PITTSBURGH—The University of Pittsburgh honored its student-athletes at the annual Eyetooth Celebration Sunday evening at the Petersen Events Center.  Student-athletes, coaches and representatives from all 19 varsity sports were recognized for athletic, academic and civic accomplishments.

                Several prestigious awards were presented including the Blue-Gold and Panther Awards, both which have been traditionally presented to student-athletes dating back to 1949-50.  The Blue-Gold Award honors the University of Pittsburgh’s top graduating student-athlete based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship.  Blue-Gold awards were presented to Nikki Borza (Women’s Tennis), Michael Grube (Men’s Swimming & Diving) and Carl Fronhofer (Wrestling).  Three student-athletes were also presented with the Panther Award, which is presented to the graduating senior student-athlete who has promoted Pittsburgh athletics through his/her outstanding athletic achievement.  Panther Award recipients were Gerald Hayes (Football), Brandin Knight (Men’s Basketball) and Carrie Norris (Volleyball).  The six award winners will have their names embedded in the Varsity Walk, located between the Cathedral of Learning and Heinz Chapel.

                The David Sandberg Champion Award, was presented to James Thornton, a senior civil engineering major.  The Sandberg Champion Award honors the senior student-athlete who best exhibits qualities personified at the University of Pittsburgh: dedication to academics/athletics excellence, unyielding spirit and passionate commitment to the improvement of the university and Pittsburgh communities.  The award is named in the honor of David Sandberg, who was a University of Pittsburgh wrestler for three seasons (2000-03), both as a national qualifier and assistant coach.  Sandberg, who was an active member of the community, passed away on January 29, 2003.

The women’s gymnastics team earned both the overall team academic champion and top women’s academic team honors while the men’s swimming & diving squad captured top team academic honors on the men’s side.  The men’s basketball team was honored as the most improved academic team in 2002.

                An individual in each sport was presented with a Most Valuable Player award or Team Eyetooth Award.  Award winners are listed below.

                The evening began with a dinner and while a video honoring each the senior student-athlete was shown on the Petersen Events Center videoboard.  WTAE-TV’s Andrew Stockey served as Master of Ceremonies

HONORS AWARDED AT EYETOOTH CELEBRATION

Blue-Gold Awards (presented to the graduating student-athlete who represents the student-athlete ideal based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship)

Nikki Borza, Women’s Tennis; Michael Grube, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Carl Fronhofer, Wrestling

Panther Awards (presented to the graduating student-athlete who has promoted Pittsburgh athletics through his/her outstanding athletic achievement)

Gerald Hayes, Football; Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball; Carrie Norris, Volleyball

David Sandberg Champion Award (presented to the senior student-athlete who best exhibits dedication to academics and athletic excellence, an unyielding spirit and a passionate commitment to the improvement of the university and Pittsburgh communities)

James Thornton, Wrestling, Civil Engineering major

Team Academic Achievement

Top Women’s Academic Team: Women’s Gymnastics

Top Men’s Academic Team: Men’s Swimming & Diving

Most Improved Academic Team: Men’s Basketball

Overall Academic Team Champion: Women’s Gymnastics

Team Eyetooth Awards

(presented to the Most Valuable student-athlete in each sport)

Maureen McCandless, Women’s Cross Country; Mike Diano, Men’s Cross Country; Melanie Carter, Women’s Track & Field; Troy Roberson, Men’s Track & Field; Nathalie Sulpher, Gymnastics; Hayley Hughes, Women’s Tennis; Scott Folmar, Baseball; Carolyn Savini, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Michael Grube, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Francesca DiMaria, Softball; Megan Miller, Women’s Volleyball; Lauren Sciocchetti, Women’s Soccer; Justin Gaul, Men’s Soccer; Carl Fronhofer, Wrestling; Laine Selwyn, Women’s Basketball; Gerald Hayes, Football; Jennifer Bellucci, Cheerleading; Carl Stapley, Band; Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball.

OTHER HONOREES

ALL AMERICA HONORS

2002-03 All America Honors

Carl Fronhofer, Wrestling, All America

Larry Fitzgerald, The Sporting News Freshman All America First Team

Gerald Hayes, Football, The Sporting News All America Second Team

Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball, Wooden All America Team, AP All America honorable mention

2002-03 NCAA Team Qualifiers

Men’s Basketball (NCAA Sweet Sixteen)

Women’s Gymnastics

2002-03 NCAA Individual Qualifiers

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Dennis Nemtsanov, Diving (1M, 3M, Platform)

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Carolyne Savini, 100-yard backstroke, 200-backstroke, 200-IM

Women’s Track & Field

Melanie Carter, Triple Jump

Wrestling 

Jordan Sianni, 125 pounds

Ronald Tarquinio, 141 pounds

Justin Giovinco, 149 pounds

Justin Nestor, 157 pounds

Carl Fronhofer, 174 pounds

GTE/Verizon Academic All-America

Vince Crochunis, Football

ITA All America Scholar-Athlete Award

Nikki Borza, Women’s Tennis

Collegiate All America Scholar Awards

Nikki Borza, Women’s Tennis; Jena Fiore, Women’s Tennis; Jill Williams, Women’s Tennis; Michael Doe, Men’s Soccer; Miles Dowiak, Men’s Soccer; Nathan Montgomery, Men’s Soccer; Carl Fronhofer, Wrestling; James Mangan, Wrestling; Amy Kunich, Women’s Basketball; Sheila Stufflet, Women’s Basketball; Dallas Williams, Women’s Basketball; Nicola Angstadt, Women’s Track & Field; Rachel Rothe, Women’s Track & Field; Lauren Shaffer, Women’s Track & Field; Lamoy Stephens, Women’s Track & Field; Abigail Zaylor, Women’s Track & Field; Matthew Brouse, Men’s Track & Field; Alvin Jones, Men’s Track & Field; Jason King, Men’s Track & Field; Matthew Lascek, Men’s Track & Field; Dante Renzulli, Men’s Track & Field; Nick Westerman, Men’s Track & Field; Andrew Zang, Men’s Track & Field; Brian Bonczek, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Raymond Brush, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Richard Grinstead, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Hannes Kohnke, Men’s Swimming & Diving; Lindsay Petersen, Women’s Soccer; Aimee Romasco, Women’s Soccer; Emily Tipton, Women’s Soccer; Laura Marsh, Women’s Soccer; Casey Pickard, Softball; Kathleen Butrie, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Jennifer Livingstone, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Carolyne Savini, Women’s Swimming & Diving; Madalyn Egan, Women’s Volleyball; Sarah Rollman, Women’s Volleyball

ALL REGION HONORS

USBWA All-District

Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball, USBWA All District III

Julius Page, Men’s Basketball, USBWA All District III

GTE/Verizon Academic All-District 2

Brian Beinecke, Football

Vince Crochunis, Football

Dan Stephens, Football

ALL-BIG EAST AWARDS

Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year

Nikki Borza, Women’s Tennis

Alvin Jones, Men’s Track & Field

Big East Team Champions

Men’s Basketball, Tournament champions

Men’s Basketball, co-Big East-West champions

Men’s Basketball, co-Big East regular season champions

Men’s Swimming & Diving, seventh consecutive Big East team title

Big East Individual Champions

Eric Limkemann, Men’s Swimming & Diving, 500-yard freestyle

Eric Limkemann, Men’s Swimming & Diving1,650-yard freestyle

Mike Grube, Men’s Swimming & Diving, 100-yard freestyle

Randy Gertenbach, Men’s Swimming & Diving, 200-yard breaststroke

Jason Miller, Men’s Swimming & Diving, 200-yard butterfly

Men’s 400-yard freestyle (Mike Grube, Eric Bugby, Adam Webber, Darryl Washington)

Ryan Redman, Women’s Swimming & Diving, 100-yard breaststroke

Melanie Carter, Women’s Track & Field, triple jump

All-Big East Conference Teams

First Team

Brant Colamarino, Baseball

Bryan Anderson, Football

Claude Harriott, Football

Gerald Hayes, Football

Torrie Cox, Football

Andy Lee, Football

Second Team

Brad Rea, Baseball

Bryan Spamer, Baseball

Rob Petitti, Football

Rod Rutherford, Football

Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball

Clare McCann, Softball

Heather Andrews, Softball

Megan Miller, Volleyball

Carrie Norris, Volleyball

Third Team

P.J. Hiser, Baseball

Chevon Troutman, Men’s Basketball

Julius Page, Men’s Basketball

Justin Gaul, Men’s Soccer

Laine Selwyn, Women’s Basketball

Honorable Mention

Ontario Lett, Men’s Basketball

Wendy Hatlestad, Volleyball

Big East Specialty Awards

Larry Fitzgerald, Football, Big East Rookie of the Year

Andy Lee, Football, Special Teams Player of the Year

Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball, preseason Most Valuable Player

Big East All Tournament Honors

Julius Page, Men’s Basketball, Most Valuable Player

Brandin Knight, Men’s Basketball, First Team

Big East All-Academic Football Team

Brian Beinecke, Vince Crochunis, Brian Guzek, Dan LaCarte, Brandon Miree, Yogi Roth, Dan Stephens, Gary Urschler, Kris Wilson

All-Big East Track & Field

Troy Robinson, Men’s Track & Field, 400-meters

Melanie Carter, Women’s Track & Field, triple jump

Marissa Dudek, Women’s Track & Field, pole vault

Amanda Walker, Women’s Track & Field, shot put

Ternace Elliott, Women’s Track & Field, 400-meters

Tamara McGill, Women’s Track & Field, pentathlon

All-Big East Swimming & Diving

Dennis Nemtsanov, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Matt Schwartz, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Eric Limkemann, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Ken Shelhorse, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Mike Grube, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Eric Bugby, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Randy Gertenbach, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Jason Miller, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Adam Webber, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Darryl Washington, Men’s Swimming & Diving

Men’s 200-yard freestyle (Grube, Bugby, Webber, Washington)

Men’s 400-yard freestyle (Grube, Bugby, Webber, Washington)

Men’s 800-yard freestyle (Grube, Bugby, Webber, Washington, Limkemann)

Men’s 400-yard medley relay (Shelhorse, Gertenbach, Miller, Grube)

Carolyn Savini, Women’s Swimming & Diving

Ryan Redman, Women’s Swimming & Diving

Nicole Ebert, Women’s Swimming & Diving

200 Medley Relay (Savini, Redman, Kelli Tielking, Jenny Livingston)

400 Medley Relay (Savini, Redman, Kelli Tielking, Jenny Livingston)

ECAC AWARDS

ECAC Individual Champions

Women’s Track & Field

Melanie Carter, Triple Jump

ALL-ECAC Track & Field Honorees

Nicole Vann, 60-meter hurdles

Women’s Track & Field 

Tamara McGill, 60-meter hurdles

Amanda Walker, Shot Put

Trenace Elliott, 400 meters

Elizabeth Bayne, 800 meters

Kimberly Lyles, 200 meters

4x400 meter relay (Trenace Elliott, Erica Johnson, Kimberly Lyles, Elizabeth Bayne)

Amanda Walker, Weight Throw

Melanie Carter, Triple Jump

EASTERN WRESTLING LEAGUE HONORS

EWL Wrestler of the Year

Carl Fronhofer

EAGL AWARDS

All-EAGL

First Team

Alyse Zeffiro, Gymnastics, balance beam

Alyse Zeffiro, Gymnastics, floor

Second Team

Heather Launse, floor

Nathalie Sulpher, bars

Alyse Zeffiro, Gymnastics, vault

EAGL All-Academic Team

Marcy Blitz, Sarah Gibson, Erika Goldberg, Lauren Musulin, Diandra O’Connor, Ashley Petten, Roslyn Singleton, Nathalie Sulpher, Leila Tait, Lisa Yarosh, Alyse Zeffiro

IC4A AWARDS

Men’s Track & Field

Matt Brousse, Pole Vault

4x400-meter relay (Troy Roberson, Deon Bascom, Chris Anderson, Jeryl Wilborn)

INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL RECORDS SET IN 2002-03

Baseball

Brad Rea- career at bats, career hits, career runs, career HR, career RBI, career doubles, season hits, season RBI

Brant Colamarino- career walks, season runs, season HR, season walks

Gymnastics

Alyse Zeffiro- floor

Nathalie Sulpher- vault

Heather Launse- vault

Men’s Basketball

Brandin Knight- career assists, career steals

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Randy Gertenbach- 200-yard breaststroke

Eric Limkenmann- 500-yard freestyle

Softball

Kelly Hulpa- season RBI

Nikki Gasti- season wins, season strikeouts

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Carolyne Savini- 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 50-yard backstroke, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke, 200-IM

Nicole Ebert- 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard butterfly

Ryan Redman- 100-yard breaststroke

Kelli Tielking- 100-yard butterfly

200-freestyle relay- (Carolyne Savini, Kelly Redcay, Ryan Redman, Jenny Livingstone)

200-IM Relay- (Carolyne Savini, Ryan Redman, Kelli Tielking, Jenny Livingstone)

400-IM Relay- (Carolyne Savini, Ryan Redman, Kelli Tielking, Jenny Livingstone)

Volleyball

Wendy Hatlestad- match service aces

Carrie Norris- career assists

Megan McGrane- season digs

2002-03 SENIOR STUDENT-ATHLETES

Band

Andrea Ashcroft, Scott Baldwin, Justin Beckwith, Karen Benner, Katie Brown, Matthew Clayton, Bonnie Cox, Jennifer Engelson, Robin Flaus, Vince Forbes, Josh Fox, Rachel Funyak, Angela Graves, Doug Heller, Dave Himmier, Will Holby, Jack Howell, Aja Jones, Andy Kasnevich, Julie Kollinger, Matt Kropf, Jesse Mack, Justin Macey, Brian Markely, Kerri Meeks, Ben McMillen, Brian Michalski, Sarah Miller, Angela Milliren, Megan Mladenoff, Courtney Murphy, Rachel Niemiec, Steve Pack, Meaghan Reele, Dan Shubert, Nick Sobocinski, Alison Soldano, Carl Stapley, Rick Stremple, Matt Sudaric, Brandon Walker, Jaci Wilkinson, Deardra Wilson, Richard Wojtaszek

Baseball

Michael Bell, Joseph Burger, Joseph Engel, Scott Folmar, Charles Hiser, Christopher Papst, Stuart Rykaceski, Ernest Williams

Cheerleaders

Jennifer Belluci, Karin Kirkland, Aaron Loritts, Holly Naviglia, Brad Wheeler

Dance Team

Shara Bachuchin, Annalisa Cordova, Alison Irwin, Becky King, Miranda Kingan

Football

Bryan Anderson, Brian Beinecke, Torrie Cox, Taron Gray, Brian Guzek, Gerald Hayes, Jay Junko, Shane Leichty, Scott McCurley, Chad Reed, Shawn Robinson, Lamar Slade, Ryan Smith, Charles Steffy, Gary Urshler

Men’s Basketball

Brandin Knight, Ontario Lett, Donatas Zavackas

Men’s Soccer

Michael Butler, Michael Doe, Miles Dowiak, Justin Gaul, Brian Hopper, Dave Marcinowski, Nathan Montgomery, John Occhiuto, Toure Weaver, Joshua Whitham

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Raymond Brush, Michael Grube

Men’s Track & Field

Alvin Jones, Andrew Jones, Shawn Paronish, Shawn Robinson

Softball

Angela Blackmon, Nicole Gasti, Kelly Hulpa, Janelle Pepe, Natalie Phillips, Ana Velazquez, Tiffany White

Volleyball

Carrie Norris

Women’s Basketball

Laine Selwyn, Brooke Stewart, Dallas Williams, Amanda Wittenmyre

Women’s Gymnastics

Jamie Briner, Heather Launse, Nathalie Sulpher, Lisa Yarosh

Women’s Soccer

Annette Agredano, Melinda Beddo, Jacqueline Fix, Leah Greenspoon, Kathryn Hughes, Cara Kappler, Laura Marsh, Lauren Sciocchetti, Kim Sturk

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Julia Carolan, Rubi Cisneros, Emily Colley, Lacey Hlavka

Women’s Tennis

Nikki Borza, Jena Fiore

Women’s Track & Field

DeAnna Cole, Elizabeth Rocks, Amanda Schmidt

Wrestling

Carl Fronhofer, Justion Giovinco, William J. Mowbray IV, James Thornton, Andrew Villecco

2002-03 SENIOR SCHOLAR-ATHLETES

Baseball

Christopher Papst

Women’s Basketball

Dallas Williams

Football

Brian Beinecke, Brian Guzek, Scott McCurley, Chad Reed, Gary Urschler

Women’s Gymnastics

Jamie Briner, Nathalie Sulpher, Lisa Yarosh

Men’s Soccer

Michael Doe, Miles Dowiak, Nathan Montgomery, Joshua Whitham

Women’s Soccer

Melinda Beddo, Jacqueline Fix, Leah Greenspoon, Kathryn Hughes, Cara Kappler, Laura Marsh, Kim Sturk

Softball

Nicole Gasti, Kelly Hulpa, Janelle Pepe, Tiffany White

Men’s Swimming & Diving

Raymond Brush, Michael Grube

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Julia Carolan, Rubi Cisneros, Emily Colley, Lacey Hlavka

Women’s Tennis

Nikki Borza, Jena Fiore

Men’s Track & Field

Alvin Jones

Women’s Track & Field

Elizabeth Rocks, Amanda Schmidt

Women’s Volleyball

Carrie Norris

Wrestling

Carl Fronhofer