Wittenberg University Spring Sports Athletes Claim 35 North Coast Athletic Conference Postseason Awards

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — A solid spring sports season has reaped individual rewards for 35 Wittenberg University athletes who were selected to All-North Coast Athletic Conference teams over the last two weeks.

Announcements for men's and women's lacrosse, men's and women's tennis, softball and baseball have come in separate releases from the NCAC office in the last two weeks. Individual finishes at conference championship events the last two weekends determined All-NCAC selections in golf and men's and women's track and field.

Leading off are the conference's Player of the Year awards, with Wittenberg athletes claiming two of them. Senior men's track standout Joe Rumschlag (Maumee, Ohio/Toledo Christian) was named Field Events Athlete of the Year at the 2005 NCAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, fitting nicely alongside his 2004 and 2005 Indoor Field Events Athlete of the Year awards. Sophomore shortstop Stephanie Zorn (Grapevine, Texas/Colleyville) was named NCAC Player of the Year after leading the Tigers in nearly every offensive category in 2005 and starting all 35 games.

Track athletes earn All-NCAC recognition with a top-three finish in the NCAC meet. The MEN'S AND WOMEN'S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD teams claimed third place in the men's NCAC championship meet, while the women finished seventh.

Rumschlag was outstanding, earning All-NCAC honors with a third-place finish in the 100 meters, second in the 200 meters, first in the long jump, first in the triple jump and first in the decathlon. In addition, Rumschlag ran a leg on the 400-meter relay and the 1600-meter relay, both of which placed second. Those seven all-conference finishes, matching his total in 2004, in combination with three All-NCAC honors at the 2005 Indoor Championships, brought Rumschlag's total number of all-conference designations to an astounding 28. Six of those All-NCAC awards have been earned with long jump titles, three each in indoor and outdoor.

Individually, the Tiger men turned in four other all-conference performances during the outdoor championship meet. Freshman David Emrath (Elsmere, Ky./Lloyd)placed third in the 400 meters, freshman Mike Echols (Springfield, Ohio/North)took third in the 800 meters, sophomore Andy Karcher (Oceola, Ohio/Bucyrus Wynford) placed third in the hammer and sophomore Mark O'Brien (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas Senior) took third place in the decathlon. It was the first all-conference award for each of them.

In the relay events, Wittenberg's men placed second in both the 1600- and 400-meter events. In the 400-meter relay, junior David Bazzel (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe), junior Gregg Carter (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville), Rumschlag and Emrath teamed up for the All-NCAC finish. In the 1600-meter relay, Emrath, Echols, Rumschlag and senior Chad Kresser (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) comprised the all-conference quartet for the Tigers.

On the women's side, the team leader was precocious freshman Nicole Bailey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day), who earned three All-NCAC honors at the 2005 Indoor Championships. Bailey placed second in the 100 meters, third in the long jump and second in the triple jump, all of which were good for all-conference designations.

The only other All-NCAC honor was earned by freshman Allison Walker (Columbus, Ohio/Academy), who placed third in the hammer throw. (NCAC Outdoor Track and Field Press Release)

The Wittenberg BASEBALL team finished the year 21-16 overall and 9-5 in the NCAC West Division. After tying for second place in the NCAC West regular season standings, the Tigers bowed out of the NCAC Tournament in the semifinals against eventual champion Wooster.

Senior pitcher Kurt Hartfelder (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was the Tigers' lone choice for the All-NCAC first team, making the top group after leading the team with a 7-1 record, eigth complete games and a sparkling 3.57 earned run average, the fifth-best figure in school history. Senior second baseman Jon Komperda (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay), who hit .358 a year after ranking among the conference's best with a .441 batting average, and junior K.R. Schlievert (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay), a defensive wiz who also ranked among the team leaders with 30 runs scored, 25 runs batted in and 11 doubles on the season, both garnered honorable mention status. (NCAC Baseball Press Release)

In MEN'S GOLF, Wittenberg finished fourth in the NCAC Championships at Harrison Hills Golf Club in Attica, Ind. Sophomore Scott Aker (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) placed eighth to lead the Tigers and take second-team all-conference honors for the first time in his career after placing 12th in 2004. SeniorAndy Bonar (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster), a first-team All-NCAC honoree a year ago, placed 11th to earn the third All-NCAC honor, including two second-team awards, in his collegiate career in the Red & White. (NCAC Men's Golf Press Release)

The WOMEN'S TENNIS team posted an overall record of 13-5, a regular season NCAC mark of 2-3 and a fifth-place finish at the conference tournament. Senior No. 1 singles and doubles player Emily Figel (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead) was named first-team All-NCAC for a fourth straight year in singles and second-team all-conference in doubles for a third straight year, this time with freshman Emily Okerson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson). Figel posted a 6-6 mark at the top singles position, while she and Okerson were 12-3 in doubles action.

In addition, senior Sarah Fassler (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) was selected second-team all-conference after finishing a an injury-riddled season with a 7-12 record at the No. 2 singles position. (NCAC Women's Tennis Press Release)

The MEN'S TENNIS team finished 12-9 overall on the season and 3-1 in the NCAC West Division, good for second place. In the NCAC Tournament, the Tigers landed in sixth place. Junior Shane Hutton (Charleston, W.Va./Central Catholic) earned honorable mention for his singles play at the No. 1 position and Hutton teamed up with junior Nick McLean (Port Clinton, Ohio/Port Clinton) to garner second-team all-conference honors as the Tigers' No. 1 double tandem. (NCAC Men's Tennis Press Release)

In WOMEN'S LACROSSE, the Tigers wound up with records of 6-8 overall and 2-4 in the NCAC. Four players earned All-NCAC awards, including second-team honorees Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), a senior attacker and the team's leading scorer (goals and assists combined) in three of her four seasons in the Red & White, and Melissa Jackson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), the team leader in goals with 31. Junior midfielder Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) and sophomore attacker Kari Thomas (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) claimed honorable mention honors. (NCAC Women's Lacrosse Press Release)

In SOFTBALL, Wittenberg finished fifth in the NCAC regular season with a 7-6 record and recorded a 2005 record of 11-24 overall. The Tigers placed three players on the All-NCAC first team - Zorn, senior pitcher/utility player Norah Gillam (Canfield, Ohio/Canfield) and sophomore catcher/designated player Erin Collinsworth (Springfield, Ohio/Catholic Central). It was Zorn's first appearance on the first team after taking second-team honors a year ago. Gillam is already recognized as one of the finest players in school and conference history after making the 20th Anniversary NCAC All-Decade Team last year, and she wrapped up her career with a fourth straight first-team honor. Collinsworth had a breakout year at the plate, hitting over .400 in conference action in 2005 en route to the first All-NCAC honor of her collegiate career.

In addition, freshman Sarah Fetters (Maumee, Ohio/Maumee) garnered All-NCAC mention for her play. She was the Tigers lone second-team choice. (NCAC Softball Press Release)

After posting records of 2-11 overall and 1-4 in the NCAC, good for fifth place, the Tiger MEN'S LACROSSE team placed eight players on the all-conference rolls, with five players making the second team and three more reaching honorable mention status.

Freshman Mike Coursault (St. Louis, Mo./C.B.C.), junior midfielder Cory Windle (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), sophomore attacker Adam Morrison (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson), junior long-stick middie Jonathan Smiley (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) and sophomore defender Brandon Schwind (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) earned second-team honors. Sophomore attacker Sammy Hong (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), junior defender Bryan Arnold (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) and senior defender Bill Fortune (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South) all garnered honorable mention status. (NCAC Men's Lacrosse Press Release)

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