All of EMU鈥檚 ODAC-sponsored sports were represented on the All-Academic Team.聽 Men鈥檚 volleyball competes in the Continental Volleyball Conference and is not eligible for the ODAC team.

The ODAC All-Academic Team eclipsed 1,000 student-athletes for the seventh consecutive year and set a new high-water mark for conference honorees for the fourth year in a row.聽 With representatives from each of the 17 ODAC institutions (including Catholic University for football only and Greensboro College and Notre Dame of Maryland University for swimming only), 1,459 student-athletes earned recognition on the 2012-13 ODAC All-Academic Team.

Eligibility for the ODAC All-Academic Team is open to any student-athlete that competes in a conference-sponsored sport, regardless of academic class.聽 He or she must achieve at least a 3.25 grade point average for the year to be considered for an ODAC All-Academic Award.

The entire list of Royals named to the ODAC All-Academic Team is listed below.

Nels Akerson – Cross Country, Track & Field
Elizabeth Alderfer – Cross Country, Track & Field
Sonja Anderson – Field Hockey
Kayley Argenbright – Women’s Basketball
Trey Barrett – Men’s Basketball
Ruthie Beck 鈥� Softball
Jennifer Blankenship – Women’s Basketball
Jessica Blanks – Field Hockey
Carol Brinkley – Field Hockey
Jonathan Bush – Men’s Soccer, Track & Field
Hannah Chappell-Dick – Cross Country, Track & Field
Hannah Clemmer – Cross Country, Track & Field
Melissa Cox – Field Hockey
Nicolette Cuevas 鈥� Softball
Mary Beth Danaher – Field Hockey
Patty Danaher – Cross Country, Track & Field
Jenessa Derstine – Field Hockey
Alli Eanes – Cross Country, Track & Field
Katie Eckman – Cross Country
Ryan Eshleman – Men’s Soccer
Jonathan Estrada 鈥� Baseball
Daniel Friesen – Men’s Soccer
Chantelle Garber – Field Hockey
Jessica Goertzen – Women’s Volleyball
Naomi Good – Women’s Soccer
Patrick Graber – Cross Country, Track & Field
Derek Harnish – Men’s Soccer
Bethany Hench – Field Hockey
Ryan Henschel 鈥� Baseball
Brooke Hensley 鈥� Softball
Jordan Hollinger – Men’s Soccer
David Hooley – Men’s Soccer
Holly Jensen – Women’s Soccer
Brianna Kauffman – Field Hockey
Janna Kaufman – Women’s Soccer
Rachel Kennel – Women’s Volleyball
Lanae Kreider – Cross Country, Track & Field
Jonathan Leaman – Men’s Golf
Parker Leap – Men’s Soccer
Mattie Lehman – Women’s Volleyball
Mollie Lehman – Field Hockey
Rachel Lehman – Women’s Volleyball
Lexi Link – Women’s Volleyball
Owen Longacre – Men’s Basketball
Karla Martin – Women’s Volleyball
Katie Martin – Women’s Volleyball
Phillip Martin – Track & Field
Ian Mast – Men’s Soccer
Mark Mast – Men’s Soccer
Saralyn Mast – Cross Country, Track & Field
Brittany McDonaldson – Women’s Golf
Thomas Millary – Cross Country
Katie Miller – Women’s Volleyball
Michelle Miller – Women’s Volleyball
Kaitlyn Morris 鈥� Softball
Austin Mumaw – Men’s Soccer
Joel Murray – Men’s Golf
Dan Nafziger – Cross Country, Track & Field
Jolee Paden – Cross Country, Track & Field
Jesse Parker – Cross Country, Track & Field
Hannah Patterson – Track & Field
Alicia Poplett – Women’s Soccer
Jess Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Steph Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Sara Ritchie – Women’s Volleyball
Krista Rittenhouse – Cross Country, Track & Field
Adriana Santiago – Field Hockey
Meghan Schaefer – Cross Country
Juni Schirch – Cross Country, Track & Field
Jacob Shank – Men’s Soccer
Aaron Sloan – Track & Field
Kayla Smeltzer – Women’s Volleyball
Aaron Springer – Cross Country, Track & Field
Andre Swartzentruber – Men’s Golf
John Toney – Men’s Golf
Alena Yoder – Women’s Volleyball
Andrew Yoder – Men’s Soccer
Kegan Yoder – Men’s Soccer
Tyler Yoder – Men’s Soccer
Michelle Zook – Field Hockey

The paper submitted by EMU sophomores Jonathan Nagy, Lancaster, Pa.; Aaron Springer, Minier, Ill.; and Amber Warren, Amelia, Va., placed in the top 15 percent of solutions submitted by student participants from 2,775 teams around the world. Participants came from 13 high school teams (1%), 347 U.S. teams (12%) and 2,428 foreign teams (88%). The award categories were Outstanding, Finalist, Meritorious, Honorable Mention and Successful Participant.

The EMU trio worked nonstop from 8 p.m. Feb. 11 to 8 p.m. Feb. 14 to meet the postmark deadline. They spent a total of 96 hours discussing the problem, formulating a mathematical model, composing a computer program and writing a 16-page solution.

The problem? Determine the shape of a snowboard course (currently known as a 鈥渉alfpipe鈥�) to maximize the production of 鈥渧ertical air鈥� by a skilled snowboarder. “Vertical air” is the maximum vertical distance above the edge of the halfpipe. Tailor the shape to optimize other possible requirements, such as maximum twist in the air. What tradeoffs may be required to develop a 鈥減ractical鈥� course?

The annual contest is sponsored by the Consortium of Mathematics and Its Applications, based in Lexington, Mass. EMU participates in the contest every other year when the applied math class, taught by , associate professor of physics, is offered.聽 Dr. Boyer was faculty adviser to the students but was not permitted to discuss the problem with them.

“This was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in school, but once finished, we had a feeling of accomplishment,” said Aaron Springer. “The problem solving is applicable to whatever career we end up pursuing.”

“This is a notable achievement for these students,” said , chair of EMU’s mathematical sciences department. “Equally impressive is that the last time EMU participated in this contest, two years ago, a team consisting of Briana Gascho, Dustin Good and Annette Lolchoki also achieved the meritorious rating, rather remarkable considering the high level of participation and intense competition.”