Eastern Mennonite finished first in the league at 15-1, besting their previous best ODAC finish of 13-1 from 1984-85. Aside from the win total, a big accomplishment for Griffin was melding a stable full of talented players into a balanced team, as eight women average between 6.5 and 10.1 points. Griffin earns his second ODAC Coach of the Year award in eight years at the helm of EMU, as he also won in 2006-07. Griffin has won 135 career games to date, and leads his Royals in search of their third ODAC title.

Ygarza was named All-ODAC First Team for the second straight year, as she led the women’s attack with 10.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The multi-faceted Ygarza is also second on the team with 2.1 assists per game and enters the postseason in the ODAC’s top 17 in 10 different categories.

All-ODAC Second Teamer Sykes, who gave up her starting spot to Ygarza this season, has been an explosive presence coming off the bench for EMU. She is averaging 10.0 points and 6.2 rebounds and leads the ODAC with a 53.4% shooting clip. Sykes is also first in the league at 24.7 points per 48 minutes.

The Royals enter the postseason on a 12-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest in program history. Top-seeded EMU, 19-5 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC, takes on No. 8 Washington and Lee in the ODAC Quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm.

草莓社区 head coach Richard (Rich) McElwee has been selected as “coach of the year” in voting by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) for the 2004 College Division All-State Women’s Basketball Team.

McElwee led the EMU Lady Royals to a 25-4 mark and into the sectional semifinals of the NCAA Division III national tournament. The Royals were this year’s Old Dominion Athletic Association regular season champions and the league’s tournament champions, marking the first time a head coach has won the tournament in his first season at the helm.

EMU sophomore Laura Ludholtz from Mt. Crawford, Va., was named to the VaSID women’s basketball first team. Ludholtz scored 16.0 points and grabbed 8.2 rebounds a game for the Royals.

EMU sophomore Carrie Grandstaff, Luray, Va., received VaSID second team honors.