SHU Student-Athletes Excel in the Classroom

Siena Heights student-athletes earned an aggregate grade point average of 3.11 for the 2016 winter semester.
Leading the way was the women’s golf team with a 3.80 aggregate GPA. A total of 233 female student-athletes earned an aggregate GPA of 3.39.
A total of 353 male student-athletes earned an aggregate GPA of 2.92.

ALSO: The Saints softball team (above) took the top spot in the NAIA with a 3.72 team grade point average, according to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. In all divisions, Siena Heights was topped only by NCAA Division III Newbury (N.C.) College (3.77) and NCAA Division II Upper Iowa (3.764) for the overall collegiate high.

The Saints also had a collegiate-high 26 student-athletes honored as NFCA Scholar-Athletes for 2015-16. Saints honored were Kelsie Abbott, Lexi Agers, Ashley Best, Lauren Best, Hannah Bleikamp, Kayla Boland, Julie Bonk, Channing Brzys, Kelsey Cherry, Phoebe Cross, Paide Dean, Lesley Ducat, Hailey Fox, Ashley Helmink, Katie Hybl, Megan Jones, Tiffany Jones, Kelsey Lampkowski, Amy Nordstrom, Lindsay Postal, Jessica Sierak, Meghan Spagnoli, Stephanie Tylicki, Sydney Vernier, Kyndle Wolfinger and Hannah Yadon.

Wilcoxen Named Full-Time Sports Information Director

Crystal Wilcoxen was named as SHU’s sports information director. She had been serving in an interim capacity since November 2015 and originally was a graduate assistant in the office. The New Hudson, Mich., native was one of 20 sports information directors nationwide chosen to receive the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America Convention Attendance Grant for the annual CoSIDA convention. The former goalkeeper for the Saints’ women’s soccer team and 2015 SHU graduate has a bachelor’s degree in biology.

Longtime SHU Athletic Director Honored by WHAC

The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference all-sports trophy will now be called the Fred Smith All-Sports Trophy in honor of longtime SHU athletic director Fred Smith and his contributions to the league. The Saints finished fourth in the WHAC 2015-16 all-sports standings behind Davenport, Indiana Tech and Madonna.

SHU Cross Country and Track Programs Ranked Among the Nation’s Best

The women’s cross country and track and field teams ranked fifth on the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association’s NAIA Program of the Year standings. Points are distributed according to the place earned at a championship event.

Lyall Steps Down as Head Football Coach; Kohn Named as Replacement

In May 2016, Siena Heights head football coach Jim Lyall stepped down due to health concerns. SHU Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Matt Kohn (above) was named as interim head coach for the 2016 season. Lyall, who was hired in 2010 to help start the Saints’ intercollegiate football program, led SHU through its first five seasons. In 2014, he was named the MSFA Mideast Coach of the Year after leading the Saints to a Mid-States Football Association Mideast Division championship. In four NAIA varsity seasons at Siena Heights, Lyall compiled a 19-21 record. Kohn was part of Lyall’s original coaching staff at SHU. In December 2016 Kohn was named permanent head football coach.

Fall Baseball: It Counts

In October, the Saints ended its first fall regular season with a 6-3 record playing Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference foes. The WHAC became one of the first collegiate baseball conferences in the nation to play regulation games in the fall. Erich Klingelhofer was 3-0 on the mound with a save to lead the pitchers, while Kevin Ketvirtis led the Saints with a .429 batting average. Siena Heights resumes its season this spring during its annual Florida trip.

Golf

Women: The Saints finished sixth at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships last spring at Stonehedge Golf Course. SHU had a three-round total of 985, with Indiana Tech (924) winning the title. Andrea Richards placed eighth overall with a 54-hole total of 237 (80-83-74). Alyssa Fausneaucht tied for 11th with a 238 (80-77-81) on the par-72 course.

Men: The Saints finished fourth at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships last spring at the Lenawee Country Club. Nicklaus Zanotti tied for seventh with a 54-hole total of 222 (78-72-72). Ian Martin tied for ninth with a 223 (74-74-75). The Saints had a team score of 898, with Northwestern Ohio winning the event with an 884.

Softball

Sophomore Kelsie Abbott was named NAIA All-Region second team by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Abbott was honored as a utility player for her work as a pitcher/outfielder/designated player. She led the team in several offensive categories, including runs (36), hits (58), doubles (15), triples (6), RBI (46), walks (20), batting average (.397), on-base percentage (.473), slugging percentage (.603), and extra base hits (22). As a pitcher, she had nine wins and a 3.14 earned run average. She also earned a spot on the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference first team. Named to the conference honorable mention team were junior pitcher Lesley Ducat, junior infielder Kenya Keller, sophomore outfielder Kelsey Cherry and sophomore first baseman Kris Forest. Keller, Ducat, Megan Jones, Kelsey Lampkowski, Hannah Bleikamp, Kyndle Wolfinger and Katie Hybl each earned academic all-conference recognition, with Lampkowski receiving the team’s Champions of Character Award. Jones, Lampkowski and Wolfinger were also each named NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The Saints finished the season 28-24, with the win total the most for the program since 1996.

Baseball

Catcher Zach Dunlop and outfielder Travis Stricklin were each named to the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference honorable mention team. Twelve Saints earned academic all-conference honors, including Dunlop, Austin Hauck, Erich Klingelhofer, Thomas McCarter, Dan Muller, Alex Robbins, Ryne Sanders, Ty Schafer, Trenton Shindorf and Brent Vaccaro. Brendan Green was named a Gold Glove winner at second base, with Jake Maruk receiving the team’s Champions of Character Award. The Saints finished the spring 2016 season 19-34 overall, 10-22 in the WHAC.

Outdoor Track & Field

Women: Stephanie Marquardt and Marissa Johnson each claimed individual national titles as the Saints placed third in the nation at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Champion-
ships last spring in Gulf Shores, Ala. Siena Heights had 53 points, trailing only Concordia (Neb.) (71) and Indiana Tech (66). Marquardt, a senior, won the 100 hurdles in a school record time of 13.43 seconds. Johnson, a junior, claimed the high jump crown with a leap of 5 feet, 9 3/4 inches. Also earning All-American honors for the Saints were Phoenix Duncan in the high jump (second, 5-8 1/2), Kasey Renshaw in the hammer throw (second, 186-11 1/2), Sheila McKinley in the pole vault (second, 12-3 1/2), Ashley O’Neill in the discus (fourth, 154-3 1/2), Kristin Stobinski in the marathon (sixth, 3:23:06.2), Rebecca Cousineau in the discus (144-7 1/4) and Haley Hudson in the shot put (eighth, 46-5 1/2). The Saints also edged top-ranked Indiana Tech in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships to earn their first conference title since 1997. Siena Heights had nine first place finishes as it edged Tech 212.5-205. Seniors Duncan and Marquardt both turned in record-setting performances in the high jump and 100 hurdles, respectively, to share the Outstanding Performer Award. Duncan jumped 5 feet, 10 1/2 inches for a new school record, while Marquardt posted a time of 13.55. Kirk Richards earned WHAC Coach of the Year honors, with Mariah Ridal selected for the team’s Champions of Character Award.

Men: The Saints earned a sixth place finish at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last spring in Gulf Shores, Ala. The Saints finished with 35 points, with top-ranked Indiana Tech winning the event with 86 points. Senior Gerald Richardson led the way for the Saints, finishing second in the high jump (7 feet, 1/2 inch) to earn All-American honors. Also receiving All-American status were Frederick Boyd in the 110 hurdles (third, 14.31), Rich DePalma in the pole vault (third, 16-4 3/4), the 4×400 relay of Zakary Haines, Juarrezz Smith, Torin Anderson and Dominic Muessig (third, 3:11.24), Logan Gray in the shot put (fifth, 55-2), Anderson in the 400 hurdles (seventh, 54.06), Paul Jacobs in the hammer throw (seventh, 180-1) and the 4×800 relay of Anthony Vermilye, William Jackson, Brent Rodden and Muessig (eighth, 8:14.39). The Saints also had a strong showing to place second behind top-ranked and defending national champion Indiana Tech at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships. SHU had three conference champions and 16 top-three finishes. Leading the way was senior DePalma, who won the pole vault with a school-record of 17 feet, 4 1/2 inches. He was named Outstanding Performer of the Meet. Adam Stuckert was the team’s Champions of Character recipient.

Lacrosse

Women: Karley Engelsman was named to the NAIA All-America second team. The sophomore defender picked up 45 groundballs and caused 24 turnovers. Sophomore Kayla Parks earned a spot on the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference honorable mention team after leading the Saints in goals with 38. Seniors Sabrina Snow and Sydney VanHoose made the WHAC all-academic team, with Megan Byers receiving the team’s Champions of Character Award. Coach Cindy Hill was named the WHAC’s Champions of Character Coach. The Saints finished the season 7-10.

Men: The Saints played in two national tournaments last spring. They couldn’t hold on to a late lead as Missouri Valley scored an 8-7 double-overtime victory in the semifinals of the NAIA National Invitational. The 12th-ranked Saints (13-7) then claimed a 16-9 victory over Minnesota-Duluth in the consolation game of the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association Division II national tournament, ending their season. Three Saints were honored as MCLA All-Americans. Joshua Abruzzo was named to the first team, Danny Orr made the third team and Mark Ward earned honorable mention. Abruzzo, a senior defender, led the team with 24 caused turnovers and 34 groundballs. It was his second consecutive year on the first team. Sophomore midfielder Orr had 33 goals and 18 assists, while Ward, a senior faceoff specialist, led the Saints in faceoff wins (141 of 205) and groundballs (57). Abruzzo and Orr were also selected to the All-CCLA first team. Earning second team honors were senior attacker Spencer Macek and Ward. Sophomore midfielders Michael Birt III and Stephen Bloxam received honorable mention honors. Senior Kevin Kennedy and juniors John Holowaty and Seth McIntosh were each named to the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference all-academic team. Senior Mark Ward received the team’s Champions of Character Award. The Saints finished 11th in the final MCLA Division II rankings.