By: Matthew Florjancic ’07, Student Assistant
BEREA, OHIO — Fans of the 21 Baldwin-Wallace College teams, fans of the Yellow Jackets can bask in the glory of another successful year on the fields of competition.
B-W’s stellar crop of athletes rewrote many chapters in the Yellow Jacket record book. While they were not breaking records, these student-athletes posted statistics that earned them All-Conference, All-Region and All-American accolades.
The success of the 2004-2005 B-W athletics season is nothing new. The men’s athletic teams have earned the Ohio Athletic Conference All-Sports Trophy five times since 1961. The women’s teams have won 12 All-Sports Awards, including seven straight titles.
This year, the Yellow Jacket men’s teams placed third for the second straight season. B-W trailed Otterbein and Ohio Northern, who finished first and second respectively. It was a good year for the men’s teams as they brought one regular season championship (tennis) and two tournament crowns (basketball and tennis) home to Berea. They finished with a team total of 59.59 points, less than four points away from claiming the title.
The women’s athletic teams won their seventh consecutive award with a total of 65.25 points. The second place team, Otterbein, was nearly ten points behind the Jackets. From the 1991-1992 season to the present, there have been just two years in which the B-W women failed to win the All-Sports Trophy (1996-97 and 1997-98). Anchoring the women’s program were the indoor and outdoor track teams, who won both OAC meets, the basketball team, who won a share of the regular season title and claimed the Tournament crown, and the swimming and diving squad that won their second conference meet in the last four seasons.
As spring fades into summer, it is a time to reflect on some of the fantastic seniors leaving the Yellow Jacket program.
Each year, the college honors one male and female athlete as the winners of the "Outstanding Senior Athlete Award." This season, both athletes came from Winter sports teams. The "Outstanding Senior Male Athlete" was basketball player Thad Davis (Elyria/Open Door Christian). During his four years in the program, the Yellow Jackets went from 7-19 to 20-9. Davis retires as the second leading scorer in school history with 1921 points and the fourth leading rebounder with 986 boards. He also capped off a brilliant career with a school-record 190 blocks.
He was a three-year All-OAC pick, including a first-team selection as a junior and a senior. Davis was also a two-time National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Great Lakes Region choice, a seven-time Conference Player of the Week, a four-time All-Tournament team selection and the Most Valuable Player of the 2004 Hampden-Sydney (Va.) Tournament.
Davis was also the 2005 OAC Most Valuable Player and a second-team All-American performer. For his efforts on the court, Davis earned an invitation to the 2005 Black College All-Star Game at Gund Arena. The game features the 12 best players from Ohio Colleges and Universities versus the 12 best from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
The "Outstanding Senior Female Athlete Award" went to swimmer Kristen Showalter (Bowling Green/Senior). She is a 24-time All-OAC award winner, including seven conference titles in the 100-, 200- and 500-yardfreestyle events, as well as a 200-yard butterfly championship. She was a member of the 2003 400-yard relay team that won an OAC crown.
In addition to her titles, Showalter owns five school records in the100, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, as well as the 100- and 200-yard butterfly competitions.
Showalter got the job done in and out of the pool during her career. On campus, she was a resident assistant in the dorms, a student ambassador for the Alumni Office and a member of the Dean’s List. She also helped raise money for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation in 2003 and collected 410 pounds of food for the Cleveland Food Bank during the 2003-04 holiday season.
During her time on the Yellow Jacket roster, the women’s team won two OAC championships in 2002, the school’s first-ever women’s title, and 2004.
Each spring, two athletes, male and female, from every Ohio Athletic Conference school receive the Clyde Lamb Award. The award is in memory of Clyde Lamb, who served as a coach, teacher, athletics department chair and athletic director at Ohio Northern University from 1929 until his passing in 1969. To receive the award, an athlete has to: 1. Have played an OAC-sponsored sport for at least two years, 2. Be of senior standing, 3. Express a sportsmanlike attitude that brings honor to the athlete and his/her school, and 4. Have a minimum grade point average of 3.00.
This year, football player Justin Andes and volleyball player Laura Leach received the awards.
Andes (Canal Fulton/Canton Central Catholic) anchored one of the best defensive backfields in Division III during his four seasons in the Brown & Gold. He helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the second round of the 2003 NCAA Division III Football Playoffs. It was the first B-W appearance into the 28-team field since 1991, and the first time the Yellow Jackets won a playoff game since the 1978 National Championship season.
For his career, Andes appeared in 29 games, registering 73 solo and 50 assisted tackles. His 55 total tackles in 2004 were third on the time. Andes also recovered two fumbles and intercepted four passes. In the classroom, Andes, a biology major with a chemistry minor, carried a 3.79 grade point average. He was a member of the Dean’s List, a Presidential Scholarship recipient and a George Deuble Foundation Scholarship honoree. Andes was a member of the Dayton C. Miller Honor and Pre-med Societies. In 2004, he earned second-team Academic All-American honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. He was a two-time Academic All-OAC and three-time CoSIDA Academic All-District IV selection. In his spare time, Andes volunteers at Southwest General Hospital and Dance Marathon, an event on the B-W campus that helps raise money for the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Leach, a middle blocker on the Yellow Jacket volleyball team, has led B-W to back-to-back appearances in the Championship Match of the OAC Tournament. The Jackets have participated in the last seven tournaments. Leach (Norwalk/Senior) was a four-year mainstay on the varsity. She was a 2004 honorable mention All-American and All-Great Lakes Region choice. In addition to those honors, Leach was a first-team All-OAC pick and the team’s Most Valuable Player. In 2001, Leach was the team Rookie of the Year. She ranks second in OAC and B-W history with 629 kills in one season. She is fourth on the school’s all-time kills list (1,340) and third in blocks (150). Leach was a four-time selection to the OAC All-Tournament Team and part of two regular season championships. Off the court, Leach has been just as effective. She carried a 3.77 grade point average as a business administration/political science double major. Leach is a member of the Dean’s List, Alpha Lambda, the freshman honorary, Pi Gamma Mu, Pi Sigma Alpha, the Business Honor Society, the Student Athlete Advisory Council and the Dayton C. Miller Honor Society. In 2004, Leach was a CoSIDA Academic All-District IV third-team selection. Leach was also a two-time Academic All-OAC performer.
FALL 2004:
In 2004, the volleyball team posted a 22-13 record and were 7-2 in the OAC. B-W finished second in both the regular season and conference tournament. Head Coach Vicki Brault reached two important milestones during the season. She earned her 200th victory at B-W and was named the OAC Coach of the Year. In addition to Brault’s success, Leach, Emily Albanese (Mentor), and Kim Stoll (Norwalk/St. Paul) made All-OAC teams. Kelsey Hills (Toledo/St. Ursula Academy) garnered Co-Freshman of the Year accolades. Stoll, who set a record for digs in a season during her freshman year, reset the record with a total of 859 digs.
The men’s soccer team had a record-setting season. The Jackets finished 14-5-1 overall, 5-3-1 in the OAC. The 5-3-1 conference mark earned B-W its first-ever trip to the OAC Tournament. They also had 10 straight wins at midseason and 10 victories away from the Magic Carpet of Finnie Stadium. B-W set records in total wins (14), consecutive wins (10), road victories (10), and tied the mark for conference wins in a season (5). Individually, the Yellow Jackets were led by freshman Brian Sugerman (Akron/ Revere) with 23 points and 11 goals. Junior goalie Nate Christian (North Ridgeville) tied the single-season shutout record with eight. His 16 career shutouts are also a school record. The Jackets had two players, Christian and midfielder Louie Rolko (Hudson) make the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All-Great Lakes Region team. Sophomore defender Tom Ehrnfelt (Strongsville) was named a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-District IV player. Christian, Sugarman, Ehrnfelt, and Rolko earned All-OAC honors.
The women’s soccer team went 10-9-1 in 2004, including a 2-7 conference record. B-W won its first six games of the season, which included two tournament victories, one at the Penn State-Behrend Tournament and the other at the Waynesburg (Pa.) Tourney. The Yellow Jackets were led by All-OAC forward Jenny Miller (North Ridgeville) with 12 goals and 29 points. Miller and sophomore Emily Lawrentz (Mansfield/ Ashland Crestview) were named to the Academic All-District IV squad. Lawrentz, Emily Roll (Dover) and Kristi Michaels (Aurora) made the Academic All-OAC team.
The football team can be described by many words: consistent, hard working, and competitive. However, one word that should always be on the minds of those talking about Yellow Jacket football is tradition. For 38 straight seasons, the B-W football team has had a better than .500 record, meaning their last season at or below the .500 mark was 1966. Since that time, B-W has earned one national championship, nine OAC crowns and six NCAA Division III Playoff appearances.
This season started with the replacement of record-setting players like quarterback Dan Larlham, running back Mark Anders, and All-American safety Greg Koch, among others. B-W started off the season 6-0 but fell on hard times after dropping a home game to Capital University. The Yellow Jackets ended the 2004 campaign with a 6-4 overall, 5-4 OAC record. Despite the team struggles, the team had many bright spots. The Yellow Jackets won the first six games of the season behind the strong running of sophomore back Brandon Hedges (Oregon/ Clay). He led the team and the OAC with 1,162 yards rushing on a school record 225 carries. Hedges also led the league in points per game (7.8) and tied for first in total points (78), on his way to being named to the All-OAC first-team.
The Jacket defense was anchored by junior middle linebacker Joe George (Massillon/ Perry). George finished the season with 87 total tackles. Joining George on defense was third-team All-North Region defensive end Ryan Lewis (Holland/ Springfield). One of the brightest spots on the team came from special teams, more specifically the punter, freshman Kevin Soflkiancs (Middleburg Heights/ Midpark). Not only did he serve as the punter, he doubled as the kicker on kickoffs. Solfkiancs set Finnie Stadium, single-game and single-season records for highest punting average. He was a first-team Football Gazette All-North Region and d3football.com first-team All-American selection. In addition to those honors, Solfkiancs was the recipient of the Football Gazette Special Teams Player of the Year award. In addition to these amazing statistics and athletes, the Yellow Jackets had ten players make All-OAC and 11 chosen to the Academic All-OAC squads.
George, Andes, along with seniors Aaron Redd and Tom Kovacevich were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV team.
The men’s and women’s cross country teams made an impact in the OAC and the Great Lakes Region. The men’s team won two Invitationals this past season. In addition to the titles, the Jackets placed fifth at the OAC Championships and were among the top 20 schools in the region. The women’s team placed second in four Invitationals last fall. They placed third in the OAC and eighth in the Great Lakes Region.
WINTER 2004-2005:
For several years, the B-W women’s basketball team has been a dominant force in the OAC and all of Division III. This season was no different. Head Coach Cheri Harrer and the Yellow Jackets were co-regular season OAC champions and went through the defending National Champion, Wilmington College, to win their third conference tournament in seven years. By winning the conference, they earned an automatic bid into the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
It was a memorable year for Coach Harrer, not only because of the championships. She reached the 300-win plateau as a coach. Nikki Altenweg (Perry) and Michelle White (Hudson) were named to the Academic All-OAC team. Altenweg, White, Cara Shiplett (Canal Fulton/ Northwest) and Jenn Neal (Mentor) were named to the All-OAC teams. Shiplett, who averaged better than ten points per game, was named the OAC Freshman of the Year.
The men’s basketball team came into this season as the team to beat in the OAC. The Jackets started off well by winning the Gettysburg (Pa.) Days Inn Tip-Off Tournament and the Weenie Miller Holiday Hoops Tournament in Hampden-Sydney, Va. However, with a little more than a month left in the regular season, the wheels seemed to come off for B-W. After beating rival John Carroll for the first time in nearly four years, the Jackets lost five of their last six regular season games.
The Jackets went into the OAC Tournament as the six-seed, meaning they would have to play all of their games on the road. They drew Otterbein in the first round and travelled down to Westerville, a place where the Jackets had not won since their last OAC Tourney title in 1998. The Jackets disposed of the Cardinals in overtime and moved on to the OAC "Final Four." After handling Mount Union in the semifinals, B-W earned a rematch with their crosstown rival John Carroll. When the final buzzer
sounded, the Jackets claimed an 82-77 win, the conference tournament championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III National Tournament.
It is the only time in the history of the OAC where the men’s and women’s basketball teams from the same school won the conference tournament in the same year.
The Jackets were led by the Davis brothers, Thad and Tori, who were All-Great Lakes Region stars. These outstanding athletes and their teammates helped B-W break fifteen school and conference records. Among those were senior point guard Tom Harrington’s (North Royalton/ Parma Heights Holy Name), single-season assist record and Tori Davis’ most blocked shots in a single-season. The team set several marks including the most points in a game (131), most assists in a game (38) and highest field goal percentage in a game (69.9 percent), all of which came against Marietta College on January 29.
Thad and Tori Davis, along with Harrington, were All-OAC choices. Harrington earned Academic All-OAC accolades and was one of only three Division III athletes nominated for the 2005 Bob Cousy/ESPN Collegiate Point Guard of the Year Award.
The women’s swimming and diving team capped off a 6-6 overall, 4-0 conference season with their second OAC Championship in the last four years. Sophomore diver Julie Stancliff (Erie, Pa./McDowell) won the one- and three-meter dives for the second straight year, en route to her second consecutive OAC Women’s Diver of the Year Award. Head Coach Mike Gallagher was named the OAC Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year.
In addition to these accomplishments, Sara Gombash (Perrysburg/ Notre Dame) successfully defended her 100- and 200-yard butterfly championships and beat her own record in the 200. The women’s team had six swimmers selected to At-Large Academic All-OAC teams: Gombash, Showalter, Stancliff, Mary Dye (Twinsburg/Senior), Emily Wood (Carrollton), and Lisa Fox (Copley).
The men’s swimming and diving team finished the regular season 7-5 overall, 3-1 in the OAC. They placed second at the OAC Championships in 2005. Sophomore Luke Grilli (Londonderry, N.H.) won the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.51 seconds. Sophomore Alex de la Pena (Elyria/ Catholic) was named to the honorable mention At-Large Academic All-OAC team.
The women’s indoor track team won four tournaments during the season, including the OAC Championship. Sophomore sprinter and long jump participant Kara Weaver (Myrtle Creek, Oregon/South Umpqua) qualified for the National Meet and earned Division III All-American honors with her eighth place finish in the long jump.
The men’s outdoor track team won the Case Western Reserve University Meet in January and placed seventh at the OAC Meet. Three B-W men received All-OAC honors for their efforts at the indoor meet. Senior Eric Schmuhl (Medina/Senior) placed third in the 55-meter hurdles, freshman Ian Michalik (Sandusky/ Perkins) placed third in the 5000-meter run, and sophomore Nile Smith (Orrville/Millersburg West Holmes) earned third place in the 400-meter dash.
The Yellow Jacket wrestling team was hampered by injuries for the majority of the 2004-2005 season. They were forced to have several underclassmen wrestle on the varsity without much time to adjust to the college level. As a team, the Jackets finished 8-16 overall, 3-3 in dual matches. At the OAC Tournament in Wilmington, B-W placed fourth out of seven teams.
The Jackets did qualify two wrestlers for the National Tournament, senior 165-pounder Joe Heiland (Shelby) and junior 197-pound grappler Devin Carman (Ashtabula/Geneva). These two outstanding athletes represented B-W well at the tournament, held at St. Olaf’s (Minn.) College. Carman earned Division III All-American honors by placing eighth in the tournament.
SPRING 2005:
The women’s track team started their campaign at the Disney Relays in Orlando, Florida. Throughout its season, the Yellow Jackets won three meet championships, including the OAC outdoor track championship. The Jackets qualified two athletes, Weaver in the long jump and freshman
Kristen Paulsen (Oberlin/ Firelands) in the seven-event women’s heptathlon to the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet at Wartburg, Iowa College in Waverly, Iowa. At the national meet, Weaver placed ninth and Paulsen was 13th.
At the OAC Championship Meet, B-W had 20 All-OAC performers to go with its 16th OAC title in the past 18 years. In addition, three competitors earned Academic All-OAC honors. Junior sprinter Mary Griglak (Berea/Lutheran West) and senior distance ace and OAC 10,000-meter champion Jamie Luketic (Rootstown) each earned first-team honors and junior sprinter Liz Redd (Canton/ Glenoak) earned honorable mention accolades.
The B-W men’s tennis team has been a dominant force in the OAC for the past several years. Last spring, the Yellow Jackets had the OAC’s first-ever unbeaten season at 22-0 overall enroute to the OAC regular season and OAC Tournament titles. This year was much the same as B-W finished 23-2 overall to set a single-season school-record for wins and was 9-0 and again won the OAC regular season title. The Yellow Jackets then beat Capital (4-0), Mount Union (4-1) and Otterbein (4-0) enroute to their second straight OAC Tournament championship.
Individually, senior Mike Wagner (Avon Lake) set the school record for career singles wins with 79 and finished 79-10 overall. Freshman James Daly (Akron/ Firestone) set single-season records for singles wins (29), doubles wins (26), and combined wins (55). Senior doubles specialist Adam Slabodnick (Ashland/ Senior) set the career record for doubles wins with 66. The Jackets have won 18 straight home matches.
The B-W program says good-bye to five seniors who have compiled some amazing statistics as individuals. Wagner, Slabodnick, Ward Crane (Hudson/Western Reserve Academy), Derek Sloan (Bellevue/Senior), and Matt Seitz (Olmsted Falls) combined for 471 victories against 136 losses. In singles play, this group is a combined 258-60 and in doubles action, they are 213-76. They were also architects of a school and conference record 34-match winning streak.
For their efforts, junior Brandon May (New Philadelphia), Daly, Crane and Wagner were selected to All-OAC teams. Wagner, for the second straight year, was the Mark Lenssen OAC Men’s Tennis Player of the Year. Crane and sophomore Ryan McCartney (Lorain/Admiral King) were named to the At-Large Academic All-OAC team.
The women’s golf team narrowly missed winning their third consecutive OAC Championship when they lost to Otterbein. The Jackets had two golfers make the All-OAC team. Freshman Molly Scheetz (Canton/Perry) placed third, while sophomore Sarah Hacker (New Albany, Indiana/Our Lady of Providence) finished the tournament in a fifth place tie.
The Yellow Jacket men’s golf team started their season out with a dual in the desert of Phoenix, Arizona against Central College (Iowa). As the season went on, B-W showed solid improvement in their game. At the conference tournament in Coshocton, the Jackets finished second out of nine teams. The B-W attack was anchored by junior Bobby Santerre (Cincinnati/ La Salle), senior Charles Scarbrough II (Warren/ Howland) and junior Aaron Cuddy (Ashtabula/Sts. John and Paul), who finished second, ninth, and tenth respectively.
Cuddy, along with junior Steve Porter (Massillon/Perry), made the honorable mention At-Large Academic All-OAC team.
The B-W women’s tennis team had a record-breaking season in 2005. The Jackets went 19-6 overall, a single-season wins record. They broke the old mark of 15, set in 1999. Sophomore first singles player Andrea Isaac (New Philadelphia) set the single-season record for wins with 22. She, along with freshman Meggie Glassburn (Canton/Jackson), set a school record with 22 doubles wins. Glassburn was a part of 23 doubles victories, also a school record. Nineteen-year head coach Jack Bethlenfalvy won his 200th career match when the Yellow Jackets defeated the Case Western Reserve University Spartans 8-1 on April 4.
For their efforts, Isaac, Glassburn, freshman Tiffany Allison (Chagrin Falls/ Kenston), and junior Ashley Sanders (North Canton/ Louisville St. Thomas Aquinas) were selected to All-OAC teams. Isaac was an honorable mention At-Large Academic All-OAC choice.
The men’s track team completed their 2005 season with a second place finish in the OAC Northern Split Meet and a sixth place showing at the OAC Championships in Alliance. Individually, the Jackets qualified three athletes for the National Championship Meet in Iowa. Senior Jon Shoffstall (Lakeville/Indian Lake) placed 13th in the country in the discus and 14th overall in the hammer throw. Schmuhl, who was an indoor All-OAC selection, finished sixth in his heat in the 110-meter hurdles. It was his second trip to the National Meet.
Freshman Jim Roy (West Simsbury, Conn.) earned All-American honors by placing third in the javelin throw. Roy’s throw of 204’6" was a personal record and the best toss of any freshman in the finals.
For his efforts on and off the track, Shoffstall was an ESPN THE MAGAZINE first-team Academic All-District IV selection. He carried a 3.8 grade point average in the classroom.
The B-W baseball team finished their campaign with an 18-12 overall, 10-8 conference record. The Jackets tied for fifth in the OAC, one spot away from getting into the OAC Tournament. One of the biggest highlights of the season was when senior pitcher Aaron Krieger (Bellfontaine) tossed a no-hitter in game one of an OAC doubleheader against the Ohio Northern Polar Bears. For the first time in nearly three years, the Jackets recorded a win against perennial OAC and national power, Marietta College. It took place on the day that B-W recognized the 1985 OAC Championship squad.
Senior pitcher/third baseman Mike Turchan (Mayfield) led the team in hitting (.392 batting average), runs scored (29), base hits (38), home runs (nine) and slugging percentage (.742). For his efforts, Turchan
earned first-team All-OAC honors. Junior outfielder Dan Melito (Massillon/Washington) was selected to the second-team, and junior outfielder Mike Farrell (Wickliffe) received honorable mention status.
Turchan, along with senior catcher Adam Pajakowski (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph’s) and junior second baseman Kevin Brown (Cuyahoga Falls), represented B-W on the Academic All-OAC team. Turchan earned second-team Academic All-American honors from ESPN THE MAGAZINE.
The B-W softball team ended their season with a 14-18 overall, 7-9 conference record. One of the biggest highlights for the season came when senior K.C. Young (Olmsted Twp./Olmsted Falls) pitched a perfect game against Wilmington College on Senior Day.
Junior catcher Nicole Loudin (Sheffield Lake/Elyria Catholic) and senior pitcher Jeanette Brezina (Parma Hts./Valley Forge) were second-team All-OAC choices. Loudin and Young made the Academic All-OAC first-team. Young was also a first-team Academic All-District IV performer.
As the spring turns into summer, the B-W athletic program will look to add student-athletes to an already talented arsenal of players. The women’s teams will look to earn their 13th overall OAC All-Sports Trophy, while the men seek their first OAC All-Sports Championship since the 1989-1990 season. Like all good athletic programs, B-W will not rebuild, they will reload!
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