This year's athletic awards were characterized by strong performances and commitment, the hallmark of Sweet Briar College student-athletes. Complete award citations follow:
The Pschirrer First Year Athlete Award was presented by the 1984 Spring Tennis Team in honor of Jean Pschirrer '87, a freshman tennis player who died on the court while warming up for a varsity match. The recipient must demonstrate dedication, motivation, sportsmanship and true love of her sport. Dean of Co-Curricular Life Valdrie Walker presented this year's award to swimmer Kelsey Jeffers (Falls Church, VA/Falls Church HS).
Kelsey was a finalist in three conference events: the 200 yard IM, and the 100 and 200 yard Backstroke. She was a member of the scoring 200 medley Relay, 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay and 400 Free Relay. Kelsey sets strong achievement standards for herself and as a first year athlete, became more and more involved in her team's success. She was named Conference Swimmer of the Week and will continue to excel in the ODAC for the next three years.
Kelsey Jeffers embodies the qualities of the Jean Pschirrer Award and we are honored to present it to her.
The Class of 1977 Sportsmanship Award has been awarded since 1979, and is presented to a student athlete selected with regard to her sportsmanship, team spirit, and commitment to varsity sports at Sweet Briar. This year's honoree is junior tennis player Brentz Basten (Lynchburg, VA/Jefferson Forrest HS).
A Computer Science major, Brentz plays number one singles and doubles, representing Sweet Briar in a very tough conference against some of the top players in the region, ranking #47 in singles and #25 in doubles. At the Ruth Hopkins Memorial tournament she was awarded the Sportsmanship and was selected as one of two SBC students to attend the NCAA leadership conference.
According to coach Kelly Morrison, Brentz is one of the hardest working student-athletes she has coached, "" ...conducting herself with strong discipline on and off the court."" Brentz is completing a major in computer science with a minor in math and works as a teaching assistant in the computer science department Java labs. She did a summer research program with Professor Bob Chase, professor of Mathematical Sciences at Sweet Briar programming palm pilots for UVA researchers studying ADHD. She is active in Sweet Briar's Habitat for Humanity chapter.
This year's Class of 1977 Sportsmanship Award winner is presented to role model Brentz Basten by the Director of the Alumnae Association, Louise Zingaro.
The Coaches' Award is given to a graduating athlete who has demonstrated dedication, sportsmanship and excellence in sports at Sweet Briar. This year, the coaches have honored two recipients.
The first is tennis player Kirkland Wohlrab (Buena Vista, VA/Parry McLuer HS).
Kirkland has been a huge motivator of her team on and off the court, using personal challenges faced and obstacles overcome to motivate herself and her team. She has been an extraordinary positive influence, and this spring was named captain of the tennis team in recognition of her leadership skills. She topped Hollins' Margaret Hopkins 6-1, 6-3 to win the championship of Flight D in the Virginia Women's College Tournament this fall. Kirkland has been the heart of the team and a true leader.
Our second honoree is hockey and lacrosse player Maria Kitchin (Virginia Beach, VA/Norfolk Academy) . A double major in sociology and art history. Maria's growth as a player and a leader has been positive and steady throughout her four years at Sweet Briar. On the field, she is strong, fit and a solid performer in hockey. Coach Jennifer Crispen says, ""Imagining a team without Maria, her commitment, and her sense of humor, is impossible."" According to lacrosse coach Missy Ackerman, "" Every coach has players they rely on, and cannot set team strategy without. Maria is one of those players in lacrosse.""
The Coaches Awards were presented by John Jaffe, Director of Libraries and Integrated Learning Resources.
The Susan Lehman Courage Award is presented to athletes who have demonstrated courage above and beyond the usual rigors of training and competition. It recognizes athletes who have made a courageous comeback after suffering a setback such as injury, illness, academic difficulties or personal tragedy.
The award will be presented when circumstances warrant it to an athlete or athletes nominated by members of the Department of Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation.
When we created this award several years ago in honor of Chaplain Susan Lehman, we thought, or hoped, that we would not have to present it each year. As it turns out, we were right. This year a very special young woman deserves our recognition for her courage, commitment and grace under adversity. The award was presented by Associate professor Jennifer Crispen.
Sophomore Julie Drake (San Jose, CA/Willow Glen HS) came to Sweet Briar as a first year student fresh off a knee reconstruction for an ACL tear. She had an excellent first season in field hockey, but in the final regular season game, she re-injured the same knee, and had a second reconstruction during the winter. Julie rehabbed her knee throughout the spring and summer, returning in the fall ready to play field hockey again. Handling a major injury in the best of circumstances is never easy, but facing it for a second time, thousands of miles from home and in her first year of school, required exceptional effort. In fact, Julie took on the challenge with such calm demeanor and steady response, that it was hard to imagine she was challenged at all. In an academic setting where student-athletes are faced with decision making all the time about priorities, Julie made the choice to make playing her sport important. She has been an example for us all, and it is with the utmost respect that we present her the Susan Lehman Courage Award.
The Whiteman Scholar Athlete Award was presented by the late President Harold Whiteman and Mrs. Whiteman, both long-time supporters of sports at Sweet Briar. It is presented each year to a student-athlete with a high scholastic average, sportsmanship and outstanding achievement in sport, and this year, we honor senior volleyball player Briana Beckham (Nashville, TN/Hume Fogg HS). A sociology major, and Sweet Briar's most honored volleyball player, Briana was the recipient of the 2004 Presidential Medal, Sweet Briar's highest accolade.
On any volleyball court in the country, Briana would stand out, and has been recognized by the ODAC for four years with All-Conference standing; by the Virginia College Sports Information Directors as College Player of the Year, and as a member of the Virginia All-College Team; by the College Sports Information Directors Association as a member of the District III All-Academic Team. She has been the Athlete of the Year at Sweet Briar twice and captain of her team for two years.
As a scholar, Briana has been on Dean's List each semester, has been a Betty Bean Black Scholar, and a member of Alpha Lambda Delta. She is a nominee for an NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship. Her major advisor, Professor Brent Shea, said, "" She has an extraordinary ability to make sense of her own experience in sociological terms, and will doubtless succeed in any graduate program she begins."" Perhaps the most telling comment is by Professor Jim Kirkwood, NCAA Faculty Representative, who said, ""There are few people who combine high academic and athletic achievement to the extent that Briana does.""
It is Briana's work as a humanitarian that stands out, from her goal of working with children in Africa, to her work over the past years with girls from the Miller Home, with Habitat for Humanity, and with the Big Sister program. She translates ideas into action, as she did this spring when she initiated and organized Sweet Briar's Unsung Hero Recognition for staff members.
Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jonathan Green presented this year's award.
Sweet Briar's Athlete of the Year must be a varsity athlete from any class who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in sport this year. Outstanding performance and sportsmanship are the criteria for this award, and this year's winner is sophomore field hockey and lacrosse player Jenn Wiley (Williamsburg, VA/Jamestown HS).
For the second year, Jenn Wiley was named to the Virginia College All-State Field Hockey First Team, as well as the ODAC All-Conference First Team. She again was among national leaders in save statistics, this year #2. As the only goalkeeper on a team with a very small roster, Jenn played under pressure for 70 minutes of every contest, making spectacular saves against some of the best teams in the region. In only her second college lacrosse season, she is again among team leaders in most defensive stats, including ground balls and caused turn-overs. A biology major, Jenn attended the NCAA Leadership Conference this year as one of two Sweet Briar representatives and will continue to be involved in leadership as the Student Athlete Advisory Council Representative for lacrosse next year.
The award was presented by Professor Jim Kirkwood, NCAA Faculty Representative.
The Crysler Four Year Achievement Award has been given since 1979, and was named after its first recipient, Cannie Crysler Shafer '79. Cannie was a three sport, four-year varsity athlete at Sweet Briar, and the award honors an outstanding four-year varsity athlete who has demonstrated commitment, sportsmanship and achievement in sport. The winner of this year's award is volleyball and lacrosse player Anne Benham (The Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands HS).
Anne is a sociology major, and Student Athlete Advisory Committee President, as well as a two-year team captain in volleyball and lacrosse. As a first year student at Sweet Briar College, this talented athlete made the crucial decision to try two new sports, volleyball and lacrosse, because her first love, basketball, was not available at SBC. The rest is history. Turning what could have been a negative into a powerful positive, Anne has been among conference leaders in volleyball stats, has ranked nationally in statistics, and is recognized as one of the most skilled players in the ODAC. In lacrosse, Anne has excelled, leading SBC lacrosse in scoring and ground balls. She has been recognized as National Player of the Week by LaxPower.com, and is an outstanding two-way player as a midfielder. Lacrosse coach Missy Ackerman cites Anne as the primary reason for the resurrection of Sweet Briar's lacrosse program.
Benham received her award from President Elisabeth Muhlenfeld.
Sweet Briar's Robert Barlow Faculty/Staff Award is named after former Dean of Student Affairs Bob Barlow. A popular supporter of students and sports, Barlow was ever present at Sweet Briar athletic events. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic, Barlow founded and coached club teams in softball and soccer. This year's award goes to another strong advocate of Sweet Briar athletics, Dean of the College and Vice President for Academic Affairs Jonathan Green.
Green was presented the award by Student Athlete Advisory Council President Anne Benham.
The 2003-2004 Pink and Green Award winners represent the student-athlete making the most valuable contribution to each sport. From left to right, Molly Mitchell '06 (Minneapolis, MN/Robbinsdale Armstrong), swimming, Anne Benham '04, lacrosse, Briana Beckham '04, volleyball, Lauren Byrne '04 (Westtown, NY/Minisink Valley HS), tennis, Vicky Gadikian '07 (Hamburg, NY/Frontier HS), soccer, and Jenn Wiley '06, field hockey.
