Colorado State University Athletics
Colorado State Announces 2021-22 Annual Award Winners
7/27/2022 7:07:00 PM | Football, General, Men's Golf, Volleyball, Track & Field
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Each year since 1929, Colorado State Athletics has named annual departmental award winners, and 2021-22 was no different with five athletes garnering the recognition for the year.
Colorado State honors student-athletes in the categories of athletic and academic excellence as well as those student-athletes who best embody the Colorado State spirit with the Fum McGraw Award.
On the athletic side, football's Trey McBride - the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year as well - was named the winner of the Nye Trophy. McBride posted one of the all-time great individual seasons by a Ram athlete, becoming the first unanimous All-American in program history and the program's career leader in receptions and yards by a tight end. He was selected No. 55 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Lexie Keller was named the Virginia K. Frank award winner after her remarkable 2021-22 campaign which saw her reach All-American status in the Pentathlon and Heptathlon. Keller was named the Mountain West Women's Indoor Student-Athlete of the Year, the first-ever by a Colorado State student-athlete, as well as the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year. She finished third in the NCAA Indoor Championships this season with a school-record 4,321 points.
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In the classroom, Colorado State honors the top male and female academic achievers with the Merrill-Gheen Award and the Mencimer Memorial Award, respectively. The honors for 2021-22 went to track and field's DeVon Washingon and volleyball's Jacqi Van Liefde. Washington is a three-time Academic All-Mountain West honoree and graduated this spring with a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Van Liefde has already secured her degree in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Business Administration and is returning this fall to pursue her second degree in Psychology. She was an eight-time gold tier athletic director's honor roll member and also earned the athletic director's Academic Excellence Award.
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The Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award was established in 2002 to honor Rams who embody the ideals of being a Colorado State student-athlete: academic and athletic excellence, character, leadership, service, and Ram pride. In 2021-22, Van Liefde doubled up with her Mencimer Award and McGraw Award. For the men, the honor was bestowed on golf's Davis Bryant.
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Recipients of these awards are recognized on trophies around the concourse of Moby Arena which also include winners from previous years. As fans enter the arena in 2022-23, we invite you to take a stop at each one to remember those Rams who have left a lasting legacy on the department.
2021-22 Annual Department Award Winners:
Colorado State honors student-athletes in the categories of athletic and academic excellence as well as those student-athletes who best embody the Colorado State spirit with the Fum McGraw Award.
On the athletic side, football's Trey McBride - the Mountain West Male Athlete of the Year as well - was named the winner of the Nye Trophy. McBride posted one of the all-time great individual seasons by a Ram athlete, becoming the first unanimous All-American in program history and the program's career leader in receptions and yards by a tight end. He was selected No. 55 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals.
Lexie Keller was named the Virginia K. Frank award winner after her remarkable 2021-22 campaign which saw her reach All-American status in the Pentathlon and Heptathlon. Keller was named the Mountain West Women's Indoor Student-Athlete of the Year, the first-ever by a Colorado State student-athlete, as well as the USTFCCCA Mountain Region Women's Field Athlete of the Year. She finished third in the NCAA Indoor Championships this season with a school-record 4,321 points.
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In the classroom, Colorado State honors the top male and female academic achievers with the Merrill-Gheen Award and the Mencimer Memorial Award, respectively. The honors for 2021-22 went to track and field's DeVon Washingon and volleyball's Jacqi Van Liefde. Washington is a three-time Academic All-Mountain West honoree and graduated this spring with a degree in Sociology with a concentration in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Van Liefde has already secured her degree in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Business Administration and is returning this fall to pursue her second degree in Psychology. She was an eight-time gold tier athletic director's honor roll member and also earned the athletic director's Academic Excellence Award.
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The Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award was established in 2002 to honor Rams who embody the ideals of being a Colorado State student-athlete: academic and athletic excellence, character, leadership, service, and Ram pride. In 2021-22, Van Liefde doubled up with her Mencimer Award and McGraw Award. For the men, the honor was bestowed on golf's Davis Bryant.
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Recipients of these awards are recognized on trophies around the concourse of Moby Arena which also include winners from previous years. As fans enter the arena in 2022-23, we invite you to take a stop at each one to remember those Rams who have left a lasting legacy on the department.
2021-22 Annual Department Award Winners:
- Nye Trophy - Trey McBride (Past Winners)
- Virginia K. Frank Award - Lexie Keller (Past Winners)
- Merrill-Gheen Award - DeVon Washington (Past Winners)
- Mencimer Memorial Award - Jacqi Van Liefde (Past Winners)
- Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award - Jacqi Van Liefde and Davis Bryant (Past Winners)
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Golf
Jumps/Multis
/ Track & Field
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/ Football
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/ Volleyball
Sprints
/ Track & FieldThursday, May 14
Monday, May 11
Friday, May 08
Tuesday, April 28