Gaels Hand Out Annual Awards

MORAGA, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's athletic department honored some of its outstanding student-athletes and performances of the year last week at the annual Gael Awards Show at LeFevre Theatre.

Not surprisingly, the SMC men's basketball team took home a few of the awards, with senior Mickey McConnell earning male athlete of the year recognition. The Mesa, Ariz. native was also honored with the male individual performance of the year with his game-winning shot with just a second left on the clock at Gonzaga.

The men's basektball team also earned the team performance award for its win at Gonzaga, the first for SMC since 1995. The men's cross country team took home the top honor for team grade point average.

To round out the men's hoops awards on the evening, Randy Bennett was honored with the annual Brother Agnon Coach of the Year award, while junior Rob Jones was selected the male newcomer of the year.

Jordan Grider from the men's soccer team and Shannon Lowell from volleyball were honored with the George R. McKeon Award, given to the top senior athlete with the best combination of athletic and academic achievement as well as community service.

Women's basketball senior Louella Tomlinson, the school's all-time leader in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, was named the female athlete of the year. Jordan Marada, a first-team all-WCC selection as a freshman, was selected the female newcomer of the year.

Senior women's tennis player Alex Poorta, the WCC Player of the Year, was honored with the female performance of the year for her come-from-behind 0-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Cal's Jana Juricova - the nation's top-ranked player.

Ted Tsukahara, a 19-year faculty member at SMC, was hnored with the Bryan Vargas Gael Spirit Award. Tsukahara has been involved with Saint Mary's athletes since starting his first on-campus job as a freshman sportswriter covering the Gaels' 1959 NCAA tournament-bound basketball team.

Leiliani Wagner, a marketing intern in the SMC athletic department, was named the Mike Gibbons Volunteer of the Year, while Ashley Oestreich was honored as the department's student employee of the year.

Schedule

GAELS IN THE PROS

CHAMPIONS

HALL OF FAME

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