Sportsmanship and athletic prowess during the 2012-13 academic year were honored at the College of Southern Marylands athletic awards banquet held at the Greater Waldorf Jaycees Community Center May 1. Coaches from CSMs athletics department presented awards for accomplishments in soccer, basketball, volleyball, softball, baseball and golf.
Freshman Taylor White, of Waldorf, who played volleyball and basketball, was named CSMs Female Athlete of the Year. She led the nation with 15.4 rebounds per game in basketball, while scoring 20 points in each of nine games and a season high of 31 points. In volleyball, White received All-MDJUCO (Maryland Junior College) honorable mention, All-Region XX honorable mention and All-Region XX Tournament team for volleyball. Taylor is one of the best athletes I've ever coachedjust raw talent, said CSM Head Volleyball Coach Pat Brewer. She improved immensely during the season. She is very coachable and is a pleasure to be around on and off the court. In volleyball, White led the team in solo blocks with 35 and total blocks with 55.5.
Sophomore Kyle Toepfer, of Prince Frederick, a member of the men's soccer team, was selected as this years Male Athlete of the Year. Toepfers honors included being named All-Region XX 1st Team and All-MDJUCO 2nd Team.
I have had the privilege to get to know Kyle on a personal level and have watched him mature and achieve success right before my eyes. During his freshman year, something about him stood out to me immediately and as my assistant can confirm, I said Watch that kid, he's going to be a player, said CSM Mens Soccer Head Coach Derek Dyson. Far from a standout, [Toepfer] persevered and earned a starting spot on the 2012 team and thus assumed a leadership role [this year]. That role was not given; it was earned not only for who he was on the field, but for who he became off of it.
This years award for Scholar Athlete of the Year was given to CSM sophomore Staci Stamp, of North Beach, who played as a defender on the Hawks Womens Soccer team. She was also named to the Junior College Women Scholar All-American Team.
The CSM Athletics Recognition Award was presented to CSM Vice President of Advancement Michelle Goodwin. It is not a secret that it takes the support of many, many people for our athletic programs and events to be successful and for facilities and equipment to improve, said CSM Student Life and Athletics Lead Director Michelle Ruble. Michelle Goodwin is very passionate about students and especially student athletes. Our athletic staff tells me she is known for saying What do you need? and How are the teams doing? Ruble added. Goodwin is credited with inviting athletics to participate in fundraising such as the college-wide Big Give, and Foundation Classic Golf Tournament to provide opportunities for student athletes to meet with businesses and donors.
Due in large part to Michelles efforts, CSM is introducing mens lacrosse and womens cross country next year, said Ruble.
During the banquet, CSM Head Golf Coach Ned Spearbeck presented the Most Valuable Player Award to the parents of Eric Sawcheck.
“Golf is a different game than most. One of my greatest compliments that I give out is to call someone a golfer. Many people play the game very well competitively but they are not necessarily a golfer. A true golfer is a person who respects others on the course, respects the course itself leaving it in better condition than when they stepped onto it and they respect the game, said Spearbeck. One golfer is not up here with us today. Eric Sawchak. Eric started with us practicing in the cold of January and before our first match Eric got sick and passed away.
The No. 1 piece of golf advice Spearbeck gives relates to self-control. Frequently in golf no one beats you to the rim, or throws a pitch by you. Everyone waits in silence for you to play. Our individual limitations lead us to be depressed or elated beyond the scope of what we have just done. A true golfer is someone who takes the lie and breaks that play has given them and does the best they can with it without complaint and with a steady heart. That is why our 2013 Most Valuable Player is the person who faced the toughest situation with the most honor, Spearbeck said.
CSM athletes who received recognition from MDJUCO and Region XX, included:
Volleyball
Freshman Kimberly Brewer, of Waldorf, earned All-MDJUCO Second Team and All-Region XX 2nd Team and All MDJUCO Honorable Mention; White earned All-Region XX Honorable Mention and All-Region XX Tournament Team; and Freshman Eryn Fullard, of La Plata, earned All-Region XX Tournament team. The volleyball team finished the season with a 15-16 record and Region XX runners-up.
Womens Soccer
Katie Howard, of La Plata; Brooke Carter, of Temple Hills; Kelsey Major, of Waldorf; Erin Kelly, of Leonardtown and Alysse Houston, of Hughesville were named to All-Region 1st Team. Chanel Allen, of Indian Head, was named to All-Region 2nd Team. Kelly and Houston, were named to All-MDJUCO 1st Team. Major, Carter and Howard were named to All-MDJUCO 2nd Team. Stamp and Allen were named to the 2012 Junior College Women Scholar All-American Team. The womens soccer team finished the season 11-4-1 as MDJUCO Champions. CSM Head Womens Soccer Coach Adam Sanchez was named MDJUCO Coach of the Year.
Mens Soccer
Toepfer, Steve Njike, of Silver Spring, and Ryan Garvin, of Hughesville, were named to All-Region 1st Team. William Pete Thomas, of Waldorf, was named to All-Region 2nd Team; Njike was named to All-MDJUCO 1st Team; and Garvin and Toepfer were named to All-MDJUCO 2nd Team. The mens soccer team finished the season 8-6.
Mens Basketball
Sophomore Devon Brown, of Waldorf, earned All-MDJUCO Honorable Mention and All-Region XX 2nd Team. The mens basketball team finished the season 12-19 and earned second place in Region XX Tournament.
Womens Basketball
White was named to All-Region XX 1st Team. She led the nation and MDJUCO in rebounds at 15.4 per game, averaged 18.6 points per game (6th in MDJUCO) and made 3.8 blocks per game (2nd in MDJUCO). Taylor played nearly every minute of every game. On and off the court Taylor has done what she has needed and is being recruited often by NCAA schools, said CSM Athletics Coordinator Nick Williams. The womens basketball team finished the season 9-13, losing the MDJUCO Tournament to No. 1 seed Harford with less than three seconds left in the game.
Baseball
The baseball team finished the season 7-21. The team welcomed Jack Cheseldine to his first season as head coach.
Softball
Sophomore Victoria Wright, of Welcome, earned All Region XX 1st Team, freshman Cheyenne Faunce, of Mechanicsville, earned All Region XX 2nd Team. The softball team finished the season 19-9 and lost in the Region XX Tournament. This marks Mike Garners last season as head coach.
Golf
Eric Ryon, of North Beach, and George Bowie, of Port Tobacco, earned All-MDJUCO 2nd Team. The golf team finished the season 1-6.
CSM coaches are recruiting players for mens lacrosse and womens cross country for the 2013-14 academic year. For information, visit www.csmd.edu/Athletics.
To view photos from the Athletic Banquet, visit http://csmphoto.zenfolio.com/13athbanquet.