Detroit's Sommerfeld, Butler's McCracken named U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Week
May 8, 2007
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INDIANAPOLIS -- University of Detroit Mercy junior Mark Sommerfeld (men's golf) and Butler University junior Paige McCracken (women's golf) have been named the U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Week, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Tuesday (May 8).
Sommerfeld helped the Titans to their second League title in the last three years, earning All-Tournament honors with his third-place finish at the League Championship last Sunday and Monday (April 30-May 1). Detroit posted a 16-shot victory over runner-up University of Wisconsin-Green Bay at the Shaker Run Golf Club in Lebanon, Ohio. The League's head coaches also tabbed Sommerfeld as the League Golfer of the Year for the second year in a row.
In the classroom, Sommerfeld owns a 3.385 grade-point average as an international business major. He earned Academic All-League honors in 2005-06 and is a member of the League's Academic Honor Roll and the UDM Athletic Director's Honor Roll. In addition, he has participated in the NCAA's "Stay in Bounds" program as well as the annual NCAA Leadership Conference. Sommerfeld won Scholar-Athlete of the Week for the second time in 2007, adding the latest certificate to his honor from March 13.
McCracken won medalist honors at the Women's Golf Championship, shooting the best final-round score (80) to claim top individual honors by one shot over a pair of teammates. Her three-round total of 246 enabled Butler to win its third consecutive League crown, defeating Detroit by nine strokes. McCracken gained All-Tournament honors for the third year in a row and also garnered All-League recognition for a second consecutive season.
In the classroom, McCracken maintains a 3.811 grade-point average as an English writing major. She gained Academic All-League accolades last spring and is a regular member of the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll. Butler recognized McCracken as a Josten's Scholar-Athlete earlier this semester, honoring her academic accomplishments.
The Horizon League instituted the Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards for this academic year as a way to recognize outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. To be eligible for the honor, a student-athlete must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or better (on a 4.00 scale), have completed at least one year at the member institution and passed 24 semester or 36 quarter hours, and perform well during the week's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.
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OTHER MALE NOMINEES:
Sean Bidzinski, Loyola (golf, sophomore, 3.88, biology) tied for 16th place at the League Men's Golf Championship, posting a three-round total of (77-79-75) 231. His final-round 75 helped the Ramblers to a fourth-place showing in the team standings.
Ross McCoy, UW-Milwaukee (baseball, senior, 3.251, biochemistry) batted .520 (13-for-25) in seven games, helping the Panthers to a 6-1 record which included a weekend sweep of Cleveland State University. He scored seven runs, recording four doubles, a home run and four RBI, to raise his season batting average from .221 to .276. He also stole two bases.
OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:
Michele Penney, Cleveland State (softball, senior, 3.81, anthropology) went 5-for-11 (.455) with three homers, seven RBI and five runs scored in a three-game sweep of Detroit. She hit .364 (8-for-22) overall as the Vikings ran their winning streak to ten games with a perfect 7-0 week. She ranks third on the school's career charts in home runs (16) and RBI (98).
Sarah Dickey, Detroit (softball, senior. 3.61, criminal justice) set the school's single-season and career records for hits. The shortstop eclipsed the one-year standard with her 63rd hit of the spring on Sunday (May 6), which also gave her 200 for her career. Dickey leads the League with a .458 batting average this season.
Marcia Faustin, Loyola (outdoor track and field, senior, 3.48, biology) won the high jump at Indiana University's Billy Hayes Invitational, clearing 5-5¾ to automatically qualify for the NCAA Midwest Region meet. She was also a member of LU's 4x400 relay team that placed fifth with a time of :48.58.
Jenny Rehfeldt, UW-Green Bay (softball, senior, 3.564, elementary education) batted .667 (8-for-12) in leading the Phoenix to a three-game weekend sweep of Butler, pushing UW-Green Bay to a tie for second place in the final regular-season standings. She had three multi-hit games against the Bulldogs, posting three hits in each of the last two games and scoring three runs in the nightcap of Saturday's (May 5) doubleheader.
Jenni Saarinen, UW-Milwaukee (outdoor track and field, sophomore, 3.808, elementary education) won the Horizon League hepathlon championship at the Butler Twilight Open---the first round of the League Outdoor Track and Field Championships---last Saturday. It was Saarinen's third League multi-event title, including the indoor pentathlon in each of the last two seasons.
PREVIOUS SCHOLAR-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK Aug. 29 -- Aaron Thompson (Butler, soccer), Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)Sept. 5 -- Kent Wories (Butler, cross country), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)Sept. 12 -- Kent Wories (Butler, cross country), Stephanie Gross (UW-Green Bay, soccer)Sept. 19 -- Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer), Ginny Graczyk (UW-Milwaukee, soccer)Sept. 26 -- Paul Mongillo (Butler, soccer), Liz Fazio (Cleveland State, volleyball)Oct. 3 -- Tom Sadd (Cleveland State, soccer), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)Oct. 10 -- Billy Meier (UW-Milwaukee, soccer), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)Oct. 17 -- Nick Hawley (UW-Milwaukee, cross country), Mary Parker (Detroit, soccer)Oct. 24 -- Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Betty Slinger (UW-Green Bay, volleyball)Oct. 31 -- Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)Nov. 7 -- Markian Zyga (Loyola, soccer), Sarah Rauen (UW-Green Bay, volleyball)Nov. 14 -- Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Genni Gardner (Butler, cross country)Nov. 21 -- Robby Leibold (UW-Milwaukee, swimming), Sarah Moore (UW-Milwaukee, volleyball)Nov. 28 -- Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Whitney Lewis (Wright State, basketball)Dec. 5 -- Bjorn Schantz (Cleveland State, swimming), Amanda Popp (UW-Green Bay, basketball)Dec. 12 -- Tom Levin (Loyola, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)Dec. 19 -- Mike Schachtner (UW-Green Bay, basketball), Steph Comisar (Wright State, basketball)Dec. 27 -- A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)Jan. 9 -- Mike Schachtner (UW-Green Bay, basketball), Jenna Real (Loyola, basketball)Jan. 16 -- Dan Lindstrom (UW-Green Bay, swimming), Whitney Lewis (Wright State, basketball)Jan. 23 -- Robby Leibold (UW-Milwaukee, swimming), Jackie Closser (Butler, basketball)Jan. 30 -- Drew Streicher (Butler, basketball), Molly Cox (UW-Green Bay, swimming)Feb. 6 -- Blake Booher (UIC, swimming), Lindsay Caldwell (UW-Milwaukee, swimming)Feb. 13 -- Drew Burleson (Wright State, basketball), Jenni Saarinen (UW-Milwaukee, indoor track)Feb. 20 -- Evan West (Butler, tennis), Genni Gardner (Butler, indoor track)Feb. 27 -- Blake Booher (UIC, swimming), Lindsay Caldwell (UW-Milwaukee, swimming)Mar. 6 -- Rob West (Cleveland State, tennis), Amy Meissner (UW-Green Bay, tennis)Mar. 13 -- Mark Sommerfeld (Detroit, golf), Jackie Closser (Butler, basketball)Mar. 20 -- A.J. Graves (Butler, basketball), Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)Mar. 27 -- John Westra (Cleveland State, baseball), Natalie Berglin (UW-Green Bay, basketball)Apr. 3 -- Josh Page (Youngstown State, baseball), Kat Krause (Loyola, softball)Apr. 10 -- Steven Wipprecht (Cleveland State, tennis), Jenni Saarinen (UW-Milwaukee, outdoor track)Apr. 17 -- Justin Parker (Wright State, baseball), Kaleigh Rafter (Detroit, softball)Apr. 24 -- Sean Bidzinski (Loyola, golf), Holly Nearman (UW-Milwaukee, outdoor track)May 1 -- Justin Parker (Wright State, baseball), Michele Penney (Cleveland State, softball)
MULTIPLE-AWARD WINNERS5 - Bjorn Schantz, Cleveland State4 - Genni Gardner, Butler3 - Mary Parker, Detroit3 - Jenna Real, Loyola2 - Blake Booher, UIC2 - Lindsay Caldwell, UW-Milwaukee2 - Jackie Closser, Butler2 - A.J. Graves, Butler2 - Kat Krause, Loyola2 - Whitney Lewis, Wright State2 - Robby Leibold, UW-Milwaukee2 - Justin Parker, Wright State2 - Mike Schachtner, UW-Green Bay2 - Mark Sommerfeld, Detroit2 - Kent Wories, Butler2 - Markian Zyga, Loyola
