April 24, 2008
Complete Release in
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Seniors Mike
Green (Philadelphia, Pa.), A. J. Graves (Switz
City) and Paige
McCracken (Pittsboro) have been named recipients of Butler's
top athletic recognition for 2007-08. The three student-athletes
topped the list of Butler athletic department special
awards/scholarships presented for achievement during the past year.
Green and Graves, starting guards on the Butler men's basketball
team, shared Butler's Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award. The two
helped lead the Bulldogs to the most successful two-year period in
Butler basketball history, including a school- and Horizon
League-record 30-4 mark this past season. Green led the Bulldogs in
scoring, rebounding and assists in 2007-08, and he was named the
Most Outstanding Player in the Horizon League and in the Horizon
League Tournament. Graves, who was the league's preseason Player of
the Year, finished his career as Butler's third all-time leading
scorer and in second place on Butler's all-time lists for free
throw shooting and three-point field goals. Both players were named
first team All-League and both were selected to the 2008 Mid-Major
All-America squad.
McCracken, a two-year All-Horizon League golfer, was chosen as
Butler's Most Outstanding Female Athlete. She was the Horizon
League individual women's golf champion a year ago, after finishing
in a tie for third in the league tournament two years ago. She's
finished first or second for the Bulldogs in seven of the 10 meets
in which she's competed this year, and she was the overall
tournament medalist at the recent Cardinal Classic Women's Golf
Tournament. McCracken leads the team with 12 sub-80 rounds this
year.
Butler also recognized a pair of first-year athletes with the
Frank "Pop" Hedden Award, which honors the outstanding male and
female freshman student-athletes. The male winner was men's
basketball player Matt Howard
(Connersville), while women's tennis player Gabriella
Bobrowski (Niles, Ill.) was the female winner. Howard was
further honored with a Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle Scholarship, presented
for outstanding athletic achievement. The female Hinkle Scholarship
winner was volleyball player Porshia Allen
(Chicago, Ill.).
Junior Matt Sokolowski
(Ft. Wayne), a pitcher on the baseball team, and junior Lindsay Schluge
(Greenwood), an outfielder on the softball team, were named
recipients of the Helen Tewksbury Scholarship for outstanding
achievement in scholarship, leadership and athletics. Junior Ryan Kruszka
(Elwood, Ill.), another baseball pitcher, and sophomore Molly Casperson
(Neenah, Wis.), a top performer on the women's tennis team, were
chosen to receive the Dean Herbert F. Schwomeyer Scholarship, given
for outstanding athletic and academic achievement.
Sophomore Morgan Cox (Rolling
Prairie), a member of the women's soccer team, was named recipient
of the Catherine Sabrina DeBrosse Scholarship, which recognizes the
passion, dedication and positive attitude of a Butler female
student-athlete. It is presented in honor of the late daughter of
J. J. and Emily DeBrosse.
Senior Cassie Freeman
(Fishers), a member of the women's basketball team, was honored as
recipient of the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award for exhibiting
outstanding character in the field of athletics. The men's tennis
(3.283) and women's cross country (3.475) teams earned the Horizon
League "Raise Your Sights" Academic Award for compiling the highest
cumulative grade point averages of all Butler squads, and the
football team received the Horizon League Community Outreach Award
for the highest number of community service hours. The "Shining
Star" Award, presented by the Butler Division of Student Affairs
for a demonstrated commitment to academics, sportsmanship, school
spirit and service to Butler University and the Indianapolis
community, was given to the football and volleyball teams.
