Sports
By Clint Often
Three alumni inducted into UMW Athletic Hall of Fame
The University of Mary Washington Athletic Hall of Fame inducted its 11th class in October during the 2006 Homecoming festivities. This year’s class included former All-American swimmer Sarah King Josephson ’96, soccer All-American Jeff Kramer ’96, and field hockey All-American Candice Malone Long ’94.
Josephson’s four years on the Mary Washington swim team, from 1992-96, left her one of the most decorated athletes in school history. Throughout her career, she earned All-American honors nine times and competed at the NCAA Division III Championships three times. Josephson also was named Mary Washington’s 1996 Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She graduated with a B.A. in studio art, and she is currently a high school art teacher. She and her husband, Robert Josephson, have a young daughter, Kayla.
Kramer was a star on the men’s soccer team from 1992-95. He was named to the first team All-Capital Athletic Conference three times. He also earned All-American honors, while being named 1995 CAC Player of the Year his senior season. Kramer’s career at Mary Washington also included a three-time All-VISA selection and selection in the Umbro Select Senior All-Star Game, during which he received the MVP award. After graduating with a B.A. in geography, he played one season for the minor league Roanoke River Dawgs of the USISL. Currently, Kramer is a medical sales representative for ArthroCare Corp.
Long’s personal success as a defender for the Eagles’ field hockey team from 1990-94 was only enhanced when her team appeared in the 1993 national championship. On an individual level, she earned first-team All-American honors, first-team all-region honors, and received an invitation to the U.S. National “A” Camp following her senior season. As a two-time Academic All-American, Long won the Mary Washington Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in 1994. She now works for Johnson & Johnson in New Jersey. Long and her husband, Greg Long, have a young daughter, Claire.
UMW Women’s Basketball Team Nationally Ranked
The University of Mary Washington women’s basketball team has been ranked eighth in the nation by both USA Today/ESPN and D3Hoops.com in their preseason polls. Coming off a year in which they finished the regular season as the only undefeated team in the nation, the Eagles welcome back nine players who averaged at least 15 minutes per game last season. Headlining the returnees are senior All-American Debbie Bruen and junior All-American Liz Hickey. Three weeks into the 2006-07 season, the women’s basketball team had won four of its first five games.
UMW to host NCAA tournament
The University of Mary Washington has been selected to host the 2007 NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis National Championships at the Battleground Athletic Complex
May 15-20, 2007. UMW, which has one of the premier collegiate tennis facilities in the nation, served as host to the 2006 NCAA men’s championships this past May.
"After all of the many years our teams hit the road and played in championships hundreds of miles from home, it’s very rewarding to have the opportunity to host a national championship,” said UMW Athletic Director and former women’s tennis coach Ed Hegmann, who brought the school NCAA titles in 1988 and 1991. UMW was originally targeted to host the 2008 championship, but will host next spring instead.