Athletics honors 2003-04 sports stars

Seven outstanding student-athletes from 2003-04 will be recognized during Homecoming Weekend as recipients of the Athletics Department’s annual achievement awards.

Jessica Trombly, A04

For the second season, Bryan Griffin, A05, of the lacrosse team received the Clarence “Pop” Houston Award as Tufts’ best male athlete. Jessica Trombly, A04, of the soccer and track teams received the Hester L. Sargent Award as best female athlete—also for the second consecutive year. Griffin is just the second Jumbo (Rich Giachetti 1969-70) to earn the Houston Award in back-to-back seasons since it was established in 1958. With one season remaining, he is seven points shy of the soccer team’s all-time scoring record. Likewise, Trombly is the only the second woman to win the Sargent for two straight years (Caitlin Murphy 1999-2000). She was the NCAA National Champion in the outdoor 400-meter hurdles, with a school-record time of 59.98 seconds.

The Rudolph J. Fobert Awards for best multiple-sport athlete with a good academic average went to track/cross country competitors Nate Brigham, A05, who led the cross country team to its first NCAA New England championship, and All-American Lauren Caputo, A04, who had the best-ever finish (21st) by a Tufts woman harrier at the All-New England cross country race.

Receiving the W. Murray Kenney Awards for positive attitude and persistence is Kate Gluckman, A04, of the basketball and track teams, All-American swimmer Mika Sumiyoshi, A04, and Tim Mack, A04, of the football team. The Timothy J. Horgan Award winner for the top student sportswriter is Kathleen Kavanagh of the Tufts Daily.

The athletes will be honored at the annual Athletics Department/Jumbo Club Distinguished Achievement award ceremony October 1 to kick off Homecoming Weekend. Tufts will also honor University of Houston basketball coach Tom Penders, who started his coaching career at Tufts in the early 1970s.