University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Celebrate Golden Goldy Awards
4/14/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Golden Goldys Recap
The University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics department recognized both the athletic and academic achievements by honoring its 750 student-athletes in a Golden Goldys/Scholar Athlete banquet, Monday night at TCF Bank Stadium. It was the ninth-annual Golden Goldys recognition and 26th of the Scholar Athlete banquet.
Minnesota softball student-athletes Sara Groenewegen and Kaitlyn Richardson took home awards as Groenewegen was named the University's Female Rookie of the Year and Richardson took home the Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award. Erica Meyer also received a Top Five Award for the second-straight year.
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.
In addition to winning the Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award, Richardson was a finalist for the Female Athlete of the Year. Head coach Jessica Allister was a finalist for Best Women's Team Coach and the 2014 Gophers were up for Best Female Team.
As a freshman Groenewegen helped lead Minnesota to a NCAA Super Regional in 2014. She became Minnesota's first Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and also won the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award, becoming the third player in conference history to earn both accolades in the same season.
A First Team All-Big Ten selection, Groenewegen was also a NFCA Division I All-Great Lakes Region Second Team and a top-10 NFCA National Freshman of the Year finalist.
The Outstanding Student-Athlete Achievement Award is presented to one male and one female who are accomplished in both areas of academics and athletics. Softball senior Kaitlyn Richardson helped the team to four 30-plus win seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances, the team's first-ever NCAA super regional appearance and its first Big Ten Tournament title since 1999.
Richardson is a two-time All-American and has hit for a .392 average with 38 home runs and 168 runs batted in. A human resources and industrial relations major with a marketing minor in the Carlson School of Management, Richardson has excelled in the classroom.
A four-time member of the Dean's List, Richardson was a 2013 CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-American and a 2014 NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete.
Meyer received a Top Five Award, which is given to the top five male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade point average. The Arden Hills, Minn. native was a recipient of the honor for the second year in a row. Last year she was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and was Academic All-Big Ten for the second time and also earned NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete status.
Additionally, Meyer was named the University's Most Valuable Gopher for the month of October 2014 for her work with Minnesota's Pro Day and HopeDay Festival.
