University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Goldys Set For Monday, April 18th
4/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics will hold the fifth-annual Golden Goldys, a student-athlete awards gala, at TCF Bank Stadium, Monday night, April 18, at 6:45 p.m. This year’s Golden Goldys will also be held in conjunction with the scholar-athlete banquet, which was postponed earlier this year due to weather. The event, similar to ESPN’s ESPYS, will feature the U of M student-athletes in formal attire, where they walk down the 'maroon' carpet as early as 6 p.m. The voice of Golden Gopher men’s basketball, Mike Grimm, will serve as the master of ceremonies.
During the ceremony, the athletics department will recognize student-athletes and their athletic accomplishments throughout the season. Awards will also be handed out, including the male and female athlete of the year, the male and female rookie of the year, male and female breakthrough performances, men's team coach of the year and women's team coach of the year. The voting includes spring sports of 2010 (baseball, men's and women's golf, rowing, softball, men's and women's outdoor track & field and men's and women's tennis) and the fall and winter sports of the 2010-11 athletic year. Along with the athletic accomplishments, the department will also honor and recognize the academic achievements of the department’s 750 student-athletes.
Highlighting the awards is the female and male athletes of the year. Up for the female athlete of the year is track’s Gabriele Anderson , diving’s Kelci Bryant , hockey’s Noora Raty and swimming’s Jillian Tyler and Haley Spencer . In the male category is cross country and track’s Ben Blankenship, basketball’s Trevor Mbakwe , track and field’s Ben Peterson , swimming’s Michael Richards and wrestling’s Mike Thorn . A full list of the awards and nominees is listed below.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Gabriele Anderson , Track
Kelci Bryant , Diving
Noora Raty , Hockey
Jillian Tyler , Swimming
Haley Spencer , Swimming
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ben Blankenship, Track/CC
Trevor Mbakwe , Basketball
Michael Richards , Swimming
Ben Peterson , Track & Field
Mike Thorn , Wrestling
FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Alex Davis , Softball
Maggie Keefer , Diving
Amanda Kessel , Hockey
Kayla Slechta , Gymnastics
Ashley Wittman , Volleyball
MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Zack Chase , Gymnastics
Micah Hegerle , Track & Field
Tony Nelson , Wrestling
TJ Oakes , Baseball
Derek Toomey , Swimming
FEMALE BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Shari Eckstrom , Soccer
Teresa Puga , Golf
Jessica Granquist , Volleyball
DeAnne Hahn , Track & Field
Stephanie Price, Track/CC
MALE BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jared Anderson , Swimming
Pieter Gagnon, CC
Phil Isaksson , Baseball
Da’Jon McKnight, Football
Kent Patterson , Hockey
BEST WOMEN’S TEAM COACH
Matt Bingle , Track & Field
Mikki Denney Wright , Soccer
Mike Hebert , Volleyball
Kelly Kremer & Terry Nieszner , Swimming & Diving
BEST MEN’S TEAM COACH
John Anderson , Baseball
Steve Plasencia , Track & Field/CC
J Robinson , Wrestling
Geoff Young , Tennis
BEST FEMALE TEAM
Hockey
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Volleyball
BEST MALE TEAM
Baseball
Tennis
Track & Field
Wrestling
During the ceremony, the athletics department will recognize student-athletes and their athletic accomplishments throughout the season. Awards will also be handed out, including the male and female athlete of the year, the male and female rookie of the year, male and female breakthrough performances, men's team coach of the year and women's team coach of the year. The voting includes spring sports of 2010 (baseball, men's and women's golf, rowing, softball, men's and women's outdoor track & field and men's and women's tennis) and the fall and winter sports of the 2010-11 athletic year. Along with the athletic accomplishments, the department will also honor and recognize the academic achievements of the department’s 750 student-athletes.
Highlighting the awards is the female and male athletes of the year. Up for the female athlete of the year is track’s Gabriele Anderson , diving’s Kelci Bryant , hockey’s Noora Raty and swimming’s Jillian Tyler and Haley Spencer . In the male category is cross country and track’s Ben Blankenship, basketball’s Trevor Mbakwe , track and field’s Ben Peterson , swimming’s Michael Richards and wrestling’s Mike Thorn . A full list of the awards and nominees is listed below.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Gabriele Anderson , Track
Kelci Bryant , Diving
Noora Raty , Hockey
Jillian Tyler , Swimming
Haley Spencer , Swimming
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ben Blankenship, Track/CC
Trevor Mbakwe , Basketball
Michael Richards , Swimming
Ben Peterson , Track & Field
Mike Thorn , Wrestling
FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Alex Davis , Softball
Maggie Keefer , Diving
Amanda Kessel , Hockey
Kayla Slechta , Gymnastics
Ashley Wittman , Volleyball
MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Zack Chase , Gymnastics
Micah Hegerle , Track & Field
Tony Nelson , Wrestling
TJ Oakes , Baseball
Derek Toomey , Swimming
FEMALE BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Shari Eckstrom , Soccer
Teresa Puga , Golf
Jessica Granquist , Volleyball
DeAnne Hahn , Track & Field
Stephanie Price, Track/CC
MALE BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jared Anderson , Swimming
Pieter Gagnon, CC
Phil Isaksson , Baseball
Da’Jon McKnight, Football
Kent Patterson , Hockey
BEST WOMEN’S TEAM COACH
Matt Bingle , Track & Field
Mikki Denney Wright , Soccer
Mike Hebert , Volleyball
Kelly Kremer & Terry Nieszner , Swimming & Diving
BEST MEN’S TEAM COACH
John Anderson , Baseball
Steve Plasencia , Track & Field/CC
J Robinson , Wrestling
Geoff Young , Tennis
BEST FEMALE TEAM
Hockey
Soccer
Swimming & Diving
Volleyball
BEST MALE TEAM
Baseball
Tennis
Track & Field
Wrestling
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