Senior (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) thoroughly dominated the throwing events, easily winning the shot put and weight throw. He was named the Athlete of the Meet, the first EMU male since Michael Allen in 2011, and the first male to win the title at the ODAC’s Indoor Championship.

Classmate (Broadway, Va./Broadway) bettered his prelimary qualifying time with a first-place finish of 8.28 in the finals. His time broke both the ODAC conference and championships records.�� It was also Robinson’s third ODAC Champion title of his career, repeating as the 60m hurdles champion after also winning the 110m hurdles from outdoor season last spring.

Lagging team health hindered the women, who finished sixth, despite a pair of individual championships for senior (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) who defended her titles in the 800m and mile. Bridgewater edged Washington and Lee 135 to 133 for the team title.

Two Royals also won scholar-athlete awards. Junior was voted the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Scholar-Athlete.�� A biology/pre-med major with a minor in business administration, Denlinger holds a 3.98 GPA is also a four-time All-ODAC honoree.�� This is the second straight indoor scholar award for Denlinger.

Chappell-Dick also earned her fifth consecutive ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Scholar-Athlete award.�� She is a biology major with minors in coaching, exercise science and honors.�� Chappell-Dick holds a 3.84 GPA and has won every scholar-athlete honor possible from the ODAC since the beginning of her junior season.

Men’s results

Heizer PRed in the shot put and the weight throw, while also claiming the three best throws in each at the meet.�� In the shot put, Heizer’s best landed at a monster 15.81m (51-10.75ft), not only winning gold but also vaulting him to No. 25 in the nation.�� Then in the weight throw, he landed at 15.06m (49-5.25ft).�� Both improved on his No. 2 spots in the EMU record books.

(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) claimed fourth behind teammate Robinson in the 60m hurldes race in 8.68, while (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) took sixth in 8.73.�� It was a PR for Faint.

Jumper (Bristow, Va./Patriot) had a great first effort, as the freshman took All-ODAC Third Team honors in the triple jump at 13.61m (44-8ft).�� His PR distance was the third-best effort in EMU history.

Amoateng then cleared 1.79m (5-10.5ft) in the high jump to claim seventh.�� The freshman also grabbed seventh in the long jump, landing his best at 6.36m (20-10.5ft).�� Both efforts were PRs, with the long jump distance putting him No. 8 all-time at EMU.

(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) earned third place in the 800m for All-ODAC Third Team status.�� The junior crossed in 1:57.24, behind only a pair of Bridgewater runners.

Running partner (Mount Sidney, Va./Fort Defiance) had a similar finish in the mile, settling for third in 4:25.98.�� He then took fifth in the 3000m with a time of 9:03.55.�� Thibodeaux was five seconds behind four runners clumped within just over a second of each other.

The 4×400 relay team staked a third-place.�� The foursome of Faint, (Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass), (Salem, Va./Salem) and Denlinger finished in 3:27.32. Faint had a great all-around individual effort, highlighted by a fourth-place finish in the 400m, clocking in at 50.83.�� The sophomore’s PR also bumped him up to No. 8 in the EMU’s record books.�� Sampson also grabbed two points for taking seventh in the event at 51.47.�� He comes in at No. 9 in EMU history.

The distance medley relay team added two points towards the team total with a seventh-place finish.�� (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg), (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle), (Dayton, Va./Ben Logan) and (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) came in at 11:52.21.

Women’s results

Chappell-Dick broke the ODAC Championships record in the mile, registering a time 5:03.54.�� She was more than four seconds better than the previous best at the ODAC Indoor Meet, beating Carmen Graves’ time of 5:07.84.

Then in the 800m, she edged Marissa Combs of Virginia Wesleyan in 2:20.62, just ahead of Coombs’ 2:20.80.�� She has now won the last four indoor and outdoor 800m ODAC titles, as well as the last two miles, which are only an indoor event.

Sophomore (Dover, Ohio/Dover), who won the 3000m and 5000m last year, took fifth in the 5000m with a time of 19:36.21.�� After finishing runner-up last year, (St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) also didn’t run the 3000m.

The distance medley relay team just missed defending last year’s title, coming in second.�� (Goshen, Ind./Goshen), (King George, Va./King George), (Manheim, Pa./Hempfield) and Paden put together a time of 13:14.36, finishing nearly four seconds behind Bridgewater’s winning foursome.

(Bedford, Va./Liberty) finished fourth in the triple jump.�� Her first two jumps each landed at 10.57m (34-8.25ft), but Lynchburg’s Shanice Clarke edged her with one late jump at 10.66m (34-11.75ft).�� Kittrell then settled for eighth in the long jump, sticking her best at 4.78m (15-8.25ft).�� She was less than an inch from seventh place and 3.5 inches from sixth.

The 4x400m relay team of Williams, Yoder, Chappell-Dick and Schirch took fifth, combined for a time of 4:13.85.

(Waynesboro, Va./Waynesboro) claimed sixth in the 60m dash, crossing in 8.15 in the finals.�� The freshman’s PR improves her No. 2 time in the EMU record books.

In the 400m, Williams also finished sixth.�� She was second in her heat, clocking at 1:02.54.�� Pole vaulter (Denton, Md./North Caroline) was another of the women who finished sixth, as she cleared 2.22m (7-3.25ft).

(Portsmouth, Va./Churchland) finished seventh in the shot put, with her best toss landing at 10.10m (33-2ft).

For the men,����(Mount Sidney, Va./Fort Defiance) took nearly six seconds off of his indoor PR in the 3000m, coming across in a time of 8:43.68 to re-break his own school record of 8:49.20 from the CNU Holiday Open in December.

A foursome of����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock),����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook),����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) and Thibodeaux destroyed the program record in the distance medley relay.�� The foursome crossed in 10:29.09, topping the 2013 record of 10:37.15 by more than eight seconds and bumping the Royals to the No. 11 spot in the nation this season.

The 4x400m team of Faint, Denlinger,����(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) and����(Salem, Va./Salem) had the seventh-best time in EMU history at 3:28.34.

Denlinger set his indoor PR in the 800m, stopping the watch at 1:56.50.�� He moves to the second-best time in the event in EMU history.�� Luke Yoder set the record of 1:55.84 in 2007.�� Denlinger also sits at No. 23 in the nation so far this season with the time.

A pair of young runners made a splash in the 400m.�� Faint, a sophomore, clocked at 51.41 to win his heat and earn 21st overall.�� Faint PRed with the effort and moved up two spots to No. 8 in the EMU history books.�� Sampson, a freshman, knocked 0.01 of his PR to take sole possession of No. 9 in the books at 51.65.

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) had a successful re-entry to the track season, as he punched an ODAC spot in the 5000m.�� The 2014 S/SE Region Athlete of the Year in cross country, Gehman finished his race in 16:18.61.

��(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) improved upon his EMU No. 2 distance in the weight throw.�� His best toss landed at 14.87m (48-9.5ft), an improvement of more than two feet.�� Nathan Turner holds the EMU record at 15.77m (51-9ft).�� In the shot put, Heizer landed at 14.18m (46-6.25ft).

For his efforts, he was named ODAC Field Athlete of the Week.

In the 60m hurdles,����(Broadway, Va./Broadway) crossed in 8.78 while����(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) came in at 8.96.

��(Charlotte Court House, Va./Randolph Henry) punched an ODAC ticket in the 200m, winning his heat in 23.69.�� He also participated in the long jump, sticking his best landing at 6.07m (19-11ft).

��(Bristow, Va./Patriot) made just one of his three attempts in the triple jump, but it was good enough to tie him for No. 7 in EMU history at 12.83m (42-1.25ft).

Meanwhile on the women’s side,����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) put herself fourth in the nation in the mile run with her time of 5:02.05.�� The All-American was the top D-III runner at the meet and took fifth overall. Chappell-Dick broke the finish line seventh overall in the 800m with a time of 2:16.02.�� She is ninth in the nation with the time. She was named ODAC Athlete of the Week for her win.

Three other women ran in the 800m, with each earning an ODAC-qualifying time.������(King George, Va./King George) had a PR of 2:30.74, jumping herself to No. 6 on the all-time EMU charts.�� �������󳾲�������(Manheim, Pa./Hempfield) shaved more than a second off of her first collegiate race with a time of 2:31.21 to take No. 8 in EMU history, and����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) came in at 2:33.60.

In the 3000m,����(Dover, Ohio/Dover) crossed in 10:34.38.�� ����Ծ��ǰ�����(St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) was 12th overall in the 5000m, clocking in at 20:19.51.

The distance medley relay team of Chappell-Dick, Williams, Yoder and Schirch had a solid time of 13:42.21.

In the field events, sophomore����(Bedford, Va./Liberty) was the lone EMU representative.�� She just missed her indoor PR in the triple jump, landing at 10.55m (34-7.5ft).�� In the long jump she measured at 4.44m (14-7.0 feet).

The Royals head to Selinsgrove, Pa., next Saturday for the Crusader Challenge hosted by Susquehanna University.

ABS is a convenient acronym, then, for the weekly Athlete Bible Study that’s begun meeting over lunch on the ��ݮ���� campus this semester – and just one manifestation of senior cross-country runner Jolee Paden’s efforts to enrich the spiritual lives of her fellow athletes and classmates.

Last January, she also helped launch a monthly event called Athletes Speak, during which students gather over pizza to hear athletes and coaches talk about their lives and faith. Both events are affiliated with EMU’s chapter of the (FCA), in which Paden has been a leader since she was a first-year student.

At the time, FCA didn’t have a particularly large or active presence on campus, and so, just as she’d done previously at her high school in St. Joseph, Illinois, Paden threw herself into the task of building it up.

“FCA is for athletes and coaches to have the opportunity to encounter biblical truth and authentic community,” said Paden, a double-major in and . “Over the last three years and going into the fourth, it’s just done a complete 360 in terms of getting people involved.”

One of the ways she’s promoted the ABS and Athletes Speak events was dropping any reference to FCA from their names. She decided to do so after discovering that some student-athletes didn’t understand the purpose of the group or had developed negative impressions of it in high school.

This decision, said EMU athletics director , “demonstrated her sensitivity and creativity” as a leader.

“Jolee has provided the most critical ingredient for any successful program aimed at student athletes – student leadership,” King continued. “Sustainable programs have quality student leadership and Jolee has provided that.”

Paden is also a pastoral assistant with EMU’s , and spoke in chapel in late September. (Audio of her talk is available .)

“Jolee brings energy and focus to spiritual life on campus. She is always noticing and discerning opportunities for ministry among her peers,” said campus pastor . “She presents with confidence and poise. There’s no doubt that she will continue to develop as a keynote speaker and preacher.”

In addition to her work on campus, Paden is an intern at Grace Covenant Church in Harrisonburg, and helps lead the congregation’s ministry for college students. She has also published a running-themed devotional book, , writes , and begun accepting more public speaking invitations.

“I think God has just really blessed me with the capacity and the grace to do so much, because I still find time to relax and have a weekend sometimes. It’s kind of amazing,” said Paden.

As the fall semester slips by, she’s thinking more and more about life after EMU. Perhaps she’ll enter seminary. Maybe she’ll go back to Washington D.C., where she lived last summer and loved working for , a nonprofit that uses running to empower people experiencing homelessness. As she weighs those options, she’s also intent on making sure that the FCA and affiliated events that have been so important to her time at EMU will continue to thrive after she’s gone.

“I’ve put a lot of my heart and hopefully the Lord’s heart into this,” said Paden. “Building up other people who are passionate about it is really, really important to me.’”

As a practical matter, that’s meant handing over more and more responsibility to students who will return next year. One of them is Amanda Williams, a sophomore soccer player who helps schedule speakers for the Athletes Speak events. Williams hopes that she and her peers will continue building on Paden’s efforts to enrich the spiritual lives of EMU athletes.

“I think Jolee has an authentic relationship to God and displaying her faith just comes naturally to her,” Williams said. “She has a different perspective on the Bible – it’s refreshing to me, just to hear the things that God reveals to her.”

Regardless of what, exactly, next year might bring for her, Paden plans to continue on the same general path she’s followed through EMU – sharing, speaking, encouraging and nurturing the spiritual lives of the people around her.

“My dream would just be to tour and talk to young people and athletes,” she said. “But it’s just a matter of how the Lord is opening those doors.”

She becomes the first Eastern Mennonite harrier to win an ODAC championship since Hall of Honor member won her second straight title in 2002.��The last winner for the men was Lynn Stoltzfus in 1994. Including Chappell-Dick, the women’s team landed three all-conference finishers and took third place.�� The men had one all-conference runner and were fifth overall.

Chappell-Dick has also won four of the five official races she has run this season.�� After her Oct. 19 performance at the CNU Invitational, topping a field of mostly D-I runners along with the D-III regionally-ranked Christopher Newport squad, she garnered her fourth ODAC Runner of the Week award.

The squad totaled 70 points as a team, finishing just behind second-place Bridgewater at 64.��Washington and Lee won the team title with 46 points. Rounding out the scoring were (Dover, Ohio/Dover), (St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden), (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg), (Goshen, Ind./Goshen), (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula), and (King George, Va./King George).

Not just running honors

Chappell-Dick is a senior majoring in with minors in , and . She plans on spending a year after graduation working with an intentional community/service program called (through the DOOR program) in Atlanta, Georgia, where she’d also continue training and competing with the Atlanta Track Club.

Her decision after that depends on how her training is going, she says. She may enroll in graduate school for a master’s in public health or an MBA. Chappell-Dick says she’s also interested in coaching.

She talks about her choice to attend and compete at EMU, as well as future plans, in .

Chappell-Dick was a two-time All-American in track and field last year, finishing second in the indoor mile and third in the 1500m at those respective NCAA D.III championships in 2015.

For now, though, there’s the regional and national meets to finish out the cross country season and an indoor and outdoor season of track to look forward to, as well as juggling the demands of the classroom and her extra-curricular activities.

Giving back

A leader in the classroom as well as on the field, Chappell-Dick is serving as a student representative on the�� throughout the 2015-16 academic year.

She is also working with the athletic department to rebuild the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee at EMU, in which student-athletes are able to give feedback on proposed NCAA legislation, advocate for student-athletes on campus, and serve the community through various projects.

With teammate , Chappell-Dick started a track club called “FLASH” for 10 to 12-year-olds, which meets twice a week in the spring. She’s also active in Big Brothers Big Sisters and at Shalom Mennonite Church.

Working around her athletic schedule, Chappell-Dick completed her cross-cultural requirement during a summer 2014 trip to Guatemala. “We stayed with host families and attended language and cultural lessons during the day at CASAS, a program through Semilla Seminary in Guatemala City,” she said.

This semester, she is living in an intentional community theme house on campus. The goal of residents of “Bridge House” is to “bridge the gap” between first-year students and seniors with twice-monthly social gatherings.

��(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) helped to highlight the day as he pointed in a couple of events.�� The sophomore had a short lead on a handful of finishers to win the 800m as he crossed in 1:55.02.�� It was easily Thibodeaux’s season best time, although more than a second and a half off his PR from last year.�� The second place runner came in at 1:55.86 while teammate����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) was third in 1:55.99, earning All-ODAC Third Team honors.

Thibodeaux then came in fourth in the 1500m with a PR time of 4:02.38, putting him fourth in the EMU history books as well.������(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) destroyed his PR and won his heat by six seconds to take sixth place in the event in 4:08.29.

�������󳾲�������(Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) made a dazzling debut in the javelin, coming from the fourth seed to win gold with a PR throw of 50.10m (164-4ft).�� He moves to No. 5 all-time at EMU.

The men also had some great finishes in the hurdles.�� The Royals went 1-and-3 in the 400m hurdles, as freshman����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) claimed the gold.�� Faint’s winning time was 54.23, a PR for him and fifth in EMU history.�� Junior����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) also staked his PR, taking third place in the race in 57.04 and putting him at No. 10 in the EMU books.

��(Broadway, Va./Broadway) pulled away at the finish of the 110m hurdles, grabbing gold and All-ODAC First Team with a time of 15.30.�� His PR moved him to No. 3 all-time at EMU in the event.������(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) had a gritty effort to claim fourth in the race in 16.25.

��(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) earned a silver in the shot put.�� The big man landed at 14.39m (47-2.5ft), crushing his outdoor PR and moving to No. 2 in EMU history.�� He earned All-ODAC Second Team honors with the throw and was just six inches short of first place at 14.54m (47-8.5ft).

The Royals had two point-takers in the high jump.������(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite), who entered as the favorite in the event, settled for a bronze finish.�� He took third based on jumps, tying his season best at 1.91m (6-3.25ft).�� Faint was sixth at 1.73m (5-8.0ft), setting his PR.

Faint also took a point in the triple jump, earning sixth by a single millimeter with his PR at 13.07m (42-10.75ft).�� He moves in ninth all-time at EMU as well.

�������󳾲�������(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) took fifth in a tight finals of the 200m dash.�� After standing in eighth after the prelims, Dews clocked a 22.55 PR in the finals, with all of the top six finished within 0.47 seconds of each other.

Nisly grabbed the final point in the 3000m steeplechase, leading a group of four EMU runners in sixth place with a tie of 10:19.04.

In the relays, the 4x100m squad of����(Freeman, S.D./Freeman Academy), Dews,����(Ashburn, Va./Briar Woods) and����(Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) earned fourth place with a time of 44.05.�� The 4x400m foursome of Dews, Faint, Bush and Denlinger came in fifth in 3:22.50.

The men racked up 86 points to comfortably finish in third place for their highest outdoor finish since 2006.�� Bridgewater won the men’s title with 154 points while Lynchburg was second with 132.�� Washington and Lee was behind the Royals with 66 tallies.

Women Stand Fourth At ODACs And Win Individual Honors

Highlighted by four gold medals, the EMU track and field women earned their highest finish at the ODAC Outdoor Championships in nine year.�� The meet was hosted by Bridgewater College Friday and Saturday.

To no one’s surprise,����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) and����(Dover, Ohio/Dover) led the charge for the women, with each winning two gold medals with their All-ODAC First Team status.

Chappell-Dick won the 800m and 1500m, breaking the ODAC Championships record in the 800m.�� In the two-lap race she had a pair of Bridgewater runners hanging near her, but not enough to challenge for top honors.�� Chappell-Dick won in a time of 2:13.64, breaking the meet record of 2:13.91 set by Roanoke’s Carmen Graves two years ago.

In the 1500m, the All-American was her usual self, leading the pack in 4:46.81.�� While a comfortable pace off her PR, it was still good enough to give Chappell-Dick the win by more than three seconds.�� Lehman actually crossed fourth in the race in 4:53.38.

Lehman was then dominant in the two distance events.�� In the 5000m she broke away from the pack early and strided her way to a facility record time of 18:03.55, breaking the old mark by more than 37 seconds.�� Teammate����(St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) claimed the silver with a second place finish at the ODAC meet, timing at 19:02.62.

Lehman ran a great race to win the 10,000m Friday night.�� The freshman ran with the pack for most of the race, before making her move with two laps to go.�� Lehman made a quick pass of Roanoke’s Kerri Dalton to take over the lead, and then bolted away with more than a 19-second margin over the final 800m.�� Lehman’s winning time was another facility-record 39:01.45, a comfortable win over Dalton’s 39:20.83.�� Paden stayed with the lead group most of that race as well and came in fifth with a time of 40:03.77.

��(Bedford, Va./Liberty) completed a great first season in the jumping events.�� She took fourth in the long jump, landing a PR jump at 5.27m (17-3.5ft), less than an inch behind the All-ODAC status of third place at 5.29m (17-4.25ft).�� The distance also bumped her up to No. 3 in EMU history.�� In the triple jump, Kittrell grabbed another fourth place finish, totaling 10.72m (35-2ft).

����Ծ��ǰ�����(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) was one of four women to break the facility record in the hammer throw.�� She claimed fourth with a landing at 44.10m (144-5ft), within sight of Bridgewater’ Katelyn Senger in third with 44.18m (144-11ft).�� It was a huge PR for Bane, upping her own school record, which had been 39.28m (128-10ft).�� Bane added a point to the team total in the discus, taking sixth with a season best of 31.00m (101-8ft).

Chappell-Dick also earned some points in this high jump.�� In just her second-ever effort in the event, the junior tied for fourth by clearing 1.51m (4-11.5ft).

��(Peninsula, Wash./Gig Harbor) was sixth in the javelin, as the junior landed at 30.97m (101-7ft) and inched up her PR and No. 2 spot in the EMU history books.

�������󳾲�������(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) grabbed a point in the 3000m steeplechase.�� She earned sixth place with a time of 13:07.23.

The 4x400m relay team of����(King George, Va./King George), Chappell-Dick,����(Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood) and����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) claimed fourth, just missing All-ODAC status, with a time of 4:04.41.�� The 4x100m group of����(East Norriton, Pa./Christopher Dock), Chappell-Dick, Kittrell, and McKinsey was sixth with a time of 52.16.

The Royals had 77 points as a team, earning fourth place overall for their highest team finish since 2006.�� Roanoke won the women’s side with 156 points, followed by Bridgewater at 105 and Washington and Lee at 91.�� Lynchburg and Virginia Wesleyan were tied for fifth behind EMU with 63.

The ODAC Championships meet completes the main season for the Eastern Mennonite track teams.�� Now the focus turns to twilight meets and preparing for hopeful runs at the NCAA National Championships in late May.�� The next meet scheduled for the Royals is the Liberty Twilight Qualifier on April 29.

Individual Awards
The Royals picked up a trio of individual honors at the ODAC Championships as well.����Kat Lehman��was named the Rookie of the Year, winning two events and looking for another trip to the national meet after going in cross country and indoor track as well.

Hannah Chappell-Dick��made it a sweep of the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete awards, as she also claimed that honor in cross country and indoor track.�� Chappell-Dick recently added an All-American title to her name after finishing second in the mile at the national indoor meet to go with a 3.86 GPA as a biology major.

Coach Jason Lewkowicz��was named the ODAC Coach of the Year, as he was recognized for his work with the women in picking up his first ODAC award in his final season with the Royals.

Freshman distance runner����(Dover, Ohio/Dover) cemented her status as an elite athlete, breaking EMU’s record in the 5000m and taking second place overall at the mostly D-I meet. Lehman roasted the track to a finish of 17:43.77, finishing in between a pair of runners from the University of North Carolina. She destroyed her own EMU record of 18:10.40, set in December.

��������������ٱ�����(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) broke her personal record in the event, crossing in 20:15.98 to also grab the No. 8 spot in EMU’s history books.

In the 4x400m relay, the women’s foursome of����(King George, Va./King George),����(Virginia Beach, Va./Tallwood),����(Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) and����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) timed the No. 3 effort in program history at 4:20.40.

Chappell-Dick was the top D-III finisher in the mile run, taking a time of 5:16.47.����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) clocked a season best in the 800m at 2:36.34, narrowly missing the ODAC qualifying time by 0.05 seconds. And Williams broke her PR in the 400m, timing at 1:04.62.

��(Bedford, Va./Liberty) landed a nice effort in the triple jump, measuring at 10.44m (34-3.00ft).�� Also in the field,����(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) had a best toss of 13.02m (42-8.75ft) in the weight throw.

For the Eastern Mennonite men,����(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) had a monster toss in the shot put.�� His best heave of 14.00m (45-11.25ft) was not only the top D-III distance at the meet, but also put him third in EMU history and with the second-best throw in the ODAC this season.�� He was also solid in the weight throw, landing at 11.93m (39-1.75ft)

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) punched an ODAC ticket in the 5000m, but more importantly earned the No. 2 time in the EMU record books.�� His time of 15:49.48 was only behind cross country teammate��Jacob Landis‘ 15:41.94, a record set last year.

In the 800m run, sophomore����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) earned the third-best finish in EMU history with a time of 1:57.01.����(Staunton, Va./Fore Defiance) wasn’t far behind as he landed at No. 4 in the EMU books at 1:57.77.

The duo also ran in the mile.�� Denlinger again crossed first in 4:31.19 to take seventh in program history, while Thibodeaux had his season best run at 4:35.20.

��(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) earned a trip to the ODAC Championships in the 200m, timing at 23.90.�� In the 400m, EMU had two men qualify for ODACs, highlighted by����(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) PRing in 52.07.����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) had a finish of 53.11.

��(Broadway, Va./Broadway) continued his road back in the 60m hurdles with a season best time of 8.79.

Then in the 4x400m relay, the Royals had a foursome cross in 3:30.16, which was just a tenth of a second behind a team from ODAC rival Washington and Lee.������(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass), Bush, Denlinger and Faint combined for the No. 7 time in EMU history.

And a foursome also landed in No. 7 in the distance medley relay, as��(Churchville, Va./Fort Defiance),����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County),����(Richmond, Va./Huguenot) and����(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) clocked at 11:08.35.

��(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) kept in his ODAC-leading shape by clearing 1.92m (6-3.5ft) in the high jump.

Eastern Mennonite’s teams are back in action next weekend, participating at the DuCharme Invitational in Carlisle, Pa., on Saturday.

All of EMU’s ODAC-sponsored sports were represented on the All-Academic Team.�� 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.�� 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.�� 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 at��. ��Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on����and follow����on Twitter.

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

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

Women’s track and field

Sophomore����(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) highlighted the ��ݮ���� track & field women at the ODAC Championships as she won two individual titles and broke a record.�� Roanoke College hosted the conference’s title meet in Salem, Va.

Chappell-Dick claimed a pair of gold medals with the resulting All-ODAC First Team status.�� In the 1500m, Chappell-Dick had a huge PR to break the ODAC Championships record.�� The sophomore crossed in 4:38.61, out-pacing rival Annalise Madison of Washington and Lee by a full second.�� Both runners broke the meet record of 4:43.08, set by All-American Carmen Graves in 2012.�� It was also an EMU record for Chappell-Dick, who easily broke her own mark of 4:47.12 from last spring.

Chappell-Dick and Madison went head-to-head again in the 800m, with Chappell-Dick again coming out on top.�� She ran off her EMU record time, but still cleared the field by three seconds with a time of 2:18.31.�� Teammate����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) had a great race and PRed in 2:25.23.�� She finished eighth and just missed pointing by a mere nine-tenths of a second.

In the javelin,����(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) just missed All-ODAC honors with a fourth-place finish.�� Borg’s best spear landed at 29.32m to just edge out W&L’s Leigh Dannhauser on her final effort.

The 4x400m relay team grabbed sixth, as����(Puyallup, Wash./Mountainview International), Schirch,����(Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) and Chappell-Dick combined to time at 4:27.36.

��(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) snuck a point in the discus, finishing sixth at 31.45m.

����Ծ��ǰ�����(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) finished her career well, setting her PR in the 5000m with a time of 19:29.20.�� Similar to Schirch, Rittenhouse finished eighth, with the top six in each event earning points to the team total.

The Royals totaled 26 points to finished seventh out of nine teams at the meet.�� Roanoke won the team title with 150.33 points.

Men’s track and field

It was almost expected, but the ��ݮ���� men’s track & field team made a clean sweep of the high jump medals at the 2014 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship meet.�� Roanoke hosted the two-day event in Salem, Va., on Friday and Saturday.

EMU entered the ODAC Championships with three of the top four heights in the high jump during the season.�� They made it a top-three sweep.������(Dalton, Ohio/Central Christian) earned his fourth consecutive indoor and outdoor title, as the senior had no problem in clearing 2.04m (6-8.25ft) to win the meet and set a new EMU record.������(Richmond, Va./Highland Springs) had the most surprising finish, claiming the silver at 2.02m (6-7.5ft).�� Moore recently joined the team after the completion of the men’s volleyball season a few weeks ago.�� Sophomore����(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) was third at 1.91m (6-3.25ft).�� All three claim All-ODAC status, and each also have a shot at qualifying for the national meet.

��(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) just claimed a spot in the finals of the 400m dash, standing sixth after the preliminaries with a time of :50.41.�� The freshman then set his PR in the finals, finishing fourth with a time of :50.20.

��(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) took points in the 3000m steeplechase, earning fifth with a time of 10:19.7.

The 4x400m relay team of����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), Winters,����(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and��(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) was fifth as well, combining for a time of 3:25.08 and a photo finish ahead of Roanoke’s time of 3:25.13.

Thibodeaux and����(Perkasie, Pa./ Christopher Dock) continued their season-long efforts at pushing each other in the 800m.�� Thibodeaux crossed sixth to grab the final point toward the team total, timing at 1:57.88.�� He was just three-tenths of a second from jumping into fourth place.�� Denlinger then took seventh place in 1:58.33.

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) set his PR by more than seven seconds in the 5000m run, crossing in 15:26.11 to take sixth place.�� ��������������ٱ�����(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) was one position behind him with a time of 15:37.21.

��(Lynchburg, Va./Heritage) and����(Broadway, Va./Broadway) each qualified for the finals of 110m hurdles, with Cox grabbing sixth place in :16.07.

��(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) was one spot from pointing in the 10,000m run, crossing seventh in 34:22.97.

��(Staunton, Va./Riverheads) topped his PR on three different efforts in the shot put, and finished eighth with his best heave at 12.38m (40-7.4ft).�� He also destroyed his PR in the discus, landing at 34.12m (111-11.3ft).

Eastern Mennonite finished seventh in a very tight grouping in the men’s team standings.�� EMU had 35 points, but was within three points of fourth-place Roanoke at 38.�� Virginia Wesleyan was fifth with 37 while Shenandoah was sixth at 36.

This was the final meet of the year for most of the Royals, although a few athletes will stick around in efforts to prepare for a potential trip to the NCAA National Championships, which are May 22-24 in Delaware, Ohio.�� The first meet scheduled as part of that stretch run is the Liberty Twilight Qualifier on Wednesday, April 30.

Chappell-Dick�� took second place in the 800m, and was easily the top D-III finisher, as she broke her own school record with a time of 2:12.95.�� Her record from last spring was 2:13.19.�� The next D-III runner was more than seven seconds behind Chappell-Dick.������(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) also had a solid finish in the event, crossing 13th in 2:26.95.�� She was third among runners from EMU’s level.

Bane also broke her own school mark in the hammer throw, landing at 39.28m (128-10ft).�� Her previous best was 38.43m (126-1ft), also set in 2013.

��(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) moved into EMU’s top 10 in the 5000m, setting her PR at 19:37.29.

On the men’s side, the Royals had eight top-10 finishes and three new ODAC qualifiers.

The highest finish went to����(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), who ran the 3000m steeplechase and took fourth with a final time of 10:21.78.�� The finish pits him fifth in EMU history.

Meanwhile the 4x100m relay team crossed in fifth with a time of 43.69.������(Freeman, S.D./Freeman Academy),����(Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside),����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) and����(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) combined for the No. 5 time in the program’s books.

��(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and����(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) looked good in the 5000m, finishing sixth and seventh, respectively.�� Gehman was the top D-III finisher in 15:45.92, while Landis was right behind in 15:48.88.������(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) tallied 13th and was the fourth D-III runner with a time of 16:28.89.

In the 400m, Winters was seventh and the top D-III male with his time of 50.41.�� He earns a trip to the ODAC Championships with his finish and is sixth in program history.������(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) was three spots behind Winters in tenth with a time of 51.74.

��(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) had an eighth-place finish in the 800m, timing at 1:57.54.������(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) was just outside of the top 10 in 11th, with his finish of 1:59.31.�� He was also 11th in the 1500m in 4:07.30, qualifying for ODACs in the process.

��(Richmond, Va./Highland Springs), who joined the team with the recent completion of the men’s volleyball season, finished tenth with his first efforts in the long jump.�� He also earned a trip to the ODAC meet with a landing at 6.37m (20-10.75ft).�� Moore was also the top D-III finisher.

The Eastern Mennonite track teams are back in action next Saturday at the Mason Spring Invitational, hosted by D-I George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Sophomore����(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) had the only gold for the weekend, winning the 800m in 2:17.21.�� She was nearly two seconds ahead of her nearest competitor in a large field of 41 women.�� Chappell-Dick also finished fifth in the 400m, clocking at 1:00.72.�� That race had a tight finish, as she was within a quarter of a second of third place.

Elsewhere for the women in Lexington,����(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) and����(Puyallup, Wash./Mountainview International) qualified for ODAC in the 400m, crossing in 1:04.99 and 1:07.12, respectively.�� Schirch also earned a ticket in the 800m with a time of 2:27.70.

The Royals qualified three runners in the 5000m, led by����(Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) in 11th place with a time of 19:32.58.������(Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area)crossed in 19:52.71 and����(Matoaca, Va./Matoaca) clocked at 20:33.23, easily breaking the 21-minute barrier for the first time in her career.

��(Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) and����(Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula) participated in the Roanoke meet, and both had runner-up finishes there.�� Bane took second in the discus with a PR throw of 33.20m (108-11ft).�� She just missed third in the hammer throw, settling for fourth at 34.95m (114-8ft).�� Borg PRed in the javelin, taking silver with a distance of 30.78m (101-0ft).

The men had the second- and third-place finishers in the high jump at the W&L Carnival.�� Sophomore����(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) took silver with the No. 5 jump in EMU history, clearing 1.97m (6-5.5ft).������(Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) earned the bronze, having a best height of 1.92m (6-3.5ft).

��(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) took a conservative approach to his first 3,000m steeplechase experience but still came through with an ODAC qualifying time of 10:45.01 which places him seventh on the EMU top-10 list.

��(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) made his outdoor 5,000m debut a solid one as the junior came through with a time of 15:25.08 which was good for seventh place. The time also places him No. 2 on the EMU top-10 list. ����(Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) now sits at No. 5 on the EMU list with his time of 15:33.46. ����(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) also had a solid showing in his outdoor 5000m debut running a personal best time of 16:16.43.

��(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) finished third in the 800m, clocking at 1:57.06.�� He was just over one second out of first place.����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) crossed seventh in 1:58.62.�� Both men also qualified for ODACs in the 400m, with Thibodeaux registering a time of :52.30 and Denlinger coming in at :52.79.

Sophomore����(Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) led a large EMU contingent in the event, taking tenth in :51.65.������(Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) wasn’t far behind in :52.03, while����(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) was the last of the five Royals in :53.46.

Sprinter����(Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee) was sixth in the 200m, timing at :22.62, and was tenth in the 100m in :11.31.������(Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) also qualified for ODACs in the 200m, coming in at :23.16.

��(Staunton Va./Riverheads) highlighted his day by taking third in the shot put in Roanoke, landing at 11.96m (39-3ft).

Coach Jason Lewkowicz said he was very pleased with the start to the outdoor season.

“We had a hard week of training across the board and to see the team perform this well on tired legs is a great sign,” he explained. ��“We were blessed with great weather and great competitive atmospheres.�� With such a young team, it is important that we take each opportunity to go out, compete, and show consistent improvement. ��This weekend was a great step in the right direction.�� We look forward to having a lot of fans come out to support us next Saturday at Bridgewater!”

The Eastern Mennonite track teams give their fans the best chance of the year to see them participate next Saturday, when they compete at the Dr. Harry GM Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater College.

“I’m really excited to see growth in our track & field program this year,” Lewkowicz said.�� “We have a lot of talented newcomers on the men’s side and a number of All-ODAC performers returning for the women. ��Expectations are high and we are excited about that.”

(Bluffton, Oh./Bluffton) is back for her sophomore season after breaking five Eastern Mennonite middle distance records in her first year.�� For the men, (Dalton, Oh./Central Christian) will look to improve on his incredible growth from last year.�� As a junior transfer, King was talked into trying the high jump by Lewkowicz.�� In his first-ever campaign in the event, King won both the indoor and outdoor ODAC titles, and also broke the EMU outdoor record.�� Not bad.

Lewkowicz said that with a balance of faith, team camaraderie and talent, he senses his men and women are poised to reach new heights in 2014.

“We are looking to continue to build off of that success from last year and part of that is the expectation that school records will continue to be broken,” he explained.�� “This adds to the level of excitement on the team because setting records is an indication of performing at a level that will help us as a team at the ODAC level.�� At the end of the day, the goal is to get better each time out and let the accolades come as they will.”

Also back for the men is sophomore (Broadway, Va./Broadway), who took the silver in the 60m hurdles at the ODAC indoor meet and bronze in the 100m hurdles at the outdoor meet.�� For the women, sophomore (Harrisonburg, Va./Spotswood) was third in 800m outdoor race, finishing just behind Chappell-Dick.�� The women had a distance medley relay team take third at the indoor meet in 2013, and Brumfield, (Gap, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), and (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) all return from that foursome.�� Another sophomore, (Gig Harbor, Wash./Peninsula), was third in the javelin last spring to round out EMU’s athletes who earned an All-ODAC honor last year.

Lewkowicz expects those athletes to be the core of his squads this year, along with (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) in the distance runs, (Strasburg, Va./Strasburg) in the throws and jumper (Canby, Ore./Western Mennonite).�� Garber earned the No. 3 spot in the EMU record books in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump as a freshman in 2011, but took the last two years off.�� For men, (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) will help push King in the high jump.�� Last year as a freshman, he broke the school’s indoor high jump record before King took it over.�� Cross country standouts (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) and (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) will lead the distance group.

EMU’s coach pointed out that the men’s talent level is getting much deeper this year.

“In the hurdles, All-ODAC performer Richard Robinson is joined by talented freshman (Lynchburg, Va./Heritage),” explained Lewkowicz.�� “ (Mechanicsville, Pa./Atlee) and (Virginia Beach, Va./Bayside) highlight a talented group of freshmen sprinters, with (Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and (Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) coming into a middle distance group that could score a lot of points at the ODAC meets.�� Returners (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts), (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle) and (Nelson, Va./Nelson Country) give us a level of depth that we have not had in years.”

Along with the freshmen men that Lewkowicz pointed out, he noted a handful of returners who might turn heads with the improvements they have made.

“I think Erica Garber will make steady progress as the season goes on,” he said.�� “Juni Schirch and (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) missed most of last year due to sickness and injury and I expect them both to do well.�� On the men’s side, Philip Watson and Jonathan Bush are poised to breakout this season.

With a number of Royals runners either competing or training with the cross country team this fall, Lewkowicz explains the transition of the group into the track season.

“Moving out of a successful cross country season, the focus turned to bringing the entire track team together as a unit,” he said.�� “We have a lot of newcomers, some folks returning from/leaving for cross culturals, and some returning from injuries.�� Getting everyone on the same page and focused on the same goals is always a priority.�� We are also putting a lot of emphasis on doing the little things well to help keep us healthy in body, mind and spirit.

After years of running their championship meets with an “open” format, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference has added qualifying standards this year.�� Although the Eastern Mennonite teams continue to grow in number (25 men and 14 women), the benchmarks are more likely to provide nice targets for EMU’s athletes rather than limit how many Royals participate.

“At this point, the standards should not have too much of an effect on our team,” said Lewkowicz, “since each school is guaranteed three spots in each event, regardless of time/mark attained, in addition to four ‘wild card’ placements at the ODAC meet.�� While we do have depth in several areas that could leave some folks out, I believe most of our athletes will be able to hit the qualifying mark for their respective event(s).”

The 2013 track season nearly became synonymous breaking records, and the Royals hope to do the same thing in 2014.�� They also want to rise out of the middle of the pack at the ODAC meet.

“We want both teams to improve their finish at the ODAC meet, both for the indoor and outdoor season,” Lewkowicz said.�� “We already saw a school record broken at the December meet and we anticipate a lot more of that taking place over the course of the season.�� It is also my hope that we use our platform as a collegiate team to represent our university well and to glorify Christ through our attitude, effort, humility and sportsmanship.�� He is the giver of all good gifts and we want to honor Him in all that we do.”

The EMU teams are in action this weekend at the Liberty Open in Lynchburg.�� The ODAC Indoor Championships are March 2 in Hampton, Va., with nationals two weeks later in Lincoln, Neb.�� The outdoor season then starts on March 22, with the ODAC Outdoor Championships on April 18 and 19.�� After a handful of “last chance” meets, the national outdoor meet is May 22-24 in Delaware, Ohio.

The silver medal was the highest team finish since the Royals won the league championship in 2001.

EMU was comfortably in second, totaling 58 points. Bridgewater had the top three individual runners to storm in with just 22 points. Lynchburg came in third with 90 points, while preseason favorite Washington and Lee was fourth with 97.

Sophomore Hannah Chappell-Dick (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton), running in just her second race this season after recovering from an off-season surgery, repeated as an All-ODAC First Teamer, finishing fourth overall. She finished the 6k course in 24:02.60, nearly 15 seconds in front of the fifth- and sixth-place runners.

Lanae Kreider (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) headed a trio of women who were All-ODAC Second Team as she crossed eighth. The junior’s time of 24:39.90 was just 3.5 seconds behind seventh and a First Team spot.

Katie Eckman (Quarryville, Pa./Solanco), who was hampered by a foot injury last season, repeated her Second Team award from 2011 with her 11th place finish in 25:07.80. Jolee Paden (St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) was the final individual honoree as she took 14th in 25:11.70.

Juni Schirch (Goshen, Ind./Goshen) gave the women their final points as she earned 21st with a time of 26:02.80. She took nearly 1:16 off her time from the ODAC Preview on Aug. 30 on the same course.

Senior Krista Rittenhouse (Mt. Pleasant, Pa./Mt. Pleasant Area) was just three spots behind Schirch, taking 24th in a photo finish time of 26:16.90. She finished in between a runner from Virginia Wesleyan and one from Lynchburg , as the trio crossed within 0.4 seconds of each other. Patty Danaher (Matoaca, Va./Matoaca) completed the top seven, as she was 46th in 27:53.40.

Next up is the South/Southeast Regional, hosted by Christopher Newport in Newport News, Va. That meet is on Saturday, Nov. 16.

All of EMU’s ODAC-sponsored sports were represented on the All-Academic Team.�� 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 seventh consecutive year and set a new high-water mark for conference honorees for the fourth year in a row.�� 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.�� 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 – 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 – 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 – 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 – Baseball
Brooke Hensley – 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 – 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

(Wichita, KS/Wichita East), (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle), (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) and (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) teamed up to best the distance medley time by more than 12 seconds, as they crossed in 10:37.15.�� The old record of 10:49.91 was set in 2003.�� The foursome finished second at the meet, and also clocked the second fastest time in the ODAC this winter.

Nafziger set his personal record (PR) in the 800m run, and just missed breaking two minutes.�� The junior broke the line in 2:00.99 and is fourth all-time in EMU history in the event.

The women’s distance runners for EMU also did well at the meet.�� In the mile run, Jolee Paden (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) crossed in 5:32.21.�� Sophomore Lanae Kreider (Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) set her PR in the event at 5:40.84.�� The time was also good for No. 6 on the EMU Top Ten list.

In the 800m run, the Lady Royals had three runners who were all within the top ten list.�� Hannah Chappell-Dick (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton) finished third and was the top D-III finisher in 2:19.74.�� She was about a second behind her EMU record time.�� Chafin Brumfield (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) and Juni Schirch (Goshen, IN/Goshen) each set their PRs and moved up in the history books.�� Brumfield crossed in 2:27.51 and is No. 3 all-time, while Schirch timed at 2:31.66 and is now No. 6.

EMU sent mostly field athletes to the VMI Relays on Saturday, and thrower (Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) highlighted the day with a pair of PRs.�� In the weight throw, Sloan finished only behind a D-I VMI athlete with a throw of 12.78m (41-11.25ft).�� He is now No. 4 in the EMU history in the event.

In the shot put, Sloan set his PR with a toss of 12.59m (41-3.75ft) and is seventh all-time.

(Dalton, OH/Central Christian) was the top D-III finisher in the high jump, clearing 1.90m (6-2.75ft) on his second attempt.�� His is third on the EMU charts.

In the women’s weight throw, Jenni Beck (Archbold, OH/Archbold) landed her PR and is sixth all-time at EMU with 10.27m (33-8.5ft).�� Tedi Sanders-Palmer (Philadelphia, PA/Christopher Dock) was a few inches shorter at 10.04m (32-11.25ft) and is at No. 7.

Next up are the ODAC Indoor Championships in Lynchburg, VA, next Friday.

Junior (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) highlighted the men’s side, as he took down EMU records in both the 1000m and mile runs.�� In the one mile, Nafziger crossed the finish in 4:26.77, breaking Kevin Beachy’s record of 4:28.96 which was set in 2007.�� He was also the top D-III finisher at the meet, which was filled with athletes from all three NCAA divisions.

Freshman (Grottoes, VA/Spotswood) had a personal record in the mile, grabbing the eighth-best time in EMU history at 4:35.86.

Nafziger also broke the school record in the 1000m, as he was sixth overall at the Liberty Open and the second D-III finisher.�� His time of 2:35.32 beat out Richy Bikko from 2009 by more than three seconds at 2:38.71.

Orellana was again close behind, taking the fourth spot in the EMU books at 2:48.02.

(Dalton, OH/Central Christian), in his first year of competing in the high jump, nearly broke the school record.�� The junior cleared the bar at 1.89m (6-2.25ft) to take second among D-III athletes at the meet.�� King’s height was also second only to (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County), who set the record of 1.92m (6-3.5ft) in 2009.�� (Harrisonburg, VA/Eastern Mennonite) tied his personal best from last week, which has him tenth in EMU history at 1.79m (5-10.5ft.)

Allen, returning to the team for his final season after missing a year on his cross cultural study, notched his PR in the 60m dash.�� He timed in at 7.38, which also landed him fifth in EMU history.�� (Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse Minoa) crossed the finish in 7.54.

In the 400m dash, (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts) had a solid finish, as his time of 53.08 had him third among the D-III runners.�� (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) was a fraction back at 53.34.

The Royals had a busy field in the 200m dash, as Bush led a trio of runners with a time of 24.14.�� Watson came in at 24.19, with Allen crossing in 24.21.�� In the 800m run, (Mount Joy, PA/Donegal) finished one spot ahead of teammate (Dayton, VA/Benjamin Logan).�� Their times were 2:10.93 and 2:13.29, respectively.

In other field events, Allen, although rusty in his return to the triple jump, was still the second D-III finisher, as his best leap totaled 13.11m (43-0.25ft).

(Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) just missed his PRs in both the shot put and the weight throw.�� In the shot, he charted an 11.85m (38-10.5ft), while he landed at 11.93m (39-1.75ft) in the weight throw.

For the women, what they lacked in quantity on Saturday they made up for in quality.

Hannah Chappell-Dick (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton), a week after breaking the EMU record in 800m, added two more program marks to her trophy shelf.�� In the one mile run, the freshman cruised across the finish in 5:12.89.�� She was the top collegiate runner at the meet, notched the top time in the ODAC this season, and broke her own school record by more than 12 seconds.�� Chappell-Dick had already set the EMU record in her first meet on Dec. 1, clocked then at 5:25.09.

Classmate Jolee Paden (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) had actually broken Chappell-Dick’s first record in the event in an earlier heat, clocking a time of 5:24.93.�� Paden settles for second on the EMU chart, along with the third-best time in the ODAC this year.�� Hannah Clemmer (Harleysville, PA/Christopher Dock) crossed in 6:03.30 at the meet, with Saralyn Mast (Gap, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) a few steps behind in 6:13.08.

In the 3000m run, Chappell-Dick added a third EMU record.�� She was the top D-III finisher with a time of 10:48.48, beating Andrea Good’s record of 10:51.49 from 2002 by just over three seconds.�� It was also the third-best time in the ODAC this year.

The only other Royals women running at the Liberty Open on Saturday were Chafin Brumfield (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) and Juni Schirch (Goshen, IN/Goshen), and both set PRs in the 800m.�� Brumfield finished with a time of 2:33.67, taking ninth in EMU history.�� Schirch charted 2:34.68, good for tenth in the program’s books.

The Eastern Mennonite teams head south again next weekend, participating at the JDL Fast Track Invite in Winston-Salem, NC.