Wesleyan Wins WVIAC’s President and Commissioner Cups

West Virginia Wesleyan College once again reigns supreme of the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC). The WVIAC named the victors of the Presidents' and Commissioner's Cups for the 2007-08 athletic season and Wesleyan took top honors in both competitions.

Wesleyan reclaimed both titles from the University of Charleston, which won both in 2006-07. The trophies honor all-around athletic excellence among its member schools.

Wesleyan won league championships in women's cross country, women's soccer, men's soccer, women's track and field, men's tennis, and softball.  The Bobcats also placed second in volleyball, men's cross country, and men's track and field.

“We had a very successful athletic season,” remarked Dr. George Klebez, Wesleyan’s Director of Athletics. “To win six championships in one season is quite an accomplishment. It certainly says a lot about the quality of coaches and student-athletes that we have here and their commitment to excellence.”

The Presidents' Cup is awarded to the school that has the highest average score for sports sponsored within the WVIAC. Points are awarded based on finishes in the regular season of each sport. The number of schools participating for each championship also factors into the rating.

This is the seventh time Wesleyan has been rewarded with the Presidents’ Cup since the WVIAC began handing out the award in 1994. Wesleyan won the Cup in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

The Commissioner's Cup is awarded to the institution with the highest cumulative score as determined by a scoring method used by the league. Points are awarded based on the school's finish after completion of each of the sports sponsored by the WVIAC.

The Commissioner’s Cup has been mainstay on the Wesleyan campus. The College claimed the award for 14 consecutive years from 1992-2005. It returns to Buckhannon after a two year hiatus in Charleston.

WVIAC champions are determined by the regular season standings in sports that receive NCAA automatic qualification for the tournament winners. Tournament champions in all other sports are considered conference champions.  The tournament winner is considered the WVIAC champion in sports with a divisional setup.

Sports Update

The spring athletic schedule came to a conclusion as the Wesleyan athletic teams won two WVIAC titles – women’s track and field and men’s tennis.

MEN’S TENNIS
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) named West Virginia Wesleyan's Lee Underwood as the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Men's Tennis Coach of the Year.  Underwood led the Bobcats to a 22-4 record that included a WVIAC championship and trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Underwood, a three-time WVIAC Coach of the Year, owns a 238-177 overall record as a head coach at West Virginia Wesleyan and Davis & Elkins.  This season's Bobcats were a perfect 9-0 in conference regular season play and earned a school-best #3 seed in the Great Lakes Regional.  The team dominated the WVIAC's individual awards with four selections, including conference Player of the Year Adam White. Underwood is a finalist for ITA Division II National Coach of the Year honors. 

SOFTBALL
The softball team closed the season with a WVIAC record 51 victories and a berth in the Great Lakes Regional Tournament, where they posted a victory over Saginaw Valley State. Coach Steve Warner's squad won the 15th WVIAC regular season title in school history as the Bobcats cruised to 26-2 league record. Warner currently holds a 599-234 career record in his 16th season at the helm in Buckhannon. Three Lady Bobcats earned All-WVIAC first team honors – junior pitcher Stephanie Wheeler (24-5 W-L, 1.27 ERA, 146 K), junior shortstop Trisha Thurston (380 BA, 16 2B, 3 HR, 32 RBI, 59 R), and junior second baseman Emily Nieman (375 BA, 53 R, 9 HR, 66 RBI, 20 2B). Second team honors went to freshman catcher Shelby Carlson (372 BA, 11 HR, 51 RBI, 60 R), senior third baseman Lara Foster (278 BA, 2 HR, 38 RBI), and freshman outfielder Lexi Rodgers (.400 BA, 5 HR, 43 RBI).

BASEBALL
The Bobcats ended their regular season with a 33-17 record overall and a 12-4 conference mark. They advanced all the way to the semi-finals before bowing out of the tournament with a loss to West Virginia State. Wesleyan was rewarded for its 30-win regular season with seven all-conference selections. Two Bobcats, senior closer Craig Hriblan and junior second baseman Derek Bowen, received First Team All-WVIAC honors. Hriblan, Wesleyan’s all-time saves leader, compiled a 2-0 record with a 2.21 ERA and a league-best 11 saves. Bowen’s first year in Buckhannon proved to be a productive one, as the Potomac State transfer batted .477 with two home runs and 37 RBIs. Wesleyan also had two honorees on the all-conference second team, as junior slugger Dustin Kolb and freshman pitcher Cy Mozingo received nods. Kolb led the Bobcats with seven homers and 41 RBIs, while Mozingo was dominant on the mound, compiling a perfect 5-0 record with a microscopic 1.25 ERA. Cory Flickinger, Tyler Phares and Jason Russell received Honorable Mention All-WVIAC bids, rounding out Wesleyan’s representation. Flickinger, a freshman from Sterling, VA, started every game in centerfield, and batted .345 with a team-high 52 runs. Phares, a junior right-hander, had a 5-3 record and a 3.64 ERA and started three games in which the Bobcats shut out their opponents. Russell is a repeat honorable mention selection, and caught fire down the stretch to raise his average to .372. The senior shortstop also belted four homers and drove in 28 runs.

TRACK AND FIELD
The women’s track team won its 16th WVIAC championship in the last 18 years in Wheeling, easily outdistancing second-place Wheeling Jesuit by 62 points. Wesleyan’s men were edged by Jesuit, finishing as runners-up to the Cardinals for the second straight year. Senior Hanna Robinson led the charge on day two of the championships, scoring wins in the 3,000 meter run (10:55.63) and 5,000 meter run (18:15.74). Robinson had already captured the steeplechase crown the day before. Fellow senior Lindsay Elkins also took first in the 400 meter hurdles, winning with a time of 65.54 seconds. Coach Jesse Skiles was named WVIAC Coach of the Year. The lone men’s championship came from senior Tyler Blatchley, who won the shot put with a meet-record throw of 16.86 meters (55’03.75”). Blatchley placed first in the discus competition and was named WVIAC Field Athlete of the Year.

MEN’S GOLF
The golf team finished their 2008 campaign with a fifth-place finish in the WVIAC tournament. Sophomore Mike Gervais participated in NCAA Division II Men's Golf Championship Super Regionals

WOMEN’S GOLF
The West Virginia Wesleyan women’s golf team finished in sixth place in their inaugural season in the WVIAC.

For additional information on Wesleyan’s athletic teams, please visit the Athletic's Homepage.

First Central Bank Athletes of the Week

The West Virginia Wesleyan First Central Bank April Athletes of the Week were honored by First Central Bank Vice President Misty Bennett with certificates for their excellence on the athletic fields.

Left to right: Tyler Blatchley (track and field), Jason Russell (baseball), Stephanie Wheeler (softball), Lexi Rodgers (softball), and First Central Bank Vice President/Deposits Misty Bennett.

Not pictured: Graham Reger (golf), Adam White (tennis), Hanna Jo Robinson (track and field)