Thirty Student-Athletes Claim Spring Sport NCAC Postseason Awards

A solid spring sports season has reaped individual rewards for 30 Wittenberg University athletes who were selected to All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) teams over the last two weeks.

May 25, 2006

Jason Holmberg

Garrett Smith

Emily Okerson

Stephanie Zorn

Andy Karcher

Erik Larkin

Nicole Bailey

Katie Shoemaker

Cory Windle

Brandon Schwind

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — A solid spring sports season has reaped individual rewards for 30 Wittenberg University athletes who were selected to All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) teams over the last two weeks.

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

Leading off, the Wittenberg BASEBALL team finished the season 23-16 overall and 10-6 in the NCAC West Division, good for second place in the regular season standings. The Tigers bowed out of the NCAC Tournament in the semifinals against eventual champion Wooster for the second straight year.

Senior pitcher Jason Holmberg (Miamisburg, Ohio/Kettering Alter) made his first career appearance on the first team after posting a perfect 8-0 record as a starter for the Tigers. His 3.65 earned run average, 12 appearances, six complete games all ranked among the best on the team, while his eight wins topped the NCAC.

Five other Tigers made the All-NCAC baseball honor roll, with senior designated hitter Brian Hampp (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), senior pitcher Steve Less (Sheffield, Ohio/Elyria Catholic) and freshman outfielder Patrick Williams (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield)all named to the second team. Hampp led the Tigers with 33 runs batted in, Less ranked second in the NCAC and first on the team with a sparkling 1.99 ERA and Williams ranked among the team leaders in almost every offensive category while stealing a team-best 15 bases.

Senior K.R. Schlievert (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay), who started every one of the 152 games during his outstanding collegiate career, and senior outfielder Matt Berry (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) were honorable mention choices. Schlievert holds the school record for career assists with 513, nearly 30 more than any previous Wittenberg player, in addition to school records for career at-bats (580) and doubles (52). He is also second in base hits with 194, fifth in runs scored with 139, fifth in total bases with 257 and eighth in runs batted in with 108. Berry made just one error in his collegiate career, and he enjoyed his best season at the plate in 2006, driving in 17 runs. (NCAC Baseball Press Release)

In MEN'S GOLF, Wittenberg finished third – behind only national top-10 finishers Ohio Wesleyan and Allegheny – in the NCAC Championships April 28-29 at Windy Knoll Golf Club in Springfield. The Tigers were paced by freshman Garrett Smith (Powell, Ohio/Worthington Christian), who shot a 223 to finish in tie for third place, good for first-team All-NCAC honors. (NCAC Men's Golf Press Release)

The WOMEN'S TENNIS team posted an overall record of 11-11, a regular season NCAC mark of 3-3 and a third-place finish at the conference tournament. Sophomore Emily Okerson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) claimed first-team all-conference honors after finishing an injury-riddled season with a 4-8 overall record at No. 1 singles. Senior Kristyn Russell (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) was named to the second team after posting a 12-8 overall record while alternating between first and second singles. (NCAC Women's Tennis Press Release)

In SOFTBALL, Wittenberg finished in a three-way tie for third place in the NCAC regular season standings with an 8-6 record. After placing fourth in the NCAC Tournament, the Tigers finished the campaign with a 21-18 overall record. Junior infielderStephanie Zorn (Grapevine, Texas/Colleyville), the 2005 NCAC Player of the Year, garnered first-team All-NCAC honors for a second straight year (to go along with second team in 2004) after leading the Tigers with a .419 batting average in 14 NCAC regular season games.

In addition, sophomore infielder Sarah Fetters (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee) picked up second-team All-NCAC mention for her play, including a .391 batting average from the leadoff spot. Also on the second team were sophomore outfielder Nicole Ottavi (Columbus, Ohio/Whetstone), who had a breakout season with a .350 batting average in NCAC action, and freshman pitcher Rachael Hatcher (West Carrollton, Ohio/West Carrollton), who had 21 complete games and 14 wins on the season, the third-highest total in school history. Finally, junior infielder Lucy Huelsman (Wellington, Ohio/Wellington) earned honorable mention status after her best season in the Red & White with a .323 season batting average. (NCAC Softball Press Release)

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD athletes earn All-NCAC recognition with a top-three finish in the NCAC meet. The Tiger men claimed fourth place in the championship meet, while the Tiger women finished sixth.

Individually, the Tiger men turned in five individual all-conference performances during the outdoor championship meet. First-place finishes were turned in by junior Andy Karcher (Oceola, Ohio/Bucyrus Wynford)in the hammer, senior Clyde Mayer (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) in the discus and freshman Erik Larkin (Cincinnati, Ohio/Country Day) in the triple jump. In addition, junior Mark O’Brien (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas Senior) took second place in the decathlon, and Larkin placed third in the high jump.

On the women’s side, the team leader was freshman Katie Shoemaker (Arcanum, Ohio/Franklin-Monroe), who captured first place in the 400 meters, second in the 200 meters and was a member of the winning 400-meter relay team. She was joined on the relay by sophomore Nicole Bailey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day), who also captured an individual title in the 100 meters and a third place in the triple jump.

Rounding out the women’s track and field All-NCAC honorees were freshmen Tara Osborne (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) and Kristy Parker (Hamilton, Ohio/Ross). They both ran on the 400-meter relay team. (NCAC Outdoor Track and Field Press Release)

After posting records of 6-7 overall and 1-4 in the NCAC, good for fifth place, the Tiger MEN'S LACROSSE team placed four players on the all-conference rolls, with five players making the second team and three more reaching honorable mention status.

Senior midfielder Cory Windle (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) and junior defender Brandon Schwind (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) both earned first-team all-conference honors. Windle was a first-team choice for the second time in his career after leading the Tigers with 23 goals and placing second in total points with 30. Schwind scored 10 goals, most among NCAC defensemen, and 11 total points while also leading the Tigers with 70 ground balls, 21 more than any other Wittenberg player.

Senior defender Bryan Arnold (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) garnered second-team All-NCAC honors after starting all 13 games and accumulating 44 ground balls, third-most on the team. In addition, sophomore attacker Brandon Hulett (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson) garnered honorable mention status after leading the Tigers with 31 total points. (NCAC Men's Lacrosse Press Release)

The MEN'S TENNIS team finished 6-13 overall and 2-4 in NCAC regular season play. In the NCAC Tournament, the Tigers landed in sixth place for a second consecutive year. Senior Shane Hutton (Charleston, W.Va./Central Catholic)earned second-team all-conference honors after compiling an 11-11 record at the No. 1 singles position. (NCAC Men's Tennis Press Release)

Rounding things out, the Tiger WOMEN'S LACROSSE team finished up the 2006 season with records of 3-11 overall and 0-6 in the NCAC. Three players earned All-NCAC awards as sophomore Amber Cupples (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster), who had a team-best 26 assists on the season (third-most in school history for one season), and freshman forward Lizzie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy), who scored 23 goals in a fine inaugural collegiate campaign, both took second-team honors, and junior Melissa Jackson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), the team leader in goals with 43, claimed honorable mention status. (NCAC Women's Lacrosse Press Release)

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