Five Minutes With...

Throughout the 2010-11 academic year, the North Coast Athletic Conference will give you an in-depth look into the lives of the student-athletes, administrators and faculty members of the conference who epitomize what it means to compete, study and educate at the NCAA Div. III level. We hope that this feature will help people gain a better understanding of why individuals have decided to make NCAA Div. III a cornerstone of their life.

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Name: Sarah Watson

Hometown/High School: Hudson, OH/Hudson

Institution: Wittenberg University

Major: Chemistry

Sport: Basketball




• Why did you choose to attend an NCAA Division III institution?

SW: I am a fourth generation "Wittenberger". I grew up around Wittenberg’s campus, going to football and basketball games, so I couldn’t really imagine going anywhere else. As a student at an NCAA Division III institution and a liberal arts university, I love the idea of being well rounded. I am not just learning about my intended field, but also getting the opportunity to take classes in different disciplines.


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

SW: I would love to trade places with Erin Andrews. Not only did she get to compete on Dancing With The Stars, but how great would it be to get paid to watch and talk about college athletics?


• How would you most accurately describe or define the ideals on which the NCAA Div. III was founded?

SW: Division III is most accurately described as a place for student-athletes, where the student comes first. We are expected to be in the classroom and complete our work just like any other student, as well as being on top of our game night in and night out. Basketball is not a job and I am not “owned” by my coaches or team, but they are a wonderful addition to the life I lead at Wittenberg.


• People may be surprised to know that ……
SW: I can complete a 1000 piece puzzle in under a day. Last Christmas break my older brother and I finished eight puzzles in the seven days that I was home.

• How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at your institution?

SW: Hectic. Being an athlete is all about time management. I believe that I am more productive when I am in season than out of season. During season, I only have a limited amount of time to get my work done so I know that I have to be efficient after practice is over. I also know that having such a busy schedule now will only prepare me for a demanding schedule in the future.


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

SW: If I can have people: My teammates and family; If I can’t have people: Books. Lots and lots of books.


• What is the life of a student-athlete studying chemistry like at Wittenberg University?

SW: The life of a chemistry major is very demanding. Between classes, labs and practice the majority of my time is spent between the Barbara Deer Kuss Science Center and the gym. I think the only difference between most other majors is the amount of time that I spend in lab, and the over-lap between lab and practice. All chemistry labs take place in the afternoon, so there are times where I have to miss the beginning of practice to complete a lab. What’s nice is that I have a fellow teammate, Lindley Bell, who is also a chemistry major. It is very convenient when we are lab partners, as we know how to work efficiently so we can get in, get our lab completed and get to practice.

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

SW: I have the amazing ability to find the perfect piece of Tupperware to store leftovers.

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

SW: Moments... Last year we went on an incredible run during conference play that included wins over Denison, OWU and Kenyon which are all considered rivals. It was amazing to be able to pull out close wins over some really tough competition and know that the hard work we put in had really paid off.


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

SW: I hope to graduate with honors in chemstry as well as honors from Wittenberg University and have a conference tournament championship under my belt.


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

SW: “Waving Flags” by K’naan thanks to the Wittenberg University volleyball team, and Straight No Chaser.


• What is your most prized possession?

SW: I am a huge Duke fan, so my most prized possession has to be my autographed basketball signed by Mike Krzyzewski, Coach K.


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

SW: I have learned that the only limitations I have are those I put on myself. I have been supported by my family, teammates and coaches during my time at Wittenberg and know that whatever I choose to pursue that they will always be behind me.


• How many hours a week do you spend on Facebook?

SW: 1-2 hours a week


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

SW: Go where you feel at home. Yes, I know, it’s corny, but as a tour guide I always tell prospective students that they should feel as comfortable at school as they do at home.


• How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level?

SW:

• Class all morning.
• Lunch.
• Internship in the Office of Admission or lab until practice.
• Practice.
• Dinner.
• Studying with some of my teammates.

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.

Five Minutes With ...

Throughout the 2010-11 academic year, the North Coast Athletic Conference will give you an in-depth look into the lives of the student-athletes, administrators and faculty members of the conference who epitomize what it means to compete, study and educate at the NCAA Div. III level. We hope that this feature will help people gain a better understanding of why individuals have decided to make NCAA Div. III a cornerstone of their life.

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Name: Morgan Korinek

Hometown/High School: Cuyahoga Falls, OH /Woodridge High School

Institution: Kenyon College

Major: Biology

Sport: Basketball

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

MK: I chose to attend a NCAA division III institution because both academics and athletics were important to me. I wanted to be able to dedicate my time to both, and not have to choose one over the other. I thought playing at a Division III institution would provide me with the best opportunities both in academics and athletics.


• How has your experience been in balancing athletics and academics at your institution?

MK: Kenyon has been amazing in offering an ideal environment in both academics and athletics. I feel that I am able to excel in both academics and athletics.


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

MK: My team and my family.


• What is the life of a student-athlete studying Biology like at Kenyon?

MK: Studying biology at Kenyon has been an amazing experience. My biology professors challenge me in the classroom, but are always available to help in any way possible. My professors have shown interest in me not just as a student, but as a person during my time at Kenyon. My biology professors make up a large group of the professors in the stands at our games and it means a lot to me to have that kind of support from my professors.


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

MK: The ability to face adversity and rise above it.


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

MK: My most memorable moment in athletics was probably my first collegiate win. It was a total team victory in a packed gym. It was a great atmosphere to achieve my class’ first collegiate win in.


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

MK: A little bit of everything, ranging from country to Christian rock to rap.


• Do you have one coach and or professor in mind that has impacted your career the most at Kenyon?

MK: Coach Helfant challenges me daily not only as a player, but as a person. She doesn’t allow me to become complacent and is always pushing me to demand more out of myself.


• What is your most prized possession?

MK: Right now my most prized possession is my time at Kenyon.


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

MK: The most important life lesson I have learned is to not be afraid to fail. It happens to everyone. You are going to feel regret in not putting yourself out there and giving yourself a chance. It is important to be motivated by your desire to succeed rather than your fear of failure.


• How many hours a week do you spend on Facebook?

MK: 5-6


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

MK: I would tell them to take the chance and do it especially if they are an athlete. Being a division III student athlete has been such a positive experience for me that I wish everyone could experience being a Division III student-athlete.


• How would you best describe your normal day as a student-athlete at the NCAA Div. III level?

MK: I wake up and grab some breakfast with friends. I then attend class for three hours and then eat lunch with the team. Next I head down to the gym and get an individual work out in. I spend time studying till practice and then practice with my team. After practice we have team dinner and then often spend the rest of the night studying together.

NCAC Basketball Team Previews

We're in the opening week of basketball season. Check out the prognosis of your favorite team (updated as available):

Allegheny: men - women

Denison: men - women

Hiram: men - women - winter sports video preview

Kenyon: men - women

Oberlin: men - women

Ohio Wesleyan: men - women

Wabash: men

Wittenberg: men - women

Wooster: men - women

Concussions - Not to be Shaken Off

Ohio Wesleyan Athletic Trainer Todd Miller recently spoke on the dangers of concussions and concussion management to WOSUColumbus.

Also interviewed was OWU student-athlete Sarah Ingles, a member of the OWU golf team. Sarah was a three-sport athlete in field hockey, basketball and softball, but due to her history of seven concussions, she must not participate in contact sports. Sarah's injuries have touched other parts of her life, but she manages to find her silver lining - including having the opportunity to educate others using her situation.

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

Follow NCAC Basketball Tournament Action

The NCAC men's and women's basketball tournaments tip off with quarterfinal action tonight! If you can't make a game in person, follow your favorite teams online:

Women's Tournament
#8 Hiram at #1 Wittenberg, 8:00 p.m. - audio video live stats
#7 Oberlin at #2 Ohio Wesleyan, 7:30 p.m. - video live stats
#6 Allegheny at #3 Denison, 7:30 p.m. - audio live stats
#5 Wooster at #4 Kenyon, 7:30 p.m. - audio/video live stats

Men's Tournament
#8 Kenyon at #1 Wooster, 7:30 p.m. - audio video live stats
#7 Denison at #2 Wabash, 7:30 p.m. - audio video live stats
#6 Hiram at #3 Wittenberg, 6:00 p.m. - audio video live stats
#5 Ohio Wesleyan at #4 Allegheny, 7:30 p.m. - audio/video live stats

Around the NCAC

** Allegheny's volleyball and women's soccer teams leave today for a european tour. A few student-athletes from each team will blog about their experiences, which will be featured at alleghenysports.com throughout the trip.

** On July 16, Allegheny's Alex Herrnberger was signed by the Arizona Diamondbacks and assigned to the Missoula (Mont.) Osprey, a short-season league designated as rookie advanced. Through July 31, Herrnberger appeared in three games for the Osprey, the first-place team in the Pioneer North at 20-15. He is 0-for-1 with a pair of walks and has scored two runs with one RBI.

** Hiram Head Swimming and Diving Coach Jack Groselle continued his assault on the Masters' Swimming record books at the USA Swimming Sectionals held in Oxford, Ohio. He clocked a 2:05.39 in the men’s 200-yard free to lower his FINA Masters age division record in the 55-59 age group. He previously set the record with a 2:07.21 at the last sectional meet in the area held in March. He then posted a U.S. Masters Swimming national record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a mark of 1:12.84. Groselle competes this week at the U.S. Masters Swimming Nationals in Indianapolis, Ind. beginning on Thursday.

** Follow progress on the Ohio Wesleyan Meeks Aquatic & Recreation Center here.

** Wittenberg's Katherine Hueter reflects on her basketball trip to the Adriatic Coast earlier this summer with USA Athletes International.

** Wittenberg will host its seventh annual Rosy's Golf Outing to honor the legacy of former Tiger student-athlete, coach and athletics department administrator Bob Rosencrans '58. Proceeds from the event, scheduled for 11 a.m. at Windy Knoll Golf Club in Springfield, will be split between the Central and Southern Ohio Chapter of the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Association, Driving 4 Life and Wittenberg, which will use the money to continue to make improvements in and around the Bob Rosencrans Fitness Center. Proceeds raised for the Central and Southern Ohio Chapter of the ALS Association are used for research for a cure for the deadly disease, better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. Rosencrans died of ALS in 2003, just two months after the inaugural Rosy's Golf Outing.

Yow's Death Stirs Memories of Wittenberg Basketball Coach

The following story is reprinted from Wittenberg's athletic site, and is also featured on NCAA.org.

Late Legendary Mentors Inspire Wittenberg Women's Basketball Team To Activism For Cancer Awareness

Written by: Ryan Maurer

Springfield, Ohio — It may have happened more than 19 months ago, but the passing of Wittenberg women's basketball coach Pam Evans Smith is still fresh in the minds of many of the coaches and student-athletes who continue to don the Red & White. For Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz, Wittenberg class of 1998, the memories came flooding back Saturday morning when she learned of the passing of North Carolina State University Head Coach Kay Yow.

Like Smith, Yow was a tremendously successful college women's basketball coach who dealt with the scourge of cancer for many years before finally succumbing to the disease. The two were kindred spirits in many ways – between them they won more than 1,100 college basketball games and more than two dozen conference championships, much of the time while suffering from an almost identical form of cancer.

Members of the women's basketball coaching fraternity for years, they naturally became distant friends, although it wasn't until Yow was recognized at an Athletes In Action event called Night of Champions in Xenia, Ohio, in May 2006 that they sat down face-to-face to discuss their shared experiences. After Smith's death a little more than a year later, Jurewicz was asked to speak at the Kay Yow Breast Cancer Fund roll-out event at the April 2008 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) national convention. Afterward, Jurewicz and Yow shared a conversation that still means a great deal to the young Wittenberg coach.

Just hours after she learned of Yow's death, Jurewicz guided her Tigers to a most unlikely of victories - a dramatic 73-72 home win over North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Ohio Wesleyan. After Wittenberg rallied from a double-digit first half deficit to win the game on a last-second shot from Katherine Hueter, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, Jurewicz couldn't help but think that perhaps more than one guardian angel was looking out for her team.

"There was a confidence in the team on Saturday that I felt was infused by something bigger than the players themselves," said Jurewicz, Wittenberg's all-time leading scorer, who replaced Smith, a 1982 Wittenberg graduate and the university's women's basketball head coach for 21 years before passing away in June 2007. "In the locker room following the game, I told the team that it was very apropos that they achieved this victory today in such a courageous way – in a way that this program has seen modeled by Coach Smith."

A typically civic-minded Wittenberg graduate, Jurewicz would probably faithfully participate in WBCA breast cancer awareness programs even without her close personal relationship with Smith or her cherished opportunities to meet Yow. She has become more than a bystander, however – she is a full-fledged cancer awareness advocate, not only organizing but actively promoting events like Pink Zone, scheduled for the Tigers' home game against the College of Wooster at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14.

"Both Coach Smith and Coach Yow would love to know that the basketball community is rallying around such an enormously important cause," said Jurewicz, a native of Shakopee, Minn. "Both women, being unbelievable pillars of strength within their respective communities, would be proud to know that we will continue to celebrate their lives by trying to raise awareness and make others' lives better."

Pink Zone, a program started in 2007 under the name Think Pink, is the WBCA's "global, unified effort...to assist in raising breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond." More than 1,000 colleges and high schools participated in the program during the 2007-08 basketball season, including Wittenberg, which recognized breast cancer survivors during a moving halftime tribute ceremony.

The event will annually pay tribute to Smith, for whom the arena in the university's HPER Center was named on Feb. 2, 2008, as all gate receipts from each year's Pink Zone game are donated to Wittenberg's Pam Evans Smith Memorial Fund. Created one month after the women's basketball coach with the most wins and highest winning percentage in NCAC history passed away, the fund now has more than $75,000 to provide scholarships to deserving female senior students who demonstrate leadership and academic abilities.

Again this year, T-shirts will be sold throughout the event, and a breast cancer awareness information table will offer literature. Wittenberg's Pink Zone event will also coincide this year with Take a Kid to the Game Day, a new initiative by the university's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Hiram Women's Basktball to Sponsor Food Drive

Hiram's women’s basketball team will sponsor a food drive at four home games next month. All donations will be delivered to the Crestwood 4 C’s Emergency Food Cupboard.

Fans can donate food items that will benefit needy families in Hiram Township and the Crestwood School District. The four home events are Dec. 3, 13, 16 and 30.

Suggested food donations include: juice, soup/stew, vegtables, applesauce, canned fruit, tuna, macaroni & cheese, pasta, spaghetti sauce, baby food, salt and pepper, condiments, breakfast cereal, jello or pudding mix, laundry detergent, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, tooth paste, tooth brushes, napkins, personal hygiene products, dish soap, bath soap, school supplies, coffee, tea, peanut butter, etc.

For more information contCT Head Women’s Basketball Coach Andrea Preston by phone at (330) 569-5352 or by email.

Free Tickets For All

With the present state of the local economy, Earlham is making a special offer to basketball fans this winter.

AD Frank Carr announced last week that fans can attend all Quaker home basketball games for free during the 2008-09 season.

“We’ve decided to offer this for the community as a way of providing entertainment for area residents and supporting our basketball fans,” Carr said.

Both Earlham teams open this weekend in tournaments away from Schuckman Court before returning for their home openers on Tuesday, Nov. 25.

The men’s team faces Manchester College at 6 p.m., while the women’s squad entertains Bluffton University at 8 p.m.

OWU Basketball Doing Its Part for the Economy

Ohio Wesleyan has announced it will offer free admission to all men's and women's basketball games this season, in light of the downward direction of today's economy. The plan is to offer the Delaware community an entertainment option that won't stretch their wallets.

“Our catch phrase is ‘Until the economy rebounds, you can catch ours for free,’ ” says athletic director Roger Ingles.

Read the full story here, in the latest issue of Connect2OWU.

Around the NCAC - with quotes!

It's a busy time around the NCAC ...

** Allegheny AD Betsy Mitchell was featured by Athletic Management Magazine. The Q&A focuses on her plans at Allegheny and on her career in athletics.

What is the big picture for Allegheny athletics?
The athletic department should be a piece of our overall institution, not just an auxiliary unit that does its own thing. In athletics, we are completely hooked into the mission of Allegheny, which is to prepare our students for their lives after college.

Also in the big picture is publicizing what we do to prospective students, our community, donors, and friends. The strategic vision is all about getting our words to people both inside and outside the institution.

Read the whole feature here.

** The Hiram SAAC collected 221 pairs of shoes for Soles3Souls.

** The Oberlin baseball team has spent the past month volunteering at a local elementary school. Team members volunteer at the elementary school four days a week, visiting three fifth-grade classrooms. The squad's efforts were featured in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The idea to volunteer came from Brian Verne, a senior and co-captain.

I had so many great experiences growing up," said Verne, a sociology major.
"I know what it feels like to succeed at something. I want kids to succeed.
"One of the greatest deeds anyone can do is to put a smile on a kid's face."

** A chat with Ohio Wesleyan women's basketball coach Nan Carney-DeBord was posted in the OWU electronic magazine, Connect2OWU. The winningest coach in Battling Bishop women's basketball history has a much wider focus than simple wins and losses.

“I view coaching as a mutual exchange of positive energy,” she explains. “It’s an honor for me to be able to work with so many incredibly talented student-athletes..."

Read the full story here

** The annual Monon Bell football game between Wabash and DePauw will be broadcast to a national audience by HDNet for the fourth time.

For those who may not realize it, that’s a very big deal.

The network sent an advance crew to Wabash a short while ago. Read a little about it here, in a blog post by Jim Amidon.

** Wittenberg awarded the first Dave Maurer Honorary Scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a sophomore, junior or senior male student with financial need who has demonstrated such qualities as self-discipline, teamwork, cooperation, hard work, self-confidence, pride in accomplishment, competitive spirit, and the ability to deal with adversity. Click here for more.

Around the NCAC

** Athletic Director Betsy Mitchell talks about how tradition, commitment and excellence combine together into the Allegheny Advantage in her latest From the Athletic Director's Desk.

** Allegheny senior golfer Chris Moore and sophomore soccer player Jessica Boyle will share what it's like to be a student-athlete with the readers of the Erie Times-News. The two have been selected, along with two student-athletes from each of the Erie area's local colleges, to blog about their daily life this fall on paper's online home: goerie.com/blogs/sports.

** The second installment of the Jeff Ramsey Show will air tomorrow on AM-1320 WOBL and LorainCounty.com. The broadcast features Yeomen head football coach Jeff Ramsey and select players. It airs from 8:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

** Ohio Wesleyan men's soccer was predicted to finish atop the NCAC standings in preseason balloting by league coaches and the Battling Bishops are off to a 4-1 start. A big part of the team's success can be attributed to brothers Travis and Tyler Wall. Read about the brother's chemistry and how they're following in sister Sarah's success at OWU in the latest edition of Connect2 OWU.

** Former Ohio Wesleyan women's basketball player Summer Quesenberry has been named the assistant coach at Vassar.

** For the third straight year HDNet will broadcast the Monon Bell, the annual season-ending football game between Wabash and DePauw, live to a national audience. The 115th game of the long-running rivalry will be played Saturday, November 15 at Wabash. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. The Little Giants hold a 53-52-9 edge in the overall series. Read the details here.

** Wabash football is set to host its annual Youth Day Football clinic. The event, for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade, will be held at Byron P. Hollett Little Giant Stadium on Sept. 19 from 5-6:30 p.m. As meaningful as the day might be for the kids, it might be even more important to the college "kids".

** Wittenberg will celebrate Dave Maurer Day on Nov. 1 in to honor the legendary coach's 40 years as a Tiger. Maurer coached track and field, swimming and diving, and golf at various points during his Wittenberg career, in addition to his well-known exploits on the football sidelines. He also served as the university's director of men's athletics and was a professor of health and physical education. Like many other Wittenberg coaches of his era, Maurer did it all. For details of the special day, click here. For more information, or to register for the event, contact Beckie Baker in Wittenberg's Office of Advancement at (937) 327-7423. The cost of the reunion dinner is $40 per person. You can also share your thoughts and memories on a special tribute page.

The Sporting Life Continues

For most Division III athletes, graduation is a bittersweet time. Not only are they potentially leaving the comfy confines of college life, but they are also most likely saying goodbye to organized sports.

Sure people play in rec league and in certain sports there's always pick-up games, but for most organized training, practice and competition are now just a recent memory.

However, some athletes love participating so much that they seek out the rare opportunities that exist to extend their sporting life. Former Oberlin student-athletes Jessie Oram and Seth Binder are two of those athletes.

The two have paired up to share their experiences on their blog After D3 Sports. Seth is currently playing baseball in Munich, Germany, after a season in Israel, and Jesse playing basketball in Melbourne, Australia.

Oberlin's Kinney Receives Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Award

Recent Oberlin grad and former women’s basketball player Roneisha Kinney is a third-team Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar selection. The honor was announced in the latest issue of Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine.

This past winter Kinney led the Yeowomen in points (290/11.2 ppg), rebounds (235/9.0 rpg), field goal percentage (.453/120-of-265) and blocks (25/.96 bpg) en route to earning second-team All-NCAC accolades.

Off of the court, the environmental science major spent time reading to and tutoring local children as well as volunteering at Kendal Nursing Home.

Diverse Issues in Higher Education established the Arthur Ashe, Jr. Sports Scholar Awards to honor undergraduate students of color who have made achieving both academically and athletically a winning combination. Inspired by tennis legend Arthur Ashe Jr.'s commitment to education as well as his love for the game of tennis, colleges and universities across the country are invited to participate in this annual awards program by nominating their outstanding sports scholars. In addition to their athletic ability, Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholars must exhibit academic excellence and community activism.

To be included students have to compete in an intercollegiate sport, maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.2, and be active on their campuses or in their communities.

2008 WBCA All-America Teams

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

Honorable Mention Team
Anne Dugan, Kenyon

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.

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

Earlham Plans Busy Saturday

Earlham has packed a lot into its annual Community Day on Saturday - a pair of basketball games, a tennis match, National Girls and Women in Sports Day and a Think Pink event.

Admission is free, but donations will be accepted with the proceeds supporting the Lamar Lundy Fund benefiting the Townsend Center.

The first event of the day gets underway early in the morning. Registration for National Girls and Women in Sports Day begins at 9:30 a.m. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Girls from 3rd-to-8th grade can take part in swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer and camp games. Lunch will be served and participants can then attend the women’s basketball contest.

Think Pink will be a part of the women’s basketball game against NCAC foe Kenyon at 1 p.m. Fans are asked to wear pink to support breast cancer awareness.

Basketball Senior Day - There are two seniors on the women’s team, Whitney McBurrows and Samantha Lurie, and three on the men’s squad, Nick Welsh, Neil Collins and Terrel Brown. The five players along with one cheerleader will be recognized on Saturday. The men’s contest against Ohio Wesleyan University is set for 3:00 p.m.

Tennis Match - the Earlham women’s team will open the spring season with a match against Wilmington at 1:00 p.m.