University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOLS PRESENT ALL-SPORTS BANQUET AWARDS, NAME ACADEMIC ACHIEVERS
April 30, 2004 | Soccer
April 30, 2004
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The University of Tennessee Women's Athletics Department honored its teams, student-athletes, staff and volunteers for their athletics, academic and civic excellence at the All-Sports Picnic Thursday evening at the Tennessee Soccer Complex. Individuals honored at the function included Carl Hurst (Boost-Her Club President's Award), Chuck and Marion Long (Betsy Roberts/Chi Omega Boost-Her Club Hall of Fame Award), Tim Reese (On-Campus Volunteer of the Year), Nancy Starnes (Off-Campus Volunteer of the Year), senior guard LaToya Davis and junior diver Lauryn McCalley ("No Guts, No Glory" Award), McCalley (Marine Corps Collegiate Athletics Leadership Award), golf team captain Jessica Shepley (Howard Aldmon Award for Community Service) and junior rower Marissa Allen (Helen B. Watson Award for highest GPA). The Lady Vol Swimming and Diving squad also garnered the Community Service Team of the Year accolade.
Boost-Her Club President Award Winner Hurst has been involved with the Lady Vols for several years. This past year, Hurst served as president of the Boost-Her Club and his efforts in the position allowed the club to grow and prosper.
Lacy Manis and Margaret McFarland of Chi Omega presented the Betsy Roberts/Chi Omega Boost-Her Club Hall of Fame Award to the Longs for giving hours of thankless effort and support to the department. The Longs have been two of the Lady Vols' most supportive volunteers for many years. Chuck has served as president of the Boost-Her Club, worked as assistant chairman of the Lady Vol 5k Fund Run and held various jobs within the club itself. Marion has been in charge of the Ways and Means committee for many years and has been responsible for ordering and selling the Lady Vol Boost-Her Club merchandise at all home basketball games. Because of their commitment, the Boost-Her Club has turned thousands of dollars over to the scholarship fund. Chuck and Marion have given countless hours to the Lady Vols and have helped make the program what it is today.
On-Campus Volunteer of the Year Reese has been a vital member of the University of Tennessee since 1981 and is the first-and-only person to hold the position of Facility Manager of Thompson-Boling Arena. Reese and his crew work tirelessly to make sure that TBA is open and available to the women's athletics department for a variety of uses throughout the year.
Off-Campus Volunteer of the Year Starnes has been one of the Lady Vols' most supportive volunteers for many years. She has donated her time helping the ticket office with mailings in the spring and the fall. She has helped with ticket renewals in the office, served on several Boost-Her Club committees over the years and currently is serving as treasurer of the Boost-Her Club. For three years, she has been chairperson of the Lady Vol 5k Fund Run. Additionally, she has spent countless hours planning the fund run and securing sponsors.
"No Guts, No Glory" Award Winners Davis and McCalley both exhibited an incredible ability to step up in times of adversity for their respective teams.
Jan. 24, 2004 was a day of mixed emotions for the Lady Vol basketball team. Head Coach Pat Summitt's squad had just defeated then top-ranked Duke, 72-69, in front of a raucous, sold-out crowd at storied Cameron Indoor Stadium. In the process, however, the team sustained a blow when starting point guard Loree Moore suffered a season-ending injury to her left knee in the second half of the victory. It was clear that if Tennessee was going to reach the Final Four in New Orleans, someone would have to step up. That someone was Davis. Having spent much of the first three-and-a-half years of her Lady Vol career as a reserve, Davis made the most of the opportunity. After being awarded a starting slot on Feb. 8, a position she would not relinquish for the remainder of the season, the Forsyth, Ga., native proceeded to post averages of 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game en route to helping her team to its record 15th NCAA Final Four and seventh consecutive SEC regular-season championship. Highlighting the senior's final campaign was her performance in NCAA championship play, as she joined teammates Tasha Butts and Shyra Ely on the All-Midwest Regional Tournament Team.
Co-winner McCalley was rolling along through an incredible season in which she had already claimed nine individual event crowns before heading into the NCAA Zone B Championships at the Gabrielsen Natatorium in Athens, Ga. Unfortunately, adversity struck for the All-American when she went into her initial day of practice at the zone meet. During the practice round, McCalley cracked her ribs, an injury that made it extremely painful to twist and turn her upper torso. Regardless, the Moultrie, Ga., product proved her grit and determination by finishing out the rest of the season without publicizing the injury. Not only did she complete the NCAA Zone B Championships meet, she did so as a champion after claiming the 3m title to guarantee her place at the NCAA Championships in College Station, Texas. She then concluded the season by capturing her fourth and fifth All-America certificates. Her All-America haul of five awards also moved her past former Lady Vol divers Jane Anthony and Jaime Sanger into third for the most-honored orange-clad divers in the program's NCAA meet history.
McCalley earned her second award of the evening by collecting the Marine Corps Collegiate Athletic Leadership Award, which is presented to the student-athlete that most exemplifies selflessness, teamwork and leadership in both the academic and athletic arenas. The Marine Corps thrives on leadership, teamwork and selflessness. Special consideration is granted to candidates whose commitment to excellence helps to elevate the performance of others both on an off campus. McCalley consistently displayed those leadership and academic qualities on and off campus. The award was presented by First Lieutenant Jason Humble and Shawn Tweedell, the Marine Corps Officer Selection Officer for Tennessee.
The Howard Aldmon Award for Community Service is given each year in commemoration of the man who is considered to be the "Father of Women's Athletics" at The University of Tennessee. Dr. Aldmon emphasized service to both the University and the university community. Each year, Lady Volunteers perform more than 1,000 hours of community service. Student-athletes from each sport participate in numerous projects ranging from serving meals to the homeless, to being "celebrity readers" at elementary schools.
This year's recipient, Shepley, has taken time from her busy schedule and provided service to the Lady Vol golf pen pal program through the Katie Miller Home, the Johnson Group Home and Sarah Moore Green Elementary. Additionally, Shepley has become a Big Sister to a local eight-year old for a full year of companionship. She has also participated in the Lady Vol Fund Run in 2002 and 2003, gave away Thanksgiving baskets at the Center of Hope, provided skill guidance at an LPGA youth golf clinic, participated in the "Take Back the Night" walk for the Sexual Assault Crisis Center, gathered clothing to donate to the Sexual Crisis Assault Center and facilitated the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and her team in aiding the Salvation Army's Stuff-a-Stocking program.
During the 2003-04 academic year, members of the Lady Vol Swimming and Diving team excelled at being volunteers in every sense of the word. During this past year, the team contributed to the community in several outlets. Some of the events that the swimming and diving team participated in were the Fellowship Church Holiday Basket drive, Race for the Cure, Salvation Army's Stuff-a-Stocking, and Lady Vol Fund Run. Other community events included caroling at Shannondale Nursing Home, and volunteering at the Dogwood Arts Festival Parade, April Play Day and Camp Rainbow.
Allen captured the Helen B. Watson honor for highest GPA this year. The junior from Hendersonville, Tenn., currently holds a 4.0 grade point average in microbiology.
The event also featured the unveiling of the team nominees for the prestigious Alpha Omicron Pi Athlete of the Year award, to be presented at the conclusion of the spring sports schedule. The following student-athletes were nominated by each of their head coaches: 2003-04 Basketball Team (Basketball), Brooke Novak (Cross Country), Violeta Retamoza (Golf), Chelsea Pemberton (Rowing), Keeley Dowling (Soccer), Monica Abbott (Softball), Jacque Fessel (Swimming and Diving), Sabita Maharaj (Tennis), Nicole Cook or Dee Dee Trotter (Track and Field) and Kristen Andre (Volleyball).
The women's athletics department also honored all outgoing seniors for their impact on the program as a whole. Each senior received a Lady Volunteer Ring as their four-year letter award. The following graduating seniors were feted for their loyalty to UT: Tasha Butts, LaToya Davis, Ashley Robinson (Basketball), Mary Jan Fernandez and Tai Perry (Golf), Erin Artz, Nicole Bold, Lizzie Brown and Amy McIntosh (Rowing), Nikki Bratta, Marie-Eve Nault, Erica LaShomb, Carie Swibas, Tracy Swibas, Lindsey Wiest and Rhian Wilkinson (Soccer), Angela Brewer, Ellisha Humphrey, Lauren Mattox and Amber Rhinehart (Softball), Taryn Ternent and Kylee Wells (Swimming and Diving), Erin Cohn, Tammy Encina, Majen Immink and Melinda Morrow (Tennis), Kameisha Bennett, Lindsay Hyatt and Jessica Southers (Track and Field),
The University also announced the Lady Vol Academic Honor Roll at the picnic. A total of 95 scholar-athletes out of 220 total, who put together a grade point average over 3.0, earned a spot on the list: Tye'sha Fluker, Aubrey Guastalli, Dominique Redding, Sidney Spencer and Shanna Zolman (Basketball), Teesha Ash, Holly Cantwell, Golda Johansson, Violeta Retamoza and Jessica Shepley (Golf), Marissa Allen, Erin Artz, Andrea Bagwell, Kaitlin Bargreen, Laura Barton, Nicole Bold, Ashley Butturini, Caitlyn Cleary, McKenzie Craig, Stephanie Davis, Dana Forbes, Kristen Galloway, Briana Gonzales, Hillary Graber, Lindsey Groves, Heather Hill, Lindsay Jones, Olivia Marnell, Amy McCormick, Amy McIntosh, Rory Mohon, Molly Oellerich, Jessica Shreder, Lauren Wells and Stephanie Williams (Rowing), Melissa Amado, Nikki Bratta, Ali Christoph, Ashley Dawes, Sue Flamini, Jenny Jeffers, Kayla Lockaby, Kristin McGrath, Marie-Eve Nault, Emily Redberg, Carie Swibas, Tracy Swibas, Lindsey Wiest, Rhian Wilkinson and Talia Wright (Soccer), Kim Anders, Brittany Bessho, India Chiles, Ashley Cline, Kristi Durant, Lauren Mattox, Amber Rhinehart, Lindsay Schutzler and Cami Small (Softball), Betsy Brockman, Brittany Fulmer, Meghan Keefer, Lauryn McCalley, Abbi Terveer, Megan Tomes, Kylee Wells and Ashley Yeager (Swimming and Diving), Erin Cohn, Blakeley Griffith, Victoria Jones, Breanna Kray, Sabita Maharaj, Melinda Morrow and Ashley Robards (Tennis), Jessica Andrews, Megan Cauble, Nicole Cook, Katie Flaute, Antoinette Gorham, Felicia Guliford, Lindsay Hyatt, Tianna Madison, Carly Matthews, Lindsey McFarland, Jamie Rebella, Jessica Reust, Dee Dee Trotter, Caitlin Ward, Catherine Wright and Rachel Zamata (Track and Field), Sarah Blum, Jasmine Fullove, Morgan Miltner, Jennifer Rudy and Annie Sadowski (Volleyball).
