Generals Sweep Jopson & Berkley Awards
Van Devender Wins Berkley, St. John Tabbed for
Jopson
SALEM, Va. --- A pair of Washington and
Lee University student-athletes were honored with the league's
highest honors on Thursday afternoon at the annual Old Dominion
Athletic Conference (ODAC) Board of Directors meetings. Anne
Van Devender, a senior women's soccer standout, was awarded the
2009 Marjorie Berkley Scholar-Athlete Award as the top female
student-athlete in the conference. Fellow classmate and men's
lacrosse star, Harry St. John, garnered the 2009 Harry G. "Doc"
Jopson Scholar-Athlete Award as the league's top male
student-athlete.
Inaugurated in 1984 and 1981, respectively, the Marjorie Berkley
and Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Scholar-Athlete Awards are given each May
to member college seniors and conference sport participants who
exhibit the highest athletic, academic, and extracurricular
achievements. Ms. Berkley began her collegiate teaching
career at Lynchburg College. Several years later after
leaving Lynchburg, Ms. Berkley moved to Hollins University where
she coached tennis, field hockey and soccer, and served as the
athletic director for 30 years. The Jopson Award is named for
the Bridgewater College professor and coach who retired in 1981
following 45 years at the college. Dr. Jopson, who initiated and
directed the Eagles' cross country and track programs, led his
teams to ODAC indoor track titles in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and
outdoor crowns in 1978 through 1981.
Van Devender made the most of her time in Lexington. The
Jackson, Mississippi-native created her own major in Computer
Science with a concentration in Women's Studies. She is a
member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership)
national honor societies, and is one of 29 female recipients across
all divisions to receive a NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship.
She was named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-America First
Team and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA)
Scholar All-America Second Team in 2008. She was also tabbed
as the 2008 ODAC/Farm Bureau Women's Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the
Year, and has been honored as a Washington and Lee Scholar-Athlete
each of the past four years.
On the field, Van Devender was a four-year letterwinner and a team
captain for the W&L women's soccer team. She led the squad and
finished fourth in the ODAC in scoring during the 2008 season with
45 points on 17 goals and 11 assists. Van Devender was crowned the
2007 ODAC Player of the Year and the Virginia Sports Information
Directors (VASID) College Division Player of the Year. She
was a NSCAA All-American in 2007 and 2008. She finished her
career ranked second all-time at W&L in career goals (64),
career assists (33) and career points (161). She was a three-time
First Team All-ODAC honoree and the first two-time All-American in
program history.
"Anne is undoubtedly one of the best players in our program's
history, as well as in the conference and in the region," explained
Washington and Lee Athletic Director, Jan Hathorn, in a written
statement. "When you watch Anne play, you see a determined,
focused and prepared leader and athlete." Concerning Van
Devender's academic prowess, Hathorn adds that Van Devender
"created her own major after discovering a love for computer
science. In typical fashion, she has excelled in this major
and her other studies." "Simply stated, Anne is the
quintessential student-athlete."
A native of Essex Fells, New Jersey, St. John helped lead the
Generals on and off the field throughout his four year collegiate
tenure. A former member of the All-ODAC Academic Team and a
four-year Washington and Lee Scholar-Athlete, St. John earned the
2009 ODAC/Farm Bureau Men's Lacrosse Scholar-Athlete of the Year
award in a vote of the league's sports information directors.
The political science-major was also recently named to the 2009
USILA Scholar All-America Team. St. John is involved in the
Campus Community Coalition to help protect the Lexington community,
and is a team captain of the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, whose
goals are to improve the quality of life for children suffering
from pediatric brain tumors and help fund research. St. John
will also become an active board member of the Timothy C.
McWilliams, Jr. Foundation, which is dedicated to helping victims
of traumatic brain injury.
On the field, St. John earned First Team All-ODAC honors for the
second-straight season and was also named the ODAC Lacrosse Player
and Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009. A Second Team All-ODAC
honoree his first two seasons and a USILA Honorable Mention
All-American in 2008, St. John played in 16 games this spring and
finished fifth on the team in scoring with 37 points (28 G, 9 A).
St. John finished tied for 20th on the W&L career scoring list
with 144 points on 104 goals and 40 assists. His 104 goals also
rank ninth on the all-time goals list.
"Harry is an outstanding young man who is a leader on and off the
field," explained Hathorn. "In particular, Harry's lacrosse
ability has played an integral role in the revitalization of our
men's lacrosse team. His work ethic, leadership, attitude and
commitment to his teammates have proven to be a catalyst in the
success of our program."
Sport by Sport History of Winners
2003-04 Individual Sport Scholar Athlete Award Winners
2004-05 Individual Sport Scholar Athlete Award Winners
2005-06 Individual Sport Scholar Athlete Award Winners
2006-07 Individual Sport Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
