SPRINGFIELD Missouri State’s final set of year-end honors was announced today with the awarding of the 2008-09 Outstanding Female Athlete Award and the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete Award.
Jordan Hawkins (Choctaw, Okla.), a senior swimmer was awarded the Outstanding Female Athlete Award, as voted on by Missouri State’s nine women’s head coaches. She is the second swimmer ever to receive the honor, joining 2003 honoree Courtney Phillips on the list of award winners that dates back to 1981.
Hawkins was named Missouri Valley Conference Swimmer of the Year in 2008-09 and was part of five winning races at the 2009 MVC Championship meet with victories in the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard backstroke, 200-yard backstroke, 200-yard medley relay, and 400-yard medley relay.
A 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Second Team Academic All-America selection, Hawkins was a first-team All-MVC swimmer three years. She also earned MVC Scholar-Athlete honors three consecutive seasons. She was a three-time MVC champion in the 50-yard freestyle, two-time MVC 100-yard backstroke champion, and holds three Missouri Valley Conference individual championship records. Hawkins also claimed four MSU records and is part of four MSU relay records while being named as the Bears' Swimmer of the Year in both 2007-08 and 2008-09. She was also MVC Freshman of the Year in 2006 and claimed MVC Prairie Farms Scholar Athlete of the Week and Swimmer of the Week honors this season.
Other finalists for the 2009 award were basketball sensation Casey Garrison (Fr., Bolivar, Mo.), soccer goal keeper Jackie Jasper (Lockport, Ill.), cross country and track standout Terry Phillips (So., Kansas City, Mo.), and softball slugger Jessie Smith (Sr., Blue Springs, Mo.).
Cara Belcher (Kansas City, Mo.), a Private and Commercial Recreation major, is the winner of the 2009 Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete Award. The award is presented annually to the graduating female student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average.
Belcher, who will graduate in August, has a 3.80 cumulative grade point average and was presented with the Missouri Valley Conference President’s Academic Award this year. The freestyler was also on the MVC Honor Roll four times and competed at the MVC Championships all four years.
The Wynn Award also dates back to 1981, and Belcher is the second swimmer to be honored with this distinction, joining 2002 honoree Erica Adams.
Outstanding Female Athlete Award
1981 Stephanie Dutton, field hockey
1982 Jennifer Seveland Box, volleyball
1983 Lynne Strubberg, basketball
1984 Jeanette Tendai, basketball
1985 Kim Schwaab, field hockey
1986 Terri Whitmarsh, softball
1987 Kathy Crotty, volleyball
1988 Marjorie DeMarino, field hockey
1989 Mindy Struckhoff, volleyball
1990 Susan Ruch, volleyball
1991 LaWaynta Dawson, basketball
1992 Barb Gaines, softball
1993 Barb Gaines, softball
1994 Melody Howard, basketball
Kellie Becher, softball
1995 Melinda Sallins, track and field
1996 Melinda Sallins, track and field
1997 Michelle Baptiste, track and field
1998 Lisa Davies, basketball
1999 Verneta Lesforis, track and field
2000 Jackie Stiles, basketball
2001 Jackie Stiles, basketball
2002 Cheasa Gibson, track and field
2003 Courtney Phillips, swimming
2004 Cheasa Gibson, track and field
2005 Casey Owens, track and cross country
2006 Tracy Partain, track and field
2007 Sally Hinton, golf
2008 Missy Linnens, golf
2009 Jordan Hawkins, swimming
Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete
1981 Diane Linneman, basketball
1982 Stephanie Dutton, field hockey
1983 Jennifer Seveland Box, volleyball
Diane Busenbark, cross country
1984 Mandy Charles, track
1985 Maureen Manda, volleyball
1986 Lisa Einheuser, cross country-track
1987 Marla Douglass, basketball
1988 Julie Warren, volleyball
1989 Mandy Struckhoff, volleyball
1990 Pat Stock, volleyball
1991 Karen Heman, field hockey
1992 Charity Shira, basketball
1993 JanaRae Abram, tennis
1994 Melody Howard, basketball
1995 Linda Shipton, field hockey
1996 Jodie Schurle, track and field
1997 Alissa Donaldson, field hockey-soccer
1998 Michelle Witzke, volleyball
1999 Cheryl Haslag, cross country-track
Lisa Davies, basketball
2000 Lani Kim, volleyball
2001 Jessica Gorham, softball
2002 Erica Adams, swimming
2003 Rhonda Allen, cross country-track
2004 Mary Litvan-soccer
2005 Karen Hymer-soccer
2006 Sarah Klaassen- basketball
2007 Melissa Behr, field hockey
2008 Carrie Vestal, cross country-track
2009 Cara Belcher, swimming
