ODAC Announces 2008 Top Award Winners

BC’s Highfill, WLU’s James Share Jopson, LC’s Askey Wins Berkeley

May 28, 2008

SALEM, Va. --- Each spring, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Board of Directors recognizes its top female and male athletes with a pair of the conference’s highest honors.  This year, the 2008 Marjorie Berkley Scholar-Athlete Award winner as the top female student-athlete is Lynchburg College senior, Lauren Askey.  The 2008 Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Scholar-Athlete Award was presented to a pair of student-athletes.  Bridgewater College senior, Jeff Highfill, and Washington and Lee University senior, Nathaniel James, share the league’s top male student-athlete honor.

Inaugurated in 1984 and 1981, respectively, the Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Scholar-Athlete Awards are given each May to member college seniors and conference sport participants who exhibit the highest athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements.  Ms. Berkley began her collegiate teaching career at Lynchburg College.  Several years later after leaving Lynchburg, Ms. Berkley moved to Hollins University where she coached tennis, field hockey and soccer, and served as the athletic director for 30 years.  The Jopson award is named for the Bridgewater College professor and coach who retired in 1981 following 45 years at the college. Dr. Jopson, who initiated and directed the Eagles' cross country and track programs, led his teams to ODAC indoor track titles in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and outdoor crowns in 1978 through 1981.

LC's Lauren Askey

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Askey has made the most of her four years in the “Hill City” both in the classroom and on the soccer field for the Hornets.  She boasted a 3.98 grade point average while majoring in athletic training.  Askey recently became the first double All-American in Lynchburg women’s soccer history as she earned 2007 NSCAA All-American accolades for her on-field performances as well as 2007 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American honors for her scholastic achievements.  Askey has also been honored as a 2008-09 NCAA Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship for Careers in Athletics recipient.  She will use the award towards her work in the Masters of Athletic Training program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Askey was named the 2006-07 Lynchburg College Female Student-Athlete of the Year as well as earning the women’s soccer ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year awards each of the past two seasons.  She is a member of the Phi Kappa Phi honor society as well as Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society.  She also holds membership in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.  Askey is an active participant in Habitat for Humanity and Relay for Life.

On the field, Askey is a four-time All-ODAC, All-State and All-Region defender as well as the 2004 ODAC women’s soccer Rookie of the Year.  The Hornets’ captain was twice named to an ODAC All-Tournament team, receiving those honors in 2004 and 2007. 

“Lauren Askey exemplifies all that is right in Division III athletics,” explained Lynchburg athletics director, Dr. Jack Toms, in a written statement.  “I believe Lauren is one of the most respected athletes and academic students at Lynchburg College.”

BC's Jeff Highfill

Highfill, from Roanoke, Virginia, stood out on the football field as well as he did in the classroom.  Highfill boasted a 3.85 grade point average while majoring in mathematics with a minor in business.  A member of the Bridgewater College and National Deans’ Lists since 2004, Highfill is the recipient of a 2008 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.  He was twice named a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, earning college division first team honors in 2006 and second team accolades in 2007.  Highfill was also honored as the Bridgewater College Geisert Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2008.

The Eagles’ starting quarterback the past two seasons, Highfill was a semifinalist for the Vincent dePaul Draddy Trophy.  Often referred to as the “Academic Heisman,” the Draddy Trophy recognizes an individual as the absolute best in the country for academic success, football performance, and exemplary community leadership.

Highfill, a two-time team captain, was twice named to the All-ODAC Honorable Mention team.  He proved to be a threat through the air and on the ground throughout his career, finishing with 37 passing touchdowns and another 18 rushing scores.  He threw for 4,327 yards and ran for 782 yards over his four years on the gridiron.

Twice named the ODAC/Farm Scholar-Athlete of the Year for football, Highfill is a member of the Chi Alpha Sigma National College Athlete Honor Society as well as the Philmathes Society of Bridgewater College.  He has participated on Bridgewater’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) each of the past four years.  He was selected as a recipient of the 2007 Shenandoah Valley HIT Distinguished Community Service Collegiate Male Student-Athlete Award.  Highfill also served on the Bridgewater College Academic Dean Search Committee and was the student representative to the Board of Trustees Committee on Student Affairs.

“Jeff is one of the most outstanding student-athletes that has attended Bridgewater College,” expressed Bridgewater athletics director, Curt Kendall, in a written statement.  “Jeff is a wonderful young man with many talents and abilities that will serve him well in the future.  I am proud of the leadership Jeff has given to our football program and the role model he has been for all our student-athletes.”

WLU's Nathaniel James

James, hailing from Keller, Texas, carded birdies both on the links and in the classroom.  James maintained a 3.53 grade point average while majoring in politics.  He was twice named golf’s ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and recently earned a spot on the CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine All-District At-Large first team, making him eligible for at-large academic all-american honors.  A two-time recipient of the Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar award, James has been accepted to Washington and Lee’s School of Law.

The Generals’ team captain and two-time ODAC Golfer of the Year became the first NCAA Division III student-athlete to win the Byron Nelson Award on Tuesday.  The honor, presented by Cleveland Golf in conjunction with sponsors and announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), recognizes a graduating senior under equal consideration of a nominee’s entire collegiate academic and golf career and his character and integrity while in college. Particular consideration is given to a nominee’s good citizenship, as portrayed by Mr. Byron Nelson over the course of his life and golf career.

James is a three-time GCAA PING All-American who earned first team honors each of the past two seasons along with a third team nod in 2006.  At the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships, James finished in a tie for third individually at eight-over-par with rounds of 73-74-72-73 for a 292 total.  He ranked #1 in NCAA Division III this year with a 72.6 stroke average over 25 rounds.  His efforts helped lead the Generals to their first conference title since 1999 as he earned individual medalist honors as the low scorer of the tournament.  He was a nominee for the Palmer Cup International Team, a traveling squad of collegiate all-star golfers.  For his career, James posted an average of 73.8 strokes in 94 total rounds, never carding an individual score higher than 81.

Off the course, James is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society.  He is a student-advisor for the Generals Christian Fellowship Organization on campus.  Each of the past three summers, James has participated in Leadership Expedition, a three week leadership program for young men in which he served as lead counselor last year.

“I have known Mr. James for four years, and have enjoyed the privilege of watching him and supporting him during his successful academic and athletic career,” informed Washington and Lee athletics director, Jan Hathorn, in a written statement.  “An outstanding young man, an excellent student, and a fantastic golfer…a more qualified individual would be hard to find.”