Justin Sheaffer, Amanda Mentzer named athletes of the year

Posted: Jun 03, 2013

May 11, 2008

Soccer standout Justin Sheaffer and three-sport star Amanda Mentzer are Penn State Harrisburg's male and female athletes of the year.
Justin Sheaffer receives his male athlete of the year award from head soccer coach Mark Brown.
Amanda Mentzer receives her female athlete of the year award from head basketball coach Marissa Graby Hoover.

In his first year with the soccer team, Sheaffer quickly established himself as a "go-to player, providing the team with an unprecedented high level of work coupled with tremendous skill and speed," according to head coach Mark Brown. "He's a very team-oriented individual, unselfish in his approach and always looking to assist other players to make them better," Brown adds.

Sheaffer's unselfish approach is typified by his statistics this year – 26 assists and 14 goals – in a season which saw the squad again reach the Penn State University Athletic Conference title game.

A standout in the classroom as well as on the soccer field, Sheaffer carries a 3.76 grade-point average. He still found time to help coach Brown in scouting local athletes.

Mentzer not only participated in three sports, but left a lasting impact on each of them. In the fall, she was team captain of the women's soccer team, moved on to hold the same leadership spot with the women's basketball squad, and finished her academic year by earning Most Valuable Player honors for the women's softball team.

Softball coach Tonya Dengler says, "Mandy is a leader among her peers and sets the benchmark on and off the field. Her work ethic is constant and unmatched as she constantly strives to improve her skills. Mandy will play any position and volunteered to learn to hit left-handed this year to improve our team's offensive lineup. Mandy raises the level of play of those around her by demanding a high level of excellence from herself, and by offering words of encouragement and support to others when needed."

A master's degree student, Mentzer currently holds a 3.48 grade-point average and is a member of Pi Gamma Mu, an international honor society for the social sciences, and Psi Chi, the national honor society for psychology. She plans to pursue a doctorate upon graduation.

She is currently independently employed, working with two autistic children, providing one-on-one instruction using behavior modification techniques to increase cognitive development and life skills.

The respective intercollegiate athletic sports also announced their respective team award winners at the banquet. They include: