Rochester to honor 10 as Garnish Scholars
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Ten seniors who have helped the University of Rochester achieve a multitude of athletic and academic honors will be honored at halftime of Saturday’s football game against St. Lawrence University.
The 10 student-athletes (five men and five women) will receive the Lysle “Spike” Garnish Scholar-Athlete awards. The Garnish Program was created in honor of Lysle “Spike” Garnish, coach and mentor to many Rochester student-athletes from 1930 to 1948. He was a trainer and assistant basketball coach in 1931. Garnish was named an assistant baseball coach in 1932, and served as assistant football coach from 1945 to 1948.
Additionally, the Garnish Memorial Citation will be presented to G. Robert Witmer, Jr. ’59, for his untiring dedication and contributions to the intercollegiate athletic program.
The Garnish Scholars represent nine sports. They come from a variety of U.S. locales: Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and Michigan. Two of the honorees come from Switzerland and Peru.
During the time these student-athletes have been on campus, Rochester has won championships in both the University Athletic Association and the Liberty League. The Yellowjackets have competed in the NCAA Division III championships on both a team and individual basis. Eight of the teams have been nationally ranked.
Garnish Scholar-Athletes:
Adam Bossert (Ambler, PA/Major: Microbiology, Minor: Chemistry): As a junior, Bossert was selected as the Liberty League men’s swimmer of the year, helping the Yellowjackets win the team championship. He has two top-10 times. He was named to the Liberty League and UAA All-Academic Teams. Rochester was ranked in the Division III National Poll last season.
Claire Crowther (Wellesley, MA/Major: Linguistics, Minor: French): Crowther has won individual and relay titles at the New York State Collegiate Track Conference championships in each of her first three years. She has competed in the ECAC Championships in each of those years. Away from the track and from the classroom, she performs for the a cappella group Vocal Point.
Andres Duany (Lima, Peru/Major: Economics and Business Strategies, Minor: Organizational Psychology): Duany earned All-America honors in squash as a sophomore (Second Team) and a junior (First Team). At the end of his junior season, he was ranked seventh individually out of 976 collegiate squash players. He was the Liberty League Player of the Year as a junior and was named to the Liberty League All-Academic Team.
Beni Fischer (Lucerne, Switzerland/Major: Economics): Fischer is one of just two Rochester squash players to earn All-America honors in each of their four years. He reached the round of 16 at the College Squash Association individual championships every year and played in the event’s semifinals in 2010. At the 2012 championships, he received The Skillman Award, which is given annually to a senior men’s squash player who has demonstrated outstanding sportsmanship during his college career.
Shelby Hall (Hamburg, NY/Major: Molecular Genetics): Hall has been a key contributor for the University’s field hockey team. Last season, the Yellowjackets tied a single-season record for victories. This year, the team is ranked 18
th nationally. She is been named to the Liberty League All-Academic team and been chosen to the NFHCA Scholar-Athlete team.
Bridget Lang (Chesterfield, NJ/Major: Biochemistry): Lang helped Rochester secure NCAA playoff bids in 2009 and 2010. She has earned All-UAA honors as well as UAA All-Academic honors in each of the last two seasons. Rochester was nationally ranked in her sophomore and junior years.
Jon Menke (Highland Park, IL/Majors: Mathematics and Financial Economics): Menke was named the Liberty League Pitcher of the Year as a junior and helped the Yellowjackets reach the league playoffs. In his freshman season, he helped the Yellowjackets win the regular-season Liberty League title and attain a national ranking. Rochester won the UAA Championship in Florida that season as well.
Lauren Norton (Troy, PA/Major: Mathematics): As a freshman and sophomore, Norton qualified for the NCAA Division III National Cross Country Championships. Last year, she qualified for the ECAC indoor championships in the 3,000 meter run. This fall, she has helped Rochester attain a national ranking in women’s cross country.
Jakob Seidlitz (Washington, DC/Major: Brain and Cognitive Sciences): Rochester reached the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2009 and 2010 in part due to Seidlitz’ work on the back line. The Yellowjackets have been ranked nationally in each of his four seasons. He earned All-UAA honors last season and has been named to the UAA All-Academic team.
Jackie Walker (Ann Arbor, MI/Major: Biochemistry, Minor: Chemistry): Walker has helped Rochester to a high national ranking in each of her four seasons and contributed to Yellowjacket teams that earned two NCAA Division III playoff bids. She earned UAA All-Academic honors as a sophomore and a junior and was named All-UAA in her junior year.
Garnish Memorial Citation:
G. Robert Witmer, Jr. ’59: Bob Witmer played basketball at the University for Louis Alexander Sr., then for Lyle Brown. He captained the team as a senior with Ted Zornow ’59. In his last two seasons, he was admitted to the Honors Program. After graduation, he enrolled in Harvard University’s School of Law. He has been involved with the University from his days as an undergraduate through his professional career and with the University’s senior leadership. He was the Chair, and now Chair Emeritus of the University’s Board of Trustees.