April 13, 2009
PITTSBURGH-The University of Pittsburgh Athletics department handed out its highest honors this evening at the Senior Awards Banquet held at the William Pitt Union on campus. With Pitt's senior student-athletes and their parents present, the Athletic Department announced the recipients of the David Sandberg Champion, Blue-Gold and Panther Awards.
The David Sandberg Champion award was founded in 2003 in memory of the former Pitt wrestler and assistant coach. The award is given to a senior that best represents the qualities David personified at the University - a dedication to academic and athletic excellence, with an unyielding spirit and passionate commitment to the improvement of the University of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities. This year's David Sandberg Champion award winner was LaRod Stephens-Howling. Stephen-Howling finished his career with nearly 2,000 career rushing yards. The "Johnstown Jet" was not only a dangerous runner but also thrived on special teams. He was the consummate team player and was honored with the Demale Stanley Most Inspirational Award as a senior.
Next were the announcements of the Blue-Gold Awards. This award is given to the seniors who represent the student-athletes ideal based on academic scholarship, athletic achievement, leadership qualities and citizenship. The female Blue-Gold awardee was Kristy Borza of the women's tennis team. Borza is a three-time team MVP, who became the fastest player in history to record 100 victories at Pitt. She holds the school records in combined career wins (175), career singles (91), career doubles (83) and single-season singles (28). A 2008-09 recipient of the Big East/Aeropostale Institutional Scholar-Athlete of the Year award, she is also the first Panther ever to achieve an ITA singles ranking.
Two members of the football team shared the male Blue-Gold honor, as Conor Lee and Scott McKillop were co-awardees. Lee established himself as Pitt's "Mr. Clutch" and one of the most prolific scorers in school history. He was named first team All-Big East this past year and additionally was a second team Academic All-American. He finished his career as the most accurate kicker in Pitt history, converting 83.3% of his field goals. Lee never missed an extra point during his collegiate career, converting a school-record 113 consecutive. As a senior he was named first team All-Big East, the Big East's Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year and an Academic All-American.
There might not have been a better playmaker in all of college football than McKillop over his final two collegiate seasons. As a junior he led the entire country in tackles, averaging 12.6 per game. During his All-America senior year, McKillop ranked third nationally in solo tackles and 10th in total stops. He was selected the 2008 Big East Defensive Player of the Year by both league coaches and media. McKillop was twice a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection, joining receiver Larry Fitzgerald as the only other Panther to twice earn unanimous conference honors.
The final honor was the Panther Award, which is presented to the graduating senior athlete who has promoted Pitt athletics through his/her outstanding athletic achievements. The first Panther Award winner was Shavonte Zellous. Zellous finished her career as the most decorated women's basketball player at Pitt, earning the program's first-ever pick in the WNBA as the 11th overall pick. An All-American, Zellous is a three-time First Team All-Big East member. She has broken numerous school records including points in a season (747), which makes her the only Pitt men's or women's player to record over 700 points in a season. She concluded her career with 2,251 points, which ranks third among Pitt men and women throughout history.
Two members of the men's basketball team shared the male Panther Award, as Levance Fields and Sam Young were co-awardees. Fields was a Third Team All-America selection, three-time Bob Cousy Award finalist and All-Big East Third Team pick. He set school records for most assists in a game, most assists in a season, season assist-to-turnover ratio, career point-assist double-doubles and career assist-to-turnover ratio. Fields is one of only six players in school history to score over 1,000 points and dish out over 500 assists in a career.
A consensus All-America selection, two-time All-Big East First Team pick and national finalist for the Lowe's Senior Class Award, Young concluded his career ranked fourth among school scoring leaders with 1,884 points. He also set a school record for career games played with 143, scored over 20 points in 32 career games, reached double figure scoring 97 times and totaled 10 career double-doubles. This season, Young led Pitt in scoring with a 19.2 points per game average and became just the fourth men's basketball player in school history to earn two All-Big East First Team honors.
Also honored were 11 Seniors of Distinction, which include varsity student-athletes who have made outstanding contributions in the athletic arena. This year's honorees were: Tyrell Biggs (men's basketball), Kelly Campbell (women's volleyball), Samantha Card (softball), Mycaiah Clemons (women's track and field), BJ Conklyn (men's swimming and diving), C.J. Davis (football), Janessa Murphy (women's track and field), Zach Sheaffer (wrestling), Ruth Seiffert (women's swimming and diving), Xenia Stewart (women's basketball) and Alex Volovetski (men's swimming and diving).
