Lankiewicz and O'Linger Named A-10 Scholar Athletes of the Year
9/4/2017 10:02:00 AM | Baseball, Women's Swimming & Diving
DavidsonPhotos.com
Atlantic 10 Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Even after their historic senior years have come to a close, Davidson alumni Elise Lankiewicz '17 and Durin O'Linger '17 continue to make headlines, earning the first Atlantic 10 Scholar Athlete of the Year honors in school history.
Voted on by the league's Directors of Athletics, the award is given to a male and female student-athlete based on both their athletic success and academic prowess.
Lankiewicz, a standout swimmer and three-time A-10 Performer of the Year, and O'Linger, the baseball team's pitching ace who reached legendary status as he led the 'Cats during their magical NCAA Super Regional Run, both graduated this past May with degrees in biology.
"Durin O'Linger represents all that is good about college athletics," head coach Dick Cooke said of his hurler. "A relentless competitor and great teammate and leader who helped his team reach new heights. He was equally committed in the classroom and was the consummate example of how a student-athlete should conduct himself."
"I'm so pleased to learn that Elise will receive one more high distinction from the Atlantic 10," head swimming and diving coach John Young said of his stalwart. "Davidson was fortunate to benefit from her successes as a student and as an athlete, and our team is better because she was our teammate. I applaud the A-10 for recognizing such an extraordinary student-athlete, and Elise, thank you for being awesome."
This marks the first year since 2011 that both male and female winners have hailed from the same institution, when cross-county rival Charlotte took home both plaudits. Lankiewicz is the first swimmer to win the title since 2014 (Richmond's Amalia Kobelja) and third in award history, while O'Linger is the seventh baseball player to take home the honor, and the first since 2008 (Randy Moley, St. Bonaventure).
A recently graduated senior from Wilmington, Del., Lankiewicz was Davidson's nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She also was the winner of Davidson's Rebecca Stimson Award, and winner of the school's Female Athlete of the Year honor. She also became the third Wildcat in school history to qualify for the NCAA Championships, where she finished as high as 21st in a field full of Olympians, Gold Medalists, and World Record holders, breaking the school's long-held 100 freestyle record during the preliminaries. She tallied over 75 first-place finishes during her four years at Davidson, where she holds 12 school records and another five in the Atlantic 10. Lankiewicz tied a league-record in 2017 by winning A-10 Performer of the Week six times in a single season. She was a three-time A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Performer after sweeping her events for three seasons.
Lankiewicz was a three-time Atlantic 10 All-Academic selection and three-time CSCAA Scholar All-American and one of 14 winners of the prestigious Atlantic 10 Postgraduate Scholarship in May. She graduated Cum Laude and was a Bryan Scholar, which is awarded to two members of the Davidson class for outstanding academic and athletic contributions. A member of Beta Beta Beta, she also was a team captain at Davidson's Relay for Life event the past three years helping organize teammates and assisting in fundraising for the event. Lankiewicz also worked as a travel grant advisor for the Dean Rusk International Studies Program and served as a four-year member of Turner Eating House raising funds on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
A captain, O'Linger led the Wildcats on a historic 2017 run, where they claimed the program's first conference title in its 115-year existence. He was named the Atlantic 10 Championship's Co-MVP after tossing over 230 pitches over the span of five days, where he picked up two wins and struck out 11. O'Linger picked up the win in Davidson's first-ever NCAA Regional, taking down No. 2 UNC, then recorded a save two days later as the 'Cats swept the Chapel Hill Regional. For the season, he made 20 appearances and 17 starts, which ties for first all-time in a single season. O'Linger was named A-10 Co-Pitcher of the Week and d1baseball.com's Player of the Day after tossing a complete-game shutout on 4/21 vs. North Carolina A&T, where he carried a no-hitter into the seventh, fanned nine, and allowed zero walks, all on 90 pitches. He ranks third all-time in single-season innings pitched and career shutouts for Davidson.
A biology major, O'Linger graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. A two-time A-10 All-Academic team member, he also was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, one of seven baseball players to do so in program history. O'Linger spearheaded the program's Team IMPACT efforts, where he became a "big brother" to Davidson fan Jack Bolton, a child suffering from muscular dystrophy. He organized the opportunity for Jack to be an honorary manager, and also to throw out a first pitch at Davidson's game in Uptown Charlotte at the Triple-A BB&T Ballpark. O'Linger was slated to attend pharmacy school at the University of Florida this fall, but took a deferment after signing a non-drafted free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox organization.
Atlantic 10 Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Even after their historic senior years have come to a close, Davidson alumni Elise Lankiewicz '17 and Durin O'Linger '17 continue to make headlines, earning the first Atlantic 10 Scholar Athlete of the Year honors in school history.
Voted on by the league's Directors of Athletics, the award is given to a male and female student-athlete based on both their athletic success and academic prowess.
Lankiewicz, a standout swimmer and three-time A-10 Performer of the Year, and O'Linger, the baseball team's pitching ace who reached legendary status as he led the 'Cats during their magical NCAA Super Regional Run, both graduated this past May with degrees in biology.
"Durin O'Linger represents all that is good about college athletics," head coach Dick Cooke said of his hurler. "A relentless competitor and great teammate and leader who helped his team reach new heights. He was equally committed in the classroom and was the consummate example of how a student-athlete should conduct himself."
"I'm so pleased to learn that Elise will receive one more high distinction from the Atlantic 10," head swimming and diving coach John Young said of his stalwart. "Davidson was fortunate to benefit from her successes as a student and as an athlete, and our team is better because she was our teammate. I applaud the A-10 for recognizing such an extraordinary student-athlete, and Elise, thank you for being awesome."
This marks the first year since 2011 that both male and female winners have hailed from the same institution, when cross-county rival Charlotte took home both plaudits. Lankiewicz is the first swimmer to win the title since 2014 (Richmond's Amalia Kobelja) and third in award history, while O'Linger is the seventh baseball player to take home the honor, and the first since 2008 (Randy Moley, St. Bonaventure).
A recently graduated senior from Wilmington, Del., Lankiewicz was Davidson's nominee for the prestigious NCAA Woman of the Year Award. She also was the winner of Davidson's Rebecca Stimson Award, and winner of the school's Female Athlete of the Year honor. She also became the third Wildcat in school history to qualify for the NCAA Championships, where she finished as high as 21st in a field full of Olympians, Gold Medalists, and World Record holders, breaking the school's long-held 100 freestyle record during the preliminaries. She tallied over 75 first-place finishes during her four years at Davidson, where she holds 12 school records and another five in the Atlantic 10. Lankiewicz tied a league-record in 2017 by winning A-10 Performer of the Week six times in a single season. She was a three-time A-10 Championship Most Outstanding Performer after sweeping her events for three seasons.
Lankiewicz was a three-time Atlantic 10 All-Academic selection and three-time CSCAA Scholar All-American and one of 14 winners of the prestigious Atlantic 10 Postgraduate Scholarship in May. She graduated Cum Laude and was a Bryan Scholar, which is awarded to two members of the Davidson class for outstanding academic and athletic contributions. A member of Beta Beta Beta, she also was a team captain at Davidson's Relay for Life event the past three years helping organize teammates and assisting in fundraising for the event. Lankiewicz also worked as a travel grant advisor for the Dean Rusk International Studies Program and served as a four-year member of Turner Eating House raising funds on behalf of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
A captain, O'Linger led the Wildcats on a historic 2017 run, where they claimed the program's first conference title in its 115-year existence. He was named the Atlantic 10 Championship's Co-MVP after tossing over 230 pitches over the span of five days, where he picked up two wins and struck out 11. O'Linger picked up the win in Davidson's first-ever NCAA Regional, taking down No. 2 UNC, then recorded a save two days later as the 'Cats swept the Chapel Hill Regional. For the season, he made 20 appearances and 17 starts, which ties for first all-time in a single season. O'Linger was named A-10 Co-Pitcher of the Week and d1baseball.com's Player of the Day after tossing a complete-game shutout on 4/21 vs. North Carolina A&T, where he carried a no-hitter into the seventh, fanned nine, and allowed zero walks, all on 90 pitches. He ranks third all-time in single-season innings pitched and career shutouts for Davidson.
A biology major, O'Linger graduated Magna Cum Laude and was a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. A two-time A-10 All-Academic team member, he also was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa fraternity, one of seven baseball players to do so in program history. O'Linger spearheaded the program's Team IMPACT efforts, where he became a "big brother" to Davidson fan Jack Bolton, a child suffering from muscular dystrophy. He organized the opportunity for Jack to be an honorary manager, and also to throw out a first pitch at Davidson's game in Uptown Charlotte at the Triple-A BB&T Ballpark. O'Linger was slated to attend pharmacy school at the University of Florida this fall, but took a deferment after signing a non-drafted free agent contract with the Boston Red Sox organization.
Players Mentioned
Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
RHP
/ Baseball2026 Davidson Baseball Preseason Virtual Event
Friday, January 30
FY26 Baseball Fall Virtual Event (11-06-25)
Wednesday, November 12
Coach Cooke Retirement Video
Wednesday, October 29
2024 Davidson Baseball Alumni Game Will DuBose message
Wednesday, August 14
