Edmonds Wins Second Top Swimmer Award

SALEM, Va. --- Last season, Kim Edmonds shared the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's (ODAC) top swimming honor, but this year the accolade is all her own.  The Randolph-Macon Woman's College senior capped off her outstanding career with her second straight ODAC Swimmer of the Year award to headline the 2007 All-ODAC Swimming Team.

Randolph-Macon College mentor Dave Holland was named Coach of the Year, and Yellow Jacket freshman Marlene Graf earned the Rookie of the Year honor.  Washington & Lee's Amy Roberson was voted the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete, and Cortney Phillips of Hollins University was tabbed for the Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award.

Edmonds won three events at the 2007 ODAC/Atlantic States Swimming Championships held at Radford University.  She set a new ODAC record in the 200-yard breaststroke, winning in a time of 2:26.92.  She also won the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:08.60.  She had previously set the record in that event with a time of 1:06.29.  Edmonds' final victory came in the 200-yard individual medley.  She topped the rest of the field in 2:13.15.

Coach Holland led his Yellow Jackets to their first conference crown, breaking Washington & Lee's string of 13 straight ODAC titles.  This is the second top coaching honor for Holland, having won the award in 2003.  In six seasons at RMC, he has racked up a 46-16 overall record (.742) and a 24-5 ODAC mark (.828).  It is a bit deceiving when you read that he has only coached two women to ODAC swimmer of the year status, but 2006 graduate Erin Ewalt earned the honor four times under Holland's guise.  He has also coached two athletes to rookie of the year status.

Graf earned a pair of ODAC individual titles at mid-February's championships.  She topped the rest in the 500-yard freestyle in 5:18.68 on day one, and then followed on the second day with a 18:38.05 time to win the 1,650-yard freestyle.  She placed second in the 200-yard butterfly in a time of 2:17.55, just a quarter-second behind the W&L champion.  She also swam the final leg of the Jackets' winning 400-yard medley relay team (4:07.55).  Her split was nearly a half-second faster than any swimmer in the event.

Roberson boasts a 3.864 grade point average while double-majoring in psychology and sociology at Washington & Lee, and is a consistent member of the school's Dean's List and honor roll.  At the 2007 ODAC championships, Roberson finished third in the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.99), fourth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:03.94) and fifth in the 100-yard freestyle (57.16).  She was also a member of two winning relay teams.  She swam second leg in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:41.89) and in the third position in the 200-yard medley relay (1:53.38).

The Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award is named in honor of the former long-time Sweet Briar College mentor.  During her tenure, Kestner exhibited the ideals that best represent the notion and strong values of good sportsmanship that are inherent in NCAA Division III athletics.

Hollins' Phillips is the second recipient of the award.  She overcame physical adversity to return to the water this season.  Whether swimming or not, she consistently displayed a positive attitude toward her teammates.

Listed below is the entire 2007 All-ODAC Swimming Team.  For more information, please visit the individual schools or the ODAC online at www.odaconline.com.

2007 All-ODAC Swimming Team
Shafer Bush, Randolph-Macon
Amanda Depta, Randolph-Macon
Katie Duff, Randolph-Macon
Kim Edmonds, Randolph-Macon Woman's
Marlene Graf, Randolph-Macon
Hannah Hesser, Sweet Briar
Hayley Keenan, Randolph-Macon
Susan Mahoney, Washington & Lee
Maureen McLaughlin, Randolph-Macon
Julianne Miata, Washington & Lee
Aimee Powell, Randolph-Macon
Amy Roberson, Washington & Lee
Jessica Shaw, Washington & Lee
Sarah Simpson, Washington & Lee
Lindsey Strachan, Washington & Lee
Hallie Stewart, Randolph-Macon
Jenna Worsham, Washington & Lee

Swimmer of the Year
Kim Edmonds, Randolph-Macon Woman's College

Coach of the Year
Dave Holland, Randolph-Macon College

Rookie of the Year
Marlene Graf, Randolph-Macon College

ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete
Amy Roberson, Washington & Lee University

Bonnie Kestner Sportsmanship Award
Cortney Phillips, Hollins University