Devvarman and Sauerbrunn Honored as UVa's Top Athletes
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CHARLOTTESVILLESomdev Devvarman (men’s tennis) and Becky Sauerbrunn (women’s soccer) were honored as Virginia’s top male and female athletes for the 2007-08 academic year at Virginia’s annual awards dinner Monday (April 28) at John Paul Jones Arena. Devvarman received the WINA Award as the top male athlete and Sauerbrunn received the IMP Award as the top female athlete.
Devvarman, a senior from Chennai, India, is the most accomplished men’s tennis player in Atlantic Coast Conference history. The 2007 Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Player of the Year, last year he became the first player in conference history to win the NCAA Singles Championship. This season he has led the top-ranked Cavaliers to a 28-0 record, including the ITA National Team Indoor and ACC Championships. A three-time All-American, he holds the Virginia school records for singles wins in a season (44) and in a career (150). Devvarman is 36-1 this season in singles and has been ranked No. 1 nationally in both singles and doubles (with Treat Huey) every week this season. He is the 2008 ACC Player of the Year and earned All-ACC honors for the fourth time in this career.
Sauerbrunn, a senior defender from St. Louis, Mo., concluded her Virginia career last fall by earning All-America honors for the third time and All-ACC honors for the fourth time. The 2007 ACC Defensive Player of the Year, she anchored a Cavalier defensive unit that led the nation in goals against average (0.40) and established a school record with 15 shutouts. Also a standout in the classroom, Sauerbrunn was named the 2007 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Scholar Athlete of the Year. Earlier this year, she made her debut with the United States Women’s National Team at the Four Nations Tournament in China.
Jack Blackburn, Virginia’s Dean of Admissions, received the Bus Male Award for his years of service at the University.
Sarah Kirkwood (Tampa, Fla.) of the volleyball team, Ben Rubeor (Towson, Md.) of the men’s lacrosse team and Becky Sauerbrunn (St. Louis, Mo.) of the women’s soccer team received UVa’s ACC Scholar-Athlete Awards. Michael Miller (St. Davids, Pa..) of the men’s swimming and diving team received the Gus Tebell Memorial Award as the senior male student-athlete with the highest grade point average through his four years at Virginia, while Lindsey Preuss (La Plata, Md.) of the softball team received the Jettie Hill Memorial Award as the senior female student-athlete with the highest scholastic average through her four years at UVa. James Erickson (Detroit, Mich.) of the men’s cross country and track and field teams, and Kyle Rudzinski (McLean, Va.) of the men’s soccer team were co-recipients of the Ernest H. Ern, Jr. Award for outstanding contributions to student life at Virginia.
Billie-Jo Grant (Arroyo Grande, Calif.) of the women’s track and field team was the recipient of the Craig Fielder Memorial Award for overcoming adversity and Ryan Hurley (Potomac, Md.) of the men’s swimming and diving team received the Ralph Sampson Scholarship Award. Katie Shannon (Downingtown, Pa.) of the women’s lacrosse team received the Virginia Athletics Department’s Distinguished Student-Athlete Scholarship Award.
Whitney Roper (Rumson, N.J.) of the rowing team was the recipient of the Bob Goodman Memorial Award for her service to Virginia athletics as a team manager and Jacquelyn Howells (Herndon, Va.) received the Tim Abbott Memorial Award presented to the student assistant trainer most dedicated to and possessing empathy for the student-athletes. Melissa Caldwell (Houston, Texas) of the volleyball team and Meghan O’Leary (Baton Rouge, La.) of the softball team were co-recipients of the Susan J. Grossman Memorial Award in recognition of outstanding service to student-athletes and contributions to the Student Athlete Mentor Program. Diane Leigh (Maitland, Fla.) of the women’s rowing team received the Life Skills Scholarship Award.
Virginia’s ACC Top VI Award recipients included Andrew Carraway (Marietta, Ga., baseball), Julia Falk (Clifton, Va., women’s soccer), Billie-Jo Grant (Arroyo Grande, Calif., women’s track and field), Michael Hagos (Springfield, Va., men’s cross country), Ryan Hurley (Potomac, Md., men’s swimming and diving) and Nick Meros (Tallahassee, Fla., men’s tennis).
Team Awards
Baseball Billy Word Memorial Award Awarded later
Basketball (m) Sidney Young Memorial Award Sean Singletary
Basketball (w) Coaches Award for Excellence Sharnee Zoll and Monica Wright
Cross Country (m) Coaches Award for Excellence Andy Biladeau
Cross Country (w) Coaches Award for Excellence Emily Harrison
Field Hockey Coaches Award for Excellence Katherine Bounds
Football John Acree Memorial Award Chris Long
Golf (m) Dixon Brooke Memorial Award Awarded later
Golf (w) – William C. Eacho Memorial Award Whitney Neuhauser
Lacrosse (m) Henry Gaver Memorial Award Awarded later
Lacrosse (w) Coaches Award for Excellence Kendall McBrearty
Rowing Coaches Award for Excellence Kelsie Chaudoin
Soccer (m) Stanley Lerner Memorial Award Chris Tierney
Soccer (w) Coaches Award for Excellence Becky Sauerbrunn
Softball Coaches Award for Excellence Lindsey Preuss and Meghan O’Leary
Swimming (m) Brooke Maury Memorial Award Lee Robertson
Swimming (w) Diane Montgomery Greene Memorial Award Stephanie Glover
Tennis (m) Norton Pritchett Memorial Award Awarded later
Tennis (w) Coaches Award for Excellence Amanda Rales
Track Z Society The Lou Onesty Memorial Award Awarded later
Track Henry Cummings Memorial Award Awarded later
Volleyball Coaches Award for Excellence Melissa Caldwell
Wrestling David Senft Memorial Award Rocco Caponi