The University of Akron Athletics
Zips Athletics Announces Top 40 Female Athletes In School History
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All-Time Top-40 Female Athlete Bios
AKRON, Ohio – As part of a year-long celebration of
the 40th anniversary of Title IX, The University of Akron
Department of Athletics has identified its top 40 female
student-athletes of all time.
Included in the prestigious list are all three of the school's individual national champions, 22 All-Americans and 18 current members of The Varsity "A" Association Hall of Fame.
The top 40 list was compiled by a committee comprised of current UA coaches and a Zips Athletics historian. The committee considered a number of factors throughout this challenging project, including each candidate's All-American status, all-conference awards, school honors and team accolades. Current UA female athletes were not considered.
Starting Monday, GoZips.com will break down the list even
further with a countdown of the top 10 female student-athletes of
all time leading up to the department's Title IX Celebration on
Oct. 6.
Check back to GoZips.com for more information about the Title IX
Celebration as well as an interactive Facebook application that
will allow fans to vote for the greatest moment in Zips female
sports history next week.
The Zips' history of female athletics dates back to 1889 with the
formation of the first tennis club and is highlighted by a number
of historic moments. Evelyn Hooker, who played on the men's golf
team, became the first UA female to earn a varsity letter in 1942,
and Jean Linton not only became the school's first female four-year
letterwinner in rifle, but also became Akron's first female athlete
to garner All-American honors, not once, but twice in 1961 and
1962.
Furthermore, all three of UA's individual national champions are
female. Track's Christi Smith was the first to do so in 2000 by
winning the women's heptathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Another track star, Stevi Large, followed suit by capturing gold in
the women's hammer throw in 2009, the same year rifle's Jenna
Compton brought home top gun honors in the air rifle.
In all, more than 1,300 female student-athletes have earned at
least one letter at The University of Akron while 13 teams have
captured Mid-American Conference Championships. Additionally, rifle
– which is a co-ed sport – has won 12 league
championships in its two disciplines during the last decade.
Akron currently sponsors 11 Division I female sports –
including basketball, cross country, golf, rifle, soccer, softball,
swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track and field,
and volleyball – and more than 180 female
student-athletes.
Title IX was passed into law on June 23, 1972, and mandated gender
equity in all educational institutions receiving federal funding.
Title IX's impact reaches far beyond athletics, but the
groundbreaking legislation is most often associated with providing
sports opportunities for women.
Zips Athletics Top 40 Female Student-Athletes
All-Time
Traci Alcorn (Softball; Third Base; 1984-’86)
Larisa Arcip (Track and Field; Middle Distance;
2007-’10)
Pam
Arnold Davis (Basketball; 1984-’88)
Lisa
Arvay (Softball; Shortstop; 1983, 1985-87; Volleyball
1982-’86)
Rebecca Bailey Brant (Softball; First Base;
1982-’85)
Danielle Beland (Swimming and Diving;
2004-’07)
Cheryl Bowles (Basketball; 1997-01)
Katie Carter (Swimming and Diving; Diver;
2006-’09)
Jenna Compton (Rifle; 2009-’12)
Judy
Ervin Porter (Cross Country/Track and Field; Distance;
1989-’93)
Patti Godzinski Hardman (Volleyball; Setter;
1992-’95)
Zara
Harutyunyan (Tennis; 2009-12)
Kristen Hill (Golf; 2009-’12)
Shelby Howell (Softball; Pitcher; 1995-’98)
Jody
Juergens Evans (Volleyball; Outside Hitter; 1986-’89)
Ashley Kaufman (Track and Field; Javelin;
2003-’06)
Carrie Kayes (Track and Field; Pole Vault;
2007-’10)
Stevi
Large Gruber (Track and Field; Throws; 2006-’09)
Jean
Linton (Rifle; 1960-64)
Tina
Mayreis Smith (Softball; Catcher; 1982-85)
Jill
McCreary Dilyard (Volleyball, Outside Hitter,
1987-’91)
Kelli Metzger (Softball; Catcher; 1996-’99)
Kara
Murphy (Basketball; 2007-’11)
Katie Orlando McCumiskey (Tennis; 1990-93)
Kay
Piper (Softball; Shortstop; 1982-85; Volleyball;
1981-’84)
Michelle Rizzo (Cross Country; 1998-2001)
Ann
Marie Rotunda (Softball; Outfield; 1992-’95)
Beata
Rudzinska (Track and Field/Cross Country; Middle Distance;
2003-’06)
Natalie Sako (Track and Field; 2004-07)
Cassie Schenck (Cross Country/Track and Field; Distance;
2008-’11)
Kira
Sims (Track and Field; Pole Vault; 2001-’04)
Christi Smith (Track and Field; Multis/Jumps;
1997-2000)
Latrese Taylor (Track and Field; Sprints;
1997-2000)
Dani
Vance Crookston (Softball; Pitcher; 1981-’84)
Mary
Varga (Track and Field; Jumps/Javelin/Multis; 1999-2003)
Deann
Viebranz (Softball; Second Base; 1981-’84)
Linda
Weber Peters (Softball; Pitcher; 1982-’85)
Valerie Wert Fraizer (Track and Field; Throws;
2008-’12)
Krystin Wilson (Women’s Soccer; Goalkeeper;
2004-’07)
Laura Wozniak Dunlay (Track and Field; High Jump;
1995-’98)
Zips Athletics Top 40 Female Student-Athlete
Bios
Traci Alcorn (Softball; Third Base;
1984-’86)
Two-time All-American (1985, ’86) … two-time
First-Team NCAA Division II All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection
… two-time UA Offensive Player of the Year … fifth
all-time in career batting average at .350 … tied for fourth
in the record books for hits in a season with 68 in 1985 …
member of the 1984 NCAA Final Four team and ’85 NCAA National
Championship Runner-Up team that recorded the most wins in program
history (51).
Larisa Arcip (Track and Field; Middle
Distance; 2007-’10)
Four-time MAC Champion … won three straight MAC Outdoor
titles in the 1,500-meters from 2007-’09 … owns two of
the top five 1,500m times in school history, including the
second-best mark (4:22.19) … also won a MAC Championship in
the mile in 2009 … named to the USTFCCCA All-Academic Team
three times … also a five-time Academic All-MAC honoree
… was a team captain in 2009 and the team’s Newcomer
of the Year in 2007.
Pam Arnold Davis (Women’s
Basketball; 1984-’88)
All American (1986-87) … 1998 Varsity “A” Hall
of Fame inductee … 1987 Caroline J. Pardee Award winner (UA
Female Athlete of the Year) … second Team All-Ohio Valley
Conference (1986-87) … first all-time in field goals made in
a single season (195) … holds the record for rebounds in a
career at 916 … second all-time in single-season rebounds
(289) … scored 1,544 career points (ranks third all-time)
… led her squad each year in points, points per game, field
goals made, free throws made, free throw percentage, total rebounds
and rebounds per game.
Lisa Arvay (Softball; Shortstop; 1983,
1985-87; Volleyball 1982-’86)
Two-time captain was a 1999 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame
inductee … NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic Second Team
All-Region selection (1986) … member of 1985 NCAA
All-Tournament team … 1987 Caroline J. Pardee Award winner
(UA Female Athlete of the Year) … hit the first recorded
grand slam of the program vs. UT Martin on April 18, 1986 …
Akron’s 1987 team MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in
1985 and ’86 … second all-time for single-season
assists with 173 in 1987 … part of the NCAA Division II
national championship runner-up team that recorded the most wins in
program history, 51 in 1985 … two years later in 1987, was a
member of the team in its first year of NCAA Division I
competition.
Rebecca Bailey Brant (Softball; First
Base; 1982-’85)
Second team All-American as a senior in 1985 … NCAA
Division II Mid-Atlantic First Team All-Region selection (1985)
… Akron’s 1982 team Offensive Player of the year
… fourth all-time in put-outs for a single season (443 in
1985) … fifth all-time in two categories with 18 triples and
1,064 putouts in her career … 2000 Varsity “A”
Hall of Fame inductee … part of the NCAA Division II
national championship runner-up team that recorded the most wins in
program history, 51 in 1985.
Danielle Beland (Swimming and Diving;
2004-’07)
Four-time MAC Champion … three-time first team All-MAC
… 2006 and 2007 MAC Champion in the 100 and 200
butterfly … 2006-07 MAC Outstanding Senior …
five-time MAC Swimmer of the Week … school record holder in
1000 free and 200 butterfly.
Cheryl Bowles (Women’s
Basketball; 1998-01)
All American (1999-00) … No. 24 jersey is honored in James
A. Rhodes Arena … four-time All-MAC selection, one of only
two Zips to garner all-conference honors for all four years of
their career … All-MAC Tournament Team (1998-99) …
All-MAC Freshman Team (1997-98) … leads the program
for career field goal percentage (.528) as well as career field
goals made (668) … Second all-time for points scored in a
single game (33), in a single season (497) and for her career
(1,712) … second in career games played (115), career free
throws made (342) and career points per game (14.9) … led
her squad each season in points, points per game, field goals,
field goal percentage, free throws made, total rebounds and
rebounds per game … three-time team captain and team MVP
(1999-00) … scored 25 points against Michigan State in
Akron’s only WNIT appearance in 1999.
Katie Carter (Swimming and Diving;
Diver; 2006-’09)
Three-time Mid-American Conference champion in diving …
swept both the 1-meter and 3-meter conference titles during her
senior season in 2009 … 2008-09 MAC Diver of the Year
… 2006 MAC 3-meter champion … two-time first
team All-MAC … 6th place at NCAA Zone Meet is tied for best
in school history … school record holder in 1-meter and
3-meter dive.
Jenna Compton (Rifle;
2009-’12)
2008-09 NCAA Individual Air Rifle Champion … first team
All-WIRC Air Rifle, second team All-WIRC in the smallbore division
… first place air rifle and second place in smallbore at the
MAC Championship.
Judy Ervin Porter (Cross Country/Track
and Field; Distance; 1989-’93)
Varsity “A” Hall of Fame inductee (2004) …
UA’s NCAA Woman of the Year and the school’s Female
Athlete of the Year in 1992-93 … four-year letterwinner in
both cross country and track … two-time Caroline Pardee
Athlete of the Year honoree in 1991-92 and 1992-93 … was the
first female at UA to compete in the NCAA Division I Cross Country
Championship … four-time cross country team MVP … in
1990-91, was the first female at UA to earn MVP honors in both
cross country and track in the sameseason … won the North
Star Conference Cross Country Championship in ’91, after
finishing runner-up in ’90, to lead Akron to its first
championship in women’s cross country … finished
second at the 1992 Mid-American Conference Cross Country
Championship and placed 11th at the NCAA District Meet to earn a
trip to the NCAA Division I Championship in ’92
… was the All-Ohio Champion in the 5k in ’91 and
’92 … in all, was named team MVP six times (four times
on the cross country team and two on the track team) … team
captain on the track team in ’93 and newcomer of the year in
’90 … winner of the coaches’ award in
’92.
Patti Godzinski Hardman
(Volleyball; Setter; 1992-’95)
Akron Volleyball’s only Academic All-American, earning
second team honors in 1995 … three-time Academic
All-District IV honoree … 2006 Varsity “A” Hall
of Fame inductee … two-time All-MAC selection and
three-time Academic All-MAC … holds the school record for
service aces in a match with eight … second all-time in
career assists with 4,869 and career aces with 199 … led the
squad that went a combined 47-19 from 1994-95.
Zara Harutyunyan (Tennis;
2009-12)
Closed out her collegiate career as the program and MAC all-time
leader in wins with 242 (126 singles, 116 doubles) … those
singles and doubles win totals are also career-bests by a Zips
tennis player … her 37 singles victories as a freshman in
2008-09 set the program's single-season record as did her 34
doubles wins as a senior in 2011-12 (bettering the record of 33 she
won in 2008-09) … three-time MAC Player of the Year (2009,
2010, 2011) … the first freshman to win the league's POTY
award and the only student-athlete in program history to do so
… four-time First Team All-MAC selection … helped the
program to its first ever MAC tournament championship in 2011 and a
repeat title in 2012 … named to the MAC All-Tournament Team
in 2011 (MVP) and 2012 … as a sophomore, was the first
player in program history and only the fourth player in 30 years of
MAC tennis to qualify individually for the NCAA Singles
Championship .. also as a sophomore, was the first player in school
history to finish the season in the Intercollegiate Tennis
Association's national rankings (No. 111).
Kristen Hill (Golf;
2009-’12)
Holds at least a share of 12 program records as one of the first
graduating seniors from the women’s golf program …
posted four career victories in 43 tournaments … finished
inside the top-10 in 22 events and inside the top-25 38 times
overall … helped the Zips to three team titles …
three-time First-Team All-MAC selection (2010-12) … named
Second-Team All-MAC in 2009 … seven-time MAC Golfer of the
Week … MAC All-Tournament Team recipient in 2011 …
finished with a career scoring average of 76.35.
Shelby Howell (Softball; Pitcher;
1995-’98)
First-Team All-MAC honoree in 1997 and ’98, including MAC
Player of the Year in 1997 … Second-Team All-MAC in 1996
… 2008 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame inductee
… highest career win total for a pitcher in Akron softball
history (66) … second all-time in career batting average
(.355) … picked up 20 victories her senior year, the
third-most in program history … tied for first in the record
books with 17 doubles in a single season (1997) … recognized
as Akron’s Pitcher of the Year all four years of her career
… threw a no-hitter against Penn State on April 23,
1997.
Jody Juergens Evans (Volleyball;
Outside Hitter; 1986-’89)
Two-time All-North Star Conference honoree, including Player of
the Year in 1989 … 2002 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame
inductee … third all-time in kills, posting 1,619 in her
career … ranks third in single-season kills, posting 774 in
1989 … fourth in the record books for solo blocks in a
career with 151 … member of the 1989 squad that recorded a
program-best 48 victories.
Ashley Kaufman (Track and Field;
Javelin; 2003-’06)
Two-time All-American … placed seventh at the NCAA
Championships in 2005 and eighth in 2006 … set a MAC Outdoor
Championship meet record with a winning mark of 176-10 …
named the MAC Outdoor Female Most Outstanding Field Performer and
Most Valuable Performer in 2006 … was a four-time All-Ohio
javelin champion (2003-’06).
Carrie Kayes (Track and Field; Pole
Vault; 2007-’10)
Three-time All-American in the pole vault, finishing as high as
fourth at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships … three-time
MAC Champion … smashed the school’s indoor record in
2010 with a jump of 14-03.25 and owns four of the top five marks
all-time … also matched Kira Sims’ outdoor standard
the previous season with a clearance of 14-01.25 … winner of
the 2010 MAC Indoor Championships Most Valuable Performer award
… was a team captain in 2009 … four-time USTFCCCA
Academic All-American … five-time Academic All-MAC
honoree.
Stevi Large Gruber (Track and Field;
Throws; 2006-’09)
The program’s second individual national champion …
won the hammer throw at the 2009 NCAA Championships … was
also the 2009 NCAA weight throw runner-up … four-time
All-American … nine-time MAC Champion … first female
in MAC history to complete a career sweep in a field event, winning
the hammer four times … 2008 USTFCCCA Great Lakes Region
Indoor Female Field Performer of the Year … three-time
winner of the MAC Outdoor Female Most Outstanding Field Performance
award (’07, ’08, ’09) … won the same award
during the league’s indoor championships in ’07 and
’08 … UA’s Female Athlete of the Year in
’07, ’08 and ’09 … owns the top five
all-time school marks in the hammer throw, outdoor shot put and
weightthrow … is also the school record holder in the indoor
shot put … also owns the MAC Championship Meet record in the
weight throw (70-06.50) and hammer throw (213-10) … also
holds the NCAA Mideast Championship Meet record in the hammer
(219-01) … two-time Academic All-MAC honoree …
two-time team captain (’08, ’09) … three-time
team Most Valuable Performer (’07, ’08, ’09).
Jean Linton (Rifle;
1960-64)
Played prominent role in establishing women’s
intercollegiate athletics on The University of Akron campus ...
became the second female to earn a varsity letter as a freshman in
1960-61 ... was the first UA female athlete to be named an
All-American, not once, but twice in 1961 and 1962 ... became the
first woman to earn four varsity letters in 1963-64 ... was the
first woman inducted into the University's Varsity "A" Sports Hall
of Fame in 1980.
Tina Mayreis (Softball; Catcher;
1982-85)
Two-time All-American (1984, ’85) … two-time
First-Team NCAA Division II All-Mid-Atlantic Region selection
… two-time team captain and UA MVP (1984) … second in
the record books with 50 career doubles … seventh all-time
in career batting average at .344 ... fourth in the record books
for highest fielding percentage in a single season (.994 in 1985)
… member of the 1984 NCAA Final Four team and ’85 NCAA
National Championship Runner-Up team that recorded the most wins in
program history (51).
Jill McCreary Dilyard (Volleyball,
Outside Hitter, 1987-’91)
Akron’s all-time kills leader with 2,439 in her career
… two-time North Star Conference Player of the Year …
All-Mideast Region selection (1990) … 2001 Varsity
“A” Hall of Fame inductee … Posted 32 kills in a
single match twice, ranks second in program history … also
ranks in the top-five in career digs (fifth, 1,709); solo blocks
(third, 164); total blocks (fourth, 429); and sets played (fifth,
546) … member of the 1989 squad that recorded a program-best
48 victories.
Kelli Metzger (Softball; Catcher;
1996-’99)
All-American (1999) … three-time NCAA Division I All-Great
Lakes Region selection (1996, ’97, ’99) … holds
the record for most career home runs (57) and RBI (167) …
stands in the top two spots in the books for home runs in a single
season with 19 in 1999 and 16 in 1996 … second in career
walks with 87 and career hits with 207.
Kara Murphy (Women’s
Basketball; 2007-’11)
Akron’s all time leading scorer with 1,777 points …
four-time All-MAC selection … holds the school record for
total points in a season, posting 580 in 2008-09 … also sits
in the top spot in the books for career free throws made with 480
… never missed a start in her career, leading the
program with 123 games played.
Katie Orlando McCumiskey (Tennis;
1990-93)
The first UA women's tennis player to be nominated for and voted
into the University's Sports Hall of Fame (2010 class) … is
listed fifth on the program's all-time wins list with 152 (79
singles, 73 doubles) … those 79 singles victories ranks her
tied for third in a career in program history, while the 73 doubles
wins lists her sixth in that category … two-time All-North
Star Conference selection (1990, 1991) … was the first UA
player to earn All-MAC honors, being named to the first team as a
senior in 1993 … claimed the No. 5 singles and No. 3 doubles
championship at the North Star Conference tournament as a freshman
… in 1993 became the youngest United States Professional
Tennis Association (USPTA) Certified Professional in the state of
Ohio … in 2007 was named the USPTA Pro of the Year.
Kay Piper (Softball; Shortstop;
1982-85; Volleyball; 1981-’84)
No. 23 jersey number retired by the program … three-time
All-American (First-Team 1983 and ’84, Second-Team 1985)
… two-time team MVP … member of the 1984 and
’85 NCAA Final Four teams … first all-time in career
batting average (.398), career runs scored (140), careerhits (236),
career doubles (48), career triples (35) … three-time NCAA
Division II Mid-Atlantic First Team All-Region selection …
1982 Caroline J. Pardee Award winner (UA Female Athlete of the
Year) … 1994 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame inductee
... holds the school record for most RBI in a single game with
seven against Mount Union (April 20, 1983).
Michelle Rizzo (Cross Country;
1998-2001)
First Cross Country All-American in school history (1999) …
also finished third at the 1999 NCAA Great Lakes Regional
… first Akron Cross Country MAC Champion, winning the
1999 title in 17:22.20 … also led the Zips’ cross
country team to its first MAC Championship in ’99 …
broke five school records during her time at UA, setting the
standard in the mile, indoor andoutdoor 3k, and indoor and outdoor
5k … three of those records still stand today, including the
indoor 3k and 5k, and outdoor 5k.
Ann Marie Rotunda (Softball;
Outfield; 1992-’95)
2005 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame inductee …
first-Team All-MAC selection 1993 and ’94, Second-Team
All-MAC selection (1995) … three-time Academic All-MAC
honoree … 1994 Caroline J. Pardee Award winner (UA Female
Athlete of the Year) … selected as Akron’s team MVP,
Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year during her career
… third all-time with 91 career stolen bases.
Beata Rudzinska (Track and Field/Cross
Country; Middle Distance; 2003-’06)
Five-time All-American … placed third in the 800-meters at
both the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships in 2005 …
14-time MAC champion, including eight straight crowns in the
800-meters (indoor and outdoor) … school record holder in
four events, including the indoor and outdoor 800-meters, mile and
1,500-meters … 2004 MAC Outdoor Championship Most Valuable
Performer … owns the MAC Championship Meet record in the
1,500m (4:21.11) … captured the MAC Cross Country
Championship in 2005 … four-time Akron Female Athlete of the
Year (’03-’06) … three-time UA track and field
team MVP (’03-’05).
Natalie Sako (Track and Field; High
Jump; 2004-’07)
Four-time All-American … placed sixth at the NCAA Indoor
Championships in 2005 … three-time MAC Outdoor Champion
(’05, ’06, ’07) … earned a bronze medal
competing for Team USA at the 2006 North American, Central American
and Caribbean (NACAC) Athletic AssociationUnder-23 Championships
… named team’s Newcomer of the Year in 2004.
Cassie Schenck (Cross Country/Track
and Field; Distance; 2008-’11)
School record-holder in the 3,000-meter steeplechase … owns
all five of the top marks in the event in program history …
also owns three of the top five times in the mile and two of the
top five in the indoor 3,000-meters … two-time MAC Champion
in the steeplechase (2008 and 2011) … also won the MAC
Indoor Championship in the mile in 2011 … was the track
team’s Newcomer of the Year (Indoor) in 2008 … was an
All-MAC First Team honoree in Cross Country as well in 2007
… earned Second Team honors in 2008 … cross country
team’s Newcomer of the Year in 2007 … named to the
USTFCCCA All-Academic Team in 2008, 2009 and 2011 …
four-time Academic All-MAC honoree.
Kira Sims (Track and Field; Pole Vault;
2001-’04)
Three-time All-American in the pole vault, finishing as high as
third at the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships … three-time
MAC Champion … 2004 NCAA Mideast Region Champion …
winner of the 2004 MAC Indoor Championships Most Valuable
Performance award … was the first female student-athlete in
league history to clear the 14-footbarrier … shares the
school’s outdoor record of 14-01.25 with Carrie Kayes, who
matched Sims’ mark five years later … set the MAC
Championship Meet record (both indoor: 14-00.00; and outdoor:
14-01.25) in 2004 … 2004 Olympic Trials finalist.
Christi Smith (Track and Field;
Multis/Jumps; 1997-2000)
The school’s first national champion … won the
heptathlon at the 2000 NCAA Championships … was the NCAA
runner-up in the event in 1999 … four-time All-American
… school record holder in the heptathlon (5,932) …
seven-time MAC Champion, winning the heptathlon (’98,
’99, 00) and pentathlon (’98, ’99, 00) three
times each and the long jump once (’97) … winner of
the MAC Outdoor Championships Most Valuable Performance award in
’99 … won the same award for the league’s indoor
championships in ’98 … named the school’s female
athlete of the year three times (’98, ’99, ’00)
… established MAC all-time and championships meet records in
the pentathlon and heptathlon … qualified for the 2000 U.S.
Olympic Trials … three-time team captain … four-time
team Most Valuable Performer.
Latrese Taylor (Track and Field;
Sprints; 1997-2000)
School record holder in three events … owns the
program’s top marks in the 60-meters (7.40), and outdoor
100-meters (11.49) and 200-meters (23.44) … also has the
second-fastest time in school history for the indoor 200m (23.94)
… two-time MAC Champion … won the league’s
indoor 60-meters and the outdoor 100-meter in 2000 …
two-time team captain.
Dani Vance Crookston (Softball;
Pitcher; 1981-’84)
No. 8 jersey retired by the program … All-American and
Academic All-American (1984) … 45-13 career record,
including four no-hitters … NCAA Division II
Mid-Atlantic All-Region First-Team selection (1984) … 1993
Varsity “A” Hall of Fame inductee … 1981,
’83 and ‘84 Caroline J. Pardee Award winner (UA Female
Athlete of the Year) … three-time team MVP, two-time team
Pitcher of the Year … holds the record for most strikeouts
in a single game with 17 vs. Muskingum (April 6, 1983) …
holds the lowest career ERA in program history at 0.617 …
member of the 1984 NCAA Final Four team.
Mary Varga (Track and Field;
Jumps/Javelin/Multis; 1999-2003)
Five-time All-American … was the NCAA runner-up in the high
jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2001 … earned
All-American status in the high jump, heptathlon and javelin
…three-time Academic All-American (’01-’03)
… eight-time MAC Champion, including four high jump titles
… winner of the 2001 MAC Indoor Championships Most Valuable
Performance award … set MAC Championship Meet and school
records in the high jump (6-01.25) and pentathlon (4,078 points) in
2001.
Deann Viebranz (Softball; Second Base;
1981-’84)
All-American (1984) … NCAA Division II Mid-Atlantic
All-Region First-Team selection (1984) … 1995 Varsity
“A” Hall of Fame inductee … two-time team
Defensive Player of the Year … tied for the record for most
runs scored in a single game with five … second all-time
with 47 career sacrifices … Inside the top-10 in career
batting average (.341) and career runs scored (112) … member
of the 1984 NCAA Final Four team.
Linda Weber Peters (Softball; Pitcher;
1982-’85)
Academic All-American (1985) … second all-time in career
winning percentage at .862 (50-8) … Tossed four career
no-hitters … 2001 Varsity “A” Hall of Fame
inductee … as a senior, posted a 22-4 record for the highest
winning percentage in a single season (0.846) …
fourth-lowest ERA in program history at 0.982 … UA Freshman
of the Year in 1982 and Pitcher of the Year in 1983 … member
of the 1984 NCAA Final Four team and ’85 NCAA National
Championship Runner-Up team that recorded the most wins in program
history (51).
Valerie Wert Fraizer (Track and Field;
Throws; 2008-’12)
Two-time All-American in 2010 (hammer) and 2012 (weight throw)
… also earned All-American Honorable Mention honors (discus)
in 2011 … placed sixth in the hammer at the 2010 NCAA
Outdoor Championships … competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials
in 2012, finishing 20th in the hammer throw … three-time MAC
Champion … winner of the 2012 MAC Indoor Championships Most
Outstanding Field Performance award … UA’s NCAA Woman
of the Year in 2011-12 … team captain in 2011.
Krystin Wilson (Women’s Soccer;
Goalkeeper; 2004-’07)
Akron’s all-time leader in career shutouts (18) and goals
against average (1.15) … second all-time in career saves
(213) and wins (21) … seven shutouts in 2007 tied school
record … 2007 first team All-MAC and second team All-Ohio
… two-time Academic All-MAC.
Laura Wozniak Dunlay (Track and
Field; High Jump; 1995-’98)
Akron’s first NCAA Division I track and field All-American,
placing ninth at the 1998 NCAA Indoor Championships in the high
jump … was also the MAC Indoor Champion that season …
set the Zips’ standard in the indoor and outdoor high jump
during her time at UA.
