Finalists for Several Bennys Awards Announced
May 27, 2003
Corvallis, Ore. - Finalists for the Fifth Annual Bennys Awards at Oregon State University in the categories of Male and Female Newcomer of the Year and Male and Female Sport Coach of the Year were announced Tuesday by Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis. The Bennys recognize the outstanding achievements of the school's student-athletes and coaches during the 2002-2003 academic year.
The candidates for the Male Newcomer of the Year award include Alan Gordon and Joe Zaher of men's soccer, Lamar Hurd of men's basketball, and Tony Calderon of baseball. Female Newcomer of the Year candidates include Brianna Monka of soccer, Amy Klever of softball, Chrissy Lamun of gymnastics, and Casey Bunn of basketball.
The candidates for the Female Sport Coach of the Year are Mariusz Podkoscielny, Tanya Chaplin, and Kirk Walker. Dana Taylor, Dennis Erickson, and Brian Watts are under consideration for the Male Sport Coach of the Year.
The Bennys are scheduled for Wed., June 4 at the Parker Plaza beginning at 5 p.m. with the Training Table Reception. Food, music, and games are featured at the Plaza, plus it's your opportunity to become acquainted with the school's student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. The awards ceremony begins at 7 p.m. at the LaSells Stewart Center with a Fifth Quarter Get-Together (dessert) immediately following.
Tickets are $25 for all three events, or free for the awards ceremony only, but they must be obtained before May 30. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Beaver Athletic Student Fund at (541) 737-2370 or in person at 123 Gill Coliseum.
Male Newcomer of the Year Finalists
Alan Gordon, Jr., Gilbert, AZ (soccer) First Team All-Pac-10 after leading the conference with a school record 73 shots. Gordon also led the conference for points (34) and goals (15). Pac-10 Player of the Week twice, including after a hat trick vs. Washington.
Joe Zaher, Fr., Las Vegas, NV (soccer) Pac-10 Second Team and Freshman of the Year honors. The late Joe Zaher was named to the Soccer America and College Soccer News Freshman All-American teams. He was tragically killed in an automobile accident following the season. His ashes will be spread on Paul Lorenz Field at 4:30 p.m. prior to The Bennys, the public is invited.
Lamar Hurd, Fr., Houston, TX (basketball) Honorable Mention Pac-10 Freshman team member. Hurd started all 28 games at point guard and finished seventh in the Pac-10 for assists per game at 3.8.
Tony Calderon, Jr., Orange, CA (baseball) Tied the school record with 24 doubles. Calderon, who played third base and shortstop, batted .362 with four home runs and 43 RBI. He had 72 hits for the season, matching the 10th-highest mark in school history.
Female Newcomer of the Year Finalists
Brianna Monka, Fr., Camarillo, CA (soccer) Started 14 of 20 games. Monka finished the season second for the team in points (17) and she had the team's highest shot percentage with seven goals on 33 shots.
Amy Klever, Fr., Milwaukie, OR (softball) The walk-on pitcher defeated three top-15 teams - Washington, Stanford, and Arizona State. Klever also pitched 11 innings vs. top-ranked Arizona.
Chrissy Lamun, Fr., Reno, NV (gymnastics) Lamun was the Pac-10 co-champion on the floor with a perfect 10.0. She is the first Beaver freshman to notch a perfect score and the second OSU freshman to win a conference title.
Casey Bunn, Fr., Stayton, OR (basketball) Honorable Mention Pac-10 Freshman team member. She was the team's third-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer. Bunn scored 20 points and had nine rebounds in the victory over Oregon.
Male Sport Coach of the Year
Dana Taylor (soccer) Taylor led the soccer program to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in its history last fall. He was selected the Pac-10 Coach of the Year after leading the program to a school-record 13 victories.
Dennis Erickson (football) Erickson, formerly the head coach, guided the team to its third bowl game in four seasons. The program produced the Pac-10 Conference's leading rusher (Steven Jackson in 2002) and the top defense.
Brian Watts (golf) Watts led arguably the youngest program in the conference to the NCAA West Regional Tournament. With a roster of experienced players, the program is on the upward swing.
Female Sport Coach of the Year
Mariusz Podkoscielny (swimming) Podkoscielny, the 2002 recipient, led the team to a 25th place finish at the NCAA Championships, the program's best ever. His club posted its fourth consecutive winning season and produced two All-Americans.
Tanya Chaplin (gymnastics) Chaplin guided the team to victories over three top six teams, including No. 1 UCLA. The team was ranked as high as No. 9 in the nation, set several school records, had two individual Pac-10 champions, and two Pac-10 Gymnasts of the Week.
Kirk Walker (softball) Walker guided his team to victories over a dozen top-25 clubs and to a NCAA Regional title game. The team registered 36 victories for the season.
