May 3, 2005
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Basketball senior Jack Ingram (San Antonio, Texas) and tennis standout Cynthya Goulet (Longueuil, Quebec) were among the University of Illinois student-athletes honored Tuesday night at the 15th annual University of Illinois Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet, held at the Assembly Hall. Ingram and Goulet 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. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first endowed in 1914 and has become the top annual award the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics bestows.
Senior Jack Ingram, a graduate of Marshall High School, has excelled both on the court and in the classroom while at Illinois. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection while posting a 3.42 cumulative grade point average as an electrical engineering major. After playing two seasons at Tulsa, Ingram came to Illinois as a walk-on in 2002-03, but soon earned a scholarship because of his tremendous work ethic and leadership skills. He played a key role in Illinois' historic 2004-05 season, which ended with an NCAA Championship game appearance, an NCAA record-tying 37 victories, Big Ten regular season and tournament titles and a No. 1 national ranking for 15 consecutive weeks.
Ingram was Bruce Weber's first player off the bench for much of the season and always made the most of his minutes, averaging 4.5 points and 2.7 rebounds on the season. His success earned him the team's Most Improved Player Award. His impact, however, can't just be measured by what he did on the court. Ingram was a natural leader for the team's younger players, and his hard work in the classroom did not go unnoticed as he was the winner of the Jordan Scholarship for Electrical Engineering and was a two-time Dean's List selection. He was also a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee.
Fighting Illini senior Cynthya Goulet, a graduate of De Mortagne High School, has maintained a near-perfect 3.96 grade point average as a finance and accountancy major. She has excelled on the court in 2005 as the No. 1 singles player, posting a 29-6 record (.829), which is on pace to be the second-best single-season winning percentage in school history. She has lost only one Big Ten match in the last two seasons and is closing her career with a bang, winning 20 of her last 22 matches. A 2004-05 team co-captain, Goulet has been ranked as high as No. 34 in the national singles rankings this year, and she and her doubles partner Emily Wang have been ranked as high as No. 44.
Goulet is a two-time All-Big Ten and Academic All-Big Ten selection, in addition to being a second-team Academic All-American and an ITA Scholar-Athlete in 2004. She is also very involved in the community as she is active in Hometown Heroes, the Champaign County Humane Society and is a Student Athletic Advisory Committee representative. Additionally, she is also the co-founder of ACES, the student support group for the women's tennis team, and is a member of the Orange Krush.
More than 600 people attended the 2005 Fighting Illini Scholar-Athlete Banquet at the Assembly Hall May 3.
In addition to honoring current student-athletes, a pair of former Illini greats were also on hand to address the over 600 in attendance. Track & field star Tonya Williams, '96, a two-time NCAA 400-Meter Hurdles Champion, and gymnast Dave Stoldt, '80, a former Big Ten Medal of Honor winner and NCAA Pommel Horse Champion, each spoke about the impact that being a Fighting Illini student-athlete had on their careers.
The Scholar-Athlete Banquet is an annual event that recognizes graduating student-athletes and others that have excelled both athletically and academically. Below is a complete list of the evening's award winners and finalists:
Fighting Illini Newcomer of the Year Finalists
(Best athlete performing in his/her first year of competition at Illinois.)
Female Finalists
Freshman Meghan Bradley (Terre Haute, Ind.), Swimming & Diving
Freshman Kristine Cook (Fishers, Ind.), Golf
Freshman Danyel Crutcher (Orange, N.J.), Basketball
Freshman Shanna Diller (Bloomington, Ill.), Softball
Freshman Macall Harkins (Verdes Estates, Calif.), Tennis ***WINNER***
Freshman Mary Therese McDonnell (Orland Park, Ill.), Soccer
Male Finalists
Freshman Kevin Anderson (Johannesburg, South Africa), Tennis ***WINNER***
Freshman Nick Brown (Maywood, Ill.), Track & Field
Freshman Wesley Haagensen (Belleville, Ill.), Gymnastics
Freshman Danny Zimmerman (Verona, Wis.), Golf
Fighting Illini Spirit Award Finalists
(Athletes who exemplify the spirit, courage, effort and dedication of the Fighting Illini.)
Female Finalists
Sophomore Jackie Bain (Tinley Park, Ill.), Swimming & Diving
Senior Leila Cehajic (Mississauga, Ontario), Tennis
Senior Lyndsey Milligan (Normal, Ill.), Golf
Senior Erin Virtue (St. Charles, Ill.), Volleyball ***WINNER***
Senior Emily Ward (Clifton, Va.), Soccer
Male Finalists
Senior Toby Gardenhire (Little Canada, Minn.), Baseball
Senior Chris Martin (Tulsa, Okla.), Tennis ***WINNER***
Senior Ben Newman (Denver, Colo.), Gymnastics
Senior Roger Powell, Jr. (Joliet, Ill.), Basketball
Junior Alex Tirapelle (Clovis, Calif.), Wrestling
Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year Finalists
(Awarded to the female and male student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in athletic achievement.)
***The Dike Eddleman Award winners will be determined following completion of the spring seasons.***
Female Finalists
Senior Jessica Belter (St. Peters, Mo.), Volleyball
Senior Cynthya Goulet (Longueuil, Quebec), Tennis
Junior Jenna Hall (Channahon, Ill.), Softball
Sophomore Cassie Hunt (Roachdale, Ind.), Cross Country
Senior Tara Hurless (Rockford, Ill.), Soccer
Sophomore Yvonne Mensah (Surrey, B.C.), Track & Field
Sophomore Cara Pomeroy (Ottawa, Ontario), Gymnastics
Sophomore Barbie Viney (Georgetown, Ky.), Swimming & Diving
Senior Angelina Williams (Chicago, Ill.), Basketball
Male Finalists
Senior Dusty Bensko (Pleasant Plains, Ill.), Baseball
Senior Garrett Chaussard (Millbrae, Calif.), Golf
Junior Ryler DeHeart (Tampa, Fla.), Tennis
Sophomore Zach Glavash (Chillicothe, Ill.), Track & Field
Junior Kyle Ott (Huber Heights, Ohio), Wrestling
Junior Justin Spring (Burke, Va.), Gymnastics
Sophomore Pierre Thomas (Lynwood, Ill.), Football
Junior Deron Williams (The Colony, Texas), Basketball
Fighting Illini Outstanding Team GPA Awards
(Highest cumulative GPA for a team)
Women's Cross Country, Coach Karen Harvey, 3.352 Cumulative GPA
Men's Gymnastics, Coach Yoshi Hayasaki, 3.089 Cumulative GPA
Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
(Male and Female letterwinners with the highest grade point average in each class of school.)
Sophomore J Leman (Champaign, Ill.), Football, 3.73 GPA - Speech Communications
Sophomore Jackie Bain (Tinley Park, Ill.), Swimming & Diving, 3.87 GPA - Biology/Political Science
Junior Charley Kurlinkus (Roscoe, Ill.), Track & Field, 3.88 GPA - Integrative Biology
Junior Cynthya Goulet (Longueuil, Quebec), Tennis, 3.96 GPA - Finance/Accountancy
Senior Chris Martin (Tulsa, Okla.), Tennis, 3.82 GPA - Finance
Senior Kathleen Bazzetta (Naperville, Ill.), Volleyball, 3.96 GPA - Finance
