By: Anna Yoder, public relations office
April 20, 2007
| BLUFFTON, Ohio - Two Bluffton University seniors and a devoted staff member, who has been a long-time supporter of Beaver athletics, were recognized at the institution's annual Athletics Awards Forum on April 17. Tim Stried, a 1998 graduate and former sports information director at the university, addressed the meaningful experiences of coaches and athletes in his speech, "I Can't See Anything from this Press Box." |
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In his address, Stried recalled his days at Bluffton University and talked about his current job as coordinator of media services for men's soccer, softball and women's gymnastics teams at The Ohio State University. Although many assume that Stried's access to the press box during sporting events is the best seat in the house, Stried said that the best view of the game is really with the student-athletes and the coaches who put forth the effort. To athletes and coaches, the time spent playing will be better remembered than what records were broken or the number of wins and loses. Stried also discussed how his days at Bluffton, both as an athlete and as a staff member, taught him how to serve others. "Often a person's job is what he does, not who he is, but at Bluffton University it was both," said Stried. "To be able to work and be who I am inside is what makes this place special." |
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After Stried's presentation, two senior athletes were recognized for their performances on the court and in the classroom. The A.C. Burcky Award went to MIKE ANTHONY, a pre-med major from Ohio City, Ohio, and the son of Stephen and Margaret Anthony, for his outstanding basketball career. The 2006-07 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player, Anthony was selected for the NCAA Division III Midwest All-District first team by the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He was one of only six players selected from 52 total teams in the Midwest Region and he narrowly missed being named All-American for his efforts on the hardwood in 2006-07. In his senior year, Anthony reached a career total of 1,183 points, placing him 16th on the all-time scoring list at Bluffton. He also had a career free throw percentage of 83.8, becoming the best male free throw shooter to play in Bluffton history. |
| Anthony, whose steady play over the past four years helped Bluffton to 59 wins, was the second Beaver in three years to be named Player of the Year in the HCAC. He followed Scott Bergman who earned MVP honors following his junior season in 2004-05. Anthony picked up the MVP honor after being named honorable mention All-HCAC the past two years. In conference games, Mike ranked second in scoring with a 17.6 points per game average. He led the HCAC in free throw percentage (89.5 percent) and three-point field goal percentage (52.9 percent). For the season, Anthony paced the Beavers with 16.7 ppg and 4.8 rebounds per game. |
| The Katherine E. Little Award was presented to TANYA RICKENBERG, a math education major from Paulding, Ohio, for her record-setting career in basketball. Rickenberg, the daughter of Kathy Rickenberg and the late Ralph Rickenberg, finished her career with 1,241 points, placing her first on the women's list for career points. She leaves Bluffton as the most prolific free throw shooter in women's history (361 made), the third-highest ranking for career assists (308) and is the sixth-highest on the all-time list for rebounds with 527. She is also the second women's basketball player to score more than 1,000 points and pull down more than 500 boards. In addition, Rickenberg has been recognized by the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference four years in a row, earning honorable mention in her last year. |
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Rickenberg tallied 306 points for the season, third-highest on the team, for a 12.2 points per game average. For the year, she hit 104-of-237 field goal attempts (43.9 percent), including 18-of-54 from long distance for 33.3 percent. At the charity stripe, Rickenberg connected on 80-of-109 attempts for 73.4 percent. Her 141 rebounds were the second-most for the Beavers, behind junior post Lindsay Bush (Howard/East Knox) who pulled down 202 caroms. She dished out 63 assists, picked up 27 steals and blocked nine shots in her final season at Bluffton. The Larry W. Jones Memorial Award was presented to DARRELL HUBER, director of building and grounds. Huber, who is retiring at the end of the academic year, has served the university for 45 years and has shown impressive leadership in keeping up the beautification of the campus and its sports fields. |
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