HARRISONBURG, Va. – As EMU prepares to welcome alumni back this weekend for Homecoming, the EMU athletics department will induct three new members to its Hall of Honor on Saturday, Oct. 8.
Lisa Simone Senger (Lisa Lee) and the 2010 Runnin Royals Men’s Basketball Team will be inducted for their accomplishments in their respective sports while longtime EMU Athletics Trainer Mike Downey will receive the Distinguished Service Award.
Mike Downey
Downey retired in December 2020 after 30 years of working with student-athletes. Beginning in 1989, Downey developed the expansion of EMU’s athletic training services from one person to a team of three full-time trainers, a team physician, and work-study students.
As preceptor for the JMU Athletic Training Education Department, Downey worked with more than 100 athletic training students and counts that among one of his career accomplishments.
“Thirty years of providing support, often behind-the-scenes, for student-athletes, coaches and teams is a significant achievement and I am deeply grateful for all that Mike has done for the athletic department,” said Director of Athletics Dave King. “I often hear appreciation for Mike from former athletes as they reflect on and recognize the value of his care during their athletic pursuits.”
Downey was with the Royals teams to many of the biggest athletic moments in school history, including the field hockey team’s trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1995, a tournament trip with the men’s soccer team in 1998, NCAA-qualifying seasons for men’s and women’s basketball, men’s volleyball hosting the Final Four in 2004, and Erik Kratz earning back-to-back ODAC Player of the Year awards in 2001 and 2002.
Lisa Lee Senger ’12
In 19 years with EMU softball, head coach J.D. McCurdy names Lisa Lee Senger ’12 as the program’s all-time outstanding athlete – “a huge part of our team winning the ODAC Championship that year.” He calls her competitive, tenacious, resilient, focused and tough. Senger will be inducted into the Hall of Honor in recognition of the mark she made on the EMU softball team.
Lee holds three career records – runs scored (141), total bases (302) and wins (42), as well as multiple single-season records. She led the team to a conference championship and an NCAA berth during her junior year, when she was also ODAC Pitcher of the Year, All-ODAC First Team, VaSID First Team, and the EMU Female Athlete of the Year. She was a two-time All-ODAC Tournament Team…
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