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Katelyn Fischer of Marymount and Hobart's Richie Bonney are the recipients of the 2014 Jostens Trophy. The annual awards recognize outstanding student-athletes in NCAA Division III basketball for excellence in the classroom, on the playing court and in the community.
The Jostens Trophy is a joint creation of Jostens, Inc., of Minneapolis, and the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The purpose of the award is to honor the true Division III student-athlete -- the athlete that shows excellence in the classroom, on the playing floor and in the community. In addition to the Trophy, the Wooldridge Scholarship, a $1,000 donation, will be presented in the name of the winner to his/her institution. The scholarship was named after Dan Wooldridge, a Salem Rotarian and retired commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as a way of honoring him for his long-time dedication to Division III athletics.
The winners were chosen by a national selection committee that
consists of college coaches, former athletes, college
administrators and selected members of the media. The members of
the national selection committee cast their votes based on three
criteria: basketball ability, academic prowess and community
service.
The awards presentation for the Jostens Trophy is set for March 20,
held in conjunction with the Salem Rotary Club's weekly meeting at
the Salem Civic Center in Salem, Va.
Fischer, a native of Reisterstown, Md., helped guide the Saints
to a 17-11 overall record and a trip to the Capital Athletic
Conference Tournament, where they fell to 14th-ranked and
top-seeded York, 73-65, in the semifinals. Fischer was recently
named a First Team All-CAC member for the third straight year after
dropping in 15.5 points per game, dishing out a conference-best 6.6
assists per outing, and grabbing 4.5 rebounds per night while
shooting 83.2-percent from the foul line (second in the
conference). For her career, Fischer set the CAC and school records
for 3-pointers made (204) and set school records in career assists
(575), three-point shooting percentage (40.1%) and free throw
shooting percentage (82.5%). Additionally, she is third at
Marymount in scoring (1,664) and sixth in steals (263).
Fischer’s accomplishments extend far beyond the court into
the classroom and the community. In the classroom, Fischer sports a
3.97 grade point average as a Business major and has been a CAC
All-Academic honoree the past three years. She was named a First
Team Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American for the second
consecutive year in 2014.
In the community, Fischer has spearheaded several events such as
MU’s annual “Sock it to Me” drive to make care
packages for Arlington’s local homeless shelter. She also
helped raise over $7,000.00 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital
through a walk-a-thon. Fischer, who is vice president for
Marymount’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, also serves
as a resident advisor and a peer tutor.
Bonney, a native of Norwich, N.Y., helped lead the Statesmen to
a 22-7 overall record and their second-straight Liberty League
Tournament championship. Hobart then defeated No. 21 University of
Scranton in the first round of the NCAA Division III Men’s
Basketball Tournament, 94-81, before falling to Morrisville State,
86-75, in the second round.
The 2014 Liberty League Player of the Year and a two-time First
Team All-Liberty League selection, Bonney recorded 20.4 points per
game (second in the conference) and grabbed a league-best 11.0
rebounds per contest. He also logged 21 double-doubles, which is
the second best mark in the nation. His 234 field goals made are
the second most by a Statesman in a season, while his 591 points
rank fifth on Hobart's single-season scoring list. Bonney also
holds Hobart career records for points (1,738), field goals made
(680), field goal percentage (.583), and games played (114). He
finished third in career rebounds (951) and fifth in free throws
made (356).
Bonney is just as impressive in the classroom and in the community.
In the classroom, Bonney boasts a 3.88 grade point average as a
philosophy and public policy studies major. He is a two-time
Capital One First Team Academic All-American and was voted the
2013-14 Capital One Academic All-America of the Year for Division
III men's basketball. The three-time Liberty League All-Academic
Team selection is a Druid and Chimera, Hobart's senior class and
junior class honor societies, respectively.
In the community, Bonney has served as a pre-orientation leader for
groups of incoming first-years during each of the past two summers,
volunteering at Habitat for Humanity build sites in Geneva. He has
helped with team basketball clinics in a local elementary school as
well as an annual on campus basketball clinic for Ontario ARC.
The Jostens Trophy was first awarded in 1998. The full list of recipients:
Year | Men | Women |
1998 | Michael Nogelo, Williams | Alicia Moore, Emory |
1999 | Michael Shantz, Hamilton | Kristen Venne, Susquehanna |
2000 | Korey Coon, Illinois Wesleyan | Alia Fischer, Washington U. |
2001 | David Jannuzzi, Wilkes | Alison Grubbs, Lake Forest |
2002 | Adam Jones, Buena Vista | Heather Kile, Swarthmore |
2003 | Derek Reich, Chicago | Whitney Bull, Wilkes |
2004 | Justin Call, Emory and Henry | Kay Mikolajczak, UW-Oshkosh |
2005 | Jon-David Byers, Lebanon Valley | Tara Rohde, Trinity (Texas) |
2006 | Chris Braier, Lawrence | Megan Silva, Randolph-Macon |
2007 | Ryan Cain, WPI | Lisa Winkle, Calvin |
2008 | Troy Ruths, Washington U. | Tarra Richardson, McMurry |
2009 | Jimmy Bartolotta, MIT | Melanie Auguste, Colorado College |
2010 | Blake Schultz, Williams | Julia Hirssig, UW-Stout |
2011 | Steve Djurickovic, Carthage | Elizabeth Sunderhaus, Cedar Crest |
2012 | Aris Wurtz, Ripon | Taylor Simpson, Chicago |
2013 | Colton Hunt, Randolph | Carissa Verkaik, Calvin |
2014 | Richie Bonney, Hobart | Katelyn Fischer, Marymount |