SAB Awards Highlight Student-Athlete SuccessSAB Awards Highlight Student-Athlete Success
Brandon Vallance, ISIPhotos.com

SAB Awards Highlight Student-Athlete Success

STANFORD, Calif. – The annual Stanford Athletic Board Awards were held at Bing Auditorium, highlighting the Cardinal's excellence during the 2022-23 campaign. Rose Zhang (women's golf) earned the Al Masters Award as the highest-achieving student-athlete for the second season in a row.

This year, 26 varsity programs were represented during the ceremony while 68 student-athletes walked away with awards.

To date, Stanford has won three NCAA championships and five total national championships in the 2022-23 academic year. The Cardinal has won at least one NCAA championship during each of the last 47 years, dating back to the 1976-77 campaign. In total, Stanford varsity teams have won 134 NCAA championships (70 men, 64 women) and 163 national titles overall.

The complete list of award winners is included below, in order of presentation. 
  

Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year

NameSport
Annabelle BachmannWomen's Rowing
Sierra EngeWomen's Soccer
Shane GriffithWrestling
Hannah JumpWomen's Basketball
James KeefeMen's Basketball
Leon MacAlisterMen's Swimming & Diving
Kara RahaimWomen's Lacrosse
Brooke SeayWomen's Golf
Henry StewartMen's Rowing

 

Sherry Posthumus Club Sports Team of the Year

Sport
Women's Rugby


Sherry Posthumus was an assistant athletics director at Stanford for nearly 25 years before her death in 2007. She was the manager of the men's and women's U.S. Olympic fencing teams in 1988, 1992, and 1996, and was instrumental in developing the Stanford fencing program. This award was established in her memory by her colleagues in the athletics department in 2008.
 

Shirley Schoof Club Sports Athlete of the Year

NameSport
Hannah HuddlestonUltimate Frisbee
Alex LeeTaekwondo


Shirley Schoof retired in 1999 after working for 35 years for the athletics department. She was a physical education instructor and coach, and served for 20 years as an assistant athletics director. This award was established in her name in 2004 to recognize the impact that Schoof made on the university in the areas of physical education, club sports, and wellness.
 

Thomas W. Ford Award

Sport
Wrestling

Thomas Ford had a profound impact on the Stanford community. He worked at Stanford for 11 years beginning in 1955 as a legal counsel in the business office, then advanced to be the university's director of land development. He served on the Stanford Athletics Board and The Board of Trustees. In 1989, the Ford Center for Sports and Recreation was dedicated in his honor. Community service was important to him, and he funded many service initiatives in the athletics department. This award was established in memory of Tom in the late 1990s.

Arthur F. Dauer Memorial Sports Performance Award

NameSport
Mark FisherMen's Soccer
McKenna ViciniWomen's Volleyball


Arthur Dauer, '59, was a dedicated volunteer who served on many local boards, including the Stanford Athletics Board. This award was established by the Dauer family in 2009. 
 

Bob Murphy Award

NameSport
Charles HicksCross Country


Bob Murphy, '53, played baseball for Stanford and became the passionate voice of Cardinal sports from 1965 until his retirement in 2007. As an emcee, Murphy shared his "…unparalleled knowledge of Stanford sports history…" during Stanford competitions. This award was established in 2008 in honor of his service as a broadcaster for the Cardinal.
 

Conference Athlete of the Year

NameSport
Daniel CardenasWrestling
Azja CzajkowskiWomen's Rowing
Jenna FlynnWomen's Water Polo
Vanessa LahrkampSailing
River MahlerSoftball  
Tommy TroyBaseball

Block S Outstanding Freshman

NameSport
NiJaree CanadySoftball
Claire CurzanWomen's Swimming & Diving
Elise EvansWomen's Soccer
Asher HongMen's Gymnastics
Chapman PetersenSailing
Roisin WillisWomen's Track & Field 

Block S Outstanding Sophomore

NameSport
Torri HuskeWomen's Swimming 
Nicolas KueblerMen's Gymnastics
Kami MinerWomen's Volleyball
Udodi OnwuzurikeMen's Track & Field
Lindi SchroederArtistic Swimming
Alexandra YepifanovaWomen's Tennis

   

Block S Outstanding Junior

NameSport
Cameron BrinkWomen's Basketball
Sadie EnglemannWomen's Golf
Arthur FeryMen's Tennis
Ryann NeushulWomen's Water Polo
Alberto RiosBaseball
Ky RobinsonMen's Cross Country/Track & Field
Michael ThorbjornsenMen's Golf

  

Block S Honors for Men

NameSport
Spencer JorgensenFootball 

Block S Honors for Women

NameSport
Isabelle PilsonField Hockey 

Jake Gimbel Award

NameSport
Quinn MathewsBaseball
Michael WilsonFootball
Quinn WoodheadMen's Water Polo


Jacob "Jake" Gimbel was a well-known philanthropist in the 1930s who established this award to recognize a senior who, "Shall have shown the best mental attitude toward athletics." 
 

Pam Strathairn Award

NameSport
Angelica BlakeWomen's Tennis
Maddi KrizBeach Volleyball


Pamela Strathairn, '45, MA '49, EDD '62, was the women's physical education director at Stanford during the enactment of Title IX. She worked, not only to comply with Title IX, but also to lay the foundation for women's athletics at Stanford. She was a leader in athletics administration when the men's and women's departments merged in 1975, creating a model program for universities across the nation. This award was established to honor and recognize Strathairn for her support of female student-athletes at Stanford.
 

Dick and Anne Gould Captain's Award

NameSport
Sara ChoyWomen's Tennis
Sierra EngeWomen's Soccer
Megan FrostField Hockey


Dick Gould, '59, MA '60, played tennis for Stanford and was the Stanford head men's tennis coach for 38 years from 1966-2004. His Stanford teams won 17 NCAA Championships, and 50 of his players won All-America honors. He went on to serve as the John L. Hinds Director of Tennis until his retirement in 2018. Anne Gould, '72, MA '80, played tennis for Stanford and was the women's tennis coach for four years, coaching the Cardinal's first national championship women's team before retiring as head coach to become a tennis instructor on The Farm. This award was established by the Goulds in 2007.
 

Spirit of Stanford Award

NameSport
Liam AndersonMen's Cross Country/Track & Field
Emily MolinsLightweight Rowing
Emmanuella TchakmakjianArtistic Swimming
Alana VawterSoftball


Frank "Frankie" Albert, '42, played quarterback for Stanford, where he led the 1940 team to an undefeated season and a win at the Rose Bowl. The Spirit of Stanford is a 1942 feature film about the 1940 Stanford "Wow Boys" football squad, featuring star quarterback Frankie Albert. This award was established in 2009.
 

Biff Hoffman Award

NameSport
J.R. ChouMen's Gymnastics
Shane GriffithWrestling
Charles HicksMen's Cross Country/Track & Field
Leon MacAlisterMen's Swimming & Diving


Clifford "Biff" Hoffman, '29, played football for Stanford. Under the legendary Coach Pop Warner, Hoffman helped Stanford secure its first Rose Bowl victory in 1928. As a track and field student-athlete, Hoffman set an NCAA discus record helping Stanford win the 1925 NCAA Track and Field Championship.
 

Stanford Athletics Board Award

NameSport
Aria FischerWomen's Water Polo
Haley JonesWomen's Basketball 
Kendall KippWomen's Volleyball
Taylor RuckWomen's Swimming & Diving
Chloe WidnerWomen's Gymnastics

Donald Kennedy Award

NameSport
Neal BegovichMen's Basketball
Riley LoosMen's Gymnastics
Emily SchultzSoftball


Dr. Donald Kennedy served as Stanford's eighth president from 1980-1992. This award was named in Kennedy's honor upon his retirement as president for his incredible support of Stanford's student-athletes.
 

Al Masters Award

NameSport
Rose Zhangwomen's golf


Al Masters, '24, was the athletics director at Stanford from 1925-1963. He is remembered as one of the most distinguished sports administrators in college history. This award was first presented in 1963 by KCBS Radio in memory of Masters' passing.