Record Number Honored At 2009 Hanzad Scholar-Athlete Celebration
A nearly 13 percent increase resulted in a record number of San Jose State University Scholar-Athletes recognized at the 2009 Hanzad Scholar-Athlete Celebration.
San Jose, Calif.-----A record number 159 San Jose State University student-athletes were recognized for academic success and excellence at the 2009 Arm & Pat Hanzad Scholar-Athlete celebration held at The Event Center. The Office of the President and Ditech Networks sponsored the celebration.
Student-athletes who earned a cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 or higher on a 4.00 scale for the 2008-09 academic year were eligible for recognition from the University's athletics department.
"Truly, the Culture of Champions begins in the classroom regardless what others say about wins and losses. The most important thing we do today is honor the Culture of Champions - the academic champions, the one reason that student-athletes matter. 'Student' always comes before the word 'athlete,' said director of athletics Tom Bowen. "Today's a day I feel 10-feet tall. I'm so proud of these young men and women, so proud of the assistant coaches and head coaches, and the support staff that this is the greatest day to be athletics director at San Jose State."
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BY THE NUMBERS
The 159 exceeds the previous high of 152 Scholar-Athletes honored for the 2005-06 year and represents a 12.8 percent increase over the 2007-08 academic year.
Among the scholar-athletes honored, 107 also received academic All-Conference honors from the Western Athletic Conference or the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. These scholar-athletes maintained a 3.00 or better cumulative grade-point average and participated in at least 50 percent of their team's contests during the academic year.
STANDOUT SCHOLAR-ATHLETES
Shanice Howard of the gymnastics team; Bridget McKee and Kelly Stewart, water polo; Kanika Minocha, golf; and Olivia Marshall, women's tennis, were cited as the five female student-athletes with the highest grade-point average. Baseball players Karson Klauer and Jack Adams; Hiroki Akiyama, soccer and Tyler Cope and Marcos Garces, football, registered the top-five grade-point averages among the six men's sports teams. Akiyama earned the lofty distinction for the fourth consecutive academic year. For Klauer, McKee and Minocha, it was their third time in as many years. Howard had the best grade-point average among the female student-athletes; Klauer, for the male student-athletes.
Pitcher Steve Connolly, tennis player Sanda Hadzisabic and Justin Paysinger of the football team were cited for exemplary success as graduate students.
Akiyama, gymnasts Alise Blackwell; women's cross country runners Victoria Chavez and Jenna Hicks; Britaany Collet, Nia Freeman, and Thao Pham, volleyball; golfers Aaron Conrad and Erica Moston; Silvana Dukic and Amber Silverstone, women's tennis; Aaron Gilbert, Travis Jones and Chris Reese, football; pitcher Tyler Greene; Lauren Moniz, women's soccer; Juliet Moss, water polo; swimmers Katey Nelson and Tarolyn Robertson; and Natalie White, women's basketball, were the 21 recipients of the Arm & Pat Hanzad Awards for earning scholar-athlete status in each of their four or five years as San Jose State University students.
TOP TEAMS
The women's golf team received the Order of Sparta Team GPA Award for the highest combined team grade-point average for the fall and spring semesters. Golf and cross country were cited as the best women's and men's teams academically, respectively, and received the Athletics Board's Best Academic Performance Awards. The women's soccer, gymnastics, women's tennis, water polo, volleyball and women's cross country teams received honorable mention recognition for team grade-point averages above 3.00 each semester.
Softball received the school's Athletics Board's Most Improved Academic Performance Award.
MORE RECOGNITION
The Athletics Board named women's soccer head coach Jeff Leightman and football assistant coach Kinji Green Head Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year, respectively.
The Athletics Board also conveyed to outgoing football coach Dick Tomey The Academic Vision and Performance Award recognizing his dedication to the importance of academics and academic achievement. Additionally, a new award named after him, the Dick Tomey Class Act Award, will be given annually to the top male and female student-athlete who best exemplifies the combination of academics, athletics, community service and school spirit.