Spring Sport Banquet Showcases 2004-05 Highlights
April 13, 2005 | General
April 13, 2005
The University of Louisville Athletic Department took time out to recognize its own at the 2005 Cardinal Sports Banquet, Monday, April 12 at the Louisville Marriott Downtown.
Rower Karen Bramer and golfer Meghan Little were named the Academic Award winners for having the highest cumulative grade point averages of all the student athletes. Swimmer Mandy Lynn and football player Matt Sanders were named as the CardsCARE Award winner for logging the most hours of community service. The women's swim team won the team award for the most collective community hours.
There was a tie for the men's Freshman of the Year between basketball player Juan Palacios and football player Brian Brohm. Palacios produced six double-doubles, including a critical 12 points and 11 rebounds against Georgia Tech in the second round of NCAA's. He earned all-Freshman honors and was Conference USA's runner-up freshman of the year. Brohm was one of the most sought after recruits in the history of the state of Kentucky. During his rookie season for the Cardinals, he threw 819 yards , 6 touchdowns completing 67.3 percent of his throws and a remarkable 153.51 efficiency rating while playing in 11 games.
The women's Freshman of the Year Award went to field hockey player Janelle Avila. She started 15 games and despite sitting out four games with an injury, scored six goals this season including the game winner to clinch a share of the conference title. Two games later, she notched the winning goal against Miami to help close out the regular season with U of L's best conference record in history. She also garnered all-tournament honors.
The Sherrill Brakmeier/Clark Wood Awards are presented to underclassmen student-athletes who have at least a 3.0 gpa and exemplify outstanding qualities of leadership, dedication to the community, service and scholarship as well as commitment and loyalty to the University of Louisville.
There was a tie for the Sherrill Brakmeier Award between field hockey's Jessica Javelet and soccer's Gina Lower. The Clark Wood Award went to swimmer Paul Augustus.
The Ed Kallay Senior Athlete Awards went to basketball's Larry O'Bannon and golfer Meghan Little. The award is the highest honor presented to U of L seniors and is awarded to the student-athlete who has at least a 2.5 gpa, exemplifies the characteristics of leadership, demonstrates commitment to the community and dedication to excellence and exuberance in their sport.
Little is the only player in school history to win three tournament titles. Recently Golf Week's "Player of the Week", she set a new collegiate low round with a score of 68 in the fall and spring of her senior season. Setting new personal best she scored a 209 to win the Mountain View Collegiate on March 27th. A four time Confrence USA Academic Medal winner, she has been a Dean's list Scholar athlete the last three years while serving on the SAAC all four years and as vice-president this year.
O'Bannon finished fifth in career three-point goals at U of L with 163, including a 33-point career high in his final home game in Freedom Hall. He was a member of the Billy Minardi All-Tournament team, twice honored as the Conference USA Player of the Week and honored as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Albuquerque Regional. He finished as a double figure scorer in 33 of 38 games this season which is more than any other Cardinal.
U of L men's basketball coach Rick Pitino was the keynote speaker and basketball players Larry O'Bannon and Angel Bradley were the featured senior speakers at the banquet.
