COMMENCEMENT 2020

The following information was released by Hanover County Public Schools on May 8th:

We hope this message finds you and your loved ones well.  We are writing to share some important news about our plans to celebrate your remarkable accomplishments over the past thirteen years.  Our team has invested significant thought, time, and effort into developing a comprehensive graduation plan that we believe will honor and recognize our seniors in the most meaningful and memorable way possible under such extraordinary circumstances.  While many contributed to this effort, we are especially grateful for the important feedback we received from our students, families, principals, faculty, staff, senior class officers, and others who helped to guide us in our decision-making.

Based upon the ongoing COVID-19 public health concerns and the uncertainty moving forward, we do not believe it is realistic or responsible to hold our traditional graduation ceremonies at the VCU Siegel Center on June 13 as originally scheduled.  However, we are pleased to offer three unique ways that we will be celebrating the Class of 2020—individually, virtually, and in-person.  We sincerely hope that this demonstrates our strong commitment to honoring you in the best way possible.  The details for each celebration are as follows:               

Celebration 1:  Individual Graduation Experience (Early June)

·         High school staff will schedule appointments with all seniors to arrange for an individual graduation experience with up to five family members or special guests.  The appointments will take place within the first two weeks of June. 

·         Each senior will be called by name to walk the stage in a cap and gown to receive a diploma. 

·         Staff will be on-hand to take keepsake pictures of seniors with their guests.  Seniors will also receive a gift. 

·         Staff and guests are required to follow all official social distancing and related guidance. 

·         Each high school principal will communicate more specific details and instructions soon.

Celebration 2:  Virtual Graduation (June 13)

·         On June 13, each high school will release a graduation video that will include remarks from the principal, the superintendent, the valedictorian and salutatorian, as well as a photomontage of the graduating class. 

·         The videos will follow a consistent format.  Each high school will also include their own unique touches to make the experience more personable and memorable. 

·         Each high school graduation team will share further details regarding the graduation video.

Celebration 3:  In-Person Graduation (August 8)

·         If permitted by officials, we are actively planning to hold modified in-person graduation ceremonies on Saturday, August 8, at The Meadow Event Park located in Doswell.

·         The ceremonies will be live-streamed and recorded for those who are unable to attend.

·         This plan is fluid and may change due to the unpredictability of COVID-19.

·         The ceremonies will follow the most up-to-date COVID-19 health and safety guidance provided by local, state, and federal officials, including limiting the number of attendees to ensure appropriate social distancing.

·         Each high school principal will communicate more specific details and instructions in the coming weeks and months.

·         The graduation ceremonies will be held as follows:​

o    9:00 a.m.—Hanover High School

o    12:00 p.m.—Patrick Henry High School

o    3:00 p.m.—Atlee High School

o    6:00 p.m.—Lee-Davis High School

The Class of 2020 will forever hold a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to honoring you in the coming weeks and months.  We sincerely hope that each moment will make you feel special, unique, and valued.  We also hope it will remind you that you are loved, supported, and celebrated by an entire community.   

In the meantime, significant work is still underway.  Our team will continue to work with great care and compassion to finalize our plans.  Our principals will share more details in the coming weeks as they become available that will answer many of your questions.  However, if you have urgent questions regarding Celebration 1 and Celebration 2, you may contact your principal.  If you have general questions about Celebration 3, you may contact Dr. Robert Staley, Director of Secondary Education, at rstaley@hcps.us. 

IN THE RED ZONE: New Randolph-Macon Women's Basketball Coach Lindsey Burke

Randolph-Macon College announced the hiring of Lindsey Burke as their new head women's basketball coach on Monday, replacing Carroll LaHaye, who retired last month after 38 seasons.

Burke has been an assistant at both Bucknell and the University of Mary Washington, spending the last three seasons as an assistant at the University of Rochester.

Rob Witham will interview Coach Burke LIVE tonight on "In The Red Zone", at 6pm, on 102.9 The Mater (102.9 FM and 1430 AM). You can also listen live at the link to the right on our website, or on the TuneIn Radio app on "Radiall"!

(Photo Courtesy Coach Burke/Twitter)

IN THE RED ZONE: Carroll LaHaye

CLICK HERE to listen live online or join us live on 102.9 The Mater tonight at 6pm for "In The Red Zone".

We are honored to be joined by Carroll LaHaye, who announced this past week that she is retiring as head women's basketball coach at Randolph-Macon College after 38 seasons and 647 victories.

We'll talk about her career, how a Maine native found Ashland, the big moments on and off the court, and, what's next for her!

It's all live from The Mater studios tonight at 6pm. Please join us!

Help Vote Kelly Williams To All-Star Game!

ATLANTA – Randolph-Macon senior Kelly Williams is on the cusp of becoming a Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Star, it was announced Tuesday morning. But the Garysburg, N.C. native, needs your help! Williams is one of five nominees for two remaining positions on the All-Star teams that will be voted on by fans.

Williams will exit Randolph-Macon with a host of records, including for most career rebounds in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference record books, as well as second in scoring in Randolph-Macon history. She had the second-most double-doubles in Division III Women's Basketball this season, finishing with 22 on the year. She was the ODAC Player of the Year and the ODAC/Farm Bureau Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Outside of the two fan-selected All-Stars, the other 18 All-Stars were chosen by a committee of head women's basketball head coaches. Voting is now open. Click here to access your all-star ballot. Fan voting ends at noon ET, Sunday, March 15. The final list of all-stars and team rosters will be announced Monday, March 16.

The second annual Beyond Sports Women's Collegiate All-Star Game will be played at the Capital Center Performance Arena on the campus of Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, on March 21 immediately preceding the NCAA Division III women's basketball national championship game. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m. ET.

NCAA SCOREBOARD

Men's First Round: Randolph-Macon 81, Wesley 69 (Buzz Anthony with 21 points, 18 for Miles Mallory)

Second Round: TCNJ at Randolph-Macon, Saturday, 6:30pm

Tickets are available for the second round of the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship in Crenshaw Gym.

Third-ranked Randolph-Macon will host TCNJ on Saturday, March 6 at 6:30 p.m.

Students can pick up tickets beginning at 2 p.m. in the lobby of Crenshaw Gym.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. with tickets available to the public at that time. Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students, youth and senior citizens.

Women's First Round: Randolph-Macon 78, Transylvania 68 (Becca Arrington scores 24 points while Michal Ross adds 17 points in the victory)

Second Round: Randolph-Macon vs. Oglethorpe, Saturday, 5pm, Lexington, Kentucky

NCAA FIRST ROUND FRIDAY:

MEN: Wesley at Randolph-Macon, 6:30pm

Tickets are sold out!  CLICK HERE to watch the game as Marty Wilson and Andrew Price bring you all the action.

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WOMEN: Randolph-Macon at Transylvania, 6pm, Lexington, Kentucky

CLICK HERE to watch the game live!

NCAA Tournament Information For Randolph-Macon

MEN:

Hosting first two rounds of tournament this Friday and Saturday.

First Round (Friday 3/6):

Marietta vs. TCNJ, 4pm
Wesley vs. Randolph-Macon, 6:30pm

Second Round (Saturday 3/7):

First Round Winners, 6:30pm

CLICK HERE for ticket information.

WOMEN:

Randolph-Macon travels to Lexington, Kentucky for the first two rounds.

Transylvania vs. Randolph-Macon, 6pm
William Peace vs. Oglethorpe, 4pm

Second Round (Saturday 3/7):

First Round Winners, 5pm

The Yellow Jackets face the hosting and ninth-ranked Transylvania Pioneers in the opening round on Friday, March 6. The other two teams in the pod are the eighth-ranked Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels and William Peace Pacers. The Stormy Petrels and Pacers will face off at 4:00 PM, while the Pioneers and the Yellow Jackets square off at 6:00 PM. The winners of the two games will meet on Saturday, March 7 at 5:00 PM.

All games will take place on Transylvania's campus at the Clive Beck Center. The Beck Center is on the corner of North Broadway and West 4^th Street in Lexington. Parking is available around the Beck Center, with visitors encouraged to make sure the parking lot is marked as a Transylvania University lot.

Tickets for each day's tournament session are $8 for adults, $5 for students (9th grade up to seniors in college), and $4 for children in eighth grade and under. Children aged 2 and under are admitted for free. Tickets will be sold at the door and cash and credit cards will be accepted. 

All three NCAA Tournament games will be broadcast live on the Transy Sports Network.

For more information on Lexington, Transylvania University and the Lexington Region, you can visit the Lexington Regional website HERE.

Yellow Jackets Survive Maroons In ODAC Semis

Korey Turner's layup after a steal at midcourt by Josh Talbert with nineteen seconds remaining lifted top-seeded Randolph-Macon, who trailed by as many as ten points in the second half, to a 60-59 win over #5 Roanoke in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Men's Basketball semifinal at the Salem Civic Center.

Buzz Anthony (pictured), who scored eleven of his seventeen points in the second half, went nine-of-ten at the free throw line while Josh Talbert and Ian Robertson each had eleven points, Robertson with two key three-pointers in the comeback effort.

The Yellow Jackets are now 25-2 and will play either Virginia Wesleyan or Lynchburg Sunday at 3:30pm for the ODAC title. Randolph-Macon, winners of the last three regular season titles, seeks their first tournament crown since 2015 and first under head coach Josh Merkel, who won his 100th career game as Yellow Jacket head coach in the victory.

Ross Powers Randolph-Macon To ODAC Final

Senior Michal Ross (Glen Allen, pictured, left) poured in a season-high 27 points, just two shy of her career high, while senior Kelly Williams, the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Player of The Year had 24 points and fourteen rebounds as #4 Randolph-Macon eliminated top-seeded Emory and Henry 72-68 in an ODAC Championship Semifinal Saturday at the Salem Civic Center.

After leading by a point after a period, the Yellow Jackets (17-9), outscored the Wasps 20-7 in the second period, as Ross hit her only three-point attempt of the game at the buzzer to give Randolph-Macon a 37-23 halftime lead. The Wasps turned to Sydney McKinney, who scored a game-high 30 points helping Emory and Henry launch a furious comeback in the final minutes.

It wasn't until Aimee DeBell hit a free throw with :08 left to give the Yellow Jackets a four-point lead that Randolph-Macon fans could breath a sigh of relief. DeBell scored seven points, while Cheridan Hatfield (pictured, bottom) had nine points, seven rebounds and four assists.

The win puts Randolph-Macon in the ODAC Championship Game on Sunday at 1pm against either Guilford or Roanoke. Tip-off is at 1pm. Live Twitter Coverage will be available on @hanoversports.

The Yellow Jackets will be playing for their tenth ODAC title, second in three seasons, and fifth in the last twelve years.

NOTES: Today's final score is the exact same final score of the 2018 ODAC Championship Game, won by the Yellow Jackets over the Wasps. Head Coach Carroll LaHaye won her 645th career game as Randolph-Macon head coach.