Jackie Williams

Manny Lamarre

Springfield, Ohio — While the Wittenberg University Department of Athletics can boast of a variety of outstanding team and individual athletic accomplishments again this academic year, another great source of pride is created by the performance of Tiger athletes in the classroom. It, too, has been exceptional.

For starters, Jackie Williams, class of 2009 from Rocky River, Ohio, and Manny Lamarre, class of 2009 from Miami, Fla., earned North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Student-Athlete Awards, presented annually to Wittenberg student-athletes who perform with distinction both in the classroom and on the playing field. One male and one female student-athlete from each of the NCAC's 10 member institutions are selected for the award annually.

Williams finished her career with four first-team All-NCAC, three first-team All-Great Lakes Region and three All-America awards, in addition to back-to-back NCAC Player of the Year awards in 2007 and 2008. She is one of 11 Wittenberg players to earn All-America honors, but she is one of just three student-athletes in program history to garner three All-America awards in her collegiate career.

Williams' NCAC-leading .375 attack percentage in 2008 was the second-best in school and NCAC history, trailing her own record of .382 established in 2007. Amazingly, Williams has four of the top seven season attack percentages in school history and comfortably owns the career record for both the Wittenberg program and the conference.

A biology major with a 3.35 grade point average, Williams helped the Tigers to three NCAC regular season titles, three NCAC Tournament crowns, three NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region titles and three national semifinal appearances during her collegiate career. Wittenberg's record in the last four years is 140-17, including a 53-1 mark against conference opponents.

A native of Haiti, Lamarre is a three-year letterwinner and four-time All-NCAC performer in men's track and field. A standout in the sprints and relay events, Lamarre was a member of the school-record indoor sprint medley relay and 4x200-meter relays in 2009. He also turned in three point-scoring finishes in the 2009 NCAC Indoor Track and Field Championships before adding a fourth-place finish as a member of the outdoor 4x400-meter medley relay.

A political science major with a 3.57 grade point average who missed the 2008 track and field season to study in Washington, D.C., Lamarre scored points six different times in NCAC indoor championship meets and five different times in outdoor competitions. He has been extremely active on campus, serving as an officer in the pre-law association, Concerned Black Students and Pi Sigma Alpha, the political science honorary, in addition to his role as editor-in-chief of Levitas, the political science journal, and a tour guide in the Office of Admission.

2009 Wittenberg Chi Alpha Sigma inductees (click photo to enlarge)

In addition, 24 Wittenberg student-athletes have been selected for induction into Chi Alpha Sigma, a National College Athlete Honor Society that recognizes student-athletes for their ability to excel in both academics and athletics. Nominees must have at least a 3.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale, have earned at least one varsity letter and have achieved junior or senior academic status.

Wittenberg's 2009 Chi Alpha Sigma inductees are:

Andrea Berry (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North), class of 2010 – Women's Lacrosse
Stephanie Boardman (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley), class of 2010 – Women's Basketball
Jeff Boucher (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills), class of 2010 – Men's Lacrosse
Sarah Braden (Independence, Ohio/Brecksville), class of 2010 – Women's Soccer
Dan Buchan (Dublin, Ohio/Worthington Christian), class of 2009 – Men's Golf
Cameron Catalfu (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland), class of 2010 - Softball
Kelly Clark (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), class of 2010 – Women's Soccer
Carrie Dyer (Copley, Ohio/Copley), class of 2010 – Women's Basketball
Kristin Elber (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick), class of 2010 – Women's Swimming and Diving
Brad Folta (West Lafayette, Ind./West Lafayette), class of 2010 – Men's Basketball
Janna House (St. Thomas, Ontario/Central Elgin Collegiate Institute), class of 2010 – Women's Swimming and Diving
Elise Jenkins (Elida, Ohio/Elida), class of 2010 – Women's Basketball
Emily Murray (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey), class of 2010 – Women's Soccer
Emily Nash (Hilliard, Ohio/Davidson), class of 2010 – Women's Tennis
Stephen Nevius (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee), class of 2010 – Men's Golf
Rachael Radel (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview), class of 2010 – Women's Soccer
Allison Reed (Duluth, Ga./Duluth), class of 2009 – Women's Swimming and Diving
Laura Schumaker (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee), class of 2009 – Volleyball/Women's Track and Field
Corey Shubitowski (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson), class of 2009 – Women's Soccer
Erin Slattery (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston), class of 2010 – Volleyball
Kate Snead (Westerville, Ohio/South), class of 2010 – Volleyball
Jeff Wilbur (Ann Arbor, Mich./Community), class of 2010 – Football
Ted Winders (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township), class of 2010 – Men's Lacrosse
Julie Ziegler (Sandusky, Ohio/Perkins), class of 2009 – Softball

"These student-athletes have demonstrated brilliance outside their playing fields in attaining their high level of academic achievement," said Women's Basketball Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz, class of 1998, who also serves as Wittenberg's Chi Alpha Sigma adviser. "Congratulations to each of these student-athletes. Even more, I offer a sincere word of gratitude to them for representing our university as outstanding student-athletes – the founding philosophy of NCAA Division III athletics."

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Group Photo By: Erin Pence

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