Anna Martines and Dan Popek win CCIW's Jack Swartz Award for winter 2015-16; 90 Augustana athletes earn academic all-conference recognition
 
 

A pair of senior indoor track and field standouts was selected as Augustana's winners of the Jack Swartz Award in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin for the 2015-16 winter athletic season. Anna Martines (St. Charles East HS, St. Charles, Ill.), a standout hurdler/sprinter, represented the women while Dan Popek (Minooka HS, Minooka, Ill.), a school record holder and two-time All-American was the men's winner. A total of 90 Augustana athletes were academic all-conference performers this past winter.
 
The Jack Swartz Award is given to one male and one female athlete at the end of each athletic season. The honor is given by the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin and each of the eight schools in the league are allowed to pick their own representatives. The only requirement is that the winners must earn a varsity letter in his/her sport and have a grade point average of at least 3.50. The award is named after the late Jack Swartz, who served as the Commissioner of the CCIW until his death in 1998.
 
Martines has enjoyed quite a career as a sprinter/hurdler for the Vikings. She is a two-time team captain who was voted the team's Most Valuable Performer during her junior season. She has been a place winner in the CCIW championships eight times during her career indoors and eight times outdoors. Her best finish in the CCIW was a second place finish in the 2015 outdoor season in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:03.43.  She then qualified for the NCAA championship meet with a time of 1:01.84 in the Augustana Midwest Twilight Qualifier meet on May 15, 2015.  That time is good for second best ever in Augustana's track and field history. 
 
During the past indoor season Martines was fifth in the CCIW Indoor Championships as a member of the 4x400 relay and was seventh in the 60 hurdles in :09.74.
 
A year ago Martines was the CCIW's "Athlete of the Week" on March 24 and her teammates voted her the Erica Vortman Spirit Award winner. In 2013 she was the MVP – Freshman in indoor and outdoor track & field.
 
She served as a special events intern for the Quad City Chamber of Commerce beginning in April of 2015. She currently works for the Augustana clinical internship program for the Center for Speech, Language and hearing. Martines is also on the executive board of the Office of Student Life and she serves as both a student-athlete recruiting coordinator and a peer leadership mentor.
 
Anna, the daughter of Bob and Cheryl Martines of St. Charles, Illinois, carries a 3.66 grade point average and is a communication sciences and disorders major at Augustana.
 
Popek is a two-time All-American as a member of 4x400 relay teams that finished second in the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in 2014 and 2016. This winter he helped lead Augustana to the school's first ever CCIW Indoor Track & Field Championship when he placed in three events. He was a member of the 4x400 relay team which won in a conference record of 3:16.53 and he was second in the 800 (1:54.84) and ran a leg on the second place distance medley relay.
 
He is a former CCIW champion in the indoor 800 (2014) and during his career he has been second in the outdoor conference 800 twice and second and third in the indoor 800. He has placed in conference competition a total of nine times (seven indoor and twice outdoor).
 
This indoor season saw him win the 800 at the Wisconsin-Whitewater and Darren Young Invitationals and the 600 at the Olivet Nazarene Invitational. He broke his own meet record in the Darren Young 800 with a time of 1:54.22.  He is also a four-time letter winner in cross country where he captained a Viking team that qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championship meet. Last spring he ran the seventh fastest 800 time (1:51.93) in Augustana history.
 
Popek has over 60 hours of CAN direct patient contact clinical training and he has done field research on "Cold hardiness in Tiger Beetles". He won the Augustana biology department's academic scholarship competition and is a tutor for organic chemistry.
 
The son of John and Nancy of Minooka, Illinois, Dan is a biology and neuroscience major with a grade point average of 3.58.
2015-16 AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS - WINTER
 

ATHLETE/SCHOOL	SPORT	GPA	MAJOR	HOMETOWN (HIGH SCHOOL)
Jacob Gylten	M-Basketball	3.35	Pre-Medicine/Biology/Neuroscience	North Liberty, Iowa/Iowa City West
Michael Hoekstra	M-Basketball	3.62	Business Management/Accounting	Saint Anne, Ill./Bishop McNamara
Jacob Johnston	M-Basketball	3.48	Accounting	Cordova, Ill./Erie
Joseph Kellen	M-Basketball	3.74	General Studies	Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran
Brandon Motzel	M-Basketball	3.46	Engineering/Pre-Medicine	Grayslake, Ill./Carmel Catholic
Benjamin Ryan	M-Basketball	3.52	Bio-chemistry/Pre-Medicine	Washington, Ill./HS
Adam Bernardi	M-Swim/Diving	3.66	Pre-Medicine/Biology/Bio-Chemistry	Belvidere, Ill./Rockford Boylan Catholic
Bryce Dibadj	M-Swim/Diving	3.52	Biology	Glen Ellyn, Ill./Glenbard West
Thao Pham	M-Swim/Diving	3.83	Psychology	Hanoi, Viet Nam
Miguel Rodriguez	M-Swim/Diving	3.39	General Studies	Rockford, Ill./Rockford Boylan Catholic
Anthony Santangelo	M-Swim/Diving	3.93	General Studies	Brandon, Miss./St. Andrews Episcopal
Jacob Speechley	M-Swim/Diving	3.88	General Studies	Lockport, Ill./HS
Victor Wagstrom	M-Swim/Diving	3.92	Creative Writing	Stockholm, Sweden
Kyle Workman	M-Swim/Diving	3.87	General Studies	Morrison, Ill./HS
Travon Aldridge	M-Indoor Track	3.62	Business Administration	Rock Island, Ill./HS
Kevin Barbian	M-Indoor Track	3.59	Applied Math/Economics	Libertyville, Ill./HS
Kevin Claus	M-Indoor Track	3.59	General Studies	Port Byron, Ill./Riverdale
Kyle Cluver	M-Indoor Track	3.64	Math/Education	Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley
Patrick Crompton	M-Indoor Track	3.37	General Studies	Hood River, Ore./HS
Allan Daly	M-Indoor Track	3.68	Math/Economics/Political Science	Winnebago, Ill./HS
Rashaun DeBord	M-Indoor Track	3.67	History	Kewanee, Ill./Wethersfield
Eric DeMattia	M-Indoor Track	3.43	Math/Education	Pontiac, Ill./HS
Camilo Duarte	M-Indoor Track	3.48	International Business	Kaukauna, Wis./Kimberly
Logan Enstrom	M-Indoor Track	3.70	General Studies	Rock Island, Ill./HS
Zachary Gray	M-Indoor Track	3.57	Computer Science/Business	Moline, Ill./HS
Bennett Hartmann	M-Indoor Track	3.87	Biochemistry/Pre-Medicine	Batavia, Ill./HS
Kyle Hucker	M-Indoor Track	3.77	Accounting/Business Administration	Spring Grove, Ill./Wauconda
Mitchell Johnson	M-Indoor Track	4.00	Applied Math/Business	New Berlin, Ill./Pleasant Plains
Stephen Lavelle	M-Indoor Track	3.44	Biology	Park Ridge, Ill./Maine South
Alec Lidinsky	M-Indoor Track	3.50	Biology	Sandwich, Ill./HS
Omar Medina	M-Indoor Track	3.86	Business Administration	Batavia, Ill./HS
Jordan Midgley	M-Indoor Track	3.45	Business Administration/Accounting	Geneva, Ill./HS
Tanner Osing	M-Indoor Track	3.45	Public Health	Havana, Ill/HS
Daniel Popek	M-Indoor Track	3.58	Biology/Neuroscience	Minooka, Ill./HS
Christopher Saladin	M-Indoor Track	3.98	Class/History	Carthage, Mo./Thomas Jefferson
Keith Sands	M-Indoor Track	3.77	Math/Education	Silvis, Ill./United Township
Isaac Smith	M-Indoor Track	3.45	Chemistry	Marion, Iowa/HS
Nicholas Steichmann	M-Indoor Track	3.58	Biology	Downers Grove, Ill./North
Joseph Strain	M-Indoor Track	3.74	Geography/Education	Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central
Jeffrey Swanson	M-Indoor Track	3.66	Psychology	Winnebago, Ill./HS
Nathan Wendt	M-Indoor Track	3.55	Creative Writing/Journalism	Geneva, Ill./HS
Brandon Wilkerson	M-Indoor Track	3.91	General Studies	Stelle, Ill./Tri-Point
Robert Williams	M-Indoor Track	3.85	General Studies	Vernon Hills, Ill./HS
Dale Charlier	Wrestling	3.41	General Studies	Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove
Donald Sisneros	Wrestling	3.44	Classics/Bio-Chemistry	Denver, Colo./J.K. Mullen
Bryce Thomas	Wrestling	3.73	Chemistry/Psychology	Marysville, Wash./Arlington
Victoria Allen	W-Basketball	3.86	Accounting/Business Administration	Wildwood, Mo/Eureka
Isabelle Anderson	W-Basketball	3.84	General Studies	Rock Island, Ill./Alleman Catholic
Clare Kramer	W-Basketball	3.50	General Studies	Lyndon, Ill./Prophetstown
Olivia Mayer	W-Basketball	3.63	Psychology/Business Administration	Green Oaks, Ill./Libertyville
Carly McCameron	W-Basketball	3.50	General Studies	Antioch, Ill/HS
Andrea McNally	W-Basketball	3.92	Applied Math	Burr Ridge, Ill./Hinsdale South
Marissa Pezzopane	W-Basketball	3.47	Elementary Education	Wood Dale, Ill./Addison Trail
Corrin Reiley	W-Basketball	3.79	General Studies	Prophetstown, Ill./HS
Taylor Campbell	W-Swim/Diving	3.74	General Studies	Tuscola, Ill./HS
Victoria Frank	W-Swim/Diving	3.56	General Studies	Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale South
Rachel Heah	W-Swim/Diving	3.33	General Studies	Bayan Lepas, Pulau/Lockport
Jordan Johnson	W-Swim/Diving	3.48	Elementary Education	Appleton, Wis./North
Nicole Olsen	W-Swim/ Diving	3.31	Accounting	Romeoville, Ill./Plainfield East
Mia Polinski	W-Swim/Diving	3.52	General Studies	Evanston, Ill./HS
Kristin Schoenecker	W-Swim/Diving	3.86	Geography	Glen Carbon, Ill./Edwardsville
Rachel Akmakjian	W-Indoor Track	3.74	Classics/International Business	Fort Collins, Colo./Poudre
Comet Blecha	W- Indoor Track	3.65	Art/Psychology	Plainfield, Ill./North
Susanna Brashler	W-Indoor Track	3.54	Biology/Psychology	Downers Grove, Ill./South
Laura Butcher	W-Indoor Track	3.87	General Studies	Colorado Springs, Colo./Sand Creek
Nelly Cheboi	W-Indoor Track	3.58	Applied Math/Computer Science	Mogotio Kenya
Kylie Cline	W-Indoor Track	3.65	General Studies	Kewanee, Ill./Wethersfield
Alayna Connolly	W-Indoor Track	3.73	General Studies	Downers Grove, Ill./South
Michelle DeArmond	W-Indoor Track	3.50	General Studies	Moline, Ill./HS
Katrina Friedrich	W-Indoor Track	3.91	Psychology/Biology	Downers Grove, Ill./South
Carol Garcia	W-Indoor Track	4.00	General Studies	Belvidere, Ill./North
Luanna Gerdemann	W-Indoor Track	3.91	Graphic Design	Dubuque, Iowa/Hempstead
Michelle Henry	W-Indoor Track	3.62	General Studies	Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West
Audry Hogenkamp	W-Indoor Track	3.68	General Studies	Lakewood, Colo./HS
Jessica Lechtenberg	W-Indoor Track	3.95	General Studies	Fort Atkinson, Iowa/South Winneshiek
Hana Lobsinger	W-Indoor Track	3.44	Applied Math/Business Finance	Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South
Anna Martines	W-Indoor Track	3.61	Communication Science & Disorders	Saint Charles, Ill./East
Laura McNair	W-Indoor Track	3.84	General Studies	Lake Zurich, Ill./HS
Valeria Melo	W-Indoor Track	3.95	Bio-Chemistry	Lisle, Ill./HS
Amanda Nelson	W-Indoor Track	3.92	Biology	Springfield, Ill./Rochester
Hannah Penn	W-Indoor Track	3.79	General Studies	Normal, Ill./Normal Community
Sydney Richardson	W-Indoor Track	3.95	General Studies	Louisville, Colo./Fairview
Zoe Robb	W-Indoor Track	3.39	Geography	Boulder, Colo./HS
Lauren Rosenthal	W-Indoor Track	3.81	Psychology	Towanda, Ill./Normal University
Sara Ruthberg	W-Indoor Track	3.81	Communication/Sociology	Lisle, Ill./HS
Kaitlyn Stanley	W-Indoor Track	3.39	General Studies	Lisle, Ill./HS
Ashely Talken	W-Indoor Track	3.67	General Studies	Wheeling, Ill./HS
Margaret Utgaard	W-Indoor Track	3.32	General Studies	White Heath, Ill./Monticello
Shannon Walsh	W-Indoor Track	3.68	General Studies	Mahtomedi, Minn./HS
Brenna Whisler	W-Indoor Track	3.77	Communication/Public Health	Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley

 
Past winners of the Jack Swartz Award

 

1991-92
FALL  - Dan Simpson, Cross Country 3.87 (History & Political Science); Jean Fraser, Tennis 3.78 (Elementary Education)
WINTER - Rob Narske, Swimming 3.68 (Chemistry); Rebecca Rivan, Basketball 3.98 (Math & Secondary Education)
SPRING - Mark Reade, Track 3.86 (English, Economics & Business); Kim Huntington, Track 3.88 (Biology & Pre-Medicine)
 
1992-93
FALL - Dan Peters, Cross Country 4.00 (English & Political Science); Jennifer Black, Volleyball 3.42 (Accounting & Finance)
WINTER - Aben Cooper, Basketball 3.43 (Biology & Pre-Physical Therapy); Andrea Magyar, Basketball 3.95 (Biology & Pre-Physical Therapy)
SPRING - Clark Collins, Track 3.46 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Shawna Nelsen, Track 3.91 (English & Political Science)
 
1993-94
FALL - Lance Stephens, Soccer 3.73 (Business Administration); Brigette Morrow, Tennis 3.92 (Public Administration)
WINTER - Steve Baughman, Wrestling 3.92 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Amy Bratta, Basketball 3.58 (Biology, Psychology & Pre Physical Therapy)
SPRING - Joel Southern, Baseball 3.95 (Chemistry); Meribeth Schwartz, Track 3.71 (English & Secondary Education)
 
1994-95
FALL - Erik Belby, Cross Country 3.72 (Math, History & Secondary Education); Becky Miller, Volleyball 3.77 (Accounting & Finance)
WINTER - Tony Lavorato, Basketball 3.39 (Math & Secondary Education); Heather Eckhart, Swimming 3.29 (Biology & Pre-Physical Therapy)
SPRING - Chris Neuhart, Golf 3.52 (Political Science & Public Administration); Rachel Knapp, Track 3.87 (Biology & Pre-Physical Therapy)
 
1995-96
FALL - Tommy King, Football 3.97 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Kelly Regan, Volleyball 3.95 (Biology & Pre-Physical Therapy)
WINTER - Matt Dutton, Basketball 3.64 (Business & Finance); Becky Waughop, Basketball 3.82 (English & Education)
SPRING - Paul Hefter, Tennis 3.95 (Math Computer Science & Finance); Michelle Yocherer, Track 3.94 (Accounting & Political Science)
 
1996-97
FALL - Ashley Borah, Volleyball 3.84 (Pre-Physical Therapy); Ryan Carpenter, Football 3.91 (Math, Computer, Physics)
WINTER - Marissa Sule, Swimming 3.58 (Biology, English & Occupational Therapy); Eric Kubatzke, Wrestling 3.62 (Pre-Physical Therapy)
SPRING - Suzanne Billings, Track & Field 3.45 (Biology; Pre-Veterinary Medicine); J.C. Michel, Tennis 4.00 (Pre-Medicine)
 
1997-98
FALL - Kristy Windy, Cross Country 3.80 (Psychology & Elementary Education); Ryan Estabrook, Soccer 3.36 (Math & Secondary Education)
WINTER - Mandy Huizer, Swimming 3.46 (Biology & Pre-Veterinary Medicine); Eric Kubatzke, Wrestling 3.65 (Pre-Physical Therapy)
SPRING - Allison Wolak, Track & Field 3.78 (Business, Marketing & Speech Comm); Larry Skidmore, Baseball 3.35 (Math)
 
1998-99
FALL - Susan Paige, Cross Country 3.57 (Psychology & Elementary Education); Jeff Valentini, Soccer 3.35 (Physical Therapy)
WINTER - Beth Engle, Swimming & Diving 3.53 (History); Miles Stevenson, Swimming & Diving 3.73 (Computer Science)
SPRING - Rhonda Brown, Softball 3.97 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Jay Mellentine, Golf 3.61 (Accounting & Business)
 
1999-2000
FALL - Cherie Peterson, Soccer 3.83 (Spanish & Sociology); Tyson Crist, Soccer 3.54 (Business Administration)
WINTER - Jamie Pales, Wrestling 3.27 (English & Education); Sarah Reid, Swimming 3.38 (Speech Pathology)
SPRING - Scott Schmid, Baseball, 3.65 (Business Administration & Marketing); Maegan Harris, Track, 3.80 (Math, Chemistry & Psychology)
 
2000-01
FALL - Cherie Peterson, Soccer, 3.85 (Spanish & Sociology); Mackenzie Hay, Football, 3.45 (Biology & Pre-Medicine)
WINTER - Kim Baier, Indoor Track & Field, 3.94 (Chemistry); Jamie Pales, Wrestling, 3.36 (English)
SPRING - Amy Tirmensteir, Track & Field, 3.98 (Geography); John Watson, Golf, 3.58 (Business & Accounting)
 
2001-02
FALL - Kiersten Madden, Volleyball, 3.91 (Biology & Environmental Studies); Todd Baldwin, Football, 4.00 (Accounting & Economics)
WINTER - Tammie Beasley, Indoor Track, 3.27 (Business Administration); Rudy Kovachevich, Indoor Track, 3.95 (Biology & Pre-Medicine)
SPRING - Melissa Cook, Softball, 3.84 (Business & Accounting); Brian Sayers, Golf, 3.42 (Business Administration)
 
2002-03
FALL - Cory Tillman, Volleyball, 3.87 (Math & Computer Science); Bob Paulin, Football, 3.49 (Accounting & Computer Science)
WINTER - Melissa DeRycke, Basketball, 3.52 (Speech Pathology); Matt Simcock, Swimming, 3.70 (German & Business Administration)
SPRING - Jeff Dunn, Baseball, 3.56 (Political Science); Tracy Skibitzki, Track & Field, 3.70 (Studio Art)
 
2003-04
FALL - Kendra Petrie, Soccer, 3.66 (Speech Pathology & Spanish); Adam Guy, Football, 3.94 (Physics)
WINTER - Maura Milas, Swimming, 3.88 (Biology; Pre-Dentistry); Matt Simcock, Swimming, 3.53 (German; Business Administration & Economics)
SPRING - Mike Bartlett, Track & Field, 3.73 (Computer Business); Manda Geerts, Track & Field, 4.00 (Communication Science & Disorders)
 
2004-05
FALL - Kristen Pence, Tennis, 3.72 (Math Computer Science); Mike Clark, Football, 3.95 (Accounting Business Administration)
WINTER - Kristen Pence, Basketball, 3.73 (Math Computer Science); Travis Hoyt, Basketball, 3.54 (Finance & Economics)
SPRING - Jilian Widick, Softball, 3.32 (Biology); Steve Broski, Baseball, 4.00 (Biology pre-Medicine)
 
2005-06
FALL – Jeanna Dalton, Volleyball, 3.62 (Business Administration Management); Adam Houghton, Cross Country, 3.74 (Biology Pre-Medicine)
WINTER – Kelly Sikora, Basketball, 3.74 (Biology Pre-Medicine); Drew Wessels, Basketball, 3.56 (Business Management Information Systems)
SPRING – Bekki Cheatham, Track & Field, 3.88 (Spanish & Education); Nick Johnson, Track & Field, 3.98 (Math)
 
2006-07
FALL – Keri Hess, Soccer 3.60 (Biology); Tim Frey, Cross Country 3.90 (History)
WINTER – Kim Rymer, Basketball, 3.58 (Psychology Biology Pre-Physical Therapy); Drew Wessels, Basketball, 3.53 (Business Administration)
SPRING – Meghan Voiland, Track & Field, 3.85 (Biology Pre-Physical Therapy); Ted McMillan, Track & Field, 3.52 (Chemistry)
 
2007-08
FALL – Keri Hess, Soccer, 3.57 (Biology); Blaine Westemeyer, Football, 3.93 (Biochemistry)
WINTER – Keli Coleman, Indoor Track & Field, 3.81 (Biology); Jim Beatty, Indoor Track & Field, 3.98 (History)
SPRING – Sara Brokaw, Softball, 3.64 (Business); Ted McMillan, Track & Field 3.53 (Chemistry)
 
2008-09
FALL – Rachel Gahn, Women's Golf, 3.88 (Biochemistry & Biology); Blaine Westemeyer, Football, 3.92 (Biochemistry & pre-Medicine)
WINTER – Keli Coleman, Indoor Track & Field, 3.84 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Ted McMillan, Indoor Track & Field, 3.54 (Chemistry)
SPRING – Paula Neiweem, Outdoor Track & Field, 3.56 (Biology & Pre-Medicine); Greg Ruth, Tennis, 3.70 (History)
 
2009-10
FALL – Courtney Jungnickel, Volleyball, 3.50 (Business Administration); Blaine Westemeyer, Football, 3.92 (Biochemistry & pre-Medicine)
WINTER – Amy Walsh, Indoor Track & Field, 3.99 (Psychology & Biology); Matt Pelton, Basketball, 3.89 (International Business & Accounting)
SPRING – Karlee Quaritsch, 3.50 (Psychology); Max Petersen, 3.98 (Biochemistry Pre-medicine Religion)