April 21, 2008
ATLANTA –
All-Atlantic Coast Conference football player Tashard Choice and women’s track & field standout Jenny Sims received the Georgia Tech Athletic Association’s highest honor, the Total Person Award, at the annual Yellow Jacket Celebration, held Monday evening.
The Total Person Awards are presented annually to the male and female senior student-athletes who best exemplify excellence in academics, athletics, leadership and service.
Former Tech women’s track & field member Lara O’Connor Hodgson, currently an adjunct professor in the Georgia Tech MBA program, was honored with the Total Person Alumnus Award.
Kristi Miller, a five-time All-American in women’s tennis and the 2008 ACC Player of the Year, received the Robert Cup as Tech’s top women’s senior athlete. David Herren, a senior track & field athlete from Rome, Ga., was the men’s recipient of the Robert Cup.
Miller along with football kicker Travis Bell were honored with the ACC Scholar-Athlete Awards. Miller, Herren and men’s track & field member Taylor Narewski were also selected for ACC Post-Graduate Awards.
Football standout Darryl Richard, the 2007-08 president of the Georgia Tech Student-Athlete Advisory Board, received the Georgia Tech Leadership Award.
Jason Haniger of the Tech baseball team and women’s track & field athlete Alana Clooten were awarded the Bobby Dodd Scholarships for 2007-08, recognizing Tech’s top returning scholar-athletes.
The Georgia Tech Spotlight Award recognizes an athlete from each team that has made a significant impact on their team but has not always made news headlines. The following student-athletes are this year’s recipients:
Amelia Beach Softball
Charlie Blackmon Baseball
Gary Cage Men’s Basketball
David Dragoo Golf
Dalton Hedberg Women’s Swimming & Diving
Michael Johnson Football
Michelle Kandell Volleyball
Doug Kenny Men’s Tennis
Nisha Kurian Women’s Cross-Country
Billy Mateker Men’s Cross-Country
Kayla McKeirnan Women’s Track & Field
Andy Miller Men’s Swimming & Diving
Alex Montgomery Women’s Basketball
Omar Morrison Men’s Track & Field
Oliver Mullin Cheerleading
Christy Striplin Women’s Tennis
Also recognized were the All-ACC Top Six for Service:
Alana Clooten Women’s Track & Field
Raenard Dillard Women’s Track & Field
Jason Haniger Baseball
Kristi Miller Women’s Tennis
Luke Murton Baseball
Allie Niekamp Volleyball
Tech also recognized members of the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society, a National College Athlete Honor Society:
Charlie Blackman Baseball
Jake Blackwood Football
Alana Clooten Women’s Track & Field
Adam Cohan Golf
Matt DiDia Men’s Track & Field
David Dragoo Golf
Stephanie England Women’s Swimming & Diving
Greg Johnson Men’s Track & Field
Whitney Haller Softball
Jason Haniger Baseball
Ashley Keck Women’s Cross-Country/Track & Field
Nisha Kurian Women’s Cross-Country/Track & Field
Jacob Kwasnik Men’s Swimming & Diving
Elena Linn Women’s Cross-Country/Track & Field
Andrew Miller Men’s Swimming & Diving
Kristi Miller Women’s Tennis
Taylor Narewski Men’s Track & Field
Stephanie Robbins Volleyball
Blair Shimandle Softball
Jenny Sims Women’s Cross-Country/Track & Field
Elizabeth Stowe Women’s Swimming & Diving
Kevin Skenes Men’s Swimming & Diving
Ulrike Stegemann Volleyball
Kevin Tuminello Football
Greg Tunning Men’s Swimming & Diving
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF AWARD WINNERS
Jenny Sims, Women’s Track & Field /Cross Country
Total Person Award
The 2007-08 Vice-President of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board … An integral part in the new ideas and initiatives this group formulated over the 2007-2008 school year … Among the first inductees into the Chi Alpha Sigma National student-athlete honor society … Named to the ACC Honor Roll … Earned five top-10 ACC finishes, as well as individually qualifying for the NCAA Regional Track Meet in 2007 … A management major from Woodstock, Ga.
Tashard Choice, Football
Total Person Award
One of the top running backs in Georgia Tech history … First-team All-ACC and honorable mention all-America in 2007 … Holds the No. 1 spot in the history books in career 100-yard rushing games, consecutive 100-yard rushing games, 100-yard rushing games in a single season, and season rushing attempts … High School jersey was retired in November of 2007 … A December, 2007 graduate of Tech … Named to the ACC All-Academic Team during his tenure at Tech … A History, Technology, and Society graduate from Riverdale, Ga.
Kristi Miller, Women’s Tennis
Robert Cup Award
The most decorated women’s tennis player in Georgia Tech history … As a freshman became first women’s tennis player in Tech history to earn All-America honors … Is a five-time All-American … She is a four-time All-ACC honoree … 2005 ACC Rookie of the Year … 2008 ACC Player of the Year … Following her freshman season, she competed in the 2005 US Open … Holds the Georgia Tech career record for singles and doubles wins … She has been ranked as high as No. 1 in the nation in singles and was the MVP of the 2006 ACC Championships … An ITA Scholar Athlete, a member of the ACC Honor Roll, a member of the All-ACC Academic Team, as well as a CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American … She was recently awarded the prestigious Peach of an Athlete Award, presented by the Atlanta Area Boy Scouts of America … The 2006 recipient of the Honda Award for tennis … She has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA during her time at Tech … A History, Technology, and Science major from Marysville, Mich.
David Herren, Men’s Track & Field /Cross Country
Robert Cup
A 2008 recipient of an ACC Postgraduate Scholarship … Graduate in May of 2007 with a degree in Biology … Has spent his fifth year on the men’s cross-country and track teams, working toward a masters’ degree, with plans to attend medical school upon graduation … Named to the All-ACC Academic team four times … Has represented Georgia Tech at the ACC level at conference meetings … Earned All-Regional honors and individually qualifying for the NCAA Cross-Country Championships in 2007.
Alana Clooten, Women’s Track & Field
Bobby Dodd Scholar
An active member of Georgia Tech’s student-athlete advisory board, she has led the way in community outreach as well as in rallying support for all student-athletes through the Code Gold initiative … As a freshman, she immediately made an impact on the Track & Field team by breaking the school record in the hammer throw, which at the time was the third farthest hammer throw nationally among USA junior women … The same year, she went on to place 4th at the USATF Junior National Championships … She has had five top-eight finishes at ACC Championship events between the weight throw and hammer throw … Placed fourth in the hammer throw at the 2008 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships … Among the first Georgia Tech student-athletes to be inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma national honor society … A biomedical engineering major from Fairbanks, Alaska.
Jason Haniger, Baseball
Bobby Dodd Scholar
An active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Board … Has successfully led his entire team to numerous community outreach projects, including Team Buzz, Habitat for Humanity, and the Special Olympics Opening Ceremonies … Has qualified for both the Dean’s List and the ACC Honor Roll each year he’s been at Tech … Inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma student-athlete honor society … A management major from Santa Clara, Calif.
Darryl Richard, Football
Georgia Tech Leadership Award
President of the 2007-2008 Student-Athlete Advisory Board … 2007 Peach of an Athlete honoree … Finalist for the 2008 Wuerffel Trophy, which is presented by the All Sports Association to the football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement … A current student in the Georgia Tech MBA program from Destrehan, La. … Named to the 2006 ACC All-Academic Football Team … Named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll for 2004-05 and 2005-06 … Sports Illustrated All-Bowl team … Georgia Tech All-Academic Team.
Lara O’Connor Hodgson
Total Person Former Student-Athlete Award
A scholarship member of the Georgia Tech women’s track & field team earned her BS in Aerospace Engineering … Earned an MBA from Harvard Business School … Featured in USA Today as one of the top 20 students in the US and was the ODK National Leader of the Year in 1993 …Co-founded Insomnia, LLC, an Atlanta-based firm specializing in investment, development and management of complex and innovative “world-changing” projects … Prior to founding Insomnia, she spent 5 years at Dewberry Capital Corporation, an Atlanta-based commercial real estate development and investment firm, where she served as the company’s Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer … She is also currently an adjunct professor in the Georgia Tech MBA program, teaching “Financial Aspects of Real Estate”.
