THE DAILY COLLEGIAN Courtney, Christie capture year's top accolades • Brown, the NFL's top pick, knocks off Arrington for the Collegian Male Athlete of the Year Award. Fr four seasons, Courtney Brown let his actions speak louder than words. But now, he is the talk of Cleveland. The Lombardi and Bednarik Award finalist just recently became the second Penn State player, to become the No. 1 overall selection in the NFL Draft. The Alvin, S.C., native tallied 16 sacks in 1999, making him the Nittany Lions career leader in that statistic. He started the year off on a high note as well. On Jan. 1, 1999, Brown terrorized Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch so much he was named the Outback Bowl's Most Outstanding Player. "It was like a car accident, man," linebacker LaVar Arrington said of Brown's hit on Michigan State quar terback Bill Burke in 1998. "If he didn't get a slight case of whiplash, then he is never going to get one." The head-on collisions will continue next season as Brown starts his professional career with the Browns. No. 2 LaVar Arrington, football Perhaps Penn State's most colorful athlete ever. The quotes speak for themselves. "I heard about the pig head," Penn State linebacker LaVar Arrington said, referring to some of the objects lowa fans threw onto the field in 1995. "I heard it was pretty wild. I heard batteries and I heard they got, like, fences up so they can't throw stuff on the field. "A pig head is pretty I don't know -that's abstract," "I am not a joker, man. I am no comedian," Arrington said at this month's NFL Draft, sarcastically. "What do you think this is, man? I play ball. I'm a football player, When the witty remarks stopped, Arrington was all business on the field. Despite not registering his first sack until the Lions sixth game, the Pittsburgh native sacked the quarterback 10 times in the 1999 season. Along with being the Butkus Award winner, Arrington sent off his retiring defensive coordinator Jerry San dusky with a win as he was named Alamo Bowl MVP in Penn State's 24-0 shutout of Texas A&M. Arrington was drafted No. 2 overall by Washington Redskins. No. 3 Jeremy Hunter, wrestling Senior wrestler Jeremy Hunter capped off his senior by claiming the 125-pound national title. A three-time All-American, Hunter sported a 66-2 record his final two years. He holds the Penn State home dual-meet victory record with 24 wins. His numerous career acco lades include being named Big Ten Freshman of the • and Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. Hunter leaves m State after amassing a 123-17 record, which After finally winning Final Four, A m, fter 20 years of coming oh-so-close, played by way of a national championship. Russ Rose finally led the Penn State What makes it special is that it wasn't sup omen's volleyball team to its first posed to happen. With a young team and a national championship last year. new goaltender, it was supposed to be a Rose coached the Lady Lions to a 36-1 rebuilding year. record, including a perfect 20-0 Big Ten Well, so much for that. mark He was named Coach of the Year by The scary part is, next year, he brings back Volleyball Magazine, his third such honor by all but five players, which makes Penn State the publication. Rose has been recognized a an early favorite to repeat as ACHA champi total of 15 times by various magazines and ons. conferences. In taking home the p, championshi • • Rose No. 3 —Pat Fernier, captured the first-ever Div. I national chain- women's soccer pionship for the East Coast by defeating the perennial powerhouses of the Midwest and 'When Penn State's West Coast women's soccer program After 20 years, Rose has compiled a .845 first earned varsity status Leidy Lions ~.,....,. winning percentage and coached in 19 am- m "rt , ~..11 : " leellthrel tes VinSr l "" l " 4l-4' I W itt a the Atli ... tivin . ta Scratch. No. 2 Joe 13attlsta, men's Ice And like a great artist with his paints, Farmer hockey blended the talents of midfielder Kelly Con- For 13 years, Penn State men's ice hockey 09N* 400 *Phi WO* 4000 1 41 , A1t keit te i - tetani. - This last season, that success was dis- Courtney Brown chases Michigan quarterback Tom Brady in 1998. puts him in a fifth-place tie on Penn State's all-time win list. No. 4 Jarrett Stephens, basketball Jarrett Stephens came back with a vengeance. After spending last year on the bench watching the men's basketball team miss the postseason as he recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, the forward posted impressive numbers in his senior season. His 18.8 points per game (team high) and 10.3 rebounds (tops in the Big Ten) guided the Nittany Lions back to Madison Square Garden for the National Invitation Tournament semifinals. Stephens was a All-Big Ten first-team selection, qualified for the Big Ten's all-tournament squad and was named the Lions most valuable player. No. 5 Brandon Stefaniak, gymnastics At the NCAA Championships, Brandon Stefaniak had a weekend to remember. He delivered the title clinching performance and followed that up by suc cessfully defending his pommel horse title. A two-time national champion and three-time All-American, Stefaniak's solid performances made him one of the most valuable members of the 2000 NCAA champion men's gymnastics team. To finish his accomplish ments for the year, Stefaniak was a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award, which is billed as "the Heisman trophy of gymnastics." No. 6 Mon Eizenman, ice hockey Penn State junior men's ice hockey player Mon Eizenman did just about all he could to help the Icers win the American Collegiate Hockey Association national title this year. He led the team in goals, assists and points. But most his most important goal of all came in the title game, when he scored the game-win ner in overtime. Along with the many awards that Eizenman won this year, he was named the ACHA Player of the Year and earned the Bob Johnson Award, given to the player who best combines athletics, academics, enthusiasm for hockey, sportsmanship and community service. No. 7 Ricardo Villar, soccer Ricardo Villar had a breakthrough season in 1999. The junior forward helped bring the Nittany Lions to the NCAA quarterfinals with his team-leading 32 points. For his efforts, the Brazil native earned Penn State's first All-American recognition since 1982. Soccer America also named him a "Collegiate MVP". No. 8 Daniel Landgren, fencing Last month, Penn State sophomore Daniel Landgren became first men's pee fencer in school history to capture an indi vidual NCAA iampionship. native of Bjuv, weden, Landgren defeated Doron Levit and Alex Roytblat of St. John's to become just the 11th fencer in Penn State's storied fencing history to win an individual crown. His performance helped carry the Lions to the team's sixth consecu tive national crown. After setting the record for most RBI in a season and cranking a team-leading 11 home -mns, Fagan is again a coveted prize for the pro st scouts No. 10 Mike Campo, baseball In his senior season, left fielder Mike Campo has established him self as a major league prospect, thanks to his speed and hitting. Campo has a 19-game hitting streak and leads the Nittany Lions with a .442 batting average. He also became Penn State's career-hits leader against Columbia March 19 and currently has a .257 average. Collegian File Photo No. 9 Shawn Fagan, baseball This season, Shawn Fagan proved he has what it takes to be a big-league player for the second year in a row. Last season, the third baseman was a favorite of the scouts. t, soccer masterpiece worthy of his signature. The Leonardo DaVinci of soccer, who this past season picked up his 200th collegiate win, led the Lady Lions past No. 1 North Car olina early and later he took them into the NCAA Final Four. He signed his work as NSCAA Coach of the Year. No. 4 Randy Jepson, men's elmniAcs Winning National Coach of the Year honors was just the tip of the iceberg for ' , Jepson. State men's emelt took the schooll. most decorated p to the national championghips as His work paid off, and the team stunn.. )1e gymnastics world as Penn State was - • claim its first national title in 24 the program's 10th title overall and its fittimith Jepson at the reigns. Farmer SPORTS 1999-2.000 REVIEW ROse claims Collegian prize outpaces her older foes for the Collegian Female Athlete of the Year Award. Penn State women's soccer player Welsh took the high road to stardom, as she car ried her team to the NCAA Women's College Cup for the first time in her first season. Like Michael Jordan, Welsh could virtually dominate every aspect of the game. Every time she touched the ball, there was a chance she was going to score or make something happen Her 5-foot-10 frame, along with her God-given tal ent, allowed her to keep her opponents at bay. Despite being double-teamed on occasion, she was able to light up the scoreboard on a whim, giving Penn State a lift whenever it needed one the most Scoring multiple goals several times during the season, Welsh made impossible goals look easy. Though she led her team in most offensive cat egories, her best quality was her competitive nature and her desire to win, which pushed Penn State's young soccer program to the top r the Big Ten and to the Final Four. No. 2 Helen Darling, basketball The newest member of the WNBA's Cleveland Rock ers has been called the draft's only true point guard. Darling led the Lady Lions on a run to the Final Four thanks to her 274 assists and 10.5 points per game. She was named Big Ten Player of the Year, a Kodak All- American and was a finalist for the award honoring the nation's to. int ard. No. 3 Lauren Cacciamani, volleyball After leading her team to its first national title. Lau ren Cacciamani led the nation in individual awards. The senior middle hitter was named AVCA Co-Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Cham pionships. Volleyball Magazine also named the four time All-American its Player of the Year. No. 4 Bonnie Bremner, volleyball After setting her Penn State teammates for four years. Bonnie Bremner is now setting new teammates as a professional player. Four All-American teams and unanimous All-Big Ten selections after starting out at Penn State, Bremner moved on to the pro world. The academic achiever was also a huge factor in the Lady Lions' run to the national championship. No. 5 Andrea GarMt basketball Garner has just been selected to the WNBA power house Houston Comets, fresh from re-establishing the Lady Lions as the same. A first-team All-Big Ten selec tion, Garner was instrumental in motivating her team mates on and off the court in order to return to her native Philadelphia for the Final Four. Garner averaged 14.7 points per game and 8.6 rebounds. No. 6 Nikki Smith, gymnastics This year, senior Nikki Smith became only the third gymnast in Penn State history to record a perfect 10 Welsh unanimous choice for top freshman ■ Soccer phenom buries football players, Rowland in the Collegian sports staff's best newcomer vote Christie Welsh lived up to all the hype she came into college with. Named the Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player of the Year in high school, she became the most dominate freshman at Penn State since Curtis Enis graced Happy Valley. It took Welsh all of two games to break into the record book by scoring four goals in one game against James Madison on Sept. 5. The sensational freshman led her team to the Final Four in San Jose, Calif., with 27 goals and 13 assists, both team highs. Often looked at as remarkable, the only question is whether she will return to Penn State this fall. She has been travelling with the U.S. National Team. and if she continues to make it at that level, there is a chance she will not return. No. 2 Joe lorio, football A true freshman who walked-on to the team, lorio became the Nittany Lions unlikely starter at center. No. 5 Rene Portland, women's basketball It had been her mission since Day One. With the Final Four a short drive from her native town of Broomall. 20-year Penn State women's bas ketball coach Rene Portland was determined to lead her troops into uncharted territory the NCAA Final Four, held this year in the First Union Center. Mission accomplished. After finishing last season with a disap pointing second-round shortcoming in the NCAA Tournam,ent, Portland guided thc Lady Lions to a No 2 seed and a Final Four appearance. Led by seniors HelenVarling and Andrea Garner, eventual-champion Connecticut pre vailed in the semifinals, 89-67., Honorable Mentions: s, Enirminuil Kaidanov (fencing); .3 , 61.137 San dusky (football); Joe Hindelang (b,s0a11); Troy Sunderland (wrestling) a feat she captured at the Big Ten meet on beam. The all-around performer, ranked No. 1 nationally for part of the season on beam, led the Lady Lions to a No. 2 finish in the Big Ten and a No. 7 finish at the NCAA Championships the highest finish under head coach Steve Shephard. No. 7 Jaime Jaax, diving Just days before the Big Ten Jmen's Swimming and Diving Championships, Jaime Jaax was forced to end her collegiate career. She was on track to compete at the Olympic level, but she had to choose between use of her shoulders for the rest of her life and her diving career. Although her ` season was cut short due to her , injuries, Jaax left a lasting impres- ce itsusiCollegian sion on her team. In the first meet of this season, Jaax broke the pool and team records in the 3-meter diving event with her score of 338, edging out former ian Mary Ellen Clark's 335. her for the Diving Championships No. 8 Courtney Lawson, soccer Penn State co-captain Courtney Lawson did not lead her team in goals (13) or assists (4) or game-winning goals (3 , . but if you ever saw her play, you would have seen the impact she had on the Big Ten Champions. After suffering through two severe injuries and a red shirt season in her career. Lawson played every game as if it were her last. leaving everything on the field. No. 9 Emily Oleksiuk, soccer Only a sophomore this season, Penn State women's soccer goalkeeper Emily Oleksiuk started in all 26 games during the season, she gave up a minuscule 0.93 goals per game while racking up 115 saves and earning 9.85 shutouts. Voted team MVP by her teammates, Oleksiuk vits7a first-team All-American, Mid-Atlantic region first-team selection and first-team all-Big Ten honoree. She also took home Academic all-Big Ten honors. No. 10 Andrea Lavelle, golf/ice hockey Andrea Lavelle does it all. Involved in two sports golf and ice hockey Lavelle managed to rack up 28 goals for the team that went on to win a conference championship. And golf' Well. that's no different. Lavelle finished in the top 10 in three of the five fall tourneys in which she played. No. 3 Larry Johnson, football (redshirt) The son of assistant coach Larry Johnson, the former State College star provided depth at the tailback spot. Scored two touchdowns and started in the Alamo Bows. No. 4 Jimmy Kennedy, football (redshlrt) When Jason Wallace's season ended, the mammoth Kennedy took over on the defensive line. Started nine games. recording 33 tackles, including six for losses. No. 5 Katie Rowland, women's gymnastics Canadian-born Katie Rowland led the Lady Lions in the all-around competition in the first meet of the sea son against New Hampshire (38.875). It would be tbe,, first of seven times through the season Rowland wourit finish in the top three of a competition. Honorable Mentions: Jon Crispin (men's basketball); Scott Moore (wrestling: Erin Norton (softball); Jessica Burk!: (fencing): Megan Humphrey (softball); Josh Mandel, (men's ice hockey): Katie Futcher (women's golf) cRIDAY, April 28, 2000 14 Collegian File MAO NIF
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers