(Posted May 2, 2006)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. - A total of Juniata College 21 student-athletes were honored at the 10th Mailand McIlroy Athletics Awards Ceremony on Sunday evening held in Oller Hall. McIlroy worked at the Huntingdon Daily News for 41 years and was the sports editor for the local newspaper for 37 of those years. "Mac", who died on April 1, 1998, was a friend and confidante to many Juniata coaches and athletes during five decades of covering sports on College Hill. Each team's most valuable player award winners were announced, while the recipients of the "Big Five" senior awards (Stanford Mickle, Charles Bargerstock, Carolyn Stambaugh, William R. Smaltz and John E. Blood) were also recognized.

Senior Nikki McLellan (Parkland/Lake Forest, Ca.) was the recipient of the Charles Bagerstock '47 Award for the Most Outstanding female athlete, while she was also the most valuable player award for the women's soccer team. McLellan ranks as the most productive player in the history of the women's soccer program as she holds the Juniata career records for goals, points and assists. She also holds the single-season Juniata records in each of those categories, and is the only Juniata women's soccer player to receive All-Conference recognition each of her four seasons. She established the new career records as she scored 12 goals with five assists in her senior season. The 12 goals matched the program record for most goals in a season.

On the men's side, senior baseball player Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) received the Stanford Mickle Award for the Most Outstanding Male Athlete. He has enjoyed a stellar career on the diamond for Juniata as he is a two-time All-Conference player and has established several new Juniata baseball records. This season he has a .295 batting average and ranks third on the team in both home runs (5) and RBI (35). Over his career he ranks second in Juniata history with 119 RBI and is also in the career top-five in home runs, hits, runs and doubles. Goedkoop was an All-Region selection in his junior year, and was also a member of the ESPN The Magazine College Division Academic All-America Baseball Team.

Senior cross country and track and field performer Katey Glunt (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) was also a double winner during the ceremony. She claimed the John E. Blood Award which is given to a senior athlete who has made an outstanding contribution to athletics while maintaining a superior grade point average and was also the recipient of the William Ferrier '60 women's cross country MVP award. Glunt claimed All-Region honors each of the past two seasons at the NCAA Mid-East Regional Cross Country Championships, including her career-best 23rd-place finish at the meet this past season. She also holds two Juniata records in track and field. She was selected as the MAC Women's Cross Country Scholar Athlete this year, and last year was an Academic All-District selection.

The William R. Smaltz Award, presented to a senior male athlete who has demonstrated hard work and perseverance throughout his career was awarded to senior men's basketball player Travis Boyd (Juniata Valley/Barree). Boyd was a four-year starter for the Juniata basketball team and overcame numerous injuries to enjoy a productive career for the Blue and Gold. He led the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks and three-point shooting in his senior year, and was also the team's leading scorer and rebounder as a junior. He closed his career with more than 875 points, and more than 475 rebounds while knocking down 154 three-point field goals, which ranks fourth in Juniata history.

Senior swimmer Kim Dierolf (Boyertown/Barto) was the recipient of the Carolyn Stambaugh Memorial Award which is presented to a female senior athlete who has demonstrated Carolyn's values of winning attitude, self-confidence, concern for others, high sense of values and enthusiasm for life. Dierolf helped Juniata to its third-consecutive third-place team finish at the MAC Championships. She set a new school record in the mile at the conference championships and earned first-team All-Conference honors with her second-place finish at the event. She accumulated a career-best 43.5 points at the conference championships in her senior year. One of the team captains she was a leader for the team in and out of the pool.

Senior linebacker Peter Thomas (Mechanicsburg/Mechanicsburg) was tabbed as the Dr. J. Harold Engle '23 Most Valuable Back for the Juniata football team. A four-year starter for the Blue and Gold, he ranked among the conference leaders in tackles in each of his four years, and posted a team-best 109 stops in his senior campaign. He also led the team with 10 tackles for a loss, and added an interception and two forced fumbles.

Senior defender Robert Bowser (Dallastown/York) was awarded with the Fran Zimmerman '54 Most Valuable Men's Soccer Player honor. A four-year starter, Bowser moved to a defensive position for his senior season, and helped Juniata limit opponents to a 1.82 goals against average. He also produced a goal and two assists in his final season. The Dr. Thomas Robinson Field Hockey Most Valuable Payer Award went to senior Elise Zimmerman (Cumberland Valley/Boiling Springs). She earned the first All-Region honors of her career in her senior season, and was also an All-Conference choice. The midfielder was second on the team in both goals (4) and assists (4) and also had a team-high three defensive saves.

Junior women's volleyball player Stephanie Kines (Towson/Towson, Md.) was tabbed as the winner of the Most Valuable Player Award in memory of Arthur Evans. She earned AVCA All-America honors for the second time in her career, and was also the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year for the first time. She led Juniata in total blocks and serve aces, while ranking second on the team in kills, and hitting percentage. Senior Chris Sheaffer (Central York/York) claimed the C. Clifford Brown Men's Cross Country MVP for the second time in his career. Sheaffer was Juniata's top finisher in each race for Juniata during the fall, including All-Conference and All-Region finishes. He narrowly missed becoming the first Juniata runner to earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Championships with his 23rd-place finish at the NCAA Mid-East Regional. Rounding out the most valuable player awards for the fall was freshman Ashley Andrews (Altoona/Altoona) who received the J. M. Haskell '65 Women's Tennis Most Valuable Player Award. In her first season, she was selected as the Conference Rookie of the Year and an All-Conference choice as she claimed a team-high eight singles wins playing at the first singles position.

Another pair of seniors were picked for the respective men's and women's basketball most valuable awards. The Jack Oller award to the men's MVP was awarded to Tommy McConnell (Bishop Guilfoyle/Hollidaysburg) who earned the first All-Conference recognition of his career in his senior campaign. He set a new career high with 100 assists on the season, leaving him in third place in Juniata history in career assists, while he ranked third on the team in scoring. Senior Katie O'Brien (South Western/Hanover) captured the Gale Wampler Pollock Women's Basketball MVP Award after also earning All-Conference for the first time. She paced Juniata in rebounds and blocked shots, and also averaged double figures in scoring. She posted double-doubles in each of Juniata's last three games of the season. Junior swimmer Amy Sutherland (Norwich/Norwich, N.Y.) was selected as the Women's Swimming Most Valuable Player as she piled up 65.5 points in helping Juniata place third at the MAC Championships. A versatile swimmer, she holds the school record in the 200 backstroke, and ranks in the Juniata all-time top-10 in 10 of 14 individual events.

Another senior highlighted the spring sport honorees as Neil Eicher (Altoona/Altoona) was selected as the MVP of the men's tennis program. Eicher claimed All-Conference honors for the third time in his career as he helped the Eagles earn a program-record 13 victories, and reach the Commonwealth Conference postseason for the first time. He had 10 singles wins and 10 doubles victories playing at the number-one position in both singles and doubles. The Charlie Goodale '39 Most Valuable Baseball Player Award was given to senior outfielder David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville). He has established new Juniata career records in both hits and runs scored during his senior season, and currently ranks in the top three on the team this season in hits, runs, home runs, RBI and stolen bases. Senior Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) claimed the softball MVP honor which was donated by Judith Rogers Pheasant '65. She enjoyed a solid senior campaign both pitching and hitting for the Blue and Gold. She led the team in wins and strikeouts as a pitcher, and was also tops on the team in hits and runs scored offensively.

On the track, junior Randy Anderson (DuBois/DuBois) was the recipient of the J. Foster Gehrett Most Valuable Player award. He won two events at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, and has set a new school record in the 100 in the outdoor season. He is currently ranked in the top-10 in NCAA Division III in the 100. Freshman Kelsey Buffenmyer (Donegal/Mount Joy) was the MVP pick on the women's side for the Juniata track and field team. She was the Rookie of the Year at the MAC Indoor Championships, and has already set one school record in her first season. She has qualified to compete in numerous events at the upcoming MAC Outdoor Championships. Junior Jeremy Barndt (Souderton/Souderton) captured the Mike Wojcik '87 Most Valuable Player Award for the men's volleyball team. Barndt was an EIVA All-East and an AVCA Division III All-American on the season and helped Juniata to its third-consecutive Molten Division III National Championship. He led the team in blocks and hitting percentage and ranked third in both kills and serve aces. Senior Rachel Jones (Central Dauphin/Harrisburg) was picked as the outstanding cheerleader award winner.

###

Our readers respond...

Be the first to provide a response.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.