In the presence of over 430 honored guests, their families and University of Texas staff members, student-athlete achievements off the playing field were recognized at the 11th Annual Men's Athletics Academic Awards Presentation Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center. Track and field standout Donovan Kilmartin was honored with the most prestigious award of the evening, the Texas Exes Leadership Award, while Adrian Alaniz (baseball) and Kasey Studdard (football) were honored with the Academic Services Student-Athlete Award. In addition, 152 student-athletes and 51 student support staffers were recognized for achieving at least a 3.0 grade point average during the 2006 calendar year.
"The Academic Awards banquet has always been one of my favorite events of the year," said UT Men's Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds. "We've got great kids here at Texas who work really hard in the classroom. We are really proud of their achievements, both on and off the playing field. Our Academic Services staff deserves a lot of credit, too. They are the best in the business and do a great job working with our student-athletes."
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Gregory Vincent, Vice President for Diversity and Community Engagement. Dr. Vincent came to The University of Texas at Austin in the summer of 2005 after having been the Vice Provost for Institutional Equity and Diversity and law professor at the University of Oregon since 2003. The new position of Vice Provost for Inclusion and Cross-cultural Effectiveness at The University of Texas at Austin was created by former President Larry R. Faulkner in response to recommendations by the university's Task Force on Racial Respect and Fairness.
"The success of our teams on the playing field is quite well known, but we also take a great deal of pride in how well our student-athletes perform in the classroom," said Dr. Randa Ryan, UT Senior Associate AD/Student-Athlete Services. "Tonight's recognition reflects the commitment by our athletics administration and our academic services staff to our student-athletes. More important, it honors the dedication and work of each of these young individuals. They should be applauded for their determination to succeed academically at one of the top universities in the nation."
Fourteen Longhorn student-athletes and two student support staffers were honored with Provost Awards for posting a perfect 4.0 GPA for at least one semester in 2006. That group included Drew Bishop (baseball), Jeff Boes (baseball), Todd Bondy (football), Hubert Chodkiewicz (tennis), Bernhard Deussner (tennis), Dallas Griffin (football), Richmond McGee (football), Marcus Myers (football), Tyler O'Halloran (swimming and diving), David Pino (football), Miguel Reyes-Varela (tennis), Nick Schroeder (football), Ryan Schroeder (track and field), Trevor Walker (football), Travis Wright (team manager) and Jessica Yanta (athletic trainer).
The Lan Hewlett Award, which goes to player with the highest cumulative GPA in each of Texas' men's sports, was also handed out. Those honored were Jeff Boes (baseball), Hubert Chodkiewicz (tennis), Dallas Griffin (football), Donovan Kilmartin (track and field), Poston Pritchett (swimming and diving), Kevin Schultz (golf), Neale Tweedie (football) and Craig Winder (basketball).
Lan Hewlett was an Honorary Academic Counselor at The University of Texas from 1957-1977. Coach Darrell Royal hired him as the nation's first football academic counselor. He served as liaison between faculty and athletics department and was nicknamed the "Brain Coach." Hewlett helped initiate compulsory study hall for freshman athletes. This award was established in his honor by the National Association of Academic Counselors. Hewlett is also listed in the Hall of Honor.
Adrian Alaniz, a junior pitcher on the baseball team, and Kasey Studdard, a former Longhorn football player, earned UT's Academic Services Student-Athlete Award. The award is chosen by the Academic Services Staff and is given to a student-athlete who best exemplifies the balance both on the field of athletic competition and in the classroom.
Senior decathlete Donovan Kilmartin received the evening's most prestigious award, the Texas Exes Leadership Award. That honor recognizes a UT men's athlete who embodies the attributes that are valued in alumni leadership. Kilmartin was recommended for the honor by Athletics Director DeLoss Dodds and approved by the President of the Texas Exes. It includes a Life Membership to the Texas Exes and is funded by the President's Leadership Award Endowment, which was created by UT benefactor Frank Denius in 1985.
Senior pitcher Randy Boone spoke on behalf of the honorees, capping off another fantastic evening in celebration of the academic and athletic success The University of Texas has seen throughout the past year.
"My academic experience at The University of Texas has been a challenging one," said Boone. "Texas has done a terrific job of preparing me for life after baseball. I've developed a lot of good relationships with both professors and classmates that I will appreciate in the future."
ATHLETICS DIRECTOR/PROVOST AWARDS
The Athletics Director Award is presented to student-athletes, managers, or trainers who have achieved a 3.0 or better grade point average in either of the preceding two semesters. The Provost Award is presented to student-athletes, managers, or trainers who have achieved a 4.0 grade point average in either of the preceding two semesters.
Baseball
Adrian Alaniz, Junior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Drew Bishop*, Sophomore - Kinesiology/Sport Management
Riley Boening, Sophomore - College of Education
Jeff Boes*, Sophomore - Economic Honors/Plan II Honors
Randy Boone, Senior - Corporate Communication
Jordan Danks, Sophomore - College of Education
Michael Demperio, Freshman - College of Education
Kenn Kasparek, Junior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Brett Lewis, Senior - Corporate Communication
Kyle Lusson, Freshman - College of Education
Russell Moldenhauer, Freshman - College of Education
Tyler Newton, Junior - Electrical Engineering/Pre-Med
Jordan Pellien, Junior - Education/Kinesiology
Josh Prince, Freshman - College of Education
Andy Reese, Sophomore - Corporate Communication/Kinesiology
Juston Street, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Clint Stubbs, Freshman - College of Education
Bradley Suttle, Sophomore - Business Administration
Clay Van Hook, Senior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Kyle Walker, Sophomore - College of Education
Erik Woody, Freshman - College of Communication
Basketball
Connor Atchley, Junior - Corporate Communication
D.J. Augustin, Freshman - College of Education
Kevin Durant, Freshman - College of Education
Matt Hill, Freshman - College of Education
J.D. Lewis, Junior - Corporate Communication
Justin Mason, Freshman - College of Education
Ian Mooney, Junior - Corporate Communication
Craig Winder, Senior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Football
James Allensworth, Freshman - Chemical Engineering
Steven Andrade, Senior - Biology
Sam Areias, Senior - Journalism
Coy Aune, Junior - Corporate Communication
Ryan Bailey, Sophomore - Advertising
Rashad Bobino, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Todd Bondy*, Junior - Finance Honors
Tarell Brown - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Ben Campos, Senior - Kinesiology-Liberal Arts
Xang Chareunsab, Senior - Kinesiology
Jamaal Charles, Sophomore - Education
Scott Derry, Junior - Professional Programs in Accounting
Jermichael Finley, Sophomore - Education
Adair Fragoso, Senior - Music
Tyrell Gatewood, Junior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Trevor Gerland, Sophomore - Advertising
Dallas Griffin*, Junior - Finance Honors
Marcus Griffin, Senior - Government
Michael Griffin, Senior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Clint Haney, Senior - Education/Kinesiology
Will Harvey, Sophomore - Business
Matthew Hofer, Senior - Social Work
Steven Hogan, Senior - Finance/Pre-Med
Lamarr Houston, Freshman - Education
Kaelen Jakes, Senior - Education/Youth & Community Studies
Greg Johnson, Senior - Corporate Communication
Nate Jones, Senior - Youth & Community Studies
Drew Kelson, Junior - Corporate Communication
Chad Kugler, Sophomore - Business
Stephen Lane, Sophomore - Finance
Derek Lokey, Junior - Sport Management/Pre-Law
Richard Marcantonio, Freshman - Geography
Colt McCoy, Sophomore - Sport Management
Mark McCoy, Senior - Corporate Communication
Matt McCoy, Senior - Sport Management
Brandon McFarling, Senior - Accounting
Richmond McGee*, Senior - Education/Kinesiology
Mac McWhorter, Sophomore - Pre-Sport Management
Cory Michner, Sophomore - English
Dustin Miksch, Senior - Education/Kinesiology
Roy Miller, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Ryan Moench, Sophomore - Electrical Engineering
Rod Muckelroy, Sophomore - Communication
Marcus Myers*, Senior - Economics
Jared Norton, Freshman - Liberal Arts
Ishie Oduegwu, Sophomore - Education
Christopher Ogbonnaya, Sophomore - History/Pre-Law
Frank Okam, Junior - Sport Management
Brian Orakpo, Sophomore - Sport Management
Daniel Orr, Sophomore - Education/Health Promotion and Fitness
David Pino*, Senior - Kinesiology
Nic Redwine, Junior - Corporate Communication
Nick Schroeder*, Sophomore - Advertising (Graduate School)
Jordan Shipley, Junior - Kinesiology
Greg Smith, Freshman - Education
Jake Solis, Senior - Chemistry
Alex Spears, Sophomore - Economics
Charlie Tanner, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Michael Taylor, Sophomore - Communication
Clayton Tefteller, Senior - Radio-Television-Film
Luke Tiemann, Junior - Corporate Communication
Freddy Torres, Sophomore - Biology
Neale Tweedie, Senior - Kinesiology (Graduate School)
Adam Ulatoski, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Trevor Walker*, Freshman - Business
Chris Wieland, Sophomore - Business
Golf
Hector Diaz-Ceballos, Junior - Advertising
Matthew Rosenfeld, Senior - Management
Kevin Schultz, Junior - Finance
Austin Traweek, Sophomore - Finance
Swimming and Diving
Richard Berens, Freshman - College of Liberal Arts
Blake Copple, Senior - Mechanical Engineering
David Donaldson, Senior - Economics
Scott Drews, Sophomore - Aerospace Engineering
Dean Farley, Freshman - Spanish
Wade Kelley, Senior - Government/Economics
Michael Klueh, Sophomore - Education/Kinesiology
John Littlepage, Sophomore - Petroleum Engineering
Matthew Lowe, Junior - Education/Kinesiology
Alan Maher, Freshman - Civil Engineering
Caleb McDermott, Junior - Education/Kinesiology
Matthew McGinnis, Junior - Radio-Television-Film
Tyler O'Halloran*, Senior - Journalism
Sean Patton, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Poston Pritchett, Senior - History/Pre-Med
James Robertson, Freshman - College of Natural Sciences
Daniel Rohleder, Junior - Finance
Christopher Seitz, Junior - Advertising
Brian Smith, Junior - Journalism
Hill Taylor, Freshman - College of Liberal Arts
Scott Trompeter, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
Benjamin Van Roekel, Freshman - College of Education
Ryan Verlatti, Sophomore - Corporate Communication
David Walters, Freshman - College of Education
Andrew Wang, Freshman - Electrical Engineering
Garrett Weber-Gale, Senior - Corporate Communication
Dustin Wise, Freshman - College of Education
Tennis
Luis Diaz Barriga, Junior - Economics
Hubert Chodkiewicz*, Senior - Economics
Bernhard Deussner*, Junior - Finance
Jonah Kane West, Sophomore - Economics
Miguel Reyes Varela*, Sophomore - College of Liberal Arts
Jon Wiegand, Freshman - College of Liberal Arts
Josh Zavala, Freshman - College of Natural Sciences
Track and Field
Lawrence Adjah, Graduate Student - Kinesiology
Nick Baucum, Sophomore - Kinesiology-General
Alan Bean, Senior - Kinesiology-Sport Management
Habben Berhane, Freshman - Biology
Darren Brown, Senior - Economics
Dustin Bynum, Sophomore - Engineering Route to Business
Trey Griffin, Graduate Student - Advertising
Luke Hansen, Sophomore - Education/Kinesiology
Jacob Hernandez, Junior - Corporate Communication
Donovan Kilmartin, Senior - Petroleum Engineering
Andrew Middleton, Senior - Government
Elliot O'Hare, Sophomore - Education/Kinesiology
Shawn Schmidt, Freshman - Chemical Engineering
Ryan Schroeder*, Sophomore - Computer Science
Erik Stanley, Junior - Corporate Communication
Brian Sullivan, Junior - History
Joseph Thorne, Senior - Kinesiology/Health Promotion and Fitness
Owen Washburn, Graduate Student - School of Public Affairs
Ryan Wilson, Senior - Accounting
Team Managers
Mitch Adams, Katie Baker, William Butler, James Frederick, Jefferson Harwell, Blake Hill, Bryan Hill, Adam Katlin, Andrew Klingsporn, Nicholas Lucier, Jonathan McIver, Michael McIver, Jeremy Pella, Brendan Pittman, Daniel Pittsford, Russell (Tres) Segler, Christian Sosa, Zachary Struck, Randyn Tenery, Robert Truhill, Scott Weatherford, Travis Wright*
Athletic Trainers
Lizzie Baker, Jillian Brigle, Mary Buckner, Marissa Carrizales, Derrick Chan, Rachel Craddock, Robyn Davey, Gabriela Enriquez, Justin Esser, LaFortie Gaitan, Alyssa Garza, Brittany Gunter, Jeniece Hernandez, Charmel Jeffery, Katherine Johnson, Brody Lawhon, Kara Miller, Vanessa Morales, Derica Nealy, Jun-Ho Oh, Sarah Petry, Dylan Pierce, Adriana Rodriguez, Sanjuanita Saenz, Philip Scott, Mallory Sitzman, John Southerland, Jessica Yanta*
*denotes 4.0 GPA
