PAC-10 OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

World Financial Group Pac-10 Leadership Award

The Pacific-10 Conference established the World Financial Group Pac-10 Leadership Award in 2002 to recognize student-athletes who have served on their institutional Student-Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC) and demonstrated leadership. One male and one female student-athlete are selected annually for the Leadership Awards, which includes a scholarship for postgraduate study.

The Pac-10 Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which is composed of representatives from each member institution, will select the winners of the award each year from nominations submitted by each campus SAAC. The winners will be recognized at the Pac-10 Men's Basketball Tournament in March.

To be eligible for the award, nominees must be enrolled in or plan to attend graduate school, have been a letterwinner in a varsity sport, and have served a minimum of two years on the campus SAAC. Other factors which may be taken into account during the selection process include community service, grade point average, service as a SAAC officer, and level of athletic achievement. For more information about this award please contact Christine Dawson, Associate Commissioner, Olympic Sports and Student-Athlete Programs at 925-932-4411 or cdawson@pac-10.org.

Previous Winners

2005-2006 Anna Chappell, Arizona Chappell, a four year letter winner in women's basketball, at ARIZONA, earned the Most Inspirational Award in 2004, the Academic Award in 2004 and the Captain's Award in 2006 all of which are team honors. Chappell finished her career earning Pac-10 All-Academic Honorable Mention awards in 2005 and 2006. She was named the Life Skills Student-Athlete of the Year by the Arizona Athletic Department in May 2006, the SALT Academic Student of the Year in November 2004, and awarded the Mary Roby Academic Achievement Award in March 2004. Chappell has been a member of the Arizona SAAC since the Fall of 2004, serving as the Co-President since August 2004 to the present. She was named to serve on the Division I National SAAC in July 2005 and served as the Vice Chair from January 2006 - January 2007. She is currently serving as the Chair of the committee. Chappell completed her undergraduate work in December 2006 in Secondary Education with a cumulative GPA of 3.38. She will be attending the University of Oregon to study Athletic Administration.

Darrell Brooks, Arizona Brooks, a four year letter winner in football, at ARIZONA, was a member of the 2005 Pac-10 All-Conference football team, member of the 2004 Pac-10 All-Conference Second Team, member of the 2002 Pac-10 All-Freshman football team, and named 2002 Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year by the Pgskin Post. Brooks earned Freshman All-American Honorable Mention in 2002 and Pac-10 All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2002 and 2003. he was a semi-finalist for the Jim Thope award in 2005. Not only did Brooks excel on the field, but in the classroom as well. He recieved the Mary Roby Academic Achievement Award in 2001 and 2002, a member of the Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team in 2002 and the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team in 2006. he as also a Draddy Trophy Academic Heisman semi-finalist in 2006. Brooks, a member of the Arizona SAAC in 2003-2005, served as the Vice-President in 2003 and the President in 2004. Brooks completed his undergraduate work in December 2004 in Psychology with a cumulative GPA of 2.934. He is currently enrolled at Arizona working in a Master's Degree in Public Administration.

2004-2005 Molly Seaman, Washington Seaman, a five year letter winner in gymnastics, at WASHINGTON, was a member of the 2004 Pac-10 All-Conference women's gymnastics team, was the 2004 Pac-10 beam champion and also ranked second nationally on beam in 2004. Seaman graduated cum laude, had Dean's list honors 10 times, was a four time scholastic All-American and was on the Pac-10 All-Academic first team team three times. She was a member of her Campus SAAC for five years and was the treasurer from Fall 2002 to Spring 2003 and the president from Fall 2003 to Spring 2005. She completed her undergraduate work in June 2005 in zoology with a cumulative GPA of 3.77. Her expected field of graduate study is physical assistance for surgery.

Emerson Ward, Arizona State Ward, a four year letter winner in swimming, at ARIZONA STATE, was ranked number one all time at ASU in the 100 meter breaststroke, was a two-time NCAA qualifier, was top eight in the Pac-10 Championships in the 100 meter breaststroke junior and senior year and was captain in 2004-05. Ward will graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.14 in construction management in May 2006. He was on the Pac-10 All-Academic team for two years, the Maroon and Gold Scholar Athlete team for four years and on the Dean's List in the ASU Del E. Webb School of Construction in 2004 and 2005. Ward was a member of his Campus SAAC from 2001 to 2005. He was the SAAC Action Committee Chairman from 2003-2004 and the SAAC Chairman from 2004-2005. Ward's expected field of graduate study is law with an emphasis in Contract Law in the field of construction management at the Charleston School of Law.

2003-2004 Nikki Neuburger, Oregon State Neuburger was a two year team captain, the tenth Beaver to record over 1,000 career digs, and is eighth all time in digs per game. She earned the 2004 Hewlett Packard Leadership Award, the 2002 U.S. Bank Woman of Distinction Award, earned Pac-10 All Academic honors three years, and was a three time Dean's List member. Neuburger was a member of her campus SAAC for four years, and was the Team Relations chair. She earned a 3.36 cumulative GPA and wants to pursue her MBA in the future. Neuburger graduated in June 2004 in business administration.

Jason Ranne, Arizona Ranne was a four year letter winner, Cattracus Athlete of the Month for October 2002, and walked onto the men's basketball team and earned a scholarship. He was a member of SAAC from 2002 to 2004 and also vice president one year. Ranne was a four year Mary Roby Award winner, on the Dean's list for four years, earned the team academic award three years, graduated cumlaude in May 2004 in political science, and was on the Pac-10 All Academic first team in 2004. Ranne is now studying law at the University of Minnesota.

2002-2003 Janell Bergstrom, Oregon Bergstrom, a four year letter winner in softball at Oregon, earned the Scholar Athlete Award in 2001, 2002, and 2003. She was also a member of the Pac-10 All Academic First Team in 2003. Bergstrom was a member of her Campus SAAC for three years and was vice president in 2003. Bergstrom completed her undergraduate work in August 2003 in Family and Human Services and earned a 3.42 GPA. She will complete her graduate work in Educational Leadership at the University of Oregon.

Adam Chavira, Arizona State Chivara, a three year letter winner in wrestling, at ARIZONA STATE, was a member of the 2001 and 2003 Pac-10 Championship teams. He was also a five time Maroon and Gold recipient at Arizona State (3.0 GPA and up). He was a member of his Campus SAAC for 2 years and SAAC Outreach chair for one year. He completed his undergraduate work in May of 2003 in Kinesiology. He also completed his minor in Spanish. His expected field of graduate study is podiatric medicine.
2001-2002 Cicely Clinkenbeard, Washington State Clinkenbeard, a four year letter winner in track and field, at WASHINGTON STATE, was team captain for one year. She earned First Team Pac-10 All-Academic honors in 1999, 2000 and 2002. She was a member of her Campus SAAC for 4 years, President for one year and a representative at the Pac-10 Student-Athlete Forum. She completed her undergraduate work in May of 2001 in Fine Arts and Computer Graphics with a 3.87 GPA. She will complete her graduate work in the Master of Arts program at the Murrow School of Communication in May of 2003.

Walter Chun, California Chun, was the team captain all three years he lettered in golf at CALIFORNIA. He earned All- American Academic honors as well as All-Academic Pac-10 honors in 2001 and 2002. Chun was a member of his Campus SAAC for two years and was a representative at the Pac-10 Student-Athlete Forum. Chun completed his undergraduate work in December 2001 in Business with a GPA of 3.38. He will complete his graduate work in Education in May of 2003.