Baseball
THREE BEARS EARN ALL-AMC HONORS
Three Shawnee State University Baseball players have earned post-season recognition for the play during the 2008 baseball season.  Jonathon Venters was named 2^nd Team All-American Mideast Conference.  Zac Alexander and Drew Howard were honorable mention All-American Mideast Conference. 

Jonathon Venters, a senior pitcher from Xenia, OH, posted a 7-4 record to go along with an ERA of 4.45 and 1 save.  He recorded 55 strikeouts while allowing just 23 walks.  Venters was Honorable Mention All-AMC in 2007.

Zac Alexander, a sophomore shortstop from Beaver, OH, hit .291 on the season.  He was 3^rd on the team with 41 hits.  He had 7 doubles and 4 triples while scoring 30 runs and driving in seventeen.  He was 24^th in the NAIA with 26 stolen bases. 

Drew Howard, a junior outfielder from Portsmouth, OH, led the Bears with .346 batting average.  He also led the team with 46 hits, including 9 doubles and 2 homeruns.  He drove in 32 RBI and scored 28 runs.  He was also an Honorable Mention All-AMC selection in 2006. 

Shawnee State completed the season with an overall record of 16-29.  The Bears were 10-16 in AMC play.

Tennis
LERCH NAMED TO ALL-AMC TEAM
Shawnee State tennis player Veronica Lerch has received All-American Mideast Conference recognition for the 2^nd time in her career.  Lerch, a junior from Sao Palo, Brazil, was also named to the All-AMC Team as a freshman in 2006. 

Veronica posted a 9-6 singles record on the season.  She teamed with Jessica Waugh to post a perfect 6-0 doubles record.  She and Jennifer Henry were 4-4 as a doubles team. 

For her career, Veronica has recorded a school-record 19 singles victories.  She and Waugh have combined for a school-record 11 doubles wins. 

Shawnee State posted an 8-7 overall record in 2008 for its first winning season since 2001.

Softball
SIX BEARS EARN AMC RECOGNITION
Six Shawnee State University Softball players have earned All-American Mideast Conference honors for their play during the 2008 season.  Lori Harmon, Emily Fuhrmann, Katie Wade, and Lauren Ellis all earned 1st Team recognition.  Katie Daniel was named 2nd Team All-AMC.  Tammie Jo Coleman was earned honorable mention recognition.

Despite a record of 8-10, Lori Harmon, a junior from Symmes Valley, OH, led the AMC South with an ERA of 2.36.  She was second in the division in opponent's batting average at .249.  Harmon was the AMC Pitcher of the Year in 2007 and was named 1st Team and All-Freshman AMC in 2006.

Emily Furhmann, a junior second baseman from Lucasville, OH, was 14th in the conference in batting with .373 average.  She was in the top 10 in the league in hits (45) and runs scored (34).  Fuhrmann earned 2nd Team All-AMC recognition in 2007 and was a 1st Team selection in 2006.

Katie Wade, a senior from Hilliard, OH, was selected to the 1st Team as a utility player.  She split time between centerfield and catcher.  She tied for the league-lead in fielding as she did not commit an error all season.  She hit .352 on the season with 45 hits, 12 doubles, 2 homeruns, 31 RBI and 20 runs scored.  Wade was named 2nd Team All-AMC in 2006 and was a member of the AMC All-Freshman Team in 2005.

Lauren Ellis, a sophomore 3rd baseman from Ashland, KY, was in the top 10 in the AMC in slugging percentage (.617), runs scored (32), hits (50), RBI (33), doubles (11), homeruns (6), and total bases (79).  She was 11th in the league with a .391 batting average.

Katie Daniel, a sophomore pitcher from Catlettsburg, KY, posted a record of 11-9 on the season.  She was second in the division with an ERA of 2.89.  Opposing batters hit just .244 off her, which was the best figure in the league. 

Tammie Jo Coleman, a senior shortstop from Portsmouth, OH, hit .287 with 10 doubles, 24 RBI, and 29 runs scored.  She set a school record for getting hit by pitches with eleven.  She earned honorable mention recognition in 2007 and 2nd Team honors in 2006.

Shawnee State was 20-19 overall on the season.  The Bears were 7-13 in the AMC's South Division.

HAGEN-SMITH, DAVIS WIN CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER AWARDS
Shawnee State’s Robin Hagen-Smith and Aaron Davis are the recipients of the 2008 NAIA Region IX Champions of Character Awards.  Recipients of these awards must exhibit a commitment to the NAIA Champions of Character program and the five core values of respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership and sportsmanship.   

Hagen-Smith, the women’s basketball coach at Shawnee State since 1989, received the NAIA Region IX Coach of Character Award.   

“Coach Hagen-Smith is a great representative of Shawnee State University, the athletic program, and women’s basketball,” said SSU acting athletic director and men’s basketball coach, Jeff Hamilton.  “I can’t think of a more deserving person to receive this award.  Through her commitment to the NAIA and Champions of Character, she continually produces great teams both on and off the floor.” 

Aaron Davis, a graduating senior men’s basketball player from Mt. Orab, OH, received the NAIA Region IX Dr. LeRoy Walker Award.  The award is one of the most prestigious awards in the NAIA and was created as part of the NAIA’s association with Citizenship Through Sports Alliance.   

“During my 17 years around college athletics, I have not come across a better example of a student-athlete than Aaron Davis,” said Hamilton.  “He truly represents all the great values that Champions of Character embody.  He has worked extremely hard not only to be a good basketball player but a great leader and teammate.  I have been extremely fortunate to not only coach Aaron, but become his friend.  I know he is extremely honored and humbled by this prestigious award.” 

“It isn’t often that we have two recipients from the same institutions,” said NAIA Champions of Character Coordinator, Kathy Busch.  “The NAIA is proud to have (them) as two of our finest representatives.  We know the NAIA has some of the finest coaches and student athletes in the world.”