Forty-One Student-Athletes Claim Spring Sport All-Conference Awards

Springfield, Ohio — Wittenberg wrapped up a record-setting year with another haul of All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) recognitions from their spring sports. A total of 41 student-athletes earned NCAC spring postseason honors during a season in which the Tiger men's and women's tennis, men's golf and men's and women's lacrosse teams reached new heights.

Announcements for softball and baseball, men's and women's lacrosse, and men's and women's tennis have come in separate releases from the NCAC office in recent weeks. Individual finishes at conference championship events determined All-NCAC selections in men's and women's track and field and men's golf.

Under first-year Head Coach Justin Stuckey, the Wittenberg MEN'S TENNIS team placed fourth in the NCAC Tournament after a 15-8 season. Brad Seymour, class of 2009 from Chillicothe, Ohio, earned a second-team All-NCAC award after finishing 13-9 overall as the Tigers' primary No. 1 singles player. Bobby Fisher, class of 2011 from Gahanna, Ohio, made the honor roll for the first time in his career, landing honorable mention recognition for an 11-9 singles campaign, primarily at the No. 2 position. (NCAC Men's Tennis Press Release)

The Tiger WOMEN'S TENNIS team concluded its season with a 15-5 record, matching a school record in wins, while taking fifth place in the conference. Allison Earhart, class of 2009 from Yorktown, Ind., earned second-team All-NCAC honors after finishing 6-10 as top tier singles performer. Jayne Miely, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, also earned second-team all-conference recognition after posting a spectacular 13-2 record at No. 2 singles. The Tigers also earned a second-team doubles selection as Kat Sundstrom, class of 2009 from Trafalgar, Ind., and Sean Delaney, class of 2010 from Powell, Ohio, went 6-7 on the 2008-09 season. (NCAC Women's Tennis Press Release)

Head Coach Jeff Roope and his Tiger MEN'S GOLF team made major strides forward with a runner-up finish in the NCAC Tournament, two spots better than a year ago and the program's best finish since winning its only conference crown in 1992. Much of the success can be attributed to a youth movement, highlighted by two freshmen making first team inRicky Boerner, class of 2012 from Hilliard, Ohio, and Ben Smith, class of 2012 from North Bend, Ohio. The shot 677 and 696, respectively, over the nine rounds in NCAC Championships Series play. Chad Summe, class of 2009 from Cincinnati, Ohio, made his first visit to the All-NCAC squad, taking a second-team bid, while Dan Buchan, class of 2009 from Dublin, Ohio, picked up honorable mention honors after shooting a three-day total of 228 from the tournament's final weekend. (NCAC Men's Golf Press Release)

WOMEN'S LACROSSE provided another boost for the Tiger spring, with a three-spot improvement over a year earlier with records of 7-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play and the school's first visit to the NCAC Tournament since 2003. Six student-athletes garnered All-NCAC honors, including three on the second team, led by attacker Lizzie Amorello, class of 2009 from Sutton, Mass., who ranked second on the Tigers in points with 41 and goals with 33. Jordan Beauchamp, class of 2011 from Noblesville, Ind., led the Tigers with 34 markers, and midfielder Maggie Amorello, class of 2011 from Sutton, Mass., moved up to second team from honorable mention a year ago thanks to her 16 goals and 10 assists on the campaign. 

Defender Hannah Walsh, class of 2011 from Rochester, N.Y., picked up her second All-NCAC honor in as many years, this one an honorable mention berth. She was joined there by fellow backliner Amanda Trepanier, class of 2011 from Naperville, Ill., and attacker Cait Mather, class of 2009 from Mason, Ohio, who contributed 13 goals in 2009. (NCAC Women's Lacrosse Press Release)

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD Men's and women's track and field athletes earn All-NCAC recognition with a top-three finish in the NCAC Championship meet. The Tiger men claimed seventh place in the championship meet, while the Tiger women finished three spots better than a year ago with a fourth-place finish. 

The Tiger women picked up a bushel of All-NCAC honors, thanks to a pair of standout relays. Headlining the outstanding performances, the Tiger women's 4x100 relay won the conference title with Kari Domiano, class of 2012 from Dublin, Ohio, Catherine Kuerbitz, class of 2012 from Cleveland, Ohio, Laura Schumaker, class of 2011 from Springfield, Ohio, and Tim'ara Gandy, class of 2012 from Youngstown, Ohio, combining for a time of 50.78.

Kuerbitz came back with teammates Jordan Stafford, class of 2012 from Springfield, Ohio, Samantha Iden, class of 2012 from Pickerington, Ohio, and Katie Shoemaker, class of 2009 from Arcanum, Ohio, to take third in the 4x400 relay. Stafford took home another top honor as the 400-meter dash champion with a time of 57.99. Meanwhile, Domiano finished third in the 100-meter dash.

Darcy Dubuc, class of 2012 from Grand Haven, Mich., and Mary Pfeifer, class of 2012 from Dublin, Ohio, ran to third-place finishes in the 1,500- and 10,000-meter races, respectively. In the field, Evianne van de Zande, class of 2012 from Zierkizee, The Netherlands, scored a third-place mark in the high jump to round out the women's honors.

On the men's side, thrower Mat Guida, class of 2010 from LaGrange, Ky. took home two All-NCAC finishes with third-place marks in the discus and hammer. In the decathlon, Tim Uher, class of 2010 from Granville, Ohio, scored a third-place finish while Gabe Savage, class of 2009 from Lewisburg, Ohio, earned the other All-NCAC spot for Head Coach Craig Penney's men with a third-place run in the 1,500-meter race. (NCAC Outdoor Track and Field Press Release)

Wittenberg SOFTBALL fell just shy of the NCAC postseason after finishing in a fourth-place tie at 8-6 in conference play. Leading the Tigers to an 18-20 overall record was Rachael Hatcher, class of 2009 from West Carrollton, Ohio, who wrapped up her record-setting career as the NCAC Pitcher of the Year. Hatcher added the trophy to her list of four All-NCAC selections while she departs as the institution's career leader in wins (51) and strikeouts (348).

Jessi Allen, class of 2011 from Naperville, Ill., scored a second-team mention with her team-best average among regular starters of .276 at the plate while also leading the team with nine stolen bases. Brooke Boswell, class of 2010 from Hamilton, Ohio, made the honorable mention list with her role as a dual threat in the batter's box and pitcher's circle. Boswell batted .273 and added a stellar 1.78 earned run average in 86.2 innings in the circle. (NCAC Softball Press Release)

Wittenberg BASEBALL placed four individuals on the All-NCAC teams after posting records of 7-9 in the NCAC West Division and 18-21 overall. Stefan Kegler, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, represented the Red & White on the first team, coming off a breakout season that included 34 RBIs and seven home runs, both team-leading numbers. Outfielder Patrick Williams, class of 2009 from Plainfield, Ind., made the second team for the third consecutive year after leading the team with a .359 average and eight two-baggers.

Ray Noe, class of 2011 from Dublin, Ohio, and Zach Spring, class of 2011 from Powell, Ohio, were placed on the honorable mention list after seasons with averages of .317 and .356, respectively. Noe paced the team with 10 stolen bases while Spring made only two errors in 206 chances while playing both at first base and pitcher. (NCAC Baseball Press Release)

Rounding things out, the 2009 MEN'S LACROSSE season wrapped up with a 7-6 record, including a 1-4 mark in the conference. The campaign marked the first winning season after back-to-back .500 campaigns under fourth-year head coach George Harris. It was the first winning campaign for the program overall since 1999.

The Tigers also brought in the largest haul of All-NCAC selections during Harris' tenure with five players making the postseason honor roll. Three landed on the second team, paced by the team's leading scorer Matt Lord, class of 2011 from Pickerington, Ohio. Lord tallied 29 markers on the season, while second-leading scorer Mitch Cohagan, class of 2011 from Pickerington, Ohio, earned an identical standing with his 26-goal season. Rounding out the second-teamers was Dan Gaines, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, who sparked the back line while coming up with 32 ground balls.

Defender Steve Koppenhafer, class of 2009 from Cincinnati, Ohio, headlined the honorable mention honorees for the Red & White. For the second consecutive season, Koppenhafer made the squad thanks in part to his 34 ground balls. Standing behind Koppenhafer, goalkeeper Mark DeOliveira, class of 2011 from East Hanover, N.J., made his first all-conference list with his .589 save percentage. (NCAC Men's Lacrosse Press Release)

Written By: Ben Bradley, SID Assistant

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