June 18, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern University's N Club held its annual Senior Recognition Banquet Thursday night at the Hotel Orrington in downtown Evanston, inducting the senior class into the N Club while honoring several Wildcats for outstanding seasons and careers at Northwestern.
Following is a list of the awards bestowed at the banquet:
Northwestern's Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year Nominee
Jake Herbert (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny) Wrestling
The Jesse Owens and Suzy Favor awards are given annually to the outstanding male and female athletes in the Big Ten.
In four years of varsity competition at Northwestern, Jake Herbert achieved every level of success imaginable in college wrestling, and in most cases did so more than once. He concluded his college career in 2009 as the most decorated wrestler in Northwestern history, winning his second NCAA championship at 184 pounds while completing the second undefeated season of his career by finishing 34-0 overall (18-0 dual record, 8-0 Big Ten). Herbert, who won the last 66 matches of his career, was awarded the 2009 Dan Hodge Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation's most dominant collegiate wrestler. Herbert won NCAA titles in 2007 and 2009, book-ending his Olympic redshirt season in 2008.
A native of Wexford, Pa., Herbert is the second four-time All-American in Northwestern history having never placed lower than third in the country at his weight class. He is also a three-time Big Ten and Midlands champion and, with a four-year record of 135-4, Herbert leaves Northwestern with the fifth-best career winning percentage (.971) among all Division I college wrestlers since the 1974-75 season.
In the classroom, Herbert was twice named to the NWCA All-Academic team as well as the Academic All-Big Ten squad.
In recent months, it has become clear that his achievements on the mats at Northwestern are only the beginning. Herbert conquered his weight class at the U.S. Nationals meet in April and then came away victorious at the United States World Team Trials, earning him a spot on the national team that will compete at the World Championships in Denmark this September.
Northwestern's Big Ten Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year Nominee
Hannah Nielsen (Adelaide, Australia/Brighton Secondary) Women's Lacrosse
The Jesse Owens and Suzy Favor awards are given annually to the outstanding male and female athletes in the Big Ten.
Nielsen, the Wildcats' female athlete of the year for the second-consecutive season and reigning Suzy Favor Award winner, played a vital role in helping Northwestern to a 23-0 record in 2009 and its fifth-straight national championship. She finished her four years in Evanston as the Wildcats' all-time leader in points (398) after becoming the NCAA Division I all-time assist leader with 224. She also ranks sixth in program history in goals (174) after tallying a career-best 59 this year.
Nielsen set the single-game NCAA assist record with 10 at Duquesne on Feb. 17, and also set a season-best mark of 83, shattering her previous record of 69 in 2007. Her 16 assists during the 2009 Women's Lacrosse Championship is a tournament-best total, while her 35-career assists in the NCAA Tournament also is tops all-time. The two-time Tewaaraton Trophy and Lacrosse Honda Sports Award winner, Nielsen led the nation in points with 142, the second-highest season total in NCAA history. Her 398 career points ranks third all-time in Division I history, and she recorded at least one point in her final 67 games in a Wildcat uniform. She is a three-time first-team All-American, and was named the national Player of the Year by IWLCA and WomensLax.com for the second-straight season.
Big Ten Medal of Honor Recipients
Sam Nemecek (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia) Women's Fencing
Eric Peterman (Sherman, Ill./Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin) Football
The Big Ten Medal of Honor is given annually to one graduating male and female student-athlete of outstanding academic and athletic talent.
Nemecek closed her career as the Wildcats' all-time wins leader with 431 and is second all-time in winning percentage (.855). The 2009 Midwest Fencing Conference foil champion, Nemeck is a four-time All-American, earning second-team honors after finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships in March - the fourth-straight year posting a top-10 finish.
A four-time Midwest Conference first-team selection, Nemecek posted a 41-4 career mark at the conference championships. She capped her senior season with a 103-17 record, becoming the first Wildcat to tally 100 or more victories in each of her four seasons in Evanston. Nemecek is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection majoring in religion with a minor in environmental policy and culture.
Peterman, who recently signed a free-agent contract with the Chicago Bears, closed his stellar career fourth on Northwestern's all-time receiving yardage list with 2,011 yards and 12 touchdowns (seventh-most in NU history). More importantly, he helped the Wildcats become bowl-eligible in three of his four seasons and make appearances in the 2005 Sun Bowl and the 2008 Alamo Bowl.
A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Peterman was the national recipient of the 2008 ARA Sportsmanship Award and also one of 11 players nationwide named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.
N Club Performance Awards
Tyrell Sutton (Akron, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban) Football
Tammy Williams (Roscoe, Mo./Osceola) Softball
The N Club Performance Award is presented to one male and one female student-athlete in recognition of "spectacular and outstanding" athletic performance by a graduating senior and letter award winner.
Sutton finished his career as Northwestern's second all-time leading rusher with 3,886 yards while also ranking second at NU with 5,138 all-purpose yards. A complete player, Sutton also ranks 18th on the Wildcats' career receiving yards list and was one touchdown shy of the Northwestern all-time record of 37. The 2005 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Sutton earned All-Big Ten accolades in all four of his collegiate seasons and was named a candidate for the Maxwell, Doak Walker and Walter Camp awards during his career.
Sutton racked up 16 career 100-yard rushing games and went for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons at NU. He continued to be productive despite injuries as a junior and senior, returning from a regular-season-ending broken wrist in 2008 to rush for 114 yards in the Alamo Bowl. Sutton signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers.
Williams is the only four-time NFCA All-American in Northwestern history and is one of just six players in NCAA Division I history with more runs scored (235) than games played (232). A three-time finalist for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year award, two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, a 2009 Lowe's All-Senior All-America first-team selection and one of four finalists for the 2009 Honda Softball Award, Williams broke Northwestern career records with a .419 batting average, 57 home runs, 235 runs scored, 310 hits and a .730 slugging percentage.
A two-time Women's College World Series All-Tournament team honoree, Williams was drafted by the Chicago Bandits of National Professional Fastpitch and will play for the USA Softball Elite National Team which will compete in the Pan American Qualifier this August.
N Club Achievement Award
Craig Moore (Doylestown, Pa./Lawrenceville (N.J.) Prep) Men's Basketball
Eric Nilsson (Weston, Mass./Weston) Men's Swimming
Georgia Rose (Mettawa, Ill./North Shore Country Day) Women's Tennis
The N Club Achievement Award is given to the student-athletes who have exhibited the qualities of good citizenship, significant academic achievement and outstanding athletic performance.
Moore cemented his spot as one of the top shooters in Big Ten men's basketball history by knocking down a school single-season record 110 shots from beyond the arc this past season while leading the Wildcats to their first postseason appearance in 10 years. He completes his Northwestern career ranked first in games played, three-point makes and three-point attempts, while ranking fifth in assists, sixth in steals and 13th in scoring. A third-team All-Big Ten selection his senior year, Moore's 320 career three-pointers are the fourth most in conference history.
A five-time All-American, Nilsson qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four of his collegiate seasons. Specializing in distance freestyle events along with the 200 butterfly, Nilsson was an All-Big Ten honoree and broke pool records not only at NU's Norris Aquatics Center, but also at Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Carthage. Nilsson is the Northwestern school-record holder in the 500 free, 1,000 free and 200 fly while ranking second in school history in the 200 free.
Over the past four years, Northwestern women's tennis has risen from a perennial force in the Big Ten to national powerhouse, and Rose is one of the big reasons why. She finished her career having earned All-American status twice each in singles and doubles and was the second player in NU history to qualify for the NCAA Singles Championships all four years. Rose, a four-time All-Big Ten selection and the 2007 conference player of the year, compiled a career singles record of 125-36 with a 29-2 record in Big Ten dual matches. In her senior year, Rose posted a 26-11 mark in singles and a 27-13 record in doubles with partner Lauren Lui.
Billy McKinney Award
Prince Kwateng (Munster, Ind./Munster) Football
Carl Pett (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) Men's Soccer
The Billy McKinney Award is presented to the male student-athlete who has exhibited exemplary leadership qualities, constant (110 percent) effort, and a positive attitude that, in his coach's estimation, makes him a "coach's dream." McKinney is Northwestern's all-time leading scorer, netting 1,900 points for the men's basketball team from 1973-77. He went on to play nine years in the NBA.
A co-captain of the 2008 Alamo Bowl team, Kwateng stepped up in his senior season to rank eighth in the Big Ten in tackles per game and second overall for Northwestern with 106 stops on the year. He had his best career game when it mattered most, racking up 13 tackles in the Alamo Bowl. Kwateng finished his career with 158 tackles, 10.5 tackles-for-loss (including 4.5 sacks) and four forced fumbles in 47 games.
"Prince's leadership skills are tremendous," head coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "While Prince's work ethic and discipline enabled him to improve, Prince's leadership pushed his teammates to improve as well. The story of Prince's football career at Northwestern highlights traits that will make him successful throughout life."
Pett completes his Northwestern career as a member of the winningest senior class in school history. The Wildcats compiled a 50-25-8 record in his four seasons on the team and appeared in the NCAA tournament three times, including reaching the national quarterfinals twice. A former walk-on, Pett battled through injuries and was named a first-team All-Big Ten pick in 2007. His commitment both on the field and in the classroom was rewarded this past season by being named an ESPN the Magazine second-team Academic All-American.
"Carl emerged from a recruited walk-on as a freshman to the Big Ten assist leader as a sophomore and an All-Big Ten selection as a junior," head coach Tim Lenahan said. "After suffering two injuries that required surgery, he kept coming back to lead us to two NCAA quarterfinal appearances and the fourth-rated RPI in the nation over the last three years. Carl is just a tremendous person in terms of energy and positive spirit."
Lisa Ishikawa Award
Meredith Frank (Westwood, Mass./Westwood) Women's Lacrosse
Nazlie Ghazal (Temecula, Calif./Chaparral) Women's Tennis
The Lisa Ishikawa award is presented to a female student-athlete who has exhibited outstanding leadership ability and selfless dedication to team goals; Ishikawa's determination and positive attitude on the softball diamond led her to perform above and beyond the expected. She was the NCAA's single-season strikeout record-holder for nearly a decade, leading Northwestern to four-straight Big Ten titles and three-straight Women's College World Series from 1984-87.
Frank, a four-year starter and three-time All-American, closed out her Wildcat career ranked eighth all-time in program history in points (210), seventh in goals (152) and ninth in assists (58). She played a key role in helping Northwestern to a perfect 23-0 record and a fifth-straight national championship, scoring the game-winning goal in double overtime of the NCAA semifinals as NU defeated Penn, 13-12.
After returning from a career-threatening Achilles injury her junior year, Frank modified her role on the team from that of a scoring threat to a selfless leader both on and off the field. Frank became one of the key components of Northwestern's defense, ranking among the team leaders in ground balls, draw controls and caused turnovers. One of four team captains, she paced the `Cats to the nation's second-rated defense.
"Meredith is the unsung hero of our program, doing everything and getting little credit," head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. "Her grace in handling her Achilles injury was incredible. She is one of the most mature individuals I have ever worked with."
Throughout her four-year career at Northwestern, Ghazal has exemplified the passion and selflessness that have become trademarks of head coach Claire Pollard's 11 straight Big Ten championship-winning teams and No. 1-ranked program. An elite juniors player who never lost a dual singles match in high school, Ghazal came to Evanston and immediately thrived in a team setting, keeping a firm grasp on her claims to the fifth and sixth spots in NU's singles lineup.
Ghazal won more than 30 singles matches in each of her four years, finishing her career with a 133-29 record. In her senior campaign, Ghazal was 32-6 overall and 21-1 in duals to post the best winning percentage (.842) among Northwestern's six singles starters, earning a final national singles ranking of No. 84. She continued her dominance of Big Ten competition, going 10-0 this year to finish 39-1 for her career in league dual matches.
"Our program wouldn't be where it is today without Nazlie," Pollard said. "She's such an unsung hero for our team and she came up with one gutsy victory after another to the point that her teammates came to expect that from her. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the program have always been contagious for those around her and we're thankful for all she's contributed to Northwestern tennis."
Northwestern's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Recipients
Eric Peterman (Sherman, Ill./Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin) Football
Annie Bosslet (Granite City, Ill./Villa Duchesne (Mo.)) Field Hockey
The Big Ten Sportsmanship award is given to one male and female student-athlete who displays exemplary sportsmanship and is a key contributor in the community.
Peterman earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award to go along with his Big Ten Medal of Honor.
In addition to taking over as a team leader, Bosslet also stepped up her game on the field in her senior season, tying or matching career highs in games played, shots, goals, assists and points. Tirelessly patrolling the attack for NU, Bosslet scored five goals and chipped in six assists for a total of 16 points in 2008, finishing with 13 goals and 10 assists for her career.
Bosslet and the field hockey team participated in a toy collection drive and their end-of-the-year banquet to benefit Family Focus of Evanston while also hosting Girl Scouts from area elementary schools for clinics that taught physical fitness and healthy habit lessons.
Northwestern also announced its 2008 NCAA Woman of the Year candidate at the event. This award recognizes individual excellence in three areas: athletics, academics and community service. Up to two graduating seniors at each institution who participated in the 2007-08 academic year will be recognized as the "NCAA Women of the Year" and will automatically be eligible for state selection. Northwestern's nominee is Hilary Bowen (Rochester, N.Y./Brighton) from women's lacrosse.
Tyler Voigt (Wheaton, Ill./Warrenville South) of men's soccer and Bowen of women's lacrosse were honored with the Director's Award, given annually to the male and female graduating student-athlete with the highest GPA.