May 7, 2009

Pocatello, ID - Pocatello's Matt Stucki took home four honors at the 57th Annual Sam Bennion Athletic Awards Banquet, earning two awards in men's basketball, including co-MVP honors, and two academic awards. The awards were handed out on Thursday night at the Holiday Inn in front of a standing room only crowd. The night's highest honors, the Big Sky Scholar-Athlete Awards, were too close to call heading into finals week, so five nominees were honored.

The Sam Bennion Athletic Awards Banquet was once again sponsored by the Bennion family in honor of longtime ISU booster Sam Bennion. Bennion had attended the first 53 Banquets before passing away nearly four years ago. In all, 39 individual awards were given out to student-athletes for Idaho State's 15 varsity sports, plus cheerleading and strength and conditioning awards.

Stucki, from Pocatello, Idaho, was an all-conference performer and ISU's second leading scorer last year. He earned co-MVP honors in men's basketball for the second straight year, and he earned the team's Bengal Pride award. Stucki, who earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors the week his son was born during the season, earned one of the three Athletic Advisory Board Academic Achievement Awards and is one of two nominees for the Big Sky Male Scholar-Athlete Award, along with Levi Keller from the men's outdoor track.

The Big Sky Female Scholar-Athlete Award is a toss-up between three student-athletes. Michelle Grohs and Jenna Brown, both from women's basketball, are nominees along with Jana Davis-Boehler from soccer, who finished her career this year, although she has a year of eligibility remaining, but is graduating. The three women's student-athletes through the winter semester have grade point averages within 0.035 of each other, and on the men's side, the difference is 0.058 points. Whitney Chaffe of the softball team was also recognized along with Brown, Grohs, and Davis-Boehler, although she is not eligible for the award as softball does not participate in the Big Sky.

The following are brief capsules on the 2008-09 Bennion Award winners:

Big Sky Conference Scholar-Athlete Awards
Men's Scholar-Athlete:
Matt Stucki, Men's Basketball (Pocatello, Idaho) Management
Levi Keller, Track and Field (Winnemucca, Nevada) Physical Education
Women's Scholar-Athlete:
Jenna Brown, Women's Basketball (West Linn, Oregon) Mass Communications
Michelle Grohs, Women's Basketball (Salmon, Idaho) Psychology
Jana Davis-Boehler, Soccer (Provo, Utah) Physical Education

Cheerleading
Newcomer of the Year: Stephanie Nestler (Montpelier, Idaho)
A freshman, Stephanie is in his first year with the team. She has been a cheerleader since age five, and she was the captain of Century's cheerleading team last season. She is going to major in dental hygiene.

Male Cheerleader of the Year: Cody Mecham (Chubbuck, Idaho)
Cody is a two-year member of the squad, and he is majoring in website management design.

Cheerleader of the Year: Kassi Tankersley (Pocatello, Idaho)
A four-year member of the squad, Tankersley was the captain of the 2008-09 squad after serving as a co-captain the year before. She was a member of the 2006 team that finished second at the USA competition in Las Vegas. She is majoring in radiographic science. And she earned the teams' Most Improved award in 2006.

Strength & Conditioning
Men's Lifter of the Year: Evan Dietrich-Smith (Salinas, California)
A senior on the football team, Dietrich-Smith anchored Idaho State's offensive line, starting 44 games in his career, equaling the most ever by an offensive lineman in the program's history.

Women's Lifter of the Year: Brittany Olsin (Torrance, California)
A sophomore on the softball team, she is the second straight softball player to win this award. She hit three triples and a home run on the season, and in the final game of the year she drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to give ISU a 20-win season.

Men's Basketball
Most Improved: Lucas Steijn (Muiderberg, The Netherlands)
Steijn, a senior, averaged 6.6 points and 3.5 rebounds for the Bengals, but it was his play down the stretch that turned heads. He finished the season by scoring in double-figures in seven of his last eight games, including his first career double-double, which came on senior night with his parents from the Netherlands in attendance. Over the final eight games of the season, he averaged 11.8 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game as he was named Honorable Mention All-Big Sky Conference.

Bengal Pride Team GPA Award: Matt Stucki (Pocatello, Idaho)
A senior, Stucki finished his ISU career as a four-time Big Sky Conference All-Academic selection, and he was twice named ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA First Team All-Academic District VIII, which comprises all Division I basketball schools in Hawai'i, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. He was one of only seven Division I players to be named First Team All-District both this year and last year.

Most Valuable Player Award: Matt Stucki (Pocatello, Idaho)
Stucki was second on the team in scoring at a 12.0 scoring average, and he earned Second Team All-Conference honors. He led Idaho State with 42 three-pointers on the year, as well as with 119 assists and 45 steals. After missing the Washington State game to witness the birth of his son, he returned with a near triple-double of 29 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists as Idaho State defeated Utah 72-68 for the program's first win over the Utes in over 50 years, earning Big Sky Player of the Week honors. Stucki is a two-time winner of this award.

Most Valuable Player Award: Amorrow Morgan (Memphis, Tennessee)
Morgan, a junior, led the Bengals in scoring with a 13.6 scoring average, and he was a First Team All-Big Sky Conference selection. He also led the team in minutes played and was second in assists and third in steals. He twice earned Big Sky Player of the Week honors, including after a home sweep of Portland State and Eastern Washington that occurred after learning of the death of his father. Morgan was great against the in-state schools as he dropped in a career-high 31 points against Boise State, and he hit the game winning shot with 1.5 seconds left to defeat Idaho 61-59. Morgan is also a two-time winner of this award.

Women's Basketball
Most Valuable Player: Michelle Grohs (Salmon, Idaho)
Michelle Grohs, a senior, led the Bengals among numerous categories including points, rebounds and blocked shots averaging 14 points, nearly eight rebounds and knocking down 48 total blocks during the season. Michelle also led the Big Sky Conference in blocked shots and defensive rebounds and was named to the Big Sky First team. A consistent contributor, Michelle led the Bengals in scoring 13 times, in rebounds 18 times and in blocked shots 25 times.

Most Improved: Jeni Guertin (Bozeman, Montana)
Jeni Guertin, a freshman, played in 17 games for the Bengals averaging roughly eight minutes of play each game. Jeni contributed when one the floor pulling down 30 rebounds for the season with 12 on offense only averaging nearly two each contest. Jeni maintained 71 percent accuracy at the line and 32 percent from the field.

Best Defensive Player: Devin Diehl (Casper, Wyoming)
Devin Diehl, a junior, started in all 31 of Idaho State's games this season averaging nearly 35 minutes a game. Devin is a solid off ball defender who led the Bengals with 48 steals this season and posted five against Saint Mary's. She averaged 3.5 rebounds each game and pulled down a career-high nine in the home game against Northern Colorado. Devin also recorded 11 blocks during the season and she is a two-time winner of this award.

Men's Cross Country
Outstanding Performer: Ryan Davis (Rigby, Idaho) Just a sophomore, Davis finished first among ISU competitors in six of ISU's eight cross country races in 2008, and he recorded three top 10 finishes. The also competed in the 400-meter run at Big Sky Indoor Championships, taking 13th, and he has qualified for Big Sky Outdoor Championships in 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Women's Cross Country
Outstanding Performer: Erica Wendt (Idaho Falls, Idaho) Erica, who is also just a sophomore, finished in the top 10 at five of ISU's eight cross-country races this season, including a 10th place finish at the big Sky Cross Country Championships, earning All-Big Sky honors. She was the fastest ISU runner in three events, and recorded a pair of top five finishes. She also finished fourth as a member of the distance medley relay squad at the Big Sky Indoor Championships.

Football
Outstanding Offensive Player: Eddie Thompson (Sacramento, California)
A senior, Thompson led Idaho State in receptions with 70, and in yards with 754 in earning All-Big Sky Second Team honors. His 17 catches against the University of Idaho broke a 40-year old record for receptions in a game, and his streak of 33 games with a catch is the second-longest in school history. He finished second at ISU with seven career 100-yard games, and his 219 career receptions is an Idaho State career mark, and it was good for sixth in Big Sky history. He recently signed a contract with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League.

Outstanding Defensive Player: Ryan Phipps (Corona, California)
A two-time winner of this award, the senior led Idaho State's defensive in tackles for the second straight year, despite switching from middle linebacker to outside linebacker, totaling 102 tackles on the season, his second straight year hitting the century mark. He led the team with 3 ½ sacks and 11 tackles for loss, totaling 38 yards in losses. Ryan also forced a pair of fumbles on the season and won the inaugural Jared Allen Award, which was presented at the ISU Spring Football Game. Ryan is a two-time winner of this award.

Outstanding Newcomer: Ryan Henry (Upland, California)
Henry, a junior, joined the team as a junior college transfer from Riverside Community College, and he started all 12 games for the Bengals at center.

Outstanding Special Teams Player: Kenyon Blue (San Diego, California)
Blue, a senior, led the Bengals with a 10.9 yard punt return average and a 25.5-yard kickoff return average, including an 81-yarder against Weber State. He also caught 21 passes, good for fourth on the team, and rushed for 297 yards, good for third. His 1087 all-purpose yards was second on the team, and he was named First Team All-Big Sky for special teams. He was named the Big Sky Player of the Week after scoring the winning touchdown in overtime against Sacramento State in the season finale, giving him his first 100-yard rushing game.

Most Valuable Player: Evan Dietrich-Smith (Salinas, California)
A senior, Dietrich-Smith started 36 consecutive games for Idaho State and he played and started in 44 of 45 games in his career, the most ever by an ISU offensive lineman. He was an Honorable Mention All-Big Sky selection and has played nearly everywhere on ISU's line. Last year he was even credited with his first career reception, gaining five yards on a pass from Kyle Blum. He signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.

Women's Golf
Most Improved: Amanda Hendricks (Logan, Utah)
Hendricks, a freshman, shot her lowest round of the year, an 84, in the first round of the Big Sky Golf Championships. She competed in all eight events and 19 rounds for the Bengals as a freshman, coming on strong at the end, setting her career lows in each of her last two tournaments, first at the Cowgirl Classic April 6-7, and then she was five shots better two weeks later at Big Sky Championships.

Player of the Year: Kylie Smith (Omaha, Nebraska)
Smith, a sophomore, led the Bengals with a average round of 81.74 strokes per round. She was the Bengals' top finisher in seven of ISU's eight tournaments played in this season. She shot ISU's best round of the season, a three-over 75 in the third round of the Big Sky ConferenceGolf Championships.

Women's Soccer
Rookie of the Year: Bailey Williams (Puyallup, Washington)
As a freshman Bailey Williams was named Honorable Mention All-Big Sky and served as the primary goalkeeper for the Bengals starting in 10 games and playing in 12 total, registering just under 1,000 minutes. She posted a pair of shutouts and had a 1.46 goals against average making 54 saves on the season.

Most Improved Player: Lauren Ryan (Rolling Meadows, Illinois)
A sophomore, Lauren Ryan led the Bengals in points with 10 as well as goals with four her sophomore season. Ryan was named to the First Team All-Big Sky Conference. She posted her first goal of the year in the 2-1 season opener victory over Utah State. Posted a two-game goal-scoring streak with goals against both UC Davis and Wyoming. Ryan had two assists for the season with both in a 3-1 victory over Sacramento State at home.

Most Valuable Player: Kilee Quigley (Murray, Utah)
Kilee Quigley, a senior, was a leader on and off the field during the season, starting in all 18 games she played and being named to the First Team All-Big Sky for the third time in her career. She recorded a pair of goals and an assist, including a goal during ISU's 3-1 victory over Sacramento State at home.

Softball
Offensive Player of the Year: Megan Miller (Vancouver, Washington)
Miller, a junior, hit .386 on the season with 17 multi-hit games and 17 extra base hits on the year. Her six triples tied the school season record and currently rank eighth nationally for total triples and triples per game. She had a 12-game hitting streak during the season, and she hit a game-winning, two-run home run in the 10th inning against the College of Idaho for a 5-3 ISU win. She had four three-hit games, and one four-hit game, that against Boise State. She was also second on the team in doubles (7), home runs (4), at bats (145), and runs batted in (24) and she led the team with 32 runs scored. She won this award last year as well.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kandis Clesson (North Bend, Washington)
Just a sophomore, Clesson broke Idaho State records for wins in a season with 16, appearances with 35, starts with 27, complete games with 25, innings with 211.2, and strikeouts with 146. She had a 3.41 ERA and struck out 4.82 batters per seven innings, winning eight of her last 11 decisions. She threw her second career shutout allowing just three hits in a 5-0 win over Northern Colorado, and came within four outs of a no-hitter at Saint Mary's. She did all that after entering the season with a 3-3 career record and six career starts.

Women's Tennis
Player of the Year: Sophie Dang (Meyzieu, France)
Junior Sophie Dang posted a team-best four wins on the year, playing mostly at the No. 2 position for the Bengals. She swept her singles matches against Utah State going 2-0 defeating both players in straight sets. Sophie also posted a victory over Eastern Washington and a straight set win over Portland State. She also played No. 1 and No. 2 doubles for ISU as well.

Men's Tennis
Player of the Year: Dan Buckingham (Boise, Idaho)
Dan Buckingham, just a freshman, posted a pair of wins as he played anywhere from No. 4 to No. 6 in the lineup. Dan dominated his first victory as a Bengal with a 6-0, 6-2 win over Portland State at the No. 5 spot. He also defeated Chris Williams of Weber State at the No. 4 spot in one of the nation's longest matches of the year 6-4, 3-6, 11-9.

Men's Track & Field
Outstanding Field Athlete: Sam Pierson (Pueblo, Colorado)
Pierson won the 2009 Big Sky Indoor pole vault title with a vault of 16-10.75 as a junior, posting an NCAA provisional qualifying mark. He is currently one of two Big Sky pole vaulters to qualify for NCAA Outdoor Regional Championships. He owns the 10th best pole vault mark in ISU history, following a season in which he competed in the 2008 NCAA National Outdoor Championships.

Outstanding Track Athlete: Sergio Jones (Beaverton, Oregon)
A two-time winner of this award, he took third in the 200 and fourth in the 60-meter dash at Big Sky Indoor Championships, earning All-Big Sky Conference honors. In outdoors he currently has second-best Big Sky mark in 100-meter dash and third-best in 200-meter dash, an event that he also has qualified for in the NCAA Regionals. He has also qualified for Big Sky Conference Outdoor Championships in long jump, with ISU's best mark this season. He currently is in the ISU top 10 in the 60-meter indoor, 100-meter outdoor and the 200-meter, both indoor and outdoor. He won this award last year as well.

Most Valuable Athlete: Brandon Graef (Issaquah, Washington)
The junior finished fourth in the 60-meter hurdles and took the silver in the heptathlon at the 2009 Big Sky Indoor Championships. He is currently fourth in the conference in the 110-meter hurdles and sixth in the decathlon. Graef holds four of the top 10 spots on the all-time 60-meter hurdle indoor list, and he is eighth in the 110-meter hurdles.

Women's Track & Field
Outstanding Field Athlete: Amanda Vink-Johnston (Nampa, Idaho) Just a sophomore, Vink-Johnston finished second in the high jump and seventh in the pentathlon at the 2009 big Sky Indoor Championships. Currently during the outdoor season, she ranks third in the high jump and 12th highest score in the heptathlon. She is tied for eighth-best indoor high jump in school history, and is 10th on the outdoor high jump performers list.

Outstanding Track Athlete: Ashley Turner (Cheyenne, Wyoming)
A senior, Turner took the bronze in the 60-meter hurdles in the 2009 Big Sky Indoor Championships, and she also finished fifth in the pentathlon at Big Sky Indoors. In the current outdoor season, she has the second-best score in the heptathlon, the seventh-fastest time in the 100-hurdles, and she has also qualified for conference in the 400-meter hurdles. She is tied for eighth fastest 60-meter hurdles time in school history

Most Valuable Athlete: Sydney Wendt (Idaho Falls, Idaho)
Wendt, a junior, was an NCAA Indoor provisional qualifier in the high jump and pentathlon and she won the Big Sky Conference Indoor titles in both those events and in all she scored 31 points for Bengals at Indoor Championships. She currently holds the best marks in Big Sky in heptathlon and high jump and she is an NCAA regional qualifier in the high jump, heptathlon, long jump, triple jump and 400-meter hurdles, and she is one-hundredth of a second away in 100-meter hurdles. She on the ISU top 10 lists for the high jump indoors and outdoors, the triple jump indoors and outdoors, the 400-meter hurdles, the pentathlon, and the heptathlon.

Volleyball
Most Valuable at the Net: Sarah Carson (Loveland, Colorado)
Sarah Carson, just a sophomore, led Idaho State in total blocks with 97 and block assists with 90 for the season. Sarah recorded a career-high ten blocks against Boise State, and she posted 145 kills and earned 197 points for the Bengals. Sarah also recorded 39 assists and 43 digs.

Leadership Award: Brenda Cooper (Anchorage, Alaska)
Brenda Cooper, a senior, recorded 155 kills and 210.5 points for the Bengals. Brenda posted a career-high 12 kills in the 3-1 victory over Utah Valley. She recorded 72 blocks, 144 digs and 28 assists for the Bengals. She also posted 18 service aces. Cooper tore her ACL during warm-ups against Seattle, but missed only two weeks, and returned to play in Idaho State's two final contests, including senior night.

Defensive Player: Paige Palmer (Highland, Utah)
Paige Palmer, a junior served as Idaho State's libero and led the Bengals in digs with 503 setting the all-time single season record for the Bengals. Paige was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Best Western Shocker Classic where she posted 43 digs as well as three service aces, two assists and one kill. Paige posted a career-high 27 digs against Northern Colorado.