Compiled by Joe Wasiluk
A Tennis Lesson
By Betsy HnathTASSOS PAPHITES ’79 has always considered himself an athlete, playing competitive sports throughout his childhood and adolescence in Virginia Beach. When choosing a college, Paphites considered where he might be able to combine a solid education with an established sports program and selected Virginia Wesleyan. “I wanted a school that had more of a family environment than at a big university.” In all, Paphites lettered in three sports during his collegiate athletic career: basketball, soccer, and tennis.
Though soccer was his first love, he learned one of his most valuable life lessons on the tennis court. Paphites had never played tennis competitively, but he enjoyed the game, and when Coach Howard Mast asked, he joined the team. “In the three years I played tennis, I went from learning the sport to playing number one on the team.”
In one of his first matches, Paphites was faced with a hard lesson. A player on the other team kept calling the ball out when it clearly wasn’t. In those days the participants, rather than referees, judged the games. “I walked off the court thinking the opponent was dishonest. Though I lost the match, Coach Mast helped point out an important lesson. He taught me that the bigger rule of the game was integrity. I needed to play by the rules as they were established and not let others influence my behavior.”
Since graduating from Wesleyan, Paphites has built a successful restaurant business called Burger Busters. Currently his company owns 83 Taco Bell, 11 Pizza Hut, and two Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises. He thanks Wesleyan and particularly Coach Mast for part of his success. “The experience that day on the tennis court taught me a lesson that I have applied to all of my life.”
Few can dispute that athletics benefits one’s health. Sports can also develop the determination, skills and values that help not only in the athletic arena, but also in the business arena.
Playing for the Pentagon
Virginia Wesleyan College’s men’s basketball and baseball teams each received a “Pitching in for the Pentagon” plaque, presented by ABC affiliate WVEC-Channel 13 Norfolk, for their participation in a softball tournament held to raise funds for the victims and families of Pentagon employees affected by the Sept.11 attack. Eight teams raised $3,000 for the relief effort, including $1,600 from the Virginia Wesleyan basketball and baseball players.
Spring sports in review
BASEBALL (25-19 overall, 13-3 ODAC, first place) Several records were set, including single-season marks for most doubles (18) by Junior Josh Kreiser; highest on-base percentage (.506) by Senior Roger Carpenter; and a single-game record for most strikeouts by a pitcher (12) by Myron Trunick. Team records set included most shutouts in a season (4); most runs in a game (21); and most hits in a game (25). Carpenter guided another strong hitting team, connecting for a .366 batting average. Kresier contributed with a .357 mark, while Senior Mike Weatherly closed at .348. ODAC Honors: Scott James, Senior, second baseman; Carpenter, designated hitter, First-Team; Kreiser, outfielder, First-Team; Brian Corbo, Senior, pitcher, Second-Team; Weatherly, third baseman, Second-Team.
GOLF Marlin golfers averaged a team score of 332 throughout twelve rounds of ODAC regular-season competition. First-year player Larry Antinozzi emerged as the team leader with an 80.2 average in conference play and a 79.9 average overall. Sophomore Mark Rossi was second for the Marlins, averaging 82.3 in the conference competition and 81.9 overall.
MEN’S LACROSSE (8-7 overall, 3-3 ODAC, fifth place) A competitive season saw the Marlins average 11.4 goals per game, led by junior Bill Lingo, sophomore Jay Smith, and senior Art Huger. Senior Jack Lingo, won 124 face-offs and led the Marlins with 92 ground balls. ODAC Honors: Jack Lingo, midfielder, First-Team; Bill Lingo, attackman, Second-Team; Smith, midfielder, Second-Team; Nick Scroggs, Junior, defenseman, Honorable Mention.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (8-9 overall, 4-4 ODAC, fifth place) VWC’s fourth year of varsity competition continued a trend of improvement, as the Marlins compiled a College-record eight victories for the second consecutive year. Junior Meagan DiCave not only emerged as the leading scorer for the Marlins for the third straight season, but also led all scoring in the ODAC. Honors and Awards: DiCave, attackman, First-Team-ODAC, First-Team Regional All-American; Senior Raye Jean McMichael, midfielder, Second-Team All-ODAC; Anne Marie Nash, First-Year, midfielder, Honorable Mention All-ODAC; Heather Campbell, First-Year, midfielder, Hershey Foods Scholarship Recipient.
SOFTBALL (30-13 overall, 10- 4 ODAC, third place) VWC advanced to the championship game for the third time in the past five years, and the seventh time since 1990, finishing with their second consecutive 30-win season. Sophomore Shelley Wineken connected for a .432 batting average, ranking her third among the ODAC’s leading hitters. Senior Kelly Lupton, who hit .354 on the season, led the team with five home runs and five triples, placing her second among the league leaders in both categories. Senior Stacey Zielinski, a .322 hitter, connect-ed for a team-leading thirteen doubles, ranking her third in the ODAC. ODAC Honors: Lupton, outfielder, First-Team ; Wineken, second base, First-Team; Nikki Rowe, Sophomore, designated hitter, First-Team; Shanon Banks, Senior, catcher, Second-Team; Heidi Hill, Senior, pitcher, Second-Team; Zielinski, first base, Second-Team; Molly McConnell, Senior, third base, Second-Team; Devin Allen, First-year, shortstop, Second-Team; Kelly Rust, Junior, pitcher, Honorable Mention.
MEN’S TENNIS (7-10 overall, 3-5 ODAC ) Sophomore John Tomasheski finished the 2001 campaign with an 18-2 record at No. 2 singles, including a 7-1 mark in ODAC regular-season play. He placed as the runner-up in the slot at the conference tournament and teamed with junior Rod Gibson to take the runner-up spot at No. 2 doubles. The duo completed the regular season with 14-5 and 6-2 records. Gibson placed third at No. 3 singles in the league tournament. Honors and Awards: Tomasheski, second singles and doubles, Second-Team All-ODAC (singles and doubles), First-Team Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-American; Gibson, second doubles, Second-Team All-ODAC (doubles).
WOMEN’S TENNIS (9-3, 6-3, ODAC third place) Five Marlins placed among the top six in singles championship in the ODAC tournament, including junior Victoria Scavo as the runner-up at No. 6 and senior Nathalie Vandenheiligenberg third at No. 2. A seven-match winning streak highlighted the season for the Marlins. ODAC Honor: Scavo, sixth singles, Second-Team All-ODAC (singles).
2000-01 VWC Athletic Awards
Six student-athletes were recognized for outstanding accomplishments both on and off the field during the 2000-2001 season at the 32nd annual athletic awards banquet last spring.
RON YUHASZ who guided the men ’s basketball team to a 16-9 finish, received the Norfolk Sports Club Award for outstanding senior athlete. Yuhasz was the 2001 Player of the Year in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and was named first-team All-South District and honorable mention All-American.
RAYE JEAN MC MICHAEL and VINNIE SCIULLO were recipients of the Virginia Wesleyan Senior Athlete Award. McMichael was a two-sports standout for the Marlins, competing in field hockey and lacrosse. She earned first-team all-conference honors in field hockey, leading the team with nine goals, and ranked third in scoring for the lacrosse squad. Sciullo was the leader of the men ’s soccer team, guiding the Marlins to a 12-6-3 finish overall, a regular season ODAC co-championship, and a fourth straight appearance in the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament. He was named the ODAC Player of the Year.
JOHN TOMASHESKI a sophomore standout in men’s tennis, was awarded the W. B. Shafer, Jr. Scholar-Athlete Award. A biology major with a GPA of 3.98, Tomasheski placed second in the ODAC championships in both singles and doubles. He was named first- team All-District Verizon Academic All-American and third-team Verizon Academic At-Large Spring All-American.
Junior KELLY RUST a pitcher who helped guide VWC ’s softball team to a 30-13 season record and runner-up finish in the conference tournament, was named as the recipient of the Marlin Athletic Club Student/Athlete Award.
Senior KRISTEN LEAKE was honored with the Howard D. Mast Award, in recognition for her loyalty, performance, academic achievement and honesty as a member of Virginia Wesleyan women’s basketball team.