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UD runner Kevin DuPrey wins inspiration award

UD’s Kevin DuPrey has been named the winner of the John H. Randolph Inspiration Award by the Colonial Athletic Association.

9:18 a.m., May 19, 2006--University of Delaware senior distance runner Kevin DuPrey, who battled Lyme disease during much of his college career, has been selected as the winner of the 2006 John H. Randolph Inspiration Award by the Colonial Athletic Association.

The award recognizes individuals, who through strength of character and human spirit, serve as an inspiration to all to maximize their potential and ability for success. It is named after former College of William & Mary athletic director John Randolph, who died of cancer in 1995.

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” DuPrey said. “Going through this whole ordeal has made me value little things much more.”

CAA Commissioner Tom Yeager presented the Randolph Award to DuPrey during the UD men's intercollegiate athletics awards banquet on May 16.

DuPrey is a four-year letter winner in cross country and a two-year letter winner in outdoor track and field for the Fightin' Blue Hens. He was one of the Hens' top runners as a freshman, finishing 18th overall at the CAA cross country championship meet and setting a freshman record in the 10,000-meter run in track and field.

DuPrey's career took an unfortunate turn in the spring of 2003, however, when he contracted Lyme disease. The disease caused numerous complications, including fatigue, a serious hip injury that was the result of swelling in his joints, and severe sunburn that was a side effect of antibiotics.

DuPrey's condition has steadily improved and he is currently free from Lyme disease and no longer on antibiotics. He served as team captain on the cross country squad this year and posted a fifth-place finish at the Delaware Invitational meet.

“A year ago, I had a PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) line sticking out of my arm and I couldn't even go out in the sun for more than five minutes,” DuPrey said. “When I was able to go to the beach after stopping antibiotics it was absolutely amazing.”

“Kevin is such a tremendous person,” UD Head Coach Jim Fischer, who heads the cross country and track programs, said. “He works so hard and never has given up despite his illness. For him to come out and run cross country this past fall says a lot about the kind of person he is. He has always had the ability but it became so hard for him to train. He finally had so much pain that he had to stop following the cross country season. I'm disappointed for him that he couldn't reach the level of competition that he was capable of, but it was never because of a lack of effort or desire. That has always been there.”

While the disease took a toll on DuPrey's running abilities, he continued to excel as a student. He has achieved a 3.88 grade point average while majoring in biological sciences and earned the track team's Sharp Academic Award. A Dean's List student, DuPrey has worked as a biology research assistant and in the Vertebrate Development Lab during the summers. He will earn his degree from UD on May 27 and plans to attend the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he will study sports medicine or infectious disease to become a Lyme disease specialist.

DuPrey becomes third UD scholar-athlete to earn the John H. Randolph Award from the CAA in the last five years. Softball standout Mandy Welch, who overcame an 80 percent hearing loss to excel as a record-setting all-conference outfielder, was recognized in 2002 and tennis player Julia Shapiro, who was a four-year member of the squad despite being stricken with Multiple Sclerosis as a freshman, was honored last spring.

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