May 12, 2004
BERKELEY -
Recognizing its student-athletes for their athletic and academic achievements during the past year, the Cal Athletic Department held its annual Honors Celebration Luncheon Wednesday in Haas Pavilion. Among the awards presented were postgraduate scholarships, the Pac-10 Medal and the Walter A. Haas Jr. Community Service Award.
More than 210 student-athletes, all with GPAs over 3.25 were invited to the ceremony. Included in that group were 103 student-athletes with GPAs of 3.50 or higher.
Below is a list of the prize winners and their accomplishments during their Cal careers.
Oscar Geballe Postgraduate Scholarship
Now in its 22nd year, this award was created through the generosity of Dr. Theodore Geballe to honor his father, Oscar Geballe. The award recognizes Oscar Geballe's devotion to Cal and his strong belief in the value of combining scholarship with intercollegiate competition. Since 1981, the Geballe scholarships have helped more than 50 Golden Bears continue their education at the postgraduate level with a $5,000 stipend going to each recipient.
Jason Malinsky, Men's Water Polo: Majoring in environmental policy and investigative journalism - a major he created - Malinsky was one of only 20 Cal students selected for the Haas Scholars Program. He has had articles published in the Daily Californian, the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle. In the pool, Malinsky helped Cal to a national runner-up finish in 2002 and to a No. 4 ranking this past fall.
Stephanie Cowling, Women's Track & Field: A co-captain of the track & field team where she is a Pac-10 qualifier in the hurdles, Cowling plans to pursue a master's degree in education now that she owns a bachelor's degree in sociology. While at Cal, she mentored at the West Oakland Charter School and served as a tutor at Emerson Elementary School and at Cal's Athletic Study Center.
Colleen O'Mara, Lacrosse: O'Mara completed her Cal career as the school's all-time leader in assists (83) and total points (171), helping the Bears win the 2004 MPSF championship in early May. Academically, she was a member of the Order of the Golden Bear, the Golden Key International Honour Society and the National Association of Collegiate Scholars. In addition, she served as treasurer of the Prytanean Women's Honor Society on campus, an academic and service organization that emphasizes community involvement.
Pacific-10 Conference Postgraduate Scholarship
This marks the fifth year of the Pac-10 Conference postgraduate scholarship program, created to honor outstanding student-athletes who are also outstanding scholars. Each institution selects four graduating scholar-athletes who will receive a $3,000 stipend for graduate work.
Tyler Fredrickson, Football: Fredrickson earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors each of the last four years, including two first team awards. Also a second team Academic All-District selection last fall, he received his bachelor's degree in 2003 in film and is completing work on his master's degree in education. Fredrickson, who was Cal's placekicker and punter last year, has signed a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks, and once his playing days are through, plans to pursue graduate work in directing and film production.
Balazs Veress, Men's Tennis: Veress, along with partner Patrick Briaud, was voted the Pac-10 Co-Doubles Team of the Year in 2004. He was also the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year during his rookie season with the Bears. Veress will graduate with honors from the Haas School of Business this month and plans to return to school in a couple of years to earn his MBA.
Nora Feddersen, Field Hockey: A two-time All-American and NorPac Conference Player of the Year, Feddersen completed her career as Cal's all-time leader in both goals (45) and total points (103). Also a three-time Academic All-American, she was a member of both the Golden Key Honor Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. In addition to her Geballe Scholarship, she received the Neufeld Scholar-Athlete Award for having the highest GPA among Cal's graduating female student-athletes (3.74 in mass communications).
Jieun Jacobs, Women's Tennis: A first team Pac-10 All-Academic selection in 2003, Jacobs will graduate with her degree in history. As a member of Cal's women's tennis team, she has helped the Bears to four NCAA Tournament berths, including a semifinal appearance last spring. She is currently ranked 86th nationally in singles and teams with Raquel Kops-Jones to form the country's seventh rated doubles tandem.
Jake Gimbel Prize / Anna Espenschade Award
These awards were established in the 1930s and 1987, respectively, to recognize a graduating male and female student-athlete for excellence in attitude towards athletics. They were created "to encourage students ... to entertain toward athletics an attitude in keeping with the purpose of athletics in institutions of learning and the proper and just relation of athletics to scholastic activities and attainments."
Kim Yokers, Women's Soccer (Anna Espenschade Award): The team MVP and recipient of women's soccer's Golden Bear Award, Yokers was a three-time All-Pac-10 selection, including first team status the last two years. She is also a member of the U.S. Under-21 National team. In addition to being a Pac-10 All-Academic team selection, Yokers was recognized as an NSCAA Scholar Athlete All-American this past fall.
Chris Murphy, Football (Jake Gimbel Prize): Despite arriving as a walk-on at Cal, Murphy started 26 games along Cal's offensive line, earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2003 and was invited to play in the Shrine All-Star Game. A political science major, he was named first team Pac-10 All-Academic and first team Academic All-District and was a recipient of a Mortar Board Student-Athlete Award.
Neufeld Scholar-Athletes
These scholastic achievement awards are given to the graduating varsity student-athletes, one man and one woman, with the highest cumulative grade point averages. The award was established by Cal Hall of Famer William Neufeld Sr. in honor and memory of his son William Jr., who also ran track at Cal before his untimely death in a boating accident.
Scott Carlyle, Men's Golf: A civil engineering major with a GPA over 3.9, Carlyle has helped Cal to a Top 20 ranking this year with a berth in the NCAA West Regional. He earned honorable mention All-Pac-10 honors in 2004, despite missing several tournaments with a back injury, and was a Cleveland Golf All-America scholar in 2002. In addition, Carlyle is one of five finalists for the prestigious Byron Nelson Award, which is given for athletic accomplishment, academic excellence, character and integrity.
Nora Feddersen, Field Hockey: see above.
Pac-10 Medal
A conference medal is awarded annually at each member institution to that university's outstanding senior male and female student-athletes. This determination is based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics, and leadership.
Natalie Coughlin, Women's Swimming: During her illustrious Cal career, Coughlin won 11 individual NCAA titles, was a three-time NCAA and Pac-10 Swimmer of the Year, broke six world records and snapped 35 American records. The 2002 World Swimmer of the Year, some of her other awards include first team Pac-10 All-Academic, 2003 Women's Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year and 2004 Sports Illustrated on Campus Female Athlete of the Year.
Attila Banhidy, Men's Water Polo: Selected as one of three finalists for the Peter J. Cutino Award as the nation's top male collegiate water polo player for the 2003 season, Banhidy led Cal with 51 goals, earning first team All-American and first team MPSF honors. A four-time All-American, he paced Cal in scoring each of the past four years. The economics major was the recipient of the Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and was first-team Academic All-District choice in 2002.
Walter A. Haas, Jr. Community Service Award
The Haas Award was created to honor Walter A Haas Jr. and to use his example of commitment and service to the University to recognize and inspire others. This award is given annually to a student-athlete for outstanding contribution through community service.
Leigh Gregory, Women's Basketball: A junior forward on the women's basketball team, Gregory continuously volunteers her time even during the season when school, practice, games and meetings consume nearly all her days. Among her many efforts, she and head coach Caren Horstmeyer visited Ayers Elementary School in Concord when it was severely damaged by arson. She comforted the kids, signed autographs and presented the school with a signed basketball, team photo and a new UC Berkeley banner (an old Cal banner had burned in the fire).
