The seven-meet schedule, which starts on Sept. 2, has a handful of new events in place.

For the first time in a number of years, the Royals are not participating in the ODAC Preview meet, but instead heading south to Black Mountain, N.C. 91短视频’s teams will run in the Hyder-McMahill Invitational on Sept. 2, hosted by Montreat College and former Royals mentor Jason Lewkowicz.

The next weekend the Royals stay local, running at the JMU Invitational in New Market, Va.

After a Sept. 29 trip to the highly-regarded Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa., the teams stay in-state. 91短视频’s men and women get a preview of the South/Southeast Regional Championships course by running at the CNU Invitational on Oct. 14.

Virginia Wesleyan hosts the ODAC Championships on Oct. 28, before the Royals return to the southeast corner of the state for Regionals on Nov. 11, hosted by Christopher Newport.

The NCAA National Championships are Nov. 18 in Elsah, Ill., hosted by Principia College, which is just outside of St. Louis, Mo.

91短视频’s women finished 10th at Regionals last year, while the men came in 11th. It was the first time in four years that the Royals did not send a cross country runner to Nationals.

Denlinger joins men’s soccer player Adam Shank as the only two 91短视频 men named to an Academic All-America team. Shank landed on the Third Team in 2005.

A 12-time All-ODAC middle distance runner, Denlinger graduated from 91短视频 this spring with a 3.94 GPA as a biology major, with plans to enter the medical field. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference as the conference’s top male scholar-athlete.

Over his four years, Denlinger was a multiple All-Region performer. Between indoor and outdoor track, he was voted the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete five times, and broke five 91短视频 records: indoor 1000m and mile, outdoor 800m and 1500m, and a team mark in the 4x400m relay.

Off the track, Denlinger was involved in 91短视频’s Student Government Association and the residence life staff. He also provided cadaver dissection demonstrations for local community members.

Director of Cross Country/Track & Field聽Isaac Bryan said his senior approached both his athletic and academic rigors with the same diligence.

“Tyler’s extreme work ethic was evident in both his running and academic work,” Bryan explained. “Perfection was his goal in both so he would study for hours in between his intense training sessions for track. He knew that good grades and fast times weren’t going to come without dedication and a strong work ethic.”

Denlinger was the only ODAC cross country/track & field athlete among the 45 men named to an Academic All-America team this year.

CoSIDA has honored 12 Eastern Mennonite athletes as Academic All-Americans, all since 1985.

The ODAC’s Board of Directors announced the honor today from a pool of the conference’s seniors in all sports, considering athletic, academic and extracurricular achievement.

For Denlinger, the Jopson Award is the highest recognition from a storybook career. A 12-time All-ODAC performer, Denlinger won his first individual ODAC championship this spring at the ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships while also winning the President’s Award as 91短视频’s top male student-athlete.

He said it is a tremendous honor to be the recipient of the Jopson Award.

“Because I know of the incredible caliber of the student-athletes found in track and field, I am aware of how high an honor this is as it extends across all sports,” explained Denlinger. “I am extremely grateful for the ways in which 91短视频 and the ODAC have set me up to succeed and consider it a blessing to have spent my time there.”

, becoming the sixth Royal to be named the ODAC’s top female scholar-athlete. Denlinger is the fifth male from Eastern Mennonite to win the Jopson Award since it was created in 1981.

Eastern Mennonite Director of Athletics聽Dave King聽nominated the senior runner for the award.

“It has been a joy to watch Tyler develop as an athlete and a person,” said King. “He is a great example of what can be achieved through a four-year commitment to excellence in your sport, the classroom and all your involvements.聽As he developed as a runner, he narrowed his focus on particular distances and employed the training regimen required to have his best performances at the end of his career. Everything he did was building toward the end of his running career.聽It is that type of commitment to reaching a goal that Tyler will take with him from athletics and apply it to other aspects of his life, making him successful in whatever he pursues.”

Denlinger was a four-year member of 91短视频’s cross country and track & field teams. He made his biggest athletic mark on the track, winning the first of his 12 All-ODAC honors as a sophomore. A multiple All-Region performer for finishing with a top-five time in the South/Southeast Region, Denlinger won ODAC gold medals with the indoor 4x400m relay team and then individually in the outdoor 800m. He broke five 91短视频 records: indoor 1000m and mile, outdoor 800m and 1500m, and a team mark in the 4x400m relay.

“Throughout my years of competing with 91短视频, I have come to love the ODAC,” Denlinger explained. “The level of competition is high, the schools are gracious and hospitable, and I have come to befriend many of the athletes I have competed against. Athletically, the ODAC provided an optimal environment for me to grow and succeed in. It has been a delight to duke it out with some of the best middle distance runners in ODAC history.”

Director of Cross Country/Track & Field聽Isaac Bryan聽said Denlinger set himself apart with his work ethic, both on the track and in his classwork.

“One of the best parts of coaching Tyler was getting to hear about how he was growing in his academics,” Bryan commented. “Quite often we would have conversations about his research projects and his lab work. Tyler seeks learning in all aspects of life. It’s only fitting that he should win this award.”

Denlinger, who graduated this spring with a 3.94 GPA as a pre-med biology major, has plans to go to medical school before running a family practice. His received just as much recognition for his academic work at 91短视频 as he did for his running.

He is a five-time ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete, winning his first of those as a sophomore in 2015. Denlinger has earned spots twice on the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Team as well as the VaSID Academic All-State Team, and has been on the 91短视频 Dean’s List every semester.

The Perkasie, Pa., native said he was glad he chose 91短视频 and its broad based liberal arts education.

“Academically, my time spent at 91短视频 has been energizing,” said Denlinger. “I enjoyed getting my feet wet in a variety of science classes including Sustainable Agriculture, Organic Chemistry and Human Physiology, but also gained satisfaction outside of my major in Men’s Choir and Cognitive Psychology.”

Over his four years, Denlinger was involved in 91短视频’s Student Government Association and was a community advisor for Residence Life. He worked with the local community by providing cadaver dissection demonstrations, and will keep his graduating class connected as the Senior Class President.

Looking back at his four years as a collegiate student-athlete, Denlinger cited a quip from inventor Thomas Edison: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Denlinger said that mantra sums up his own determination to learn and grow, not only on the track, but also in his classwork and now in his life after college.

King was impressed by Denlinger’s ability to keep his accomplishments in perspective.

“While ‘All-American’ seems to be everyone’s dream ending, and Tyler certainly gave his best effort to achieve that level, his balanced outlook on life is demonstrated by the joy he found in claiming his first-ever individual ODAC gold medal in his final ODAC race, an experience he says was a storybook ending,” explained King.

The Jopson Award is the first for 91短视频 since聽Adam Shank聽won it in 2006. Other previous winners for Eastern Mennonite are聽Kurt Sauder听(1989),听Vaughn Troyer聽(1993) and聽Aaron Kauffman聽(2001). Along with Chappell-Dick’s Berkley Award last year, the Royals had the first five winners of the ODAC’s top female scholar-athlete:聽Becky Derstine听(1984),听Cheryl Ann Bergey听(1985),听Linda Burkhardt听(1986),听Noel King聽(1987) and聽Ann Wenger听(1988).

Washington and Lee University tennis player Brooke Donnelly won this year’s Berkley Award.

Berkley and Jopson Award History
Inaugurated in 1984 and 1981, respectively, the Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Scholar-Athlete Awards are given each spring to member institution seniors and conference sport participants who exhibit the highest athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements.聽Ms. Berkley began her collegiate teaching career at Lynchburg College.聽Several years later, she moved to Hollins University where she coached tennis, field hockey, and soccer, and served as the athletic director for 30 years.聽The Jopson Award is named in honor of the Bridgewater College professor and coach who retired in 1981 following 45 years at BC. Dr. Jopson, who initiated and directed the Eagles’ cross country and track programs, led his teams to ODAC indoor track titles in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and outdoor crowns in 1978 through 1981.

He is now eligible for CoSIDA’s Academic All-America voting.

Denlinger leaves 91短视频 as one of the best middle distance runners in program history. After taking down the 91短视频 record in the 800m in his final race last week, Denlinger owns five program records, including the outdoor 1500m, indoor 1000m and mile, and 4x400m relay. He is a 12-time All-ODAC performer, along with ODAC Championships this year in the outdoor 800m and indoor 4x400m relay.

Academically, the biology (pre-med) major holds a 3.97 GPA and repeats his CoSIDA Academic All-District honors from 2015. He was voted as the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete five times between indoor and outdoor track seasons. Last month, Denlinger earned 91短视频’s highest honor for a student-athlete as the male recipient of the President’s Award.

Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Isaac Bryan, who joined the Royals in 2015, said Denlinger set himself apart with his work ethic.

“It was an honor to coach Tyler these past two years,” said Bryan. “I never had to question his dedication or level of motivation. Even on his ‘off’ days he gave it everything because he loves running and working hard. He’s talented but he got to where he is because he out-worked people.”

The criteria for the All-District program states that a player must be of sophomore academic standing, be a starter or important reserve and claim a GPA of at least 3.30 on a 4.0 scale. Eastern Mennonite is a member of District 5, which includes players from NCAA D-III institutions in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.聽Denlinger was one of four men from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference honored on the ten-man team from District 5.

Denlinger becomes the fourth 91短视频 student-athlete to be voted Academic All-District this year, joining (Port Republic, Va./Eastern Mennonite) from women’s volleyball, (Telford, Pa./Dock Mennonite Academy) from men’s soccer and (Gladys, Va./Rustburg) from baseball.

91短视频’s track men are wrapping up the 2017 season at the NCAA National Championships this weekend in Geneva, Ohio, with (Winchester, Va./Millbrook) running in the 400m hurdles and (Bristow, Va./Patriot) participating in the triple jump.

Newly minted 91短视频 graduate Tyler Denlinger has the next several years pretty well planned out.

The Royals now have an off week before the South/Southeast Region Championships, which are Nov. 12 in Rome, Ga.

Despite being hampered by a hip injury, senior聽聽(Mount Sidney, Va./Fort Defiance) had enough to push to an All-ODAC finish. The senior ran with the lead pack the first half of the race and even walked for a short time, before a strong finish landed him at 11th in 26:58.4. 贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听聽(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) ran a steady race and finished not far behind his teammate in 13th, clocking at 27:05.9. Both men earned All-ODAC Second Team honors.

聽(Churchville, Va./Fort Defiance) passed a runner late to move into 18th place, crossing in 27:21.8. The top 14 earned All-ODAC status.聽聽(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) wasn’t far behind, taking 22nd in 27:33.7. 贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听聽(Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) rounded out the scoring five when he took 34th in 28:08.8.

聽(Perkasie, Pa./Christopher Dock) ran a season PR and finished 38th in 28:18.2.聽聽(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) came in 48th in 28:45.7.

“We were lucky to have Alec and Abrham run today,” explained Coach Isaac Bryan, “as they’ve both been battling injuries the last two weeks. I was impressed with their toughness. Jared and Steven helped us round out a solid four.聽Ben聽finished well to be our fifth today. He stepped into big shoes as a freshman.”

The Royals put together 94 points for their fourth place finish, 21 points in front of Roanoke. Bridgewater was third with 69.

Host Washington and Lee claimed both men’s titles. Senior Mac Strehler crossed 18 seconds ahead of the second place runner for individual gold, while the Generals had four in the top eight to total just 32 points for the team crown.

Bryan said that while the men ran a solid race, there is still room for improvement.

“It’s a tough course, but we had great preparation and weather today so that helped,” he said. “We were hoping for top three on the team side. We fell short of that goal today. Hopefully we can get back to where we need to be at Regionals.”

On the women’s side, Eastern Mennonite showed off the power of the pack. Despite only landing one All-ODAC individual finish, the women had all five scorers in the top 25 and took third place with 103 points.

“Our pack for the women was fantastic,” Bryan said. “They all ran together for the first 2k. I thought it would be a battle to finish top three on the team side, so I was impressed to see us finish where we did.”

贵谤别蝉丑尘补苍听聽(Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) ran with the pack early before stretching out ahead of her teammates midway through the 6k race. She finished with a PR time of 24:16.2, taking 13th place to earn All-ODAC Second Team accolades.

The rest of the pack stayed together well.聽聽(Goshen, Ind./Goshen) crossed 20th in 24:48.6, a season-best time for the fifth-year senior.聽聽(Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) was within talking distance, timing at 24:50.9 in 21st place. Three spots later came聽聽(Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton), taking 24th in 25:02.3.聽聽(Dover, Ohio/Dover) was 25th in 25:04.9.

贵谤别蝉丑尘别苍听聽(New Carlisle, Ohio/Tecumseh) and聽聽(Fredericksburg, Va./Courtland) rounded out to top seven. Hoover was 37th in 26:10.5 and Nichols was 43rd in 26:40.5.

“Megan had a phenomenal race,” Bryan said of his top finisher. “This is only her second season running cross country but it hasn’t seemed like it this year. She helped pull everyone along. It was also great to see Juni finish her last conference race so well.”

Washington and Lee swept the team titles, with the Generals’ women totaling 38 points. Kerri Dalton of Roanoke took individual gold by 14 seconds.

Major Awards
The top freshman in the ODAC most of the year and in Saturday’s race,聽聽was named the men’s Rookie of the Year. He was the only freshman to earn All-ODAC status at the ODAC Championships.

, a two-time All-ODAC honoree and NCAA Nationals participant, was voted as the women’s Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She holds a 4.00 GPA as a biology (pre-med) major at Eastern Mennonite, adding minors of Spanish and honors.