University of Memphis Athletics
M Club Honors 2011 Senior Class
Apr 28, 2011 | Baseball
April 28, 2011
MEMPHIS, TENN. - The University of Memphis M Club honored the Class of 2011 in all-sports at a luncheon in the Fountain View Room of the University Center Thursday afternoon.
In addition to recognizing all the seniors from the 2010-11 season, the M Club awarded four special honors.
Curtis Gibbs, a member of the cross country/track team, was recognized as the Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Gibbs is involved in the University of Memphis honors program and has been a member of the Tiger 3.0 Club for four semesters. He has also been a part of the Tiger Academic 30 for two semesters, which honors the top 30 student-athletes in all sports based on grade-point average. A Dean's List honoree for four semesters, Gibbs has been listed on the C-USA Commissioner's Honor Roll and received the Commissioner's Academic Medal. He will graduate in May with a degree in business economics and a minor in mathematical science.
Volleyball player Becky Shaffer received the Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Shaffer is slated to graduate Summa Cum Laude in May as a member of the U of M's honors program. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native boasts a 3.99 cumulative grade-point average, while double majoring in chemistry and biochemistry, and minoring in both sociology and Spanish. Shaffer has notched six semesters with a 4.0, been named as a member of the University's Dean's List seven times and received C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medals in each of her four years at Memphis. A four-year letterwinner, Shaffer also excelled on the court. She put together the strongest season of her career as a junior in 2009 when she logged 20 or more digs in four contests and served up a team-high 17 aces. Upon graduation, Shaffer plans to attend UT pharmacy school.
The third special award was the Elma Roane Award, which is presented annually as the top award for female student-athletes at Memphis. Women's soccer player Brittany Hance was selected by a committee as the recipient of the 2010-11 Elma Roane Award. A member of the winningest class in program history, Hance helped the Lady Tiger soccer team to four-straight C-USA championships. The biology major suffered a career-ending injury prior to the 2010 season, but in her career, she played in 55 matches. Hance served as a student assistant coach last season as the program earned a fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance. With a 3.76 grade-point average, Hance graduated with a degree in biology and Magna Cum Laude honors in December. She appeared on the Tiger 3.0 Club seven semesters, and she earned Dean's List recognition in six semesters. A native of O'Fallon, Mo., Hance becomes the fifth overall women's soccer player (and fourth straight women's soccer team member) to win the Elma Roane Award.
Tiger baseball pitcher Ryan Holland was named the first-ever recipient of the Zach Curlin Award. The Zach Curlin Award was created this year and will be presented annually to an outstanding male student-athlete who possesses Coach Curlin's drive, enthusiasm and determination for academics and athletics, while maintaining a concern for the well-being of others. The award is named in honor of an individual who served the University of Memphis in various capacities from 1924-1960. Coach Curlin was a native Memphian and a student-athlete at Vanderbilt University, where he excelled in football and track prior to graduation. He came to the University of Memphis in 1924, and during his tenure, worked as the head football, basketball and baseball coach, in addition to serving as athletic director and the head of the physical education and intramural departments.
Holland has had the best season of his career at the University of Memphis in just 10 starts this season. The senior pitcher has recorded five quality starts, topping his career total of four quality starts in his first three seasons combined. Holland has also recorded more wins this season than he had in his career prior to this season. The Saturday starter for the Tigers, Holland carries a 4.07 ERA and has pitched 66 1/3 innings on the year. In the classroom, Holland carries a 3.78 grade-point average in mathematical sciences and has been a member of the Tiger 3.0 Club seven semesters. He has also appeared on the Dean's List six semesters and achieved a 4.0 GPA three semesters. Holland has also been honored by C-USA as a recipient of the C-USA Commissioner's Academic Medal four times.
All-Time Elma Roane Award Winners 1978-79 Betty Booker, Basketball 1979-80 Jennifer Jones, Tennis 1980-81 Linda Street, Basketball 1981-82 Cindy Stoots, Volleyball 1982-83 Stacey Seamans, Tennis Mary Trout, Gymnastics 1983-84 Amy Watson, Volleyball 1984-85 Renee Schafer, Golf 1985-86 Angela Glaub, Volleyball 1986-87 Ruth Ann Forsythe, Basketball 1987-88 Phyllis Richey, Volleyball 1988-89 Leslie Folsom, Golf 1989-90 Kori Gourley, Basketball 1990-91 Sarah Tjelmeland, Volleyball 1991-92 Freda Fields, Basketball 1992-93 Karen McGee, Basketball 1993-94 Sami Randolph, Volleyball 1994-95 Janice Neyens, Volleyball 1995-96 Heather Newlon, Basketball 1996-97 Regan Federick, Basketball 1997-98 Stephanie Long, Tennis 1998-99 Namia Ghileon, Golf 1999-2000 Christina Ladyman, Tennis 2000-01 April Harriman, Volleyball 2001-02 Lauren Jackson, Basketball 2002-03 Sabrina Lindemann, Tennis 2003-04 Veronica Ruiz, Soccer 2004-05 Heather Watts, Volleyball 2005-06 Heather Woolls, Cross Country/Track and Field 2006-07 Christen Clayton, Volleyball 2007-08 Caroline Barrett, Soccer 2008-09 Maggie Leone, Soccer 2009-10 Brittany Baldwin, Soccer 2010-11 Brittany Hance, Soccer
Please see below for the presentations of the Zach Curlin and Elma Roane Awards.
Players Mentioned
