Bowling Green State University Athletics
Christine Chiricosta Named Recipient of Bob James Award
August 30, 2011 | General, Women's Tennis, Falcon Club
Tennis standout earns arguably the most prestigious award given by the MAC office
Bowling Green State University tennis standout Christine Chiricosta earned a veritable plethora of honors and awards during her four-year career. On Tuesday (Aug. 30), she added yet another prestigious honor to that list. Chiricosta was named the female recipient of the Mid-American Conference's 2011 Bob James Memorial Award.
In its 22nd year, the Bob James Memorial Award recognizes one female and one male student-athlete who have achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 and have displayed good character, leadership and citizenship. The student-athletes are nominated during the year in which they complete their final season of eligibility. Each winner earned a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship, which is awarded in honor of Bob James, the second commissioner in MAC history (1964-71).
Chiricosta graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. She majored in adolescent/young adult/secondary education with a specialization in integrated language arts and a minor in English. Chiricosta maintained a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA during her time at BGSU.
In June, Chiricosta was named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Women's At-Large Team. Chiricosta, who earned Academic All-America® honors in each of her last three years, became the first-ever women's tennis student-athlete to be named to the first team.
Chiricosta earned the first-team honor in 2011 after being named to the second team as a junior and the third team in her sophomore year. As a sophomore, she became the first player in BGSU tennis history to be named to the Academic All-America® Team.
Chiricosta, a native of Avon Lake, Ohio (Avon Lake HS), ended her career as the most decorated player in BGSU tennis history. On the court, she set all three school records for wins. Chiricosta had a total of 178 combined career victories, with 89 singles and 89 doubles wins. In the 2010-11 campaign, she was named to the All-MAC First Team for the second-straight season, after earning all-conference second-team honors in each of her first two years at BGSU.
In '10-11, Chiricosta had an overall mark of 50-20, having played at the number-one flight in both singles and doubles. That 50-win total tied her for fifth place on the BGSU single-season wins list. The team co-captain had identical marks of 25-10 in both singles and doubles on the season. Her singles win total was fifth on the BG single-season list, and the doubles win total deadlocked her for fifth on that school chart.
In the spring of 2011, Chiricosta earned the BGSU Department of Athletics Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is the highest award given by the athletics department, and is given to one male and one female who encompass everything that a BGSU student-athlete should be. One year earlier, she had been named BGSU's Junior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Chiricosta was named to the Academic All-MAC Team in each of her three years of eligibility for the honor, and was selected as a ITA Scholar Athlete in each of her four seasons at BGSU.
On the court, in addition to earning All-MAC First-Team honors, Chiricosta shared the conference's Leann Grimes Davidge Sportsmanship Award in her senior season. That award, which is the result of voting by the MAC women's tennis student-athletes, is presented to the player or players who displayed outstanding sportsmanship in MAC competition. Chiricosta was named the MAC's Scholar-Athlete of the Week twice in her senior year and five times in her Falcon career.
Chiricosta, as mentioned the lone player in program history to earn Academic All-America® honors even once, helped BGSU to a total of 55 dual-match wins during her career, tying the school record for a four-year span. She became the school's career leader in overall individual wins on Jan. 30, 2011, picking up a come-from-behind singles win at Butler. Then, on Feb. 27 at Detroit, she picked up her record-breaking singles win. Chiricosta snapped the BGSU career doubles wins record on April 2, teaming up with then-sophomore Maddy Eccleston for a victory against Ball State.
Miami's Jon Edgington (baseball) was the male recipient of the 2011 Bob James Memorial Award.
Chiricosta becomes the third BGSU female student-athlete in the last four years, and the seventh overall, to win the Bob James Memorial Award. In fact, Bowling Green has had more male (six), female (seven) and overall (13) recipients of the award than any other school. No other MAC institution has had more than three female recipients or seven overall recipients.
2011 BOB JAMES MEMORIAL AWARD WINNERS
FEMALE: Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green (tennis)
MALE: Jon Edgington, Miami (baseball)
Other Female Nominees:
Maria Gramelspacher, Ball State (swimming & diving)
Kaihla Szunko, Central Michigan (basketball)
Rachel Patterson, Miami (cross country/track)
Rachel Heim, Ohio (swimming & diving)
Sarah Blake, Toledo (soccer)
Allyson Doyle, Western Michigan (volleyball)
Other Male Nominees:
Lucas Murray, Akron (golf)
Mark Golden, Ball state (swimming & diving)
Zackary Leonard, Eastern Michigan (baseball)
Nutthavit Likitkumchorn, Toledo (tennis)
BOB JAMES AWARD WINNERS
2011 - Jon Edgington, Miami (baseball); Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green (tennis)
2010 - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan (football); Megan Chronister, Bowling Green (gymnastics)
2009 - Gonzalo Barinaga, Ball State (football); Jillian Wolosiansky, Eastern Michigan (volleyball)
2008 - Wynn Michalak, Central Michigan (wrestling); Stephanie Swiger, Bowling Green (volleyball)
2007 - Matt Lefeld, Bowling Green (basketball); Jody Yednock, Northern Illinois (gymnastics)
2006 - David Mitchell, Miami (cross country/track & field); Marie Zidek, Northern Illinois (volleyball)
2005 - Burke Badenhop, Bowling Green (baseball); Robin Davidson, Toledo (soccer)
2004 - Travis Barclay, Ball State (football); Andrea Kremer, Miami (track & field)
2003 - Brett Faustman, Central Michigan (wrestling); Katrina Kerns, Bowling Green (track & field)
2002 - Tony Malik, Bowling Green (soccer); Kate Miller, Kent State (basketball)
2001 - Nick Iagulli, Miami (track & field); Jennifer Jarjosa, Bowling Green (swimming)
2000 - Cato Coleman, Miami (track & field); Laura Szczepanski, Ball State (gymnastics)
1999 - Justin Millard, Akron (soccer); Wendy Feldman, Central Michigan (volleyball)
1998 - Desmond Johnston, Akron (soccer); Janelle Tranquillo, Ball State (field hockey)
1997 - Joseph Burch, Bowling Green (soccer); Sarah Mikrut, Ball State (gymnastics)
1996 - Dustin Swinehart, Miami (soccer); Kristin Gaddis, Bowling Green (cross country/track & field)
1995 - Stephen Fetyko, Eastern Michigan (swimming); Dana Drew, Toledo (basketball)
1994 - Bob Dudley, Bowling Green (football); Kris Parks, Ohio (cross country/track & field)
1993 - Sander Scott, Central Michigan (basketball); Kelly Weir, Ohio (basketball)
1992 - Jeff Bender, Central Michigan (football); Julie Young, Western Michigan (volleyball)
1991 - Pat Jackson, Bowling Green (football); Kristin McDaniel, Kent State (track & field)
1990 - Danny Rieman, Ball State (baseball); Linda Popovich, Bowling Green (volleyball)
1989 - Rick Winegardner, Ball State (swimming); Kim Keenan, Kent State (cross country/track & field)
TOTAL RECIPIENTS BY SCHOOL
13 - BOWLING GREEN (6 male, 7 female)
7 - Ball State (4, 3)
6 - Miami (5, 1)
5 - Central Michigan (4, 1)
3 - Kent State (0, 3)
2 - Akron (2, 0)
2 - Eastern Michigan (1, 1)
2 - Northern Illinois (0, 2)
2 - Ohio (0, 2)
2 - Toledo (0, 2)
2 - Western Michigan (1, 1)
In its 22nd year, the Bob James Memorial Award recognizes one female and one male student-athlete who have achieved a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 and have displayed good character, leadership and citizenship. The student-athletes are nominated during the year in which they complete their final season of eligibility. Each winner earned a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship, which is awarded in honor of Bob James, the second commissioner in MAC history (1964-71).
Chiricosta graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. She majored in adolescent/young adult/secondary education with a specialization in integrated language arts and a minor in English. Chiricosta maintained a perfect 4.00 cumulative GPA during her time at BGSU.
In June, Chiricosta was named to the 2011 Capital One Academic All-America® Women's At-Large Team. Chiricosta, who earned Academic All-America® honors in each of her last three years, became the first-ever women's tennis student-athlete to be named to the first team.
Chiricosta earned the first-team honor in 2011 after being named to the second team as a junior and the third team in her sophomore year. As a sophomore, she became the first player in BGSU tennis history to be named to the Academic All-America® Team.
In '10-11, Chiricosta had an overall mark of 50-20, having played at the number-one flight in both singles and doubles. That 50-win total tied her for fifth place on the BGSU single-season wins list. The team co-captain had identical marks of 25-10 in both singles and doubles on the season. Her singles win total was fifth on the BG single-season list, and the doubles win total deadlocked her for fifth on that school chart.
In the spring of 2011, Chiricosta earned the BGSU Department of Athletics Medal of Honor. The Medal of Honor is the highest award given by the athletics department, and is given to one male and one female who encompass everything that a BGSU student-athlete should be. One year earlier, she had been named BGSU's Junior Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Chiricosta was named to the Academic All-MAC Team in each of her three years of eligibility for the honor, and was selected as a ITA Scholar Athlete in each of her four seasons at BGSU.
On the court, in addition to earning All-MAC First-Team honors, Chiricosta shared the conference's Leann Grimes Davidge Sportsmanship Award in her senior season. That award, which is the result of voting by the MAC women's tennis student-athletes, is presented to the player or players who displayed outstanding sportsmanship in MAC competition. Chiricosta was named the MAC's Scholar-Athlete of the Week twice in her senior year and five times in her Falcon career.
Miami's Jon Edgington (baseball) was the male recipient of the 2011 Bob James Memorial Award.
Chiricosta becomes the third BGSU female student-athlete in the last four years, and the seventh overall, to win the Bob James Memorial Award. In fact, Bowling Green has had more male (six), female (seven) and overall (13) recipients of the award than any other school. No other MAC institution has had more than three female recipients or seven overall recipients.
2011 BOB JAMES MEMORIAL AWARD WINNERS
FEMALE: Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green (tennis)
MALE: Jon Edgington, Miami (baseball)
Other Female Nominees:
Maria Gramelspacher, Ball State (swimming & diving)
Kaihla Szunko, Central Michigan (basketball)
Rachel Patterson, Miami (cross country/track)
Rachel Heim, Ohio (swimming & diving)
Sarah Blake, Toledo (soccer)
Allyson Doyle, Western Michigan (volleyball)
Other Male Nominees:
Lucas Murray, Akron (golf)
Mark Golden, Ball state (swimming & diving)
Zackary Leonard, Eastern Michigan (baseball)
Nutthavit Likitkumchorn, Toledo (tennis)
BOB JAMES AWARD WINNERS
2011 - Jon Edgington, Miami (baseball); Christine Chiricosta, Bowling Green (tennis)
2010 - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan (football); Megan Chronister, Bowling Green (gymnastics)
2009 - Gonzalo Barinaga, Ball State (football); Jillian Wolosiansky, Eastern Michigan (volleyball)
2008 - Wynn Michalak, Central Michigan (wrestling); Stephanie Swiger, Bowling Green (volleyball)
2007 - Matt Lefeld, Bowling Green (basketball); Jody Yednock, Northern Illinois (gymnastics)
2006 - David Mitchell, Miami (cross country/track & field); Marie Zidek, Northern Illinois (volleyball)
2005 - Burke Badenhop, Bowling Green (baseball); Robin Davidson, Toledo (soccer)
2004 - Travis Barclay, Ball State (football); Andrea Kremer, Miami (track & field)
2003 - Brett Faustman, Central Michigan (wrestling); Katrina Kerns, Bowling Green (track & field)
2002 - Tony Malik, Bowling Green (soccer); Kate Miller, Kent State (basketball)
2001 - Nick Iagulli, Miami (track & field); Jennifer Jarjosa, Bowling Green (swimming)
2000 - Cato Coleman, Miami (track & field); Laura Szczepanski, Ball State (gymnastics)
1999 - Justin Millard, Akron (soccer); Wendy Feldman, Central Michigan (volleyball)
1998 - Desmond Johnston, Akron (soccer); Janelle Tranquillo, Ball State (field hockey)
1997 - Joseph Burch, Bowling Green (soccer); Sarah Mikrut, Ball State (gymnastics)
1996 - Dustin Swinehart, Miami (soccer); Kristin Gaddis, Bowling Green (cross country/track & field)
1995 - Stephen Fetyko, Eastern Michigan (swimming); Dana Drew, Toledo (basketball)
1994 - Bob Dudley, Bowling Green (football); Kris Parks, Ohio (cross country/track & field)
1993 - Sander Scott, Central Michigan (basketball); Kelly Weir, Ohio (basketball)
1992 - Jeff Bender, Central Michigan (football); Julie Young, Western Michigan (volleyball)
1991 - Pat Jackson, Bowling Green (football); Kristin McDaniel, Kent State (track & field)
1990 - Danny Rieman, Ball State (baseball); Linda Popovich, Bowling Green (volleyball)
1989 - Rick Winegardner, Ball State (swimming); Kim Keenan, Kent State (cross country/track & field)
TOTAL RECIPIENTS BY SCHOOL
13 - BOWLING GREEN (6 male, 7 female)
7 - Ball State (4, 3)
6 - Miami (5, 1)
5 - Central Michigan (4, 1)
3 - Kent State (0, 3)
2 - Akron (2, 0)
2 - Eastern Michigan (1, 1)
2 - Northern Illinois (0, 2)
2 - Ohio (0, 2)
2 - Toledo (0, 2)
2 - Western Michigan (1, 1)
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Thursday, December 04
BG Hockey Press Conference vs Northern Michigan 12.02
Tuesday, December 02
BG WBB : Postgame Interviews 11.30
Monday, December 01
BG Hockey Postgame 11.29
Sunday, November 30