Colorado State University Athletics

Past Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award Winners


The Thurman "Fum" McGraw Award was established in 2002 and is presented annually to the CSU student-athlete who best exemplifies academic and athletic excellence, character, leadership, service and Ram pride. The recipient is selected by the senior leadership team upon recommendations from head coaches, senior staff, media relations and academic services. The award is named after perhaps the most prominent figure in CSU athletic history, Thurman "Fum" McGraw.

McGraw, who passed away in 2000, was an outstanding athlete in football, wrestling and track at Colorado State (then known as Colorado A&M) from 1946-50. He was the first football player in school history to earn consensus All-America honors and was also named All-America in wrestling and track and field. After playing professionally for the Detroit Lions (winning two world championships, earning all-pro honors three times and serving as team captain), he pursued coaching careers at both CSU and in the NFL. He returned to Colorado State as the Director of Athletics in 1976, a position he held until his retirement in 1986. McGraw was inducted into the Colorado State University Hall of Fame, the state of Colorado Hall of Fame, the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame and the National Association of College Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame. The McGraw Athletic Center is named in his honor.

THURMAN "FUM" McGRAW AWARD WINNERS

Year Name Sport
2024-25 Claire Wright/Eli Scott Swim & Dive/Track & Field
2023-24 Ruby Kayser/Eli Scott Volleyball/Track & Field
2022-23 Lexie Keller/Paddy Turner Track and Field/Football
2021-22 Jacqi Van Liefde/Davis Bryant Volleyball/Golf
2020-21 Haley Donaldson/AJ Ott Softball/Golf
2019-20 Jessica Jackson / Marcus McElroy Volleyball / Football
2019 Lauren Buchanan / Nico Carvacho  Softball / Men's Basketball
2018 Alex Blaho / Hannah Tvrdy Track & Field / Women's Basketball
2017 Haley Hutton / Jerrell Mock Softball / Track & Field
2015 Kiah Hicks Track & Field
2014 Weston Richburg / Ashley Reid Football / Track & Field
2013 Izzy Gaulia / Dorian Green Volleyball / Men's Basketball
2012 Chris Nwoke Football
2011 Tyson Williams Men's Track & Field
2010 Klint Kubiak Football
2009 Jeff Horinek Football
2008 Tara Staley Swimming
2007 Jason Smith Men's Basketball
2006 David Anderson Football
2005 Loree Smith Women's Track & Field
2004 John Woods Men's Track
2003 Ashley Augspurger Women's Basketball
2002 Angela Knopf Volleyball