Friday 10 May 2013

College Spotlight: Kuhn shines for Juniata men's volleyball

Central grad Paul Kuhn earned second-team All-American honors as the Eagles won the league title.

Sophomore Paul Kuhn had a big season with the Juniata College men's volleyball team and earned American Volleyball Coaches Association second-team All-America honors. The Central York grad was also named to the Continental Volleyball Conference East Division first team.

?

The 6-foot-7 outside hitter finished with 275 kills, 118 digs, 55 blocks and a team-high 32 service aces. He had a .288 attack percentage and was second on the team in points with 339.5.

"Paul's high level of play not only earned him conference honors and All-American recognition, it was vital to the team's late season push to capture the league title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament," coach Kevin Moore said.

Kuhn had a solid freshman season but was used to complement the play of three former York-area athletes ---- Mike Kraft, John Almquist and Ben Wolff. But with that trio graduated, it put most of the load on Kuhn.

"We needed Paul to carry a heavier load, not only offensively, but in serve- receive as well," Moore said.

The league title and the NCAA berth were firsts for the 24-12 Eagles, but the season ended with a 3-0 loss to Rivier in the NCAA quarterfinals.

"As Paul and the team prepare for next year, we look for him to focus more on his individual defense and blocking," Moore said.

Marsteller set to go: Senior Rhoda Marsteller will pitch for the Binghamton softball team in the America East Conference tournament, hosted by the Bobcats.

Marsteller (Kennard-Dale) posted a 9-5 record with a 2.77 earned-run average this season. The right-hander worked in 16 games with 12 starts and four complete games -- all shutouts. In 781/3 innings, she gave up 73 hits and 42 runs, 31 earned, with 30 walks and 76 strikeouts.

She shut out Detroit, Syracuse, Maine and Cornell. Against Cornell, she gave up three hits and had a career-high 10 strikeouts.

"Rhoda is having an outstanding senior year and has been instrumental in the success we have had so far," coach Michelle Burrell said. "She has been a leader on the mound and has really worked hard to get to where she's at."

Binghamton will take a 29-15 record into the league tournament and will be the No. 2 seed behind Albany -- the tourney winner earning an automatic berth into the NCAA Division I tournament. The 29 victories are the most in team history.

"We aren't really looking to change anything going into the tournament, so I look for Rhoda to continue to be a leader and trust that all of our preparation will pay off," Burrell said.

?

Seconds for Britton: After earning Atlantic-10 Rookie of the Year honors by winning the shot put and discus at last year's Outdoor Track Championships, Temple sophomore Margo Britton had to settle for second place in both events at this year's championship last weekend in Charlotte, N.C.

Britton (Dallastown) hit 45-10 in the shot put and then reached 153-3 3/4 in the discus. Both of her marks came up short of her personal bests.

Britton, still hoping to earn an NCAA Regional berth, will compete in the ECAC Division I Championships this weekend in Princeton, N.J.

?

Barnett has potential: Junior Chelsea Barnett (South Western) and the McDaniel women's team had a long spring season, but coach Bob Detrich sees the light at the end of the tunnel. The team finished 2-13 overall and 1-9 in the Centennial Conference.

Barnett played No. 1, 2 and 3 singles during the season and settled in at No. 2 at the end of the campaign. She was 4-15. She also played No. 1 doubles and was 3-15.

"Chelsea will no doubt be one of our top players next year," Detrich said. "She has a really good forehand with excellent topspin, and she can volley very well. There is potential there. She can get to the next level if she can get more topspin on her backhand and get quicker."

Freshman Sophie White (York Catholic) also was on the team. She was 4-9 at No. 4 singles and 3-15 playing No. 2 and 3 doubles.

"We are looking for big things from Sophie in the future," Detrich said. "She is a really positive person, and no doubt we will need her skills and leadership going forward."

?

Gardner sees action: Freshman Sarah Gardner (New Oxford) pitched in 10 games in relief for the Philadelphia University softball team, which finished 19-31 overall and 9-17 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.

The left-hander worked 22 innings and gave up 36 hits and 33 runs, 23 earned, with 17 walks and 12 strikeouts. Her best effort came in a 9-3 loss to East Stroudsburg. She went 42/3 innings and gave up four hits and two earned runs with three walks and six strikeouts.

"Sarah has already come so far in only her first season, and I expect a lot out of her the next three years," coach Kristen Cybularz said.

The coach lauded Gardner's hard work in the fall and during the winter indoor sessions in the gym.

"I worked with Sarah on her pitching mechanics," the coach said. "Not only did she listen, but she started telling me what she was doing wrong before I could tell her."

Gardner, who is also a solid first baseman, figures to help the Rams at both spots down the road.

"I think Sarah has the potential to be a weapon on this team as long as she continues to put in the work," Cybularz said.

?

Calabria helps Dutchmen: The Lebanon Valley men's tennis team posted a 7-11 record and was beaten 5-0 by Elizabethtown in the Commonwealth Conference semifinals and sophomore Sam Calabria was a key performer for the Dutchmen.

Calabria (Northern York) posted an 8-3 record playing No. 4 and 5 singles and a 5-8 mark playing mostly No. 3 doubles.

"We were hit hard by graduation so Sam moved up in the lineup this year," coach Dave Remsburg said. "Thanks to the depth of our lineup we were able to overcome losing key players and Sam played a large part in that."

Remsburg is looking forward to two more seasons with Calabria.

"Sam was very consistent in both his singles and doubles play, and he was a great assist to the team," he said. "The best is yet to come, and I'm very excited about that."

Merling wraps it up: Youngstown sophomore Aislynn Merling (West York) finished tied for 17th at the recent Horizon League women's golf championship at Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. She totaled 244 on rounds of 83, 79 and 82. The Penguins finished second to Detroit in the team standings.

On the season, Merling competed in all 11 tournaments, and in 25 rounds she averaged 80.4. She posted 13 rounds under 80, with her best effort a 74 at the Detroit Fall Classic.

?

Solid season for Falvey: Philadelphia University sophomore Taylor Falvey (York Catholic) finished third in the 5,000-meter run at the Collegiate Track Conference Championships in Lakewood, N.J. Her time was 18:56.

During the season, Falvey set two records for the Rams, the 1,500 (5:06.37) and the 5,000 (18:36.28). The latter effort came in a first-place finish at the Muhlenberg Invitational.

"Taylor had a strong season," coach Dave Thomas said. "We are looking forward to the fall season, where she is expected to be either one or two on our cross country team."

?

Duo helps Colonials: Juniors Rachael Kotula (Bermudian Springs) and Mekia Kauffman (Northern York) compete in throws for the Robert Morris women's track team.

Kotula qualified for the ECAC Championships with a 136-foot, 5-inch effort in the javelin at the Virginia Invitational. She also competes in the shot, discus and hammer throw for the Colonials.

"Rachel is an extremely versatile thrower," throws coach Nash Oven said. "She's a very hard worker on the track and in the weight room. She expects to be the best every time she puts on the uniform."

Kauffman is a point scorer in the discus, hammer and javelin.

"Mekia recently had a breakthrough in training," Oven said. "She is starting to feel the events more and not pressure herself to throw far. She is having fun now, and you can see it in practice."

Kotula finished second in the javelin (125-0), and Kauffman was third (121-8) at the recent Morgan State Invitational.

Kotula finished second in the javelin (149-2) during last weekend's Northeast Conference championships in West Long Branch, N.J. She also finished fifth in the discus. Kauffman was seventh (126-11) in the javelin.

?

Williams ready to go: Sophomore Tyler Williams (South Western) earned a victory last weekend in the hammer throw when the Widener men's track team competed at the Middle Atlantic Conference Outdoor Championships in Annville.

Williams had a throw of 191-8 to beat his own school record (188-4), more than 18 feet from the second-place finisher. He also competed in the discus and shot put.

Williams finished fourth out of 29 in the college division hammer at the recent Penn Relays in Philadelphia with a 181-2 effort. He finished behind two Division I throwers and a Division II thrower.

"Tyler is one of four Widener athletes in the top 20 on the NCAA qualifying list," coach Vince Touey said. Williams ranks seventh overall in the hammer throw after last weekend's effort.

Freshman Grant Shaffer (Susquehannock) is also on the squad. He's a middle distance runner.

"Grant is a soccer guy who came out for the team late but he's qualified for the 800 for the MAC Championships," Touey said.

Hutchinson helps Explorers: Senior Wendy Hutchinson (Dover) was a member of the La Salle women's distance medley relay team, which set a school record at the Penn Relays with a time of 11:39.94. They finished fifth in the 15-team field and came in ahead of Rutgers, Temple and South Carolina.

Hutchinson ran the opening leg with a 3:32.53 in the 1,200 meter portion of the race.

The Explorers finished fifth in their heat and 21st overall with a time of 9:16.09 in the 4x800.

Hutchinson and the 4x800 relay team competed in the Atlantic-10 Conference Championships over the weekend. Hutchinson took home a second-place finish in the 800, clocking a career-best 2:10.14 -- just 24 hundredths of a second behind the leader.

Hutchinson anchored the 4x800m relay team, which finished second -- less than half a second out of first.

?

Source: http://www.ydr.com/sports/ci_23202202/college-spotlight-kuhn-shines-juniata-mens-volleyball?source=rss

Summer Solstice 2012 Waldo Canyon fire nba finals K Michelle roger clemens multiple sclerosis falling skies

No comments:

Post a Comment