Woerner, Santana Receive Memphis Athletics' Top Honors

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The 2019 PAWSCARS ceremony was held Wednesday night on the University of Memphis campus, and the 2018-19 Tigers celebration culminated with the announcement of the athletics department's two highest student-athlete honors: the Elma Roane and Zach Curlin Awards.

Senior Elizabeth Woerner, a forward on the women's soccer squad, received the Elma Roane Award, and senior Jason Santana, a catcher on the baseball team, was honored with the Zach Curlin Award. Woerner and Santana were recognized for their accomplishments at Wednesday's Night at the PAWSCARS event.

Both awards are presented annually to student-athletes that have competed at the highest level athletically, while exhibiting leadership characteristics and demonstrating the high ideals of sportsmanship and athleticism held by the University. Each recipient must excel in the classroom, give of his/her time and efforts for the betterment of his/her team, the University and community.

Created in 1978, the Elma Roane Award was named after the former women's athletics director at the University of Memphis. Roane was affiliated with the University as a student-athlete, coach and professor for 45 years. During her career, Roane shaped generations of young women's lives and countless young leaders were influenced by her depth of character, determination against great odds and abiding belief in the power of education to change lives.

Woerner, a psychology major, carries a 3.56 grade-point average (GPA) is a member of the University of Memphis' most selective and competitive leadership scholarship program, Emerging Leaders. Throughout this four-year program, she has given back hundreds of hours of service to her community and also engaged in leadership coursework and projects that will serve to benefit the world around her.

The Bloomington, Ill., native has been involved in the greater Memphis community on a regular basis, serving at several non-profits in the Memphis area since her collegiate career started. She regularly serves at Target House, engaging with children and families who are long term patients at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. She also spends time serving at the FedEx Family House, which provide support for children and families that receive care at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital.

In addition, Woerner has served the community through Read Across America, Shelby Farms and Ronald McDonald House. This year, she ran in the St. Jude Half Marathon while fundraising to support the mission and cause of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. In the spring of 2017, Woerner and the Tigers ranked No. 2 nationally among all NCAA Division I institutions in community service, as announced by NCAA Team Works.

Woerner has been on the Memphis Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) since her freshman year. She has been a member of the Executive Team of the Committee since her sophomore year, and for the 2018-19 year was voted by her peers as SAAC president. Woerner was also selected to serve as Coordinator of Student-Athlete Engagement on the 2018-19 American Athletic Conference SAAC Executive Board.

A four-year starter, Woerner has been a staple in the Memphis offensive attack, registering 24 goals and 10 assists for 58 points. She was named to the 2018 preseason All-American Athletic Conference Team after earning all-league first team accolades in 2017. Woerner was a two-time AAC Weekly Honor Roll recipient in 2017 (Aug. 21/Oct. 9), and also was named the league's Player of the Week on Oct. 24, 2016.

Woerner is a seven-time Dean's List and Tiger 3.0 Club student at Memphis. She was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team in 2016 and 2017.

The Zach Curlin Award, created in 2011, is presented annually to the male student-athlete that possesses Curlin's drive, enthusiasm and determination to academics and athletics while maintaining a concern for others. Curlin joined the Memphis coaching staff in 1924 and during his career, served in several capacities: head football coach, head basketball coach, head baseball coach, athletics director and head of the physical education and intramurals departments.

Santana, a civil engineering major, holds a 3.55 GPA and went through a special graduation ceremony for baseball and softball Apr. 14. Following the conclusion of the baseball season, Santana looks to pursue a job in a hydrology and hydraulics department, finding solutions to keep water out of places that do not need it while also helping provide water to areas that are in desperate need. A future goal for Santana is to go outside the United States and assist third-world countries with their water issues.

During his time as a student-athlete, Santana has worked in his field of study. He was an intern for Neel-Schaffer Inc., last summer, and also worked for CAESAR (Center for Applied Earth Sciences and Engineering Research) from October 2017-April 2018.

As a baseball player, Santana has used his talents to give back to the communities of Memphis and his hometown of Chicago. From 2015-18, he was a baseball coach for Seams Chicago, a youth camp that taught the fundamentals of baseball, and a mentor in the Best Buddies/University of Memphis chapter which teaches leadership skills for those with developmental disabilities.

On the field, Santana has played in 184 career games and made 150 starts behind the plate. He has a .988 fielding percentage with only 17 errors on over 1,300 chances. Santana has 48 RBIs and 20 extra-base hits.

Santana is a two-time American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree (2016, 2017) and was a Cecil C. Humphreys Scholarship recipient. A member of the Memphis baseball leadership council in 2015-16, Santana also served on the SAAC all four years.

The following is a complete list of the winners from Wednesday's PAWSCARS:

Elma Roane Award
Elizabeth Woerner, Women's Soccer

Zach Curlin Award
Jason Santana, Baseball

All-Around Tiger (Female)
Sydney Colwill, Women's Golf

All-Around Tiger (Male)
Matthew Kamph, Men's Track and Field

Best Individual Performance (Female)
Ashley Pryke, Women's Track and Field

Best Individual Performance (Male)
Levi Clark, Rifle

Break-Through Student-Athlete
Chris Patzanovsky, Men's Tennis

Comeback Student-Athlete
Jordan Wesner, Men's Track and Field

Best True Freshman (Female)
Jamirah Shutes, Women's Basketball

Best True Freshman (Male)
Hunter Goodman, Baseball

Citizenship Award
Patrick Taylor Jr., Football

Motivational Award
Maddie Stoks, Women's Soccer

Team/Individual Best Record-Breaking Performance
Memphis Cheer

Top Offensive Student-Athlete
Darrell Henderson, Football

Top Defensive Student-Athlete
Raynere Thornton, Men's Basketball

Best Overall Team Win
Women's Soccer

University of Memphis Athletics

Woerner, Santana Receive Memphis Athletics' Top Honors

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