UW-Stevens Point Names Athletes of the Year

     Five athletes who all earned Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships during the past year have been honored as UW-Stevens Point�s Athletes of the Year for their performances during the 2000-01 school year.

     Men's swimmer Randy Boelk and cross country and track runner Jesse Drake shared the men's individual sport honor, while cross country and track runner Leah Juno was the women's individual sport selection. Soccer player Marie Muhvic was the top women's team sport athlete and men's basketball player Joe Zuiker was the top men's team sport athlete. The awards are selected by the entire UW-Stevens Point coaching staff.

     Boelk, an Embarrass, Minn. native, won all seven of his events to lead the Pointers to their second straight WIAC men's swimming championship. Boelk set the WIAC career record with 23 career titles, which is five more than any other swimmer in conference history. He was a four-time WIAC champion in the 400 individual medley and won 10 of his 12 individual races during his four years. He also finished as an All-American in all seven of his events this season, placing second in both the 100 and 200 backstroke. Boelk finished his career with a school-record 26 All-American honors.

     Drake, a Rhinelander native, was named the NCAA Division III indoor track Athlete of the Year after winning the national championship in the 5,000 meters. He was also the WIAC champion in the event and won the individual title at the WIAC cross country championships. Drake finished third at the Division III cross country championships for his second straight All-American honor. During the outdoor track season, he currently holds the nation's fastest time in the 5,000 meters.

     Juno, a Brillion native, won her second career national title by claiming the indoor 800 meters after winning the outdoor title last spring. Juno was named the Division III Midwest Region indoor track Athlete of the Year after leading the Pointers to their highest national finish in school history at fourth place. She currently has the best outdoor times in Division III in the 800 meters and 1,500 meters. Juno won the WIAC indoor title this season in the 1,500 meters and was the individual champion at the WIAC cross country championships. She finished 16^th at the Division III cross country championships for her second straight All-American honor and was named a third-team Verizon Academic All-American in cross country.

     Muhvic, a Stevens Point native, was the first-ever WIAC Player of the Year this past season after leading the soccer team to its fourth straight conference title and a berth in the Division III final four. Muhvic is the conference's all-time leading scorer with 74 goals and 173 points despite playing just three seasons since transferring. She scored WIAC records 30 goals and 73 points this season. Muhvic is a three-time All-Conference performer and earned second-team All-American honors. She was the conference's scholar athlete and was the first female athlete in school history to be named a first-team Verizon Academic All-American.

     Zuiker, a Port Edwards native, had the second-highest field goal percentage in WIAC men's basketball history at 65.2 percent while helping the Pointers to their second straight conference title. He also ranked fourth in the league in rebounding at 6.9 per game and ranked second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points per game to earn first-team All-WIAC honors. Zuiker set a single-game school record for field goal shooting with a nine-for-nine performance in a win over UW-River Falls.

     Also, four athletes were selected as the school's freshman Athletes of the Year. Swimmer Alissa Bartz was the women's individual sport selection and soccer player Jenny Bruce was the women's team sport honoree. Cross country runner Curt Johnson was the top men's individual sport newcomer and men's basketball player Neal Krajnik captured men's team sport honors.

     Bartz, a Beloit native, was on four All-American relays for the Pointers as they finished eighth at the Division III championships. Bruce, a Menasha native, was third on the soccer team in scoring with 14 goals and 15 assists. Johnson, a DeForest native, was the highest freshman finisher at the Division III cross country championships with a 59^th place finish. Krajnik, a Manitowoc Roncalli High School graduate, was the men's basketball team's sixth man award winner and averaged 3.4 points while playing in all 25 games.