Monday, April 22, 2002

SIX GREYHOUNDS NAMED STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

BETHLEHEM, PA --- Sophomore Janelle Brey (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) and freshman Heather Bortz (Allentown, PA/Parkland HS) from the softball team, senior Sarah Shaneberger (Bethlehem, PA/Southern Lehigh HS) of the women's outdoor track & field team, senior Michael Abbate (South Plainfield, NJ/Bishop Ahr HS) from the baseball squad, junior David Kurvink (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) from the men's tennis team and sophomore Jamison Licausi (Tobyhanna, PA/Pocono Mountain HS) of the golf squad have been named the Moravian College Student-Athletes of the Week for their performances last week.

Brey, a third baseman, helped the Greyhounds to 5-2 record last week and clinch their eighth straight trip to the postseason.  Moravian was 3-0 in Commonwealth Conference action and has won nine straight conference games to clinch a berth in the Commonwealth Conference Playoffs. For the week, Brey hit .455 (10 of 22) with three doubles, three homeruns (two of which were grand slams), seven runs scored and 16 RBIs. She had a 1.000 slugging percentage for the week and drew five walks for a .586 on-base percentage. Brey's best game of the week was a four-for-five performance in the first game of a doubleheader at Delaware Valley College in which she tied her own school records with two homers and seven RBIs and she set the school record with ten total bases in the win. Moravian is currently ranked 20th in the nation and has an overall record of 29-6. The Greyhounds will return to action on Thursday, April 25th in a non-conference doubleheader at ninth-ranked William Paterson (NJ) University beginning at 3:00 p.m.

Bortz, the Greyhounds' starting shortstop, hit .577 last week with 15 hits in 26 at-bats. She also added 11 runs scored, six RBIs, a double, a triple and a stolen base.  Bortz had an on-base percentage of .607, drawing two walks and having two sacrifice bunts in 29 plate appearances. She was perfect in the field with 13 putouts and 21 assists and no errors. Bortz had a .692 slugging percentage (18 total bases) for the week. Bortz had multiple hits in six games last week with three games with three hits.

Shaneberger broke the Moravian record in the hammer throw with an Eastern College Athletic Conference qualifying throw of 41.61 meters (136 feet, six inches) at the Lafayette College Invitational last weekend. She was fifth in the event and she also placed second in the shot put with a NCAA Division III provisional and ECAC qualifying distance of 12.95 meters (42 feet, six inches), her best toss of the season. Shaneberger< also took 11th in the discus with an ECAC qualifying toss of 33.77 meters (110 feet, nine inches).

Abbate, the Greyhounds' starting centerfielder, led the Greyhounds in hitting last week with a .360 average (9 for 25).  He scored six runs and added a double, a triple, two stolen bases and two RBIs as Moravian posted a 2-5 record for the week. Abbate did not make an error in 21 attempts in centerfield last week. The Greyhounds are currently 13-20 on the season and will return to action on Wednesday, April 24th when they host DeSales University in a non-conference game beginning at 3:30 p.m.

Kurvink led the Greyhounds to the Middle Atlantic Conference Semifinals for the second straight year where Moravian lost to defending MAC Champion Drew University. Kurvink was perfect on the court last week, winning both of his singles matches, including accounting from Moravian's only point in the playoff loss to Drew, and he won both of his doubles matches with sophomore Mike Helmuth (Bethlehem, PA/Harrisonburg {VA} HS). Kurvink will compete in the MAC Individual Championships this Friday and Saturday, April 26th and 27th at King's College and Wilkes University.

Licausi led Moravian to a 2-2 record last week and a ninth place finish at the Glenmaura National Collegiate Invitational. He shot a round of 77 as Moravian defeated DeSales and Ursinus College and Licausi had an 83 on Moravian's home course at Saucon Valley Country Club as the Greyhounds fell to Albright College and Lebanon Valley College. Licausi posted a two-day total of 157 at the Glenmaura National Collegiate Invitational, good enough for a tie for 15th place. Moravian will return to action in the Lehigh Valley Championships at Northampton Country Club on Tuesday, April 23rd beginning at 1:00 p.m.