2007 Athletic Awards Ceremony
2007 Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery
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WINGATE UNIVERSITY HOLDS 2007 ATHLETIC AWARDS CEREMONY Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University athletic department held its athletic awards ceremony Monday night (April 30) in the LaVerne Banquet Hall on the Wingate campus. Wingate volleyball senior middle blocker Rebecca Brezovec (Durham, N.C.) shared two major awards. Brezovec was the winner of the Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year. This award honors the memory of long-time Wingate faculty member Joyce G. Pipes. Also, Brezovec earned the C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholarship Award, presented to the senior male or female student-athlete with the highest grade point average. Brezovec possesses a perfect 4.00 GPA as a Sociology major. Brezovec led the Bulldog volleyball team to a share of the SAC regular season championship and a Food Lion SAC tournament championship during her senior campaign. Brezovec registered a team-high 409 kills during the season, earning Daktronics All-South Atlantic Region honors for the second year in a row. She was the SAC Player of the Year, SAC Scholar-Athlete and Food Lion SAC tournament MVP for volleyball in 2006. Brezovec was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® volleyball first team (College Division), as selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). Brezovec earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® volleyball first team honors for the second year in a row. Brezovec was voted Academic All-America® of the Year in volleyball for the College Division. Only one student-athlete is selected Academic All-America® of the Year in each sport. She is the second Wingate student-athlete to earn Academic All-America® of the Year honors. Bulldog women’s tennis standout Jenna Calomeris was the Academic All-America® of the Year for the At-Large program in 2002. Women’s basketball guard Tanetra Barrett (Marshville, N.C.) won the Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. Barrett was a member of the 2007 Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball All-America second team (selected by members of CoSIDA). The 2007 South Atlantic Region Player of the Year, Barrett helped the Bulldogs win the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship for the fourth consecutive time this season. Barrett was selected as the South Atlantic Region Player of the Year for the second straight season. She led the South Atlantic Conference in scoring for the second consecutive year at 19.1 points per game. A three-time SAC Player of the Year honoree, Barrett led Wingate to a 23-7 overall mark and a berth in the NCAA Division II play-offs. She was named to the Daktronics All-America first team in 2006. Men’s basketball forward Sean Barnette (Rock Hill, S.C.) was the 2007 winner of the J. Howard Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year. The award honors the memory of J. Howard Williams, a Wingate graduate and local businessman. Mr. Williams was an ardent supporter of Wingate athletics. Barnette won the Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year for the second year in a row. Barnette led Wingate to a 25-9 overall record and the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional championship. Wingate was the first men’s basketball team from the South Atlantic Conference to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight. Prior to 2007, only three other SAC men’s basketball teams (Catawba in 1998, Carson-Newman in 2002 and Presbyterian in 2003) had advanced to the Sweet 16. The South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and Food Lion SAC tournament MVP in 2007, Barnette averaged a league-leading 21.6 points per game in 2006-07. In addition to his conference honors, Barnette was a member of the 2007 Daktronics All-American third team. The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Male Athlete of the Year Award was presented to men’s swimming standout Gustavo Chagas (Recife, Brazil), the first national champion in the school’s senior college history. The Bulldogs captured the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) men’s tennis national team championship in 1970 and 1971 while the school was a two-year institution. Chagas won the 200 Freestyle at the 2007 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships in Buffalo on March 15, 2007. A six-time first team All-American, Chagas was voted the Swimmer of the Meet at the 2007 Blue Grass Mountain Conference championships in Charlotte. He was a seven-time All-BGMC performer. Chagas holds three BGMC records and eight Wingate records. The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Female Athlete of the Year Award was presented to women’s swimming student-athlete Lara Golesorkhi (Stuttgart, Germany). A two-time first team All-American, Golesorkhi had a big first season for the Bulldogs. A six-time All-Blue Grass Mountain Conference performer, she was a four-time BGMC champion at the 2007 league meet. She holds two BGMC records and five Wingate records. The Wingate University athletic department presented 20 special awards during the course of the evening. Wingate senior women’s soccer defender Heather Schlick (Prior Lake, Minn.) shared the C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholarship Award with Rebecca Brezovec. Schlick holds a perfect 4.00 GPA as a Spanish major with a minor in Communication Studies. Schlick was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® women’s soccer first team (college division), selected by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) in November. Schlick was a repeat performer; she earned ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® third team honors in 2005. A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Schlick helped anchor one of the top defenses in the South Atlantic Conference in 2006. Wingate allowed only 26 goals in 19 matches this season. In addition, Schlick contributed three goals during her career. Schlick is an active volunteer in the community. She helps out at Wingate Elementary School, working with Hispanic children. Schlick was honored as the 2006 SAC Scholar Athlete for women’s soccer. The SAC Scholar Athlete award is bestowed upon only one student-athlete in each of the league’s 14 sports. Wingate senior women’s swimming star Kristin Newman (Hanover, Md.) received the Arthur Joseph “Pepper” Geddings, Jr. Athletic Leadership Award. This award is in memory of former Wingate baseball player Pepper Geddings. The award stands for everything that is right about college athletics: athletic ability, scholarship, leadership, citizenship and service. Newman was a two-time first team All-American in 2007. In addition, she was a first team CSCAA Academic All-American Scholar-Athlete in 2007. She was a CSCAA honorable mention Academic All-America Scholar-Athlete in 2005. A 15-time All-Conference performer (over four years), she won five conference titles during her career. A 2007 co-captain, she set one conference record and four school records in 2007. Outside of the pool, Newman was the National Girls and Women in Sport Day Award winner for Wingate University in 2007. Also, she was the co-chair for the Special Olympics Swimming venue for two years. As a result of the efforts of Newman and her teammates, the Wingate University women’s swimming team won the Civic Group of the Year Award from the Union County Special Olympics in 2005. She is involved in Wingate University Leadership Fellows and the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority (Education Director). Wingate junior lacrosse defenseman Michael Watson (Wilmington, N.C.) won the Pickette Williams Memorial Athletic Award. This scholarship is awarded to a male student-athlete selected by the athletic staff to have demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship. Watson started 14 games for Wingate during the 2007 campaign. Watson led the defensive unit that helped the Bulldogs win a 2007 Deep South regular season and tournament championship. Watson was named first team All-DSC in 2006 and 2007. A very active member of the campus community, he was elected Wingate University Student Government Association (SGA) president for 2007-08. Bulldog sophomore basketball point guard Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) won the Ann Hancock Scholarship Award. The Hancock Scholarship Award honors current UNC Wilmington head women’s basketball coach Ann Hancock, who earned many athletic and academic honors during a distinguished career at Wingate University. The Hancock Scholarship Award is given annually to a female student-athlete who has completed at least her sophomore year and has best demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and campus leadership. Anna Atkinson was named the South Atlantic Conference Scholar-Athlete for the 2006-07 season. Atkinson also earned second team All-SAC laurels on the hardwood. A Biology major with a perfect 4.00 GPA, the Bulldog floor general was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III first team. Atkinson led the SAC in steals (2.3 steals per game) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3). She was third in the league in assists (5.2 assists per game). The point guard for the top offense in the league (73.2 points per game), Atkinson helped her team win its fourth consecutive SAC regular season title in 2006-07. A member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Atkinson was named Wingate’s Freshman Chemist of the Year in 2006. On campus and in the community, Atkinson has volunteered with various charitable fundraisers, including St. Jude’s Hospital and Crime Stoppers. She has donated child care service to a disabled child. Atkinson is a member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Pre-Professional Health Care Organization and Wingate University Biology Club. Wingate junior volleyball libero Amanda Siegrist (Wexford, Pa.) and sophomore men’s swimming student-athlete Matthew Dugan (Wilson, N.C.) were presented the Herschel “Red” and Mary B. Edwards Scholarship Award. The Edwards Award is presented to a rising junior or senior student-athlete who has at least a 3.00 GPA. The student-athlete should be a solid contributor to his or her team, possess a go-the-extra-mile work ethic and exhibit qualities of a team player. Siegrist helped the volleyball Bulldogs to a 25-8 overall record in 2006. Wingate won the SAC regular season and tournament championship, earning an automatic bid to the 2006 NCAA tournament. The junior libero had 14 service aces and a team-high 326 digs in 90 games during the 2006 season. Siegrist is very involved with her sorority, participating in numerous community service activities. Dugan was a two-time Blue Grass Mountain Conference champion in 2007. Dugan was twice named an All-BGMC performer. He set one school record this year. Outside of the pool, he was the Co-Chair for the Special Olympics Swimming venue in 2007. A member of Phi Eta Sigma with a perfect 4.00 GPA, he is an active UCAN volunteer who has volunteered 80 hours at CMC-Union Hospital in both the Rehabilitation Department and the Emergency Room. He is also a Red Cross Bloodmobile Volunteer and a Relay for Life Volunteer. The Wingate University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Leadership Award was presented to senior men’s tennis student-athlete Brandon Thornton (Richmond, Va.). Thornton was very active in Wingate’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He participated in Make-A-Wish fundraisers and other SAAC events. On the tennis courts, Thornton was an All-South Atlantic Conference performer in 2006. The Wingate University athletic department announced a new award at Monday’s ceremony. The Bulldog Club Spirit Award will honor student-athletes who are loyal and love Wingate. A consistent goodwill ambassador for the University, the Bulldog Club Spirit Award winner should be someone who has represented the athletic department with class on the field of competition, in the classroom and around the community. The Bulldog Club Spirit Award winner is proud to wear the blue-and-gold. Athletic excellence is not a requirement, but rather sacrifice, dedication and teamwork are the main criteria for this award. The Bulldog Club Spirit Award should be a graduating senior who has contributed to a Wingate athletic team for at least three years. This person truly puts team above self. A blue-ribbon committee selected three winners for the inaugural Bulldog Club Spirit Award: senior lacrosse defenseman Jim Garnham (Philadelphia, Pa.), senior volleyball outside hitter Danielle Thompson (Channelview, Texas) and senior cross country runner Chelsey Wilson (Candler, N.C.). Wingate head lacrosse coach Sonny Ziegler believes Garnham’s spirit will long be remembered by his teammates. “The spirit of Jim Garnham can best be summed up by the phrase he used on a daily basis at practice,” Ziegler said. “He would say ‘every day is a great day to be a Bulldog.’” Ziegler believes Garnham is truly one of the “Wingate success stories we love to share with others.” A solid student, Garnham was elected a lacrosse team captain for three years by his teammates. He has served as a referee for the Wingate intramural program and acted as Victor E. Bulldog this past football season. During his senior season, Garnham’s athletic services were lost due to a knee injury. This did not slow him down as he quickly became another assistant coach for the lacrosse team. Garnham cheered his teammates on to a conference championship two days after reconstructive knee surgery. In her final season as a senior, Thompson played a completely new role for the Bulldogs. A strong hitter, Thompson led Wingate to a SAC championship as the tournament MVP her freshman season. Due to severe foot problems, Thompson spent the majority of the 2006 season in a walking boot. She would not practice, only taking the boot off at game time. In this new role, Thompson was a key factor as a captain and as a star defensive player, leading Wingate to another SAC championship (and a third trip to the NCAA Division II tournament). Throughout the season, Thompson’s optimism never wavered. She encouraged her teammates through thick and thin. Her can-do attitude will be missed. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, Thompson is a solid student who will attend nursing school in the fall. In her four years, Wilson did not miss an invitational, a championship meet or a 6 a.m. morning practice! Wilson finished in the top 50 in every race throughout her senior season, including an 11th place finish in the Queens University of Charlotte Invitational. Wilson finished 50th in the 2006 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional race with a time of 26:18 (6K event). Her dedication in a supporting role was instrumental in the 2004 Wingate team earning a spot in the NCAA Division II national championship meet. In 2006-07, she received the Coaches Appreciation Award for her leadership and dedication. “Without a doubt, she was the glue that bonded the team,” Wingate head cross country coach Dr. Dennis Johnson said. An honor student, Wilson is very involved on campus and in the community. In addition to her campus and community involvement, she is completing an internship with Habitat for Humanity in Monroe. Wilson works for the Assistant to the Family Services Coordinator at Habitat. Wingate senior Garrett Davitt (Amherst, N.Y.) won the Ralph Hargett Men’s Golf Leadership Award. Davitt is a four-year letterwinner for the Bulldogs. In 2007, Garrett Davitt was second on the Bulldog charts with a 76.81 scoring average. Davitt finished third in the Tusculum Fall Classic, shooting a season-low 140. Davitt had four top-fifteen finishes in 2006-07, as he was one of two Bulldogs to participate in all 10 events. Davitt’s leadership was very important, as he was the only senior on a Wingate roster that included 12 freshmen and sophomores. “We asked Garrett to take on a very important role (this year),” Wingate head coach Dr. Jerry Surratt said. “He responded in a first-class fashion.” (Wingate University assistant sports information director Joe Weidman contributed information to this article. In addition to his many duties in the sports information office, Weidman provides color commentary for the Wingate University Sports Network.) 2006-07 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners SPECIAL AWARDS►The Arthur Joseph “Pepper” Geddings, Jr. Athletic Leadership Award ►Pickette Williams Memorial Athletic Award ►C.B. and Beadie Haskins Scholarship Award
Rebecca Brezovec, volleyball ►Ann Hancock Scholarship Award ►The Herschel “Red” and Mary B. Edwards Scholarship Award
Matthew Dugan, swimming ►Wingate University SAAC Leadership Award ►Bulldog Club Spirit Award
Jim Garnham, lacrosse ►The Ralph Hargett Men’s Golf Leadership Award ►The Ralph Hargett Athletic Department Service Award
James Ambrose
2006-07 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARDS►The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Female Athlete of the Year Award ►The Enquirer-Journal Freshman Male Athlete of the Year Award ►The Joyce Gragg Pipes Award for Female Athlete of the Year
Tanetra Barrett, basketball ►The J. Howard Williams Award for Male Athlete of the Year
2006-07 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners Most Valuable Player Awards
2006-07 Wingate University Athletic Award Winners Coaches Awards
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