Razorbacks Host Salute To Excellence Dinner

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Athletics Department, in conjunction with the Razorback Foundation, will host its annual Razorback Red Tie Dinner, auction and Salute to Excellence Awards banquet Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010, at the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Ark.

This year marks the 13th season the Razorbacks have honored a student-athlete. In addition, it is the largest group of honorees with six student-athletes being recognized.

"We are proud to recognize the many accomplishments of these six extraordinary student-athletes," Long said. "These young men and women are outstanding representatives of the University of Arkansas and the more than 462 student-athletes in the Razorback program. We look forward to a memorable evening as the University community, the athletic department and friends of the Razorback program come together to celebrate the achievements of our honorees in the classroom, in athletic competition and in the community."

The 2009-10 honorees include two Razorback Scholar-Athlete award winners in Katie Stripling (women’s track and field) and Dorian Ulrey (men’s track and field), three Razorback Athletes of the Year in Michelle Stout (gymnastics) and Casey Jo Magee (gymnastics) and Ben Tschepikow (baseball) and the Spirit of the Razorback Award which will be awarded to D.J. Williams (football).

Each year, the Razorbacks recognize student-athletes whose performance throughout their careers serves to lift up their sport to new heights and whose character exemplifies the goals of the athletic department.

In addition to the dinner, attendees will enjoy a social hour before dinner as well as live and silent auctions.

This year’s event takes place at the Embassy Suites in Rogers, Ark., and tickets are available to the general public for $100 each. In addition, table sponsorships are available. For tickets or more information about being a sponsor call Jessica Dorrell at 479-575-7141 or email her at jdorrell@uark.edu.

2009-10 SALUTE TO EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
RAZORBACK SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD – KATIE STRIPLING, WOMEN’S TRACK & FIELD-Three-time All-American-Three-time SEC Champion and All-SEC honoree-2009 SEC Outdoor Co-Field Athlete of the Year-Made SEC history in 2009, winning her third pole vault title (second outdoors) -Cleared 14-5.25 and won third-straight title in the outdoor pole vault (2007-09)-14-5.25 is school record, an SEC meet record, and the NCAA’s best height in 2009-Earned 2009 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors and was a 2008 Academic All-District honoree-Three-time member of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association All-Academic Team-School record holder in the indoor (14-3.25) and outdoor (14-5.25) pole vault-Recorded the NCAA’s No. 2 mark indoors (14-3.25) and the No. 1 mark outdoors (14-5.25) in 2009
SPIRIT OF THE RAZORBACK AWARD – D.J. WILLIAMS, FOOTBALL-Mackey Award Semifinalist, AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, FedEx Orange Bowl Courage Award Nominee-All-SEC Preseason First-Team (media) and All-SEC Preseason Second-Team (coaches)-College Football Performance Awards National Tight End of the Week -Two-time Honorable Mention Tight End Performer of the Week -Active in community service projects: Razorback for a Day, Together We Can, Volunteer with Big Brother/Big Sisters, Lift Up America-Member of SAAC for 2009-10 and last year was involved in the Christmas Shop Razorback SAAC program-In May of 2009, he was selected to represent the University of Arkansas at the National Student-Athlete Development Conference at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
RAZORBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – BEN TSCHEPIKOW, BASEBALL-Ranks 10th on Arkansas’ all-time list for singles in a career-Team leader in runs, hits, triples & stolen bases in 2009; doubles & triples in 2008-SEC Good Works Team in 2009-Career .302 hitter with 154 runs scored, 219 hits, 41 doubles, eight triples, 13 home runs, 125 RBI, 94 walks and 28 stolen bases-Career-bests in 2009 with .317 average, 76 hits, 54 runs, four triples, nine home runs, .513 slugging percentage, .396 on-base percentage, 17 stolen bases and .970 fielding %-Led team to the 2009 College World Series…Moved from second-base to short late in season-2009 SEC All-Tournament team-2009 NCAA Norman Regional All-Tournament Team-Drafted in the 17th round by the Kansas City Royals (512th overall)-Organized the baseball team’s adoption of four children at Christmas, raising money for presents-Member of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
RAZORBACK SCHOLAR-ATHLETE AWARD – DORIAN ULREY, MEN’S XC/TRACK & FIELD-Five-time All-American in track and cross country in 2009-2009 South Central Region Cross Country Champion and Regional Athlete of the Year-2009 NCAA Mideast Region 1,500m Champion and NCAA South Central Region Runner of the Year-Won three SEC titles in 2009 (1,500m, mile, 3,000m), is a three-time All-SEC honoree-2009 SEC Indoor Runner of the Year, 2009 SEC Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year, 2009 SEC Sportsmanship Award recipient-U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association All-Academic Team-School record holder as the anchor leg of the distance medley relay-Clocked the NCAA’s the No. 1 time in the DMR (9:28.35), No. 3 time in the mile (3:57.60), the No. 4 time in the 3,000m (7:50.86) in 2009-Clocked Arkansas’ No. 1 time in the DMR (9:28.35) and No. 2 time in the 1,500m (3:35.23) in 2009-ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America and All-District honors with 3.50 GPA in sociology
RAZORBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – CASEY JO MAGEE, GYMNASTICS-Four-time Second-Team All-American-2009 SEC beam champion and the 2009 NCAA SC Regional beam and floor champion-Eleven all-around titles, including the first five of the season in 2009 (40 total titles)-School record-holder on beam (9.95) and all-around (39.525)-Her routines have counted 92% of the time toward the team score-NCAA Individual all-around qualifier 2007-Three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member-Multiple time SEC Gymnast of the Week honors-All-SEC First-Team in 2009 (balance beam)-Led Arkansas to the NCAA Championship for the third time and the NCAA Super Six for the first time, and finished fifth in the nation in 2009-Led Arkansas to the NCAA South Central Region title in 2009
RAZORBACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – MICHELLE STOUT, GYMNASTICS-Five-time All-American-Fifth on vault and seventh on bars at 2009 NCAA Championship individual event finals-2009 NCAA South Central Regional and NCAA Championship Session II vault champion-School record-holder on vault (9.975) and in the all-around (39.525)-Completed 149 routines with 93 percent of those counting toward the team score-Three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll member-NACGC/W Academic Team 2007-SEC Gymnast of the Week honors-Selected to the NCAA Leadership Conference 2008-All-SEC Second Team 2009 (vault)-SEC Community Service Team 2009-Led Arkansas to the NCAA Championship for the third time and the NCAA Super Six for the first time, and finished fifth in the nation in 2009-Led Arkansas to the NCAA South Central Region title in 2009