Ohio Wesleyan University senior Colton Bloecher (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) won the highest honor at the 11th annual Dale J. Bruce Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner, held on Thursday in the Benes Rooms of the Hamilton-Williams Campus Center on the Ohio Wesleyan campus.
Bloecher, a member of the men's soccer team, received the Presidential Award, recognizing the University's top athlete and person. The top honor awarded by the Ohio Wesleyan athletics department, the Presidential Award is based on athletics ability and achievement, academic excellence, character, leadership, activities and inspiration.
Receiving Top Ten Awards were senior Jordan Bernstein (Charlotte, N.C./Providence), junior Meigan Day (Port Clinton), junior Jessica Gooden (Lexington), junior Bridget Haag (Parma/Normandy), senior Kevin Herman (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls), junior Emily Julius (Avon), senior Alexa Katrinchak (Elyria/Midview), junior Nathan Madonich (San Bruno, Calif./South San Francisco), senior Kristie Prendergast (Westlake), junior Sara Scinto (Mentor), senior Sarah Stachowiak (Westlake), and junior Taylor Weis (Sylvania/Northview).
The Top Ten Award is voted upon by the Ohio Wesleyan Athletics Council and is based upon the student-athlete's impact upon their family, their team, the University and the Delaware community. Bernstein is a member of the women's lacrosse team, Day is a member of the volleyball team, Gooden is a member of the softball team, Haag is a member of the volleyball team, Herman is a member of the football team, Julius is a member of the women's basketball team, Katrinchak is a member of the women's track & field team, Madonich is a member of the men's cross country and track & field teams, Prendergast is a member of the women's soccer team, Scinto is a member of the women's cross country and track & field teams, Stachowiak is a member of the women's soccer team, and Weis is a member of the women's lacrosse team.
The Dr. Jay Martin Award, honoring the top male senior student-athlete, went to Bloecher.
The Nan Carney-DeBord Award, recognizing the top female senior student-athlete, went to senior Katie Reid (Marion/Harding).
The Dr. Richard Gordin Award, recognizing the highest cumulative grade point average among senior male student-athletes, went to Herman.
The Mary Parker Award, recognizing the highest cumulative grade point average among senior female student-athletes, went to senior Alex Webb (Tipp City/Tippecanoe).
The James DiBiasio Sportsmanship Award went to senior Nick Felhaber (Holland/Toledo St. John's), and the Mackenzie Conway Sportsmanship Award, went to senior Sara Lawrence (Wilbraham, Mass./Wilbraham Monson Academy).
Also recognized were Ohio Wesleyan's top 50 student-athletes by cumulative grade point average. They were: junior Lonnie Barnes (Champaign, Ill./Centennial), senior Colton Bloecher (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange), senior Colleen Bodee (Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor), sophomore Chris Brinich (Lakewood), junior Lautaro Cabrera (Buenos Aires, Argentina), senior Calvin Cagney (Indialantic, Fla./Melbourne), junior Aaron Caputo (Strongsville), sophomore Jordan Carlson (Delaware/Hayes), sophomore Candace Chanelli (New Fairfield, Conn.), sophomore Jessica Cheadle (Escondido, Calif.), junior Chase Culbertson (Springfield/New Carlisle Tecumseh), junior Justin Dages (Green/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary), sophomore Forest Dearing (Louisville, Ky./Walden), senior Olivia DeMeio (Tallmadge), junior Matt DiCesare (Westerville/St. Francis DeSales), senior Landon Erb (Hilliard/Darby), sophomore Alyssa Giarrusso (Hillsborough, N.J.), junior Jessica Gooden (Lexington), junior Meghan Guthrie (New Albany), sophomore Caroline Hamilton (University Heights/Laurel School), junior Max Hara (Osaka, Japan/Senri), senior Kevin Herman (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls), junior Emily Julius (Avon), senior Ryan Kaplan (Alliance/Marlington), and senior Alexa Katrinchak (Elyria/Midview).
Also, junior Claire Lofgren (Kirtland), senior Abbie Love (Bainbridge Island, Wash./Bainbridge), junior Nathan Madonich (San Bruno, Calif./South San Francisco), senior Emma Markey (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), junior Dara Markus (St. Louis, Mo./Ursuline Academy), sophomore Mallory McCormick (Gahanna/Bishop Hartley), sophomore Cat Mechler (Rochester Hills, Mich./Stoney Creek), senior Tommy Minkler (Oakton, Va./Landon School), sophomore Nick Norman (Cincinnati/Oak Hills), sophomore Justin Overhulse (Bowling Green), junior Cameron Pappa (Gilroy, Calif./Kings Academy), senior John Peranzi (Rehoboth, Mass./Dighton-Rehoboth), senior Joyce Petersen (Avon/St. Joseph Academy), senior Kristie Prendergast (Westlake), sophomore Alyssa Richter (Wabash, Ind./Northfield), senior Hannah Sampson (Kent/Roosevelt), junior Meghan Schulze (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe), junior Sara Scinto (Mentor), junior Haley Sheafor (Cornelius, N.C./NW Visual-Performing Arts), junior Tirion Sheafor (Cornelius, N.C./NW Visual-Performing Arts), senior Sarah Stachowiak (Westlake), sophomore Mason Tomblin (Wooster), sophomore Summer Tompkins (East Falmouth, Mass./Falmouth Academy), senior Alex Webb (Tipp City/Tippecanoe), and junior Jake Wright (Delaware/Hayes).
The Bob Strimer Director's Cup, awarded to the Ohio Wesleyan team with the highest cumulative grade point average, went to the women's cross country team.
The evening's festivities also included the presentation of the Town-Gown Award, given by the Ohio Wesleyan athletic department in recognition of longstanding relationships with and outstanding support of Ohio Wesleyan student-athletes and athletic programs. The award was presented to Bill Reynolds of QuizStyk LLC and Legal Media Productions.
The Alumni Recognition Award was presented to Jim Mendenhall '73.
The Dale J. Bruce Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner is named in honor of Dale Bruce '52, an All-America football end at Ohio Wesleyan who was a longtime supporter of Battling Bishop athletics. Steve Bruce '81 spoke about his late father and his commitment to Ohio Wesleyan and its student-athletes, and delivered an inspirational message.
