SYRACUSE, NY -- The
2008 ‘Cuse Awards showcased academic and athletic talents and community
service outreach within the University community, as well as the
neighboring community, and recognized many outstanding achievements
from 2007-08. Orange student-athletes took center stage to celebrate
the extraordinary athletic, academic and community service achievements
of Syracuse University Athletics at the Landmark Theater on April 29 at
the 'Cuse Awards, presented by TK-99, the flagship radio station of
Syracuse Athletics. The 2008 Soladay
Award, the most prestigious honor bestowed upon a student-athlete at
Syracuse University, was presented to track & field student-athlete
Jillian Drouin and lacrosse student-athlete Mike Leveille. Presented
annually to one male and one female senior student-athlete, the Soladay
Award recognizes outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments,
University/community service and leadership. The award is named for the
late Doris Soladay, who served as SU’s Associate Director of Athletics
from 1975 through 1995. The first Syracuse
multi-event student-athlete to earn All-America accolades, Drouin
finished third in the heptathlon at the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championship.
She is a three-time BIG EAST Champion in the high jump, pentathlon and
heptathlon, and a four-time All-conference performer. Drouin owns three
Syracuse school records in the pentathlon, heptathlon and outdoor high
jump. The 2007-08 BIG
EAST Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year, Drouin is a Syracuse
University Remembrance Scholar and 2006-07 Academic All-America Second
Team honoree. A three-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star, Drouin has been
on the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll every semester at Syracuse. She
is a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society and Phi Beta
Delta – an honor society of international scholars. Drouin is the
president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and
Student-Athletes Across Borders and is the vice president of the
Student Peace Action Network. In addition, she has served on several
University planning committees, including the “Take Back the Night” and
“Ten Tons of Love” programs. Leveille is one of
22 nominees for the 2008 Tewaaraton Trophy, presented to the nation’s
most outstanding lacrosse player. He ranks in the top 10 nationally in
points per game (4.7), goals per game (2.8) and assists per game (1.9)
and leads the Orange in points (61), goals (36) and assists (25).
Leveille has registered at least one point in each of his last 52
games, the second-longest active scoring streak in the country and
fifth-longest in school history. Leveille ranks 15th on SU’s career
goals record list (119), 16th on assist record list (74) and 16th in scoring (193 points). One of 10 finalists
for the national 2008 Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, Leveille owns a
cumulative GPA of 3.8 in accounting. A two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Team selection, he has been named to the SU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in every semester. The other nominees for the prestigious Soladay award included Ryan Armstrong (crew), Brad Peetoom (soccer), Kristin Brady (lacrosse), Allison Doodeman (rowing), Joscie Kaup (volleyball), Gloria Nantulya (field hockey) and Jennifer Taormina (soccer). The ‘Cuse Awards program included live musical performances by Syracuse student-athletes Jake Flaherty (football) and Skyy Simmons (track and field), who performed Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar”, and Divinia Davis, accompanied by Kristin Brady
(women’s lacrosse) on piano and Chris Mandry on drums, who performed
Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time”. In addition, Orange Appeal, an
SU men’s a cappella group, entertained the audience with a medley of
“Stand by me” and “Beautiful Girls”. The Sour Sitrus Society also
performed prior to the show. The event also
recognized the best that the Syracuse athletics had to offer. The men’s
lacrosse team earned the award for Team of the Year, edging out field
hockey, men’s crew, women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse. Head coaches Ange Bradley (field hockey) and Quentin Hillsman
(women’s basketball) shared Coach of the Year honors. Both Bradley and
Hillsman were honored as 2007-08 BIG EAST Coach of the Year in their
respective sports. The other nominees for Coach of the Year included
John Desko (men’s lacrosse), Gary Gait (women’s lacrosse), Chris Fox (cross country/track & field) and Dave Reischman (men’s crew). The Male Athlete of the Year was bestowed upon Leveille, while Drouin (track & field) and Katie Rowan (lacrosse) shared the Female Athlete of the Year honor. Basketball point guard Jonny Flynn was named the 2008 Rookie of the Year. The nominees for the Male Athlete of the Year included Armstrong, Mike LeBlanc (track & field), Jeff Scull (track & field) and Hansen Woodruff (soccer), while the nominees for Female Athlete of the Year included Doodeman, Kaup and Amy Kelley (softball). The Performance of
the Year awards went to Drouin for her pentathlon title at the BIG EAST
Indoor Championship, where she was named the meet’s Most Outstanding
Field Performer. The other nominees for the award included women’s
basketball’s Fantasia Goodwin, Kelley, LeBlanc and Rowan. The Best Dramatic Performance went to volleyball coach Jing Pu, who beat out men’s basketball coach Jim Boeheim, women’s basketball coach Quentin Hillsman and men’s lacrosse coach John Desko. In addition, basketball standouts Jonny Flynn and Donte Greene took home the Move of the Year honor, women’s basketball guard Erica Morrow was honored with the Shot of the Year award, and men’s lacrosse standout Steven Brooks won Play of the Year accolades.
The Orange football
victory at nationally-ranked Louisville earned the award for Game of
the Year, while the women’s basketball team was recognized as the Most
Improved Team. The 2008 ‘CUSE Challenge Award went to the field hockey
squad, while the women’s lacrosse team won the 2008 ‘CUSE Cares Award. The department also handed out the Syracuse 8 Courage Award to women’s basketball standout Fantasia Goodwin.
In November, 2006, the University honored the Syracuse 8, who is a
group of African-American student-athletes who had the courage to stand
up for their convictions. To honor these brave men and the important
contributions they made in the university quest to achieve diversity
and understanding, the athletic department has created the award of
courage. This award is
presented annually to a student-athlete who has overcome a socially,
economically or otherwise disadvantaged background or serious injury
and, in the opinion of his or her coaches and teammates, has
demonstrated uncommon bravery or highly principled behavior in the face
of adversity. Moreover it is awarded to that athlete,
regardless of race, color or gender, whose actions, like the actions of
the men in whose honor this award is being made, both reflect these
values and a commitment to sportsmanship and academic achievement.
Authentic Licensed Merchandise
Official Syracuse University Athletics highlights 2007-08 accomplishments at the 'Cuse Awards Store with merchandise for women, men, infant and baby toddler.
The 2008 ‘Cuse Awards showcased academic and athletic talents and community service outreach.
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