Recognition for superior senior athletes

Two football standouts and the volleyball team’s leading scholar-athlete were named the University’s top senior student athletes for the 2007-08 academic year.

Blue Hens quarterback Joe Flacco, running back Omar Cuff and outside hitter Colleen Walsh were honored at ceremonies in May.

Flacco and Cuff, a pair of All-Americans who set numerous school and national records and led the Blue Hen football team to a berth in the national title game this past season, were named co-winners of the men’s award at the annual UD Intercollegiate Awards Luncheon.

Walsh, who led the Blue Hen volleyball team to the Colonial Athletic Association title and a berth in the NCAA tournament this past fall, while also making her mark in the classroom and the community, received her honor at the annual UD Women’s Athletics Awards Banquet.

Few women in University history have combined the athletic skills, academic accomplishments, and concern for the community that Walsh has.

She was named the CAA Player of the Year for volleyball and CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year during the 2007 season when she led the Blue Hens, under the direction of Head Coach Bonnie Kenny, to their finest season in school history. Delaware posted a record of 31-5, captured the CAA regular season and tournament team titles, and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history, advancing to the second round.

A two-time member of the College Sports Information Directors of America District 2 All-Academic team as an honor student in economics and finance with a 3.76 grade point index, Walsh was also recognized for her outstanding play on the court by earning American Volleyball Coaches Association All-East Region honors. She also was a three-time All-CAA selection and was the league Rookie of the Year in 2004.

A dean’s list student, two-time team captain and perennial selection to the CAA Academic Honor Roll, Walsh has served as the vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Council during the past two years. Over that time, she helped the group raise thousands of dollars for the Delaware Special Olympics and other charities. She also was a member of Delaware Christian Athletes, serving as president for two years, and took part in numerous public service projects, including fundraising for Hurricane Katrina relief.

During the 2007 season, she recorded a conference-best 564 kills, her 4.34 kills-per-game average was second in the conference, and her .267 hitting percentage was third on the team and sixth in the league. Among her school records are most career kills (1,553) and most career kills per game (3.85).

Cuff and Flacco are the first teammates to be recognized with the men’s award in Delaware athletics history and the first co-winners since golfer Peter Lovenguth and baseball player Heath Chasanov shared the honors in 1991.
Together, they helped lead a Blue Hen offense that was one of the most explosive units in the country, taking the football team to one its finest seasons in school history in 2007. Head Coach K.C. Keeler’s squad went 11-5 and advanced to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision national championship game before falling to Appalachian State. Delaware led the Colonial Athletic Association in almost every significant offensive category and ranked No. 6 nationally in passing yards per game (284.2), No. 10 in total offense per game (285.7) and No. 11 in scoring (36.2).

UD’s all-time leading scorer and second all-time leading rusher, Cuff’s own outstanding 2007 season included setting school single season records with 398 carries, 1,945 yards and 35 touchdowns while also catching 55 passes for 554 yards and four touchdowns. He led the nation in scoring with 15.6 points per game and ranked seventh in rushing with 129.7 yards per game.

Cuff set a single season NCAA record with 39 touchdowns, the third highest total in the history of college football, and with 35 rushing touchdowns. His 65 career rushing touchdowns is also a CAA record while his 73 career touchdowns is No. 1 all-time at Delaware, and his 4,364 rushing yards rank him No. 2 all-time at Delaware. In all, he set five NCAA records, eight CAA records, and 28 Delaware standards during his career.
Cuff has signed as an undrafted free agent with the National Football League’s Tennessee Titans.

For more about Flacco, who was selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens, see the preceding page.

At both the men’s and women’s end-of-year ceremonies, numerous other athletes were honored as well for accomplishments not only on the playing field but in the classroom and in the community, including each team’s Alumni Association Most Valuable Player awards. For more, visit [www.udel.edu/sportsinfo/].