Catawba College has announced its 2009-10 athletic award winners for its student-athletes. The awards were presented at the annual athletic ceremony held at the Keppel Auditorium on Tuesday, May 4.
Heading the list of award winners were Kelsey Babos and Craige Lyerly, who were awarded the Lomax and Kirkland Awards for the top female and male senior athletes, and Brooke Whitley and Donzell Williams, who were given the Wurster Awards for team leadership.
Babos, a golfer from Uniontown, OH, was named the Lomax Award winner. She was a four-time All-South Atlantic Conference performer and earned All-America and All-Southeast Region honors as a junior. She competed at the 2009 NCAA II Nationals and became the first women's golfer to break par for a tournament.
Lyerly, of Salisbury, NC, who plays baseball, earned the Kirkland Award. He has been a four-time All-South Atlantic Conference selection and helped the team to three appearances in NCAA regional play. During his career he set several school records including a 39-game hitting streak that ranks seventh in NCAA II history. He currently enjoys a streak of reaching base consecutively in 86 straight game.
Whitley, a basketball player from New London, MC, and Willams, a basketball player from Salem, VA, were the recipients of the Wurster Awards for leadership. Whitley was the team's lone senior and was cited as an leader by example. Coming off the bench for most of her career, she always was encouraging to all her teammates. Wiillams came to Catawba as a point guard, but moved positions to help the team as a defensive stopper. Although cutting his offensive production, the team went to four NCAA II regionals during his career.
Other top awards went to Mallory Hodge, of Wodleaf, NC, and Eric Schmehl, of Shamong, NJ, who were the recipients of the SAAC Award for the highest cumulative GPA's for seniors and Wayne Carbiener, of Orlando, FL, who earned the Darris Morris "Ironhorse" Comeback Award. Hodge, who ran cross country, posted a 3.67 GPA as a physical education major, while Schmehl, a golfer, had a 3.80 GPA while majoring in business. The women's cross country team took the team award with a 3.39 GPA. Carbiener overcame three knee injuries and a shoulder injury during his career. He completed his senior season by earned DSC All-Tournament honors.
The awards for team MVPs went to: Wade Moore (Baseball), Donald Rutherford (Men's Basketball), Dana Hicks (Women's Basketball), Maleah Cole and Christian Crifasi (Cross Country), Bronwyn Gainsford (Field Hockey), Brandon Bunn (Football), Jonathan Clapp (Men's Golf), Kelsey Babos (Women's Golf), Marty Tuohy (Lacrosse), Andrew Landry (Men's Soccer), Alexa Baird (Women's Soccer), Allie Marshall (Softball), Katie Huff (Women's Swimming), Patrik Drakes and Mikael Karlsson (Men's Swimming), Tom McCormack (Men's Tennis), Kasia Zielinski (Women's Tennis), Mai Zoua Lo (Volleyball), Kathryn Earl Etters (Cheerleading) and Andrew Landry (Athletic Training).
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