Tara Kirk and Dan Gill share Athlete of Year honor Tara Kirk and Dan Gill share Athlete of Year honor (June 11, 2004)

Swimmer and gymnast now set their sights on qualifying for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece

by Keith Peters

Tara Kirk and Dan Gill could be headed for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece, which would seem appropriate after accomplishing a great deal during the senior years at Stanford University.

Kirk set a world (short-course) record in the 100-meter breaststroke this season, won her fourth-straight NCAA title in the 100 breast, and finished her four-year career having never lost in 35 collegiate races over 100 meters or yards.

Gill, a nine-time All-American, was the only NCAA-eligible athlete on this year's U.S. Senior National Team in gymnastics. He was named the 2004 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Year after capturing the conference all-around title.

Both stellar athletes share the 2004 Al Masters Award, presented to the Stanford athlete attaining the highest standards of athletic performance, leadership and academic achievement.

Kirk and Gill were honored during Stanford's annual Athletic Awards luncheon on campus.

Gill will compete for a berth on the U.S. Olympic team at the USA trials running June 24-26 in Anaheim. Gill qualified for the 14-man trials based on performance at the VISA U.S. Gymnastics Championships earlier this month in Nashville, Tenn.

Kirk will attempt to make the U.S. team that competes in Athens during the USA trials in Long Beach, July 9-14. She will go in among the favorites in the 100- and 200-meter breaststrokes. She won four NCAA titles in the 100 and three national collegiate crowns in the 200 breast. This season Kirk won the Honda Award as the most outstanding collegiate women's athlete for swimming or diving.

Among some of the other honors given out Thursday:

Peter Marshall (swimming) and Grant Robison (cross country and track) shared the Biff Hoffman Award as the Outstanding Male Senior.

Nicole Powell (basketball) and Dana Sorensen (softball) shared the Stanford Athletic Board Award as the Outstanding Female Senior.

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