ODAC Announces 2007 Berkley and Jopson Award Winners

W&L's Wortham, HSC's Smith Take Home Conference’s Top Honors

May 25, 2007

SALEM, Va. --- Each spring, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Board of Directors recognizes its top female and male athlete with a pair of the conference’s highest honors.  This year, the 2007 Marjorie Berkley Scholar-Athlete Award winner as the top female student-athlete is Washington and Lee University senior, Ginny Wortham, and the 2007 Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Scholar-Athlete Award winner as the top male student-athlete is Hampden-Sydney College senior, Greg Smith.

Inaugurated in 1984 and 1981, respectively, the Marjorie Berkley and Harry G. “Doc” Jopson Scholar-Athlete Awards are given each May to member college seniors and conference sport participants who exhibit the highest athletic, academic, and extracurricular achievements.  Ms. Berkley began her collegiate teaching career at Lynchburg College.  Several years later after leaving Lynchburg, Ms. Berkley moved to Hollins University where she coached tennis, field hockey and soccer, and served as the athletic director for 30 years.  The Jopson award is named for the Bridgewater College professor and coach who retired in 1981 following 45 years at the college. Dr. Jopson, who initiated and directed the Eagles' cross country and track programs, led his teams to ODAC indoor track titles in 1979, 1980 and 1981, and outdoor crowns in 1978 through 1981.

W&L's Ginny Wortham

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Wortham is a standout on the Generals’ 2007 NCAA Division III National Championship women’s tennis team as well as a start in the classroom.  Wortham boasts a 3.733 grade point average while majoring in business administration.  She is an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Academic All-American, and was recently named to the 2007 CoSIDA Academic All-District team.  She is a four-time ODAC Scholar-Athlete, a Washington & Lee Scholar-Athlete for all but one term, and is a consistent member of the University’s Dean’s List.  She is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma national business honor society, and was inducted into Phi Eta Sigma for ranking in the top 20-percent of her freshman class.

Wortham is a four-time All-ODAC selection and three time NCAA All-American thanks to her strong play with the Generals.  She was an ODAC champion in singles and doubles action each of her four years, and is a three-time recipient of the W&L Coaches’ Award for dedication, spirit and sportsmanship.  Wortham was also honored with a 2007 ITA Atlantic South Region Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award.

Over her four-year career, Wortham amassed an 88-19 singles record to go along with a 97-21 mark in doubles play.  Her 88 singles victories ranked sixth all-time at W&L, while her 97 doubles wins are tied for third.  She was also a team captain during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.

Wortham is active away from the classroom and the tennis courts, participating in several extra-curricular activities.  She is Vice President for Administration for the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, and the Public Relations and Programming chair for the campus’ Panhellenic Council.  She is a member of the University Athletic Committee, and is a tutor at Rockbridge Middle School in Fairfield, Virginia.  Wortham was also honored to be the only student representative on the University Provost Search Committee.

“The one characteristic of Ginny’s that has made the greatest impression on me is her supportive nature,” expressed Washington and Lee interim athletic director, Chuck O’Connell, in a letter to the conference.  “She is always urging her teammates on no matter the circumstances.  Her positive attitude about all things is very contagious.”

HSC's Greg Smith

Smith, who hails from Warrenton, Virginia, boasts a 3.92 grade point average while majoring in mathematical economics.  He was named the 2006 ODAC Men’s Soccer Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and is a consistent member of both the ODAC All-Academic Team and the Hampden-Sydney Dean’s List.  He is the recipient of the James Madison and Presidential scholarships.  Smith was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honorary, and Phi Beta Kappa national academic honorary.

Smith is a two-time team captain (2005 and 2006) for the Tigers’ soccer team, and was awarded the 2006 Players Choice Most Valuable Player award.  He was named to the All-ODAC First Team in 2006 as a midfielder, leading the league in assists with nine.  Smith was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Region Third Team, and was selected to the D3kicks.com All-Region Second Team.  The Virginia Sports Information Directors (VASID) tabbed him as Second Team All-State.  He will graduate from Hampden-Sydney having started 48 of the 65 games he played while scoring 13 goals and assisting on 12 others.

Outside of the classroom and off the field, Smith is a member of Hampden-Sydney’s prestigious “Society of ’91,” and a radio host on WWHS, the college radio station.  He is the assistant art director for The Kaleidoscope, the College’s yearbook, and is a member of the College Ambassador Committee.  Smith had a unique title under Hampden-Sydney’s guise as the manager of the Tigerfund, the College’s equity investment fund.

“Greg Smith is one of the most outstanding student-athletes to attend Hampden-Sydney College,” expressed HSC athletic director, Joe Bush, in a letter to the conference.  “He is a stellar student, effective leader, and one of the very best soccer players to ever attend the College.”