Towson University announced a bevy of honors at its annual student-athlete awards banquet Monday evening, according to an athletic department release.
Junior golf standout Jeff Castle (Mount Hebron High) and junior gymnast Christina Ghani (Burke, Va.) took home honors as the University?s Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively.
Senior lacrosse standout Becky Trumbo (Liberty High) had a memorable night as well, closing out her Towson athletic career as the recipient of the Tiger Athletic Fund Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, and the Senior Female Athlete of the Year honor. Lawrence Hamm (Harrisburg, Pa.), a Tigers basketball forward, was named the Senior Male Athlete of the Year.
The Unsung Hero awards, named for Jack and Kathleen Hart, went to softball junior Jen Hastings (Delmar, Del.) and senior football lineman Joe Ripple (St. Leonard, Md.), respectively.
Ripple?s coach, Gordy Combs, was honored with the coach of the year awardfor men?s sports, and redshirt freshman quarterback Sean Schaefer (Northern) was named male rookie of the year.
Gymnastics coach Dick Filbert joined Ghani as award winners for the Tigers program, as he picked up the honor of coach of the year for women?s athletics.
Freshman Hilary Fratzke (Centreville, Md.) was named female rookie of the year, shortly after being honored by the CAA as rookie of the year in lacrosse.
Coppin Athletes Honored
Track star Nigel Leonce (Castries, St. Lucia) and basketball forward Sherrie Tucker (Philadelphia) were named Coppin State?s Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively, at the annual student-athlete banquet.
Rookie of the Year awards for male and female athletes went to basketball guard Tywain McKee (Philadelphia) and volleyball standout Brittany Arvin (Omaha, Neb.), according to a school release.
The baseball program?s Graham Johnson (Westbank, British Columbia) and women?s basketball and bowling performer Shaunita Middleton (Capitol Heights, Md.) were named President?s Eagle honorees.
Men?s tennis player Florin Celea (Craiova, Romania) and softball infielder Patricia Pabon (Bronx, N.Y.) were named winners of the Scholar Athlete Award.
Retriever senior chosen for award
Adam Blais (Westbrook, Maine), a Maryland-Baltimore County senior swimmer, was honored by the Maryland Association of College Directors of Athletics as the recipient of a post-graduate scholarship, according to a release from the UMBC athletic department.
A four-year competitor, Blais helped the Retriever?s 800-yard freestyle relay squad to victory at the 2006 America East Championships.
