South Dakota State University Athletics
Strength and conditioning awards announced
5/21/2008 11:00:00 AM | General
Football standout Mitch Erickson and women's track and field stalwart Brittany Garner were named Strength and Conditioning Athletes of the Year at South Dakota State University during the 2007-08 academic year.
Erickson, a four-year starter on the offensive line, helped lead the Jackrabbits to their first conference title in 44 years, earning first-team all-Great West Football Conference honors for the third time in 2007. The Hutchinson, Minn., native also was nearly a consensus All-America selection, earning first-team recognition on Football Championship Subdivision All-America squads selected by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, College Sporting News and College Sports Report.
A Rapid City native, Garner wrapped up her season by winning the 200-meter dash at The Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Macomb, Ill., with a school-record time of 24.23 seconds. She also ran on the winning 4x100-meter and runner-up 4x400-meter relay teams, along with placing second individually in the 100-meter dash and third in the pole vault. During the indoor season, Garner placed third in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the 200 meters at the league meet.
In addition, Erickson was one of seven SDSU senior student-athletes to receive the All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association for dedication to strength training and conditioning. Also honored from the Jackrabbit football team were Justin Kubesh and Mitch Pontrelli, along with men's basketball player Ben Beran, men's track and field athlete Zach Wirth, volleyball player Kristina Martin and women's basketball player Andrea Verdegan.
SDSU strength and conditioning coach Nathan Moe announced that 37 Jackrabbit student-athletes qualified to receive the Iron Jack award during the 2007-08 school year for achieving a set of high standards for specific exercises in their respective sports.
The 2007-08 Iron Jacks include:
Baseball (4)
? Matt Baerlocher
? Tony Martin
? Sam Pieczynski
? Caleb Thielbar
Men's Basketball (1)
? Ben Beran
Equestrian (1)
? Lindsay Harr
Football (15)
? Danny Batten
? Joseph Blackman
? Cole Brodie
? Ryan Crawford
? Brian Fischer
? Adam Fritz
? Brandon Gant
? Brock Gentile
? Isaiah Jackson
? Chris Johnson
? Justin Kubesh
? John Kirwan
? Jordan Miranda
? General Parnell
? Anthony Wise
Women's Soccer (2)
? Jessica Heine
? Kellie Van Gerpen
Softball (3)
? Stacey Evans
? Samantha Heinzman
? Brittany Postma
Women's Swimming and Diving (1)
? Sara Olenich
Men's Track and Field (2)
? Zach Milner
? Zach Wirth
Women's Track and Field (4)
? Brittany Garner
? Tamiko Kopfmann
? Jennifer Mack
? Kira Sudbeck
Volleyball (1)
? Kristina Martin
Wrestling (3)
? Ryan Meyer
? Dave Michaud
? Jason Stripling
Erickson, a four-year starter on the offensive line, helped lead the Jackrabbits to their first conference title in 44 years, earning first-team all-Great West Football Conference honors for the third time in 2007. The Hutchinson, Minn., native also was nearly a consensus All-America selection, earning first-team recognition on Football Championship Subdivision All-America squads selected by the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press, College Sporting News and College Sports Report.
A Rapid City native, Garner wrapped up her season by winning the 200-meter dash at The Summit League Outdoor Track and Field Championships this past weekend in Macomb, Ill., with a school-record time of 24.23 seconds. She also ran on the winning 4x100-meter and runner-up 4x400-meter relay teams, along with placing second individually in the 100-meter dash and third in the pole vault. During the indoor season, Garner placed third in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the 200 meters at the league meet.
In addition, Erickson was one of seven SDSU senior student-athletes to receive the All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year Award from the National Strength and Conditioning Association for dedication to strength training and conditioning. Also honored from the Jackrabbit football team were Justin Kubesh and Mitch Pontrelli, along with men's basketball player Ben Beran, men's track and field athlete Zach Wirth, volleyball player Kristina Martin and women's basketball player Andrea Verdegan.
SDSU strength and conditioning coach Nathan Moe announced that 37 Jackrabbit student-athletes qualified to receive the Iron Jack award during the 2007-08 school year for achieving a set of high standards for specific exercises in their respective sports.
The 2007-08 Iron Jacks include:
Baseball (4)
? Matt Baerlocher
? Tony Martin
? Sam Pieczynski
? Caleb Thielbar
Men's Basketball (1)
? Ben Beran
Equestrian (1)
? Lindsay Harr
Football (15)
? Danny Batten
? Joseph Blackman
? Cole Brodie
? Ryan Crawford
? Brian Fischer
? Adam Fritz
? Brandon Gant
? Brock Gentile
? Isaiah Jackson
? Chris Johnson
? Justin Kubesh
? John Kirwan
? Jordan Miranda
? General Parnell
? Anthony Wise
Women's Soccer (2)
? Jessica Heine
? Kellie Van Gerpen
Softball (3)
? Stacey Evans
? Samantha Heinzman
? Brittany Postma
Women's Swimming and Diving (1)
? Sara Olenich
Men's Track and Field (2)
? Zach Milner
? Zach Wirth
Women's Track and Field (4)
? Brittany Garner
? Tamiko Kopfmann
? Jennifer Mack
? Kira Sudbeck
Volleyball (1)
? Kristina Martin
Wrestling (3)
? Ryan Meyer
? Dave Michaud
? Jason Stripling
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