The church announced the news in a July 1 press release. His first day on staff is July 29 and his first sermon will be on Aug. 11.

While at 91����Ƶ, Griffin was honored four times as Old Dominion Athletic Conference Coach of the Year and led the Royals to three consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament. His 230 wins are the most in program history.

Griffin’s ministerial experience includes roles as full-time ministry staff at Philadelphia District Church of the Nazarene and as lead pastor at Grace Point Church in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. 

Read the full story in the Daily News-Record !

“Do you know what an 91����Ƶ graduate should do and be when you are no longer on campus? Think of these things, of the people who invested in you because they believed in you. … Be a very good ambassador,” he urged.

Though many of students present perhaps thought beyond impending finals to consider their future plans, the ceremony was the first time to put on their caps and gowns and the first inkling of the celebration to come. During the May 6 Commencement ceremony, each of the 33 will wear a special stole, some made of kente cloth but others of satin fabric symbolizing heritage, roots within one or various communities, or citizenship.

The formal presentation of these stoles was the reason for coming together with family, friends and 91����Ƶ community members Wednesday evening. The ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of graduating students of color as well as the history of black students’ and students of color achievements at the university, according to Multicultural Student Services Director Celeste Thomas, who started the first event three years ago.

See this event and more in 91����Ƶ’s Centennial timeline chronicling diversity on campus. 

“We gather here to honor these students, some of whom are the first of their family to graduate from college, and to wish them well on their way forward,” she said in her welcome. “For those of you who our graduates have selected to place the kente cloth over their shoulders, it is a great honor.”

Micah Shristi, co-director of international student services and advisor to the International Student Organization, and M. Esther Showalter, advisor to the Latino Student Alliance, also co-hosted the event.

Read 2017 and 2016 coverage of the event. 

Donning of the Kente participants

Eyman Alasbali is graduating with an MA in education. Her father Ghorm Alasbali and mother Abdiah Alshebri presented the stole. She plans to take additional classes for a second concentration and then return to help her community.

Genesis Arzu  is earning a degree in digital media ���Ի���plans to work in a production studio as an audio engineer after graduation. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Natasha Bridge is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented her with the stole. Natasha plans to move home and work and further her education within the next two years.

Jazmine Carter is earning a degree in business administration, and plans to attend graduate school in the spring. Andrew Miller, instructor of business, awarded her stole.

Kevin A. Clark is earning a degree in Spanish with a minor in digital communications. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented his stole.

Phoebe Coffie is earning a degree in biology. After graduation, she plans to take the MCAT and continue shadowing and volunteering, working towards medical school entrance. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Kimberly Daley is graduating with a degree in nursing. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, presented her stole. Her goal is to be debt-free within three years.

Drew Diaz is earning a degree in biology and hopes to go to medical school His mother Pam Diaz awarded the stole.

Fabiana Espinal has earned a degree in liberal arts with a concentration in psychology. Amanda Styer and Alex Bowdey presented the stole. She plans to continue to be involved in the community following an internship related to Title IX and restorative justice. She’ll begin graduate school in fall 2019.

Denait Gebretsadik is graduating with a degree in history and a minor in Spanish. She was gifted her stole by Asmait Asgedom, and it was presented by Mark Sawin, professor of history.

Jerome Jones will graduate with a degree in psychology and plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical psychology. Melody Pannell, professor of sociology, presented his stole.

Maleke Jones is graduating with a degree in psychology and a minor in pre-law. He will work for a local police department. Melody Pannell presented his stole.

Emmanuel Kampanga earned a degree in biology. He plans to take the MCAT and apply for medical schools in Europe. Micah Shristi presented his stole.

Keyri Lopez-Godoy is graduating with a degree in liberal arts and a PK-6 elementary education endorsement. She will teach in Harrisonburg City Schools. Mentor Louise Gallagher presented the stole.

Luisa Angel Mallard is earning a degree in communication. She hopes to eventually earn a master’s degree in restorative justice. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Lania McKoy will graduate with a nursing degree and a psychology minor. Lamarr Wharwood presented her with the stole. She plans to celebrate this accomplishment, study for the nursing boards and then be the best nurse she can be.

Mandy Miller is earning a degree in social work. She wants to work for two years and then return for a master’s degree. Celeste Thomas awarded her stole.

Kennedy Okerere is earning a degree in business administration. He will return to his home state of Maryland to begin a new job. Celeste Thomas awarded his stole.

Louisa Quaynor will graduate with a degree in nursing. She plans to work in a Richmond area hospital after graduation. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, awarded her stole.

Alejandra Tejada Rivera is earning a degree in nursing. She plans to work at Sentara RMH in the orthopedic unit. David Diaz presented her stole.

Da’Jahnea Robinson is earning a degree in psychology. Charisse Robinson presented her with the stole. Da’Jahnea will continue her studies in the MA in Counseling program at 91����Ƶ.

Chang Tan will graduate with an MA in biomedicine. He will work as a research coordinator while preparing medical school applications. Fellow graduate student Thi Do Lovo presented his stole.

Delight Tigoe has earned a degree in accounting. Her stole was presented by Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, and Andrew Miller, instructor of business.

Myneshia Walker is graduating with a degree in sociology and a minor in coaching. She plans to return to her hometown and begin working. Sandy Brownscombe, professor of physical education, presented her stole.

Adila Wahdat graduates with a degree in digital media. She will work in marketing for a jewelry company. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Aminata Wallet-Mohamed will graduate with a degree in sociology. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Alexa Weeks is earning a degree in liberal arts with licensure in elementary education. Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, presented her stole. Alexa hopes to find a teaching job in the Harrisonburg area after graduation.

Brittany Williams is earning a degree in recreation, leadership and sport studies. She plans to stay in Harrisonburg and work. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Isaiah Harris-Winn is earning a degree in business administration. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented his stole. He hopes to continue his basketball career overseas.

Elizabeth Witmer is earning a degree in social work with minors in sociology and Spanish. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented her stole. She will complete her social work practicum this summer in Guatemala and then continue working as office coordinator in the Intensive English Program.

Ryan Yates is earning an MA in interdisciplinary studies and a graduate certificate in transformative leadership. He plans to move to Los Angeles, California, and “create opportunities that will live on well beyond my years.” Deanna Durham, professor of social work, and Celeste Thomas presented him with his stole.

Brianna Zook is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science with minors in business and coaching. Kevin Griffin, head women’s basketball coach, presented her with the stole. She plans to attend graduate school.

]]> /now/news/2018/royals-athlete-of-the-week-brianna-zook/ Fri, 23 Feb 2018 13:45:16 +0000 /now/news/?p=37060 Last week, 91����Ƶ senior (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway) had her first career double double, going off for 20 points and 10 rebounds. This week, she is the Royals Athlete of the Week.

Zook has done a lot of work behind the scenes, with her only career start on Senior Night. The lack of minutes during her time at 91����Ƶ at first were an adjustment, but in her final season, Zook believes that she has really been able to hone her skills and improve her game.

“I think my play overall this season has gotten a lot better,” she said. “I learned new post moves and I was able to get to the basket a lot better.”

On Monday, the women’s basketball team took a loss against Shenandoah University in the ODAC Tournament. Even though she is disappointed in the outcome of the game, Zook is proud of how the team played.

“I was really upset because I thought we could’ve made it further in the tournament,” she said, “but we played really hard and we didn’t give up. Shenandoah just made shots that night.”

Coach Kevin Griffin has certainly noticed her hard work.

“Brianna was just patient and kept working and really played well for us in her senior year,” he said. “She never complained and always gave her best each and every day she came to practice. She is a well-liked, but more importantly, well-respected player by her coaches and teammates. Brianna is a selfless and humble player.”

However, no season is without its challenges. One that Zook found, and that some athletes might not talk about, is the daily struggle with wearing down.

“My biggest challenge is how long the season goes,” said Zook. “It gets tiring after a while, having practice almost every single day, and sometimes it was frustrating having to get up to go practice when all I wanted to do was sleep or go out with my friends.”

But being on the 91����Ƶ women’s basketball team has shaped Zook’s life both on and off the court.

“As a player, I was taught new things and was able to develop my skills each year,” she said. “As a person, I found myself being more confident in what I do on and off the court. What I’ll take from this experience is the memories and the friendships that I made. The bus rides back from games, the late night game nights, going out to eat — that is what’s really going to stick with me.”

After graduation, Zook plans to continue her involvement in athletics by attending graduate school to get a master’s degree in athletic training.

She is also known as one of the best shooting guards in ODAC, with a field goal percentage at 40.4%. In last Saturday’s game against Emory & Henry, Walker poured in a season high 27 points, including a stretch in the fourth quarter where she scored 15 of 91����Ƶ’s 17 points.

Even though the women lost to Emory & Henry, Walker said that the game was “one of the best games that we have played, we just came up a little short. But there is no other team I would want to go to war with than these ladies. I love my team.”

However, her final season at 91����Ƶ has been met with its share of obstacles. On the third day of practice, she injured her leg, costing her to miss the first five games of the season.

“It definitely hurt her and slowed her down to start the season and impacted us and who we were and what we were trying to do,” explained Coach Kevin Griffin, “but it has not changed the way she has played once she got healthy.”

Walker says the toughest part of recovering was catching up with her teammates. “Physically I was behind everybody for a whole month. Mentally I was scared I was going to get reinjured and sometimes it still does cross my mind. I want to finish out my basketball career here at 91����Ƶ on a good note.”

As one of two seniors on the team, Walker is a leader among her teammates. “I see myself as a good leader on and off the floor and I feel that my team respects me a lot, but I also know when it’s better for the group for me to follow along,” she said.

Coach Griffin would agree. “She leads by example, she works hard daily and is a visible portrayal of what it means to be consistent,” he said. “I think a special quality that she brings is that she has been able to show why she is a valuable player, but leads in such a quiet and humble way. Nesh has never wanted any of this: the team, the success, point or rebounds, awards, she has never wanted it to be about her. She just shows and does her part, and for that we cannot thank her enough. She has made a huge impact on our women’s team and our program.”

After playing four years of basketball at Eastern Mennonite, Walker says if there was one thing she could pass onto her younger teammates it would be to “enjoy the experience while you are here because it goes by fast.”

Walker is a sociology major.

She provided the key scores in the Royals’ ODAC win against Lynchburg, tying her career-high 18 points.

“We as a team knew that Lynchburg was a really solid team, and we knew that it was going to be a tough game,” Delawder said. “The win felt really nice since they are a good team and it is counted as one of our conference wins.”

Delawder put in the off-season work to be well-prepared for her second season of collegiate basketball.

“This past summer I did Crossfit and tried to get in the gym as much as possible,” she said.

Head coach Kevin Griffin noticed her off-season dedication.

“Chrissy has worked hard in basketball, and that started this summer,” he said. “She worked hard on her conditioning and getting stronger and also put in a lot of time in our gym. I am very proud of her, and her hard work is paying off for her this year.”

With a different roster than last year, Delawder and her teammates have had to make the necessary adjustments in the role they play on the court.

“All of the posts on our team in general have had to step up and work on our rebounding,” she said. “We lost some good teammates, but we have had a lot of people on our team step up and make big plays. In practice we have all been working hard and pushing each other to get better.”

Delawder is an elementary education major, and hopes to teach in the nearby area after she graduates. She is also a community advisor (CA) in Cedarwood.

“Trying to find a balance has definitely been one of the biggest challenges of this year,” she said. “I know that being a student is the most important and then playing basketball and being a CA I have to treat as equally as possible.”

Delawder still likes to make time for the important people in her life when she has the chance.

“I love to hang out with my friends and family,” she said. “Also, I have my cosmetology license, so I will cut my family and close friends’ hair.”

And when she’s not doing that, chances are she’s in the gym.

“Chrissy is a very skilled player but also an extremely intelligent basketball player on both ends of the court,” Griffin said. “She is not only well liked by her teammates but also highly respected for the work she does on a daily basis.”

Delawder puts in a lot of work, but she gets a lot from her team and her sport in return.

“I first got into basketball because my grandma Dawn wanted me and my sister to get into a sport,” she said. “I keep coming back to the sport because I love it and I really enjoy the relationships and memories I make with the team.”

It took nearly all four years to do what any college basketball player should be able to do.

The Royals recently went on a hot streak, winning five in a row before falling to a quality ODAC opponent, Emory and Henry, on the road. Myneshia put up powerful numbers during the stretch, helping her team along the way.

“We are starting to come together as a team and understand each other more,” Myneshia stated on the team’s hot streak.

The 5-7 guard averaged 17.0 points per game last week, including a career high 22 points in the win over Washington and Lee. It was the fourth time this year that she either tied or broke her high mark for scoring. Overall this season, Myneshia is second on the team averaging 12.7 points per game.

Aside from her offensive prowess, Myneshia puts up valuable numbers on the defensive side of the court, averaging 6.5 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game on the season. The junior puts a great deal of emphasis on her defensive efforts.

“I put a lot more in my defensive play than my offensive play,” she stated. “I take pride on defense. I really don’t like for people to score on me.”

In the midst of a young team, Myneshia was one of only a handful of returners for the Royals. She is also the only regular starter back from last year’s 18-8 team. With being the most experienced player on the team, a leadership role becomes inevitable. Myneshia takes this responsibility head on, but does so in a way that she challenges her teammates to watch her play.

“I see myself as a great leader on the team,” Myneshia added. “I do whatever the team needs me do to help us win and I have always been the type of leader to lead by example or in the way I play.”

Coach Griffin echoes his player’s sentiments on selfless play.

“Myneshia is the ultimate team player,” he explained. “She does not care about playing time, scoring or words printed about her, she just wants us to be successful. She is quiet in her demeanor but is very competitive, she is not only well liked by her teammates, but she is also highly respected as a player and as a person. She is a pleasure to coach, fun to be around and always brings an effort every day.”

Despite a youth-filled roster, the Royals recently won eight out of nine games, and are in the top half of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference standings. Myneshia’s leadership has been an integral part for the team’s success so far, but she said she looks to continue moving forward to prove that her team is more than just a rebuilding team.

Myneshia is a sociology major and plans to use her studies to work with children in the future. Basketball, being a prominent part of her time at 91����Ƶ, is something that will help her with her future vocation.

When speaking on her studies and how basketball has helped her along the way, Myneshia said, “I plan to use that to work with kids in my future and basketball has prepared me to do that by working with people and by being patient.”

Over four years, she has patiently advanced from playing just a few minutes a game to being a fulltime starter, and Jonae is responding to the increased responsibility with a career season as a senior. Since returning to ODAC play last week, the 6-2 center has posted back-to-back double doubles, breaking her career highs for points in a game twice. She scored 16 against Hollins University, then broke that with 17 Randolph College in her next contest. Jonae also came close to matching her career high in rebounds with 14 against Hollins, coming one short of her mark of 15.

The senior pays tribute to her coaching staff and teammates for helping her get to where she is at in this season and in her career.

“In the beginning of the season I wasn’t playing as well as I had hoped, so just staying relaxed throughout games and practices has really worked for me,” Jonae stated. “The coaching staff has been helping me throughout the whole season especially on moving past mistakes. If I mess up or miss a shot the important thing is moving on to the next play. I knew that coming into this season I would have to be a big contributor on the offensive and defensive end but I do find it comforting knowing that I have plenty of teammates who can help in both categories.”

The center currently sits sixth in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference with 8.4 rebounds per game and tenth in field goal percentage with 47.4%. With the current youth movement of the women’s basketball team, Jonae is the only senior on the roster, which puts her into a leadership role.

“Since I’ve been here the longest on the team I know how Coach would want us to be playing and I just try to relate his message to the other players,” she added. Jonae had the opportunity as a freshman and sophomore to go to the NCAA Tournament. She understands the young nature of the team this season, but sees the talent that will come out of experience because she has seen it firsthand.

“I have been blessed to be on two different types of teams and I wouldn’t change anything about that experience,” Jonae said. “I do have a feeling that when this team gets older they may have the same opportunities as I had and go to the NCAA Tournament.”

Coach Kevin Griffin tells of the strengths of Jonae on a playing standpoint and her commitment level.

“Jonae has continued to work each year and does so on a daily basis, a strength of hers is her steadiness,” Coach Griffin stated. “Jonae has a deep commitment to our program and our university and she demonstrates that in her treatment of her teammates and all she comes in contact with. She has a big smile and wears it each day. She has not flinched from the responsibility of being a senior playing with a very young group, she is a humble teammate who just wants our team to succeed.”

Jonae has a major in sociology with a minor in youth ministry, citing a passion for working with youth. Jonae exclaims that her four years of college basketball at 91����Ƶ was a positive influence on her life and appreciates all that she will take away from the game once her career is finished.

“Basketball has always been a part of my life and I’ve met a bunch of people throughout, so one of the benefits of playing collegiate basketball is the friendships that you make throughout your four years,” Jonae said.

Preseason polling ranked the and the in the (ODAC).

The men play their first conference game Nov. 29 at Randolph and the women host Lynchburg Nov. 24.

A for men’s only, women’s only or a combo of all men’s and women’s home games are offered. 91����Ƶ’s home games routinely host large crowds, with an average of 393 fans for the women’s games, a statistic that leading the ODAC and puts 91����Ƶ 39th in the nation among D-III teams. The men averaged 757 for their games, third in the ODAC and 28th out of 417 D-III team s in the nation.

Fans will definitely want to cheer the women on at home:  the Royals (88-22 over the past four years) also take a 30-game home winning streak into this season, with a 54-49 setback against Elizabethtown on Jan. 7, 2013, standing as their last loss in Yoder Arena.

Rheinheimer back for senior campaign

Despite the loss of five seniors, the ODAC’s coaches aren’t expecting much of a fall off for 91����Ƶ’s women.

Eastern Mennonite, riding a string of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, received three first-place votes and totaled 106 points in the voting.  Lynchburg College earned six first-place votes and 114 total points to claim the top spot.

The Royals had a nice postseason run in 2014-15, earning a thrilling win over LaRoche in the NCAA First Round before falling to eventual national champion Thomas More. Coach claimed his third straight and fourth overall ODAC Coach of the Year award

The Royals return three starters, including the ODAC Player of the Year and All-America forward (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite).  A 5-10 senior, Rheinheimer scored 20.0 points with 7.8 rebounds per game last year. She was named ODAC Player of the Year and was a D3hoops.com All-America Fourth Team honoree. She was recently named to the D3hoops.com Preseason All-America First Team.

The women also return senior point guard (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) (2.3ppg, 4.1rpg, 2.2apg) and sophomore guard/forward (Covington, Va./Covington) (6.3ppg, 2.0rpg).

Jones twins lead young squad

As could be expected, the ODAC coaches see that 91����Ƶ’s basketball men have some rebuilding to do.  A year after finishing fourth in the standings, the Runnin Royals were tabbed to finish eighth in the nation’s toughest conference.

“Our goal is to improve every game no matter what happens,” said coach , the 2010 ODAC Coach of the Year.  “Our kids are mature enough to understand that we’re in a really, really tough league, but if we can keep everyone together, we can be one of the best teams in the league again, and probably sooner rather than later.”

Eastern Mennonite returns just six men from last year’s roster, all sophomores.  Including All-ODAC performers David Falk and Marcel Crump, the men lost six seniors from a 17-10 squad.  Five of them started during the postseason run into the ODAC Semifinals.

(Charles Town, W.V./Washington) started 14 games as a freshman in 2014-15, and was fifth on the team with a 7.6 scoring average.  He shot 36.2% from three-point range and scored in double figures in ten games.  His twin brother, (Charles Town, W.V./Washington), expects to elevate after being the backup point guard last year.  (Warrenton, Va./Kettle Run) shot a team-best 40.0% from outside and averaged 3.8 points per game.

The Runnin’ Royals open the new year Saturday, Nov. 14, hosting Virginia University of Lynchburg 30 minutes following the completion of the women’s game, or approximately 6:30 p.m.  The men play just two games in Yoder Arena over the first semester.  They also play at D-I James Madison University on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Having her family there helped Alicia recover from a tough loss after a standout season when the team posted a 15-1 conference record and a 23-5 overall record (After the loss, the Royals received an NCAA tournament bid, where they lost to undefeated Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, in the second round).

“I cried. It was so heartbreaking,” said her mother, Joyce Ygarza, referring to the family’s emotions in their hotel room following the semi-final loss. Joyce and her husband, who live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, have been loyal fans since the girls began playing at age 4.

It was easier to get to games when the girls were playing at , than when they opted to attend a university more than three hours from home. The trips south to Harrisonburg meant many hotel rooms and late nights. And the rigorous schedule of basketball kept Bianca and Alicia away from home for the majority of the holidays.

Despite these challenges, Joyce said 91����Ƶ has been a great choice for both daughters: “It’s helped them grow up.”

Coach , a 10-year veteran with the program, has played a large role in this, making coaching and mentoring the whole student-athlete a priority.

The elder sister

Bianca graduated from 91����Ƶ with a degree in . It is one of the most demanding majors 91����Ƶ offers. Many late nights are spent with a head crammed in an anatomy textbook. And when nursing students have their clinicals (the nursing equivalent of an internship), they often awake and leave for the hospital before the sun rises.

“There were times I cried because I thought I would fail out of nursing school,” Bianca recalls. She has one more hurdle to cross. Now back in Lancaster, she spends her time studying for the NCLEX, an exam that aspiring nurses must pass in order to receive their nursing license.

While in school, Coach “Griff,” as he is called by his players, gave Bianca his support, giving advice when she confided troubling life situations, she says. Griffin says he likes his players to be exemplary role models, both on and off the court.

“Two of the hardest working kids I have ever coached,” Griffin says of the Ygarza sisters.

The artistic sister

Alicia’s hard work shows off the court. A digital media major with a talent for singing, Alicia often finds herself after practice in the lab working on a project, or in a practice room in the basement of Lehman Auditorium with a cup of tea practicing her vocals.

Alicia started singing around the age of 6, mostly in church. She performs in the gospel choir, and at chapels and banquets. She recently gave two riveting performances at a campus event featuring .

Since her freshman year, she has developed increased confidence in her artistic expression, says her academic advisor, , a professor in the . He says that, above all, he has seen Alicia’s maturity of thought develop.

The digital media major, Holsopple says, is very public – students’ productions often find themselves under critique, which means students’ progress is often witnessed, and supported, by the campus community.

On the court, Alicia is not afraid to make suggestions to the coaches during time-outs. She plays the point, a role that does not always make for a glamorous stat-line. She directs the offense, sees the court, and gets players involved in the game.

Bianca, during her time at 91����Ƶ, was a versatile post player. She earned first-team all-ODAC honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and she was the 91����Ƶ Women’s Athlete of the Year in her sophomore and senior years. She joined 91����Ƶ’s 1,000 point club as a senior, finishing her career with 1,215 points. This placed her sixth in the program’s history.

The two sisters grew up playing basketball together, but they are more than teammates. During the two years that they overlapped at 91����Ƶ, Bianca says that they would hang out nearly every day. They aren’t just sisters, they’re best friends.

Earlier this winter, the Royals’ 5-10 forward was named Academic All-District in District 5, which includes much of the southeastern states in the U.S.

Rheinheimer studied in Honduras in the summer of 2013 as part of 91����Ƶ’s . She is on the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Academic Team and the Royals All-Academic Team, as well as Eastern Mennonite’s dean’s list.

Just as talented on the basketball court as she is in the classroom, Rheinheimer enters this week’s ODAC Tournament averaging a league-best 19.6 points along with 7.4 rebounds, 10th in the ODAC. Rheinheimer also tops the conference in field goals (183) and is second in three point percentage (42.2%), sixth in field goal percentage (51.0%), seventh in blocks (24) and 12th in steals (40).

An All-ODAC Second Team selection last spring as a part-time starter, Rheinheimer has taken off this year. She was named the USBWA National Player of the Week after scoring 29 points with 12 rebounds against Christopher Newport on Dec. 30 followed by 41 and 10 against Washington on Jan. 3. Rheinheimer has also earned ODAC Player of the Week and D3hoops.com National Team of the Week honors twice each this year.

Eastern Mennonite’s women’s basketball team, coached by in his 10th season at 91����Ƶ, is the top seed in the ODAC Tournament this week, carrying a record of 21-3 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC. The women are also riding a 10-game winning streak and they look for their third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Winter 2015 held some uncertain moments for the Eastern Mennonite men’s and women’s basketball teams, but both squads are expected to be a force in the upcoming Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament, which begins February 27 in Salem, Virginia at the Salem Civic Center.

Lady Royals Powerhouse Record Includes Home Winning Streak of 30 Games

The 91����Ƶ women’s basketball team closed regular season play out in February 2015 by solidifying their first place ranking in the ODAC. The team’s overall record is 21-3 (15-1 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

That powerhouse record includes a home winning streak of 30 games: their last loss in Yoder Arena occurred over two seasons ago in January 2013.

In early January, the Lady Royals’ versatile forward  earned her second spot on the Team of the Week and by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). This is the first season that the USBWA is recognizing national players of the week from Division III.

In February Rheinhemer was named one of five in nation to the Capital One Academic All-America First Team. A member of the 91����Ƶ , Rheinheimer holds a 3.96 GPA in the university’s well-respected , along with a minor in .

Men’s Team Seeded No. 4 in Tourney

The Runnin Royals have gathered a number of career records and personal honors even after battling through a tough non-conference and ODAC schedule.

The team has a record of 16-9 overall (9-7 conference) as of February 26, 2015.

The men clinched the No. 4 seed with an .

Some of the honors accrued this season were for senior , who was named ODAC Player of the Week after collecting double doubles during dramatic wins in mid-January.  

As of Feb. 22 the 6-6 center is ranked third in the nation for rebounds per game. Falk is , having logged 192 throughout the regular season. He is currently ranked . (More info: )

, was named Royal Athlete of the Week on January 22 after he went multiple games hitting 100 percent of his attempts from the free throw line.

Runnin Royals’ starting point guard  earned the Royal Athlete of the Week honor when he logged career bests of 18 points and nine assists.

“I like setting my teammates up to score,” said Williams, a senior from Capitol Heights, Md.  “When I give an assist I feel like I scored the bucket myself.”

Tournament Game Info in Salem, Va.

Check out the ODAC website for live stats and video for postseason games yet to be played, and scores and game reports from completed games.

Men’s basketball: 

Women’s basketball:

Games are played at the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Virginia.

The Royals improve to 6-1 as they get a few days off for final exams.  The women have now won 22 straight at home. Ferrum, an injury-hampered team which was picked to finish second in the USA South, slips to 2-3.

Eastern Mennonite had a 4-0 lead just 20 seconds into the game, as  (Covington, Va./Covington) buried a pair of long jumpers.  (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) then scored the next eight, including a pair of three pointers, as the women led 12-0. Ferrum got their first bucket at the 16:19 mark, but the Royals scored the next 14 points, including four more triples, to blow open a 26-2 cushion just 8:33 in.

The Panthers rebounded with a 13-2 run to get within 28-15. 91����Ƶ stayed hot from outside, however, and never let their visitors back to within single digits.

The Royals hit 10-of-13 three pointers in the first half and led 46-31 at the break.  They finished 12-of-27 for the game, but still out-shot Ferrum 49 percent to 44 percent. 91����Ƶ also had a 36-30 edge in rebounding.

Rheinheimer was unstoppable and led the charge with 23 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.  (Goshen, Ind./Bethany Christian) drained 6-of-9 three pointers and finished with 18 points and two blocks.  (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) came in with 10 points and Moore charted nine.

 (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) had the eye for the open shooter and racked up 10 assists, easily breaking her career best for a game. She now has 17 assists over 91����Ƶ’s last two outings, as the senior had seven handouts in Tuesday’s 81-76 win at Randolph-Macon.

Zarkia Mattox led Ferrum with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists off the bench. Jacole Hairston scored 14 while Kemani Crawford added 12 points and seven boards.

91����Ƶ has the week off before playing next Saturday at The Apprentice School.  Game time in Newport News, Va., is 2 p.m.

After receiving votes in the preseason national listing, Eastern Mennonite’s women are ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll.  The Royals are 2-0 after double-digit wins over Chatham and Lancaster Bible at the 91����Ƶ Tip-Off Invitational last weekend.  Even as they adjusted to some injuries as well as defections from last year’s 21-7 team, 91����Ƶ showed off one of their biggest strengths – their depth.

also neared a milestone, as the wins tied him with for the most wins in program history.  Griffin, a two-time ODAC Coach of the Year, has a record of 139-72 as he starts his ninth season at 91����Ƶ.

The Royals have a huge test on the road tomorrow, playing at York (Pa.).  The experienced Spartans, who are strangely not listed in the Coaches Poll but are No. 18 in the D3hoops.com preseason poll, were 20-7 last year.  Also missing from the Coaches Poll is USA South preseason favorite Ferrum College, another road opponent for 91����Ƶ (Dec. 7).

The games at York (Pa.) and Ferrum figure to be the two toughest contests for the Royals in the first half of the season before they get into the meat of their schedule against the much-improved Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

De Pauw University was a unanimous No. 1 in the Coaches Poll.  No other ODAC teams beside 91����Ƶ received any votes.

The Coaches Poll and the D3hoops.com Poll are the two “official” polls of D-III women’s basketball.  91����Ƶ received one vote in the , but did not crack the top 25.

Eastern Mennonite finished first in the league at 15-1, besting their previous best ODAC finish of 13-1 from 1984-85. Aside from the win total, a big accomplishment for Griffin was melding a stable full of talented players into a balanced team, as eight women average between 6.5 and 10.1 points. Griffin earns his second ODAC Coach of the Year award in eight years at the helm of 91����Ƶ, as he also won in 2006-07. Griffin has won 135 career games to date, and leads his Royals in search of their third ODAC title.

Ygarza was named All-ODAC First Team for the second straight year, as she led the women’s attack with 10.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The multi-faceted Ygarza is also second on the team with 2.1 assists per game and enters the postseason in the ODAC’s top 17 in 10 different categories.

All-ODAC Second Teamer Sykes, who gave up her starting spot to Ygarza this season, has been an explosive presence coming off the bench for 91����Ƶ. She is averaging 10.0 points and 6.2 rebounds and leads the ODAC with a 53.4% shooting clip. Sykes is also first in the league at 24.7 points per 48 minutes.

The Royals enter the postseason on a 12-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest in program history. Top-seeded 91����Ƶ, 19-5 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC, takes on No. 8 Washington and Lee in the ODAC Quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm.