When JD McCurdy decided to move from the high school coaching ranks up to college, that was the headline from the July 1, 2003, issue of the Daily News-Record. But McCurdy, who had already found immense success at Turner Ashby as its softball coach, was ready to take that next step.

“It was the challenge,” McCurdy explained. “We (TA) were dominating everything and I just wanted a new challenge. I always wanted to coach at the college level, and there weren’t many of those available in Virginia and I didn’t want to move. So EMU was the opportunity.”

And meet that challenge he has.

Now, 400+ wins, three ODAC Coach of the Year honors, one NCAA Tournament appearance, three EMU Hall of Honor inductees, and countless All-ODAC award winners later, McCurdy is ready for another challenge…one that he’s never quite faced before: retirement. McCurdy has announced that the 2026 season, his 23rd at EMU, will be his last.

“It is time,” he explained. “I’ve had other coaches tell me, ‘You will know when it’s time,’ and I knew last year it was time for me to make a move and it’s time to give the game up and move on and do something else. I appreciate and am grateful for the opportunity that I got here, and I’m very humbled with what happened. We did really well, but I knew it was time to move on and I feel really good with that.”

When McCurdy applied for the position at EMU, he immediately became an attractive candidate to then-Director of Athletics, Larry R. Martin, because of his track record as a head coach and his knowledge of the softball scene in the Shenandoah Valley.

“I hired him because of his success at the high school level,” Martin said. “And because of him knowing the area players for recruiting, because that’s where most of our people got recruited from, was locally.”

One of those aforementioned local players was Mariah Foltz ’17. Foltz was a standout for the Broadway High School Gobblers softball team and made the decision to come play for McCurdy after her graduation in 2013. She also came back as an assistant coach with the Royals for the 2024 season. She explained that it was his drive to win that drew her to EMU.

“I’ve always loved the way Coach McCurdy governs a team,” Foltz said. “He coaches with authority and wants to win. I chose EMU because I wanted to continue to be a disciplined athlete, held to a high standard, and pushed to succeed. I’m grateful to JD for pushing me to be stronger, resilient, and more accountable.”

McCurdy’s first season was in 2004 and, in just his first season, more than doubled the Royals’ win total from the previous year. The number of wins continued to climb each year until, in 2007 and 2008, McCurdy’s stamp on the team was starting to be seen. In 2007, the Royals went 25-14, 10-8 in the ODAC, and McCurdy was named the ODAC Co-Coach of the Year with Randolph Macon’s Kevin Proffitt. He followed that up in 2008 with a record of 30-13, 13-5 in the ODAC, before falling in the ODAC semifinals.

Over the next two years, EMU had sub-.500 records in conference play, but made it to back-to-back ODAC Championship series. They fell to Lynchburg in 2009 but made it to the mountaintop in 2010, when they knocked off Virginia Wesleyan 5-1 to win EMU’s second ODAC softball championship, their first since 1990, and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. McCurdy was rewarded for that season, as he was named, once again, the ODAC Coach of the Year.    

“JD had a knack for always having his team ready for the playoffs, regardless of what the regular season was,” said former Director of Athletics Dave King. “I didn’t hear this necessarily, but it was sort of conveyed to me several ways that nobody really wanted to draw EMU in the first round of the ODAC tournament, and that one of his championships comes from having ranked eighth and come all the way through to the championship. And I never could figure out what it was about his coaching that did that. Again, I wasn’t there at every practice and all that, but he had a knack. His teams played well in the ODAC tournament, and to me that says something.”

Despite winning an ODAC championship, and not having another losing season until 2019, McCurdy explained that in his 23 years at the helm, he’s had to adapt his coaching style to meet the needs of his players over the years.

“I felt like I could adjust to any situation with that,” he said. “But kids 10 years ago were different than they are now, obviously. And I always felt that I could find a way, a button, that motivated them in some way. And even early on, I was hard. I was really a hard coach early on. I pushed my players, I pushed those kids, but whatever happened within the team, I never let that bother the focus of what we wanted to do for the team and as a team.”

Aislinn Bowen ’16 said it was that pushing and the drive that made McCurdy the successful coach that he was.

“JD succeeds because he is consistent, detail-driven, and genuinely invested in his players,” she said. “He prepares harder than anyone, whether it is breaking down film, adjusting game strategies, or finding the right way to motivate his athletes. But what really sets him apart is his ability to build relationships. He doesn’t just coach players; he develops people. When you are playing for someone who truly invests in you, you naturally want to give everything you have. That culture of commitment and accountability is why his teams win.”

While his teams haven’t seen quite the same success in recent years as at the start of his career, his drive to develop players, and people, has never wavered.

“Coach McCurdy has been a consistent support in my life since an early age,” said Grace Fravel ’25. “He was committed to getting me to EMU, and I felt confident in my decision because I knew that he truly cared, not only about my athletic career, but also my academic journey and personal well-being. Not only was he a coach of mine, but he is also someone I knew I could always count on to help me navigate challenging times throughout my four years at EMU. His love for the game and his players is well-known on and off the field. I feel extremely grateful to have had him as my coach, and I know that he has impacted many ladies’ lives far beyond just my own.”

But now, the time has come. After the season comes to an end, whenever that may be, McCurdy isn’t planning on just riding off into the sunset…that’s not who he is. He’s just planning on looking for that next challenge, even if it’s not on the softball field.

“I’m not quite sure what that next challenge is, but I can guarantee it’ll be something,” McCurdy explained. “I’m definitely going to be involved with my grandkids and their baseball. I’ll spend time with my wife and do some traveling. But outside of that, it’s up in the air.”

And while he may not be at EMU anymore after this season, the impact he’s made will continue to be felt long after a new coach is hired.

“JD’s impact on EMU Softball is significant and lasting,” said Carrie S. Bert ’97, EMU’s Director of Athletics. “Over the course of his career, he elevated the program, highlighted by an ODAC championship and more than 400 career wins. These milestones reflect both longevity and competitive excellence. He has been widely respected by local coaches, colleagues across the ODAC, and peers from all levels of the game for his knowledge, competitiveness, and long-standing commitment to softball. JD invested deeply in the sport and in this institution, and his commitment to recruiting and developing local student-athletes strengthened our connection to the surrounding community. We are grateful for the many years he dedicated to EMU and for the role he played in advancing our softball program during his tenure. JD has certainly earned a well-deserved retirement and we wish him all the best in this next chapter.”

EMU will conduct a national search for McCurdy’s replacement, beginning later this month. Interested candidates may visit emu.edu/careers-at-emu for more information once the position is posted.  

As a Royal, Troyer was a three-time All-ODAC First Team honoree and a two-time all-Region middle hitter. During her sophomore year, EMU women’s volleyball won the ODAC championship, defeating Bridgewater in a thrilling five-set championship match. At the time of her graduation in 1993, Troyer held EMU career records for kills (969) and blocks (347) and now sits third all-time on both of those lists. As an EMU basketball forward, Troyer graduated fourth all-time in career rebounds with 648. She played first base on the 1990 softball team that won the ODAC championship, is fourth all-time in the Royals’ record book for stolen bases in a season (1990) with 24, and earned a spot on the All-ODAC Second Team in 1992.

Troyer said she “had a great experience playing sports” at EMU with teammates that were her closest friends and a coaching staff that was “so supportive.” Troyer retired in June 2023 after teaching special education for 30 years at Turner Ashby High School (Bridgewater) where she coached girls’ varsity volleyball for 24 years and junior varsity softball for four years. 

Runner saw success beginning her first year as a Royal. In 2006, she made the All-ODAC Second Team and set multiple records, including number of wins in a season (14), strikeouts in a season (88), lowest ERA (1.23), and lowest opponent batting average (.180). She captured All-ODAC Second Team honors again in 2008. Runner completed her career at EMU with a total of 40 wins, 239 strikeouts, 13 shutouts, and a 1.95 ERA over 437.2 innings pitched.

Runner speaks highly of her college softball experience. “My teammates and I clicked right away and were close my whole time at EMU. We created quite a sisterhood and have a reunion with our children every year.” Runner and her husband Jason, a member of the U.S. Navy, have two sons, Lucas (8) and Noah (4), and live in Suffolk, Virginia. Runner, who McCurdy says was “a true example of a pitcher,” currently offers pitching lessons and hopes to one day get into coaching.

Miranda White Terry ‘08, a liberal arts major, played both softball and basketball at Fort Defiance High School in Verona, Virginia, and chose EMU because she wanted “to stay local and continue to play sports.” The homegrown catcher/infielder had heard head softball coach J.D. McCurdy was a “great coach” and decided to become a Royal when he asked her to come play for him.

Terry and her teammates “worked hard to improve the EMU softball program,” which won 95 games and qualified for the ODAC tournament from 2005-2008. At the time of her graduation in 2008, Terry held three single-season records: hits (56), doubles (16), and total bases. She also held career records in hits, runs, singles, doubles, at-bats, games played, walks, and putouts. Terry finished her time as a Royal batting .373 with 174 hits, 39 doubles and 119 RBI. She was a four-time All-ODAC honoree, earning Honorable Mention in 2005, Second Team in 2006 and 2007, and First Team in 2008. In 2005, she was named the EMU Female Newcomer of the Year.

Terry currently lives in Monterey, Virginia, where she and her husband work for River View Farm and also own their own farm. She continues to play softball in a local co-ed recreation league and has been excited to start teaching the game to her daughters, Kelsey (5) and Lacy (2). McCurdy described Terry as “everything a coach wants in a softball player.” Terry, who also played basketball at EMU for a year, credits EMU Athletics with growing her work ethic, leadership skills, and spiritual life.

˛ÝÝŽÉçÇř Athletics will honor three individuals and a team at the upcoming Homecoming and Family Weekend.

EMU Athletics is honoring two individuals and one team during the . Former athletic trainer Mike Downey will receive the Distinguished Service Award. Hall of Honor inductees are the 2010 basketball team and Lisa Lee Senger ‘12.

Mike Downey

Downey retired in December 2020 after 30 years of working with student-athletes. Beginning in 1989, Downey developed the expansion of EMU’s athletic training services from one person to a team of three full-time trainers, a team physician, and work-study students. 

As preceptor for the JMU Athletic Training Education Department, Downey worked with more than 100 athletic training students and counts that among one of his career accomplishments. 

“Thirty years of providing support, often behind-the-scenes, for student-athletes, coaches and teams is a significant achievement and I am deeply grateful for all that Mike has done for the athletic department,” said Director of Athletics Dave King. “I often hear appreciation for Mike from former athletes as they reflect on and recognize the value of his care during their athletic pursuits.” 

Downey was with the Royals teams to many of the biggest athletic moments in school history, including the field hockey team’s trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1995, a tournament trip with the men’s soccer team in 1998, NCAA-qualifying seasons for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s volleyball hosting the Final Four in 2004, and Erik Kratz earning back-to-back ODAC Player of the Year awards in 2001 and 2002.

Lisa Lee Senger ’12

In 19 years with EMU softball, head coach J.D. McCurdy names Lisa Lee Senger ‘12 as the program’s all-time outstanding athlete – “a huge part of our team winning the ODAC Championship that year.” He calls her competitive\, tenacious, resilient, focused and tough. Senger will be inducted into the Hall of Honor in recognition of the mark she made on the EMU softball team.

Lee holds three career records – runs scored (141), total bases (302) and wins (42), as well as multiple single-season records. She led the team to a conference championship and an NCAA berth during her junior year, when she was also ODAC Pitcher of the Year, All-ODAC First Team, VaSID First Team, and the EMU Female Athlete of the Year. She was a two-time All-ODAC Tournament Team selection and earned multiple second-team conference and region honors at the conference level, as well as recognition from Virginia Association of Sports Information Directors and the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

After working for several years in early childhood and special education, Senger owns a wedding and event planning business. She and husband Christopher have two children ages 2 and 6.

“I encountered many wonderful people both on and off the softball field which made my college experience unforgettable,” she reflected. “In my spare time, I still pick up a softball from time to time and play travel women’s and co-ed slow-pitch. Every time I touch a softball, I’m reminded of how EMU prepared me for the many challenges and joys of life.” 

2010 Men’s Basketball Team

This fall, the first basketball team will be inducted into the university’s Hall of Honor. The 2010 team  that qualified for the Elite Eight and set multiple records along the way was honored in February 2022 at a men’s basketball game. Twelve of the 13 players attended that reunion.

Darrell “D.J.” Hinson Jr. came from Colorado where he works as a government IT contractor; George Johnson, now a mental health care provider and entrepreneur from Houston, Texas; Luke Holloran, a musician and educator, from New Orleans. A few of the others were a bit closer: Orie Pancione from Ridgely, West Virginia, where he is principal at Frankfort High School; Austin Twine, a mortgage lender from Christiansburg, and Owen Longacre, a teacher at Spotswood High School. 

And Dean was surprised by their loyal attendance, but then he wasn’t. “How many programs can honor a group of guys and have this many show up?” Dean said in front of a packed crowd. “That says something about family. When we got in a huddle every game while they were here and put their hands in the middle, we said ‘family’ and that’s why they showed up today.”

“The 2010 season still stands as the greatest single season in the history of EMU men’s basketball,” said former sports information director James DeBoer, who also came to the reunion. “What that group of men accomplished literally put EMU basketball onto the national landscape.”

The D3 Hoops poll reflected that: EMU entered at #24 on Jan. 3 and appeared for 25 consecutive weeks, through the end of the 2010-11 season. During that time, the Royals rose as high as #3 on multiple occasions and never fell below #18. 

“We were also nationally in the top 10 in attendance,” Dean said. “I don’t think many people knew that. In 2009, we were 13 and 0 at home and won games by an average of 19.9 points and that was with me calling off the dogs halfway through the games.”  

After losing in the ODAC tournament, EMU earned an at-large bid to the NCAA National Tournament and hosted their next two games. They beat Centre College, Wilmington and Whitworth, but lost against Guilford, the team they had beaten in the regular season by 27 points. To this day, Dean believes that if his full team had been available (lone senior Austin Twine suffered a season-ending ACL injury in February), the team would have gone to the Final Four. As it was, they were 25-5 and ended the season ranked fourth in the D3 Hoops national poll.

Dean understands the importance of that single season, but he also notes the success of teams before and after. “From 2008 to 2018, only three teams in the ODAC won more games than us. As great as they were for two years, they put our program on the map, they created a culture and that’s why we continued to win after they walked out the door, why we win now and why we will continue to win in the future because they showed it can be done at Eastern Mennonite.”

Two EMU men’s volleyball players earned a spot on this year’s Continental Volleyball Conference All-Academic Team.

Junior  (Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) claimed his third consecutive All-Academic honor. Senior  (Puerto Montt, Chile/German School Puerto Montt) earned a repeat spot on the team.

A total of 60 student-athletes made the CVC All-Academic Team this year. In order for a player to earn All-Academic Team honors he must carry at least a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average.

Read more:

SOFTBALL

‘s (Broadway, Va./Broadway) explosive season has yielded one final award, as the EMU junior was named All-State Second Team by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID).

Lantz, who played at first base and designated player for the Eastern Mennonite softball team, was one of the best hitters in the state, batting .464 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs in just 18 games. Adding five doubles, she had a huge .929 slugging percentage to go with a .508 on-base percentage.

Lantz returned to the Royals’ roster in early April, and the missed games left her just shy of the benchmark to appear in season average categories; otherwise she would have finished No. 9 in the nation in slugging percentage, and top-3 in the ODAC in batting, on-base and slugging. Despite playing 10-15 less games than most other players, Lantz tied for the ODAC lead in homers during regular season.

She led EMU in batting, on-base, slugging, runs and RBIs, and was second in hits and doubles. She hit four homers in a three-game stretch against Lynchburg and Ferrum, and then batted 8-for-10 with three home runs and seven RBIs over the final three games of the season. Lantz also committed just one error in 75 total chances in the field.

This is the first All-State honor for Lantz. She was also named All-ODAC Second Team this spring, matching a similar honor from 2019.

This spring, EMU Athletics has been celebrating alumni-athletes working in the health care professions.

“It has been so exciting to reconnect with former Royals  for this special social media campaign highlighting the outstanding work being done in the health care field,” said Director of Athletics Dave King. “And it has been very rewarding to hear the ways in which athletics prepared and shaped them for their current work.  I hope you are as inspired as I was in reading their responses.”

To view the entire series, visit the .

To join the series, send us a note in the comment box below and we’ll get in touch with you!

Below are a few of the more than 25 alumni-athletes. Scroll down to view a complete list (as of 3/24/2021). Thanks to James DeBoer, director of athletics communication for his work on this project.

Martin Pou ’20, Volleyball

Now: Assistant to the practice manager, Shenandoah Valley Gastroenterology

Lesson: Clear and quick communication is crucial both on the court and in the medical field.

Julie Kratz McElwee ’85, BNS ’86, Field Hockey

Now: Emergency department chair, Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery, Christiansburg, Va.

Lesson: The importance of relationships and knowing who is behind you, to give support, when things are not going well.

Tyler Denlinger ’18, Cross Country/ Track & Field

Now: Vaccines process development engineer, Merck Pharmaceutical, Elkton, Va.

Lesson: I have found the lesson of “enjoy what you do” to hold a lasting effect from my time at EMU. There are few things in my life I hold more dearly than my experience with the EMU track and field squad. I love running and T&F, and that love enabled my teammates and I to collectively accomplish a lot of really difficult tasks…I found that my love of the sport and my desire to achieve goals  were useful in propelling me to accomplish unpleasant tasks such as lifting after a hard workout. This directly applies to my work setting—while I do not love every  aspect of my job, my passion for the end goal makes the unpleasant aspects more bearable.

Rachel Sturm ’18, Soccer/Track & Field

Now: Registered nurse, UVA Medical ICU/Special Pathogen ICU, Charlottesville, Va.

Lesson: I learned that I needed to stop worrying about society’s standards of success and focus on what God’s successes were for me. At the time there was so much pressure on my shoulders to be a successful athlete and a successful student. It’s hard to succeed in both, as one usually has to take over the other. In my case I had to choose my career to become a nurse. Yet, I never stopped giving it my all in academics and sports, which created a lot of frustration when I failed in my sport. Now I look back and realize, God gave me the talent to play college sports to introduce me to the people he wanted in my life. To give me the experiences I needed to grow into the woman and leader I am now. To let me learn failure and to strive from it. All these little things are God’s achievements for me.

Brooke Hensley ‘14, Softball

Now: Emergency department team coordinator, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Lesson: The importance of playing together as a team to be successful because you cannot do it all on your own. Throughout my career, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been vital to work as a team in providing patient care in order to promote positive outcomes and save lives.

Laura Rosenberger ‘03, Track & Field

Now: Surgeon, associate professor of surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Lesson: EMU Athletics taught me how to be resilient during adversity and perseverance. Thankful for dedicated coaches and supportive teammates. Feels so pertinent to life right now in a pandemic!

Jess Rheinheimer Bishop ‘16, Basketball

Now: Registered Nurse, Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pa.

Lesson: I learned many lessons from the basketball court but one that sticks out from Coach Griff is that you are the driver to your own success –  no one else can determine how successful you are going to be in life or in sports. You get out what you put in.

Katie Lehman Maust ‘09, Soccer

Now: Emergency department RN, Sentara RMH / Paramedic and training lieutenant, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Harrisonburg, Va.

Lesson: As an athlete, I was so thankful to be surrounded by people who were courageous, tenacious, hardworking, and supportive. Being part of a healthcare team has a lot of similarities to being on an athletics team and I aspire to carry those traits of great team members into my roles in the healthcare system.

Thanks to ALL of our Royals athletes working to make this world a safer place!

From left: Brent Yoder ’12, soccer, physical therapist and co-owner of Yoder Physical Therapy and Wellness in Sarasota, Fla.

Emily Augsburger ’18, field hockey, CCU Registered Nurse, Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pa.

Jackson Maust ’09, soccer, physical therapist at Augusta Health, working in outpatient therapy and in acute care in the hospital, including with COVID patients; also a captain and life member of Harrisonburg Rescue Squad (Jackson is married to Katie, featured above).

Jamey Groff ’98, volleyball, oncology pharmacist, Hahn Cancer Center, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Jessica Blanks Jaindl ’13, field hockey, registered nurse at Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

From left: Juni Schirch Sauder ’16, cross country/track and field, athletics testing coordinator, EMU.

Laura Rittenhouse ’20, soccer, registered nurse, cardiac care, UVa Hospital.

Laurie Serrell ’19, cross country/track and field, registered nurse with Spanish interpreters training, Sentara RMH.

Leah Lapp ’20, triathlon, associate chemist, Merck Pharmaceutical, Elkton, Va.; attending Liberty University School of Osteopathic Medicine, fall 2021.

Linda Cimini Boesch ’11, field hockey/track and field, critical care RN, St. Luke’s University Health System, Chalfont, Pa.

Lisa King Burkholder ’08, RN, Sentara RMH and instructor of nursing, EMU, Harrisonburg, Va.

Mariah Foltz ’17, softball, RN, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Mariah Martin ’17, field hockey, labor and deliver nurse, Sentara RMH, Harrisonburg, Va.

Nolan Prock ’12, volleyball, veterinarian, Healthy Pets Veterinary Care, Boca Raton, Fla.

R.J. Ocampo ’19, volleyball, EMT with Virginia Beach Volunteer Rescue Squad, Virginia Beach, Va.

Rodney Eshleman ’88, soccer, ICU nurse, Augusta Health, Fishersville, Va.

Sylvia Mast ’19, soccer, ED technician, Sentara RMH and EMT, Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, Harrisonburg, Va.

Six EMU student-athletes have been named to the Academic-All State Team by the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID). A total of 222 student-athletes representing 37 colleges and universities across the state were recognized.

Those honored from ˛ÝÝŽÉçÇř were:

 (Broadway, Va./Broadway), So., Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field, Environmental Science, 3.96 GPA. Alderfer earned All-Region honors in track & field finishing fourth in the region in the 800m with his school record time of 1:54.97. He was also Eastern Mennonite’s top cross country runner in the fall.

 (Douglassville, Pa./Daniel Boone), Jr., Women’s Soccer, Secondary English Education, 4.00 GPA. Breidigan is a three-year starter in the Royals’ back line. She has helped Eastern Mennonite to 10 shutouts this past season and 19 over her career.

 (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite), Sr., Women’s Cross Country, Writing Studies, 4.00 GPA. Good had a comeback senior season after missing time the previous season. She ran her best 6K time of     24:26.5 at the 2019 ODAC Cross Country Championship.

 (Smithfield, Va./Smithfield), So., Field Hockey/Women’s Lacrosse, Elementary Education, 4.00 GPA. Hedgepeth played and started in every contest for field hockey and women’s lacrosse. She led the field hockey team with 10 goals with 3 assists for 23 points. Three of her goals were game-winning. 

 (Collinsville, Miss./West Lauderdale), Sr., Women’s Triathlon/Cross Country, Education and Liberal Arts, 3.97 GPA. In the first year of EMU sponsoring the sport of triathlon, Shelly finished 13th at the National Championship, completing a 750m swim, 20k bike and 5k run in 1:19.38. She was also the Royals’ top runner on the cross country team.

 (Broadway, Va./Eastern Mennonite), Sr., Women’s Soccer, Psychology & Music Performance (Vocal), 3.96 GPA. This year, Wenger was voted as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete for women’s soccer. She had 58 starts in 67 career games, and led the ODAC with 10 shutouts as a senior.

To be eligible for Academic All-State, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average, and be a sophomore or higher.

VaSID is comprised of sports information or athletics communications professionals from intercollegiate institutions throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Membership is open to any individual affiliated with one of the state’s institutions at the NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III, NAIA, USCAA, NJCAA, community college and independent levels.

A social work major with a psychology minor at ˛ÝÝŽÉçÇř, she thought her plans after graduation in May 2019 were sealed: to go where she thought she was needed most. Viands wanted to work with mentally ill, hospitalized children.

“I’m not so sure now,” she said, during a mid-summer interview at the Valley FCA headquarters in downtown Harrisonburg. “I thought I had a plan, but that’s all kind of shifted now.”

June to August has been a whirlwind of trainings and camp sessions, spending time with middle and high school athletes in varying stages of spiritual need.

It was a role Viands needed some convincing that she could fill, though for the past several seasons, she’s been one of the spiritual leaders of the , as well as a leader within the university’s FCA chapter.

The 60-year-old organization equips coaches and athletes “to know and grow in Christ and lead others to do the same,” according to their website. It’s active at all levels of sport, from youth teams through to professional athletes. The features articles about Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Olympic thrower Michelle Carter, a university coach and collegiate athlete, and updates from chapters around the world.

A spiritual leader on campus

Viands belonged to an FCA chapter as a dual-sport athlete at Hedgesville High School in West Virginia. Arriving at EMU “not knowing a soul,” she eased into the collegiate FCA chapter during the second semester of freshman year, aided by then-chapter-leader Jolee Paden, “who pulled me out of my shell.”

The fellowship and camaraderie on the Royals softball team also encouraged her growth as an athlete and leader. “Brittany has contributed so much to the team through her spiritual leadership of devotional activities,” said head coach . “She’s worked hard to improve her skills and never gives up on her game – a true inspiration to our team in so many ways.”

Through these transitions and challenges, FCA fellowship has provided a unique opportunity to explore identity, choices and faith, Viands said.

“It’s a chance to talk with others about real-life things that happen when you’re an athlete and a Christian and a college student,” Viands said. “I think at times there’s situations that occur and choices you have to make about how to act in a Christian manner on and off the field, and it helps all of us to have a place where we can grow spiritually stronger and work out some of those challenges with the help of prayer and fellowship.”

Marsha Justice, Viands’ longtime FCA mentor, had long sensed her appreciation of the organization’s mission and values. That, paired with Viands’ offhand comment over lunch in the spring that she just wanted to “spend time with kids and be outside,” caused Justice to suggest a summer internship.

Prayer opens the door

Viands was taken aback. “I had to sit down and really think about it and pray about it,” she said. “I have strong faith but do I have a strong enough faith to mentor young girls in a Christian way?”

For days and then weeks, Viands prayed. “God just kept bringing it up and bringing it up,” she said, “and finally I just knew, and then I felt peace about it, even if I didn’t see quite clearly the whole way forward.”

Jason Stuhlmiller, a former high school teacher and Royals baseball coach who has led the Valley FCA chapter for the past six years, sees a clear connection between Viands’ spiritual leadership among college athletes and the summer internship she was called to.

“She’s a solid, consistent pillar of strength and faith,” he said. “That’s an awesome quality to have at EMU and here at FCA.”

Stuhlmiller pointed out that interning with FCA requires more than the usual tenacity and commitment.

“These internships are faith-funded try-outs for ministry,” he said. “It’s a really good experience for our interns to have to raise their own funding and see what that feels like, along with providing support to full-time FCA staff throughout our busy summer and gaining leadership and ministry experience.”

Mentoring girls

Over the 12-week summer, Stuhlmiller, his staff and interns hosted the local week-long , as well as, for the first time, a at Messiah College. Additionally, they helped to lead and plan camps for middle-schoolers and for high school leaders, as well as a Mid-Atlantic regional camp at the University of Richmond.

At Power Camp in June, Viands taught softball skills, a coaching role familiar to her, but still “an honor” to pay back some of the joy she’s experienced from the sport over the years. She especially enjoyed seeing one of the girls, “who swung a bat in a complete circle on the first day hit the ball from one place on the last day.”

Her experience playing a sport and transitioning from high school to college is just one of the many experiences she shared with her young female campers this summer.

“When you’re that age, you’re talking about college and where you’re going and your friend groups and what that might look like,” she said. “Girls that age feel like they have to have everything figured out, which is stressful and emotionally draining. And you know, you really don’t have to have it all figured out.”

To the campers she’s interacted with, Viands says she hopes to pass on a strong faith and encourage an openness to the way God might work. “I want to assure them that even when you can’t see it, God is working.”

Viands has brought attention to detail, strong work ethic and initiative to her work, Stuhlmiller said. “She’s always looking for that next opportunity, which is speaks a lot about her leadership potential.”

Her culminating responsibility of the summer is to work with other interns to plan a staff retreat for the “huddle leaders” of the local college and university FCA chapters, which will include teambuilding activities and planning for the next year.

After a short rest, Viands returns to EMU for the senior year, helping to strengthen the foundation of the Royals FCA chapter and contributing to EMU softball, but with appreciation for new leadership skills, new confidence, and the inspiring example of the girls she met.

“They filled me,” she said. “The girls have an amazingly strong faith, and the way they solve problems in certain situations has really made me think about how I solve my own problems. Their perspectives are wise beyond their years. When someone younger than you tells you something you already know but haven’t really paid attention to, you start to think about it in a different way.”

Reath was named All-ODAC Second Team as a utility player. She was First Team as a utility player in her sophomore year and Second Team in her rookie season. As a junior, Reath split her time as the pitcher, first baseman or designated player. In the circle, she earned a record of 5-8 with one save in 94.0 innings. At the plate, she hit .297 with one homerun and 23 runs, and notched team highs with 28 RBIs and 18 doubles. In her third season with EMU, she holds EMU records for doubles in a season, as well as doubles in a career (42).

Shaheen wrapped up a stellar junior season by locking up a spot on the All-ODAC Second Team as an outfielder. After missing her sophomore season with an injury, she returned to the starting spot in centerfield and hit either first or second in the batting order. In 149 plate appearances, she hit .364, which was highest on the team, with 47 hits, 27 runs, 15 RBIs and 26 stolen bases. The stolen bases were the highest single season total of any player in Coach J.D. McCurdy’s 15 years, and were third in the conference this season.

In her first year with the Royals, Martin was voted to the All-ODAC Third Team as she filled multiple roles, mainly as pitcher and designated player. As a pitcher, she earned a record of 11-6 with one save in 110.0 innings pitched. She also finished her inaugural season with 51 strikeouts and two shutouts. In her 75 plate appearances, she hit .318 with 21 hits, 13 RBIs, and eight runs. She added five doubles, one triple, and one homerun.

The Eastern Mennonite women finished with a record of 21-19, making it to the final four teams in the ODAC Tournament before being eliminated by the defending national champions, Virginia Wesleyan.

Martin handcuffed Roanoke for an 8-inning 1-hitter on Saturday, picking up the shutout complete game as the Royals won 2-0 in eight innings. The lefty retired the first 13 batters she faced before a one-out single in the 5th. She then retired the next 11 Maroons, with that lone single stopping her from recording a perfect game. Martin added 1.2 innings of relief in the nightcap, totaling 9.2 innings without an earned run on the day.  She is 6-0 with a 1.54 ERA on the season.

This is the second time this spring that an EMU softball player has been named the ODAC Pitcher of the Week, joining  (Williamsburg, Va./Mercersburg Academy) from two weeks ago. The Eastern Mennonite pitching staff has a combined ERA of 1.33 this season.

The Royals are 13-5 on the season heading into Tuesday’s showdown with rival Bridgewater College. First pitch of the twinbill in Bridgewater is at 3 p.m.

Hall went the distance in a nine-inning gem to help the Royals defeat Emory & Henry, 4-1. Hall scattered eight hits during his full shift on the hill, giving up one run without a walk. He fanned four batters and at one point retired 17-of-18 batters after allowing the Wasps lone run in the fourth inning. Hall’s effort was even more impressive coming directly after a game one where EHC had scored 16 runs on 21 hits.

His nine-inning complete game is a first for an EMU hurler since current pitching coach Adam Posey did it as a senior in 2014. Hall is now 3-2 on the season with a 3.82 earned run average.

Eastern Mennonite won 2-of-3 conference games last week and is 11-11 on the season and 2-5 in the ODAC. The Royals head to No. 16 Shenandoah University on Tuesday, playing a single game at 4 p.m. The men return to Harrisonburg for homes game on Wednesdady and Thursday.

Reath started three games last week and won them all, helping Eastern Mennonite to a 6-0 week overall and a 10-0 showing at the Fastpitch Dreams Spring Classic in North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Reath registered a pair of complete games as she racked up 18.1 innings and gave up just two runs on nine hits.

In a 2-0 victory over Wilkes, she worked 5.1 shutout frames allowing two hits and walking two with a pair of strikeouts. Reath then notched her first complete game of the week, going a full seven innings in a 3-1 win over Medaille. She gave up one run on five hits with a walk and five strikeouts. Reath was perfect through five innings in a 9-1 victory in six innings over Eureka. She worked all six, giving up one run on two hits in the final frame, the only baserunners and run she allowed. She struck out five batters.

From the plate, Reath also batted .444 and accounted for 13 runs in EMU’s six games last week. She had nine RBIs on just eight hits.

For the season, Reath is 4-3 in seven appearances including six starts. She owns a 1.67 earned run average with 21 strikeouts in 37.2 innings of work. As a batter, she is also tied for second in the ODAC with seven doubles and tied for the team lead with 13 RBIs.

Riding a 10-game winning streak, Eastern Mennonite will take an 11-3 record into their home opener this Saturday, hosting No. 6 Christopher Newport in a doubleheader at 1:30pm.