Soccer Standout Ramer Headed to Goshen

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Ramer

GOSHEN — 2010 Bethany graduate Jesse Ramer has transferred to Goshen College and will continue his academic and soccer careers there, that institution announced today. Ramer played his freshman season of collegiate soccer at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, where he played eight games and started once for a team that was the runner-up in the Mid-American Conference tournament. The Broncos compiled a record of 10-8-2, losing in the MAC tournament championship to eventual national champion Akron University.

At Bethany, Ramer was named to the All-Northern Indiana Soccer Conference team three times, including being named the 2009 NISC Player of the Year; he was a starter on the first Bruin team to win a sectional championship and the first Bethany player to be named all-state by the Indiana Soccer Coaches Association.

The Maple Leafs finished the 2010 campaign 5-14, with a 2-6 record good for seventh place in the Mid-Central College Conference. They are coached by Tavi Mounsithiraj, who picked up his 100th career coaching win in September and led the Maple Leafs to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national tournament in 2006, when he was named NAIA Region VIII Coach of the Year.

Former All-State Pick Transfers from WMU to Goshen (GoLeafs.net)

Breaking: 2009 Graduate Helmuth Named All-American

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Helmuth

GENEVA, Ohio — 2009 Bethany alumna Erin Helmuth was named an National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American in the 3,000-meter race walk after her sixth-place finish Friday at the NAIA indoor track national championships in Geneva, Ohio. Helmuth, a sophomore at Goshen (Ind.) College, qualified for nationals with a time of 17 minutes, 24.63 seconds at the Findlay University (Ohio) Invitational January 30. In today’s national race, she shaved over a minute off her personal best (17:04.63), finishing in 15:51.70. Helmuth was the top finisher from the Mid-Central College Conference and finished just 14.15 seconds behind Chelsea Conway of Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) for the title of highest-placing sophomore.

The NAIA national championships are the highest level of collegiate race walking, as that event is not included in the NCAA’s track and field program. The Goshen Maple Leafs, under the direction of first-year head coach Doug Yoder, open their outdoor season March 19 at the Dick Small Invitational in Defiance, Ohio, with their own Maple Leaf Invitational one week later.

Bethany cross country runners (from left) Ellie Schertz, Eva Lapp, Alita Yoder, Erin Helmuth, Jenae Hershberger, and Ali Hochstetler start the sectional race Oct. 14, 2008 at Ox Bow Park. Helmuth was named an NAIA All-American Friday after her performance at the indoor national championship meet. BBB photo by Lyle Miller.

(Helmuth mug shot courtesy GoLeafs.net)

Ramer, Third D-1 Bruin Athlete, Plays for WMU

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. — With an appearance in today's Concordia-Western Michigan match, 2010 Bethany graduate Jesse Ramer became the third Bruin to appear in an official NCAA Division I sporting event. Ramer, who was part of both preseason exhibition games for the Broncos, entered the game as a substitute for Western Michigan at halftime and did not manage a shot in the match from his defense position; no more information is available in the statistics on the WMU website.

Ramer follows partially in the postsecondary footsteps of Jennifer Mortrud, who also continued her career at Western Michigan after graduating from Bethany in 1994; however, Mortrud played softball instead of soccer. Ramer is the second Bruin to make his D-I debut in the last five months, after 2009 alumna Chelsea Noble, who appeared in seven games for the Indiana softball team as a pinch-runner last season. Listed as an outfielder, Noble scored twice on the basepaths, but had no at-bats or fielding chances.

Links from WMUBroncos.com:

• Men's Soccer Statistics
• Men's Soccer Schedule
• Jesse Ramer Player Page
• Men's Soccer Dominates Season Opener, 5-0

(Photo: Zolton Cohen/Western Michigan University)

Stutzman, Slagel Sign With Colleges

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GOSHEN — Bleeding Bruin Blue has learned that Bethany infielder Luke Slagel will sign a national letter of intent to continue his academic and baseball careers under coach Josh Keister at Goshen College Wednesday afternoon. Goshen, a member of the NAIA Mid-Central College Conference, finished 11-45 in 2009 including a 2-22 conference record.

Earlier this week, third baseman Jodi Stutzman signed her national letter of intent to continue her softball and academic careers at Hesston (Kan.) College. The Larks, a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association's Division II in softball, finished the 2009 season 4-27 and are coached by Andrew Sharp.

Stutzman and Slagel are both four-year letterwinners in their respective sports in addition to several other letters. They join Hannah Grieser, who signed to play volleyball at Goshen on March 30, in signing to continue their athletic careers at the postsecondary level.

(photo credit: GoLeafs.net)