Student-Athletes Honored At Awards Ceremony
4/30/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
April 30, 2003
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Thirty-one student-athletes were honored Wednesday night by the Stephen F. Austin athletic department as part of the annual awards ceremony held in the William R. Johnson Coliseum on the SFA campus.
Student-athletes from every varsity sport were honored for achievements on the playing fields and in the classroom.
Greg Barnum, a senior football player from Killeen, was named the 2003 recipient of the Dick Wright Award, awarded annually to the university's top male athlete. Barnum earned All-Southland Conference honors each of the past two seasons while starring for the Lumberjack football team. He spent the 2001 season as a defensive tackle, then moved to the offensive line prior to the 2002 campaign. After only one season as the team's center, Barnum became a consensus All-American this past year.
Ana Rodriguez, a junior distance runner with the SFA track program was named the June Irwin Female Athlete of the Year. Rodriguez helped the Ladyjacks to the 2002 Southland Conference cross country championship, claiming the individual title as well. She was also the Southland Conference champion in both the 3000 and 5000-meter runs at the 2003 SLC Indoor Championships, as well.
Percy Green, a senior on the Lumberjack basketball team, earned the Dick Wright Award for 2003 after helping the 'Jacks to a 21-8 season this past year. Green led the team in scoring for the second straight year and became only the second Lumberjack ever to earn First Team All-Southland Conference honors.
Blake Gordon, a junior on the SFA track team from Gladewater, was named the 2003 Kathy McGough Academic Athlete of the Year. Gordon competes in the throwing events for the Ladyjacks and is a past SLC champion. A three-time All-Southland Conference performer, Gordon also holds the school record in the discus.
Another member of the SFA track teams, Nathan Flores, a junior from Kingwood, earned the R.H. "Bob" Shleton Award for 2003 after leading the men's cross country team to its second straight SLC title. Flores was also named the SLC Male Cross Country Athlete of the Year following the season.
The complete list of winners follows:
2003 SFA AWARD RECIPIENTS
Dick Wright Award Percy Green Ralph Todd Award Greg Barnum Bob Shleton Award Nathan Flores June Irwin Award Ana Rodriguez Kathy McGough Academic Award Blake Gordon Mart Crawford Award Will Bowers Cally Belcher Award Lawrence Hamilton Jene Carter Award Blake Gordon Scotty Bailess Volleyball Award Sunni Williams Michelle Reid Volleyball Award Sunni Williams Lucille Norton Basketball Award Amy Collins Football - Team MVP Aubrey Brisendine Football - Defensive MVP Brent Hafford Football - Offensive MVP Greg Barnum Football - Special Teams MVP Tony Tompkins George Johnson Basketball Award Percy Green Buddy Lowery Basketball Award B.J. Banks Lumberjack Basketball Hustle Award B.J. Banks Lumberjack Basketball Leadership Award Ben Hunt Gwen Cole Cross Country Award Ana Rodriguez Robert Maluski Cross Country Award Nathan Flores Dianne Baker Tennis Award Robin Houston Sadie Allison Softball Award Devin Cobb George Reese Golf Award Brian Grossman Pam Thorstenson Soccer Award Natascia Michalezki Murray Shaw Academic Awards Football- Matt Hoelscher Basketball - Danny Russell Women's Basketball - Kirby Killingsworth Volleyball - Marlo Nordt Soccer - Allison Lawrence Track - Katie Lonergan Golf - Chris Vadner Softball - Crista Hargrove Tennis - Melissa Bass
