8:30 a.m., May 20, 2010----High-scoring standouts Casey Howard and Curtis Dickson, who led their respective teams to Colonial Athletic Association championships and NCAA tournament berths this past season, were honored as the University of Delaware Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Female and Male Athletes of the Year at the annual UD Athletics Awards Luncheon held Wednesday afternoon, May 19, at the Bob Carpenter Center.

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Howard, who led the Blue Hen field hockey team, and Dickson, who paced the UD men's lacrosse squad, were among several Delaware student-athletes honored at the annual end of the year ceremony.

For the first time in several years, both men's and women's student-athletes were honored at one banquet after each having their separate ceremonies in the past. Nearly 600 student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and support staff attended the event. Selections were made from a vote of the Blue Hen head coaches.

In addition to the awards, Delaware sophomore football linebacker Andrew Harrison offered the invocation and former Blue Hen volleyball standout and 2008 UD Outstanding Senior Female Athlete of the Year Colleen Walsh served as the guest speaker.

Casey Howard

Howard, an elementary education major from Camden, Del., became the first UD field hockey player to earn the award since Jodi Byrd was recognized in 1999.

A four-year starter, Howard led one of the nation's biggest turnarounds in 2009 as Delaware improved from 3-15 in 2008 to a 14-6 mark this past fall when the team captured the CAA title and advanced to the NCAA tournament for head coach Carol Miller.

Howard, who recorded a huge comeback after missing the entire 2008 season with an injury, spearheaded the Blue Hen turnaround as she earned second team All-American honors by womensfieldhockey.com and was also named second team All-East, first team National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Mid-Atlantic Region, and first team All-CAA. She also was named the Most Valuable Player of the CAA tournament.

Howard set school records for goals in a game (5, against Brown), goals in a season (22), and points in a season (51) and finished her career as one of Delaware's all-time leading goal-scorers with 51, including six game-winners. She scored two or more goals in a game five times as a senior.

In addition, she earned the John J. Brady Award as the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association (DSBA) 2009 Delaware Athlete of the Year in March.

Curtis Dickson

Dickson, a criminal justice major from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, put in one of the finest seasons in Delaware men's lacrosse history in 2010 when he led the Hens to a big turnaround.

After the squad went just 5-10 a year ago, this year's squad posted a 10-7 record, a No. 12 national ranking, the CAA tournament title, and a berth in the NCAA tournament, where the Hens lost a 14-13 heartbreaker to No. 4 North Carolina in the opening round this past Sunday.

A four-year starter on attack, Dickson was a three-time first team All-CAA selection and was named the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Year this spring.

Already named to the LaxPower.com All-American team this spring, he is a strong candidate for U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American honors later this month and is one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Award presented to the National Player of the Year in early June.

He is the first UD lacrosse player to earn the UD Outstanding Senior Male Athlete of the Year Award since Alex Smith in 2007.

Dickson scored at a prolific pace in 2010 and currently leads all NCAA Division I players with 62 goals, 77 points, and 12 hat tricks this season. He ended his career having scored at least one point in 57 straight games and his 162 career goals broke the UD record of 161 set by Randy Powers in 1983-86. His 212 career points ranks No. 4 all-time at Delaware and his 62 goals in 2010 fell just three shy of the UD standard of 65 set by Don Swan back in 1951.

For a complete list of athletic awards presented Wednesday, see the BlueHens.com website.