Missouri State University

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