|
Hall
of Fame Class of 2007 Introductory Release
EDINBORO, PA – Edinboro University
recognized its 2007 Senior Male and Female Athletes of the Year
and Coach of the Year on Saturday, April 28 at the 26th Annual
Hall of Fame Banquet. Wrestling coach Tim Flynn repeated as
Edinboro’s Coach of the Year, while Kelly Calderone
(Freedom, PA/Ambridge) was named the Nancy Acker Award
recipient as the Senior Female Athlete of the Year and Ben
Stroup (Columbus, OH/Hilliard Davidson) was selected the Sox
Harrison Award winner as the Senior Male Athlete of the Year.
Flynn becomes the first coach to receive the
Coach of the Year Award in back-to-back years since Doug Watts was
named the winner in 1987 and again in 1988. This also marks the
third time he has received the honor in his ten years, also
winning it in 2000. It’s easy to see why Flynn earned the
award once again.
Flynn has now guided Edinboro to back-to-back
top ten finishes at the NCAA Division I National Championships
after the Fighting Scots finished ninth. It capped another
brilliant season for the team, as the Fighting Scots finished with
a 17-1 record, a school record for wins, and was sixth in the
final USA Today/InterMat/NWCA Division I rankings, the highest
ranking in school history.
Under Flynn’s direction, Edinboro won its
second straight PSAC Championship and eighth in the Flynn’s
ten years as head coach. In addition, the Fighting Scots won their
fifth straight EWL and ninth in ten years with Flynn at the helm.
He was recognized as the PSAC Coach of the Year, the sixth time he
was captured the honor. He previously won the award in 1998, 1999,
2000, 2003, and 2004.
Edinboro also won the prestigious Virginia
Duals, handing Penn State a 19-17 defeat in the finals to avenge
the only loss the Fighting Scots suffered in 2006-07.
A total of eight Fighting Scots qualified for
Nationals, and for the second straight year Edinboro had three
All-Americans. Leading the way was Gregor Gillespie, who became
Edinboro’s third Division I National Champion, two of those
individuals coached by Flynn. While Gillespie won the title at 149
lbs., Alex Clemsen placed fourth at 184 lbs. and Deonte Penn was
seventh at 165 lbs.
In ten seasons, Flynn has produced 20
All-Americans, 78 national qualifiers, 25 EWL champions, and 38
PSAC champions. He has a career record of 111-32-3.
Earlier this year Calderone was named an
All-PSAC performer for the third straight year. She earned first
team accolades for the second straight year after a second team
selection as a sophomore.
Calderone transferred to Edinboro after playing
for one season at the University at Buffalo. She enjoyed an
outstanding three-year career, finishing fourth in career scoring
with 1,460 career points. In addition, her career average of 16.8
ppg. ranks third.
In 28 games, the 5’7” guard led
Edinboro in scoring at 18.3 ppg., a figure which ranks fourth in
the PSAC. Her 513 points ranked 12th in the season records. She
shot 39.7 percent from the floor (162 of 408). Including 36 of 112
on three-pointers, and made 153 of 182 free throws. The 153 free
throws made broke the school record for free throws made in a
season, and the 182 attempts ranked fourth. She added 4.9 rpg.,
and led the team in assists (124) and steals (73). Calderone
ranked second among PSAC players in assists and third in steals.
She also ranked second in free throw percentage at 84.1 percent.
She led the Fighting Scots in scoring in twenty contests, while
scoring in double figures in 26 of 28 games.
While playing just three seasons as a Fighting
Scot, Calderone compiled some impressive numbers. In addition to
her 1,460 career points, she set the career record for free throws
made with 415, is fourth in career free throw attempted (485), set
the school record for career free throw percentage at 85.9
percent, a figure which is also first all-time in the PSAC. She
finished fourth in career three-pointers made (153) and fifth in
career three-pointers attempted (446). She is 13th in career
assists (263) and 11th in career steals (195).
Calderone averaged 16.0 ppg. a year ago to earn
first team All-PSAC West honors and lead Edinboro to a berth in
the NCAA Playoffs with a 21-10 record. As a sophomore, she
averaged 16.1 and was a second team All-PSAC West choice. She
became just the fourth player to score at least 400 points in
three seasons this year.
This is the last of many awards for Stroup this
year. It began with a spot on the first team Asoociated Press
Little All-America squad. He would later be named a first team
Football Gazette All-American, a second team Daktronics
All-American and a D2Football.com honorable mention All-American.
Stroup, a 6’1”, 213 lb. senior, was
named the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year. He spearheaded
an Edinboro defense which ranked first in the PSAC in rushing
defense and total defense, and third in scoring defense, along
with ranking sixth in Division II in rushing defense, 24th in
scoring defense and 26th in total defense. He led the Fighting
Scots with 105 tackles, the most since 1996. He also paced the
team in tackles for losses (17.5), sacks (5.5), and passes broken
up (7), while intercepting two passes and forcing a pair of
fumbles.
Stroup had a career-high 19 tackles against
California(Pa.), and had 14 tackles with a pair of sacks vs.
Bloomsburg. He led the PSAC in tackles and ranked 18th in Division
II, along with being ranked fourth in the league and 22nd
nationally in tackles for losses. He was also an All-PSAC-West
first team selection a year ago, when Edinboro’s defense led
Division II in scoring defense, rushing defense and total defense.
He paced the Fighting Scots in tackles as a
junior with 76, while also leading the team with 15.5 tackles for
losses and finishing with 5.5 sacks. He ended the year ranked 20th
in Division II, and third in the PSAC, in tackles for losses. He
helped the Fighting Scots to an 8-2 record and their third
straight PSAC West crown that season.
In 2004, he played in all 12 games, starting
five of the last six games, and finishing with 49 tackles. As a
freshman he had 44 tackles as a reserve linebacker. All told,
Stroup concluded his career with 274 tackles.
|
