Golfer, Volleyball Star Named First-Ever U.S. Army Scholar-Athletes of the Month

Oct. 15, 2007

INDIANAPOLIS -

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University of Detroit Mercy senior Mark Sommerfeld (men's golf) and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay senior Betty Slinger (volleyball) have been named the first U.S. Army Horizon League Scholar-Athletes of the Month for September, League commissioner Jonathan B. LeCrone announced Monday (Oct. 15).

Sommerfeld averaged 72.2 strokes over six tournament rounds in September. He led UDM to a third-place finish at the Ball State Invitational, finishing second individually in the 17-team field. His opening-round 66 was one stroke shy of the school 18-hole record, and he missed Detroit's school record for the 54-holes at Ball State by a mere two strokes (207), carding a 66-68-73.

In the classroom, Sommerfeld majors in international business while maintaining a 3.43 grade-point average. He was named to the Academic All-League team in 2006 and 2007 while also earning recognition as a member of the League's Academic Honor Roll and UDM's Athletic Director's Honor Roll. In addition, Sommerfeld participates in the NCAA's "Stay In Bounds" program and the annual NCAA Leadership Conference.

Slinger has averaged a team-best 10.73 assists per game to go along with 2.54 digs and 1.98 kills per game for the month. She currently ranks second in the Horizon League in assists per game and fourth in hitting percentage (.301) on the year. Against Central Michigan, Slinger recorded a triple-double, while tallying seven double-doubles in 15 matches. During the first month of the season, Slinger started all 56 games while finishing among the team's top three players in assists (first), hitting percentage (first), digs (second), kills (third) and points (third).

Academically, Slinger boasts a 3.818 grade-point average as a human biology major. She has been named the League Scholar-Athlete of the Week two times during her career, and has also been named to the All-League Academic Team twice. In 2006, she assisted her team in receiving the AVCA Academic Team Award and also nabbed a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-District V First Team.

The Horizon League instituted the U.S. Army Scholar-Athlete of the Week awards in 2006 as a way to supplement recognition of outstanding academic and athletic achievement by its student-athletes. That commitment continued with the addition of the U.S. Scholar-Athlete of the Month awards this fall. 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 month's competition. Winners are selected by a group of League faculty athletic representatives, from nominations provided by sports information directors.

OTHER MALE NOMINEES:

Phil Orno, Cleveland State (tennis, sophomore, 3.59, undecided) advanced to the third round and went 2-1 at the prestigious All-American Tournament. At the Toledo Invitational, Orno went 6-0 to help the Vikins claim second place. He posted a 2-1 mark in singles, and went 1-1 in doubles against Ball State to bring his overall fall record to 7-2 in singles and 4-2 in doubles.

Ryan Miller, Green Bay (cross country, senior, 3.79, communication and the arts) led the Phoenix at all four events during the month of September after not leading the team in any event during his first three years. Miller finished 19th in the 63-runner field at the UIC Opener, 15th out of 60 participants at the Crusader Invitational with a personal-best time of 20:51, and 66th out of 260 athletes at the UW-Parkside Midwest Open. Miller also beat out half of the field at the Notre Dame Invitational.

Markian Zyga, Loyola (soccer, senior, 3.87, finance) scored the match-winning goal in Loyola's 1-0 victory at San Diego, helping his team win the Adidas San Diego Classic.

Ryan Schwarz, Valparaiso (soccer, sophomore, 3.57, business) has allowed just 17 goals in nine matches as Valpo's starting goalkeeper. He made a season-best nine saves while allowing just two goals against #2 Duke, and just one goal each against Western Illinois, Loyola, and Milwaukee. During September, his goals-against-average was 1.80, which lowered his career GAA to 2.08. Schwarz also made 51 saves during the month, averaging 5.67 saves per match to rank him 20th among Division I goalkeepers.

OTHER FEMALE NOMINEES:

Jenni Ramminger, Cleveland State (volleyball, junior, 3.65, communications) has been named the Horizon League Defensive Player of the Week and Offensive Player of the Week this season, while also being selected as CSU's Female Athlete of the Month. She also earned a place on the Toledo Invitational and Southern Illinois Invitational All-Tournament Teams. Ramminger ranks among League leaders in hitting percentage and blocks, having recorded a career-high 23 kills in a 3-2 win over Milwaukee on September 29 that snapped UWM's 14-match winning streak.

Annie Moore, Detroit (tennis, junior, 3.65, communications) had a winning record at Number 1 singles in four straight tournaments. In September, Moore recorded a 9-3 overall record, while posting a win at the DePauw Invitational Number 1 singles flight by going 3-0. She also went 2-1 in three other tournaments over the month.

Cynthia Morote-Ariza, Loyola (soccer, sophomore, 3.40, clinical psychology) tallied five goals and five assists for 15 points. She registered two goals and an assist in a 3-2 victory at Green Bay, while also finding the net versus Drake, Penn and LaSalle, and assisting against Eastern Illinois, DePaul and Louisville.

Leanne Felsing, Milwaukee (volleyball, senior, 3.479, education) was named National Player of the Week by College Volleyball Update on September 26, while earning the League Player of the Week twice so far this fall. She has led the Panther team on a 14-match winning streak, and tallied a school-record eight triple-doubles in the first five weeks of the season.

Katarina Hanackova, UIC (volleyball, sophomore, 3.82, economics) averaged 3.53 kills and 3.36 digs per game in 12 matches during the month of September. She posted double-doubles in nine of UIC's 12 matches last month, while posting double-digit digs in 11 contests. Over McNeese State, Hanackova notched a career-high 24 kills, after having helped her team to the UIC Invitational title.

Sara Hughes, Valparaiso (volleyball, senior, 3.70, math and secondary education) dished out 595 assists on the month, averaging 10.62 per game. She has guided a Crusader offense to a League-best .237 hitting percentage adding 122 digs, 31 kills, nine aces, and eight blocks as Valpo went 13-3 on the month. Hughes has registered at least 10 assists in 15 of Valpo's first 16 matches, and she has posted four double-doubles so far this season.