Eastern Mennonite University

Cassidey Chrisman (Staunton, Va./Riverheads) knows about ups and downs. The lone senior on EMU's softball team, Cassidey missed her entire sophomore season with an injury. Then the COVID-19 pandemic cut short this year's campaign. Despite being a starter since day one of her freshman season, Cassidey has played in only 85 career games after four years of college ball. She cites a resilient sense of mental toughness as a result of playing softball at EMU. Whether or not she is able to take advantage of an extra year of eligibility for the 2021 season, Cassidey was a huge part of the 2020 team. Behind the scenes, she provided leadership and stability. On the field, she batted .333 and led the Royals with eight RBIs. Her 12 hits were tied for second. Cassidey was outstanding defensively at third base, standing second on the team with 21 assists and a skillful .971 fielding percentage.

Eastern Mennonite University is pleased to recognize students who were named to the Spring 2020 Dean's List. The Dean's List, compiled at the end of each term, includes degree-seeking students who achieve a semester GPA of at least 3.75 with no withdrawn, incomplete, or failing grades for 12 semester hours of standard grades.

The Athletic Department staff also voted for Athlete of the Year winners. Senior Abigail Shelly (Collinsville, Miss./West Lauderdale) claimed the women's honor while sophomore Isaac Alderfer (Broadway, Va./Broadway) was named the top male.

Eastern Mennonite University held its annual Athletic Honors Banquet on May 1. Different from previous years where the event is celebrated with an in-person banquet, Virginia's stay-at-home order led to an online version dubbed the Athletic Honors Show. As part of the show, the EMU Athletic Department handed out athletic and academic awards from the 2019-20 season. Seniors Leah Wenger (Broadway, Va./Eastern Mennonite) and Bailey Hall (Daleville, Pa./James River) won the President's Awards, the highest athletic award given out by EMU.

Senior Justin Odom (Williamsburg, Va./Menchville) was another EMU student-athlete who looked poised for a huge spring. A thrower on the track & field team, he had just finished his best indoor season and was ready for his work to pay off outdoors when the year was shut down.

20 students completed cross cultural study in Guatemala and Colombia and WCSC during the spring 2020 semester. Each semester program includes 15 semester hours of credit taken as five (3 SH) courses. The experience integrates course content through analysis and experiential learning. Semester programs include locations abroad and in Washington, D.C at our Washington Community Scholars' Center (WCSC). EMU's unique requirement for cross cultural learning provides students with the ability to learn about themselves, another culture or country, and gain experiences that they would not get anywhere else.

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University held its annual student recognition ceremony during finals week. The various recognitions included honors from academic departments, student life and athletics.

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

Eastern Mennonite University is proud to recognize the 300 students who have completed their undergraduate degrees this spring or will complete their degrees this summer or fall. While the official commencement ceremony has been postponed, we wanted to share congratulations from your academic department!

The EMU track & field men earned two awards on the first-ever all-state teams from the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID). Isaac Alderfer (Broadway, Va./Broadway) was a part of both honors, one as an individual and the other on a relay team. The distance medley relay team earned the other award, similarly onto the All-State Second Team.

Sophomore Emily Campbell (Broadway, Va./Broadway) is a fantastic example of a collegiate athlete getting comfortable in their second year of play. The EMU softball player had a solid freshman campaign in 2019, pitching in 31.1 innings and adding a pair of homers as a batter. Before play was cancelled this spring, Emily was the Royals' top pitcher, earning all of her team's wins from the circle.

Although this was Morgan Tricarico's (Culpeper, Va./Eastern View) first year at Eastern Mennonite University, she quickly found success on the field hockey field, lacrosse field, and in the classroom. Earning a GPA above 3.3 also gave her recognition on the National Academic Squad through the field hockey coaches association.

Ten graduating seniors are the 2020 Cords of Distinction recipients. They would wear blue and gold cords signifying their achievement during the 2020 Commencement, tentatively scheduled for fall 2020. More details will posted at the Commencement website when available.

EMU women's basketball senior Lexi Deffenbaugh (Fishersville, Va./Wilson Memorial) finished her career on a high note, scoring double figures in both of her games last week. Lexi went off for a season high 15 points with five assists and five rebounds in Wednesday's Senior Night game against rival Bridgewater. Then in her final game, she scored 11 points, including tying her season high with 3 three pointers. Lexi closes her career tied for eighth in EMU history with 235 career assists.

EMU men's volleyball player Martin Pou (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) is not a traditional college athlete. While his 6-foot-7-inch frame makes him stand out among the average college student, his athletic journey makes him stand out among his peers. Most athletes who play ball in college got their start as kids, and many played travel ball of some sort. Martin got his start IN college, playing intramural volleyball as a freshman. He invested a lot of time training before his sophomore season and transferred to EMU to play with the Royals.

After a solid start to the year when the EMU softball team played games in North Myrtle Beach, S.C., over Spring Break, leadoff batter Emily Davis (King George, Va./Fredericksburg Christian) caught fire back in Virginia. In back-to-back doubleheaders against Southern Virginia and Mary Baldwin, Emily scored seven runs in four games. Her highlight came in a game against Mary Baldwin, where the sophomore batted 3-for-3, adding a walk and scoring three of her team's five runs.

The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

For the 14th straight year, the EMU field hockey team earned the National Academic Team Award from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). Additionally, nine of the women on the team claimed a spot on the National Academic Squad.

Jacob Merica (Elkton, Va./East Rockingham) is having a great start to his junior season, batting .382 with a team best 12 RBIs. He is hitting 117 points better than his previous best batting average (.265 from freshman season), and already has more RBIs this season than in any of his previous years. His 12 runs scored are tied for second on the team.