set forth by Allstate and AFCA, each player must be actively involved and committed to working with a charitable organization, service group or community service while maintaining good academic standing. Candidates must also display sincere concern and reliability, while also having made a favorable impression on the organizations with which they are involved. Neither athletic ability nor on-the-field achievements are among the selection criteria.

See this year's honorees here.