Finalists For Bennys Awards Announced
May 26, 2004
CORVALLIS, Ore. - The finalists for several Bennys Awards have been determined, and the winners will be announced at the sixth annual Bennys Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 1.
The Bennys, a celebration to commemorate the achievements of Oregon State University student-athletes, recognize student-athletes for excellence on the fields of play, in the classroom and for community service. The ceremony also honors special friends of the Athletic Department.
Tickets for the Bennys are still available through Friday. Tickets are $20 for the entire event, which includes food and entertainment at the pre-ceremony reception. The awards ceremony itself is free, but a ticket is still required. Contact the BASF at 541-737-2370 or in Room 123, Gill Coliseum, to obtain tickets.
Bennys Awards Finalists:
Female Athlete of the Year Tessa Baker (soccer) Brina Chaney (basketball) Vanessa Iapala (softball) Tanya Ricioli-Hebron (gymnastics) Birte Steven (swimming)
Male Athlete of the Year Matt Ellis (wrestling) Alan Gordon (soccer) Steven Jackson (football) David Lucas (basketball) James Newson (football Jake Postlewait (baseball) Richard Seigler (football)
Female Team of the Year Gymnastics Softball Swimming
Male Team of the Year Crew Football Soccer
Female Sport Coach of the Year Tanya Chaplin (gymnastics) Larry Leibowitz (swimming) Kirk Walker (softball)
Male Sport Coach of the Year Kjell Oswald (crew) Mike Riley (football) Dana Taylor (soccer)
Female Newcomer of the Year Shannon Howell (basketball) Mia Longfellow (softball) Chelsea Plourde (gymnastics) Anne Watts-Roberts (volleyball)
Joe Zaher Male Newcomer of the Year Award Brandon Browner (football) Robbie Findley (soccer) Jim Hanchett (basketball) Jamie Rakevich (wrestling)
Female Performance of the Year Brina Chaney (basketball, career-high 31 points in a win over Oregon) Monica Hoffman (softball, pitching at the NCAA regionals nearly led OSU to the Women's College World Series) Shannon Howell (basketball, 32 points against Stanford, 40 against Washington) Tanya Ricioli-Hebron (gymnastics, 39.500 all-around score at NCAA regionals earned her a spot at the NCAA Championships) Birte Steven (swimming, second in the 200-meter breaststroke, third in the 100-meter breaststroke at the NCAA Championships)
Male Performance of the Year Derek Anderson (football, school-record 485 passing yards against eventual co-national champion USC) Robbie Findley (soccer, three consecutive game-winning goals in contests against Cal, Stanford and Fresno State) Steven Jackson (football, record five touchdowns against New Mexico in the Las Vegas Bowl) David Lucas (basketball, averaged 21 points and 10.5 rebounds in wins over Arizona and Arizona State) Aaron Mathews (baseball, 21-game hitting streak) Jamie Rakevich (wrestling, pinned the nation's ninth-ranked heavyweight in a meet against Oklahoma State)
