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Ten up for 2010 Athlete of the Year

ATHLETICS UAA Media Relations

Ten up for 2010 Athlete of the Year

ANCHORAGE - Ten University of Alaska Anchorage student-athletes are in the running for the prestigious Athlete of the Year award for 2009-10. The nominees are Andreas Adde (men's skiing), Jaime Bronga (women's skiing), Elizabeth Chepkosgei (women's track & field), Marko Cheseto (men's cross country and track & field), Kevin Clark (hockey), Tamar Gruwell (women's basketball), Miriam Kipng'Eno (women's cross country), Calli Scott (volleyball), Brandon Walker (men's basketball) and Courtney Williams (gymnastics).
   
The 26th annual award will be presented April 23 at the Athlete of the Year banquet at Lucy Cuddy Hall on campus.

Adde, a freshman from Osteras, Norway, became the first Seawolf skier since 2005 to capture and individual NCAA title when he won the slalom at the NCAA Championships in March. Also an All-American in the giant slalom, Adde was the West Region GS champion, giving him four individual victories in his rookie campaign.

Bronga, a sophomore from Anchorage, was an All-American on the Nordic ski trails, earning an 8th-place finish in the 15-K freestyle race at NCAAs. The former East High star produced four top-10 finishes throughout the season and competed at the 2010 Olympic Trials at Kincaid Park.

Chepkosgei, a senior from Kapsabet, Kenya, was nominated for her 2009 track & field accomplishments after competing in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Championships. She was also an NCAA provisional qualifier in the 1500 meters and finished her career ranked in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's all-time top 10 in three events.

Cheseto, a junior from Kapenguria, Kenya, was nominated for both his 2009 track and 2010 cross-country exploits. Last May, he became the first Seawolf to earn All-America honors in two events at the same national meet, finishing fourth in the 5,000 and seventh in the 10,000. On the cross-country trails, he was the 2009 GNAC champion for the second straight season and became the first Seawolf to capture an individual West Region crown.

Clark, a senior from Winnipeg, Manitoba, paced the hockey team in seven categories, including the most goal for a Seawolf (23) since 1991-92. The winger finished in the top 20 on several UAA career list, including 13th in goals (51) and tied for eighth in games played (141).

Gruwell, a senior from Fairfield, Calif., earned Team MVP and 2nd Team All-GNAC honors after helping the Seawolves to a second-round NCAA berth and 24-5 record. The 5-8 guard averaged 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals in her final campaign and finished in the career top 5 on UAA's three-pointers made and percentage lists.

Kipng'Eno, a freshman from Eldoret, Kenya, earned All-America honors with a 14th-place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in the fall, helping UAA to a program-best 5th-place team result. The GNAC Freshman of the Year also earned All-GNAC and All-West Region honors, recording five top-10 finishes throughout the season.

Scott, a senior from Scottsdale, Ariz., captured honorable mention All-American, All-West Region and GNAC Player of the Year honors after leading the Seawolves to the best season in program history. The 5-8 setter averaged a GNAC-best 10.64 assists per game and finished as UAA's career record-holder in that category.

Walker, a junior from Hayward, Calif., was the Team MVP and a 1st-Team All-GNAC selection after helping the Seawolf men to a 17-10 overall record. The 6-3 guard averaged 15.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, posting nine efforts of 20 or more points.

Williams, a senior from Corpus Christi, Texas, was UAA's most consistent all-around performer throughout the season, capturing All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors. The 4-year letterwinner also earned her third career selection to the MPSF All-Academic Team.

The 2010 UAA Athlete of the Year is selected for excellence in the 2009-10 athletic campaign. However, because of calendar concerns, this will mark the fourth award that takes the previous year's track & field season into consideration.

The award is voted on by a committee comprised of UAA Athletics staff members, local media, and Benton Bay representatives.

Past UAA Athletes of the Year
Year  Winner              Sport               
2009  David Registe          Men's Track & Field
2008  Luke Cooper           Men's Basketball
2007  Rebecca Kielpinski      Women's Basketball
2006  Kemmy Burgess        Men's Basketball
2005  Mandy Kaempf         Women's Skiing/Cross Country Running
2004  Peter Bullock          Men's Basketball
2003  Tobias Schwoerer       Men's Skiing/Cross Country Running
2002  Tobias Schwoerer       Men's Skiing/Cross Country Running
2001  Ed Kirk               Men's Basketball
2000  Edda Mutter         Women's Skiing
1999  Jim Hajdukovich     Men's Basketball
1998  Zuzana Razusova     Women's Skiing
1997  Frode Lillefjell    Men's Skiing/Cross Country Running
(tie) Elena Tkacheva      Gymnastics
1996  Allegra Stoetzel    Women's Basketball
1995  Jason Kaiser        Men's Basketball
(tie) Karen Hoey          Gymnastics
1994  Kerry Robitaille    Gymnastics
1993  Jennie Szczerbinski Volleyball
1992  Jon Pauole          Swimming
1991  Paul Krake          Hockey
1990  Teri Frankie        Gymnastics
1989  Michael Johnson     Men's Basketball
1988  Robin Graul         Women's Basketball
1987  Hansi Gnad          Men's Basketball
1986  Teri Frankie        Gymnastics
1985  Tiina Kantola       Women's Skiing/Cross Country Running

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Players Mentioned

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

DIS
5' 4"
Sophomore
David Registe

David Registe

JMP/SPR
5' 11"
Sophomore
Marko Cheseto

Marko Cheseto

DIS
Sophomore
Calli Scott

#4 Calli Scott

S
5' 8"
Junior
Courtney Williams

Courtney Williams

5' 8"
Freshman
Jaime Bronga

Jaime Bronga

NOR
Freshman
Andreas Adde

Andreas Adde

ALP
Freshman
Ed Kirk

#22 Ed Kirk

G
6' 3"
Junior
Peter Bullock

#50 Peter Bullock

F
6' 6"
Freshman
Kemmy Burgess

#RS Kemmy Burgess

G
6' 1"
Senior
Luke Cooper

#14 Luke Cooper

G
6' 0"
Freshman
Brandon Walker

#22 Brandon Walker

G
6' 3"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

Elizabeth Chepkosgei

5' 4"
Sophomore
DIS
David Registe

David Registe

5' 11"
Sophomore
JMP/SPR
Marko Cheseto

Marko Cheseto

Sophomore
DIS
Calli Scott

#4 Calli Scott

5' 8"
Junior
S
Courtney Williams

Courtney Williams

5' 8"
Freshman
Jaime Bronga

Jaime Bronga

Freshman
NOR
Andreas Adde

Andreas Adde

Freshman
ALP
Ed Kirk

#22 Ed Kirk

6' 3"
Junior
G
Peter Bullock

#50 Peter Bullock

6' 6"
Freshman
F
Kemmy Burgess

#RS Kemmy Burgess

6' 1"
Senior
G
Luke Cooper

#14 Luke Cooper

6' 0"
Freshman
G
Brandon Walker

#22 Brandon Walker

6' 3"
Sophomore
G