College Corner: Loudoun County Grad Brittany Batts Leads is Gannon's High Scorer in Collegiate Debut

College Corner: Loudoun County Grad Brittany Batts Leads is Gannon's High Scorer in Collegiate Debut

College Corner: Potomac Falls Grad Funes Named USA South All-Conference Men's Soccer Honorable Mention

College Corner: Potomac Falls Grad Funes Named USA South All-Conference Men's Soccer Honorable Mention

College Corner: Stone Bridge Grad Ronnie Shaban is Ivy League Men's Soccer Player of the Week at Columbia

College Corner: Stone Bridge Grad Ronnie Shaban is Ivy League Men's Soccer Player of the Week at Columbia

College Corner: Freedom Grad Aly Gazarek Earns America East Women's Soccer All-Academic Honors

College Corner: Freedom Grad Aly Gazarek Earns America East Women's Soccer All-Academic Honors

College Corner: Broad Run Grad King Named to All-SEC Soccer Second Team

College Corner: Broad Run Grad King Named to All-SEC Soccer Second Team

College Corner: Loudoun County Grad Dormio Steps into Starting Libero Role as Freshman at Keene State

College Corner: Loudoun County Grad Dormio Steps into Starting Libero Role as Freshman at Keene State

News: Foxcroft Grads Making Their Mark in College

Chelsy Copeland in action

Ashton Marshall

(Oct. 13, 2011) - While one Foxcroft graduate carried on the Middleburg school’s tradition of equestrian excellence by winning the one of the top steeplechase races in the sport, a number of her fellow alumnae have been leaving indelible marks in lacrosse and field hockey on the college playing fields in the spring.

Jessi Coil

Blair Waterman Wyatt and her mount, Bon Caddo, won the 86th running of the Virginia Gold Cup race on May 7 at Great Meadows in The Plains, VA. Blair, who graduated from Foxcroft in 1997, became one of just a handful of women to win the $75,000 race. Foxcroft has sent two riders to the Olympics and dozens more to major championships. of equestrian.

The girls’ boarding school located in Middleburg, Va., has also sent scores of women to outstanding colleges – and in recent years, several of them have had great success.

Sloane Coles, a 2007 graduate of Foxcroft, Ashton Marshall ‘10, Caitlin McNaughton ’07 and Jessica Copeland ’06 all achieved all-league honors at the Division III level over the last two seasons. Several others, including Claire Mancini ’05, Jessi Coil ’06, Chelsy Coil ’08 and Meredith “Dish” Harris ’10, have made substantial contributions at Division I universities.

Meredith "Dish" Harris

A resident of The Plains, VA, Coles has managed to train for and compete at Grand Prix horse shows even as she earned First Team All-Landmark Conference honors in lacrosse for three seasons in a row at Drew University! As a senior midfielder this spring, Coles led the squad with 47 draw controls and 39 ground balls. She was second on the team with 31 goals and fifth with 33 points. She finishes her career second all-time in career draw controls.

Coles, who won the Bates Medal for her riding performance as a junior, commuted to Wellington, FL, in the winter and competed in jumper shows around the east coast in the summer and fall during her college years. She now plans to focus on riding in hopes of eventually qualifying for the Olympic Equestrian Team

The Landmark Conference in which Drew’s lacrosse team plays, consists of Catholic University, Drew University, Goucher College, Juniata College, Moravian College, Susquehanna University, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the University of Scranton.

Marshall, of Round Hill, Va., graduated from Foxcroft in 2010 as the all-time leading scorer in lacrosse and continued her high-scoring ways as a freshman at Christopher Newport University this spring. Playing attack, Marshall made First Team All-USA South Conference by scoring 49 goals and adding seven assists for 56 points, which was the third highest total on the CNU team. She helped CNU win its sixth straight USA South championship and advance to the NCAA Division III tournament.

The USA South consists of Ferrum College (Va.), Greensboro (N.C.), LaGrange (Ga), Agnes Scott (Ga), North Carolina Wesleyan, Methodist University (N.C.) and Shenandoah University (Va.)

Harris, a native of Middleburg and Marshall’s teammate at Foxcroft, played in 11 of 16 games for the University of Denver’s lacrosse team. The feisty midfielder scored three goals and had four assists for seven points as she made the jump to Division I competition and will likely see more playing time next season.

Blair Waterman Wyatt

McNaughton, another Middleburg resident was named to the all-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference first team in field hockey last fall. A defender at Sewanee: The College of the South, McNaughton started 52 games and recorded four goals, three assists and 13 points in her four years as a Tiger. She was an honorable mention all-SCAC in 2009.

The Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference includes Austin (Texas), Birmingham Southern, Centre College (Ky.), Colorado College, DePauw University (Ind.), Hendrix College (Ark.), Millsaps College (Miss.), Oglethorpe (Ga.), Rhodes College (Tenn.), Sewanee, College of the South, Southwestern (Tex.) and Trinity (Tex.).

Sloane Coles

Copeland, of Ligonier, Pa., played lacrosse at Ohio Wesleyan for four years and was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the All-North Coast Athletic Conference in her senior year of 2010, when she led the conference with a stunning 67 goals (3.67 per game) and 4.47 points per game. Four of her scores were game-winners. She also was a second team mention in 2009 and finished her career with more than 100 goals.

Jessica Copeland

The North Coast Athletic Conference is an NCAA Division III affiliate. The league consists of Allegheny College (Pa.), Denison (Ohio), Hiram College (Ohio), Kenyon (Ohio), Oberlin (Ohio), Ohio Wesleyan, Wabash (Ind.), Wittenberg (Ohio) and College of Wooster (Ohio).

Chelsy and Jessi Coil, sisters from in Round Hill, oth were recruited to play Division I field hockey. At Kent State, Jessi played virtually every game at defender during her first two years and was named to the All-MAC Tournament Team as a freshman. Chelsy, who will be a red shirt junior at Michigan State this fall, has been plagued by injuries and illness which have kept from seeing much action.

Volleyball: Dominion Grad Ally Reed is Named Hollins Student Athlete of the Week

Volleyball: Dominion Grad Ally Reed is Named Hollins Student Athlete of the Week

Briar Woods Grad Zach Deaton Places 4th at Collegiate Triathlon Nationals Sprint in Alabama

Article and photos courtesy Aaron Bradner

(Apr. 14, 2011) - Former Briar Woods High School XC/Track runner Zach Deaton and is now currently a Virginia Tech Hokie Club Triathlete. This past Saturday, April 9, Deaton and 21 other Hokies made the trip to Tuscaloosa Ala. for the USA Collegiate Triathlon Nationals.

The event represented over 1,600 multisport athletes and 120 academic institutions. The three races were divided up into Men's and Women's Olympic distance race, and also a Sprint distance triathlon. Deaton raced the sprint distance and came in 4th in the undergrad division and 7th overall out of 295 males.

Deaton first stumbled upon the sport when he decided he didn't want to continue his running career at the next level, turning down walkon opportunities at Longwood University and Radford University.

"I wanted to challenge myself not with just one sport, but with multiple sports in one (endurance) race," said Deaton.

He has currently competed in only three triathlons so far but his future in the sport is looking pretty bright. His parents have a lot of experience in this sport as they used to race over seas and compete in ultra-marathons, triathlons, and even Ironman's.

"I hope to one day complete an Ironman, like my Dad, but I need to be a little patient and not jump into a race that completely destroys the body," said Deaton.


Overall the Virginia Tech Club triathlon men's team finished 8th out of teams in the Olympic distance event.

Baseball: Stone Bridge Grad Mattingly Switches Schools, Sports

(Apr. 7, 2011) - Stone Bridge Class of 2010 grad Mike Mattingly is giving up football at Lackawanna College to play baseball at Frederick Community College.

Mattingly will enroll in August and expects to play first base for the Cougars, who are coached by Rodney Bennett and currently ranked No. 1 in the country in Division II Junior College baseball at 26-1 for the season. The Cougars went to the Junior College World Series last year finishing in 5th place.

Former Stone Bridge standout Tyler Basso, who was first team All-State and first team Washington Post All-Met, plays third base and piches for Frederick.

Mattingly hit .409 as a junior for the Bulldogs and had a .539 on base percentage, earning all- Liberty district honors in 2009. He had to give up his senior baseball season to have labrum surgery from a injury suffered during football season.

Swim: Potomac Falls Grad Matt McLean Captures NCAA 500 Freestyle Title

(Mar. 29, 2011) - University of Virginia senior Matt McLean, a graduate of Potomac Falls High School, won his first career NCAA Championship last week in the 500 freestyle. He was first in a time of 4:10.15, ahead of Stanford's Bobby Bollier (4:13.94) and defending champion Conor Dwyer of Florida (4:13.98).

It is the fourth NCAA championship for the Virginia men's swimming program. Ed Moses was the last to win an individual title, claiming both the 100 breaststroke and 200 breaststroke events in 2000.

Photo courtesy: UVA Athletics Media Relations

Track and Field: Loudoun Duo Ryan Hagen and Nick McLaughlin Help Virginia Tech Capture ACC Indoor Title

Ryan Hagen

Nick McLaughlin (hat on backwards) holding trophy

Ryan Hagen holding trophy

(Feb. 27, 2011) - A pair of Loudoun athletes -- Ryan Hagen (Potomac Falls Class of 2009) and Nick McLaughlin (Heritage Class of 2007) -- helped the Virginia Tech men's track team capture its first ever ACC Indoor Championship Saturday in Blacksburg.

McLaughlin won a bronze medal in the 800 meters with a 1:51.11 time. Hagen helped the Hokies collect a bronze in the distance medley relay.

Broad Run grad Stephanie Garcia of Virginia finished second in the women's 3,000 meter run.

Full results

Men's Lacrosse: Briar Woods Alum Andy Luhmann Leads Frostburg State to Win as Sports Returns for the First Time in Over 30 Years

Briar Woods grad Andy Luhmann poised to score for Frostburg State

Frostburg MD (Feb. 22, 2011) - Men's lacrosse returned to Frostburg State University after a 30-year plus absence and Briar Woods High School graduate Andy Luhmann scored the first two goals as the Bobcats beat Shenandoah, 10-3, in the first varsity men's lacrosse game for the university since 1978.

Luhmann, a 6-foot freshman, ended up with three goals total in front former teammates and Briar Woods coach Bruce Lipson on hand for the historic contest Saturday.

Luhmann and current Briar Woods goalie Matt Bukovac 

The Bobcats sponsored men's lacrosse as a varsity sport from 1970-78, but the team was moved to club status following the 1978 season.

FSU fell behind 1-0 less than four minutes into action, but rattled off two-consecutive Luhmann goals for a 2-1 lead. Shenandoah (0-1) tied the game at 2-2, but the Bobcats found the net eight-straight times covering the second, third and fourth quarters for a 10-2 advantage. The Hornets scored their third goal of the game in the waning seconds.

The Bobcats return to action on Wednesday when they host St. Vincent at 4 p.m.

Baseball: Loudoun Valley Grad Southerland Named CAC Hitter of the Week

(Feb. 17, 2011) - Mary Washington freshman leftfielder Beattie Southerland (Purcellville, Va./Loudoun Valley) was selected as the CAC baseball Hitter of the Week for Feb. 14, 2011.

Southerland, a freshman who was the Cedar Run District Player of the Year last spring while at Loudoun Valley, was 5-for-7 (.714 BA) with two doubles, two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base
as the Eagles opened the season with a doubleheader sweep against Messiah.

Track and Field/Football: Briar Woods Grads, Twins Taren and Tavis Henry, Looking to Make Their Mark in College

Taren Henry

Ashburn (Feb. 8, 2011) - Recent Briar Woods High School graduates, twins Taren and Tavis Henry, are looking to make their mark in college in their respective sports with Taren a freshman high jumper at George Mason University and Tavis having completed his freshman football season as a linebacker at Ferrum.

Taren has participated in four indoor meets so far during her first year as a Patriot and she has three top five finishes including a fifth place finish at the weekend's 11th Annual New Balance Armory Collegiate Invitational in New York City.

Henry is one of five Loudoun athletes on the George Mason track and field team including junior Shehzaib Usman of Park View, junior Kimmy Moss of Broad Run, freshman Meredith Oare of Park View and junior Elizabeth Smith of Freedom.

Tavis Henry

Tavis, one of five Loudoun athletes on the Ferrum football team in the fall, is looking for a breakout sophomore season from the 5-foot-9, 209-pound linebacker for the Panthers which went 4-6 in 2010.

Among the other Loudoun athletes includes Heritage grad, Chris McCalla, who started four games at linebacker as a senior and registered 43 tackles and a sack in 10 games.

Also at Ferrum: freshman LB Anthony Wiley of Loudoun Valley, freshman WR Mike Girdy of Stone Bridge and freshman RB Ricky Simmons of Loudoun Valley.

Men's Soccer: Broad Run Grad Shane Johnson Named to Virginia SID All-State Second Team

Shane Johnson

Farmville (Feb. 8, 2011) - Three members of the Longwood University men’s soccer team, including Broad Run High School graduate Shane Johnson, have been named to the 2010 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) University Division All-State Second Team.

Senior Harvey Headley (Coventry, England (Stoke Park) received the recognition for the second-straight season, while junior defender Shane Johnson (Ashburn (Broad Run) and sophomore defender Patrick McDaniel (Midlothian (Cosby) earned earned the honor for the first time.

James Madison University forward C.J. Sapong was selected the VaSID Player of the Year, University of Virginia forward Brian Span the VaSID Rookie of the Year, and College of William and Mary head coach Chris Norris was named VaSID Coach of the Year.

Headley started all 19 matches for the Lancers and scored a team-high seven goals with one assist. His seven goals tied for the most in the Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) regular-season and his 15 points were second-best in the ASC. He was a First-Team All-ASC selection and earned ASC Player of the Week honors on October 25.

Johnson also started all 19 matches for Longwood while McDaniel started 17 matches. Johnson attempted seven shots with five shots on goal while McDaniel attempted seven shots with three shots on goal. Both were named to the All-ASC Second-Team as well.

Football: Former Broad Run Standout Lineman Taylor Evans Earns NCAA Division I Full Ride to Robert Morris

(Feb. 8, 2011) - Former Broad Run High School standout offensive lineman Taylor Evans, who helped the Spartans capture back-to-back VHSL Division 4 state football titles, has accepted a full ride offer to play next year at Robert Morris University.

Evans played a post grad season in the fall at Fork Union Military Academy and is now enrolled at Robert Morris for the spring semester. The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Evans is part of a recruiting class for Robert Morris that includes 19 players.

Robert Morris is located in Moon Township, Pa. and the school with an enrollment of 5,000 plays in the Northeast Conference in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision. The Colonials went 8-2 in the regular season in the fall and fell to North Dakota State in their first ever NCAA D1 FCS playoff appearance. The Colonials were co-champions of the NEC with a 7-1 mark.

The Colonials have only had one head coach -- Joe Walton who started the program in 1994 after 35 seasons in the NFL including a lengthy tenure as the New York Jets head coach (1983-89), two years as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1990-91) and seven years as a player with the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.

Baseball: Dominion Grad McCowat Named Northeast Player to Watch by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper

Springfield, MA (Jan. 27, 2011) - Dominion High School graduate Geoff McCowat, who led American International College's pitching staff in ERA and appearances as a sophomore in 2010, has been tabbed as a Player to Watch in the Northeast this spring by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.

The 5-foot-10 McCowat appeared in 20 games with an 4.02 ERA and 40 strikeouts in just 31.1 innings as a sophomore for AIC, a NCAA Division II school founded in 1885 and an enrollment of 1,800 students. AIC went 7-30 on the year including 4-22 in the Northeast-10.


McCowat went 1-2, earing the decision after tossing two innings of relief in a 6-5 win over Pace on March 25. He earned a save after recording the final two outs in a 7-4 win over Adelphi on April 6. He had 11 scoreless relief appearances, four of which were more than an inning of work.

His freshman year he appeared 12 times out of the bullpen and twice started for the Yellow Jackets, striking out 30 in 32.2 innings pitched.

At Dominion, McCowat made national news when he set three school records and set the Virginia High School League state record for strikeouts in a single game with 20. His cousin, Dan Marchetti, was a pitcher in the Baltimore Orioles farm system.

The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that are committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 6,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Volleyball: Loudoun Valley Grad Blair Brown Named Top Female College Player

Photo Courtesy/Mark Selders, Penn State Athletic Communications

(Jan. 14, 2011) - Blair Brown, a Loudoun Valley High School graduate who led Penn State to its fourth consecutive NCAA women’s volleyball championship in 2010, has won the 2011 Honda Sports Award as the top female athlete in college volleyball.

Read the complete article in the Loudoun Times-Mirror.

Boys Basketball: Broad Run's McGaughey Playing for James Madison

(Jan. 6. 2011) - Broad Run High School 2010 graduate Kevin McGaughey has not only earned a spot on the James Madison University men's basketball team but is getting some court time as a freshman as he scored his second basket of the season in Wednesday's 99-68 blowout win over Towson.

The Dukes are 12-3 on the season and 2-1 in the CAA.

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