Somers, Wis. – The UW-Parkside athletic department held its annual awards program Monday night to honor the achievements of the 2011-2012 school year.
 
The event began with a video tribute looking back on the year along with an address from University Chancellor, Dr. Deborah Ford.
 
Don Kopriva, veteran writer/author and former UW-Parkside sports information director, also spoke to the assembled crowd. He recently published a book featuring, among others, Ranger cross country/track & field coach Micah VanDenend.
 
The women's basketball team earned the school's provost award for the highest grade point average during the fall semester. The program, which won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Eastern Division title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament “Sweet 16”, recorded a 3.414 grade point average in the first semester.
 
Luke Rynish (wrestling) and Shannon Becker (women's soccer) won the Career Achievement awards in a loaded field with multiple All-Americans up for the honors.
 
Rynish became the school's all-time winningest wrestler finishing his career with a record of 148-36. He was also a three-time national runner-up.
 
Becker leaves Parkside as the school's all-time leader in points, goals, and assists. He helped lead the Rangers to a record of 60-12-9 over her career including three NCAA Tournament appearances. She was a four-time all-region and all-conference selection. Becker was also named to a pair of All-American squads in 2010.
 
Ryinsh joined Jadee Rooney (women's basketball) as the department's Athletes of the Year.
 
Rynish was 44-5 this season and ranked number one in the country for the entire season. He led the nation in technical falls and won six tournaments, including the NCAA Super Regional.
 
Rooney was women's basketball's first NCAA Division II All-American as she helped lead the Rangers back to the Sweet 16. She ranked in the top five in the conference in five statistical categories and was in the Top 12 in the nation in two of those.
 
Ben Orvold (men's track & field) and Hope Christie (women's cross country/track & field) earned the department's top academic honor as the Academic Athletes of the Year.
 
Orvold, who completed his eligibility in track this season, had the top undergraduate grade point average on the men's side while also qualifying for this year's Indoor National Championships. He is a 10-time All-GLVC Academic team honoree and a six-time NCAA Academic All-American.
 
Christie, who earned All-American status in cross country, had the top undergraduate grade point average for the females. Christie, who also qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships, has been named to 10 All-GLVC Academic teams and likely a sixth NCAA team upcoming.
 
This year's Newcomer of the Year awards went to Nick Corban (men's golf) and Bridget Nickel (volleyball).
Corban set a school record for the Ranger golf team when he shot a 6-under par, 66 earlier this season. His final putt locked up the best round of golf in UW-Parkside history. He also led the team at the GLVC Championships and shot a 3-under to win his first collegiate event.
 
Nickel helped lead the volleyball team back to the GLVC Tournament for the first time since 2003. She led the team in total points scored and was either first or second on the squad in seven different statistical categories. The Loyola transfer played all six rotations for a Ranger team that registered its most conference wins since 1997.
 
The department also handed out a pair of “Ranger Awards” on Monday night. The Ranger Award is defined as the person who best exemplifies the attributes of intercollegiate athletics while at UW-Parkside. The 2012 recipients were Cedric Ray (men's track & field) and Brittany Beyer (women's basketball).
 
Ray was described by Coach VanDenend as “All Rangers … All the time.” A fixture at UW-Parkside sporting events as the unofficial athletics photographer, Ray also made great strides as a track athlete this year after originally coming to the school to play baseball.
 
After picking up track just a year ago, Ray was part of the Rangers 4x100 team that recently broke the school record in that event, and then beat it again this past weekend at the GLVC Championships. He is involved in various leadership positions across campus and within the business department where he is completing his degree.
 
Beyer was a vital cog in the most successful season in school history. She came back from an injury plagued 2011 season to post the best numbers of her career. Coach Jenny Knight-Kenesie called her “one of the toughest players I've ever coached and our emotional leader.” She went on to say that her toughness and desire to be a winner both on and off the court were her most outstanding traits.
 
Beyer, who also has excelled in the classroom, leaves UW-Parkside as the school's second all-time leading scorer with 1700 career points. Her 501 points this year were the fifth-most ever and she was named first team All-GLVC and all-region for her efforts.