SFA Holds Annual Champions Dinner
5/3/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 3, 2006
NACOGDOCHES - The Stephen F. Austin Athletics Department honored its athletes Wednesday night in the University Center's Grand Ball Room at the Annual Champions Dinner. Along with the individual honors, SFA also honored its five SLC Championship teams at the banquet.
The awards banquet was highlighted by the Ralph Todd Athlete of the Year Award and June Irwin Athlete of the Year Award, which honors an SFA male and female athlete that excelled in their respective sport. The Ralph Todd Award went to Marcus Clark who earned second-team all-conference honors as a senior. A two-time All-SLC athlete, Clark will graduate as the school's all-time leader in assists and is a member of the 'Jacks' 1,000-point club. Senior Crystal Chang received the June Irwin Female Athlete of the Year honor after just missing All-American honors in the pentathlon. Chang is a five-time ALL-SLC honoree who broke the school record in the pentathlon three times this past season. She also qualified for the NCAA Championships, where she finished 12th overall.
Junior Kenneth McKinley received the Dick Wright Award, which is given to the athlete that exhibits desire, determination and dedication. McKinley is a four-time All-Southland Conference athlete and a two-time conference shot put champion. McKinley won the 2006 SLC Indoor shot put title with a school-record throw of 57-9.75. McKinley is also a three-time NCAA regional qualifier.
Senior offensive lineman Matt Hoelscher took home the Bob Shelton Award, which is given to a senior male athlete that has completed his eligibility and has achieved academic success at SFA. Hoelscher was a three-year starter on the Lumberjack football team that earned honorable mention honors. Hoelscher also excelled in the classroom as a three-time academic all-conference selection and a CoSIDA Region VI Academic All-America honoree.
Senior Lauren Stevens received the Kathy McGough Academic Athlete Award. Stevens epitomized the true definition of a student athlete. A four-year letterwinner, Stevens guided her team to back-to-back Southland Conference titles while maintaining a perfect grade point average in the classroom.
Senior middle blocker Amelia Mayeaux was the recipient of the second Steve McCarty Award. A 2005 team co-captain, Mayeaux was lost for the season when she went down with an injury. Despite not being able to play, Mayeaux remained an emotional leader for her team on the court. Mayeaux also served the athletics department as the president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and was an officer for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
The 2005-06 academic year has been one of the most successful seasons in school history. The Stephen F. Austin men's and women's teams brought home five league titles, which included men's cross country, women's soccer, volleyball, women's basketball and women's indoor track and field. It marked the fifth consecutive title for the Lumberjack cross country team and the second straight for Ladyjack soccer, volleyball and indoor track and field.
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