Alumnae athletes

Making it big at the next level

Erlwein, Ackermann, and Cooper continue to excel in college athletics

By RICHARD A. ROSS

BUZZARDS BAY, MA — Jim Erlwein’s reputation as a hard-hitting linebacker during his tenure as a Sullivan West Bulldog was well respected and well known, especially by the numerous players that bore his fearsome hits.

At the conclusion of his final high school season, the Football Coaches Association of Section Nine chose Erlwein as a member of the All-Section Nine team in December of 2005. He was also named to the first team of The Times-Herald Record defensive All-stars with his remarkable 144 tackles and six sacks in his final high school season. An offensive force to be reckoned with, Erlwein rushed for over 1,000 yards in the 2005 campaign. But graduation from high school in June 2006 did not by any means spell the end of his career as a stellar football player.

Erlwein is now in his second year at Massachusetts Maritime Academy and the talented sophomore defensive player was just named to the First Team All-Division of the Northeast Football Conference All-Stars. Erlwein was one of five players from the Buccaneers to earn such All-Division honors. Over the course of the Buccanneers’ 10-game season, Erlwein recorded over 50 tackles, 10.5 of which were for a loss.

Erlwein’s exploits and pictures, along with those of his teammates, have been featured in the Cape Cod News.

Ackermann earns NJCAA First Team cross-country honors for second straight year

COBLESKILL, NY — For the second straight year, April Ackermann, a 2006 Sullivan West graduate, earned First Team NJCAA All-American honors in cross-country. A year ago, Ackerman became the first woman in Cobleskill Fighting Tiger history to be crowned a national champion.

This year, Ackermann placed second in the field of 83 runners in the 2007 NJCAA Division III National Championships. In the event, hosted by Suffolk Community College at Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park on November 10, she covered the 5000-meter course in a time of 20:35.65.

Last year, Cobleskill came up eight points shy of a national-team title. This year, they finished seventh out of a field of 18 teams. Cobleskill coach Mitch Tomaszkiewicz noted, “On an individual level, I don’t think you can say enough about April Ackermann as a competitor. In my humble opinion, she is everything that a student/athlete should be and will be a very difficult person for us to replace on a number of different levels.”

Cooper chosen as Fredonia State Male Athlete of the Week after making Penn State Behrend All-Tournament team

FREDONIA, NY — Brad Cooper, a 2006 Monticello graduate and a sophomore on the Fredonia men’s basketball team, made the Penn State Behrend All-Tournament Team after averaging 23.5 points in two games. Cooper shot 42.9 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from three-point range, and 92.3 percent from the foul line. Cooper scored 29 points at the Penn State Behrend Tournament against Baldwin-Wallace in game one and 18 points in game two against Bridgewater.

Cooper was the Mayor’s Cup winner at Monticello High School in June of 2006.