The Daily
Free Press - Sports
Issue: 4/27/04
Dieckfoss BU's best
By Mike Lipka
After being the top cross-country runner in the America East for four years,
senior Jochen Dieckfoss was finally named the best
male athlete at Boston University Monday night at the Athletic Department
banquet in the Back Court of the George Sherman Union.
Dieckfoss' four individual conference titles earned him four straight bids to
the NCAA Championships, and he finished a career-best 44th in the nation his
junior year. The
Senior Katie Terhune repeated last year's feat on the
women's side, as she keyed the women's basketball team to a second-straight
appearance in the America East title game, setting a new program record for
career points in the process.
Terhune has helped turn around coach Margaret
McKeon's program from a five-win season her freshman year to the team's
first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance last March. She finished with 1,971 career
points, and McKeon took the blame for her not reaching 2,000.
The department also handed out awards for the top male and female
student-athletes and the John B. Simpson awards for leadership. Men's
basketball coach Dennis Wolff had only the highest praise for his senior
captain and point guard Kevin Fitzgerald, who won the award on the men's side.
The lone senior on the softball team, outfielder Abbey Pauley, was named the
best women's leader and followed with an emotional recounting of last year's hard-fought
America East Championship win.
Senior swimmer Brent Bernkrant was the best male
student-athlete, while
Individual team Most Valuable Players, team captains and team achievements were
also recognized at the annual event. Retiring Athletic Director Gary Strickler also drew much praise from coaches and
presenters, as it was his last such event as head of the department.