Christopher Newport sophomore Krista Lewis (Chesapeake,
Va./Hickory), Mary Washington junior Taylor Johnson (Ashburn,
Va./Broad Run) and St. Mary’s senior Kelsey Wirtz (Parkton,
Md./Hereford) were selected by the conference Senior Woman
Administrators as recipients of the CAC Medal of Inspiration for
the 2013-14 academic year.
Replacing the CAC’s Unsung Hero Award last year, the Capital
Athletic Conference Medal of Inspiration is awarded to persons from
the CAC who have persevered through extraordinary circumstances and
whose determination, devotion, and passion are exemplary, revered
among their peers, and worthy of special recognition.
CAC institutions may nominate candidates for this honor annually.
The Senior Woman Administrators from all CAC schools will review
nominations and determine recipients with the charge of bestowing
this medal upon only the most deserving individuals. In any given
year, there is neither a requirement that the CAC Medal of
Inspiration be awarded, nor a limit as to the number of people who
may receive the medal.
Lewis, the first CNU student-athlete to win the CAC Medal of
Inspiration, is a sophomore softball pitcher who was named the CAC
Co-Rookie of the Year and earned all-conference and all-region as
one of the Captains’ top pitchers. She compiled a 20-2
overall record with a 1.74 ERA, including a perfect game and two
no-hitters in helping CNU win the 2014 CAC softball title.
As a freshman, Lewis suffered through a rare medical condition that
forced emergency surgery in her arm. After pre-season practice
began in the Spring 2013, Lewis’ fingers and hand would
become very tired and even would turn blue. She was diagnosed with
Reynaud’s phenomenon and her symptoms continued to be
monitored with the hopes that the symptoms would subside in warmer
weather. As the weather warmed, though, her symptoms progressively
worsened and Lewis was referred to the team doctor.
She was then referred to a vascular surgeon for further
consultation. Before further imaging was obtained and Lewis could
attend her appointment with the vascular surgeon, her symptoms
rapidly progressed and was forced to go to the Emergency Room.
Tests revealed a 100% occlusion in her right subclavian artery and
a 100% occlusion in the right ulnar artery at the wrist. Emergency
vascular surgery was performed and Lewis was hospitalized for four
days.
This occlusion is incredibly rare and difficult to diagnose, and
the type of treatment she received was very unique because she is a
pitcher. Her condition is normally seen in baseball players and
even then it is extremely rare. For it to happen in underhand
athlete like softball vs overhand like baseball is insanely rare.
Worst case for her would have been the inability to fix the two
blockages and she would have not been able to pitch anymore. She
also would have been potentially for her day to day life to be
affected if this wasn’t caught and surgery wasn’t
successful.
Lewis went from potentially never being able to pitch again to
leading the Captains to the NCAA Tournament as the league’s
rookie of the year, pitching a pair of no-hitters including a
perfect game.
Johnson, a junior men’s basketball player, was a key member
of the Eagles’ 2014 CAC championship team and the first Mary
Washington student-athlete to be awarded the CAC Medal of
Inspiration. UMW posted a 25-6 overall record and advanced to the
quarterfinal round of the team’s second-ever appearance in
the NCAA Tournament.
As team captain, Johnson led Mary Washington men’s basketball
to its greatest season ever in 2013-14. His numbers rank him as one
of the top players in the CAC, as evidenced by his being named
all-conference, but the fact that he played the entire season with
fractures in both feet make his accomplishments incredible. The
pain in Taylor’s feet prevented him from practicing all
season.
During practice, he would watch and rehab his feet, and only
participated during games. He spent countless hours in the training
room, and dealt with immense pain in both feet all year. When not
playing in games, Taylor constantly had a walking boot on one foot
or the other, alternating between the two injuries, or one on each
foot.
Despite all of this, he gave full effort every game out, and
grabbed 6.5 rebounds as a 6-3 player who often guarded players much
taller and heavier. His effort and will to win was a catalyst in
the team’s success.
Taylor also showed maximum effort in the classroom as a business
major, and was a member of the 2014 CAC All-Academic squad for a
3.2 GPA for the year. He was a finalist for the Allstate Good Works
team as well for his community service efforts.
Wirtz, a senior on the women’s soccer team, is the first St.
Mary’s student-athlete to win the CAC Medal of Inspiration.
She also won the SMC Athletic Director’s Award in 2013-14 in
recognition of her inspirational return from an early-season ACL
tear by leading the Seahawks to a 5-2 record down the stretch.
The Seahawks’ starting goalie, Wirtz suffered a torn ACL just
two games into the season. That prognosis was a tough pill to
swallow for any athlete but even tougher for a senior. After
leading St. Mary’s to a 1-0-1 start, the team captain was
forced to watch from the sidelines. However, that didn’t stop
her from motivating her teammates each and every day, including
serving as a mentor and coach for the rookie keeper who had to step
in to fill her shoes. The Seahawks went 1-7-2 in Kelsey’s
absence.
Following 5 weeks of intensive rehab to build her confidence and
strengthen her knee, she returned to the pitch with a knee brace on
October 9th against Frostburg State and led the team to a 1-0 win
with eight saves. She earned CAC Defensive Player of the Week
honors on October 14th after guiding St. Mary’s to a pair of
shutout victories against CAC rivals. The pair of wins enabled the
Seahawks to move into a tie for second place in the standings.
Playing in a knee brace for the first time, Kelsey made a
season-high eight saves in soggy conditions for the win over FSU,
who had entered the game tied for first place. She followed with
two stops in 81 minutes in a 3-0 shutout of Wesley. With Wirtz in
goal, St.Mary’s posted a 5-2 mark in its final 7 games of the
season, including a 3-game win streak. She registered 3 shutouts
during the win streak while recording 306 minutes of scoreless
action. Wirtz’s determination, perseverance, and dedication
in the face of a potential season-ending injury is a testament and
definition of a true athlete.