June 2, 2015 BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Track sprinter Alex Donigian and distance runner Katelyn Steen have been named the Western Washington University 2014-15 Men's and Women's Athletes of the Year, respectively.
The announcement was made Tuesday, June 2, at the sixth annual Dub-Dub-Blue awards ceremony held on the WWU campus. Their names will be added to the G. Robert Ross Memorial Trophy.
Steen, a senior from Sammamish (Eastlake High School graduate), earned United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-America honors in three sports and placed among the top five at nationals in all of them.
Donigian, a junior from Mission Viejo, Calif. (Trabuco Hills High School graduate), confirmed his status as the Vikings' fastest human by bettering or tying four school records, two each in indoor and outdoor track.
Two weeks ago at the NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Steen placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and third in the 5,000. At indoor nationals, she finished fourth in the 5,000 and 10th in the 3,000, and she was fifth at cross country nationals. That gave her five All-America awards, four first team and one second.
Last fall in cross country, Steen was named USTFCCCA West Region and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year, placing first at both the conference and regional championships. She received region and conference all-star honors, both for the third time, and was a USTFCCCA DII National Athlete of the Week.
Steen also was the USTFCCCA West Region Athlete of the Year in indoor track, setting a school record in the 3,000 of 9:38.92. In outdoor track, she was the GNAC steeplechase champion for the second straight year with a meet record 10:14.16, and earlier in the season had a school and conference record of 10:13.01 in that event.
Donigian placed third at outdoor nationals to earn USTFCCCA All-America honors for the second straight year.
This season, Donigian broke both school and GNAC records in the 100, running a wind-aided 10.22 at the Mt. SAC Relays. His time of 21.42 in the 200 at the Puget Sound Shotwell Invitational broke a school standard that had stood for 21 years.
Donigian helped WWU to a 176-174 men's title win at the GNAC Championships by placing first in the 100 and 200 and running a leg on the victorious 4x100 relay.
Donigian placed fifth nationally in the 100 in 2014.
Donigian was second nationally in the indoor 60, finishing .001 behind the winner.
His time tied the school record and broke the GNAC standard. Donigian, who also bettered his WWU record in the 200 (21.63), was named GNAC co-Male Indoor Athlete of the Year.
Twice a USTFCCCA West Region and GNAC all-star, Donigian placed 14th in the 60 at indoor nationals in 2014.
WWU ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
1954 Ken Swalwell - Football, Men's Track & Field, Baseball1955 Bruce Randall - Football, Men's Basketball1956 Ted Whan - Men's Track & Field1957 Bruce Randall - Football, Baseball1958 Fred Emerson - Football, Baseball1959 Sam Martin - Football1960 Jerry Joyce - Men's Track & Field1961 Don Trethewey - Men's Track & Field1962 Mike Kirk - Men's Basketball1963 Jim Adams - Men's Basketball1964 Bob Thomas - Men's Basketball1965 Keith Shugarts - Football, Men's Basketball1966 Jack Nighbert - Men's Basketball, Baseball1967 Steve Richardson - Football, Baseball1968 Dave Weedman - Football1969 Gary Reiersgard - Men's Basketball1970 Mike Clayton - Men's Basketball1971 Gary White - Men's Basketball1972 Lee Andersen - Wrestling1973 Mike Franza - Men's Basketball1974 Mike Vorce - Men's Track & Field1975 Chuck Price - Men's Basketball1976 Charmon Odle - Women's Basketball1977 Pat Locker - Football1978 Bruce Manclark - Men's Track & Field, Men's Cross Country1979 Rohn McCoy - Men's Basketball1981 Jo Metzger - Women's Basketball1982 Marilyn Thibodeau - Women's Cross Country,Women's Track & Field1983 Wendy Malich - Women's Track & Field1984 Joan Williamson - Women's Track & Field1985 Dave Peterson - Football Genevie Pfueller - Women's Cross Country and Track & Field1986 Carmen Dolfo - Women's Basketball Allen James - Men's Track & Field1987 Kim Nix - Men's Track & Field and Football Hollie Watson - Women's Track & Field1988 James Johnson - Men's Basketball Shelly Borovich - Women's Volleyball and Track & Field1989 Peter LaBarge - Football Anna Rabel - Women's Basketball1990 Peter LaBarge - Men's Soccer Lorrie Post - Women's Volleyball1991 Peter LaBarge - Men's Soccer Scott Lohr - Football Lorrie Post - Women's Volleyball1992 Jeff Van Kleeck - Men's Cross Country & Track Joanie Armstrong - Women's Crew1993 Shane Volkmann - Football Lynton Hyde - Football Kris Maraveller - Women's Cross Country & Track1994 Dwayne Kirkley - Men's Basketball Brandi Stevenson - Women's Track1995 Bill Christensen - Football Gina Sampson - Women's Basketball1996 Orlondo Steinauer - Football Gina Sampson - Women's Basketball1997 Chris Nicholl - Football Amy Cameron - Women's Track1998 Mark Spencer - Football Cathy Johnson - Fastpitch1999 Joel Skarbo - Men's Golf Devin Kemper - Men's Track Celeste Hill - Women's Basketball2000 Ben Clampitt - Football Celeste Hill, Women's Basketball Craig Welty - Men's Golf2001 Erik Totten - Football Michelle Parker - Volleyball2002 Scott Mitchell - Football Shannon Rowland - Volleyball2003 Mike Palm - Men's Basketball Liz Bishop - Volleyball Ashlee Vincent - Women's Cross Country and Track2004 Nicola Parker - Volleyball Kurt Hartmaier - Men's Cross Country and Track Josh Griesse - Men's Crew2005 Michael Koenen - Football Tim Feenstra - Men's Golf Julia Gamache - Women's Rowing2006 Grant Dykstra - Men's Basketball Katja Trygg - Women's Golf2007 Anthony Tomsich - Men's Track and Cross Country Courtney Schneider - Volleyball Lindsay Mann-King - Women's Rowing2008 Courtney Schneider - Volleyball Sean Packer - Men's Golf2009 Ira Graham - Men's Basketball Jake Koppenberg - Men's Golf Sarah Porter - Women's Cross Country and Track Audrey Coon - Women's Rowing2010 Sarah Porter - Women's Cross Country and Track Ryan Brown - Men's Track2011 Sarah Porter - Women's Cross Country and Track Ryan Brown - Men's Track2012 Rory Blanche, Men's Basketball Emily Warman, Women's Track & Field and Soccer2013 John Allen, Men's Basketball Jake Webb, Men's Golf Marlayna Geary, Volleyball Jamie Arthurs, Women's Soccer2014 Frank Catelli - Men's Track & Field Bethany Drake, Women's Track & Field2015 Alex Donigian - Men's Track & Field Katelyn Steen - Women's Track & Field
