Presenting the best of 2009-2010
Female athlete of the year: Stephanie Wilson, X- Country
Santa Clara women's cross country runner Stephanie Wilson was sixth overall at the 2009 NCAA West Regional and earned the school's first All-American honors in cross country.
In additon, she recieved All-Academic honors. To receive these accolades, the student-athletes must succeed on the track and in the classroom.
Wilson, who graduated from Archbishop Mitty in San Jose, Calif., carries a 3.87 GPA as an English major.
Honorable Mention: Jordan Angeli, Soccer
Male athlete of the Year: Tommy Medica, Baseball
Tommy Medica returned to the diamond after missing the 2009 season to a shoulder injury. Medica is batting .381, second among all Broncos a mark good for second among qualifying hitters in the WCC (min. 2.0 at-bats per game).
He has also shown outstanding power at the plate, leading the WCC in total bases with 135 and is currently second in the league with 12 home runs.
Medica is also key part for the Broncos on the defensive side of the diamond. Unable to play his natural position behind the dish, he contributed in the outfield.
Honorable Mention: Robbie Reid, XC
Game of the year: Women's Soccer vs Ok State
The No. 11 Santa Clara women's soccer team pulled out a wild victory in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
Playing in a home contest in Buck Shaw Stadium, the Broncos took home the win 6-5 in a shootout after the score was tied 1-1 at the end of regulation.
After qualifying for the NCAA Tournament, the Broncos went on to lose to undefeated Stanford in the third round 1-0. The Cardinal advanced to the finals, but they were defeated by North Carolina in the finals.
Honorable Mention: Baseball beats Stanford
Coach of the year: Derek Mills, men's tennis
In the 2008-2009 year, Santa Clara's men's tennis team was in the basement of the WCC, finishing in eigth place.
This year, Coach Derek Mills looked to change that. The team saw a tremendous reversal of fortunes, finishing second after falling in the final match of the WCC championships. It was just the second time in program history that the Broncos had advanced that far.
He brought Santa Clara its first ever nationally ranked recruiting class for the Class of 2013, his second straight top 25 class coming to Santa Clara.
Honorable Mention: Jerry Smith (women's soccer)
Rookie of the year: Robert Smith, Basketball
After an inconsistent 2008-09 season, Coach Kerry Keating was in desperate need of a reliable floor general. Freshmen Robert Smith did not disappoint.
After being handed the reins to a depleted roster, Smith responded by leading the team in assists (3.1 apg), and second in scoring (12.1 ppg). Smith also set a school record for minutes played by a freshmen (1049). Look for Smith to continue to contribute as he becomes more comfortable in Keating's system.
Honorable Mention: Erik Hurtado
Team of the Year: Women's soccer
After achieving a No. 11 rank during the regular season, the Santa Clara women's soccer team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament this year.
Their season ended when they fell to top-ranked Stanford 1-0, pushing the Cardinal for a complete 90 minutes. They finished the season at 14-7-2, finishing second in the WCC at 5-2-0.
The team was lead by seniors Jordan Angeli, Anessa Patton, and Kiki Bosio. All three appeared in every game. Angeli and Patton led the team in goals, with 7 and 6 respectively. Bosio led the team in points with 13 (3 goals, 7 assists).
Honorable Mention: Men's crew