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Posted 5/9/07

Sigl, Taddy are Athletes of the Year

Cross country and track champions Tyler Sigl and Marcia Taddy earned the UW-Platteville Athletes of the Year, announced Wednesday night, May 9, at the Pioneers' annual athletic honors banquet.

Taddy also earned the Pat Doyle Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year while Mark Gossens and Brent Nelson shared the Male Scholar-Athlete Award. Dana Alf earned the NCAA Woman of the Year Award, while Zach Chambers, Ashleigh Waltz, Joe Danielson and Amber Schneller earned the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Recognition Awards.

Pioneer Career Achievement Awards were earned by Alf, Gossens, Nelson, Chambers, Liz Tesch and Ryan Rozek.

Both Tyler Sigl (Jr., Seymour) and Marcia Taddy (Jr., Two Rivers) won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and Midwest Regional cross country races in the fall and went on to win NCAA III all-American honors. Both won NCAA III honors at the indoor track championships as well. Taddy, a 13-time all-American, won three national titles and was the NCAA III Track Athlete of the Year. Sigl and Taddy each earned the WIAC Athlete of the Meet awards at last weekend's conference tournaments.

Taddy, who was the WIAC cross country scholar-athlete, carries a 3.6 grade-point average. Mark Gossens (Sr., Little Chute/Fox Valley Lutheran) had a 4.00 g.p.a while pursuing his master's degree. He earned two all-WIAC basketball honors. Brent Nelson (Sr., Fennimore) was also a two-time all-conference selection after throwing for more than 7,000 yards and 35 touchdowns. He earned ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District honors.

Dana Alf (Sr., Eleva/Eleva-Strum) broke the Pioneer volleyball records for kills in a game, season and career. Her 699 kills this season set a new conference mark and earned her the WIAC Player of the Year Award.

Liz Tesch (Sr., Dorchester/Colby) was a two-time all-conference basketball player who set a new Pioneer standard for career free throw percentage at 70.8.

Ryan Rozek (Sr., Plymouth) won 85 career wrestling matches at 285 pounds and was a 2006 NCAA III qualifier.

Zach Chambers (Sr., Mineral Point) earned all-America honors at the 2007 NCAA III wrestling championships and won his third WIAC title. He was also honored by the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for his year of service with the U.S. Marines in Iraq. All-conference football player Joe Danielson (Sr., Oregon, IL), track runner Ashleigh Waltz (So., Fennimore) and cheerleader Amber Schneller (Fr., Platteville) were recognized for performing at high levels despite the loss of a parent during the year.

Student trainer McKenzi Herbst (Shullsburg) won the Katie Vaassen Scholarship Award, while Awards of Thanks were presented to former athletic department employee Michelle Zasada, Jason Bell and Bell Auction Services, and Mark Redfern, Tim Boldt and Harry Nielsen, who have donated a combined 45 years of service to the men's basketball program.