May 2, 2017-School record holders, All-Americans, and players that have led their teams to the NCAA post season were honored during the Emporia State Senior Awards and Honors Banquet tonight. Over 75 Hornet senior student-athletes and support staff were recognized for their contributions to Emporia State and the Hornet Athletic program.
ESU OUTSTANDING STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
The Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year Award is presented annually to deserving male and female student-athletes based upon their performance over time, athletic achievement, academic success, and contribution to the team.
Jarrett Stastny • Senior • Football • Sanger, Texas
Stastny is a communication major from Sanger, Texas. He was a first-team All-MIAA and All-Region selection at offensive guard for the nationally ranked Hornets. He was a four time winner of the Hornets Squarehead Award as the top ranked offensive lineman in a game this year. He paved the way for the Hornets offense that ranked fourth in the nation in first downs as Emporia State went 11-2 on the season. They advanced to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs for the second straight year and third time in Stastny's four years.
He is a four time All-MIAA selection, having earned first-team honors in 2013 and 2016 while picking up third team honors in 2014 and 2015. He is a two time all-region selection and was named a preseson All-American by D2Football.com, Lindy's, BSN and USA College Football. He was named the Squarehead Award winner in nearly a quarter of the games Emporia State played during his career. Â
He has a 3.35 GPA in communication and has earned D2 Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award, was on the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and the Emporia State Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
Kelly Moten • Senior • Women's Basketball • Gary, Ind.
Moten is a senior crime and delinquency studies major from Gary, Indiana. She was the 2017 Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) DII Player of the Year, finished her Lady Hornets career ranked third in career scoring, fifth in assists and steals, and ninth in blocked shots. She has played the most games by a Lady Hornet, going 116-20 in 136 career games and is the first player in NCAA Division II history to score 1900 points with 600 rebounds, 500 assists, 200 steals and 100 blocked shots. She was named the MIAA Player and Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-MIAA honors and All-Defensive honors for the third straight year. She was named to the NCAA Central Region All-Tournament team each of the last three years and was the first player to earn MIAA All-Tournament team honors four straight years. Moten was just the fourth Lady Hornet to earn first-team All-American honors from both the WBCA and CoSIDA in the same year.
She has been a part of four straight Lady Hornet teams that have won MIAA Tournament Championships, having been named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2015 conference tourney. She has also led the Lady Hornets to the NCAA Sweet 16 each of the last four years, including a Final Four appearance in 2015.
She will graduate with a 3.00 GPA and has been a member of the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and the Emporia State Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
UNDERGRADUATE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
The Undergraduate Award of Excellence is given to an outstanding male and female underclass student-athlete who excels in the areas of athletic performance and academic achievement.
Thomas LaRoche • Junior • Men's Track & Field • Topeka, Kan.
LaRoche is a health promotions major from Topeka, Kan. He broke Cory Cole's 1999 record of 1:51.07 in the indoor 800m by running a 1:50.16 at the South Dakota State Indoor Classic this year. He earned All-American honors with a seventh place finish in the 800m at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships and helped the Hornets to an 18th place finish nationally. He won his second straight MIAA Indoor Championship in the 800m. He is currently ranked third in the MIAA and 21st in the nation in the 800m outdoors.
He has a 3.04 cumulative GPA and is a member of the Emporia State Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
Addie Lackey • Junior • Women's Basketball • Hillsboro, Kan.
Lackey is an accounting major from Hillsboro, Kansas. She was named Third-Team All-MIAA this season as the Lady Hornets won their fifth straight MIAA Tournament title and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the sixth straight year. She was ranked 15th in the MIAA in scoring and 12th in made three-pointers.
She has a 3.96 cumulative GPA and earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. She is a member of the Emporia State Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the MIAA Academic Honor Roll and is an MIAA Scholar-Athlete.
STUDENT-ATHLETE ABOVE THE CROWD AWARD
The Student-Athlete Above the Crowd Award was established during the 1999-2000 school year to give recognition deserving student-athletes from their peers - the student-athletes at Emporia State. Each team nominates an individual for the award and it is then voted on by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) at Emporia State.
Farhan Sadique • Senior • Tennis • Chennai, India
Sadique is a double major of Marketing and Management as well as a minor in Information Systems, with a 3.78 GPA. He has been a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll, ESU Deans List, MIAA Academic Honor Roll, ITA Scholar Athlete, and D2 Athletic Directors Association Achievement Award. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, Blue Key and Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Societies, and has been part of the Honors College, a Resident Assistant, and member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Sadique participated in numerous community service events including Big Brother Big Sister, SOS volunteer, Food for Students and Habitat for Humanity. Athletically, he is a two-time All-MIAA performer and was named team captain this year.
Tawni Griffey • Senior • Tennis • Norton, Kan.
Griffey is an Accounting major, with a 4.00 GPA. She has been a member of ESU Athletic Director's Honor Roll, the Emporia State Dean's List, MIAA Academic Honor Roll, and has earned the MIAA Academic Excellence Award and D2 Athletic Directors Association Achievement Award. She is a member Beta Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma Sigma and Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Societies and a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Griffey participated in many hours of community service, including the Senior Prom, Habitat for Humanity, Food for Students, VITA program and Haunted Trail. She is a past recipient of the Undergraduate Award of Excellence. Athletically, She has been a three-time All-MIAA performer and twice received the MIAA Sportsmanship Award and has been a team captain for two years.
HORNET LEGACY AWARD
Emporia State has implemented a new award this year called the Hornet Legacy Award. It is meant to recognize an Emporia State senior that has exemplified what it means to be a Hornet throughout his or her career. It is based not only on athletic ability but leadership talents both on and off the field of play. It signifies making a lasting, positive impression on their teams, the Athletics Department, and the University.
Katherine Flott • Senior • Women's Basketball • Olpe, Kan.
Flott is an elementary education major from Olpe, Kansas. She was a two-time Most Outstanding Player at the MIAA Tournament. She finished her career with an MIAA record 106 rebounds in 12 tournament games. Her 41 rebounds in this year's tournament are second to former Lady Hornet Alli Volkens 47 in the 2011 tournament. She finished her Lady Hornet career ranked third with 944 career rebounds and is 28th in career scoring with 1,035 points.
She finished her sixth season at Emporia State after missing two full years with knee injuries following her freshman season. She has played in four Sweet 16's, including 2015's Final Four trip and the Lady Hornets have played in the MIAA Tournament and NCAA Regional Championship games every year since she set foot on campus.
Mitchell Foote • Senior • Football • Enid, Okla.
Foote is an recreation major from Enid, Oklahoma. He led the MIAA with 75 receptions, 12 touchdown catches, and 1,016 receiving yards on the year. He was a unanimous first-team All-MIAA selection and ended his career ranked second at Emporia State with 215 catches and 30 receiving touchdowns while finishing with 2,594 receiving yards.
He was a two-time first-team All-MIAA selection and was twice named all-region. He has been a key part of the Emporia State offense since catching touchdown pass the first time he set foot on the field as a Hornet. During his four years the Hornets have won 35 games and have made it to the NCAA Playoffs three times, winning three times in the postseason.
JOE CANNON SERVICE AWARD
The Emporia State Athletic Department annually gives special recognition to people not currently a member of the staff for their dedication, service and commitment to bettering Emporia State and intercollegiate athletics. Joe Cannon was one of the most prominent supporters of Hornet Athletics over the years. The Joe Cannon Service Award honors his memory.
Lorie Rogan
Lorie has been a long time fan of Emporia State athletics and her voice is known throughout the MIAA. What is not known is how many times she buys extra tickets to games so she can bring kids with her to games. She is an excellent supporter of all Emporia State teams and her trademark GO EMPORIA! can be heard at almost any Hornet sporting event. Â
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