May 4, 2018
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Over 1,500 student-athletes, coaches and administrators gathered to celebrate another banner year of accomplishments by the University of Notre Dame athletic department Thursday, as Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and Student Welfare & Development (SWD) office hosted the 17th annual O.S.C.A.R.S. (Outstanding Student-Athletes Celebrating Achievement & Recognition Showcase) at Purcell Pavilion.
Created by Notre Dame’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and Student Welfare & Development (SWD) office, the O.S.C.A.R.S. showcase the many accomplishments of Notre Dame student-athletes. The red-carpet gala serves to unite all students, administrators, and faculty involved in Fighting Irish athletics.
Hundreds of student-athletes, representing all Fighting Irish varsity athletics programs, as well as the athletics department’s cheerleaders, student managers and student athletic trainers, participate in the showcase by presenting awards and performing live on stage or in video clips.
For more information on Notre Dame athletics, visit the University’s official athletics website (UND.com), the official Notre Dame athletics multimedia platform, WatchND (watchnd.tv), download the WatchND app, and sign up to follow the Fighting Irish on social media through Twitter (@FightingIrish), Facebook (@FightingIrish), Instagram (@thefightingirish) and Snapchat (@ndirish).
Here’s a closer look at the 2017-18 Notre Dame O.S.C.A.R.S. award recipients:
Byron V. Kanaley Award
Perhaps the most prestigious honor awarded to Notre Dame student-athletes is the Byron V. Kanaley Award. Presented since 1926 at commencement exercises, the Kanaley Award goes to the senior monogram athletes who have been most exemplary as students and leaders. The awards, selected by the Faculty Board of Athletics, are named in honor of a 1904 Notre Dame graduate who was a member of the Fighting Irish baseball team as an undergraduate. Kanaley went on to a successful banking career in Chicago and served the University in the Alumni Association and as a lay trustee from 1915 until his death in 1960.
2018 Recipients
Sandra Yu, Women’s Soccer
Jonah Shainberg, Fencing
Allison Miller, Women’s Tennis
Jessica Harris, Cross Country/Track & Field
Natalie Johnson, Volleyball
Matthew Habrowski, Men’s Soccer
Francis P. O’Connor Award
In 1993, the University of Notre Dame began presenting the annual Francis Patrick O’Connor Award, named in honor of a former Notre Dame wrestler who died in 1973 following his freshman year at Notre Dame. He was the son of Jane and William “Bucky” O’Connor (he played football at Notre Dame in 1942, ’46 and ’47) from Tulsa, Oklahoma. The award is presented, upon nomination by their head coaches, to the student-athlete who best displays the total embodiment of the true spirit of Notre Dame as exemplified by their contributions and inspiration to their teams. Among the qualities considered in nominating individuals – as attributed to Pat O’Connor – are caring, courage, confidence, encouragement, humility, humor, honesty, kindness and patience.
2018 Recipients
Bo Brauer, Hockey
Jessica Harris, Cross Country/Track & Field
Caroline Holt, Volleyball
Kathryn Westbeld, Women’s Basketball
Mikey Wynne, Men’s Lacrosse
Community Champion
This award has been established to recognize the contributions of a Notre Dame student-athlete to the University community and the community at-large, who embodies the spirit of leadership, commitment and selflessness, and who strives to make Notre Dame – as University President Father John Jenkins puts it – “a healing, unifying, enlightening force for a world deeply in need.” Conferring this award recognizes student-athletes who study for the sake of learning, give for the sake of giving, and understand that personal accomplishment is never achieved alone.
2018 Recipients
Allison Bartoszewicz, Track & Field
Kyle Dedrick, Men’s Soccer
Kelly Hart, Cross Country/Track & Field
Shannon Hendricks, Women’s Soccer
Collin Stoecker, Baseball
Monogram Club Postgraduate Scholarship
Katie Uhler, Women’s Soccer
Alex Kerschner, Baseball
The Trophy Award
The Trophy Award was established in 2006 to recognize the team who has demonstrated a commitment to community through its unparalleled service to Notre Dame, as well as South Bend as the surrounding communities. The Trophy Award is sponsored by the Notre Dame Monogram Club and the Notre Dame Alumni Association.
2018 Recipients
Baseball
Softball
Top Gun Award
The Top Gun Award is given annually to the Notre Dame graduating senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average and who has competed on a Fighting Irish intercollegiate team for at least three years.
2018 Recipient
Katie Uhler, Women’s Soccer
Chuck Linster Award
The Chuck Linster Award is given annually to a senior member of Notre Dame’s cheerleading, student manager or student athletic trainers programs who has the highest grade-point average. For 44 years, Chuck Linster was a member of the Notre Dame athletics department as a team photographer, and his contribution reflects his invaluable service and commitment to excellence. Linster’s contributions behind the scenes were invaluable as are those of the University’s cheerleaders, managers and athletic trainers.
2018 Recipient
Jack Harris, Cheerleading
Team GPA
This award is presented annually to the Notre Dame varsity athletics programs that register the highest combined grade-point average during each of the preceding two semesters, as well as overall during that two-semester span.
2018 Recipients
Women’s Cross Country (Spring 2017)
Women’s Tennis (Fall 2017)
Women’s Cross Country (Overall)
4.0 Club
Spring 2017
Meridith Balbach, Student Manager
Jack Casey, Men’s Soccer
Madeleine Ginty, Cheerleading
Matt Gregory, Men’s Basketball
Nathan Griffin, Men’s Tennis
Jack Harris, Cheerleading
Taylor Klawunder, Women’s Soccer
John Montesi, Swimming & Diving
Ann Marie Niro, Women’s Soccer
Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Rowing
Cecilia Pesavento, Student Manager
Madeline Plumlee, Volleyball
Kurt Roemer, Men’s Soccer
Lauren Saunee, Rowing
Sara Stewart, Cheerleading
Thomas Ueland, Men’s Soccer
Katie Uhler, Women’s Soccer
Katherine Wallace, Fencing
Fall 2017
Alexander Acuna, Student Athletic Trainer
Meridith Balbach, Student Manager
Natalie Behling, Student Manager
Nicole Benz, Women’s Basketball
Sydney Cardozo, Women’s Lacrosse
Jack Casey, Men’s Soccer
Stephanie Dubois, Rowing
Monica Flores, Women’s Soccer
Sabrina Flores, Women’s Soccer
Matthew Frazier, Track & Field
Bridget Geyer, Rowing
Madeleine Ginty, Cheerleading
Kirk Hansen, Track & Field
Daniel Hardiman, Track & Field
Jack Harris, Cheerleading
Colleen Iannone, Student Manager
Erin Isola, Swimming & Diving
Genevieve Johanni, Rowing
Alex Kerschner, Baseball
Allison Miller, Women’s Tennis
Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Rowing
Kyra Sarazen, Swimming & Diving
Emily Schueppert, Student Athletic Trainer
Lindsay Stone, Swimming & Diving
Alice Treuth, Swimming & Diving
Brooke Trossen, Track & Field
Thomas Ueland, Men’s Soccer
Katie Uhler, Women’s Soccer
Rockne Scholar-Athlete Award
Jake Johnson, Baseball
Matt Gregory, Men’s Basketball
Nicole Benz, Women’s Basketball
Rory Burke, Men’s Fencing
Madeline Gallagher, Women’s Fencing
Ben Albin, Men’s Golf
Abigail Heck, Women’s Golf
Cal Burke, Hockey
Treasa O’Tighearnaigh, Rowing
Thomas Ueland, Men’s Soccer
Sandra Yu, Women’s Soccer
Katie Beriont, Softball
Sorin Holm, Men’s Swimming & Diving
Sherri McIntee, Women’s Swimming & Diving
Alex Lebedev, Men’s Tennis
Allison Miller, Women’s Tennis
Nate Richartz, Men’s Track & Field
Jessica Harris, Women’s Track & Field
Rebecca Nunge, Volleyball
–ND–
Joanne Norell, athletics communications assistant director at the University of Notre Dame, has been part of the Fighting Irish athletics communications team since 2014 and coordinates communications efforts for the Notre Dame men’s tennis and fencing programs, in addition to assisting with football communications and overseeing production of the football Gameday Magazine. Norell is a 2011 graduate of Purdue University and earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2013.