Miami Ohio University Athletics
Miami University RedHawks
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July 21, 2004
OXFORD, Ohio - After a year of great individual and team accomplishments for Miami University Athletics, six individuals emerged as Miami University's Athletes of the Year and Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the department announced today, with five recipients earning all-America status during 2003-04.
Football's Ben Roethlisberger (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) and ice hockey's Derek Edwardson (Morton Grove, Ill.) shared Male Athlete of the Year honors, while Andrea Kremer (Indianapolis, Ind./Bishop Chatard) from women's cross country/track and field garnered an unprecedented third Female Athlete of the Year Award. Ice hockey's Mike Kompon (Thunder Bay, Ontario) and men's cross country/track and field's Brian Godsey (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) were Male Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year, while Colleen Day (Independence, Ohio/Holy Name) from women's basketball was the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
"This is a tremendous group of student athletes who represent the best and the brightest of Miami Athletics," said Miami Athletics Director Brad Bates. "In a year with so many achievements by our teams and individuals on those teams, the selection committee had a great challenge to pare the nominations down to these six deserving recipients, especially with all five male athlete of the year nominees earning all-America status. These six individuals have achieved much during their Miami careers and have represented Miami University with great character during their time here, and we wish them all the best as they continue to represent Miami University in their respective career paths."
Roethlisberger, an Associated Press Third-Team All-American, was named the 2003 Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Vern Smith Player of the Year and was tabbed the Most Valuable Player of the MAC Championship and GMAC Bowl. Guiding Miami to its first MAC Championship since 1986 and its first bowl win since 1975, Roethlisberger, a First-Team All-MAC selection, shattered Miami records while directing the most potent offense in MAC history. As the 11th pick in the NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Roethlisberger's selection is the highest draft pick of a Miami football player. Roethlisberger earns his second Miami Male Athlete of the Year Award, also capturing the honor following his freshman campaign.
Edwardson, who was the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Player of the Year, became just the sixth player in program history to earn All-America status being named to the JOFA/AHCA All-America Second Team. He was only the second player in program history to seize CCHA Player of the Year accolades and the fourth to be named a Hobey Baker Award finalist. Edwardson led the CCHA in scoring with 35 points over 28 league contests en route to the team's second-place regular-season finish and the program's third NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition to earning spots on the CCHA First Team and the CCHA All-Academic Team, Edwardson was a member of the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV At-Large Second Team. He graduated with a 3.40 GPA while majoring in exercise science.
Kremer becomes the first in Miami history to earn athlete of the year honors three times in a career after being a co-recipient as a freshman and junior. She was the 2003 MAC Cross Country Champion, earning first-team all-MAC and all-region status. Kremer was named the Ohio Collegiate Cross Country Association's Division I Athlete of the Year and was the 2003 All-Ohio Individual Champion. She earned six MAC Runner of the Week Awards and three MAC Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors during the 2003 cross country season. Kremer was second-team all-MAC in indoor and outdoor track and field and qualified for her third NCAA Track Championships. She was a three-time All-American for the RedHawks (twice in track and once in cross country) and was tabbed a CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-American in 2003-04. She graduated with 3.76 GPA while majoring in mathematics.
Kompon was a CoSIDA Third-Team At-Large Academic All-American, becoming the first Miami ice hockey player to earn such distinction. Kompon graduated with a degree in physical education and boasted a 3.80 grade-point average, producing a 4.0 GPA in four of eight semesters. He was twice named to the CCHA All-Academic Team. Kompon led the RedHawks with 31 assists en route to the team's second-place regular-season finish and the program's third NCAA Tournament appearance. As a junior, Kompon was a second-team all-CCHA selection and was named the RedHawks' Most Valuable Player. Following his senior season, Kompon was tabbed the RedHawks' Outstanding Senior.
Godsey earned CoSIDA Academic All-District IV honors for the third time in his career, garnering first-team distinction for the second consecutive year. He was a four-time all-MAC selection in cross country, earning first-team distinction his final three seasons, and a two-time second-team all-MAC honoree in track. Godsey graduated in December 2003 with a degree in mathematics. He posted a 3.81 GPA, being named to the Dean's List six semesters and the President's List (4.0 GPA) three semesters. As a senior, Godsey earned all-region cross country honors for the second time and advanced to the NCAA Championships. During his Miami career, he totaled nine MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors and four MAC Runner of the Week awards.
Day became the first women's basketball player to earn academic all-America honors with her selection to the CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team. A first-team all-MAC and a MAC all-Tournament pick, Day led the RedHawks to their first MAC regular-season title since 1989-90 and the program's first WNIT bid where the team advanced to the second round. She was the runner-up for the MAC Player of the Year Award and was twice named MAC Player of the Week and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week during the season. She was one of only three players in program history to amass more than 1,000 points and 750 rebounds. Day is scheduled to graduate in December 2004 with a degree in English Secondary Education and boasts a 3.82 GPA.
Miami's Male and Female Athlete of the Year honors are awarded to any student-athlete (freshman, sophomore, junior or senior) who has made significant athletic contributions to his/her respective team for that academic year. The Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards are bestowed upon a student-athlete of senior standing, who has excelled in the classroom as well as in the athletic arena.