ODAC Players of the Week - Week 21

ODAC Players of the Week - Week 21

FOREST, Va. --- ODAC fans were treated to a full week of winter sports with basketball, indoor track and swimming in full swing. Those earning weekly honors include (pictured, top-to-bottom left-to-right): Mara Briggs from Roanoke indoor track, Donovan Fiore from Washington and Lee indoor track, Shamyra Wilkerson from Shenandoah indoor track, Daniel Spencer from Emory & Henry men's basketball, Molly Shephard from Lynchburg women's basketball, Jared Nickodem and Ashley Johnston from W&L swimming, and Coby Cockrell from Virginia Wesleyan indoor track.

Below are entries for all eight winners.  Click on the associated links to see that sport's weekly honor roll.

For more on ODAC athletics, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC's home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.  Don't forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook and follow @odacathletics on Twitter and Instagram.

ODAC Players of the Week

Thru Week Prior to: January 21, 2019

INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Coby Cockrell | Virginia Wesleyan | Fr.
Cockrell, a freshman from Gretna, Va., competed in two separate meets to cover participation in both indoor throwing events. At the Collegeville Classic hosted by Ursinus College, Cockrell finished fifth overall and second among NCAA Division III competitors in the shot put with a throw of 13.88 meters (45-6.50). That is the second longest throw in the ODAC this season. The previous day, Cockrell competed in the weight throw at the Dutchmen Invitational hosted by Lebanon Valley College. He finished second overall and tops among D-III athletes with a heave of 14.27 meters (46-10.00). That mark is #1 in the ODAC by more than two feet.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mara Briggs | Roanoke | Sr.
Briggs, a senior from Marion, Va., continued her move up the ODAC season charts at the Keydet Invitational. She finished fourth overall and first among NCAA Division III competition by a half-foot in the high jump in clearing 1.60 meters (5-3.00). That mark strengthens her hold on the top spot in the ODAC ranks and sits 31st in NCAA Division III.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Donovan Fiore | Washington and Lee | Jr.
Fiore, a junior from Gilbert, Ariz., put together a solid showing in two events at the Keydet Invitational hosted by VMI. Fiore was the top Division III finisher in the 200-meter dash, placing 14th overall out of 45 runners with a time of 0:22.38. That mark is ranked 28th in the country. For ODAC rankings, the conversion of his time to flat-track standards at 0:22.78 is the second-fastest this year. Fiore also competed in the 60-meter dash, finishing second among Division III competitors and 15th overall at 0:07.09. That mark ties his personal-best.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Shamyra Wilkerson | Shenandoah | Sr. | Sprints
Wilkerson, a senior from Manquin, Va., put together a strong performance at the Collegeville Classic with a pair of nationally ranked sprints. Wilkerson improved her 60-meter dash time to 0:07.95 by placing third in the event. That is the second-fastest time in the ODAC and ranks 33rd in NCAA Division III. Wilkerson was even better in the 200-meter dash, winning the event with an ODAC season-best time of 0:26.27. When that time is converted for track size for NCAA rankings, she sits 19th in the country at a converted time of 0:25.87.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Daniel Spencer | Emory & Henry | Jr. | Guard
Spencer, a junior from Concord, N.C., picks up his second weekly award of the season after leading Emory & Henry to a pair of ODAC wins to run the Wasps' unbeaten streak to three straight games. Spencer averaged 24.5 points on 18-of-32 shooting over the two contests. He chipped in 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists with five total steals and three total blocked shots. Spencer opened with 17 points, four rebounds, and six assists in a 76-56 triumph over Roanoke. He added three blocked shots and a pair of steals. He turned up his shooting efficiency in a 105-94 victory at Hampden-Sydney as he went 11-of-17 from the field including 6-of-9 from deep for 32 points. He pulled down nine rebound, dished out five assists, and came away with three steals. For the season, Spencer is fifth in the ODAC in scoring average (17.6) and third in overall points scored (316). He is third in steals (39) and fourth in field goals made (121-of-262).

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK
Jared Nickodem | Washington and Lee | Jr.
Nickodem, a junior from Jackson, Wis., competed in four total events in the Generals tri-meet victories over VMI (156-106) and Randolph (216-33). Nickodem won two individual events and finished third in one more while joining his teammates for a relay win. He claimed both the 100-yard and 200-yard butterfly events with ODAC top-five times. He won the 100-fly in 0:53.03 and the 200-fly in 1:55.81. He added a third-place showing in the 200-yard IM in 2:03.63. Nickodem and teammates Danny Lynch, Steven Warren, and Conner Van Vooren won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:36.07.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC SWIMMER OF THE WEEK

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK
Ashley Johnston | Washington and Lee | Jr.
Johnston, a junior from Gainesville, Ga., put together a trio of strong performances with two individual event victories in the Generals tri-meet victory over VMI (203-52) and Randolph (214-25). Johnston won both the 100-yard and 200-yard backstroke events with ODAC top-10 times. She posted a winning mark of 1:01.28 in the 100-back and 2:12.96 in the 200-back. Both times would rank ninth in the current conference listing. Johnston then swam the lead leg of the winning 200-yard medley relay, joining teammates Emily Hageboeck, Ali MacQueen, and Caroline Baber on a time of 1:49.32.

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC SWIMMER OF THE WEEK

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Molly Shephard | Lynchburg | Sr. | Forward
Shephard, a senior from Charlottesville, Va., put together of pair of strong performances to help Lynchburg to two ODAC victories last week. Shephard averaged 23.5 points and 16-of-27 (.593) from the field over the two outings, adding 8.5 boards, five total assists, and two total steals. She opened with 20 points and six rebounds in an 85-76 victory at Guilford. She was 7-of-13 from the field and 6-of-10 from the stripe. She added three assists and a blocked shot to her line. Shephard then went for 27 points and 11 rebounds for her seventh double-double of the season in a 77-68 win at Bridgewater. She was 9-of-14 from the field and drilled 9-of-11 charity tosses. She chipped in two assists and two steals to complete her ledger. For the season, Shephard is ninth in the ODAC in scoring average (15.0) and fourth in total points scored (270). She is sixth in rebounding average (8.7) and field goals made (101-of-193), seventh in field goal percentage (.523), and fourth in free throws made (65-of-100).

Click to learn more about the past week in ODAC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK