All of EMU’s ODAC-sponsored sports were represented on the All-Academic Team.Ìý Men’s 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 eighth consecutive year and set a new high-water mark for conference honorees for the fifth year in a row.Ìý 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), 1,558 student-athletes earned recognition on the 2013-14 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.Ìý 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.

For more information, visit the ODAC’s home on the Internet atÌý. ÌýDon’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC onÌýÌýand followÌýÌýon Twitter.

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

EMU’s ODAC All-Academic Team
Elizabeth Alderfer – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Kayley Argenbright – Women’s Volleyball
Jordan Aylor – Softball
Becky Barrett – Women’s Basketball
Trey Barrett – Men’s Basketball
Tyler Brenneman – Men’s Soccer
Carol Brinkley – Field Hockey
Jonathan Bush – Men’s Soccer, Track & Field
Lauren Campbell – Softball
McKenna Carter – Women’s Volleyball
Hannah Chappell-Dick – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Robert Cook – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Melissa Cox – Field Hockey
Nicolette Cuevas – Softball
Hannah Daley – Field Hockey
Mary Beth Danaher – Field Hockey
Patty Danaher – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Paige DeBell – Field Hockey
Tyler Denlinger – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jenessa Derstine – Field Hockey
Erica Detweiler – Women’s Soccer
Katie Eckman – Women’s Cross Country
Mariah Foltz – Softball
Daniel Friesen – Men’s Soccer
Erica Garber – Women’s Track & Field
Carlos Garcia – Men’s Track & Field
Abi Gardner – Field Hockey
Jessica Goertzen – Women’s Volleyball
Naomi Good – Women’s Soccer
Joe Hall – Baseball
Rebecca Hardy – Women’s Volleyball
Derek Harnish – Men’s Soccer
Bethany Hench – Field Hockey
Ryan Henschel – Baseball
Brooke Hensley – Softball
Morgan Hill – Women’s Soccer
Jordan Hollinger – Men’s Soccer
David Hooley – Men’s Soccer
Brendan Jeschke – Men’s Soccer, Track & Field
Viktor Kaltenstein – Men’s Soccer
Brianna Kauffman – Field Hockey
Rachel Kennel – Women’s Volleyball
Louise Krall – Field Hockey
Lanae Kreider – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jacob Landis – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jordan Leaman – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Parker Leap – Men’s Soccer
Mollie Lehman – Field Hockey
Jake Lind – Men’s Soccer
Lexi Link – Women’s Volleyball
Mariah Martin – Field Hockey
Tim Martin – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Dilmer Martinez – Men’s Soccer
Mark Mast – Men’s Soccer
Saralyn Mast – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Brad Matthias – Baseball
Brittany McDonaldson – Women’s Golf
Macson McGuigan – Men’s Soccer
Chris Miller – Men’s Track & Field
Katie Miller – Women’s Volleyball
Austin Mumaw – Men’s Soccer
Jonathan Nisly – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Ian Norris – Baseball
Nora Osei – Women’s Soccer, Women’s Basketball
Jolee Paden – Women’s Cross Country
Jesse Parker – Men’s Cross Country
Hannah Patterson – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Dylan Polley – Men’s Soccer
Alicia Poplett – Women’s Soccer
D Probst – Women’s Volleyball
Casey Racer – Softball
Jess Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Steph Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Krista Rittenhouse – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Kyle Salladay – Baseball
Juni Schirch – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Caleb Schlabach – Men’s Golf
Chanel Shands – Women’s Basketball
Jacob Shank – Men’s Soccer
Kayla Smeltzer – Women’s Volleyball
Molly Smith – Softball
Nicole Smith – Softball
Ashten Spencer – Women’s Soccer
Mandy Stowers – Field Hockey
Ryan Thomas – Men’s Soccer
Shannan Thompson – Women’s Basketball
John Toney – Men’s Golf
Londen Wheeler – Men’s Track & Field
Camille Williams – Field Hockey
Alex Wynn – Men’s Track & Field
Bianca Ygarza – Women’s Basketball
Alena Yoder – Women’s Volleyball
Andrew Yoder – Men’s Soccer
Chris Yoder – Men’s Basketball
Michelle Zook – Field Hockey
Marla zumFelde – Women’s Basketball

EMU 9, Randolph 6
The women gave up a big lead in the first game, before coming back for the victory. They combined four hits in the top of the first to jump ahead 3-0.Ìý EMU scored two more in the third, both with two outs, to build the edge to 5-0.

Randolph scored twice in the bottom of the third, and then took a 6-5 lead with four more in the fourth.

The Royals came back in the sixth. The WildCats opened the door with back-to-back errors.ÌýÌý(Elkton, Va./Spotswood) singled to tie the game, andÌýÌý(Elkton, Va./Spotswood) added a single to put EMU ahead 7-6.ÌýÌý(Broadway, Va./Broadway) added a two-run single to build the final cushion.

Foltz was in the circle for the end of the game, and only allowed a single base runner over the final two innings to lock up the win.

The women had 14 hits and took advantage of five Randolph errors. Smith was 3-4 with two runs and two RBIs, while Hensley finished 3-4 with three runs and an RBI.Ìý Foltz also had three singles and drove in three runs.ÌýÌý(Bridgewater, Va./Turner Ashby) added two RBIs.

Ìý(Madison, Va./Madison County) started but gave up six runs in 3.0+ innings. Foltz earned her first collegiate win by spreading three hits over 4.0 scoreless innings.

EMU 4, Randolph 3 – 8 innings
The Royals made a great comeback to force extra innings in the nightcap before winning the game in the eighth.

Randolph scored single runs in each of the second and third innings to stake a 2-0 lead. EMU started to get base runners as the game wore on, but couldn’t bring them home, leaving eight on base through six innings.

Down to their final at-bat, the women rallied.ÌýÌý(Timberville, Va./Broadway) led off with a walk andÌýÌý(Crimora, Va./Fort Defiance) followed with a single. After a strikeout, Smith flew out to center, although it was deep enough that both runners could tag up and stand in scoring position. Hensley came up with the clutch two-out hit, singling to center to bring home both runners and tie the game at 2-2.

Foltz send the WildCats down in order in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings. In the eighth, the Royals quickly scored their runner from second with a one-out single fromÌýÌý(Grottoes, Va./Fort Defiance).ÌýÌý(Madison, Va./Madison County) followed with a single to bring home Lucas for a 4-2 lead.

Randolph got a leadoff double to bring in their placed runner, and then loaded the bases with just one out.Ìý But a tapper back to the pitcher turned into a game-ending 1-2-3 double play, giving EMU the 4-3 victory.

Hensley finished 3-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.Ìý Sigrist and Smith each had two hits.Ìý McCallister reached base all four times she came up, getting one single and three walks.

Foltz earned her second win of the day by pitching all eight innings, scattering eight hits to improve to 2-1.

Eastern Mennonite improves to 7-10-1 with the sweep, including 2-3-1 with their first ODAC wins. The Royals now have a tie on their record after last Thursday’s halted game with Bridgewater was declared a final after a review of ODAC bylaws. That contest was tied at 8-8 after five innings.

The women will try to knock the final undefeated ODAC team from their perch tomorrow with two games at Lynchburg College. The Hornets are 2-0 in league play. Start time is 3 p.m.

The last time Eastern Mennonite entered the ODAC tourney as the No. 8 seed, they won four straight games and claimed the 2010 ODAC Championship.Ìý As in previous years, all games at the ODAC Tournament will be at the Moyer Complex in Salem, VA.

Before Sunday’s doubleheader with Lynchburg, senior (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) was honored on Senior Day, and retiring Athletic Events Coordinator Phil Guengerich threw out the first pitch at the final home event of the year.

EMU 9, Lynchburg 5
The Lady Royals took advantage of a handful of Hornet mistakes in their first at-bat, scoring five unearned runs to take the lead.Ìý Allman fittingly started the scoring with an RBI single, and freshman (Grottoes, VA/Fort Defiance) sent a towering three-run bomb over the left field fence to make it 5-0.

The Hornets responded quickly with four, two-out runs in the second.Ìý EMU struck again in the fifth, with Allman rapping another RBI single before (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) shot a three-run homer to make it 9-4.

LC got a solo homerun to lead off the sixth, but Smith retired the next six batters she faced to lock up the win.

Allman finished 2-3 with two RBIs and two runs.Ìý Smith and Lucas each hit their fourth longball of the season.Ìý Lead-off batter (Crimora, VA/Fort Defiance), who transferred from Lynchburg to EMU this year, had a pair of singles.

Smith picked up the win to improve to 6-3.Ìý She allowed just one hit with five strikeouts in 4.2 innings of relief.

EMU 7, Lynchburg 2
Eastern Mennonite scored in the first inning again in the nightcap, and then got a solo shot from (Madison, VA/Madison County) in the second to take a 3-0 advantage.

The Hornets cut the lead to one with two runs in the fourth, but the Allman helped rebuild the cushion in the fifth.Ìý She launched her eighth homerun of the year, and 31st of her career, over the left field fence, as EMU plated four more runs for the final 7-2 margin.

(Elkton, VA/Page County), another LC transfer this year, went the distance from the circle, scattering eight hits to improve to 4-9.

Allman finished 1-2 with three RBIs, hitting a homerun in her final at-bat on Gehman Field.

Smith was a perfect 3-3 from the plate with an RBI.Ìý (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) was 2-3 with a walk, scoring two times.

The Lady Royals close the regular season 21-17 overall and 9-11 in the ODAC.Ìý They tied with Randolph College for seventh, but settled for the No. 8 seed based on losing the head-to-head tie-breaker with the WildCats.Ìý EMU was swept by top-seeded Virginia Wesleyan during the regular season, losing 4-0 and 8-1 in Virginia Beach on Apr. 13.

EMU 10, Mary Baldwin 1 – 5 innings
The women scored once in the first, but broke through in the second.Ìý (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) brought in three with a bases loaded double to push the lead to 6-0.

The Fighting Squirrels got their run in the top of the fourth, but Eastern Mennonite put up four more in the bottom of the frame.Ìý Allman ripped another double which brought in two runs, and (Grottoes, VA/Fort Defiance) followed with an RBI double of her own.

Reigning ODAC Pitcher of the Week (Madison, VA/Madison County) struck out six batters in her five innings of work as she improved to 5-1 on the season.

Allman led the offense with her two doubles and five RBIs.Ìý (Elkton, VA/East Rockingham) also had a pair of hits, scoring twice and driving in another run.Ìý (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) and (Crimora, VA/Fort Defiance) each scored twice as well.

EMU 9, Mary Baldwin 1 – 6 innings
Game two was scoreless until the bottom of the third.Ìý Cash led off with a single and Sigrist also singled with one out.Ìý Allman followed with a two-run double.Ìý A third run scored on a passed ball as EMU jumped ahead 3-0.

Mary Baldwin scored an unearned run on a two-out double in the fourth, but the Lady Royals kept coming in the fifth.Ìý The first four batters had hits, including an RBI single from Lucas and a two-run double from (Bridgewater, VA/Turner Ashby).Ìý (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) added a two-out double to the push the edge to 7-1.

MBC went down in order in the top of the sixth, and the women triggered the eight-run mercy rule in the sixth, as Lucas and Miller had back-to-back RBI hits to plate two.

(Stuarts Draft, VA/Stuarts Draft) got her first career start and earned the complete game win.Ìý The freshman gave up just two hits and one unearned run.

Miller finished 2-3 with a walk and drove in three runs.Ìý Allman was also 2-3 with a walk, and added two RBIs and two runs.Ìý Lucas had a pair of singles with two RBIs while Sigrist also had two hits and scored twice.

Eastern Mennonite stays at home for two more doubleheaders this weekend, hosting Mary Washington on Saturday and then No. 23 Roanoke on Sunday.

Bridgewater 8, EMU 0
Despite being out-hit only 10-8, Eastern Mennonite couldn’t plate a run in the first game.Ìý The women started out rocky, giving up two runs in the top of the first.Ìý After going down in order in the bottom of the first, the Royals’ defense let them down in the second.

With two runners on and two away, (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) bobbled a grounder to short, allowing a run to score and letting the inning continue.Ìý The Eagles took full advantage of the miscue, following with a three-run homer from Leigh Lam (McGaheysville, VA/Spotswood) to vault the lead to 6-0.

EMU had runners on second and third with only one away in the fourth, but a strikeout and groundout left them stranded.Ìý Bridgewater got a solo homerun from Morgan Williams (Richmond, VA/Varina) in the sixth to up the score to 7-0.

The women left the bases loaded in their half of the sixth and BC brought in one more in the seventh for the final score.

(Buckingham, VA/Buckingham County) went the distance for the Lady Royals and took the loss to slip to 6-2.Ìý She gave up 10 hits, walked four, and watched her defense commit three errors.

Seven of EMU’s eight hits were singles.Ìý (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) and (Brookneal, VA/William Campbell) each had two hits.Ìý (Madison, VA/Madison County) had a double.

EMU 3, Bridgewater 2
The women settled down by game two and took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first.Ìý Lee led off with a single and after a BC error came in on an Allman sacrifice fly.

EMU starter (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) took a no-hitter into the fifth, but then gave up a double and single as the Eagles tied the score at 1-1.Ìý Bridgewater took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth and had the bases loaded with one out.Ìý Aylor took over for Smith in the circle and successfully kept the deficit at one run with a strikeout and a groundout.

Lee tied the game in dramatic fashion to lead off the bottom of the frame, crushing a pitch nearly 250 feet to straightaway center.Ìý It was her fourth homerun of the season.

BC speedster Kasey Anderson (Chatham, VA/Chatham) drew a one-out walk in the seventh, but Crews gunned her down trying to steal second.Ìý The momentum of throwing out Anderson for the first time after 20 successful attempts this season carried over into the bottom of the inning.

(Stanley, VA/Page County) led off with a double to the right center gap.Ìý (Berkeley Springs, VA/ Berkeley Springs) came in to run, and sped around to score the game-winning run when Crews shot a single up the middle.

Game two was more of what the crowd of 587 expected to see on the big stage, with EMU having five hits to BC’s four.

Lee finished 2-3 out of the leadoff spot, scoring twice and collected one RBI from her homerun.Ìý Hensley, Jenkins and Crews had the women’s other hits.

Smith pitched four no-hit innings and settled for a no decision as she allowed two runs in 5-1/3 innings.Ìý Aylor struck out one and walked one in 1-2/3 innings of relief to earn the win and improve to 6-1.

Eastern Mennonite moves to 16-3 on the season while No. 24 Bridgewater goes to 16-2 after the doubleheader split.Ìý Both teams are also 1-1 in the ODAC.Ìý The Lady Royals are on the road this weekend, playing two at Sweet Briar on Sunday.

EMU 13, York 1
After a disappointing split against Mary Washington on Saturday, the women got their bats going quickly in their home opener.Ìý (Buckingham, VA/Buckingham County) led off with a double and the hit parade started.Ìý The Lady Royals put together five hits, including a three-run homer from (Stanley, VA/Page County).

(Elkton, VA/Spotswood) drove out a two-run blast to start an eight-run second.Ìý EMU put together five hits with three walks and closed out their second big inning with back-to-back sacrifice flies to push the lead to 13-0.

The women left the bases loaded in the third, but it didn’t matter as the Spartans only managed one run in the mercy-shortened game.

Eastern Mennonite had 11 hits and eight walks in their four at-bats. ÌýJenkins finished 3-3 with her second homerun.Ìý The junior scored twice and had four RBIs.Ìý was 2-3 (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) with two runs and an RBI.

(Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance), (Madison, VA/Madison County) and (Brookneal, VA/William Campbell) each scored twice as well.

Lee threw the complete game to improve to 6-1.Ìý She scattered four hits and struck out two.

EMU 5, York 2
The Spartans got on board in their first at-bat in game two, putting together a pair of hits to go ahead 1-0.

The Lady Royals batted around in the third and took the lead with four two-out runs.Ìý Smith and Jenkins each hit RBI singles, and Crews added a two-run single.

York scored a run in the fourth, but EMU got it back in the fifth when Allman lofted a leadoff homerun over the left field fence to make it 5-2.

The visitors threatened in the sixth, but had a runner thrown out at home to end the inning.Ìý The Spartans got a two-out single in the seventh, but Aylor threw her third consecutive scoreless frame in relief to preserve the three-run win.

Smith started in the circle and pitched four innings to improve to 4-0.Ìý Aylor earned her first save with three innings of work.

Lee was 3-4 from the plate to lead an 11-hit attack.Ìý She hit two doubles and a triple while scoring one run.Ìý Allman hit her team-best fifth homer of the year and finished 2-3 with two runs and an RBI.

Crews was 2-3 with a pair of RBIs and Jenkins also had a pair of hits with one RBI.

Eastern Mennonite is now 14-2 and continues their homestand with Hood on Tuesday.Ìý First pitch from Gehman Field is 3 p.m.

EMU 8, Old Westbury 0 – 6 innings
In the day’s opener, the women took their third consecutive mercy-shortened shutout of the weekend.Ìý (Madison, VA/Madison County) pitched a complete game two hitter.

Junior (Shenandoah, VA/Page County) powered the offense with a three-run homerun.

EMU 2, Ferrum 1
Eastern Mennonite closed their time at the Bash by taking on co-host Ferrum College, which entered the game with a 14-1 record.Ìý The Lady Royals escaped with the one-run win in a pitchers’ duel, handing the Panthers just their second loss of the season.

Ace (Buckingham, VA/Buckingham County) took the circle for EMU against Ferrum’s Hannah Shumaker.Ìý Lee helped her cause from the plate before even stepping into the circle, when she led off the game with a double.Ìý (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) came through with the two-out single to center, bringing Lee home for a 1-0 lead.

Lee then retired the first nine Panther batters and stranded two runners in the fourth.Ìý Ferrum bunched together three of their four hits in the sixth, plating their only run on a two-out single to tie the game at 1-1.

But (Stanley, VA/Page County) started the rally for EMU in their next at-bat, as the first baseman led off with a single to center.Ìý (Berkeley Springs, WV/Berkeley Springs) ran for Jenkins, and made her way to third on an error after Aylor popped up to the pitcher for the first out.Ìý (Stanley, VA/Page County) followed with an infield chopper and Napfel beat the throw home, pushing the Lady Royals right back in front, 2-1.

Lee clinched the win from the circle, firing her fifth 1-2-3 frame in the bottom of the seventh.

Each team had only four hits in the game, but Ferrum made the one costly error.Ìý Lee struck out four sticks while Shumaker fanned 13 Lady Royals.

Lee was 2-3 from the plate with a walk and a run scored.Ìý Allman got an RBI with her hit.Ìý Jenkins had EMU’s only other hit and also walked once.

Eastern Mennonite has a pair of road dates this week before Sunday’s home opener.Ìý The Lady Royals are at Mary Baldwin on Tuesday and Mary Washington on Saturday.Ìý Then Sunday’s doubleheader with York (PA) starts at 1:00pm.

“This is potentially the best offensive team we have ever fielded at EMU,” said ninth-year Head Coach J.D. McCurdy.Ìý “We have six returning All-ODAC athletes and some talented freshmen.”

In 2011, Eastern Mennonite set team marks for most hits (386), runs scored (287), homeruns (39), RBIs (266) and slugging percentage (.521).

The team finished with the second-best record in EMU history at 27-13 and the best record ever in ODAC play at 14-4.Ìý The Lady Royals took the top seed into the ODAC Tournament but were knocked out late on day two of the three-day, double elimination tourney.

To make a postseason run this year and claim just the third ODAC Championship in program history, McCurdy needs his returners to continue to improve.

High school teammates (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) and (Elkton, VA/Spotswood) were each named to all-region teams last spring as freshman.Ìý Smith led EMU with 40 RBIs, 14 doubles and 55 hits as the outfielder earned NFCA All-Region (Atlantic) Second Team honors.Ìý Hensley was a defensive general at shortstop and led the Lady Royals with a .441 batting average.Ìý She was named All-Region Third Team.

(Buckingham, VA/Buckingham County) earned All-ODAC First Team honors as the ODAC Pitcher of the Year, and was a star in the circle and at the plate.Ìý She was 19-7 with two saves as a pitcher, charting a 2.24 ERA and breaking the EMU season records with 19 wins and 165-2/3 innings pitched.Ìý She was also second on the team with seven homeruns and led the way with 42 runs, 18 walks and 15 stolen bases.

Other All-ODAC performers include: All-ODAC First Team designated player (Stanley, VA/Page County) (.364, 4 HR, 21 RBI), All-ODAC Second Team catcher (Brookneal, VA/William Campbell) (.395, 1 HR, 14 RBI), and All-ODAC Honorable Mention second baseman (Mt. Solon, VA/Fort Defiance) (.286, 8 HR, 30 RBI).

McCurdy also returns three other players: (Stanley, VA/Page County) (.300, 4 HR, 18 RBI), (Shenandoah, VA/Page County) (.304, 1 HR, 7 RBI), and (Berkeley Springs, WV/Berkeley Springs) (.500, 17 R).

The incoming class of freshmen (Madison, VA/Madison County) and (Powhatan, VA/Powhatan), while not very deep, is quite talented.

“Jordan will be an impact player as a pitcher and position player,” said McCurdy, “and Taylor provides additional offensive punch.”

With so many of the bats returning, as well as both pitchers (Lee and Smith) and newcomer Aylor, McCurdy feels his team can make some noise this year.

“A great offense and strong circle will help us stay competitive with every team we play,” he said.

The Lady Royals were tabbed to finish second in the ODAC Preseason Poll, behind ODAC Tournament Champion Virginia Wesleyan, but McCurdy is indifferent to the preseason prognosticators.

“We are never concerned where we are picked in the ODAC,” he said.Ìý “We will put the crosshair on every team we play!”

EMU’s coach is simply excited for this season.

“The chemistry of this group is outstanding,” McCurdy explained.Ìý “We have a good mix of very talented athletes and two very strong freshmen.Ìý If we have a weakness it’s in depth and speed on the bases.Ìý We will need to let our bats do the talking to overcome our weaknesses.”

If history is any indicator, the women should be able to mask their flaws.Ìý Last year, the Lady Royals out-hit their opponents .346 to .267 and smacked nearly three times as many homeruns as they gave up (39 to 14).

Eastern Mennonite will get a big challenge as they continue their 2012 season this weekend at the Beach Blast in Virginia Beach, VA.Ìý The women will take on two teams ranked in the NFCA national preseason poll, No. 3 Christopher Newport and No. 8 Salisbury.

McCurdy says these tough non-conference games will prepare his team for their ultimate objectives.

“Our goals are to win the ODAC Championship and win the region,” he said.Ìý “Those are lofty goals, but our women are ready for the challenge.”