VWC's Leedom Top Rookie, R-MC's Kutcher Scholar-Athlete

SALEM, Va. --- Bridgewater College senior Marsha Hermes and Eagles' head coach Mary Frances Heishman earned the ODAC's Player of the Year and Coach of the Year awards in the annual All-ODAC volleyball voting.  Virginia Wesleyan College's Rebecca Leedom won the sport's Rookie of the Year award, and Randolph-Macon College's Michelle Kutcher was tabbed as the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year.  Randolph College earned the Team Sportsmanship Award.

Hermes, an outside hitter, led the Eagles to a 31-2 record, 10-0 in ODAC regular season play.  The Eagles entered the ODAC tournament as the #1 seed and made their way to the championship match, but were defeated by Washington & Lee University, 3-0.  Hermes finished at or near the top of the conference in several categories including hitting percentage (.335), kills (478) and kills per game (4.39).  She adds this season's All-ODAC first team selection to the one she earned last year.

Heishman enjoys her seventh ODAC top coaching honor, having last won the award in 1996.  Her Eagles carried a 25-match winning streak into the ODAC championship match, the longest of the season at that point.   Over that stretch, Bridgewater won 75 out of 83 games played as the Eagles went to five games only once (9/21 vs. Southern Virginia).

Leedom, an outside hitter, came on strong in her first season as a Marlin.  She finished the year with 331 kills in 119 games (2.78 per game) while picking up 427 digs (3.59 per game), tops on the team.

Kutcher, a defensive specialist and libero, led the Yellow Jackets with 379 digs, good enough for 4.61 per game.  She already holds the R-MC career and single-season digs records.  A senior accounting major, Kutcher boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade point average.  She is the second straight Yellow Jacket to win volleyball's scholar-athlete award.  Former teammate Mollee Farrell earned the honor last season.

Below is the entire list of the 2007 ODAC Volleyball All-Conference teams.

2007 All-ODAC Volleyball Teams
All-ODAC First Team
Erika Dirnagl, Bridgewater
Marsha Hermes, Bridgewater
Grace Geralds, Virginia Wesleyan
Laura Maurer, Washington & Lee
Rachael Phillips, Washington & Lee
Jessica Ulrich, Washington & Lee
Savannah Tinsley, Lynchburg (Libero)

All-ODAC Second Team
Tricia Davis, Bridgewater
Joanna McGrath, Emory & Henry
Katie Warlick, Lynchburg
April Hines, Randolph-Macon
Jenna Burnop, Roanoke
Debbie Sterne, Virginia Wesleyan
Jess Hudock, Washington & Lee
Twyla Sessor, Emory & Henry (Libero)

All-ODAC Honorable Mention
Megan Good, Eastern Mennonite
Anna Miller, Guilford
Dara Sandifer, Lynchburg
Caroline English, Randolph
Torri Bridge, Roanoke
Lara Jett, Sweet Briar
Becca Leedom, Virginia Wesleyan 

Player of the Year: Marsha Hermes, Bridgewater
Rookie of the Year: Becca Leedom, Virginia Wesleyan
Coach of the Year: Mary Frances Heishman, Bridgewater
Team Sportsmanship: Randolph College
Scholar-Athlete: Michelle Kutcher, Randolph-Macon