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| Fresno State's Becky Witt |
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DENVER-Fresno State softball player Becky Witt and TCU tennis player Sebastian Iannariello have recently been chosen as the 2000-01 Western Athletic Conference Stan Bates Award winners. Named in honor of former WAC Commissioner Stan Bates, the annual award is given to the WACs top male and female scholar-athletes and recognizes the recipients athletic and academic accomplishments. The awards carry a $2,000 postgraduate scholarship.
A native of Reseda, Calif., Witt was a four-time WAC Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-WAC honoree, while earning Academic All-America mention the last two years. In 2001, the kinesiology and exercise science major received the Kiwanis Torch of Excellence Award, was named to the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and was chosen as one of 29 female student-athletes to be awarded an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for academic achievement.
On the field, Witt led the conference with a .396 batting average, 76 hits and 50 runs scored, while leading her squad to a first-place finish in the WAC. The four-year letterwinner and starter was chosen as Fresno States Most Valuable Player and Female Athlete of the Year.
Along with her academic and athletic commitment, Witt served as a community and campus leader. During the past year, she volunteered with the Big Hero-Little Hero program, the National Girls and Women in Sports Day, local winter sports clinics, and the Blood Bank Awareness and Donation Clinic.
Becky is a quiet leader who leads by example and takes the initiative to pull other teammates on board, said TCU head softball coach Margie Wright. She always takes responsibility for her actions both on and off the field and has a unique way of holding others accountable when it comes to reaching goals.
A finance and accounting major, Iannariello was TCUs 2001 Scholar Athlete of the Year while also receiving the Follet Academic Achievement Award. The Irving, Texas, native is a four-time Academic All-WAC performer and a member of the GoldenKey National Honor Society and Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society.
The four-year varsity player led his team to the NCAA Team Semifinals and NCAA Team Indoor Semifinals in 2001, as well as consecutive conference championships in 2000 and 2001.
Iannariello also dedicated time to his campus and community by volunteering with the local food bank, food drives, the Christmas Wish Program, and USA Tennis as a junior coach. He also participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Tandy School of Business Committee.
Beyond the numerous athletic and academic accomplishments, Sebastian has been an excellent ambassador for TCU athletics, said TCU Director of Athletics Eric Hyman. He is well respected by his coaches and teammates, as well as his fellow student athletes, the faculty and the community.
Other female nominees included Kyla McFarland, Nevada (track and field), Jada Sanders, Rice (swimming), Julie Brum, San Jose State (soccer), Ezeh Florence, SMU (track), Christine Filice, TCU (soccer), and Stacy Zimmerman, UTEP (volleyball).
Fresno States Tim Skipper (football), Rices John Jura (track and field and cross country), San Jose States Josh Parry (football), SMUs James Jernigan (swimming), and UTEPs Jeff Seeton (football) were among the other male nominees.
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