The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- May 24, 1999

Jostens Trophy winners share academics, athletics excellence

BY KAY HAWES
STAFF WRITER

While many student-athletes have medals and trophies recognizing their athletics prowess, few can say they have a trophy that recognizes all they bring to their university -- from their athletics skill to their excellence in academics to their work in the community.

Kristen Venne, a senior at Susquehanna University, and Michael Schantz, a senior at Hamilton College, can both dust off a shelf for a trophy that recognizes all they have brought to their institutions. Both are 1999 winners of the Jostens Trophy, which recognizes the Division III outstanding basketball student-athletes of the year.

The purpose of the award -- a joint creation of Jostens of Minneapolis and the Rotary Club of Salem, Virginia -- is to honor the student-athlete who shows excellence in the classroom, on the playing floor and in the community.

In addition to the 64-pound trophy, a $1,000 Wooldridge Scholarship will be presented in the name of the winners to their institutions. (The scholarship is named after Dan Wooldridge, a Salem Rotarian and retired commissioner of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, as a way of honoring his longtime dedication to Division III athletics.)

Venne, a Shillington, Pennsylvania, native, helped lead the Susquehanna Crusaders to a 1999 NCAA Division III tournament bid, their first since 1993. She completed her final season leading the team in scoring and rebounding, with an average of 21.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Her 579 points and her scoring average were the second best in a season at Susquehanna.

A two-time Division III all-American, Venne tied the Middle Atlantic States Conference career scoring record with a 19.3 average in 100 games. She also recorded 98 double-digit scoring performances in her career.

"Kristen did things that went beyond the realm of normal Division III players this season," said Susquehanna women's head coach Mark Hribar.

"You think you know your players and what they can do, but Kristen had me shake my head on very many occasions throughout her career, but particularly this year," he said. "She was an intense player on the basketball court all four years, and I know she was equally as intense about her academics and other activities. We are truly proud of her."

Venne is a psychology major and a past Presidential Fellow who has made the dean's list all seven semesters on campus. She's been inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society; Psi Chi, a psychology honor society; and Alpha Lambda Delta, a freshman honor society.

Venne has been active in community service since she was in high school, volunteering at elder-care centers and at preschools. She has worked with the Shamrock Project for less fortunate children, help clean an "adopted" portion of a highway and visited the elderly at the Rathfon Nursing Home.

She also has volunteered her time at Agapeland Preschool and at the Selinsgrove Center. Venne also is one of the chairs for Susquehanna's 40th anniversary celebration of women's athletics, held this summer during Alumni Weekend at the school.

Schantz, a forward from Sharon, Massachusetts, finished the regular season leading the Continentals in both scoring and rebounding, tallying 26.3 points per game and grabbing 12.8 boards per game. His 2,117 points and 1,132 rebounds made him only the second player in Hamilton history to score 2,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds in a career.

Schantz is an economics major and a three-time winner of the Ned Doyle Scholarship at Hamilton. Schantz has served as a volunteer in the National Association of Basketball Coaches "Dream to Read" program, and he was the keynote speaker at the New Hartford Middle School Health Day. He also works as a payroll administrator and has spent time helping out in the intramural office at Hamilton.

His hard work and dedication has earned Schantz respect from his peers and his coaches.

"He's the first one on the court and the last one to leave," said Hamilton men's head coach Tom Murphy. "When you have someone with that kind of work ethic, it's bound to spread throughout the team. We've been in the NCAA tournament every year he's been here. His influence, both on and off the court, has gone a long way to help our program."