Muskingum News

The Muskingum Student-Athlete Advisory Committee recently held its 2nd Annual Golden Hook Awards in the Anne C. Steele Center. Golden Hook Awards were awarded in 12 categories to Muskingum student-athletes and teams and the Muskingum Athletic Department Awards were also unveiled.

[Golden Hook Awards photo gallery] 
[Golden Hook Awards highlight video]

Graduated softball shortstop Kelly Martin was presented with the Golden Hook Spark Plug Award. Martin suffered an injury on opening day in 2016 and returned late in the season to lead the Muskies to the OAC Tournament championship game.

The Muskingum women's basketball team won the Golden Hook Award for Best Team Comeback Win for its 70-68 stunning win at Wooster. The Muskies rallied from a 17-point deficit with seven minutes to play in the game to notch the thrilling road win.

Muskingum senior defensive back Dorian Maynard won the Golden Hook for Craziest Save of the Year. Maynard saved a touchdown by racing down a Mount Union ball carrier and knocking the ball out of his hands and out of the end zone right before he crossed the goal line.

The baseball senior duo of shortstop Matt Lynn and second baseman Dallas Allen were presented the Golden Hook for Best Duo on the Field/Court. Lynn and Allen were two of the top hitters on the team and anchored the middle infield for the Muskies.

Men's basketball senior forward Joshua Keyes won the Golden Hook Award for Hands of Gold. Keyes ended his career as Muskingum's all-time leader in blocked shots and rebounds.

Senior track athlete Julie Fobes won the Golden Hook for Best Win with her victory at the Division III All-Ohio Indoor Championships in the 5K to earn All-Ohio honors.

Junior women's basketball guard Hallie Stocker was presented the Golden Hook for Biggest Hit. Stocker won the award for a screen she set at John Carroll.

Senior football kicker Cody Dent was presented with the Best Leg Golden Hook Award. Dent made a career-best 48-yard field goal to help lead the Muskies at Ohio Northern.

Freshman men's basketball guard Marcus Dempsey was honored with the Golden Hook Award for Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. Dempsey ranked second on the team in scoring and was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year and the D3hoops.com Great Lakes Region Rookie of the Year.

Senior volleyball middle hitter Katie Hunt was presented the Golden Hook Award for Best Single-Game Performance. Hunt recorded 21 kills, three digs and two blocks to lead the Muskies past Wilmington in league play.

The Muskingum men's basketball team was honored with the Outstanding Team of the Year Golden Hook Award. The Muskies recorded their best start to a season since the 1972-73 campaign and advanced to the OAC Tournament Final Four.

The Muskingum Athletic Department recognized 17 student-athletes for their achievements both in the classroom and on the field.

Senior football offensive lineman Brandon Peluso, senior men's soccer midfielder Logan Lazar, senior baseball pitcher Zach Hemenway, senior baseball catcher A.J. Kazmierczak, senior men's basketball forward Robert Hisey and senior wrestler Jonathan Raugh were all honored with the Greg Riggar Dedicated to Sport Award. The award is bestowed upon senior student-athletes at Muskingum who show excellence in associated areas of dedication to sport, leadership, and practice habits.  The athlete must have participated for all four years of his/her collegiate career, be held in high esteem by his/her fellow teammates and also exhibit the qualities of loyalty and discipline.

Senior softball pitcher Haley Dotson and junior women's basketball guard Schyler Fennimore and senior football safety Melvin Smith were honored with the Ann White and Roy "Red" Turner Strive for Excellence Awards.

Dotson anchored the Muskie pitching staff and led the team in ERA (2.85), complete games (12), wins (7), strikeouts (62) and innings pitched (113).

Fennimore added depth and experience to the Muskie bench and saw action in 23 games. She is a three-year letterwinner for the squad.

Smith was an All-OAC Honorable Mention selection and recorded 59 tackles, including 42 solo stops. He registered six pass break ups, and had one fumble recovery, over forced fumble and one interception. This marked his first year playing in the defensive secondary after three years of being a running back.

Senior cross country and track & field athlete Julie Fobes and sophomore wrestler Jordan Burkholder were honored with the inaugural Donna J. Newberry Pursuit of Perfection Award.

Fobes, an Academic All-American in cross country, holds the Muskingum records in the indoor mile, 3K and 5K for track and the school marks in the 5K and 6K for cross country. She is a two-time All-OAC honoree for cross country and a two-time all-league honoree for track. Fobes also won the Division III All-Ohio Indoor Championships in the 5K to earn All-Ohio honors.

Burkholder recorded a season-best 25 wins, which included nine wins by fall and five OAC victories. He notched two top-three finishes during the 2016-17 campaign, finishing second at the Wheaton Invitational and claiming a third-place finish at the Ohio Northern Tournament. The sophomore also led the Muskies at the NCAA Regional meet where he advanced to the fifth round of the consolation bracket.

Freshman track & field athlete Emily Ellyson and freshman men's basketball guard Marcus Dempsey were presented with the William F. Lange Outstanding Freshmen Awards.

Ellyson helped lead the women's track & field team throughout the indoor and outdoor campaigns. She won the high jump at the OAC South Split Meet and the Mount Union Raider Tune-Up during the indoor season and finished first at the Muskie Duals in March. Ellyson also placed in the top eight at the conference championships during both the indoor and outdoor events.

Dempsey, the Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Freshman of the Year and the D3hoops.com Great Lakes Region Rookie of the Year, started 26 games and averaged 16.4 points per outing. He averaged 34.9 minutes per contest and ended his freshman campaign with 442 points, 105 rebounds, 54 assists and 24 steals. Dempsey was an All-OAC Honorable Mention selection.

Senior cross country and track & field athlete Julie Fobes was recognized as the Barbara Steiner Outstanding Senior Female Athlete, while senior football linebacker Chaney Fulton was acknowledged as the William G. Moore Outstanding Senior Male Athlete.

Fobes is the school record holder in the indoor mile, 3K and 5K and holds the school marks in cross country for the 5K and 6K. She won the Division III All-Ohio Indoor Championship in the 5K to earn All-Ohio honors and was a OAC Track Athlete of the Week honoree. Fobes is a four-time NCAA Division III Cross Country Regional qualifier and a two-time All-OAC selection in both cross country and track.

Fulton led the team and ranked fifth in the league with 77 tackles and recorded two interceptions, including one for a 30-yard touchdown. He ended his career ranked third all-time in career tackles with 355 and ranked ninth all-time in career sacks with 12.5. Fulton is a three-time All-OAC honoree (2014, 2015, 2016) and was named the OAC Gene Slaughter Co-Most Outstanding Linebacker in 2014.

Senior cross country and track & field athlete Julie Fobes and senior football punter Sam Green were honored with the Ohio Athletic Conference Clyde Lamb Award.  Criteria for the award include at least two years participation in an OAC-sponsored sport, senior status, a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and sportsmanlike conduct in a manner that has brought credit to the student-athlete and his or her institution.

Fobes, a nursing major and Academic All-American, is a five-time Dean's List honoree, a Distinguished Scholar Award recipient, a four-time McCann Scholarship recipient, a Ronnica Dodson Scholarship honoree and a member of the Lambda Sigma Sophomore Honorary Society.

Green, an education major, was a four-year letterwinner for the football program. He led the league averaging 41 yards per punt and placed 15 punts inside the 20 and had 10 boots signaled for a fair catch. Green ended his tenure ranked first all-time at Muskingum in career punting average with a 40.4 yards per punt average. Green is a three-time All-OAC honoree (2013, 2014, 2016).

Outside the field of competition, Green is a six-time Dean's List honoree, a Miriam S. Allison Award selection and a Academic All-OAC honoree. He served as athletic representative for Student Senate, was President for Athletes in Action, was a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, Vice President of Muskingum's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, led the Muskingum Education Student Advisory Group and was a three-year Board of Trustees Student member.