They accepted their awards at the April 25 banquet, an event which celebrates听EMU’s senior student-athletes and also includes awards for Academic Achievement, Freshman of the Year and Athlete of the Year.

Yoder, a volleyball player from Manheim, Pennsylvania, is a biology major with minors in honors and psychology. Her academic and athletic honors include the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team (2018); Blue Jay Classic All-Tournament Team (2018); EMU Academic Achievement Award for the highest GPA on the women’s volleyball team;听CoSIDA Academic All-District Team (2017);听ODAC All-Academic Team (2016-17);听ODAC All-Academic Team (2015-16); and two Royals Athlete of the Week awards in 2016 and

Ocampo, a volleyball player from Virginia Beach, Virginia, is a biology major with minors in chemistry and psychology. Ocampo is also a 2019 Cords of Distinction honoree, the most prestigious recognition EMU awards. He played on the , and was named to the CVC All-Academic Team three consecutive years from 2016-18.

Athlete of the Year

, a nursing and Spanish major from Harrisonburg, Virginia, was Female Athlete of the Year. She was All-ODAC Second Team in cross country and听All-ODAC Third Team Outdoor 4x400m Relay in 2018. She was also Royals .

, a social work major from Bristow, Virginia, was Male Athlete of the Year. A triple jumper, Amoateng’s outdoor track season continues. He was听All-ODAC Third Team Outdoor Triple Jump and ODAC Field Athlete of the Week (April 1-7, 2019) for the current season. In indoor track, he finished 11th in NCAA indoor nationals, and was听All-South/Southeast Region Indoor Triple Jump,听 ODAC Champion and All-ODAC First Team Indoor Triple Jump, and听ODAC Field Athlete of the Week (Nov. 26 – Dec. 2, 2018). He was as well.

Freshman of the Year

, a field hockey player from Smithfield, Virginia, was named Female Freshman of the Year. The elementary education major was All-ODAC Third Team for the 2018 season.

, a track and field athlete from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was named Male Freshman of the Year. The graphic design major specializes in the sprints.

Academic Achievement Awards

The following athletes earned academic achievement awards for top GPA on each athletic team:

叠补蝉别产补濒濒:听, junior

Men鈥檚 Basketball:听, senior, and , senior

Women鈥檚 Basketball: , junior

Women鈥檚 Cross Country: , junior

Men鈥檚 Cross Country: , junior

Field Hockey: , junior, and , junior

Men鈥檚 Golf: , senior

Women鈥檚 Golf: , junior

Men鈥檚 Soccer: , senior

Women鈥檚 Soccer: , senior

Softball: , senior

Men鈥檚 Track & Field: , junior

Women鈥檚 Track & Field: , junior

Men鈥檚 Volleyball: , senior

Women鈥檚 Volleyball: , junior

For a team to be considered for this honor, it must have competed and compiled a team score at an NCAA Regional meet and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.10 on a 4.0 scale. Overall, there were 393 teams honored by the USTFCCCA, of which 215 were women’s teams.

EMU’s women had a team GPA of 3.58 and finished 16th at the South/Southeast Regional race, while the men had a GPA of 3.41 and finish 23rd at the regional meet. Both teams were well above the standards to earn All-Academic Team recognition.

This is the second straight season the Royals women have earned the team award.

Soon, though, he鈥檒l perform his craft in a proper barber鈥檚 chair with a proper mirror in EMU鈥檚 newest student space. Modeled after a barbershop and salon and dubbed 鈥淭he Royal Treatment,鈥� the space will be managed by the Black Student Union (BSU).

鈥淭his is much more than a barbershop. This is a sanctuary,鈥� said senior Jourdyn Friend, BSU vice president, during a special evening preview of the room. 鈥淵our hairdresser is more like a counselor, there to talk about your problems, because you鈥檙e there so long you might as well. This space is progress towards recognizing not just the majority but also the minority. This is a symbol of our voice being heard.鈥�

The grand opening of 鈥淭he Royal Treatment鈥� 鈥� which includes two barber鈥檚 chairs, a hairwashing station, television and two comfortable couches, all enlivened by a bright wall mural celebrating African and African-American culture 鈥� was Monday, Jan. 21, at 11:45 a.m. during the university鈥檚 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting was followed by a barbershop talk with local barber Tyrone Sprague. During past MLK Days, a visit to Sprague鈥檚 downtown barbershop for some history, legend and lore was a much-loved EMU tradition.

鈥淲e鈥檙e so pleased that Mr. Tyrone Sprague will be coming to help us celebrate the opening of our very own barbershop and salon,鈥� Celeste Thomas, director of multicultural services and senior advisor to the president for diversity and inclusion, said prior to the event. 鈥淛ust like his barbershop has been for years, I know this place is going to be full of joking and laughter and wisdom, a place where people can literally and figuratively let their hair down, where they can come and have a good time and be relaxed and comfortable.鈥�

A major ‘milestone’

For the sneak preview hangout last week, though, it was Loving who did the barbering honors in front of a group of student-representatives from BSU and Latino Student Alliance invited by Thomas and lead residence director Scott Eyre. Both Thomas and Eyre sit on EMU鈥檚 Committee on Diversity and Inclusion (CODI), a 17-strong group that advises, consults and educates the EMU community.

BSU members called 鈥淭he Royal Treatment鈥� a major milestone in the university鈥檚 history. Senior Jessica Washington, the club鈥檚 secretary, said she never imagined 鈥渟omething like this鈥� when she arrived on campus four years ago. 鈥淭his is a real blessing.鈥�

BSU co-president Jakiran Richardson, a sophomore, views the new space as the university鈥檚 way of showing empathy and understanding for students of color who must adapt to a predominantly white campus culture. 鈥淲e understand what you鈥檙e going through,鈥� he translated. 鈥淗ere鈥檚 something to show our appreciation for you being here and that we are about who you are.鈥�

Erick Camodeca, associate cross country and track and field coach, took advantage of the preview to relax in the barber鈥檚 chair while getting a 鈥渢emp fade鈥� from Loving. 听Also a member of CODI, Camodeca might be new to the campus 鈥� he arrived last summer 鈥� but his experience at four other universities has given him a critical eye.

The new space, he said, 鈥渟ends out a message that this university does care, that we are making a commitment to diversity and to our students.鈥�

The barbershop is 鈥渁ll about community, which is one of EMU鈥檚 core values,鈥� Camodeca added. 鈥淲hat a better place to have a barbershop where people can come in of all diversities and backgrounds and share an experience and learn something.鈥�

A measure of support for the room was the wild success of its crowdfunding campaign. More than $2,600 was raised by donors to purchase sinks, chairs and other amenities and decorations.

鈥楢 meeting place鈥�

Historically, the African American barbershop and salon was, and still is, a meeting place, 鈥渁 place where mothers take daughters, where fathers take sons, a family place, a place of confidentiality and gossip, with people coming in and out, selling this and that,鈥� Thomas said.

鈥淣ot to mention food,鈥� added Friend to general laughter. 鈥淵ou can get your dinner there.鈥�

The barbershop was also a place where 鈥減lanning happened through the Jim Crow era and the civil rights movement,鈥� Thomas said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 still definitely a place where dreams are fostered,鈥� said former BSU co-president DeVantae Dews. Dews found Sprague鈥檚 barbershop downtown when he first arrived from Lynchburg as a first-year student. Over the years, time spent with Sprague reflecting on the civil rights and Black Lives Matter movements, along with a host of other topics, were important to his own outlook and activism.

鈥淭hose conversations gave me hope and vision for what I believe the next movement is to come,鈥� Dews said, 鈥渁nd so I can only imagine how much wisdom will be poured down through our generations here in this place, and what this space can do 鈥� for reflecting on the growth that鈥檚 happened here at EMU and the planning we can do to make more change to help make this campus a better place for everyone.鈥�

鈥楢ll hair types鈥� welcome

Eyre, the residence director, appreciates the new space as an opportunity to learn about and appreciate cultures different from one鈥檚 own. The barbershop and salon is rooted in his own learning experience, which began when female students using hair straighteners in the dorms repeatedly set off fire alarms.

鈥淭he reaction of some white and white Mennonite students who didn鈥檛 understand what was going on helped me admit that I didn鈥檛 know either,鈥� Eyre said. 鈥淲ith a lot of grace, Celeste answered questions and shared about African American hair and hairstyling and the processes involved, and I realized that EMU could do better in providing and creating spaces in support of our students.鈥�

The barbershop and salon will be a familiar cultural space to many African American students, he said, but white students 鈥渨ill have to figure out how they fit in,鈥� a fair experience considering that African American and minority students make that effort constantly at EMU, he said.

The cozy room in University Commons is located in a former office donated by the Student Government Association. Students at the sneak preview event said they were confident the space would quickly become a campus hangout. 听

The ambiance brought back memories for Ariel Barbosa, co-president of Latino Student Alliance, of going to the barbershop with her dad, who has both African and indigenous Brazilian heritage. That same feeling of 鈥渂eing at home there鈥� in the barbershop of her childhood is one she hopes will be shared here. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited that students are at the center of this project,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 just envision this as a space that will be one of true diversity, where people of all hair types will find a place.鈥�

For Dews, who had worked on the initial plans for the space several years ago, sitting in the new lounge gives him 鈥済reat hope,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd if I am hopeful sitting here, think of how a freshman would feel 鈥� I believe this is the small fruit of the harvest of what God wants to do on this campus when looking at diversity, reconciling between racial and social economies and all the other social constructions that try and divide us. This is just the beginning of what can happen on this campus.鈥�

Camodeca will start this summer, upon completion of his fifth season as the head coach of the Stevenson University track and field teams. He has also been an assistant with Stevenson’s cross country programs the past four years.

At Eastern Mennonite, Camodeca joins听Bob Hepler听who is starting this summer as the head coach for cross country and track and field. Camodeca said working with Hepler at an institution like EMU drew him in.

“The sense of a connected community throughout the entire campus made me feel I would be a valued member,” he explained. “The opportunity to work with Coach Hepler really has me excited, and gives me an opportunity to continue to grow and develop as a coach. Director of Athletics听David King听really sees the value and impact track & field/cross country can have on a campus and student-athletes, which is important in developing the program’s culture at the university.”

Taking over at Stevenson in the spring of 2014, Camodeca quickly rebuilt the track & field program to a powerhouse with an overall roster of 70 athletes. This year, the men’s team won their first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) indoor and outdoor championships as well as the indoor title at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Camodeca was named both the 2018 MAC Coach of the Year and the Mid-East Region Head Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).

Hepler said Camodeca quickly rose to the top of the candidate pool.

“We did a lot of research on the candidates as part of the search process for the position. Erick’s coaching accomplishments speak for themselves. He is a top coach,” said Hepler. “However, his interviews and reference checks revealed a selfless, dedicated coach and husband who truly puts others first. That’s what made him stand out. EMU is extremely blessed to have Erick join the staff. I cannot wait to begin my partnership with him.”

Hepler, who himself has 22 conference championships under his belt as he wraps up a 14-year tenure at UT-Tyler, forms an incredible duo with Camodeca to lead the Royals’ program.

“I feel extremely fortunate to find two experienced and highly successful coaches interested in working together to re-build the cross country and track & field program here at EMU,” King said. “What Erick has done with the track program at Stevenson without having their own facility is a testament to the quality of his character and coaching ability along with his recruiting skills.”

King sensed a similarity between Hepler and Camodeca as both wanted to plug themselves and their student-athletes into all aspects of 草莓社区.

“The excitement Erick brings, along with his interest in coaching the whole student-athlete and engaging with the rest of campus, will bring immediate results that will move the program forward,” explained King. “In my short time of working with both Erick and Bob, I sense a humility in both of them that will result in a dynamic working relationship, ultimately providing a great student-athlete experience.”

Preceding this weekend’s release of 2018 NCAA Outdoor National Championship field, Camodeca has led 13 national qualifiers at Stevenson. His athletes have won four All-America honors as well as a number of regional and conference athlete of the year awards. During his time, the Mustangs broke 96 of the 106 indoor and outdoor men’s and women’s track records.

“We accomplished amazing feats at Stevenson in a short period of time,” said Camodeca. “At EMU, I see there is a lot of support, and a lot of resources available now and to come, to help build and sustain a competitive program.”

Combined with Hepler, Camodeca will instill a culture of going the extra mile.

“I absolutely love what I do. I believe programs take on the values and energy of their leadership and that leads to a program’s success,” he said. “Practice is the easy part; it’s what we do outside of practice that really determines our success. Are we treating people with respect, are we getting it done in the classroom, and are we taking care of our bodies? How we handle those aspects is what really sets us apart.”

Before his time at D-III Stevenson, Camodeca spent a season as an assistant with D-I Loyola University Maryland. He also won four Capital Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors and coached three All-Americans during a six-year tenure leading the cross country and track & field programs at D-III York College (Pa.).

King was appreciative of the work done by the interim staff in recent months.

“My thanks to interim cross country coach Hannah Chappell-Dick from this fall, and to interim track & field coach Ken L. Nafziger and assistants Michael Allen, Joanna Friesen, Jeremy Heizer, Tim Miller and Richard Robinson for providing leadership during this year’s indoor and outdoor seasons including the upcoming national championships,” said King.

The current track & field season will wrap up later this month, as both All-American hurdler听听(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) and triple jumper听听(Bristow, Va./Patriot) expect to qualify for the NCAA National Championships, which are听May 24-26听in La Crosse, Wisc.