North Carolina State University Athletics
TIM PEELER: NC State's Top Student-Athletes Honored
4/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
BY TIM PEELER
All-America shot-putter Mitchell Pope, who finished second at the NCAA Championships last June, and women’s basketball standout Khadijah Whittingon, who was recently taken by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft, won the H.C. Kennett Award, presented annually to NC State’s most outstanding all-around male and female student-athletes.
Each varsity sport named a most valuable performer such as football running back Jamelle Eugene, who Tom O’Brien calls the “Energizer Bunny.” The full list follows below. And several other awards were presented for service and achievement.
Gymnast Ashley Shepard a 4.0 student nicknamed by her coach as the “Mayor of Happyville” won the Kay Yow Award, presented by the award’s namesake and Wolfpack Club Executive Director Bobby Purcell.
Six student-athletes were honored as ACC Top Six For Service Awards for their participation in service projects throughout the academic year: Patrice Dason (women’s swimming), Nadia Aboulhosn (women’s soccer), Keri DeMar (volleyball), Andre Brown (football), Sarah Merritt (women’s swimming) and Daniel Evans (football).
Among the student-athletes participating in the ceremonies, along with master of ceremonies Tony Haynes, was All-America long-jumper Dexter Adams, an aspiring hip-hop producer who presented his student-athlete reflections in a rhyme called “The College Days.”
2007-08 All-Sport Banquet Award Winners
Baseball (Vic Sorrell Award) Caleb Mangum
Men’s Basketball (Jon Speaks Award) J.J. Hickson
Women’s Basketball Khadijah Whittington
Men’s Cheerleading Jordan Ford
Women’s Cheerleading Holly Humphries
Men’s Cross Country Chris Kollar
Women’s Cross Country Angelina Blackmon
Football (Governor’s Award) Jamelle Eugene
Men’s Golf TBA
Women’s Golf Lauren Daughtie
Gymnastics Leigha Hancock
Rifle Thomas Knight
Men’s Soccer Hugh Cronin
Women’s Soccer (Robin Morlock Award) Lindsay Vera
Softball Abbie Sims
Men’s Swimming & Diving (Casey Award) Stephen Mellor
Women’s Swimming (Casey Award) Anna Linkenauger
Women’s Diving Kristin Davies
Men’s Tennis James McGee
Women’s Tennis Julia Roach
Men’s Indoor Track Dexter Adams
Women’s Indoor Track DeMiracle
Men’s Outdoor Track Mitchell Pope
Women’s Outdoor Track Julia Lucas
Volleyball Ashley Wallace
Wrestling (Al Crawford Award) Darrion Caldwell
Student Trainer (Jim Manly Award) Martha Rowe
2007-08 ImPACK Competition Women’s swimming & diving
ACC Top Six for Service Patrice Dason, women’s swimming
Nadia Aboulhosn, women’s soccer
Keri DeMar, volleyball
Andre Brown, football
Sarah Merritt, women’s swimming
Daniel Evans, football
2007-08 Best Support Staff Award Heidi Humphries, WB equipment room
2007-08 Kay Yow Award Ashley Shepard, gymnastics
H.C. Kennett Award Mitchell Pope, outdoor track
(Male and Female Athlete of the Year) Khadijah Whittington, women’s basketball
