2006-07 Sports Wrap Up
Mount Union's men's cross country team (41 points) earned its 24th Ohio Athletic Conference Championship while the women's squad placed third (55 points) and earned their sixth consecutive top three finish in the OAC in the fall of 2006.
Individually, the Raider men's team had four runners earn All-OAC status ' senior Jeremy Velliquette (1st/26:07), junior Jason Sigmund (5th/26:23), junior Brian Bernard (6th/26:26), and sophomore Dustin Ford (10th/26:41). The men's squad placed fourth at the Great Lakes Regional Championship earning an 11th trip to the NCAA Championships, where the team placed 24th overall. Velliquette turned in the best Raider performance at Regionals (11th/26:00).
On the women's side, junior Anna McClaugherty (7th/23:50) earned All-OAC honors and Academic All-OAC recognition.
In 2006, the Purple Raider football team (15-0) earned a record ninth Division III National Championship, after winning a 15th consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championship, and 18th overall.
Individually, the Raiders had 17 players earn 2006 All-OAC status and two season-ending OAC Special Award honorees, including junior/wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who earned the Ed Sherman Award as the conference's Most Outstanding Receiver and senior/offensive lineman Jason Lewis, who received the Mike Gregory Award for the second consecutive year as the conference's Most Outstanding Offensive Lineman. Assistant Coach Vince Kehres also earned the 2006 OAC Assistant Coach of the Year Award. Five Raiders earned Academic All-OAC honors, including junior/center Eric Safran, junior/guard Derek Blanchard, junior/tailback Justin Wray, sophomore quarterback/punter Greg Micheli, and senior/tight end Anthony Antonucci.
The Raiders also had seven individuals earn All-American status, including First-Team selections Garcon, Blanchard, Lewis, senior/defensive end Justin Stickley, and sophomore/running back Nate Kmic, who earned offensive player of the year award according to D3football.com. Junior/center Eric Safran and junior/safety Matt Kostelnik earned Second-Team honors.
Head Coach Larry Kehres was named the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III Coach of the Year for a record eighth time while secondary coach Jeff Wojtowicz was named the AFCA assistant coach of the year.
The Purple Raiders (5-10-2, 2-6-1 OAC/9th) placed three players on the All-OAC men's soccer team, including senior/forward Trevor Beach, who earned First-Team honors, and junior/midfielder Steve Gillespie, who earned Second-Team honors. Senior/forward David Hradek was chosen as an Honorable-Mention All-Conference pick. Hradek and Gillespie also earned Academic All-OAC honors in 2006.
The Raiders also place three players on the 2006 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Men Scholar All-East Region including junior/forward Joel Jakubowski, Hradek, and Gillespie who all earned Honorable-Mention status.
The Lady Raiders (6-11-1, 3-5-1) finished seventh in the Ohio Athletic Conference this season and were led by senior/forward Cortney Frederick who earned Honorable-Mention All-Ohio Athletic Conference honors. Four Lady Raiders earned Academic All-OAC honors, including Frederick, senior/defender Lindsey Sorace, junior/defender Kelly Croysdale, and junior/defender & forward Jennifer Singleton.
The Lady Raiders (22-10, 5-4 OAC) finished fourth in the OAC regular season and OAC postseason tournament. Individually, junior/setter Tracy Reschke earned Second-Team All-OAC status while junior/outside hitter Amanda Kohler was named to the All-OAC Third-Team. First year Head Coach Leigh Ann Matesich was named the OAC Coach-of-the-year. Reschke and sophomore/middle hitter Jessica Ehmer also earned Academic All-OAC honors in 2006.
Men's Basketball
Mount Union's men's basketball team (10-15, 5-13 OAC) finished ninth overall in the Ohio Athletic Conference in 2006-07. Individually, sophomore/forward Stu Anglum (15.2 ppg/6.6 rpg), who led the Purple & White in scoring and rebounding, earned Second-Team All-OAC status. The Raiders led the conference in field goal percentage defense (.420) and were second in field goal percentage (.474). The Purple Raiders are expected to return four of five starters in 2007-08.
Women's Basketball
The Purple Raider women's basketball team (14-13, 9-9 OAC), who finished sixth in the OAC during regular season play, reached the conference tournament semi-finals in 2006-07. Mount Union was led by junior/post Alicia Williams (14.8 ppg/8.1 rpg), a Second-Team All-OAC pick who finished fifth in the conference in scoring and second in
rebounding, and senior/guard Lauren Friedrich (10.9 ppg/4.7 rpg), who earned Honorable-Mention All-OAC status while becoming the ninth Raider player to reach the 1,000 point scoring plateau (1,110 pts.). Williams also earned Academic All-OAC status. The Raiders, who led the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (,261), were second in the OAC in rebounding (+4.9) and second in field goal percentage defense (.377), finished the season winning four of their last five games played. The Purple Raiders are expected to return four of five starters in 2007-08.
Wrestling
The Raider wrestling team (6-10-1/2-4 OAC) placed fifth overall at the OAC Championships in 2006-07. Individually, junior/174 pounder Nick Allerding earned All-Conference status by placing second at OACs. Freshman/133 pounder Eddie Petrosky and junior/184 pounder Adam Lange earned third place finishes at the conference championships. Allerding (24-13), along with freshman/149 pounder Billy Loeffler (24-12), tied for the team lead in wins (24) while sophomore/141 pounder Sean Dreger (21-9) also reached the 20-win plateau.
Men's & Women's Swimming
Mount Union's men's swim team earned a fourth place finish at the OAC Championships this past winter. Raider individual conference champions included sophomore Dave Hampu winning the 200 yard back (2:00.09) and sophomore Donald Maclary taking first in the 100 fly (52.15). Sophomore Jeff Budzowski placed second in the 100 back (1:01.03) and the 200 breaststroke (2:15.99). Hampu took third in the 100 back (55.83). The Purple Raider men's 200 yard medley relay, 400 yard medley relay, 400 yard free relay and 800 yard free relay units all finished second at OACs. Raider Head Coach Kathie Lavery and assistant Scott Langone earned the 2006-07 OAC Men's Swimming Coaching Staff of the Year Award.
The Purple Raider women's swim team placed fifth at the OAC Championships in 2006-07. Individually, freshman Jamie Wright took second (25.46) in the 50 yard free at OACs. Freshman/diver Samantha Tecca was second in the three meter dive (302.00) and third in the one meter dive (283.80).
Men's & Women's Indoor Track
The Raider men's indoor track team claimed an unprecedented 30th OAC Indoor Championship (166 points) in March of 2007. Senior Nic Saluppo was named the 2007 OAC Indoor Sprinter of the Year, as he set an OAC record in winning the 55 meter dash (6.37). Other conference champions included sophomore Rahim Bradshaw in the 400 meter dash (49.51), junior Dan Gund in the shot put (16.13 meters), junior Kyle Basista in the one mile (4:21.80) and senior Eric Belancic in the high jump (6-06.00). The Raider men's 4x400 relay squad also took first (3:23.25). The Raider distance medley squad also took first while setting a new meet record (10:00.20). Raider Head Coach John Homon and his staff earned the 2007 OAC Men's Indoor Coaching Staff of the Year Award, as Homon won his 49th conference crown in his 28 years at the helm of the Raider cross country & track programs. Homon also earned the 2007 Division III Great Lakes Region Indoor Coach of the Year Award.
At Nationals, All-American status went to Saluppo, who finished third in the 55 meter dash (6.36), Gund, who was eighth in the shot put (51' 6.5'), and the distance medley relay squad of junior Kyle Basista, senior Ryan Garro, freshman Cecil Shorts III and senior Jeremy Velliquette, who took third overall (10.03.44). As a team, the Raider men took 14th in the country at the Division III Nationals.
On the women's side, the Lady Raiders placed fourth at the OAC Championships (59.5 pts.). The Raiders were paced by junior Amanda Kolanz, who took second in the high jump (5-05.25), second in the long jump (17-06.25) and third in the triple jump (34-07.50). Louise Majalap-Thoma placed second in the pole vault (10-10.25) while sophomore Janelle Rothacker was third in the 500 meter dash (1:20.76).
Baseball
Mount Union's baseball team (17-21, 7-11 OAC) finished seventh overall in Ohio Athletic Conference play in 2007. The Purple Raiders had two players earn All-OAC status ' senior/pitcher Shawn Kerek (6-4/2.94 ERA) earned First-Team honors and senior/pitcher Tommy Kerr (4-2/3.63 ERA) was an Honorable Mention selection. Kerek was also selected as a Division III Third-Team All-Region honoree.
Three players were chosen for the Academic All-OAC Team ' senior/shortstop Justin Marx and senior/Pitcher Mike Reynolds earned Academic All-OAC honors while junior/outfielder Andy Warner earned Honorable Mention Academic All-OAC status.
Softball
The Purple Raider softball team (26-10, 11-7 OAC) finished fifth overall in Ohio Athletic Conference play in '07. The Raiders had two players earn All-OAC status ' junior/pitcher Lindsey Royer (19-8/2.59 ERA/.426 BA) earned First-Team honors as a utility player while senior/first baseman Amanda Yackmack (.324 BA/5 HR earned Second-Team status.
Royer was also named to the Division III First-Team All-Central Region Team while senior/outfielder Cortney Frederick (.367 BA/27 SB) was a Central Region Third-Team selection. Yackmack also earned Academic All-OAC honors while senior/shortstop Carissa Prince earned Honorable Mention Academic All-OAC status in '07.
Yackmack broke three Raider records this past spring, including ' career HRs (16), career RBI (96), and career fielding percentage (.985), while Royer set a new Mount Union career win record (51).
Men's Tennis
Brian Widdoes
Mount Union's men's tennis team (18-5, 8-1 OAC) earned a share of the Ohio Athletic Conference Regular Season Championship in 2007. The Raiders were led by freshman Brian Widdoes, who was a Second-Team All-OAC selection after finishing 20-1 at #3 singles and 16-6 at #3 doubles. Widdoes also set a new Mount Union record for single-season singles victories with 20.
Senior Kyle Moreland, a Second-Team All-OAC selection in '07, posted a 12-10 record at #1 singles and a 17-5 record at #2 doubles in '06-'07. Moreland finished with 105 career wins (54d/51s) ' good for a second place tie on the Raider all-time list. Freshman Jimmy Jeffries was an Honorable Mention All-OAC pick after finishing 19-1 at #6 singles, while setting a Mount Union record for consecutive wins (19).
Women's Tennis
The Lady Raider women's tennis team (14-7, 6-3 OAC) finished fourth in the OAC regular season in 2007. The Raiders were led by freshman Kacey Huff, who earned First-Team All-OAC honors after finishing 14-6 at #1 singles and 12-9 mostly at #1 doubles.
Sophomore Leslie Douglass was a Second-Team All-OAC selection after posting a team best 16 wins (16-5 overall) mostly at #3 singles and finished tied for the team high with 17 victories (17-4 overall) mostly at #2 doubles. Senior Eleni Halkias, who set a new Raider career wins mark (90 total /42s & 48d), also earned Second-Team All-OAC honors by finishing 13-7 at #2 singles and 11-9 at #2 doubles. Halkias earned Academic All-OAC At-Large status while junior Marissa Hollinger also earned Honorable-Mention Academic All-OAC At-Large honors in '07.
Men's Golf
The Purple Raider men's golf team claimed the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships in 2007 with a 595 stroke total. Junior Nate Mullen (tied 1st place/147 strokes), senior Justin Rush (3rd place/148 strokes), senior Kurtis Balder (tied 5th place/150 strokes), and senior Mike Kobelak (tied 5th place/150 strokes) all earned All-OAC honors by placing in the top-10. Rush was also an Academic All-OAC At-Large selection in 2007. The Raiders made their first ever appearance at the Division III Men's Golf Nationals - finishing 25th overall.
Marie Krebsbach
Mount Union's women's golf team finished seventh overall (768 strokes) at the OAC in '07. Senior Marie Krebsbach (3rd place/162 strokes) was a Second-Team All-OAC selection and also earned OAC All-Tournament Team honors. Krebsbach also earned Academic All-OAC At-Large honors in 2007. Season highlights included sophomore Katie Falcone earning Medalist honors at the Malone Invitational on April 20.
Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field
Rodhe, Lutz, Gund, Nicholson
Mount Union's men's outdoor track team claimed its 26th Ohio Athletic Conference Championship in 2007 with 198.5 points while the women's team took fifth with 67.5 points.
On the men's side, senior Justin Rodhe earned the Sparky Adam's Most Outstanding Field Athlete of the Year Award. He set a new OAC Outdoor record by throwing 57-00 in the shot put and also won the discus with a throw of 172-01. Senior Nic Saluppo was also a conference champion with a time of 10.69 in the 100 meter dash. Senior Matt Espanola won the conference title in the javelin (162-07).
At the Division III Nationals held at Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Rodhe won the individual National Title in the shot put with a JJ Keller Field record setting and personal best throw of 59' 03.5.' He had also earned All-American status by placing second in the discus (168-04). Freshman Judd Lutz earned All-American status by placing eighth in the discus (150-02). Senior Ryan Garro also earned All-American honors by placing eighth in the 800 meter run (154.48). The Raiders placed eighth overall as a team at Outdoor Nationals ' their 10th top-10 finish in school history.
Garro was an Academic All-OAC selection while junior Brian Bernard earned Honorable-Mention Academic All-OAC honors in '07.
On the women's side, junior Amanda Kolanz was the lone champion at OACs, earning the top spot in the long jump (17-06).
Other top performances included Kolanz placing third in the triple jump (35-08.5), junior Brittany Morr taking second in the pole vault (10-08), sophomore Janelle Rothacker finishing second in the 400 meter hurdles (1:05.46), and junior Louise Majalap-Thoma placing third in the pole vault (10-00).
Kolanz earned Academic All-OAC honors and Rothacker was an Honorable Mention Academic All-OAC recipient this past spring.