Alex Smith, who is one of the most accomplished face-off specialists in UD and NCAA history, was named the CAA player of the year and helped lead the Fightin' Blue Hens to the CAA championship and a berth in the NCAA Division I national championship tournament.
Smith led the NCAA in face-off percentage in 2005 and 2006, and leads again this year with a .737 winning percentage. Smith, who also has five goals and two assists this season, leads NCAA Division I with a school-record 160 ground balls this season and already holds the NCAA records for face-offs won in a season (292 in 2007) and career (1,008).
Tyresa Smith was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA after leading the Hens to a record of 26-6 and a berth in the NCAA Division I national championship tournament.
Smith was a first team All-CAA selection and led the conference in scoring, with 19.8 point per game. She scored 632 points in 2006-07, a single season record at UD, and she finished second all-time in career scoring, with 1,635 points.
Smith was named to the Kodak Women's Basketball Coaches Association All-Region 2 Team, becoming the first player in UD history to earn that honor. A four-year standout, she helped lead the Hens to a four-year record of 92-30 and three appearances in the Women's National Invitational Tournament to go along with the NCAA selection.
The men's athletics awards banquet was held Thursday afternoon at the Bob Carpenter Center. In addition to Alex Smith, other scholar-athletes honored were as follows:
Sophomore infielder Alex Buchholz received earned the Pape Lukk Award as the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for baseball. Buchholz leads the team with a .394 batting average, 82 hits, 25 doubles, 52 runs batted in and 141 total bases.
Junior forward Herb Courtney received the Colonel C.B. Shaffer Award as the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for men's basketball. Courtney, a second team All-CAA selection, led the Hens and ranked fourth in the conference with 18.1 points per game.
Junior Kyle Schmid was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor in men's cross country. Schmid had the team's best finishes in the CAA championships and the NCAA regionals.
Senior linebacker KeiAndre Hepburn was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for football. Hepburn, a four-year standout, led the Hens with 59 solo tackles, 35 assisted tackles and 95 total tackles last season, and also had six tackles for losses.
Senior Joe McLister received the John J. DeLuca Scotty Duncan Award as the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for golf for the fourth straight year. McLister, a second team All-CAA selection, led the Hens with a 73.69 stroke average and was the team's top finisher in eight tournaments. He holds school records for most rounds in the 60s in a season (5) and career (9), lowest 36-hole total (136), lowest 54-hole total (206), lowest stroke average in a season (72.85), and lowest stroke average in a career (74.66).
Senior Jared Wasser was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for both men's indoor and outdoor track and field. Wasser finished second in both the shot put and the hammer throw at the CAA outdoor championships.
Senior attackman Adam Zuder-Havens was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for men's lacrosse. Zuder-Havens was a first team All-CAA selection and was also selected to the CAA All-Tournament team.
Senior defender Anthony Talarico was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for men's soccer for the second consecutive year. Talarico was second on the team with three goals and seven points.
Junior Andrew Zinn received the Jack and Hugh Dougherty Award as the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for men's swimming. Zinn finished fourth in the 100 freestyle and eighth in the 50 freestyle, and was a member of the 200 freestyle relay team that finished sixth while setting a school record in the event (1:24.50) at the CAA championships. He also set school records in the 50 freestyle (20.65) and 800 freestyle relay (6:53.59).
Freshman Sam Barrer received the Alexander J. Taylor Award as the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for men's tennis. Barrer went 15-11 in singles and 17-9 while playing with four partners in doubles.
Senior men's soccer player Matt Haney was the recipient of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Medal of Merit presented to the senior male scholar-athlete letter winner with the highest grade point average. A four-year starter and co-captain each of his last three seasons, Haney carries a cumulative 3.96 grade point average as a biological sciences major. He earned College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-America honors for three consecutive years, an unprecedented feat in UD athletics history.
Junior swimmer Adam Blomberg was the winner of the UD swimming and diving team's Thomas Baranello Award for academic and athletic achievement. Blomberg, a physics major with a 3.7 grade point average, set three school relay records this season and was named the CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's swimming.
Sophomore swimmer John Ohlhaver was the winner of the Chuck Ganci Award as the team's most Improved swimmer. Ohlhaver set school records in the 100 backstroke (52.10) and 200 backstroke (1:53.49) and was sixth in the 100 backstroke and 11th in the 200 backstroke at the CAA championships.
Junior tennis player Jason Hanschmann received the Lee J. Hyncik Award as the UD men's tennis junior with the highest grade point average. Hanschmann, a philosophy major with a 3.4 grade point average, posted a singles record of 3-0 this season.
Senior men's basketball guard Chris Prothro received the Dr. Janice Jordan Award presented by UD Student Services for Athletes to a scholar-athlete who has made outstanding progress academically while at UD. A four-year member of the basketball squad, Prothro is a consumer studies major.
Senior golfer Tyler Kupper received the Outstanding Contributor Award presented by UD Student Services for Athletes. Kupper, a two-year letter winner for the golf team, served as president of the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Council, was the CAA scholar-athlete representative to the NCAA, and helped organize several community service projects during his career. He is a sport management major.
The women's athletics awards banquet was held Thursday night at the Bob Carpenter Center. In addition to Tyresa Smith, other scholar-athletes honored were as follows:
Sophomore Julia Somers was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor awards for women's cross country. Somers was a first team All-CAA selection.
Sophomore Casey Howard was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for field hockey. Howard was selected first team All-Mid-Atlantic Region by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and led the hens with nine goals and 19 points.
Freshman Cristine Marquez was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor award for women's indoor track and field. Marquez set a school record (55.74) when she finished eighth in the 400-meter dash at the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships and earned All-East recognition.
Senior Katie Muth was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for women's lacrosse after leading the Hens with 37 goals. Muth was a second team All-CAA selection.
Senior Melanie Turner was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for women's rowing. Turner was a member of the varsity eights boat that finished third at the Murphy Cup and in the Kerr Cup and CAA championships.
Senior Asha Quant was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for women's outdoor track and field. Quant finished placed third in the long jump at the CAA championships and 13th in the event at the ECAC championships. She set school records in the long jump (19 feet, 8 inches) and 4x400-meter relay (3:49.29).
Senior goalkeeper Bonnie Mills was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for women's soccer. Mills was a second team All-CAA selection and started all 19 games, making 99 saves and recording a 1.18 goals against average. She played every minute of every game until the season finale.
Senior pitcher Carolynn Sloat was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for softball. Sloat went 10-16 with a 2.19 earned run average this season while striking out 118 batters and recording four shutouts. She finished her career as the UD career leader with 146 appearances, 852.1 innings pitched, 63 wins and 611 strikeouts.
Sophomore Maryann Walker was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable competitor for women's swimming and diving. Walker won the 200 backstroke at the CAA championships to earn All-CAA honors and was a member of the 800 freestyle relay team that finished fourth in its event.
Junior Alexa Dragonette was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for women's tennis. Dragonette won a team-high 20 singles matches this season, recording a 20-7 record. She also went a combined 16-11 in doubles play while teaming with Brittany Barsky, Julie Schiller and Elena Berry.
Sophomore Kelly Gibson was named the UD Alumni Association most valuable player for volleyball. Gibson was a first team All-CAA selection, and ranked second on the team with 505 kills, 45 services aces and 472 digs.
Senior field hockey player Kaili Kao received the ECAC Medal of Merit presented to the senior female scholar-athlete letter winner with the highest grade point average. A senior co-captain and a three-time National Field Hockey Coaches Association National Academic Team member, Kao carries a 3.82 grade point average as an international relations major.
Senior track and field standout Daniella Price received the Dr. Janice Jordan Award presented by UD Student Services for Athletes to a scholar-athlete who has made outstanding progress academically while at Delaware.
Senior rower Betsy Seeger received the Outstanding Contributor Award presented by the UD Student Services for Athletes department. A four-year letter winner, she served as the secretary for the UD Student-Athlete Advisory Council and was active in several community service projects. She is an honor student as a hotel, restaurant and institutional management major
Senior women's basketball player Alena Koshansky was the winner of the Mary Ann Hitchens Award named in honor of UD's long-time senior associate director of athletics who retired last year. The award is presented to a UD senior who exemplifies the characteristics of hard work, dedication, fairness and striving for excellence that was Hitchens' hallmark. Koshansky is an honor student as a sport management major.
Tom Coder received the ECAC Appreciation Award presented by the UD athletics department for overall contributions to the program. Coder, a former freshman football coach, is the admissions office liaison to the athletics department.
