Radford Sports Recap

1. 78% OF STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN 3.0 GPA OR BETTER IN FALL 2022

It was another spectacular semester for Radford student-athletes, as an impressive 78 % of Highlanders earned a 3.0 GPA or better in the fall 2022 semester. On top of that, 60% of Radford’s student-athletes earned a 3.4 GPA or better, and 20% achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA. Thirteen out of 14 programs posted a team GPA of 3.0 or better, led by the women’s tennis team (3.84) and the men’s cross team (3.61).

2. WOMEN’S SOCCER WINS BIG SOUTH TITLE

The Radford women’s soccer team capped a 12-4-4 season with a 3-0 victory over Gardner-Webb to win the Big South Championship and punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ben Sohrabi’s team outscored opponents 13-0 over a five-match win streak that culminated with the program’s eighth conference tournament crown. Five Highlanders earned Big South annual all-conference awards, including junior Helena Willson, who was named tournament MVP.

3. SHAQ JULES COMPETES AT FIBA AMERICUP

Men’s basketball senior Shaq Jules competed at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup for the U.S. Virgin Islands National Team in early September 2022. The FIBA AmeriCup is the most prestigious competition for senior men's basketball in the Americas. Jules saw action in all three games for the U.S. Virgin Islands, including a tournamentbest eight points in the opener against Argentina. Jules got his first taste of game action with the national team in June for a series of friendly games. At the collegiate level, he averaged 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 61.9% from the field across 29 appearances for the 2021-22 season. He also represented the Highlanders on the Big South Conference All-Academic Team. And, he is having an outstanding 2022-2023 season.

4. RADFORD ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME ENSHRINES FIVE LEGENDS

Following a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Radford Athletics Hall of Fame enshrined its 19th class during the fall Homecoming weekend. Inductees, from left, Helen Negrey ’84 (women’s soccer), Patrinda Toney ’92 (women’s basketball), Jim Abbott ’95 (baseball) and Mike Ashley ’83 (sports information director), along with Art Parakhouski ’10 (men’s basketball), not pictured, were celebrated as those among the very best to ever represent the Highlanders.

5. HIGHLANDERS THIRD IN 2022-23 BIG SOUTH SASSER CUP STANDINGS

At the conclusion of fall semester action, Radford was in third place in the Big South’s Sasser Cup standings. In the women's all-sports standings, Radford sat in second place thanks to a women's soccer championship and high finishes in women's cross country and volleyball. Highlander teams placed fifth in the men’s allsports standings, led by men's cross country performance. The Sasser Cup is awarded annually to the Big South member institution with the most overall athletic success.

6. RADFORD WELCOMES NEW COACHES

Alex Guerra ’11 was named head baseball coach in June 2022. The former Highlander infielder (2010-11) spent the past seven seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at James Madison University. Guerra, who posted a .311 batting average with 94 RBIs during his 109 career games in red and white, is the seventh head coach in the program’s history.

Grace Reed ’16 was named women’s tennis head coach in September 2022, returning to Radford after leading Bluefield State to the round of 32 in the 2022 NCAA Division II championship. Reed, a Bland, Virginia, native, coached Radford High School to the 2016 state girls’ tennis championship. Formerly Grace Sarver, she played in three seasons (2013-16) for the Highlanders.

J.D. Shade began his first season as head coach of the men’s tennis team during the fall. Shade, an assistant coach at Elon University for the past three seasons, brings more than 10 years of experience teaching, coaching, and directing tennis clubs and resorts throughout the world.