The California Pacific Conference Athletic Directors named winners of the conference’s end of the year awards last week, recognizing outstanding performances from three individuals and three institutions.
Menlo Athletic Director Keith Spataro was voted by his peers as the Cal Pac’s AD of the Year following another year of success and growth in the Oaks athletic department. In his sixth year at the helm, Spataro led the department to a winning percentage of 55 percent or better for the second-straight season, saw two teams and eight individuals qualify for national postseason tournaments, and reaped the rewards of continued success in the classroom with 14 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete award winners, seven Capital One Academic All-District selections and three Capital One Academic All-Americans.
Within the conference, Menlo had three players selected as Cal Pac Players of the Year, one Cal Pac Defender of the Year, one Newcomer of the Year, one Coach of the Year, 24 conference Players of the Week and a pair of teams claim conference titles.
This marks the second time Spataro has earned this honor after he was named AD of the Year following the 2009-10 year. Spataro was also selected as an Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year award winner following the 2013-14 season.
Honoring the best Sports Medicine program within the conference, the Cal Pac voted Menlo College the Sports Medicine Award for the 2013-14 season. Under the direction of head athletic trainer Mark Fowler, Menlo has earned this award for two consecutive and three of the past four years.
Fowler was assisted by his staff consisting of: Jennifer O’Hara, Rob Dalnoki and graduate assistants Yuki Nakamura and Courtney Beverine.
Continuing the trend of national and conference-wide recognition for the department, women’s basketball coach Shannon Osborne was recently chosen as the 2013-14 NAIA Coach of the Character Award winner representing the California Pacific Conference as announced by the NAIA National Office earlier this month.
This award is given annually to an NAIA head coach from each conference who has embraced the five core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program, demonstrated character through sport and instilled a culture of community leadership through volunteering or service.
Menlo also featured two finalists in voting for the 2013-14 Men’s and Women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. Softball senior Casey Showalter represented Menlo on the women’s side. An accounting major boasting a 3.84 GPA, Showalter was a two-year softball team member who excelled in the classroom, graduating Magna Cum Laude, earning a place as an NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete and serving as Menlo’s 2014 CalCPA Campus Ambassador.
On the men’s side, soccer player Bryce Nelson was chosen to represent the Oaks. A finance major with a 3.55 GPA, Nelson was a 2013 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athlete award recipient while serving as a team captain for a Menlo team that won 23 games during his two-year career.
Nelson is actively involved with his church and has served on mission trips in various countries including a trip to Haiti to assist in recovery from a massive earthquake that hit the area. He plans to travel to Ethiopia on a mission trip this summer.
By Menlo Athletics
By Menlo Athletics
By Menlo Athletics