Six DC student-athletes recognized on 2024 HCAC Spring Sportsmanship Team
CARMEL, Ind. – The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its recipients of the 2024 Spring Sportsmanship Team with six Defiance College athletes representing the Yellow Jackets in each of the program's spring sports.
Yellow Jackets who received recognition were Jeremiah Benton (Senior, Men's Track and Field), Winter Boroff (Junior, Women's Golf), Will Garlock (Senior, Men's Golf), Lisa-Maria Markau (Senior, Women's Track and Field), Emma Rodgers (Freshman, Softball), and Mitchell Roever (Senior, Baseball).
Benton (Stone Mountain, Ga./Redan) made big strides as a senior trackster and set personal bests during the indoor and outdoor seasons. His 60-meter PR at the HCAC Indoor Championships (7.97) propelled him to a 200-meter PR (25.71) at the Victor Ice Breaker Duals in his home state of Georgia to kick off the outdoor season. He was also a key senior leader on a team with a mixture of collegiate experience.
Boroff (Convoy, Ohio/Lincolnview) excelled on the golf course and competed in every women's golf event this season. She set multiple program records during the year with a new 18-hole low (74), 36-hole low (160), and 18-hole season average (85.04) to name a few. Boroff is also the longest-tenured member of the program to provide a stable anchor throughout the year.
Garlock (Lima, Ohio/LCC) completed his second season on the men's golf team with his second straight sports season with an HCAC Sportsmanship Award and third overall at DC. Also a six-time Academic All-HCAC performer in the classroom, Garlock served the student body as Student Senate President and multiple other leadership roles while being an advocate for Defiance College on the links.
Markau (Berlin, Germany/Cap Coral (FL)) took one more lap with the Yellow Jackets for the spring outdoor season after running unattached during the indoor campaign. While her efforts on the track resulted in numerous accolades and the 400-meter outdoor HCAC individual title, she took on an active role in bettering the track and field programs while serving as a critical component of the teams' cohesion.
Rodgers (Mechanicsburg, Ohio/Mechanicsburg) hit the ground running by carving out her role with an experienced pitching staff. Called upon to pitch in 12 games mostly in relief, she was a critical piece to cheering on her teammates and stepping up when called upon.
Roever (Cincinnati, Ohio/Elder) was the team's regular center fielder and a reliable hitter willing to do whatever the team needed. One year removed from serving as the team's primary leadoff hitter, he was all over the lineup as a senior and continued to deliver career-best numbers in RBIs (11), slugging percentage (.362), runs scored (18), stolen bases (10), and extra-base hits (12).
The HCAC Sportsmanship Team has been awarded since 2009 as part of a conference-wide sportsmanship initiative. The Sportsmanship Team is are nominated and selected by coaches and teammates as individuals who demonstrate the ideals of positive sportsmanship both on and off the field. Nominees must have consistently demonstrated values of respect and integrity during daily participation in intercollegiate athletics and serves as recognition outside the competition schedule to distinguish the outstanding character of these deserving individuals. The HCAC Sportsmanship Award is named after Christopher M. Ragsdale, who served as the HCAC's Commissioner from 2008 to 2018.
Support Defiance College Athletics at the 2024 Yellow Jacket Classic golf outing on June 15 at Eagle Rock Golf Club. Details about the outing can be found by clicking here. All new graduates have a discounted price for registration. Also, Defiance College is celebrating 175 years on March 23, 2025. The 175th Anniversary Campaign is currently underway. Click here to find out more or to give today!
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