26 BW Student-Athletes Tabbed Academic All-OAC

26 BW Student-Athletes Tabbed Academic All-OAC

Complete Academic All-OAC Team (.pdf)

BEREA, OHIO -- Twenty-six Baldwin Wallace University spring sport student-athletes garnered 2013 Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference accolades. Three baseball players, two softball players, three women’s golfers, one men’s golfer, three men’s tennis players, four women’s tennis players, one men’s and nine women’s track and field competitors represent the Yellow Jackets. To qualify, a student-athlete must maintain at least a 3.5 grade point average.

The BW athletics program has a tradition of excellence in both academics and athletics. Currently, eighty-four Yellow Jacket student-athletes have earned CAPITAL ONE Academic All-America honors since the program was instituted in 1970, including four current student-athletes. That is more than any other OAC institution.

Below are profiles of this year’s twenty-six Academic All-OAC student-athletes.

BASEBALL
Highlighting this year’s honorees is senior left fielder and 2013 CAPITAL ONE Academic All-American of the Year Brendan Toughey (East Amherst, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute).  He is one of the most celebrated student-athletes in BW history.  The two-time CAPITAL ONE Academic All-American, is also  a 2013 D3baseball.com All-American and a three-time CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District VII

Toughey has a 3.92 grade point average in BW’s 3:2 Master’s of Accounting Program. The two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference and ABCA (American Baseball Coaches Association) All-Mideast Region and three-time Academic All-OAC selection batted a team-leading .410 (66-for-161) with a single-season school-record with 66 runs scored and 66 hits.  Toughey led the team in at-bats, hits, doubles, home runs, stolen bases, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage, and did not commit an error in the field.

Toughey ended his career with a .356 batting average and a school career-record 153 runs scored.

Senior right-handed pitcher David Redovian (Fairlawn/Copley), who holds a 3.65 grade average in the 3:2 Master’s of Accounting Program, made 10 appearances on the mound and compiled a 4-0 record.  He worked to a 4-0 record with a 4.34 earned run average and 25 strikeouts in 37 and one-third innings pitched. He ended his career with an 11-11 record with a 5.35 ERA and 117 strikeouts in 146 and one-third innings pitched. 

Junior right-hander Cory Waite (Willoughby/South), an accounting major with a 3.54 grade average, had a 1-2 record in six appearances, including four starts.  He had a 5.87 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 15.1 innings pitched.  Waite missed much of the second half of the season due to an injury. A year ago, he set a school-record with 18 relief appearances. Entering his senior season, Waite will enter his senior season with a 1-2 career mark with two saves, a 3.19 ERA and 43 whiffs in 53 and two-third innings pitched.

WOMEN’S GOLF
Senior Brooke Hamilton (Cleveland/St. Joseph Academy), a 2012 CAPITAL ONE Academic All-American, graduated with a 3.96 grade average in English. The three-time All-OAC selection and first-team pick this spring, had her best season and averaged a team and career-low 82.71 strokes in 15.5 rounds of 18 holes and registered a career-best 78 strokes in a pair of tournaments this season.

Hamilton is also a three-time Academic All-OAC and two-time CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District pick as well as a two-time NGCA (National Golf Coaches Association) Scholar All-Athlete.  Earlier this spring, she was tabbed as the OAC Women’s Golfer of the Week. Last season, she was an “Elite 89” finalist at the NCAA Division III National Tournament and led BW to its second straight appearance in the NCAA Division III National Tournament. She ended her career with an 87.57 stroke average in 42 tournaments and 74.5 rounds of 18 holes.

Senior Rebecca Kapusta (Independence) graduated with a 3.78 grade average in mild-moderate communication disorders and was a three-time All-OAC selection, including first-team honors in 2012-13, and a two-time NGCA Scholar-Athlete and a two-time OAC Women’s Golfer of the Week. This season, she had an 84.4 stroke average in 17.5 rounds and fired a season-low 79 on two occasions, including at the University of Mount Union Tournament. At UMU, Kapusta led the Yellow Jackets to the team title and earned medalist honors.

Kapusta ended her career with an 88.57 stroke average in 44 tournaments and 79.5 rounds of 18 holes and helped BW make two straight NCAA tourney appearances (2011 and 2012).

Senior Sarah Terrill (Cuyahoga Falls/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy), a neuroscience/ psychology double major who graduated with a 3.85 grade average, had her best season as a collegian and averaged 103.10 strokes in 15.5 rounds and shot a career-low 88 on the first day of the Ohio Wesleyan University Laura Bump Invitational Tournament on April 13. Terrill ended her career with a 106.41 stroke average in 28 tournaments and 48.5 rounds of 18 holes.

MEN’S GOLF
Senior Stephen Spalding (Stow/Walsh Jesuit) carries a 3.71 grade average in accounting and averaged 76.71 strokes in seven rounds during the fall season, but did not compete during the spring season due to an injury.  He carded a season-best 71 at the John Carroll University Pat Flowers Invitational on September 10. The three-time OAC Player of the Week (during his career) also placed fourth individually at the 2012 OAC Championship Tournament to earn All-OAC honors. He will enter his red-shirt fifth season with a 77.27 career stroke average in 34 tournaments and 67 rounds of 18 holes.

SOFTBALL
Sophomore shortstop Brittany Lightel (Tallmadge), a mild-moderate communication disorders major with a 3.50 grade average, played in 37 games at shortstop and batted .284 (31-of-109) with 23 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, one home run, 16 runs batted-in and two stolen bases. Lightel also earned All-OAC accolades as a freshman. She will enter her junior season with a .320 career batting average.

Junior third baseman Kaity Mullen (Avon Lake), a mild-moderate communication disorders major who carries a 3.84 grade average, is a two-time Academic All-OAC pick.  This season, Mullen played in all 38 games and batted .288 (30-for-104) with 18 runs scored, two doubles, two home runs and 20 RBI. She will enter her senior season with a .312 career batting average and nine homers and 65 RBI. As a freshman, Mullen played a huge role when BW finished a school-record 28-11 overall, won an OAC Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Division III Central Region Tournament.

MEN’S TENNIS
Senior Alex Kearney (North Olmsted) graduated with a 3.56 grade average in accounting and collected a 21-3 singles record, including a 15-2 mark at No. 4, and a 22-1 doubles record, including a perfect 16-0 mark at No. 3.  He also garnered All-OAC honors for the first time and was tabbed as an OAC Player of the Week this season. He also helped the Yellow Jackets compile a 23-1 record.

Kearney finished his career with an 85-15 mark, including a 68-15 slate at BW. Kearney transferred to BW after his freshman season at the University of Mount Union. As a junior at BW, he helped the Yellow Jackets compile a school-record 29 victories, a 29-1 overall record, win both the OAC regular season and OAC Tournament titles and advance to the second round of the NCAA Division III National Tournament.

Senior Brad Minrovic (Akron/Ellet) graduated with a 3.77 grade average in chemistry and had a 20-6 record in singles and a 21-5 doubles slate, including a 19-5 mark with Sophomore Kyle Patterson (Wooster/Triway) as his partner.  Minrovic also is an ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) Scholar-Athlete, two-time Academic All-OAC selection and two-time CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District honoree. He is currently listed on the CAPITAL ONE Academic All-America ballot. 

Minrovic will enter his senior season with a 50-18 career singles and 54-16 career doubles mark. He also was a key member of the past two Yellow Jacket teams that have compiled a 52-2 record, including last season’s trip to the second round of the NCAA tourney.

Patterson is a criminal justice major with a 3.92 grade average, compiled a 24-5 record in singles play, including a 17-2 mark at No. 2 singles, and combined to produce a 20-8 mark in doubles action.

Through two seasons, Patterson is just one win shy of cracking BW’s Top-20 career singles wins list and is a two-time second-time All-OAC honoree. He also earned CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District VII honors this spring and is currently listed on the CAPITAL ONE Academic All-America ballot.

WOMEN’S TENNIS
Junior Liz Keller (Cincinnati/Walnut Hills), a middle childhood education major who carries a 3.57 grade average, went 1-6 in singles play and 1-5 in doubles action. She also is a member of the Dean’s List and Chi Sigma Alpha Honor Society and received Jacket Scholar honors.

Senior Rebecca Mittler (Elyria/Elyria Catholic), a four-time All-OAC selection and two-time first-team honoree, graduated with a 3.64 grade average in middle childhood education.  She went 14-10 at No. 1 singles and was 13-13 at No. 1 doubles, and ended her career 57-44 in singles and 60-48 doubles, both of which rank eighth all-time.  Mittler also is seventh with 117 combined wins. As both a freshman and sophomore, Mittler played a key role on a Yellow Jacket team that advanced to the NCAA Division III Central Region Tournament.

Senior Danielle Rueger (Ashland) graduated with a 3.81 grade average in digital media and design and compiled a 13-12 mark in singles play, including a 10-9 mark at No. 5. She finished her career with a 33-28 singles and 15-19 doubles mark. Rueger also was a key member of two NCAA tourney-qualifying squads.

Junior Whitney Yoder (Medina), who carries a 3.74 grade average in psychology, was 5-2 in singles play and 12-11 in doubles action this season.  She will enter her senior season with a 11-24 singles and 21-32 doubles mark. She also played on the 2011 NCAA tourney team.

MEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Senior Kenny Janosko (Mentor) graduated with a 3.71 grade average in accounting and is a returning CAPITAL ONE Academic All-American. This spring, he posted a team season and personal-best time of 4:06.13 in the 1,500-meter run at the Marv Frye Invitational on April 6 and a career-best 14:51.69 in the 5,000-meter run at the Charlotte 49er Classic on March 14.  He also won the 5,000 meter title at this year’s All-Ohio Outdoor Championship Meet. Janosko, a multiple All-OAC and All-Ohio performer both indoors and outdoors, also was the 2011 OAC Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Year and twice earned OAC Male Runner of the Week honors (once in cross country and once in track). Janosko also earned Academic All-OAC and CAPITAL ONE Academic All-District VII honors a year ago.

WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD
Junior Brooke Hradisky (Aurora), a political science major who carries a 3.91 grade average, posted a team and season-best time of 2:20.48 in the 800-meter run at the Division III All-Ohio Championships on April 13. Indoors, she had a season-best of 2:23.29. Hradisky also was a key member of the cross country team in the fall.

Junior Lauren Hutka (North Ridgeville /Midview), a biology major with a 3.61 grade average, ran the 1,500-meter run in a season-best time of 5:36.83 at the Marv Frye Invitational and the 5,000-meter run in a career-best in 19:40.71 at the Charlotte 49er Classic. She also had indoor season-bests of 3:32.62 in the 1000-meter run, 5:51.11 in the 1-mile run and 11:35.78 in the 3000 meters.  Hutka also ran cross country in the fall

Senior Kaylan Lemon (Canton/Massillon Perry) graduated with 3.65 grade average in early childhood education and ran a team and career-best time of 12.42 seconds in the 100-meter dash and season-best time of 25.97 seconds in the 200-meter dash at the OAC East Split Meet on March 30.  The multiple All-OAC competitor who holds indoor school records in the 60-meter dash (7.87 seconds) and 200 meters (25.96 seconds) had 2013 indoor bests of 7.47 seconds in the 55 meters, 8.19 seconds in the 60 meters and 26.94 in the 200 meters and also competed on the sprint relay teams. Lemon was the OAC’s 100-meter dash outdoor champion in 2012.

Senior Lauren Nanni (Parma/Padua Franciscan) graduated with a 3.69 grade average in health care management and posted career-best times of 12.92 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 26.80 seconds in the 200-meter dash, both at the University of Toledo Invitational on April 25. She also had bests of 7.81 seconds in the 55-meter dash, 8.51 seconds in the 60-meter dash and 27.57 in the 200 meters as well as running on the 4x200-meter relay indoors. Nanni is a returning Academic All-OAC performer.

Junior Alex Shaw (Pittsburgh, Pa./Bishop Canevin), an English major with a 3.76 grade point, threw the javelin a season-best 83 feet, five inches at the OWU Marv Frye Invitational.  During the indoor season, she had bests of 24-6.25 in the shot put and 36-0.25 in the 35-pound weight throw.

Senior Stephanie Shockley (Tiffin/Columbian), graduated with a 3.71 grade average in political science, and posted a season-best mark of 8-11.75 in the women’s pole vault. Indoors, she posted a season-best of 10-1.25.

Junior Nicole Smith (Geneva), a biology major with a 3.68 grade average, clocked a career-best time of 58.66 seconds in the 400-meter dash. The multiple indoor-outdoor All-Ohio and All-OAC competitor also was a key member of the 4x400-meter relay team. Indoors, she had bests of 26.75 seconds in the 200-meter dash and 59.53 seconds in the 400 and ran on the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relay squads.

Junior Blair Vrcan (Mentor) carries a 3.75 grade point in management and completed the 5,000-meter run in a career-best time of 20:16.25 at the Marv Frye Invitational and the 3,000-meter steeplechase in a season-best time of 12:23.07 at the All-Ohio Championships. She also runs on the cross country team.

Junior Krista Wharton (Cincinnati/Colerain), a public health major with a 3.55 grade point, registered season-bests of 29-10.75 in the triple jump and 95-4 in the discus, and a career-best of 124-4 in the hammer throw, all at the OAC East Split Meet.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact SID Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu and Assistant SID Jeff Miller by telephone at 440-826-2780 and e-mail at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.BWyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.