Best of the Best Honored at Toros Annual Student-Athlete Awards Banquet
Cross country’s Tucker named Dr. Richard Butwell Award winner for excellence in academics, athletics and community service
May 8, 2007

Photo Gallery

Carson, CA -- Toros cross country senior Valarie Tucker (Downey, CA/El Camino College) took home the prestigious Dr. Richard Butwell Award for her stellar work in the classroom, in competition and in the community, highlighting the final presentation at Monday night’s CSUDH Student-Athlete Awards Banquet, which honored student-athletes from the 2006-07 school year for their all-around excellence.

Last night’s award winners (clockwise from top left): men’s soccer’s Kyle Polak, women’s soccer’s Candace Hearn, women’s soccer’s Sandra Lloyd, women’s basketball’s Ree Browne, men’s soccer’s Shogo Okuma, cross country’s Valarie Tucker, track and field’s Grace Fitchett Photo Gallery

Emceed by CSUDH’s Assistant Athletics Director Lamel Harris, the event held in the Loker Student Union Ballroom was attended by all 11 sports, as well as by CSUDH faculty and staff, CSUDH corporate partners, and families whose respective names appear on two separate awards. Overall, 13 awards were bestowed to student-athletes and one coach on the evening, while one other was presented to Toros Athletics’ “Sponsor of the Year.”

Women’s soccer’s Candace Hearn (Whittier, CA/Whittier HS) and men’s soccer’s Shogo Okuma (Okinawa, Japan/ELAC) received the Dr. Hal Charnofsky CSUDH Memorial Scholar-Athletes of the Year nods for their successful work in the classroom, while golf’s Miguel Saucedo (Culver City, CA/Culver City HS) and women's soccer’s Sandra Lloyd (Fountain Valley, CA/Fountain Valley HS) were chosen as the CSUDH representatives for the CCAA Charnofsky Awards as recognized by the CCAA league office, marking the second-consecutive year Lloyd has received this distinction.

Women’s basketball’s Ree Browne (Torrance, CA/South HS) received the Jennifer Winkelspecht Award with Winkelspecht’s parents in attendance, an award named after the former Toro volleyball player who passed away before the start of the 1995 season and is presented annually to the Toro who most exemplifies great personal character and has had his/her achievement recognized by the student-athlete educators and peers.

Women’s track and field’s Grace Fitchett (Los Angeles, CA/Paramount HS), who claimed her first CCAA Individual Championship at last weekend’s CCAA Championships, and men’s soccer’s Kyle Polak (Huntington Beach, CA/CS Fullerton), who set career marks for wins and shutouts earlier this year, were recipients of the Student-Athletes of the Year Awards.

The Dr. Richard Butwell Award, named after the former President of the University, is bestowed upon the student-athlete who goes above and beyond the call of duty, not only achieving success in the classroom and on the playing field, but who also is an active member of the community as a representative of Cal State Dominguez Hills. Tucker, who earlier received the Arthur Ashe Jr. Award, carries a 3.81 grade point average in liberal studies, finished her final season in Cardinal Red & Gold posting the lowest times in all CSUDH meets this season. CSUDH Interim VP for Student Affairs Randy Zarn presented the award to Tucker.

Okuma also received the Mike Sharp Most Inspirational Award along side Sharp’s parents, an accolade that acknowledges the student-athlete who best inspires his/her teammates to excel in competition through persevering with hope and courage, while three other student-athletes were recognized for career achievements including Polak for his two career marks, men’s basketball’s Trevon Bryant (Tifton, GA/Compton College) for career blocks and baseball’s Houston Hernandez (La Mirada, CA/St. Paul HS) for career doubles.

Women’s basketball head coach Van Girard received a special distinction award for picking up his 250th win in his 19th season as head coach, while Schools Federal Credit Union was presented with the “Sponsor of the Year” award from Athletics Director Patrick Guillen.

Leading up to the night’s final two awards, and after CSUDH’s coaches recapped their respective seasons, emcee Harris introduced a video montage of 2006-07 season, capturing moments from not only athletic competition and community service, but images from the newly-opened Fitness Center and the SAAC sponsored Inaugural Toros Athletic Ball, as well as glimpses of the soon-to-be unveiled Toros web site and athletics logo.