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Penn State's Vargas And Michigan's Ritter Named 2005 Big Ten Athletes Of The Year
June 22, 2005 Park Ridge, Ill. - The Big Ten office announced the Conference's highest honor today, as Penn State gymnast Luis Vargas was named the Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year while Michigan softball standout Jennie Ritter was honored as the Suzy Favor Female Athlete of the Year. Vargas, an 11-time All-American who captured his second straight NCAA all-around title this season, becomes the first Nittany Lion to earn Male Athlete of the Year honors. Ritter, a first-team All-American and Big Ten Pitcher of the Year, guided the Wolverines to the first NCAA Championship in League annals and is the third Wolverine to pick up Female Athlete of the Year laurels. The Big Ten Athletes of the Year are selected by a panel of Conference media members from nominations submitted by each institution. Vargas wrapped up his remarkable career by capturing his second straight NCAA all-around title at the 2005 NCAA Championships, becoming the first back-to-back all-around winner for Penn State since Steve Cohen in 1966 and 1967 and the first by any gymnast since Ohio State's Jamie Natalie took the titles in 2000 and 2001. Competing with a completely torn ligament in his thumb, Vargas also claimed the top spot on the pommel horse to become the only student-athlete to win multiple titles in 2005. In all, the Puerto Rico native picked up five All-America accolades this season to give him 11 such honors in his career, the most for a PSU gymnast in 25 years. Vargas was a finalist for the Nissen-Emery Award, which is presented to the senior male gymnast of the year. He also guided the Nittany Lions to the 2004 NCAA title, the 11th in school history, and the program's only Big Ten Championship in 2003.
A native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, he is the son of Jose Vargas and Juona Velazquez. Ritter pitched all but two innings in Michigan's seven Women's College World Series (WCWS) games to lead the Wolverines to the 2005 national title, the first for a team east of the Mississippi River and the first for a Big Ten softball program. The All-Conference First Team selection was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association first-team All-American and one of three finalists for the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. She ranked second in the country with 38 victories in 2005, as her 417 strikeouts set a school record and her three no-hitters equaled a program best. On the year, Ritter produced a record of 38-4 with an earned run average of 0.92 while collecting 34 complete games and 16 shutouts. In the WCWS, she boasted a 5-2 record, 60 strikeouts and only 11 walks in 53 innings pitched. Ritter becomes the ninth Wolverine to earn Big Ten Athlete of the Year accolades, joining former winners Sara Griffin (softball, 1998), Charles Woodson (football, 1998), Tom Dolan (swimming, 1995), Lara Hooiveld (swimming, 1993), Desmond Howard (football, 1992), Mike Barrowman (swimming, 1991), Glen Rice (basketball, 1989) and Jim Abbott (baseball, 1988). Ritter is the third softball player to accomplish that feat along with Griffin and Northwestern's Lisa Ishikawa (1984). A native of Dexter, Michigan, she is the daughter of John and Connie Ritter. The Big Ten Conference has recognized a Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year since 1982 when Indiana's Jim Spivey earned the inaugural award. The following year, a women's award was created. In 1991-92 as part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of women's athletics in the Conference, the women's award was renamed in honor of former Wisconsin track standout and three-time recipient Suzy Favor. A complete list of this year's Big Ten Conference Jesse Owens and Suzy Favor Athletes of the Year nominees and all-time winners follows. 2005 BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS 1983 - Judi Brown, Michigan State, track and field 1984 - Lisa Ishikawa, Northwestern, softball 1985 - Cathy Branta, Wisconsin, cross country/track 1986 - Stephanie Herbst, Wisconsin, cross country/track 1987 - Jennifer Averill, Northwestern, field hockey/lacrosse 1988 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country 1989 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country 1990 - Suzy Favor, Wisconsin, track and field/cross country 1991 - Julie Farrell-Ovenhouse, Michigan State, diving (co) 1991 - Joy Holmes, Purdue, basketball (co) 1992 - MaChelle Joseph, Purdue, basketball 1993 - Lara Hooiveld, Michigan, swimming 1994 - Kristy Gleason, Iowa, field hockey 1995 - Laura Davis, Ohio State, volleyball 1996 - Olga Kalinovskaya, Penn State, fencing 1997 - Kathy Butler, Wisconsin, track and field (co) 1997 - Gretchen Hegener, Minnesota, swimming (co) 1998 - Sara Griffin, Michigan, softball 1999 - Stephanie White-McCarty, Purdue, basketball 2000 - Lauren Cacciamani, Penn State, volleyball 2001 - Katie Douglas, Purdue, basketball 2002 - Christie Welsh, Penn State, soccer 2003 - Perdita Felicien, Illinois, track and field 2004 - Kelly Mazzante, Penn State, basketball 2005 - Jennie Ritter, Michigan, softball |
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