Making the Grade

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — A total of 18 Susquehanna University student-athletes are on the 2001 Middle Atlantic Conferences Spring All-Academic Team in their respective sports.

To qualify for the MAC Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must have cumulative grade-point averages of 3.4 or better (out of a 4.0 scale) and sophomore eligibility, while completing their athletic season in good standing.

Both the men’s and women’s track and field teams placed five athletes on their respective teams. Men’s track and field was represented by seniors Ryan Hollis (Mifflin, Pa./Juniata H.S.) and Micha Van Waesberghe (Axel, The Netherlands, Reynaert), junior Matt Lanning (Vergennes, Vt./Vergennes Union H.S.) and sophomores Aaron Fairbanks (Winsted, Conn./Northwestern Regional #7 H.S.) and Matt Shaffer (Brookville, Pa./Brookville H.S.). Women’s honorees include seniors Emily Dugan (Athens, Pa./Athens H.S.) and Karyn Kern (Brodheadsville, Pa./Pleasant Valley H.S.) along with sophomores Becky Abrecht (Jefferson, Md./Brunswick H.S.), Mary Hennighan (Newton, N.J./Pope John XXIII H.S.) and Marie Maradeo (Nesquehoning, Pa./Panther Valley H.S.).

Softball claimed four honorees on the MAC All-Academic Team, with junior Shelly Zimmerman (Denver, Pa./Garden Spot H.S.) joined by sophomores Gretchen Anderson (Southington, Conn./Southington H.S.), Shana Lalo (Bethlehem, Pa./Northampton H.S.) and Erin Nittinger (Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville H.S.).

Baseball and golf were represented by two student-athletes apiece, with seniors Lyle Hosler (Lititz, Pa./Manheim Township H.S.) and Mike Sauers (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg H.S.) eanring recognition from baseball and juniors Neil Crowell (York, Pa./West York H.S.) and Ryan Franks (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area H.S.) making the list from the golf squad.

Baseball All-Academic Team

The Crusaders finished the 2000-01 season with an 11-16 overall record, and placed eighth in the Commonwealth Conference with a 4-10 league record under head coach Tim Briggs.

Hosler (3.52, marketing/finance) started 26 games this season at first base. He finished first on the team in batting average at .359 (28-for-78) and first on the team in hits with 28, runs with 22, hit by pitches with 10, on-base percentage (.495), and stolen bases with five. Hosler also tied for the team-lead in doubles with eight.

Hosler finished his career with a .307 batting average (90-for-293), 81 runs, 17 extra-base hits (16 doubles and a triple), 48 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, a .369 slugging percentage, a .435 on-base percentage, and a .989 fielding percentage (eight errors in 724 chances).

He is the son of Dave and Jean Hosler.

Sauers (3.70, accounting) started 24 games this season at third base and finished fourth on the team with a .308 (20-for-65) average with five doubles, a triple, and seven RBIs. Sauers finished sixth on the team with eight runs scored and second on the team with four stolen bases.

Sauers finished his career with a .264 batting average (23-for-87), 13 runs, six extra-base hits (five doubles and a triple), seven RBIs, a .345 slugging percentage, and a .333 on-base percentage.

He is the son of Dennis and Joanne Sauers.

Golf All-Academic Team

Susquehanna captured its seventh consecutive Middle Atlantic Conference golf championship in 2001 under the direction of head coach Don Harnum.

Crowell (3.95, accounting/information systems) saw action in three rounds this spring on the Crusader “B” team and averaged 83.7. He shot a low round of 82 at the team’s home course, the Susquehanna Valley Country Club, during the Susquehanna Invitational on April 13.

Additionally, he shot an 85 to help the “B” team to victory at the Lebanon Valley Tournament.

He is the son of David and Virginia Crowell.

Franks (3.77, finance) was the team’s most consistent golfer, averaging 77.3 in 12 rounds of varsity action with a low round of 74 on April 9 at the Franklin and Marshall Invitational where he finished third.

At the conference championship, Franks shot a three-round total of 235 to finish third individually and second on the team.

He is the son of John and Karyn Franks.

Softball All-Academic Team

The softball team finished with a 16-12-1 overall record and won the first Commonwealth Conference regular-season title in school history with a league mark of 10-4 under co-coaches Vince Anselmo and Cheri Swineford.

Anderson (3.84, elementary education) Anderson started 27 games at first base and finished the season with a .197 batting average, but ranked second on the team with 12 runs batted in and first with 10 sacrifice bunts.

In the field, Anderson committed just one error in 205 chances (.995 percentage) and played errorless ball in the team’s last 21 games. Her 190 putouts are the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.

She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Anderson.

Lalo (3.65, business) started all 29 games at shortstop and batted .228 with one home run and eight runs batted in. She tied for fourth on the team with eight walks and was the squad’s top contact hitter with just six strikeouts in 92 at-bats.

In the field, Lalo posted a .921 fielding percentage with eight errors in 101 chances.

She is the daughter of Robert and Susan Lalo.

Nittinger (3.68, marketing) started all 29 games at second base and batted primarily out of the leadoff and number-two positions in the lineup. She finished the season with a .267 average and six runs batted in while leading the team with 16 walks and 21 runs scored.

Defensively, she made just two errors in 111 chances (.982 percentage) and posted two streaks of 11 consecutive games without a miscue during the season.

She is the daughter of James and Charlene Nittinger.

Zimmerman (3.75, biology) was named to the Verizon Academic All-District II College Division Softball first-team after a season that saw her bat .381 and lead the team in doubles (six), triples (three), home runs (three), runs batted in (18), total bases (58) and slugging percentage (.598).

In the field, Zimmerman made seven errors in 96 chances (.927 percentage) and led all Crusader players with 62 assists.

She is the daughter of George and Pat Zimmerman.

Men’s Track All-Academic Team

The Crusaders finished the regular season with a 6-0 dual-meet record and took fourth at the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships under head coach Jim Taylor.

Fairbanks (3.87, broadcasting) placed second in the decathlon at the MAC championships as the event was held for the first time in conference history, and took 11th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 19.14 seconds.

He is the son of Jonathan and Cynthia Fairbanks.

Hollis (3.43, finance) finished fifth in the triple jump at the MAC championships with a leap of 42 feet, 10 1/4 inches.

He is the son of Gordon and Joan Hollis.

Lanning (3.47, marketing) finished 11th in the 3000-meter steeplechase (10:28.12) and took 17th in the 1,500 meters (4:21.07) at the MAC championships.

He is the son of William and Eleanor Lanning.

Shaffer (3.75, global management) earned a bronze medal in the shot put with a throw of 45 feet, 3 1/2 inches at the MAC championships, and took 17th in the hammer throw with a distance of 84 feet, 10 inches.

He is the son of Dan and Jane Shaffer.

Van Waesberghe (3.88, Spanish) ran in the 1,500 meters at the MAC championships and finished eighth with a time of 4:11.40.

He is the son of Jo and Kitty Van Waesberghe.

Women’s Track All-Academic Team

The Crusaders finished the regular season with a 4-2 dual-meet record and took third at the MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships under head coach Craig Penney.

Abrecht (3.72, elementary education) ran in the 800 meters at the MAC Championships and took 11th with a time of 2:32.41.

She is the daughter of Ken and Michelle Abrecht.

Dugan (3.54, elementary education) won two gold medals and set three school and one conference record at the MAC championships. She was part of Susquehanna’s first-place and record-setting 4x400-meter relay team that crossed the line in 4:05.12, and ran on the 4x100-meter relay team that finished third in a school-record time of 50.63 seconds.

Individually, Dugan won the 100-meter hurdles with a school- and MAC-record time of 1:04.33 and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships.

She is the daughter of John and Bonnie Dugan.

Hennighan (3.71, Spanish/French) did not run at the MAC Championships but competed in the 100 and 200 meters during the regular season. Her best time in the 100 meters was 14.66 seconds while her top finish in the 200 meters was 30.49 seconds.

She is the daughter of Joseph and Mary Ann Hennighan.

Kern (3.54, psychology/corporate communications) returned for a fifth year after missing last season due to a knee injury. She recorded a best jump of 15 feet, 2 1/2 inches in the long jump before reinjuring her knee at the Susquehanna Invitational on March 31 and missing the rest of the season.

She is the daughter of Peter and Carol Kern.

Maradeo (3.42, liberal arts) did not compete at the MAC Championships, but competed in the high jump during the regular season and posted a best height of 4 feet, 4 inches.

She is the daughter of Peter and Janice Maradeo.