(Posted May 20, 2002)

Huntingdon, Pa. - Sixteen Juniata College student-athletes were named to the 2002 Middle Atlantic Corporation (MAC) All-Academic Team for their respective spring sports. To be eligible for the award a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore, have a minimum 3.20 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale and be a key player for his/her squad.

The baseball team had six members receive post-season academic honors. Seniors Jamie Campbell (Muncy/Muncy) and Lucas Kelleher (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona), juniors Steve Brink (Central Columbia/Nescopeck) and Josh Finafrock (Waynesboro/Waynesboro) and sophomores Matthew Acker (Altoona/Altoona) and Adam Camberg (Altoona/Altoona) all earned academic recognition. Campbell, who is an accounting/criminal justice major with a 3.20 grade-point average, batted .233 this spring with 22 runs batted in, 15 runs scored, four doubles and a home run. He played second base for Juniata during his senior season. Kelleher led the Eagles with a .406 batting average, 56 hits (program single-season record), 138 at-bats, 39 runs scored, 12 doubles and three triples. He is a behavioral sciences major with a 3.23 grade-point average. Brink worked as both a starter and a reliever this year and posted a 6-5 record and a 4.80 earned run average. He tossed 54.1 innings, struck out 27 and walked 27. He is a web information technology/management student with a 3.41 GPA. Finafrock logged 11.2 frames on the mound in a relief role this spring. He registered a 5.40 ERA, was 1-0 and struck out eight, while walking seven. Finafrock is a secondary education/social studies major with a 3.31 grade-point average. Acker and Camberg were both reserve players for Juniata this year. Acker, who is an information technology major with a 3.27 GPA, hit .333 with two RBI and a sacrifice fly. Camberg owns an impressive 3.80 grade-point average and hit .250 with four hits in 16 at-bats in 2002. He also scored two runs.

Juniata finished the season at 19-20 overall and 11-10 in the Commonwealth Conference.

The softball squad had five competitors tabbed for academic recognition. Senior pitcher Christie Matthews (South Williamsport/South Williamsport) and sophomores Cassandra Dutzer (Danville/Riverside), a third baseman, outfielder Shanna Fresch (East Juniata/McAlisterville), outfielder Amber Helsel (Claysburg-Kimmel/Claysburg) and catcher Sarah Patterson (Danville/Danville) each picked up MAC all-academic laurels. Matthews was a four-year member of the Juniata softball squad and this spring she registered a career-best nine wins with her 9-8 record. She also had a 3.07 earned-run average with 105 innings pitched, 26 strike outs and 23 walks. Matthews is a health communication major with a 3.32 GPA. Dutzer started and played in all 28 games for the Eagles. She hit .200 with 17 hits during 85 at-bats. She also knocked in 10 runs and scored eight more, while maintaining a 3.37 grade-point average as a secondary education/history student. Fresch, who is an anthropology major with a 3.47 GPA, appeared in six games this year, scored a run and walked one time. Helsel batted .233 with 20 hits and she scored 13 runs. She also had 10 RBI, two doubles, one triple, one home run, seven stolen bases and nine walks. She currently owns a .339 grade-point average as a biology major. Patterson had 24 hits during 87 at-bats for a .276 batting average in 28 games. She scored 15 runs and had 11 RBI, four doubles and a triple. Patterson is an elementary education student with a 3.54 GPA.

The Eagles finished the season at 14-14 overall and 5-7 in the Commonwealth.

Junior Satoshi Kimura (LB Pearson College (CA)/Nasano, Japan) was the lone Juniata representative on the men's tennis scene. He is a mathematics major with a 3.60 grade-point average. On the court this spring, Kimura went 3-10 in singles' play and 3-8 in doubles' action for an overall record of 6-18. He competed as the number one singles player for the Eagles and went 1-1 at the MAC Individual Championship held in April at King's/Wilkes.

Juniata posted a 2-10 overall dual-meet record this spring in its first varsity season since 1995.

The men's track and field team had senior sprinter Ashley Mort (Blue Mountain/Orwigsburg) named to the MAC all-academic team, he was also an academic all-conference member in the winter following the completion of the indoor season. He posted Juniata's top time of the year in the 100-meter dash (11.16) at the MAC championship (he placed fifth in the finals with a time of 11.33) and this past weekend at the Towson Open he clocked in at 22.54 in the 200-meter run to record the best Eagle effort of the year in that event. In addition, Mort was a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that posted a school record time of 42.80 at the MAC championship. The squad placed fourth with that time. Mort majors in computer science and owns a 3.23 GPA.

Juniata finished sixth out of nine teams during the MAC Championship at Susquehanna University in early May.

A trio of women's track and field competitors also appeared on the unit. Sophomore middle distance runner Carol Longenecker (Harrisonburg/Harrisonburg, VA) recorded a 2:45.91 clocking for her best effort of the year in the 800 meters, while her top effort in the 1,500 meters was 5:34.56. Longenecker majors in social studies/secondary education and holds a 3.25 GPA. Junior Michele Palmer (Littlestown/Littlestown), who is an elementary/special education major with a 3.62 GPA, had Juniata's best times this year in the 1,500 (5:16.89), 3,000 (11:39.10), 5,000 (19:33.19) and 10,000 (44:08.09) meters this spring. She placed eighth in the 5,000 meters at the MAC championship with her season-best clocking. Sophomore sprinter Stefanie Rynkewitz (Lewistown/Lewistown) Rynkewitz, who is an elementary education major, maintains a 3.56 GPA, recorded the blue and gold's top showings in the 100- (13.24), 200- (26.93) and 400-meter (59.49) dashes this year. She placed fourth in the 400-meter run at the MAC championship (1:00.91).

Juniata finished 9th out of 11 teams during the MAC Championship at Susquehanna in early May.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.