Vazquez and Blankenship earn Academic All-OAC honors in 2008
Vazquez named Academic All-OAC for second straight season

Nov. 19, 2008
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) office released its 2008 Academic All-OAC Men’s Soccer Teams on Wednesday (Nov. 19) morning, and Marietta College senior defender Rob Vazquez (Euclid) earned Academic All-OAC honors, while senior defender/forward Kyle Blankenship (Galloway/Hilliard Darby) received Academic All-OAC honorable mention.

Vazquez, who also earned Academic All-OAC honors in 2007, helped anchor the Pioneers' defense for a fourth straight season in 2008. Marietta allowed just 1.59 goals per game and posted two shutouts this season. In the classroom, Vazquez maintains a 3.45 grade point average as a Petroleum Engineering major. The member of the Athletics Director's Honor Roll and Dean's List is also an active with Alpha Tau Omega, InterVarsity Club and the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Blankenship, a captain, split time between the front line and the back line in 2008. The reserve finished the year with one goal and three assists in 21 games. Off the field, Blankenship carries a 3.60 grade point average as a Marketing major and Organizational Communication minor. The member of the Athletics Director's Honor Roll and Dean's List is also an active in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Marietta, the fourth seed, made its third OAC Tournament appearance in school history in 2008. The Pioneers also qualified in 1997 and 2007. The program, which had not previously won an OAC Tournament game, defeated fifth-seeded Heidelberg 4-1 in the OAC Quarterfinals and upset top-seeded Capital 2-1 in overtime in the OAC Semifinals to advance to the OAC Championship, where it fell 3-0 to third-seeded Ohio Northern. Marietta has one OAC Soccer Championship; the Pioneers tied for the OAC regular season title in 1984.