Messiah College News Archive

With a 40-3 record and a third place finish at the NCAA Division III National Championships, Josh Thomson had a most impressive first-year at Messiah College. Thomson was recognized by D3Wrestle.com as their Freshman of the Year.

A trio of talented alumni athletes was inducted into the College’s Hall of Honor of Feb. 15: Chris Boyles `02, former men’s track and field star and NCAA national champion; Christina (Vouriotis) Hutchinson `03, considered by many to be the best player to come through Messiah’s women’s basketball program; and Mike Shaker, a former coach considered the father of the College’s men’s basketball program.

In addition, six current student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding performance in both the classroom and competition. Congratulations to Luke Helmuth (men’s soccer), Lindsay King (women’s volleyball), Aaron Reynolds (men’s cross country), Dori Gyori (women’s basketball), Malcolm McDermond (swimming), and Stephanie Schell (softball). At the conclusion of the spring season, two winners will be announced from among these six finalists.

Jeremy Payne and Alex Brandt were named national players of the year for their outstanding performances on the soccer field. Payne is the men’s team’s sixth honoree and Brandt is the women’s third Falcon to capture the top prize.

Both teams won the NCAA Division III championship in 2012.

The Messiah College men’s and women’s soccer teams won their fourth dual NCAA Division III Championships on Dec. 1

The men defeated Ohio Northern University 5-1, and the women defeated Emory University 1-0.

This is the ninth national championship for the men and the fifth for the women.

For more information about the games or the teams’ winning seasons, go to GoMessiah.com.

Three distinguished Messiah College alums will be inducted into this year’s Hall of Honor – softball player and current Messiah assistant coach Jennifer (Wenger) Thuma ’98, wrestler Mike Helm ’00, and men’s soccer player and former Messiah head coach Dave Brandt ’85.

The induction will take place on Feb. 17.

Everybody wants to know, what’s the secret to the success of Messiah’s men’s and women’s soccer programs? It’s really no secret at all, as players and coaches explain in this NCAA On Campus video.

Watch the video.

“In a field loaded with NCAA Division I talent, how does a kid from a small Division III school hang with the big boys,” asked the Harrisburg Patriot-News in a July 27 article about Messiah golfer Matt Burkhart and his impressive second place finish at the PA Amateur Championship. Read the rest of this entry »

The powerhouse coaching team of Amy Weaver, Alex Quigley, Sam McLoota, Jen Thuma and Dana Randall were honored as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division III East Region Coaching Staff of the Year. 

During the 2011 season, the Falcons were 39-7 and earned their fourth trip to the NCAA Division III national championships tournament.

Only 250 of 1,500 Division III wrestlers nationwide receive Scholar All-American honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association.  Michael Bressler, a senior business administration major from Odenton, Maryland is among this prestigious group.

 The College Swimming Coaches Association of America has presented the swimming  team of Messiah College with the Team Scholar All American Award, an honor for teams that achieved a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. Messiah’s team grade point average actually exceeds the 3. 0 minimum and is at 3.29!