UW-Stevens Point Names 2004-05 Athletes of the Year

A pair of national player of the year award winners, a national champion and a national runner-up all earned UW-Stevens Point athlete of the year awards for their performances during the 2004-05 seasons.

Senior Jason Kalsow, who was the NCAA Division III men�s basketball player of the year and senior Amanda Nechuta, who was the national women�s basketball player of the year, earned male and female team sport athlete of the year awards, respectively.

Junior Jenna Mitchler was the female individual sport athlete of the year after winning the 800-meter run national championship at the Division III indoor track and field championships. Senior Mark LaLonde was the male individual sport athlete of the year following his runner-up finish in the 5000-meter run at the indoor track and field national meet.

     Kalsow, a Huntley, Ill. native, was the Most Valuable Player of this year�s Division III final four as the Pointers won their second straight national championship. He was named the WIAC player of the year and started all 121 games in his four-year career. Kalsow is UW-Stevens Point�s all-time leading scorer and rebounder with 1,859 points and 883 rebounds. He also had a school record 731 field goals made and was second in school history with 465 assists.

     Nechuta, a Mosinee native, won the female team sport award for the second straight year and finished as UW-Stevens Point�s all-time leading scorer with 1,801 career points. The point total ranks third in WIAC history and Nechuta also set a school record with 681 field goals made. She led the WIAC in scoring for the third straight year by scoring 16.8 points per game. Nechuta also was an All-American in indoor track and field this winter in the shot put for the third time.

     Mitchler, a Kaukauna native, raced to the title in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:12.87 and was a member of the fifth place distance medley relay team. She also was named the track athlete of the meet at the WIAC indoor championships after winning the 800-meter and 3000-meter titles. She helped the women�s cross country team to its second straight title after placing fourth at the WIAC meet and 23rd at the Division III championships.

     LaLonde, a Park Falls native, has been the Division III runner-up in the indoor 5000-meter run the past two seasons. He currently owns the second-fastest 3000-meter steeplechase time in the country and won the WIAC outdoor title in the event with a time of 9:04.92. He won the conference indoor title in the 5000-meter title and was second at the outdoor meet. LaLonde placed sixth overall at the Division III cross country championships in the fall.

     Also, four athletes were selected as the UW-Stevens Point freshman Athletes of the Year. Basketball player Steve Hicklin was the male team sport selection and swimmer Ben Gensler was the male individual sport winner. Softball player Kelly Jablonski was the female team sport honoree and swimmer Lindsay Googins won the female individual sport award.

Hicklin, who attended Sussex Hamilton High School, was a key figure in the basketball team�s run to the national title. He started the team�s final four postseason games and had seven points and five assists in the national championship game. Gensler, who attended Benet Academy (Ill.), swam on the conference champion and honorable mention All-American 800-yard freestyle relay team. He also finished 15th at NCAA Division III championships in 200-yard breaststroke.

     Jablonski, a Stevens Point native, led the WIAC and ranked among the Division III leaders with a school-record 0.59 earned run average. She had 81 strikeouts and just 12 walks in 130 innings pitched. Her walks per inning ratio was also a single-season school record. Googins, an Eagan, Minn. native, was a member of the 800-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays that both finished second at WIAC championships. She placed in top six at conference meet in three events, including a third place finish in 500-yard freestyle.