North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: Cowher Shares at All-Sports Banquet
4/24/2007 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH For former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, standing in front of more than 500 NC State student-athletes was a glimpse into his past.
So he gladly shared some of his guidelines for success as the keynote speaker Monday night at the NC State All-Sport Banquet.
The banquet, held at the McKimmon Center, was a celebration of a year’s worth of individual accomplishments and team achievements, which included 11 team NCAA appearances and six conference championships (men’s and women’s cross country, softball (2006), wrestling, gymnastics and rifle.)
Athletics director Lee Fowler recognized those conference champions, as well as 301 scholar athletes, those who had cumulative grade point averages over 3.0.There are also 15 Wolfpack athletes who have perfect 4.0 GPAs, five of which are members of the men’s cross country/track and field programs: Robert Bledsoe (men’s cross country/track and field), Jennifer Boyd (women’s cross country/track and field), Justin Burke (football), John Crews (men’s cross country/track and field), Stephen Dickens (men’s track and field), Jacob Kensmoe (baseball), William Lee (football), Jason Morgan (men’s cross country/track and field), Brooke Outland (gymnastics), Mackenzie Payne (gymnastics), Melissa Rabe (volleyball), Ty Roach (wrestling), Ashley Shepard (gymnastics), Todd Smalling (men’s cross country/track and field) and Tibor Veigh (men’s cross country/track and field).
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the H.C. Kennett Awards, which go annually to the most outstanding all-around male and female student athlete at NC State. Women’s cross country and track and field All-America Julia Lucas was named the school’s top female athlete, while football player Leroy Harris was named the top male athlete.The Kay Yow Endowment Scholarship, named for the Wolfpack’s Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach, was presented to four-time women’s soccer most valuable player Michelle Crocker Massey. Cowher, a 1979 graduate of NC State, was a standout linebacker during his playing days with the Wolfpack and went on to become one of the most successful coaches in NFL history, twice taking the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Super Bowl. He retired one year after leading the Steelers to the 2006 Super Bowl title. He and his wife Kaye, a former Wolfpack basketball player under Kay Yow, recently moved back to Raleigh and he has become a visible member of the Wolfpack athletics family. Cowher shared three pieces of advice to the athletes: The evening ended with a highlight video that featured clips from all varsity sports. NC State Most Valuable Performers Baseball: Matt Camp (2006 season) Men’s Basketball: Brandon Costner Women’s Basketball: Khadijah Whittington Men’s Cheerleading: Chris Hartshorn Women’s Cheerleading: Jackie Stefano Men’s Cross Country: Stephen Furst Women’s Cross Country: Julia Lucas Football: Leroy Harris, Pat Lowery Men’s Golf: Jerry Richardson (2006 season) Women’s Golf: Stephanie Derrey (2006 season) Gymnastics: Leigha Hancock Rifle: Jennifer Marshall Men’s soccer: El Hadj Cisse Women’s soccer: Megan Connors, Michelle Crocker Massey Softball: Shaina Ervin (2006 season) Men’s Swimming: Stephen Mellor Women’s swimming: Anna Linkenauger Diving: Austin Hampton Men’s tennis: William Noblitt Women’s tennis: Julia Roach Men’s indoor track and field: Mitchell Pope Women’s indoor track and field: Julia Lucas Men’s outdoor track and field: Mitchell Pope (2006 season) Women’s outdoor track and field: Ebony Foster (2006 season) Volleyball: Melissa Rabe Wrestling: Darrion Caldwell Todd Dunston Memorial Trophy (ImPACK competition between all varsity sports) ACC Top Six for Service Best support staff: Wright Wayne, strength and conditioning Kay Yow Endowment Scholarship: Michelle Massey Crocker, women’s soccer Female athlete of the year: Julia Lucas, women’s cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field Male athlete of the year: Leroy Harris, football
The coach also had three suggestions for success:
Following Cowher’s speech, the school’s head coaches presented most valuable performer awards in each sport, and softball player Miranda Ervin shared her reflections of her four-year softball career.
