For Immediate Release: May 10, 2006
Contact: John Hartrick (hartrick@binghamton.edu)
Phone: 607-777-6800

BU honors its elite student-athletes at 59th Annual Varsity Awards Banquet
Athletes of Year, Senior Award winners highlighted at Events Center ceremony

VESTAL, N.Y. - Binghamton University honored its student-athletes at the 59th Annual Varsity Awards Program Wednesday night at the Events Center. More than 400 students, staff, parents and supporters were on hand as the athletics department unveiled its 2005-06 award winners.

"I can't tell you how frequently I hear compliments about your achievements - in sports competition, academics and also your work in the community," University President Lois B. DeFleur said to the student-athletes in her opening remarks. "People appreciate your hard work, discipline and training. We are very proud of all of you."

The major award winners included Athletes of the Year Katie Radzik (freshman cross country runner), Zach Groh (sophomore baseball pitcher) and David Holmes (junior swimmer). Seniors earning recognition for their career accomplishments and leadership were basketball player Rachel Laws, soccer player Meghan Taylor, track athlete Hasani Hampden and soccer player Graham Munro.

Highlights of the 2005-06 year included two teams advancing to the NCAA tournament (volleyball and golf), one All-American (soccer player Graham Munro), three America East Coaches of the Year (volleyball coach Glenn Kiriyama, men's swimming and diving coach Patrice Back, women's tennis coach Mike Stevens) and 47 all-conference athletes (not including baseball). Binghamton currently ranks second in the America East in the Commissioner's Cup (behind Boston University) - a competition that assigns points based on conference placement in each sport.

"We wish the seniors all the best," Director of Athletics Joel Thirer said. "Your tireless dedication to your sport, your teammates, your coaches and this University has been remarkable. You will always be part of the Bearcat family."

The full list of award winners is below.

2005-06 Athletes of the Year

WOMEN - Katie Radzik (Fr., Cross Country)
Radzik put together the best season of any runner in BU’s Division I era. She earned all-region honors by finishing 23rd out of 224 runners at the NCAA Regional. She recorded the highest finish of any BU runner - male or female - at the America East Championship by placing third. Radzik also finished third at the ECAC Championship, leading the Bearcats to a program-best second place team standing. She won two meets during the season and was BU’s top finisher in every meet.

MEN (co-winners) - Zach Groh (So., Baseball)
Groh leads the entire nation in earned run average. He has allowed just five earned runs all spring and at one point, didn’t allow an earned run in 42 consecutive innings, spanning seven games. A frontrunner for America East Pitcher of the Year honors, Groh leads the conference in seven pitching categories, including strikeouts, fewest runs and hits per game and opponents’ batting average. He ranks among the national leaders in strikeouts with an average of 10 per game, and is also a candidate for the Roger Clemens Award as the top pitcher in the country.

MEN (co-winners) - David Holmes (Jr., Swimming)
Holmes produced an exceptional junior season in 2005-06. In 33 races throughout the year, he was beaten by just one opponent. He went on to produce six school records, seven America East records, seven conference wins and in his final meet of the season, was named ECAC Swimmer of the Meet after totalling six wins. Holmes led the men’s team to a 9-2 record and runnerup honors at the America East Championship.

2006 Jake Pitler Award
(In honor of the ideals and values espoused by the late Jake Pitler, former coach of the Brooklyn Dodgers and lifelong Binghamton resident, the award is presented to a graduating senior male who has contributed significantly to the athletics program. It is based on career athletic achievement, leadership.)

Hasani Hampden (Sr., Track & Field)
Hampden was a four-year track letterwinner and two-time captain who will conclude his outstanding career at the NCAA East Regional. A two-time America East champion, this sprinter and hurdler led the men’s team to a third place finish at last weekend’s conference championship. Off the track, he has been a member of SAAC and the Intercollegiate Athletics Board, as well as several on-campus organizations. Hampden recently was selected as an Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar-Athlete and also was a member of the America East Winter Academic Team.

2006 Jessie A. Godfrey Award
(This award is presented to a graduating senior woman who has contributed significantly to the athletics program. It is based on career athletic achievement, leadership, and other meaningful contributions to the University, and is named in honor of renowned athletics administrator and Hall of Fame member Jessie Godfrey, who served this University and its athletes for 32 years.

Meghan Taylor (Sr., Soccer)
Taylor was a four-year starting defender with the women’s soccer team. She was a two-time all-region selection and twice was named first team all-conference. She was named championship MVP after guiding the Bearcats to the 2004 America East title and subsequent NCAA berth. Taylor scored the game-winning goal in the championship game and anchored a defense that ranked among the nation’s best.

2006 John Bilos Alumni Awards (male and female)
(Honoring the memory of John Bilos, Class of 1950, the John Bilos award is presented to a graduating senior male and female who have shown significant career performances in athletics.)

FEMALE - Rachel Laws (Sr., Basketball)
Laws is the only basketball player at Binghamton to have been named all-conference three consecutive years as well as first-team all-conference twice. She finished her Binghamton career with 1,246 points, the fifth most points in school history, and 624 rebounds, the ninth most in school history. She capped her career with an appearance on the America East Conference All-Tournament Team this past March. In addition, Laws is an Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar-Athlete recipient who has donated countless hours volunteering in the community.

MALE - Graham Munro (Sr., Soccer)
Munro has been one of the driving forces behind the men’s soccer team’s dramatic turnaround the past four seasons. He is the only player in the America East to have attained first-team all-conference honors the last four seasons and has been named the America East Defender of the Year the past three years. A three-time all-region selection, Munro capped his career by being named third-team All-America by College Soccer News this past fall. With this athlete on the back line, the Bearcats advanced to the past three America East Championship Games and he was named to the All-Tournament team in each of those seasons. This past March, he was selected in the third round of the Major Indoor Soccer League Draft by the Baltimore Blast.

TEAM Most Valuable Players
Baseball - TBA
Men's Basketball - Andre Heard
Women's Basketball - Rachel Laws
Men's Cross Country - Adam Hill
Women's Cross Country - Katie Radzik
Golf - Jeff Wolniewicz
Men's Lacrosse - Kevin McKeown
Women's Lacrosse - Lauren Wetherell
Men's Soccer - Graham Munro
Women's Soccer - Meghan Taylor
Softball - Rose Barre
Men's Swimming & Diving - David Holmes
Women's Swimming & Diving - Eden Payabyab
Men's Tennis - Brian O'Connor
Women's Tennis - Lya Kushnirovich
Men's Track & Field - Hasani Hampden
Women's Track & Field - Kim Williams
Volleyball - Katie Brody
Wrestling - Nate Patterson