W&L's Muneses, RC's Draper Collect Conference's Highest Honors

FOREST, Va. --- Two schools added to their ODAC histories of high honors on Tuesday afternoon with the announcement of the Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Awards following a vote of the ODAC Board of Directors. Washington and Lee University field hockey standout Tess Muneses and Roanoke College basketball star Kasey Draper collected this year's high honors.

Muneses increases W&L's record-high number of Berkley Award winners to 13 overall as she is the third General to garner the award in the last four years. Draper is the second recipient of the Jopson Award in Roanoke history, joining Brandon Ketron's recognition from the 2011-12 campaign.

Inaugurated in 1984 and 1981, respectively, the Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Scholar-Athlete Awards are given each spring to member institution seniors and conference sport participants who exhibit the highest athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements. Ms. Berkley began her collegiate teaching career at then Lynchburg College. Several years later, she 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 in honor of the Bridgewater College professor and coach who retired in 1981 following 45 years at BC. Dr. Jopson, who initiated and directed the Eagles' cross country and track & field programs, led his teams to ODAC indoor track & field titles in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and outdoor crowns from 1978 through 1981.

RELATED: Berkley and Jopson Award History

"The real quality of college sports is not in the games we win but in the people we become. There’s a reason student athletes are so successful academically and professionally.," explained Muneses in a written statement as part of her nomination for the Berkley Award. "After graduation, I’m leaving behind my days on the field but leaving with an amazing network of successful women and skills I will use throughout my professional experiences to come."

Muneses is no stranger to major honors. The Howard County, Md., native earned the Washington and Lee William McHenry Women's Sport Scholar-Athlete Award as the top academic honor for W&L athletics. A double-major in mathematics and economics, Muneses won the Elizabeth B. Garrett Scholarship from Washington and Lee, one of just two awarded in 2022.

A member of the Omicron Delta Epsilon international economics honor society, Muneses maintained a 3.937 grade point average. She was an eight-time W&L Scholar-Athlete and four-time honoree by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) as a Scholar-Athlete of Distinction. She will soon earn a fourth ODAC All-Academic Team nod to go with three W&L Presidents List selections, a College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honor, and the 2023 ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award for field hockey.

Around campus and in her various communities, Muneses is an active figure. She is a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, serving as Vice President for Recruitment as well as Vice President of Operations for W&L's Panhellenic Council. Muneses was a peer mentor in both economics and microeconomics. She was treasurer for W&L's "Fancy Dress" traditional event, a member of the W&L Compost Crew, and a Campus Kitchen volunteer.

Muneses also has experience within her desired fields. She interned with PPM America in its risk management department in 2022. She also interned with Baltimore Gas & Electric where she helped develop a forecasting tool for the outdoor lighting department.

"Tess's outstanding field hockey career and exceptional academic performance reflect her hard work, dedication, and leadership," expressed Gina Wills, head coach for Washington and Lee field hockey. "Her contributions and impact are meaningful and long-lasting, extending beyond this program throughout her activities and interactions. We are proud of her and her many accomplishments."

On the field, Muneses is a four-time All-ODAC honoree including three All-ODAC First Team nods and a selection as the 2022 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year. She was a NFHCA First Team All-American each of the past two years and a Synapse Sports Second Team All-American this past season. Muneses graduated as the all-time assists leader at W&L with 27. The Generals' midfielder is seventh in career points with 89, having started all 67 games played over her four-year career. Muneses helped Washington and Lee field hockey to a pair of NCAA Tournament second round appearances and the two best seasons by win total in program history with records of 17-3 in 2022 and 18-1 in 2021.

"In my experience, it wasn’t how my athletic career impacted my academic career, it was more about how the two coincided because I cared about and prioritized them equally, so the two bounced off one another and shaped me into the person I am today," explained Draper in a written statement as part of his nomination for the Jopson Award.

Draper has experience with multi-tiered awards. Earlier this season, the Roanoke-native was one of 10 finalists for the men's Jostens Trophy, an award developed by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., with Jostens Inc. that honors the top men's and women's basketball scholar-athletes in Division III.

Roanoke's Class of 2023 Valedictorian earned numerous honors in his pursuit of a business administration degree with a concentration in marketing and a minor in Spanish. He received the Powell Scholarship Award for Business as well as the Dr. William A. Sandridge Leadership Award, John Todd Faw Memorial Award, and Business Advisory Board Award as major honors from Roanoke College. He is a two-time ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's basketball in addition to two selections to the CSC Academic All-America First Team. He will soon earn his fourth appointment to the ODAC All-Academic Team to go with eight semesters of Roanoke President's List achievements.

Draper maintained a 4.00 grade point average in his classroom work. He is a member of numerous honor societies including Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership), Alpha Lambda Delta (first-year academic excellence), Delta Mu Delta (business), Xi Theta Chi (languages, cultures, and civilizations), and Sigma Delta Pi (Hispanic).

Campus and community activity is a central focus for Draper, evidenced by earning Roanoke's Paul W. Rice Award presented to the senior student-athlete who has made significant contributions to campus life. He is a founder and leader with Young Life, a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school, and college students around the world. He has served as a Maroon Ambassador, member of the Student President Search Committee, and as a program mentor for "Joy of Reading" at West Salem Elementary. He has been a guest speaker at Northside High School and a volunteer and guest speaker at Exercise Skill Development Camp. He has helped with Appalachian Outreach Missionary and Habitat for Humanity RC Home Construction.

"Kasey is the consummate student-athlete," expressed Clay Nunley, head coach for Roanoke men's basketball. "For four years, he applied himself as a person, a student, and a basketball player to the very best of his abilities. His outstanding and unique accomplishments are a testament to that. Kasey is an impactful leader and a person of uncompromising character and integrity. He was a privilege to coach and leaves Roanoke with a remarkable career of which to be proud."

On the basketball court, Draper was a three-time All-ODAC First Team selection and two-time honoree as the Roanoke College Male Athlete of the Year. He was a three-year captain for the Maroons and earned multiple tournament honors including MVP laurels at the 2022 Cregger Tip-Off and Dick Leftwich tournaments. Draper graduated having scored 1,521 points with 543 rebounds and 117 assists in four seasons covering 92 games with 84 starts. He averaged double figures in points in each season highlighted by 20.5 points per game and 554 total points in 2021-22, both second in the conference.

2023 Marjorie Berkley Award Nominees

• Elizabeth Peasley, Averett University (lacrosse)
• Savannah Scott, Bridgewater College (golf)
• Rebecca Boone, Eastern Mennonite University (softball)
• Lyndsey Sears, Ferrum College (softball)
• Grace Calus, Guilford College (softball)
• Alla Daniel, University of Lynchburg (lacrosse)
• Tomi-Lauren McGinnis, Randolph College (volleyball)
• Kelsey Jones, Shenandoah University (field hockey)
• Ruth de Souza, Sweet Briar College (tennis)
• Tess Muneses, Washington and Lee University (field hockey)

2023 Harry G. "Doc" Jopson Award Nominees

• Alex Turley, Averett University (wrestling)
• Jeffrey Snider, Bridgewater College (baseball)
• Jansen Miller, Eastern Mennonite University (cross country, track & field)
• Julius Burch, Guilford College (basketball)
• Nick Morgan, Hampden-Sydney College (lacrosse)
• Carter Averette, University of Lynchburg (soccer)
• Kasey Draper, Roanoke College (basketball)
• Mitchell Salvino, Washington and Lee University (baseball)