KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Former Washburn Ichabod football player
Zach Watkins has been named a finalist for the Ken B. Jones MIAA Student Athlete of the Year which was announced today by the conference office.
Watkins is looking to become the first Washburn student-athlete to win the award since Michael Dritlein, a fellow football player, won the award in 1996. Nikki Olberding, a former Lady Blues Basketball player, won the award in 1998. Watkins is joined by Northwest Missouri's Myles Burnsides (football) and Nebraska-Omaha's Mike Higgins (football) as the other two finalists.
The award, which is in its 17th year, is named in honor of the man who served as the MIAA's first full-time commissioner for 16 years. Jones retired in 1997 and passed away in May 2004. One male and one female are selected for the honors, with the finalists invited to the annual MIAA Awards Dinner, which is set for June 10 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown in Kansas City, Mo.
A 12-member panel of athletics directors, senior woman administrators, faculty athletics representatives and sports information directors – including a representative from each member institution – selects the finalists.
Each nominee is judged in four areas: 2009-10 Athletics Accomplishments; 2009-10 Academic Accomplishments; 2009-10 Campus/Community Service; and Career Athletics, Academics and Service Achievements.
To be nominated, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.00 cumulative grade-point average as of April 1, and must have completed at least their junior season of eligibility in the 2009-10 academic year.
The women's finalists were Cassondra Boston, (Emporia State, women's basketball); Caitlin Pankratz (Central Missouri, Volleyball/Softball); Kimi Shank (Missouri Southern, Cross Country/Track and Field)
Zach Watkins
Washburn
Football
6-0, 235, Graduated, Independence, Mo.
Cumulative GPA of 3.52 as a finance major
2009-10 Athletic Accomplishments: He led the MIAA in tackles for the third time in four years earning both MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and the Daktronics Regional Defensive Player of the Year ... he was named a 2009 American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American, a 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics Second Team All-American, a 2009 Football Gazette Second Team All-American, a 2009 D2football.com Honorable Mention All-American ... was a first team Daktronics All-Region selection ... a first team Football Gazette All-Region selection a unanimous first team All-MIAA ... participated in the 2010 Cactus Bowl All-Star game and was voted team captain ... led the MIAA with 111 tackles averaging 11.1 per game with 62 solo tackles, 49 assisted tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss for 26 yards, one interception, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery ... his tackles for loss was fourth in the MIAA ... his three forced fumbles tied for the MIAA lead ... his 11.1 tackles per game was 10th in the NCAA Division II rankings ... his 111 total tackles was 14th on the Washburn single-season chart ... his three forced fumbles tied for second on the Washburn single-season chart ... named the Ichabod Defensive and overall Most Valuable Player.
2009-10 Academic Accomplishments: Graduated in December with his degree in Finance ... was a 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Selection ... will be named to the MIAA Scholar Athlete team after recording a GPA of at least 3.5 and earning first team All-MIAA honors ... will be named to the MIAA's Academic Honor Roll ... recipient of the Dale Marcoux Leadership Scholarship from the Washburn School of Business ... received Washburn general academic scholarship ... named the Washburn Senior Student-Athlete of the Year at the MVP Awards Banquet.
2009-10 Campus/Community Service: Served as a tutor for the football team ... a Special Olympics Volunteer ... volunteer at the Capper Foundation in Topeka ... volunteer coach at the Washburn Blue Crew Football Camp.
Career Athletic, Academic and Service Accomplishments: Finished career as Washburn's all-time leader in total tackles with 473, which is third all-time in NCAA Division II history and the most in MIAA history for a career since the 2000 season when NCAA recognized defensive tackles ... his 10.5 tackles per game is 9th in total tackles in a career ... overall he has received All-American honors six times as a 2009 American Football Coaches Association First Team All-American ... 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics Second Team All-American ... 2008 and 2009 Football Gazette Second Team All-American ... 2008, 2009 D2Football.com Honorable Mention All-American ... has earned 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics Regional Defensive Player of the Year ... 2008 and 2009 CoSIDA/Daktronics First Team All-Region... 2007 CoSIDA/Daktronics Second Team All-Region ... 2007, 2008 and 2009 Football Gazette First Team All-Region ... a three-time first team All- MIAA selection in 2007, 2008 and 2009 ... was a second team All-MIAA pick in 2006 ... was named the MIAA's Freshman of the Year in 2006 ... a two-time Ichabod Defensive Player of the Year ... 228 solo tackles is the most all-time at Washburn ... 245 assisted tackles is second in school history ... ranks in 13 defensive career top 10 categories at Washburn ... ranks in 18 defensive single season top 10 categories at Washburn ... a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District selection ... a 2008 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Second Team Academic All-American ... served as a tutor for the football team ... a Special Olympics Volunteer ... volunteer at the Capper Foundation in Topeka ... volunteer coach at the Washburn Blue Crew Football Camp.
