2005-06 Guilford College Athletic Department Awards

  • GUILFORD STUDENT-ATHLETES RECOGNIZED AT YEAR-END BANQUET

 

      Greensboro, NC (6/20/06) -- Guilford College released its 2005-06 year-end athletic awards list Wednesday. Five departmental award winners nominated and selected by the school's athletic department were recognized at an April 23 banquet that featured remarks from University of South Carolina men's basketball coach Dave Odom '65.

      The women's swimming team received Guilford's Dean's Award for Academic Excellence thanks to the squad's outstanding classroom performance. Coach Steve Kaczmarek had 13 of 20 students named to Guilford's Spring Student-Athlete Honor Roll, including nine dean's list honorees and six Academic All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) selections.

Jeff Arzonico Ben Strong Chris Barnette Jennifer King Charlie Stroup

Senior Jeff Arzonico won the Quaker Club Ideal Student-Athlete and Guilford's Outstanding Sport Management Major awards. A three-year starter on the baseball team, Arzonico hit .324 in 2006 and ranked fourth on the club with 48 hits, including a personal-best 15 extra-base hits. He topped the ODAC with 16 sacrifice bunts and tied for sixth in the league with 14 doubles. Arzonico completes his Guilford career with a .341 batting average, 147 hits, 87 RBIs and 27 doubles. Each figure ranks among the top-15 spots on the Quakers' career lists.

Sophomore Ben Strong received the George Wynne Most Improved Student-Athlete Award. Strong, a 6-10 center, this season became Guilford's first men's basketball student-athlete to earn First Team All-ODAC honors. Also an all-region selection, he captured three ODAC Player of the Week Awards, the most in school history. Strong led the ODAC in scoring (18.9 ppg) and blocked shots (1.93 bpg), ranked fourth in field-goal percentage (.560) and eighth in rebounds (6.6 rpg). He paced the Quakers in all of the aforementioned categories and had the highest point (509) and field-goal (195) season totals in Guilford's NCAA Division III history.

Junior Chris Barnette received the Best Male Athlete Award and the football team's Most Valuable Offensive Player prize. Barnette, a 2005 Second Team Football Gazette All-America pick, shared the NCAA lead (all divisions) with 10.1 catches per game. He also earned third team All-South honors from D3football.com. The 6-0, 175-pound receiver set ODAC and school records with 101 receptions, another NCAA high (all divisions). The 2005 First Team All-ODAC pick had six games with at least 10 catches and recorded a school-best 1,369 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. Barnette ranked second among Division III leaders in receiving yards per game (136.9). He helped Guilford (5-5) enjoy its best season since 1997.

Guilford's coaches tabbed senior Jennifer King as the school's Best Female Athlete. She finished her career as Guilford's third all-time leading basketball scorer with 1,601 points in 106 games. The Quakers' career leader in three-pointers (166) and three-point attempts (544), she is Guilford's third women's basketball student-athlete to compile 1,500 points and 500 rebounds in her career. A two-time All-ODAC selection, King also ranks among Guilford's all-time leaders in free throws (2nd), free-throw percentage (4th), steals (4th), assists (5th) and rebounds (10th). She finished her four-year softball career with a .273 batting average, 16 doubles and 18 stolen bases in 107 games. King set the school record for sacrifice bunts in her career (19) and ranks second in stolen bases. Her batting average ranks fifth all time at Guilford.

Senior Charlie Stroup won the Richard Joyce Sportsmanship Award. Earlier this year he won the Nereus C. English '26 Athletic Leadership Award, the college's highest honor for athletic ability and leadership. Stroup was a four-year football letter winner who played linebacker and on special teams. He enjoyed his best season last fall with a career-high 44 tackles (25 solo) in 10 games and won the Quakers' Most Valuable Defensive Player Award. Stroup concluded his Guilford career with 112 tackles and two fumble recoveries in 39 games. Off the field, Stroup served on Guilford's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and was a five-time member of the school's Student-Athlete Honor Roll.

The following team awards were presented at the banquet or at the conclusion of the season:


Baseball
Most Valuable Pitcher: Dave Whigham
Gold Glove Award: Ricky Seabolt
McBane Hitting Award: Rob Bittner


Men's Basketball
Free Throw Award: L.T. Lockett
Coaches Award: Caleb Kimbrough


Women's Basketball
Most Valuable Player: Jennifer King
Coaches Award: Dionne Graham


Men's Cross Country
Most Valuable Runner: Kevin Smith
Most Improved Runner: Brett McDonough


Women's Cross Country
Most Valuable Runner: Laurie Henninger
Most Improved Runner: Keri Stodolski


Football
Golden Helmet Award: Kyle Kiser
Most Valuable Defensive Player: Charlie Stroup

Most Valuable Offensive Player: Chris Barnette


Golf
Most Valuable Player: Joseph Poplin

Women's Lacrosse
Rookie of the Year: Carolyn Rodda
Unsung Hero: Billie Pellerito
Coaches' Award: Caryn Stone


Softball
Most Improved Player: Ciara Locklear
Most Valuable Player: Kelly Guarnieri
Diamond Award: Kelly Hale


Women's Swimming
MVP Award: Dana Putney
Most Dedicated Award: Amanda Oehlert
Spirit Award: Lauren Truelove
 

Women's Tennis
Most Valuable Player: Song an Nguyen
Most Improved Player: Hilary Routon
 

Volleyball
Best Offensive Player: Brittani Leathern
Best Defensive Player: Kaci Loeffler
Most Improved Player: Courtney Lute
Best All Around Player: Emily Becher