By Bill Morgal ’07

Steve Fittery is in the zone. He’s angling across the mat, ready to pounce upon his opponent. With a maelstrom running through his brain, he has to make a split-second decision that could help win him the match or lead to his downfall.

Right now, every decision Steve makes is golden. After winning the 2008 NCAA East Regional title at 141 pounds, Fittery became the first Red Raider to win back-to-back East Region championships since Kevin Boccella in 2000. To become such a well-balanced machine, the operator has to know the best way to function. Steve’s prowess takes work—juggling multi-hour bus rides and late-afternoon practices with the necessity of textbooks and reference works is far from an overnight adjustment.

Yet the sophomore mathematics major has certainly had a way with numbers through two seasons at Shippensburg.

In his freshman campaign, Steve came one match away from winning a national championship, dropping a 7-1 decision to the only undefeated wrestler in Division II. He entered the 2007-08 campaign ranked No. 2 in the nation and is undeniably one of the best wrestlers in the country.

In December, Steve became the first Red Raider to win a PSAC championship since 1978, defeating Clarion’s Sal Lascari 5-4 in the finals at 141 pounds.

Fitterly capped off the season with a runner-up finish at the Division II national championships for the second year.

“It definitely ranks up there on my list of career achievements,” Steve said of his championship. “I was thrilled to win that, because I hate how Division II gets no respect from Division I schools.”

With his conference championship, Steve has achieved two legs of wrestling’s triple crown by winning a PSAC title and an NCAA East Region championship. The only championship still eluding him is the national title at which he finished second.

At the same time, Steve is thriving with a 3.302 grade point average and has achieved the admittedly difficult task of balancing class with his favorite pastime. Yet while planning for a degree in mathematics, Steve also knows when his time on the mat is done his career will be far from over.

“I’ve always wanted to be an announcer for a local sports news crew,” he admitted, “but I’m studying to be a high school math teacher and would love to coach wrestling.”

Run Mary Run

Dell tied for MVP honors at the ’08 PSAC Indoor track championships.

Practicing one floor below, Mary Dell is running toward a bright future. A banner student who has already been selected to two national All-Academic teams after three semesters at Ship, Mary recently finished the 2008 PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships by sharing the MVP award for the meet.

Mary completed the indoor track and field season, by individually shattering two school records and contributing to two relay teams that broke school records. She finished the PSAC Championships with three NCAA provisional qualifying times to earn half of the MVP award.

As a distance runner, Mary has to be able to plot ahead the outcome of her finish by pacing herself throughout her runs. The same preparation and diligence can be applied to her scholastic efforts as well.

“I work hard to perform to the best of my abilities in both academics and athletics,” said Mary, whose freshman season finished by her being christened the 2007 PSAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year after earning three top-five finishes at the indoor championships.

She was selected along with outgoing senior Megan Schweighofer to the 2007 U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Women’s All-Academic Team following last year’s outdoor track and field season.

In February, Mary was honored again by the USTFCCCA, receiving a spot on the Women’s Cross Country All-Academic Team. The biology and secondary education major boasts a 3.96 GPA through three semesters and is well-equipped for the rigors of being a student-athlete.

In Dell’s case, a full schedule can be a welcome change of pace.

“When my schedule is full and busy, I am often more productive with my schoolwork,” said Mary, whose weekends are usually ransacked by travel to various competitions. “Keeping up with my classes allows me to focus on track when necessary and manage my time to juggle both track and school.”

Mary’s balance has worked wonders, as her success on the track grows larger with every successive weekend of competition. Having already qualified for four events at the NCAA tournament, Dell has a long way to go despite that road being paved in gold through three semesters of schoolwork.

“Being a student-athlete at Shippensburg allows me to enjoy running on the track team while earning a teaching degree,” said Mary, who has her sights set on being a science teacher after graduation. “I also hope to help coach the track team.”

Early bird Lauren

While Dell hits the gym in the late afternoon to begin her practice, sophomore basketball forward Lauren Beckley wakes up a little after 5 am to make sure she makes it to practice on Monday mornings—which begin promptly at 6 am.

Regardless of any yawns in practice, Lauren’s in-game achievements are simply sensational. She became the first female sophomore in PSAC history to record 1,000 career points as a sophomore, achieving the feat after just 49 career games.

Two games later, Lauren scored 47 points in one game, breaking the 15 year old school record held by current head coach Kristy Trn ‘93-’94m who scored 45 against Cheyney in 1993.

Lauren possesses an uncanny ability of being equally adept at outscoring the rest of the conference while balancing an insanely busy academic calendar.

“I always try to put school before basketball, although it is often tough to fit academics around our schedule,” admitted Lauren, who constantly endures multi-hour practices during the rigors of the season. “I just had to find a good routine that worked for me so I could do my best at both.

“I had to learn to sometimes sacrifice some fun time to study for an exam because we had a long road game or two,” she said.

Lauren capped her season averaging 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game earning her PSAC Western Division Player of the Year and Daktronics, Inc. East Region Player of the Year honors.

Last summer, Lauren was chosen by the NCAA Foundation to attend its National Leadership Conference held at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort in Florida. The conference provides student-athletes a forum to discuss issues that may affect them, their campuses, and their communities.

“Going to the leadership conference this summer was a great opportunity,” she recalled. “Being able to meet so many athletes from so many backgrounds and different divisions was very rewarding. I was very glad I had the chance to represent Shippensburg in Orlando.”

On the cusp of greatness, Lauren is never content with anything satisfactory. Excellence is a number-one demand. With a 3.57 grade point average, she knows a worthwhile education will have her prepared for a future in an exercise science-related activity.

“I’d first like to explore the possibility of playing overseas for a while and see what that’s like,” Lauren said. “As far as a profession, I’m still looking into my choices. I’m interested in the research field of biomechanics, or possibly becoming a strength and conditioning coach.

In the classroom, all three students thrive, and like most Division II student-athletes they will be prepared for a lasting career unrelated to the number of points, pins, or school records achieved.

But for now, the only numbers on their minds are on the scoreboard or the stopwatch. School is in session, but sports are in season.

Bill Morgal is a graduate assistant in the sports information office.