Detroit Student-Athletes Recognized at President's Luncheon
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Horizon League ·
@HorizonLeague
April 17, 2009
DETROIT - The annual University of Detroit Mercy President's Athletic and Academic Honors Luncheon was held Thursday on Detroit's campus to recognize those student-athletes who have excelled in the classroom the past year. Craig Budzynski (Grand Rapids, MI/Forest Hills Northern) and Jacqueline Nortman (Groves, TX/Msgr. Kelly Catholic) each received the most prestigious award of the afternoon, the President's Award, which is given to the Titans' most outstanding senior student-athletes.
Budzynski is a captain for the fencing team who has helped the entire team perform and maximize its potential. This past season, Budzynski claimed his fourth consecutive individual foil title at the Istvan Danosi Michigan Open and finished with a team-best 71-25 overall record. He also helped the foil team to a third place finish at the Midwest Fencing Conference (MFC) Championships and turned in solid performance at the NCAA Midwest Regional Qualifier, which led Budzynski to earn an at-large bid considerations for the NCAA Championships.
Nortman is the softball team co-captain who was named to the All-Horizon League Second Team as a junior and was also named team Most Valuable Player that same season. She also received National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete honors for the 2007-08 academic year for excellence in the classroom, which included maintaining a 3.79 GPA. This season, Nortman has started all 35 games and currently ranks second on the team with 31 hits. She was named to the 2008-09 Athletic Director's Honor Roll and was recently accepted into medical school in Texas.
Several other major individual awards were presented on Thursday as well. Junior golfer David Byrne (Essex, ON/Essex) and junior basketball player Brigid Mulroy (West Bloomfield, MI/Marian) received the men's and women's Titan Club Awards for athletic and academic excellence. Also, basketball player junior Woody Payne (Inkster, MI/Ypsilanti) and junior Jessica Liebner (Ortonville, MI/Brandon), of the softball squad, were awarded the Fr. Norbert Huetter, S.J. Award for attitude, dedication and leadership. Sophomore golfer Jeff Clarridge (Barrie, ON/Bear Creek) and senior tennis player Zeljka Minic (Zagreb, Croatia/Sport) were named Titan Newcomers of the Year for 2007-08.
Additionally, a pair of basketball players received the Dad Butler Award for their determination in recovering from an athletic injury in junior Eulis Stephens (Detroit, MI/Southeastern) and redshirt freshman Talicia Washington (Auburn Hills, MI/Avondale), while senior sprinter John LaRocca (Eastpointe, MI/De LaSalle Collegiate) and Nortman received the Larry Bleach Award for excellence in strength and conditioning. Senior men's basketball player Tryl Hartfield (Wyoming, MI/Rogers) was presented the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award, while senior women's basketball player Dominica Whittaker (Mississauga, ON/Our Lady of Mt. Carmel) earned the HL Community Service Award. UDM strength and condition assistant, Jeff LaPorte, who has been on the athletic department staff for the past two years, was honored with the Titan Spirit Award.
The Titan women's golf squad received the Team Excellence Award for having the highest grade point average (3.46) among all of UDM's varsity teams. The women golfers also received the Horizon League "Raise Your Sights" Award for having the top GPA among all UDM women's teams, while the men's golf squad was honored by the conference for having the highest men's team GPA (3.33).
Story courtesy of UDM sports information office.
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DETROIT - The annual University of Detroit Mercy President's Athletic and Academic Honors Luncheon was held Thursday on Detroit's campus to recognize those student-athletes who have excelled in the classroom the past year. Craig Budzynski (Grand Rapids, MI/Forest Hills Northern) and Jacqueline Nortman (Groves, TX/Msgr. Kelly Catholic) each received the most prestigious award of the afternoon, the President's Award, which is given to the Titans' most outstanding senior student-athletes.
Story courtesy of UDM sports information office.
Tags: Detroit Mercy - All Sports
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