13 Athletes Honored at Annual Cougar Club Banquet

PROVO, Utah (April, 2, 2003) -- Recipients of the 2003 BYU Athletic Awards were honored Wednesday by the Cougar Club at its annual awards banquet.

Longtime BYU women's tennis coach Ann Valentine, currently women's associate athletics director, was the 2003 recipient of the Dale Rex Award. Since 1947, the Dale Rex Award has been given annually to the person who has done the most to promote amateur athletics in the state of Utah.

Included in those honored were basketball standouts Erin Thorn and Travis Hansen. Both were recipients of the 2003 Crowd Pleaser Award. In all, 13 BYU student-athletes were recognized for their athletic and academic excellence as well as their service to the community. Student-athletes honored included:

Brooke Cadiente -- Softball -- Competitor Award

Kip Kangogo -- Men's Track/Cross Country -- Competitor Award

Erin Thorn -- Women's Basketball -- Crowd Pleaser Award

Travis Hansen -- Men's Basketball -- Crowd Pleaser Award

Todd Mortensen -- Football -- Kimball Memorial Award

Jonathan Alleman -- Men's Volleyball -- Cougar Club Memorial Award

Aaron Russell -- Men's Swimming/Diving -- Ed Stein Award

Jessie Kindschi -- Women's Track/Cross Country -- Dale R. McCann Team Spirit Award

Ben Archibald -- Football -- Dale R. McCann Team Spirit Award

Amanda Grant -- Women's Swimming/Diving -- Outstanding Senior Female

Jeni Viernes -- Soccer -- Leona Holbrook Spirit of Sport Award

William Betz -- Men's Swimming -- Floyd Johnson Service Award

Heather Cheesman -- Women's Basketball -- Floyd Johnson Service Award

"The recipients of these awards are among the finest student-athletes in the country," said BYU men's athletics director Val Hale. "Their individual and team accomplishments on and off the field have brought a great deal of respect and recognition to the University."

Two BYU athletic programs were also honored by the Cougar Club as the men's and women's teams of the year. Established in 1993, the Athletic Team of the Year Award honors the academic and athletic accomplishments of BYU student-athletes and their coaches.

For the second year in a row, the women's team of the year was awarded to the National Champion Cross Country team. Led by Patrick Shane, the Cougars have placed either first or second in the nation in each of the past six seasons. At the 2002 National Championships, the Cougars defended the 2001 National Championship, giving BYU four national titles in the past six seasons.

Coaches of the 2002 women's cross country team include Patrick Shane, Craig Poole and Richard Legas. Team members include Kassi Andersen, Lisa Antonelli, Maren Asey, Amy Bair, Kristy Barrus, Angela Benson, Jaime Cottle, Ann Heiner, Nan Kennard, Jessie Kindschi, Suzanna Larsen, Michaela Mannova, Emily Mars, Katie Martin, Katie Moon, Kristen Ogden, Shalice Pugmire, Tiffany Rust, Breanne Sandberg, Anika Smith, Ember Smith, Angela Taylor, Lindsey Thomsen, Laura Turner, Jami Valentine and Rena Williams. Other who work with the team include Doug Padilla (administrative assistant), Dr. Ron Chamberlain (sports psychologist), Kevin Morris (trainer) and Danielle Matthews (manager), Ann Haymond (department secretary) and Johny Wudel (media relations).

The men's team of the year is swimming and diving. Led by 2002 Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year, Tim Powers, the men's swimming and diving team won its fourth straight MWC Championship and went on to place 22nd at the NCAAs. Coaches of the 2002 men's swimming team include Tim Powers, Keith Russell and Rob Morris. Team members include Zach Anderson, Justin Beardall, James Bekker, Randy Belliston, William Betz, Kenny Carpenter, John Ferrell, Grant Hasselbach, Christopher Johnson, Levi Larsen, Terrence Lim, John Malfatt, Jeffrey Mason, Michael Mullen, Brent Parker, Travis Price, Scott Randall, Aaron Russell, Austin Scott, Brian Sorensen, Terry Thompson, Landon Trost, Adam Ware and Diogo Yabe. Other who assist the team include include Blain Empey (trainer) and Jason Wells (media relations).

"The Annual Awards Banquet is a celebration of all that our teams and coaches have accomplished," said Cougar Club Executive Director Michael Middleton. "Just looking at the achievements of this year's award winners is an indication of the quality of BYU's athletic program and the direction that it's heading. The Cougar Club is proud to support the success of such outstanding student-athletes and coaches."

Biographical Sketch of Each Award Winner

Ann Valentine - Dale Rex Award

2002 - ITA Women's Collegiate Tennis Hall of Fame Inductee ... 1999 - BYU Cougar Club Hall of Fame Inductee ... 1968 -- 1995 Head Women's Tennis Coach at BYU ... 1996 - ITA Rolex Meritorious Service Award ... 1995 - Wilson/ITA National Division I Coach of the Year ... Legendary, 27-Year Coaching Career (427-175), (.709) ... Second-Winningest Division I Coach in NCAA Tennis History (427 Match Victories) ... Fifteen Conference Championships ... Nineteen Teams Ranked in Top 20 and 11 in the Top 10 ... Coached 17 All-American Athletes who won a total of 31 All-America awards ...Twelve-Time Conference Coach of the Year ... Four-Time Wilson/ITA Central Region Division I Coach of the Year ... Former Member of the ITA Board of Directors and the NCAA Women's Tennis Committee.

Brooke Cadiente - Competitor Award

2003 First Cougar Ever to Complete Four Years of BYU Softball (Program Inaugurated 2000) ... 2002 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 2002 MWC Player of the Week, March 6 ... 2001 First-Team All-West Region ... 2001 First-Team All-MWC ... 2001 MWC Tournament MVP ... 2001 MWC Player of the Week, May 8 ... 2000 Led Team in Home Runs (4) and RBI's (18).

Kip Kangogo - Competitor Award

2003 MWC Indoor Champion in the Mile and the 3,000-Meter Run ... 2003 MWC Indoor Track Outstanding Male Performer ... 2002 MWC Cross Country Athlete of the Week (Twice) ... First BYU Finisher at 2002 Cross Country National Championships (33rd Overall) ... 2002 MWC Cross Country Runner of the Year ... 2002 MWC Cross Country Champion ... Won Four of Six Meets During the 2002 Cross Country Season.

Erin Thorn - Crowd Pleaser Award

2003 WBCA All-Star Challenge Participant ... 2003 Women's Basketball News Service Second Team All-America ... 2003 Senior CLASS Award Nominee, Top 35 Senior Players to Watch ... 2003 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 2003 MWC Top Returning Player ... 2002 MWC Player of the Week (November 25) ... 2002 MWC Championship MVP ... 2002 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 2002 First-Team All-MWC ... 2001 MWC Player of the Week (December 17) ... 2001 First-Team All-MWC ... 2001 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 2001 Kodak All-America Honorable Mention ... 2000 Women's Basketball News Service National All-Freshman All-America Team ... 2000 Second-Team All-MWC ... 2000 MWC Freshman of the Year ... 2000 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 1999 MWC Player of the Week (December 6) ... BYU Record Holder for Three-Pointers in a Game (9) ... BYU Record Holder for Three-Pointers in a Career (381).

Travis Hansen - Crowd Pleaser Award

2003 Consensus First-Team All-MWC ... 2003 MWC Co-Defensive Player of the Year ... 2003 NABC District 13 First Team ... 2003 USBWA District 8 First Team ... 2003 led team in scoring (16.8), and blocks (20) ... 2003 Second on Team in Rebounds (4.8) and Assists (2.4) ... 2003 Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team ... 2003 Chevrolet Player of the Game (NCAA vs. UConn) ... 2003 Team Captain ... 2002 Second-Team All-MWC ... 2002 All-MWC Second Team ... 2002 Team Most Outstanding Player ... 2002 led team in scoring (15.6) and rebounds (6.2) ... Two-time MWC Player of the Week ... 35th Cougar in BYU History to Score 1,000 Career Points (1,137 points is 24th all-time at BYU) ... 71 starts in 86 career games ... Helped BYU to 44-1 home record in his three years (BYU three-year record) ... Career High sof 30 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals.

Todd Mortensen - Kimball Memorial Award

Hinckley Scholar ... 3.99 Cumulative GPA ...1997 National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete of the Year (Western States) ... Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society ... Golden Key International Honor Society ... Spanish Major (Future Plans: JD-MBA Law/Business) ... Accomplished Pianist and Composer.

Jonathan Alleman -- Cougar Club Memorial Award

2003 AVCA/Sports Imports National Player of the Week (Week 1) ... 2003 MPSF Player of the Week (Week 1) ... 2003 Two Career 30-Kill Performances ... 2002 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2001---2003 SAAC Representative ... 2001 Lowe's Hardware Scholar Athlete of the Year ... 2001 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 1998 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete.

Aaron Russell - Ed Stein Award

2003 First-Team All-American (1-M) ... 2003 Second-Team All-American (3-M) ... 2003 All-MWC (1-M, 3-M, and Platform) ... 2003 MWC Champion (1-M, 3-M, and Platform) ... 2003 Academic All-American ... MWC Record Holder on the Platform (499.80) ... MWC Record Holder on the 1-M (515.25) ... 2002 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2002 Academic All-MWC Team ... 2002 First-Team All-MWC (1-M, 3-M, and Platform) ... 2002 Finished 7th at the Senior National Championships ... 2001 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2001 Second-Team All-America ... 2001 MWC Champion on the 3-M ... 2001 First-Team All-MWC (1-M, 3-M, and Platform) ... 2001 Academic All-American ... 2001 Finished 13th on the 1-M at the NCAA Championships ... 2000 MWC Champion (1-M and 3-M)... 2000 Academic All-MWC ... 2000 Academic All-American ... 2000 Finished 14th on 1-M at the NCAA Championships ... 2000 Second-Team All-America ... 2000 First-Team All-MWC (1-M, 3-M, and Platform) ... MWC Men's Championships Team Three Years.

Jessie Kindschi - Dale R. McCann Team Spirit Award

2002 Cross Country Team Co-Captain ... Member of Two NCAA Championship Teams (2001, 2002) ... Placed 13th at 2002 NCAA Mountain Regional Meet ... 2002 Second-Team All-MWC in Cross Country (Eighth Place) ... 2001 All-American in Cross Country (Seventh Place at NCAA Meet) ... Placed Fifth at 2001 NCAA Mountain Regional Meet ... 2001 First-Team All-MWC (Sixth Place) ... 2000 Division II All-American in the 5,000-Meter Run while at South Dakota State.

Ben Archibald -- Dale R. McCann Team Spirit Award

1997--2001 Started 26 games at Offensive Tackle ... 2002 Outland Trophy Candidate ... 2001 Second-Team All-MWC ... 2001 Academic All-MWC ... 2001 Top Offensive Lineman vs. Utah State and Mississippi State ... 2001 Key Blocker for Doak Walker Award Winner Luke Staley ... 2001 Key Blocker for Nation's Top-Ranked Offense ... 2000 Honorable Mention All-MWC ...2000 Top Offensive Lineman vs. Virginia, San Diego State, Colorado State, and New Mexico.

Amanda Grant - Outstanding Senior Female

2003 Team Captain ... 2003 First-Team All-MWC (800 Free Relay) ... 2003 Second-Team All-MWC (200 I-M, 100 and 200 Breaststroke) ... 2003 Academic All-American ... Finalist for the MWC Senior Recognition Award ... 2002 Team Captain ... 2002 Academic All-MWC ... 2002 Academic All-American ... 2002 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2002 First-Team All-MWC (200 Breaststroke) ... 2002 Second-Team All-MWC (100 Breaststroke, 200 Medley, and 400 Free Relay) ... 2001 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2001 Kimball Memorial Award Winner ... 2001 Academic All-American ... 2002 MWC Runner-Up 100 Breaststroke ... 2000 Academic All-MWC ... 2000 MWC Champion in the 100 Breaststroke ... MWC Women's Championship Team Four Consecutive Years.

Jeni Viernes -- Leona Holbrook Spirit of Sport Award

2002 MWC Tournament MVP ... 2002 Cougar Scholar Athlete ... 2002 MWC Team Champions, Regular Season and Tournament ... 2002 NSCAA West Region First Team ... 2002 Soccer Buzz West Region First Team ... 2002 MWC Academic All-Conference Team ... 2002 MWC Player of the Year ... 2002 First-Team All-MWC ... 2002 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 2002 Soccer America College Women's Team of the Week ... 2002 Soccer Buzz Elite Team of the Week ... 2002 Four-Time Participant in NCAA Women's College Cup Championships ... 2001 MWC Team Champions, Regular Season and Tournament ... 2001 Soccer Buzz West Region Third Team ... 2001 First-Team All-MWC ... 2000 MWC Team Champions, Regular Season and Tournament ... 2000 MWC All-Tournament Team ... 1999 MWC Team Champions, Regular Season and Tournament.

William Betz - Floyd Johnson Service Award

2003 First-Team All-MWC (200 Free, 200, 400, and 800 Relays) ... 2003 Second-Team All-MWC (50 Free, 100 Free) ... Finalist for the MWC Senior Recognition Award ... 2003 Speedo Cup Invitational 50 Free Champion ... 2003 Academic All-American ... Member of BYU Record-Holding 200, 400, and 800 Free Relay Teams ... Member of MWC Record-Holding 800 Free Relay Team ... 2002 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 2002 Academic All-American ... 2002 Academic All-MWC Team ... 2002 First-Team All-MWC (50 Free, 200, and 400 Free Relays) ... 2002 Second-Team All-MWC (100 Free and 200 Medley Relay) ... 2001 Cougar Club Scholar Athlete ... 1998 First-Team All-WAC (50 Free) ...MWC Men's Championship Team Three Consecutive Years.

Heather Cheesman -- Floyd Johnson Service Award

2002 Played in 16 Games (averaging 3.9 Points Per Game) ... 2002 Member of BYU's NCAA Sweet 16 Team Member ... 2002 Member of BYU's MWC Tournament Championship Team ... 2001 Started 11 of the 32 Games ... 2001 Averaged 7.2 Points Per Game and 3.2 Rebounds Per Game ... 2001 WNIT Win over Oregon State was the First Post-Season Win for the Cougars since 1982 ... Popular Fireside & Youth Speaker.

History of the Dale Rex Award

Dale Rex is remembered by many Utahns as one of the greatest World War II heroes ever to come out of the Beehive State. His valor and accomplishments on the battlefields of Europe make him one of the great legends in Utah history.

Before his meritorious service with the United States Army, Dale was a basketball star for the Cougars. A tall, rugged man, he was the typical "All-American" boy during his days at BYU.

His first battle duty was in France, near the Moselle River. A private with the United States Army's Fifth Infantry Division, Dale manned a machine gun for some 60 consecutive hours in September 1944. This achievement came after he had been in combat only 13 days. The story is also told of Dale wading into the chilly waters of the Moselle River to swim to the aid of several of his Army buddies and pull them to safety.

On November 24, 1944, he was decorated and promoted to sergeant. Less than a month later he was killed in action. For his heroism he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, a coveted citation for extraordinary courage and valor above and beyond the call of duty.

Although Dale is no longer with us, his example and accomplishments live on. The Dale Rex Memorial Award is given annually to the individual thought by the Cougar Club to have contributed most to amateur athletics in the state of Utah. Many people regard it as the state's highest honor for athletic achievement.

Dale Rex Award Recipients

Ann Valentine 2002-03

Luke Staley 2001-02

Mekeli Wesley 2000-01

Carl McGown 1999--00

Patrick Shane 1998--99

Tiffany Lott 1997--98

Steve Sarkisian 1996--97

David Houle 1995--96

Lu Wallace 1994--95

Elaine Michaelis 1993--94

Missy Marlowe 1992--93

Frank Fredericks 1991--92

Ty Detmer 1990--91

Ty Detmer 1989--90

Dave Schulthess 1988--89

Jeff Chatman 1987--88

Jason Buck 1986--87

Greg Marsden 1985--86

Robbie Bosco 1984--85

Steve Young 1983--84

Glen Tuckett 1982--83

Jim McMahon 1981--82

Danny Ainge 1980--81

Marc Wilson 1979--80

Bobby Clampett 1978--79

George Sluga 1977--78

Gifford Nielsen 1976--77

Karl Tucker 1975--76

LaVell Edwards 1974--75

Jim Spencer 1973--74

Fred Davis 1972--73

Stan Chynoweth 1971--72

Ralph Mann 1970--71

Bill Coltrin 1969--70

Phil Johnson 1968--69

Johnny Miller 1967--68

Phil Odle 1967--68

Virgil Carter 1966--67

Steve Kramer 1965--66

David O. McKay 1964--65

Pete Witbeck 1963--64

Eldon Fortie 1962--63

Merlin Olsen 1961--62

Gary Earnest 1960--61

Cecil Baker 1959--60

Bruce Larsen 1958--59

Linn Rockwood 1957--58

Fred "Buck" Dixon 1956--57

Clarence Robison 1955--56

J. H. Gardner 1954--55

Glen Clark 1953--54

Eddie Kimball 1952--53

Ray Oliverson 1951--52

Stan Watts 1950--51

Joe Nelson 1949--50

Dick Romney 1948--49

Floyd Millet 1947--48

Vadal Peterson 1946--47