End of the Year Awards handed out

The IU athletics department announced its End of the Year Awards Wednesday, honoring several Hoosier athletes.\nJunior Sean Jefferson, the national indoor mile champion, was named IU Male Athlete of the Year, and the Big Ten women's golf medalist senior Danah Ford was awarded the IU Female Athlete of the Year honor.\nAdditionally, senior cross country and track athletes Audrey Giesler and Chris Powers earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor, presented annually to a male and female senior student-athlete at each league institution who maintained an outstanding scholastic rating and distinguished themselves in athletics.\nMen's soccer player Drew Shinabarger won the Jake Gimbal Award, presented annually to a senior male athlete who has distinguished himself in athletics and scholarship and has displayed an outstanding mental attitude.\nWomen's golf senior Karen Dennison received the Anita Aldrich Leadership Award, which is named for the former chair of the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. The award honors the senior female student-athlete who best exemplifies Aldrich's ideals of leadership, scholastic achievement and athletic ability.\nJefferson finished the cross country season with a 19th place finish at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, marking the best Hoosier finish since Bob Kennedy, a former Olympian, who won the 1992 championship.\n"Sean is an incredibly talented kid who, when he qualified for the 2003 NCAA Outdoors (5,000-meters) and made the 1,500-meters finals at the USAs (Track and Field Championships), it opened his eyes a little bit," IU men's cross country coach Robert Chapman said. "That's when things really started to fall into place for him. He was an All-American in cross country, and when he ran the 4- minute indoor mile (Feb. 6), that started a four-week stretch where he was hot as any kid I have ever coached."\nFord entered the 2004 season without a title to her credit. But by the end of April, the senior golfer had claimed back-to-back tournament titles, including a record-breaking performance en route to winning Big Ten medalist honors, claiming the top spot.\n"This is quite an honor for Danah. She is quite deserving," recently retired women's golf coach Sam Carmichael said. "She certainly had a great season, especially the last part of the year."\nGiesler, fresh off her performance at last weekend's NCAA Track and Field Championships, became the first female Hoosier track athlete to earn All-American honors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, placing 11th at the Championships.\n"It's very fitting," assistant track coach Judy Wilson said. "In her time here, Audrey strived for excellence in academics while also reaching the highest level in her sport. She won a Big Ten title and was an All-American in the steeplechase and was also a part of two NCAA Championship qualifying cross country teams. She was a real leader and a key to getting our program back in the national spotlight."\nPowers joined Giesler at the NCAA Championships and ended his IU career by earning All-American honors in the 5,000-meter event. Powers also received high honors after placing 44th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships earlier in the year. \nPowers exemplifies what the department looks for in a Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. The Muncie native graduated from the Kelley School of Business Honors Program with a double major in marketing and finance.\nShinabarger, one of two seniors on the IU soccer team, helped lead the Hoosiers to their sixth national championship in IU coaching legend Jerry Yeagley's final season last year. He started 24 of the Hoosiers' 25 games last season and recorded two assists.\nDennison won two individual titles during the 2003-04 campaign and was a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection. \nEach sport annually recognizes a Hoosier Award winner. The award is given to athletes who bring honor and distinction to their respective sport during the year. In addition, each female sport recognizes one individual for the Aline Robinson Mental Attitude Award, honoring athletics, leadership and mental attitude.\nFor a complete list of all this year's honorees visit iuhoosiers.com.