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Swimmer Sarah Peffer is UD’s top female athlete

Sarah Peffer

9:13 a.m., May 21, 2004--University of Delaware swimmer Sarah Peffer, who won eight Colonial Athletic Association titles and set five school records, was named the Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year during the women’s intercollegiate athletics awards banquet, held Wednesday at Clayton Hall.

Peffer, who transferred to UD from the University of Nebraska, was selected by a vote of the head coaches of the 12 women’s varsity sports programs. She is the second straight UD swimming and diving team member to be so honored. Diver Julie Van Deusen won the award in 2003.

Peffer, a fashion merchandising major, had an immediate impact on Head Coach John Hayman’s team after arriving at UD. She led the Fightin’ Blue Hens to a third-place finish at the CAA championships in 2003 and to a fourth-place finish in 2004.

In 2003, Peffer won three individual conference titles and earned All-East honors. She performed even better at the CAA championships in 2004 when she won the 500 freestyle, 1,650 freestyle, 400 individual medley, 400 medley relay and 800 freestyle relay events and was named the meet’s outstanding female swimmer.

Peffer also became the first UD swimmer to earn an NCAA provisional qualifier and set school records in the 200 freestyle (1:51.38), 500 freestyle (4:54.90), 1,650 freestyle (16:45.07), 400 individual medley (4:25.81), and 800 freestyle relay (7:35.68).

In addition to Peffer, the following student-athletes were honored as the outstanding performers in their respective sports:

Basketball: Junior forward Tiara Malcom was honored for lifting the Hens to a 19-10 record. She earned second team All-CAA honors after leading the team in scoring (15.5 points per game) and rebounding (6.8 rebounds per game). She surpassed the 1,000-point mark for her career and scored 20 or more points seven times. Malcom also earned second team All-CAA honors in 2003 when she led the Hens to a share of the CAA regular season title.

Cross country: Graduate student Erin Gemmill won the award for the second straight year as she was UD’s top finisher in all but one race in which she competed and led all UD runners with a 26th-place finish at the CAA championships. A two-year standout after transferring from Lehigh University, Gemmill captured the individual title at the season-opening Towson Invitational and finished 25th at the ECAC Championships in New York City.

Field hockey: Junior midfielder Jessi Balmer, a third team National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-American, was honored. Balmer also was named first team All-CAA and All-Region after leading UD to a 14-7 record, a national top 20 ranking and a berth in the CAA championship game. She was second on the team with 12 goals and three assists, was named to the CAA All-Tournament team and was selected to the CAA Academic Honor Roll.

Indoor track and field: Senior sprinter and hurdler Tyechia Smith was honored. Smith earned All-East honors by placing eighth in the 4 x 400-meter relay and also finished 19th in the 400-meter dash at the ECAC Indoor Championships. A CoSIDA Academic All-American candidate as a sport management major, she has earned eight letters in track and field and has set eight school records, including indoor marks in the 400 meters (56.83), 500 meters (1:15.70) and the 4 x 400-meter relay (3:50.27).

Lacrosse: Junior midfielder Erin Edell won the award for the second straight season after scoring 22 goals and three assists, leading the team with 39 draw controls and ranking second in ground balls with 41. Edell was named second team All-CAA for the second straight year.

Also, senior lacrosse attack Michelle Campolettano was the winner of the Dr. Janice Jordan Award presented by UD Student Services for Athletes to a student-athlete who has made outstanding progress academically. A physical education major, she had 21 goals and 14 assists in 2004.

Outdoor track and field: Junior sprinter and hurdler Sarah Bochet was recognized, having led the Hens to a sixth place finish at the CAA championships where she finished seventh in the 800-meter run. Bochet had the team’s best time in the 800 meters (2:19.03) and fifth best time in the 400 meter hurdles (1:08.70).

Also, senior track and field weight thrower Jessica Urbanos was named the ECAC Medal of Merit Award winner as the UD senior female letter winner with the highest grade point index. An animal science major with a 3.8 grade point average, Urbanos was a first team CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic selection last season and is a candidate again in 2004.

Rowing: Senior co-captain Janice Brown, who led the Hens to their third straight unofficial CAA team championship this spring at the Kerr Cup in Philadelphia, was honored. A three-year letter winner, she was a member of the second varsity eights crew that captured the CAA title and that finished fifth at the ECAC Metro championships.

Soccer: Senior defender Ginna Lewing, a first team All-CAA selection after leading the Hens to a 10-6-3 record and a berth in the quarterfinals of the conference championship tournament, was honored. Lewing scored two goals and keyed the UD defense, and was recognized by Soccer Buzz magazine and Soccer America for her play the week of Oct. 27. She had eight goals and eight assists during her career.

Softball: Senior third baseman Laura Streets won the award for the second straight season as she led the Hens to a 29-24-1 record and a berth in the CAA championship game. Streets was named the CAA Player of the Year in 2004 after batting .395, belting three home runs and 19 doubles, knocking in 31 runs and leading all CAA players with a .513 on-base percentage. During her career, Streets established school records for career home runs (16), doubles (47), slugging percentage (.559) and total bases (291). She set season marks for doubles (19), games played (54), walks (37), assists (134) and on-base percentage (.513).

Also, senior catcher Laurie Erickson earned the UD Student Services for Athletes Outstanding Contributor Award. A co-captain, she was selected second team All-CAA and was named to the CAA All-Tournament team.

Tennis: Sophomore Stefanie Riddle won the award after posting the team’s best singles record with a mark of 14-7, primarily at the No. 6 spot. She also was 5-4 in doubles play. During the 2003-04 season, Riddle was the flight C doubles runner-up at the Swarthmore Invitational and advanced to the semifinals in both flight D singles and doubles at the Old Dominion Invitational. She was 11-10 in singles play as a freshman in 2002-03.

Volleyball: Junior Valerie Murphy, a co-captain and CoSIDA Academic All-American nominee, was honored for the second straight year. Murphy was named second team All-CAA after leading the team with 3.67 kills per game, 0.86 blocks per game and a .284 hitting percentage. She posted 16 or more kills six times during the season, including a career-high 26 against LaSalle University, and was named to All-Tournament teams in competition at the College of Charleston and University of New Mexico.

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