July 20, 2009

OXFORD, Ohio--Eight student-athletes earned Miami University Athletics' most prestigious annual awards and will be honored at the Miami versus Cincinnati football game on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Chris Heaton (men's swimming and diving) was named the Male Athlete of the Year, while Kelsey Vehr (women's swimming and diving) and Monica Gorny (women's tennis) shared Female Athlete of the Year honors. Allison Stevens (women's swimming and diving) and Lauren Magliola (synchronized skating) were the Female Co-Scholar-Athletes of the Year, while Pat Sovacool (men's cross country/track and field) and Matt Erwood (baseball) shared Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades. Jenna Schone (women's basketball) earned Miami's highest honor for a female student-athlete, the Leann Grimes Davidge Memorial Award.

Heaton (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) finished his Miami career as the most dominant diver in Mid-American Conference history, enjoying unprecedented success. Heaton became the only male diver in conference history to win both the one- and three-meter events all four years of his career. The four-time MAC Diver of the Year and eight-time MAC Champion also earned First-Team All-MAC plaudits all four seasons. With a score of 385.20 versus Ball State, Heaton is the MAC record holder in the one-meter dive. Amassing a score of 406.85 in the three-meter event during the 2008 Miami Invitational, Heaton again set a MAC diving standard. Heaton, who was twice named MAC Swimmer/Diver of the Week in 2008-09, placed ninth out of 32 competitors at the 2009 NCAA Regional Diving competition. He becomes the first men's diver to capture the award.

Vehr (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) spearheaded Miami to its 16th MAC women's swimming and diving title, earning titles in the 100 and 200 breaststroke and the 400 medley relay during her sophomore campaign. Vehr set two individual and was a part of one relay that established MAC records at the conference meet. Clocking a time of 1:00.48, Vehr set a MAC record in the 100 breaststroke and followed that with a MAC-record time of 2:12.22 in the 200 breaststroke. She was a part of the MAC record 400 medley relay (3:39.65). Vehr also broke Miami records at the MAC meet in the 400 individual medley (4:19.51) and the 200 medley relay (1:39.36). She was a First-Team All-MAC selection and qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 100 and 200 breaststroke.

Gorny (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa/The Wykeham Collegiate) catapulted Miami women's tennis to its MAC regular-season and tournament titles and the RedHawks' first NCAA Tournament appearance. Miami was undefeated in MAC action during the regular season and swept through the conference tournament with 4-0 decisions. Gorny earned First-Team All-MAC honors and was tabbed the MAC Freshman of the Year. She posted an 18-4 overall singles record, including a 14-2 record at No. 1 singles. Gorny won 13 of her final 15 singles matches and teamed up with Anastasia Dracheva at No. 2 doubles, winning their final 13 matches of the season. In doubles action, Gorny amassed an 18-2 record, including a 14-2 mark at No. 2 doubles.

Erwood (Atlanta, Ga./Marist School), who owned a 3.87 grade-point average and majored in zoology, was a two-time Academic All-MAC selection and earned First-Team All-MAC distinction this season. With his selection to the All-MAC First Team and Academic All-MAC Team in 2009, he became the first Miami baseball player to achieve the feat since Gary Wright in 1973. Miami's top starting pitcher during his senior campaign, Erwood led all RedHawk starters this season in ERA (4.46), innings pitched (78.2), wins (7) and strikeouts (53).

Sovacool (Lakewood, Ohio/St. Ignatius), who boasted a 3.57 GPA and majored in zoology, was a 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District selection and a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree. Sovacool was selected the 2008-09 Division I Male Athlete of the Year by the Ohio Cross Country Coaches Association and was a two-time First-Team All-MAC selection. In 2008, he finished third at the MAC Championships and went on to earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Championships after placing 12th at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional. In track, Sovacool was a three-time NCAA Regional qualifier and advanced to the NCAA Championships in 2008, finishing 16th in the 5,000 meters. Additionally, he was a six-time USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selection (twice for cross country and four times for track) and was a two-time All-Great Lakes Region selection in cross country.

Magliola (Norwalk, Conn./ Laurel Springs School) posted a 3.92 GPA and majored in Early Childhood Education. She was a four-year member of the synchronized skating program, skating three years on the senior team and helping Miami advance to the ISU World Championships three seasons. Magliola was a three-time national champion during her time in the Miami Synchronized Skating program. This season, Magliola helped Miami to a national title at the senior level, just the third for the senior team in program history. As a freshman in 2005-06, she helped the senior team to its second national title. The following year Magliola competed on the collegiate team, earning a national title in the collegiate division in 2006-07.

Stevens (Laurel, Md./James Hubert Blake), who owned a 3.77 GPA and was a double major in journalism and marketing, helped Miami to its 16th women's swimming and diving title. This season, Stevens was a part of two relays that broke MAC records at the championship meet--swimming legs on the 800 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay--and a part of four school-record relay teams. Individually, she also finished second in the 200 freestyle at the 2009 MAC Championships. Stevens was a three-time Academic All-MAC selection and served as the sports editor of the Miami Quarterly.

Schone (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) was a two-time Second-Team All-MAC selection, a MAC All-Freshman Team honoree and a member of the 2008 MAC All-Tournament Team during her career. Twice Schone earned Academic All-MAC recognition and owns a 3.57 GPA while majoring in health education and minoring in special education. Schone, who was a two-time captain, started every game during her Miami career and ranks first in made 3-pointers, second in assists and fifth in scoring. As a junior, she helped Miami to a 23-win season, the MAC Tournament title and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance. During the 2007-08 campaign, Schone ranked nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio and was among the nation's top-ten scoring duos. She also set Miami single-season records for assists and made 3-pointers in 2007-08. Additionally, Schone took part in several community service activities during her Miami tenure, working youth basketball clinics, taking part in the Championship Reading Program, helping to promote health and fitness to local elementary schools and also aiding in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

Miami's Male and Female Athlete of the Year honors are awarded to any student-athlete (freshman, sophomore, junior or senior) who has made significant athletic contributions to his/her respective team for that academic year. The Male and Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year Awards are bestowed upon a student-athlete of senior standing, who has excelled in the classroom as well as in the athletic arena.

Noted as Miami's top award for an upperclass female student-athlete, the Leann Grimes Davidge Award is presented in honor of the former Miami women's tennis coach from 1979 to 1985, who tragically lost her life in an automobile accident. In six years as head coach, Davidge compiled an overall record of 93-50 and 25-1 in MAC action, while capturing four consecutive MAC Championships. This award is meant to keep her legacy alive through recognition of outstanding female student-athletes who have excelled in athletics, academics and leadership.