Fulton, Mo. - Now that the Olympics are underway, it seemed appropriate to look back at Westminster College’s Olympic connections.

After Missouri native Brutus Hamilton captured the silver medal in the decathlon at the 1920 games in Antwerp, he made a stop at Westminster. Hamilton coached track and field at Westminster before moving on to a Hall-of-Fame coaching career at the University of Kansas and the University of California.

While at Westminster, Hamilton coached a series of all-conference performers, but one stood out. Tom Botts ran track for Hamilton and earned all-conference honors as a hurdler. But, the Olympic connection did not end there.

After his collegiate hurdling career ended, Botts moved into the coaching ranks and finished his Hall-of-Fame career at the University of Missouri. While there, Botts coached Dick Ault, a 1948 Olympian. Ault finished fourth in the 400-hurdles at the London Olympics and set a world record the next year in 1949. Coach Ault, as he was known by many, then embarked on a Hall-of-Fame coaching career which ended at Westminster. Coach Ault mentored many a Blue Jay in the sports of cross country, swimming, track and field, and golf during his Westminster days.

Westminster’s Olympic connection is not restricted to track and field. Henry Iba was an all-conference performer in football, basketball and baseball at Westminster in the 1920s. During his Hall-of-Fame coaching career he won two national titles at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State), and he coached the Olympic men’s basketball team to two gold medals and a silver medal.

Westminster Senior Named To NCAA National Committee

Fulton, Mo. – Westminster College senior Andrew Darkow has been named to the NCAA Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), as announced by the NCAA. Darkow, the representative for the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, begins his term of service immediately and continues through May 1, 2010.
 
Darkow, a senior tennis player from Columbia, Missouri, played high school tennis at Rock Bridge High School. In his three seasons as a member of the Westminster men’s team, Darkow has received all-conference honors in singles three times and has helped the Blue Jays capture three consecutive conference titles and back-to-back berths in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
 
The NCAA Division III SAAC is made up of 24 members, including one student-athlete from each of the Division III Student-Athlete Advisory Committee conferences represented in the partnership program and four members from independent institutions representing each of the four geographical regions.

Former Blue Jay Greats Featured In NCAA Champion Magazine...

2007-08

Jones And Buxton Named 2007-08 Westminster Athletes Of the Year

Although Meaghan Jones and Andrew Buxton completed their athletic eligibility during the 2007-08 soccer and basketball seasons, the honors continue to come in. Jones and Buxton have been named Westminster College Female and Male Athletes of the Year for 2007-08.

Jones, a senior midfielder from Pacific, Missouri (Pacific High School), is a Dean’s List student and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, who graduated with a degree in Chemistry. She appeared and started in all 16 women’s soccer matches during the 2007 season, and led the team in assists (9) and game-winning goals (2). Jones earned all-conference and academic all-conference honors in each of her four seasons and concluded her career with a school-record 33 assists.

Buxton, a 6-3 senior guard from Wildwood, Missouri (Lafayette High School), is a Dean’s List student and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, who graduated with a degree in Business Administration. He was named to the all-conference men’s basketball first team as a senior. Buxton also was a two-time conference player of the week and a D3 Hoops Team of the Week recipient, who led Westminster with a 15.9 points and 5.1 rebounds a game averages during the 2007-08 men’s basketball season. Buxton concluded his career 12th on the school's scoring chart with 1,093 points, becoming just the 16th Blue Jay male to surpass the 1,000-point plateau in the 93-year history of men’s basketball.

2008 Westminster Basketball Camp And Shootouts Scheduled

The Westminster College basketball staff is conducting the Westminster College Basketball Camp from Tuesday, May 27, through Friday, May 30, in Westminster Gym in Fulton.

The camp, which is being held for boys and girls in the third grade through incoming ninth graders, costs $90 per camper. Included in the cost is individual instruction, station work, competitive games and a camp T-shirt. Each camper needs to bring their lunch and a swimming suit (swimming is optional at the end of each day).

In addition, Westminster is hosting a series of Team Shootouts for Middle School and Junior High School boys and girls. Information and registration forms are available on the Westminster College Web Site.

For additional information contact Westminster Head Women’s Basketball Coach Tracey Braden (573-592-5345), or Westminster Associate Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dylan Dudley (573-592-5279).

Fifteen Westminster College Student-Athletes Make The Grade

Fifteen Westminster College student-athletes have been inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.

To be eligible for induction a student-athlete must earn a letter in a varsity intercollegiate sport, achieve at least junior academic standing, compile at least a 3.4 cumulative grade point average by the time of selection, and receive the endorsement of the head coach and chapter advisor.

Westminster's chapter, the Missouri Alpha Chapter, was established in 2002. Since that time, 90 student-athletes have been inducted.

2008 Chi Alpha Sigma Inductees:
Ty Cochran, Jr., Basketball, St. Louis, Mo./Vianney
Heather Collums, Jr., Basketball, Bartlesville, Okla./Bartlesville
Mike Crawford, Jr., Basketball, Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City
Mythokozisi Dlamini, Jr., Soccer, Manzini, Swaziland/UWC
Stephanie Gordon, Sr., Golf, Kirkwood, Mo./Kirkwood
Elizabeth Jansen, Jr., Volleyball, Bonnots Mill, Mo./Fatima
Chad Lane, Sr., Football, Perryville, Mo./St. Vincent
Zhenia Marova, Jr., Tennis, Desnogorsk, Russia/UWC
Neil McCutcheon, Jr., Football, Springdale, Ark./Green Forest
Josh Ray, Jr., Tennis, West Plains, Mo./West Plains
Mike Silver, Jr., Baseball, Florissant, Mo./McCluer North
Buddy Sodemann, Jr., Basketball, Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway West
Brian Turntine, Jr., Football, Sullivan, Mo./Sullivan
Jason Warncke, Jr., Basketball, St. Peters, Mo./Francis Howell Central
Lindsey Woodland, Jr., Golf, Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City

Westminster Chi Alpha Sigma Site:
http://www.westminster-mo.edu/athletics/honors/Pages/ChiAlphaSigma.aspx

Whitaker-Schaefer Inducted Into SLIAC Hall OF Fame

Jennifer Whitaker-Schaefer became the third Westminster College student-athlete to enter the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, when she was inducted Saturday, February 9, between games of a basketball doubleheader in Westminster Gym in Fulton.

Whitaker-Schaefer had a record-breaking impact on women's athletics at Westminster College. During her four year intercollegiate career, Whitaker earned four varsity letters in both volleyball (1996-99) and basketball (1996-00). She was a three-time all-conference performer in basketball, earning first-team honors in both her junior and senior seasons, while setting three school records and finishing her career in the top five in scoring (4th), rebounding (3rd), and assists (3rd).

Her most impressive accomplishments came on the volleyball court. During her four years, Whitaker collected all-league honors four times and was a first-team selection as a freshman, junior and senior. She earned conference newcomer of the year honors as a freshman, and was the SLIAC Player of the Year as both a junior and a senior, when she earned back-to-back Westminster Female Athlete of the Year awards. She also was named the "Junior" Boyd Memorial Award winner as a senior. Whitaker guided the Blue Jays to conference titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999, and an NCAA tournament berth in 1999. Whitaker holds Westminster College school records for assists in a season (1,237), assists in a career (4,384), and service aces in a career (156).

Whitaker-Schaefer, who is in the Westminster College Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame, lives in Creve Coeur, Missouri, with her husband, Tom, and daughter, Jocelyn. She was presented her conference award by SLIAC Commissioner Will Wolper and she joins Westminster's 2007 inductees Amy Schaeperkoetter-Herman and Jason White in the SLIAC Hall of Fame.

2006-07

Moore, Hancock And Reckamp Named Athletes Of Year

Seniors Josh Moore, Beth Hancock and Amanda Reckamp have been named Westminster College Athletes of the Year for 2006-07. The awards were presented after this past weekend's graduation ceremonies.

Moore, a senior defensive lineman from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma (Metro Christian High School), is the 2006-07 Male Athlete of the Year. Moore is a Dean's List student, a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, and graduated with a degree in biology. In the fall, Moore was named Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Lineman of the Year, the UMAC South Division Lineman of the Year and an ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-District VII Second Team pick. Moore finished the season second in the conference is sacks (7.5) and first in tackles for loss (16). Moore, who has been named a first-team UMAC South Division All-Conference pick each of the past three seasons, leaves Westminster with individual career records for tackles for loss (42.5) and sacks (22.5).

Hancock and Reckamp share the 2006-07 Female Athlete of the Year award. Hancock, a senior pitcher from Monroe City, Missouri, is a Dean's List student and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society and graduated with a degree in secondary education and a minor in mathematics. An academic all-conference pick as a junior, Hancock earned second-team all-conference honors for the second year in a row this season. Hancock led the 2007 team in wins (5), innings pitched (144.1) and strike outs (147). Hancock concludes her two-year career with school records for strike outs in a game (14), strike outs in a season (147) and strike out in a career 269).

Reckamp, a senior catcher from Wright City, Missouri, is a Dean's List student and a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society and graduated with a degree in secondary business education and a minor in entrepreneurship. An honorable mention all-league pick as a junior, Reckamp earned second team honors this past season. Reckamp led the 2007 team in hitting average (.393), hits (44), doubles (9), home runs (9), and put outs (217). Reckamp concludes her four-year career with school records for most RBI in a game (6), most RBI in a season (31), most home runs in a season (9), most puts outs in a season (217) and most put outs in a career (402).

Former Blue Jays Inducted Into SLIAC Hall Of Fame

Former Westminster College basketball players Amy Schaeperkoetter-Herman and Jason White have been inducted into the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Hall of Fame. The ceremony took place this past Saturday at halftime of the SLIAC women's basketball tournament championship game at Maryville University in St. Louis. Schaeperkoetter-Herman and White were among a group of 13 student-athletes to comprise the first group of student-athlete inductees.

White, who played high school basketball at St. Clair High School, attended Westminster from 1992-96. He was a four-time St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic All-Conference basketball selection and led Westminster to the conference tournament title and an NCAA Division III national tournament berth in 1995. White was the SLIAC Co-Player of the Year and a D-III News Honorable Mention All-America selection as a senior. He left Westminster with career records in points (1,836), rebounds (1,046), and blocks (194). White lives in Eldon, Missouri, and teaches and coaches basketball at Eugene High School in Eugene, Missouri.

Schaeperkoetter-Herman played high school basketball at Owensville High School and attended Westminster from 1994-1998, She was a Dean's List student in each of her semesters at Westminster. She was a four-time all-conference and four-time academic all-conference selection in basketball, and also earned CoSida Academic All-District honors as a senior. Schaeperkoetter-Herman holds more than 10 school records in basketball, including career marks in scoring (1,282) and assists (316). She was named Westminster Female Athlete of the Year in 1997-98, and was awarded an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship in 1999. She earned a graduate degree in athletic administration at the University of North Carolina, where she currently works as assistant athletic director for compliance.