EMU welcomed hundreds of student-athletes, coaches, and spectators from schools across the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, for the 2026 ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

As part of the university’s two-year agreement to host the annual event, this marked the second consecutive year the championships have been held at EMU. Last year was the first time EMU had hosted them since 2005.

The two-day event provided an exciting opportunity for EMU to showcase its campus and state-of-the-art track and field complex, which opened in October 2024. The facility is one of only a few in the ODAC that meets NCAA certification standards and can be configured to allow athletes to run, jump, and throw with the tailwind.

More than 120 volunteers assisted with events in rain, wind, sun, and changing temperatures. EMU faculty and staff from across departments, along with students, alumni, community members, and the athletics department, all contributed to making the meet a success.

Filipo Toelau competes in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2026 ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Ahsan Abul-Qasim (left) placed third in the men’s long jump, while Josh Joseph (right) earned All-ODAC honors.

Two EMU student-athletes won medals at the championships.

Koran Rucker, EMU Athletics Male Freshman of the Year, was named ODAC champion in the men’s discus throw and hammer throw and placed second in the shot put. He became the first men’s track and field athlete to win multiple events in the same ODAC outdoor championship meet since Michael Allen ’13 claimed both the long jump and triple jump in 2011.

Ahsan Abul-Qasim placed third in both the men’s 200-meter dash and the men’s long jump.

They were two of five Royals to earn All-ODAC honors in at least one event, along with Nick Arnold, Josh Joseph, and Da’Shawn Winters.

Three women student-athletes contributed point-scoring performances at the championships: Elili Asefa in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Lauren Kauffman in the 10,000 meters, and Faith Schultz in the high jump.

Read recaps of the championships from EMU Athletics below:

Friday

• Koran Rucker wins hammer throw to lead Royal men on Day 1 of ODAC Championships ()
• Three athletes score points for women’s track and field on Day 1 of ODAC Championships ()

Saturday

• Men’s track and field finishes fifth at ODAC Outdoor Championships ()

When JD McCurdy decided to move from the high school coaching ranks up to college, that was the headline from the July 1, 2003, issue of the Daily News-Record. But McCurdy, who had already found immense success at Turner Ashby as its softball coach, was ready to take that next step.

“It was the challenge,” McCurdy explained. “We (TA) were dominating everything and I just wanted a new challenge. I always wanted to coach at the college level, and there weren’t many of those available in Virginia and I didn’t want to move. So EMU was the opportunity.”

And meet that challenge he has.

Now, 400+ wins, three ODAC Coach of the Year honors, one NCAA Tournament appearance, three EMU Hall of Honor inductees, and countless All-ODAC award winners later, McCurdy is ready for another challenge…one that he’s never quite faced before: retirement. McCurdy has announced that the 2026 season, his 23rd at EMU, will be his last.

“It is time,” he explained. “I’ve had other coaches tell me, ‘You will know when it’s time,’ and I knew last year it was time for me to make a move and it’s time to give the game up and move on and do something else. I appreciate and am grateful for the opportunity that I got here, and I’m very humbled with what happened. We did really well, but I knew it was time to move on and I feel really good with that.”

When McCurdy applied for the position at EMU, he immediately became an attractive candidate to then-Director of Athletics, Larry R. Martin, because of his track record as a head coach and his knowledge of the softball scene in the Shenandoah Valley.

“I hired him because of his success at the high school level,” Martin said. “And because of him knowing the area players for recruiting, because that’s where most of our people got recruited from, was locally.”

One of those aforementioned local players was Mariah Foltz ’17. Foltz was a standout for the Broadway High School Gobblers softball team and made the decision to come play for McCurdy after her graduation in 2013. She also came back as an assistant coach with the Royals for the 2024 season. She explained that it was his drive to win that drew her to EMU.

“I’ve always loved the way Coach McCurdy governs a team,” Foltz said. “He coaches with authority and wants to win. I chose EMU because I wanted to continue to be a disciplined athlete, held to a high standard, and pushed to succeed. I’m grateful to JD for pushing me to be stronger, resilient, and more accountable.”

McCurdy’s first season was in 2004 and, in just his first season, more than doubled the Royals’ win total from the previous year. The number of wins continued to climb each year until, in 2007 and 2008, McCurdy’s stamp on the team was starting to be seen. In 2007, the Royals went 25-14, 10-8 in the ODAC, and McCurdy was named the ODAC Co-Coach of the Year with Randolph Macon’s Kevin Proffitt. He followed that up in 2008 with a record of 30-13, 13-5 in the ODAC, before falling in the ODAC semifinals.

Over the next two years, EMU had sub-.500 records in conference play, but made it to back-to-back ODAC Championship series. They fell to Lynchburg in 2009 but made it to the mountaintop in 2010, when they knocked off Virginia Wesleyan 5-1 to win EMU’s second ODAC softball championship, their first since 1990, and earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. McCurdy was rewarded for that season, as he was named, once again, the ODAC Coach of the Year.    

“JD had a knack for always having his team ready for the playoffs, regardless of what the regular season was,” said former Director of Athletics Dave King. “I didn’t hear this necessarily, but it was sort of conveyed to me several ways that nobody really wanted to draw EMU in the first round of the ODAC tournament, and that one of his championships comes from having ranked eighth and come all the way through to the championship. And I never could figure out what it was about his coaching that did that. Again, I wasn’t there at every practice and all that, but he had a knack. His teams played well in the ODAC tournament, and to me that says something.”

Despite winning an ODAC championship, and not having another losing season until 2019, McCurdy explained that in his 23 years at the helm, he’s had to adapt his coaching style to meet the needs of his players over the years.

“I felt like I could adjust to any situation with that,” he said. “But kids 10 years ago were different than they are now, obviously. And I always felt that I could find a way, a button, that motivated them in some way. And even early on, I was hard. I was really a hard coach early on. I pushed my players, I pushed those kids, but whatever happened within the team, I never let that bother the focus of what we wanted to do for the team and as a team.”

Aislinn Bowen ’16 said it was that pushing and the drive that made McCurdy the successful coach that he was.

“JD succeeds because he is consistent, detail-driven, and genuinely invested in his players,” she said. “He prepares harder than anyone, whether it is breaking down film, adjusting game strategies, or finding the right way to motivate his athletes. But what really sets him apart is his ability to build relationships. He doesn’t just coach players; he develops people. When you are playing for someone who truly invests in you, you naturally want to give everything you have. That culture of commitment and accountability is why his teams win.”

While his teams haven’t seen quite the same success in recent years as at the start of his career, his drive to develop players, and people, has never wavered.

“Coach McCurdy has been a consistent support in my life since an early age,” said Grace Fravel ’25. “He was committed to getting me to EMU, and I felt confident in my decision because I knew that he truly cared, not only about my athletic career, but also my academic journey and personal well-being. Not only was he a coach of mine, but he is also someone I knew I could always count on to help me navigate challenging times throughout my four years at EMU. His love for the game and his players is well-known on and off the field. I feel extremely grateful to have had him as my coach, and I know that he has impacted many ladies’ lives far beyond just my own.”

But now, the time has come. After the season comes to an end, whenever that may be, McCurdy isn’t planning on just riding off into the sunset…that’s not who he is. He’s just planning on looking for that next challenge, even if it’s not on the softball field.

“I’m not quite sure what that next challenge is, but I can guarantee it’ll be something,” McCurdy explained. “I’m definitely going to be involved with my grandkids and their baseball. I’ll spend time with my wife and do some traveling. But outside of that, it’s up in the air.”

And while he may not be at EMU anymore after this season, the impact he’s made will continue to be felt long after a new coach is hired.

“JD’s impact on EMU Softball is significant and lasting,” said Carrie S. Bert ’97, EMU’s Director of Athletics. “Over the course of his career, he elevated the program, highlighted by an ODAC championship and more than 400 career wins. These milestones reflect both longevity and competitive excellence. He has been widely respected by local coaches, colleagues across the ODAC, and peers from all levels of the game for his knowledge, competitiveness, and long-standing commitment to softball. JD invested deeply in the sport and in this institution, and his commitment to recruiting and developing local student-athletes strengthened our connection to the surrounding community. We are grateful for the many years he dedicated to EMU and for the role he played in advancing our softball program during his tenure. JD has certainly earned a well-deserved retirement and we wish him all the best in this next chapter.”

EMU will conduct a national search for McCurdy’s replacement, beginning later this month. Interested candidates may visit emu.edu/careers-at-emu for more information once the position is posted.  

The two-day event provided an exciting opportunity for EMU to showcase its new state-of-the-art track & field complex, which opened in October 2024. EMU’s facility is one of only a few in the ODAC that meets NCAA certification standards and is designed to host events in multiple configurations, allowing athletes to run, jump, or throw with the tailwind. The championships will return to EMU next spring as part of the university’s two-year agreement to host the event.

Kyle Dickinson, head coach of EMU’s track and field team, said hosting the ODAC championships gave many of his athletes the chance to compete in front of their friends and family for the first time. “It’s huge for us,” he said. “We’re showing other schools that EMU is investing heavily in our track program and that it’s paying off.” It’s also helped recruit athletes, who are eager to compete at the new facility.

EMU first-year Emma Greer competed in the women’s shot put on Friday and discus on Saturday. She said having the event at EMU gave her college friends the chance to support her from the stands. “It’s great we get to host it here,” she said, “because our track and field facility doesn’t get enough credit for how nice it is.” One of those friends, Kassidy Meadows, a first-year student, said that she’s visited several track and field venues and that EMU’s is the best she’s seen. 

Between competing in the men’s shot put and hammer throw, EMU sophomore Will Ramos took a quick breather. He said hosting the conference championships at home made a big difference, cutting down on travel and giving him more time to rest and recover. “I’ve felt nervous at past conference meets, but I feel right at home here,” he said.

EMU’s track and field team has achieved significant success in recent years, said Justin McIlwee, communications director for EMU Athletics. “We’ve had multiple national qualifiers and back-to-back All-Americans, so hosting this event offered us a chance to show off a little bit.”

On Saturday, EMU sophomore Nick Arnold earned the title of ODAC champion by winning the 400-meter hurdles. Arnold is the Royals’ first ODAC men’s individual champion since Alijah Johnson won the 200-meter dash in 2022. Read more at .

When ��ݮ���� built a turf field in 1989, it became the first school in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) to do so. EMU’s field hockey athletes, who began playing on the field that fall, welcomed the switch from grass to artificial turf. The new surface complemented the speedy and skilled set of players; they could move the ball up the pitch faster and with more control and pass and shoot with more accuracy and power. The other schools in the ODAC were less than thrilled with the change, recounts Sandy Brownscombe, coach of the EMU team from 1978-93.

“Everybody was upset,” she said. “They thought we had an unfair advantage. There was even discussion that we shouldn’t be allowed to host the conference tournament if we were the No. 1 seed.”

Fortunately, for EMU and for the future of field hockey, those discussions soon ground to a halt. Eventually, the other ODAC schools, as well as countless high schools and colleges across the country, installed turf fields for their own field hockey programs.

“It’s the way the game was meant to be played,” Brownscombe said.

A sport with success

EMU’s turf field, along Park Road north of Suter Science Center, has witnessed the school’s leading scorers and legendary goalkeepers play on its pitch. Field hockey has more athletes inducted in EMU’s Hall of Honor (18 players) and more teams in the hall (two: the 1980 and 1995 squads) than any other sport at the school. By comparison, men’s soccer, which has the second-most inductees, has 12 players and one team in the hall. Two coaches who led the field hockey program, Brownscombe and Miriam “Mim” Mumaw ‘61, are also in the hall.

EMU field hockey teams have won 11 ODAC titles and appeared at 11 national tournaments (two Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women [AIAW] and nine National Collegiate Athletic Association [NCAA] tournaments). The 1995 team, which advanced further than any other in school history, competed in the final four of the NCAA Division III field hockey tournament and placed third in the country.

From 1979 to 2003, Royals field hockey celebrated an unparalleled streak of success with teams advancing every year during those 25-seasons to the final four of their conference—the Virginia Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (VAIAW) from 1979-81 and the ODAC from 1982-2003. For six straight seasons, from 1995 to 2000, EMU field hockey went undefeated in ODAC play. (The 1987 and 2007 teams were also undefeated in the ODAC.)

An era begins

Field hockey’s start in America is credited to Constance Applebee who played the sport in England and introduced it while on a tour of northeastern U.S. women’s colleges in 1901. She served as athletic director of Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania from 1904-28 and co-founded the American Field Hockey Association.

It began as a club sport at EMU in 1970 under Mumaw, a trailblazing athletic director who coached the women’s basketball (1966-75) and women’s volleyball (1968-79) teams.

Before that, students interested in field hockey like Fannie Bomberger Miller ‘71 played on area club teams composed of coaches from nearby schools and colleges.

“When I would tell kids from Virginia that I played hockey, they were like, ‘What’s that?’” said Miller, who came to EMU from Manheim, Pennsylvania.

She played on the Shenandoah Valley club team from 1967-68. By the time EMU fielded its own team, Miller said, she was too busy with her nursing coursework to join.

A group of students from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, area had played field hockey in high school and wanted to start a team at EMU, Mumaw said. So, she volunteered to get them started, serving as inaugural coach for that first season. Field hockey became a varsity sport at EMU in 1971, with coach Dianne Gates taking the helm for four years.

“I was more of a faculty adviser than a coach,” Mumaw said. “Dianne’s the one who developed the program.”

The Title IX Act of 1972 mandated equal funding for women’s sports. “A lot of the expansion in women’s athletics came from that,” Mumaw said. “We were fortunate to have Madison College (now JMU) and Bridgewater College close by because we could play them in almost any sport.”

In those days, EMU’s women athletes competed in the AIAW. EMU became one of the founding members of the ODAC in 1976, beginning with men’s sports. ODAC added women’s sports in 1982.

When Mumaw left EMU in 1979 for a sabbatical-turned-permanent residency in Washington, D.C, she rented out her basement to Brownscombe for a year. Brownscombe, who also coached the women’s basketball (1978-89) and men’s volleyball (1991-98) teams, led the field hockey program for 16 seasons.

The 1980 team

For as long as EMU has fielded a team—and even longer, Pennsylvania and the Lancaster region has been a hotbed of field hockey talent. As a coach, Brownscombe ran a field hockey camp at Camp Hebron (Pennsylvania) during the summers that helped to recruit players to EMU. In fact, a majority of the players throughout EMU’s history began playing the sport in high schools around Pennsylvania.

“The rest of the hockey world had not figured out, until we started getting really good, how great these Lancaster County girls were,” Brownscombe said. “Then they began to realize, ‘Oh, these kids are great players, they’re great people, and they’re great students.’”

For an example of their integrity, look no further than the 1980 AIAW regional tournament match between EMU and Mary Washington. That game ended in a 0-0 tie, and both teams headed to a separate practice field for penalty strokes. When a Mary Washington player took her first penalty stroke, the ball slipped past EMU goalkeeper Shirley Yoder Faust and through a hole in the net. The umpire, unaware of the hole, signaled a missed shot. It was then, Brownscombe said, that Faust approached the umpire and pointed out the hole.

“They came up to me, and the umpire asked, ‘Why would your goalie tell me it was a goal when I said it wasn’t?’” Brownscombe said. “Shirley looked at me and said, ‘Because it’s the truth,’ and the official just shook her head.”

That 1980 team, which went on to win those penalty strokes, finished third at the state tournament and second at the regional tournament. That year marked the first time Royals field hockey, or any sports team at the school, would qualify for a national tournament. It finished 13th and was inducted in the Hall of Honor in 2012.

“The players on that team saw the transition of field hockey at EMU from just another team to one that had to be reckoned with,” Brownscombe said.

The ‘hay’ days of hockey

Before the turf field arrived on campus, the field hockey players practiced and played on a grass field that ran from the top of the tennis courts to the physical plant, through what is now the softball field.

Brownscombe recalled regularly painting lines on the field with the soccer coach, whose field was next to them, where the new track complex is. One year, she said, her players arrived at the field and found the grass so long it looked like hay.

“Fortunately, one of the captains had worked at the physical plant all summer and was allowed to drive a truck, so the other players could throw the grass in it,” she said. “Sure, it was frustrating, but that’s what we did.”

Field hockey and soccer players often had to stop practices for cross-country meets, which ran right across the 50-yard line of our grass fields. When they did get to play, it was in front of a passionate group of fans: the boys in the three-story Oakwood dormitory.

“They were rowdy,” Brownscombe said. “They would be watching out their windows and be shouting at the players.”

The ’90s teams

Tina Book ‘91 played on the field hockey team for four seasons in the late 1980s and returned to coach the team in 1994 after Brownscombe left. She remembered playing on the turf field the first year it was installed.

“It made the game faster, and it also allowed us to score more,” the 1989 ODAC Player of the Year said. “I feel like we were so adaptive to the turf.”

Indeed, all of the top scorers in the EMU record books—players like Jeané Horning Hershey ‘94—made their mark on the turf. Hershey, once the career record leader in goals and points scored, now ranks sixth in career goals and eighth in career points at EMU.

In 1992 and 1993, the Royals defeated rival and perennial ODAC powerhouse Lynchburg College in back-to-back conference finals matches to advance to the first round of the national tournament. It was the start of seven national tournament appearances that decade. (The Royals returned to the national tournament in 2000 and 2003.)

“We had a good camaraderie, and I don’t remember any drama,” Hershey said. “I just remember working hard and doing the best we could.”

Former goalkeeper Jen Kooker Peifer ’96, who played on the team from 1992-95, held the career saves record for 23 years before it was broken in 2018 by Kelsey Troyer. Peifer’s career save percentage record (89.8 percent) remains intact. She was inducted in the Hall of Honor as an athlete and as a member of the 1995 team.

That ‘95 squad posted a remarkable 21-2 overall record, an 8-0 conference record and a historic run to the final four at nationals. “I think that’s one of the best teams that EMU has ever had in any sport,” Peifer said.

‘Small but mighty’

When Kristina Landis Yoder ’09 joined the field hockey team in 2006, she had heard all about its history of success.

“There was definitely a sense of honor in carrying on those traditions,” she said. “We always had pride in being a small but mighty team.”

Yoder recounted starting each morning of preseason practice with a three-mile run, followed by three practices held throughout the day. During her playing career, from 2006-08, the team led by coach Brenda Bechler made it to the ODAC finals every year only to be defeated by Lynchburg each time. Their first meeting, in 2006, ended in a tie and went into a second overtime before Lynchburg prevailed in penalty strokes.

“I don’t think there was any other game in my career that all of us played so hard and ran so hard,” she said. “That year, they didn’t expect us to make it that far, and we did. It was exhilarating and fun and by far the most memorable game I’ve ever played.”

A bright future

In February 2024, Chardonnay “Char” Hope took the reins as the new field hockey coach. She succeeds Ashley “Stick” Kishorn, who had coached the team since 2017.

Prior to coming to EMU, Hope was the head field hockey coach at ODAC school Ferrum College. She said she had researched the Royals’ success, and it was what drew her to taking the job.

“A championship history and a winning mindset is embedded in the roots of this program,” Hope said. “There are many athletes and coaches who have paved the way for our current team and me.”

Turf as old as time

The EMU turf field has a rich history. Its playing surface, which was last replaced in 2006, is now used by the men’s and women’s soccer teams and women’s lacrosse team, in addition to the field hockey team. But, after 18 years of dutiful service, it’s showing its age. The turf no longer has the same bounce or cushion it once had. Sections of the surface are peeling away, presenting a safety hazard to the athletes who use it.

“Replacing the turf field is absolutely necessary to avoid injuries and attract the level of players that will build a winning team,” Hershey said.

Peifer agreed with her former teammate: “If you want athletes to come to EMU, having top-tier athletic facilities is paramount. When they’re touring schools, the facilities that impress them play a big part in where they want to go.”

The turf field, one of the oldest in the ODAC, has lived nearly two industry-standard lives. The school is set to install new carpet and a top-of-the-line pad this summer. EMU Athletics Director Carrie Bert said the new and improved field will be “visually appealing and, more importantly, provide more consistent ball play and a significantly safer experience for athletes and officials.”

Support our student-athletes and a new turf field through an immediate gift or multi-year commitment. Give today at emu.edu/turf-field, or contact kirk.shisler@emu.edu for more details.

Senior (Sterling, Ill./Sterling) and sophomore�� (Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) each claimed their first Academic All-District honor, in a vote done by the district’s College Sports Information Directors of America members. Junior (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) earned a spot on the women’s side, also a first for her.

Landis holds a 3.94 GPA as a double major in congregational and youth ministries along with biblical studies.�� He was named the ODAC’s Scholar-Athlete for men’s cross country, earning All-ODAC and All-Region honors en route to a trip to the NCAA National Championships.�� Landis has also been a Ministry Assistant at EMU before missing the indoor and outdoor track seasons when he studied in the Middle East during the spring semester.

Denlinger carries a lofty 3.98 GPA through two years at Eastern Mennonite as a biology (pre-med) major. He was voted the ODAC’s Scholar-Athlete for men’s indoor track & field and earned All-ODAC Third Team honors in the both indoor and outdoor 800m. Denlinger is also a Community Advisor at EMU and is part of the school’s Student Government Association.

Chappell-Dick has a 3.87 GPA as a biology major and recently completed a stellar season with a pair of All-America titles.�� The middle distance runner took third last weekend in the 1500m at the NCAA National Outdoor Track & Field Championships.�� At the indoor meet she placed second in the mile.�� Including cross country, Chappell-Dick landed six All-ODAC First Team honors this year and was named the South/Southeast Region Athlete of the Year for both indoor and outdoor track & field.�� She was also the ODAC Scholar-Athlete for cross country, indoor and outdoor track.

Eastern Mennonite helped the Old Dominion Athletic Conference to a dominant showing on the Academic All-District teams, as the conference staked 11 of the total possible 24 spots.

To be eligible for Academic All-America consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director. Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 20,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

All of the All-District honorees are now eligible for the All-America teams, which will be announced on June 23.

Lucas was named to the All-Region Second Team last year and also has back-to-back All-ODAC First Team nods.

She batted a career high .452 this spring, a jump of 45 points from last year.�� Lucas also notched career numbers with 42 hits, 22 runs, 21 RBIs and eight doubles despite playing in seven fewer games than either of her previous seasons.�� The Royals had 10 games washed off the schedule due to inclement weather.

Lucas finished third in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with her batting clip, fourth with a .495 on-base percentage, and tenth with a .634 slugging percentage.�� She also had a perfect fielding percentage from her position in right field, not making an error in 27 chances.�� She was one of just five women in the ODAC to play only in the field and not commit an error.

Of the 45 all-region honorees in the Atlantic Region, which stretches from southern Pennsylvania to Alabama, only nine players from the ODAC were selected.�� Lucas was one of two ODAC women named all-region who did not play in the NCAA Tournament, as seven of the nine played for national participants Virginia Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon.

Eastern Mennonite finished the 2015 season with a record of 16-14, charting the 11th consecutive campaign with a .500 or better record.

Most recently, she has been the head coach at Albemarle High School in Charlottesville, Va., for five years, while working as a transitional specialist in the special education department there since 2001.�� Jackson also founded and directs the C’ville United FHC, a travel field hockey club.

“I’m excited to tackle the challenge of coaching in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference,” Jackson explained.�� “It’s a conference with a rich history of strong field hockey programs and fierce competition between schools from season to season.�� I’m also looking forward to a step up in intensity and commitment that comes from working with athletes at the collegiate level.”

Director of Athletics Dave King said Jackson brings a wide range of expertise into her first collegiate coaching position.

“I’m very excited to have E.A. join our staff and begin the next chapter of our storied field hockey program,” King said.�� “Her experience with both high school and club field hockey will help her make a successful transition to the collegiate level.�� Having played Division III field hockey and coaching many players who have gone on to play in college, E.A. knows what it takes to play at our level and I am confident she can move the program upward within the ODAC.”

Jackson played collegiately while earning her undergraduate degree from Mary Washington, before adding a Masters in Education from George Washington University.�� She was named the district Coach of the Year after her first season at Albemarle in 2009.�� A number of her players have gone on to play in college, at both the D-I and D-III levels, including two women currently in the ODAC.

The new coach takes over a Royals field hockey program which has won 11 ODAC Championships, second-most in league history, and owns nine NCAA Tournament appearances.�� EMU has not won a title since 2003, however, and last played in the championship game in 2009.

“I’ve seen the team play; the foundation is here,” explained Jackson.�� “We’ve got a solid core of returning players who are hungry to help me usher in the fall season with a renewed sense of purpose and focus. ��There’s no way to get around hard work and a focus on the basics skills that every player needs to be able to perform to the best of her ability.�� I’m excited to see what this group of athletes can do when they work diligently together in pursuit of an ODAC Championship!”

Jackson’s Virginia roots will help her tap into the area’s recruiting base while expanding the existing reaches up the East Coast.

“Her involvement with the club program in Charlottesville along with her connections to field hockey programs throughout the state will help her in the recruiting efforts,” explained King.�� “Knowing coaches and club programs is an important component to recruiting.�� I’m confident that her connections will increase our ability to recruit, not only from Virginia but into Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.”

She is excited to springboard off the prestigious history of EMU field hockey while moving in a new direction.

“Energy, passion for the game of field hockey, a focus on the collective good of the team rather than pursuit of individual accolades,” Jackson explained as trademarks of her teams. ��“I’m specifically interested in working with athletes who want to train with intensity and win with integrity.�� I’m also excited to work with (and recruit) athletes who respect and understand the tradition of excellence of the EMU field hockey program. ��I seek students who are willing to push themselves to uphold our core values and the established culture of the program, while at the same time are courageous enough to be a part of something new at EMU.”

After being active in introducing field hockey to the general population of Charlottesville, Jackson is also looking to connect Harrisonburg with the program at Eastern Mennonite.

��(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.

With the wins, Eastern Mennonite jumps from seventh in the conference standings into a tie for fifth. The top six teams will make the ODAC Tournament, a feat EMU last accomplished in 2002.

The Royals are 9-9 in league play, tied with Roanoke at 8-8, although the men now hold the head-to-head tie-breaker between the two. Lynchburg sits just behind them at 7-8. EMU plays two more conference games, ending the season with a twin bill at second-place Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday. Roanoke has four games left, including a game at Lynchburg, while LC still has five league games to play, with the final one next Sunday.

EMU 5, Roanoke 2
After pre-game Senior Recognition ceremonies, the day’s high spirits were dampened by an early confusing play. Just three batters in, Roanoke’s Craig Kiley lofted a ball deep to left, and����(Greenville, Va./Riverheads) crashed into the outfield fence trying to make the catch. Despite the great effort by Armstrong, he couldn’t make the play and it was discovered the ball somehow got over the fence.�� After some discussion, the umpires ruled it a homerun, giving the Maroons a 2-0 lead.

But the Royals quickly took the momentum back, starting their first inning with a walk and back-to-back singles to score a run.�� A sacrifice fly tied it at 2-2, and����(Chesapeake, Va./Great Bridge) knocked a clutch two-out, two-RBI single to left, flipping EMU in front, 4-2.

Starting pitcher����(Gloucester, Va./Gloucester) settled down on the mound and proceeded to allow just four more hits through 7.0 innings of work.

A Roanoke error in the fourth helped the men score, as Armstrong hit an RBI groundout to bump the lead to 5-2.

Brown handed the ball over to ��(Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg) in the eighth, and the big righthander allowed just one baserunner as he struck out three to earn a two-inning save. The game fittingly ended on a great play in the outfield, as a diving catch by Armstrong in the left-center gap closed a 1-2-3 ninth.

Along with a couple of airborne catches in the outfield, Armstrong led at the plate as well, batting 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.����(Miramar, Fla./Monsignor Edward Pace) was 2-3 with a walk and run, while Mathews and����(Bedford, Va./Staunton River) each had a pair of hits as well.

Brown struck out five and improved to 3-4 with the win, while Marzullo tied for the ODAC lead with his fourth save of the season.

EMU 11, Roanoke 9
The Royals looked destined for a sweep with a quick start in the second game. Rodriguez had three RBIs and Love sent a two-run bomb over the scoreboard in left field for the men’s first homerun of the season, as EMU led 5-0 after two.

Roanoke quickly tied it with a five spot in the third, however, doing the final damage with a three-run homer to left, chasing starter����(New Market, Va./Stonewall Jackson).

EMU went back ahead thanks to a two-out error in the bottom of the frame, but the Maroons got a pair of two-out RBIs in the fourth to get in front.�� The teams traded single runs in the fifth, leaving the visitors on top 8-7.

�������𱹱������(Sugar Creek, Ohio/Hiland) finally provided some stability on the mound, entering in the sixth and retiring six straight batters.�� Meanwhile RC’s reliever broke down in the bottom of the sixth, issuing back-to-back walks to start the inning.�� The Maroons botched a sacrifice play from the Royals, loading the bases with nobody out.�� One run scored on a wild pitch, another on a single from Mathews and a third on a sacrifice fly from����(Fredericksburg, Va./Stafford), as EMU regained control, 10-8.

Rodriguez ripped an RBI double in the seventh, making it 11-8.

Marzullo returned to the hill in the eighth, and allowed one run in his second appearance of the day.����(Gladys, Va./Rustburg) then entered in the ninth, and after a leadoff walk he got three straight outs to lock up the win and earn his second save.

Weaver picked up his first win in an EMU uniform with his big-time performance in the sixth and seventh innings.

The offense had 12 hits and six walks, with each position player either scoring or driving in a run. Rodriguez had a big game, going 3-4 with a walk and four RBIs. Carroll was 2-3 with a walk, scoring time times and knocking in another. Hall reached base three times with a pair of singles and a walk while Love had two RBIs on his big homerun.

At 15-14 overall, the Royals step out of conference play for two games during the week. The men host The Apprentice School Tuesday at 4 p.m. in their final home game before playing at Messiah College at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

But EMU’s growing success, including a recent upset of Bridgewater’s highly touted team, suggests that Spotts’ recruiting philosophy—and his mission for the Royals program –is helping the Royals compete at a higher level.

Of the 42 players on the Royals roster, 12 are from the Shenandoah Valley.

The wealth of local talent has deep roots: a love of baseball has often been passed down through the generations of Valley families. And there’s the rich local history of the game: The , which dates to 1897, and the , dating to 1925, have offered both playing and spectating opportunities for decades (until becoming a collegiate league in 1961, the Valley League was open to any player).

Valley baseball players

“There’s not much else to do in the Valley but play ball,” jokes Martin Clark, a sophomore pitcher who graduated from Broadway High School.

Others from Rockingham County (and listed by their respective high schools) are freshman pitcher Logan Phelps, Spotswood, and sophomore catcher Ryan Hedrick, Turner Ashby.

From the northern Valley region come senior pitcher Ryan Henschel, Stonewall Jackson; freshman outfielder Julian Bussells and junior pitcher Ryan Tierney, Warren County; and sophomore catcher Aaron Cook, Luray.

The southern Valley is represented by freshman pitcher Tristan Childress, Waynesboro, and senior outfielder and pitcher Kyle Armstrong, Riverheads.

This group of mostly underclass local talent symbolizes Spotts’ recruiting strategy—and it’s one factor contributing to a significant turn-around in the program’s history.

When Spotts first started in 2013, the games were sparsely attended. Now on game days, cars line College Avenue, the small hillside behind the home dugouts is crowded with fans and their lawn chairs and blankets (and usually a few dogs, too), and the concession trailer does good business.

More and more wins

In 2011 and 2012, EMU managed only 11 wins. Most ODAC schools would look at their schedules before the season started and etch a “W” next to EMU’s name. In 2013, after Spotts arrived, EMU jumped to 15 wins. Last year, the Royals finished the season with a 20-19 record, notching their first winning record since 2002 (that year, the team was led by , currently a catcher for the Kansas City Royals). It was also just the third 20-win season in program history.

According to Spotts, who came to EMU after spending 14 seasons at Bridgewater College, the ODAC has improved in competition, commitment level and facilities in the past five to seven years. He speculated that the ODAC could be one of the top three Division III conferences in the country. In a , two teams in the 14-team conference, including Randolph-Macon at seventh, are ranked in top 20 (Bridgewater was ranked 19th until dropping out during the March 24 polling).

Ryan McAlister��’14 saw the struggling program turn around under Spotts’ guidance. He arrived at EMU in 2011 from nearby Turner Ashby High School and one of the state’s most consistently competitive baseball programs (TA teams have earned six AA state titles and several graduates have gone on to professional careers in Major League Baseball).

“Going from a very competitive school in high school, to my first year here – winning 11 games and losing 28 – it was a lot different than being on a winning program,” said McAlister, who currently coaches the junior varsity team at his alma mater.

Planned, disciplined practices

Then Spotts took over. McAlister, along with the other players, took a liking to their new coach. Practices felt productive, and team chemistry began to feel cohesive.

Under Spotts’ coaching, McAlister earned All-State and All-ODAC honors. In his final season, McAlister batted .365 and held a .447 on-base percentage. He tied for the team-high in runs scored with 35, and led the team in stolen bases with 13.

Spotts is “thorough and disciplined, and he’s got a plan,” says Dave McAlister, who hardly missed one of his son’s home games. “He’s organized. He’s a good fit for EMU, and EMU’s a good fit for him.”

Of his son’s progress on and off the field, McAlister says EMU was an excellent choice: “At EMU, Ryan picked up what we might call maturity things.”

Tristan Childress, a freshman pitcher, has entered the legacy that McAlister left behind. He was also recruited by Bridgewater, but Spotts proved to be a deciding factor, Childress said, adding that he found the energy Spotts brings to the field “convincing.” Perhaps more importantly, Childress said the senior leadership were just as positive about the program and the upcoming season.

Recruiting coachable, motivated students

When recruiting players, Spotts says he looks for coachable and motivated student-athletes “who want to be a part of the campus community and are committed to being a part of the academic and athletic community at EMU.”

“These players are committed to making our baseball program on of the top in the ODAC,” he said, “and they understand the hard work and year round commitment that is involved in competing in a college baseball program.�� I continually talk about our team and each player leaving their mark on our program in a positive way.”

In the previous two seasons, seven players have earned s and one player, Jonathan Estrada, was named to the .

As for future recruits, Spotts says he’s always on the lookout for local talent. A common misconception among prospective students, he says, is that EMU is only open to those of the Mennonite faith.

Like the game of baseball, EMU is “open to all faiths,” he says. “Come visit. You may not come here if you do visit, but you’ll think hard about it.”

��(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) broke her own EMU record for the indoor 800m. She topped the field of 10 runners with a time of 2:13.43, giving her the No. 6 time in the nation this season.�� Her previous record came earlier this season at a time of 2:15.07.

Despite not running the event at today’s meet, Chappell-Dick is still No. 5 in the nation in the mile. She set her PR with an ODAC-record time of 4:56.37 in the mile two weeks ago.

��(Dover, Ohio/Dover) broke the 10-minute mark again in the 3000m, impressively doing it while running by herself for much of the two-person race. Although she did not break her own record with the time of 9:59.70, Lehman still holds the No. 13 time in the nation with her ODAC record of 9:55.49 from two weeks ago. She is one of just 15 women to run under 10 minutes this year.

The field of NCAA National Championships participants will be released Monday morning. The top 17 women in each individual event qualify, meaning both Lehman and Chappell-Dick feel comfortable about qualifying in their respective events. EMU’s junior would likely pick between the mile and the 800m if she qualifies in both.

The national meet is next Friday and Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Earlier this winter, the Royals’ 5-10 forward was named Academic All-District in District 5, which includes much of the southeastern states in the U.S.

Rheinheimer studied in Honduras in the summer of 2013 as part of EMU’s . She is on the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Academic Team and the Royals All-Academic Team, as well as Eastern Mennonite’s dean’s list.

Just as talented on the basketball court as she is in the classroom, Rheinheimer enters this week’s ODAC Tournament averaging a league-best 19.6 points along with 7.4 rebounds, 10th in the ODAC. Rheinheimer also tops the conference in field goals (183) and is second in three point percentage (42.2%), sixth in field goal percentage (51.0%), seventh in blocks (24) and 12th in steals (40).

An All-ODAC Second Team selection last spring as a part-time starter, Rheinheimer has taken off this year. She was named the USBWA National Player of the Week after scoring 29 points with 12 rebounds against Christopher Newport on Dec. 30 followed by 41 and 10 against Washington on Jan. 3. Rheinheimer has also earned ODAC Player of the Week and D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honors twice each this year.

Eastern Mennonite’s women’s basketball team, coached by in his 10th season at EMU, is the top seed in the ODAC Tournament this week, carrying a record of 21-3 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC. The women are also riding a 10-game winning streak and they look for their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

In the mile, Chappell-Dick broke the five-minute barrier for the first time and did so quite handily.�� She charted a time of 4:56.37, shattering her own school record of 5:05.65, and breaking the ODAC record of 4:58.17 set by Roanoke All-American Carmen Graves in 2013.�� The junior also sits at No. 4 in the nation this year with the time.�� She placed sixth at the meet, behind runners from Virginia Tech and North Carolina.

Classmate����(St. Joseph, Ill./St. Joseph-Ogden) ran the mile for the first time this year and jumped to No. 7 in the ODAC this season at 5:27.27.

Lehman’s mark also came in her only event of the day, the 3000m, where she crossed in 9:55.49, whacking more than 27 seconds of her PR and school record of 10:22.72.�� She shattered the Old Dominion Athletic Conference record with the time, as the old mark was 10:10.61, set by Roanoke’s Casey Smith in 2001.�� Nationally, Lehman leaps to No. 9 as she looks to join Chappell-Dick with a trip to the NCAA National Championships.�� She took fourth in the race, coming in behind two women from Wake Forest and one from Virginia Tech.

Eastern Mennonite sent only a handful of athletes to the meet in Winston-Salem, N.C.�� Elsewhere,����(King George, Va./King George) earned the No. 5 time in EMU history with a time of 1:02.52.

In the long jump,����(Bedford, Va./Liberty) came close to her PR with a best leap of 4.96m (16-3.25ft).�� The freshman’s best effort this year is 5.05m.

The duo of����(Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and����(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) continued to shine in the men’s 800m.�� Thibodeaux just beat his teammate, taking eighth overall with a time of 1:57.18.�� It was his PR, which is No. 4 in the ODAC and improves him to No. 4 in EMU history.�� Although Thibodeaux sits one spot behind Denlinger in program history, Denlinger came in just behind him in Saturday’s race, crossing in 1:57.22.

��(Winchester, Va./Millbrook) set a new PR in the triple jump, charting the No. 9 distance in the EMU books at 12.47m (40-11.00ft).

EMU had four men running in the 200m.������(Lynchburg, Va./E.C. Glass) led the way with a time of 23.77, just missing his PR by .01.������(Ashburn, Va./Briarwood) tied his PR by finishing in 23.86.������(Nelson, Va./Nelson County) crossed in 24.38 while����(Appomattox, Va./Appomattox) timed at 25.12.

Wheeler also clocked at 54.09 in the 400m.

The Eastern Mennonite track teams wrap up the indoor season next week at the ODAC Indoor Championships in Landover, Md.

With an offensive putback at the 12:41 mark in the second half, senior����(Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) scored her 1000th point, becoming just the 12th EMU woman to break the barrier.�� High school teammate����(Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) also tied her career high with 10 assists in the win.

Eastern Mennonite’s women haven’t lost a basketball game in Yoder Arena since Jan. 7, 2013, in a 54-49 loss to Elizabethtown.

Randolph proved to be a handful in the first half, as the visitors connected on their first six field goal attempts and traded leads early.�� The Royals eventually worked out to a seven point lead at 32-25, but the WildCats had a chance to grab the lead at halftime when they got the ball after an EMU turnover with the shot clock turned off.

Brown picked out a key steal with 10 seconds left before she eventually assisted����(Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) on a buzzer-beater on an inbounds play, giving the Royals a slight 39-36 cushion at the break.�� Despite entering the game with a 38% shooting clip, Randolph shot a lights out 56% in the first 20 minutes, including 5-for-6 from long range, to put a scare into EMU.

The Royals took off in the second.�� Holding a 44-40 lead with 17 minutes to play, the women clamped on the defense which got their transition game going.�� EMU scored 13 unanswered points to blow open a 57-40 edge, capped by a Sykes layup with 14:16 left.

A minute and a half later Sykes got her big bucket to crack 1000 points and the women cruised.�� Randolph would get no closer than 11 points the rest of the way to the 78-63 final score.

Eastern Mennonite stifled their guests in the second half to just 30% shooting.�� For the game, the Royals finished with a 48% to 41% shooting advantage.�� The women also hit on 10-of-21 attempts from three point range.

Rheinheimer scored a game high 27 points as she was 5-for-6 from outside.�� She also had six rebounds.�� Sykes had yet another double double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and five steals.�� She has scored 1004 points in her career.

��(Covington, Va./Covington) was good for 12 points and six boards.�� Brown had three steals to go with her 10 assists.

Taylor Samuels hit four triples to lead Randolph with 18 points.�� Jensen Hoover finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Eastern Mennonite takes a 17-3 record into next Wednesday’s ODAC date at Shenandoah University.�� Start time in Winchester is at 6:00pm.

Winter��2015 held some uncertain moments for the Eastern Mennonite men’s and women’s basketball teams, but both squads are expected��to be a force in the upcoming Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament, which begins February 27 in Salem, Virginia at the Salem Civic Center.

Lady Royals Powerhouse Record Includes��Home Winning Streak of 30��Games

The EMU women’s basketball team closed regular season play��out in February 2015 by solidifying��their��first place ranking in the ODAC.��The team’s overall record is 21-3 (15-1 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

That powerhouse record includes a home winning streak of 30��games: their last loss in Yoder Arena occurred over two seasons��ago in January 2013.

In early January, the Lady Royals’ versatile forward����earned her second spot on the Team of the Week and by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). This is the first season that the USBWA is recognizing national players of the week from Division III.

In February Rheinhemer was named one of five in nation to the��Capital One Academic All-America First Team. A member of the EMU��, Rheinheimer holds a 3.96 GPA in the university’s well-respected��, along with a minor in��.

Men’s Team Seeded��No. 4��in Tourney

The Runnin Royals have gathered a number of career records and personal honors��even after battling through��a��tough non-conference��and ODAC schedule.

The team has a record of 16-9��overall (9-7 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

The men��clinched the No. 4 seed with an .

Some of the honors accrued this season were for senior��, who��was named��ODAC Player of the Week after collecting double doubles during dramatic wins��in mid-January. ��

As of Feb. 22 the 6-6 center is ranked third in the nation for rebounds per game.��Falk��is , having logged 192��throughout the regular season.��He��is currently ranked . (More info:��)

, was named Royal Athlete of the Week on January 22 after he went multiple games hitting��100 percent of his attempts��from the free throw line.

Runnin Royals’ starting point guard����earned the��Royal Athlete of the Week honor when he logged career bests of 18 points and nine assists.

“I like setting my teammates up to score,” said Williams, a senior from Capitol Heights, Md. ��“When I give an assist I feel like I scored the bucket myself.”

Tournament��Game��Info��in Salem, Va.

Check out the ODAC website for��live stats and video for postseason games yet to be played, and scores and game reports from completed games.

Men’s basketball:��

Women’s basketball:

Games are played at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.