January
9, 2007
Release courtesy of Larry Happel, Central College sports information
director
CEDAR
RAPIDS , IOWA . . . Central College’s Adam
Duerfeldt, an Urbandale native, is the NCAA Division
III men’s recipient of the Woody Hayes National Scholar-Athlete
of the Year Award.
Six
awards are presented annually with one male and female winner
for each of the NCAA’s three divisions. Winners are selected
on the basis of demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics,
community service and leadership. The awards are sponsored by
the University & Northwest Sertoma Club of Columbus, Ohio,
a charitable community service organization, and will be presented
at a banquet in Columbus Jan. 26.
The other
winners are Stan White II of The Ohio State University, Sarah
Lowe of the University of Florida, Ryan Koch of St. Cloud State
University ( Minn.), Rebecca Woodworth of Union College ( Ky.)
and Erika Eisenhut of Union College (N.Y.).
Duerfeldt,
a standout catcher for the Central baseball team, earlier received
an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, the ESPN The Magazine Academic
All-America College Division Baseball Player of the Year Award
and the Duane Schroeder Iowa Conference Men’s Scholar-Athlete
of the Year Award. Also the Iowa Conference baseball MVP, he
was tabbed the NCAA Division III Central Region position player
of the year by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association
and the American Baseball Coaches Association made him a first-team
all-region selection. He is a two-time first-team Academic All-America
honoree and a three-time Academic All-Iowa Conference selection.
Graduating
from Central with honors with a 3.88 grade point average and
a chemistry major, Duerfeldt received the Madison and Lila Self
Graduate Fellowship at the University of Kansas where he is
pursuing a doctoral degree in medicinal chemistry.
Central’s
team MVP, Duerfeldt set 17 school records for the Dutch, including
highest season batting average (.481), highest career average
(.384), most career hits (207) and most career RBIs (207). He
had 65 hits last season, with 11 doubles, six triples and six
homers and his .481 average ranked fourth in Division III. Duerfeldt
posted a .984 fielding percentage.
Last season
Duerfeldt led Central to a share of its first Iowa Conference
baseball crown since 1975.
Duerfeldt
helped initiate the formation of the Tim Heggen Foundation,
which provides scholarships to first-year undergraduate students
and donates money to cancer research.
“Adam’s
talent, work ethic and leadership abilities have had a major
impact on our program and I know he brings those same talents
with him to graduate school,” said Central baseball coach
Adam Stevens. “I am very excited to see what he will accomplish
now that he has graduated because I know he will pursue his
goals with a passion and a commitment that are rare.”
Woody
Hayes Award—This is the 20th year that the
Hayes Award is being presented. This year’s six honorees
have a 3.91 combined grade point average, have received all-conference,
all-region and all-America distinction 70 times and have provided
volunteer service to more than 100 community organizations.
Duerfeldt
is the fourth Iowa collegian to ever receive the award and the
second Central student-athlete honored. NCAA Division III women’s
basketball player of the year Emilie Hanson of Central was selected
in 1996.
2007
Woody Hayes National Scholar Athlete of the Year Award winners
NCAA Div. I--Sarah Lowe, University of Florida,
women’s basketball Political science and Spanish, 3.90
GPA
NCAA Div. I--Stan White II, The Ohio State
University, football Business administration, 3.80 GPA
NCAA Div. II--Ryan Koch, St. Cloud State University
( Minn.), football, men’s track and field Computer science,
4.00 GPA
NCAA Div. II--Rebecca Woodworth, Union College
( Ky.), women’s soccer, basketball Mathematics and secondary
education, 4.00 GPA
NCAA Div. III--Adam Duerfeldt, Central College, baseball
NCAA Div. III--Erika Eisenhut, Union College
(N.Y.), women’s soccer, basketball, softball Mathematics
and psychology, 3.82 GPA
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