Marquette Athletics recognizes seniors with Ralph H. Metcalfe Awards

MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University revealed its annual year-end award winners this week, including the prestigious Ralph H. Metcalfe Senior Awards, headlined by All-Americans Markus Howard and Allie Barber.

Howard, who won both the male senior service and athletic excellence awards, became the all-time leading scorer for the men's basketball program in the first game of his senior season and ended the year as the NCAA's 21st all-time leading scorer with 2,761 career points. The program's fourth Consensus First Team All-American was a finalist for a number of national awards, including the Wooden and Bob Cousy awards, and became MU's first Senior CLASS Award winner in any sport. He was a four-time all-conference performer and it the BIG EAST's career scoring leader in league contests.

Off the court, Howard was a leader from the moment he arrived on campus and had a significant impact on Marquette University and at the national level. He served on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Oversight Committee as one of only two student-athletes and helped form the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter at MU. During the summer of 2018, he took part in a service trip to Costa Rica and has been an outspoken of mental health initiatives.

Barber, who was recognized with the University's President Award, earns the female athletic and academic excellence awards after a record-setting career with the women's volleyball program. The Cedarburg, Wisconsin native was named the 2019 CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year for women's volleyball and holds a 3.98 grade-point average as a biomedical sciences major with a minor in psychology. Barber has a special interest in behavioral neuroscience and decision making and aspires to attend medical school upon graduation. She is a member of the Alpha Sigma Nu and Chi Alpha Sigma honor societies, a three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, a Senior CLASS Award First Team All-American and a CoSIDA First Team Academic All-American.

On the court, Barber became just the fourth player to repeat as BIG EAST Player of the Year as a senior and ended her career as Marquette's all-time kills leader with 1,871. She led the Golden Eagles to back-to-back 28-win seasons in her final two years, including the program's first Sweet 16 appearance in 2018. Barber earned All-BIG EAST First Team honors during each of her four campaigns.

Senior distance runner Matt Cavanaugh is the winner of the male academic excellence award. The New Berlin, Wisconsin native holds a 3.929 grade-point average as a biochemistry and molecular biology major. He is a student volunteer at the Zablocki VA Hospital and an undergraduate lab research associate in biochemistry. Cavanaugh is also a participant in the MUAA Mentor Program, the STAR/LEAD program and a member of the biological undergraduate honor society.

Redshirt senior Logan Dobratz is the winner of the female service award. She has been an active member of service projects with a women's lacrosse team at Marquette that won the IWLCA Community Awareness Award for NCAA Division I in 2019 and continually ranks as MU's top team in community service hours. The Lakeville, Minnesota native was part of a service trip to Costa Rica in May of 2018 and has helped spearhead SAAC's service projects. She also served as a student teacher at New Berlin West High School.

Ralph H. Metcalfe Senior Awards

Leadership through Academic Excellence (Female): Allie Barber, women's volleyball
Leadership through Academic Excellence (Male): Matt Cavanaugh, men's track & field
Leadership through Service to Others (Female): Logan Dobratz, women's lacrosse
Leadership through Service to Others (Male): Markus Howard, men's basketball
Leadership through Athletic Excellence (Female): Allie Barber, women's volleyball
Leadership through Athletic Excellence (Male): Markus Howard, men's basketball
President's Award: Allie Barber, women's volleyball

Marquette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee also voted on a pair of awards, giving the For the Love of the Game Award men's soccer player Alec Wons and the Cura Personalis Award to men's lacrosse player Chris Rolfing.

The Cura Personalis Award established in 1996, is given annually to a student-athlete who has gone beyond the athletic arena to make a significant contribution to their teammates and fellow athletes. Cura Personalis, or care for the whole person, is essential to the Jesuit tradition of education.

"Chris Rolfing deserves the Cura Personalis Award because he sees life as more than just sports or a competition," Marquette SAAC Vice President and women's soccer junior Maddie Monticello said. "He listens to everything anyone needs and will do it with a smile on his face. Everyone can count on Chris, no matter what. Chris cares about everyone regardless of who they are and will do anything he can to make each person feel special, even if he is the quietest guy in the room. Chris truly sees the big picture and sees how important it is to love, care for, and respect everyone he meets."

Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Awards
For the Love of the Game: Alec Wons, men's soccer
Cura Personalis Award: Chris Rolfing, men's lacrosse

Magis Team Spirit Cup: Women's Soccer

The women's soccer team earned the Magis Team Spirit Cup for the second year in row as part of an intradepartmental competition based on four different criteria: academic achievement, athletes supporting athletes, student-athlete development involvement and community service.
Magis team standings by category:

LEARN: Academic Achievement
1. Men's cross country
2. Women's cross country/track & field
3. Women's soccer
EMPOWER & ACT: Athletes Support Athletes
1. Women's cross country/track & field
2. Men's cross country
3. Women's soccer
DEVELOP: Student-Athlete Development Involvement
1. Men's lacrosse
2. Women's soccer
3. Men's cross country
SERVE: Community Service Participation
1. Women's lacrosse
2. Men's basketball
3. Women's basketball

About Ralph H. Metcalfe:
Ralph H. Metcalfe was known as the world's fastest human from 1932-34. Metcalfe was the NCAA champion in the 100- and 200-yard events in 1932-34 and he broke or tied every world record from 40-220 yards. For five consecutive years (1932-36), he captured the AAU 200-meter title, the Central Collegiate Conference 100- and 220-yard crowns and the Drake Relays 100-yard honors in each of his three varsity seasons at Marquette.

Metcalfe served as senior class president and was the captain of the MU track team in 1934. He placed second in the 100 meters and third in the 200 meters in the 1932 Olympics and came back in the 1936 Olympics to finish second in the 100 and help the U.S. win gold in the 400-meter relay.

After his college career, he joined the armed forces and served in World War II. After he got out of the army, he went go on to a life of public service and was a congressman for the state of Illinois. He was instrumental in the month of February being recognized as Black History Month.

He was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1975 and an inaugural member of the M Club Hall of Fame in 1972.

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