Clarksville, Ark.-University of the Ozarks student-athletes Sabrina Goddard and Tristan Cooper were named the 2010-2011 Female and Male Athlete of the Year, it was announced Tuesday at the athletic banquet.
The Athlete of the Year award is given to a student-athlete who displays outstanding athletic accomplishments, combined with academic excellence and superior career credentials. The award is voted on by the university’s athletic staff.
Goddard, a junior basketball player, was among the most productive players in the American Southwest Conference, ranking sixth in the conference in scoring (15.5), eighth in rebounding (7.8) and second in blocked shots (2.8). The 6-foot-1 center was named to the All-ASC Second Team after helping the Lady Eagles to its first winning season in nearly a decade and a post-season appearance. Goddard started in all 26 games and led the team in scoring 15 times and rebounding 17 times. She reached double figures in scoring 22 times and produced at least 20 points in nine games. Additionally, she posted five double-doubles. She was named to the 2010-2011 Capital One Academic All-District Team and was voted the ASC Player of the Week three times this season. A native of Stroud, Oklahoma, she has scored 933 career points and recorded 492 career rebounds. She is a two-time All-Conference performer.
She has been on the ASC All-Academic Team two times. She is a biology major and is the daughter of James and Martina Goddard.
Cooper, a junior, capped a spectacular junior year by finishing second at the ASC championships and 14th at the NCAA III South/Southeast regional. At the NCAA III regional, Cooper ran a 26:07 in the 8K, the third fastest time in school history, and just missed qualifying for the national race by seven seconds. For his performance, he was named to the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Region Team. The 5-foot-9, 140-pound native of Jasper helped the team to a second-place finish at the ASC championship, its highest finish since 1996, and earned a spot on the All-Conference First Team. It is the second straight year Cooper was named All-Conference. He has finished among the top-30 at each ASC championship race. He owns the school record in the 4-mile with a time of 22:11. He was voted the ASC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete for men’s cross country in 2010.
He has been on the ASC All-Academic Team two times. He is a biology and environmental science major and the son of David Cooper and Kim Van Scoy.
“Both are outstanding student-athletes,” said athletic director Jimmy Clark. “They are very good at what they do in their respective sports and each has been recognized for their work in the classroom. They have figured out how to balance athletics and academics. Sabrina is a great inside presence for the women’s basketball team and Tristan is one of the better cross country runners we’ve had here. They have great perseverance and I see both of them putting in the extra time.”
To view the Athlete of the Year presentation and the entire athletic banquet visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDD0ZeG45yo
Topics: Athletics