May 6, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ? Baseball standout Andy Schutzenhofer (Swansea, Ill.) and tennis star Michelle Webb (Cincinnati, Ohio) were among the University of Illinois student-athletes honored tonight at the 13th annual University of Illinois Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet, held at Assembly Hall. Schutzenhofer and Webb were both named winners of the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor, which is awarded annually at each conference school to a male and female senior student-athlete who has demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics.
Senior Andy Schutzenhofer, a graduate of Belleville East High School, has excelled both on the field and in the classroom while at Illinois. He is a speech communications major and boasts a cumulative grade point average of 3.427. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and was a Verizon Academic All-District V honoree in 2001. On the field, Schutzenhofer currently owns a streak of 215 consecutive games started at Illinois (as of today, 5/6) and is on pace to break Illinois' 20-year old career hits record by the end of the season. He already ranks among Illinois' career top 10 in eight offensive categories and could be included in two more categories by the end of the season. He is a three-time All-Big Ten Selection and was named a freshman All-American by both Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America after a stellar rookie season in 2000.
Fighting Illini senior Michelle Webb is a graduate of Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. While at Illinois, Webb has maintained an amazing 3.982 grade point average and has a perfect 4.00 GPA in her major, psychology. Her list of academic accomplishments is seemingly endless. She has won the team's Scholar-Athlete Award in each of her first three seasons, she is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten Selection, a two-time George Huff Award winner and was an ITA All-Academic Scholar Athlete in 2002. In addition, Webb has been on the Dean's List every semester she's been enrolled at Illinois and is involved in several charities and community service activities. On the tennis court, she captured the school's first ever regional doubles championship last season and currently ranks sixth on the Illinois career doubles wins list with 74. As if that weren't enough, she has accomplished all of this after suffering a career threatening wrist injury and a life threatening staph infection in 2001, which caused her to miss a semester of school and a summer and semester of competition.
In addition to honoring current student-athletes, a pair of former Illini greats were also recognized at the banquet. Former UI gymnast Steve Yasukawa, the 1978 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, and former tennis great Lindsey Nimmo Bristow, the 1993 Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, both spoke (Bristow via tape from her home in London) to the nearly 600 in attendance about how Fighting Illini athletics has had an impact on their lives.
The Scholar Athlete Banquet is an annual event that recognizes graduating student-athletes and others that have excelled athletically and academically. Here is a complete list of the evening's award winners and finalists:
Fighting Illini Spirit Award Winners
(Athletes who exemplify the spirit, courage, effort and dedication of the Fighting Illini.)
Senior Sarah Baumgartner (Wheaton, Ill.), Softball
Senior Jerrance Howard (Peoria, Ill.), Men's Basketball
Fighting Illini Newcomer of the Year Finalists
(Best athlete performing in his/her first year of competition at Illinois. The winners will be determined following completion of the spring seasons.)
Male Finalists
Freshman Jason Bill (Buda, Ill.), Cross Country/Track and Field
Freshman Dee Brown (Maywood, Ill.), Basketball
Freshman Eric Eymann (Omaha, Neb.), Baseball
Freshman Patrick Nagle (Pacifica, Calif.), Golf
Freshman Justin Spring (Burke, Va.), Gymnastics
Freshman Rajeev Ram (Carmel, Ind.), Tennis
Freshman Alex Tirapelle (Clovis, Cal.), Wrestling
Freshman Travis Williams (East Alton, Ill.), Football
Female Finalists
Freshman Christina Brunka (Barrington, Ill.), Swimming
Freshman Rachelle Coriddi (Forth Worth, Tex.), Softball
Freshman Nina Henson (Tucson, Ariz.), Track and Field
Freshman Janelle Hughes (Country Club Hills, Ill.), Basketball
Freshman Christen Karniski (Iowa City, Iowa), Soccer
Freshman Brianna Knue (Western Springs, Ill.), Tennis
Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
(Letterwinner with the highest grade point average in each class of school.)
Sophomore Chris Martin (Key Biscayne, Fla.), Men's Tennis, 3.884 GPA - Finance Major
Sophomore Kathleen Bazzetta (Naperville, Ill.), Volleyball, 3.956 GPA - Finance Major
Junior Eric Garnett (Bellaire, Tex.), Men's Gymnastics, 3.933 GPA - Chemistry Major
Junior Erin Frakes (Taylor Ridge, Ill.), Cross Country/Track, 3.942 GPA - Food Science & Human Nutrition Major
Senior J.J. Tubbs (Rock Island, Ill.), Football, 3.868 GPA - Kinesiology Major
Senior Michelle Webb (Cincinnati, Ohio), Women's Tennis, 3.981 GPA - Psychology Major
Fighting Illini Outstanding Team GPA Awards
(Highest cumulative GPA for a team)
Women's Golf, Coach Paula Smith, 3.511 Cumulative GPA
Men's Tennis, Coach Craig Tiley, 3.019 Cumulative GPA
Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year Finalists
(Awarded to the female and male student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in athletic achievement. The winners will be determined following completion of the spring seasons.)
Female Finalists
Junior Ilkay Dikmen (Istanbul, Turkey), Swimming
Senior Perdita Felicien (Pickering, Ontario, Canada), Track and Field
Junior Jennifer McGaffigan (Davenport, Iowa), Tennis
Sophomore Angelina Williams (Chicago, Ill.), Basketball
Senior Renata Young (London, Ontario, Canada), Golf
Male Finalists
Senior Brian Cook (Lincoln, Ill.), Basketball
Junior Amer Delic (Jacksonville, Fla.), Tennis
Senior Antoineo Harris (Bolingbrook, Ill.), Football
Senior Matt Lackey (Moline, Ill.), Wrestling
Sophomore James Lepp (Abbotsford, B.C., Canada), Golf
Sophomore Ben Newman (Denver, Colo.), Gymnastics
Senior Andy Schutzenhofer (Swansea, Ill.), Baseball
