NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College Department of Athletics and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the 11th Annual WESPY Awards (Westminster Exceptional Sports Performances of the Year) Tuesday night at Orr Auditorium. The WESPYs honored team MVPs for all 18 varsity sports teams, as well as several annual awards and recognition of top athletic achievements throughout the 2013-14 academic year.

Highlighting the event was the awarding of the David B. Fawcett and Marjorie A. Walker Awards, given annually to honor and acknowledge those individuals who best exemplify the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination and competitiveness. The Fawcett Award was given to senior men's track & field and basketball Anthony Thomas (New Castle, PA / Union) and the Walker Award was presented to senior women's track & field Haley Gabor (New Kensington, PA / Ford City).

Thomas, a four-year letterman in basketball and track & field, was a four-year starter and three-time All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Honorable Mention in basketball where he scored his 1,326 career point (14th all-time) this past season. Thomas, a member of four PAC Track & Field championship teams, earned All-PAC First Team in 2013 and 2014, was the PAC Championship Field Event MVP in 2013, and holds two school records. Thomas, a communication major, has volunteered with the Special Olympics bowling and has helped with his Alma Mater, Union High School, at youth basketball camps.

Gabor, a four-year letterwinner in track & field, was the PAC Track Athlete Co-MVP, All-PAC First Team, and PAC Champion in the 200m and in the 1600m relay at the 2014 PAC Outdoor Championship. Gabor was also the gold medalist in the 200m and in the 1600m relay at the 2014 PAC Indoor Championship. Gabor, an All-PAC First Team honoree in Outdoor T&F in 2012 and 2013, was named the PAC T&F Championship MVP in 2012. Gabor holds five school records and was the high point scorer on two PAC Championship T&F teams. Gabor, a chemistry major, was a three-year SAAC representative and also represented Westminster at the PAC SAAC banquet. Gabor volunteered for Special Olympics bowling and was a recipient for an exceptional leadership scholarship.

The WESPY award, given for the top single-event athletic performance by a Titan male and female student-athlete, was voted on by the entire campus community via e-mail ballot.

The men's WESPY went to junior swimmer Steven Brooks (Boardman, OH / Boardman). At the PAC championship meet, Brooks was the overall high point scorer to win the Meet MVP, the PAC Swimmer of the Year award, and was All-PAC 1st Team. He won seven gold medals (four individual and three relay) at the meet and set new school records in both the 100 and 200 backstroke events. He also qualified in two events for the NCAA D-III National Championship Meet.

For the second-straight year, the women's WESPY went to track and field sophomore Marissa Kalsey (Waynesburg, PA / Waynesburg). Kalsey finished in second place at the NCAA D-III Indoor Track & Field Championships to earn her third track & field All-American citation. She cleared 3.95 meters (12' 11 '), just .05 meters off her school record and personal best. Her second place performance is the highest finish in Westminster history by any track & field athlete, male or female, in national competition.

The Senior Scholar Athlete awards are given annually to the graduating senior male and female student-athletes with the highest cumulative grade-point averages. The men's award went to baseball senior Nick Reinthaler (Canfield, OH / Canfield) and the women's award went to volleyball senior Rebecca Riemer (Pittsburgh, PA / Mount Lebanon).

The following is a list of all other awards presented at Tuesday's ceremony:

WESPY AWARDS:
Honorary Titan Award - Cliff Yonata
Unsung Hero of the Year- (W)-Haley Casuccio, Soccer, (M)-Kory Gribbin, Football
Rookie of the Year- (W)-Cassidy Shepherd, Track & Field, (M)-Dan Pletz, Swim& Dive
Two-Sport Athlete of the Year- (W)-Shelby Brown, Basketball and Softball, (M)-Anthony Thomas, Basketball and Track & Field
Comeback Athlete of the Year- (W)-Courtney Zitt, Basketball, (M)-David Wright, Football Team Comeback of the Year-(W)-Softball vs. Thiel, (M)-Football vs. Bethany
Team Performance of the Year-(W)-Tennis, (M)-Track & Field

TEAM MVPs:
BASEBALL-John Jones
BASKETBALL (W)-Gabby Holko
BASKETBALL (M)-Anthony Thomas
C. COUNTRY (W)-Jenny Jones
C. COUNTRY (M)-Aaron Sutton
FOOTBALL-Dak Britt
GOLF (W)-Morgan Pierce
GOLF (M)-Ross Montanti
SOCCER (W)-Jordan Steele
SOCCER (M)-Ethan McCarthy
SOFTBALL- Lauren Stoczynski
SWIMMING (W)-Erin Erdley
SWIMMING (M)-Alan Nedley
TENNIS (W)-Caitie Hosler
TENNIS (M)-Troy Abbott
TRACK Indoor (W)-Haley Gabor
TRACK Indoor (M)-Jason Frawley
TRACK Outdoor (W)-Haley Gabor
TRACK Outdoor (M)-Jason Frawley
VOLLEYBALL-Megan Romocean

Faculty members that were recognized for their support of Titan student-athletes inside and outside the classroom:
-Dr. Andrew Ade, English.
-Dr. Helen Boylan-Furnari, Chemistry.
-Mr. Jesse Ligo, Business Administration.
-Dr. Robin Lind, Music.
-Dr. Sararose Lynch, Education.
-Dr. Kristenne Robison, Sociology

About Westminster College...
Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College ranks first in the nation as 'Best College for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math,' according to Forbes.com. Westminster is a top-tier liberal arts college and a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Best Colleges guide. Westminster is also honored as one of 'The Best 378 Colleges' by The Princeton Review, and is named to the President's Honor Roll for excellence in service learning.

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus. Visit www.westminster.edu/advantage to view 'Advantage: Westminster' A Strategic Plan 2010-2020.