Lee and Wilkinson named top scholar-athletes
April 10, 2001
KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University's Division of Intercollegiate Athletics honored its own at the fifth annual Olympic Sports Banquet, held Monday, April 9, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel in downtown Kalamazoo.
More than 400 student-athletes were on hand, along with coaches and administrators as team award winners were announced for 10 of WMU's fall and winter sports. Four-year letter winners for all 20 varsity programs were also acknowledged at a reception held earlier in the evening.
Highlighting the program was the presentation of the WMU top female and male scholar-athletes, the most prestigious award in Bronco athletics. The award recognizes varsity letter winners with the highest cumulative grade-point average. For the first time, both recipients were Kalamazoo County residents, as junior synchronized skater Connie Lee (Comstock High School) and senior hockey forward Mark Wilkinson (Portage Northern High School) were honored.
Lee competed on the senior and collegiate synchronized skating teams, helping the "seniors" to a silver medal at the Tri-States International competition. A two-year letter winner, Lee captured individual titles at the Spartan Cup in both the Pre-Immediate B freestyle long and short programs this past February. Lee, an occupational therapy major and member of the Lee Honors College, owns a 3.96 and is a recent recipient of the WMU Winner's Circle Award.
Wilkinson earned Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic Honorable Mention and Academic All-District IV Second Team accolades this past season. He appeared in 12 games (2-2-4) for a Bronco squad that spent 15 weeks in the top-15 national rankings. A four-year letter winner, Wilkinson recently qualified for the Winner's Circle Award. He carries a 3.85 GPA majoring in public law and criminal justice.
Team award recipients
Men's and Women's Basketball
Men's and Women's Cross Country
Gymnastics
Men's and Women's Soccer
Synchronized Skating
Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field
Note: Football, hockey and volleyball announce award winners at their respective individual banquets. Baseball, golf, softball, men's and women's tennis, and men's and women's outdoor track and field teams are still in season.
Men's Basketball
Most Valuable -- Jon Powell, Sr. (Dayton, Ohio/Catholic Central HS/Owens CC). Powell finished among the Mid-American Conference leaders in numerous offensive categories, including first in three pointers per game (2.32). An Honorable Mention All-MAC performer, Powell led the Broncos in scoring with 15.9 points-per-outing, due in part to the league's fourth-best shooting percentage of 50.2.
Freshman of the Year -- Anthony Kann, Fr. (Davison,
Mich./Davison HS). Kann finished second in the league's Freshman
of the Year balloting and led the Broncos in rebounding with
5.6
boards-per-game. Kann was the MAC's top rebounding freshman in
the conference and second overall among first-year players. He
corralled 2.68 offensive rebounds per game the top newcomer clip
in the MAC and shot nearly 50 percent from the field.
Coaches Award -- Steve Reynolds, Jr. (South Bend, Ind./Riley HS/Treasure Valley CC). Reynolds established himself as one of the MAC's top scorers in his first season at WMU. The South Bend, Ind., native reached double figures in scoring in 25 of 28 games, finishing the year with an average of 14.8 points-per-game, placing him among the league's elite. He posted a career- high 26 points against both Michigan and Central Michigan and led the Broncos in scoring on 13 occasions.
Women's Basketball
Most Valuable -- Karen Deurloo, Jr. (Grand Rapids, Mich./Christian HS/Saginaw Valley State). Deurloo earned All-MAC Second Team honors, finishing fifth in overall league scoring (17.0 ppg) and rebounding (7.4 rpg). She reached double figures in scoring in 24 of 28 games, highlighted by a career-high 33 points against Kansas State. Deurloo was named to all-tournament teams at the Gatorade Holiday Classic and Seattle Times Classic. She also earned MAC West Division Player of the Week honors on Feb. 5.
Freshman of the Year -- Emily Samuelson, Fr. (Reed City, Mich./Reed City HS). Samuelson was named to the MAC All-Freshman team as the Broncos' third-leading scorer at 9.6 points per game. She led the Broncos with a .492 success rate on three-point attempts and finished second in three pointers made (29) and overall field goal percentage (.492). Samuelson started the last 17 games of the season at the guard position.
Coaches Award -- Sarah Hurrle, Sr. (Indianapolis, Ind./Roncalli HS/Butler). Hurrle was named team captain by her teammates before ever putting on a Bronco uniform. She finished second in team scoring (16.0 ppg) and paced the squad with 76 three pointers, one shy of the school record. Hurrle scored her 1,000th career point at Butler on Jan. 2 and was named MAC West Division Player of the Week on Nov. 28.
Men's Cross Country
Most Valuable -- Tim Morehouse, Jr. (Clawson, Mich./Clawson
HS)
Morehouse recorded four top-10 finishes, including a third-place
effort at the Michigan Intercollegiates and a fourth-place showing
at the Grand Valley State Fall Classic. He registered the Broncos'
second-best time (17th overall) at the MAC Championships and
was named to the MAC Cross Country Honor Roll.
Most Improved -- Chris Stine, R-Fr. (Madison Heights, Mich./Lamphere HS). A redshirt freshman this past season, Stine earned All-MAC First Team honors with a fifth-place finish at the MAC Championships. Stine was WMU's top finisher in eight of nine races, and established the team's top three times in the 8K and the best mark in the four mile. He was named MAC Runner of the Week on Oct. 16.
Coaches Award -- Damian Sherck, Jr. (Elkhart, Ind./Central HS/Southern Indiana). Sherck paced the Broncos with a 22nd-place effort at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. He finished as runner-up at the Grand Valley State Fall Classic and took third at the Valparaiso Invitational. Sherck also recorded a fifth-place showing at the Central Collegiate Conference Championships.
Women's Cross Country
Most Valuable -- Allison Langworthy, Jr. (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa Hills HS). Langworthy was WMU's top finisher in five races. She recorded three of the top four 5K times and the top two 6K marks. Langworthy earned MAC Runner of the Week honors after winning the first cross country race she ever competed in the Grand Valley State Fall Classic. She is a MAC Cross Country Honor Roll recipient.
Rookie of the Year -- Abby Barnett, Fr. (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview HS). Barnett recorded the top 6K mark (23:11) of the season among WMU freshmen at the Lakefront Invitational. Barnett placed seventh in a field of 28 in her collegiate debut and 11th overall at the Pre-MAC Invitational. She also scored points for the Broncos at the MAC Championships, placing 47th overall.
Coaches Award -- Jessica Davis, Jr. (Middleville, Mich./Thornapple-Kellogg HS). Davis led the Broncos in three races, including the MAC Championships where she finished 18th overall. Her time of 18:12 at the MAC meet was WMU's fastest 5K of the season. Davis also posted runner-up finishes at the Pre-MAC Invitational and the Grand Valley State Fall Classic.
Gymnastics
Most Valuable -- Kristen Maul, Jr. (Clinton Township, Mich./Chippewa Valley HS). WMU's most consistent three-event performer, Maul competed on bars, beam and in floor at all 13 team competitions in 2000. Her score of 9.900 on beam at the MAC Championships matched the program's all-time record and she also collected a 9.900 in floor a week earlier. Maul averaged better than 9.700 on beam and in floor for the year, posting scores of 9.800-or-better on 20 occasions.
Rookie of the Year -- Christy Sassic, Fr. (Beaver,
Pa./Beaver Area HS). Sassic finished her debut season at WMU
in possession of three school records. She posted new school
meet
standards in floor (9.925), on beam (9.900) and on vault (9.875).
Sassic concluded the year with season averages near 9.800 on
beam and in floor. Sassic posted scores of 9.800-or-above on
12 occasions.
Coaches Award -- Sara Trudeau, Jr. (Warren, Ore./Central Catholic HS) and Annmarie Adkins, So. (Grosse Ile, Mich./Aquinas HS). Trudeau owns a share of the school record on balance beam with an effort of 9.900, a mark she earned from the judges on four different occasions this season. She competed on both bars and beam in every team competition, garnering scores of 9.750 or better 14 times. Adkins posted career highs in three events, including a 9.850 on the uneven bars. The only Bronco to compete as an all-arounder, she collected 12 scores of 9.750-or-above on the year.
Men's Soccer
Most Valuable -- Scott Duhl, Fr. (Canton, Mich./Salem
HS)
A Second Team All-Mid-American Conference selection, Duhl finished
the season with seven goals and two assists for a total of 16
points. He led the squad with three game winners and finished
seventh in the league with 0.37 goals-per-game.
Offensive Player of the Year -- Reese Richardson, R-Fr. (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS/Eastern Michigan). The first-ever Bronco to earn Mid-American Conference Newcomer of the Year honors, Richardson led WMU with nine goals on the season and finished second in the league with 0.56 goals-per-game. He was also named second team all-conference and finished the year with 20 points, the third-best effort among MAC programs.
Defensive Player of the Year -- Jeff Schlicht, Jr. (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion HS/Eastern Michigan). In his first season with WMU after transferring from Eastern Michigan, Schlicht saw action in all 20 contests and earned 18 starts in the back. The leader of the Bronco defense, his lone point came on a game-winning assist at Indiana/Purdue-Indianapolis.
Women's Soccer
Most Valuable -- Megan Ramey, Jr. (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview HS) and Kathryn Link, Sr. (Burlington, Ont./Notre Dame HS). Ramey earned First Team All-Mid-American Conference accolades in 2000, setting several new program standards along the way. She posted a record 382 scoreless minutes over five matches midway through the year, helping her to a team-low 1.32 season goals-against-average. Ramey finished among the league leaders in goals-against-average, saves and shutouts. Link served as the anchor of the Bronco defense, a squad that allowed only 1.35 goals-per-game. She started in 20 of the 21 matches in which she played and tallied her lone assist of the year on Gretchen Markey's game winner at Loyola.
Most Improved -- Katie Koscielniak, Fr. (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS). Koscielniak appeared in 20 of the squad's 21 matches this season, earning five starting nods in her freshman campaign. She took only three shots on goal, but one of those attempts resulted in a goal against Bowling Green in the MAC Tournament. Koscielniak saw increased minutes as the season progressed and became a valuable member of the lineup as a starter and reserve.
Coaches Award -- Shawn Chipelewski, Sr. (Livonia, Mich./Churchill HS). Chipelewski battled back from a serious knee injury suffered midway through the 2000 campaign to earn a place in the Bronco lineup throughout the season. A three-time member of the MAC Academic Honor Roll, she concluded her career with 53 games played.
Synchronized Skating
Most Outstanding Performer -- Lisa Lueking, Sr. (Houghton, Mich./Houghton HS). Lueking became one of only eight team members to compete for the senior and collegiate squads. She appeared in every competition, helping the Broncos to a gold and six silver medals at the collegiate level. She was part of a collegiate team that placed second in the country at the U.S. Team National Championships.
Rookie of the Year -- Lindsay Gwyther, Fr. (Rutland, Mass./Wachusett Regional HS). Gwyther appeared in every competition for the Bronco senior team, helping WMU to a pair of silver medals at the Tri-States International competition. She was the youngest member of the senior team this year and earned a varsity letter.
Coaches Award -- Tiffany Chillemi, Fr. (Mount Airy, Md./South Carroll HS). Chillemi placed second in the Pre-Intermediate A team maneuvers at the Miami Challenge Cup. She also served as an alternate for the collegiate team and substituted at the official practice (with judges in audience) at the U.S. National Team Championships a competition that saw the Broncos go on to earn a silver medal.
Men's Indoor Track and Field
Most Valuable -- Dale Cowper, Jr. (Marlette, Mich./Marlette HS). Cowper became WMU's first indoor All-American since 1996 with a 12th-place finish in the 35-pound weight throw at the NCAA Championships. Cowper earned All-MAC First Team honors, defending his weight throw title with a meet record toss of 64'-11.5" at the MAC Championships. He won seven of 10 weight throw competitions and bettered the school record six times. Cowper also pulled off a rare double-double, earning MAC Scholar Athlete and MAC Track Athlete honors in the same week.
Most Improved -- Jermaine Lewis, Jr. (Waukegan, Ill./Waukegan HS/UW-Oshkosh). Lewis posted WMU's fastest times in the 60 (6.93) and 200 dashes (21.73) and was ranked as the MAC's fifth-best performer in the 200. A member of the WMU Football team, Lewis captured the 200 title at the Central Collegiates and ran on the victorious 4x400 relay.
Coaches Award -- Jeka Luhahi, Jr. (Naperville, Ill./North HS). Luhahi earned All-MAC First Team honors, capturing the long jump title at the MAC Championships. He also placed second in the MAC triple jump, contributing 18 points to WMU's score. Luhahi twice captured triple jump titles on Big Ten territory at the Spartan Invitational and the Iowa Open.
Women's Indoor Track and Field
Most Valuable -- Angela Cole-Curry, Sr. (Lansing, Mich./Eastern HS). Cole-Curry twice helped break the school record in the 4x400 relay, lowering the time to 3:49.94. Cole-Curry ranked ninth in the 400 in the final MAC performers rankings and finished 16th in the 200 against a national field at the Cannon IV Classic.
Rookie of the Year -- Janaule Bennett, Fr. (Niles, Mich./Niles HS). Bennett set WMU freshmen records in the 500 (1:16.00) and 800 (2:16.07). She ran the anchor leg for a first-place and school record-setting 4x400 relay at the Ball State Quadrangular. The following week, Bennett helped lower the school mark in the 4x400 relay. She also took home the 500 meter crown at the Notre Dame Triangular.
Coaches Award -- Kylie Schultz, Jr. (Clare, Mich./Clare HS). Schultz recorded WMU's three best times in the 5,000, including a top mark of 18:06.06. Her top performances of the season included a fourth-place showing in the 5,000 at the Golden Flash Open and a fifth-place effort in the mile at the Eastern Michigan Invitational.
Four-year letter winners (all sports)
Baseball -- Ryan Kochen, Jason Richards, Chris Richter, Mike Scott, John Toner.
Men's Cross Country/Track and Field -- Matt Mayer, Ryan Blue, Coye Bouyer, Seth Dewberry, Curtis Holt, Ben Howell
Women's Cross Country/Track and Field -- Jessica DeVoe, Kylie Schultz, Megan Sullivan, Aimee' Tow, Angela Cole-Curry
Football -- Corey Alston, Frank Bosworth, Paul Lambert, Steve Neal, Jared Pike, Robert Sanford, Brad Selent, Scott Selzer, Garrett Soldano
Gymnastics -- Jennifer Gleissner, Amy Kinsey, Andrea Ruhe
Hockey -- David Gove, Brett Mills, Steve Rymsha, Mark Wilkinson
Men's Soccer -- Jason Hoffmeyer
Women's Soccer -- Shawn Chipelewski, Erin Ivory, Kathryn Link, Kelly Thack
Men's Tennis -- Fernando Garcia, Steve Pillon, Ryan Tomlinson
Volleyball -- Kelly Kuharski, Monyka Paul
For more information, visit the Broncos on the Web <www.wmubroncos.com>.
Media contact: Daniel Jankowski, 616 387-4138, daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu