Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Athletics announces 2015-16 student-athlete award recipients
7/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | General
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State Athletics announced Monday the recipients of the department's annual awards for the 2015-16 season, recognizing four current or former student-athletes for their outstanding contributions in competition and in the classroom.
The four awards are the Nye Trophy (outstanding male athlete), Virginia K. Frank Award (outstanding female athlete), Merrill-Gheen Award (male scholar-athlete) and Mencimer Memorial Award (female scholar-athlete). For a complete list of CSU's all-time annual award-winners, click here.
Nye Trophy - CSU Male Athlete of the Year: Mostafa Hassan, Track & Field
Mostafa Hassan has been selected as the recipient of the Nye Trophy, the department's oldest continuing honor, given annually to the most outstanding male athlete since its inception in 1929. The Nye Trophy, named for Colonel E.L. Nye, a former professor of pathology and bacteriology who lettered in track at CSU (1913-14 and 1919) and his brother, Dr. William Nye, who lettered multiple times in football, basketball and track & field from 1915-19, is given annually to a male athlete who is in good academic standing and has observed all the rules of training and competition, while showing character and conduct in keeping with the highest tradition of CSU.
Hassan had a historic season for the CSU track team, earning First Team All-America recognition for the shot put in both the indoor and outdoor seasons. He took the top mark in the event at both the indoor and outdoor Mountain West championships, and also posted top-five finishes nationally in each, including a bronze medal at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Hassan's top outdoor shot put mark of 66-3 is a CSU and Mountain West record.
Virginia K. Frank Award - CSU Female Athlete of the Year: Adrianna Culbert, Volleyball
Adrianna Culbert has been selected as the recipient of the Virginia K. Frank Award, given annually since 1976 to the most outstanding female athlete. The Frank Award is donated by the Alumni Association in honor of Frank's outstanding leadership and coaching during her 16-year tenure at CSU, where she developed and directed women's athletics while it was a part of the Women's Recreation Association. Frank was also chosen as the first woman to receive the Outstanding Professor Award from CSU in 1963. Frank passed away on March 16 at the age of 89.
Culbert led the Rams to their seventh consecutive Mountain West championship and its 21st NCAA Tournament appearance in a row. She made headlines all season, including winning a pair of national player of the week awards (AVCA and espnW) and two Mountain West Player of the Week honors, and closed the season and the Mountain West Player of the Year. Culbert was also honored at the NCAA Final Four in Omaha, Nebraska, receiving Third Team All-America recognition. Culbert was named Mile High Sports Magazine's College Athlete of the Year, becoming the first CSU volleyball player to earn the award. She was also named the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Female Collegiate Athlete of the Year. She had a match to remember at San Jose State on Oct. 17, recording the first quadruple-double in the NCAA in over five years by totaling 10 kills, 20 assists, 13 digs and 11 blocks.
Merrill-Gheen Award - CSU Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Tyler Schultz, Track & Field
Tyler Schultz has been honored for his work both on the track and in the classroom, earning the Merrill-Gheen Award, presented annually since 1958 to the most outstanding male scholar-athlete. The Merrill-Gheen Award, named after Russell Merrill, a former CSU baseball player, and Joseph Gheen, the award's original sponsor who donated anonymously and was posthumously added to the award, is presented to an outstanding student-athlete based upon his record in activities, athletics and academics with equal emphasis on all three.
Schultz collected numerous academic honors over his CSU career, including Academic All-Mountain West and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete distinction all four years (2013-16). He boasted a 3.85 GPA as a construction management major, and earned Academic All-America honors four times. Schultz also excelled in all throwing events, earning nine all-conference honors over the 2013, 2015 and 2016 campaigns. He is a two-time Mountain West champion, taking the outdoor shot put title as a freshman in 2013 and the outdoor weight throw title in 2015.
Mencimer Award - CSU Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Holly Reinke, Softball
Holly Reinke, who has starred both in the classroom and on the softball field for the Rams throughout her career, has been selected as the recipient of the Mencimer Memorial Award, presented to the most outstanding female scholar-athlete since 1976. The Mencimer Memorial Award was initiated by Barbara Mencimer-Maxfield, a nine-sport student-athlete at CSU, in honor of her parents, Catherine and Floyd Mencimer, both former Colorado A&M athletes, to encourage female athletes and acknowledge their excellence.
Reinke is also a four-time Academic All-Mountain West and Mountain West Scholar-Athlete, holding a 3.88 GPA as a gerontology major. Reinke took All-Mountain West and all-region honors as a sophomore in 2014, and continued her upward trajectory on the field from there. She finished her career second all-time in wins (51) and third in strikeouts (358) at CSU. She capped off her career in legendary fashion, tossing her first career no-hitter at UNLV in the Rams' 2016 season-finale on May 8.
