April 28, 2015

· Photo Gallery   | Video Presentation of Awards  

MADISON, Wis. -- The Wisconsin Athletic Department showcased its student-athletes on Tuesday night at the 2015 Buckinghams held at the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison.

The event, known as the "Student-Athlete Annual Showcase of Excellence", not only highlighted student-athletes' performances in their respected sports, in the community and in the classroom, but also their musical and dancing skills.

A couple of the highlights of the evening were men's basketball players Vitto Brown, Riley Dearring, Nigel Hayes and Jordan Hill singing "It's a Shame" by the Detroit Spinners, as well as the volleyball team performing an original dance routine.

The other acts included:

· A hip hop dance routine by men's soccer's Drew Conner

· A duet of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" and "Style" by rowers Nigel Baummer and Maddie Wanamaker

· Alex Thompson of men's track & field performing a rendition of "Sunday Morning" by Maroon 5 and "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service on the guitar

In addition, Redefined a co-ed a cappella group at Wisconsin, opened and closed the award ceremony. Student-athletes had the chance to hit the red carpet prior to event and attend a dessert reception.

As for the awards, Michael Lihrman, the collegiate record-holder in the indoor weight throw and the 2014 and 2015 NCAA champion in the event, and Ivy Martin, a two-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Championships and an eight-time NCAA All-American, won the male and female Student-Athlete of the Year awards. They are given to the student-athletes who best combine academic and athletic achievements with commitment to community service.

The men's and women's tennis teams were honored as the "Badger Challenge" winners. Those awards went to the men's and women's teams that exemplify commitment to developing the whole student-athlete. "Badger Challenge" components include academic achievement, athletic achievement, personal enhancement, on-campus learning, community outreach and SAAC and SAESO participation.  The two teams also received the "Team Impact" award.

Josh Gasser from men's basketball and Deme Morales from volleyball received the "Unsung Hero" award, while football's Kenzel Doe and Dare Ogunbowale received the "Beyond the Game Award of Excellance." A complete list of award winners is below.

Student-Athletes of the Year
Michael Lihrman - Men's Track & Field
Ivy Martin - Women's Swimming & Diving

Performance Award
(Nominated for their academic work and constant improvement)
Sam Dekker - Men's Basketball
Frank Kaminsky - Men's Basketball
Russ Sandvold - Men's Cross Country & Track and Field
James Adeyanju - Football
Ray Ball -Football
Terrance Floyd - Football
Peniel Jean - Football
Dallas Lewallen - Football
Tyler Marz - Football
Robert Jacobsen - Men's Golf
Carl Schneider - Men's Soccer
Michala Johnson - Women's Basketball
Dakota Whyte - Women's Basketball
Aaren Ziegler - Women's Golf
Karley Sylvester - Women's Hockey
Amanda Aiello - Women's Rowing
Laine Maher - Women's Rowing
Jenny Holtzen - Women's Swimming and Diving
Victoria Blake - Volleyball
Ellen Chapman - Volleyball
Courtney Thomas - Volleyball

Badger Challenge
(Teams that exemplify commitment to developing the whole student-athlete)
Men's Tennis
Women's Tennis

Team Impact Award
(Greatest number of community service hours divided by the number of student-athletes on the roster)
Men's Tennis  
Women's Tennis    

Beyond the Game Award of Excellence
Kenzel Doe - Football
Dare Ogunbowale - Football
   
Team Highest Cumulative GPA Award
Men's Tennis
Women's Golf
    
Remmington Scholars (2013-14)
(The graduating letterwinners, one male and one female student-athlete, with the highest cumulative GPAs)
Charles Clapp - Men's Rowing
Rebecca Stoebe - Women's Cross Country
    
Athletic Board Scholars
(Highest cume GPA for previous year, above sophomore standing, letterwinner, non grad student)
Josh Gasser - Men's Basketball
Joe McAsey - Men's Cross Country
Daniel Voltz - Football
Matthew Ross - Men's Golf
Aidan Cavallini - Men's Hockey
George Perrett - Men's Rowing
Adam Lauko - Men's Soccer
Nicholas Caldwell - Men's Swimming & Diving
Michael Sinha - Men's Tennis
Andrew Brekke - Men's Track & Field
Connor Medbery - Wrestling
AnnMarie Brown - Women's Basketball
Grace Meurer - Women's Cross Country
Kim Dinh - Women's Golf
Jennifer Ryan - Women's Hockey
Elizabeth Schoenfeldt - Women's Rowing
Alessandra Ruenger - Women's Lightweight Rowing
Jaclyn Gellings - Women's Soccer
Taylor-Paige Stewart - Softball
Madeline Hazle - Women's Swimming & Diving
Lauren Chypyha - Women's Tennis
Taylor Kirby - Women's Track & Field
Erin Juley - Volleyball

4.0 Recognition Award
Hanna Barton  - Women's Track & Field
Kim Dinh  - Women's Golf
Lianna Mack - Women's Cross Country
Kathryn Parks - Women's Rowing
Kayla Rasmussen - Women's Rowing

President's Award
(Honoring the SAAC and SAESO Presidents for their leadership)
Katie Delaney - Women's Swimming & Diving
Mark Nitka - Men's Rowing
    
Academic Momentum / Scholar Baller Award
(The National Consortium for Academics and Sport (NCAS) seeks to recognize student-athletes who have demonstrated significant academic improvement throughout their collegiate careers and celebrate them for having the ability to balance textbooks with playbooks)
Angela Boushea - Women's Track & Field
    
Unsung Hero
(Displays hard work, positive attitude and determination in athletics, the classroom, as well as the community - nominated by coaches then voted on by student-athlete population)
Josh Gasser - Men's Basketball
Deme Morales - Volleyball
    
Impact Award
(Highest number of community service hours per team)
Nigel Hayes - Men's Basketball
Austin Mudd - Men's Cross Country
Russ Sandvold - Men's Cross Country
Warren Herring, II - Football
Thomas O'Bryan - Men's Golf
Joel Rumpel - Men's Hockey
Graham Mink - Men's Rowing
Carl Schneider - Men's Soccer
Nicholas Schafer - Men's Swimming & Diving
Alexander Kokorev - Men's Tennis
Cooper Barth - Men's Track & Field
Ben Cox - Wrestling
AnnMarie Brown - Women's Basketball
Lianna Mack - Women's Cross Country
Kim Dinh - Women's Golf
Molly Doner - Women's Hockey
Kate Moy - Women's Rowing
Holly Heckendorf - Women's Soccer
Taylor Berry - Softball
Aja Van Hout - Women's Swimming & Diving
Lauren Chypyha - Women's Tennis
Jane McCurry - Women's Track & Field
Taylor Fricano - Volleyball

Chi Alpha Sigma (National Student-Athlete Honor Society)
George Perrett - Men's Rowing
Zachary Ruedinger - Men's Rowing
Joe McAsey - Men's Cross Country
Malachy Schrobilgen - Men's Cross Country
Aidan Cavallini - Men's Hockey
Adam Miller - Men's Hockey
Anders Kristensen - Men's Soccer
Adam Lauko - Men's Soccer
Nicholas Caldwell - Men's Swimming & Diving
Harrison Tran - Men's Swimming & Diving
Alexa Callahan - Women's Rowing
Sophie Carr - Women's Rowing
Audrey Dalgarno - Women's Rowing
Molly Donnellan - Women's Rowing
Andrea French - Women's Rowing
Tenzin Khangkar - Women's Rowing
Kelly Manion - Women's Rowing
Amanda Morris - Women's Rowing
Megan Perinovic - Women's Rowing
Helena Randle - Women's Rowing
Catherine Rosoff - Women's Rowing
Pamela Schommer - Women's Rowing
Lara Tiramani - Women's Rowing
Molly Hanson - Women's Cross Country
Grace Meurer - Women's Cross Country
Madeline Timm - Women's Cross Country
Ann-Renee Desbiens - Women's Hockey
Megan Miller - Women's Hockey
Jenny Ryan - Women's Hockey
Marisa Kresge - Women's Soccer
Molly Laufenberg - Women's Soccer
McKenna Meuer - Women's Soccer
Taylor Stewart - Softball
Jennah Haney - Women's Swimming & Diving
Madeline Hazle - Women's Swimming & Diving
Caroline Palm - Women's Swimming & Diving
Aja Van Hout - Women's Swimming & Diving
Lauren Chypyha - Women's Tennis
Franchesca Morris - Women's Track & Field