April 1, 2009
ATLANTA – Academic All-American Darryl Richard came away with top honors Tuesday night at the 25th annual Peach of an Athlete Role Model Banquet, sponsored by the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Baseball senior Jason Haniger and softball All-American Whitney Haller were two of eight nominees for this year’s award, while Richard and Georgia State soccer standout Candace Gonzales received top honors.
The awards are presented each year to athletes based on their achievement in sports commitment to community service and the embodiment of the principles of scouting.
Richard, a senior from Destrehan, La., was the male amateur Peach of an Athlete honoree. The defensive lineman received his MBA from Georgia Tech in December after earning his undergraduate degree with highest honors from the Institute in three years. A finalist for the 2007 Wuerffel Trophy and semifinalist for the 2008 Draddy Trophy, Richard served at the president of Georgia Tech’s Student-Athlete Advisory Board for two years and was a member of the Institute’s Presidential Search Committee. He also served on Tech’s NCAA Certification Committee and as a member of the school’s Auxiliary Services Student Leadership Advisory Group. A member of Tech’s MBA Financial Management Association and MBA Graduate Minorities in Business, he was responsible for the implementation of Tech Athletics’ “Code Gold Event” initiative, Town Hall Meetings and SAAB Newsletters, all to increase better communication within the Georgia Tech Athletic Association.
Haniger, a 19th round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2008, is slated to receive his degree in December and has been named a recipient of an ACC Postgraduate Scholarship in 2009. He served on the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board and was named to ESPN The Magazine’s Academic All-District team in 2008.
Haller is a two-time All-American that was named the 2006 ACC Rookie of the Year. An industrial engineering student, she is a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American and three-time member of the ACC Honor Roll. Haller has been a participant in multiple community service projects, including Toys for Tots and Special Olympics.
Also honored as nominees for the Peach of an Athlete Awards were Georgia State soccer standout Filipe Carvalho; Linnie Garrett, a volleyball player at South Carolina State; Charleston Southern tight end Tyrese Harris; and University of Georgia standouts Allie Hush (equestrian), Marcia Newby (gymnastics) and Annalise Peters (track and field).
