| #1 |
Elaina Balouris Earns All-America Honors in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track |
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Already one of the greatest runners in W&M history after just three years, senior Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) put on quite a show in 2013-14 to earn the top spot in the TribeAthletics Countdown.
Balouris started her final year in Williamsburg with two winning performances in cross country and two course records, running the fastest-ever 5Ks at the Richmond Alumni Open and at Virginia's Panorama Farms Invitational. She was named the CAA Runner of the Week on both occasions, and was also the USTFCCCA National Runner of the Week. She won her second-straight CAA individual championship and led W&M to the first perfect score in conference history, and was sixth overall at the Southeast Regional to help the Tribe make it back to the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row. At the national meet, Balouris finished 11th overall, and was named All-American for the fourth time while leading W&M to a 12th-place team finish. At the end of the fall season, Balouris was named the CAA Athlete of the Year for the third time, and was also honored by the Portsmouth Sports Club as their Virginia College Athlete of the Year (across all sports).
Elaina's success did not end there, as she had her best-ever track campaign as well. Indoors, she began with a school-record 9:23.03 in the 3,000m at CNU, the first of 10 lifetime-best races in 2013-14 across all six distances she ran. She also broke 16 minutes in the 5,000m for the first time when she ran 15:46.92, the second-fastest time in school history, to qualify for her first NCAA Indoor Championships. Balouris would go on to finish 14th at the national meet, earning her first indoor All-American award and her third in a row, fifth overall.
Outdoors, Balouris began the year by winning the 5,000m at the Colonial Relays in another sub-16 run, 15:56.85. Two weeks later she ran a lifetime-best at 10,000m at the Mt. SAC Relays, 33:31.59, to qualify for the NCAA Semifinals. Balouris earned two silver medals at the CAA Championships, helping her teammate Meghan McGovern (North Wales, Pa.) to the conference title and a record-setting performance in the 5,000m, and also breaking the CAA record while running a lifetime-best 4:24.27 in the 1,500m. At the ECAC Championships, she broke the Tribe record at 3,000m with a run of 9:10.41 and won her first ECAC title. Balouris then ran 33:13.54 for second place at the NCAA 10,000m Semifinals, breaking the meet record and earning a bid to her third-straight NCAA Finals. At the championship race, she led for much of the first half of the race, and made a late charge to finish fifth overall, her best-ever finish, and once again set a lifetime-best in 32:46.57.
At the year's end, Balouris was named the CAA Athlete of the Year for the fourth time, becoming one of just nine athletes in conference history from any sport to earn four Athlete of the Year honors. She was an All-American in all three seasons, just the fifth Tribe runner to accomplish that feat (and the first in 15 years), and finished her career with six All-America certificates, most-ever for a women's track and field athlete. Balouris was signed to a professional contract with adidas and the Boston Athletic Association in early July, and will take her mathematics degree to graduate school at Boston College. |
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Stories #2-3 Video
Click the Play Button to the left for the video of #2-3 |
| #2 |
Women's Cross Country/Track and Field Finishes 13th in the USTFCCCA's Terry Crawford Division I Program of the Year Race |
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The William and Mary women's track and field team finished 13th in the nation this school year in the USTFCCCA's Terry Crawford Division I Program of the Year standings. The award ranks teams that appear in all three NCAA Championships (cross country, indoor, and outdoor track and field) each school year, and is named after Hall of Fame Coach Terry Crawford, who in 1986 led Texas to the first and only sweep of NCAA titles.
In the fall, the Tribe was led by the All-American duo of Elaina Balouris (Allison Park, Pa.) and Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) to a number of historic accomplishments. At the CAA Championships, W&M swept the top five places to record the first-ever perfect score (15 pts) in conference history. At the Southeast Regional, Stites was the overall champion and Region Athlete of the Year, both program firsts, and the team finished second with 69 points and four members of the all-region team, also the best-ever showings for W&M. That runner-up finish put the Tribe into the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row, and for the first-time in back-to-back seasons. Despite bitter cold, Balouris finished 11th overall and Stites 46th to lead W&M to 12th place overall.
Indoors, the dynamic duo both broke 16 minutes in the 5,000m, running 15:43 (Stites) and 15:46 (Balouris) at Boston University to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships for the first time. At the ECAC Indoor Championships, the rest of the squad led by Elizabeth Crafford (Darien, Conn.), Claire Tito (Richmond, Va.), Carolyn Hennessey (Herndon, Va.), and Rochelle Evans (Christiansburg, Va.) took seventh overall, just one spot behind its best-ever finish. Crafford was the runner-up in the pole vault, Tito and Hennessey fourth in the 500m and the 5,000m (respectively), and Evans was fifth in the shot put. The Tribe's DMR also earned a silver medal for the second year in a row. One week later, Stites finished sixth in the nation and Balouris 14th at 5,000m, earning W&M a tie for 47th overall at the NCAA meet. Stites scored three points with her finish, the most-ever indoors for the Tribe.
Outdoors, W&M pulled off a major upset to take second at the CAA Championships, improving a league-best 42 points over the pre-meet predictions that had the Tribe fifth. Katie Johnston (Haddonfield, N.J.) defended her javelin title from a year ago, as did Meghan McGovern (North Wales, Pa.) in the 5,000m; while Ashley Woodards (Franklinville, N.J.) and Dylan Hassett (Alpharetta, Ga.) both claimed their first CAA crowns, in the 400m hurdles and the 10,000m, respectively. Two weeks later at the ECAC Championships, Hassett added the ECAC 10,000m title to her resume and Balouris won the 3,000m race. As a team, the Tribe finished 12th overall.
W&M had five athletes qualify to the NCAA Semifinals, with Johnston representing the team in the javelin, McGovern in the 5,000m, and Stites, Balouris, and Hassett all in the 10,000m. Both Balouris and Stites advanced through the national finals in impressive fashion, breaking the meet record and running the second- and third-fastest times in meet history while finishing second and third, respectively. At the NCAA Championships, Balouris led for much of the early going and recovered late as well to finish fifth overall with her third lifetime-best in as many races this spring, and Stites was 10th overall. That gave the Tribe another 47th-place finish.
W&M made its first-ever appearance in the final year-end standings, and was one just 13 teams (out of a total of 326 in Division I) to accomplish that feat this year, the fewest ever in the six-year history of the award. This was also the first time in school history that the women have placed at all three championships in the same academic year. The Tribe is just the ninth program from a non-BCS conference to make an appearance in the final standings, and the first-ever from the Colonial Athletic Association. Only 12 conferences have ever had a representative in the Program of the Year standings.
2013-14 USTFCCCA Terry Crawford Division I Program of the Year
Final Standings (326 Total D-I Programs)
1. Oregon 18 (pts)
2. Stanford 29.5
3. Arkansas 30
4. Dartmouth 49
5. Iowa State 50.5
6. Penn State 51.5
7. Florida State 65
8. Michigan State 68
9. Michigan 76.5
10. Colorado 79
11. Villanova 80
12. Notre Dame 93
13. William and Mary 109 |
| #3 |
Men's Soccer Upsets Three Nationally-Ranked Teams in 10 Days, Inlcuding Two Victories over the No. 1-Ranked Team in the Country |
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The William and Mary Tribe men's soccer pulled off three consecutive wins over three top 25 opponents, including No. 1 twice in a magical 10-day run in September. W&M dropped No. 1 Creighton, No. 24 Elon, and No. 1 North Carolina, all on the road, during the streak. It was the first time that the Tribe had beaten three straight ranked opponents in school history, and the first time they had knocked off a No. 1 team since 2004.
The madness started on Sept. 15 when the Tribe handed No. 1 Creighton a 3-2 double overtime loss. Redshirt freshman Jeff Bombelles scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime. Juniors Josh West and Chris Albiston also tallied for the Tribe in the win. On Friday, Sept. 20, senior Roshan Patel's header goal lifted W&M to a 1-0 double overtime victory over No. 24 Elon. The final victory, came at No. 1 North Carolina, when sophomore Jackson Eskay found the game-winner in the 73rd minute to lead the Green and Gold to a 1-0 victory.
W&M parlayed the early season run into a berth in the NCAA Tournament, and hosted a match at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field for the first time since 2010.
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Stories #4-5 Video
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| #4 |
Baseball Captures Program's First CAA Regular Season Championship |
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For the first time in school history the William and Mary Tribe baseball program won the CAA regular season crown. It came down to the final game of the regular season, but with a 6-0 victory over the College of Charleston the Tribe won the regular season title. W&M finished the year with a 34-22 mark, including a 15-5 record in CAA play.
W&M had 12 players honored at the CAA awards before the conference tournament including head coach Brian Murphy being named coach of the year, while junior Michael Katz taking home player of the year honors.
As a team, the Tribe led the country in doubles (149) and doubles per game (2.66). The Green and Gold also ranked in the top 10 nationally in batting average (seventh), hits (ninth), home runs (seventh), home runs per game (fifth), on-base percentage (fifth), runs (fourth), scoring (third), and slugging percentage (third). Individually Nick Thompson led the country in runs and runs per game, while Michael Katz finished first in RBIs per game.
Following the season the Tribe had three players drafted, and one who inked a free agent deal. Thompson was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth round, while Katz was drafted by the New York Mets in the ninth round. On the final day of the draft, senior Ryan Lindemuth was selected by the New York Yankees, and earlier this month senior John Sheehan inked a deal with the Colorado Rockies.
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| #5 |
Long-time Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Dan Stimson Retires |
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Legendary William and Mary mentor Dan Stimson announced his retirement this summer, after 43 years of coaching including 28 with the Tribe. Under Stimson's tutelage, W&M claimed 56 of 106 possible CAA titles, more than all but one other school has earned in every sport in the history of the conference.
“Dan Stimson's retirement closes an extraordinary chapter in the history of the Men's and Women's Track & Field and Cross Country teams,” said W&M Athletics Director Terry Driscoll. “In addition to his tremendous accomplishments as the Director of our programs, Dan's warm, friendly, and incredibly upbeat personality touched everyone. He was the embodiment of our departmental goal of developing 'true' student-athletes, as his many successes never came with compromises. We will all miss him very much.”
“The Tribe would not be where it is today without the dedication and expertise that Coach Stimson has given over nearly 30 years,” said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Stephen Walsh. “His impact on the lives of both students and coaches has been immeasurable, and key to creating the family environment on the team. We are so very thankful for all that Dan has done so far, and are excited that he'll be staying a part of family and helping to coach on a volunteer basis moving forward.”
Coach Stimson came to W&M in 1986, taking on the newly created job of Director of Track and Field for both men's and women's programs. He would continue in that role for the next 25 years, elevating the Tribe to a nationally recognized reputation. In 2011, he chose to step down to focus on coaching the throwers. Since the CAA began sponsoring track championships in 1990, Stimson-coached throwers have won 59 of 200 possible championships, almost 20 more than any other school and nearly more than the next two teams combined.
Stimson has coached 11 W&M Hall-of-Famers, including 1996 Olympian Brian Hyde '96 and 11-time All-American Matt Lane '01. This spring, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame himself, in addition to being named an Honorary Alumnus of W&M in 2011. Stimson's athletes also included javelin All-American Brandon Heroux '12, and Mike Howell '93, the only man to ever win three throwing titles at a single CAA Championships. His daughter, Dr. Krista Stimson Crider '96, was a former Tribe record holder in the hammer throw, and Lisa Rayner '96 was W&M's first All-American in the high jump in 1994.
His current athletes have more than carried on the legacy of throwing success at W&M. Brian Waterfield '16 was the CAA Field Athlete of the Meet in 2013 after winning the shot put and finishing second in the discus, third in the javelin, and fourth in the hammer. He followed up this winter by becoming the first man in school history to throw over 60-feet in the weight throw. Katie Johnston '16 has won the CAA javelin each of her first two years, and qualified for the NCAA Championships while also starting at forward for the Tribe soccer team.
Taylor Frenia '16 became just the second man ever to put the shot over 57 feet this winter, and first since 1977, and at the CAA Championships he won both the shot put and discus while taking second in the hammer. Rochelle Evans '16 won the CAA title in the shot put her freshman year, and broke the school record in the event indoors this winter. Bob Smutsky '16 was the CAA Champion and just missed All-American honors in the javelin as a freshman last year, before winning the U.S. Junior National Championship on the very last throw and representing Team USA at the Pan-American Junior Championships.
Stimson's legacy includes not only athletes, but also coaches. In addition to the two CAA Coach of the Year awards Stimson himself won, his coaches have accounted for 48 more. Tribe hires under Stimson included Walt Drenth, who went on to coach at Arizona State and Michigan State; Andrew Gerard, who was the National Coach of the Year at Stanford and Director of Track and Field at George Mason; Alex Gibby '97, who went on to be the head men's cross country coach at Michigan; and current W&M Director of Track and Field Stephen Walsh. |
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Stories #6-10 Video
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| #6 |
Men's Basketball Wins 20 Games, Advances to Third CAA Title Game in Seven Years |
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The Tribe men's basketball program once again enjoyed a stellar campaign under the tutelage of head coach Tony Shaver, racking up the program's seventh 20-win season and advancing to its third CAA Championship Game since 2008. After starting the year at 1-3, the Green and Gold closed the non-conference portion of its schedule with seven wins in nine games, including four road victories. During the CAA portion of the slate, W&M won 10 games for just the fourth time since joining the CAA and the third time under Shaver. Highlighting the league ledger, the Tribe swept instate foe James Madison and picked up a thrilling 68-66 win at Drexel thanks to a Marcus Thornton ESPN Top 10 play, buzzer-beating 3-pointer. In the CAA Tournament, the Tribe railed from a 15-point first-half deficit, surging past College of Charleston with a dominating second-half effort. In the semifinals against Towson, W&M knocked down 11 3-pointers, shooting 55.1 percent from the floor and came up with some big defensive plays down the stretch in picking up a 75-71 victory. The Green and Gold again rallied in the championship tilt, overcoming an early 12-point second-half deficit and turning it into a six-point lead with 1:20 remaining. Delaware scored seven straight points to take a 75-74 lead with 25 seconds remaining. Thornton's last second jumper was off the mark and the Tribe fell in heartbreaking fashion. The Tribe senior class of Julian Boatner, Brandon Britt, Kyle Gaillard, Fred Heldring, Tim Rusthoven and Ben Whitlatch took the program to the brink of the NCAA Tournament and registered the program's second 20-win season in the last five years.
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| #7 |
Men's Gymnastics Wins ECAC Crown, Advances to NCAA Championship |
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The Tribe men's gymnastics team recorded one of the most successful seasons in program history in 2014, as the squad claimed the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title for the fourth time in school history and advanced to the NCAA Championships with a No. 12 ranking nationally. En route to claiming the ECAC team championship, eight Tribe gymnasts combined to win 13 all-conference honors while the squad claimed four individual event titles.
Individually, senior Landon Funiciello concluded one of the greatest careers in program history by earning NCAA All-America honor on rings for third time, joining former Tribe standout Ramon Jackson as the only other three-time NCAA All-American in school history. Additionally, the Baldwinsville, N.Y., native was selected as the Senior Gymnast of the Year by both the ECAC and USA Gymnastics.
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| #8 |
Men's Swimming Earns Best Finish at Closest CAA Championship Meet in League History |
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The William and Mary men's swimming had one of its best years ever in 2013-14, capped off by a historic week at the CAA Championships in late February. The Tribe was 7-2 on the season, a perfect 3-0 at home, and finished second in league by just eight points, the closest finish in conference history.
W&M's regular season began with a 5-0 mark, the first since 1979, and finished at 7-2 and undefeated at home for the first time since 1998-99. It was just the seventh time since World War II that the Tribe lost just two or fewer dual meets, and the winning included victories over Davidson and Old Dominion that lifted the College to an overall winning-record at home for the first time since 1990. It was also the first win against the Monarchs since 2007, and delivered W&M the win in the Optima Health Challenge for the first time.
Heading into the championship meet, the buzz was that it would be a nail-biter between the Tribe and 12-time defending champion UNCW, and the teams did not disappoint. On the first night, W&M took both the 800 free relay and the 200 medley relay in school-record times, and broke the CAA record in the 800 free relay as well. It was the first-ever conference title in a 200-yard relay in school history. The second night brought another gold and conference record, in the 200 IM, as senior Andrew Strait (Henrico, Va.) tied the school record with seven conference titles.
Friday was an awe-inspiring night, as W&M swept all six championship events, a feat which is believed to be the first sweep ever in CAA history. Charley Bowles (Yorktown, Va.) won his first gold in the 400 IM, followed by Justin Barden (Gordonsville, Va.) in the 100 fly, Billy Russell (Newport News, Va.) in the 200 free, Strait again in the 100 breast, and Will Manion (Haddonfield, N.J.) in the 100 back. At the end of the night, the Tribe's 400 medley relay of Manion, Barden, Strait, and Russell broke the school record and won gold for the first time since 1999. Apart from Strait, each of the other four men are all only sophomores.
The final day of the championship saw W&M ahead on that start, win three more titles, and fall in the winner-take-all relay at the end of the night. Manion, Strait, and Russell all won again, in the 200 back, 200 breast, and 100 free, respectively. In the 400 free relay, Manion and Russell were joined by brothers Risten and Taegan Clarke (Chappaqua, N.Y.) to break the school record by more than two seconds in 2:58.52, finishing second overall in the first Tribe race under three minutes ever. W&M's 721.5 points were the most ever scored in program history and the most for a second-place team in CAA history; and the eight-point final margin was the closest in league history.
Strait won gold in six of his seven races during the week, becoming just the ninth man in CAA history to win at least six times in a single championships. He was named the Outstanding Swimmer of the Meet for the second year in a row, and later in the spring became the first W&M man to win CAA Swimmer of the Year. His 10 total championships, six individual titles, and four relay wins, are all school records. Russell and Manion each had five gold medals, ranking second and third, respectively, behind Strait in total points scored at the meet. They both now rank among the 24 men in league history to earn at least five titles in one meet. Director of Swimming Matt Crispino '02 was named the CAA Men's Swimming Coach of the Year, the first award of his career and the first Coach of the Year award ever for the Tribe swimming team. Crispino was also the first mentor since 2008 to be named Coach of the Year despite not winning the team title. |
| #9 |
Michael Katz Named All-American by Five Organizations, a Semifinalist for the Golden Spikes National Player of the Year Award and Drafted in the Ninth Round of the MLB Draft |
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Junior Michael Katz enjoyed a breakout campaign on the baseball diamond this spring. He finished the season with a .363 batting average, 87 hits, 24 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, scored 64 runs, and had a school record 75 RBIs. He posted a .646 slugging percentage, and a .445 on-base percentage. He ranked in the top 10 in the country in doubles, home runs, runs scored, slugging percentage, RBIs, and total bases at year's end.
For his efforts, Katz garnered five All-America honors, including being named first-team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Louisville Slugger, and the National Collegiate Baseball Writer's Association. Baseball America tabbed him as a second-team all-American, while Perfect Game placed him on their third team.
The Falls Church, Va. native earned CAA Player of the Year honors, while being named to the league's first team. He was also named the ECAC Player of the Year. Katz was also one of 13 semifinalists for the Golden Spikes National Player of the Year Award presented by USA Baseball.
The New York Mets selected Katz with the 265th pick in the ninth round of the MLB Draft. He was the 31st W&M player drafted, and the eighth highest selection in school history. Katz signed with the Mets, and is playing for the Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League.
Katz finished his career playing 166 games, all starts for the Tribe. He has a .346 career batting average with 230 hits, 57 doubles, two triples, 29 home runs, 180 RBIs. He ranks in the top 10 all-time in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBIs, and total bases.
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| #10 |
Women's Gymnastics Wins ECAC Championship
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The Tribe women's gymnastics team posted a tremendously successful campaign in 2014, which was highlighted by winning the program's fifth Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title. En route to claiming the championship, five W&M gymnasts combined to win nine all-conference honors. Sophomore Brittany Stover was honored as the league's Gymnast of the Year and won the vault title, while junior Brandy Stover was selected as the ECAC Specialist of the Year. Additionally, junior Stacia Ruse was recognized as one of six ECAC Scholar Athletes of the Year and assistant coach Tim Rivera was chosen as the ECAC Assistant Coach of the Year. Click HERE to check out the higlights from the Tribe's ECAC Championship performance. After helping lead W&M to the conference title, Brittany Stover competed at the Athens NCAA Regional and placed ninth in all-around.
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Stories #11-15 Video
Click the Play Button to the left for the video of #11-15 |
| #11 |
Andrew Strait Wraps Up Career as the CAA Swimmer of the Year and League's Top Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year |
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Already one of the greatest swimmers in school history before the year even started, senior Andrew Strait (Henrico, Va.) turned in a golden year in 2013-14 and led the Tribe to its best season in over 40 years. W&M went undefeated at home for the first time since 1971, and finished second at the closest CAA Championships ever.
Strait became the first-ever W&M winner of the Men's Swimmer of the Year award, and was named the Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year for an unprecedented third-straight time. In fact, he's the first to earn three Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards for either men's or women's swimming and diving in conference history. Only six athletes in the CAA have ever won three consecutive Scholar-Athlete awards in their sport. Strait was also named the CAA's Overall Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the sixth Tribe man to win the award.
Strait wrapped up his stellar Tribe career with a brilliant week at the CAA Championships in February, taking home six golds and leading W&M to second place in the closest-ever meet in conference history. He won all three of his individual events, the 200 IM, 100 breast, and 200 breast, for the second year in a row, and also claimed gold on the 800 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay while taking silver in the 200 free relay. Strait's times in the 200 IM (1:46.59) and as part of the 800 free relay (6:31.77) both set CAA records. All told, his six golds marked just the ninth time in CAA history that one man has won six or more events, and the first since 2006. Strait finished his career with school-records of six individual conference championships, four relay championships, and 10 total gold medals. In 2013-14, he led the Tribe with 22 victories and ranked second with 377.5 points, and was named the CAA Swimmer of the Championships for the second year in a row.
In Strait's career, he set numerous school and freshman records, and graduated holding W&M's all-time records in the 100 breast, 200 IM, 400 IM, 200 free relay, 800 free relay, 200 medley relay, and 400 medley relay. He totaled 1,300.5 points in his four years, second-most ever, and his 77 career victories ranks third all-time. Strait was twice named the CAA Swimmer of the Meet (last year and this one), and swam at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in three events. Strait was also named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District first team in both 2013 and 2014, and to the CSCAA Honorable Mention All-Academic list.
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| #12 |
Men's Cross Country Wins 14th-Straight CAA Championship |
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Some things come around so regularly that people can set their watches by them. The sun rising in the east, presidential elections every four years, and the W&M men's cross country team winning the CAA title. In 2013, the Tribe won its 14th conference title in a row, and 36th overall, before going on to upset three teams at the region championships.
At the conference meet, the Tribe put seven runners in the top 12, including two freshmen and five underclassmen. In fact, of the entire 12-man squad, eight return this fall with at least two more years of eligibility. Senior Rad Gunzenhauser (Pittsburgh, Pa.) was second in his final CAA appearance, and freshman Trevor Sleight was close behind in third to earn CAA Runner of the Year honors. Sophomore Ryan Gousse (Apopka, Fla.) was fifth, and classmates David Barney (Lynchburg, Va.) and Nathaniel Hermsmeier (Charlottesville, Va.) rounded out the scoring five in sixth and ninth. They helped give the Tribe a 25-44 win over Northeastern, its 12th victory by more than 15 points in the last 13 years.
W&M's 14-straight conference titles is the second-longest active streak in the nation, behind only the 23-year run by Iona in the MAAC, and it is tied for the sixth-longest streak in NCAA history. The Tribe's 21 CAA championships is the second-most by any team, in any sport, in conference history (behind W&M's women's tennis team, with 22). Between both the CAA and the Southern Conference, W&M has won 36 men's cross country titles, third-most ever in the NCAA behind only Wisconsin (46) and Arkansas (42).
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| #13 |
Tribe Athletes Continues Academic Excellence |
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W&M athletes once again demonstrated why Tribe Athletics personifies the term 'student-athlete.' The Green and Gold demonstrated its academic excellence in a number of ways during the 2013-14 season. A total of seven W&M teams earned NCAA Public Recognition for ranking in the top 10% of their sport nationally in the Academic Progress Rate (APR), which measures a program's success at both graduating athletes and keeping them on a steady path to graduation. Those Tribe programs included field hockey, lacrosse, men's basketball, and both men's and women's teams in golf and tennis. The seven teams honored ranked fourth nationally and brought the Tribe total to 69 over the nine years of the award.
A number of Tribe individuals earned honors for their academic prowess. Four student-athletes were inducted into Phi Beta Kappa this year, bringing Tribe Athletics total to 258. John Banks (men's tennis), Taylor Hodge (field hockey), Jaclyn McKenna (women's basketball/volleyball) and Will Smith (men's soccer/golf) were elected to the prestigious honor society. W&M also added to its lists of Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-Americans as Banks and senior baseball player Kevin Nutter earned the distinction. Banks was a second team selection on the Men's At-Large team, while Nutter received third team honors in baseball. It marked the 18th time since 1978 that W&M had multiple Academic All-Americans from the organization. In total, 58 Tribe athletes have earned Academic All-America honors, a number that leads the CAA and ranks third in the state of Virginia.
W&M continued to rack in the Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors on the conference level. Andrew Strait became the sixth Tribe athlete and the third in the last four years to be named the CAA's Top Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He was picked from a list of 10 male student-athletes who earned the Scholar-Athlete of the Year mantle in their respective sports sponsored by the CAA. Both Nutter for baseball and men's basketball senior Tim Rusthoven earned the honors in their sports as well. On the women's side, both women's cross country student-athlete Emily Stites and Hodge received the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in their respective sports. The Tribe has won 54 CAA Scholar-Athletes of the Year since the award was introduced by the league in 2003, more than any other school. Women's Gymnasts Stacia Ruse earned the ECAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award for her work in the gym and in the classroom. Senior football player Matt Crisafi has been chosen to the Athletics Directors Association (ADA) Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Academic All-Star Team.
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| #14 |
Tribe Claims the Optima Health Challenge over Old Dominion |
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For the first time in 2013-14, Tribe Athletics claimed the Optima Health Challenge, defeating Old Dominion, 60-35, in the all-sports competition. It marked the third straight year in which W&M, ODU and Optima Health partner for the Optima Health Challenge. The scoring system awarded 10 points per sport for the winner of every ODU-W&M competition. The Green and Gold took the early lead behind a dominating 4-0 men's soccer win in Norfolk. After two straight wins by the Monarchs in field hockey and women's basketball, W&M seized control of the competition with victories in the final three winter sports. Men's basketball dispatched of the Monarchs, 74-68, in Williamsburg on Jan. 1, before Tribe swimming swept 20 points from ODU. Men's swimming picked up the program's first win over ODU since 2006-07, and the women dominated the Monarchs, 174-88, increasing the Green and Gold advantage to 40-20 entering the spring campaign. Men's Tennis trailed for a thrilling come-from-behind 4-3 victory over the ODU to assure W&M a share of the challenge, before Tribe lacrosse capped off its first season under head coach Hillary Fratzke with a 16-11 triumph over the Monarchs, clinching the first Optima Health Challenge for the Tribe.
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| #15 |
Emily Stites Earns Pair of All-America Honors, Named Southeast Region Athlete of the Year
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Two national titles in your freshman year is a tough act to follow, but Tribe sophomore Emily Stites (Wyoming, Ohio) proved up to the challenge in 2013-14. She cemented her place as one of the country's top young runners with two top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, and the first regional cross country title in school history.
In the fall, Stites ran as W&M's No. 1 or No. 2 runner at every meet, breaking two course records in the regular season (at Richmond, and at Virginia's 5K meet). She finished eighth overall to lead the Tribe at the Pre-National Invitational, and two weeks later was part of W&M's historic sweep of the CAA Championships. At the Southeast Regional, Stites broke the course record at UVA for the second time in eight weeks, and won the region title in 19:57.5, a gap of over 10 seconds ahead of the field. Stites is the first woman to ever win the region race in school history, and she was also the first-ever named the Region Athlete of the Year. At the NCAA Championships, she finished 46th overall on a blisteringly cold and muddy day, just missing out on the All-American cut-off. At the end of the season, Stites was named the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
On the track, Stites started off the winter indoor season with a lifetime-best at 3,000m, the first of six personal-best efforts in 11 races throughout the year. She also ran the 5,000m at Iowa State on Valentine's Day, and then ran a school-record and lifetime-best 15:43.69 at the Boston Last Chance meet to qualify for the NCAA Championships. In her first trip to the national indoor meet, Stites took sixth in the thin mountain air of Albuquerque, and earned her third All-American honor.
Outdoors, she again broke the 16-minute barrier at 5,000m with a runner-up showing at the Colonial Relays in 15:57.04. Stites has run under 16 minute three times in two years, while the entirety of Tribe history has only produced two other such races. At the Mt. SAC Relays, she broke the school record at 10,000m by more than a minute, and ran the fifth-fastest time in the country at 32:41.55. A pair of third-place finishes at the CAA Championships followed, at 1,500m and breaking the conference record at 5,000m, before she settled into the NCAA hunt. At the semifinal round, Stites ran 33:15.25 to break the existing meet record and finish third overall, and at the NCAA Championships, she ran 33:!2.74 for 10th place and her fourth All-American award. |
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Stories #16-20 Video
Click the Play Button to the left for the video of #16-20
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| #16 |
Tribe Heavily Invovled in the Community
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Along with its academic and athletics pursues, Tribe Athletics also wants to make an impact within the community and give back. Here is a look at some of the valued acts of community service from the Tribe in 2013-14:
Tribe for Teddy
The men's tennis program hosted 'Tribe for Teddy' to show support for W&M alums Alex and Mary Fish and their infant son, Teddy, who has a rare disorder known as Menkes. Hundreds of patrons donned green 'Tribe for Teddy' t-shirts at the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis in support for the Fish family and raise awareness of the disease. Check out the video above and photo gallery below of the event, or click HERE for the video and HERE for the photo gallery. Menkes is a rare and fatal disease of lacking copper in the body and affects 1 in 100,000 newborns each year. Children with the disease show symptoms during infancy and do not live past an early age. Alex and his wife, Mary, are graduates of William and Mary, and Alex was a member of the Tribe's 2005 CAA Championship team. Sadly on May 5, 2014, Teddy lost his battle with Menkes. For more information on Teddy, visit the Teddy Fish Facebook page.
Massey Cancer Run
The Tribe cross country and track and field program raised more than $20,000 at its annual Massey Cancer Center 5K Run and Walk at Zable Stadium in November. The Massey Cancer Run has been a Tribe tradition for over 20 years, and has helped raise more than $125,000 for research at the Massey Cancer Center at MCV. Organized with large thanks to Charles (a cancer survivor himself) and Ginny Crone '83 and their family, as well as Randy '71 and Shelby Hawthorne '71 and the W&M cross country and track programs, the event welcomes runners, walkers, and relay teams to a race around the historic W&M campus.
Birdies for Breast Cancer
For the fourth year running, the men's and women's golf ran the "Tribe Birdies for Breast Cancer" donation effort. Since its beginning in the Spring of 2011, the Tribe has raised more than $23,000 for breast cancer research through the Susan G. Komen Foundation, including over $1,200 during the spring of 2014.
FISH
The men's gymnastics program has a long tradition of excelling athletically, academically and in the community. This year's team continued to build upon that tradition by sponsoring its annual food drive, which collected 2,953 pounds of canned goods for the local FISH food bank. This winter marked the sixth year that W&M sponsored a food drive benefiting FISH. During that span, the Tribe has collected approximately 14,500 pounds of food for the organization.
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| #17 |
All Tribe Fall Sports Qualify for CAA Championships
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The Tribe enjoyed a standout fall season, which saw all six programs advance to the CAA Tournament. It marked just the second time since qualification was needed to get a program in the CAA Tournament and the first time since 2008 that every W&M fall sport qualified for the league tournament. The Green and Gold continued to dominate cross country, capturing the CAA crown on both men's and women's sides. The women's cross country team went on to place 12th at the NCAA Championship. In men's soccer, the Tribe advanced to the CAA Championship game by routing UNCW, 6-3, before falling to Drexel, 1-0, in the title match. The Green and Gold went on to host an NCAA Tournament game against former league rival George Mason. It marked the third time in the last six years that W&M hosted an NCAA Tournament game at Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field. On the women's side, Tribe soccer continued its NCAA Record of winning seasons and finished second in the CAA during the regular season. For the second straight season, Tribe volleyball competed in the CAA Tournament, while field hockey, under first-year head coach Tess Ellis, returned to the league tourney.
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| #18 |
Women's Soccer Enjoys NCAA Record 33rd Straight Winning Season
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For the NCAA record 33rd straight season, head coach John Daly and the William and Mary women's soccer program posted a winning record during the 2013 fall campaign. The Tribe only dropped two matches (one in regulation) as they finished their slate with an 8-2-7 mark. W&M finished the regular season in second place in the CAA, and fell in the semifinals of the CAA Tournament in penalty kicks.
The Tribe was paced by first team all-conference selections junior Emory Camper (10 goals and 21 points) and sophomore goalkeeper Caroline Casey (0.91 goals-against-average and six shutouts). Meanwhile, junior Emily Fredrikson was named to the second team, while senior Dani Rutter and junior Taylor Dyson were named to the third-team. Freshman Clara Logsdon earned all-rookie team honors.
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| #19 |
Tribe Head Coaches Rake in the Awards, Lead Programs Toward Bright Future
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The 2013-14 athletics season further cemented that Tribe athletes are led and taught by some of the best minds in the coaching profession. The Green and Gold welcomed a quartet of first-year head coaches, including a pair that wasted little time establishing themselves among the best in the CAA. Long time assistant and first-year head coach Tess Ellis led field hockey's return to the CAA Tournament and in the process was named the CAA's Coach of the Year. She guided the Tribe to a pair of nationally-ranked wins during the regular season, including a thrilling win over No. 5 Virginia. Brian Murphy took over the reigns of Tribe baseball in the fall and led the program to its first CAA regular season crown. For his efforts, he too was named the CAA Coach of the Year. First-year Tribe head coaches Ed Swanson in women's basketball and Hillary Fratzke in lacrosse showed glimpses of a bright future for the Green and Gold on both the court and the field. Swanson's team made progress throughout its first season, including setting a number of school records in a home win over UNCW. Fratzke's squad went toe-to-toe with a number of the top-ranked teams in the country and closed out the regular season on a two-game winning streak.
W&M continued to display its national reputation in cross country and track and field as head coaches Stephen Walsh and Jill Miller earned CAA Coach of the Year honors following the program's championships in cross country. In swimming, head coach Matt Crispino was named the CAA Coach of the Year after leading the Tribe to a second-place finish in the closest CAA Championship in history.
W&M's longest tenured head coach Cliff Gauthier added to his distinguished resume, leading the program to the NCAA Championships on the strength of the program's fourth ECAC title. Gauthier was named the ECAC Coach of the Year and then during the spring, he was recognized as a W&M Honorary Alumnus by the College's Alumni Association. Head football coach Jimmye Laycock received a pair of state coach of the year honors after leading W&M to one of its best turnarounds in school history. Laycock garnered Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Coach of the Year honors as well as the Bobby Ross Virginia Coach of the Year after leading the Tribe to a national ranking of as high as No. 16 with seven victories.
Three former Tribe head coaches were selected to Halls of Fame this year. After nearly 30 years at W&M, former Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Dan Stimson, who announced his retirement in the spring, was selected to the W&M Athletics Hall of Fame. Joining him in the Tribe Athletics induction was volleyball matriarch Debbie Hill, who won eight CAA titles, five CAA Coaches of the Year and 587 victories. Former Tribe men's soccer head coach and current Associate Director of Development Al Albert was named a member of the 2014 Hampton Roads Hall of Fame Class. Also on the soccer front, former Tribe soccer standout Jill Ellis was named the head coach of the United States Women's National Team.
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| #20 |
Four Tribe Football Players Earn All-America Honors
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The Tribe football team was led by a quartet of All-Americans in 2013, as senior free safety Jerome Couplin III, senior offensive lineman Matt Crisafi, junior defensive end Mike Reilly and junior wide receiver Tre McBride all garnered national distinction. Couplin, who signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions last spring, highlighted those honored as he earned All-America accolades from five organizations (Associated Press, Sports Network, Walter Camp, Phil Steele, College Sporting News) and was chosen as a Buchanan Award Finalist, which recognizes the country's best Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) defensive player.
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Stories #21-25 Video
Click the Play Button to the left for the video of #21-25
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| #21 |
Tribe Field Hockey Upsets No. 5 Virginia, Wins Pair Against Nationally-Ranked Opponents
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Coming off of a CAA Tournament appearance in 2012, and with the graduation of several key players and the retirement of legendary coach Peel Hawthorne '80, the Tribe showed its grit under the direction of first-year head coach Tess Ellis, turning in an exciting campaign. The Green and Gold upset a pair of nationally-ranked opponets and tallied a trio of CAA victories to earn a spot in the league semifinals.
With W&M at a 5-7, and just two days removed from a tough home loss to Richmond, the Tribe traveled up to Charlottesville for a road test at No. 5-ranked Virginia. The Cavaliers featured multiple All-Americans and an Olympian, but in the rain on the blue turf, it was the Tribe who played like the national contenders. Sophomore Pippin Saunders (Mittagong, NSW) scored on a solo run with a cracking shot in the eighth minute, and the Cavaliers were unable to answer for over 50 minutes, stopped thanks to an outstanding defensive effort. That included a diving save by senior forward Taylor Hodge (Louisville, Ky.), who ran all the way back and snaked the head of her stick behind the ball as it rolled towards an open goal. In the second half, Hodge got in done on the other end of the field connecting on a penalty corner from Saunders and Chaney Manganello (Richmond, Va.) in the 62nd minute for a 2-0 lead. Virginia was able to get one back 90 seconds later, but that was all, and W&M had its first win over a top-five opponent since 1995. Check out the highlights from the Tribe's win over No. 5 Virginla.
Two weeks later, the Green and Gold headed to the nation's capital and a meeting with the 18th-ranked American squad. Once again, the Tribe confounded the experts and took the early lead on a corner, thanks to Hodge yet again and assists from Saunders and Kayleigh Ross (McLean, Va.). American found a tying score in the 45th minute, and at the end of 70 minutes, the game went into 7v7 overtime. With almost the entire first 15-minute extra period used up, the Tribe earned a penalty corner and passed the ball in to Hodge. She took a step to elude an on-rushing defender, and cranked off a shot that found the boards behind the goal, and delivered W&M its second ranked-upset of the year.
Hodge, who scored 10 goals, and Saunders both earned first-team All-CAA honors at the end of the season. Hodge was also named the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year and to Phi Beta Kappa, and was chosen by the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Department as its “Major of the Year” at Commencement in May. |
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Tim Rusthoven Named CAA's Dean Ehlers Leadership Award Winner, Fourth Tribe Honoree in Five Years
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During his final season with the Tribe, Tim Rusthoven was recognized for both his play on the court and his work off it. He was named the 2014 winner of the CAA's Dean Ehlers Leadership Award, marking the fourth time in the last five years the Tribe has taken home the league's most prestigious basketball honor. The distinction, which has been presented to the deserving men's and women's basketball player since 1995, is named after former James Madison athletic director Dean Ehlers, who was a founding member of the conference, served as its first President and was a recognized leader through his membership on numerous NCAA Committees. The award is given to the student-athlete who “embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity and sportsmanship in conjunction with his academic athletic achievement.” Rusthoven joined David Schneider (2010) and Quinn McDowell (2011 and 2012) in being named the winner of the Dean Ehlers Leadership Award winner.
Rusthoven was heavily involved in the Williamsburg and W&M communities along with being a student leader on campus and in athletics during his career. He was a team captain and member of the W&M SAAC along with his involvement in the Mason School of Business. Rusthoven was the president of Tribe Fellowship, an on campus Christian fellowship group, and led a Bible study group of high school boys at the Williamsburg Community Chapel. He was a nominee for the 2014 Allstate NABC Good Works Teams®, which recognizes a select group of college basketball student-athletes who have made significant contributions to the greater good of their communities through volunteerism and civic service. Rusthoven also capped his career, earning Second Team All-CAA honors on the court and being named the league's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Click HERE to check out #CAAHoops In Focus with Rusthoven.
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| #23 |
Marcus Thornton Enjoys Another Spectacular Season
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During his junior season, Marcus Thornton established himself as one of the top mid-major players in the country, leading the Tribe to a 20-win season and an appearance in the CAA Championship game. Thornton became the third W&M player to earn First Team All-CAA honors, after ranking among the league leaders in scoring (18.7) and 3-point shooting. He was named the CAA MVP by CollegeInsider.com to go along with becoming just the second player in W&M history to earn two straight NABC All-District First Team accolades. Thornton reached the 1,000-point mark in the Tribe's fourth game of the season against High Point and ended up becoming just the 11th player in program annals with 1,000 points and 200 assists in a career. A highlight of Thornton's season came on Jan. 25, when he knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to propel the Tribe to a 68-66 win over Drexel in Philadelphia, a play that ranked No. 4 on ESPN's top plays on that night. In the Tribe's 72-62 win at Rutgers early in the season, he scored a season-high 28 points, one of 14 20-point games for him during the 2013-14 campaign.
Thornton is on pace to become W&M's all-time leader in scoring and 3-point shooting. His 1,519 points over his career rank seventh in W&M history and are the most for a Tribe player through his first three seasons. Over the last two seasons, Thornton has scored 20 or more points in 45.2 percent (28-of-62) of the Tribe's games and scored in double figures on 95.2 percent (59-of-62) of the Tribe's games. He averaged nearly 20 points per game in the CAA Tournament, scoring 21 points in the semifinals against Towson and 22 vs. Delaware in the finals to earn CAA All-Tournament teams honors.
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| #24 |
Maria Belaya, Jeltje Loomans Shine at All-American Championships
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At the Riveria/ITA All-American Championships, featuring the most exclusive championship draws of the top 32 singles players and top 24 double teams in the country, the Tribe's Maria Belaya and Jeltje Loomans left a mark and showed themselves to be among the top players in the country in the first national championship event of the fall. Belaya advanced through the qualifying flight and into the singles main draw, before falling in the round of 16. Playing in the championship doubles draw, Belaya and Loomans combined to advance to the quarterfinals.
Belaya downed two nationally-ranked players in the qualifying draw to earn a spot in the final 32. She upended No. 33-ranked Whitney Kay of North Carolina in straight sets, before bouncing No. 104 Bianca Sanon of Columbia to secure her championship draw spot. Belaya became the first Tribe player since 2008 to earn a spot in the main singles draw at the Riviera/ITA All-American Championships. In the opening round of the main, Belaya rallied for a three-set win over No. 7-ranked Yana Koroleva of Clemson, marking the highest-ranked singles win for a Tribe player since current WTA professional and former Green and Gold standout Megan Moulton-Levy defeated the No. 3-ranked player in the country at the 2006 ITA All-American Championships.
In the doubles draw, Belaya and Loomans, who were seeded No. 6 in the event, downed the No. 19-ranked USC team of Brynn Boren and Zoe Katz in the round of 16. The Tribe pair's quarterfinal appearance marked the best finish for a W&M tandem since Megan Moulton-Levy and Katarina Zoricic were semifinalists at the event in 2006.
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| #25 |
Women's Golf Wins Bucknell Invitational, Earns Best Finish at CAA Championship
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The women's golf team had one of its strongest seasons in a number of years, book-ended by spectacular performances at the beginning and the end of the school year. Two freshmen, Kelly Moran (Boulder, Colo.) and Kelly McGovern (The Woodlands, Texas) earned a spot on the CAA Tournament All-Championship team after tying for fifth overall.
At the season-opening Bucknell Invitational, the Tribe shot 912 (+72) to win the 17-team invitational, its first tournament victory since 2009-10. Sophomore Tina Chang (Mineola, N.Y.) and junior Kellie Edelblut (New Hope, Pa.) tied for fifth place to lead the victory, and Moran added an eighth-place finish to the team total. Chang, who would go on to tie for fourth the next week as well, playing at Kingsmill in the W&M Fall Invitational, aced 142-yard 16th hole at the Bucknell Invite on Saturday, marking the program's third hole-in-one.
As the rest of the season played out, with a third-place showing at that home fall tournament, and fourth at the Middleburg Bank Intercollegiate in March, the Tribe entered the conference tournament ranked fifth in the CAA. The Green and Gold's toughness and experience playing in adverse conditions came through, however, as W&M tied for second overall at the rain-soaked championship. Moran and McGovern were 12-over in their fifth-place tie, and juniors Anna McMullen (Monroe, La.) and Edelblut were 15th and 16th, respectively, while sophomore Alessandra Liu (Cynwyd, Pa.) rounded out the team in 22nd. The second-place finish was the best-ever for W&M at the CAA Championships. For the year, the Tribe ranked fourth in program history with a 312.38 stroke average, and fifth all-time with a .577 winning percentage (71-52).
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