MCCC Student Athletes Enjoy Breakfast and Honors

5/21/08


Approximately 55 of Mercer's student athletes attended a recognition breakfast on May 9. (Members of the baseball team were unable to attend due to their participation in the NJCAA Northeast District Tournament in Rockland, NY.) President Pat Donohue thanked the assembled young people for representing Mercer on the field and on the court, noting that Mercer is all about learning and student success and that sports is a key avenue to success for many students. "We know you want to win. We appreciate the effort you put in and how well you represent Mercer in the community." She praised Dean of Student Affairs John Simone for overseeing students' achievements not only in athletics, but in the classroom.

Among the award winners were tennis player Jessica Fleming, who received the Female Scholar Athlete Award, baseball player Tyler Smith, who won the Male Student Athlete Award, and two-year soccer player Jorunn Evju, the recipient of the Dr. Cynthia Schaffer Memorial Scholarship. Also recognized were soccer player Victor Hernandez, Mercer's only all-American this year, and sophomore basketball player Jeannette Bell, who was selected to the first team All-Region and will transfer to Chowan University (NC). Women's basketball player Krista Regan and baseball player Frank Mercurio were selected for the Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Awards by Exercise Science Program Coordinator John Kalinowski. Both students took on Kalinowski's challenge to get in tip-top shape with early morning workouts, significantly improving their strength and agility in their sport.

Highlights of the Mercer sports program this year included a national title for no. 1 tennis singles player Marc Nichols and a fifth place showing for the men's tennis team, a trip to the Northeast District Tournament for the baseball team for the first time since 2003, and a trip to the nationals for the men's soccer team.

Female Scholar Athletes of the Year included tennis player Jessica Fleming, second from left, and soccer player Jorunn Evju. Also pictured are John Simone and President Patricia Donohue.
Members of the men's basketball team, from left, Irvin Johnson, Todd Jones, Tajh Laster, Eric Preston, Derek Williams, Josh Merrington, Pedro Burgos and Anthony Ross.

Mercer's no. 1 men's tennis player, Marc Nichols, left, is pictured with Athletic Director John Simone. Nichols helped Mercer win the Region 19 title and went on to win the national title at no. 1 singles,
the first Mercer player ever to do so.
Baseball player Tyler Smith was selected
for the Male Scholar-Athlete Award for academic
and athletic achievement.
Basketball player Jeannette Bell was selected
to the All-Region 19 team. She is pictured
with Dean John Simone.
Sophomore soccer player Victor Hernandez was selected as an NJCAA All-American.
He is pictured with teammate Rob Cabrera,
who returns to the lineup in the fall.
Women's softball players included, from left, Samantha Combs, Sara Contento, Angela Richter, Joan Jaczko, Rebecca Pacheco, Kelly Miller and Jackie Laird.
Soccer player Heidi Summers gave a heartfelt thanks to coaches, administrators and trainers
on behalf of all the athletes.

Basketball player Krista Regan was the selected for the Strength and Conditioning Award from Exercise Science Coordinator John Kalinowski, left. The men's award went to baseball player Frank Mercurio (not pictured). Also pictured, John Simone.

Women's soccer players, from left, Jorunn Evju, Sammi Raymond, Heidi Sommers, Allison Murphy and Kristin Furbeck, Beth Perez (front).

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