P A C I F I C   L U T H E R A N   U N I V E R S I T Y

S U M M E R   2 0 0 1

Football, Track & Field grab top sports awards

By Nick Dawson

TRACK MASTERS: Award winners Leslie Seelye & Ryan Dirks bring PLU track & field to the forefront.

Chad Johnson ’00 and Ryan Dirks ’01 will share the Man of the Year in Sports Award, and Leslie Seelye ’01 was given the Woman of the Year in Sports award. These and other award winners, selected by the PLU athletics staff, were honored at the annual All-Sports Dessert May 6.

Man of the Year in Sports: Chad Johnson, Football
Chad Johnson played quarterback on the 2000 football team, helping take them to the second round of the Division III football playoffs after a national championship season in 1999. He was named winner of the Gagliardi Trophy; a national award presented to a Division III football player who excels in athletics, academics and community service. Johnson finished his senior season completing nearly 65 percent of his passes for 3,304 yards and 26 touchdowns. He earned Northwest Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and was a first team all-conference pick for the third time. Johnson maintained a 3.5 GPA before graduating from PLU last December with a degree in business administration and a minor in religion.

Man of the Year in Sports: Ryan Dirks, Track & Field
Ryan Dirks won the 2001 national indoor track & field title in the 35-pound weight throw for the second straight season, throwing a personal best 60- 8 3/4. Dirks has led all Division III athletes in the hammer, throwing 185-8, and was national runner-up in 2000. Each of the past two years, Dirks has been on the leadership team of PLU’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization, and Bible study leader for the track team. A former undergraduate teaching fellow in the School of Physical Education, Dirks graduated this spring with a 3.3 GPA in physical education with an emphasis in exercise science.

Woman of the Year in Sports: Leslie Seelye, Track & Field
Leslie Seelye is the defending conference champion in the women’s hammer throw and has been ranked as high as fifth nationally in the event. She represented PLU at the national meet for the fourth straight year this May. Seelye has tutored elementary school students in reading for four years and in math for one year. A secondary education and English/language arts major, Seelye graduated this spring with a 3.62 GPA.