Student-Athletes Honored at IPFW Athletics Awards Banquet
4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | General
April 30, 2007
Fort Wayne, IN-The athletic department honored the 2006-2007 IPFW student-athletes at the annual IPFW Athletic Awards Banquet yesterday evening at the Certius Reception Hall.
Highlighting the banquet were 12 IPFW Student-Athletes initiated into the National Collegiate Scholar-Athlete Honorary, Chi Alpha Sigma. New members include: Jenna Connelly, Valerie Hardesty, Aaron Kerns, Colin Lundeen, Heather Syrup, Cole Uebelhor, Hannah Hager, Stacy Herrold, Patrick Leffers, Steve Rogers, Jenna Tulley, and Chris Venvertloh. IPFW has now initiated 59 student-athletes into Chi Alpha Sigma over the past four years.
Seniors Chris Venvertloh of baseball and Claire Jackson of women's volleyball, both Chi Alpha Sigma members, were awarded the Academic Excellence Award. The award is presented to the graduating seniors with the highest GPA. They both completed their college careers with perfect 4.0 GPAs.
Freshman Athlete of the Year honors went to Rebekah Roehm of women's volleyball and Mark Carden from the baseball team.
During the season Roehm averaged 2.33 kills per game as a middle hitter, and had a team-high 44 service aces on the year. She was named Independent Newcomer of the Week three times in 2006, as well as Honorable Mention to the All-Independent team this year. She was also named the MVP of the Independent Tournament.
Carden, the starting second baseman for the 'Dons, is currently leading the team in hitting at .355, with 49 hits. He also leads the team in on base percentage at .429. He was named Independent Newcomer of the Week during the month of March.
Ashley Johnson of the women's basketball team and Colin Lundeen of men's volleyball took home the Senior Athlete of the Year awards.
Johnson started 88 games in her career at the point guard position for the Mastodons. She is ranked 8th on the all-time scoring list, surpassing the 1,000 point mark this season. An all around player, she was ranked second on the team in scoring, rebounds, assists, and minutes this season. At the conclusion of the year she was named First Team All-UBL.
Lundeen, the men's volleyball team captain and starting setter, is currently ranked third in the MIVA, 15th nationally in assists per game at 12.01. He is also ranked 7th in blocks and 12th in digs in the MIVA. He was one of four Mastodons to be tabbed to the All-MIVA Team this season.
The banquet was concluded with the presentation of the IPFW Female and Male Athlete of the Year Awards, presented to cross country standout Ashley Ritchey and men's volleyball powerhouse C.J. Macias.
Ritchey led the women's cross country in 7 of 8 races this season. She was the champion of the Dayton Invitational, as well as the Falcon Invitational. She currently owns the school record in the 5k with a time of 17:56. She was named to both the All-Independent Cross Country Team and the Academic All-Independent Cross Country Team this year.
Macias was the MIVA Player of the Week and the National Player of the Week in the second week of January. At 4.89 kills per game he is ranked first in the MIVA/fifth nationally. He was recently named First Team All-MIVA. C.J. has also been selected to represent the USA World University team in 2007, and was featured on the cover of the April issue of Volleyball Magazine. This is the second time that Macias has been named the IPFW Male Athlete of the Year.
~Dons~
