Skidmore College - Scope Magazine Spring 2019

18 SCOPE SPRING 2019 Valentine Boathouse Over Celebration Weekend, the Skidmore community cheered the dedication of the new Valentine Boathouse, named for Trustee Peg Valentine and Mike Valentine, parents of Martha, a 2009 Skidmore graduate. Edvinas Rupkus is a standout on the court, in the classroom Skidmore men’s basketball’s Edvinas Rupkus ’19 has enough accolades from the court and the classroom to awe any athlete. But it’s his roles as student, leader and friend that will leave many marks on Skidmore hearts. “He will graduate with two league titles, three NCAA appearances, two conference player of the year awards, and first team All-American and Aca- demic All-American honors,” said head coach Joe Burke. “He turned away three Division I scholarships because Skidmore was a better fit. I think he made a pretty good decision.” Colleen Burke, executive in residence, said, “Edvinas never stops per- forming and contributing at the highest possible level.” And his “maturity, character, perseverance, judgement and scholarship” were all factors in him earning a prestigious business management internship with Bill McKendree ’74, chief executive officer of Clarion Group. The 6-foot-4 guard from Lithuania wrapped up his Thoroughbred career as Skidmore’s all-time leading scorer with 2,128 points and as a finalist for NCAA Division III Player of the Year. The double major in business and eco- nomics also had a near-perfect GPA. Jeffrey Segrave, professor of health and human physiological sciences, said, “Ed is the very best expression of what it means to be a student-athlete. He brings the same determination and motivation to both academic and athletic endeavors, exemplifying how they mutually reinforce each other.” Charlie Williams ’19, a teammate and friend, said, “Ed is the kind of guy who is always there for us, even making breakfast. As a teammate, he never kept track of his own points because the team was more important. He is a leader that’s hard not to follow.” And, as testament to his love of Skidmore, Rupkus is already doing his part to give back. As co-chair of the Senior Gift Committee, he is encour- aging his Class of 2019 peers to give a gift of any size to support future scholarship, diversity, sustainability and athletics initiatives. — Angela Valden A T H L E T I C S ATHLETICS HIGHLIGHTS • Playing in a packed Williamson Center, the men’s basketball team beat Hobart 82-66 to win its fifth Liberty League championship and earn a sixth trip to the NCAA Division III championship tournament. • Three Skidmore teams earned national rankings. The women’s tennis team was ranked as high at 11th, men’s tennis 19th and women’s lacrosse 24th. • Riding cruised through an unbeaten regular season. The defending national champions were pursuing their quest for a ninth national championship at press time. • New head coaches Jessica Turner (women’s basketball) and Joe Martin (men’s lacrosse) enjoyed successful first seasons. Women’s basketball returned to the Liberty League tournament, while men’s lacrosse was fighting for a playoff spot at press time. SHOOT, STUDY, SCORE