EAST STROUDSBURG - Track and field sprinter Cheryl Griffin and soccer midfielder Karl Nusshag were selected as the East Stroudsburg University Senior Athletes of the Year Sunday night at the annual ESU Athletic Awards Banquet.

The voting was done by athletes and coaches among the sellout crowd of 280 people attending the annual event in the Keystone Room. Valerie M. Hodge, vice president for student affairs which includes athletics, presented the awards.

Griffin is the top sprinter in the school's history. She has set five individual school records in the 55, 60 and 200-meter dashes indoors and the 100 and 200-meter dashes outdoors. She also has been a member of four record-breaking teams.

The Walden, N.Y. (Valley Central High School) youngster was named the outstanding runner at the 2001 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships after winning the 200-meter dash for the third straight year and taking the 55 dash. She was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference runner-up in both sprints last year and will be one of the favorites for this year's PSAC meet scheduled Thursday through Saturday in Shippensburg.

Nusshag was a four-year starter on four straight PSAC championship soccer teams. He was an All-Conference first team selection the last two years.

The Media, Pa. (Penncrest High School) resident was a co-captain of the 2000 ESU team which finished with an 18-3-2 record and reached the semi-finals of the NCAA Division II Soccer Tournament for the first time. He was named to the All-Tournament team at the NCAA Final Four in Florida.

Griffin also was named the Alumni Association Senior Scholar-Athlete. She has posted a 3.85 average in English. Football linebacker Jason Zinn was chosen as the Senior Male Scholar-Athlete Awards. He has a 3.23 average in Biology Pre-Physical Therapy.

Former ESU soccer player Jay Miller `70 served as guest speaker on behalf of the ESU Alumni Association. He is now the national coaching coordinator for the United States Soccer Federation.

Swimmer Erin Kowalik and track and field jumper Quanette Jester spoke as representatives of the school’s 450 student-athletes.

Outstanding athlete awards were presented in each of the Warriors’ 19 sports by Dr. Robert Dillman, president, and Dr. Joy Richman, athletic director.

All-America linebacker Kevin Nagle, a graduate student at the school, won the football award for the third straight year. Repeat winners were volleyball player April Mellott, the PSAC East Player of the Year, and swimmer Jamie Miller, who broke a school record in the 200 individual medley..

There were two other All-Americas honored as the best in their sport. There were track and field competitor Shavanna Ross, who finished sixth in the high jump at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, and link Rachel Miller, a first team selection on the National Field Hockey Coaches' Association Division II All-America team. Ross also has set school records in the sprints and hurdles.

Other school record-breakers honored included soccer goalie Jason Land, who posted a best-ever 0.59 goal-against average; baseball shortstop Brett Reynolds, holder of school records for career runs and stolen bases; basketball player Juwan Justice, who fired in ten three-pointers in a game last season; and lacrosse attack wing Kim Niles, the school's all-time leader in assists.

. Two freshmen were singled out in cross country runner Darryl Brown and tennis player Travis Martin. Also honored were four sophomores, Mellott in women's volleyball, track and field sprinter Mark Stinson, tennis player Kelli McGinty and soccer sweeper Tiffanie Savacool.

Other outstanding athlete award-winners were volleyball player Jay Hartzel, wrestler Brad Kleckner, cross country runner Christel Hibbard, basketball player Kelly Hutchison, softball second baseman Deana Geist and cheerleader Shannon Transue.

Coaches’ awards also were presented in all sports. Also honored with newly-designed ESU Warrior blankets were 46 senior athletes.

A Varsity 'S' jacket award was presented to Kirby Upright, chairman of the Rotary Club of the Stroudsburgs Committee which helps run ESU's annual Rotary Pocono Basketball Tournament, for his contributions to the ESU athletic program..

Ray Beltz of Hazleton received the 14th annual Dave Carlyon Athletic Training Award for achievements in athletic training and sports medicine.

Two student-athletes, basketball player Michele Pilenza and football player Greg Jackson, shared the master of ceremonies duties.

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