July 8, 2011

Complete List of award winners

By Danny Mattie
Athletic Media Relations

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Colorado State Athletics announced Friday the recipients of the department’s annual awards for the 2010-11 season, citing six student-athletes for their outstanding contributions in competition and in the classroom. 

The six awards are the Nye Trophy (outstanding male athlete), Virginia K. Frank Award (outstanding female athlete), Merrill-Gheen Award (male scholar-athlete), Mencimer Memorial Award (female scholar-athlete), Thurman “Fum” McGraw Award and the Keli McGregor Award. 

Nye Trophy • Andy Ogide, men’s basketball
Ogide has been selected as the recipient of the Nye Trophy, the department's oldest continuing honor, given annually to the most outstanding male athlete since its inception in 1929.  The Nye Trophy, named for Colonel E.L. Nye, a former professor of pathology and bacteriology who lettered in track at CSU (1913-14 and 1919) and his brother, Dr. William Nye, who lettered multiple times in football, basketball and track and field from 1915-19, is given annually to a senior who is in good academic standing and has observed all the rules of training and competition, while showing character and conduct in keeping with the highest tradition of CSU.

A product of Marietta, Ga., Ogide turned in an outstanding senior season with the men’s basketball program, leading the Rams to a 19-13 record and an appearance in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) while garnering first-team all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), first-team all-Mountain West honors and academic all-Mountain West accolades.  He led the Rams in points (17.2 per game) and rebounds (7.7), finishing as one of only six players to record more than 1,000 points and 600 rebounds in his CSU career.

Ogide is the 13th basketball player in CSU’s history to earn the Nye Trophy. 

Virginia K. Frank Award • Danielle Minch, volleyball
Minch has been selected as the recipient of the Virginia K. Frank Award, given annually since 1976 to the most outstanding female athlete.  The Frank Award is donated by the alumni association in honor of Frank's outstanding leadership and coaching during her 16-year tenure at CSU, where she developed and directed women's athletics while it was a part of the Women's Recreation Association.  Frank was also chosen as the first woman to receive the Outstanding Professor Award from CSU in 1963.

A product of Sterling, Colo., Minch earned her second consecutive Mountain West Player of the Year nod in 2010, leading the Rams to back-to-back conference titles in 2009 and 2010.  In addition to her all-conference selection, Minch earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-West region accolades and was selected as a third-team All-American by Volleyball Magazine.  She was also honored as the 2010 Colorado Sports Hall of Fame College Female Athlete of the Year. 

Minch is the eighth member of the volleyball program to be selected for the Virginia K. Frank Award.

Merrill-Gheen Award • Eric Peitz, football
Peitz has been honored for his work both on the playing field and in the classroom, earning the Merrill-Gheen Award, presented annually since 1958 to the most outstanding male scholar-athlete.  The Merrill-Gheen Award, named after Russell Merrill, a former CSU baseball player, and Joseph Gheen, the award's original sponsor who donated anonymously and was posthumously added to the award, is presented to an outstanding student-athlete based upon his record in activities, athletics and academics with equal emphasis on all three.

A native of Crofton, Neb., Peitz notched career bests with 15 catches for 187 yards and tied a career mark with three touchdowns in 11 starts during the 2010 season.  A candidate for the John Mackey award, given annually to the nation’s top tight end, Peitz also garnered attention as a semifinalist for the Campbell Trophy, known as the Academic Heisman, after posting an impressive 3.71 GPA as a biological science major.  He earned academic all-MW honors and was selected as a Mountain West scholar-athlete.

Peitz is the 21st football player in CSU’s history to earn the Merrill-Gheen Award. 

Mencimer Award • Michelle Price, swimming and diving
Price, who has been equally adept in the classroom and in the pool for the Rams throughout her career,   has been selected as the recipient of the Mencimer Memorial Award, presented to the most outstanding female scholar-athlete since 1976.  The Mencimer Memorial Award was initiated by Barbara Mencimer-Maxfield, a nine-sport student-athlete at CSU, in honor of her parents, Catherine and Floyd Mencimer, both former Colorado A&M athletes, to encourage female athletes and acknowledge their excellence.

A local product from Fort Collins’ Poudre High School, Price earned Mountain West academic all-conference and MW scholar-athlete honors with a 3.70 GPA in environmental health while working on her graduate degree during her senior season with the Rams.  She ranked among the Rams’ top-5 performers in several events in 2010-11, including the 200 Freestyle, 100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke, 200 Butterfly, 200 IM and 400 IM. 

Price is the seventh swimmer in CSU’s history to earn the Mencimer Award.

Thurman “Fum” McGraw Award • Tyson Williams, men’s track & field
Tyson Williams has earned the Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award.  Presented annually since 2002, the McGraw Award is given to the most outstanding overall student-athlete who embodies academic and athletic excellence, character, leadership, service, concern for others and unwavering Ram pride, the characteristics that best defined the spirit and essence of  McGraw, the legendary student-athlete, coach and administrator, and most recognizable presence in CSU athletics history.

Hailing from Grand Junction, Colo., Williams concluded his career at CSU by earning all-Mountain West and second-team All-America accolades after placing 12th in the shot put at the NCAA Track & Field championships this spring.  Williams also excelled in the classroom, earning Mountain West scholar-athlete recognition and being named to the MW academic all-conference team. 

Williams is the third track and field athlete to be honored as the McGraw Award recipient. 

Keli McGregor Award • Guy Miller, football
The Keli McGregor Award, now in its second year, has been awarded to Guy Miller.  The award recognizes the characteristics that best defined McGregor's legacy as an All-America tight end and outstanding student at CSU, an NFL player, and later President of the Colorado Rockies. Among the most prestigious honors given by CSU, the recognition is on par with the award named after McGraw, the athletic director whom McGregor credited with guaranteeing his scholarship on the heels of a 1982 coaching change.

Miller, a native of Scott City, Kan., earned first-team all-conference honors from the Mountain West coaches and media, as well as Phil Steele, after an outstanding senior campaign, becoming CSU’s first defensive player to garner first-team honors since 2003 (Bryan Save and Dexter Wynn).  A permanent fixture as a defensive captain as a senior, Miller started all 12 games and was on the field for 735 of 785 defensive snaps in 2010, ranking among national leaders at defensive tackle with 6 ½ sacks.

Miller joins former teammate Tim Walter as the only recipients of the McGregor Award. 

Consideration for MW awards
In addition to earning CSU’s annual student-athlete awards, Ogide, Minch, Peitz and Price will also be nominated by the department for consideration for MW male and female Athlete of the Year and MW male and female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards, respectively.