Fitch’s record-breaking swims lead to NCAC award
The North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) announced Monday that David Fitch, a Kenyon College senior, was voted the Athlete of the Week for men’s swimming and diving. It’s the first time this season and the third time in his career that Fitch won the award.
This most recent selection was based on Fitch’s results in the three-day Total Performance Invitational, held at Kenyon’s Steen Aquatics Center. He entered seven events and won six of them, leading Kenyon to a team victory. Fitch’s two most impressive wins came in record-setting fashion. In the 100-yard butterfly, he set a meet, pool, Kenyon and NCAA Division III record of 46.46. That clipped his previous record of 46.92 set at the 2019 NCAA Championships. Fitch also swam a leg on the Lords’ 400-yard medley relay team, which posted a Kenyon record time of 3:13.89, topping the old record of 3:14.69 set at the 2015 NCAA Championship meet.
Fitch’s other wins at the Total Performance Invitational were logged in the 50-yard freestyle (20.15), the 200-yard butterfly (1:47.07), the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:20.68) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:00.01).
Metzmaier named a national All-Region honoree
For the second time in her collegiate career, Kenyon College senior Sarah Metzmaier was named an All-Region honoree. The announcement came Monday from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA).
Metzmaier was selected to the NFHCA All-Region VI second team, along with 15 other NCAA Division III players. The All-Region honor is Metzmaier’s second. In 2019, as a sophomore, she was named to the NFCHA’s first team and went on to claim All-America status from the association.
This past season, Metzmaier started all 18 games for Kenyon. She tied for the team lead in goals (12) and led the team in assists (3) and points (27). Among all players in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), Metzmaier tied for first in goals and tied for second in points.
With Metzmaier as a focal point of the offense, the Ladies posted a 13-5 overall record and a 7-1 mark within NCAC play and won the regular-season conference crown.
Despite playing only two full seasons, Metzmaier's career counts of 35 goals and 77 points both rank sixth best in program history. Her playing time was limited due to missing eight games because of injury her first year and then having her junior season wiped away by the COVID-19 pandemic.
5 Lady Cougars receive All-League honors
Five players for the Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s volleyball team received All-League accolades from the Crossroads League.
Outside-hitter Nicole Winkler was named as a First-Team All-Crossroads League recipient. The senior from West Salem led the Lady Cougars with 470 kills this season with a kill percentage of .232. Winkler averaged 3.7 kills per match, which is the highest of her career. She added 363 digs, which was a career high. This 2021 honor comes after getting Second-Team All-League recognition in her sophomore and junior seasons, and honorable mention recognition in her freshman year.
The second MVNU player to be named to an All-League team was Ellie Ruby. The senior libero from Wheelersburg capped off a successful career with a Second-Team All-Crossroads League award. She finished the season with a career-high 716 digs, helping the Cougars finish second in the NAIA in total digs. Ruby averaged a stellar 5.6 digs per match this season and pitched in with 100 assists as well.
Senior middle-hitter Tory Small was the third Lady Cougar on the list. The Amherst native had a dominant season with 358 kills and a kill percentage of .326, helping her get Second-Team All-Crossroads League honors. Small also pitched in with team-high 54 blocks.
The fourth Lady Cougar to earn Second-Team All-Crossroads League honors was junior setter Paige Brenner. The Copley standout averaged 9.83 assists per match this season with a combined 1,226 assists in the 2021 campaign. As the Lady Cougars’ setter, Brenner recorded 142 kills for 1.1 kills per game. She added 346 digs in the season.
Junior, Molly Galaszewski was the final MVNU volleyball player to receive an honor. Galaszewski, who is from Valley City, was named honorable mention All-Crossroads League for her play as a defensive specialist during the 2021 season. Galaszewski finished with a career-high 420 digs coming off the bench this season. She played in 128 sets this season and averaged 3.3 digs per set.
