BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? Volleyball players Sarah Warner (Tehachapi HS) and Mystie McNaughton (Stockdale HS) and swimmer Henry Holmberg (Bend, Ore./Univ. of Wyoming) earned top honors at the annual CSUB Athletic Awards Banquet Thursday night.
Warner captured the CSUB President's Award, the highest individual honor bestowed on a Roadrunner student?athlete. The President's Award, which recognizes overall excellence in academics, athletics and community service, was a well?deserved accolade for Warner, who graduated magna cum laude with a 3.94 grade point average and a degree in psychology after the winter quarter. On the court, she started all 126 sets for the volleyball team this season, earning all?tournament honors while leading CSUB to the championship at the UC Davis Aggie Invitational. Her myriad community service activities included working with the Special Olympics, serving as an advocate for the homeless and assisting foster families in Bakersfield.
McNaughton and Holmberg earned the Flachmann Awards, presented annually to the top male and female athletes at CSUB. McNaughton, who earned her degree in history in December, ended her career as the top?ranked defensive player in CSUB volleyball history. She finished the season by breaking Camille Mitchell's 18?year?old school record with 654 digs. That effort left her career total at a seemingly untouchable CSUB record of 1,918. Led by McNaughton, the 'Runners reached the championship match of the NCAA Division I Independent tournament for the second consecutive season and finished 18?15, the first winning record for any team in the Division I era of Roadrunner Athletics.
As impressive as McNaughton was on the court, Holmberg was equally dazzling in the pool. He won two events at the Conference USA Championships, including defending his title in 1,650 free, setting a pool record and CSUB record in the process. His time of 15:30.60 would have made him the first NCAA National Qualifier of the Division I era if CSUB were not in the middle of its transition to full Division I status. He also closed the C?USA Championships by winning the title in the 500 free.
Wrestling senior Thomas Kimbrell (Dawsonville, Ga./Dawson County HS) won the male Roadrunner of the Year Award. The award is voted on by the CSUB student?athletes and presented to the male and female who best exemplify the spirit of Roadrunner Athletics.
Without question the most touching moment of the evening came with the presentation of the female Roadrunner of the Year Award to women's basketball player Nikhol West (Bakersfield HS). West was hospitalized last month with a life?threatening condition after suffering a seizure on pool deck at the Hillman Aquatics Center. It was her first appearance at a CSUB function since being released from the hospital.
The women's soccer team won the Kegley?McCall Award, presented annually to the Roadrunner team with the highest aggregate grade point average. The women's soccer team finished with a 3.17 team GPA, nearly 40 points higher than the average GPA for the student body as a whole. In fact, women's soccer was one of five teams to finish with an aggregate GPA higher than 3.0.
The banquet capped the 2008?09 athletics season at CSUB ? the second full season of NCAA Division I competition for CSUB. The 'Runners will begin their final season of transition to full Division I status when women's soccer kicks off against UC Riverside on Aug. 21.
CSUB Athletics Major Award Winners
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? Below is a list of California State University, Bakersfield Athletic Award winners for 2008?09. This list covers only department awards. For a more detailed list on the accomplishments of each sport for the 2008?09 seasons, please visit the individual sport pages at www.gorunners.com.
PRESIDENT'S AWARD (Top All?Around Student?Athlete) ? Sarah Warner (volleyball)
FLACHMANN AWARD, MALE (Top Male Athlete) ? Henry Holmberg (swimming)
FLACHMANN AWARD, FEMALE (Top Female Athlete) ? Mystie McNaughton (volleyball)
ROADRUNNER OF THE YEAR, MALE (For Contributions Outside Athletics Arena) ? Thomas Kimbrell (wrestling)
ROADRUNNER OF THE YEAR, FEMALE (For Contributions Outside Athletics Arena) ? Nikhol West (basketball)
KEGLEY?McCALL AWARD (Top Academic Achieving Team) ? Women's Soccer (3.17 GPA)
