2008 Auggie Awards Winners

2008 Auggie Awards Winners

MINNEAPOLIS (4/21/08) -- The Augsburg College athletic department honored the achievement of its student-athletes with the inaugural Auggie Awards ceremony, giving numerous awards to student-athletes and teams on Monday night at the Christensen Center.

Award candidates were determined by Augsburg athletics staff, and a preliminary vote narrowed the initial candidates to four finalists in each individual category. A second vote of the finalists was held by the Augsburg athletics staff to determine the winners in each category. The formal event was co-sponsored by the Augsburg Athletics department and the college's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

Here are the award-winners in each category given on Monday night.

MEN'S SENIOR HONOR ATHLETE -- CO-AWARD WINNERS: Nick Manders (SR, De Pere, Wis./West De Pere HS), Men's Soccer; and Jason Weber (SR, New Prague, Minn.), Football.

Nick Manders (Health and Physical Education major, 3.90 GPA) -- Transfer from Minnesota, played 2 seasons of soccer at Augsburg … 35 games (27 starts), 11 goals and 3 assists for 25 points, 4 game-winning goals in career … Team leader in scoring as a defender this season (7 goals, 2 assists for 16 points, 3 game-winning goals) … All-MIAC first-team and D3Kicks.com All-West Region third team in 2007 … ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V first-team and ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America second-team in 2007 … NSCAA Scholar All-North/Central Region team in 2007 … MIAC Academic All-Conference in 2006 and 2007 … Team co-captain in 2007.

Jason Weber (Accounting and Finance majors, 3.86 GPA, pictured at right) -- 4-year letterwinner as offensive lineman (tackle), 3-year starter … All-MIAC second-team in 2007 … voted as team’s Outstanding Lineman award in 2007 … Team averaged 424.7 yards per-game of offense in 2007, surrendering just 23 sacks … In 3 seasons as starter, team averaged 343.4 yards per-game of offense (10,301 total yards) … ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District second-team in 2006, first-team in 2007 … Academic All-MIAC in 2005, 2006 and 2007 … Member of Campus Ministry clean-up trip to New Orleans in spring 2007.

WOMEN'S SENIOR HONOR ATHLETE -- Jackie Keller (SR, Traverse City, Mich./Traverse City West HS), Women's Soccer/Women's Hockey (Psychology and Sociology majors, 3.74 GPA)

4-year letterwinner and starter in both soccer and hockey … In soccer, earned All-MIAC honorable-mention honors in 2007 … In hockey, earned All-MIAC first-team honors in 07-08 and honorable-mention honors in 06-07, named to All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team in both 2007 and 2008 … As midfielder in soccer, started 59 of 61 career games with 2 goals and 9 assists for 13 points, starter on teams that qualified for MIAC playoffs all 4 seasons … As defender in hockey, competed in 95 career games, with 12 goals and 23 assists for 35 points … Ranked 18th in school history (5th among defenders) in career points, 24th (4th among defenders) in career goals and 14th (5th among defenders) in career assists … In 2007-08, ranked 6th among MIAC defenders in total points and 2nd in goals … ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District first-team in soccer in both 2007 and 2008 … AWCHA Division III National Scholar-Athlete in 2006, 2007 and 2008 … Academic All-MIAC in both sports in 2006, 2007 and 2008 … Team captain in hockey in 06-07 and 07-08, in soccer in 2007 … SAAC member, Leaders in Training member.

MEN'S OUTSTANDING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Royce Winford (JR, Brooklyn Park, Minn./Osseo HS), Football

All-MIAC first-team, D3Football.com All-West Region first-team, D3Football.com All-America second team … Set single-season school record with 16 receiving TDs and became 1st Auggie receiver since 1998 to record a 1,000-yard receiving season … Finished with 101 receptions for 1,403 yards, both totals second-best in single-season in school history … Among D-III players nationally, ranked 2nd in receptions per-game (10.1), 3rd in receiving yards per-game (140.3) and 3rd in total receiving yards (1,403) … ranked 6th among all college football players (NCAA all-divisions and NAIA) in receptions per-game, 5th in receiving yards per-game and 8th in total receiving yardage … Single-game Augsburg and MIAC-record 20 receptions against Carleton was most in a single game among all college football players (regardless of division) nationally this season.

WOMEN'S OUTSTANDING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Tiffany Magnuson (JR, Green Bay, Wis./Notre Dame Academy HS), Women's Hockey/Softball

All-MIAC first-team in hockey and 2007 softball … In hockey, 1 of only 3 MIAC juniors to earn All-MIAC first-team honors each of their first 3 seasons … Led team in all scoring categories (12 goals, 11 assists, 23 points), ranking 7th in MIAC in overall points, 6th in goals, 15th in assists … In MIAC games-only stats, ranked 6th in points (20), 6th in goals (10), 8th in assists (10) … Had goal or assist in 15 of Augsburg’s 23 games … In 73 career games, ranks 2nd in school history in career goals (56) and 4th in total points (80) … In 2007 softball, 1 of only 2 MIAC sophomores to earn All-MIAC first-team honors each of their first two seasons … Led team with .377 batting average (43-of-114) with team-high 9 doubles, 18 runs, 15 stolen bases, 8 RBI, .456 slugging percentage and .427 on-base percentage … Ranked 10th in MIAC in overall batting average and hits, 4th in doubles and 8th in stolen bases … Career (entering 2008 season) .373 hitter with 43 runs scored, 11 doubles, 6 triples, 1 home run, 30 stolen bases, .495 slugging percentage and .437 on-base percentage.

MEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- Craig Henry (FY/SO, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS), 2007 Baseball

All-MIAC first-team … 1 of only 2 first-year students to be named to 27-member All-MIAC first-team in 2007 … Led team in hitting with .395 (45-of-114) average, ranking 8th among MIAC players in overall stats … Also 8th among MIAC players in league-games-only batting average (.403) … Also led team with 17 RBI, 15 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and .614 slugging percentage … 25 runs scored was 2nd-most on team … .960 fielding percentage (7 errors in 177 chances), and threw out 12 baserunners trying to steal (3rd-most among MIAC catchers) … Team-high 15 multiple-hit games and 4 multiple-RBI games … Closed season on 8-game hitting streak … Started 35 of team’s 37 games at catcher.

WOMEN'S ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- Shannon Renne (FY, Nicollet, Minn.), Women's Basketball

MIAC All-First-Year Team … Started 22 of 25 games this season … averaged 10.5 points per-game, finishing 3rd on team in scoring, adding 3.2 rebounds per-game and 1.8 assists per-game … Scoring total was 3rd-best among MIAC first-year players in overall statistics and 22nd overall … 41 3-pointers this season was 7th-most among MIAC players and 7th-best in a single-season in Augsburg history … In MIAC games-only stats, ranked 26th in scoring (10.0 ppg) and ninth in 3-pointers made (35) … Had 16 double-figure scoring games, including season-high 24 points in 75-69 win over St. Olaf on Feb. 4.

MEN'S OUTSTANDING TEAM OF THE YEAR -- Wrestling (10-2-0 in dual meets, 3rd at NCAA Division III National Championships, 3rd at NWCA Division III National Duals, 1st at NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional)

Claiming a top-four finish in the team standings for the 20th straight year -- a record currently unmatched by any other NCAA wrestling program in any division -- the Augsburg wrestling team finished third at the NCAA Division III National Championships, held March 7-8 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Augsburg claimed five All-Americans, marking the 20th straight season that Augsburg has had five or more All-Americans and 22nd time it has accomplished the feat in its 26 seasons of NCAA Division III competition. The Auggies completed their first season under new head coach Sam Barber. Augsburg finished 10-2 in dual meets, placed third at the NWCA Division III National Duals, and won the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional for the sixth straight year.

WOMEN'S OUTSTANDING TEAM OF THE YEAR -- Women's Soccer (9-7-3 overall, 7-3-1 MIAC--t3rd/12, MIAC playoff qualifier)

The Augsburg women's soccer team, under ninth-year head coach Mike Navarre, finished 9-7-3 overall, 7-3-1 in MIAC play, earning a spot in the four-team MIAC postseason playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. The Auggies tied the 2004 squad (10-8-0 overall, 7-4-0 MIAC) for its best-ever league placing, and their 15 league points tied the 2006 campaign for the most conference points in program history. The Auggies fell to St. Benedict in the conference semifinal match. The Auggies claimed several key wins during the season, including a 1-0 triumph over Macalester on Oct. 3, breaking a 12-game winless streak to the Scots.

MEN'S MOST IMPROVED TEAM OF THE YEAR -- Football (5-5 overall, 3-5 MIAC--t5th/9 in 2007; 1-9 overall, 1-7 MIAC--t8th/9 in 2006)

The Auggie football team, under third-year head coach Frank Haege, finished 5-5 overall, 3-5 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, marking the first time Augsburg had reached the .500 mark since 2003 (5-5 overall, 4-4 MIAC). With its five victories in 2007, Augsburg also eclipsed its number of wins from the previous three seasons combined (4-26). Along the way, the Auggies claimed several huge victories, including a 14-13 triumph at No. 10-ranked Wartburg (Iowa) on Oct. 6, and a 44-38 win over Gustavus on Oct. 27, breaking a nine-game losing streak to the Gusties.

WOMEN'S MOST IMPROVED TEAM OF THE YEAR -- Volleyball (13-16 overall, 4-7 MIAC--9th/12 in 2007; 11-17 overall, 2-9 MIAC--t11th/12 in 2006)

The Augsburg volleyball team, under third-year head coach Jessica Rinehart, finished 13-16 overall, 4-7 in MIAC play. Augsburg finished its season with its best record in both overall and MIAC play since the 1998 campaign (17-11 overall, 6-5 MIAC). The Auggies won four of their last five matches to close the season, including a win in five games over NCAA Division III national tournament team Bethel on Oct. 20.

ACADEMIC AWARDS:
OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TEAM: Women's Track and Field, 3.51 team grade-point average.
MEN'S STUDENT-ATHLETE WITH HIGHEST GPA: Kevin Graff (SR, Red Wing, Minn.), men's golf, 3.912 GPA.
WOMEN'S STUDENT ATHLETE WITH HIGHEST GPA: Tori Bahr (JR, Brainerd, Minn.), women's cross country, 4.00 GPA.