Notre Dame Honors Athletes at Fourth All-Sports Banquet
Basketball’s Garrity, Women Swimming’s Linda Gallo among big winners.
April 29, 1998
NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The University of Notre Dame Athletic Department honored more than 700 student-athletes from its 25 varsity sports this evening at its fourth annual All-Sports Banquet held at the Joyce Center Fieldhouse.
The evening was highlighted by the presentation of three major awards: The Byron V. Kanaley Award, The Francis Patrick O’Connor Award and The Chris Zorich Service Award. In addition, a member from each team was selected for the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley Rockne Student-Athlete Award and the Notre Dame National Monogram Club MVP Award.
Five student-athletes are the recipients of this year’s Byron V. Kanaley Award. The Kanaley Award is the highest and most prestigious honor given to senior monogram athletes who have been most exemplary both as students and athletes. The winners are selected by the Faculty Board on Athletics and have been chosen since 1927 in honor of Kanaley, a 1904 graduate, who was a member of the Irish baseball team. Kanaley went on to a successful banking career in Chicago and served the University as a lay trustee from 1915 until his death in 1960.
The 1998 recipients are Linda Gallo (women’s swimming, Colts Neck, N.J.), Pat Garrity (men’s basketball, Monument, Colo.), Jaimie Lee (volleyball, Spokane, Wash.), Steve Noble (ice hockey, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) and Errol Williams (track and field, Lauderhill, Fla.).
Gallo earned All-America honors in two freestyle events at the 1998 NCAA Championships and led the Irish to their second straight BIG EAST crown as she was named the meet’s most outstanding swimmer.
Garrity was a unanimous second-team All-America selection after averaging 23.2 ppg, and 8.3 rpg. in 1997-98 A two-time first-team Academic All-American and the 1998 Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year, Garrity also is the recipient of an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
Lee earned BIG EAST player of the year honors in both 1996 and 1997 and was an honorable mention All-America selection after leading her team to the ’97 NCAA tournament regional semifinals. Lee also earned second-team Academic All-America honors.
Noble is the first three-time captain in the history of the ice hockey program. The first hockey player to earn Academic All-America honors, he was a first-team honoree in 1998 in the men’s fall/winter at-large program. Noble was a finalist for a Rhodes Scholarship and was the runner-up for the 1998 Hockey Humanitarian Award.
Williams won the 55-meter hurdles at the 1998 BIG EAST indoor championships and earned All-America honors in that event. He will make his fourth straight NCAA appearance at the outdoor championships in June.
Noble and senior volleyball player Molly McCarthy (Indianapolis, Ind.) are the winners of the Francis Patrick O’Connor Award. Since 1993, the University has presented this award named for a student-athlete who died in 1973 following his freshman year at Notre Dame. Pat was the son of William “Bucky” O’Connor who played guard in football for Notre Dame in the 1940s. The award honors one female and one male student-athlete who best display the total embodiment of the true spirit of Notre Dame as exemplified by their contributions and inspiration to their respective teams.
To be considered, the student-athletes must possess those qualities attributable to Pat O’Connor himself — caring, courage, confidence, encouragement, humility, honesty, humor, kindness and patience.
McCarthy appeared in 31 of 34 matches as one of the top reserves on the Irish volleyball team in 1997. During her four-year career, she helped Notre Dame compile a 107-32 record and was a member of teams that advanced to the NCAA tournament all four years and won three consecutive regular season and BIG EAST tournament championships.
This is the inaugural year of the The Christopher Zorich Award which has been created to recognize the contributions of Notre Dame student-athletes to the University community and the community at-large. The award will hold the name of Christopher Zorich, a two-time football All-American and 1991 graduate.
The first-ever recipients of this award are Williams and junior men’s soccer player Matt Johnson (Livermore, Calif.). Johnson was a co-captain for the ’97 Irish squad which finished with a 10-9-2 record and advanced to the BIG EAST tournament semifinals for the second straight year. He serves as a volunteer at the Dismas House in South Bend where he prepares dinners and visits with ex-convicts. Johnson also coordinates his dorm’s weekly bible study sessions and serves as a tutor for disadvantaged and at-risk youth.
In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Williams has found to time to serve as co-coordinator for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Center for the Homeless Outreach program. He also served as an Urban Plunge participant in 1998.
1998 Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley
Rockne Student-Athlete Award Winners:
Baseball: Todd Frye (senior, Aledo, Ill.)
A two-year starter in the Irish infield, he has been a regular for the Irish at second base this season. Frye is a finance major in the College of Business Administration with a 3.455 grade point average.
Men's Basketball: Pat Garrity (senior, Monument, Colo.)
A two-time GTE/CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American in both ’97 and ’98, he also was the Men’s Basketball Academic All-American of the Year this season. In ’97, he was the first player in BIG EAST history to be named player of the year and an Academic All-American in the same year. Garrity owns a 3.679 grade point average in biochemistry in the College of Science.
Women's Basketball: Diana Braendly (junior, Staten Island, N.Y.)
She played in all but one contest this season as a reserve center and averaged 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds. Braendly is enrolled in the College of Business Administration with a major in management information systems and has a 3.378 grade point average.
Men's Cross Country: Jason Rexing (senior, Pickerington, Ohio)
He is the only athlete in Notre Dame track history to be named an All-American in cross country, indoor track, outdoor track and also earn Academic All-America honors. He was a third-team Academic All-America selection in the men’s spring at-large program a year ago. Rexing owns a 3.479 grade point average and is enrolled in the College of Engineering with a major in mechanical engineering.
Women's Cross Country: Alison Klemmer (junior, Troy, Mich.)
She was the team’s top finisher throughout the cross country season and was instrumental in leading the Irish to a fourth-place finish at the BIG EAST Cross Country Championships. Klemmer, who is enrolled as a biology major in the College of Science and has a 3.787 grade point average, also was named to the U.S. Cross Country Coaches Association all-academic team.
Men's Track and Field: Mike Brown (junior, Rancho Sante Fe, Calif.)
He won the pole vault at the BIG EAST indoor championships with a school record jump of 17-5 3/4. A pre-professional major in the College of Science, he has a 3.583 grade point average.
Women's Track and Field: Berit Junker (senior, Erfurt, Germany)
She took fourth at the BIG EAST indoor championships in the 800 meters and won the same event at the Alex Wilson Invitational. Junker is enrolled in the College of Architecture and has a 3.805 grade point average.
Men's Fencing: Matt Hysell (senior, Midland, Mich.)
He had a 12-5 record in foil this season on a team that finished runner-up at the NCAA Championships. A pre-professional major in the College of Science, he owns a 3.845 grade point average.
Football: Bobbie Howard (junior, Rand, W. Va.)
He averaged 13 tackles per game despite missing five games because of an early-season injury. Howard has been selected as one of the three captains for the upcoming 1998 campaign. A finance major enrolled in the College of Business Administration, he has a 2.92 grade point average.
Men's Golf: Bradley Hardin (junior, Martinsville, Ind.)
He was the top finisher for the Irish at the Louisville Invitational, was 10th at the Butler Invitational and finished 12th at the BIG EAST Championship while posting a 76.8 stroke average. This is the second consecutive year in which Hardin has won this award. He has a 3.706 grade point average as a pre-professional major in the College of Science.
Women's Golf: Beth Cooper (sophomore, Kalamazoo, Mich.)
She registered her best finish at the Notre Dame Invitational as she placed 14th and averaged 83.5 strokes per round. She has a 3.6 grade point average and is enrolled in the College of Business Administration.
Ice Hockey: Steve Noble (senior, Sault Saint Marie, Ontario)
He wins the award for the third straight year and is the first three-time captain in the history of the men’s hockey program. Noble was a GTE/CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American in ’98 and was named to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association All-Academic team for the second consecutive year.
Women's Lacrosse: Debbie Prisinzano (senior, Vienna, Va.)
She was a two-year starter for the Irish and was one of the team’s top defensive players in ’98. Prisinzano has earned a 3.676 grade point average as an accounting major enrolled in the College of Business Administration.
Men's Soccer: David Cutler (senior, Seattle, Wash.)
He played in all 21 game in 1997 and earned 16 starts as a defensive midfielder. Cutler returned to the squad this past season after spending his junior year studying in Italy. He has a 3.952 grade point average in the College of Architecture.
Women's Soccer: Jenny Streiffer (sophomore, Baton Rouge, La.)
A starter at forward on the ’97 squad which advanced to the NCAA semifinals and finished with a 23-1-1 record, she tied for team-high scoring honors with 20 goals and 18 assists. Streiffer was named to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team for the fall/winter at-large program. She owns a 3.493 grade point average and is enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters as a pre-professional major.
Softball: Kelly Nichols (senior, Vancouver, Wash.)
She is the NCAA career leader in saves with 24, including six so far in ’98. Nichols has helped her team to a 34-18 mark this season and to the BIG EAST South Division crown. She is an accounting major in the College of Business Administration and has a 3.325 grade point average.
Men's Swimming: Brian Najarian (senior, Troy, Mich.)
He served as a co-captain on the 1997-98 Irish men’s swim team which posted an 11-1 record and registered its highest finish ever with a fourth-place finish at the BIG EAST championships. A pre-professional major in the College of Arts and Letters, Najarian has a 3.567 grade point average.
Women's Swimming: Courtney South (senior, Sewickley, Pa.)
She anchored the 400 freestyle relay team to a first-place finish at the BIG EAST championship in a Notre Dame school record as the Irish captured their second consecutive league title. In addition, South served as a co-captain of a team which finished with a 7-1 mark. An American studies major in the College of Arts and Letters, she has a 3.512 grade point average.
Men's Tennis: Andy Warford (junior, Bismarck, N.D.)
He posted a 6-4 record in singles as the Irish men’s tennis squad finished with an 18-7 mark during the regular season. Warford is enrolled as a finance major in the College of Business Administration and has a 3.739 grade point average.
Women's Tennis: Jennifer Hall (junior, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
She is currently ranked 22nd nationally in singles and has registered a 27-16 record as Notre Dame’s No. 1 singles player. In addition, Hall plays on the No. 1 doubles team. An accounting major in the College of Business Administration, she owns a 3.467 grade point average.
Volleyball: Carey May (senior, Rancho Sante Fe, Calif.)
A four-year monogram winner at setter, she helped the Irish to a 107-32 mark during her career. May is a finance major in the College of Business Administration and has a 3.535 grade point average.
1998 Notre Dame National Monogram Club MVP Award Winners:
Baseball: J.J. Brock (senior, Colorado Springs, Colo.)
He currently has a .333 batting average and is second on the team with 48 RBI and 11 home runs. Brock is fourth in the BIG EAST in hitting with a .459 mark in league games and broke Craig Counsell’s career record for starts with 227.
Men's Basketball: Pat Garrity (senior, Monument, Colo.)
A consensus second-team All-American in 1997-98, he led the team in scoring all four years and was three times the team’s leading rebounder. Garrity, who has won this award for the third straight year, ranked sixth nationally in scoring this season and finished his career third on the school’s all-time scoring list.
Women's Basketball: Mollie Peirick (senior, Eureka, Mo.)
A four-year starter at guard and third-team all-BIG EAST selection, she ranked 21st nationally this season with a team-leading 6.2 assists per game. Peirick finished second all-time on the Irish career assist list and became the 13th player in the program’s history to reach the 1,000-point plateau.
Men's Cross Country: Jason Rexing (senior, Pickerington, Ohio)
He helped the Irish to a 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships in ’97 as well as to their first-ever BIG EAST crown. Rexing earns this award for the second straight year after earning the team’s top finish at the NCAA Championships, Great Lakes Regional and BIG EAST meets.
Women's Cross Country: Alison Klemmer (junior, Troy, Mich.)
She finished 11th in the Great Lakes Regional and also was a top 20 finisher at the BIG EAST championships. Klemmer was Notre Dame’s top finisher throughout at the season as Notre Dame posted a fourth-place finish at the BIG EAST meet.
Men's and Field: Errol Williams (senior, Lauderhill, Fla.)
He earned All-America honors in indoor track after finishing eighth at the NCAA championships in the 55-meter hurdles. Williams was the BIG EAST champion in the same event in February. He is an automatic qualifier for the NCAA outdoor meet in the 110-meter hurdles, winning that event last weekend at the Drake Relays.
Women's Track and Field: JoAnna Deeter (sophomore, Glen Ellyn, Ill.)
She set the Notre Dame indoor record in the 3,000 and 5,000 meters this winter and earned all-BIG EAST honors in the 3,000 meters. Deeter placed 15th in March at the NCAA indoor championships in the 3,000.
Men's Fencing: Brian Stone (senior, Hackettstown, N.J.) and Luke LaValle (junior, New York, N.Y.)
Stone earned first-team All-America honors in epee. He served as captain of the epee team and posted a 32-9 record in addition to winning the Midwest Championship. LaValle earned first-team All-America honors in sabre and was Notre Dame’s first individual champion since 1990. He finished the year with a 32-3 mark.
Women's Fencing: Nicole Mustilli (junior, South Orange, N.J.) and Sara Walsh (junior, Mishawaka, Ind.)
Mustilli finished fourth in epee at the NCAA championships to earn first-team All-America honors and posted a 57-11 overall record in competition. Walsh is the winner of this award for the third straight year and claimed All-America honors for the third time with a third-place finish at the NCAA championships. She posted a 45-4 record in foil this season and boasts a three-year record of 173-6.
Football: Autry Denson (junior, Lauderhill, Fla.)
He ranked 19th nationally in rushing in ’97 with 1,268 yards as he became only the third Irish rusher to gain 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Denson is third on the Irish career rushing list and needs to average just 90 yards per game this fall to break Allen Pinkett’s all-time record.
Men's Golf: Bryan Weeks (senior, Tulsa, Okla.)
He earned medalist honors at the Butler Invitational and was fourth at the BIG EAST championship in leading the Irish to their third straight conference title. Weeks served as captain of this year’s Notre Dame team and finished with a 75.4 stroke average.
Women's Golf: Katie King (senior, Spokane, Wash.)
Notre Dame’s top scorer throughout the ’98 spring campaign, she broke her own single-season stroke average with a 79.5 mark this season. King, a two-time captain, wins this award for the second straight year and finishes her career with a Notre Dame career stroke average of 81.4.
Ice Hockey: Matt Eisler (senior, West Milford, N.J.)
He ranks as Notre Dame’s all-time leading goaltender with a career 3.66 goals against average and finished his career with nearly 2,900 saves. The winner of this award for the second straight year and third time in his career, Eisler had a 2.70 goals against average this season which is second all-time in the program’s history.
Women's Lacrosse: Kerry Callahan (junior, Churchville, Pa.)
She was the leading scorer for the Irish in 1998 as she finished the campaign with 30 goals and 20 assists. Callahan has been a two-year starter for the Irish at attack and was one of the team’s tri-captains this season.
Men's Soccer: Philip Murphy (junior, Brentwood, Tenn.)
He joined the Irish as a walk-on his freshman year and started all 20 games he played in during the 1997 season, helping the Irish to eight shutouts during the campaign. Murphy received one of 10 campus leaderships awards and has been chosen to participate in the NCAA Foundation Leadership Conference this summer.
Women's Soccer: Kate Sobrero (senior, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)
A first-team All-America selection in ’97 by the National Soccer Coaches Association, she was a finalist for the Missouri Athletic Club’s national player of the year award. Sobrero was named the BIG EAST’s defensive player of the year and was one of three captains for a squad which advanced to the NCAA semifinals for the fourth consecutive year.
Softball: Kelly Nichols (senior, Vancouver, Wash.) and Jenn Giampaolo (senior, San Marino, Calif.)
Nichols, the NCAA career saves leader with 24, is one of two Irish captains for ’98 and ranks second nationally this season in saves with six. Giampaolo currently is hitting .324 and ranks among the top five in career steals, hits, runs, doubles and RBI.
Men's Swimming: Scott Zumbach (junior, Katonah, N.Y.)
He earned all-BIG EAST honors in ’98 in both the 200 and 400 individual medley. Zumbach is the school record holder in the 200 butterfly and 400 IM.
Women's Swimming: Linda Gallo (senior, Colts Neck, N.J.)
Named most outstanding swimmer at the BIG EAST championships, she won three events in helping her team capture its second consecutive league crown. Gallo earned All-America honors in two events at the NCAA championships in ’98.
Men's Tennis: Ryan Sachire (sophomore, Canfield, Ohio)
He has a 32-12 record this season at number one singles, including a 28-5 mark in dual matches. Sachire, who is 15th in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, earns this award for the second straight year.
Women's Tennis: Michelle Dasso (freshman, Oklahoma City, Okla.)
She plays in the number two spot for the Irish and currently has a 38-6 mark. Dasso, who has won 22 of 24 dual matches after starting the season with 20 straight victories, currently ranks 16th nationally in singles.
Volleyball: Angie Harris (senior, Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Jaimie Lee (senior, Spokane, Wash.)
Harris ranks as the best server in Notre Dame history with 239 career service aces. A two-time all-district pick, she was selected to three all-tournament teams in ’97. She and Jaimie Lee combined for more 3,000 kills — the most by any two classmates in Irish history. Lee, the two-time BIG EAST player of the year, is the only Irish player to rank in the top 10 in all six major statistical categories. She helped Notre Dame to its sixth straight NCAA tournament appearance and third league title in winning this award for the second consecutive year.