On Friday night, seven members of the Tufts community were recognized for their achievements over the past year, as they were given awards at the Athletics Department's 2012 Annual Awards Ceremony for being the best that Tufts has to offer. Below is a breakdown of who won and why.
Best Male Athlete: Johann Schmidt
The program's first national title in thirty years was more than enough to earn junior diver Johann Schmidt the Clarence "Pop" Houston award for Tufts' best male athlete. In the 1-meter diving finals earlier this year, Schmidt beat out the finest divers in the nation to take first place, to go along with his double NESCAC championship in the one and three meter events. Schmidt will look to defend his crowns and his Tufts records throughout this diving season.
Best Female Athlete: Kelly Allen
On the women's side, senior Kelly Allen was given the Hester L. Sargent award for best female athlete for her prowess in the discus. Throughout last season, Allen was a centerpiece of the Jumbos' track and field team, which culminated in her double NESCAC championship in the discus and shot put, along with a second place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships last spring. Allen returns as a senior in 2012-13, looking to move up one more spot and take home the trophy for best in the country.
Best Multi-Sport Male Athlete: Sam Diss
Senior Sam Diss won the Rudolph J. Fobert Award for the second straight year. An All-American midfielder on the lacrosse team and all-NESCAC defensive back on the football team, Diss scooped up 30 ground balls while helping the lacrosse team reach the national semifinals. On the football field, he had 52 tackles and formed a potent one-two kick returning punch with classmate Dylan Haas.
Best Multi-Sport Female Athlete: Allyson Fournier
Allyson Fournier, a sophomore, was one of the best softball players in the country her freshman season. She ranked first in Div. III in ERA (0.55), strikeouts per seven innings (12.1) and hits per seven innings (2.97), ultimately leading the Jumbos to a fifth-place national finish at the NCAA Finals. At the NCAA New England Regional, she was named the Most Outstanding Player, and at the end of the season she was named a First Team All-American. In the winter, she also swam breaststroke and freestyle on the swim team.
Male Positive Attitude/Persistence: Scott Barchard
Barchard (LA '12) earned the W. Murray Kenney Award after overcoming a broken ankle that forced him to miss much of his junior season. He came back last year to lead the hockey team in goal, earning All-NESCAC honors. The all-time saves leader at Tufts, Barchard was also the program's first-ever All-American as a sophomore, when he led the nation with 817 saves. Last season, he helped the Jumbos earn their first-ever home playoff game.
Female Positive Attitude/Persistence: Kate Barnosky
After having surgery to remove the torn meniscus in her right knee in the summer of 2010, Kate Barnosky (LA '12) made a full recovery for her senior season and led the women's basketball team to the NCAA Sweet 16. As a co-captain last winter, Barnosky averaged a team-high 9.2 points per game as well as 6.1 rebounds and was named to the All-NESCAC and All-Region teams. She also played over 25 minutes per game - without a right meniscus.
Sports Writing: Ethan Sturm
Senior Ethan Sturm was honored with the Timothy J. Horgan Award for Sports Writing to recognize his contributions as a member of the Daily sports staff and his overall coverage of Tufts athletics. Sturm, a four-year writer and editor for the Daily, has also participated in webcasting Tufts sporting events with Jumbocast, as well as working game operations at various sporting events.
