Marquette bestows 2021 Metcalfe Senior Awards
5/18/2021 1:36:00 PM | General, Men's Basketball, Men's Golf, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Men's Tennis, Women's Basketball, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer, Women's Tennis, Women's Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field, SAAC, Academics and Student Programs
Joe Keys of men's track and field earned top senior male athlete and President's Award
MILWAUKEE – The Marquette University revealed its annual year-end award winners, including the prestigious Ralph H. Metcalfe Senior Awards.
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"We are proud to honor this group of seniors for not only their careers at Marquette, but for successfully making it through one of the most challenging years most of us have ever faced," Marquette Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Scholl said. "This group displayed tremendous positivity and resilience through much uncertainty, and we are very grateful for their many contributions to Marquette University."
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The winners of the awards for Leadership through Service to Others went to a pair of SAAC board members in President Jordan Schmid and Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Maggie Lena.
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Lena, a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, is a biomedical sciences major with a minor in biology in Marquette's Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. The Santa Monica, California native serves as the vice president for diversity and inclusion on Marquette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, on which she has spearheaded much of the education and resources for student-athletes to engage in conversations around social justice.
She worked as a tutor with the Athletics' Academic staff and has participated in the Marquette Students Advocating for Students program, which explores topics of social justice. Lena also participated in the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum.
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Schmid has taken an active leadership role not only at Marquette but as the BIG EAST Conference's NCAA SAAC representative. He is part of MU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and has been a driving force. Schmid traveled to Puerto Rico in 2019 on a service trip with other Marquette student-athletes and has assisted in service projects benefiting the Milwaukee Miracle League, Milwaukee Academy of Science, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.Â
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Members of the men's and women's track and field teams, Michael Oechsner and Emma Moravec, each earned the Leadership through Academic Excellence awards.
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Oechsner is a four-year letterwinner who has competed in a variety of sprint events and as a relay-team member, including action at the BIG EAST Championships. A three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team member, Michael is a MAGIS mentor and will graduate Summa Cum Laude in May with a degree in civil engineering.
An All-BIG EAST performer in a pair of events and former team captain, Moravec owns the program's school record in the 800 meters and is third all-time at the 600-meter distance. She also owns the freshman record in the 600 and is a three-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. Moravec also excels in the classroom, where she owns a perfect 4.0 grade-point-average and will graduate in May with a degree in bioelectronic engineering.
Men's track athlete Joe Keys and women's basketball player Selena Lott are the recipients of the men's and women's athletic excellence awards, respectively. Lott is a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and earned the league's co-defensive player of the year award as a senior in addition to first team all-league recognition. The Troy, New York native led the women's basketball program to an NCAA tournament appearance this year and led the squad in points, assists, steals and blocked shots.
Keys was named a 2020 USTFCCCA Indoor All-American in the heptathlon as an NCAA Indoor qualifier in the event. He is the Marquette record holder in the heptathlon and the decathlon, an event he will compete in at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. One of the greatest multi-event athletes in program history, Keys also ranks in Marquette's top-10 career lists in five other individual events.
Keys was also given the Marquette University President's Award, honoring his academic and athletic success.
Ralph H. Metcalfe Senior Awards
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Rose had a cancer diagnosis in the fall and spent much of the year undergoing treatment in her Chicago-area home. She returned for a home volleyball weekend in her honor and recorded an ace on the opening serve against Iowa State on Feb. 27 in her lone appearance of the season.
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Lena served as the SAAC vice president for diversity and inclusion and participated in the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum.
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.
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Awards
For the Love of the Game: Sarah Rose, Women's Volleyball
Cura Personalis: Maggie Lena, Women's Soccer
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Record Breaking Performance Male: Joe Keys, Men's Track and Field
Record Breaking Performance Female: Megan Menzuber, Women's Lacrosse
Rookie of the Year Male: Julian Wright, Men's Track and Field
Rookie of the Year Female: Juru Okwaramoi, Women's Track and FieldÂ
Magis Team Spirit Cup:
The women's soccer team earned the Magis Team Spirit Cup for the third 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.
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.
Keep up with the Marquette Athletics all year long through social media by following on Twitter (@muathletics) and Instagram (@muathletics) and 'liking' on Facebook (/GoMarquette).
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"We are proud to honor this group of seniors for not only their careers at Marquette, but for successfully making it through one of the most challenging years most of us have ever faced," Marquette Vice President and Director of Athletics Bill Scholl said. "This group displayed tremendous positivity and resilience through much uncertainty, and we are very grateful for their many contributions to Marquette University."
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The winners of the awards for Leadership through Service to Others went to a pair of SAAC board members in President Jordan Schmid and Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion, Maggie Lena.
Â
Lena, a two-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team selection, is a biomedical sciences major with a minor in biology in Marquette's Klingler College of Arts and Sciences. The Santa Monica, California native serves as the vice president for diversity and inclusion on Marquette's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, on which she has spearheaded much of the education and resources for student-athletes to engage in conversations around social justice.
She worked as a tutor with the Athletics' Academic staff and has participated in the Marquette Students Advocating for Students program, which explores topics of social justice. Lena also participated in the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum.
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Schmid has taken an active leadership role not only at Marquette but as the BIG EAST Conference's NCAA SAAC representative. He is part of MU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and has been a driving force. Schmid traveled to Puerto Rico in 2019 on a service trip with other Marquette student-athletes and has assisted in service projects benefiting the Milwaukee Miracle League, Milwaukee Academy of Science, the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.Â
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Members of the men's and women's track and field teams, Michael Oechsner and Emma Moravec, each earned the Leadership through Academic Excellence awards.
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Oechsner is a four-year letterwinner who has competed in a variety of sprint events and as a relay-team member, including action at the BIG EAST Championships. A three-time BIG EAST All-Academic Team member, Michael is a MAGIS mentor and will graduate Summa Cum Laude in May with a degree in civil engineering.
An All-BIG EAST performer in a pair of events and former team captain, Moravec owns the program's school record in the 800 meters and is third all-time at the 600-meter distance. She also owns the freshman record in the 600 and is a three-time member of the BIG EAST All-Academic Team. Moravec also excels in the classroom, where she owns a perfect 4.0 grade-point-average and will graduate in May with a degree in bioelectronic engineering.
Men's track athlete Joe Keys and women's basketball player Selena Lott are the recipients of the men's and women's athletic excellence awards, respectively. Lott is a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and earned the league's co-defensive player of the year award as a senior in addition to first team all-league recognition. The Troy, New York native led the women's basketball program to an NCAA tournament appearance this year and led the squad in points, assists, steals and blocked shots.
Keys was named a 2020 USTFCCCA Indoor All-American in the heptathlon as an NCAA Indoor qualifier in the event. He is the Marquette record holder in the heptathlon and the decathlon, an event he will compete in at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships in June. One of the greatest multi-event athletes in program history, Keys also ranks in Marquette's top-10 career lists in five other individual events.
Keys was also given the Marquette University President's Award, honoring his academic and athletic success.
Ralph H. Metcalfe Senior Awards
- Leadership through Academic Excellence (Female):Â Emma Moravec, women's track & field
- Leadership through Academic Excellence (Male):Â Michael Oechsner, men's track & field
- Leadership through Service to Others (Female):Â Maggie Lena, women's soccer
- Leadership through Service to Others (Male): Jordan Schmid, men's lacrosse
- Leadership through Athletic Excellence (Female): Selena Lott, women's basketball
- Leadership through Athletic Excellence (Male): Joe Keys, men's track & field
 - President's Award: Joe Keys, men's track & field
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Rose had a cancer diagnosis in the fall and spent much of the year undergoing treatment in her Chicago-area home. She returned for a home volleyball weekend in her honor and recorded an ace on the opening serve against Iowa State on Feb. 27 in her lone appearance of the season.
Â
Lena served as the SAAC vice president for diversity and inclusion and participated in the NCAA Diversity and Inclusion Forum.
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.
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Awards
For the Love of the Game: Sarah Rose, Women's Volleyball
Cura Personalis: Maggie Lena, Women's Soccer
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Record Breaking Performance Male: Joe Keys, Men's Track and Field
Record Breaking Performance Female: Megan Menzuber, Women's Lacrosse
Rookie of the Year Male: Julian Wright, Men's Track and Field
Rookie of the Year Female: Juru Okwaramoi, Women's Track and FieldÂ
Magis Team Spirit Cup:
The women's soccer team earned the Magis Team Spirit Cup for the third 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.
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Lacrosse
- Men's Lacrosse AND Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
- Men's Cross Country
- LEARN: Academic Achievement
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Lacrosse
- Men's Golf
- Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
- Men's Lacrosse
- DEVELOP: Student-Athlete Development
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Cross Country/Track & Field
- Men's Lacrosse
- Women's Lacrosse
- Men's Track & Field
- SERVE: Community Service and Engagement
- Women's Volleyball
- Men's Cross Country
- Women's Basketball
- Women's Soccer
- Women's Tennis
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.
Keep up with the Marquette Athletics all year long through social media by following on Twitter (@muathletics) and Instagram (@muathletics) and 'liking' on Facebook (/GoMarquette).
Players Mentioned
Multi-Events
/ Track & Field
MF/F
/ Women's Soccer
Guard
/ Women's Basketball
Attack
/ Women's Lacrosse
/ Cross Country
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Track & Field
S
/ Women's Volleyball
M
/ Men's Lacrosse
Sprints
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