Brack and Landau named to NEWMAC Academic All-Conference team

November 8, 2006

NORTON, MA- Fourteen Wheaton College student-athletes were named to the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Academic All-Conference team for the fall of 2006. Student-athletes receiving the award must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or better upon completion of the 2006 spring semester, attain at least a sophomore year standing and be a competing member of a varsity team for the entire season. Women's cross country and women's volleyball each provided a school-best three honorees.

From the women's cross country team, senior captain Jennifer Ziello (Litchfield, CT/Litchfield) drew an honor for the third straight year, junior Abbe Bosk (Narberth, PA/Springside) nabbed her second award, and sophomore Kathryn Paar (Cambridge, MA/Arlington Catholic) corralled her first. The trio helped Wheaton place fifth at the NEWMAC Championship on October 28, as the Lyons finished just 18 points out of second.

Women's volleyball senior Ashley Emerson (Ashford, CT/E.O. Smith) was named academic all-conference for the third straight year, classmate Alexis Liesman (Winchester, CA/West Valley) notched her second honor, and sophomore Julia Dekermendjian (Cambridge, MA/Cambridge Rindge and Latin School) received her first. A two-time captain, Emerson led the team in hitting while finishing third in each kills and blocks. Liesman completed her three-year stint at Wheaton fourth in career assists (2,169) and ninth in service aces (158), while Dekermendjian appeared in 26 matches, drawing four starts for the 4-28 Lyons.

Senior captain Matt Peirce (Lincoln, MA/Lincoln-Sudbury Regional) and sophomore Scott Hafferkamp (Merrimack, NH/Merrimack) of the men's cross country team each earned their first academic honor. The duo helped the Lyons move up two spots from last year and finish fifth at the NEWMAC Championship.

Field hockey junior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford) landed the award for the second straight year, while senior co-captain Shea Clarke (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham) received her first honor. Ryalls, who was just named all-conference for the second time, has twice been named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) National Academic squad. She has six goals and six assists for the Lyons. Clarke, also a two-time NFHCA National Academic team member, recently broke the school record with her 20th career assist. The tandem has led Wheaton to a school-record 14 wins and its first conference tournament victory since 1997.

Junior Katelyn Brack (Lake Oswego, OR/Oregon Episcopal School) of the women's soccer team is a second-time honoree, while sophomore Jessie Landau (Pound Ridge, NY/Fox Lane) corralled her initial award. Brack has started 13 of the 21 games in which she has appeared and is fifth on the team in each assists (7) and points (15). Landau has played in 16 games, drawing three starts. The 20-1-1 Lyons ride an 18-game undefeated streak into the first round of the NCAA Tournament this weekend after winning their sixth NEWMAC Tournament crown.

Women's tennis juniors Briana Jackson (Redding, CT/Joel Barlow) and Maya Milic-Strkalj (Philadelphia, PA/Friends' Central School) both nabbed their second accolade. Each has also been a two-time Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Scholar-Athlete. Jackson picked up five singles victories and accumulated a 10-5 doubles mark, while Milic-Strkalj went 8-5 in singles action while notching six doubles wins. The Lyons finished their fall season at 7-5.

Fall sports sponsored by the NEWMAC include men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's and women's soccer, women's tennis and women's volleyball.

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