April 7, 2006

SAULT STE. MARIE - A tennis player, a multi-sport athlete and the nation's top shooter shared athlete of the year honors during the annual Lake Superior State Athletic Awards Banquet held Thursday at the Cisler Center.

Ludovic Marmet-Demers (Levis, Que.) received the Cliff Everett Male Athlete of the Year Award, while Celina Grondin (Fleurimont, Que.) and Becky Marquardt-King (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) shared the Deb McPherson Female Athlete of the Year Award.

Marmet-Demers was a major factor in the Laker tennis program's growing prominence that culminated with the men's team's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth in 2004. Since then, he has been a mainstay, helping to continue the pipeline of talented players from the Quebec area and providing leadership for new coach Charlie Drury. Marmet-Demers has a career singles record of 33-30, including two seasons at No. 1 position. The two-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Second-Team selection has played No. 1 doubles throughout his career and amassed an impressive 43-19 career record. Marmet-Demers also carries a 3.38 GPA while majoring in finance/economics.

Grondin, a rarity in collegiate athletics at any level, has gained notoriety in two sports -- tennis and track. This year, her multi-sport endeavors have been complicated by the fact that the LSSU women's tennis team is vying for a berth in the NCAA Tournament, which will be held in May. The Lakers, who normally compete in the fall, had to regroup and train for a spring season. At the beginning of spring break in February, Grondin clocked a school-record :27.35 in the 200-meter dash at the GLIAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in Findlay, Ohio. The next day she flew to Florida to meet her tennis team, which took on nationally-ranked St. Benedict in a dual match.

Prof. Debra McPherson, Celina Grondin and Becky Marquardt-King

Grondin, who is ranked 43rd nationally by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and carries a 3.54 GPA while majoring in international business, has a two-year record of 21-19 in singles and 18-21 in doubles. She was named to the All-GLIAC First Team last fall after leading the Lakers to a third-place finish. The Lakers are currently ranked sixth in the Great Lakes Region.

Marquardt-King is a two-time All-GLIAC First Team and All-Great Lakes Region First Team women's basketball player who has been a part of four 20-win seasons, four NCAA Tournament appearances, three GLIAC North Division titles and two GLIAC Tournament championships. She earned Kodak/WBCA All-America Honorable Mention and Women's DII Bulletin Fourth Team All-America in 2006 after leading the GLIAC in scoring with an 18.8 points-per-game average and leading the nation in field-goal percentage at .711. She finished her career ranked fourth on LSSU's all-time scoring list with 1,598 points, eighth in field goals with 583, first in field-goal percentage, third in free throws with 430 and seventh in free-throw percentage at .750. She holds the top four spots on LSSU's single-season field-goal percentage chart.

In seven NCAA Tournament games spanning four seasons, Marquardt-King has an impressive scoring average of 17.3 points per game and field-goal percentage of .750 (45-60). She earned NCAA Great Lakes Region All-Tournament Team honors in 2004. Senior Ross Malatinsky (Holt, Mich.), senior Amy Molenaar (Hamilton, Mich.) and sophomore Megan Cowan (Comstock Park, Mich.) shared the Ronald "Bud" Cooper Coaches Award, which goes to the athletes who best display the qualities of citizenship, leadership, campus participation and commitment to the program.

Malatinsky was among the top 10 runners on the cross country team and finished third in the men's 800-meter run at the GLIAC Indoor Championships in February. He is also a member of the Lakers' school-record setting indoor 4x400, 4x800 and distance medley relays, and outdoor 4x400-meter relay. Malatinsky has a 3.59 GPA while majoring in elementary education.

Cowan broke LSSU's indoor shot put record this winter despite an injury and will be trying to break her own outdoor shot put, discus throw and hammer throw records during this spring's outdoor season. Molenaar has led the Laker volleyball team in blocks the last two seasons and earned All-GLIAC Honorable Mention in 2005. She was ranked seventh in the league in blocks per game in 2004 and was among the top seven in total blocks this season. She will serve as a volunteer assistant coach in 2006. She has a 3.61 GPA while majoring in exercise science.

Troy Schwab (Kindersley, Sask.) and Carolyn Pumford (Bannister, Mich.) are the recipients of the Terry McDermott Freshman of the Year Awards. Schwab was a two-time Central Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Week and earned All-CCHA honorable mention on the all-rookie team. He finished second on the team in scoring with eight goals and 16 assists. Pumford is 15-8 at No. 6 singles for the women's tennis team.

Senior volleyball player Danielle Reinbold (Frankenmuth, Mich.) received the Kiwanis Scholastic Award, which goes to the senior student-athlete attaining the highest GPA. Reinbold has a 3.874 while majoring in exercise science.

The Ray Chelberg Award, which goes to the outstanding student-athlete majoring in the natural sciences, was presented to junior Alex Chiakmakis of the women's tennis team. Chiakmakis (St. Clair, Mich.) carries a 3.08 GPA while majoring in biology. She has an 14-12 record in singles and a 14-11 doubles mark in 2005-06.

Sophomore Chris Olds (Gaylord, Mich.) received the Chris Yanni Memorial Award, which is named in honor of the former LSSU cross country and track athlete who was killed in a cycling accident. Olds was the Lakers' No. 2 runner at the 2005 GLIAC Cross Country Championships and the No. 1 runner in the NCAA Regional Meet, finishing 44th overall.

The Christina Comito Memorial Award, which is annually awarded to the women's basketball player who most-exemplifies the dogged determination and competitive nature of former Laker Chris Comito, went to junior forward Mandi Johnson (St. Ignace, Mich.). Johnson, who led the GLIAC in steals this season, was the Lakers' top rebounder and No. 2 scorer. She was named to the All-GLIAC First Team and GLIAC All-Defensive Team.

Senior center fielder Audrey Hewitt (Gladstone, Mich.), a clinical lab science major with a 3.23 GPA, received the Dr. Harry Pike Scholarship Award. This award is based on need, athletic accomplishment and academic merit. Hewitt is a four-year starter who went into this season with a career batting average of .286. Last season, she finished 10th in the GLIAC in batting.

Doubles partners Megan LaMothe (Troy, Mich.) and Chiakmakis shared the Ronald "Bud" Cooper Endowment Award, which goes to standout student-athletes from a non-fully-funded sport. LaMothe, a math/secondary education major with a 3.3 GPA, has an 16-9 record at No. 3 singles. LaMothe and Chiakmakis are 14-11 at No. 2 doubles in 2005-06.

The Jim Fallis Award, which also goes to a student-athlete from a non-fully-funded sport, was presented to sophomore sprinter Adam Smith (Mount Pleasant, Mich.). Smith, a mechanical engineering major with a 3.3 GPA, holds LSSU's indoor and outdoor 400-meter dash and 4x400-meter relay records, along with marks in the indoor 200 dash and distance medley relay. He recently finished second in the 400 at the GLIAC Indoor Championships.

MVP Awards
Women's Basketball, Becky Marquardt-King (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.)
Men's Basketball, Ryan Kuhl (Rochester, Mich.)
Hockey, Jeff Jakaitis (Rochester, Minn.)
Volleyball, Vanessa Vincent (Holly, Mich.)
Cross Country, Scott Hosie (Flint, Mich.) and Brooke Brenner (Hopkins, Mich.)
Track, Anthony Pavicic (Sterling Heights, Mich.), Megan Cowan (Comstock Park, Mich.) and Celina Grondin (Fleurimont, Que.)
M/W Tennis, TBA
Softball, TBA