McNamara, Hearne earn top awards

Mark McNamara and Lindsey Hearne both grew up in households where academics were stressed.

That emphasis never left them, not even after they ventured out on their own to become athletes at Southeast Missouri State.

McNamara and Hearne were rewarded for their dilligence in the classroom Wednesday night at Southeast's All Sports Year-End Celebration.

The track and field duo took home the top honors at the Show Me Center for being the senior male and female athletes with the highest career grade-point averages.

McNamara, carrying a 3.808 GPA in the double major of mass communications (with a journalism option) and Spanish, received the Jewel Award.

"I'm very honored to get this. It means a lot to me," McNamara said. "Academics have always been really important. My parents always stressed it."

Hearne, sporting a 3.803 GPA in education, captured the Trombetta Award.

"I wasn't expecting it," said Hearne, who like McNamara found out about the award in the past two weeks. "I've worked hard to keep my grades up and it means a lot."

McNamara, a native of Breese, Ill., has competed in track and cross country at Southeast.

McNamara has been hampered by injuries during his college career, but still has four top-eight Ohio Valley Conference finishes, including a fifth-place showing in his best race, the 800 meters.

McNamara acknowledged that it has been a challenge juggling so many things during his days at Southeast.

In addition to his running and keeping his grades up, he's in his third year on the staff of the Capaha Arrow, Southeast's student newspaper.

McNamara, who will graduate in May, said he hopes to first find work at a newspaper before venturing into television.

"I'm so busy. ... My best quality is probably managing my time and handling stress," he said. "I think it's going to help me, when I get older and get into a career, deal with stress."

McNamara thinks he might not be the only member of his family to win the type of prestigious award he claimed Wednesday night.

His younger sister, Lauren, is a freshman pole vaulter at Southeast.

"She's smarter than me," he said. "If I can get it, I'd say she can do it."

As far as juggling plenty of responsibilities, it would be hard to top Hearne.

The native of Freeburg, Ill., who specializes in the javelin, travels to St. Louis Cardinals baseball games several nights a week.

Hearne is not there simply as a fan. She's a member of Team Fredbird, throwing out shirts to the crowd and aiding in other promotions when the Cardinals are at home.

"I just applied and got the job," Hearne said. "I try to make as many games as I can, about three a week, and then on the weekends we're out of town for meets.

"Sometimes it's hard to manage all the time, especially now that we're in the season."

Hearne has handled it well. She already has qualified for the NCAA regional meet in the javelin, and has one of the top throws in school history.

"Making regionals was a big goal of mine," said Hearne, who has three top-three OVC finishes to her credit, including a title in 2006. "I qualified as a sophomore by winning the OVC, but I didn't hit the [regional qualifying] mark."

Hearne, scheduled to graduate in December, will return home to Freeburg, Ill., in May to student teach as she prepares for her teaching career that might also including coaching.

"I'm thinking about it," she said.

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ALL SPORTS YEAR-END CELEBRATION

Jewel Award (senior male athlete with highest career GPA) — Mark McNamara, track and cross country

Trombetta Award (senior female athlete with highest career GPA) — Lindsey Hearne, track

NCAA Foundation Leadership Finalists — Kendall Magana, football; Precious Elliott, track; Jimmy Drew, basketball; Molly Davis, volleyball

NCAA Foundation Leadership Winner — Kendall Magana, football

NCAA Woman of the Year nominee — Alaina Lacopo, soccer

Meritorious Service Award — Corey Miggins, sports information

Individual Sport Awards

Volleyball

Pursuit of Excellence Award (sponsored by Merla and Bill Brooks, for superior academic honors and demonstrating leadership both on and off the court) — Claire Keaton

Howard's MVP Award — Karleigh DeLong

Football

Goddard Award (lineman with highest GPA) — Francisco Perez

Vogelsang Award — Francisco Perez (most valuable lineman), Houston Lillard (most valuable back)

Ken Hargens Award (top defensive back/linebacker) — Adam Casper

Hamby Award (highest GPA) — Steve Callanan

Kenneth Knox Award (top defensive lineman) — Pat Christian

Golden Helmet Award (most tackles) — Adam Casper

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award — Adam Casper

Soccer

Howard's MVP Award — Lindsay Pickering

Women's cross country

Howard's MVP Award — Juli Koenegstein

Men's cross country

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award — Brandon Karcher

Women's basketball

Susan Guidicy Award (most valuable player) — Missy Whitney

Tammy Hoffmeister Award (most inspirational player) — Ashley Lovelady

Hoover Award (exemplary skill in academics and athletics) — Rachel Blunt

Howard's MVP Award — Tarina Nixon

Gymnastics

Howard's MVP Award — Sandra Blake

Women's indoor/outdoor track and field

Howard's MVP Award (indoor track) — Whitney Thomas

Howard's MVP Award (indoor field) — Funtasia Clark

Howard's MVP Award (outdoor track) — TBA

Howard's MVP Award (outdoor field) — TBA

Men's indoor/outdoor track and field

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award (indoor track) — Chris Williams

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award (indoor field) — Brandon Colbert

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award (outdoor track) — TBA

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award (outdoor field) — TBA

Men's basketball

Cecil Tate Award (outstanding defensive player) — David Johnson

C.P. Harris Award (outstanding player) — Jaycen Herring

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award — Brandon Foust

Tennis

Howard's MVP Award — Bryce Kristal, Drew Kristal

Softball

Marge Mates Award (top pitcher) — Elaine Fisher

Lana Richmond Award (academics, softball, love of the game) — Katie Otterness

Howard's MVP Award — Megan McDonald, Michelle Summers

Baseball

Joe Uhls Award (2007) (highest slugging percentage) — Omar Padilla

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award (2007) — Asif Shah

(2008 awards TBA)

Cheerleaders

Howard's MVP Award — Rachel Rife

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award — Ryan Shipp

Sundancers

Howard's MVP Award — Brook Rieger

Trainers

Howard's MVP Award — Samurchi Jayaweera

KZIM/KSIM MVP Award — Jake Brooks