Friday, May 2, 2008

DOUBLES

1. Stephen Webster/Gary Innes (W) def. Jason Christman/Kyle Bowers (M) 9-8 (8-6)

2. Greg Kerschbaum/Jake Allmaras (W) def. Nathaniel Rodd/David Cairns (M) 8-6

3. Dan Yard/Tim Springirth (M) def, Casey Eck/Curtis Kugler (W) 8-5

SINGLES

1. Christman (M) Webster (W) DNF

2. Bowers (M) def. Kerschbaum (W) 6-1, 7-6 (7-4)

3. Cairns (M) def. Innes (W) 7-5, 6-0

4. Rodd (M) def. Allmaras (W) 6-1, 6-0

5. Eck (W) def. Tim Frazier (M) 6-0, 6-1

6. Springirth (M) def. Kugler (W) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Friday, May 2, 2008

NAIA Region IX Championship Match at North Canton, OH/North Canton Racquet Club

Ohio Dominican (13-4) def. Walsh University (9-10) 5-0

DOUBLES

1. Kristen Gillman/Emily Sampsel (ODU) def. Jenamarie Ianni/Lindsey Cady (W) (8-4)

2. Katrina Evans/Katelyn Rodgers (ODU) def. Megan Navarre/Madeline Lewis (W) (9-7)

3. Ruchika Alahakoon/Amanda Hollenbaugh (ODU) def. Julia Kole/Hilary Rossi (W) (8-5)

SINGLES

1. Gillman (ODU) def. Ianni (W) 6-0, 6-0

2. Sampsel (ODU) def. Navarre (W) 6-2, 6-1

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

"Softball Remains 28th in Latest Poll"

For the third straight week, Walsh (29-9, 17-1) is 28th in the latest NAIA poll.  The American Mideasst Conference North Division champs received eight votes.  The Cavs are home on Thursday, for an AMC North double header with rival Malone College at 3 pm.

NAIA poll http://naia.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/043008aac.html

Walsh University Head Football Coach Jim Dennison has announced the following changes to his staff.  Chris Albrecht replaces Kevin Henderson as offensive coordinator; John Fankhauser takes over as the offensive backfield coach and as the coordinator of special teams and Warren Miller III joins the staff as a coach on the defensive interior.  Walsh is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and competes in the Mid-States Football Association.  The Cavs open the 2008 season on September 6 against West Liberty at 12 pm at Fawcett Stadium.

Albrecht joins the staff full-time, after serving part-time last season as the Cavs’ quarterbacks coach.  He will also serve as the Director of Athletic Fundraising.  Chris currently teaches at Marlington High School, and served as their defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2006. He was as assistant at Massillon High School from 2001-2005, serving as defensive coordinator. He has also coached at Gulf Coast HS and Barron Collier HS, both in Naples, Florida and at Spring Local HS, Poland Seminary HS and Cardinal Mooney HS. On the collegiate level, he served at his alma mater, Waynesburg College, as assistant head coach from 2005-06.  Albrecht played at Cardinal Mooney and Westminster College.

Fankhauser, who will begin his 11th season at Walsh this fall, takes full control of special teams and as the offensive backfield coach.  He previously coached the outside linebackers and shared special team’s duties.

Miller joins the staff as a coach on the defensive line.  He served as an assistant coach at Canton McKinley High School from 1979 to 2004, coaching both lines, linebackers and defensive backs.  He is also a former head coach at Steubenville Central Catholic High School (1975-76) and served as an assistant coach at Perry High School (1978-79) and at Archbishop Hoban (1979-75).  He joins his son, Warren, on Dennison’s staff.

“We’re very happy to have someone (Albrecht) who knows our organization fill the offensive coordinator role,” exclaimed Dennison.  “Warren Miller brings experience to our staff and is a strong addition.  Fankhauser takes total control of special teams and as the offensive backfield coach.  All three moves add to our already outstanding staff.”

Friday, March 7, 2008

"Bedard, Berry and Seaman Earn AMC South Post Season Honors"

Cara Bedard (6-0, Fr, Waterloo, OH/Atwater), Katie Berry (5-11, Fr., Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph Academy) and Leah Seaman (5-8, So., Louisville, OH/HS) have been selected honorable mention on the American Mideast Conference's All-South Division Team. Bedard and Berry were also selected to the All-Freshman Team.

Bedard played in 27 of 28 games and averaged 11.6 points and a team-leading 6.4 rebounds.  She also led the Cavs in field goal percentage (.521) and tied for the team lead in blocked shots (22) with Berry.  Berry played in all 28 games and started 27.  She led the Cavs in scoring (13.8 points), steals (61), minutes per game (30.5), free throw percentage (.811) and was second in rebounding (4.1).  Berry shot .475 from the field, .329 from three-point and .811 from the foul line.  Seaman was the only Cavalier to start all 28 games.  She ran the point and led the Cavs with 88 assists (3.1) and with 40 three-point goals.  She averaged 11.8 points and was second on the team from the foul line (.806).

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

"Walsh University’s Brandon Weems Named AMC South Player of the Year, Jeff Young AMC South Coach of the Year, Six Cavs Earn Honors"

Walsh has received two of the highest honors in the American Mideast Conference, as Brandon Weems (5-10, Sr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) has been selected South Player of the Year and Head Coach Jeff Young South Coach of the Year.  This is the first such honor for Weems, while Young is earning the award for the second time.  Young was selected AMC and NAIA Coach of the Year in 2004-05, when Walsh won its first national championship.  This season, the Cavs are 25-4 and headed to the NAIA National Tournament in Point Lookout, MO next week.  The Cavs won the AMC South regular season title and the AMC North/South championship game.  Walsh is ranked fourth in the NAIA and will find out seeding and pairings on Wednesday.

Weems was not alone in being honored by the AMC, as five of his teammates were also selected to the team. Weems is the first Cavalier since Robert Whaley (2004-05) to win player of the year accolades and the seventh all-time. After leading the NAIA in assists last season (7.4), Weems has put together another outstanding season.  He leads the AMC in assists (6.1) and is sixth nationally.  He has directed a Cavalier offense to 83.9 ppg and an AMC leading assist to turnover ratio.  Weems is averaging a career best 11.8 points, while shooting .420 from three-point and a career-best .767 from the foul line.  Weems is also averaging 4.3 rebounds, while normally guarding the opponent’s best guard.  He has handed out 177 assists and committed only 52 turnovers, while playing a team-leading 33.1 minutes per games.  He carries a 3.4 assist to turnover ratio.  He has been named honorable mention the last two years and was selected to the All-Freshman Team in 2004-05.  He also went over the 1,000 mark this season.

Eder Araujo (7-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Odete de Freitas) joins Weems on the AMC's first-team.  He was a third-team selection last year and honorable mention his first year at Walsh.  Araujo leads the Cavs in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg), while shooting a career best .503 from the field.  He is also shooting .346 from three-point and .716 from the line.  Eder was honored as the AMC and NAIA Player of the Week earlier this season, while also going over the 1,000 point mark.  He has also recorded a team-best eight double-doubles. 

Corey Jones (6-3, Sr., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) earned second-team honors for the third straight year.  The sharp shooting guard is having his best overall season and leads all of college basketball in three-point percentage (.570).  Jones is averaging 13.7 points per game, shooting a career high .534 from the field, and .875 from the stripe.  He is also averaging 3.1 rebounds, handed out 52 assists, and committed only 21 turnovers.  Jones, Weems and Araujo started all 29 games for the Cavs.

Junior Josh Johnson (6-4, Warren, OH/Harding) was named honorable mention.  This is his first selection to an AMC post season team.  Johnson is averaging a career best 10.4 points and 5.1 rebounds.  He has also put-up career numbers in field goal percentage (.477) and three-point percentage (.379).  Josh is shooting .750 from the foul line and has handed out 43 assists.

Jeremy Shardo (6-3, Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) and Lamar Skeeter (5-10, Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmont) were each named to the AMC's All-Freshman Team.  Shardo has played in 22 games and averaged 4.0 points, while shooting .574 from the field, .520 from three-point and .778 from the line.  Skeeter has played in 28 games and averaged 7.0 points and 5.7 rebounds.  He is shooting .481 from the field and .429 from beyond the arc and is third on the team with 23 steals.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Walsh’s Hernandez Named NAIA National Libero of the Year; Barry and Hernandez NAIA All America Honorable Mention Honor”

Walsh University’s Heather Hernandez has been named the NAIA National Libero of the Year. This is the first time in Walsh’s history that a player has earned this honor.

Hernandez is a 5-9 senior from Oakdale, California and a four-year letter winner for the Cavaliers. She earned All-American Mideast Conference South Division First Team, All-Region IX First Team, and AMC/Region IX Libero of the Year honors for 2007. Hernandez also earned NAIA All-America Honorable Mention for her performance this season.

Hernandez helped Walsh to a 29-9 record and a final NAIA National Ranking of 23rd. She led the Cavaliers with 863 digs, with an average of 6.74 digs per game, while also added 41 service aces. Hernandez finished ranked 16th in the nation in digs per game. Heather’s 863 digs in 2007 ranks second in Walsh history for digs in a single season and second in Walsh history for digs per game in a single season (6.74). Hernandez finished her career ranked third in total digs with 2085 and 10th in service aces with 148. Hernandez finished her career with an overall record of 111-37 as a Cavalier.

Head Coach, Krista Singleton, states about Hernandez, “For Heather to receive this honor is such a tremendous accomplishment. This is the highest honor a libero can be awarded, and for coaches to recognize her for her talent is nothing short of amazing. Heather has worked extremely hard for four years at Walsh and I am very proud of her. She definitely deserves this honor. To watch Heather progress into the best player she could become is something that a coach only dreams of. She became a tremendous leader for our team and was a key part to the great success of our program.”

Co-Captain Jill Barry (5-5, Sr., Salem, OH/HS) was also named NAIA All America Honorable Mention. Barry led the Cavalier offense with 1815 assists, for an average of 14.2 assists per game. Her 1815 assists in a single season ranks sixth in Walsh history and her 14.2 assists per game tops her 14.13 assists per game in 2006, which ranks her first in Cavalier history. Barry finished her career with 6682 assists (second in Walsh history), 1098 digs, and 158 service aces (seventh in Walsh history). Barry also earned All-AMC South Division First Team, Region IX First Team, and AMC/Region IX Setter of the Year awards for this season.

"Walsh University Again Selected as a NAIA Champions of Character Institution"

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) named 130 colleges and universities to the list of Champions of Character institutions for the 2006-07 school year. The mission of Champions of Character is to restore character values and raise a generation of students who understand and demonstrate in everyday decisions respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship. The NAIA and member institutions use the Champions of Character program to instill an understanding of character values in sport, and provide student-athletes, coaches and parents the training to help them know and do the right things, inside and outside the sports setting. The program is dedicated to the principle that character is a choice and that being a champion is not just about winning, but making good decisions consistently in daily life.

To be considered a Champions of Character institution, schools must complete a form which is later reviewed by a team directed by NAIA Director of Champions of Character Initiatives Rob Miller. These schools incorporate the five core values in the campus community and educate student-athletes, coaches, parents and fans on specific standards and expectations.

"The Champions of Character program is a game plan dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics," said Miller. "The philosophy and approach to sport is a fundamental distinction gaining traction throughout the United States and Canada. Successful teams are built on a solid foundation and hundreds of competitive programs see the value in the NAIA and the Champions of Character model."

To learn more about the NAIA and Champions of Character visit www.naia.org.