Top athletes from swimming, basketball, track and softball

by Ryan Ernst
THE POST

While voting for the top Ohio female athlete, the Post staff had to look no further than the only Mid-American Conference team title taken home by a Bobcats squad this year.

1. Van Selm leads Bobcats to Championship

The idea that great athletes lead their teams to championships led the staff directly to Kim van Selm, the straw that stirs the drink of the women’s swimming and diving team.

Van Selm was named MAC Swimmer of the Year in March after winning three individual championships at the conference meet, which took place at Ohio. Her performance in the MAC championships earned her a spot in the NCAA championships, where she posted personal best times in the 400-meter and 200 freestyle events.

She followed that performance by breaking three African records at the Olympic trials of her native South Africa.

Currently, van Selm is ranked 36th in the world in the 400 freestyle, 40th in the 200 and 49th in the 800.

Head Coach Greg Werner said van Selm has had a tremendous effect on the team with her talent and determination.

"Anytime you have a swimmer of her caliber, it helps to raise everybody’s performance," he said. "She takes pressure off the rest of the team, because we all know that she’s going to get us points. And everybody knows that most people perform better when they’re relaxed."

Team co-MVP Hollie Bonewit said van Selm does more for the team than her times show.

"She shows a lot of determination and works hard at everything, not just in the pool," she said. "She really tries to get to know everyone on the team and be friends with them, which makes us closer as a team."

Despite her bond with teammates, life at Ohio wasn’t always so easy for the South African.

"It was tough on Kim to come here," Werner said. "The first week she was in tears and ready to go home. She’s been through a lot of trials and tribulations and she gets homesick like anyone else.

"But I think it shows her level of maturity, because she’s been able to look at the pluses of coming to the States and realize that it’s going to be a good experience for her in the long run."

Both Bonewit and Werner attributed van Selm’s success to hard work and a commitment to the sport.

"Kim just has an incredible work ethic," Werner said. "She goes out there and gets the job done each and every day of the year. She really understands what each workout means in the grand scheme of things."

According to Bonewit the future bodes well for both the Ohio women’s swimming and diving program and van Selm.

"She’s improving in every way on a daily basis," Bonewit said. "I don’t see anything that could hold her back."

Werner agreed. He said van Selm’s future performance could be trouble for other MAC schools.

"Kim is continuing to improve and that’s what’s scary," Werner said. "She’s still getting better and she’s going to be a leader for this team over the next two years."

2. Negrelli steals No. 2

The second female athlete, point guard Jacquie Negrelli, led the Bobcats in scoring (14.6 ppg), assists (4.6 apg) and minutes (31.2 mpg) in her sophomore season. She was selected an honorable mention All-MAC performer. Head Coach Lynn Bria commented on Negrelli’s importance to the team in an Ohio news release.

"Jacquie did a great job for us this season despite being under a lot of pressure as a relatively inexperienced point guard," said Bria. "She drastically improved over the season and eventually became our best player and one of the best guards in the MAC."

3. Royster breaks record, breaks into top five

Track team member Melody Royster was selected number three for her school record-breaking performances in the 100-meter hurdles. She set the school record in the 100 hurdles April 15 with a time of 14.00 seconds, and then broke her own record May 7 with a time of 13.93. She also helped the 400-meter relay team to a ninth-place finish in the Mid-American Conference Championships.

Royster was voted the women’s track team’s MVP. She also received the team’s High Point award.

4. MAC Freshman of the Year takes fourth

Softball player and MAC Freshman of the Year Kelli Bankert was slotted at number four. She was also first team All-MAC.

Bankert led the Bobcats with 24 RBI, a .361 batting average, 16 doubles and two home runs. Bankert’s 16 doubles led the MAC and ranked fourth in the nation. Her average and number of hits per game also placed fourth in the conference.

She had a 14-game hitting streak and only one MAC game without a hit.

5. Bonewit rounds out top five

All-American swimmer Hollie Bonewit finished fifth in the voting. She placed 12th in the 200 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. She qualified for the NCAAs by winning the 200 breaststroke with a MAC-record time of 2 minutes 14.19 seconds.

She is ranked 42nd in the world in the 200 breaststroke.