June 1, 2009

Finalists For Ken B. Jones Awards Announced

Three returning finalists among six invited to June 11 awards banquet

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The list of finalists for the 2008-09 Ken B. Jones Awards as MIAA Student-Athletes of the Year includes three past finalists.

This marks the 16th year for the award. It is named in honor of the man who served as the MIAA's first full-time commissioner for 16 years. Jones retired in 1997, and passed away in May 2004.
One male and one female are selected for the honors, with the finalists invited to the MIAA Awards Banquet, set for June 11 in Kansas City, Kan., at the Hilton Garden Inn.

There are two finalists from previous ballots in the running for this year's award on the women's side -- Pittsburg State cross country/track & field student-athlete Venessa Lee and Washburn soccer/basketball student-athlete Jessica Mainz.

Lee was in the top three as a junior in 2006-07 before taking a redshirt season the following year. Mainz was a finalist for the 2007-08 award. Joining them in this year's top three is Central Missouri track & field student-athlete Brittanie Roldan. All three finalists are seniors.

Pittsburg State's Caleb Farabi is a finalist for the second time in as many years, and he is joined by fellow senior football student-athletes Joel Osborn of Northwest Missouri State and Dustin Strickler of Missouri Western.

A 12-member panel of athletics directors, sports information directors, senior woman administrators, and faculty athletics representatives -- including a representative from each school -- selects the winners.

Judging is done in four areas for each nominee, 2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments, 2008-09 Academics Accomplishments, 2008-09 Campus/Community Service and Career Athletics, Academics and Service Achievements.

To be nominated, a student-athlete must have a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average as of April 1, and complete at least their junior season of eligibility in the 2008-09 academic year.

Women's Nominees
Venessa Lee
Pittsburg State
Cross Country/Track & Field
Senior -- Cleveland, Mo.
Biology (pre-medicine)/Spanish double major
3.83 cumulative GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: Earned NCAA Division II All-America honors with a third-place finish in the 800 meters (2:10.49) at the 2009 NCAA-II Indoor National Championships... After qualifying for the 2009 NCAA-II Outdoor National Championships with the second-fastest time in the 800 meters (2:09.29), she placed third in the finals (2:10.88) to earn All-America honors... captured a pair of MIAA titles in the 800m and the mile run during the indoor season... Captured the MIAA crown in the 1,500m and finished as the MIAA runner-up in the 800m during the outdoor season... In cross country, placed 64th overall at the 2008 NCAA-II National Championships, helping Pitt State to an 18th-place team finish... Placed 21st overall at the NCAA-II South Central Regional meet to help the Gorillas qualify to nationals.

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: Graduated from PSU earlier this month with a 3.838 GPA with dual degrees in biology (pre-medicine) and Spanish... Has been accepted to the University of Kansas Medical School... Earned All-A honors during the Spring 2009 semester... Under consideration for ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® honors... Qualified for the MIAA Academic Honor Roll as well as the MIAA Scholar-Athlete Team.

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: An active member of PSU's campus Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter, the PSU Honors College, the Beta Beta Beta (Tri Beta) Biology Honor Society and the PSU Student Government Association cabinet... A Special Olympics volunteer and a volunteer for the PSU Pre-Med Free Health Screening... Also a PSU University Ambassador and a student representative on the PSU Athletic Fee Council... Also served on the Student Government Election Board Committee, the Campus Smoking Policy Committee as well as the Student Recreation Center Advisory Board.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: A three-time NCAA Division II National Champion in the 800 meters and a six-time NCAA-II All-American in the discipline... a 14-time MIAA Champion in distance races in track & field, as well as a 20-time All-MIAA performer... also an All-MIAA cross country runner... A 2007 USA Track Championships qualifier... PSU's all-time record holder in the indoor and outdoor 800m, the indoor mile and the indoor 1,000m... The MIAA record holder in the 800m as well... a multiple-time MIAA Athlete of the Week selection... the 2006-07 Ken B. Jones Award runner-up... A second-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® in 2007... A multiple time member of the MIAA Honor Roll and MIAA Scholar Athlete program... Served on a mission trip to Brazil to build houses for missionaries during the summer of 2004... A five-year member of PSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and a five-year Special Olympics volunteer... Involved with a Habitat for Humanity project during her experience at the 2006 NCAA-II Fall Sports Festival in Pensacola, Fla.... A five-year member of the PSU Honors College and a five-year volunteer for PSU's Pre Med Free Health Clinic.

Jessica Mainz
Washburn
Soccer/Basketball
Senior -- Topeka, Kan.
Elementary education major
3.58 cumulative GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: In soccer, led the Lady Blues to the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in three years reaching the second round of the playoffs... She earned unanimous first team All-MIAA honors for the fourth time in her career... Named to the National Soccer Coaches Association second team all-region squad... Also named to the Daktronics second team all-region squad as picked by the region's sports information directors... She scored six goals this season and set the Washburn single-season assist record with nine, which ranks tied for eighth in single-season history in the MIAA... Recorded three match-winning goals... she finished 2nd in the MIAA in assists per game (0.38), 5th in shots per game (3.12), 6th in shots on goal per game (1.58) and 10th in the MIAA in points per game (0.88)... In basketball, Mainz led the Lady Blues to their eighth straight NCAA Division II Tournament and their fifth MIAA Tournament win in the last seven years (Mainz won three of four she played in Kansas City)... she was named the MIAA's Most Valuable Defensive Player for the second straight season... She was also a second team all-MIAA pick... She averaged 6.7 points, 4.8 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game for the season... She led the MIAA in assist to turnover ratio (2.3 to 1), second in assists (4.75 per game), third in free throw percentage (.825)... Nationally she finished eighth in assist to turnover ratio and 44th in assists... She averaged a team-high 32.1 minutes per game.

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: Mainz earned second team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District honors... She qualifies for the MIAA Academic Honor Roll as well as the MIAA Scholar-Athlete list for both soccer and basketball... She received general academic scholarships, the Valedictorian Scholarships and the Presidential Scholarships from Washburn this season.

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: This season, she took part in the "Fun Day with the 'Bods" as a community outreach for the Topeka Special Olympics... Also took part in the Sunflower Soccer Association's free soccer clinics... Was a celebrity soup server with Lady Blues basketball head coach Ron McHenry for Doorstep, Inc. in Topeka... Took part in a wine-tasting fund raiser for the women's soccer program.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: Named Washburn's Senior Student-Athlete of the Year at the 2009 senior banquet recognizing Washburn's top senior student-athlete who has been at Washburn at least three seasons and has excelled both in the classroom and in their sport(s)... In Soccer, became the third player in MIAA history to go over 100 points as she finished her career with 47 goals, 24 assists for the 118 points... Her point total ranks third in MIAA history, her career goal total is third in MIAA history, her career assist total is tied for second in MIAA history... She was a four-time first team all-MIAA selection... she was a two-time league MVP and a 2006 NCAA All-American... She was part of two NCAA Division II Tournament teams and the 2006 MIAA Championship squad... She was a two-time NSCAA first team all-region selection and a two-time NSCAA second team all-region selection... she was a two-time Daktronics first team all-region selection and a one-time second team Daktronics all-region pick... She finished her soccer career with 14 school career records and 16 single-season school records... She was a two-time member of the MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll as well as a first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District selection... In basketball, she is one of only three Lady Blues to have at least 600 points, 400 rebounds, 350 assists and 150 steals in a career... She is a two-time MIAA Defensive Player of the Year becoming the first woman athlete to have received an MIAA's MVP award in two different sports during her junior season when she earned the soccer MVP as well as the league's Defensive MVP award... She finished her career ranked fifth in all-time assists at Washburn, sixth in minutes played and seventh in steals... She was part of two MIAA regular season championship teams and three MIAA Postseason Tournament Championship teams... She was named to the basketball MIAA Commissioner's Honor Roll twice and was named to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll in soccer two times... She received Washburn's general academic scholarship each year as well as receiving Washburn's Valedictorian and Presidential Scholarships... Took part in SAAC's Bowling with the Bods event and Fun Day with the Bods -- both for the Topeka Special Olympics... Worked with SAAC's Canned food drive... Participated in the Topeka Arthritis Walk, Adopt a Family and the Sunflower Soccer Association's free soccer clinics.

Brittanie Roldan
Central Missouri
Track & Field
Senior -- Frisco, Texas
Marketing major
3.85 cumulative GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: In the 2009 Outdoor National Championships, Roldan earned All-America honors by placing third in the triple jump, after winning the 2009 MIAA title in the event... She was the MIAA Indoor Champion and an All-American in the triple jump, placing second in the nation as well... She is the Peggy Martin Award Winner for the most outstanding senior female student athlete at Central Missouri... She has also been named MIAA Field Athlete of the Week on two occasions this season.

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: Her undergraduate GPA in marketing is 3.85, and she has qualified for the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and MIAA Scholar-Athlete lists... She also has been nominated for ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District (voting still ongoing).

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: She is a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and serves as the MIAA President and Chair... she has also helped on the Literacy Team, Legacy Program, TRIO program, and is the president of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority... She is secretary of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, and represented UCM at the NCAA Leadership Conference last year... She is a "Who's Who" at Central Missouri.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: She is a two-time All-American and the best triple jumper in school history... She ranks number one all time with the best indoor and outdoor triple jumps in school history at 40-1.50 indoors and 39-9.25 outdoors... She has been named All-MIAA in three different events indoors and three events outdoors during her career, ranking in the UCM top 10 in each... Has registered a total of 18 all-conference performances... She has provisionally qualified for nationals eight times, in both the triple jump and long jump, as well as the 60-meter hurdles and the 100-meter hurdles outdoos... Roldan has won the MIAA indoor triple jump title, the outdoor triple jump title, and the indoor long jump in her career... This year, she finished second in the nation in the triple jump indoors... She is a multiple time winner of the MIAA Commissioners Academic Honor Roll, Academic All-MIAA, Academic All-American, and has been on the Deans list for seven semesters... She was also the NAACP Athlete of the Year in 2007.

Men's Nominees
Caleb Farabi
Pittsburg State
Football
Senior -- Pittsburg, Kan.
Management major
3.78 cumulative GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: Earned third-team NCAA Division II All-America honors as a running back from Don Hansen's Football Gazette... Named to the second-team All-Southwest Region squad from Football Gazette and Daktronics... First-team All-MIAA selection... carried the ball 260 times for 1,387 yards (5.3 yards per carry, 106.7 yards per game) and 14 touchdowns... also caught 32 passes for 298 yards (9.3 yards per catch) and one touchdown... Compiled 1,685 all-purpose yards (129.6 ypg) and scored 90 points (6.9 ppg) on the season... Helped the Gorillas to an 11-2 record and an NCAA-II postseason appearance (NCAA-II second round)... Ranked third in the MIAA in rushing and all-purpose yards and seventh in the league in scoring... MIAA Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 3, after rushing 26 times for 126 yards and four touchdowns against Washburn on Nov. 1.

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: Graduated from PSU in December with a bachelor's of business administration degree (management major)... Named to the first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® squad for a second straight season (2007-08)... Earned All-A Honors during the Fall 2008 semester... Will be named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll as well as the MIAA Scholar Athlete Team when those squads are released later this month.

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: Participated in the PSU football program's annual YMCA Youth Football Clinic in August, teaching basic football skills to area youth... Also involved in the YMCA's annual banquet and Class LTD, an organization that assists persons with developmental disabilities... Involved with PSU's "Big Event" community-wide volunteer project where PSU students plant flowers, rake leaves, etc., for elderly community members... A member of PSU's Omicron Delta Epsilon society.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: A two-time NCAA Division II All-American and two-time first-team All-MIAA performer (2007-08) Compiled 3,292 career rushing yards and 43 touchdowns during his four-year playing career (2005-08)... A two-time first-team ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® selection (2007-08)... A 2008 MIAA Ken B. Jones Award Finalist... A three-year member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and a two-year MIAA Scholar Athlete honoree... A five-year participant in the YMCA Youth Football Clinic... Also a two-year participant in the PSU Big Event city-wide clean-up day.

Joel Osborn
Northwest Missouri State
Football
Senior -- Harlan, Iowa
Math education major -- 3.61 undergraduate GPA
Education major -- 3.67 graduate GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: MIAA Most Valuable Offensive Player (second Northwest QB to receive the award)... First-Team All-MIAA (QB)... Don Hansen's Football Gazette Second-Team All-Region... Improved to 19-3 as a starting quarterback... Became the sixth quarterback in Northwest history to pass for 3,000 yards in a season... Passed for the fourth-most yards during the regular season in program history (2,528) and for the seventh-most scores (19)... Threw 190 consecutive passes without an interception spanning nine games... Broke Northwest's career completion percentage record (67.0 percent)... Passed for a career-high 325 yards vs. Abilene Christian (8/30)... Threw a touchdown in 14 of 15 games... Completed 17-of-23 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns in win vs. Truman (9/20)... Completed 13-of-17 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns in win vs. FHSU (10/18)... Completed a 27-yard pass on fourth-and-10 late in the fourth quarter in the playoffs against PSU (11/22)... 2008 MIAA Rankings - Second in passing efficiency (153.38 rating), Most passing yards (3,249 yds), Sixth in total offense (214.6 ypg)... Northwest won its third-consecutive MIAA title... Northwest led the MIAA in scoring and total offense and finished second in passing... 2008 National Rankings - 17th in passing efficiency (153.38 rating) 10th in passing yards (3,249 yds), 52nd in total offense (214.6 ypg)... Northwest ranked 8th in national scoring offense (40 ppg) and 18th in total offense (443.6 ypg).

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: Draddy Award Semifinalist (2008) (Academic Heisman Trophy)... Nominated by the education department and won a "Bobby" for his excellence in his field (education)... Recipient of the Inaugural Academic Achievement Award handed out by the Division II Athletic Directors Association. Members must have a GPA of 3.5 and be an active member of an athletic team... Qualifies for MIAA Academic Honor Roll and MIAA Scholar-Athletes list.

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: Gave numerous private football lessons to Maryville's youth... Worked numerous football camps on campus and in the town of Maryville... Participated in football clean-up day -- a volunteer labor service to the community of Maryville.

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: In Northwest Records: 67.0 career completion percentage (Northwest record).. 67.9 completion percentage in 2007 (Northwest record)... 259 completions in 2008 (4th all-time at Northwest)... 24 touchdown passes in 2008 (8th all-time at Northwest)... 3,249 yards in 2008 (5th all-time at Northwest)... 454 pass completions (5th all-time at Northwest)... 5,501 career passing yards (7th all-time at Northwest)... 39 career touchdown passes (8th all-time at Northwest). Participated each spring in football clean-up day a volunteer labor service to the community of Maryville. In the past, Joel has helped clean ditches on the local highways, raked lawns and performed numerous tasks in cleaning and maintaining local homes. Maryville was hit by an ice storm during the winter of 2007-08 and Joel was called upon to help pick up many of the trees and branches that had fallen as a result of the storm. Three-time MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll Member (2006, 2007, 2008). Members must have a cumulative GPA of 3.00... President's Honor Roll (Dean's List, 4.0 GPA): Fall 2006, Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Fall 2008... Academic Honor Roll (3.5 GPA): Spring 2006.

Dustin Strickler
Missouri Western
Football
Senior -- Bellevue, Neb.
Marketing major
3.89 cumulative GPA

2008-09 Athletics Accomplishments: Three-time MIAA Special Teams Player of the Week... Second Team All-MIAA Kicker... Football Gazette Honorable Mention All-America Team... MWSU Male Student-Athlete of the Year

2008-09 Academics Accomplishments: MWSU Dean's List (3.5 GPA or higher) in Fall 2008... MWSU President's Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) in Spring 2009... 3.88 GPA in 2008-09... ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 Team... ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® First Team... MIAA Academic Honor Roll... Named to the National Football Foundation 2009 Hampshire Honors Society.

2008-09 Campus/Community Service: MWSU Student Athlete Advisory Committee President... Campaign Leader for Griffs Giving Gifts Adopt-A-Family Program... Coordinator for the Second Harvest Food Bank Canned Food Drive... Night Out on the Griffs... Helped organize the MWSU Gatorade Pong Tournament to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation

Career Athletics, Academics and Service Accomplishments: MWSU President's Honor Roll (4.0 GPA) for five semesters... MWSU Dean's List (3.5 or higher) for three semesters... 2007 MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll... 2008 MIAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll... 2009 MIAA Academic Honor Roll... Two-time All-MIAA Academic Selection (2007, 2006)... Two-time ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 Team (2008, 2007)... ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America® First Team in 2008... Named to the National Football Foundation 2009 Hampshire Honors Society... Six-time MIAA Special Teams... Two-time second team All-MIAA kicker (2008, 2006)... Honorable mention All-MIAA kicker (2007)... Football Gazette National Special Teams Co-Player of the Week on October 24, 2007... 2008 Football Gazette honorable mention All-America... MWSU Student-Athlete of the Year (2009)... Tied Mineral Water Bowl record for the longest field goal (48 yards) in 2007... Holds the MWSU record for consecutive extra points made (52)... Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President (2008-09) and Treasurer (2007-08)... Participated in the Griffs Giving Gifts Adopt-A-Family program for four years... Participated in Night Out on the Griffs all four years at MWSU... Spent time as a tutor for two St. Joseph youth in math and various other subjects... Participated in the MIAA Canned Food Drive for four years at MWSU... Played a major role in developing the first Gatorade Pong Tournament on MWSU's campus to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.