July 17, 2014
SPRINGFIELD - Missouri State's final set of year-end honors were announced Wednesday with the awarding of the 2013-14 Outstanding Female Athlete Award and the Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete Award.
Swimmer Renata Sander (Sr., Belo Horizonte, Brazil) claimed the Outstanding Female Athlete Award, as voted on by Missouri State's nine women's head coaches, while Emily Beaver (Sr., Diamond, Mo.) earned the prestigious Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete Award.
Sander, one of the most decorated swimmers in Missouri State history, is the second athlete from her sport in four years to pick up the Outstanding Female Athlete Award, joining current assistant coach Chelsea Dirks-Ham took the honor in 2011.
Sander was a four-time All-MVC first team selection and earned her third consecutive MVC Swimmer of the Year honor in 2014. She led the Bears to their seventh straight MVC championship with a 222-point margin over second-place Illinois State in February.
Sander earned five gold medals at the 2014 conference meet in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes, 200 individual medley and 200 and 400 medley relays, including setting school records in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.45), 200 individual medley (2:03.18) and 400 medley relay (3:42.83). She also posted NCAA consideration times in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes. Sander picked up MVC Swimmer of the Week honors on Dec. 17 and Nov. 5 in 2013-14.
During her career, Sander was part of four MVC team titles, 15 MVC event titles, three individual event school records and five MVC records in her time at Missouri State.
Other finalists for the 2013-14 Outstanding Female Athlete Award were: three-time All-MVC softball second baseman Ashley Brentz (Sr., St. Louis, Mo.); MVC soccer Defensive Player of the Year Kelsey Fouch (Sr., St. Charles, Mo.); NCAA qualifier and standout sprinter Althia Maximilien (Jr., Bridgetown, Barbados); and volleyball All-American Carly Thomas (Swansea, Ill.).
Emily Beaver graduated with a 3.955 grade-point average in December with a degree in elementary education after being a strong part of the Bears' cross country and track & field teams from 2009-13.
She was a six-time member of the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team as well as being named All-MVC for cross country in 2011. She was also named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District VII Team that season.
Beaver helped the Bears capture the 2012 MVC indoor track & field championship with a personal-best time (4:54.16) in the mile run. She is the second distance runner in three years to win the Wynn Award, joining former teammate Terry Phillips, the 2012 recipient.
Beaver also set the Guinness record in the sport of jogging in 2013. She ran one mile on the Plaster Stadium track while juggling three beanbags in 5:58.17, breaking the previous record of 6:17.00 from 1989.
The Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Senior Female Scholar-Athlete Award is named in honor of the long-time Missouri State teacher, coach and athletics administrator who became the first female to be named as Missouri Sports Legend by the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on April 24, 2014. Wynn, who retired in 1998, served 41 years at her alma mater. The newly-renovated Dr. Mary Jo Wynn Academic Achievement Center, located in Forsythe Athletics Center on the Springfield campus, will be officially dedicated during a public ceremony on Sept. 5.
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Missouri State 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 & diving 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 & diving 2010 - Samantha Aguilar, soccer 2011 - Chelsea Dirks-Ham, swimming & diving - Kelley Michnowicz, volleyball 2012 - Casey Garrison, basketball 2013 - Nia Williams, soccer 2014 - Renata Sander, swimming & diving
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 and 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 & field 1997 - Alissa Donaldson, field hockey and soccer 1998 - Michelle Witzke, volleyball 1999 - Cheryl Haslag, cross country and track Lisa Davies, basketball 2000 - Lani Kim, volleyball 2001 - Jessica Gorham, softball 2002 - Erica Adams, swimming 2003 - Rhonda Allen, cross country and track 2004 - Mary Litvan, soccer 2005 - Karen Hymer, soccer 2006 - Sarah Klaassen, basketball 2007 - Melissa Behr, field hockey 2008 - Carrie Vestal, cross country and track 2009 - Cara Belcher, swimming & diving 2010 - Chelsea Ray, swimming & diving 2011 - Katharina Voelkel, swimming & diving 2012 - Terry Phillips, cross country and track 2013 - Chelsea Voet, soccer 2014 - Emily Beaver, cross country and track
