21 Crusader Fall Sports Athletes Make MAC All-Academic Teams,
Berwager, Herrmann, Himmelberger, Hughes Earn Special Honors
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) – Twenty-one student-athletes from Susquehanna University fall sports teams have earned honors from the Middle Atlantic Conference for their academic excellence.
Of that group, seniors Christy Herrmann (Havertown/Haverford School) and Amy Himmelberger (Strausstown/Hamburg Area H.S.) earned special honors on the new MAC Executive Director’s All-Academic Teams in women’s volleyball and tennis respectively, while sophomores Andy Berwager (Hanover/South Western H.S.) and Ali Hughes (Reading/Muhlenberg H.S.) were on the Executive Director’s teams in football and field hockey respectively. The remaining 17 Crusader student-athletes made the Academic Honor Rolls in their respective sports.
To be nominated for either the MAC Executive Director’s All-Academic Team, or the Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes have to be at least sophomores with cumulative grade point averages of 3.20 or better (out of a possible 4.0) and starters or significant reserves on their respective teams.The Executive Director’s teams are voted on by the conference sports information directors and represent the top vote-getters in each sport. The number of student-athletes on that team corresponds to the numbers of starters in that particular sport.
In addition to Hughes, the Crusader field hockey team had three senior players on the MAC Academic Honor Roll in wing Kim Aurand (Lewistown/Lewistown H.S.), midfielder Brandy Crum (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin H.S.) – the team’s co-captains last season – and inner Melissa Templet (Guilford, Maine/Kent School). The group helped the squad finish at .500, going 8-8 overall and 2-5 in the MAC Commonwealth League for 23rd-year head coach Connie Harnum.
Senior cornerback Gabe Schwartz (Trevorton/Lourdes Regional H.S.) made the Football Academic Honor Roll and was a starter who helped the Crusaders earn a share of the program’s first MAC Commonwealth League title. Susquehanna tied with Widener for the title with a 4-1 league record, finishing 6-3 overall for ninth-year head coach Steve Briggs.
The men’s cross country team had two runners on the MAC Academic Honor Roll in senior Neil Popovich (North Huntingdon/Norwin H.S.) and junior Ryan Neumyer (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley H.S.). They helped the Crusader finish ninth in the conference this season for new co-head coaches Jim and Karen Brandt.
Two runners from the women’s cross country team also were on the conference Academic Honor Roll in seniors Cory Doeringer (Nicholson/Lackawanna Trail H.S.) and Tanya Zelger (Carlie/Trinity H.S.). Also under the Brandts, the Crusader women’s harriers placed fourth in the MAC and were 17th out of 40 teams at the recent NCAA Division III Mideast Regionals.
Senior goalkeeper and co-captain Paul Detweiler (Chalfont/Central Bucks West H.S.) joined with sophomore back Andy Jacob (Newport, R.I./Rogers H.S.) on the conference men’s soccer Academic Honor Roll. The Crusaders went 5-13, 2-5 in the Commonwealth League this season for rookie head coach Jim Findlay.
The women’s soccer team had three players earn conference academic honors in senior co-captain and back Amanda Roenigk (New Freedom/Susquehannock H.S.), and a pair of midfielders in junior Deb Cline (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg H.S.) and sophomore Kristen Gilbert (Troy, N.Y./Tamarac H.S.). The group helped the Crusaders finish 7-8, overall, 3-4 in the Commonwealth League for their new coach Jane Wildman.
In addition to Himmelberger, three other women’s tennis players earned conference academic honors as senior Katy Veety (Falls/Tunkhannock H.S.), junior Sarah Curley (Montrose/Elk Lake H.S.) and sophomore Alyssa Miller (Sellersville/Pennridge H.S.) made the Honor Roll. The Crusaders were 3-9, 2-5 in the league for fifth-year coach Bob Jordan.
Junior Jenn Ashton (Whitesboro, N.Y./Whitesboro H.S.) joined Herrmann in earning conference academic honors for the women’s volleyball team, making the Honor Roll. The duo helped the Crusaders make the MAC playoffs for the first time since 1990 and just the fourth time overall – finishing 14-15 overall, 4-3 in the league for sixth-year coach Bill Switala.
Hughes was a second-team league All-Star this season as she started all 16 games and led the team with 25 points on nine goals and seven assists. She tied for the fourth-most points in a season at Susquehanna, finishing second in the final MAC statistics in scoring at 1.56 points per game. She had three goals in a 4-0 win over Elizabethtown on October 10.
She is an elementary-education, psychology major and the daughter of Mike and Carol Hughes of Reading.
Aurand is a two-time league All-Star, earning first-team honors this season as she started all 16 games this season, finishing third on the team in scoring with seven goals and two assists for 16 points. She finished fifth at Susquehanna in both career goals (22) and scoring (49) while playing in 50 games.
A biology major who has earned conference academic honors a maximum three times, she is the daughter of Steven and Teresa Aurand of Lewistown.
Crum is a 1998 AstroTurf/ National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III North Atlantic Regional All-American, an NFHCA Division III North/South Senior All-Star Game pick, and a first-team league All-Star. She also started all 16 games this season and had three points on three assists. She was a key member on a defense which posted a 1.37 team goals-gainst average. A four-year letterwinner, Crum played in 50 career games at Susquehanna and scored a goal with eight assists for 10 points.
Crum is a biology major and the daughter of Jean and Ed Crum, Jr., of Harrisburg.
Templet played in eight games this season, starting three, and scored one goal and had one assist for three points. She had her goal in a 5-2 win at Dickinson on September 8. She played in 18 varsity games at Susquehanna and scored two goals with two assists for six points.
She is an elementary-education major and the daughter of Margaret Templet of Guilford, Maine.
Berwager started all nine games at quarterback for the Crusaders this fall, finishing fifth in the MAC in passing efficiency while completing 67 of 141 passes (47.5%) for 1,031 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions (116.8 rating). He was also fourth on the team in rushing with 118 yards on 70 carries and six touchdowns, finishing 10th in MAC total offense (127.7 yards/game).
Also a league All-Star shortstop in baseball, he is the son of Timothy and Sheri Berwager of Hanover.
Schwartz started all but two games at cornerback this season had 21 tackles (13 solo) with an interception and three pass break-ups. A split end as a sophomore, Schwartz compiled 48 stops (30 solo) with six interceptions and eight pass break-ups over the past two seasons at conrer.
A biochemistry major who has earned MAC academic honors all three seasons, he is the son of Michael and Elizabetht Schwartz of Trevorton.
Popovich finished 86th at MACs, covering the 8,000 meter course in a time of 33:35.4. His best time of the year was 33:26.0 in the Susquehanna Invitational on October 3, while his best finish was 52nd at the Messiah Invitational on September 26.
He is a environmental science major and the son of Robert and Joanne Popovich of North Huntingdon.
Neumyer was 56th at MACs with a time of 29:52.9. His best time of the year was 28:53.46 at the Gettysburg Invitational on October 24, with his best finish being 31st at Messiah on September 26.
He is a political science major and the son of William and Suszanne Neumyer of Mechanicsburg.
Doeringer was 43rd at the MAC Championships with a time of 21.51.6. Her best finish of the year came at the Susquehanna Invitational on October 3, placing 8th. She also recorded her best time of 20:39.53 over the 5,000-meter course at the Gettysburg Invitational on October 24.
She is a mathmatics major and the daughter of Richard and Cindy Doeringer of Nicholson.
Zelger’s best finish of the year also came at the Susquehanna Invitational, placing 34th. She also recorded her best time of 21:59.88 at the Gettysburg Invitational.
She is an environmental science major and the daughter Rudolph and Mary Zelger of Carlisle.
Detweiler played in all 18 matches this season, starting 17, compiling a 2.50 goals-against average and .736 save percentage with one shutout. He also had an offensive assist in a 6-1 league win vs. Lebanon Valley on October 22. He appeared in 55 career matches at Susquehanna and had a 2.21 goals-against average with a .755 save percentage collegiately.
A biology major, he is the son of Carole and John Detweiler of Chalfont.
Jacob played in eight matches this season, starting four. He assisted on a defense that compiled a 2.61 team goals-against average.
He is an international studies major and the son of Paul and Christine Jacob, both of Newport.
Cline played in all 15 games this season, starting 13. She scored once and assisted on a defense which helped compile a team goals-against average of 2.13.
She is an elementary-education major and the daughter of Robert and Marilyn Cline of Mechanicsburg.
Gilbert started 11 games, scoring once and assisting once for three points. A knee injury sidelined her early in the season, but her return helped spark a five-game mid-season winning streak, also aiding the defense.
She is a political science and journalism double-major and the daughter of Craig and Irene Gilbert of Troy, N.Y.
Roenigk also started all 15 games for Susquehanna, finishing her career with 48 games played as a tenacious fixture in the Crusader defense.
She is a communications major and the daughter of Glenn and Linda Roenigk of New Freedom.
Himmelberger completed her career in style, teaming up with junior Meghan McGinnis to advance to the semifinals in the doubles competition at recent MAC Individual Championships. Seeded first, the duo won a pair of matches before losing to the eventual champions. Himmelberger and McGinnis made it to the conference semifinals for a second straight season and finished with a team best 9-2 mark at number one doubles. Himmelberger also played primarily at number three singles this season and was 4-5.
She is a biochemistry major and the daughter of Bernard and Ruth Himmelberger of Strausstown.
Veety didn’t win in her two varsity singles matches and also came up short in her only doubles match.
She is a chemistry major at Susquehanna and is the daughter of Roy and Linda Veety of Falls, Pa.
Curley split a pair of singles matches at MACs and compiled the team’s top singles record at 8-4. She also teamed up with four different players for an overall record of 2-7 at either number one or two in doubles matches. She won her lone match at number one doubles with McGinnis.
She is an environmental science major and the daughter of Robert and Mary Curley of Montrose.
Miller had a record of 1-4 in singles matches and was 1-3 in doubles while teaming up with three different teammates.
She is a elementary-education major and is the daughter of Dana and Cindy Miller of Sellersville.
A 1996 second-team Commonwealth League All-Star, Herrmann made the first-team league All-Stars this season. She led the team in digs per game with a 3.62 average to rank eighth in the MAC. She also topped the team in kills per game at 2.86, was second in hitting percentage at .202, and was second in service aces with a 0.43 average. She played and started in 100 of a possible 104 games, missing those four due to injury. Herrmann closed her career as the school record holder in career digs with 1,269, finishing third in aces with 197.
She is an elementary-education major and is the daughter of Russell and Elenita Herrmann of Havertown.
Ashton was fourth on the team in digs per game with a 1.52 average, as well as service aces per game at 0.28 (23) while playing in 82 games. She also averaged 0.79 kills per game and had a hitting percentage of .044 this season.
She is an elementary-education major and the daughter of James and and Susan Ashton of Whitesboro.
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