Student Athletes Honored at All-Sport Banquet
April 22, 2010 | General
April 22, 2010
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville athletic department awarded its top honors April 22 at the annual Spring Sports Banquet held in the South Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center.
The banquet, which featured a number of video highlights from each sport, included a senior salute, CardsCare Community service honors and awarded the best male and female athlete from each class as well as the adidas Athlete of the Year for best overall athletes.
For the men, the adidas Athlete of the Year was tennis standout Austen Childs, the defending BIG EAST Player of the Year. Childs, a junior from Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand, has been ranked in the top 20 in both singles and doubles and earned the league's weekly honor a record six times this season. As the 15th ranked Cards prepare for the 2010 post season, Childs looks to compete in his third consecutive NCAA singles championship.
On the women's side, track and field star D'Ana McCarty took home the adidas Athlete of the Year award. McCarty, a junior from Indianapolis, Ind., won her second consecutive national championship in the weight throw at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships. She also earned All-American honors and took home the weight throw title at the BIG EAST Indoor Championships for the second straight year.
The Ed Kallay Award, the highest honor the athletic department bestows is given to the male and female senior athlete for exemplifying the characteristics of leadership, exuberance for sport, devotion to U of L, commitment to community service, and dedication to excellence in their sport.
Baseball catcher Jeff Arnold was awarded the top male senior. The Louisville native is a team captain and is the only player on the current roster to have lettered in each of the program's last three NCAA Regional teams. Arnold was an All-BIG EAST Tournament selection last season and is on the watch list for the 2010 Johnny Bench Award, given annually to the nation's top catcher.
Softball catcher Melissa Roth earned the honor for the top female senior. The Long Beach, Calif., native is the reigning BIG EAST Player of the Year and is one of 25 finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year. She became the first U of L player to be selected as an alternate on the USA Softball team and has led the Cardinals to three NCAA regional appearances. She was also the third overall pick in the National Pro Fastpitch draft.
Topping off the top awards were the Leadership Awards with golf's Karsten Clements receiving the Cunningham Family Leadership award for the men; and Dana Metzler (Cheer) and Liz Halet (swimming) sharing the Women4Women/Anthem Leadership award.
Below is a listing of all the awards for the 2010 Spring Sports Banquet:
2009 Spring Sport Athletes
Chris Dominguez - Baseball
Cindy LaCrosse - Golf
Cards Care Winner and Teams Cards Care Awards
Individual Cards Care Winner: Lecia Brown, Volleyball
Team Cards Care Winner: Field Hockey
Men and Women's Team Cardinal Cup
Men's Golf
Field Hockey
Freshman of the Year
Lola Arslanbekova - Volleyball
Paolo DelPiccolo - Soccer
Sophomore of the Year
Monique Reid - Basketball
Carlos Almeida - Swimming
L-Club Junior of the Year
Bergan Foley - Lacrosse
Nicole Youman - Field Hockey
Phil Wunderlich - Baseball
Ed Kallay Senior of the Year
Melissa Roth - Softball
Jeff Arnold - Baseball
Women 4 Women/Anthem Leadership & Cunningham Family Leadership Awards
Karsten Clements - Golf
Dana Metzler-Cheer
Liz Halet-Swimming
Inspiration Award
Keshia Hines - WBB
adidas Athletes of the Year
D'Ana McCarty - Track & Field
Austen Childs - Tennis
Players Mentioned
