University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Honored at Golden Goldys
4/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Gopher women's cross country and track & field program was honored for its commitment to academics and community service as the University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics department held its ninth-annual Golden Goldys awards gala and 26th annual Scholar Athlete banquet at TCF Bank Stadium Monday night.
Minnesota celebrated both the athletic and academic achievements of its 750 student-athletes. The Golden Goldys voting process included spring sports of 2014 (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 2014-15 athletic year.
Becca Dyson and Rebecca Rethwisch were among the recipients of the 2015 Top Five Award, which is given to the five male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average. Dyson is a strategic communication major, while Rethwisch is studying Spanish, Portuguese and global studies.
The women's track & field team also took home one of four Outstanding Academic Team Awards, which are presented to one men's team and one women's team representing both large and small team categories. Large teams are made up of 22 members or more, as small teams are made up of 21 members or less, and the award includes the GPAs of the past spring and fall semesters. Joining women's track & field in receiving the award were men's swimming & diving (large team) and women's golf (small team) and men's tennis (small team).
Women's track & field and cross country and men's tennis took home awards for the most community service hours during the 2014-15 season as well. This award is based on community service hours per team member.
In addition, the women's cross country team was a finalist for Best Female Team after making its 10th-straight NCAA Championship appearance last fall as one of just five teams to qualify for the last 10-straight NCAA championships. Four Gophers earned all-region honors (Liz Berkholtz, Kaila Urick, Becca Dyson and Danielle Anderson) as the team earned a runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional. Eighteen Gophers earned Academic All-Big Ten honors, and the team collected USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors with a team grade point average of 3.48.
Two Gophers were individual finalists as Erin Hawkins was up for Female Breakthrough Athlete of the Year following her 2015 indoor track & field season. This winter, Hawkins broke the Minnesota program record in the 200-meter dash (24.03 seconds) and moved into sixth in Minnesota history in the 60-meter dash (7.49 seconds).
Meanwhile, Danielle Anderson was up for Female Rookie of the Year after her standout cross country season last fall. Anderson placed in the top four for the Gophers in all seven races as a redshirt freshman. She earned all-region and USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honors, and her career-best six-kilometer time of 20:53.3 ranks 21st among all-time Gopher 6K performers.
2014-15 Golden Goldy Winners
Female Athlete of the Year: Amanda Zahui B., Basketball
Male Athlete of the Year: David Cobb, Football
Female Rookie of the Year: Sara Groenewegen, Softball
Male Rookie of the Year: Jose Mendez, Golf
Female Breakthrough Athlete Of the Year: Paige Tapp, Volleyball
Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year: Maxx Williams, Football
Best Female Team: Hockey
Best Male Team: Football
Best Women's Team Coach: Brad Frost, Hockey
Best Men's Team Coach: Jerry Kill, Football
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Players Mentioned
