May 15, 2014
Men's Soccer Page | Spangenberg Bio | Twitter
Soccer standout Trevor Spangenberg (Valparaiso, Ind.) was named as the winner of the 60th Annual Virgil Cheek Athletic Achievement Award, based on voting by the head coaches of MSU's six men's sports.
Spangenberg made his professional soccer debut with MLS' Chivas USA on May 3, 2014 when he also recorded his first pro save. The standout goalkeeper played every minute in goal for the Bears during the 2013 season, helping Missouri State to a Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title and nation-leading 0.41 goals-against average.
He was named All-MVC first team and was a two-time MVC Player of the Week while setting MVC and MSU records for fewest goals allowed in a season (8). He surrendered just one goal in Valley play (0.16 GAA), recorded 11 shutouts overall and became MSU's career leader in GAA (0.67). The NSCAA all-region selection also ranked No. 3 in the nation in 2013 in goals-against average (0.41).
Spangenberg overcame a massive lower leg break in the summer of 2012 that required multiple surgeries, skin grafts, and extensive physical rehabilitation just to be able to walk again. He overcame those obstacles through intense training, teaching himself to kick again and eventually to perform in goal at a higher level than before his injury. His story and leadership helped Coach Jon Leamy's Bears gain inspiration and improve from last place in the MVC in 2012 to a conference regular-season title and trip to the MVC Tournament championship game in 2013. He graduated in December of 2013 with a 3.0 GPA and a degree in Criminology.
The Virgil Cheek Award has been given annually since 1955 to the graduating senior male student-athlete best demonstrating high qualities in scholarship, character, attendance, leadership and athletic performance. The award is named in honor of the long-time Missouri State faculty athletics representative and business faculty member and selected by the six men's intercollegiate athletics head coaches.
Spangenberg is the fourth men's soccer player to win the award, and the third goalie. All four recipients have been coached by Leamy while at Missouri State.
Men's basketball standout Nathan Scheer, baseball pitcher Clay Murphy, and football kicker Austin Witmer were also finalists for this year's Virgil Cheek Award.
Past Virgil Cheek Award Recipients
1955 Jerry Anderson, basketball, track
1956 Ron Whitaker, football
1957 George Simpson, track
1958 Max Oldham, basketball
1959 Russ Robinson, basketball
1960 Charlie Finley, football, track
1961 Jerry Stockard, basketball
1962 Carl Wilks, basketball
1963 Edsel Matthews, basketball
1964 Rich Johanningmeier, football
1965 Jerry Boyer, football
1966 Dan Young, football
1967 Bill Douglass, football, track
1968 Dennis Scott, football
1969 Danny Cook, baseball
1970 Bill Lamberson, track
1971 Chuck Williams, basketball
1972 Bob Curl, basketball-track
1973 Eric Thompson, basketball
1974 Randy Magers, basketball, baseball
1975 Bob Grana, football
1976 Kent Stringer, football
1977 John Prasuhn, track, cross country
1978 Terry Kasper, football, baseball
1979 Ron Snider, baseball
1980 Mitch Ware, football
1981 Bobby Biser, golf
1982 Mark Daniels, football
1983 Darrin Newbold, football
1984 Anthony Boggs, basketball
1985 Brian Smith, basketball
1986 Phil Schlegel, basketball
1987 Scott Hickox, basketball
1988 Preston Estes, football
1989 Scott Hartwig, football
1990 Chris Stange, basketball
1991 Jeff Eiserman, golf
1992 Tim McDuffey, football
1993 Chad Lakin, baseball
1994 Jim Prendergast, wrestling
1995 Chad Gardner, cross country, track
1996 Dan Kneeshaw, football, baseball
1997 Brad Barnes, soccer
1998 Neal McNamara, tennis
1999 Derek Jensen, football
2000 Brad St. Louis, football
2001 Matt White, football
2002 Jason Ringena, football
2003 Blake Boldon, cross country, track
2004 Rishi Garbharran, tennis
2005 Brad Durham, football
2006 Nathan Platz, soccer
2007 Mike Radon, football
2008 David Tillman, football
2009 Chris Playter, baseball
2010 Justin Fuehrmeyer, basketball
2011 David Arkin, football
2012 Heath Melugin, soccer
2013 Daily Young, golf
2014 Trevor Spangenberg, soccer
