UCSD Honors Student-Athletes at Recognition Night

Twenty individuals were honored as Athletes of the Year, including NCAA National Champions Alex Henleyy (swimming), Matt Herman  (swimming), Nick Howe  (track and field) and Nick Korth  (swimming), at UCSD’s 43rd Annual Athletics Recognition Night last week before more than 600 people at the Price Center’s West Ballroom.

The recently crowned national champion Triton softball team had three student-athletes recognized as Athletes of the Year, as did the women's soccer and baseball teams.

The end of the year banquet also recognized coaches, staff, parents, donors and alumni.

Nineteen of UCSD’s 23 teams reached the postseason in 2010-11, with 12 advancing to the NCAAs. UC San Diego won a total of eight conference championships this season, with the softball team going on to claim its first national championship and the women's soccer and men's swimming and diving teams finishing as national runners-up.

In addition, four coaches were honored as conference, region, or national coach of the year, while five student-athletes were named players of the year.

Kelly Fogarty of the women's track and field team and Vincen Nguyen  of men's tennis were named the two Outstanding Senior Student-Athletes for 2010-11. That award is given to one male and one female graduating senior who not only found success on the field, but in the classroom and in the community, as well.

Patti Gerckens took home the Excellence in Coaching Award after leading the UCSD softball team to a school-record 45 wins, the program's first California Collegiate Athletic Association title and nine straight victories in the NCAA Tournament en route to the national championship.

Women's soccer and men's crew were honored with the Leon T. Roach Spirit Award, which is given to the team or teams that demonstrates the greatest spirit and support of fellow UCSD athletic programs, as well as department, campus and community service. 

Women's volleyball took home the Team GPA Award with an average cumulative grade point average of 3.46. 

The athletic department honored 46 All-Americans from the 2010-11 campaign, as well as 114 all-conference selections and 57 four-year letterwinners.

The Athletes of the Year included: Lisa Bradley, Women's Soccer;  Roxanne  Brunsting, Women's Volleyball; Hanlalei Crowell, Women's Water Polo; Jennifer De Fazio, Softball; Erik Elliott, Men's Tennis; Kelly Fogarty, Women's Track and Field; Camille Gaito, Softball; Justin Gordon, Men's Crew; Alex Henley, Women's Swimming;  Matt Herman, Men's Swimming; Nick Howe, Men's Track and Field; Annette llg, Women's Soccer; Nick Korth, Men's Swimming; Jare Kukura, Men's Soccer; Stephanie LeFever, Women's Track and Field; Kris Lesovsky, Softball; Sarah McTigue, Women's Soccer; Danny Susdorf, Baseball; Tim Shibuya, Baseball; and Blake Tagmyer, Baseball.

Among the award presenters were Director of Athletics Earl W. Edwards and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Penny Rue, who gave out the Athletes of the Year awards; Chancellor Marye Anne Fox recognized the Chancellor's Scholar-Athlete recipients and former Tritons Leslie Punelli Weinheiner (2001) and Garrett Imeson (2009) presented the Outstanding Senior Student-Athletes honorees.

Winners of the Chancellor’s Scholar Athlete Awards were Bianna Alban, Women's Cross Country/Track and Field; David Bakal, Men's Soccer; Jennifer Burke, Women's Crew; Allison Rudd, Women's Track and Field; Emile Schnarr, Women's Swimming and Kasra Sarabakhsh, Men's Soccer.

The Husar Family/TAA Award went to Janessa Werhane, Women's Volleyball while the Distinguished Alumni Athlete was presented  to Adam Burgasser, Men's Swimming and Diving, Class of 1996.

The Parent Recognition Award was presented to John and Francene De Fazio, parents of Jennifer De Fazio, Softball.

SOFTBALL

Fresh off its first national championship, the UC San Diego softball team topped the final NFCA Division II Top 25 poll of the season.

UCSD (45-13) received all 16 first-place votes and was followed in the poll by national runners-up and previous No. 1 Alabama-Huntsville (48-6-1) in second. The Tritons beat the Chargers 10-3 in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship game last Monday in Salem, Va.
 
UCSD was ranked in the NFCA Top 25 for all 13 weeks during the regular season and remained in the top ten for seven weeks, over half of the season. It is the UCSD softball program's first No. 1 ranking in school history.
 
Patti Gerckens’ squad won the California Collegiate Athletic Association regular season title and then went undefeated in the NCAA Tournament by winning nine consecutive games, including Finals wins over No. 9 C.W. Post of Long Island, No. 5 Minnesota-Mankato, No. 6 Saginaw Valley and UAH. UCSD went 4-0 against ranked teams in 2011.

Camille Gaito pitched every inning during the NCAA Tournament for the Tritons, posting a 9-0 record along with an ERA of 1.50. She was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Finals after allowing just six runs in 28 innings.

On Tuesday, Gaito was named California Collegiate Athletic Association Female Athlete of the Year by conference officials. Gaito becomes UC San Diego’s second straight and fourth student-athlete overall to be honored as the conference’s top women’s athlete. She is the third softball player to earn CCAA Female Athlete of the Year, joining Kathy Slaten (Cal State Northridge, 1983-84) and Lizzy Prescott (Humboldt State, 2008-09).

UCSD wrapped up the season with a program record 45 wins, while Gaito (35-4) became the all-time career leader in pitching victories (65) with her four wins in Salem.
 
The Tritons softball squad was the first to win an NCAA Championship for UC San Diego since the women's soccer team claimed the title in 2001.
 
BASEBALL
 
The postseason honors keep rolling in for UC San Diego's Tim Shibuya  as the senior pitcher was named an All-American by both the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
 
The all-time wins and strikeouts leader at UCSD, Shibuya was named to the Rawlings/ABCA All-America Second Team and the NCBWA All-America Third Team. Two weeks ago he garnered his first All-America honor of the season when he was selected to the Daktronics Third Team. He was the consensus West Region Pitcher of the Year as well.
 
The senior right-hander was 11-4 with a 2.12 earned run average in 2011. He struck out 109 batters, his highest single season total as a Triton, and three times he fanned a career-high 11. He led the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) in wins, strikeouts and innings pitched and was second in ERA and opponent average en route to being selected the league's Co-Pitcher of the Year.

Shibuya took over as UCSD's leader in career wins, strikeouts and innings pitched in 2011. The Jackson, Wyo., native earned All-American status in three of his four seasons with the Tritons.
 
Also named an ABCA All-American from the CCAA was Cal Poly Pomona outfielder Travis Taijeron (Second Team) and Cal State Dominguez Hills infielder Carlos Leyva (Honorable Mention). Taijeron also won NCBWA All-America Second Team honors while Leyva was NCBWA Honorable Mention.
 
Mount Olive pitcher Carter Capps was tabbed the ABCA Player of the Year and NCBWA Pitcher of the Year, while Cameron outfielder Chase Larsson was the ABCA Position Player of the Year and the NCBWA Player of the Year.
 
The ABCA also announced its national Gold Glove winners. A pair of CCAA players were on the list including Taijeron and shortstop Mike Santora, also from Cal Poly Pomona. Wayne State catcher Michael Wiseman was named the ABCA Defensive Player of the Year.
 
Last week, UCSD’s Matt Hubbard and Kellen Lee won ABCA West Region Gold Gloves, Hubbard for his play at second base and Lee for his efforts behind the dish as the Tritons' catcher. 
 
UCSD finished its 2011 campaign with a 42-15 overall record. The Tritons won their third straight CCAA regular season and tournament titles and advanced to their fifth consecutive NCAA West Regional.
 
MEN’S CREW

The UC San Diego men's crew team wrapped up one of the finest seasons in program history on Saturday, with three boats competing on the final day of the 2011 Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) Championships at Camden, N.J.
 
The varsity eight boat finished in 18th place, the junior varsity eight took 15th and the novice eight came in 12th.
 
After failing to qualify for the grand or petite finals, the varsity eight raced in the third-level final on Saturday, competing for 13th through 18th place. UCSD posted a time of 6:05.114 on Cooper Lake, crossing the line a mere two seconds behind Gonzaga for 18th place overall.

“I thought we executed better and raced pretty well today,” head coach Zach Johnson said. “Our hopes were to finish a bit better, but the improvement we've had over the last month was great.”
 
The third-final winner was Boston University, which posted a time of 5:43.406 that would have put them in the thick of the varsity eight petite final. The University of Washington took the national title, with Harvard edging out Cal by one-tenth of a second for second-place.
 
UCSD's junior varsity eight was also placed in the third-final after finishing in fourth place in both of its heats on Thursday. In a field of 15 boats overall, six raced in the grand final and seven competed in the petite final, which left the Tritons to duke it out with Gonzaga. The race was extremely tight and came down to the very end, but the Bulldogs pulled out the victory, edging the Tritons by less than a second. UCSD posted a final time of 6:01.537 to finish 15th overall.
 
“That might not have been exactly what we wanted to do out there, but it was definitely a great first step," Johnson continued.
Washington also took the crown in the junior varsity eight, with Harvard again coming in a very close second.
 
UCSD's novice eight boat, which had already claimed at least 12th place entering the final day, went on to post the highest finish of the three Triton crews. Competing in the petite final, the Tritons came out with a head of steam and took hold of third place through the first 1,000 meters. In the second half, the pace picked up and UCSD would fail to hang on to its position, ultimately finishing sixth overall with a time of 6:01.466.
 
“We were excited going in and the guys were able to get out ahead, but just couldn't hold on,” added Johnson.
 
Navy won the petite final to finish sixth overall, while Cal was the top boat in the grand final. Washington finished second, followed by Harvard in third. The Tritons were 12th out of the 17 total novice crews.
 
Despite Saturday's results, the day capped off a tremendous season for UCSD, which registered a number of program firsts in 2011. 
 
“We had a young team that was strong from top to bottom,” Johnson said. “We learned a lot and although today is disappointing, we are proud of what we accomplished. Next year will be promising with almost everyone returning to the top two boats. Our goal will be to make it back here and do better, which I think is achievable.”
 
The Tritons will lose just three seniors from this year's squad with Justin Gordon, Justin Hsu and Shawn Kuo set to graduate later this month.

MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Four members of the UC San Diego men's volleyball team have been named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) All-Academic Scholar-Athletes including Joel Davidson, Carl Eberts, Chase Frishman and Mike Sierks.
 
To qualify as an MPSF All-Academic Scholar-Athlete, the nominee must hold a 3.00 or better cumulative grade point average (GPA), be at least a sophomore academically, have completed one full academic year at the school and played in at least 50% of the team's matches.
 
Davidson, a senior outside hitter from Walnut Creek, and Eberts, a sophomore outside from Huntington Beach, are two-time academic honorees as both were named MPSF Scholar-Athletes in 2010. Davidson has a 3.15 GPA as a European history major with a minor in English literature. Eberts holds a 3.35 as a mechanical engineering major and philosophy minor.
 
Frishman and Sierks, both sophomore liberos, are making their first appearances on the list. Frishman, from Laguna Niguel, has a 3.04 GPA while majoring in communications. Sierks, out of Lake Bluff, Ill., is majoring in environmental engineering and holds a 3.30 grade point average.
 
Eberts started every match in 2011 and led the Tritons in kills, digs and points. Davidson played in all but one match, averaging 2.08 kills and 2.32 points per set. Frishman served as the team's primary libero, playing in 92 of 106 sets. He totaled 167 digs to average 1.82 per set, a team-best, and finished with a .952 reception percentage. Sierks saw a career-high in playing time with action in 70 sets. He totaled 61 digs.

MEN’S WATER POLO

Brian Donohoe of the UC San Diego men’s water polo team was named to the CoSIDA/Capital One Academic All-District Men’s At-Large Team for District 8.
Donohoe, a sophomore from Upland, Calif., led the Tritons with 45 goals while earning All-WWPA First Team accolades in the process. The 2011 NCAA Division II First Team All-American finished third on the team with 22 assists.

Earlier this year on Mar. 22, Donohoe earned Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Outstanding All-Academic honors for having a grade-point average between 3.71 and 4.0.
 
The award qualifies Donohoe for consideration to be a CoSIDA Academic All-American, which will be determined in the coming weeks. The awards are divvied out after an evaluation and voting process by sports information directors of colleges and universities across the nation.
 
UCSD ended the 2010 season at 13-13 overall and finished in fourth place at the WWPA Championships.
 
Coach Denny Harper announced last week that the Tritons had signed 10 new faces to National Letters of Intent last week.

Joining UCSD in the fall will be true freshmen Joe Dietrich, Jeff Jarvis, David Higginson, Matt Michalko, Matt Rahn, Daniel Schwartz, Tician Toplak, Shane Troutman and Alec Williams. Nick Michels, the lone junior college transfer, will join the squad as well. 

“This is clearly one of the largest, and possibly one of the best incoming groups we have put together since 2000. They are all extremely talented and more than ready to make the transition to the elite collegiate level,” said Harper. “I have to give assistant coach Matt Ustaszewski a ton of credit for all of the time and energy he has put into bringing such a great group in to continue their athletic and academic careers here at UC San Diego.”

Dietrich comes to UCSD from Acalenes High School in Lafayette, Calif. A Utility for Lamorinda Water Polo Club, Dietrich was recognized as a Second Team All-American and the NCA Division I Player of the Year.  A NCA Division I Champion, Harper believes Dietrich will be able to contribute to the team in his first year in Triton colors.
 
“Joe is all ready up and running at the collegiate level,” said Harper. “We are really stoked at that he has chosen UCSD to continue his outstanding polo and academic career. I really see him being a big part of our fall campaign even as a freshman.”
 
A Driver out of Mater Dei High School, Jeff Jarvis was part of the Monarch squads who won 2009 and 2010 CIF-SS Division I Championship titles. 
 
“Jeff is the type of player that we need to help with two-meter defense and counter attacking and I expect him to be a big contributor this fall,” said Harper.
 
The Tritons will have two San Diego standouts joining them in the fall, as Higginson and Michalko hail from The Bishops School in La Jolla. The Knights defeated Coronado High School 10-5 to win the CIF San Diego Division II Championship in 2010.
 
Michalko, a member of the United States National Youth Team, was a First Team All-CIF San Diego selection and was honored as a Third Team All-American.
 
“Talk about a blue chip recruit, I expect Matt to make a statement that two-meter offense is his and his alone,” said Harper. “Matt could play for anyone in the country and we feel very fortunate that he has chosen to be a Triton.”
 
Higginson and Michalko are members of the San Diego Shores Water Polo Club. Higginson was honored as an Honorable Mention All-American and Second Team All-CIF San Diego.

“David does all the little things to make him so successful at this sport. He makes everyone around him compete at the highest level and is a proven winner.”
 
Michels, a junior goalkeeper out of Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Calif., was a First Team All-American and First Team All-Northern California selection. Michels played his prep years at Las Lomas High School, also in Pleasant Hill.
 
“With great height and experience, I don’t see how he will not ultimately have his day in the cage. Nick is simply too talented,” said Harper.
 
Sticking with the Diablo theme, Rahn is out of Diablo Water Polo Club and Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif. He earned Second Team All-NCA Division I accolades and was placed on the All-East Bay Third Team. Injuries kept Rahn from greater individual accolades, but Harper expects much from the two-meter player.
 
“Matt is a real gem in the rough and will make an impact offensively as he has a real knack for scoring,” said Harper.
 
The second goalie to sign an NLI for UCSD, Schwartz hails from perennial powerhouse Soquel High School. He earned Second Team All-CCS and First Team ALL-SCCAL while competing for the Knights.
 
“Again, a player from a very successful high school program,” said Harper. “I’m certain that Daniel will become a great goaltender her at UCSD.”
 
Toplak, commonly called ‘Tiki’, played for Huntington Beach Water Polo Club and starred at Huntington Beach High School. An Eighth Team All-American, Toplak was named First Team All-Sunset League in addition to being awarded a Second Team All-CIFSS Division distinction.
 
“A very talented player at two meters, Tiki will be a strong contributor to our successes and will hopefully transition quickly to the level we play at,” said Harper.
 
Troutman is a three-time All-Big VIII League honoree out of Santiago High School. A member of Chawp Water Polo Club of Fontana, Calif., Troutman was named the Big VIII League Co-Defensive Player of the Year and was also the team’s leading scorer.
 
“Shane is a real untapped talent that we feel very fortunate to have signed,” said Harper. “His defensive attitude and counter attack speed will make it tough to keep him out of the pool.”
 
Lastly, Williams hails from Bonita High School in La Verne, Calif. He earned First Team All-CIFSS Division V, First Team All-San Gabriel Valley and was named the Miramonte League Most Valuable Player.
 
“I wish everyone played with the intensity of Alec,” said Harper. “The consummate all-around player, I expect him to have a great career here over the next several years.”
 
UCSD will use its newest 10 players to improve on 2010’s 13-13 overall record and fourth-place finish at the WWPA Championships.

WOMEN’S WATER POLO

The UC San Diego women’s water polo coach Brad Kreutzkamp announced that the team has signed seven new players to National Letters of Intent.

Five incoming freshman and a pair of junior college transfers will join a 2011 Triton squad that reached the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history and won its first Western Water Polo Association title since 2000. UCSD featured 10 new players in its 2009-10 incoming class, including regular contributors Natalie Peng, Katherine Biehle, Sarah Lizotte and Melissa Bartow.
 
“We were looking to add to last year’s big recruiting class by adding a couple of scorers,” said Kreutzkamp. “This year, we’ve found a class with a lot of offensive firepower.”
 
UCSD’s 2011-12 class features true freshmen Rachel Brooks, Emily McPhee, Andie Nishimi, Haley Kunert and Jolene Guiliana. Brittany Daniels and Lindsay Holbrook of Orange Coast College will join the Tritons has junior college transfers.
 
Brooks comes to UCSD from Davis Senior High School, where she earned First Team All-CIF Sacramento-San Joaquin Section and First Team All-Delta Valley League during each of her four years. A starter all four years at Davis High, she led the Blue Devils to CIF-SJS Section Championships in 2007, 2009 and 2010. She participated in the Central California Olympic Development Program between 2007-09 and was also a member of the varsity track and field team in the discus and shot.
 
“I expect Rachel to step in immediately and be an offensive force,” said Kreutzkamp. “With our inside game pretty strong we really needed some outside threats, and I am very confident that Rachel will be able to fill that role for us.”
 
McPhee hails from Moraga, Calif.’s Campolindo High School. During her senior campaign, McPhee was named First Team All-NCS Division II and Second Team All-East Bay. The MVP of Campolindo High’s team, she was selected to participate in the high school all-star game for the Pacific Zone. In 2009, McPhee was a Second Team All-Diablo Valley Athletic League and All East Bay-North Bay Second Team honoree.
 
“In our effort to recruit scorers, Emily was a big target for us,” said Kreutzkamp. “She has exceptional ball control and has the ability to attack and score consistently. I expect Emily have a fantastic freshman year here at UCSD.”
 
Nishimi also hails for Campolindo High School, where she co-captained the Cougars, along with McPhee. A Third Team All-NCA selection and two-time Honorable Mention All-DFAL honoree, she also participated in the Pacific Zone all-star game.
 
“Andie will bring a much needed energy to our counter attack and enthusiasm to our squad,” said Kreutzkamp. “I think her quickness will translate perfectly to our style of play and we have high expectations that she will contribute to our team success for a long time to come.”
 
Kunert will come to La Jolla from Costa Mesa, Calif., where she attended Edison High School. She earned All-CIF Southern Section Fifth Team honors as a senior. As a junior, she was named a USA Water Polo Academic All-American and earned Second Team All-Sunset League honors. She also earned the team’s Defensive Player of the Year Award and Coaches’ Award during her time at Edison.
 
“We are very excited to get a player like Haley who has played her career in the heart of Orange County for so long,” said Kreutzkamp. “As a two-meter guard she has gone up against some of the best centers in the country. And being recognized as an all CIF player for her accomplishments just reinforces what we hope she can do for us as a prime time defender.”
 
Orange County’s leading scorer and an All-CIF Southern Section Fifth Team selection, Guiliana will head to UCSD for her freshman year out of Irvine’s Beckman High School. A two-time First Team All-Pacific Coast League honoree, she was named an ESPNLosangles.com Athlete of the Week and Orange County Varsity Player of the Week on January 17.
 
“Jolene has a talent and niche of scoring goals,” said Kreutzkamp. “We are enthused to have an incoming player with a nose for the cage.  We are confident that she will be able to make the transition to the collegiate level of water polo here at UCSD.”
 
Daniels was a two-time All-SoCal Team (All-American) selection and a two-time All-Orange Empire Conference Team honoree at Orange Coast College. She also earned Team Defensive MVP during her two seasons at OCC and was a member of the 2010 CCCAA Women’s Swimming State Championship squad. A stalwart in the classroom, Daniels took home the 2010 California Community College Commission on Athletics Team Scholar Award.
 
“Brittney already comes to us with a ton of playing experience and I expect her to help us tremendously on the defensive side of the ball,” said Kreutzkamp. “Not only is she a great defender but she is very comfortable in front of the cage as well. We are lucky to have her.”
 
Holbrook also earned First Team All-American honors and All-Orange Empire Conference First Team honors while at OCC in 2010. She was named the Pirates’ Most Valuable Player in 2010.
 
“As one of our transfers this year, we are ecstatic that Lindsay will be joining the squad next year UCSD,” said Kreutzkamp. “She also has a great set of physical tools that will bring out team to a new level of competitiveness. As Orange Coast College’s MVP she already has the experience of being relied upon which will transition perfectly for her role here.”

“As one of our transfers this year, we are ecstatic that Lindsay will be joining the squad next year UCSD,” said Kreutzkamp. “She also has a great set of physical tools that will bring out team to a new level of competitiveness. As Orange Coast College’s MVP she already has the experience of being relied upon which will transition perfectly for her role here.”

 --Compiled from press releases issued by the UCSD sports information office