The finalists for the prestigious Jostens Trophy were announced
today by members of the Rotary Club of Salem, Va. The club is
responsible for the initial review of annual nominations and
narrowed the pool to 10 men's and 10 women's finalists.
The Jostens Trophy is awarded to an outstanding NCAA Division
III men’s and women’s basketball player who excels on
the floor, in the classroom and in the community.
The Salem Rotary Club Jostens Trophy Committee employs a
numerical rating to narrow the list of finalists so that the
decision can be made on the most objective basis
possible.
Last year, Katelyn Fischer of Marymount and
Hobart's Richie Bonney took home the
trophies.
Listed below are the finalists for the 2015 Jostens
Trophy:
| Men's finalists | Women's finalists |
| George Bugarinovic, Johns Hopkins | Rachel Carter, Salem State |
| Chris Cook, Hood | Liz Coyne, Rosemont |
| Nicholas LaGuerre, St. Mary's (Md.) | Melissa Gilkey, Washington U. |
| Gordon Lyons, Geneseo | Sally Linzmeier, UW-Superior |
| Dane McLoughlin, Case Western Reserve | Hannah McGinnis, Illinois College |
| Dylan Overstreet, Illinois Wesleyan | Sarah Parsons, Randolph-Macon |
| Travis Schomaeker, Defiance | Briana Rae, Blackburn |
| Brayden Teuscher, Wheaton (Ill.) | Jess Rheinheimer, Eastern Mennonite |
| Clayton Whitlock, MacMurray | Chanlir Segarra, Berry |
| John Wickey, Babson | Kelsey Shoemake, Eureka |
Voters’ ballots are due by March 12 with the winning schools expected to be notified by March 13. The awards presentation is scheduled for Thursday, March 19 at the Salem Civic Center in conjunction with the NCAA Division III men's basketball semifinals and championship in Salem, Va., on March 20-21.
The Jostens Trophy is a national award created by the Rotary Club of Salem, Va., to honor the most outstanding men's and women's NCAA Division III basketball players of the year. The award takes into account three vital parts: basketball ability, academic prowess and community service. The trophy models the Rotary International motto of "Service Above Self" by recognizing those who truly fit the ideal of the well-rounded NCAA Division III student-athlete. This year's class marks the 18th year the award has been presented.