Silver Anniversary Award winners

Six former student-athletes who enjoyed prominent collegiate careers in a variety of sports, then went on to succeed in professional fields are this year's NCAA Silver Anniversary Award recipients.

The award honors former student-athletes who have distinguished themselves since finishing their intercollegiate athletics careers 25 years ago. Recipients were selected by the NCAA Honors Committee, which is composed of administrators at member institutions and prominent citizens who also formerly were student-athletes.

This year's honorees are Trish Millines Dziko (Monmouth University, basketball, volleyball, softball); Bruce Furniss (University of Southern California, swimming); Virginia Anne Gilder (Yale University, rowing); Stacey Johnson (San Jose State University, fencing); Gregory Kelser (Michigan State University, basketball); and Kellen Winslow (University of Missouri, Columbia, football).

Following are biographical highlights of this year's award winners. The recipients will be recognized Sunday, January 11, at the Honors Dinner during the NCAA Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Trish Millines Dziko
Monmouth University
Basketball, volleyball, softball
Executive director, Technology Access Foundation

Collegiate Achievements

Three-sport athlete at Monmouth; four-year letter-winner in basketball and volleyball from 1976 to 1979.

Earned two letters as a softball student-athlete before the program was discontinued in 1977.

Professional Accomplishments

Named 2003 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Forum of Women Entrepreneurs

Created the Technology Access Foundation in 1996 to provide children of color with access to technology.

Spent more than 15 years at Microsoft fulfilling various responsibilities, including software tester and developer, program manager, consultant and database designer.

Serves on the board of directors of the King County YMCA in Seattle as well as on the board of trustees for her alma mater.

Has been recognized for her community-service efforts as a recipient of the YWCA Isabel Colman Pierce Award for Excellence in Community Service, the Madam C. J. Walker Trailblazer Award and the Women of Color in Technology Award.

Received the Arthur Ashe Athletic Association Leadership Award for supporting youth and the National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Award, which is given to individuals who assist in furthering the growth of African-American students entering the engineering field.

Bruce Furniss
University of Southern California
Swimming and diving
Senior investment advisor

Collegiate Achievements

Helped Southern California secure two NCAA Division I men's swimming and diving team championships in 1976 and 1977 and four Pacific-10 Conference titles from 1976 to 1979.

* An 18-time all-American; also captured six national crowns in the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard freestyle relay and the 400-yard freestyle relay.

Competed despite battling a severely crippling arthritic disease; also dominated on the international scene as a four-time world-record holder in the 200-meter freestyle and in the 800-meter freestyle relay.

A 19-time American record holder from 1974 to 1978, Furniss collected gold medals at the 1975 and 1978 World Championships. In addition, he was a two-time gold medalist at the 1976 Olympic Games.

Named to the United States Swimming Team of the Century in 2000 and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1987.

Professional Accomplishments

Has been a senior investment advisor with Hendricks & Partners since 2002 and formerly was a senior vice-president with Grubb & Ellis from 1998 to 2002.

A member of USA Swimming's board of directors from 1981 to 1987, Furniss was an Olympic Torchbearer in 1984 and 1996.

Also has served on the board of directors for the Los Angeles and Orange County chapter of the Arthritis Foundation and has served as campaign chair for the organization's annual telethon.

Helped establish "Swim with Mike," an annual charity swim event originally designed to raise money for Mike Nyeholt, a swimmer at Southern California who was injured. The program has raised more than $3 million, which has translated into more than 40 full scholarships for physically challenged athletes to attend college.

Anne Gilder
Yale University
Rowing
Principal, Volute, Inc.

Collegiate Achievements

Member of the varsity rowing team at Yale from 1977 to 1979 before earning a spot on the United States national team in 1982 and 1983.

Also was a member of the 1980 and 1984 Olympic teams. A 1984 Olympic silver medalist as the stroke in the quadruple sculls, Gilder also earned a bronze medal in the single sculls at the 1983 World Championships.

Professional Accomplishments

Has worked since 1998 as a principal at Volute, Inc., a consulting firm that assists nonprofit and public service organizations in expanding their abilities to deliver results with respect to their core missions.

Served as founder and executive director of Washington Works, a nonprofit job training and placement center for welfare recipients in Seattle that was successful in transitioning homeless individuals from the street to the work force.

Provided the lead gift to build Gilder Boathouse, the newly constructed rowing facility at Yale.

Serves on the board of directors for the Seattle Girls School, and is a member of the United States Rowing Association's board of directors.

Stacey Johnson
San Jose State University
Fencing
Dean of arts, humanities and social sciences, Palo Alto College

Collegiate Achievements

Four-time all-American and a four-year letter-winner in fencing from 1976 to 1979.

Helped San Jose State capture two national championships.

* Also was a national champion in 1976 and 1978, and was a three-time United States national team champion and a member of the 1980 Olympic team.

Professional Accomplishments

Elected to the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) executive committee in 2003; also has been a member of the USOC board of directors since 1996.

President of the United States Fencing Association since 2000, Johnson was honored by the International Olympic Committee as the outstanding national governing body vol- unteer in 2001.

Earned a USOC Rings of Gold award in 1997, given annually to unsung heroes in Olympic sports through nominations from Olympians and community-based organizations.

Was a torchbearer for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Member of the San Antonio 100, which is composed of the top 100 women leaders in the city. She also is a 1997 inductee into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.

Recipient of the Mind Science Foundation Imagineer award, given annually to individuals who have made a difference in their local communities.

Gregory Kelser
Michigan State University
Basketball
Broadcaster

Collegiate Achievements

* Captained the 1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball national-championship team at Michigan State and was named to the all-tournament team that year.

Also led Michigan State to the Big Ten Conference championship and was designated as an NCAA Today's Top V honoree in 1979.

Jersey number 32 was retired by the university.

Led the team in rebounding for four seasons in addition to leading the squad in scoring for three seasons and in field-goal percentage for two.

* Ranks in the top 10 in nine career statistical categories at Michigan State, including points, scoring average, field goals, field-goal attempts, field-goal percentage, free throws, free-throw attempts, steals and rebounds.

Professional Accomplishments

Drafted by the Detroit Pistons, Kelser was the fourth overall selection in 1979. In a professional career that spanned from 1979 to 1985, he competed with the Pistons, Seattle Supersonics, San Diego Clippers and Indiana Pacers.

Has worked as color commentator and broadcaster for ESPN Regional since 1994 and formerly served in the same capacity for CBS Sports, RayCom Sports and Black Entertainment Television Sports.

Also spent five years as a color commentator and broadcaster for the Detroit Pistons Radio Network.

Has served the community by speaking to youth about goal-setting and drug-abuse awareness and prevention. He also is the director of summer basketball clinics that are free of charge to inner-city Detroit youth and is currently working to establish his own camp.

Kellen Winslow
University of Missouri, Columbia
Football
Attorney

Collegiate Achievements

All-American and Big Eight Conference male athlete of the year in 1978.

Twice selected to the all-conference team; named to the school's all-century football team in 1991.

Charter member of the university's athletics hall of fame; had jersey number 83 retired.

2003 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional Accomplishments

Selected 13th ove rall in the 1979 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Five-time Pro Bowl selection; named to the NFL's all-time team in 1994 and was elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Has been an attorney with Shook, Hardy & Bacon.

Also serves as a college football color and studio analyst. Formerly a radio broadcaster for the Missouri Tiger Radio Network from 1991 to 1994, Winslow also worked as a radio broadcaster for the San Diego Chargers.

Named the Walter Camp Football Foundation alumnus of the year in 1992 for his contributions to the organization that supports youth programs.

Supports the Police Athletic League in San Diego and helps raise funds and awareness for sickle cell anemia.