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Men's Basketball
Carter, Mensah Take Top Honor At Fighting Illini Scholar-Athlete Banquet
May 1, 2007 Scholar-Athlete Banquet Photo Gallery CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Basketball star Warren Carter (Dallas, Tex.) and track and field standout Yvonne Mensah (Surrey, B.C.) were among the University of Illinois student-athletes honored Tuesday night at the 17th annual University of Illinois Scholar-Athlete Awards Banquet, held at the Assembly Hall. Carter and Mensah were named winners of the Big Ten Conference Medal of Honor, which is awarded annually at each conference school to a male and female senior student-athlete who have demonstrated proficiency in scholarship and athletics. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first endowed in 1914 and has become the top annual award the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics bestows. Track and field star Yvonne Mensah's list of accomplishments is staggering: 10-time Big Ten Champion, three-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Athlete of the Championships, Big Ten Athlete of the Year and a Regional Championship highlight a long list of accomplishments for the British Columbia native. She also helped lead the Fighting Illini to the 2005 Big Ten Outdoor Title and has set new school records in both the long and triple jump. She's one of the most diverse athletes in Illinois history, appearing in the UI's top-10 performance lists on seven different events. Even more impressive than her accomplishments on the track, however, is her involvement with the community. Mensah has been a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Camp Counselor for area high school athletes and is an FCA Outreach Program Member, speaking with community members about her experience as a Christian athlete. She also volunteers as a coach and an official with community track and field teams. Warren Carter becomes the third straight Illinois basketball player to earn the Big Ten Medal of Honor, following in the footsteps of Jack Ingram (2005) and Dee Brown (2006). Carter stepped up big during his senior season in 2007, earning second team All-Big Ten and second team All-District honors while averaging a team-high 13.7 points per game. He was one of the most improved players in the nation, nearly tripling his scoring average from the previous year while leading the Illini to an NCAA Tournament appearance. Carter was also very active off the court, as he is extremely active in Illinois' Hometown Heroes program, speaking a schools and banquets and serving a mentor area children. He is currently finishing an internship with the Department of Intercollegiate Athletic Identify Illinois diversity committee, where he meets regularly with cultural groups on campus. Several other awards were handed out at Assembly Hall on Tuesday night. The male and female Newcomer of the Year Awards went to track & field standout Lesiba Masheto (Maun, Botswana) and cross country and track & field star Angela Bizzarri (Mason, Ohio), respectively. Masheto won the Big Ten Indoor 600m title and currently has the top outdoor 400m time in the nation. Bizzarri became Illinois' first ever freshman All-American after leading the Illini to its first NCAA Regional team title. The Fighting Illini Spirit Awards, which are given to the male and female athletes who best exemplify the spirit, courage, effort and dedication of the Fighting Illini, were also handed out at the banquet. Senior baseball player Shawn Roof (Paducah, Ky.) and senior swimmer Caroline Moore (Westmont, Ill.) took home the honor this year. Finalists for the Dike Eddleman Male and Female Athlete of the Year Awards were also announced. The Eddleman Award winners will not be announced until the conclusion of the spring sports seasons in June. Female finalists are sophomore Lana Armstrong (Rowlett, Tex.), softball; sophomore Lori Bjork (Johnston, Iowa), basketball; junior Ella Masar (Urbana, Ill.), soccer; senior Yvonne Mensah (Surrey, B.C.), track & field; junior Seul Ki Park (Winnetka, Ill.), golf; senior Cara Pomeroy (Ottawa, Ontario), gymnastics and senior Barbie Viney (Georgetown, Ky.), swimming & diving. Male Dike Eddleman Award finalists are junior Kevin Anderson (Johannesburg, South Africa), Tennis; senior Warren Carter (Dallas, Texas), basketball; junior Lars Davis (Grand Prairie, Alberta), baseball; junior Wes Haagensen (Belleville, Ill.), gymnastics; junior J Leman (Champaign, Ill.), football; sophomore Lesiba Masheto (Muan, Botswana) track & field; senior Patrick Nagle (Pacifica, Calif.), golf and sophomore Michael Poeta (Highwood, Ill.), wrestling. In addition to honoring current student-athletes, a pair of former Illini greats were also on hand to address the nearly 600 in attendance. Volleyball player Kelly Scherr McClure, '97, and baseball player Randy Conte, '82, both former Big Ten Medal of Honor winners, each spoke about the impact that being a Fighting Illini student-athlete had on their careers. The Scholar-Athlete Banquet is an annual event that recognizes graduating student-athletes and others that have excelled both athletically and academically. Below is a complete list of the evening's award winners and finalists. Fighting Illini Newcomer of the Year Male Finalists Fighting Illini Spirit Award Male Finalists Dike Eddleman Athlete of the Year Finalists Male Finalists Fighting Illini Outstanding Team GPA Awards Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award Winners
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