Local Athletes Honored With 2012 UWS Postseason Awards

June 14, 2012

Northland Sports Online

The University of Wisconsin-Superior athletic department has announced its 2011-12 departmental and team awards. Winners of the departmental awards were chosen by a vote of the Yellowjacket athletic staff, while coaches and team members voted for the individual team awards.

“The 2011-12 year was a successful one for us across the board, and that is all because of the hard work that our student-athletes and coaches put in,” athletics director Steve Nelson said. “From our academic performance to the job we did on the field, on the court, on the track and in the arena, everyone associated with our department can be proud of the job we did throughout the year.”

Yellowjacket Athletes of the Year: these awards recognize the male and female athletes who have displayed distinctive, unique or exceptional athletic accomplishments at UW-Superior. The men’s recipient for 2011-12 is men’s soccer defender Dan Warnke (Burnsville, Minn. /Burnsville), while the women’s selection was softball outfielder Taylor VanDamme (Superior, Wis. /Superior High School).

Mertz Mortorelli Award: this award recognizes a male student-athlete who has demonstrated the most dedication to his team. Warnke is the 2011-12 recipient.

Lydia Thering Award: this award recognizes a female student-athlete who has demonstrated the most dedication to her team. The 2011-12 honoree is women’s soccer standout Mandee Akason (Pine Island, Minn. /Pine Island).

Scholar-Athlete Award: these awards honor a male and female student-athlete who has displayed distinctive, unique or exceptional scholastic accomplishment at UW-Superior. Senior baseball pitcher Nick Bursik (Woodbury, Minn. /Stillwater) receives the men’s award, while women’s basketball senior Bri Davis (Hermantown, Minn. /Hermantown) will receive the women’s award.

Yellowjacket Award: this award recognizes a male and a female student-athlete who assisted the athletic department during his or her time as a Yellowjacket. Men’s basketball senior Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) is the men’s recipient, while volleyball senior Sarah Gruber (Belgrade, Minn./Belgrade) is the women’s recipient.

ward winners will be honored at the 2012 UW-Superior Hall of Fame banquet, to be held on Saturday, September 29 at Barkers Island Inn in Superior.

In addition, the individual teams have also announced their award winners for 2011-12.

Men’s Cross Country

Runner of the Year: Andy Kast (Andover, Minn. /Andover)

Most Improved Runner – Male: Brandon Haling (Janesville, Wis. /Joseph A. Craig)

Teammate of the Year – Male: Sam Paakkonen (Mountain Iron, Minn. /Mountain Iron-Buhl)

Women’s Cross Country

Female Runner of the Year: Christina Micheletti (Mason, Wis. /Drummond)

Most Improved Runner – Female: Samantha Anderson (Wrenshall, Minn. /Wrenshall)

Teammate of the Year – Female: Kristen Jasperson (Osceola, Wis. /Osceola)

Men’s Soccer

Most Improved: Alex Young (Woodbury, Minn. /Woodbury)

Offensive MVP: Eric Nilsen (Duluth, Minn. /Denfeld)

Defensive MVP: Dan Warnke (Burnsville, Minn. /Burnsville)

Women’s Soccer

MVP: Mandee Akason (Pine Island, Minn. /Pine Island)

Rookies of the Year: Alexandra Paige (Anaheim, Calif. /Loara), Katelyn Adams (Two Harbors, Minn. /Two Harbors)

Most Improved: McKenzie Krohn (Green Bay, Wis. /Luxemburg-Casco), Ana Morse (Duluth, Minn. /Duluth Central)

Golden Boot Award: Chelsea Cossin (Hermantown, Minn. /Hermantown)

Volleyball

Rookie of the Year: Keely Deadrick (Esko, Minn. /Esko)

Hustle Award: Farrah Wirtz (Esko, Minn. /Esko)

Leadership Award: Sarah Gruber (Belgrade, Minn. /Belgrade)

Men’s Basketball

MVP: Ben Aalfs (Hutchinson, Minn. /Hutchinson)

Most Improved Player: Brendan Bauer (Eleva, Wis. /Gilmanton)

Newcomer of the Year: Adam Hjelter (Hutchinson, Minn. /Hutchinson)

Defensive Player of the Year: Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Yellowjacket Award: Dustin Ritchie (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Women’s Basketball

MVP: Connie Urmanski (Edgar, Wis. /Edgar)

Best Defensive Player: Sally Linzmeier (Valders, Wis. /Valders)

Most Improved Player: Mariah Marcol (Dollar Bay, Mich. /Dollar Bay)

Men’s Hockey

MVP: Pat Dalbec (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Rookie of the Year: Cody Hotchkin (Duluth, Minn. /Denfeld)

Best Defensive Player: Pat Dalbec (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Most Dedicated: Ben Waalkens (Albert Lea, Minn. /Albert Lea)

Women’s Hockey

Co-MVP: Shanley Peters (Gnadenthal, Manitoba/Garden Valley Collegiate), Kaiti Graham (Middleville, Mich. /Thornapple Kellogg)

Most Dedicated: Ashlee Olson (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Rookie of the Year: Dani Schultz (Morris, Minn. /Morris Area)

Men’s Track and Field

Track Athlete of the Year: Matt Reijo (Oulu, Wis. /South Shore)

Field Athlete of the Year: Nils Hansen (Rib Lake, Wis. /Rib Lake)

Teammate of the Year: Kevin Griepentrog (Tigerton, Wis. /Tigerton)

Women’s Track and Field

Track Athlete of the Year: Traelynn Lewis (Camino, Calif. /El Dorado)

Field Athlete of the Year: Katie Capriglione (Culver, Minn. /Albrook)

Teammate of the Year: Christina Micheletti (Mason, Wis. /Drummond)

Softball

MVP: Ashlee Olson (Superior, Wis. /Superior Senior)

Offensive Player of the Year: Taylor VanDamme (Superior, Wis. /Superior High School)

Defensive Player of the Year: Chelsey Jarzin (Superior, Wis. /Superior High School)

The Yellowjacket baseball team will announce their award winners at their team banquet in September.

“I’m sincerely grateful to these people for all that they have done as Yellowjackets,” Nelson said. “They raised the bar with their performance athletically and in the classroom in 2011-12 and I look forward to seeing our group in 2012-13 continue the work that was started this year.”

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