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.
The Jostens Trophy awards have long been coveted prizes in NCAA Division III men's and women's basketball by both student-athletes and their collegiate institutions. We are one step closer to learning who will lift the hardware in 2023 with the announcement of 20 finalists on Wednesday morning by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va.
Randolph-Macon saw its season come to a close on Friday evening with a 74-63 loss to Oswego State in the sectional round of the Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
Senior Miles Mallory (Beltsville, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) recorded his second straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Junior Daniel Mbangue (Fairfax, Va./Fairfax) led all scorers with 16 points, as the top-ranked Randolph-Macon men's basketball team defeated Scranton 63-41 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to extend its win streak to 27 games.
Junior Davidson Hubbard (Charlotte, NC) posted his 14th double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but Hampden-Sydney College dropped a 72-59 decision at home to Christopher Newport University in the second round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament on Saturday night in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House. Junior DJ Wright (Greensboro, GA) added 13 points for the Tigers, while classmate and team captain Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC) had 11 points and a game-high four assists. H-SC trailed 28-24 at halftime against the visiting Captains, who were led by Rodney Graves with a game-high 19 points off the bench, while Jahn Hines added 18 points and Trey Barber had a double-double with 15 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. CNU, ranked second nationally, improved to 26-3 and advances to next weekend's NCAA Sectionals. H-SC, ranked 20th nationally, completes its campaign with a final record of 22-7, its finest season in 10 years, while only its fourth 20-win season in 20 years.
Junior Adam Brazil (Mooresville, NC) scored 18 points, including the go-ahead three-point field goal with 2:55 remaining, to lead Hampden-Sydney College to a 63-59 home win past Emory (GA) University in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday night in S. Douglas Fleet Gymnasium at Kirby Field House. Senior Ryan Clements (Conyers, GA) added 14 points for the Tigers (22-6), while junior Davidson Hubbard (Charlotte, NC) had eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds. H-SC led 31-29 at halftime against the visiting Eagles (17-9), who were led by Benjamin Pearce with a game-high 19 points. The Tigers will play Christopher Newport University in the second round on Saturday night at 7:20 p.m. at Hampden-Sydney—the Captains (25-3) defeated Farmingdale State (NY) College 61-60 in the other first round game on Friday.
Senior Miles Mallory (Beltsville, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) recorded his 10th double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, and senior Josh Talbert (Virginia Beach, Va./Kellam) led all scorers with 15 points, as the top-ranked Randolph-Macon men's basketball team opened defense of its national championship with a 73-36 victory over Wilson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to extend its win streak to 26 games and break the NCAA Division III record for consecutive home victories with 63.
Four-time defending ODAC champion Randolph-Macon College begins the defense of its 2022 national title with a familiar face in the field as announced by the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship Committee on Monday afternoon. Hampden-Sydney College enters the field as an at-large pick and joins R-MC in hosting early round play in the 2023 NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship.
Randolph-Macon (27-1) is making its 19th overall appearance in the Division III postseason tournament, the most of any program in ODAC history. Hampden-Sydney (21-6) is in the field for the first time since 2013, increasing its overall involvement to 15 appearances.
Randolph-Macon College held off a hard charge from Guilford College in the second half to post a 61-48 victory in Salem on Sunday and collect the program's fourth straight ODAC men's basketball championship.
The Yellow Jackets (27-1), now tied with Hampden-Sydney College and Roanoke College at 10 men's basketball championships all-time, receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship set to begin next weekend. Announcement of the tournament's 64-team bracket is set for Monday, February 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.
Nationally second-ranked Randolph-Macon College saw athletes earn three special awards while #20 Hampden-Sydney College and Roanoke College tied for league-most with three all-conference honorees plus one special plaudit each to headline the 2022-23 All-ODAC Men's Basketball Awards.
Yellow Jackets forward Miles Mallory earned Kurt Axe Player of the Year laurels in addition to his second straight ODAC Defensive Player of the Year plaque. Teammate and first-year guard Jabril Robinson claimed ODAC Rookie of the Year recognition. Tigers mentor Caleb Kimbrough received Bob Johnson Coach of the Year accolades in a vote of his peers. Maroons guard/forward Kasey Draper garnered his second straight distinction as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year from the conference's athletic communications personnel.
Week 25 marks the largest report of the season with a full slate of spring sports joining basketball in the final week of "crossover season." Softball, women's lacrosse, and tennis honors its first athletes of the year with baseball and men's lacrosse continuing and basketball wrapping up its regular season with this week's ODAC Tournament beginning Monday evening.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, February 20, include (pictured top-bottom, left-right): Tyler Hadley from Lynchburg men's lacrosse, Caroline Kranich from Washington and Lee women's lacrosse, Robert DiSibio and Mary Schleusner from W&L men's and women's basketball, Evan Blair from W&L baseball, Taylor Sullivan from Averett softball, Allie Schab and Hudson Pokorny from W&L women's and men's lacrosse, Elizabeth Teefey from LYN women's tennis, Federico Maccari from Roanoke men's tennis, Gracie Dooley from LYN softball, and Ethan Currin from Hampden-Sydney baseball.
An early look at tiebreakers entering the final games of the regular season on Saturday left just a few positions up for grabs in the ODAC's 10-team field for the upcoming ODAC Men's Basketball Tournament. A trio of nationally ranked teams tops the field led by defending Division III champion and second-ranked Randolph-Macon College as the #1 seed.
The Yellow Jackets (16-0) have not lost an ODAC regular season conference game since falling at Guilford College on February 22, 2020, resulting in a string of 35 straight wins in one of the toughest conferences in Division III. Nationally 16th-ranked Hampden-Sydney College (14-2) enters as the second seed, while 14th-ranked Guilford (13-3) will play as the third seed.
The report for Week 24 closes the books on two of our sports -- swimming and wrestling. We are into crossover season now with baseball and men's lacrosse the first spring sports with multiple schools in action. Those sports join the second-to-last week of reporting for basketball today and indoor track & field on Tuesday.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, February 13, include (pictured left-right): CJ Berry from Randolph men's lacrosse, Josh Talbert and Catherine Kagey from Randolph-Macon men's and women's basketball, Carter Besz from Lynchburg men's lacrosse, and Kooper Anderson and Reilly Owen from Shenandoah baseball.
The crossover season is nearly upon us with spring sports getting ready to begin as a couple of winter sports wind down. Week 23 brough us within days of closing the first wrestling regular season since 1980 with its championship set for this coming Saturday at Shenandoah. Swimming will also compete for an ODAC trophy this week with four days of action in Greensboro. Men's and women's basketball is just a couple of weeks away from finalizing the league tables for ODAC Tournament qualification.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, February 6, include (pictured left-right): Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, Tyler Dearman from Guilford men's basketball, Dustin Smith from Roanoke wrestling, and Riley Corcoran from Bridgewater women's basketball.
The final report for ODAC swimming highlights Week 22 action as the conference's pool stars prepare for next week's ODAC Championships at the Greensboro Aquatic Center. Wrestling is also on tap for its final dual matches over the next several days with its first championship since 1980 less than two weeks away. ODAC basketball teams continue to post impressive results and position themselves both for ODAC Tournament seedings and possible NCAA at-large contention.
Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 30, include (pictured left-right): Catherine Kagey from Randolph-Macon women's basketball, Dalton Jobe from Washington and Lee men's swimming, Davidson Hubbard from Hampden-Sydney basketball, Mac Cafurello and Mahlic Sallah from Roanoke wrestling, and Savy Burroughs from Lynchburg women's swimming.
Week 21 of the 2022-23 season means we are just over two weeks away from our first winter championships with swimming and wrestling gearing up for their postseason events. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 23, include (pictured left-right): Anna Giannopoulou from Guilford women's basketball, Matt Fritz from Washington and Lee men's swimming, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Emily Fritz from R-MC women's swimming, and Cameron Blizzard and Ryan Luth from W&L wrestling.
All winter sports were active as the ODAC season reached week 20 for the 2022-23 academic calendar. League basketball teams will largely compete in conference play from here on out, while swimming, track & field, and wrestling squads begin their preparations with ODAC championship events drawing ever-closer. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 16, include (pictured left-right): Mary Schleusner from Washington and Lee women's basketball, Mahlic Sallah from Roanoke wrestling, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Sophia Rollo from W&L women's swimming, Colton Schnars from Lynchburg men's swimming, and Ryan Luth from W&L wrestling.
Swimming saw its first action of the 2023 calendar year in week 19 and joined basketball and wrestling as active sports. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 2, include (pictured left-right): Josh Wilson from Greensboro wrestling, Alex Turley from Averett wrestling, Ben Pastva from Randolph-Macon men's swimming, Lindsay Gauldin from Guilford women's basketball, Josh Talbert from R-MC men's basketball, and Katelyn Wiglesworth from Bridgewater women's swimming.
Week 18 kicks off the reporting season for the 2023 calendar year. All games and events in men's and women's basketball and wrestling over the past two weeks (12/19/22-1/1/23) feature for this set of honors. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, January 2, include (pictured left-right): Catherine Kagey from Randolph-Macon women's basketball, Jude Robson from Roanoke wrestling, Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, and Robert DiSibio from Washington and Lee men's basketball.
Week 16 marks the final ODAC weekly report of the 2022 calendar year with conference teams competing sporadically over the upcoming holiday season. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 19, include (pictured left-right): Omari DeVeaux from Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball, Kaden Bryan and Christian Johnson-Hunte from Shenandoah wrestling, and Lindsay Gauldin from Guilford women's basketball.
With the approach of the longer holiday season, swimming began its extended break following last week's events, leaving basketball and wrestling as featured sports in week 15. They did not disappoint ODAC fans with several strong outings. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 12, include (pictured left-right): Terese Greene from Shenandoah women's basketball, Billy Baldwin and Cole McCormick from Averett wrestling, and Amarion Wilson from Virginia Wesleyan men's basketball.
Week 14 featured a return to full competition following the holiday break and also begins the first report for indoor track & field, set for Tuesday afternoon. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, December 5, include (pictured left-right): Madisen Kimble from Shenandoah women's basketball, Mason Barrett from Averett wrestling, Miles Mallory from Randolph-Macon men's basketball, Katelyn Vieni from R-MC women's swimming, Cael Long from Virginia Wesleyan men's swimming, and Dylan Weaver from SU wrestling.
The Thanksgiving holiday limited competition to just men's and women's basketball for week 13, with ODAC student-athletes putting together some solid showings despite the lower number of games played. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, November 28, including (pictured left-right): Kylie Stark from Randolph women's basketball and Aviwe Mahlong from Eastern Mennonite men's basketball.
ODAC winter sport athletes continued their strong performances in week 12 with several records fall in swimming and excellent early season showings in basketball and wrestling. Those earning ODAC Athlete of the Week awards for Monday, November 21, including (pictured left-right): Jack D'Entremont and Mary Schleusner from Washington and Lee men's and women's basketball, Dalton Jobe from W&L men's swimming, Sean Hall from Roanoke wrestling, John Ryan Sedovy from W&L wrestling, and Brynn Martinson from W&L women's swimming.
Men's and women's basketball joins the ODAC weekly multi-sport report for the first time in week 11. All conference teams were in action with the season starting last Tuesday, joining wrestling and men's and women's swimming as active regular season sports. Those earning weekly honors for Tuesday, November 15, include (pictured, from left and top): Danny Bickey from Randolph men's basketball, Brynn Martinson and Dalton Jobe from Washington and Lee women's and men's swimming, Morgan Robinson from Roanoke wrestling, Rayshawn Dixon from Ferrum wrestling, and Kylie Stark from Randolph women's basketball.
The goal is to be the last team standing at the end of the season. That was reality for Randolph-Macon College in 2021-22 with the Yellow Jackets adding the Division III trophy to its third straight conference crown. The journey begins anew in a few days for each league squad with R-MC starting from the top as the headliner of the 2022-23 ODAC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll.
Randolph-Macon collected 142 points powered by 10 first place votes in the annual survey of the ODAC's head coaches. Roanoke College garnered the remaining three top nods on the way to 127 markers. Guilford College registered 115 tallies to sit third, while Virginia Wesleyan University (107), Hampden-Sydney College (103), and Washington and Lee University (102) each cracked the century mark.
Shenandoah University Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Bridget Lyons announced Monday the appointment of Nick Doyle as the Hornets new head men's basketball coach.
Recently crowned national champions Randolph-Macon College earned some additional hardware with the announcement of the end-of-season awards by D3hoops.com and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Yellow Jackets playmaker and four-time ODAC Player of the Year Buzz Anthony was named the D3hoops.com Division III Player of the Year and earned First Team All-America laurels from both outlets. Teammate and forward Miles Mallory garnered All-America Second Team Honors. R-MC head coach Josh Merkel received Division III Coach of the Year honors from both sources.
ODAC Announces Berkley and Jopson Award Winners
June 06, 2023Two 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.
