UCSD Athlete To Be Honored as 'Star of the Year' by SD Hall of Champions

Camille Gaito of the defending national champion softball team will be one of 16 professional and amateur athletes to be honored as Stars of the Year at the annual Salute to the Champions banquet Feb. 15 at the Town and Country Convention Center, hosted by the San Diego Hall of Champions (SDHOC).

The SDHOC is an undisputed national leader in recognition of amateur, collegiate and professional sports excellence; youth sports-based education; and sports memorabilia exhibition. The Hall was founded in 1946 to recognize significant achievement in San Diego. Each year, the SDHOC honors those athletes from the greater San Diego who provide a significant contribution in the athletic arena.

All-Pro defensive back Eric Weddle of the San Diego Chargers and San Diego Padres outfielder Cameron Maybin top a list of eight professional athletes who will be honored for their efforts in 2011 at the 66th annual Salute. Weddle earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl while Maybin was named the team’s top player by the local Baseball Writers Association.

Joining the two are Arian Foster, the former Mission Bay High standout who led the Houston Texans to their first-ever playoff win; snow- and skateboarder supreme Shaun White, who dominated the X Games; Eastlake High grad Adrian Gonzalez, who finished second in the American League batting chase with a .338 average for the Boston Red Sox; Rachel Buehler, who led the U.S. soccer team to a second place finish in the Women’s World Cup; Dominick Cruz, who twice defended his Mixed Martial Arts crown; and J.J. Killeen, who captured the Nationwide Golf Tour in 2011.

Amateurs who will be in the spotlight include Gaito, San Diego State’s record-setting running back Ronnie Hillman; Suzanne Cornwell, who led Cal State San Marcos to the NAIA women’s cross country title; Natalie Hagglund, the La Costa Canyon grad who was the standout libero for the USC Trojans; Stephanie Ochs, who was selected the West Coast Conference Player of the Year in soccer for USD; Kawhi Leonard, who lifted San Diego State into the Sweet 16 before turning pro in basketball; Charles Jock, the ex-Mission Bay runner who finished second in the nation in the 800-meter run and Point Loma Nazarene’s Erica Wessels, an NAIA All-American in soccer.

Gaito put together a stellar year in 2011, setting a school record with 35 wins while helping the Tritons to their first-ever NCAA Division II national championship. The senior pitcher from San Rafael went 9-0 during UCSD’s postseason run and she currently holds the school-record for career victories (65).

In addition, Gaito was one of 16 UCSD athletes to earn the Star of the Month distinction by the Hall of Champions in 2011. The honorees included

• Chelsea Carlisle (Women’s Basketball, January)
• Gaito (Softball, February)
• Phil Bannan (Men’s Volleyball, February)
• Tim Shibuya (Baseball, February)
• Blake Tagmyer (Baseball, March)
• Alex Henley (Swimming, March)
• Kelly Fogarty (Track & Field, March)
• Nick Korth (Swimming, March)
• Erik Elliott (Tennis, April)
• Nick La Face (Baseball, April)
• Sarah Lizotte (Women’s Water Polo, April)
• Ab Shaheen (Track & Field, April)
• Nick Howe (Track & Field, May)
• Chia Chang (Cross Country, September)
• Graham Saber (Men’s Water Polo, September)
• Hillary Williamson (Women’s Volleyball, September)

The UCSD softball team earned the SDHOC Significant Achievement award as well for its impressive 2011 campaign.

The dinner annually attracts 1,000 San Diego-area sports fans. For ticket information, contact Erica Monzon at the San Diego Hall of Champions at ericam@sdhoc.com or 619-699-2305.

–UC San Diego Athletics announcement released Jan. 11, 2012.