ASHLAND UNIVERSITY HALL OF FAME PAGE
Three of the most decorated and successful student-athletes in recent Ashland University history – Joe Brandt (wrestling), Hannah Mattar (swimming) and Stephen James (baseball) – have been named the 2015-16 AU Student-Athletes of the Year.
Brandt, Mattar and James will be honored at the annual Ashland University Hall of Fame induction, Saturday, Oct. 8, at 9:30 a.m., in the Faculty Room at the John C. Myers Convocation Center. Reservations can be made by contacting the AU athletic department at 419-289-5441.
As a redshirt senior in 2015-16, Brandt concluded his Eagle career by recording his best nationals finish in the most difficult situation possible. After losing his opening match at nationals, Brandt ran the table in the consolation bracket to place third in Division II at 197 pounds. It was Brandt's fourth All-American award, and he finished his Ashland career at 115-25 (.821).
Brandt also earned first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference laurels and a spot on the Division II Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team as a senior. He graduated with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.36 in Business Management.
Mattar wrapped up her Ashland career by becoming just the third Ashland student-athlete to earn two GLIAC Commissioner's Awards since the award was instituted beginning in the fall of 2007. At 2015-16 NCAA Division II nationals, Mattar placed 10th in the 200-meter breaststroke, 12th in the 200 individual medley and 19th in the 400 IM – single-handedly giving the AU women's swim team a 35th-place finish nationally and the Eagle athletic department 36 Learfield Directors' Cup points.
Following the 2015-16 season, Mattar earned College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-America® Division II Women's At-Large first-team honors, Scholar All-America status from the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) and CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large laurels. The 2015-16 AU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee vice-president, Mattar finished her time at AU with a 3.98 cumulative GPA in Hospitality Management.
James' 2015 baseball season was one of the best in recent memory, as he hit .398 with 67 runs scored, 18 doubles, five triples, 13 home runs, 54 RBIs, eight stolen bases, a .462 on-base percentage and a .708 slugging percentage.
That production led to James earning 11 postseason awards, including a 2015 GLIAC Commissioner's Award and first-team Capital One Division II Academic All-America Baseball, first-team American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings All-America, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Division II Midwest Region Player of the Year and GLIAC Player of the Year laurels.
James, an Exercise Science major, had a cumulative GPA of 3.81.
ASHLAND UNIVERSITY STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
(through 2015-16 academic year)
|
YEAR |
FEMALE |
MALE |
|
1988 |
Kristin Hopper (track and field) |
Dave Biondo (football) |
|
1989 |
Vickie Schmitz (basketball) |
John Walters (track and field) |
|
1990 |
DeAnn Cirino (track and field) |
Doug Powell (football) |
|
1991 |
Bobbi Pugh (volleyball) |
Bill Muller (swimming) |
|
1992 |
Bobbi Pugh (volleyball) |
Ron Greer (football) |
|
1993 |
Julie Haase (track and field) |
Larry Kaufman (wrestling) |
|
1994 |
Andrea Gregersen (swimming) |
Eric Berry (track and field) |
|
1995 |
Heather Lefford (softball) |
Eric Berry (track and field) |
|
1996 |
Desi Gillman (softball) |
Sean Robbins (track and field) |
|
|
|
Gene Stechschulte (baseball) |
|
1997 |
Becky Ball (track and field) |
Chad DiFranco (football) |
|
1998 |
Jamie McDaniel (swimming) |
Matthew "Bubba" Harris (football) |
|
1999 |
Becky Ball (track and field) |
Joe Veres (wrestling) |
|
2000 |
Jennifer Bartlett (volleyball) |
Ryan Knight (track and field) |
|
2001 |
Adriane Blewitt (track and field) |
T.J. Hellickson (wrestling) |
|
2002 |
Alicia Longstreth (softball) |
Nate Moore (baseball) |
|
2003 |
Adriane Blewitt (track and field) |
Craig Pickering (swimming) |
|
2004 |
Becky Richards (soccer) |
Michael Hull (football) |
|
2005 |
Jackie Mason (basketball) |
Nate Iler (track and field) |
|
2006 |
Megan Dort (swimming) |
Jody Stewart (track and field) |
|
|
Ashley Bigelow (soccer) |
|
|
2007 |
Megan Dort (swimming) |
Casey Jirsa (baseball) |
|
2008 |
Mary Kate Glowe (volleyball) |
Vince Cashdollar (football) |
|
2009 |
Betsy Morrison (basketball) |
Jacob Petkac (baseball) |
|
|
|
Dan Tierney (track and field) |
|
2010 |
Steph Tinney (track and field) |
Nick Bellanco (football/track and field) |
|
2011 |
Abby Kacsandi (track and field) |
Joe Horn (football/track and field) |
|
|
Allison Morgan (swimming) |
|
|
2012 |
Kari Daugherty (basketball) |
Brock Weaver (track and field) |
|
2013 |
Kari Daugherty (basketball) |
Donnie Dottei (football) |
|
2014 |
Alyssa Miller (basketball) |
Alex Sheil (swimming) |
|
2015 |
Jamie Sindelar (track and field) |
Drew Windle (track and field) |
|
2016 |
Hannah Mattar (swimming) |
Joe Brandt (wrestling) |
|
|
|
Stephen James (baseball) |
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