Anderson Tabbed As CoSIDA Academic All-America
July 8, 2020 at 11:07 p.m.
Anderson Tabbed As CoSIDA Academic All-America
By Josh Neuhart-
Anderson was named CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-America® for the Lancers. The academic teams are awarded based on athletic and academic achievements. Anderson graduated this May with a 3.81 GPA as an accounting major.
Anderson joined Houston Haney as NCCAA Scholar-Athletes as well. Haney boasted a 3.78 GPA while studying actuarial science.
Anderson, who graduated this month, finished his career ranked No. 6 all-time in career batting average (.343) and No. 9 in career strikeouts (130).
Haney posted a 3.46 ERA in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He had 22 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. The junior also batted .294 from the plate.
Around the CL
IWU’s DeMichael Repeats as Crossroads League AD of the Year
AVON, Ohio – Indiana Wesleyan’s Mark DeMichael has been named the 2019-2020 Crossroads League Athletic Director of the Year for a second-straight time. The honor is DeMichael’s fifth award in the past nine years.
“The Athletic Director-of-the-Year Award is a direct reflection of the outstanding work done by everyone in our athletic department,” said DeMichael. “The fact that it is an award voted on by friends and colleagues in the Crossroads League makes it very meaningful.”
DeMichael recently wrapped up his 12th and final year as Indiana Wesleyan’s Athletic Director, after taking over the department in 2008. During the 2019-2020 year, DeMichael saw IWU claim the Crossroads League All-Sports Championship for the 11th time under his watch.
In addition to finishing first or second in eight of the 11 sports offered by the Crossroads League during the COVID-19 shortened year, Indiana Wesleyan secured six league titles, saw every varsity program post a grade-point average over 3.0 and led the league with 44 CL Athlete-of-the-Week honors.
The Crossroads League Athletic Director-of-the-Year honor is voted on by the 10 athletic directors from the league and announced each summer.
Crossroads League Athletic Director of the Year Recipients
2019-2020 – Mark DeMichael, Indiana Wesleyan
2018-2019 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2017-2018 – Josh Gleason, Goshen
2016-2017 – Chad Briscoe, Grace
2015-2016 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2014-2015 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2013-2014 – Lori Culler, Huntington
2012-2013 – Tim Demant, Goshen
2011-2012 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2010-2011 – Angie Fincannon, Taylor
2009-2010 – Chad Briscoe, Grace
CL Touts Oleksak and Stoffel as Co-Female Athlete-of-Year Winners
AVON, Ohio – The Crossroads League announced its 2019-2020 Female Athlete-of-the-Year honor on Wednesday, with two-sport standouts Erin Oleksak of Marian and Hannah Stoffel of Huntington sharing the prestigious award.
Oleksak made an immediate impact in soccer and track for Marian during her freshman season, becoming MU’s first NAIA First-Team All-American in women’s soccer and leading the Knights to the championship match of the NAIA National Tournament, a 20-3-3 overall record and a Crossroads League Tournament Championship. During her rookie season on the pitch, Oleksak ranked 19th in the NAIA with 20 goals, 16th with 13 assists, 14th with 53 points and 12th with six game-winning scores.
The awards rolled in for the midfielder, as Oleksak was named the NAIA Tournament Most Outstand-ing Offensive Player, NAIA All-Tournament Team, NAIA First-Team All-American, CL Player of the Year and All-Crossroads League for her efforts.
“Erin is very deserving of this award,” said MU women’s soccer head coach Gary Yohe. “We knew coming in that Erin was a quality player who had played at the highest levels but we did not know the impact she would make in year one, while also maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average. We look forward to continue watching her success for the next three years.”
Oleksak did not slow down after the soccer season ended, helping Marian claim the 2020 CL Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship with a trio of All-CL showings and winning the league titles in the 60-meter hurdles and long jump. Oleksak went on to win the NAIA National Championship in the pentathlon and finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles to claim NAIA All-American status in each of those events.
“Erin is the definition of a student-athlete,” remarked Marian head track and field coach Mike Holman. “She has all the qualities we look for in individuals to represent Marian University and our track and field program. Erin has a calm demeanor that allows her to compete at the highest level. Her academics and athletics are surpassed only by the outstanding individual she is maturing into and her values developed from her outstanding family.”
Stoffel was equally as dominant for Huntington throughout the 2019-2020 year in cross country and indoor track. The junior Indiana University transfer stole the show with four NAIA National Championships, six NAIA All-American performances, five Crossroads League Championships and five All-Crossroads League efforts over the two seasons. Stoffel also fueled HU to its first-ever NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field National Championship and helped the Foresters to a program-best 10th-place showing at the NAIA Cross Country Nationals.
Stoffel highlighted her record-setting cross country season by topping the field at nationals by 16 seconds for the first NAIA Women’s Cross Country Championship in Crossroads League history. That effort followed a CL Championship and earned Stoffel’s first NAIA All-American award of the year.
The success carried over into the indoor season, where Stoffel raced to NAIA Championships in the 4x800 and distance-medley relays, as well as the 800-meters and added top-three showings in the mile and 600-meters at nationals. Stoffel was named an NAIA All-American in each of those five events, on the heels of picking up Crossroads League Championships and All-CL recognition in the 600, 800, 1,000 and distance-medley relay.
“Hannah deserves this award due to all the hard work and dedication she put in throughout the year,” remarked HU head cross country coach Nick Johnson. “She led the league with her numerous national titles across two sports and helped lead her indoor track team to a national championship. We are extremely proud of how she has represented herself, her team, her university and her league throughout this past year.”
The Crossroads League Female Student-Athlete of the Year award is nominated and voted on by the 10 Athletic Directors from the Crossroads League and announced each summer.
Crossroads League Female Student-Athlete of the Year Recipients
2019-2020 – Erin Oleksak, Marian (soccer/track), Hannah Stoffel, Huntington (cross country/track)
2018-2019 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2017-2018 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2016-2017 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2015-2016 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2014-2015 – Alex Berends, Taylor (cross country/track and field)
2013-2014 – Geandra Almeida, Bethel (golf)
2012-2013 – Paige Smith, Indiana Wesleyan (basketball)
2011-2012 – Kelsey Pritchard, Taylor (volleyball)
IWU Punter In College Football America NAIA Starting Lineup
MARION – The College Football Americas 2020 NAIA Preseason Starting Lineup was released Wednesday, with Wildcat Football kicker Ben VonGunten being named to the starting punter role. The junior ranked fourth in the country in 2019 with 41.9 yards per-punt attempt. The 2019 NAIA All-American tallied 45 total punts, good for 1,884 yards with his longest punt occurring on October 26th at Trinity Christian, where he booted the ball 60 yards.
“Ben has been a weapon since the beginning of his freshman year,” said Head Football Coach Jordan Langs. “He is dedicated to his craft and is a great teammate. We are looking forward to him having another great season!”
The Wildcats open their season up on the road at Missouri Baptist on Sept. 12th, with their home opener coming a week later at 6 p.m. Sept. 19th against Valparaiso.
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Anderson was named CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-America® for the Lancers. The academic teams are awarded based on athletic and academic achievements. Anderson graduated this May with a 3.81 GPA as an accounting major.
Anderson joined Houston Haney as NCCAA Scholar-Athletes as well. Haney boasted a 3.78 GPA while studying actuarial science.
Anderson, who graduated this month, finished his career ranked No. 6 all-time in career batting average (.343) and No. 9 in career strikeouts (130).
Haney posted a 3.46 ERA in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He had 22 strikeouts in 26 innings pitched. The junior also batted .294 from the plate.
Around the CL
IWU’s DeMichael Repeats as Crossroads League AD of the Year
AVON, Ohio – Indiana Wesleyan’s Mark DeMichael has been named the 2019-2020 Crossroads League Athletic Director of the Year for a second-straight time. The honor is DeMichael’s fifth award in the past nine years.
“The Athletic Director-of-the-Year Award is a direct reflection of the outstanding work done by everyone in our athletic department,” said DeMichael. “The fact that it is an award voted on by friends and colleagues in the Crossroads League makes it very meaningful.”
DeMichael recently wrapped up his 12th and final year as Indiana Wesleyan’s Athletic Director, after taking over the department in 2008. During the 2019-2020 year, DeMichael saw IWU claim the Crossroads League All-Sports Championship for the 11th time under his watch.
In addition to finishing first or second in eight of the 11 sports offered by the Crossroads League during the COVID-19 shortened year, Indiana Wesleyan secured six league titles, saw every varsity program post a grade-point average over 3.0 and led the league with 44 CL Athlete-of-the-Week honors.
The Crossroads League Athletic Director-of-the-Year honor is voted on by the 10 athletic directors from the league and announced each summer.
Crossroads League Athletic Director of the Year Recipients
2019-2020 – Mark DeMichael, Indiana Wesleyan
2018-2019 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2017-2018 – Josh Gleason, Goshen
2016-2017 – Chad Briscoe, Grace
2015-2016 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2014-2015 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2013-2014 – Lori Culler, Huntington
2012-2013 – Tim Demant, Goshen
2011-2012 – Mark DeMichael, IWU
2010-2011 – Angie Fincannon, Taylor
2009-2010 – Chad Briscoe, Grace
CL Touts Oleksak and Stoffel as Co-Female Athlete-of-Year Winners
AVON, Ohio – The Crossroads League announced its 2019-2020 Female Athlete-of-the-Year honor on Wednesday, with two-sport standouts Erin Oleksak of Marian and Hannah Stoffel of Huntington sharing the prestigious award.
Oleksak made an immediate impact in soccer and track for Marian during her freshman season, becoming MU’s first NAIA First-Team All-American in women’s soccer and leading the Knights to the championship match of the NAIA National Tournament, a 20-3-3 overall record and a Crossroads League Tournament Championship. During her rookie season on the pitch, Oleksak ranked 19th in the NAIA with 20 goals, 16th with 13 assists, 14th with 53 points and 12th with six game-winning scores.
The awards rolled in for the midfielder, as Oleksak was named the NAIA Tournament Most Outstand-ing Offensive Player, NAIA All-Tournament Team, NAIA First-Team All-American, CL Player of the Year and All-Crossroads League for her efforts.
“Erin is very deserving of this award,” said MU women’s soccer head coach Gary Yohe. “We knew coming in that Erin was a quality player who had played at the highest levels but we did not know the impact she would make in year one, while also maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average. We look forward to continue watching her success for the next three years.”
Oleksak did not slow down after the soccer season ended, helping Marian claim the 2020 CL Women’s Indoor Track and Field Championship with a trio of All-CL showings and winning the league titles in the 60-meter hurdles and long jump. Oleksak went on to win the NAIA National Championship in the pentathlon and finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles to claim NAIA All-American status in each of those events.
“Erin is the definition of a student-athlete,” remarked Marian head track and field coach Mike Holman. “She has all the qualities we look for in individuals to represent Marian University and our track and field program. Erin has a calm demeanor that allows her to compete at the highest level. Her academics and athletics are surpassed only by the outstanding individual she is maturing into and her values developed from her outstanding family.”
Stoffel was equally as dominant for Huntington throughout the 2019-2020 year in cross country and indoor track. The junior Indiana University transfer stole the show with four NAIA National Championships, six NAIA All-American performances, five Crossroads League Championships and five All-Crossroads League efforts over the two seasons. Stoffel also fueled HU to its first-ever NAIA Women’s Indoor Track and Field National Championship and helped the Foresters to a program-best 10th-place showing at the NAIA Cross Country Nationals.
Stoffel highlighted her record-setting cross country season by topping the field at nationals by 16 seconds for the first NAIA Women’s Cross Country Championship in Crossroads League history. That effort followed a CL Championship and earned Stoffel’s first NAIA All-American award of the year.
The success carried over into the indoor season, where Stoffel raced to NAIA Championships in the 4x800 and distance-medley relays, as well as the 800-meters and added top-three showings in the mile and 600-meters at nationals. Stoffel was named an NAIA All-American in each of those five events, on the heels of picking up Crossroads League Championships and All-CL recognition in the 600, 800, 1,000 and distance-medley relay.
“Hannah deserves this award due to all the hard work and dedication she put in throughout the year,” remarked HU head cross country coach Nick Johnson. “She led the league with her numerous national titles across two sports and helped lead her indoor track team to a national championship. We are extremely proud of how she has represented herself, her team, her university and her league throughout this past year.”
The Crossroads League Female Student-Athlete of the Year award is nominated and voted on by the 10 Athletic Directors from the Crossroads League and announced each summer.
Crossroads League Female Student-Athlete of the Year Recipients
2019-2020 – Erin Oleksak, Marian (soccer/track), Hannah Stoffel, Huntington (cross country/track)
2018-2019 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2017-2018 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2016-2017 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2015-2016 – Bethany Balcer, Spring Arbor (soccer)
2014-2015 – Alex Berends, Taylor (cross country/track and field)
2013-2014 – Geandra Almeida, Bethel (golf)
2012-2013 – Paige Smith, Indiana Wesleyan (basketball)
2011-2012 – Kelsey Pritchard, Taylor (volleyball)
IWU Punter In College Football America NAIA Starting Lineup
MARION – The College Football Americas 2020 NAIA Preseason Starting Lineup was released Wednesday, with Wildcat Football kicker Ben VonGunten being named to the starting punter role. The junior ranked fourth in the country in 2019 with 41.9 yards per-punt attempt. The 2019 NAIA All-American tallied 45 total punts, good for 1,884 yards with his longest punt occurring on October 26th at Trinity Christian, where he booted the ball 60 yards.
“Ben has been a weapon since the beginning of his freshman year,” said Head Football Coach Jordan Langs. “He is dedicated to his craft and is a great teammate. We are looking forward to him having another great season!”
The Wildcats open their season up on the road at Missouri Baptist on Sept. 12th, with their home opener coming a week later at 6 p.m. Sept. 19th against Valparaiso.
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