PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference released the year-end Presidents Cup standings as well as the spring All-Sportsmanship Team and All-Academic Team Thursday afternoon.

Penn State Altoona accumulated 83 points during the 2008-2009 sports year and finished third in the final Presidents Cup standings.  Penn State Behrend, which tallied 101.5 points, won its eighth cup in nine years, and Frostburg State finished just ahead of Altoona with 86 points.

The Cup is awarded annually to the school with the overall best sports program based on regular season finish or season-ending tournament or meet results, as in the case of tennis, golf, swimming and diving, and cross country.

Baseball player Paul Keith (Smithmill, PA/Moshannon Valley), softball player Chelsey Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg), and men's tennis player Kyle Yerty (Roaring Spring, PA/Central) were the Penn State Altoona representatives on the spring AMCC All-Sportsmanship Team.

The student-athletes on the All-Sportsmanship Team are selected by their teammates and must consistently demonstrate a high level of ethical conduct, respect, and fair play in both practice and competition, among other things.

Keith and Olivia Hallahan (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon) were the Penn State Altoona male and female selections to the AMCC All-Academic Team.  Keith was the Lions' top pitcher and boasted a GPA of better than 3.7 while Hallahan, a basketball and volleyball player at Altoona, has made numerous appearances on the Dean's List and Academic All-Conference Team.

To view the entire AMCC Presidents Cup standings as well as the All-Sportsmanship and All-Academic Teams, visit the AMCC website at www.amcconf.org.

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Penn State Altoona softball players Erin Cline (Murrysville, PA/Franklin Regional) and Andrea Layton (Everett, PA/Everett) were selected to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference All-Conference Team, the league office announced earlier this week.

Cline was a second team selection, while Layton earned honorable mention accolades.

The Lion leader in nearly every offensive statistical category, Cline enjoyed a breakout freshman campaign during which she played and started every game and batted .389.  She smacked 37 hits including nine double, four triples, and six home runs, and drove in 34 runners while striking out only 14 times all year.

Cline played multiple positions for the Lions including catcher, third baseman, and even center field. 

Layton emerged as one of the squad's top pitchers and also made routine appearances in the outfield.  She was second on the team in batting average at .341 and also played and started every game.  Layton started 16 games on the mound and was the winning hurler in three of the squad's seven wins.

Penn State Behrend swept the Player and Newcomer of the Year Awards.  Julie Koman got the nod for AMCC Player of the Year, while Amy Greene was named the Newcomer of the Year.

To view the entire 2009 AMCC Softball All-Conference Teams, visit the league website at www.amcconf.org.

ALTOONA, Pa. - Women's softball player Kelly McVay (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) and baseball player Jim Byers (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) are the Penn State Altoona Athletes of the Week for the week of April 27-May 3.

McVay had three hits in a doubleheader split against Juniata on April 29.  She had two hits and the lone RBI in the opener, then scored two of the four Altoona runs in the nightcap, a 4-1 victory. 

Byers had an outstanding week at the plate, hitting .565 with 13 hits in 23 at-bats.  The freshman smacked four home runs and three doubles while driving in 10 runners.  He also scored nine runs, had a .583 on-base percentage, and boasted a slugging percentage of 1.217.   The Lions went 5-2 in the week and will play in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship round this weekend.

The next Penn State Altoona Athletes of the Week will be announced on Monday, May 11.

ALTOONA, Pa. - The Penn State Altoona softball team wrapped up the 2009 campaign with a doubleheader split against non-conference Juniata College Wednesday afternoon at Stewart Field.  The Lions dropped the first game 5-1 before charging back in game two for a 4-1 victory.

In game one, Altoona jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when Kristie McVay (Coudersport, PA/Coudersport) sent Andrea Layton (Everett, PA/Everett) home on a single to center field, but the Eagles would use a three-run third and a two-run fourth to put the game away.

Altoona managed only four hits off of Juniata's Alyssa Erb in the first contest, with McVay contributing two, and Chelsey Rhodes (Williamsburg, PA/Williamsburg) and Aissha Kassam (Lititz, PA/Warwick) each going 1 for 3.  Erb also registered an impressive 10 strikeouts for the visitors.

Lion starter Callie Lyle (Brockway, PA/Brockway) lasted all seven innings while giving up 10 hits and four earned runs. 

In game two, the Lions again scored first, this time in the second inning thanks to a Rhodes single up the middle that would drive McVay home.  Altoona added one more in the third and two more in the fourth, while Juniata scored its only run in the sixth frame. 

Rhodes went 1 for 3 with an RBI, and McVay, Layton, and Alanna Luzier (Frenchville, PA/Clearfield) each cracked hits for the Lions.  Freshman Erin Cline (Murraysville, PA/Franklin Regional) also added an RBI to her season total when she helped Luzier score in the third from a sacrifice fly.

Layton pitched a complete game for the hosts, giving up four hits and three walks.  The Eagles' only run was earned, and Layton was able to strike out three batters during her time on the mound.

The Lions finish the season with a record of 7-27 overall and 4-14 in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. 

ALTOONA, Pa. - Baseball player Cord Heine (Malvern, PA/Mercersburg) and softball player Alanna Luzier (Frenchville, PA/Clearfield) are the Penn State Altoona Athletes of the Week for the week of April 20-26.

Heine led the Lions to three wins in four games this past week, blasting three home runs in a doubleheader against conference rival Mount Aloysius.  He hit .400 with six hits and also cracked a double.  Heine had nine RBI, 16 total bases, and a slugging percentage of 1.067.

Luzier was a hit machine in a doubleheader against Westminster on Sunday, cracking five hits in the two games.  For the week, she hit .462 with three runs scored and stole three bases in three attempts.

The next Penn State Altoona Athletes of the Week will be announced on May 4.