Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Local Student-Athletes Earn SMS Sports Honors
Tappahannock, VA (November 12, 2001) - Nine girls from the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula have earned recognition for their athletic accomplishments at St. Margaret's School. They were among 18 student-athletes who received awards at last week's fall sports banquet
Five St. Margaret's students were named to all-league sports teams this fall. Front: Hockey players Taylor Ellis of Dunnsville, Ruth Redfearn of Kinsale and Sarah Taliaferro of Center Cross. Back: Volleyball players Shannon Davis of Tappahannock and Meredith Rimkus of Texas.
"In the senior class alone, more than two-thirds of the girls were on a fall sports team,"
said Athletic Director Sue Saunders. "At St. Margaret's, every girl gets to play, and to develop the self-confidence and teamwork skills that will help her succeed in life."
Five student-athletes won spots on the League of Independent Schools all-league team for their respective sport. Senior Ruth Redfearn of Kinsale was named to the field hockey team for the second time. In addition, senior hockey players Sarah Taliaferro of Center Cross and Taylor Ellis of Dunnsville earned All-LIS honors. Senior Shannon Davis of Tappahannock and freshman Meredith Rimkus, a boarder from Texas, were named to the All-LIS volleyball team. All-LIS honors in cross-country will be determined after the league meet on November 9.
In addition, each of the SMS teams and coaches conferred awards. For the second year, senior Kelly Proctor of Urbanna was voted most valuable runner by her cross-country teammates. The varsity field hockey team chose junior Claire Hopkins of Oak Grove as most improved player and Redfearn as most valuable player. Taliaferro, a four-year player, won the coach's award. Freshman Annie Arnest of Kinsale was named most improved junior varsity volleyball player, and sophomore Lauren Crockett of Irvington won the JV volleyball coach's award. Senior Brittany Walker of Callao was honored with the varsity volleyball coach's award.
Boarding students who earned sports recognition include junior Jessie Malm of Alexandria, most improved runner; senior Anne Czechanski of Bowie, MD, cross-country coach's award; and sophomore Kate Lowe of Darnestown, MD, cross-country coach's award. JV field hockey honors went to freshman Eun Young Lee of Korea, most improved player; eighth-grader Jennie Lynne Leonard of Richmond, most valuable player; and senior Ray McCray of Davidson, NC, coach's award. Sophomore Jennifer Stuart of Stuart's Draft won the JV volleyball team's most valuable player award. Most valuable varsity volleyball player was freshman standout Rimkus, and most improved player was senior Katie Herrick of Fairfax Station.
St. Margaret's will field winter sports teams in basketball, soccer and swimming. The Scotty varsity basketball squad, under the leadership of Head Coach Sue Saunders, begins play at home on Friday, November 30 against Christchurch. Varsity soccer, coached by Essex resident Rodney Watkins and assisted by Whitfield Mastin, kicks off on Wednesday, December 5 at St. Anne's-Belfield. Swimming, a new varsity sport for SMS, is coached by Tappahannock resident Katie Speigler. Scotty swimmers will take the plunge at their inaugural meet against Collegiate and Trinity Episcopal at Briarwood in Richmond on Saturday, December 8.
