Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raider Soccer Honors Team at Banquet
March 21, 2011 | Women's Soccer
March 21, 2011
LUBBOCK, Texas - Celebrating its best season in 14 years, the Texas Tech soccer program recognized its student-athletes at its annual banquet for their outstanding performances in 2010. The banquet was held at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock.
Several players were honored for their achievements on the year. The team recognized its Big 12 award winners as freshman Jessican Fuston and junior Whitney Sharpe were selected to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team.
"It's always nice to see our freshmen and newcomers be recognized by the rest of the Big 12," stated head coach Tom Stone. "It speaks not only to the recruiting success we have had in the last few years, but also to the level of play that our younger players have been able to reach in their first season with us."
In the last two year, Tech is tied for first with the most players on the All-Newcomer Team in the Big 12. Another first for Tech was when Fuston was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year.
"It is great for Jessica and for our program to have the top freshman performance in the Big 12," Stone said. "She was the first player in the 2010 class that we made an offer to and she certainly lived up to our expectations."
Fuston was also recognized as a member of the NSCAA South All-Region Team.
Not only were the Red Raiders honored for their performances on the field, but also in the classroom. Tech had seven student-athletes named to the Academic All-Big 12 first team - junior Maggie Fete, who was only one of five student-athletes from the Big 12 with a 4.0 GPA, seniors Leanne Mihelich and Colleen Pitts, junior Casey McCall and sophomores Sarah Ellison, Haley Fowler and Tiffini Smith.
Along with the conference and national awards, Tech also presented it team awards, which was voted on by the players. Fuston was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player and McCall was selected the Defensive MVP, while junior Taylor Lytle was named the Team's MVP. The Most Improved Player award went to sophomore Sarah Ellison and the Adam Zuniga Award for Courage was presented to freshman Hayley Haagsma.
The Adam Zuniga Award for Courage is given to a Texas Tech soccer student-athlete who demonstrates extraordinary spirit and courage in the face of significant adversity. This award honors, Adam Zuniga, one of Tech soccer's biggest fans who lost his battle with cancer in 2011. Zuniga was a local youth soccer coach who tirelessly worked to give his players a tremendous experience in soccer. Over the course of his two-year bout with cancer, Zuniga consistently showed incredible character and courage through his undying positive spirit, passion for the game of soccer and his commitment to his family.
"I was blown away by Adam and his attitude on life during his physical struggles. He was a Christian man who knew it was all in God's hands and he lived that right to the end," said Stone. "Despite his condition, Adam would be in our stadium or follow us on GameTracker - always ready to shoot me a text right after the game. Adam was a special person who will be sorely missed but not forgotten. We will honor Adam Zuniga each year with this meaningful award."
