SAN FRANCISCO — The 2019-20 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Conference Medal recipients were announced today. A Conference Medal is awarded annually to each member institution’s outstanding senior male and female student-athlete based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
Conference medal winners have been named every year since the 1960-61 academic year. In 2009, the Pac 12 renamed the award the Tom Hansen Conference Medal in honor of Hansen, who retired at the end of June 2009 after serving for 26 years as Commissioner of the Pac-10.
ARIZONA
Stone Gettings, Men’s Basketball (Malibu, Calif.) – Graduate student in Accounting and Entrepreneurship carries a 4.00 GPA … Arizona’s first-ever Men’s Basketball Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year recipient … CoSIDA Academic All-American … Member of Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) … Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll member … Appeared in 27 games, starting in 16 while averaging 6.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game … Amassed 1,066 points in his career (888 in three seasons at Cornell, 178 in one season at Arizona)… A team leader in Arizona’s #CatsGiveBack campaign with community service events, including visiting Diamond’s Children Hospital and reading days with local elementary schools.
Tatum Waggoner, Track and Field (Phoenix, Ariz.) – Graduate student in Special Education with emphasis in Disabilities with a 4.00 GPA … 2019 First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American … 2018 Outdoor NCAA Second Team All-American (4×400-Meter Relay) … 2016 Indoor NCAA First-Team All-American (4×400-meter relay) … 2016 MPSF Conference Champions (4×400-meter relay) … 2015 All-Pac-12 (4×100 relay team) … Two-year member of Pac-12 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) … 2018 Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention … Member of Inspiring Women and Peer Athletics Leader.
ARIZONA STATE
Tanner Hall, Wrestling (Meridian, Idaho) – Graduate student in Electrical Engineering carrying a 3.6 GPA … 2020 NWCA Scholar All-American … 2020 Pac-12 Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Two-time NWCA All-Academic selection … Two-time Pac-12 All-Academic honoree … Named to 2020 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll … 2020 NWCA First-Team All American … 2020 Pac-12 HWT champion … Qualified for 2020 NCAA Championships (seeded #4 at heavyweight) … Posted more than 100 career wins … Participated in Sun Devil Caravans and Sparky’s Tours which included character presentations at elementary schools in addition to participating in various service projects.
Robbi Ryan, Women’s Basketball (Sheridan, Wyo.) – Graduate student in Higher and Post-Secondary Education boasting a 3.95 GPA … Started 103 of 131 career games and finished with a career 1,127 points and 103 3-pointers … Selected to 2020 All-Pac-12 team … Earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention/Pac-12 All-Defense honorable mention in 2018 … Named to 2020 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll … Received Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention recognition in 2019 … Earned Pac-12 Second-Team All-Academic honors in 2018 … Participated in more than 70 hours of community service.
CALIFORNIA
Simon Lekressner, Men’s Soccer (Bellevue, Wash.) — Economics major boasts a 3.73 GPA, graduating with his degree in December … 2019 Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men’s soccer … Led Cal to the 2019 NCAA Tournament … Started every game as a senior at defender in 2019, set career highs in goals (5) and game-winning goals (2) … First-team All-Pac-12 … Drafted in the second round of the 2020 MLS Draft by the New England Revolution … Member of the 2019 United Soccer Coaches All-Far West second team.
Abbey Weitzeil, Women’s Swimming and Diving (Saugus, Calif.) — Public Health major and team captain … 2020 Honda Sports Award winner … 2019 Pac-12 Swimmer of the Year … 2019 NCAA 50-yard freestyle champion … American record holder in the 50 free (20.90), the first woman ever under 21 seconds … Two-time Olympic medalist … 2020 Pac-12 50 free champion (meet-record 21.03) … Finalist for the 2020 AAU Sullivan Award … Member of 2019 U.S. World Championships team … Member of six NCAA title-winning relays over her career.
COLORADO
Joe Klecker, Cross Country/Track and Field (Minnetonka, Minn.) – Biochemistry major boasting a 3.664 GPA … member of CU’s 4.0 GPA club … Nine-time All-American (2019 NCAA XC runner-up) … Academic All-MPSF (2017) … 2019 Pac-12 XC champion … 11 NCAA qualifying career races … 2018 USTFCCCA All-Academic … 2019 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll member … Named CU Male Co-Athlete of the Year (2019 & 2020) and Male Career Athlete of the Year (2020).
Jalen (J.J.) Tompkins, Women’s Soccer (Phoenix, Ariz.) – Psychology major and Leadership Studies and Sociology minor… carries a 3.797 GPA … Member of CU’s 4.0 GPA club … First Team All-West Scholar-Athlete … Three-time Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention … Member of the 2019 Pac-12 Fall Academic Honor Roll … Three-time team captain … First Team All-West Region … Second Team All-Pac-12 … All-time CU leader in wins (49), saves (369) and save pct. (.841) … President of CU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) … Led initiative on Bolder Buffs to form a group focused on topics dealing with mental health to destigmatize challenges athletes might face in this area.
OREGON
Justin Herbert, Football (Eugene, Ore.) — General Science major boasts 4.01 GPA … No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft … Senior Bowl MV P… Rose Bowl Offensive MVP … NFF Campbell Award winner … Led UO to 29-13 record over 42 career starts, including 2019 Pac-12 Championship and Rose Bowl wins … Finished second in Oregon history in touchdown passes (95) and passing yards (10,541) … Three-time Academic All-America first team … 2019 Pac-12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Courts For Kids Service Trip to Uganda Summer 2018 … Hosted local school children to practices.
Satou Sabally, Women’s Basketball (Berlin, Germany) — General Social Sciences major carries a 3.48 GPA … 2020 Honors: Cheryl Miller National Small Forward of the Year, WBCA First-Team All-America, AP and USBWA Second-Team All-America … No. 2 Overall Pick in 2020 WNBA Draft … Two-Time All-Pac-12 … 2018 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year … 2020 Pac-12 Winter Academic Honor Roll … 2018-19 SAAC Co-Chair of Women of Oregon … Organized Black History Month games for UO men’s and women’s basketball … Volunteer through O Heroes.
OREGON STATE
Tres Tinkle, Men’s Basketball (Missoula, Mont.) — Speech Communication major with a 3.13 GPA, graduating Spring 2019 …Program’s all-time leading scorer (2,233) and second in rebounds (882) … School record-holder in consecutive games scoring double figures (96) … Three-time Pac-12 All-Academic … Three-time All-Pac-12 First Team … NABC First Team and USBWA All-District in 2019 and 2020 … Volunteered at Corvallis Boys and Girls Club, Linwood Elementary Pen Pal program and basketball camps for special needs children.
Mikayla Pivec, Women’s Basketball (Lynnwood, Wash.) — Master’s program in BioChemistry and BioPhysics boasting a 3.9 GPA … Earned Bachelor’s in BioHealth Science in three years with a 3.93 GPA … Program’s all-time leading rebounder … Two-time All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Defensive Team … Averaged 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds during senior year … Two-time Academic All-American … Pac-12 Academic Honors all three years eligible … Senior CLASS Award All-American … Co-founder of Beavs CARE community service program.
STANFORD
Tanner Beason, Men’s Soccer (Winston-Salem, NC) — Management Science & Engineering major with a 3.28 GPA … 2019 United Soccer Coaches First-Team All-American … 2019 College Soccer News First-Team All-American … 2019 Senior CLASS Award First-Team All-American … 2018 Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defender of the Year … Three-time Pac-12 All-Academic… Two-time team captain … PAE student-athlete mentor … Co-leader of SAAC Events committee … 2020 MLS SuperDraft first round selection, 12th overall and highest in the conference.
Morgan Hentz, Women’s Volleyball (Lakeside Park, KY) — Psychology major boasts 3.65 GPA … 2019 First-Team All-American: AVCA, ESPNW, VolleyballMag.com … Three-time Pac-12 Libero of the Year, All-Pac-12 … 2019 Pac-12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Three-time Pac-12 All-Academic recognition … ACE Program participant … Volunteer for Stanford’s Kids with Dreams program, dedicated to improving lives of individuals with special needs … Coached at Encore Volleyball club … Volunteer at St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room and Westside Food Bank.
UCLA
Darnay Holmes, Football (Pasadena, Calif.) – African American Studies major … Named to the Director’s Honor Roll in Spring 2018, Fall 2018 and Winter 2020 … Selected All-Conference Honorable Mention in 2018 and 2019 … Led the team for the third straight season in interceptions, with two, and was credited with six pass defenses … Made 33 starts in the secondary, recording eight career interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns … Tied for 12th in the Pac-12 in pass defenses (0.73)… Drafted by the New York Giants in the fourth round (No. 110) … Mentorship program leader at the Future Elite Academy.
Madison Kocian, Gymnastics (Dallas, Texas) – Psychology major boasting a 3.846 GPA … 2020 Pac-12 Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete of the Year … UCLA Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year … 2020 Academic All-District 8 Women’s At-Large first team (CoSIDA) … Two-Time UCLA All-Academic Team … Selected to Directors Honor Roll every quarter at UCLA … Three-Time Scholastic All-American … Seven time All-American … One of two female gymnasts to win an NCAA, World and Olympic Championship (2018 NCAA Team Champion, 2016 Olympic Gold/Silver Medalist, 2015/2014 World Championship Gold Medalist) … Member of Positive Coaching Alliance Camp.
USC
Henry Fusaro, Swimming & Diving (Scottsdale, Ariz.) – Majoring in Philosophy Politics and Law & Law History and Culture with a minor in Business Law … 2020 Pac-12 Men’s Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year … Two-time CSCAA Scholar-All-American … 2020 CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large honoree … Pac-12 All-Academic honoree … USC Marks and Stevens Scholars recipient … Three-time finalist at the 2020 Pac-12 Championships … Won the 1-meter springboard at the NCAA Zone E Diving Championship … Earned CSCAA All-American first team honors … 2018 Pac-12 3-meter champion … 2017 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year … Swim With Mike annual volunteer.
Louise Hansson, Swimming & Diving (Helsingborg, Sweden) – Business Administration major … USC Marks Scholar honoree … Swimming and Diving representative on Trojan Athletic Senate …Team captain … Three-time NCAA champion … 19-time All-American … 2020 Pac-12 Women’s Swimmer of the Year … 2020 Pac-12 Championship Swimmer of the Meet … 10-time Pac-12 winner … Nine-time school-record holder … 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifier … First Pac-12 woman to win the 100-yard butterfly four times and the first to win the event in back-to-back seasons in over two decades … Swim With Mike annual volunteer.
UTAH
Terrell Burgess, Football (San Marcos, Calif.) – Majoring in Kinesiology … Two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection … Made the AD Honor Roll four times and Dean’s List … Two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection… All-Pac-12 safety as a senior in 2019 … Chosen in the third round in the 2020 NFL Draft by the L.A. Rams … Played in 45 career games, starting all 14 as a senior … Led the secondary in tackles in 2019 with 81 … Fourth in the Pac-12 in fumbles recovered … Three-year member of the Utah’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) … Volunteered with the Special Olympics … Read to children at local elementary schools and volunteered at youth camps.
Guro Jordheim, Skiing (Hemsedal, Buskerud, Norway) – Mathematics major … Three-time member of the AD Honor Roll and named to the Dean’s list … 2020 SCA Women’s Nordic National Skier of the Year … Seven-time All-American … Two-time RMISA Women’s Nordic Athlete of the Year (2018, 2020) … Two-time RMISA women’s Nordic MVP (2018, 2020) … Four-time first-team All-RMISA … 17 career race wins, 29 career podium finishes … Led Utah to two NCAA team championships (2017 & 2019) … Ute Academy Graduate.
WASHINGTON
Kasey French, Men’s Soccer (Lacey, Wash.) — Mathematics and Physics double major boasts 3.88 GPA … Key defender for a Washington team which posted 12 shutouts on the year and finished ninth in the country with a 0.66 goals against average … Started all 20 matches for the Huskies, playing the second most minutes … Helped Washington to its first Pac-12 title since 2013 … 2019 CoSIDA Third Team Academic-All American … Three-Time CoSIDA First-Team All-District Selection.
Kara Bajema, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball (Lynden, Wash.) — Education, Communities & Organizations major carrying 3.20 GPA … Two-time AVCA All-American … Two-time All-Pac-12 Team … Five-time 2019 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week … 2019 AVCA North Region Player of the Year … Washington single-season kills record-holder (597) … Pac-12 All-Academic Honorable Mention … Four-time Dean’s List, SAAS Academic Achievement recipient … Mentor for Rainier Athletes as part of senior capstone experience.
WASHINGTON STATE
Anthony Gordon, Football (Pacifica, Calif.) — Social Sciences major earning degree Summer 2020 … All-Pac-12 Second Team … Led country in passing yards per game (429.2), 300-yard games (12), 400-yard games (9) … Set WSU and Pac-12 single-season records for passing TDs (48), passing yards (5,579), total offense (5,559) and completions (493) … Volunteered at WSU athletics annual holiday celebration with local children, as well as volunteering with Habitat for Humanity … Signed as a free agent by the Seattle Seahawks following the 2020 NFL Draft.
Morgan Weaver, Women’s Soccer (University Place, Wash.) — Humanities major earning degree Summer 2020 … No. 2 Overall Pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft … Highest ranked soccer player drafted in WSU history … United Soccer Coaches Third-Team All-American … First Team All-Region and All-Pac-12 … Team captain accounted for 20 of the Cougs’ 45 goals scored on the year … Led WSU to College Cup for first time in program history, first player to score a goal at the Cup … Volunteered at WSU Athletics events including Special Olympics Basketball Tournament.
Press Release courtesy of the PAC-12 Conference
