Shenandoah University

Shenandoah University's Addisyn Banks earned her second Old Dominion Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week nod of the season on Jan. 19 following a 2-0 week for the Hornets.

Shenandoah University's Jaime Padilla and Liam Stewart were named D3baseball.com 2026 Preseason All-Americans on Jan. 14. Padilla and Stewart, both first-team honorees, each earned D3baseball.com All-America honors at the end of the 2025 season. Padilla also was named an American Baseball Coaches Association All-American.

Shenandoah University's Division of Athletic Training continued its run of excellence at the 2026 Virginia Athletic Trainers' Association (VATA) Annual Meeting on Jan. 2-4, at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia. Shenandoah's student quiz bowl team, composed this year of Makenna Thrush, Trilby Kite, Aesia Garban and Kristen Meinberg (alternate), won the VATA Quiz Bowl for the fourth straight year. Those four, and fellow student Caitlyn Sweet, also presented research posters during the conference, and professors Kim Pritchard, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, and Kelley Wiese, Ph.D., LAT, ATC, were each recognized for their oral presentations.

Simon Bellenbaum earned the first-ever weekly conference award for Shenandoah University's men's volleyball team when he was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Defensive Player of the Week following SU's program debut on Jan. 11. Bellenbaum helped the Hornets to a 1-1 weekend at the Regent tri-match featuring the host Royals and Randolph College. SU defeated Regent 3-0 in its second game for the program's first-ever victory. Bellenbaum, a first-year student from York, Pennsylvania, accumulated six solo blocks and eight digs on the defensive side of the court during the Hornets' two matches. He tallied three blocks in each match and had five digs against the Royals. Offensively, Bellenbaum had six kills on a .417 hitting percentage across 12 total attacks.

Shenandoah University had 1,195 students earn a spot on the Dean's List for the Fall 2025 semester. To qualify for the Dean's List, students must be enrolled full-time in baccalaureate degree programs and earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher. Dean's List students who achieve a semester GPA of 3.90 or higher also qualify for the university's President's List.

Shenandoah University celebrates the 530 students who earned a spot on the President's List for the Fall 2025 semester. To qualify for this prestigious academic recognition, students must be enrolled full-time in baccalaureate degree programs and attain a semester GPA of 3.90 or higher. All President's List honorees are also recognized on the university's Dean's List, which includes students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Shenandoah University senior linebacker Matt Conroy was named an NCAA Division III third-team All-American by the Associated Press on Dec. 18. In 11 football games this season, Conroy totaled 147 tackles to lead all of Division III. He also recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while adding two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Conroy, of Bel Air, Maryland, anchored the Hornets' defense throughout the year. The team captain posted nine games with at least 10 tackles, highlighted by a 22-tackle performance in Week 3 at Hampden-Sydney. During a Week 5 matchup against Bridgewater, he broke the program's all-time career tackles record, and he finished his career with 442 stops to surpass Ben Burgan's previous mark of 352. The All-America honor marks the first of Conroy's career and adds to an already impressive resume that includes four All-ODAC selections, two D3football.com All-Region honors, and four ODAC Defensive Player of the Week awards. Earlier this season, Conroy was one of 180 semifinalists for the National Football Foundation's William V. Campbell Trophy, college football's top scholar-athlete award.

The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has announced its 2025 Sportsmanship Teams in each of the conference's seven sponsored fall sports. The squads are composed of a student-athlete from each school, selected by the coaching staff of each team that competes under the ODAC banner, with all sports and schools fully represented. Shenandoah University's selections included Cora Helman (women's cross country), Regan Fields (field hockey), Alexandra Sarrach (women's soccer), Ava Pannullo (women's volleyball), Tyler Mullen (men's cross country), Drew Custer (football), and Nick Mattiace (men's soccer).

Shenandoah University senior linebacker Matt Conroy earned his second All-America award of the 2025 college football season with a selection to the Walter Camp Division III All-American team on Dec. 23. Conroy was previously named an Associated Press Division III All-American following a season in which he finished with 147 tackles to lead all of Division III. He also recorded 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks, while adding two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 11 games played. Conroy posted nine games with at least 10 tackles, highlighted by a 22-tackle performance in Week 3 at Hampden-Sydney. During a Week 5 matchup against Bridgewater, he broke the program's all-time career tackles record, finishing his career with 442 stops to surpass Ben Burgan's previous mark of 352.

Shenandoah University women's basketball student-athlete Addisyn Banks was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Offensive Player of the Week on Dec. 15. Banks, the Hornets' leading scorer, scored 17 points and had 11 rebounds in a win over No. 17 Elizabethtown on Dec. 14.

Shenandoah University welcomed 27 new inductees into Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), the national leadership honor society, on Sunday, Dec. 7. ODK recognizes sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni who excel in leadership and academics. Students selected to Omicron Delta Kappa must meet the honor society's leadership values of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship and service. Additionally, they must be in the top 35% of their class and demonstrate leadership in at least one of the five pillars of campus life: academics and research; athletics; service to campus and community; communications; and creative and performing arts. To become a member, students can self-nominate or be nominated by a faculty member, staff member or current ODK member. Nominees are then selected for induction through an application process. Benefits of ODK membership include access to exclusive scholarship opportunities, regular publications and resource materials to support leadership development, and job-related networking opportunities with over 250,000 current ODK members and hundreds of thousands of alumni and honorary members worldwide. For more information about Shenandoah University's ODK circle, visit su.edu.

Shenandoah University seniors Matt Conroy and Andy Anderson were named All-Region 3 by D3football.com on Dec. 10. Conroy, a linebacker from Bel Air, Maryland, earned second-team all-region honors for the second time in his career, while Anderson, an offensive guard from Williamsburg, Virginia, earned his first all-region nod with a third-team selection.

Shenandoah University head baseball coach Kevin Anderson has announced his program's leadership council for the 2026 season. Senior outfielders Kyle Garrett and Jaime Padilla and junior pitcher Jacob Gilbert were named captains for the Hornets. Nine other individuals will serve as class representatives for the program: Dillon Mauzy (first-year outfielder), Will Tighe (first-year catcher), Matthew Atchley (sophomore third baseman), Liam Stewart (sophomore pitcher), Samuel Vandrey (sophomore utility player), Nick Bell (junior pitcher), Blaine Griffin (junior pitcher), Michael Meyers (senior pitcher), and Jonathan Stokley (senior first baseman).

Four Shenandoah University field hockey student-athletes were named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association's 2025 All-Region VI team in selections announced on Dec. 3. Camryn DeLeva, Claudia Lenahan, and Reagan Flory represent the Hornets on the first team, with Madison Short getting a second-team nod. Shenandoah wrapped up the 2025 season with 15 wins for the seventh consecutive season (excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season) and is ranked 20th in the NFHCA Division III coaches poll.

Shenandoah University sophomore McKenna Newcome has earned Second Team All-Region VI honors in women's soccer from United Soccer Coaches, the organization announced on Dec. 2. Newcome, of Capon Bridge, West Virginia, is the first Hornet to receive an all-region nod since Emily Yergin in 2019. Newcome helped SU reach the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament semifinals and earned first team All-ODAC honors last month. Along with the postseason awards, Newcome was also named ODAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season. The midfielder scored 14 goals and had eight assists in 21 games in 2025. Newcome had 24 points in the team's 10 ODAC regular-season games and ended the season on a nine-game goal streak.

Shenandoah University senior Dorian Davis earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week award for the first time in his career on Dec. 1. Davis, a guard from Florence, South Carolina, helped the Hornets to a 2-0 week with 14 defensive rebounds, five steals, and two blocks throughout the pair of games. Davis started the week with a nine-rebound, one-steal performance against Penn State Schuylkill on Nov. 24. Davis also scored 11 points and dished out one assist in the 87-64 win over the Lions at home. The next day, in an 80-74 win over Lancaster Bible College, Davis had four steals and two blocks while leading the Hornets with 22 points.

Shenandoah University's women's basketball team swept the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards, with Emily Williams earning the conference's offensive award and Addisyn Banks winning the defensive award in selections announced by the ODAC on Dec. 1. Williams, a senior from Thurmont, Maryland, averaged 20 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in two games last week for Shenandoah. The guard started the week with a 26-point, seven-rebound outing at Dickinson on Nov. 25, a 72-60 Shenandoah win. In a Nov. 30 home game against Christopher Newport, Williams recorded a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds. Banks, a guard from Nokesville, Virginia, gathered seven steals, blocked three shots and pulled down eight defensive rebounds in the Hornets' two games last week. Against Dickinson, Banks had three steals and a block, and she added four steals and two blocks in the loss to CNU.

Shenandoah University's football team earned nine All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors for the 2025 season, highlighted by quarterback Mekhi Brown winning the conference's Rookie of the Year award in selections announced on Nov. 25. Offensive lineman Andy Anderson, linebacker Matt Conroy and defensive back Sean Perry each earned first-team distinction, with running back Jalen Redfearn, wide receiver Roge't Walker, defensive end Ryan Apietu, and kicker Carson Gallant being named to the second team. Brown and defensive lineman Phoenix Andes-Stowell rounded out the selections on the third team.

Shenandoah University's 2026 Global Citizenship Project participants learned where they will spend spring break next March during the university's 35th International Convocation on Nov. 19. Those 50 individuals, split into five groups, will travel to Slovakia, Hong Kong, Saint Lucia, Cuba, and Kenya.

The Shenandoah University wrestling team swept the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's weekly awards in Week 3, with Sean Rinebolt being named the conference's Lighter Weight Wrestler of the Week and Tyler-Nicholas Ritz earning Heavier Weight Wrestler of the Week. Rinebolt, wrestling at the 141-pound weight class, placed second at the Shenandoah Invitational on Nov. 16. The senior from Keedysville, Maryland, went 3-1 in the tournament, winning by fall in his first two matches of the day and advancing to the championship round after a victory by decision in the semifinals. Ritz, a transfer from Averett, wrestled at 174 pounds and placed fourth in the Shenandoah Invitational. The Moseley, Virginia, native won his first- and second-round bouts by fall before earning another victory by fall in the quarterfinals.

Shenandoah University sophomore Ellis Wright was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for men's basketball following a 2-0 week for the Hornets in which the forward averaged 30.5 points per game.

Shenandoah University senior Emily Williams was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for women's basketball following the Hornets' 2-0 to the season. Williams, a guard from Thurmont, Maryland, recorded two double-doubles in the season's opening week, averaging 17.5 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Shenandoah University's football team earned two Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Week awards in selections announced by the conference on Nov. 16. Senior linebacker Matt Conroy was named ODAC's Defensive Player of the Week, while Carson Gallant was the Special Teams Player of the Week.

The Shenandoah University women's volleyball team earned a pair of All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference selections for the 2025 season in selections announced by the conference on Nov. 15. Hannah Hylton, an outside hitter, was named to the second team while Ashlynn Spence, an opposite hitter/middle blocker, was named to the third team.

The Shenandoah University men's soccer team earned three All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference awards for the 2025 campaign in selections announced by the conference on Nov. 13, marking the third straight season that the program has had three or more representatives on the list. Jarbin Rodriguez highlighted Shenandoah's all-conference selections with second-team honors, while James Blalock and Hatim Elkhasouani earned third-team recognition for the Hornets. This is the first all-conference award for all three players.

Shenandoah University has announced the 38 students who will serve as summer orientation leaders in 2026. Orientation leaders serve as liaisons for new students as they arrive at Shenandoah, and play a vital role in helping incoming first-year and transfer students make the transition to SU by offering mentorship and guidance.

Four Shenandoah University women's soccer players were named All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference for the 2025 season. McKenna Newcome highlights the awards for the Hornets with first-team honors, while Lauren Duffy and Kaitlyn Wahl are on the second-team as midfielders, and Emily Soos rounds out the selections on the third-team.

The Shenandoah University field hockey team earned nine All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference honors for the 2025 season, highlighted by Reagan Flory being named ODAC Rookie of the Year and Madison Short receiving the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Flory, Short, Claudia Lenahan, and Camryn DeLeva represent the Hornets on the All-ODAC First Team, while Ellie Quinn, Kierney Weigle, Ava Fields, Mallory Holup, and Cassidy Alexander were selected to the third team. Of Shenandoah's nine honorees, five are first-year student-athletes.

Shenandoah University's Autumn Stroop was named Old Dominion Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 10 in selections announced by the league office. Stroop, the Hornets' libero/defensive specialist, helped the team to two wins last week with 59 total digs in those two matches. The Winchester native also had 11 assists and five service aces through 10 sets. On Nov. 5, in a 3-2 win over Eastern Mennonite, Stroop tallied 27 digs and four assists. She followed that by posting a season-high 32 digs at home versus Messiah in another 3-2 win for the Hornets. Entering the week, Stroop ranked second in the ODAC in digs per set at 5.06 and fifth in total digs with 410.

Four Shenandoah University men's basketball student-athletes recently took their classroom learning on the road, traveling to Las Vegas for an experiential learning trip centered around the P&G Las Vegas HBCU Classic football game between Grambling State University and Jackson State University on Oct. 25. During the multi-day experience, the student-athletes -- Samuel Dailey (Bachelor of Science exercise science), Dorian Davis (Bachelor of Science in biology), Joseph Baldwin (Bachelor of Arts in media and communication), and John Allen (Bachelor of Business Administration in economics and finance) -- and staff had the opportunity to assist Position Sports with event operations for the weekend's festivities. On Oct. 24, the team worked the official pep rally in downtown Las Vegas, helping with logistics, fan engagement, and event flow. The following day, the Hornets played a key role in gameday operations for the HBCU Classic held at Allegiant Stadium, home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders.