ODU TEAM MVP'S NAMED
Field Hockey senior Angie Loy and junior pitcher Justin Verlander were named Athletes of the Year by the Old Dominion University Alumni Association.
Men's tennis senior Niklas Oskarsson and field hockey senior Cora Gerardi were named 2004 Jack Wilkins/James Howard Scholar Athletes of the Year at the annual Old Dominion University Athletic honors Banquet and Hall of Fame induction, which was held at the Ted Constant Convocation Center Tuesday night.
Loy is a two-time first team All-American and was the CAA Player of the Year and tournament MVP. She completed her senior campaign leading the ODU Lady Monarchs with 24 goals, 21 assists, and 69 total points which ranked her second nationally. She is also a three-time NFHCA Academic All-American and helped lead the Lady Monarchs to their eighth straight CAA title and a record 23 straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Loy is currently a member of the U.S. National squad.
Justin Verlander has already been selected CAA Pitcher of the Week twice and National Player of the Week. The 6-5 junior righthander is Old Dominion's and the CAA's all-time strikeout king with 384. Last summer, Verlander helped lead team USA to the silver medal at the Pan Am games with a 5-1 record. Currently Verlander leads the CAA in strikeouts with 108 in 75 innings and his 12.8 strikeouts per game ranks him third nationally.
The Jack Wilkins/James Howard Scholar Athletes of the Year are presented to the male and female senior athletes with the highest cumulative grade point averages. Both Howard and Wilkins were instrumental in the formation of the intercollegiate Foundation in 1965.
Cora Gerardi served as a reserve on the CAA championship field hockey team and scored a goal in the upset win over eighth ranked Princeton. A major in speech pathology, Cora also earned All-Academic honors by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for the second straight year. She will graduate with a 3.89 grade point average.
Niklas Oskarsson compiled a 13-9 singles record which included a 4-2 mark in Fall tournament play. He is 10-7 in doubles at the No.l spot with Izak van Der Merwe, and has helped guide the Monarchs to a top 60 ranking. The Monarchs reached the finals of the CAA Championships last weekend. Niklas will graduate with a 3.68 grade point average in international business.
Old Dominion University also inducted five former athletes into the school's Sports Hall of Fame. They included: Roger Randall (wrestling), Matt Quatraro (baseball), Samantha Salvia (field hockey), Petey Sessoms (basketball), and Charlie Smith (basketball- deceased).
In addition to the above, the Most Valuable Players from each sport were recognized. They are as follows:
2003-04 TEAM MVP'S
Men's Basketball Alex Loughton (Perth, Australia)
Women's Basketball Shareese Grant (Virginia Beach, Va.)
Field Hockey Angie Loy (Loysville, Pa.)
Men's Golf Christopher Kline (Hampton, Va.)
Women's Golf Ashley Davis (Ontario, Canada)
Women's Lacrosse Suzanne Wosczyna (Phoenixville, Pa.)
Men's Sailing Jack Kerr (Redmond, Wa.)
Women's Sailing Anna Tunnicliffe (Perrysburg, Oh.)
Men's Soccer Trevor McEachron (Woodbridge, Va.)
Women's Soccer Shibaughn Stevens ( Penfield, N.Y.)
Men's Swimming Nathan Tschohl (Chesapeake, Va.)
Women's Swimming Lauren Timby (Rochester, N.Y.)
Men's Tennis Izak van der Merwe (Kempton Park, South Africa)
Women's Tennis Nataly Cahana (Quiriat Bialik, Israel)
Wrestling Derrell Lorthridge (Wilmington, Del.)